What do you love about seeds?
I love how seeds seem to be little packets of pure superpower. They hold so much life and hope in a perfect tiny pod.
What do you love about Cygnet?
Cygnet's great, it's a perfect size town with an eclectic mix of people - people who want to share be involved in their community and initiatives like the seed library.
What drew you to getting involved in building a seed library?
I was drawn to being involved in the seed library because I like volunteering in my community and feeling like I'm contributing positive action in the world. I also want to support projects like this that demonstrate an alternative way of being in the world, an alternative economy.
You're a pretty central part of how the seed library is run, could you tell us some of the ways that you contribute to the seed library?
Currently I don't have a garden set up at my rental property, so I'm not growing any seeds! I've been getting involved with the seed library by doing admin sorts of tasks. Mostly I maintain the website, layout flyers for events, sometimes I help organise the events, and I've also been working with a few other volunteers lately to make our process of cataloguing & distributing the seeds as smooth as possible so it's even easier for new volunteers to be involved. I love how there are all sorts of ways people can be involved no matter what their experience and their situation.
What do you enjoy about being involved in the seed library project?
I also enjoy meeting other people at the regular gatherings who care about growing food. I get to learn from more experienced gardens who are more familiar with the local climate.
Why do you consider community building/programmes to be important?
Projects like this are so important for bringing communities together and building community resilience. I firmly believe we need to put more energy into acting locally and being part of our own community. We need to value diversity and support each other even when we don't agree - coming together on projects like this can foster that sort of support.
What makes the seed library different from other community projects you've been involved in?
The Cygnet Seed Library is a little different to other community projects I've been involved in. There's an emphasis on not pushing anyone to do more than they are willingly offering. If someone suggests an idea we encourage that person to make it happen and don't push for it, unless people are truly excited, willingly offering and able to make it happen. Having seen so many volunteers burn out on other projects, this is a refreshing approach.
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