Something significant is taking root at Holcomb Farm—and an open invitation to the entire community.
Squadron Capital, a Granby-based investment firm dedicated to long-term growth, has stepped up to support a landmark moment for our town. Recognizing that the Friends of Holcomb Farm have a rare opportunity to make a high impact investment in the future of local agriculture, Squadron Capital has donated $100,000 to Holcomb Farm’s Building for Our Future Campaign.
But this isn’t just a donation—it’s a call to action. Squadron Capital is inviting the people of Granby to match its generosity. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in local agriculture and preserve one of Granby’s most cherished resources.
For more than 30 years, the Friends of Holcomb Farm has stewarded land farmed since the 1700s—growing food, preserving open space, and building one of the region’s most respected community-based farming operations. Today, the farm serves hundreds of CSA members, operates a seasonal farm store and distributes thousands of pounds of fresh produce each year to neighbors in need through its Fresh Access program.
If you’ve ever picked up vegetables at the farm store, walked the trails or brought your kids to explore the property, you’ve experienced what Holcomb Farm means to this town. It’s not just farmland—it’s where people connect to food, to the land and to each other.
The farm has outgrown its infrastructure. Much of its public-facing work operates out of an unheated, former tobacco barn—limiting the farm store to just a few months each year and forcing staff to wash and pack produce outdoors, even in cold weather.
The Building for Our Future campaign aims to change that. At the heart of the plan is the transformation of the former West Granby United Methodist Church building, located beside the farm’s fields, into a year-round hub for agriculture and community life. The reimagined space will include a four-season farm store offering local produce, dairy, meats and artisan goods; an indoor post-harvest facility for washing, packing and cold storage; and dedicated space for volunteer and community gatherings.
A permanent farm store will give residents consistent access to fresh, local food in every season while also opening new markets for neighboring farms and producers. The facilities will support and expand the capacity to provide healthy food to families and seniors facing food insecurity.
This is a project that represents something larger: the preservation and reuse of a meaningful community building, reunited to the farm and repurposed for public good.
That’s what makes Squadron Capital’s $100,000 challenge so pivotal. The gift doesn’t just move the project forward—it supports a transformational initiative and it invites others to take part.
“We are deeply grateful to Squadron Capital for its generous support,” says Friends of Holcomb Farm President Dave Emery. “Their investment directly enhances our capacity to provide local, nutrient-dense food to our community year-round.”
“We’re proud to invest in Holcomb Farm and what it represents,” says Aina Hoskins, executive officer of Squadron Capital. “This is about demonstrating our commitment to the community and encouraging others to do the same. We hope people will join us in making something lasting for Granby.”
Squadron Capital also is a major funder of Fresh Access, through which the Friends of Holcomb Farm provide an estimated 35,000 pounds of locally-grown food annually to families in need. The Friends of Holcomb Farm are deeply grateful to Squadron Capital for its support.
To support Building for Our Future, and help match Squadron Capital’s donation, make checks payable to Friends of Holcomb Farm and mail to The Farm at 113 Simsbury Road, West Granby, CT 06090. Or visit the website for online contributions.