NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — In time for Spring, the Nashville Public Library's Seed Exchange program is stocked and ready for Nashvillians to start or grow their green thumbs.
Since 2013, the library has hosted a Seed Exchange program aiming to help more Nashvillians learn how to grow their own fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers.
The program is available at 19 of the 22 library locations and grows every year as locals, the Master Gardeners of Davidson County, and the Herb Society add to the library's collection.
"They can pick up five packets of seeds each time they come in. And they can have assistance from any seed exchange employee or library employee to help coach them support them to start their own garden here for free," explained Nashville Public Library Edmondson Pike Teen Program Specialist Lily Caroline Bourque.
Those with a library card check out seeds, plant them, and at the end of the season return their harvested seeds to the library.
"We will be here at any of the branches to support you and coach you through to how to start resources and we do a lot of classes as well with the Master Gardeners of Tennessee," explained Bourque. "And they do a lot of educational resources on how people can start, the different varieties that they have kind of all the different things that they can bring."
The Nashville Public Library sees beginning gardeners, local farmers and even Metro Nashville Public Schools checking out seeds to work on their gardens.
"Most what we bring it NPL is a sense of community and this is just another outlet to enhance that, promote that is a way to get people to think about being sustainable. Using their time in a really helpful way, get their hands dirty, and we're here to help support them and coach them doing that."
To learn more about The Seed Exchange, visit the Nashville Public Library's website.
"The weather is starting to get warm and this is the perfect time to come," Bourque said.
