Burgess Seed...

Anybody else "try" to buy from them this year...?

These guys are out of Indiana and I think are part of a multi-company seed operation (I think the large op also owns Gurney's and Henry Filed and probably others). I ordered from them before, small orders, in at least 2020, maybe 2019 as well. Anyway, I ordered from 6 different seed companies, including Burgess, over the first couple of days of April. By April 20, I had received everybody else's except Burgess (one company I've ordered twice from this year and received product). I've contacted Burgess now 3 times about my order (not a lot of money but $45 is $45) and first, they take a 3-5 days to send an automated message back to you that their customer service will send out an e-mail. Then, 3-5 days later, they send out a generic e-mail that they are shipping orders (have seen this last one at least once before, word for word). Nothing is ever specific about my order (I have the number).

This time I told them that I will open a complaint with the Indiana AG consumer protection office (that's the way we handle things here) about this situation. If a company can't produce a product almost 3 months after ordering, then they are defacto being fraudulent that they are actually in business of delivering product. Maybe they're in bankruptcy or have only 2 employees left doing everything, I don't know but I've given them enough rope. We'll see what happens. Obviously, if I get the seeds now, they would have to be used next year, except maybe one variety that I could still plant.

I ordered some Asparagus about 6 weeks ago. They finally ran my Credit Card about a week ago. We'll see if anything shows up.

So, my "2 people doing everything" theory may have some legs

I think I've ordered from them before, I forgot I ordered a lot this year.
Gurney's doesn't have as good of service as they did in the past, I've ordered from Gurney's for more than thirty years

I put in a order back in February to Seeds N Such and it took a month to get my seeds . Chech Burgess website and see if they're having back order problems. People are buying seeds out the wazoo .

Yeah, but 5 out of 6 companies I ordered from had no problem getting my orders within 3 weeks or less. Only Burgess has taken months...

I buy seeds locally now

Probably best that way. I do the same.

Gurneys are crooks. Check out all the negative feedback on them. I sent $80 for some raspberry starts and got sent 5 dead little sticks with tiny dried out roots. Customer "no" service does not respond to my emails.

Gurney's used to be out of Yankton, SD and I think used to have a good reputation. Then, back in the late 90s (?), they got bought out by this Indiana-based seed catalog multi-"company" deal and I think things have gone down hill. I didn't buy from them this year and maybe just a small order last year. Last year their sweet potato slips were worthless...

I hate to say it, but I think some of these probably liberal vegan munchers out of "blue" states have been the best for me for the last 2-3 years. One big garden I have is on organic farmland and I'm supposed to use organic seed for the stuff I plant there. I think Johnny's out of Maine, High Mowing out of Vermont, and Territorial out of Oregon have a wide variety of things to try and ship quick. They may be a bit more spendy on some things, but overall, I like their seeds. I tried "Vermont Bean Company" this year and if you like trying all kind of dry beans, they have them!! I've ordered from them twice this year.

Jung out of Wisconsin the past 2 years has treated me right and like their seed.I don't think the people at Jung are bunny and tree huggers, but who knows.

Meanwhile, Burgess rots on the customer service vine...

Haven't ordered anything from burgess but i did order from territorial seed this year and had very good luck with them. Fast shipping and really good luck with seed germination

Well, finally 3 MONTHS after everybody else, my little package from Burgess Seeds showed up. There's probably one thing that I can still plant, all the others will have to be next year. I think the "2 people doing everything" theory probably is close to the truth on why they are so late compared to the other companies. Sigh.

We're living in a screwed up world right now.

Add in massive increase in business (homestead intrest and covid fear) and lack of people willing to work(uncle sugar), supply shortages , and shipping delays I'm suprised we don't see many more stories like this.

Same reason only two people writing the stories ,I ordered frm Farmers Seed and Nursery ,Nothing grew all dead or dried out and trees were not what I ordered ,Not ever again

Yeah, I'd buy that line of thinking if the slowness happened with some of my other seed companies that I ordered from this year, but it didn't. Five out of six had my order to me (all ordered within the same 3 day period) within 2.5 weeks at the outside. Burgess took 3.5 months.

We order a lot from Baker Creek. Great family ran company in Mansfield MO. They have a nice spring planting festival and do a lot with preserving heirloom seed. If your ever looking for a new supplier.

http://www.holmesseed.com/

https://www.harrisseeds.com/

Only ones I buy from. They treat me right

I'll have to check them out, although my seed catalog ordering next year might be on a short leash...