From seeds to new site
Each December welcomes the arrival of the Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds catalog, a veritable encyclopedia of time-honored, nonhybrid, nongenetically modified and nonpatented seeds for the home gardener. The 124-page publication is packed with enticing photographs of vintage vegetable, herb and flower varieties available by seed from the company, which is based in Mansfield, Mo. Most of the packets cost $1.75 to $2.50 apiece and yield delicious, healthy food that you can grow again and again, should you be inclined to collect seeds for future seasons.
Baker Creek owner Jere Gettle, a twentysomething from the Ozarks, started his heirloom-seed-saving venture while still a teenager. Wearing his signature farmer’s overalls, Gettle attended the annual Garden Writers Assn. symposium in Raleigh, N.C., a few months ago and handed out seeds, catalogs and some news: Baker Creek opened retail operations in a circa-1926 building in Petaluma, Calif. Originally home to Sonoma County Bank, Baker Creek’s Seed Bank offers one of California’s largest selections of organic and heirloom seeds -- 1,200 varieties in all -- as well as traditional gardening products.
Store manager Paul Wallace said Baker Creek chose Petaluma because 50% of its California mail-order customers live within a one-hour radius. “A huge percentage of our catalog and online sales come from Sonoma, Marin, Mendocino and Napa counties,” Wallace said. “I guess it’s because of the interest in heirlooms among like-minded people who believe in growing their own food.”
What about customers in Southern California?
“People come here from all over the world,” Wallace said. “One couple recently arrived from Orange County. He drove while she went through the catalog to choose her seeds.”
Baker Creek’s mouthwatering descriptions of Jenny Lind melons from the 1840s or St. Valery French carrots from the 1880s might inspire gardeners to drive north too. You can request a 2010 catalog by calling (417) 924-8917 or going to www.rareseeds.com.
-- Debra Prinzing
