Before there was Longmont, there was Zweck's farm. Located on the west side of Airport Road at 9th Avenue, it was homesteaded by George and Mary Zweck in 1865. While business reversals in the 1880s nearly cost the family their farm, Mary's hard work reclaimed it from foreclosure. The land, which straddles the St. Vrain, has been farmed by the Zweck family for four generations. Many people may be familiar with the Zweck's charming Organic Produce Stand on Airport Road in Longmont.

Photographer Jane Gabrilove has spent two years photographing the remarkable oasis that is Zweck's farm. Her vibrant color photographs anchor the next exhibit at the Longmont Museum, On Zweck's Farm, which opens July 19 and runs through August 24.

Gabrilove's photographs record the richness of the land and its products. Bright red tomatoes, vibrant carrots, rainbow chard, and luscious raspberries provide mouth-watering evidence of the farm's success. Wildlife coexists with agriculture, and more than a century of history permeates the landscape.

The vegetables and cattle produced today on Zweck's farm contribute to the growing "local food" movement. This movement aims to reduce the impact of agriculture on the environment by reducing the distance from farmer to consumer. It also allows food to ripen naturally and arrive in stores fresh from the land.

There will be a special local food reception for On Zweck's Farm on Friday, July 25, from 7 to 9 pm. Taste food from local farms, including Zweck's, at this public reception.

On Saturday, August 16, from 10:30 am to noon, organic beekeeper Corwin Bell will present a program on "Backyard Beekeeping" at the Museum. He'll even bring along some friendly bees. The program is free and open to the public.

On Zweck's Farm is sponsored by Whole Foods Market, with contributing support provided by the Longmont Clinic, PC, the Longmont Farmers Market, and an artist's mini-grant from the Longmont Council for the Arts.