Seed saving workshop on tap at library

By now, most of the garden has probably been pulled up for the season. Some of us are covering raised beds while others are dumping piles of manure and mulch over the growing area in preparation for winter.

But have you ever thought about collecting and saving seeds for next season, or will you be waiting until spring when seed packets start arriving in stores?

Did you know that most seeds purchased from retailers cannot be saved over generations? What happens if seed packets stop arriving in stores, due to a sudden widespread crop disease or climate change damaging seed crops? This might sound like something out of a disaster movie, but it actually happened this year when severe drought conditions heavily disrupted the production of peppers used to make sriracha sauce.

It’s more important than ever to have the knowledge of how to save seeds to produce crops that are acclimated to our shifting climate. It seems like a tall order, but the library can help you learn starting this weekend with our seed saver’s workshop.

Stop by the library garden on Saturday, Oct. 8, at 1 p.m. to learn how to save your own seeds, and how to use the seed library here in Sandpoint. Never been to the library garden before? It’s just beyond the fence to your right if you enter from Cedar Street. We hope to see you there.

Brenden Bobby can be reached at the East Bonner County Library, 1407 Cedar Street, Sandpoint, by phone at (208)263-6930, or email at brenden@ebonnerlibrary.org.