Comstock, Ferre & Co.—Wethersfield, CT
For Immediate Release
June 21, 2010
Today, Jere Gettle, owner of Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co., based in Mansfield, Missouri announced the addition of Comstock, Ferre & Co, the oldest continuously operated
seed company in the United States, to its agriculture-related pure seed initiatives dedicated to preserving gardening traditions passed down through the generations.
Founded in 1820 by James Lockwood Belden as the Wethersfield Seed Company in Wethersfield, Connecticut,
the company was later renamed Comstock, Ferre after
the new owners. This company established the region around Hartford as a premier supplier of seeds for an entire nation and was responsible for the worldwide demand
for the Wethersfield Red Onion, which has become an honored icon for the Town of Wethersfield.
Located in the Historic District of Wethersfield, Comstock, Ferre is surrounded by splendid, meticulously maintained homes representing several important periods in American
history. Just across the street from Comstock, the First Church of Christ stands on the site where George Washington
attended church in 1781. Less than a block away, General Washington and Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau planned the final victory over the British to end the American
Revolution in triumph. The Historic District boasts over 150 structures built before 1850. The town itself dates back to 1634.
In harmony with the District and the historic flavor of the seed company itself, the new owners will operate the business as if it were 1820 all over again. Employees will dress in authentic 19th century costumes. Wherever possible,
the outward appearances of the modern era will be hidden to be more compatible with the 200-year-old tradition.
Jere Gettle and his family are dedicated to preserving this business by maintaining the historical buildings and their rich seed heritage, as well as the traditions that were such a part of the fabric of life in the 19th Century. The former owner and the Town of Wethersfield were concerned
that the buildings not be turned into a modern development, so they were pleased that the Gettle family committed to revive this near-museum of heirloom seeds and historic agriculture. Says Jere Gettle, “We hope to develop this into an East Coast garden and farm educational
center. With nearly two acres, we have plenty of room for such events. We also believe this will grow into a green- and agro- tourism destination, thus benefitting the surrounding community and its economic and environmental
vitality.”
Gettle went on to say, “With Connecticut having the highest rate of decrease in farmland in the nation—losing some 7,000 acres per year to development—
our historic company
hopes to help reverse this trend, with the help of thousands of gardeners and farmers.”
As always, Comstock, Ferre will offer its traditional brand of heirloom garden seeds through in-store sales, and will soon offer catalogs and online ordering. The store will also offer the Baker Creek brand of heirloom seeds, which is firmly established as one of the most trusted suppliers of open-pollinated, pure and natural, non-GMO seeds. The company intends to build on that reputation in concert with the Comstock, Ferre & Co. tradition. Another goal is to investigate the feasibility of re-establishing the Wethersfield Red Onion as a major variety, as well as working with local suppliers to offer seeds, gifts, plants, natural products, handmade arts and crafts, and food items.
Comstock, Ferre, & Co. will continue into its third century of service with a renewed dedication to green, sustainable
gardening, while blending harmoniously with the surrounding community.
The Oldest Continuously Operated Seed Company in America
Poised for its Third Century of Service
For more information, call 866-OLDSEEDS or 417.924.8917. Also, look for us on Facebook or www.rareseeds.com/blog.
WELCOME to Wethersfield!!! We are thrilled at your arrival and will help you settle in any way we can.
Welcome to Old Wethersfield. Can’t wait to see you open!
Hey! I live in Connecticut and have been buying your seeds for a few years now. I’d love to come to the Wethersfield location and check things out. What are the hours you are open there in the next week or so?
Tierney
Thank you, Baker Creek. Having grown up near this area, I think this is a fantastic idea. I am so excited that you will be maintaining an area landmark and promoting heirloom ideals in the process. We will be frequent visitors on our trips to Connecticut!
Congratulations and thank you.
It would be wonderful you could work to restablish the Comstock Sauce and Slice tomato as well. It’s a wonderful tomato, but I never saw starts in the heirloom section which always seemed a shame. Seeds are wonderful, but having a small space for seed starting, I prefer to try starts of new varieties rather than add them into my seedings if possible. Given the number of places selling heirloom varieties, the time would seem right to bring this regional heirloom into the local market at least.
Welcome to Wethersfield!
Thanks everyone for the welcome! We’ll be working on restoring and opening from June 23rd till July 6th. Come by and visit us, take a tour, shop for seeds, and possibly apply for one of the positions that will be opening in the next few weeks. We do not have established hours right now, but someone should be around during the day Monday through Friday.
Welcome to Connecticut. It will be a real pleasure to come by the ‘old red barn’ once more. We look forward to local distribution of heirloom seeds – and I agree with Karen: Please bring back Comstock’s Sauce and Slice tomato – it’s a local treasure. We look forward to visiting – Spring 2011?
Hi Baker Creek–I provided this and other photos to Pierre and Cheryl Bennerup so that you would see from afar Comstock in all its glory. And, you did! There now will be many more opportunities to express the property’s beauty, provide customers a whole new experience and continue to make history. Thank you.
Congratulations, Welcome to Connecticut, and Thank You!!
I was wonderfully surprised today to learn that you have purchased Comstock, Ferre & Co. and will be restoring it. It’s so exciting and I can’t wait to come and visit.
We were so excited when we received the postcard that you were purchasing this business in our state. We will definitely be visiting!
Welcome to Wethersfield and we hope you will enjoy our unique community. I’m blessed to live, work and worship in Old Wethersfield and have raised four children here.
Jere, contact me while you are in CT – I want to have you back on my radio show, CT Outdoors, on WLIS 1420 AM & WMRD 1150 AM – remember our Jan. 2009 phone interview? Can you run over to WMRD studios in Middletown – just a few miles south on Route 9 – for a show? So glad to learn that you are rescuing Comstock, Ferre & Co!
Suzanne Thompson, Host, CT Outdoors radio & print/blog at theday.com 860-434-5754
This is great news! Welcome to New England!
Just wanted to pass along a potential marketing idea…
We were recently at a wedding where they purchased seeds from your site for every guest, and put labels on them with a person’s name, then hung them on a line by alphabet… each table at the reception corresponded to a variety of seeds, and that’s how you knew what table you were at. I’m not sure if it was their original idea or not, but it was a fantastic, creative idea and we got souvenirs to take home and plant. http://www.flickr.com/photos/danebrian/4702982033/lightbox/
I was so pleased to get your post card. I love your seeds and have been ordering and growing them for a few years. Now i can visit the store. Thanks for keeping up a New England tradition.
Welcome and thanks! I have been a customer of yours for a couple of years now, and was thrilled with the news that you will be reviving this seed company. Lord willing I will make a trip up next week to say hello in person.
I am so extremely excited about this! I absolutely adore Baker Creek seeds, buy them every year, and have always dreamed about being able to go to Missouri and see the farm itself. But living in Boston, it’s always been too far away. Now, I’m just 90 minutes from a seed treasure trove!
I got a post card from you saying you’d be fixing up the place until July 6th. Does that mean that you’ll only be open after July 6th, or if I show up this weekend is there something I can help out with? Also, are you planning a big opening ceremony or anything else I should put on my calendar?
Thanks again for all your amazing work keeping our agricultural heritage alive.
Emilie
SOOOOOOOOOOOoooo happy to hear the news. I have purchase Bakers seeds for years now, I LUV Old town Wethersfield, Ct. Your plans sound wonderful.
Thanks so much and Welcome aboard.
You are such a wonderful family and I enjoy your catalogs, reading the blogs and more than anything – planting seeds! Congratulations on your newest endeavor. Sounds so very wonderful and the world needs more seed-savers. Happy Harvesting. Anna, The Lemon Lady
Congratulations on the new store! Wish I lived near enough to visit it. Maybe next time you’ll start a new business in eastern Massachusetts?
Congratulations and welcome to CT. It was so nice to meet you at the Coventry Farmers’ Market, and talk about photos. I can’t wait to get down there with my camera to document your progress on the restoration!
I am so excited to hear you are opening a store in the Northeast. I have ordered your seeds for years. I do hope I will get to meet some of the people I have talked to in Missouri especially Mary. She is such a refreshing person to talk to. I will plan to come visit your new store in Conn. as I can’t make the trip to Missouri.
Thanks for your kind words, would love to meet you….hope someday I can come to Conn too!
Mary
I can say that you are right about Mary. I work in the same office here in our store in Missouri. She is a great person to work with!
Congratulations to both of you, Jere and Emilee! Everything you guys touch resonate with the good intentions and careful touch of those who love what they do. This and your beautiful new spot in Petaluma, California, will help all of us to better understand our own ability to penetrate the sustainable food movement and how we can be a part.
Again, many thanks for your participation in my upcoming book,
Growing Roots: The New Generation of Sustainable Farmers, Cooks, and Food Activists. Your profile is one of my favorites and so are your recipes.
the book will be available September 1. http://www.growingroots.info
See you soon, I hope!