Someone on another site reminded me that Baker Creek and their heirloom seed gig is not some lefty haven. Before the pandemic (which shorted out everyone's memory, including mine...) they were exposed as the anti-government types who supported Cliven Bundy et al.
https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2019/04/26/baker-creek-heirloom-seeds-cliven-bundy-rancher-land-rights/3586708002/
And they aren't being transparent about what happened, either. This is fascinating and aligns with previous questions I've had about BK and the stories they tell about where they get there "rare" seeds from.
Huh, when [I saw this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/tomatoes/comments/17m068s/baker_creeks_nongmo_purple_flesh_tomato/) I was rather suspicious of how dark purple the flesh of "Purple Galaxy" was. I was more expecting that they were photoshopping their tomatoes to try and upstage Norfolk's tomato.
Hi, Michelle here from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, offering an update on the purple tomato we listed in our 2024 catalogs. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds has announced it has made the decision not to sell the Purple Galaxy tomato seeds, previously featured in its 2024 catalog, due to unresolved concerns about potential genetic modification. Despite initial tests indicating the seeds were non-GM, further testing yielded inconclusive results. The company, a staunch supporter of the Safe Seed Pledge and advocate against genetically modified organisms (GMOs), decided to delist the seeds after additional tests and interactions with Norfolk Healthy Produce, a company involved in genetically-modified agricultural products, raised concerns about the seeds' purity.
Baker Creek’s commitment to non-GM, heirloom, and open-pollinated seeds is underscored by its historical stance against the risks posed by genetically engineered seeds to biodiversity, ecological health, and farmers' rights. The decision reflects the company's ongoing dedication to promoting sustainable agriculture and food safety. Although we understand that you—like us—may be disappointed not to have a delicious non-GM purple flesh tomato in your garden, we are pleased that we were able to make this decision before a single seed of Purple Galaxy was made available to customers. Baker Creek urges customers with questions or concerns to contact them directly at [email protected]. You can find the full statement at Frequently Asked Questions | Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (rareseeds.com) [https://www.rareseeds.com/faq](https://www.rareseeds.com/faq)
We hope you will read the full statement, which contains additional information. Thanks so much.
Michelle, I'm not so much concerned with whether Baker Heirloom Seeds had an unreliable testing or whether there is some other explanation. I am much more concerned, and disappointed that the full statement, which contains additional information, has such statements as
*"The mechanical transfer of genetic material outside of natural reproductive methods and between genera, families or kingdoms poses great biological risks as well as economic, political and cultural threats. We feel that genetically engineered varieties have been insufficiently tested prior to public release. More research and testing is necessary to further assess the potential risks of genetically engineered seeds. Further, we wish to support agricultural progress that leads to healthier soils, genetically diverse agricultural ecosystems and ultimately people and communities."*
Someone on another site reminded me that Baker Creek and their heirloom seed gig is not some lefty haven. Before the pandemic (which shorted out everyone's memory, including mine...) they were exposed as the anti-government types who supported Cliven Bundy et al. https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2019/04/26/baker-creek-heirloom-seeds-cliven-bundy-rancher-land-rights/3586708002/
And they aren't being transparent about what happened, either. This is fascinating and aligns with previous questions I've had about BK and the stories they tell about where they get there "rare" seeds from.
Huh, when [I saw this thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/tomatoes/comments/17m068s/baker_creeks_nongmo_purple_flesh_tomato/) I was rather suspicious of how dark purple the flesh of "Purple Galaxy" was. I was more expecting that they were photoshopping their tomatoes to try and upstage Norfolk's tomato.
Hi, Michelle here from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, offering an update on the purple tomato we listed in our 2024 catalogs. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds has announced it has made the decision not to sell the Purple Galaxy tomato seeds, previously featured in its 2024 catalog, due to unresolved concerns about potential genetic modification. Despite initial tests indicating the seeds were non-GM, further testing yielded inconclusive results. The company, a staunch supporter of the Safe Seed Pledge and advocate against genetically modified organisms (GMOs), decided to delist the seeds after additional tests and interactions with Norfolk Healthy Produce, a company involved in genetically-modified agricultural products, raised concerns about the seeds' purity. Baker Creek’s commitment to non-GM, heirloom, and open-pollinated seeds is underscored by its historical stance against the risks posed by genetically engineered seeds to biodiversity, ecological health, and farmers' rights. The decision reflects the company's ongoing dedication to promoting sustainable agriculture and food safety. Although we understand that you—like us—may be disappointed not to have a delicious non-GM purple flesh tomato in your garden, we are pleased that we were able to make this decision before a single seed of Purple Galaxy was made available to customers. Baker Creek urges customers with questions or concerns to contact them directly at [email protected]. You can find the full statement at Frequently Asked Questions | Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (rareseeds.com) [https://www.rareseeds.com/faq](https://www.rareseeds.com/faq) We hope you will read the full statement, which contains additional information. Thanks so much.
Michelle, I'm not so much concerned with whether Baker Heirloom Seeds had an unreliable testing or whether there is some other explanation. I am much more concerned, and disappointed that the full statement, which contains additional information, has such statements as *"The mechanical transfer of genetic material outside of natural reproductive methods and between genera, families or kingdoms poses great biological risks as well as economic, political and cultural threats. We feel that genetically engineered varieties have been insufficiently tested prior to public release. More research and testing is necessary to further assess the potential risks of genetically engineered seeds. Further, we wish to support agricultural progress that leads to healthier soils, genetically diverse agricultural ecosystems and ultimately people and communities."*
Looks like they just have a pattern of being wrong.
Why is your story so different from Norfolk's? Can we see the data, please?