If you’ve never heard of Denali Seed Company, or “Best Cool Seeds,” you’re probably not alone. Founded in Alaska, for Alaskans, Denali Seeds is the place to buy seeds if your summers are short and your winters frigid. Reginald Yaple started the company in 1977 after moving to Anchorage to become the horticultural specialist at the University of Alaska Cooperative Extension Service. He wrote his first book, Sixteen Easy Steps to Gardening in Alaska, and came to realize that there was no seed company specifically for gardeners in the far north. So he started one.

The story of how Denali Seeds came to be headquartered in Michigan began with Reg graduating from Michigan State, and then buying a campground in Pentwater, Michigan. He named it Whispering Surf Campground, the name it retains to this day. In 1980, when Denali Seed Company started to take off, he attempted to borrow money for a seed packing machine. He was refused by an Alaskan bank. Undeterred, he got an agreement from a bank in Michigan, provided, that is, he kept the business there. He bought two refrigerated trailer trucks to serve as a warehouse, and a cabin on five acres a mile up the road (which happened to abut one owned by Donald Coleson Sr.). Reg operated the business in both Michigan and Alaska, driving down from Alaska in fall to pick up seeds to pack in Michigan, then back to Seattle where the packets would be shipped by barge to Alaska in spring.

“One day Reg called on my father to help fix the seed packing machine,” recalls Donald Coleson Jr. That was the start of a long relationship that culminated in Don Jr. buying the business in 2015 when Reg became ill. Reg passed away in 2016 at age 74. “He was loud, boisterous, and very outspoken, but he was there when you needed him,” Don recalls.

“We’re a small operation,” says Don. “I pack seeds in my climate-controlled basement.” The website name, bestcoolseeds.com, was adopted as a way to broaden the customer base. Alaska-bred seeds are appropriate for all cold-climate, high-altitude areas, Don points out. He produces some specialized seed on his dad’s property—several varieties of tomatoes, peas, and Yukon Chief sweet corn—but most are contracted out or bought from wholesalers. He’s scaled back offerings to the essentials recommended on the University of Alaska website.   

Since taking over Denali Seeds, Don savors life. “I’ve learned that you can have time and no money, or money and no time. For five years I worked two full time jobs. I was looking for a way to have enough of both time and money.” He works from home, where he can provide his disabled daughter with the routine she needs to thrive. “Dinner at 6PM on the dot, and pizza every Tuesday,” he laughs. He plays classic rock music with friends for fun, and gets out on his motorcycle when he can. 

“I love being part of an industry that helps people be healthy,” he says. Denali Seed Company’s biggest sellers—such as Early Tanana and Polar Beauty tomatoes, Yukon Chief sweet corn, O-S Cross Cabbage, and Freezonian Sweet pea—are hard to find anywhere else. Don Coleson expects to be in the business of providing these “best cool seeds” for a long time to come.