Tomato Growers Supply

simmran1 · December 22, 2017

[per yesterdays e-mail message]

Dear Gardening Friends,
I want to share some exciting news with you. I am retiring at the end of 2017, and Tomato Growers will have new owners stepping up to take the company forward. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to be your seed provider for the past 32 years. I am very grateful for your loyalty and trust and the great pleasure that doing this job has given me. I have especially enjoyed getting to know so many of you over the years and forming friendships through our love of gardening.

The incoming owners are a husband-and-wife team, with more than 30 years of experience in the vegetable seed business. I have personally known them for about 25 years and can tell you that the company will be in good and capable hands. Not only do they have tremendous knowledge about seeds, they are also honest, generous, and compassionate people.

Because of the transition, there will be no 2018 printed catalog mailed to you. Instead there will be an online catalog added to our website. Look for this and some new varieties to appear early in January.

In the meantime, we are open and filling orders every day going forward. 2017 prices are in effect, and will remain for the coming year. Have a look below at some of the varieties that are our exclusives and “customer top-rated.” Each one promises great performance and wonderful flavor.

Fred Hempel · December 22, 2017

Wow. Wonder who the new owners are?

oakley · December 22, 2017

I received the same message. Fortunately it sounds like she found
a good team to carry on such good service.

**carolyn137** · December 22, 2017

No, message here and I wonder why since Linda and I have known each other since 1989 and I've sent her new varieties I like almost every year.

Ah well,I have her personal em addy so perhaps I'll congratulate her that way.

I know it was getting rough for her the last few years since we spoke on the phone several times about that.

Glad to hear,though, that TGS will go forward. How many of you know that Linda flew to where the pictures were being printed, for both the website and the catalog since she wanted to be sure that the colors were correct.

Carolyn

ginger2778 · December 22, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by carolyn137

No, message here and I wonder why since Linda and I have known each other since 1989 and I've sent her new varieties I like almost every year.

Ah well,I have her personal em addy so perhaps I'll congratulate her that way.

I know it was getting rough for her the last few years since we spoke on the phone several times about that.

Glad to hear,though, that TGS will go forward. How many of you know that Linda flew to where the pictures were being printed, for both the website and the catalog since she wanted to be sure that the colors were correct.

Carolyn

She took a lot of care for a lot of years. She deserves to retire and enjoy life. I also got that email.

**carolyn137** · December 22, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by ginger2778

She took a lot of care for a lot of years. She deserves to retire and enjoy life. I also got that email.

Yes,she does deserve to retire.I thought her one son might take over,who has been helping her,but I guess not.

Maybe I should look in my junk mail file to see if it landed there,that has happened in the past.

Carolyn

Worth1 · December 22, 2017

I got the email too.

Worth

pmcgrady · December 22, 2017

Of all the places I've bought tomato/pepper seed at... TGS was the best! Great germination, true to description, one heck of a selection! Going to miss the catalog this year, online is the way of the future... I guess. Good Luck to the new owners, I'll be ordering seeds soon!

ddsack · December 22, 2017

I'm pretty sure that only those who placed an online order with TGS in the last year or two and were tagged as active in their customer database are the ones who got the group email, as I did too. I will miss the print catalog, it was a really nice reference to have around. Guess I'll have to make sure I don't toss out last years if I still have it.

Worth1 · December 23, 2017

The catalog will continue just not this year from how I took it.
Or at least want to take it.

Worth.

cecilsgarden1958 · December 24, 2017

I didn't need the catalog this year, but was still disappointed when I got the email. Glad she found some good buyers for the company.

**carolyn137** · December 24, 2017

It occurred to me last night that I wouldn't be getting the e-mail and here's why.

I never bought seeds from Linda, ever, so I wouldn't be in her computer, but for years I sent her seeds for new varieties that might work out well for her.

Did I ever get seeds from her,yes I did. The year before my heirloom tomato book photography was supposed to be done I couldn't find my seeds for the variety Dr.Carolyn,not named by me,but named for me by Steve Draper. And I did need them ASAP.

So I asked her if she could send me two packs,you know,an heir and a spare, and I said I'd pay up later,she came back and said you don't owe me any money at all for all the seeds you've sent me.

So that's that.

And I did find her personal e-mail so will congratulate her that way and also ask her if she thought it would be a good idea for me to continue to send seeds and if she could tell the new owners that each year she would send me several copies of the catalog.

But I just realized she isn't retiring until the end of December so maybe this week coming up I'll call her directly in Fort Myers,not her home,but the TGS complex where I'm sure she will be.

Carolyn

Worth1 · December 24, 2017

Maybe she will show up on your doorstep with 7 cats.

Worth

**carolyn137** · December 24, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

Maybe she will show up on your doorstep with 7 cats.

Worth

I didn't know she had cats and just how did you find out that?

Maybe you meant catalogs?

Nope she's used to warm weather,so are you and wouldn't ever come this far North at this time of year.Actually another winter storm to start later today going on through Xmas tomorrow.

Ok with me since I'm not going anywhere.

Carolyn

Fred Hempel · December 24, 2017

Whenever I think of TGS and the Sapps, I always think of the superstar cherry tomato they developed -- Black Cherry.

That one tomato is a heckuva legacy.

December 22, 2017	#1
simmran1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Iowa Zone 5 Posts: 305	Tomato Growers Supply [per yesterdays e-mail message] Dear Gardening Friends, I want to share some exciting news with you. I am retiring at the end of 2017, and Tomato Growers will have new owners stepping up to take the company forward. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to be your seed provider for the past 32 years. I am very grateful for your loyalty and trust and the great pleasure that doing this job has given me. I have especially enjoyed getting to know so many of you over the years and forming friendships through our love of gardening. The incoming owners are a husband-and-wife team, with more than 30 years of experience in the vegetable seed business. I have personally known them for about 25 years and can tell you that the company will be in good and capable hands. Not only do they have tremendous knowledge about seeds, they are also honest, generous, and compassionate people. Because of the transition, there will be no 2018 printed catalog mailed to you. Instead there will be an online catalog added to our website. Look for this and some new varieties to appear early in January. In the meantime, we are open and filling orders every day going forward. 2017 prices are in effect, and will remain for the coming year. Have a look below at some of the varieties that are our exclusives and “customer top-rated.” Each one promises great performance and wonderful flavor. __________________ Tomatovillain

December 22, 2017	#4
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	No, message here and I wonder why since Linda and I have known each other since 1989 and I've sent her new varieties I like almost every year. Ah well,I have her personal em addy so perhaps I'll congratulate her that way. I know it was getting rough for her the last few years since we spoke on the phone several times about that. Glad to hear,though, that TGS will go forward. How many of you know that Linda flew to where the pictures were being printed, for both the website and the catalog since she wanted to be sure that the colors were correct. Carolyn __________________ Carolyn

December 22, 2017	#9
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,231	I'm pretty sure that only those who placed an online order with TGS in the last year or two and were tagged as active in their customer database are the ones who got the group email, as I did too. I will miss the print catalog, it was a really nice reference to have around. Guess I'll have to make sure I don't toss out last years if I still have it. __________________ Dee **************

December 24, 2017	#11
cecilsgarden1958 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: swPA Posts: 629	I didn't need the catalog this year, but was still disappointed when I got the email. Glad she found some good buyers for the company. __________________ Hybrids Rule, Heirlooms Drool!

December 24, 2017	#12
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	It occurred to me last night that I wouldn't be getting the e-mail and here's why. I never bought seeds from Linda, ever, so I wouldn't be in her computer, but for years I sent her seeds for new varieties that might work out well for her. Did I ever get seeds from her,yes I did. The year before my heirloom tomato book photography was supposed to be done I couldn't find my seeds for the variety Dr.Carolyn,not named by me,but named for me by Steve Draper. And I did need them ASAP. So I asked her if she could send me two packs,you know,an heir and a spare, and I said I'd pay up later,she came back and said you don't owe me any money at all for all the seeds you've sent me. So that's that. And I did find her personal e-mail so will congratulate her that way and also ask her if she thought it would be a good idea for me to continue to send seeds and if she could tell the new owners that each year she would send me several copies of the catalog. But I just realized she isn't retiring until the end of December so maybe this week coming up I'll call her directly in Fort Myers,not her home,but the TGS complex where I'm sure she will be. Carolyn __________________ Carolyn

December 22, 2017	#2
Fred Hempel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Sunol, CA Posts: 2,723	Wow. Wonder who the new owners are?

December 22, 2017	#3
oakley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: NewYork 5a Posts: 2,303	I received the same message. Fortunately it sounds like she found a good team to carry on such good service.

December 22, 2017	#7
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I got the email too. Worth

December 22, 2017	#8
pmcgrady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 1,836	Of all the places I've bought tomato/pepper seed at... TGS was the best! Great germination, true to description, one heck of a selection! Going to miss the catalog this year, online is the way of the future... I guess. Good Luck to the new owners, I'll be ordering seeds soon!

December 23, 2017	#10
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	The catalog will continue just not this year from how I took it. Or at least want to take it. Worth.