Seed Swap
The 7th annual Michiana Regional Seed Swap is a resource for residents in Michiana and beyond to exchange and learn about seeds. Join fellow gardeners, growers and plant enthusiasts to exchange and gather seeds, compare and discuss varieties, attend educational sessions and more. The swap will include vegetable/garden crops as well as native plants.
Participants are NOT required to bring seeds to the event, but if you save seed please bring them along! There will be lots of FREE seeds available! Food for purchase will be available.
Food Options: A food truck will be available for lunch. There will also be a wide selection of baked goods. Stay tuned for more details!
Location: Goshen College Church Chapel | 1900 S Main St. Goshen, IN 46526
When: Saturday, January 18, 2025 | 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Cost: Free. Registration is not required
Sponsors
Seedling Supporters:
Blue Fox Farms LLC
Fables Books
Vendors
Merry Lea Teaching Farm
Blue Fox Farms LLC
Dick’s Organics & Three Rivers Fruit Growers Club
A Bean Collector’s Window
AMBS Community Garden
Little River Wetlands Project
Urban Soil Health
Tomato Jim
GardenGenius LLC
Fables Books
Michiana Master Gardeners & Purdue Extension Elkhart County
Michiana Beekeepers Association
Goshen Health
Elkhart County SWCD
Van-Kal Permaculture
John Sherck, Local Seed Saver
2025 Speakers
Creating an Urban Oasis with Native Plants
With Freya Berntson & Alan Stadler at 10 AM
- Grow Wild: How to turn your lawn into something your local birds, butterflies and bees can actually utilize. Their presentation will discuss everything from how to select the right native plants for your location & soil type, best management practices, water management, neighborhood considerations, and more.
- Bios: Freya Berntson is the Natural Resources Manager at Merry Lea and is also the Stewardship Chair for the Northeast Chapter of the Indiana Native Plant Society. She has worked in Ecological Restoration and Native Landscaping for over 8 years professionally, but has been a native plant enthusiast for much longer. Alan Stadler is the Buildings Manager at Merry Lea and has extensive knowledge on proper landscaping techniques, including water management around buildings.
Home Gardening
With Terri Theisen at 11:30 AM
- Gardening with Nature: We’ll dive into ways home gardeners can protect the environment by using conservation practices and integrated pest management (IPM) to manage challenges without harming the local ecosystem. We’ll go over practical, easy-to-follow techniques to handle common pest issues without reaching for harsh chemicals—like encouraging natural predators, choosing resilient plants, and making simple habitat changes to support beneficial insects. This approach keeps your garden healthy, vibrant, and full of life while playing a part in conservation right from your backyard. Perfect for anyone looking to garden with a lighter environmental footprint.
- Bio: Terri Theisen is an Urban Soil Health Specialist. She has a strong passion for conservation in agriculture, and has supported local food systems as a grower, educator, and advocate for diversified agriculture.
Seeds of Change
With Cusi Ballew at 1 PM
- Seeds of Change: How indigenous principles of relationship, reciprocity, responsibility, and respect can reframe how we respond to a changing climate.
- Bio: Cusi Ballew is a citizen of the Pokagon band of the Potawatomi. He works as the cultural sustainability lead at the Pokagon Center for History and Culture. He is a plant person at heart and has been as long as he can remember. He is more familiar and comfortable with plants that grow wild, but has been learning to grow plants. He is an avid composter, and hopes above all to contribute more soil than he inadvertently damages in his lifetime.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Seed Swap is a resource for residents in Michiana & beyond to exchange, gather and learn about seeds, gardening and growing plants. Compare & discuss varieties, attend educational sessions, network with other gardeners and more!
-Seeds that will be available through sales, swaps and for free!
-Community seed tables with free seeds.
-Various vendor tables highlighting regional business, organizations, and individuals in gardening, seed saving and more.
-Educational sessions on various topics.
To learn more about this year's topics & vendors, scroll through this page!
Goshen College Church-Chapel
1900 S Main St., Goshen, IN 46526
Saturday, January 18, 2025 from 9:30 AM - 2 PM
This event is FREE & open to the public! Registration is NOT required.
There will be opportunities to purchase various goods and services, including seeds from vendors and food items during the event. Please note some vendors may only accept cash - there are FREE seeds available at the community seed tables.
Our community seed tables include free seeds that have been given to us from generous donors & seed swap attendees. The main intention is to only take what you need and leave what you don't! These tables include fruits, vegetables, bushes, flowers and more.
Small baggies are provided as well as small slips of paper for labeling & to fill in various details and information about your seeds.
Participants are not required to bring seeds, but if you save seeds, we encourage you bring them to the swap to share. We welcome vegetable crops, flowers, and native plants at the swap.
Please bring only open-pollinated, heirloom or varieties that can be propagated year after year. Please do not bring hybrid varieties of seeds.
Anyone interested in seeds, gardening, or growing plants! First-time gardeners and experienced growers alike can connect with other home gardeners, community gardener organizers, small-scale growers, and those interested in local food systems. Children & families are welcome!
YES! We will have various activities specifically for kids such as coloring pages, "seed scopes" to investigate seeds, and more.
The 7th Annual Michiana Regional Seed Swap is hosted by Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College, an organization located in Wolf Lake, IN, dedicated to providing environmental education for people of all ages, a natural sanctuary for plants & animals, and a setting that benefits the human body and spirit while not exploiting the land.
Photos from previous swaps!
