SL Library to offer seed swap and giveaway

Spring will soon bloom in Iowa, and the Storm Lake Public Library will celebrate with a second annual Seed Swap and Giveaway event. Whether you’re a backyard veggie veteran, or a newbie flower child, this will be a great opportunity to pick up free seeds to get a head start on the growing season.

The Seed Swap and Giveaway will be held Saturday, Feb. 7, starting at noon. A limited amount of vegetable and flower seeds will be available free, up to five packets per family, while supplies last. Come early for the best selection.

The library will also have a display of popular gardening books to provide inspiration for local growers.

While gardeners are welcome to swap in packets of seed, or seed from their gardens (please identify the plant type), a swap is not necessary to claim free seeds.

Nine Square Feet, a West Des Moines-based nonprofit that works to support the state’s backyard food producers, supplies packets of seed for the Storm Lake Public Library event. The organization has distributed over 60,000 seed packets statewide since 2016. For more information, see www.ninesquarefeet.org.

Local enthusiast Kathy Kapitan and Boyer River Farm has also donated seed packets for the giveaway. Friends of the Library organization is sponsoring the event.

“We think the community will enjoy this new opportunity,” Library Director Elizabeth Huff said. “Our hope is that people will get outside, enjoy the fresh air, spend some time with Mother Nature. Gardening can be a great form of relaxation and enjoyment for people of all ages, and we hope to see some of the children in our community get a first opportunity to experience growing their own flowers or vegetables.”

The Seed Swap and Giveaway is timed to allow plenty of opportunity for those who prefer to start their planting indoors moving into the spring season. It is often recommended to plant six to eight weeks ahead of the last frost date. The average last frost date in the Storm Lake area is April 29.

All it takes is a container, soil and some patience, and the public library seed event can help you begin your own gardening journey.