Our History: Immigrating from Holland to the United States and Starting Rispens Seeds

Rispens Seeds is proud to celebrate over 90 years in the vegetable seed business. As much as the industry has changed over the years with the introduction of new varieties, suppliers, growing practices, and markets, we like to think that we still serve our customers today as well as we did when the company was started back in 1928 by Martin Rispens.

Martin immigrated to the United States from Holland when he was 21 years old and settled in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He later relocated to South Holland, Illinois where he peddled Watkins Products. After some time he then moved his business to Lansing, Illinois where he sold produce and supplied local farmers with vegetable seed. At that time Martin also began growing and selling onion sets. After many years, Martin and his son, Marvin, discontinued farming and producing onion sets and were operating their retail seed store full time.
Commercial Seed Supply — Person Holding Basket Of Vegetables in Beecher, IL

Passing the Family-Owned Rispens Seeds Business to the Next Generations

In 1959, Martin passed away, leaving Marvin to take over his father’s business. Marvin continued operating the retail store selling vegetable seeds and chemicals.

The third generation of the Rispens Seeds family began working for the company with two of Marvin’s sons: Howard started full-time in 1973, and Ross in 1976. In 2005, Brock started as the fourth generation of the Rispens family representing the company. They continued their retail business in Lansing until October of 1999, at which time their new and current facility in Beecher, Illinois was completed. Today, Rispens Seeds, Inc. has seven full-time employees, five of which are sales representatives that have well over 100 years of combined experience in the vegetable seed industry.

Continuing to Serve Farmers and Provide the Best Seed Available

Today, our intent is to give you recommendations to the best of our knowledge. We are proud to provide the personal service you would expect from a smaller, family-owned company. We are able to ship in-stock orders the same day they are placed, so you can plant as soon as possible when time is of the essence. Our company’s objectives are to provide our customers with quality seed, experienced and knowledgeable representatives, and the best service possible. We are privileged to be a dealer for most worldwide seed producers which in most cases, also us to provide our customers with the best possible varieties, as opposed to the best of the rest.

Years ago, Marvin Rispens once said “They key to this company’s longevity is service to the farmer and providing the best seed available.” As we look back on the last nine decades, we also look forward to serving you for the years to come with the same philosophy in mind. We thank you and are truly grateful for the many years you have allowed Rispens Seeds, Inc. to serve you.
For more information, call us at 708-946-6560, or click here to place your order.
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