THE FOLLOWING IS A DANVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY RELEASE
Community members can now access native seeds at the Danville Public Library. These seeds, harvested by the Vermilion County Master Gardeners and East Central Master Naturalists from the library’s native garden, are stored in a repurposed card catalog and serve as a “Seed Library.” The area includes signage about winter sowing and instructions on how to sow native plants, a practice typically done at the end of January. Fresh seeds are expected to be available every January, depending on the maturity of the plants.
Master Gardener and Naturalist Kristin Camp explained that the current seeds were harvested from the 2-3-year-old garden at the Danville Public Library. The garden has received significant care from the Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists, along with consistent watering from the library staff. A recommended practice when harvesting seeds is to collect only one-third, leaving the rest as food for animals and to allow the prairie plants to reseed themselves.
As the plants mature, more seeds will be added to the seed library. The current seeds were harvested from forbs (flowering plants) and grasses. During workdays, the Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists weed, thin out, remove plant debris, and mulch the garden. Seeds can be harvested from July to October, depending on the plant’s maturity. Once harvested, they are placed in brown paper bags to dry out until December, when they are packaged for the library.
Kristin Camp emphasized the importance of this initiative for the community: “We have created a native ecosystem at the Danville Public Library. Cars slow down when we are working, and people thank us for the beautiful garden. Teens have even developed an interest in the garden. It is a service to the community, providing beauty and an ecosystem for native plants and animals. It brings back birds, fungi, and bacteria that should be present in the soil. It is full of life, providing a service not only to people but also to creatures.”
