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60 Years of Seed
2025 marks the 60th anniversary of Applewood Seed Company. On the sunny afternoon of Friday, August 15th, we welcomed family, friends, and colleagues to our Arvada, Colorado headquarters to celebrate this milestone.
Guests gathered to fête Applewood Seed just as our trial gardens reached full bloom. Attendees were able to enjoy living examples of our team’s expertise, perusing the gardens on self-guided tours and chatting with the Applewood Seed product team.
Also on view were mementos from Applewood Seed’s history, showcasing original promotional materials, artworks, photographs, and product offerings dating back to the late 1960s. Applewood Seed’s original Sof-Pot planting containers, an exclusive innovation pioneered by late Applewood Seed founders Gene and Dee Milstein, as well as vintage seed packets, were featured in an interactive display.
Several speakers also marked the occasion, reflecting on Applewood Seed past and our hopes for future endeavors.
CEO Norm Poppe drew from the Applewood Seed archive during his address to attendees. Poppe utilized past catalogs and vintage seed packets to help illustrate the many evolutions the company has undergone since its founding, transforming a small venture that served a handful of home gardeners into one of the largest wholesalers of wildflower, garden flower, and native grass seeds in the nation. Poppe noted pivotal company milestones, including Applewood’s shift to wholesale seed sales in the 1990s and the transition to employee ownership in 2020.
While change has been inevitable for Applewood Seed, Poppe noted some things have remained the same. “We’ve accomplished so much in the past few decades, but we’ve done so without compromising our values. Our founders built a reputation for high-quality seed that would make the planet a more beautiful and environmentally sound place. You can’t cut corners when that’s your mission.” Poppe cited Applewood Seed’s ownership in the production of our seed, as well as our onsite seed lab and warehouse, as being both exceedingly rare in the seed industry and the key to the company’s resilience.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis followed Applewood CEO Norm Poppe, highlighting the continued dedication of Applewood Seed employee-owners. In addition to being a well-known small businesses and entrepreneurship advocate, Polis knew both Gene and Dee Milstein as a child. Applewood Seed Co. often collaborated with Blue Mountain Arts, a company founded by Polis’ parents Susan Polis Schutz and Stephen Schutz, in the 1960s and 70s.
Governor Polis remarked on the significance of Applewood Seed’s accomplishment, while also paying tribute to the founders in driving the company’s continued commitment to excellence. As reported in an event write-up featured in the Arvada Gazette, Polis stated, “Not too many companies make it to 60. That history starts with Gene and Dee.”
Community, both within Applewood Seed Co. and in relation to the greater industry we operate in, was another shared interest by both Poppe and Polis.
“For Gene and Dee, Applewood Seed Co. was about people more than anything else. Relationships are at the core of our business – we pride ourselves on our employee-owners not only because they’re some of the most knowledgeable seed folks in the business, but because they so readily impart their expertise,” says Poppe. He continued that Gene and Dee were committed to ensuring their employees were treated well and provided for. In turn Poppe said, “We’re humbly committed to providing not only top-notch products, but a deep understanding of their applications to our customers and partners.”
“We’ve accomplished so much in the past few decades, but we’ve done so without compromising our values. Our founders built a reputation for high-quality seed that would make the planet a more beautiful and environmentally sound place. You can’t cut corners when that’s your mission.”
– Norm Poppe, Applewood Seed CEO
Underscoring this pillar of Applewood Seed’s success, members of our larger Colorado community also joined the celebrations. Applewood Seed was happy to host representatives from City of Arvada, including Pro Tem Mayor Randy Moorman, the Arvada Economic Development Association, Alma Carrillo from Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen‘s office, and many local colleagues from Colorado State University, the Denver Botanic Gardens, and other industry professionals.
“The support is incredibly meaningful to all of our employee-owners,” says Ryan Guilford, COO. He continued, “Our team works incredibly hard. We’re continuing to evolve as the seed industry faces new opportunities so we can rise to the challenge.” Applewood Seed has indeed expanded in the past year, adding 7 new employee-owners. Each new employee owner, Guilford notes, not only helps the team but also better serves Applewood Seed customers by adding their own unique perspectives and particular expertise.
Cheers to 60 years! Applewood Seed looks forward to continuing to provide quality seed and quality service in the years to come. On behalf of our employee-owners, thank you to all for celebrating our many successes.
