Seed Giveaway

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Seed Source and Quality

All seeds distributed through this program were sourced from Johnny’s Selected Seeds a respected seed company based in Maine that specializes in high-quality seed for market farmers and gardeners. All of the varieties selected for this project are certified organic and were chosen for their reliability, strong germination rates, and suitability for Southern California growing conditions.

To ensure transparency and seed quality, we are sharing the seed varieties, lot numbers, and germination testing information provided by Johnny’s.

"Seed testing," is a measurement of the percentage of seeds that are expected to successfully germinate under ideal conditions. Most of the seeds in this program have germination rates between 89% and 99%, reflecting high-quality seed stock.

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Varieties Included in the Library Seed Giveaway:

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Why These Varieties Were Selected

The seeds were chosen for their ability to grow well in Los Angeles gardens, containers, balconies, and community spaces. Some crops grow well year-round in Southern California, while others thrive in cooler or warmer seasons, allowing gardeners to grow food throughout the year.

The seed giveaway program will distribute 200 seed packets to each of the 72 Los Angeles Public Library branches, providing thousands of opportunities for families and individuals to grow food at home.

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A Note About Seed Quantities

Seeds are packed into sample-sized packets suitable for home gardeners. Each packet contains enough seed to grow a small garden bed or container planting.

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• Neighborhood Science
  & Seed Giveaway Events

Project Finder Platforms

• Anecdata.org
  Citizen science platform with 160+ citizen science projects worldwide. Sign up for an account by downloading the Anecdata.org app (iOS | Android) or through their website.
• EPA Citizen Science
  Explore and participate in the EPA-supported citizen science projects to help advance environmental protection by helping communities understand environmental problems and collect quality data used in research to improve environmental health.
• NASA's Citizen Science Projects
  Want to work on some real NASA science to help NASA researchers and scientists make important scientific discoveries? Get started with one of these projects. Projects with a little person icon can be done by anyone, anywhere, with just a cellphone or laptop.
• Scistarter
  Join this online community where you can find over 3,000 projects and events searchable by location, scientific topic, and age level. Sign up for a free SciStarter account to track your contributions and provide valuable feedback.
• Zooniverse
  Find hundreds of projects where young people can collaborate on real scientific research.

Sustainability & Open Science Education

• Biodiversity Heritage Library
  The world’s largest free digital library of biodiversity literature, valuable for deeper learning about plant science, ecosystems, and sustainability topics.
• California Academy of Sciences Citizen Science Toolkit
  An educator-focused toolkit with lessons, readings, worksheets, and guidance for integrating citizen science into school or after-school settings.
• Elementary GLOBE
  Introduce K–4 students to Earth system science through story-driven modules that teach the scientific method and connect learning to neighborhood and community-based observation.
• National Institutes of Health (NIH) – Community-Engaged Research & Citizen Science
  NIH offers resources connecting citizen science with public health and community-engaged research, useful for older students and parents exploring science applied to environmental and health issues.
• SDG Academy
  Free, open educational resources from the world’s leading experts on sustainable development.
• SORT LA by L.A. Sanitation & Environment (LASAN)
  A searchable tool for LA residents to find out how to dispose of any household item sustainably and responsibly. It also includes a waste-sorting game to help users test their recycling skills.
• U.S. Forest Service: Citizen Science & Learning Materials
  Overview of what citizen science is, examples of projects, planning guides, and teacher materials. Includes downloadable activity books and the Natural Inquirer science journal aimed at middle and high school learners.
• U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Educational Resources
  Official science education resources from a major federal science agency, including citizen science programs, Earth science activities, and “Be an Explorer!” learning modules.