Niagara Seed Project aims to support local seed libraries

Lincoln’s Jay Millington created the Niagara Seed Project to help ensure local seed libraries are well stocked for Niagara’s gardeners. ~ Luke Edwards photo

By Luke Edwards

Even though he has a relatively small space for his garden, last year Jay Millington was more than happy to see some of his produce overripen.

Other plants he dug up and stored over the winter, with no intention of actually eating.

That’s because the Lincoln man has started the Niagara Seed Project, a volunteer effort to help ensure local seed libraries are well stocked throughout the planting season.

“I noticed that the selection and the quantity were very limited in what they had. So I wanted to help expand that,” he said from the Fleming Centre branch of the Lincoln Pelham Public Library.

With food prices at the grocery store going up and people looking for alternative ways to get produce, seed libraries offer an opportunity for aspiring gardeners. Several libraries throughout the region have seed libraries, where visitors can come in and pick up a packet of seeds for free. The idea is that they’ll then save some of the seeds to return in the fall.

However, that doesn’t always happen, and sometimes the seed libraries can get a little lean.

Discovering this, Millington reached out to his local community and partnered with some fellow gardeners. One resident offered up some space on her land to grow plants for seed. He also received some donations from seed companies.

The goal is to provide a sustained contribution to the local seed libraries, offering consistent supply of a wide range of vegetables, herbs and flowers. For flowers, Millington is prioritizing native, pollinator-friendly options.

While he doesn’t consider himself an expert, Millington has researched what he can online and by talking to other gardeners. One of the benefits of the project is that he’s learned seeds from plants grown locally tend to be better suited for that local setting.

“Seeds tend to adapt to where they’re grown, the micro climates, the soil, and weather. It actually creates genetic differences so that they have adapted to grow best in that area,” he said.

Ahead of this year’s planting season he was able to donate more than 900 packets of seeds. This year he’s planning a wide mix of vegetables, herbs and flowers totalling more than 200 varieties of heirloom, open-pollinated plants.

There is some extra work required for seed saving. It starts in the spring with careful planning of the garden beds and ensuring the right plant varieties are used.

When it comes time to harvest the seeds, different plants have different needs. In some cases the fruit should be overripe to allow time for the seeds to develop. This is what makes tomatoes a favourite, Millington said with a laugh, since he can collect seeds while also enjoying the produce.

There are also some processing requirements that vary from plant to plant, including drying and fermenting.

And then there are the biennial plants like beets and carrots, which don’t go to seed until the second year.

Despite the work, Millington said he enjoys doing something that can be a benefit to his neighbours and the local environment.

The project has received some donations and support, and Millington said he’s also gotten some help from volunteers, including at West Niagara Secondary School where students can gain volunteer hours helping out.

For more information follow the Niagara Seed Project Facebook or Instagram pages 