Holcomb Hoedown Success!
The first Holcomb Hoedown attracted upwards of 400 people of all ages to Granby’s Holcomb Farm. Held on a beautiful late August day, the hoedown had something for everyone: professionally led line dancing lessons in the North Barn Pavilion; cowboy-mounted shooting by the Granby Horse Council in the South Horse Ring; a Kid Zone with crafts, face painting, popcorn and an entertaining puppet show by puppeteers from the Hispanic Health Council; a corn crib and hay maze and other fun and games; food trucks and more.
There were two main goals for this free event, open to all. First, to introduce more people to Holcomb Farm, a 312-acre property owned by the town, and to Friends of Holcomb Farm, the nonprofit, membership-based organization which farms the fields and stewards the open space. Second, and equally important, was to raise funds to support the Fresh Access program, through which the Friends provide roughly 25 percent of the food grown at the farm to people who might not otherwise have access, through community partners. Thanks to so many people who came out and donated and to the businesses who sponsored the event. Both goals were achieved and then some. (Be sure to see the “Thank you to our sponsors” ad in this issue.)
We accomplished something else, too: we had fun! Board members and volunteers (including local students and the GMHS boys soccer team) worked tirelessly to pull this together, and when the day came, the sun shone, and y’all showed up, it was all worthwhile. We are already beginning to plan for the Second Annual Holcomb Hoedown next summer. If you attended and have any feedback to offer or would like to help out at next year’s Hoedown, let us know at info@holcombfarm.org
Another Open Farm Day celebration
We thank the Granby Agricultural Commission for once again organizing Open Farm Day that brought people from Granby and beyond out to Granby’s many farms. At Holcomb Farm, we welcomed our good friend Chef Chris Prosperi of Metro Bis for one of his signature cooking demonstrations using fresh Holcomb Farm produce. Later, visitors enjoyed a tour led by Farmer Joe of the farm’s fields and greenhouses. And throughout the day, people visited the store and experienced the beauty of this land that has been farmed since the mid-1700s.
Summer is winding down
While mid-September is proving unusually warm, the days are shortening quickly and the leaves are turning. Summer CSA pick-ups and Fresh Access distributions will continue, and the Farm Store will be open to all throughout October. We hope to be able to offer winter CSA again this year. (More on that next month.) In the meantime, stewardship volunteers continue to mow the trails and fields, fight invasives on the Tree Trail and clear woodland trails throughout the 10 miles of hiking trails. All are encouraged to find a cool autumn afternoon to take an easy stroll or a rigorous hike and be grateful for all that New England has to offer this season.
Last big event of the year: Harvest Dinner and Live Auction
The Friends are excited to be hosting a Harvest Dinner and (new this year) live auction to benefit Fresh Access on Saturday, Oct. 19. The venue will be the home of one of our Fresh Access community partners: the Healing Meals Community Project on Nod Road in Simsbury. The live auction will feature a diverse selection of donated items—from weekends in Manhattan and Vermont to an exclusive dinner for six at Metro Bis—with Farmer Joe and Chef Prosperi hosting, opening night tickets to The Lion King at the Bushnell, and many more. If the tickets are not already sold out, you can get yours at holcombfarm.org
It is going to be a special evening, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to support Fresh Access. Of course, if you can’t join us (or the dinner is sold out), we are always grateful for donations. Just hit the “donate” button on the website and make a note to direct your donation to Fresh Access. We welcome all who are able to help us continue to provide 30,000+ pounds of fresh local produce to fight food insecurity and improve healthy lifestyles.
Purchase a Laura Eden print to benefit Fresh Access
On sale now in our Farm Store: exclusive, matted giclee prints of Laura Eden’s award-winning painting, Holcomb Beauty, depicting members of the Holcomb Farm crew tending to the crops in the fields. This is your chance to own a piece of Laura Eden art!
An accomplished artist and Granby resident, Eden says of her work “My paintings are meant to trigger daydreams. They are a response to quiet moments spent in nature’s grasp. Recalling a familiar feeling of place, they at the same time show the viewer a more intimate, exaggerated perspective. Through my work I try to evoke a refreshing response to the commonplace.”
Matted prints are on sale for $65 and $140, and Eden will donate 40 percent of every sale to the Friends of Holcomb Farm’s Fresh Access program. These prints are only being made available via the Friends of Holcomb Farm, so make sure you get to the Farm Store (111 Simsbury Road) to purchase yours before they sell out. The Friends of Holcomb Farm thank Laura Eden for her generosity.