Swappin' seeds and smiles
Photo/Ryan Collingwood Chrys Ostrander looks at the various at his table Saturday at the Second Annual Seed Swap at the Coeur d'Alene Public Library.
RYAN COLLINGWOOD/Press From left, Shelley Porche, Eric Anthony and Denise Anthony of Coeur d’Alene check out seeds Saturday during the second annual Seed Swap at the Coeur d’Alene Public Library.
COEUR d'ALENE — More diverse than the ample selection at Saturday’s Seed Swap, in its second year, was the demographic of swappers.
Dreadlock-sporting vegetable enthusiasts. Families. Teenagers. Farmers. Each comprised a group of over 100 people who showed up the Coeur d'Alene Public Library to trade their from-the-ground currency.
Sixteen tables in the room each featured different seeds, ranging from various flowers, carrots, herbs, pumpkins to squash.
Some seeds were grown from home gardens while others came from store packets. Those who didn't bring seeds gave a $5 donation before checking out the variety.
Local green thumb Chrys Ostrander, a member of the Inland Northwest Permaculture Guild, had perhaps the most popular table of the event.
Sizable bowls of home-grown sunflower, lettuce and carrot seeds kept Ostrander busy.
"I've given away tons and have obtained a small amount," Ostrander said with a grin. "But that will happen."
Ostrander said libraries around the country host seed-swapping events and he tries to attend as many local functions as possible.
Eric Anthony and his mother, Denise Anthony, had never heard of the seed swap until recently.
The Coeur d'Alene residents have been growing from their yards for years, Eric more focused on vegetables while Denise is into flowers.
"I think it's an awesome event," Denise said. "We're going to start coming every year."
Her son agreed.
"It's great for the community to come out and share seeds with each other," Eric said.
The Inland Northwest Food Network, in conjunction with the Coeur d'Alene Public Library, puts on the event, encouraging visitors to take home seeds for spring and summer planting.
Gardening novices learned about seed-saving from some of the area's best seed-savers.
Char Beach, who coordinates the event and the nonprofit True to Seed Cd’A, thought the event was a success.
"We had more people than last year, which was about 80," Beach said. "It's a great way for people to come out and trade seeds and learn about them. There are people who are new to this who get to come here and see what it's about."