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Seed Library: Home

Welcome to Our Seed Library!

Decorative Banner with Locations of Seed Libraries and Illustrations of Garden Vegetables Growing from Dirt

Seed Library Locations

Main Library

301 N Washington St | Hendersonville, NC 28739
You can find our flagship Seed Library at the Main Branch by the Check-Out Desk!

Signs for a Seed Library next to large card catalog with labeled drawers at the Main Library


Etowah Library

101 Brickyard Rd | Etowah, NC 28729

Signs for a Seed Library next to a small cabinet with labeled drawers on desk at Etowah Library


Mills River Library

124 Town Center Drive, Suite 1 | Mills River, NC 28759

Signs for a Seed Library next to a small cabinet with labeled drawers on desk at Mills River Library

What is a Seed Library?

The Seed Library offers free, open-pollinated seeds and resources for planting, growing, harvesting, and saving seeds. Grow your own food and return your saved seeds to share with the community if you are able.

How Does the Seed Library Work?

  • Seeds are available on a take-what-you-need basis.
  • Availability and selection of seeds will change.
  • Choose necessary resource sheets to help you grow.
  • Plant your seeds in some soil with lots of sun and add water.
  • Save seeds from your harvest and consider returning some to the Seed Library.

Why a Seed Library?

  • Empower community members to grow their own food by offering free seeds.
  • Support food security and improve access to the freshest, healthiest food possible.
  • Provide a culturally diverse selection of seeds so the multitude of cultures represented in our community can grow foods that reflect their palate and preferences.
  • Keep open pollinated seed varieties thriving and in use.
  • Connect people to community resources for planting, growing, harvesting, and seed saving.
  • Learn how to save seeds for the next growing season, share with friends and family, and return seeds to the Seed Library.

Seed Donation

Want to Donate Seeds?

The Seed Library accepts donations of vegetable, herb, and flower seeds. The Seed Library is currently accepting open-pollinated or heirloom seeds. Here's how to donate seeds:

Seeds you have grown/collected yourself:

  • Fill out a donation form for any seeds you plan to donate.
  • Follow our Seed Saving Protocol to harvest, clean, and dry your seeds.
  • Return the completed form with packaged seeds to the Service Desk.

Commercially packaged seeds may also be donated.

Open-pollinated or heirloom varieties are requested. Donated GMO or Hybrid seeds will be distributed outside the Seed Library. (A donation form is not needed for these donations.)

  • Why no GMO or Hybrid Seeds? These seeds may not produce plants exactly like the parent plant. They may produce something somewhat close or very different. They can be grown for food, but not for saving for the Seed Library.
  • Open-pollinated or heirloom seeds will be "true-to-type" if saved and grown again.

Find our Seed Saving Protocol & Donation Form in the Seed Library documents below!

Seed Library Documents

Please find information about our Seed Library in the documents below:

Still have questions? Contact clindsey@hendersoncountync.gov for more information.