Santa Fe Seed Library
The Santa Fe Seed Library, named “One of 25 Things We Love About Santa Fe Right Now” by the Santa Fe Reporter in 2020, is now in its third season. The Seed Library responded to pandemic-related library closures by again locating “Mini Seed Libraries” at 11 locations throughout the county starting in March and continued through May 2 when seed supplies were exhausted. To kick off the 2021 growing season, the Seed Library and the Santa Fe Public Library encourage you to view the award-winning film, “Seed: The Untold Story.” through SFPL’s Kanopy platform from the comfort of your home.
The Santa Fe Seed Library is now closed for the year. They distributed over 9,000 seed packets at 9 locations over 9 weeks, including seeds distributed to Tewa Women United and the Northern Youth Project.
This project is a community service of the Santa Fe Extension Master Gardeners Seed Stewards Project in partnership with the Santa Fe Public Library and Home Grown New Mexico. We are grateful for the support of Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek Rare Seeds, Plants of the Southwest, Lake Valley Seeds, La Villita Farm, Farm Direct Organic, Snake River Seed Cooperative, High Ground Gardens, El Guique Farm, Western Family Farm, Agua Fria Nursery, Botanical Interest, High Mowing Organic Seeds, Reunity Resources, Zulu Petals, La Tienda at Eldorado, and the many local gardeners who have shared their seeds.
Seed Library Support and Workshops
In partnership with the Santa Fe Public Library, Seed Stewards will put on educational events virtually (or in-person when safe) for the public during peak planting and harvesting times. Topics include how to start and transplant seeds; soil building and raised beds; how to select, collect, and save seeds; seed exchanges; seed storing; drip irrigation techniques, botany and breeding. Workshop schedules will be posted on both the SFPL and SFEMG websites. Seed Stewards will work with SFPL to create posters, flyers, brochures, booklets and digital resources to provide how-to information and support to the public on seeds and seed stewardship. Materials will be available at the Seed Library and online.
What Are Locally-Adapted Seeds and Why are they Important?
Open-pollinated seeds versus hybridized or genetically-modified seeds that have evolved over numerous growing seasons or perhaps even thousands of years are inherently more bio-diverse, giving them the ability to thrive in a specific regional climate, geography, and hydrology. Furthermore, this biodiversity is like a built-in insurance policy that enables adaptability to climatic change, and will be hardy and resistant to environmental stresses that would fell plants from seed imported from other regions or countries.
Find out more at https://www.sfemg.org/seed-stewardship-project
Online Resources
- Jannine Cabossel, The Tomato Lady, a local expert who writes a blog that cover all aspects of vegetable gardening. Giantveggiegardener.com.
- Santa Fe Extension Master Gardeners. SFEMG.org. Submit a gardening question online; Listen to a series of podcasts called Veggie Gardening 101 (on the Garden Journal Radio page); Search the newsletter archives.
- New Mexico State University Extension Division
- Seed Savers Exchange has a collection of seed growing and saving resources .
- YouTube videos—search on the topic you are interested in.
- Santa Fe Planting Calendar
- Planting outdoors I: Sowing seed Planting outdoors II: Transplanting
- How to Grow a Three Sisters Garden (Eng.)
- Las Tres Hermanas: How to Grow a Three Sisters Garden (Span.)
- Easy Seeds for Beginning Seed Savers
- Seed School Online, a 7-week webinar combining technical guidance, visual content, and hands-on activities. $$; Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance.
- A Guide to Seed Saving, Stewardship, and Sovereignty – Seed Ambassadors, 2010
- How to Start Seeds Indoors video from Lee Valley Tools
- Vegetable Seed Starting and Transplanting Guide from PennState Extension.
- Marisa Thompson on Touch and Grow Seed Starters
- Growing Guides from Territorial Seeds
- Planting Chart