This morning when I visited the Comstock, Ferre & Co. website I was greeted with the message below:

Note: Image from http://www.comstockferre.com/.

Next week the retail and seed operation that closed its doors back in August 2009 will reopen.  Comstock, Ferre & Co., which operated for 189 years, has been purchased by the owners of Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, according to today's article in The Hartford Courant. Good news for the town of Wethersfield, Connecticut … and for all who enjoyed Comstock, Ferre & Co. seeds.

The owners, the article notes, plan to operate the seed store as if time stood still – employees in period dress, creaky wooden floors, no computers in sight, and eventual historic reenactments and educational events. The retail store will open with older Comstock, Ferre merchandise but will soon stock Baker Creek seeds. They will add Comstock, Ferre seeds once the line is re-established.

I have no experience with Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Based in Mansfield, Missouri, they operate an historic village in Bakersville, Missouri. Sounds like they hope to run a similar operation in Wethersfield. They also plan to continue the line of Red Wethersfield Onions which I planted for the first time this year (found them at Pinetree Garden Seeds) – so far we love the mild, fresh flavor of the few small onions picked for salads. Last year the company also opened the California Seed Bank in Petaluma.

I'd love to hear the experience of anyone familiar with Baker Creek … reading their press release about their plans for Comstock, Ferre & Co., it sounds like they could become an interesting presence in Connecticut.

Interested in a visit? Hit this Google link for a street and an aerial view of Comstock, Ferre & Co. Click Historic Wethersfield for additional info on what else you could do during a visit.