About Us

The inception of Preserve Seed:
In 1997, after graduating Eastern Oregon University, Derek Schumacher pursued both farming with his wife, Niki, and a career as a field consultant for a large seed company. Throughout his tenure as a grass seed field consultant, he developed strong relationships with nearly 430 different farmers. Because he was involved in both the agronomy and production side of the industry, the relationships were deeper than the average field consultant.  In 2005, he finished his M.S at Oregon State University with a study and thesis on "Residue Management (field burning) and Yield Characteristics of Fine Fescue Seed Crops".  This study also helped forge his relations with growers and the industry as well. 

In 2019, after nearly 22 years with the same seed company, Niki and Derek decided it was time to venture out on their own on the sales side of things. “We formed Preserve Seed with the desire to focus on marketing various cover crop seeds to enhance soil quality and preservation, in conjunction with conservation tillage practices. Continuous “No-Till” practices have been a part of our farm since conception. Given the fact that we grow our own commodities of cover crop, native, forage, and turf seeds, while simultaneously doing business with numerous farmers, we know that we can provide our customers with a more competitive price on all of these products. We value good customer service and quality product, whether the seed comes directly from our farm, or the farmers we work with, we will make sure that the customer receives the best. We strive for high quality product and fair pricing.”