Circular Food System
Seeds are saved from locally grown produce (from home gardeners and farmers) and made available to locals.
Working Together
This project is a collaboration between Slow food Hunter Valley and Maitland Libraries and shows the power of working together.
Get Involved
You can obtain seeds (at no cost), raise your own plants, collect the seeds and even help pack the seeds for the next cycle.
IT'S TIME TO GET INVOLVED!
CIRCULAR FOOD SYSTEM
Running since 2016, this project brings together Slow Food Hunter Valley, Maitland’s libraries and our local community. Together we create our own own circular food system by raising plants, collecting and packing the seed from those plants, and then making the seeds available to the community (at no cost).
In 2025 we packaged 6,471 seed packets for distribution in our community. Our volunteers donated 290 packing hours and we packaged 54 varieties of plants.
You can be part of this food system as a grower (seeds are available at Maitland’s network of libraries), or as a volunteer who helps pack seeds, or both.
Project summary 2025
Seed Packets
Packing Hours
Varieties
The Maitland Seed Library Project is a collaboration between Slow food Hunter Valley and Maitland Libraries. The aim is to involve the community in their own circular food system- planting seeds and raising plants, seed saving and selecting and then donating the seeds back to the library. Our SFHV volunteers look after keeping the seed stock up, writing the articles for the seasonal Maitland Sprout newsletter, organising the pack and chat mornings, getting the word out and collating the numbers.
Donated seeds are sorted and packed at seasonal “pack & chat” events where members of Slow Food Hunter Valley join other members of the community in a relaxed and informal setting. You’ll meet people, share gardening stories, packed and label seeds and generally have a lovely time with like-minded people.
Seed packs are available free to the community at the four Maitland Library branches. Seeds are also available at the Earth Market, Maitland and the monthly Sunday Community Markets at the Maitland Showground.
In 2025 the Seed Library commenced a project with a dedicated group of growers of pulses and legumes to increase the range and availability of this vital food source to the community. Education workshops in seed saving, pollination and other resources are available via the Maitland Library Portal and supported by Slow Food Hunter Valley.
