Wednesday, September 2, 2026

September Seed Library News

 


Happy September, Gardeners!


Thank you to everyone who was able to come to our final seed library event of the year. We had some of what you might expect: tomatoes and squash, but we also had community members bring in elderberries, cucumbers, duck eggs, bulb onions and garlic! It has been a year of firsts with the additional swaps, and I am looking forward to growing and improving in 2027.


Note: Elderberries should not be consumed unripe, raw, or with the stems or leaves. These berries provide a lot of health benefits, but those benefits are only available after they have been cooked for at least 20-30 minutes. Consuming them raw could make you sick.


As we enter into the fall and winter seasons, I will be seeking out seed donations from various nurseries. We are also very happy to accept donations from our local seed savers. If you have any questions on how to donate to the seed library, please feel free to send me an email. I have the seed donation slip that I like to receive with each seed donation to help me get them ready for the drawer, and I will attach that here. I also have been asked what kind of container, whether its a baggie or envelope, to donate seeds in, and I would say, it is whatever is convenient for you! Since I go through the effort of creating labels and putting them in my own bags to allow for uniformity in the drawers, it truly does not matter too much.



Wednesday, August 19, 2026

September Book Club Picks

Here are what the Sandy and Hoodland book clubs have decided to read in September: 


Digital Book Club
 


Thursday, September 3
7:00 PM
Online via Zoom

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

For further information and to receive the Zoom link, contact Kat Aden: kaden@ci.sandy.or.us








Women's Book Club

Thursday, September 10
6:00 PM
Hoyt Community Room in the Sandy Library

Mink River by Brian Doyle

For further information please contact Maureen Houck: mhouck@ci.sandy.or.us


Men's Book Club

Monday, September 14
7:00 PM
Hoyt Community Room in the Sandy Library


For further information please contact Maureen Houck: mhouck@ci.sandy.or.us






Hoodland Book Club

Tuesday, September 15
4:00 PM
Hoodland Community Room

Same Author September - Jane Kirkpatrick

Read any book by Jane Kirkpatrick and discuss!

For further information please contact Alex Steinmetz: asteinmetz@ci.sandy.or.us



Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Sandy Seed Library News - August 2026


Happy August, Gardeners!


This year I challenged myself by incorporating more gardening swaps into the schedule, and I am hoping to close out the Sandy Seed Library Series of programs with a final swap: Share Your Bounty. With how popular our annual seed swap is, I thought about trying a seedling swap in the spring, and a harvest swap in the late summer. The seedling swap was on the smaller side but a hit with attendees, and feedback to make it an annual event. As I thought through what a harvest swap might look like, I decided it would be nice to keep the seedlings coming for folks that would like some late-season crops or even some plants that will overwinter.


There is room for this to grow as we get more experience under our belts and feedback from our seed library community.


Wednesday, July 22, 2026

August Book Club Picks

Here are what the Sandy and Hoodland book clubs have decided to read in August: 

Men's Book Club

Monday, August 3
7:00 PM
Hoyt Community Room in the Sandy Library

How to Know a Person by David Brooks

For further information please contact Maureen Houck: mhouck@ci.sandy.or.us






Digital Book Club 


Thursday, August 6
7:00 PM
Online via Zoom

West with the Night by Beryl Markham

For further information and to receive the Zoom link, contact Kat Aden: kaden@ci.sandy.or.us






Women's Book Club

Thursday, August 13
6:00 PM
Hoyt Community Room in the Sandy Library

Loves Music, Loves to Dance by Mary Higgins Clark

For further information please contact Maureen Houck: mhouck@ci.sandy.or.us









Hoodland Book Club

Tuesday, August 18
4:00 PM
Hoodland Community Room

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

For further information please contact Alex Steinmetz: asteinmetz@ci.sandy.or.us











Thursday, July 2, 2026

Sandy Seed Library News - July

 


Happy July, Gardeners!


Happy International Fruit Day (July 1)! Moth week is also this month, and wouldn't you know, moths take the night shift in pollinating the following fruits: apples, pears, strawberries, raspberries, and plums!


Monday, June 8, 2026

July Book Club Picks

 Here are what the Sandy and Hoodland book clubs have decided to read in July: 


Digital Book Club 


Thursday, July 2
7:00 PM
Online via Zoom


For further information and to receive the Zoom link, contact Kat Aden: kaden@ci.sandy.or.us


Men's Book Club

Monday, July 6
7:00 PM
Hoyt Community Room in the Sandy Library

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

For further information please contact Maureen Houck: mhouck@ci.sandy.or.us








Women's Book Club

No Women's Book Club in July due to the Sandy Mountain Festival Parade.

NEXT BOOK CLUB:
Thursday, August 13
6:00 PM
Hoyt Community Room in the Sandy Library

Loves Music, Loves to Dance by Mary Higgins Clark

For further information please contact Maureen Houck: mhouck@ci.sandy.or.us


Hoodland Book Club

Tuesday, July 21
4:00 PM
Hoodland Community Room

The Music of Bees by Eileen Garvin

For further information please contact Alex Steinmetz: asteinmetz@ci.sandy.or.us










Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Sandy Seed Library News - June

 


Happy June, Gardeners!


This month includes Pollinator Week (June 22 - 28) and I find it very fitting to be able to share that the library was awarded another native plant grant to complete our landscaping project! If you are new to our newsletter, you may not be aware that we have been slowly transforming our garden beds around the library to be made up of predominately native plants to support our pollinators and our Bee City, USA initiative.


The southeast garden bed is already filled with plants obtained through a Xerces Society grant, and after November, our entre south side will be made up of native pollinator plants.


This has been such a special opportunity that has come together through the donations from the Xerces Society and Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District, and the labor of our generous volunteers.