Founded in 1895, Holmes Seed Company stays true to its core values: providing exceptional customer service and meeting the evolving needs of growers. Harry Holmes, Sr., a friend of Atlee Burpee, started the venture in Harrisburg, PA, and in 1914 his son, Harry Holmes, Jr., transplanted the family business to Canton, Ohio. The Nofer family became involved when their commercial baking business shared space with the Holmes Seed Company warehouse. In 1982, after the two businesses had operated side-by-side for over a decade, Robert Holmes, Harry Jr’s grandson, sold Holmes Seed Comapny to Sherry Nofer. “There were not a lot of women seed company owners at that time,” her son Scott recalls. “Robert stayed around to help for a couple of years.”

Scott Nofer had no interest in the family business as a high schooler. After graduating from college with a business degree, he eventually became a retail store manager. When he left the retail world he came in to help Sherry, his mother, with payroll and other administrative functions. Not only did he stay at Holmes Seed, his wife worked at the company for a while as well. Now in her 70s, Sherry still comes in three days a week, and Scott’s son Brian is also learning the business. “He’ll take over when I retire,” says Scott. Though it wasn’t the plan for Brian to join the company just after he graduated from Kent State, he stepped in after a key employee was killed in a car accident, leaving a wife and three young sons. The tragedy hit the company hard. The idea had been for Brian to work elsewhere for a couple of years, but it was fortunate that he was able to join the family business when he was most needed. His original title was “janitor,” Scott jokes.

“When you call Holmes Seed, someone answers the phone,” Scott says proudly. Today’s customers are mostly mid-sized businesses such as roadside stands, agritourism businesses, and farmers’ markets. Canton, Ohio, the company’s home, is an old “Rust Belt” town on the edge of Amish country. Its main claim to fame these days is the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Agritourism, or “Agritainment,” has taken off in the state in recent years—agritourismworld.com lists 136 such farms in Ohio!—and Holmes Seed Company counts many of them among their 20-25,000 customers. Seeds are sold mostly in larger sizes via catalog and through the website, though packets are available on the website. Most of the weighing and packing is done manually, and the biggest sellers are corn, pumpkins, tomatoes, and peppers.

“We love our small group of employees,” says Scott. Numbering just a dozen year round, with another half dozen or so joining the workforce seasonally, most have been at Holmes for many years. Seasonal workers may be retirees, or people that work elsewhere in other seasons and return year after year. Scott’s secrets for maintaing a happy and committed work force: “Pay well; treat well; give them ownership over their departments.” It goes without saying that most have become friends. 

Scott’s favorite part of his working life is dealing with his customers. “I learn from them all the time,” he says. Though he’s taken classes in Plant Health Management, he’s looking ahead to a time when he can get a more comprehensive formal education in horticulture. “Brian and I will probably do it together,” he says with a smile.