4th Annual Community Seed Exchange in Niwot (2026)

First time attending a seed exchange for me yesterday, this one the 4th Annual Community Seed Exchange in downtown Niwot, at the Niwot Hall (formerly Niwot Grange) on a very cold but sunny winter day.  The Exchange was for two hours, 11 AM to 1 PM.  

A $5 donation at the door was appreciated but wasn't required to attend.

Once inside, there are separate tables allocated to different types of seeds (e.g. herbs, greens, tomatoes, onions, flowers, squash/pumpkins, etc.)

 

 

There appeared to be three types of seed donations:

1. A few seed companies provided new seed packs, as promotions
2. Individuals donated partially used packs of seeds
3. And individuals also packaged and contributed seeds that they harvested locally from their plants

 

Seed gathering etiquette was to take only the seeds you needed and never an entire pack. Rough guidance was given, like this example:  If you wanted to grow four tomato plants of a given type, take 12 seeds. Little envelopes were provided as long as they lasted, as well as other small containers (e.g. spice jars) and you were encouraged to bring your own.  Also, it was very important to bring your own marker/Sharpie to label your seeds in your envelopes and jars. 

 

 

In addition to seed tables, a few organizations and groups also had information tables, including for pollinator awareness, bear protection, and advice from master gardeners.

 

A big thanks to the gardener who supplied me with these seeds for Armenian Cucumbers, who told me they are the best ever for our Front Range climate, and supplied a helpful description!  Can't wait to give them a try.   

It's fun to think about gardening in the middle of winter.  

One more note.  The Longmont Public Library often hosts a seed exchange, filed away using one of their old wooden card catalogs.  Check with them to see if this is still available.

 

Veterans Day Parade 2025 in Longmont

It was a balmy November 11 for this year's Veterans Day parade in Longmont, which appropriately always starts at 11:11 AM.  

Frederick High School Marching Band:

Skyline High School Marching Band

USS Edmonds Destroyer Escort (DE) 406, named after Longmont's Bert Edmonds:

Mead High School Marching Band

Niwot High School Marching Band

No military flyover this year because of USA government shutdown but a civilian replacement stepped in to help:

Lyons High School Marching Band:

Silver Creek High School Marching Band

Longmont High School Marching Band

Erie High School Marching Band

Ovid, Colorado Revisited

 Ovid, Colorado is a small town located in the very northeast corner of Colorado, near the South Platte River.  It was once home (1925 to 1985) to a large sugar beet processing factory and the associated workforce.  Just this year (2025), Ovid celebrated its 100th anniversary.  Ovid's population was 271 in the 2020 Census and declining, from a peak of 687 in 1940.  

I wrote about Ovid back in 2013, with photos from 2008.  Ovid was also part of the story when the City of Longmont was researching its past librarians for the Library 100th anniversary and one of them, Genevieve Dorset, couldn't be found but was discovered to have moved to Ovid after marrying a sugar beet plant manager in Longmont.   

In July of this year while traveling east, I hopped off I-76 to see what Ovid looks like today.

The most obvious difference since 17 years ago is that the boarded-up sugar factory is gone. 

Back in 2008:

Today (July 2025) the silo's are still there (and visible from I-76) but the factory is gone:

The factory was demolished in 2017.  You can read more about that in this article from Engineering News Record and here is one of their demolition photos:

(Meanwhile, in Longmont, our crumbling sugar beet factory still stands)

The silo's are still operated by Amalgamated Sugar for storage:

Back in 2008, there was a boneyard of vintage agricultural equipment:

That is still there but looks a little less populated these days:

The most notable building in Ovid is the art-deco style Revere High School (and now Middle School too?) built in 1928 for the growing population of factory employees and designed by notable Denver architect Temple Buell.  It is a registered historical landmark and has an amazing 7:1 student to teacher ratio today.

The school in 2008:

And today (2025), you'll notice the trees are gone as are those questionable blue doors.  A helpful reader also pointed out the beautiful new windows.  The window-box air conditioners are gone, as well.  

In nearby small park downtown, Ovid's Great Western Dinky locomotive from the factory is still on display but looking more weathered now from the high plains winters and summers. The number should be 4109, I'm not sure why the leading"4" has been obscured:

From 2008:

And today:

The library is in the same location, with some renovations.

2008:

2025:

Downtown remains quiet, as it was then, but a few more vehicles now:

2008:

2025:

One last 2008-perspective of the huge sugar factory  and the view now.  A sign reminds future generations of Ovid's long-gone history with the sugar industry.