GLT raises over $220,000 for its Holcomb Farm Stewardship Fund Campaign
The Granby Land Trust (GLT) gratefully recognizes all who have supported the GLT’s Holcomb Farm Stewardship Fund Campaign to date. Thanks to the generosity of these individuals, including the anonymous donor who offered up a $100,000 challenge gift and additional campaign leaders Dave Pelizzon of Squadron Capital, Mark and Barb Wetzel, Dave Schupp, and Al and Helen Wilke, the GLT has raised $221,563 to date.
The GLT is raising these funds to help underwrite its $500,000 investment, made this past fall, to acquire a conservation easement on 277 acres of the historic, scenic, and environmentally significant Holcomb Farm—a working farm that grows clean food for thousands of people, including people in need.
This town-owned property includes the Holcomb Tree Trail as well as a network of woodland trails—all of which are maintained by the Friends of Holcomb Farm. The GLT will now ensure this land is protected from development—forever.
We thank all donors for their commitment to preserving Granby’s natural heritage and investing in one of our town’s truly special places. We invite you to join them in supporting the preservation of this land. Go to granbylandtrust.org and click on the red button on our homepage. Thank you in advance for supporting this important effort.
GLT offers weekday bird walks May 16 and 17
While the GLT’s annual Mother’s Day Weekend Spring Migration Bird Walks led by expert birders John Weeks and Christine Chinni sold out in record time, Weeks has agreed to run two additional 7 a.m. walks—on Tuesday, May 16 and Wednesday, May 17. The walks will take place on the GLT’s Dismal Brook Wildlife Preserve, 253 Loomis Street in North Granby and will start promptly at 7 a.m.
You’ll see a variety of birds at this time of year as they return from a winter away. You don’t have to be a birder to enjoy this quiet morning in the woods. Participants should bring binoculars. Children old enough to handle binoculars are welcome to participate. Please leave your dogs at home.
If we have rain or showers either morning, please check the GLT website (GranbyLandTrust.org) or the GLT Facebook or Instagram page for an update as significant showers will cancel the walks.
To register, email John Weeks at aerie.john@cox.net or call 860-844-8965.
Birding 101: The Hooded Merganser
Hooded mergansers are pretty easy to identify, with fan-shaped, collapsible crests that make their heads look rather large for their bodies. The male hooded merganser pictured here has a black head with a large white patch, which can vary in size, and which they tend to flaunt when courting a female. These ducks fly with shallow, very rapid wingbeats. Merle Yoder got to see this one take flight from Creamer Pond on the GLT’s Dismal Brook Wildlife Preserve.
GLT installs bluebird boxes
The Granby Land Trust installed bluebird boxes on several of its properties this spring, and we are monitoring their activity. It didn’t take long for this beautiful Eastern bluebird to find this one, on the Mary Edwards Mountain Property. Many thanks to Granby Land Trust vice president Dave Emery who built and installed these boxes and to new GLT member and former vice president of the North Carolina Bluebird Society Martha Kane for overseeing and monitoring the boxes.
Here comes the sun!
Join the Granby Land Trust for a sunrise hike on Saturday, June 3, Connecticut Trails Day. See the sun rise from the Scarlet Tanager Lookout on the GLT’s Schlicht Family Preserve. We will depart from the GLT Katan-Ensor Preserve parking lot at the end of Strong Road at 4:30 a.m. sharp and proceed across the Katan-Ensor Preserve to the Schlicht Family Preserve where there is a wonderful view to the east. After watching the sun rise we will take a short walk by the Messenger Family Homestead, which dates to the 1750s, and then on to the pristine Mountain Brook falls located on the GLT’s Garmany Preserve. Bring a headlamp so you can navigate in the dark. The total hike will be about two miles long and includes a somewhat steep climb to the lookout. No dogs, please. Register with Rick Orluk at rickorluk@gmail.com so we can communicate if weather causes us to postpone. The Katan-Ensor Preserve trailhead and parking lot is located at the very end of Strong Road in West Granby.
