Hi! I’m Ethan and this is my first time making a website! I am working on it with my Dad who’s made a lot of websites before like http://miniwaters.fish/ . We grow hostas all over! They’re in our front and back yard! I even have my own garden by our cherry trees!
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And this is Matt Pedersen, Ethan’s dad. I’m a veteran interactive software developer and editor of two international aquarium magazines.
Welcome to what we’re calling the Duluth Hosta Co. We’re not a nursery, we’re just a private hosta hobby, as of 2020. But I admit, we’re starting to toe the line.
Starting with the purchase of our current home in Duluth, Minnesota, I finally had land to “call my own” and “do with as I pleased” (so long as my wife agreed). A 2-year vacant foreclosure, our double city lot was a weedy, overgrown mess, with tansy and other invasive species everywhere. With the gift of some albomarginata-type hostas from my parent’s Wisconsin home, and a few basic varieties already in the ground, a personal interest was sparked in hostas.
Bit by bit, one shady spot or weedy section was replaced with perennials, mainly hostas. I justified my growing interest as making our home more attractive with low-maintenance landscaping.
In short order, I was drawn to the innumerable hosta varieties, and the collection grew. Streakers captured my heart, and have become a big part of what I look to add these days. Of course, I tried my hands at starting seeds in the basement with some good success. These days, all our well-intentioned “vegetable gardens” now hold hostas…instead we get our veggies from community supported agriculture (CSA, or Farm Shares)!
As I moved plants, dug plants, and divided plants, a local friend invited me to participate in a plant sale he would hold. That grew, and now our annual multi-family garage sale has also morphed into a multi-family plant sale. At this point, I’m out of space to really add more plants, unless I remove lawn (I have no issues with that idea…but I have a spouse and kids who might object).
Offering Hosta Seeds
2017 was the first year I sold hosta seeds, no longer having the room to grow the seedlings I could produce. The feedback was positive. In 2018 and 2019, I invited my children to become involved in this seed sale, offering them payment for the cleaning and packing of the seeds. My intention was to spark the entrepreneurial spirit, and further instill a good work ethic, and seeing the payoff of hard work and determination. While they tried, they couldn’t make it, so we never got to the sales part during 2018 and 2019.
In 2020, Ethan finally made it, completely the packing of nearly all the seeds (I did a few) and earning $83.50 for his troubles: $0.25 per packet packed. It works out to nearly $15/hour if he stays on pace (he often doesn’t)…not a bad wage for a 10-year-old.
Ethan eager to take on even more responsibility, eager to learn web design (so DuluthHosta.com was born), and so much more. So you’ll see him involved more and more. For 2020, he’ll also earn 5% of our 2020 hosta seed sales because he’s packing your orders! As he takes son my responsibility, his share will grow. For our part, the proceeds are also put to needed home improvements, and acquiring new plants that we’d like to keep and have to offer seeds from in the future!
Eventually, my hope is that maybe both my children will grow to handle the annual Duluth Hosta seed sale and take home a nice chunk of the proceeds. The only thing that might really require my involvement over the long term is the actual harvest…I’m the only one who knows what all the plants are! All in good time!
