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Mass Aggie Seed Library

Workshops Spring 2025

Spring 2025 workshops will focus on using soil blockers to hold and germinate seeds.  Three workshops, all the same, limited to ten people per workshop to allow for hands-on making of soil blocks using the equipment in the Mass Aggie Seed Library.  Dates and times chosen to alleviate parking issues.

Workshop registration through the Libraries events calendar:
Ditch the Plastic - Using a soil blocker for seed starting / Thursday 20 March 2025 1:30pm (UMass Amherst Spring Recess week)
Ditch the Plastic - Using a soil blocker for seed starting / Sunday 30 March 2025 3pm

               

We are all artists – Drawing Collections – Seeing is the first step 
Come as you are to an informal gathering to practice the art of drawing.  No experience necessary.  Each session we will have a few items for you to choose from and is a stand-alone meeting. Quality colored pencils and 4x4 artist tiles provided.  
Mass Aggie Seed Library / Conference Room / 3rd Floor in the Science & Engineering Library  

                

Artist Malaika Ross - The Soil Beneath Us - Exhibit workshop - 9am Friday 11 April 2025       

                                        

 

Past Happenings:
Ditch the Plastic - Using a soil blocker for seed starting / Sunday 9 March 2025 3pm
Fruition Seeds - Thursday 6 March 2025 @ 5pm - Sharing the Gift of Seeds at the Forbes Library

 

Seed Frenzy Workshops

Third Friday Seed Frenzy workshops happen in the Fall when seed is harvested and in need of many hands to help clean, process, and package seeds.

Mass Aggie Third Friday Seed Frenzy Workshops

Let go of the stress, and work with your hands to plant a seed for the future.  After being in your head all week, come to the Mass Aggie Seed Library to learn about seed saving, help clean and package seeds, update the seed inventory, or begin some seeds for planting. Open to everyone!

This hands-on workshop will be held the third Friday afternoon of each month and will be limited to six attendees with sign-up required.  Each month will be different depending on what needs to be done -  cleaning and packaging collected seeds, updating the cabinet inventory, or starting seeds for planting.

Friday 1 - 3 pm in the Science & Engineering Library (SEL) studio classroom space. 

  • Friday 16 September 2022 - FULL / Processed three different types of tomatoes, Swiss giant snow peas, giant white zinnias, a poppy mix, and pink hollyhocks.
  • Friday 21 October 2022 - FULL / Processed Sungold tomatoes, Waltham butternut squash, Arledge hot pepper, Tiger Bush tomato, Tom Thumb shell pea, Glass Gem corn, Celway Salmon celosia, Flaming Feathers celosia, morning glories,  cosmos, and Zinnias.
  • Friday 11 November 2022 - FULL / Processed Sungold tomato, Ten Commandments gourds, Oregon sugar snap peas, Purple podded beans, Windsor fave beans, Echinacea, Tinkerbell nicotinia, Flaming Feathers celosia, Celway Salmon celosia, Cosmos mix, Morning glory mix, and Zinnias.

To register, email pborrego@library.umass.edu

After successful completion of the workshop, attendees will become Mass Aggie Seed Library Ambassadors and have the opportunity to come back, help out as time and schedules permit, and create and execute projects of their own related to seeds and seed saving.  Grow, Learn, and Thrive!