Free pumpkin seeds are now available at more than 70 local libraries throughout West Virginia, thanks to the Grow This: West Virginia Garden Challenge from the WVU Extension Family Nutrition Program.
“Grow This is always looking for ways to make gardening more accessible to the public, so using libraries as pick-up locations for our pumpkin seeds made perfect sense,” said Kristin McCartney, Extension specialist and SNAP-Ed coordinator with the WVU Extension Family Nutrition Program. “We are excited so many libraries volunteered to help, and hope Grow This participants take advantage of other programming they offer when picking up their seeds.”
Grow This also sent additional materials for patrons, including stickers, plant markers and brochures.
To find the full list of participating libraries, visit growthiswv.org/pumpkin. The list will be updated as additional pick-up locations are added.
“We’re in the process of contacting libraries in parts of the state that do not currently have pick-up locations,” McCartney said. “If your county does not have a pick-up location, you also are welcome to pick up seeds in a neighboring county.”
May 23 is the first day to plant pumpkin seeds in West Virginia, according to this year’s WVU Extension Garden Calendar.
Earlier this spring, Grow This mailed pepper, kale and carrot seeds to over 90,000 West Virginians as part of its annual seed distribution. That giveaway is now closed due to high demand.
The program had hinted about a secret fourth seed for 2024. Grow This announced the pumpkin seeds on April 29, as part of a weeklong virtual scavenger hunt on its Facebook and Instagram pages.
WVU Extension Family Nutrition Program’s work is supported by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.
To learn more about WVU Extension visit extension.wvu.edu.
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CONTACT:
Zackary Harold
Multimedia Specialist
WVU Extension Family Nutrition Program
304.550.2186; zackary.harold@mail.wvu.edu
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