Woodend Facebook group shares gardening love through seed packs

As supermarket food flies off the shelves, a Macedon Ranges community group is helping families become more self-sufficient by offering free seed packs to grow all sorts of tasty greens.

Kylie Swain in her Woodend garden. Picture: George Salpigtidis

A Macedon Ranges community group is helping families become less reliant on supermarket shelves – for free.

Macedon Ranges Plant, Cutting & Seed Swap and Give Away founder Kylie Swain has given away 150 seed packets in what she hopes will lead to an explosion of food gardens across the municipality.

Ms Swain, from Woodend, said now was the perfect time for people to start a home garden and save money on produce price hikes.

Some of Kylie Swain’s produce and seed packs. Picture: George Salpigtidis

Ms Swain said she discovered her own love for planting when her eldest daughter passed away and she decided to plant a memorial garden in her home with lush flowers.

She said the seek packs had become a needed resource in the community with many out of town ‘food tourists’ brought up local supplies.

“Everyone is really interested in gardening at the moment,” she said.

“I’ve handed out 150 seed packets, that could be 150 new gardeners that learn something from this horrible situation.

“It’s one positive that can come out of the negative.”

Mrs Swain said she had started her community facebook group for advice and now had hundreds of members.

In December Mrs Swain began to make seed packs and cutting available, for donation or at no cost as a way to preserve native plants and encourage seasonal growth.

Once social distancing and isolation was over, the group hope to get together and share how their seed packets have grown and exchange cuttings.

In the future the group hope to hold further workshops and tutorials to encourage green thumb learning and to establishing funding for further community projects.

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Each seed pack has an assortment of seasonal vegetables, native plants and detailed instructions on how to help them thrive.

For more information about seed packs, clippings and gardening advice, visit the Macedon Ranges Seed Savers on Facebook

@GraceMckinnonL