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Crystal Earnhardt is a writer for Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) International.
Jere Gettle and His LifeSaving Seeds “But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” —Matthew 13:23, NKJV
J
ere Gettle stared at the seed catalog with the same growing excitement that he had felt as a kid when a catalog arrived in the middle of winter. Back then, he and his parents spent many a snowy day planning their summer gardens while dreaming of warm soil between their toes. Gently, he began to turn the pages, stopping to marvel over the breath-taking photography. This catalog was different from any he had seen or created before. Not only was it more than 500 pages, but it also was bursting with a thousand varieties of heirloom seeds from around the globe
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that he had acquired and chosen for the catalog. This catalog was a celebration of 25 years of hard labor and sweat, travel, and trekking through the countryside of foreign lands, eating native food and listening to stories. Stories of seeds.
Jere’s Story
Gettle’s dream since childhood was to have a hobby that would pay for itself and help a lot of people. “Growing up, I always knew that someday I wanted to work in a seed company,” he reflected. “My parents allowed me a little plot of ground to plant. It was fascinating to watch the seeds pop up through the dirt and witness them turn into plants and then food. It just became my passion.” At age 17, Gettle began saving, collecting, and trading seeds. His mother encouraged him to start small and send his homemade seed catalog to 500 friends and family members. With one hundred dollars and a tote full of seeds, he did just that. He published his first official catalog in 1998. Today, more than a million people receive Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. catalogs. The company has captured national recognition and the admiration of farmers around the world. What began as a hobby has turned into the largest heirloom seed company in North America with a branch in Petaluma, California.
Preserving the Past, Sustaining the Future
Gettle is passionate about preserving the past. “Not only do old seeds tell a story,” he said, “they
