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Prides Corner Farms was established by Peter Sellew in 1979 on a small farm that had a farm house, a hydroponic greenhouse, and a little bit of land. The goal for the business was to be the best hydroponic tomato farm in the area. This goal and the farm itself were rapidly altered when it became apparent that hydroponically grown tomatoes had no market in this area. Tomatoes were out and nursery stock was in as Prides began to raise rhododendrons and azaleas.

Peter's son, Mark, a recent Cornell graduate soon came on the scene and solidified the company's focus on producing landscape plants. Mark purchased Prides Corner from his father and became the driving force behind the nursery. The business grew very slowly at first. Mistakes were made, revenues were razor-thin, and the future was tenuous at best throughout the early to mid 1980's

During this tough decade, the basis for future success at Prides Corner was formulated. Good employees came on board and shared Mark's dream of becoming one of the Northeast's leading plant producers. The philosophy of listening to customers and being responsive to their requests was developed and perfected. By 1990, Prides Corner began to hit their stride, adding hundreds of plant varieties to their catalog. A delivery system that provided customers with plant material when they wanted it and as frequently as they needed it and a guarantee of weekly deliveries was instituted and quickly became an industry standard.

Today, Prides Corner provides the most diversified selection of container grown plant material in the northeast including woody shrubs, ornamental trees, perennials, ornamental grasses, fruit plants, and roses. These plants are sent daily from March through December to an area that stretches from northern Maine to as far south as mid-Virginia and as far west as Pittsburgh and to every point in between! With sales of 25 million dollars in 2004 and an annual growth rate exceeding 15%, Prides Corner has grown in 25 years from one greenhouse to 70 miles of greenhouses on nearly 350 acres in the rugged farm country of eastern Connecticut.

Throughout this whirlwind 25 years, Mark and Prides Corner have maintained both the goal of industry leadership and that of being a caring employer and a beneficial member of the community. Prides works hard to retain its growing family of over 300 employees by recognizing achievement, showing respect, providing ongoing training, and maintaining a sense of humor. Prides is a fun place to work! Prides is a regular contributor to a myriad of local charities and organizations and has been instrumental in raising thousands of dollars for cancer research via the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life program, as well as our proprietary charity marketing programs.