Spring is in full bloom at Holcomb Farm, and that means so much is happening that it can be hard to keep up! We do our best to share the highlights each month, and we encourage you to go to holcombfarm.org and scroll to the bottom of our homepage, where you can sign up to receive emails from the Friends. That way you won’t miss any fun!
Annual Meeting is May 18
On May 18, The Friends will hold its Annual Meeting at the North Barn Pavilion and share with members the details of what will be presented to the BOS the following day. (A “member” of the Friends is any person or family who purchases a CSA share, and/or donates $35 or more to the nonprofit organization annually.) All members will receive invitations to the May 18 meeting and are asked to RSVP. If you aren’t already a member of the Friends, you can join anytime at holcombfarm.org (click on “Donate”).
Speaking of the Farm Crew
We are excited to welcome back three professional farmers from Jamaica who—together with our local farm crew—allowed us to grow, sell and donate more than $500,000 worth of produce in 2024. If you haven’t made their acquaintance, make it a priority to do so sometime this summer. Here is a bit about each of them.
Kim Gayle, the senior member of the crew, is from St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. This will be Gayle’s sixth season with Holcomb Farm. He spent the winter with his family, and rebuilding after Hurricane Beryl, as his region in Jamaica was hit very hard by the hurricane. Gayle’s favorite part about Holcomb is the crew: “I love the crew that we have. We all mesh very well together.” Gayle is a jack-of-all-trades and enjoys crossing things off the to-do list that managing Farmer Joe gives him each season.
Mckean Thomas is starting his third season on the farm. He is from St. Ann, Jamaica. He spent the winter renovating his house, being with family and friends, and growing ginger. Thomas also cites the crew as his favorite part of working each season at Holcomb Farm. He loves the variety and quality of produce grown at Holcomb, especially the melons.
Danovan Robinson is joining us for his second season on the farm. He is from West Morland, Jamaica. Robinson spent the winter repairing his house and farm, after the damage caused by Hurricane Beryl, and enjoying time with family. Robinson has a farm in Jamaica, where he grows pineapple, bananas, sugar cane and much more. He loves everything about Holcomb Farm but enjoys planting most of all because he looks forward to the first harvest. As he says, “The effort you put into the plants is what you get out of them.”
Welcome back to your second home, guys!
Welcoming back the bluebirds
Last year, under the tutelage of Granby Land Trust volunteer and bluebird expert Martha Kane, a bluebird nesting project began on the Holcomb Tree Trail. Kane oversaw the construction and installation of three boxes which, along with an older fourth box, were monitored throughout the summer. Here is an excerpt from Kane’s comprehensive report from 2024:
All three of the new boxes were used by bluebirds and/or tree swallows. One pair of bluebirds used Box 1 for two broods. A second pair of bluebirds used Box 3 for two broods, and Box 2 for a third brood. A third pair of bluebirds raised one brood in the old box (Box 4) near Debbie and Mike’s house. In total, we observed three different pairs of bluebirds. One pair of tree swallows nested in Box 2. Tree swallows showed interest in Box 1 but the bluebirds had already occupied that box. We would most likely have had more tree swallows nesting if we had more boxes. The bluebirds nest earlier than the tree swallows; thus, the tree swallows had to take whatever box was left; in this case it was Box 2.
In late March this year, five additional boxes were installed, and “nest box monitors” assigned. We are excited to watch this program grow, and we hope that visitors to the Tree Trail will have the chance to spot the flickers of blue as these industrious birds work to build their nests and raise their broods. Please join the friends in thanking nest monitoring volunteers Austin White, Debbie Gantt and Mike Gantt, and of course Martha Kane, for their time and talents.
Possible Repurposing of the West Granby Methodist Church Property
The Friends continue to develop a plan for use of the former United Methodist Church property, now owned by the town. We will present this plan to the Granby Board of Selectmen on May 19. As previously discussed here in the Drummer (Feb. 2025 issue), the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, which assumed ownership once the church closed, gave the property to the town for the purpose of repatriating the land to the Holcomb Farm, from whence it came. The use of the land and barn was always clear, as they were readily incorporated into the farming programs of the Friends. The question has been whether it is financially and operationally feasible to incorporate the church building into the Friends’ operations. A full update was sent to the members of the Friends last month, including a link to a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document. That document also is available to the public on our website, under “News.”
The possibilities offered by the building are exciting. They include significantly increasing the availability of Holcomb Farm fresh produce throughout the winter, which has been challenging given the absence of indoor operating space; expanding from a small seasonal retail farm store to a year-round outlet for selling local goods; significantly improving working conditions for the crew with an indoor break room and lockers; building a commercial kitchen for producing value-added farm products; and more. We’re excited about what the future could hold—not just for Holcomb Farm, but for the broader community as well.
Upcoming Events at Holcomb Farm
Mark your calendar for these exciting events, taking place at Granby’s own Holcomb Farm. Except where noted, all events are open to the public and the location for all events is our CSA Barn. Go to holcombfarm.org/events for more information and to register for workshops.
Annual Plant Sales
May 9 & 10, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
May 16 & 17, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
May 23 & 24, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
We will have every seedling you need to grow an abundant garden this year. Shop for herbs, beneficial flowers, tomatoes, greens, and much more. Remember Mother’s Day is May 11.
Build Your Own Terrarium Workshop
May 10, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., $25/person
Join Allie from Moss Life in building your own terrarium. This workshop is kid-friendly.
Grow Your Own Shiitakes Workshop
May 17 and May 24, 12–1:30 p.m. $40/person
Learn how to inoculate and grow your own mushroom log with Andy from RMS Growers. Proceeds benefit Fresh Access.
Friends Of Holcomb Farm Volunteer Brunch
May 18, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. (preceding the Friends of Holcomb Farm Annual Meeting) Holcomb Farm North Barn
If you’re a Friends of Holcomb Farm volunteer, watch for an invitation to our Volunteer Brunch and a chance for us to let you know how much we appreciate all you do for the farm! (This event is invitation only.)
Friends Of Holcomb Farm Annual Meeting
May 18, 1 p.m. Holcomb Farm North Barn
Friends of Holcomb Farm members are encouraged to attend our annual meeting and learn about exciting developments at the farm, including a full report on the church building repurposing project. (This event is for members only. Interested in joining? Go to holcombfarm.org and click on the “Donate” button.)
CT Trails Day Hike
June 7, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. (Rain date June 8) Holcomb Tree Trail
Join us for a family-friendly hike on the Holcomb Tree Trail and woodland trails. This easy hike is on rolling terrain with views and interesting natural history. Dogs on leash are welcome.
CSA and Farm Store Opening Day
June 11, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
First week of the summer CSA! Come by Wednesday through Saturday,10 a.m.–6 p.m. to pick up your share or shop in the farm store. We’ll be fully stocked with local favorites and new items.
Holcomb Hoedown
Save the date: Sept. 7
More than 400 people joined us on the farm last year for the Holcomb Hoedown. Mark your calendars for this year’s family-friendly day on the farm and stay tuned for more details.
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