Michael Fields Ag Institute Annual Seed Swap

Hey Neighbors!

It's time for the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute's Annual Seed Swap! This is Year 9 for us.

For many years, this event has taken place at MFAI's well-known building in East Troy, WI. MFAI is no longer based in that building and as of 2026, we have moved to our New Farm on Pickerel Lake Road in East Troy. We have an equipment shed, but no event venue at that facility.

However, we're still Seed Swappin', thanks to long-term and dedicated volunteers Michelle Washebek-Hackett, Shelly Black, and Xue White, along with MFAI Research Director Dr. Nicole Tautges.

This year, we are grateful for the support of historic Bethel United Methodist Church and community garden volunteers Diane Bustamante and Tim Middleton, who kindly invited us to have the Annual Seed Swap in their historic church building at the intersection of County A and Route 12/67 in Elkhorn. They will lead tours of their historic sanctuary and new community garden and food forest, for those who are interested.

“Bethel Garden is a community garden dedicated to improving diet, supporting emotional health and providing a social space. The garden provides space, tools, knowledge and a place to experiment for anyone who wants to participate. It is also a place to spend time with no particular purpose in mind.  We encourage everyone to get involved: help with maintenance, help distribute garden produce, take material from plants that are new to you to propagate in your own garden, teach others a skill that you have, and so on.  We also have a few individual plots that are available for people to grow their own garden.  The garden has a potting shed with tools and supplies, and has water hydrants within the garden," says Diane - who is heartily encouraging neighbors to come to the seed swap, take a tour, and find out how they can get involved. "This garden only has a purpose if you use it. The food and flowers are produced for everyone to use.  Take produce, flowers, cuttings, collect seeds- if you visit the garden, please leave with something in your hand.  Or just sit on a bench or take pictures."  If you have any questions or comments, please contact the church at bethelgardenfriends@gmail.com.

We are also super excited to have a soil block and milk jug greenhouse demo presented by our friend Amber MaHaffy of Urban Amber Gardening. BRING A MILK JUG and she will send you home with a little greenhouse to start seeds indoors or out. Amber will be available between 9 and 11am. She will also bring extra milk jugs if you don't have any of your own.

"Michael Fields Institute has been happy to see our Seed Swap community grow over the many years we have hosted this event. Each year we see old friends, and meet new ones," says Dr. Nicole. "We love seeing the joy in seed sharing and have observed many generous and unique plant sharing ideas over the years—we even had one year people bring beautiful lavender bundles! I'm so excited to see this community again, and with new friends (Bethel) involved as well. Bring whatever from your garden and nature that brings you joy, if you can, or if you are new and need some seeds to get started, we will welcome you with open arms! All are welcome at our 2026 Seed Swap."

Indeed, all are welcome - and of course that includes children, too! We will have facepainting and some activities to engage families. We'll also have LOTS of seeds, so if you don't have any to swap, please come anyway. MFAI staff will on hand with advice and FREE bags of cover crop seed, too.

The church will provide hot coffee and tea, and there will be a bake sale with lots of yummy treats.

Bring your spring dreams, and a friend, too. Gardens grow community!

For more information call Nicole at 509-432-6489.