Well, it's time to start getting things going for this year's garden, and I want to focus on heirlooms for all the obvious reasons. Turns out one of the bigger sources for heirloom seeds is less than an hour from my place. I'm headed there on Friday to get most of my seed for this year. Anyone have experience, good or bad, with Baker Creek?
Baker Creek Seed Company?
Good seed,good price, good service. Gets a little preachy at times.
I like them, I've ordered several different times and was happy with what I got. Once I got dead seeds (no germination) and they sent me a replacement for that. They always stick in a free seed packet when I order, too.
They are quick to ship so far. Don't know about now, since I'm sure it's their busy season.
Their printed catalog is beautiful.
Good seedas good price, good service, and gets preachy at times.
I love them.
That oversized catalog this yea,r was really annoying to sit and work with in your lap while watching TV. Great pictures tho.
I absolutely love them also. Buy seeds there ever year.
I wanted to mention, that they have festivals there Every month all year long. Did you know that? they have a seed one in Jan I think, where the venders all get together and sell their seeds that they have collected.
And the one i'm going to is May 3 & 4th, and it's the spring planting Festival. Where Every body who's anybody LOL will sell their heirloom veggie plants, home made organic goods, and all kinds of home made products. I'm headed up there with a friend. You won't want to miss it being only an hour away from them.
You can find out all about their festivals in their web site, www.rareseeds.com If I were closer I'd be going to all their festivals. They have some great speakers there as well.
There's also a festival in the fall where all the vendors sell their produce. Your suppose to be able to save the seed off the veggies you buy also. So it's kind of like killing two birds with one stone. Buy your seeds and your veggies at one time LOL
I missed the spring planting festival last year, but I'm going rain or shine this year.
Thanks to everyone.
Kathy, their monthly festivals are the first Sunday of each month, according to their site. I have a family function in Oklahoma City this coming Sunday, but will be there for the April and May events.
Baker Creek and Southern Exposure Seed Exchange list better than a dozen tomato varieties I found to be good and shared with one of their growers, Merlyn Niedens. I recently sent Merlyn about nine varieties to grow for the 2010 season; this gives me the satisfaction knowing that others have the opportunity of growing some good tomatoes and will hopefully save seed for seasons to come.
How I wish I could attend their festivals, but at the present my health does not permit it.
Happy gardening this season!
Gary.
mail order only--great service and value
This is the first year I have ordered from them. They have a big variety of seeds and lots of them are things I have never heard of. I am anxious to try the ones I bought. I wish I could make one of their festivals. Looks like fun. I really liked the catalog.
Well, I spent the early afternoon at Baker Creek. What a place. If you find yourself in Southwest Missouri with a couple hours on your hands, it is well worth the trip. Right at this time of year, the place is a mad house. There must have been 12 to 18 women pulling mail and internet orders from the same bins that the retail shoppers were using. The bins have an organization that is known only to long time employees -- the new hires and the retail shoppers were running around in circles, while the veterans (only a couple) could find anything in seconds. Bins of popular choices were empty, but constantly being refilled by guys who were beating a path between the packet filling warehouse and the seed store. I bought 28 packets of seeds and spent 56 dollars. Some were more than 2 bucks a pack, others were less, it worked out to the penny on our selection. I could easily have spent twice that without blinking an eye. I thought I showed great restraint, but had to make plans for the garden expansion all the way home. There were only a couple of things that I had planned to get that were sold out. A few I had acceptable back ups for and for the rest, I'll spread some love in the direction of Seed Savers Exchange.
I feel blessed that this wonderful place is just about 45 miles from my garden.
No wonder my order is a little late! They are working hard over there. I usually get upset for a bit when the selections I finally decide upon are sold out. Then I figure that it is an excellent opportunity to try a new variety.
"There must have been 12 to 18 women pulling mail and internet orders from the same bins that the retail shoppers were using."
You didn't happen to see my orders being pulled while you were there, did you? LOL!
I swore no more seeds and I've placed 2 more seed orders with Baker Creek, 1 with Tomato Growers, 1 with Park Seeds and ordered off Ebay this week.
I'm going to have to cut my internet off if this keeps up. But seed shopping is a lot of fun. I don't know what I would have done had I actually been there, afraid to think about that. :)
Pugzley,
You would not believe the mountain of US Mail Priority Service boxes that were stacked in the middle of the room. Hopefully one of them was yours. I can assure everyone that is waiting on an order that these people are doing everything they can!
I know from experience what it's like trying to get out tons of orders from internet and phone sales, very difficult and hard work to get it done. And they are probably 3x as busy as I used to be.
The job I wouldn't want is filling the packets with seeds. I wonder if that is done by a machine somehow or done by hand.
I think, but do not know, that it is a combination. There was a steady stream of people coming into the seed store with small boxes of newly packaged seeds. They were struggling to stay ahead of the people packing the orders.
I've ordered from Baker Creek for a number of years now and have always been pleased. And isn't great to see that at least one enterprise isn't suffering from the recession?
I've read that all the seed companies and other gardening related industries are doing quite well, as people realize they're going to have to feed themselves for a while.
Farmerdill...your last point is one reason I buy from Sandhill Preservation and others rather than Baker Creek.
Thanks David_Paul just what we were looking for in fowl breeder. Sandhill is what we have been looking for. We bought seed from Baker Creek and under the worst conditions had 100% germination. Whew-- it's strong seed. Our heat mat went out.
I like the preachiness. And it fits in with the grand tradition of quirky seed catalogs. J.L. Hudson and Fedco come to mind.
I have been buying seeds from them for several years now. They have pretty good seeds, from my experience. I think the seeds are actually somewhat of a loss-leader for their business, though.
I guess I don't really understand....I have bought from them also and was very happy with my purchases, but I never spoke to anyone personally to get the preachin, just did web orders.
Ditto here, I've dealt with them from the very first year they started. Always have been pleased with products, shipping and customer service. (Jere himself answered the phone once when I called and we had a great conversation.)
Shoe
The preachy thing here is not concerning customer service and such. It comes in print form......a bit in the catalog and more in the quarterly magizine which I enjoy.
I'm not super gung-ho in organic things. I recycle and belive in good soil and health practices ...in some ways with the best of them. Still....some preaching kinda seems extreme and impractical to me....everything considered.
I didn't know they had a quarterly magazine. Can you sign up for that on their website or is it something you have to subscribe to?
It's called The Heirloom Gardener and it's a print issue. $12 annually. I've been subscribing since it began publishing just a few years back.
For inquiries - The Heirloom Gardener
2278 Baker Creek Road
Mansfield, Mo 65704
Call - 1-866-OLDSEED
Online: TheHeirloomGardener.com
Thanks. I'll check into it.
They are pretty much the only place I order from. It's the only place that shipping is only 3.00 no matter what you order. I have order over the phone, by fax, and internet. The few problems that I have had with germination they have alway made right no questions asked. The last order I placed with them I got a free gift of eggplant seeds which was rather ironic because I have so little patience with the germination process. The only place that I can think of as preachy is the catalog but some of the quotes I find interesting. As far as service and price I don't think you can go wrong.
Preaching about what?
"Preaching about what?"
There's some political statements and quotes from the Founding Fathers, Ron Paul and some other famous people inserted throughout the catalog.
I think that is what people are talking about re: preachiness.
ok. Guess I just ignored that part and concentrated on the plants.
This last catalog had such beautiful pics of veggies you couldn't hardly notice anything else.
I thought the last catolog was more of an art magazine than a seed catalog. It was long an gorgeous pictures, but very short on information on the different varieties. I saved the catalog for the pictures, thats for sure.
I liked their past calaloges better and even mentioned it to them. They said they changed the format for better picture quality.
Lisa
I think, other than this year, they have had the top, if not in the top 3 of catalogs. I like alot of info on the seeds and varieties tho, they had always had that. I bet they go back...or I hope they do. I would like a regular ( lap) size again too.
Potagere
Mar 02, 2009
Baker Creek is one of the few US seed companies that continues to ship abroad. Others claim that "phytosanitary certificates" and all other kinds of paperwork is required when, for most countries, it is not. Most just don't want to bother. Baker Creek, however, willing sends not just their seeds but their catalogues. With one notable exception, everything I have ever gotten from them was excellent quality, and the prices are fair, the shipping maybe even done (internationally) at a loss.
As for "preachiness", are none of you old enough to remember the old Gurney's catalogues? I just enjoy the enthusiasm!
Potagere
In earlier years their magazine was printed on very cheap paper and partly I believe to be eco. Course it was easy for it to get ripped a bit or wrinkled. Now it is all super glossy! While the catalog pictures were a work of art, I guess I winced a bit!!
Just a clue to their current prosperity. Victory Gardens and all that.
Potgage...the problem was the accuracy of the "enthusiam" was problematic in one specific instance..Those of us with relatives involved, among others, did not appreciate the gratuitous comment about the US government and one heirloom tomato. Jere can say whatever he wants. He can build a business centered on a certain segement of the population. People are sucessful doing that. Just saying those who do that lose others as customers.
This message was edited Mar 2, 2009 1:14 PM