First books, and now seeds...

Libraries. Quiet enclosures of knowledge, history, words, pictures, listening pleasure in the form of compact discs, and viewing pleasure in both DVD and VHS format. Who doesn't love a well-stocked library?

Now, catching on in various parts of the country, are seed-lending programs via libraries.

Fairfield Library is doing a seed-lending program. The idea is that you "borrow" heirloom seeds, sow 'n' grow, benefit from the veggies and green, and preserve seeds from the plants. In the fall, you bring the preserved seeds back and return them to the library. How cool is that?!?!

(toilet paper roll seeds)

The program is sponsored by the Fairfield Woods Branch Library and the Fairfield Organic Teaching Farm. Funding for program is provided by the Fairfield Earth Day Committee. Seeds were donated by Bakers Creek and Comstock Seeds.

Hopefully this is a trend that will continue to catch on and spread to libraries everywhere. Here's to spreading the independent food movement.

Nature's Foreplay

Here in my little corner of the world we are somewhere in the vicinity of 9 weeks before the last winter frost, and as I assimilate the meaning of this projection I tingle with anticipation. For dedicated gardeners, this is the season of Nature's foreplay - torturous and delightful.

I am blessed with a south-facing full-glass sliding-door and so I set up my shelves there and begin my seed-starting efforts. Today I started two little flats each of celery and celeriac. The seeds of both are tiny, though not the tiniest that I've worked with. To give you a sense of scale, the spoon you see here is neither serving spoon nor soup spoon, it is a tea spoon.

I make slight depressions in the center of each planting cell with a chop stick - my seed starting magic wand. In that depression I gently drop, with a blessing, about three of those celery or celeriac seeds.

I lightly shift the starter soil to barely cover the seeds and water them in with a gentle dribble. Now ... I wait. I wait not only for these sprouts to make their appearance, I wait to start planting more. I think tomorrow I'll start some leek seeds, and the day after some onion, and the day after maybe some cabbage for an early planting - though that may be pushing it. I may have to hold myself back.

A little strategic seed starting every day this early in the season helps to temper - for me - the torture and the delight that I experience as winter begins this shift to spring.