Friends of the Libraries, Kona is setting up an ongoing seed exchange at the Kailua-Kona Public Library. The Community Seed Library is set to launch at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 15 and offers a great opportunity for area gardeners.
The CSL will offer vegetable, herb and flower seeds to area gardeners at no cost. The intention is to create a place for members of the community to obtain seeds and learn how to save and collect them for future exchanges. Videos on seed saving and information from CSL volunteers will be available during the program. Those who join the CSL for free will be able to take home seeds, grow the plants then exchange the seeds they save with those of others who have also grown and saved seeds. The hope is the CSL will become a sustainable seed source for gardeners.
An informative series of presentations on seed saving and gardening in Hawaii is planned for the months following the opening of the CSL. The goal is to empower people in the community with the ability to grow their own food and save their seeds for their future gardens, as well as for the CSL.
The first program in the ongoing educational series will be presented by Jill Wagner from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 3 at the library. Wagner’s talk on “Saving Seeds for the Future, the Hawaii Island Native Seed Bank,” will focus on the importance of saving seeds and creating seed banks like the Native Seed Bank she manages. Her talk will also include a discussion of the best ways to store seeds for maximum viability at planting time.
Wagner’s degree and experience in ethnobotany have made her an expert on Hawaiian horticulture, including forest restoration and plant taxonomy. In her nursery, she grows many native Hawaiian species from the seeds in her seed bank. The plants are used for restoration projects as part of her commitment to the ongoing health of Hawaiian plants and their ecosystems.
Wagner has been involved in educating the public about seed saving and restoration work for many years. She has written and spoken often about native Hawaiian species and the ecosystems that are so important to their continuing livelihood. Her monthly botanical sketches have appeared in the Hawaii Island Journal and she has given public talks at the Kona Outdoor Circle, Kailua-Kona Public Library, TREE Center and both Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park.
Working with children and adult volunteers, Wagner has grown and planted thousands of trees to support the Hawaiian environment over the years. Today, she works as a horticulturist and consultant designing large gardens and working with private landowners on forest restoration and silviculture.
A second presentation by Ilana Stout is scheduled for Nov. 7 and Diana Duff will speak Dec. 5.
At the first meeting of the CSL in September, community members are encouraged to come to get seeds to grow and bring seeds to donate if they have them. The library has been initially stocked with seeds donated by Walmart, seedsnow.com and the University of Hawaii Seed Program, so a limited number of seeds will be available for those who do not yet have seeds to exchange. To keep the CSL vibrant, participants will be encouraged to plant their seeds and collect the next generation of seeds to exchange at the library. Purchased seeds can also be shared and any monetary donations will be used to purchase seeds for inclusion in the collection.
FOLK is seeking volunteers to help at the seed exchange desk and to offer information or give a presentation on a relevant topic at the library. If you are interested in helping with the CSL or want more information you are encouraged to contact Natalie Guerin at (508) 264-7335 or Nehamah47@gmail.com.
Owed money for cherry?
Are you still owed money for cherry or parchment from last season? Wondering how to collect? The Department of Agriculture form DL-14 can assist you. Filing this form will initiate action from HDOA, and the processor may not be allowed to buy more cherry until your debt is settled.
In some cases, merely notifying the processor that you intend to file the DL-14 if you do not receive payment might encourage a faster payment.
Filing this form can protect you in case the processor goes under. It gives you recourse in bankruptcy hearings or court/small claims filings. It also serves as IRS documentation if you report the loss on your taxes.
Processors are required by state law to pay within 30 days.
For more information, contact Ed Kise at 323-7590.
