Free Seed Libraries Open Soon with an Answer to Uncertain Times

by Birgitt Evans

As we enter 2025, in the midst of a polycrisis, it is unclear if the price of groceries will go up or go down in the coming months. Facing uncertainty, it is easy to become overwhelmed. However, there are positive steps we can all take to help ourselves and our neighbors. Here at ABG, our dedicated volunteers have packed up over 5,000 packets of seeds for your gardens. Gardening is a great way to relieve stress and growing food can reduce uncertainty.

Elegant Clarkia (Clarkia unguiculata)

In 2025, we are introducing our first California native wildflower, the easy-to-grow, Elegant Clarkia (Clarkia unguiculata). Clarkia is an annual that will easily resow itself, providing food for pollinators as well as beauty for years to come. In future growing seasons, we will look for additional natives to add to the libraries in the hopes of creating connected habitat for our native bees and birds.

Our Spring 2025 offerings will include tomatoes, peppers and basil for starting indoors to be ready for transplant as the weather warms up in March and April. In addition, we will have lots of cool season veggies and herbs that can be started outdoors in the coming months, including Swiss Chard, broccoli, dino kale, lettuce, cilantro, dill and mesclun mix greens.

The five Free Seed Libraries will open the first of February. For all locations as well as growing instructions, click here. This spring, plant something small and reap big rewards!