Recap of #outplanttheoutbreak 2020 seed distribution

Image shows empty seed packages from the spring seed distribution

I have ALMOST all my plant starts now in the ground and to get out of the July heat, I grabbed some quality spreadsheet time to count seed packets. The accounting of seed packets distributed in the in the little free cabinets during the 2020 #outplanttheoutbreak campaign totaled to 5,681 packets! When we started sharing seeds due to COVID19 shutdown, we had not idea this quantity was possible and only happened due to the efforts of 16 volunteers in the roles of site hosting, seed packing, and donating seeds and supplies. Thank you to Ana, Anna, Amanda, April, Courtney, Dawn, Diane, Erin, Elisa, Elizabeth, Julie, Ka Zoua, Lindsay, Mari, Natalie, & Patricia your participation & generosity.

Our commitment to splitting up commercial seed packs allowed us to achieve such a high distribution amount through the eight little free cabinet locations in Como, Midway and Frogtown. The benefits of splitting packs meant that not only were more community members able to get seeds, but folks were also likely to try additional varieties of crops that would be resistant to attempt if they had to make a shelter-in-place trip to purchase a full pack. Further, with runs on seeds happening at seed companies this past spring, access to to some varieties became very tight. Our split packs meant 1 commercial packet could provide access for 20 garden plots.

The good news continues in that our spring effort has rolled into a seed saving campaign called MNSEED where local growers are encouraged to grow plants to yield a seed harvest. Thank you to the Minnesota State Horticulture Society and the Como Community Seed library for leading this effort. Interested seed growers can get connected at the linked MNSEED page. Or, St Paulites, reach out to me to assist in submitting seed. Some of the seed shared in 2020 #outplanttheoutbreak came from just such a network; A portion of packets contained seed that was grown, saved, cleaned and made available by neighbors from St Paul Seed Circle growers! It is hoped that this cycle of resiliency can be expanded through MNSEED in our area.