Break out your wellies, grab a shovel, and get ready to get gardening because Kildare Seed Library is back! This great new initiative launched as a pilot project last year in Maynooth, Celbridge, and Leixlip Libraries offering free seed packets to patrons, along with events to educate and support their gardening. Following on from the success of last year, the seed library has been extended this year to include all of the 7 main library branches in Kildare!
So, what is the Kildare Seed Library and how does it work?
The Seed Library is a collection of organic and open-pollinated seeds available for our community of library members to use. Gardeners “borrow” up to 3 packets of seeds in the spring (while stocks last!) and enjoy a summer of healthy home-grown treats! We hope they will also save some from their harvested crop to “return” to the library thus creating a self-sustaining collection. To use this service, you need to be a member of Kildare Libraries. If you’re not a member already, don’t worry, it’s easy to sign up! You can join online for free by clicking here or sign up in-person in any of our branches.
Through this project, we hope to help our library users to appreciate the effort (and joy!) that comes from growing your own food. We also hope more people will re-learn the art of saving seeds: an ancient tradition we have lost touch with (especially when hybrid, non-organic seeds can be bought so cheaply in the shops). During the year the libraries will be hosting plenty of events and workshops to support the gardening community, so keep an eye out! Participating branches will happily accept donations of seeds which are clearly labelled: ideally that have been grown organically and without chemicals. People are welcome to borrow these donated seeds, but their productivity cannot be assured.
Events
To celebrate the launch of this year’s seed library, each main library branch will be hosting an ‘Introduction to Seed Saving’ workshop with horticulturist Lucy Bell, founder of Growing Wild. These events are free to attend, you just need to make sure to book your place, as spaces are limited.
Dates for upcoming events, along with links to the booking pages, are listed below:
Naas Library & Cultural Centre – Wednesday 20th March, 6 – 7.30pm – Join the waitlist here!
Newbridge Library – Thursday 21st March, 6 – 7.30pm – Book here!
Celbridge Library – Saturday 23rd March, 2.30 – 4pm – Book here!
Leixlip Library – Tuesday 26th March, 6 – 7.30pm – Book here!
Maynooth Library – Thursday 28th March, 6 – 7.30pm – Book here!
Bonus Event!
Join us in Naas Library & Cultural Centre for a special event with Anja Murray, presenter of RTÉ’s Eco Eye and author of Wild Embrace.
Anja will guide participants though a whistle-stop tour of the past, present and potential futures of Ireland’s natural environment. She will explore how recalibrating our relationship with nature is the first step in changing the trajectory we are on; and how each of us can take action to restore ecosystems.
For more information about the event, or to book your place, check out the booking page by clicking the link below.
Anja Murray: Restoring our Relationship with Nature – Thursday 21st March, 6.30 – 7.30pm.
Leixlip Library will be hosting an event with Ashe Conrad-Jones and Catherine Cleary, the co-founders of Pocket Forests – a social enterprise helping people to bring nature back into their lives by planting pockets of young native trees and shrubs in towns and cities. They’ll be talking about the work they do, why they do it, and the importance of biodiversity and the preservation of nature.
For more information about the event, or to book your place, check out the booking page by clicking the link below.
‘Pocket Forests’ – Thursday 25th April, 6 – 8pm.
There will be plenty more events scheduled throughout the year, so don’t forget to subscribe to the library newsletter here to keep up to date on what is happening in your local library!
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