If you’ve ever seen a sign like this at Lucky’s Market in Boulder, you might have asked yourself, “Who is this Connie, anyway, and why is her produce so famous?”
Connie is Connie Zweck, who owns and operates Zweck’s Farm in Longmont with her husband, Tom, the great-grandson of George, who began farming the land 150 years ago. After being around so long, Zweck’s has developed quite a following of folks who seek out their handpicked produce during the growing season.
“When I first moved to Longmont about 10 years ago, I saw the Zweck’s farmstand hidden in the trees every morning on my commute down Airport Road,” says Michelle Gantry, who lives near of the farm. Although it took her a few months to finally stop in. “It’s the only place I buy my produce now, and I really appreciate that it’s all organic.”
By the time the Colorado Department of Agriculture became the first state agency to begin a certification for organic farmers, in 1989, Zweck’s had already been an organic farm since 1974, when Connie and Tom took over. The farm qualified for state organic certification right away, and went on to achieve USDA certification as well.
New family-owned farms have been popping up all over the county, and many of them are on leased sections of open space, but Zweck’s is on land that’s been in the family since 1865. Nearly 100 varieties of vegetables and flowers are picked fresh every morning, then taken to the farmstand on the edge of the property or hand-delivered within a few hours to stores like Lucky’s, Vitamin Cottage and Whole Foods in Boulder.
Connie Zweck says it’s been a good year, despite the fact that they’re still recovering financially from the 2013 flood, and the wet weather in May delayed and shortened the growing season. The farmstand will be open until about the first weekend in October, with fall favorites like pie pumpkins and winter squashes.
Zweck’s is at 10901 Airport Road in Longmont, just north of the airport. Check www.zwecksfresh.com for market hours.
— Lisa Truesdale
