Pinetree Garden Seeds Catalogs from 1980s and 1990s
Cheers to 40 years!!! All of us here at Pinetree are thrilled to be celebrating this milestone and are incredibly grateful for all the customers and staff that have been with us over the last 40 years.
As we reflect on our anniversary, we asked ourselves, what makes us different? Why Pinetree? The answer was simple: you, our loyal customers. Some have been with us since the very beginning, some have just discovered us, but we all share a love of growing and eating fresh, healthy food.
I personally took over the company in 2011 because I love being able to connect with people around a shared love of healthy, natural foods. Growing, harvesting, and preparing your own food, and sharing those meals with friends and family, is one of the most satisfying things in the world. As my husband and former chef, Jef, and I have grown our family (Ellis, 7 and Sloane, 3), these values are what we seek to pass on to our kids and sharing and preparing family dinner together is a treasured ritual in our home.
Jef and I have also continued the tradition of not only a family-run company, but also a small, independent one. Many seed companies have been purchased by large corporations, but we remain small with only about 10 year round employees. We are proud that we can pay these employees a livable wage and employ those in our local community, while maintaining a product that is both high quality and reasonably priced.
I asked my step-father, Dick Meiners, Founder of Pinetree Garden Seeds, to reflect on why he started Pinetree Garden Seeds: “I was motivated by the need for fewer seeds at a time, a lower price per packet, and helping home gardeners succeed.”
40 years later and the next generation at the helm, our mission is the same as when we started: affordable seeds that grow. We have developed a seed collection that is rich in hard to find seeds, heirlooms, and organics. A customer recently told us, "Some of the seeds I have been looking everywhere for you have! And the price! I'm spending $4 on heirloom varieties that are $8 elsewhere! I can't wait to start my garden in the spring using your seeds and share pictures." Hearing feedback like this from our customers reminds us that why we are here.
With this simple idea of affordable seeds that grow, we have found that a profound magic happens. Today’s fast paced world melts away. Friends and families come together. Children learn to grow their own food, meals are shared, the warmth of the sun is felt, and the simple pleasures of time spent in the garden fortifies one’s soul.
As more and more households across the US find the value that comes with growing their own food, we look forward to many more years of our family helping to feed yours. Here’s to another 40 years and thank you for being part of our Pinetree family!
-Melissa, Jef, and the whole Pinetree Family
Been buying from you folks for many years. The availability of Asian greens, wide choices of things like broccoli, and tomatoes, the quantities of seed packets designed for small gardeners like myself, and the helpful planting hints- these are some of the reasons I keep coming back each year. Keep doing what your doing for many more years.
It’s like contacting an old friend. I ran an inner-city garden project (lots of Growth) in Grand Rapids MI many years ago, and also had a plot for myself. Left that and moved to Haiti. Been here since. Retired but still in Haiti, cutting back to volunteer work. Loved your offerings over the years. Sorta lost touch once I moved to Haiti (got into fruit trees an away from “gardening”). Had an accident on the job last year which forced me into retirement. Here I’m growing canistel (makes the best smoothie), mango (who had any ideas there ere so many varieties! we only got one in MI), avocado, and breadfruit. Thank you for all you’ve done over the years.
Congratulations…. forty years of excellence is certainly an accomplishment. I’ve been a loyal customer for about a decade, and ALWAYS look for…. and AT …. your catalog first. You have stood behind your products in an exemplary way, and supply hobby gardeners who don’t need HUNDREDS of seeds, but appreciate fewer seeds and lower prices. Thank you, and wishing your business a future as bright as your past has been! Thank you!
Congrats on 40. It’s really funny to think back 40 years. We hippies didn’t know anything
and we’re to lazy to garden. My wife and I, 48 yrs., gardened organically, grew most of
our food on a 1/4 acre. We bought from you and Johnny’s, so glad you have hung in there like us. Glad a new generation is discovering growing your own. Good luck.
It has been a delight to buy my seeds from you for several years now. You are always friendly and helpful and I know the seeds are of good quality which is the main reason I stay with Pinetree. Thank you for the good service.