MN SEED Finishes First Year Strong
Collecting, processing and sharing seeds—that’s how 485 people spent much of summer 2021 as part of our newest program, the MN SEED project.
We got started in spring and didn’t wrap until late fall, and participants loved the experience. “I loved seeing and experiencing mature plants in their natural state. I loved experiencing this joy with other people, in person,” one said. “I loved receiving these seeds, to enjoy their plants for their easy-care beauty, to improve and preserve my soil, to improve wildlife habitat and to keep my runoff clean.”
Project participants joined a full season of educational events and seed swaps, collecting seeds at Gibbs Farm and 21 Roots Farm, Monarch City (the plantings around West Minnehaha Recreation Fields in St. Paul) and the Capitol Region Watershed District Headquarters in St. Paul, and processing and cleaning seeds at Gibbs Farm’s Apple Festival and with Urban Roots. The 65-plus varieties of seeds collected will be available at upcoming events and in local seed libraries.
What Participants Said about MN SEED:
“Amazing diversity of seeds available and shared. This was an amazing opportunity to connect! Thank you!!!”
“Thank you for this opportunity! Due to our wonderful weather, I have been able to plant all of my seeds. I’m excited to see my babies grow!”
“I loved seeing and experiencing mature plants in their natural state. I loved experiencing this joy with other people, in person. I loved receiving these seeds, to enjoy their plants for their easy-care beauty, to improve and preserve my soil, to improve wildlife habitat, and to keep my runoff clean.”
What Participants Learned:
“How easy it is to collect seeds.”
“How willing people are to share what they know.”
“That I should be saving seeds from everything I’m growing!”
“That you can tell if seeds are ripe by watching whether birds start eating them!”
“That there is a huge community looking to help native plants thrive thus helping pollinators thrive.”
To join MN SEED next year and learn more about saving seeds through classes and projects, sign up here.