Johnny's Selected Seeds celebrates 50th anniversary

For 50 years, Johnny's Selected Seeds has been dedicated to helping families, friends, and communities to feed one another by providing quality seeds, tools, information, and service.

"The employee-owners at Johnny's are passionate about supporting local agriculture across the US and Canada," said David Mehlhorn, CEO at Johnny's. "For 50 years, we have strived to provide the best products and service to each customer and feel eternally indebted to all the farmers and gardeners whose patronage has helped us to remain in business for half a century. We are also grateful for our global supply partners who have developed products to directly support our business and customers." 

Company founder Rob Johnston Jr. started selling seeds from a farmhouse attic when he was 22 years of age. His vision: offer flavorful and unique varieties paired with information growers need to be successful.

In 1975, Johnston moved the company to a farm in Albion, Maine, and began developing trialing and breeding programs that uniquely focused on the needs of market growers and avid home gardeners.

Today, Johnston's vision endures. Johnny's has remained true to its mission with one of the most rigorous trialing programs in the industry. By evaluating thousands of seeds, tools, and supplies each year, the company strives to offer only the best products to growers. The once fledgling business is now an employee-owned national and international multichannel retailer that employs over 250 full-time and more than 100 seasonal employees.

The 200-acre farm remains the center for research and continues as a working farm, with more than 50 acres in active production. The company ships seeds, tools, and supplies to commercial growers and home gardeners across the United States and regularly supplies seeds to over 50 countries worldwide.

Johnny's has proudly worked alongside customers to expand boundaries and continues to be at the forefront of innovation. Members of Johnny's research and sales teams visit hundreds of growers each year so they may stay abreast of current needs. The company also partners with farmers across North America to get hands-on trial feedback from diverse growing regions.

As Johnny's looks ahead to the next 50 years, its employee-owners will continue to work side-by-side with farmers and gardeners, focusing on innovation and providing the best products, information, research, and service for their success.