Not from the Greater Richmond California Area?
Click here to create your own seed lending library or locate a sister seed library.

What's a Seed Lending Library?

Come to the Richmond Public Library, Richmond, Calif. and “borrow” seeds for free! You may be asking, “How can you ‘borrow’ seeds?” The basic is idea is that you plant the seeds, let some go to  seed, then return some of these next generation seeds for others to borrow. (Don’t worry. We don’t have fines if you don’t return seeds.)

We encourage home gardeners to save seeds from the "super easy" plants: tomatoes, lettuce, beans, peas and peppers. (Some extra know-how needed for peppers.) Do not save seeds from plants in the "easy" or "difficult" drawer until you have more experience seed saving.

Richmond Grows is a non-profit seed lending library located in the public library. We’re open whenever the public library is open. You do not need to have Richmond Public Library card to use the seed library, but we do ask people to watch our on-line orientation. We provide free classes on organic gardening and seed saving, and of course, you can also borrow books from the public library on these topics.

Richmond Grows es una "biblioteca"
de semillas gratis

Lugar: La Biblioteca Publica de Richmond (Richmond Public Library), 325 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond, Calif.

Urban Farm Tour

Saturday, June 8 11 am-5pm
$5 per person, per location. Kids under 12, $3. Pay for entire tour of 7 houses for $30. No one turned away for lack of funds.

See what established home-scale urban farmers are up to and what is possible on a small, medium, large, or extra large urban lot, including the home of Richmond Grows' Co-founder Rebecca Newburn. In 2013 the Farm Tours will be focused on sites in El Cerrito, El Sobrante and Richmond. Email the Institute of Urban Homesteading for a list of locations.

You will see fruit & vegetable gardens, composting systems, rabbits, goats, bees, greywater and more, plus you will get to sample some of what these urban farmers are producing. Each homestead is unique in its interpretation and use of space. This will be a chance to ask questions about animals, gardening, techniques, greywater systems, rainwater harvesting, food forests, permaculture and more.

Webinar: How to Start a Seed Library

Listen to a free webinar featuring 3 amazing and inspiring seed librarians. Hosted by NewDream.org. Watch the webinar below. Also, check out our "Create a library" page on this site.

Support Richmond Grows

Richmond Grows is a volunteer organization supported by tax-deductible community donations. All of our seeds and classes are offered free of charge to our community. We're a fiscally sponsored project of Urban Tilth.

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Stories of Seeds 
Highlights from our Collection

Take a picture of a plant that you are saving seeds from. We want to hear your story of the plant you saved seeds from. Maybe let us know what dishes you made with it or share a favorite recipe using the plant. Each month we'd like to highlight something in our collection. You can submit your photos and a little write-up to RichmondGrows@gmail.com.

    A project of the Richmond Rivets
          In collaboration with the Richmond Public Library

A fiscally sponsored project of
Urban Tilth