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60 years ago three enterprising Coloradans, Jim Boyd, Reese Boatman and Karl Obluda decided to start an old-fashioned dairy at a time when supermarkets were dramatically changing how American’s shopped. With a modest dairy herd, an old milk truck and a small processing plant behind the Boyd home, Longmont Dairy Farm was born and quickly became a local institution.

Over the years the company has embraced innovation and technology to keep up with a growing customer base, expanding routes and more product offerings. When David and Susan Boyd took over in 1988 as second-generation owners, they began growing Longmont Dairy into a more sophisticated business. The Boyd’s bought a larger farm and expanded the existing barn to milk more cows, launched a website with order forms and created the company’s still-popular holiday eggnog bottle design contest.

In 2008, the dairy continued its technological advancement by implementing systems to help customers manage their accounts more efficiently and moved from paper route books and maps to GPS-led online delivery management systems.

Now in its third generation of ownership, co-owners and siblings, Dan Boyd and Katie Copeland, balance expanding the business’ footprint while continuing their grandfather’s original mission of providing fresh milk in glass bottles from the dairy’s cows directly to customers along the Front Range.

“The greater impact of success isn’t what you change, but rather what you don’t change,” said Boyd. “What we have done best is stay true to who we are and maintain the people, processes and products that have driven the success of the company. The wins and losses are up to God, but you’ve got to put the work in. We are honored every day to have one of the hardest working staff in our industry.”  

Throughout the years, the company has become a part of the community fabric, not just in Longmont but in the surrounding areas. Its Milk Caps for Mooola program, which encourages students to recycle milk caps at their school in exchange for cash, recently hit a milestone of 15 million milk caps collected, resulting in $750,000 donated to more than 400 local schools over the years.

“It means so much that we are part of the community, whether it’s through our Milk Caps program or just knowing that our customers still pop by the office regularly to catch up or phone us the old-fashioned way,” said co-owner Katie Copeland. “When we bought the business from our parents ten years ago, we were committed to carrying forward their values and devotion to their customers.”

In 2018, Longmont Dairy embarked on a plant renovation and expansion, which allowed it to start brewing its own tea and cold brew coffee, which have become staples for their loyal customer base. The events of 2020 saw a dramatic increase in people requesting delivery services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The company pivoted by adding additional daytime deliveries to accommodate the demand.

To honor Longmont Dairy’s 60^th anniversary the company is celebrating its employees and customers through a variety of recognitions, contests and giveaways that will be shared via their newsletter and social media platforms.

Opening a business is a huge leap: a leap of faith and a leap of trust in yourself and your community. Thankfully, for the past year, we've felt the support of this amazing Boulder community; fellow dental professionals who have welcomed us into the space, patients who've known me for years who have chosen to follow me on this new adventure and from our family & friends who've supported us the whole way through.

My family & I lived in Boulder previously and after pediatric dental residency, we moved back with the hope and expectation I could practice here for the rest of my career. I worked at Little Britches under the guidance of Dr. Richard Abrams, a pillar of the local dental community for many years who took me under his wing with the understanding I would inherit his legacy & practice when he was ready to retire. When the time came, the practice had a bid on it from another practice and because business is still business, and since as a person and not a business I couldn't raise the funds to match their offer, I had to leave the practice I loved.

With a lot of support and encouragement though, we decided to open up in South Boulder (which is where my family and I live); it's a new practice with a philosophy of prevention & a focus on education. We focus on the patient experience and try our best to make each child (and family) feel welcome and understood. We also try out best to be involved with the community we serve; we put on presentations at local pre- and elementary schools; we've partnered with I Have A Dream (a wonderful organization) to help improve the oral health of children in our community; we've given presentations with organizations connected to Boulder County and this summer we'll be doing fun activities for summer camps.

We've just celebrated our one year being open. We're continuing to grow & I would love to encourage you to come check out our practice to see what really sets us apart & could make us a great fit for your family. Come on by for a visit; we'd love to meet you!

Leading full-time, tuition-free online public school offers expanded college and career readiness program

Colorado Connections Academy is excited to announce that enrollment is now open for students in grades K-12 for the 2025-26 school year. Families across Colorado seeking a personalized and high-quality online education can now enroll in this tuition-free, full-time online public school.

New for the 2025-26 academic year, Colorado Connections Academy will launch its expanded College and Early Career Readiness program for middle and high school students. The school will integrate traditional academic subjects with industry-leading, career-focused options like IT, business, health sciences and marketing. This new program will equip students with durable skills like leadership, critical thinking and teamwork. Students can participate in career exploration and industry networking opportunities to build confidence, make connections and find direction to prepare for their future.

"Every single person in the Colorado Connections Academy family plays a critical role in the success of our school and online school community," said Kyla Bernstein, K-8 Principal and Co-Interim School Leader at Colorado Connections Academy. "Together, we work daily to ensure our students are successful both academically and personally, and it is amazing to see that work in action. We know that virtual school may not be the right fit for every student, but for those students who want or need this option, we truly see them thrive."

Virtual school is an excellent fit for a variety of students, and each student is unique. Colorado Connections Academy students are diverse and come from different backgrounds and educational histories. Some students are academically advanced and struggle in a traditional school setting, while others prefer to learn at their own pace. Other students may be experiencing health challenges or bullying, while some are athletes or performers who require a flexible learning schedule.

"I train 15 to 17 hours a week, sometimes twice a day. Colorado Connections Academy has given me the flexibility to balance school with my passion for speed skating," said Payten Hutto, a 15-year-old Team USA inline speed skater and Colorado Connections Academy sophomore. "With my flexible schedule, I train and travel for competitions while staying on top of my schoolwork."

Payten is a first-year junior on Team USA and has been a student at Colorado Connections Academy for three years. After years of intense training, she secured a spot on Team USA as the youngest female skater this year.

Colorado Connections Academy is committed to providing a high-quality personalized education to meet each student's needs. Using accessible technology, the school connects parents, teachers and students from home or anywhere there is an internet connection. Students experience a classroom that fully engages them with interactive web tools, student planners, live online classroom sessions, tailored multimedia lessons, teacher support and helpful resources.

Colorado Connections Academy students have regular opportunities to share ideas, compare experiences and have fun learning with their peers through online classroom sessions. Students can also join clubs, field trips, events and other activities throughout the year. The flexible schedule also allows students time to play sports, create art, volunteer or pursue their passions outside the virtual classroom.

Enrollment for the 2025-26 school year is now open for grades K-12. Families interested in learning more are encouraged to attend an online information session to learn more, ask questions and discover if virtual school is the right fit for their students. For more information about Colorado Connections Academy or to begin the enrollment process, please call 1-833-591-0251 or visit http://www.ColoradoConnectionsAcademy.com.

About Colorado Connections Academy
Colorado Connections Academy is a unique, tuition-free, online public school for students in grades K-12. Colorado Connections Academy creates a high-quality educational experience that keeps students motivated and engaged in a safe, virtual learning environment. In addition to academics, teachers focus on building fundamental life skills, working closely with families to help students learn how they learn best. Here, students gain the skills and confidence they need to direct their own educational journey, learning to thrive in the real world by first learning how to be resourceful and resilient. For more information, call 1-833-591-0251 or visit http://www.ColoradoConnectionsAcademy.com.