On March 1, 2024, Governor Whitmer declared March Food and Agriculture Month in Michigan. The Michigan eLibrary (MeL) eResources provide information to help Michiganders take advantage of the opportunities our state has to offer.
Growing a garden is one of the best ways to take advantage of local food. The eBook Public Library Collection offers tips and tricks to plan a food-producing garden this summer. For general knowledge, try Gardening to Eat: Connecting People and Plants. Readers can learn when and how to plant and harvest a variety of foods and enjoy recipes created to utilize their nutritious bounty. Vertical Gardening and Micro Food Gardening: Project Plans and Plants for Growing Fruits and Veggies in Tiny Spaces both encourage gardening in the space you have. These eBooks describe how we can grow food in unusual places rather than focusing on limitations. With over 400 additional gardening eBooks including topics such as composting, organic gardening, and gardening with kids, the eBook Public Library Collection has something for everyone.
Community gardens using empty land offer significant benefits. According to "The Proof is in the Kale" in BioCycle CONNECT from Consumer Health Complete, urban areas often have enough open land to grow a large percentage of the produce needed to feed a whole city. Though it might not be possible to feed everyone, libraries can be involved in community garden efforts. During a recent visit to Pentwater Township Library, I saw raised garden beds that yielded produce that was given away to patrons at the library. A recent article in American Libraries from Library & Information Science Source, "Fresh Ideas: Libraries Install Fridges to Address Food Insecurity," detailed efforts to provide fresh food to anyone in need.
Many libraries participate in initiatives to provide seeds to their patrons. "How We Built a Seed Library (and How You Can, Too)" in The Washington Library Association Journal from Library & Information Science Source and Seed Libraries: And Other Means of Keeping Seeds in the Hands of People in the eBook Public Library Collection can help libraries get started. Michigan also has a network of seed libraries you can join. Along with hosting a seed library, consider planning programming from gardeners, farmers, chefs, and food preservationists. These experts can help boost knowledge and confidence in growing, cooking, and preserving one's own food.
Spring in Michigan is the perfect time to start planning a summer garden. Use content in the MeL eResources to get started on your journey today.
If you have any MeL eResources questions or issues, contact melerhelp@mcls.org for help.
Brought to you by Laura Warren-Gross from the MeL Team.
Supporting Michigan Libraries by Putting You First.
Want more information on MeL?  Stay tuned for the next MeL Minute available on many Michigan library listservs, visit http://mel.org, or sign up for the MeL Minute and other Library of Michigan e-mail lists via GovDelivery. We encourage you to share MeL Minutes with your colleagues and networks.
MeL eResources are available to Michigan residents or for Michigan library or school access only.
This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library of Michigan.
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