BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – The Rockingham Free Public Library has received a $15,000 Sustainable and Resilient New England Libraries Grant from the Association for Rural and Small Libraries, which will support “From Seed to Spoon: Cultivating Community.” The purpose of this grant is to help build a sustainable food network in the Rockingham area, to encourage the community to grow, locally source, and cook with the seasons. With this project, the library will help restore, renew, and enhance our natural resources and agricultural food ways; create greater equity for all people and communities; and, being a public library, promote lifelong learning habits and skills.
Upcoming projects around the grant include developing a seed library and a gardening tool lending library; two indoor gardens and programming to teach and encourage people of all ages and abilities to grow their own food; a year of programs to connect people to local food, seasonal cooking, composting, beekeeping, and much more; a small kitchen classroom in the library for cooking demonstrations; and so much more throughout the year.
“The library is thrilled to receive this grant, so we may support a sustainable food network for all ages in our community while also developing more sustainable practices and skills for the future,” said Pamela Johnson-Spurlock, reference and historical collections librarian. The library has begun making connections throughout the community, and welcomes any gardener, cook, or other food or food-related producer who has an interest in this program to reach out to the library.
For more information about this program and how you, your business, or organization can get involved, contact the library by email at reference@rockinghamlibrary.org, call 802-463-4270, or stop by the library at 65 Westminster Street in Bellows Falls, Vt.