South Whidbey Tilth hosts Seed and Plant Swap at Deer Lagoon Grange

Neighbors can bring saved seeds, starts and garden tools to Deer Lagoon Grange Hall on Sunday, March 15, when South Whidbey Tilth, Deer Lagoon Grange and the Washington State University Extension Service Island County Master Gardeners host a Spring Seed and Plant Swap from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The event, billed to help gardeners "get ready for the growing season," will pair a community seed and plant exchange with a gardeners' rummage sale.

The swap will accept edible and ornamental seeds, roots and starts and encourages people to "bring your extras to share and take home what you need," language used by Whidbey Island Grown Cooperative in promoting the event. Master Gardeners from WSU Extension Service will staff the hall to answer questions; South Whidbey Tilth's promotional copy adds, "Bring your questions for Master Gardeners and our own experts." Organizers also plan coffee, tea and treats available by donation during the four-hour window.

South Whidbey Tilth supplied detailed submission rules: "Please bring disease-free seeds and plants on Sunday, March 15," and bring seeds in clearly labeled baggies or envelopes with crop type, variety name and the date packaged or harvested. The Tilth asks participants to "bring open seed packets from the garden store" when appropriate and warns, "Do not bring seeds collected from hybrid plants, as they won't grow true to type." Seed viability guidance is explicit: most seeds remain viable for two to four years if stored cool and dry, while onions, leeks, parsnips, celery and spinach are generally only good for a year unless specially stored, and organizers advise, "Bring seed that is viable, in other words, not too old."

Volunteers are needed to stage the swap. South Whidbey Tilth requests help setting up Saturday, March 14 at noon at the Grange Hall and asks members to contact Prescott at membership@southwhidbeytilth.org to sign up. Volunteers can also schedule themselves via SignUpGenius, though organizers have not provided a public link in their notices. Rummage-sale donations of gardening tools and books may be dropped off at Deer Lagoon Grange Hall on Saturdays, March 7 or March 14 between 10:00 AM and 12:00 noon, or arrangements can be made with Margaret King at margaretking@whidbey.com.

Practical contact information for the event includes Deer Lagoon Grange at dlgrange846@gmail.com, South Whidbey Tilth mailing address PO Box 252, Langley WA 98260 and Tilth’s campus at 2812 Thompson Road on SR 525, and Whidbey Island Grown Cooperative, PO Box 472, Coupeville WA 98239, info@whidbeyislandgrown.com. Organizers emphasize the swap as a community first stop for spring planting and invite people to bring labeled, disease-free materials and questions for the Master Gardeners when doors open March 15.