'Hillcrest Nursery Inc,' is a family owned business and a proud provider of many local businesses and farmers in the northern Maryland and southern Pennsylvania regions, of nearly 50 years. Along with selling locally, many businesses and farmers are able to buy from 'Hillcrest Nursery Inc,' nationwide, through the Cellpack Herb Program.

     The owners, Jim and Steve Hershfeld grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. They both worked in the family business, 'Bob Graham Florist,' with their father, Bud Hershfeld. In 1973, after graduating from high school, Jim started making terrariums. He soon started a business of his own called, 'Terrariums Made to Order.' While Jim was growing and designing terrariums, Steve was working in landscape design.

     After gaining experience in the landscape industry, Steve decided he wanted to work for himself, so he joined his brother as a business partner. Together, they started transporting foliage plants from Florida to Maryland, and sold them as wholesale merchants. Shortly after, the Hershfeld brothers built a greenhouse in their parents’ yard on Hillcrest Avenue in Parkton, Maryland, as a holding facility for these plants.

     In 1976, they bought a 30-acre farm in Millers, MD where they built 13,000 square feet of polyhouses. By 1983, they wanted to continue growing their company to compete with other high-tech, mechanized greenhouses in the industry, so they ordered a 25,000 square foot glass house from V & V Noordland. They started growing bedding plants, perennials, and holiday crops for local independent garden centers.

     In the mid 80's, a local perennial grower, Richard Simon was looking to off-load some unneeded herb stock, and asked Steve if he would like to buy his inventory. Steve accepted his inquiry and purchased the herb stocks. He used his new herb inventory for propagation and sold the herbs as plugs. The cellpack sales quickly took off, which led to a long-standing and promising branch of business at 'Hillcrest Nursery Inc.' In 2008, the Cellpack Herb Program acquired its USDA Organic Certification, and has maintained its organic achievement for over 15 years.

     Over the years, 'Hillcrest Nursery Inc' has updated and expanded their greenhouses to over five acres under glass with their newest house, a Westbrook open-air design, built in 2016. Today, Hillcrest Nursery, Inc. continues to grow and ship organic cellpack herbs nationwide, and is a large supplier to many local businesses. They continue to practice and master growing and selling annuals, perennials, seasonal plants, vegetables, succulents, foliage, and herbs.