In 1942 Michael and Theresa Sklarcyzk purchased a farm near Johannesburg Michigan. Like most farmers, they grew crops to feed cows, pigs and chickens. They also grew potatoes, which Mike trucked to the Detroit Eastern Market. Mike's sales location was next to another potato farmer from southern Michigan. He offered to purchase all the potatoes Mike could grow for the same price as what Mike was receiving at the Eastern Market. Mike asked why this farmer offered to pay as much for his crop as he could receive in Detroit. The farmer had two reasons. He recognized the quality of the product Mike was delivering to the market had taken away some of his business and he was confident Mike could provide excellent quality seed potatoes for his crop. As a bonus he would eliminate his most difficult competitor.

As the years passed, what was produced on the farm changed with the times. Mike and Theresa's son Don felt a draw to continue the farming operation but realized he had to focus on the seed potato part of the farm. The dairy cows were sold and after a few years of low profit, the beef herd was no longer a part of the farm.

In the early 80’s Don was looking for a way to follow in his father's steps and produce a better seed potato product. What was previously acceptable would no longer serve the profitable, progressive customers. As production cost increased each year commercial growers had to be sure the seed potatoes they planted would produce the best crop possible. All articles Don read lead to the direction of new technology to help reduce latent virus and Asymptomatic bacteria in seed potatoes. Several methods were investigated; stem cutting and tissue culture appeared to be the best suited for seed potato production.

While stem cutting did not require a laboratory its results were not as promising as tissue culture. Don, Mary Kay and their three children visited Ed and Barbara Jones who had established a tissue culture laboratory and greenhouse operation for Cornell University in Lake Placid, New York. Ed suggested even with Don’s excitement about the benefits of tissue culture, it would be Mary Kay that would spell success or failure with a tissue culture project. Barbara demonstrated to Mary Kay the correct technique of cutting tiny potato plants under the protection of a clean air station. Don returned even more convinced the use of tissue culture would play an important part in the future of seed potato production. At that time the use of tissue culture in potato production was limited to three university operations east of the Rockies and a very few growers in Montana.

The first year, 50 small potato plants in test tubes were received from Ed and Barbara and placed in starting containers. At the same time plans were in progress to set up a tissue culture laboratory in the basement of Mary Kay and Don’s house. During the next winter Mary Kay expanded upon the knowledge Barbara had provided as she increased small potato plants in test tubes. That spring the potato plants were placed in a greenhouse Don constructed in the back yard and some plants were placed in an isolated field outside.

The success of the first crop convinced Don the use of tissue culture would become a standard of the industry. The problem was the seed industry was not ready to change the tuber to tuber process that had been used for years. After several years of attempting to convince the seed industry with little success, Don realized what he must do. He provided seed to commercial growers so they could realize the benefits of tissue culture derived seed potatoes. The commercial grower then approached their seed supplier and asked when they would have tissue culture seed available. This back door approach worked very well. The use of tissue culture is a requirement of all certification agencies in both the U.S. and Canada today. Don was asked to present an overview of the use of tissue culture in seed potato production at the North America Seed Potato Seminar in 1988.

With this success, additions were needed to keep up with production requirements. A 30X150 poly top house was constructed. The first year of planting in the greenhouse Don wondered what they would do with all the space. His question was answered the next year as the house was completely filled with potato plants. As the greenhouse allowed the potato crop to be started early in the spring and continue into the fall two crops were produced the next year. A few years later a culture laboratory was constructed devoted solely to seed potato production.

Continued expansion took place the following years. Two additional plastic top greenhouses were constructed. Finally a five bay glass top greenhouse designed by Don specifically for the production of seed potatoes was constructed. This was a very busy time with the children growing up and all attending college. At the same time, a new idea in greenhouse seed potato production was attempted. With the assistance of Frito Lay, Don began producing the seed potato crop with hydroponics. An additional building was constructed to connect all the greenhouses and to provide computer operated, state of the art storages for the seed potatoes. With all the expansion of the greenhouse operation it became clear to some of Don’s customers the time was right to consider another major change in Sklarczyk Seed Farm.

It was suggested that Sklarczyk Seed Farm put all of its resources into the greenhouse operation and rent the field seed potato production facility to another farming enterprise. The production of seed potatoes with the hydroponics process is very demanding. Don realized the change was a necessary and beneficial one.

During the same time Don and Mary Kay’s son graduated from Michigan State University with an Agri-Business degree. Ben has a desire to continue the quality traditions his Grandparents started back in 1942. Ben presently serves as the manager of the greenhouse. Ben is assisted by several long time staff members, some who also help Mary Kay in the laboratory. Staff numbers increase to over two dozen for the summer and are reduced during three months of winter.

The greenhouse presently produces over 3,000,000 units of seed potatoes each year. These are shipped through out U. S., Canada, Mexico, Chile and the Middle East.

The field operation produces wheat, soybeans, and alfalfa to trade or sell as stumpage on 650 acres.

- Don Sklarczyk