Lake Mac Seed Library
Established in March 2021, the Lake Mac Seed Library provides free seeds and educational activities to community members, supporting local food security and sovereignty, resilience, wellbeing and reducing cost-of-living stresses.
What is a Seed Library
A seed library is a community project which lends or shares seeds.
Seed libraries differ from ‘seedbanks’ in that their main purpose is not to store seeds and protect them against possible destruction, but to share them throughout the community and grow them. This helps preserve plant varieties and, through repeated propagation and growing, improves seed performance as seeds become increasingly adapted to our local growing conditions.
How does it Work
Lake Mac Seed library operates much like general library where residents sign up for free, become a member, and then “borrow” seeds. At the end of the growing season, members are encouraged to collect the seeds from mature, healthy plants and donate them back to the library for others to grow.
Library members and community volunteers are invited to help process, clean and package seeds which have been donated at our regular events.
We pride ourselves on providing seed sorting and packaging activities that are meaningful, educational, fun and build social connections. We welcome people of all ages, experience levels and abilities; and regularly host sessions with clients supported by disability support agencies and those living with dementia.
Membership
Membership is free and enables you to take seeds home. Members are invited to join us at seed library events and be involved in collecting, cleaning, processing, and packaging of seeds.
Seed processing days are fun, social gatherings where you can meet other seed savers and learn different processing techniques. No experience is needed, and members are encouraged to share skills and knowledge.
Donation of Seeds
The Lake Mac Seed Library relies on donations of seeds. To donate seeds, members can place them in one of the donation boxes at any of our branches.
When donating seeds, we ask that members provide information on the type of seed being donated, the variety (if known), the date they were collected, and any growing tips.
This initiative aims to address and the support the following Sustainable Development Goals
Branches
The Lake Macquarie Seed Library is proudly supported by Origin.
