Makers Series: The Jonsteen Company

Maker's Series

Mar 19

Written By Abby

Location: McKinleyville, CA | Specialty: Tree Saplings & Seeds

When Alex & I made a decision to focus on sustainability and finding earth-friendly products back in 2020 when we opened, we happened across The Jonsteen Company and never stopped following them. “Jonsteen is known for creatively packaging its trees for a variety of markets and purposes; for teaching about trees and their many benefits to people and the planet; and for supporting, in perpetuity, the folks giving, selling, and growing its trees.”

Founded in 1992, Jonsteen committed to spread “a message of respect for our environment, and a love of trees. They dedicated themselves to teaching about the manifold benefits that trees bring to our planet and our communities, and our lives individually and collectively.”

This past month, we sat down with Jonathan (the “Jon” from “Jonsteen” himself!) to chat all things related to love for our planet.

Abby (Willinglee)
Thanks so much for taking the time, Jonathan. We love your passion for trees and tree planting. Can you give us a little bit of a background into the company? How did you and Steen meet and what made you two want to start The Jonsteen Company?

Jonathan Claasen (The Jonsteen Company)
Steen and I met through our then girlfriends (now wives) who had been childhood friends.

We love trees, art, the parks, wilderness, promoting nature, teaching, and being involved with something real and experiential that can change people’s lives and communities for the better. And we like business.

It all comes together in Jonsteen. What a privilege to be involved with amazing trees and putting living, growing things right into people’s hands! We’ve been learning about trees and tree growing ourselves over the past three decades, and the more we learn, the more we appreciate trees and the more we want to share!

We wanted to have a business that would be both a creative outlet and do good work for people and the planet. This company grew out of a friendship and what’s become a lifelong pursuit and appreciation of trees.

Abby
So fun that the two of you met through your (now) wives! I think that balance of having work that’s both a creative outlet yet doing good for the planet is so energizing.

How did you decide what types of trees and seeds to carry and promote?

Jonathan
Well, I grew up in the redwood forest in Arcata, CA -- literally. So, a love for trees, particularly redwoods, was built in. Also, Jonsteen as a business was born at Muir Woods National Monument – a famous redwood grove near San Francisco where our interpretively packaged Coast Redwoods and Giant Sequoias have been super popular. So, Redwoods were our "jumping off point" into the wide world of trees!

The more we learned about trees, the more trees we learned to love. Every tree species has its own interesting story (in the parks, they call this a tree's "natural history"), and the more you know, the easier it is to be enthusiastic and enthusiasm really sells. We've been curating species which we personally think are super cool, beautiful, interesting, or useful – and the list of what we want to grow tends to outpace the inventory of beloved species we already have in our "Living Library of Trees."

We also try to support tree populations and species that are threatened or endangered, such as Whitebark Pine. Our latest Grow Kit is for Joshua Trees -- a fascinating desert succulent that is currently facing major challenges in its primary range in the Mojave Desert.

“We've been curating species which we personally think are super cool, beautiful, interesting, or useful – and the list of what we want to grow tends to outpace the inventory of beloved species we already have in our "Living Library of Trees."”

Abby
That’s beyond inspiring. My husband, Alex, grew up in California and the Redwoods are breathtaking. I love that you’re looking to support threatened tree species.

What's been the most challenging part of owning The Jonsteen Company over the last 30 years? What's been the most rewarding/beneficial?

Jonathan
Surviving financially in the early years was a real trick! Growing a business is not for the faint of heart. The encouragement of our early customers helped us keep the faith in what we were trying to do. The most rewarding part of doing this is hearing back from customers after years with their tree stories and pictures.

Trees take on a personal significance for people that is hard to describe and their trees become more important and valuable with each passing year. Hearing some of these heartfelt testimonials fills me with gladness for being able to be in the "tree business." When we go to trade shows with our "Life Line" of trees and grow kits, I am always thankful to be promoting trees. There are many great and beautiful products out there in the world, but we often have the only items at a gift show that actually improve with age and increase in financial and emotional value. And surely the only products that gulp down carbon and have the potential to last, in some cases, for thousands of years.

Abby
Oh, gosh, I can totally relate to that—that trees take on a personal significance to people. We recently had to cut down a sick tree in our yard after a hard freeze and I’ve never mourned like that before. It was this beautiful, perfectly leaning tree that had reached to find the sun and it had such a big personality. We did a lot of research into local trees that help the environment here in Austin, TX, and had to plant 3 before one took. It was a traumatic experience, and I know as the years pass, I’ll start building a new connection with our baby Monterrey Oak tree.

What lessons do you think you've learned from owning a business that gives so much back to the Earth?

Jonathan
That we need to do more! Earth Mercy! Individual action, like tree planting, is fantastic and needed, but we also need collective action to change destructive economic patterns.

Abby
Isn’t that the truth! Hopefully the number of people who understand the urgency keeps growing. We hope this blog post helps, even if in a small way!

What do you think the biggest changes have been at The Jonsteen Company from when you started to now?

Jonathan
Our size and scale. We've grown like a tree! 😂 We work with hundreds of different tree species now and have a whole line of Grow Kits for some of the natural world's most outstanding citizens. We've gone from two guys blasting music and drinking beer in a little garage to a company of 30-50 tree people!

“We need to do more! Earth Mercy! Individual action, like tree planting, is fantastic and needed, but we also need collective action to change destructive economic patterns.

Abby
That’s just the best. I bet your employees love working for you.

Without giving any secrets away, is there anything new on the horizon for The Jonsteen Company?

Jonathan
Always! This spring, we will be sowing many tree species we've never worked with before -- adding to the "Living Library" that is our nursery. Also, we're excited to be rolling out a new Joshua Tree Grow Kit soon! It's a super fun kit with a funky desert vibe (complete with a passing alien) and it's for a tree species that is critically threatened. Also, Joshua Trees are just plain cool and it's wonderful to be able to help people experience this weird and wonderful plant wherever they are.

Abby
That’s amazing—we’ll be on the lookout for it :) What are your favorite facts about trees?

Jonathan
There are sooooo many great things about trees and tree planting. I mean, I could fill pages! From carbon capture to the pure beauty they bring to our surroundings to the many useful things — from medicine to food to building products — they give us for our lives. But my favorite fun fact about trees is that trees actually makes us feel better! Yes, trees reduce emotional stress and imbue a sense of calm. Oh man, trees are the best!

Abby
They are!! I need to read up more on forest bathing… or just go and do it. Every time Alex & I take a hike with trees surrounding us, we can feel a physical and emotional difference in how we carry ourselves afterward.

I’ve so loved learning more about you all! One last thing: since we are big promoters of small shops and businesses, we’d love it if you could tell us about some small businesses that inspire you.

Jonathan
Any business that sells our trees and grow kits is my favorite! I especially appreciate businesses that give away trees to their customers around Earth Day / Arbor Day. A Few years back, we worked with Lowe's to give away a million trees on Earth Day! This was not some far away "planting project" -- this was a company doing something real and putting real, living trees right into people's hands for free. It was a huge impact for urban forestry in America.

“There are so many great things about trees and tree planting - but my favorite fun fact about trees is that trees actually makes us feel better! Yes, trees reduce emotional stress and imbue a sense of calm. Oh man, trees are the best!”

Abby
Wow, Lowe’s just keeps impressing us over the years. Thanks for working with them to support that! Thank you for your time, and most of all, thank you for your unmatched love of trees and our planet. We need more people & companies like yours.

Be sure to check out The Jonsteen Company to learn more about the amazing work they’re doing each and every day. You can also follow along on their Instagram. And for goodness sake, go plant a tree! 🌳🌲🌱