Why we like Baker Creek
Seed quality can impact both costs and yield of farms of all sizes. Great seeds will minimize disease, have high germination rates, and will come from good stock. For small farmers growing in niche markets, availability to unique crops can also impact their access to the market.
One of our favorite companies and a Bright Agrotech seed provider for several years is Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Not only are the seeds high quality, but the customer support is great, and the company infuses their varieties with the culture of small farms around the world.
What makes a seed company stand out?
Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company is a small business (like us) with great vision and an ability to facilitate a truly unique seed buying experience.
Baker Creek charmed us in two ways…
First, using Baker Creek seeds is an adventure.
The seeds they collect from dozens of countries have rich cultural histories, and when you plant them, you not only get a chance to experience that history, but also support it’s survival.
“They have a really awesome selection of seeds and a lot of heirloom varieties that people don’t enjoy anymore. A lot of those varieties have great flavors, they’re very unique to certain regions or people groups and it’s kind of an exploration. So when you plant these seeds you get to explore these crops that have developed all over the world. “ – Dr. Nate Storey
Baker Creek’s Cosmic Purple Carrot. This one is causing excitement at farmer’s markets. Learn more.Secondly, Baker Creek has a rock-solid vision.
As we became more familiar with how Baker Creek functions, the more we became convinced that there was no way we couldn’t love using their seeds.
Dr. Storey holds Baker Creek in high regard, and here’s why:
“They’re a great company. They’re a small business. They’ve been doing amazing work collecting seeds. Honestly it’s service to humanity, because a lot of these seed varieties are going extinct; they are disappearing, because they don’t receive attention, and they’re being left by the wayside as people switch over to modern hybrids. Folks that collect and traffic in heirloom varieties are blessing everyone. They’re helping everyone, even the people who don’t know it.”
To us, giving business to a company with such a solid vision is just a logical choice. As Dr. Nate said,
“How could you not get behind a business that’s doing something awesome like collecting and storing and selling heirloom seed varieties?”
The feeling extends throughout the rest of our team, including Paul and Noah, a fellow farming native of Missouri who says that the local, family-based, small-company feeling doesn’t stop when you leave Baker Creek’s home state of Missouri.
“They’ll give you recipes in their catalog, and they’ll give you history of their seeds, tell you how to propagate them. They’re quality seed,” says Noah, “and they value their employees.”
This year a favorite variety was the Amish Deer Tongue Lettuce, which grew splendidly in the towers and whose rich flavor graced the tables of our CSA members.
We love working with a team of people so involved in their customers’ ventures and experiences.
Start thinking about what you’ll grow next Spring (and maybe even get stocked up on seeds ahead of time).
We certainly are!
