FHDC

Photo Courtesy of FHDC

On Sunday, February 1, 2026, the Flint Hills Discovery Center (FHDC), 315 S. 3rd St., will host the third annual Manhattan Seed Swap from 1 pm to 4 pm. This event is free and open to the public.

The Manhattan Seed Swap is an opportunity for community members to share and swap saved and leftover seeds before spring planting begins. It’s a chance to exchange actual seeds, as well as knowledge and resources with fellow gardeners and plant enthusiasts. This is a come and go event, and seeds will be available on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. If you’re bringing seeds to share, make sure the packaging is labeled to identify the contents. Although visitors are encouraged to bring their own containers for taking seeds home, a packaging and labeling station stocked with small envelopes will also be available. If you don’t have seeds to share this year, you’re still welcome to come learn and take a few samples home with you. Small envelopes or containers for seeds are also appreciated. 

Seeds of all kinds are welcome, and tables will be set up for vegetables, herbs, native plants, annual flowers, and non-native perennial flowers. Volunteers from Riley County Master Gardeners and K-State Extension Horticulture experts will also be available to answer questions. In addition to exchanging seeds, the public is also invited to bring any gardening-related literature (i.e. magazines, books, or other printed resources) to share or swap. 

“We’ve seen more and more interest in the Manhattan Seed Swap each year, with almost 400 attendees in 2025,” says event volunteer Kelly Yarbrough. “We’re so glad to be working with the Discovery Center to continue this annual tradition.”

Learn more about the Manhattan Seed Swap through the Flint Hills Discovery Center’s Facebook event and online at flinthillsdiscovery.org/seedswap.

Seed exchange events happen across the US and through online communities such as the Seed Savers Exchange Network, and allow gardeners to share knowledge, skills, and heirloom seeds with one another in unmediated ways.

For more information about other seed exchange events in Kansas, visit the Kansas Native Plant Society Events page (https://www.kansasnativeplantsociety.org/eventspage/) or the Kansas City Seed Savers Event page (http://www.seedsavers-kc.org/events/).