Scenes from Baker Creek Spring Planting Festival

As promised, here are some pictures from the beautiful "town" and grounds of Baker Creek Seeds where J. and I headed for their annual Spring Planting Festival on Sunday and Monday.  They were expecting around 7000 folks to show up from all over the country and I believe it - we saw licenses plates from Minnesota, Alabama, and Illinois to name a few.

Baker Creek is nestled in the Ozarks and situated about 45 miles east of Springfield and a little over a mile north of Mansfield, Missouri on Highway 5.   Highway 5 is a little of a misnomer, as the pavement on this twisty road quickly ends and you find yourself on a very dusty country road.  Of course, Baker Creek would have lost cool points in my book if they had been on a paved road.

It was hotter than tarnation on Saturday, with temps in the low to mid-90's but a good breeze to cool everyone off.  The only time you really noticed the heat was in the buildings themselves.  The air conditioners  just couldn't keep up with the fanning of the doors from people coming and going.

A look inside the seed store at the racks of heirloom seeds for sale.  This rack extended the entire length and width of the building on both sides. 

When I saw it, I made a beeline for the seed store.  You could find just about everything and every variety in there, but I was looking for something they didn't have:  comfrey.  Not only do they sell seeds, but these seeds are from plants that they grow themselves on the property, so they are VERY knowledgeable about the plants.  Tomato and pepper seeds were just $1.00 this weekend so we picked up some Brocade Marigolds, Stupice tomatoes, Cherokee Purple tomatoes,  and Orange Bell peppers.  Outside, they were selling seedlings and some decently sized plum, cherry, apple and pear trees.

In addition to the seed store, the little town consists of the main house (scroll for pics of this beautiful house!), a vegan restaurant, Harriett's Mercantile (below), a livery\stable,  a flour mill, and some other smaller buildings.  It's not at all hard to imagine that you are walking the streets that Pa and Laura walked in the Little House books.

Think Harriet Olsen is in there?

No Harriet, and these ladies were much nicer than her.  I love the butcher paper roll on the counter - just like the old days.  On the other side of the room, a lady was handspinning yarn from alpaca hair.

How would you like to pack up everything you own in this little wagon and move across the country?  This is a perfect replica covered wagon that is true to size at 4 feet wide and 12 feet long.  That's about the size of a PT Cruiser!

Down the hill from the town was a huge area for different vendors to display their wares, which included handmade quilts and baskets, forged knives, gardens seeds and plants, custom garden tools and homemade soaps and candles.  No commercial stuff here!  Interspersed throughout were straw bales for lots of seating, water stations (which were busy!) and different musicians playing old time folk and mountain music.  That was really relaxing because we were serenaded as we strolled.

The craftsmanship in the buildings on the Baker Creek property were amazing.  Here's a small log cabin from hand-hewn logs that helds a pottery vendor who was actually making pottery as a demonstration.   At 6 feet tall, we had to duck to get through that door because people were smaller in those days.  Laura Ingalls-Wilder was just 4' 11" and Almanzo was 5' 4".

And I've saved the best for last.  Here's the main house at Baker Creek Seeds. 

Look at those quilts airing on the 2nd floor porch railing.  And I believe those are Climbing Blaze roses on the archway into the garden.  I want to live here!

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Baker Creek Seeds and will definitely visit again now that we know what to expect.  These pictures just don't do it justice in terms of how neat and beautiful this property is.  If you're within driving distance, I recommend you consider checking it out next year as a weekend trip.

I've got more pics to share with you in another post - these are from the Laura Ingalls-Wilder home that was nearby.  Hope you enjoyed our view of Baker Creek!

Sharing this as part of this week's Barn Charm,  Homesteader Blog Carnival and Barn Hop.