Gardeners are an adventurous sort. We are eager to try something new. We read books and catalogs and are on the lookout for new varieties or gardening strategies.
Today’s column introduces Texas Spur readers to a great program that was begun during the shutdown of 2020 to bring together gardeners of like mind and generous spirits. The program is “Dig Together,” a program that West Texas communities can rally behind. Much of what is in today’s column comes directly from their website, Dig Together Seed Libraries/Share the Bounty at www.digtogetherusa.org.
Dig Together is a nonprofit that provides free seeds to community members that are looking to grow their own vegetables. It operates like a library—a seed library—only the seeds, unlike books, do not have to be returned.
Seeds are donated and given to community members by placing leftover or unwanted seeds in a structure like a case or a box located in a public spot. Some communities have placed boxes in parks, memorials, fire stations, book libraries, or other public spaces.
Dig Together has assembled various kits to advance education. There are teacher resource kits available to teachers and educators to rent out. Lessons vary from environmental issues to gardening.
They demonstrate how to team up with communities, local schools, libraries, through their Eco Mini courses. Dig Together strives to bring environmental education to the community with gardening and nature-based activities.
Current locations with contact information if available:
• Martindale Community Library, Martindale Texas, Texas MartindaleLibrary@gmail.com (512) 357-4492
• Tri Community Water, Fentress, Texas
• National Hispanic Institution, Maxwell, Texas
• Share the Joy Plant Stand, 698 Old Lytton Springs Rd., Lockhart, Texas
• Compass Rose Journey Campus, 100 Crestwind, San Antonio, Texas
• Manchaca, Texas, 2301 Sparrow Drive, Manchaca, Texas
• McMahan General Store,13318 FM, 86 Dale, Texas
• San Marcos Public Library, 625 E Hopkins St., San Marcos, Texas
• Downtown, Luling, Texas #DIGTOGETHER#LULING
Two other models that are based on the concept of a book library are seedlibrarian.com and seedsaversalliance.org/seed-library-locations. Their programs allow individuals to check out seeds to grow and at the end of a growing season an equal or greater amount of the borrowed seed is checked back in after harvest. This is a clever way to provide for the community a supply of viable, locally adapted fresh seeds.
Ellen Peffley Harp, a retired professor of horticulture at Texas Tech University, writes about gardening for several Texas newspapers.
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