Help communities grow their own seed-saving knowledge

A seed library begins with seeds to share. Keeping it going takes people who know how to grow, harvest, clean, and store those seeds, and who can help their neighbors learn.

This year, Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library piloted a program that brought people together to learn seed saving over time. We invited participants who wanted to save and share local seeds and teach others in their communities. Twenty-five San Francisco Bay Area seed leaders completed the training.

Now, the Seed Library Network is preparing to bring this approach to 50 communities. We’re asking for your support to provide additional learning materials, shared equipment, and sessions with experienced seed savers.

Learning together, growing locally

Our Seed-Saving and Teaching Cohort will connect local organizations with experienced seed savers. Participants will join shared online classes taught by expert seed savers, then gather in their own communities to put what they learn into practice.

People who want to teach will have additional opportunities to practice leading lessons, receive feedback, and adapt shared teaching materials for their communities. Participation will be free.

For local organizers, this means having people to turn to when they need help and materials they can use without creating every lesson themselves. It also creates opportunities for more neighbors to learn enough to help lead the work.

What your gift makes possible

Additional donations will help us put more resources into community use and invite guest teachers to share their experience. Based on our current estimates:

$10 pays for handouts for a local workshop
$30 provides a shared set of seed-cleaning screens
$105 provides four reference books for a local group
$200 supports a session with an experienced seed-saving teacher

Gifts of any size will help. Books and screens will remain with host communities for future workshops. Recordings and teaching materials will be shared through our Seed Commons Resource Hub so other groups can use them too.

Help the work continue

Our hope is that an organizer who starts with a few interested community members will finish the year with more people ready to teach, contribute seed, and welcome beginners. Over time, those groups can grow a local supply of seed and keep varieties that matter to their communities in use.

Please make a year-end gift to help community leaders turn an interest in seed saving into something their neighbors can practice and pass on.

Thank you for helping keep seeds and seed-saving knowledge in community hands.

Peas out, 🫛
Rebecca Newburn
Founder, Seed Library Network

Support the Seed Saving Cohort!

Help grow local seed savers and teachers