In today’s episode, we’re talking to Melissa and Jaci from Pinetree Garden Seeds, a family owned and operated business since 1979. Pinetree Garden Seeds was founded with the simple mission of offering low prices on quality seeds to the home gardener. Over the years offerings have expanded to include over 1300 varieties of seeds, including many heirlooms & organics, a huge assortment of tools and gardening gear, books, and live plants. Located in rural Maine, they operate out of a 300 year old farmhouse and strive to offer the best service and products with a personal touch. In 2011, the company was passed down from its founder, Dick Meiners, to his stepdaughter Melissa. She and her family are excited to continue the mission of supporting the home gardener by offering affordable, high quality seeds and goods. In this conversation we delve into the story of Pinetree Garden Seeds, the complexities of GMO's, heirloom seeds and the practices of the company. Melissa and Jaci share their passion for helping others succeed in gardening, emphasizing the simplicity and joy of growing food that promotes the health of humans and the planet.
🌿 Podcast listeners can use the code DIRTPGS20 for 20% their seed order at superseeds.com !
Topics
Introduction to Pinetree Garden Seeds
History of the company
Seed Selection and Catalog Creation
Work environment at Pinetree
Seed Packing technology
Seed Sourcing
Gardening Practices and Trials
Understanding the Safe Seed Pledge
Understanding the types of seeds: heirloom, hybrid and GMO
The value of heirloom seeds
Seed longevity and germination
The seasonal flow and Pinetree Garden Seeds
The value of gardening in community and connection
03:20 Meet the Pine Tree Team
04:11 The History and Evolution of Pine Tree Seeds
05:53 Learning the Business of Seeds
08:47 The Art of Seed Catalogs
11:06 Gardening Experiments and Trials
17:49 Understanding Seed Types and Safety
20:31 Understanding GMO vs. Hybrid
22:15 Heirloom Seeds: Stories and Significance
25:00 Seed Longevity and Germination
28:38 A Day at Pine Tree Seeds
31:31 The Concept of Slow Living
34:29 The Good Dirt: Meaning and Metaphor
36:04 Final Thoughts and Contact Information
🌿 Podcast listeners can use the code DIRTPGS20 for 20% their seed order at superseeds.com !
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Original music by John Kingsley. Editing and podcast production by Fast Forward Production.
🌿 The Good Dirt Producers:
• Wendy Gray
