The sixth annual Innisfil Seedy Saturday event on April 1, was hosted by the Innisfil Seed Library in partnership with the Innisfil ideaLAB & Library, and the Innisfil Garden Club. It was their first in-person event since the COVID-19 pandemic. Attendees were encouraged to bring a donation for the Troy Scott Community Fridge to this free event.
"The Seedy Saturday event at the Innisfil ideaLab & Library in Alcona is an incredible event that kicks off spring with informative sessions on native plants, wild food foraging, a story time for children and a chance to get seeds to grow your own flowers and vegetables," said Mayor Lynn Dollin.
The Innisfil Seed Library’s website explains that the event attracts “new and seasoned gardeners, seed savers and community members passionate about mindful gardening, food security and our environment.”
The Lakeshore branch was packed with attendees and community members, but it’s not the only event of its kind, as “Seedy Saturdays/Sundays are a phenomenon held all over Ontario and across the country.”
“We are thrilled to welcome back Innisfil's Seedy Saturday, made possible through our amazing partnership with the Innisfil Seed Library,” said Erin Scuccimarri, ideaLAB & Library CEO. “The event is a wonderful opportunity for our community to learn about seed saving, gardening, and local food production, and to shine a spotlight on how together we can create a more sustainable community.”
Kelly Patterson McGarth, a self-described native gardener and part of Pollinate Barrie, told InnisfilToday that she was looking forward to getting her copy of Lorraine Johnson’s book signed by the author.
“It’s just so great to see all these folks that are, you know, doing things that are great for the planet,” Patterson McGarth said.
One of the vendors and President of Root Rescue, Bob Reeves, told InnisfilToday that this event was the ninth Seedy Saturday that he has attended this year.
“Seedy Saturdays are great because we get a lot of emphasis on organic gardening, (and) natural processes. You don’t see people in here selling petrochemical fertilizers and the usual suspects,” Reeves said.
Root Rescue is certainly not one of the ‘usual suspects’ as Reeves’ company sells fungus, “which is bizarre,” he noted, “but this kind of fungi is the kind that associates with plant roots… it’s why the ground is so spongy when you walk into the woods.” It attaches to the plant roots “at the invitation of the plant, thank you very much,” Reeves explained. The plant feeds the fungus, and the fungus “goes out into the soil, finds water and nutrients, and converts nutrients from mineral-form to the kind that plants can use, and pipes it right back into the plant root,” he said.
Now in its 8th season, gardeners are invited to borrow vegetable, herb, and flower seeds from the Innisfil Seed Library at the Cookstown and Lakeshore branches. (Kindly take only what is necessary and return harvested seeds at the end of the season to keep the Innisfil Seed Library thriving.)
Those who attended the event are encouraged to enter a survey on the Innisfil Seed Library’s website for a chance to win a prize pack (the survey is open until April 8, 2023).
