It’s not too early to think about next year’s garden.
Harvest season is a great time to share the bounty—and if you save seeds, it’s a great time to trade seeds with other gardeners, too. You can do that this Saturday, November 7, 2026, at a Community Seed Swap at the Mon County Center.
The event is open to all. “People are welcome to come whether they have seeds to swap or not,” says Shelby Dillon, a Monongalia County Center event coordinator for the Monongalia County Commission.
The seed swap is an extension of the Mon County Center’s year-round Monongalia County Community Seed Library. If you’ve never heard of a seed library, it’s just a little different from a book library. Here’s how it works:
- Before the growing season, stop by the Mon County Center at Mylan Park 8 a.m.–3:30 p.m. weekdays to “borrow” up to five packets of seeds.
- Plant your seeds, watch them grow, and enjoy the results.
- At the end of the growing season, harvest seeds from your crop and return some of them to the seed library for future borrowers.
Since the seed library opened in 2024, more than 300 families have borrowed more than 1,400 packets of seeds, Dillon says. And the library grows every year. Among the seeds that can be borrowed are Dillon’s favorites: a couple dozen varieties of tomatoes, most of them heirlooms.
The benefits of participating in the seed library go beyond free seeds and new friends. “Typically, locally sourced seeds are going to be better-adapted for our specific environment,” Dillon says. “If you gather seeds from plants that have done well here, those seeds are going to be stronger than what you might get in a commercial store or seed packet.”
If you’re just getting started as a gardener or if this year’s garden left you with questions, the seed swap is a great place for you. “We’re going to have several organizations available for people to come in and just ask questions, to learn how they can improve their gardens for next year,” Dillon says. “They can also learn how to prep their gardens for the winter for better success next year.”
The first 100 attendees will receive a free bag with seed-saving supplies, and all attendees will be entered in a free raffle to win a 50-gallon rain barrel.
The Community Seed Swap takes place 10 a.m.–1 p.m. on Saturday, November 7.
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