It takes a
long time to earn trust in the seed industry, and a very short
time to lose it. It is much better to destroy marginal quality
seed than to hope no one notices. They will notice.
The seed business requires a great deal
of patience. Patience for weeks, seasons, decades, and even
for generations. There are not many shortcuts in breeding,
testing, and selling better vegetables. Breeding projects tend
to take twice as long, cost twice as much, and return half as
much as you plan. This long term breeding patience helps train
us to plan the family/business strategy 20 years ahead, while
constantly improving it to meet changes in the environment and
the family.
My fellow managers and I are too
young to spend much time looking back. We prefer to set goals
for the future. We prefer to plan for the continuation of the
business through efficient research, continuing education, and
planned succession. But all the while, we follow our founder's
rules for good seedsmanship.
