If the library in a small upstate town could lend fishing poles, why couldn't it lend seeds?

That was Ken Greene's idea. The New York Times describes how the librarian in Gardiner, N.Y., adapted the lending model he knew best and established the Hudson Valley Seed Library.

Members, who have grown from 60 at the start to nearly 700 now, pay a $20 annual fee for 10 seed packs of their choice. The library offers 130 heirloom plant varieties, 50 of which come from locally produced seeds.

In turn, members are asked to return seeds after the harvest.

Sounds like a terrific idea to adopt in any community.