SZAWLOWSKI
John Rupert Szawlowski began farming in 1910
The original farm was located in Northampton, MA, with the hub of the operations being the farmhouse where John's son Chester and daughter-in-law Agnes raised their six kids. It was during this time, in the 1950s, that the family nickname was born, as the four Szawlowski brothers – John, Chet, Frank, and Stanley – started being called “Swaz” by their high school teammates.
In 1972, the family had several hundred acres growing potatoes in Northampton and Hatfield. When the city of Northampton took about 75 acres of the farm by eminent domain for an industrial park development, the Szawlowskis moved the headquarters of the farm to Main Street in Hatfield. Today, John’s two sons, Carl and Mike, and three grandsons, Chris, Sean, and Colin, manage the farming operations which Chet oversees. Frank, Sr. manages sales, packing, and shipping. His daughters Shelley, Melanie, and Diane run the day-to-day business and his son, Frank, Jr., farms. |
Listen to three of the Szawlowski brothers, Frank, Chet and Stanley, introduced by their sister Helen at the beginning, tell about a memorable incident in the potato fields when they were little kids that they still find funny.
Helen is in the back, John, Chet, and Frank (l-r) Stanley and Marion in front. |