GREENFIELD — Around this time of year last year, as the COVID-19 pandemic was being realized, seed catalogs ran out of their stock and garden stores suddenly ran out of seeds. Stuck at home because of social distancing mandates, gardeners took on new projects.
“It was a boom no one expected. And even this year, there are some delays,” said Melinda McCreven, of Greenfield, a home gardener and one of the organizers of the annual Cabin Fever Seed Swap. “Given the pandemic, gardening and growing things became such a huge, huge interest for everybody. Suddenly, everyone was excited about it. Trying to buy seeds last year got a little tricky.”
On Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m., there will be a local way to source seeds — at this year’s free seed swap, now in its 14th year. Typically, the event is held in February at Green Fields Market. This year, because of the pandemic, it’s been moved to March and will be held outside at Just Roots farm in Greenfield.
“It’s not really a swap as much as it’s a free-for-all giveaway,” McCreven said. “Most people end up giving something and walking away with something.”
While McCreven said most of the seeds will be brought by local gardeners, there will be some donated by High Mowing Organic Seeds in Vermont and the Greenfield Farmers Cooperative Exchange, which will have a table there specifically for gardeners who work with children.
Among the benefits of trading seeds, McCreven, who started gardening about 15 years ago and says she prefers growing flowers, noted that sourcing local seeds cultivates resiliency. And it’s also an opportunity to find unique plants to grow. McCreven said she’s seen everything from rare heirloom tomato seeds to giant pumpkin seeds given away at the swap.
“You never know what’s going to be there,” she said. “It’s wild.”
And while there’s rain on the forecast for this weekend, that won’t stop the seed swap from happening. Tents have been set up to keep the seeds and the gardeners dry.
“The pandemic didn’t stop us,” she said. “A little rain won’t either.”
For more information, visit the seed swap’s Facebook page at bit.ly/3rhfEaU. Attendees should bring envelopes for the seeds, labels and pens, and wear face masks.