FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 30, 2023
Nine Square Feet Expands the Annual Seed Swap to Include 30 Iowa Communities
West Des Moines, Iowa – Nine Square Feet is partnering with 30 Iowa libraries to hold the largest simultaneous seed swap in our state’s history on February 25, 2023, open to the public from 10:30am to 12:00pm. Like a traditional seed swap, “swappers” are encouraged to bring the seed they saved from plants grown last year to swap and share with the community, and seed swappers are invited to arrive early at 10:00am. Unlike a traditional seed swap, every adult attendee can select up to five free seed packets, and children under 12 can pick two free packets of their very own. Nine Square Feet has identified veggies and herbs varieties suited for small space gardeners and selected easy-to-grow, tried-and-true garden staples for beginners. Experienced gardeners come to find something unique and special that they’ve never grown before!
Participating area libraries include Forest Avenue, Altoona, Indianola and West Des Moines, as well as libraries in these communities: Albion, Burlington, Carroll, Cedar Falls, Delhi, Edgewood, Ely, Glidden, Gowrie, Greenfield, Grinnell, Griswold, Hiawatha, Indianola, Jesup, Lenox, Manning, Nevada, Orange City, Osceola, Pella, Readlyn, State Center, Stuart, Swisher, Wapello and Waverly.
Seed-loving volunteers gathered recently to repackage bulk seed purchases, creating more than 7000 seed packets of 100 different plant varieties. Nine Square Feet expects to distribute free seed to more than 1000 families at this expanded public event.
About Nine Square Feet
Nine Square Feet is a registered 501(c)3 community organization based in West Des Moines and serving central Iowa. We support the success of a diverse network of backyard food producers by facilitating the sharing of seeds, transplants, and gardening resources. We teach seed-starting methods, transplanting and seed-saving to preserve seed biodiversity. We fight food insecurity by empowering our neighbors to grow more and share. We remove barriers to local food production, reduce food waste through produce sharing and gleaning efforts. We also support community giving gardens, school greenhouse programs and seed libraries. Our biggest event of the year is the annual Plant Swap and Giveaway at the end of April, where swappers bring thousands of lovingly nurtured garden transplants to swap and offer free to the public. Since 2016, we’ve distributed more than 50,000 seed packets and transplants as well as hundreds of pounds of homegrown produce. Through gardening, Nine Square Feed fosters stronger, more connected communities. Visit our Facebook page https://facebook.com/ninesquarefett to learn more.
For media inquiries, contact:
Connie Johnson
Executive Director
515-305-9322
Ninesquarefeet.dsm@gmail.com