Gwinn Seed Library
The Gwinn Seed Library is housed in the Forsyth Township Public Library and is a free service to all in our community. We feature many UP Smart™ seeds along with others that are non-gmo, organic and some hybrid that meet our standards. In 2025, we have 500,000 seeds in the Gwinn Seed Bank that will not only be in the Gwinn Seed Library for this year's growing season but have been shared with 45 Lions Clubs across the U.P.
There are a total of 140 garden beds comprising raised and in-ground throughout the Gwinn area. We gave 680 pounds of fresh produce to St. Vincent de Paul's Food Pantry in Gwinn last season. We are shooting for 2000 pounds this year to a variety of needs.
What is a seed library?
It is a diverse offering of food crop seeds, some you may find locally, others are more unique to rare, but all are great for growing in this region referred to as ‘short season ready’. A seed library is a ‘seed bank’ that provides quality seeds donated by active growers in the area and from notable seed companies in the U.S.
The idea of a seed library in Gwinn came from volunteering with the Queen City Seed Library in Marquette. They have over 200 people using the seed library. QCSL and Transition Marquette Country have hosted a number of events for participants. The seed library in Marquette is becoming self-sustaining as more people learn how to save seeds and give back to the seed library.
One of our goals for the Gwinn Seed Library is to teach participants (and any other person wanting to attend) how to harvest and store seeds from the food you grow. Ultimately, to be able to ‘check back in’ seeds to sustain the Gwinn Seed Library! Seed saving is an amazing way to learn more about growing.
Forsyth Township Public Library is an excellent location, a hub to a greater community that will benefit from daily access to seed types that are focused on short season growth in the U.P.
Questions? Information desired? gwinnseedlibrary@gmail.com
How do I participate?
Anyone can come into the Forsyth Township Public Library and search through the seed offerings. Seeds will return to the library in March 2025 after being in hibernation for the winter months.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
*We're getting kinda big! We will need volunteers to help with planting, weeding, harvesting in the Gwinn area. Can you spare an hour or two a week? Can you spare 4 hours a week? You will be trained and when harvest begins, you will GET FRESH PRODUCE.
Contact Steve Finley: 920-573-0430 (leave message or text)
Gwinn Seed Library 2025 Workshops
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- March 22, 1pm, Gwinn Community Church - Grace Alto-Rosenbaum will be presenting on the topic of Old Fashion Vertical Gardening - Save Space and Your Back, increase yields. Simple solutions to vertical gardening! Plan on some goodies given away!
- April 26, 1pm, Gwinn Community Church - Grace Alto-Rosenbaum will present on Gardening During Climate Change - Protect and Create Resilience in your garden. Be ready for weather extremes! Plan on some goodies given away!
- May 24, 11am, Plant Swap, Gwinn Community Church - How it works - you bring plants, you swap plants. If you don't have plants, come at 11:45am. There are always extra plants BUT not until 11:45! No plants? Volunteer! You will get plants! Email Steve - stevefgrower@gmail.com
GROW WELL!
From the folks at Gwinn Seed Library in the
Forsyth Township Public Library