Zaid Kurdieh’s love for agriculture has led him down many paths and to many places throughout the United States and around the world.
He says farming, although a very hard profession to maintain, is a one he has dreamed of since graduating college.
Right from the start, Kurdieh had the opportunity to travel with his family and see various places, including years of education in the Middle East. While studying in Jordan, he met his wife Haifa. The couple traveled to the United States and settled first in Virginia. Over the years, the couple would raise two children and live throughout the states, in places such as Kansas, Texas, Wyoming and South Dakota.
Carrying with him a love for agriculture, Kurdieh says he worked full time while putting himself through college. He received his bachelor’s degree in agricultural business from the University of Wyoming, followed by a master’s degree in business administration from the University of South Dakota. Although his dream of owning and operating his own farm was hard to reach, he says he focused his goal towards owning his own business. He worked for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and then for Cornell Cooperative Extension, which eventually led to him settling in Norwich.
“Everything I have done since college has dealt with agriculture,” said Kurdieh.
The Kurdiehs started their business, which at the time was a small patch of land for growing produce in back of their home, in 1996. Over the years, their produce business required more room, and land was bought just outside the City of Norwich on Route 23 by Kurdieh and partners in 2000.
As it stands today, Norwich Meadows Farm is a fully functional organic operation which produces goods to sell at various farmer’s markets. Kurdieh says it took years to establish his business venture, and now, he has one of the best-looking market stands at Union Square in Manhattan. Union Square is an upscale market, which caters to some of the highest regarded chefs in the downstate region. Kurdieh says it takes a long time to establish and the credibility to be included in such a high-quality market.
“My wife is very meticulous and makes our stand one of the best in the city. That is how we were able to get to sell on Saturdays in Union Square,” said Kurdieh. Also, it has been said by market officials that a crowd of nearly 60,000 people attend the market on a typical Saturday. Kurdieh also sells his produce there on Mondays.
All produce grown locally is transported elsewhere for sale, but that aspect of the business is one Kurdieh says he would like to see change. He says selling locally would benefit the community and offer healthier choices for consumers.
“Unlike what people find in the grocery stores, our produce is organically grown and is much more tasteful and healthy,” Kurdieh said.
Farming organic produce, Kurdieh says, is a difficult skill and requires many hours to get the produce to grow correctly. He says the produce grown here is vintage, meaning what he grows reflects what produce used to be like before hybrids were created so they could be shipped throughout the country.
Having highly-skilled workers is another aspect that makes his farm function so well. Kurdieh hires workers who travel on visas and work seasonally at the farm. In a typical season, six workers are needed to maintain the crops and get ready for harvest.
This year, Kurdieh is hoping to expand his business to offer community members the opportunity to purchase produce that is healthier. He says unlike the stores, which sell a limited variety of items, he grows vast numbers of produce such as eggplant, squash, at least 30 different kinds of tomatoes and more, all of which are hand grown and offer more nutrition, says Kurdieh.
Getting started with a relatively new concept known as Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), Kurdieh hopes to find the support locally to be able to sell locally. At 6:30 p.m., April 5 at Cornell Cooperative Extension at 99 North Broad St., Kurdieh will present “Agriculture along the Nile” and initiatives for local CSAs.
Farming organically, Kurdieh says, is an educational endeavor. Growing more exotic or unusual foods than what can be found within the typical grocery store, he says, takes a great deal of time, but anyone eating what he grows can taste the difference. He and his wife also include chefs at their market stand, to show how their items can be cooked nutritiously.

Editor’s Note: People in the Chenango community perform extraordinary feats under extraordinary circumstances every day. Oftentimes they go unnoticed or unappreciated; “Chenango Stories” puts the spotlight on those people whose compelling stories you might not otherwise hear. If you know someone who is interested in telling their “Chenango Story,” contact Jill Osterhout at 337-3075 or e-mail: josterhout@evesun.com.