Cochrane Family Seeds

Initial Business Response / [redacted] (1000, 5, 2017/05/26) */ This is an order that was placed on Jan 18th, and her first contact was May 24th over months after purchase Here is my response to her original email Hi ________, We are sorry to hear you are having troublesAll the seeds you purchased were germination tested in Nov-Dec to ensure viability prior to shipping any ordersI have attached a scanned copy of your order with the results from our spreadsheets handwritten inAs you can see from the results all are within industry standards for acceptable germination and many are very highThe Andover parsnips had a lower germination than we would have liked so we actually put a lot of extra seed in each packageThese tests are done very carefully prior to shipping to avoid any concerns with seed and every year we throw away a large percentage of seed that does not make the gradeThe other point I want to comment on with germination is that the Beets, Bok Choy, Swiss Chard, Water melon, cauliflower, and carrots all came from other companies as indicated by the COdesignation and were tested by both them and than us Now there are many different factors that need to be considered; Very important [redacted] Once planted the soil around seeds can not be allowed to dry out Seeds should be planted as deep as they are wide for good germination, beans, corn and peas can handle being planted a bit deeper If started in the winter/spring Peppers, melons, cucumbers, and tomatoes need to be started on heat mats or other warm surfaceAll these require soil temperatures higher than degrees and ideal - for most of them The parsnip can take up to days to germinate The carrots can take up to days to germinate The peppers can take - days to germinate The tomatoes can take - days to germinate If planted too deep these can still germinate but fail trying to reach the surface Loose rich soil that does not have too much peat moss is also important I am trying to provide as much information as possible here as we are successfully growing everything on this list with the exception of the Turnip and beet greens as we have not planted those varieties yet If there had been a problem with an incorrect label on a seed package or incorrect items being sent we would have addressed immediatelyThe fact that the customer is suggesting that everything is a failure is impossibleSeeds are sensitive and need special attention and many seeds require different things to grow successfullyI have attached the order and the handwritten germination figures same as I provided to herAfter I sent the first email with the information her next email was a threat of Revdex.com unless a full refund for all seeds, it became apparent that there was no reasoning that was going to be had and we do not feel we should be held responsible for someone's improper use of our productsIn a followup email I did offer to take back at full value any unopened packages of seeds but as we do not have any way of knowing how she stored the seeds, or how she planted, what soil was used, if consistent watering was maintained or did she forget one day, if there was enough heat, etcSo many variables and we have numerous people who are giving us very favourable feedback on the seeds already Consistent with this is an organic certified farm we keep very detailed records and as stated all our records indicate excellent results with the seeds from the exact same batch lots in our greenhouses and fieldsAs also mentioned in my email to the customer these seeds had all been germination tested prior to being sent out and of the varieties had been tested by the companies that supplied them to usSeeds do not just suddenly go bad When someone tells me they had 0% success on a number of packages of seeds and we are looking at tray upon tray of that very same seed in nice uniform succession my response to ask about other variables that may have played a part seemed to be a very reasonable option Initial Consumer Rebuttal / [redacted] (3000, 7, 2017/05/29) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Hi There, I believe [redacted] may be stretching the truth a wee little bitI did not "Threaten" him with the Revdex.com on my reply to his email...I "Threatened" to complain after he neglected to reply and address the situationNor did I demand a full refundI advised him as to what seeds had sprouted and what had notI am fully prepared to pay for what had successfully sprouted and not once did I say there was a Zero success rate....that must have been another client! Yes my order was placed in January Yes I complained to him on May 24th The reason in the delay in contact, seeds are sensitive and need special attention and many seeds require different things to grow successfully, these factors were taken into consideration and we were not prepared to plant anything in the green house prior to its time so how would I know if the seeds defective prior to May 24th? Yes [redacted] did email me a copy of the "Germination Report" and who is to say that was not manufactured after I complained! We are seasoned gardeners, our soil (two pallets of soil) was purchased from a reputable companyOur seeds were stored properly, this was a $ [redacted] investmentI was not careless nor are we ignorant Grow mats are used, a watering system is in place, humidity and temperature, both are regulated [redacted] is insinuating that I improperly stored this seed and used horrible soilWell I beg to ask, why would "old seed" from [redacted] , [redacted] & [redacted] dating & years ago sprout & why would his peas flourish under such horrible conditions? (he has yest to answer that questionHe does have amazing pea seeds, and I told him that in my initial email.) As for the refund, I have planted and replanted these seeds...the only packages not opened are packs of beets and pack of peas! That is hardly worth returning(the peas are good seeds, only failures out of seeds thus far) Perhaps these seeds were damaged in shipping? I hear they are rather sensitive and require special care....Perhaps it was his shipping company.....maybe [redacted] did not regulate the temperatures with these delicate packages There are many variables, that could have played a part in the failure of these seedsThe only one thing I am certain of is that the conditions from the time these seeds were received by me have been ideal These seeds were an investment, I treat my investments with care and concernThese seeds were to become my lively hood now they are nothing more than a waste of money

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2017/05/26) */
This is an order that was placed on Jan 18th, 2017 and her first contact was May 24th 2017 over 4 months after purchase.
Here is my response to her original email.
Hi ________,
We are sorry to hear you are having troubles. All the...

seeds you purchased were germination tested in Nov-Dec 2016 to ensure viability prior to shipping any orders. I have attached a scanned copy of your order with the results from our spreadsheets handwritten in. As you can see from the results all are within industry standards for acceptable germination and many are very high. The Andover parsnips had a lower germination than we would have liked so we actually put a lot of extra seed in each package. These tests are done very carefully prior to shipping to avoid any concerns with seed and every year we throw away a large percentage of seed that does not make the grade. The other point I want to comment on with germination is that the Beets, Bok Choy, Swiss Chard, Water melon, cauliflower, and carrots all came from other companies as indicated by the CO2 designation and were tested by both them and than us.
Now there are many different factors that need to be considered;
Very important ** Once planted the soil around seeds can not be allowed to dry out.
Seeds should be planted as deep as they are wide for good germination, beans, corn and peas can handle being planted a bit deeper.
If started in the winter/spring Peppers, melons, cucumbers, and tomatoes need to be started on heat mats or other warm surface. All these require soil temperatures higher than 60 degrees and ideal 70 - 90 for most of them.
The parsnip can take up to 21 days to germinate
The carrots can take up to 14 days to germinate
The peppers can take 10 - 15 days to germinate
The tomatoes can take 6 - 14 days to germinate
If planted too deep these can still germinate but fail trying to reach the surface.
Loose rich soil that does not have too much peat moss is also important.
I am trying to provide as much information as possible here as we are successfully growing everything on this list with the exception of the Turnip and beet greens as we have not planted those varieties yet.
If there had been a problem with an incorrect label on a seed package or incorrect items being sent we would have addressed immediately. The fact that the customer is suggesting that everything is a failure is impossible. Seeds are sensitive and need special attention and many seeds require different things to grow successfully. I have attached the order and the handwritten germination figures same as I provided to her. After I sent the first email with the information her next email was a threat of Revdex.com unless a full refund for all seeds, it became apparent that there was no reasoning that was going to be had and we do not feel we should be held responsible for someone's improper use of our products. In a followup email I did offer to take back at full value any unopened packages of seeds but as we do not have any way of knowing how she stored the seeds, or how she planted, what soil was used, if consistent watering was maintained or did she forget one day, if there was enough heat, etc. So many variables and we have numerous people who are giving us very favourable feedback on the seeds already.
Consistent with this is an organic certified farm we keep very detailed records and as stated all our records indicate excellent results with the seeds from the exact same batch lots in our greenhouses and fields. As also mentioned in my email to the customer these seeds had all been germination tested prior to being sent out and 6 of the varieties had been tested by the companies that supplied them to us. Seeds do not just suddenly go bad.
When someone tells me they had 0% success on a number of packages of seeds and we are looking at tray upon tray of that very same seed in nice uniform succession my response to ask about other variables that may have played a part seemed to be a very reasonable option.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 7, 2017/05/29) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Hi There,
I believe [redacted] may be stretching the truth a wee little bit. I did not "Threaten" him with the Revdex.com on my reply to his email...I "Threatened" to complain after he neglected to reply and address the situation. Nor did I demand a full refund. I advised him as to what seeds had sprouted and what had not. I am fully prepared to pay for what had successfully sprouted and not once did I say there was a Zero success rate....that must have been another client!
Yes my order was placed in January.
Yes I complained to him on May 24th.
The reason in the delay in contact, seeds are sensitive and need special attention and many seeds require different things to grow successfully, these factors were taken into consideration and we were not prepared to plant anything in the green house prior to its time so how would I know if the seeds defective prior to May 24th?
Yes [redacted] did email me a copy of the "Germination Report" and who is to say that was not manufactured after I complained!
We are seasoned gardeners, our soil (two pallets of soil) was purchased from a reputable company. Our seeds were stored properly, this was a $[redacted] investment. I was not careless nor are we ignorant.
Grow mats are used, a watering system is in place, humidity and temperature, both are regulated.
[redacted] is insinuating that I improperly stored this seed and used horrible soil. Well I beg to ask, why would "old seed" from [redacted], [redacted] & [redacted] dating 2 & 3 years ago sprout & why would his peas flourish under such horrible conditions? (he has yest to answer that question. He does have amazing pea seeds, and I told him that in my initial email.)
As for the refund, I have planted and replanted these seeds...the only packages not opened are 2 packs of beets and 1 pack of peas! That is hardly worth returning. (the peas are good seeds, only 2 failures out of 30 seeds thus far).
Perhaps these seeds were damaged in shipping?
I hear they are rather sensitive and require special care....Perhaps it was his shipping company.....maybe [redacted] did not regulate the temperatures with these delicate packages.
There are many variables, that could have played a part in the failure of these seeds. The only one thing I am certain of is that the conditions from the time these seeds were received by me have been ideal.
These seeds were an investment, I treat my investments with care and concern. These seeds were to become my lively hood now they are nothing more than a waste of money.