By Kathy McFarland
Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company is a family owned and operated distributor of non-GMO, open-pollinated seeds. The company offers nearly 2,000 varieties of vegetables, herbs, and flowers—the largest selection of heirloom varieties in the USA. Baker Creek also carries one of the largest selections of seeds from the 19th century, including many Asian and European varieties. Many of the varieties sold are collected by owner Jere Gettle and his family on their travels abroad.
All of Baker Creek’s seed is non-hybrid, non-GMO, non-treated and non-patented. While many of the seeds are produced at the location headquarters near Mansfield, Missouri, the company also uses a network of more than 150 small farmers, backyard gardeners, and seed growers to produce seed. None of the seed sold by Baker Creek is purchased from Monsanto-owned Seminis. The company boycotts all gene-altering operations and is not a member of the pro-GMO American Seed Trade Organization.
Baker Creek staff takes special precautions to ensure that all the seeds it sells are pure and viable. They work in their own gardens and with contracted seed farmers to try to grow the best seeds possible. The company routinely tests all of its corn varieties, soy beans, and sugar beets listed in the catalog for genetic modification contamination.
Festivals have been an important part of Baker Creek since the year 2000. Heritage Festivals are usually held the first Sunday of each month, March through October. The largest festival of the year is the big 2-day Spring Planting Festival the first Sunday and Monday in May, when attendance is estimated to be 10,000 people over the two days. Unfortunately, the unrelenting coronavirus outbreak has caused the cancellations of both the April and May festivals this year, as the company adheres to health department guidelines to not hold large events in order to contain the spread of the virus. Baker Creek is complying with health department directives but does hope to resume holding festivals later in the year.
Future visits to the Baker Creek farm located 45 miles east of Springfield, Missouri, are encouraged. Visitors are invited to enjoy the beautiful Ozarks hills, beautiful gardens and pioneer village where they can shop for seeds, enjoy the heritage breed animals, and have lunch in the vegan restaurant that is usually open 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. The seed store and village are open 6 days per week, Sunday though Friday, but always closed on Saturdays. Visit Rareseeds.com for information.