Owners Tom Penquite and Gary J. McDaniel started the farm with the urging and advice of father and son nurserymen Barry and Kevin Bracken (Easley Nursery) of Greenville, SC.  Their support as well as that of a lifetime friend, nurseryman Larry Slaymaker of Slay's Trees, Inc. in Gainesville, Florida brought Goodland Creek Trees to its present production of 30,000 top quality woody ornamental trees and a solid infrastructure.

In the spring of 2005 after the purchase of three parcels of land totaling 101 acres and a careful study of the industry, we made a commitment to become part of the new generation of nurserymen.   As established private investigators and business consultants with sixty-plus years of combined problem-solving experience, we took on this new challenge, after more than 30 road trips to nurseries in four states to consult with seasoned professionals. Phase I of our property development was underway as we determined our needs and what we had to work with. During development of the woody meadow lands, we tapped the resources of both the academic and agricultural communities to better understand the sciences of growth and growth management practices.  The mix of practical advice and academic information led us to the final decision to raise container-grown trees on a three-cycle process and to subscribe to the growth practices of Dr. Carl Whitcomb who operates under the trade name of Whitcomb System® and RootMaker® production products.(Also see the RootMaker® Certified page under Navigation)

In the final analysis, as we look back, we believe the inclusion of input drawn from members of the green industry and staff consultants, and information acquired from federal- and state-funded programs at Clemson and Georgia Universities, and the hands-on training provided at the University of Florida Annual Tree Conference http://www.fngla.org/gstree/gen-info.asp, gave us the insight and level of comfort we needed to move forward. The assistance and guidance of members affiliated with landscape architectural firms also provided exceptional help.  At this time, Goodland Creek Trees, LLC is on its way with 30,000 trees in production that meet the new standards and expectations of market buyers.