New spot in Petaluma is ‘seed’ capital

There’s a relatively new spot in downtown Petaluma for visiting green thumbs and eco-conscious residents of Sonoma County to purchase heirloom seeds: the Baker Creek Seed Bank.

OK, so the name of the place technically is Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. But because the business is located in the historic Sonoma County National Bank Building at 199 Petaluma Blvd., N., everyone with a trowel and kneepad refers to the joint as, simply, the Seed Bank.

This California outpost is actually the company’s second location; corporate headquarters are in Mansfield, Mo.

It opened in May 2009.

Today, the Bank sells anywhere from 1,200 to 1,400 different kinds of seeds for plants ranging from watermelon to lavender, squash to petunias. Seeds are organized on shelves that line the bank’s original lobby, giving the historic building a new kind of “green” currency.

If customers are lucky, they’ll get to interact with author, radio personality and in-store horticulturist Gwen Kilchherr. Over the last few months, Ms. Kilchherr has steered us in the direction of some heirloom tomatoes that are growing like fireweed, and heirloom squash that make supermarket ilk seem puny.

Perhaps most interestingly, the Seed Bank has evolved into an honest-to-goodness gathering place for local gardening gurus.

This year alone, the place has hosted readings (Michael Pollan spoke in January), screenings and regular old get-togethers; the Greenhorns, a group of young, “agri-curious” Sonomans who have embraced farming as a way of life, met here in April.

Down the road, there are plans for Kilchherr to give free talks about vegetable gardening, composting and canning, to name a few.

No matter how you look at it, the Seed Bank is a unique spot worth investigating. Check it out between 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and Sunday (closed on Saturdays). For more information, call 707/509-5171.