This page was exported from Shelburne Free Press [ https://shelburnefreepress.ca ] Export date:Wed Apr 29 15:33:34 2026 / +0000 GMT ___________________________________________________ Title: Shelburne Public Library holding annual Seedy Saturday event to promote sustainable gardening --------------------------------------------------- Written By JOSHUA DRAKES LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER The Shelburne Public Library is inviting residents to dig into sustainable gardening and community learning at its annual Seedy Saturday event on March 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., marking the official launch of the library's new seed library initiative. The event introduces a community-driven program that offers patrons free, non-GMO, heirloom seeds to grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers at home. According to the library's CEO Shannon McGrady, the initiative aims to revive traditional practices that have faded with the rise of industrialized farming. “We are so excited to launch our seed library with our annual Seedy Saturday event,” McGrady said. “Saving and sharing seeds is as old as agriculture itself, but with industrialized farming, the tradition of sharing seeds has been slowly disappearing.” Seed libraries operate on a ‘borrow, grow, return' model. Visitors select a small number of seed packets to plant at home, then return a portion of the harvested seeds to the collection for future use. The model promotes sustainable gardening practices, biodiversity and community knowledge-sharing while helping gardeners connect and learn from one another. Several local organizations will take part in the launch, showcasing gardening and food-related resources and services. Community partners include Shelburne Food Bank, Town of Shelburne Community Garden, the Shelburne Horticultural Society and The Neighbourhood Market. McGrady also credited key contributors who helped make the initiative possible, including Hawthorn Farm Organic Seeds for a substantial donation of seeds and volunteer Brenda Carling, who organized the project. “The seed library would not be possible without community champions including Hawthorn Farm Organic Seeds who once again made a substantial donation of seeds, and our Seed Superstar, Brenda Carling,” McGrady said. Attendees at Seedy Saturday will also get a preview of the library's upcoming March Break book sale, which will run from March 16 to 20 and feature a special selection of gardening and food-growing books. Through the new seed library and the Seedy Saturday event, the Shelburne Public Library hopes to encourage environmentally conscious practices, strengthen community ties, and support local food sustainability efforts. For more information on the Shelburne Public Library and its services, go to shelburnelibrary.ca. --------------------------------------------------- Images: --------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- Post date: 2026-03-05 13:40:03 Post date GMT: 2026-03-05 18:40:03 Post modified date: 2026-03-05 13:40:04 Post modified date GMT: 2026-03-05 18:40:04 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Export of Post and Page as text file has been powered by [ Universal Post Manager ] plugin from www.gconverters.com