Ollin Farms' Mark and Kena Guttridge selected for Boulder County Business Hall of Fame

Mark and Kena Guttridge, founders and stewards of Ollin Farms in Longmont, have been selected for induction into the Boulder County Business Hall of Fame. They are being recognized not only for their thriving agricultural business, but for their deeply rooted commitment to land stewardship, education, and community-building.

Nestled along 95th Street near Plateau Road, Ollin Farms has grown from a family dream into a beacon of regenerative agriculture and community resilience. Since 2005, when the couple moved back to the land where Mark grew up to care for his grandmother, they have cultivated more than just crops, they've also cultivated a movement.

"Our goal has always been to produce the most nutritious and flavorful food possible," Mark said. "We believe that healthy soil leads to a healthy farm, and ultimately, a healthy community."

Ollin Farms operates on the principles of regenerative agriculture, a method that restores soil health and promotes biodiversity. The farm's produce is grown without any pesticides or herbicides, not even those labeled organic. Their nutrient-dense farming model centers around balancing the right nutrients in biologically active soil.

But farming is only part of the picture. The Guttridges are leaders in agricultural education, ecosystem restoration, and youth outreach. Ollin Farms offers field trips, youth classes, farm dinners, and collaborative scientific research on ecological health. They also supply fresh vegetables to local school districts and run a popular Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program serving over 375 families weekly.

The family's dedication is visible in everything they do including restoring neglected soil and planting climate-resilient crops, building pollinator habitats and leading creek restoration projects. Their efforts reflect an ancestral connection to the land that is both personal and historical.

"My connection to the soil comes from my ancestors," Kena shared. "My abuelito was a farmer on Mixteco land. He grew sugarcane, watermelons, and piñas. I remember walking the granja and seeing the fruits of his labor. The soil runs in my blood."

Their work honors indigenous agricultural practices, drawing inspiration especially from the Aztec civilization, one of the most agriculturally innovative societies in the ancient world. By blending ancient wisdom with modern ecological science, Ollin Farms has demonstrated that "regenerative" isn't a trend. It's a return to time-tested traditions.

"People talk about sustainability as something new," Mark said. "But this is how our ancestors farmed. We're simply returning to our roots."

Community is the heart of Ollin Farms. Runners, cyclists, and neighbors regularly wave hello as they pass the fields. The Guttridges can be found not only working the land, but also serving on local non-profit boards, supporting the arts and music scene, and celebrating cultural diversity, including Kena's work sharing her love of the Spanish language and heritage through community classes and programs.

The Boulder County Business Hall of Fame honor acknowledges what so many in the community already know - that Ollin Farms is more than a farm - it is a model for what community-centered agriculture can be.

"There is community supported agriculture," Mark says, "and then there is agriculture-supported community. One of our missions is to see how agriculture can truly empower the people around it."

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held the evening of Sept. 17 at the Boulder Jewish Community Center. The event is open to the public with online registration opening later in the summer at the organization's website.

Other local residents to be inducted into the Boulder County Business Hall of Fame include Bert Steele and the Steele family and Art and Debbi Stapp.