Are you familiar with seed libraries? Until a couple months ago, I wasn’t. Then my dad gave me a gift membership to the Hudson Valley Seed Library and voila – instant enlightenment! (If only all enlightenment were so easy.) The idea is pretty simple. The library collects, catalogs, grows, evaluates, and then offers different types of seeds to gardeners. Many of them are region-specific, and the library invites members to purchase seeds from them and then, when the growing season is over, send seeds back. That way, the library keeps growing – if, for example, you grown an heirloom tomato that’s not in the library, you can send the seeds to the library for them to investigate, grow, and perhaps offer in a few years. Pretty cool! This particular seed library also offers “art packs,” where local artists submit designs that are then used on keepsake seed packets. The Cosmonaut Volkov Tomato is one of my favorites!

My gift membership allowed me to choose ten free seed packets, and let me tell you, it was not easy to decide which ones I wanted! But I eventually narrowed it down and received them in the mail not long after ordering. Here’s my stash:

Puppy paw not included with purchase.

I think I may have gone a bit heavy on the greens, but it’s okay… you can never have too many greens, right?!

I plan to grow many of these delicious veggies in my work garden plot this year, and probably next year too. The work garden isn’t open yet, but I planted some seeds in temporary homes last week (late, I know!) and I’ll transfer the seedlings once the garden is open and the weather seems to have stabilized (it’s been a bit finicky lately…).

Pretty packets.

What are you growing this year?