John Wahlert was raised in eastern Oregon, in the wholesale seed business—his father started Bill Wahlert Seed Company in 1970. When he joined Wild West Seed six months after the company was started by Ken Hilbert in 1998 it was primarily a wildflower seed production company (thus the “Wild” in the name). Flowers and wildflower mixes are still an important part of the business, but Wahlert added vegetables and herbs to the product line, and proudly grows many of the same varieties his father grew in the 70s and 80s. Continuing the family tradition, one of Wahlert’s sons helps manage the warehouse operations in Oregon, where the company is based, while another is in charge of seed production in Idaho. With Hilbert’s son Matt also involved in the business, Wild West Seed is consciously planning for the future, not just of the company but of the industry itself. “It’s important that we train younger growers,” Wahlert emphasizes. “And we learn from them, too.”
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