Italian heirloom seeds for amateur gardeners
There is no one single accepted definition of an heirloom seed. “That’s a word that has a lot of different meanings to different people,” explains Dan Brisebois, a farmer at Ferme Tournesol, a cooperative based in Les Cèdres, Quebec, outside of Montreal.
An unconventional library at McGill is allowing students and faculty to borrow seeds.
Reading books might help you grow ideas, but McGill’s [Macdonald] Library is giving out something that sprouts way more literally. The library is offering 130 varieties of seeds, free of charge, as part of a new program.
“We’re providing seeds that are more rare, more unusual, and ones that are adapted specifically for our climate,” said librarian Dana Ingalls.
There were happy faces all around at Monday's launch of the Macdonald Campus Seed Library. The project, initiated by Liaison Librarian Dana Ingalls, offers seeds and gardening resources to members of the McGill community. According to Ingalls, "many public and academic libraries are expanding services to meet community needs. They are lending tools, artwork, exercise equipment, and more.
On March 20, 2017, the first day of spring, the Macdonald Campus Library at McGill University will officially launch a seed library. The Macdonald Campus Seed Library is the first academic seed library of its kind in Quebec and third in Canada. The library serves the entire McGill community.
Please be advised that the entire Level 3 quiet study floor will be closed off from June 18 through July 12, due to heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning work in the Macdonald Campus Library. There will also be noise, vibrations and ventilation shutdowns in the coming weeks.
Staff will be able to access the closed-off areas once a day. Please continue to request items through the library catalogue, or visit the Library Services desk.
