The Oberlin Seed Bank
The Oberlin Seed Banking Project is a local, grassroots initiative generated from a network of farmers, gardeners, and visionaries to help spread gardening material and knowledge in the broader Oberlin community.
As of Spring 2021, the Oberlin Seed Banking Project is on hiatus. To see the Oberlin Seed Banking Project blog, click here. To get free seeds and garden resources, visit our Garden Giveaways page or contact Lead Gardener Jenna Stolarik at jenna@oberlincommunityservices.org.
Why save seeds?
As modern farming turns more towards “mono-cropping,” or the planting of a limited handful of super-hybrid crops, seed saving becomes a vital way for us to maintain ecological diversity in our environments. When we have biologically diverse gardens, farms, and ecosystems, we are better able to defend against pests and diseases, and we can help preserve species that have developed over tens of thousands of years.
Donating and Using seeds
Community members are encouraged to donate seeds to the Oberlin Seed Bank!
All seeds at the Oberlin Seed Bank are free. You can check out up to three seed packets at each site; simply fill out a checkout form. As you plant seeds from the Seed Bank, we encourage you to save seeds from your garden and donate them back to the seed bank. That way, we can be a revolving, community-supported seed bank.
Questions?
To learn more about the Oberlin Seed Banking Project, or for resources on seed banking, check out our blog! Visit https://oberlinseedbank.wordpress.com/ to learn more.
To find out what seeds are currently available, or how else you can be involved in seed banking, contact Lead Gardener Jenna Stolarik at jenna@oberlincommunityservices.org, or by calling (440) 774-6579.