LANE COUNTY – April showers bring plenty of May flowers when seeds, trees, and compost are gifted to community members. Cottage Grove and Creswell both have opportunities for folks to get their hands dirty this spring.
The Cottage Grove Public Library is teaming up with the community to host plant programs such as Seeding Rainbow Seed Exchange and Grow a Row. The Seeding Rainbow program allows folks to borrow seeds to plant in their gardens, grow them, and then encourages them to save the seeds and bring them back for others to repeat the cycle. Seeding Rainbow accepts locally saved or commercially grown seeds in their original packaging.
“With all seeds donated by community members and various organizations, the library exists as an extension of goodwill and generosity with the intention to keep the community growing both figuratively and literally,” said Mary Love, seed library manager and librarian.
Grow a Row encourages people to plant an extra row, pot, or even a whole bed of fresh produce to donate to Community Sharing or neighbors in need. Lettuce, scallions, green beans, and onions are well-loved crops at Community Sharing, but options certainly are not limited. Once the desired produce is ready to be harvested, it can be donated at Community Sharing on Mondays from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Tuesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
According to Alexandra Kaul, a garden manager, this is the first year the program is kicking off.
“This is an international effort that people are doing. I believe it started in Canada, but people are doing it all over the United States, and it’s just an effort to aid food security with the war,” Kaul said.
The program is ongoing, and the garden has been supported by the Upper Willamette Water and Soil Conservation, Kaul said.
Community Sharing will have a compost giveaway and The master Gardeners of CG will be having a plant sale for the Community Sharing Garden on May 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 1440 Birch Avenue in Cottage Grove.
The Creswell Library had a seed exchange event at the beginning of April.
Last Sunday, Creswell celebrated its 15th annual Arbor Day Celebration, and Cottage Grove celebrated over 30 years with the accreditation. Both cities participated in a tree giveaway and other earth-friendly activities.
