无毛视频業t无毛视频檚 about a lot more than seeds无毛视频�: Gardeners trade seeds, stories at local swaps
Even amid snow, cold and blustery winds, experienced gardeners and novices alike are starting to plan for the warmer days ahead.
Groups throughout the area have turned to seed swaps or giveaways as a way to make plant growing more accessible.
People have been coming together to trade seeds and expertise since the dawn of agriculture.
Since 2006, the practice has been commemorated with a National Seed Swap Day.
This year无毛视频檚 celebration fell on Jan. 31, when the Allegheny Land Trust and Penn State Master Gardeners of Washington County hosted a swap at the Frank Sarris Public Library in Canonsburg.
无毛视频淭here无毛视频檚 definitely a lot of people out there who want to get started gardening or want to plant flowers, but maybe don无毛视频檛 know what type is right for them, or how to get started,无毛视频� said Julie Travalini, senior director of education and curriculum for the Allegheny Land Trust, who launched the swap after hearing about the national day. 无毛视频淥r maybe they don无毛视频檛 have access to either the seeds or the people with knowledge about seeds.无毛视频�
Seeds for the local swaps come from a mix of organizations, businesses and ones brought in from people无毛视频檚 personal harvests.
无毛视频淚 harvested 19 or 20 seed varieties just from my own plants,无毛视频� Travalini said.
Even before National Seed Swap Day, local meetups were happening.
On Jan. 18, people with the gardening bug came to From Scratch in Uniontown for an annual swap organized by Shelby Huber of Hilton Farm II in Smithfield.
Huber, who has a self-admitted 无毛视频渟eed obsession,无毛视频� noticed a lot of new growers found seed investment too daunting.
That Sunday无毛视频檚 array included food staples like lettuce, peppers and tomatoes, perennials and medicinal herbs, and also cuttings for house plants. Seed swaps in future months will also offer seedlings, Huber said.
The local swaps draw people at all levels of experience.
At the Hilton Farm swap, one person will bring in paw paw seeds from their grove, with detailed notes on the genetics. Others will come in asking for help on where to start.
Huber will set them up with pots and soil, and also host instructional sessions out at her farm.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 just kind of an opportunity for anyone at any level to come here and find what they无毛视频檙e looking for,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 about a lot more than seeds.无毛视频�
People leave the swaps with not just seeds, but more knowledge about how to make them flourish.
The Allegheny Land Trust无毛视频檚 swap included a winter sowing demonstration, where people learn how to successfully plant native seeds in the colder months.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 really just a big community event to celebrate the shared love of gardening and hopefully helping out some native biodiversity too,无毛视频� Travalini said.
At monthly sessions at the Hilton Farm, people can get tips on everything from separating perennials to 无毛视频渃haos gardening,无毛视频� where gardeners will mix old seeds they hadn无毛视频檛 figured out where to use.
无毛视频淧eople come in and ask questions, and we无毛视频檙e like, 无毛视频榃ould you like to know more about it? Let无毛视频檚 go,'无毛视频� Huber said. 无毛视频淲e just kind of go with it.无毛视频�
The Peters Public Library in McMurray has hosted a small seed swap for the past four years in mid-January.
Sydney Kraweic, the public library无毛视频檚 program and outreach coordinator, said the swaps help growers find a use for older seeds, which are only good for so long.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 almost like a little mini flea market set up, where everyone has their own little table and can talk to other people about their seeds, and they bring pictures, or even an example of it grown,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 been a lot of great fun to see that community engage.无毛视频�
It helps launch their seed library, which gives out about 1,500 seed packets over the course of the year, Kraweic said.
The selection includes 18 fruits and vegetables, four flowers and four herbs. New donations are always accepted 无毛视频渁s long as they无毛视频檙e not invasive,无毛视频� Kraweic said.
Volunteers come in regularly to repackage seeds, label them and get them on the shelves.
The smaller packages reduce waste, Kraweic said.
无毛视频淎 home gardener, you don无毛视频檛 need 200 tomato seeds every year,无毛视频� she said. 无毛视频淪o it无毛视频檚 nice to be able to help people get what they need, and also try new varieties and things.无毛视频�
Throughout the year, the library also hosts talks on topics such as native plants for landscaping and gardening.
Peters follows January无毛视频檚 swap with a plant swap in May, where people can trade their extra tomato plant from a boom crop, or a houseplant that needs a new home.
In Greene County, Penn State Master Gardeners gave away a variety of vegetable seeds last month at the Bowlby Library in Waynesburg.
Members of the organization also offer ways to turn the seeds into thriving plants. They have an upcoming class on sowing at 6 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Mount Morris Community Center. And they teach Seed to Supper courses, in which new gardeners can learn how to grow their own food on a budget, said Cheryl Brendel, Master Gardener coordinator for Greene County.
The seed giveaways can help gardeners get started without worrying about cash investment, she said.
无毛视频淭o get a decent seed package, you无毛视频檙e going to pay a couple dollars for it,无毛视频� she said.
Hilton Farm无毛视频檚 seed swaps draw anywhere from 20 to 150, depending on the time of year.
Huber has found that many people keep coming back, bringing new people in tow with them looking for help.
Partway through the seed swap at From Scratch, John and Tiffany Clark of Connellsville arrived with their young children in tow. It was the family无毛视频檚 first seed swap; they came after Tiffany saw it on Facebook.
After church Sunday, they came bearing spider plants 无毛视频� beginner-friendly house plants where 无毛视频測ou literally water them when you remember to and they do the rest,无毛视频� John said.
They picked up seeds, from squash to hibiscus flowers, to add to their large garden.
And they got drawn into conversation with their fellow planters, swapping stories and useful growing information.
无毛视频淓verything is expensive nowadays, and there are a lot of people who are less fortunate, even than us, who may not have a lot of money to spend on seeds, or a lot of knowledge,无毛视频� John said. 无毛视频淵ou come to a place like this where there无毛视频檚 plant people, if you have questions, you can just ask it. That无毛视频檚 not the case if you go to Walmart and buy a plant or something like that.无毛视频�