Pawnee Buttes Seeds
Pawnee Buttes Seed Inc. is a family-owned seed company in Greeley, Colorado, founded in 1998, selling 500+ species of native, reclamation, pasture, turf, wetland, and organic seeds plus proprietary PBSI mixes to farmers, conservation projects, municipalities, and homeowners across the Rocky Mountain and Great Plains.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersGreeley, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Pawnee Buttes Seeds does
Pawnee Buttes Seed Inc. is a privately held, family-owned seed company founded in 1998 by Don and Janine Hijar and headquartered in Greeley, Colorado. The company sells more than 500 species of seed across nine product categories — Alfalfas & Legumes, Forage & Small Grains, Forbs & Shrubs, Turf Grass, Native Pasture & Reclamation Grasses, Wetland Species, PBSI Mixes, Organic seeds, and miscellaneous inputs (mulches, inoculants, fertilizers). Its core technical competency is seed science and agronomy: proprietary pre-formulated PBSI mixes tailored to specific elevation (4,000'–9,000'+), soil, and climate conditions across the Rocky Mountain and Great Plains, plus Pure Live Seed (PLS) certification and USDA Organic Seed Handler status — both rare in Colorado. Specialty product lines include Cameron Peak and East Troublesome Fire reclamation mixes developed in response to Colorado wildfires.
The company operates a consultative, sales-led go-to-market model. Customers call the Greeley office or visit in person to receive free consultations, with sales staff occasionally traveling to customer sites for seed-selection guidance. Distribution combines this direct-sales channel with a curated Colorado retail partner network (Jax Ranch and Home across four cities, Mesa Feed Mart, Jared's Nursery). Pricing is per-pound with quantity tiers: base pricing applies at 50+ lbs, with escalating surcharges down to $4.00/lb for 1–10 lb orders; custom mix pricing requires direct contact. Revenue is one-time transactional with no subscription or recurring component disclosed.
The customer base spans farmers and ranchers (pasture, CRP, forage), reclamation and conservation projects (post-fire, erosion, wetland), turf and landscaping (municipalities, sports facilities, homeowners), organic producers, and government/municipal entities. Named customers include City of Greeley, Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Middle Creek Land Co., Oak Creek Land Co., and Colorado Foundation of Agriculture. The company has approximately six staff members, no external funding, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed revenue. Marketing is built on a content blog, free downloadable resources (price lists, seeding guides), an annual Grass Tour, conservation event sponsorships, and a testimonials page.
Pawnee Buttes Seeds firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pawnee Buttes Seeds
- Legal name
- Pawnee Buttes Seed Inc.
- Website
- https://pawneebuttesseed.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Pawnee Buttes Seed Inc. is a family-owned seed company in Greeley, Colorado, founded in 1998, selling 500+ species of native, reclamation, pasture, turf, wetland, and organic seeds plus proprietary PBSI mixes to farmers, conservation projects, municipalities, and homeowners across the Rocky Mountain and Great Plains.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pawnee Buttes Seeds industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Seeds
- NAICS
- Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (444240), Nursery and Floriculture Production (11142)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Seed & Nursery Stock Distribution and Logistics (AFAMADAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Forage & Pasture Seeds (Alfalfa, Clover, Ryegrass, Bermudagrass) (AFABAFAD), Nursery Stock & Propagule Production (Cuttings, Rootstocks, Grafts) (AFAGAIAO)
Keywords
Where Pawnee Buttes Seeds is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Greeley
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pawnee Buttes Seeds business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Seed Sales (Wholesale/Bulk): Core revenue from selling seeds in bulk quantities (priced per pound). Orders are primarily wholesale in nature, with pricing based on 50+ lb orders. The company sells over 500 species of seeds including alfalfas, legumes, forages, small grains, native grasses, turf grasses, wetland species, forbs, shrubs, and organic seeds. Custom and PBSI house mix formulations are also sold.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard wholesale (50+ lbs) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Small quantity orders (under 50 lbs) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Pawnee Buttes Seeds product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pawnee Buttes Seed sells more than 500 species of seeds across categories including alfalfas and legumes, forage and small grains, forbs and shrubs, turf grass, native pasture and reclamation grasses, wetland species, USDA-certified organic seeds, and proprietary pre-formulated PBSI Mixes (including fire-recovery and partnership mixes). The company operates as a direct-to-customer seed distributor serving farmers, ranchers, conservation projects, government entities, sports facilities, and homeowners across Colorado and the Western United States, with orders ranging from small residential yards to multi-hundred-acre ranches.
Product overview
Pawnee Buttes Seed is a seed company founded in 1998 by Don and Janine Hijar in Greeley, Colorado, offering more than 500 species of seeds. The company sells through multiple product categories including Alfalfas & Legumes, Forage & Small Grains, Forbs & Shrubs, Turf Grass, Native Pasture & Reclamation Grasses, Wetland Species, and Organic Seeds. They also offer their proprietary PBSI Mixes - pre-formulated seed blends such as the Dry Native Mountain Mix, Dryland Aggressive Mix, Foothills Native Mix, Low Grow Mix, Native Alkali Mix, Native Lawn Mix, Native Mountain Mix, Native Prairie Mix, and various Cover Crop Mixes. The company provides specialized fire-recovery mixes like Cameron Peak Fire Mix and East Troublesome Fire Mix, as well as partnership mixes like the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies collaboration. Their Organic sub-brand offers USDA-certified organic seed varieties. They also sell miscellaneous products including fertilizers, mulches, and inoculants. The company emphasizes providing technical expertise and guidance to help customers select the right seed for their specific needs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Stated >60% of bulk native seed may be non-viable (stems, leaves, empty hulls, weed seeds) — PLS certification ensures customers pay only for germinable seed
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Pawnee Buttes Seeds
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Pawnee Buttes Seeds technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Pawnee Buttes Seeds partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.
- Society for Range ManagementmajorPartnered in hosting the annual PBSI Grass Tour (2018 and 2019). Provided technical expertise, speakers, and field tour guidance for range management educational content. The 2018 Grass Tour specifically thanks Society for Range Management for help making the event possible.
- Jordan AngusmajorRanch hosting partner for the 2018 Grass Tour. Provided the venue for range management field presentations, soil pit demonstrations, and rainfall demonstrations in Briggsdale, CO.
- West Greeley Conservation DistrictmajorSponsor and partner for PBSI Grass Tour events. Provided BBQ social for 2018 Grass Tour attendees at Houston Gardens. Collaborative partner in conservation outreach and education.
- Colorado Watershed AssemblyminorSponsor of the 2019 PBSI Grass Tour. Organization focused on watershed health and water resource management, aligned with PBSI's water conservation messaging.
- CSU ExtensionminorSponsor of the 2019 PBSI Grass Tour. Colorado State University Extension provides agricultural research and education, aligning with PBSI's educational mission.
- Colorado Open LandsmajorPawnee Buttes was a proud sponsor of Colorado Open Lands' 'Cheers for Conservation' event in June 2019 at Five Fridges Farm in Wheat Ridge, CO. The event raised funds for land conservation and awarded the George E. Cranmer Award.
- Bird Conservancy of the RockiescorePartnership to develop the 'Birds Belong Here Seed Mix' — a custom seed mix designed to attract and support bird species. Don Hijar and Pawnee Buttes Seed collaborated with Bird Conservancy of the Rockies and Wild Birds Unlimited to formulate the mix, making birds feel welcome in urban and suburban environments.
- Wild Birds UnlimitedcoreCo-developed the 'Birds Belong Here Seed Mix' in partnership with Bird Conservancy of the Rockies and Pawnee Buttes Seed. The mix targets bird enthusiasts and homeowners seeking to create bird-friendly habitat.
- Green EarthminorPawnee Buttes Seed partnered with Green Earth to support Denver's Green Roof Initiative, contributing to urban heat island reduction and environmental improvement efforts in Denver.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Pawnee Buttes Seeds competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Outsidepride: Online retailer of grass seed (turf, native, pasture) and ground cover products serving a national customer base. Overlaps with PBSI's turf and lawn-grass lines but operates at greater scale, broader geographic reach, and via e-commerce rather than consultative phone sales.
- Pennington Seed: Nationally distributed grass, forage, and cover-crop seed brand under Central Garden & Pet. Overlaps with PBSI's turf grass and forage categories, but Pennington is a mass-market retail brand operating through big-box and farm-store distribution rather than specialty reclamation.
Emerging players
- Prairie Moon Nursery: Minnesota-based native plant and seed supplier focused on pollinator, prairie, and wetland restoration. Compares on native seed expertise and bulk-mix offerings, but emphasizes live plants and plugs rather than PBSI's agricultural-reclamation focus.
Direct peers
- Roundstone Native Seed: Wholesale native grass and wildflower seed supplier serving reclamation, conservation, and range management customers. Directly comparable product mix (native seed blends and custom mixes) and overlapping USDA CRP/cover crop customer segments in the Great Plains and Western US.
- Stock Seed Farms: Nebraska native grass, wildflower, and reclamation seed grower-distributor with custom blending and on-site field consultations. Comparable native seed catalog and similar reliance on founder agronomic expertise.
- Star Seed: Kansas-based wholesale seed company distributing native grasses, forbs, wildflowers, and reclamation blends to conservation districts, contractors, and landowners. Overlapping core catalog (native grasses, custom mixes) and shared Great Plains customer base make it a natural peer.
- Bamert Seed: Texas-based native grass and reclamation seed company serving range, pasture, conservation, and wildlife habitat markets. Highly comparable product portfolio (native grasses, custom mixes, reclamation blends) and similar consultative sales motion for landowners and conservation agencies.
- Granite Seed: Utah-based reclamation, native grass, and conservation seed company supplying government, contractor, and private land customers. Comparable elevation-specific Western seed offering, custom blending services, and reclamation-mix focus — operated at a larger geographic scale than PBSI.
- Sharp Brothers Seed: Missouri/Kansas-based native grass and reclamation seed company serving conservation programs and rangeland customers. Highly comparable product lines (native warm-season grasses, CRP mixes, custom blends) and similar consultative regional sales model.
- Green Cover Seed: Nebraska-based cover crop, forage, and grazing seed company with strong six-species-blend and custom cover-crop mix capabilities. Directly comparable in the cover crop, regenerative agriculture, and custom mix product lines that PBSI emphasizes in its PBSI Mixes category.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Pawnee Buttes Seeds social profiles
Digital presencePawnee Buttes Seeds financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pawnee Buttes Seeds leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Pawnee Buttes Seeds funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pawnee Buttes Seeds M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pawnee Buttes Seeds
What does Pawnee Buttes Seeds do?
Pawnee Buttes Seed sells more than 500 species of seeds across categories including alfalfas and legumes, forage and small grains, forbs and shrubs, turf grass, native pasture and reclamation grasses, wetland species, USDA-certified organic seeds, and proprietary pre-formulated PBSI Mixes (including fire-recovery and partnership mixes). The company operates as a direct-to-customer seed distributor serving farmers, ranchers, conservation projects, government entities, sports facilities, and homeowners across Colorado and the Western United States, with orders ranging from small residential yards to multi-hundred-acre ranches.
Is Pawnee Buttes Seeds a public or private company?
Pawnee Buttes Seeds is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Pawnee Buttes Seeds founded?
Pawnee Buttes Seeds was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Pawnee Buttes Seeds based?
Pawnee Buttes Seeds is headquartered in Greeley, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pawnee Buttes Seeds make money?
One revenue line is on record: seed Sales (Wholesale/Bulk).
Who are Pawnee Buttes Seeds's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Outsidepride and Pennington Seed. Prairie Moon Nursery is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Roundstone Native Seed, Stock Seed Farms, Star Seed, Bamert Seed, Granite Seed, Sharp Brothers Seed and Green Cover Seed.
Does Pawnee Buttes Seeds have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pawnee Buttes Seeds.
What industry is Pawnee Buttes Seeds in?
Pawnee Buttes Seeds's product category is Agricultural Seeds. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAMADAL, Seed & Nursery Stock Distribution and Logistics, with a secondary code of AFABAFAD, Forage & Pasture Seeds (Alfalfa, Clover, Ryegrass, Bermudagrass). Its NAICS code is 444240 and its SIC code is 5150.