Collaboration and community
These events are the lifeblood of Granby’s nonprofit Friends of Holcomb Farm. This month, we will highlight a few examples.
Granby Open Farm Day and Holcomb Hoedown
The first weekend in September will be full of activity and excitement at Holcomb Farm. Join us on Saturday, Sept. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for Granby Open Farm Day; and then come back kick up your heels on Sunday, Sept. 7, from 2 to 6 p.m. for our Holcomb Hoedown (see the insert in this month’s Granby Drummer for details). We can’t wait to see y’all there!
Fresh Access partners and heroes meet
Our Fresh Access program starts with the seeds planted each spring in our West Granby fields and ends in the hands of local and regional neighbors with limited access to affordable, healthy food. In between, the magic happens: members of our farm crew tend to the crops with care until they’re ready to harvest, then drive vans full of fresh produce to each of our partners—organizations that serve people in a variety of ways. These include the Granby Senior Center distributing the fresh produce to its members, the Hispanic Health Council building nutrition education around the food, the Waste Not Want Not Community Kitchen using it to cook up community meals every Wednesday, and Healing Meals building it into their special meals for immunocompromised people. These Partners, along with Granby’s Open Cupboard Pantry, Wheeler Health, Granby Social Services and Simsbury Food Pantry, all gathered in the CSA barn on a rainy morning at the end of July to connect with the source of the food, and to share their stories.
This year, the partners were joined by our Fresh Access heroes. To date, Fresh Access has been funded through grants (including the Granby Community Fund for Granby-based partners), partner contributions and annual fundraising. In response to ever-growing need, we have created a Fresh Access Heroes Fund. Launched with a challenge grant of $25,000 per year for the three years, others have joined in, and the Heroes Fund now stands at $90,000 annually. This assures we can continue to provide tens of thousands of pounds of produce to our partners each year, and look to grow the program, as needed, over time. To be a hero, we ask for a commitment to donate at least $1,000 per year for three years; other donations are always accepted and appreciated. If you are interested in becoming a hero, contact Jenny Emery at jenny@holcombfarm.org
Vizionara contributes talents to strengthen the Friends
One of our guests at the 2024 Harvest Dinner (a fundraising auction for Fresh Access) was Barbara DeLoureiro of Canton who was intrigued by what she learned about the work of the Friends of Holcomb Farm. DeLoureiro leads a team of technology consultants who help clients bridge gaps in their business technology systems. She and her team, Vizionara, are committed to supporting local nonprofits. When Vizionara approached the Friends with the offer of pro-bono assistance, the timing could not have been better. The Friends needed modern solutions for improved “customer relationship management” (CRM) systems, to improve communications and member support.
Over the course of three months, a curated team of Vizionara consultants learned as much as they could about the Friends and our current workflows, contributing many hours and providing answers to questions we hadn’t even thought of yet. Through the consultation, the Friends selected a tool to improve both internal efficiency and member/donor experience, with the promise of becoming ever more responsive to the community. We are excited to implement the technology tools to better serve the Friends’ mission; and we are so grateful to Barbara DeLoureiro for stepping in to help, and to the entire Vizionara team for their expertise and guidance.
Meet the Farm Crew!
Hanna Malzenski, a member of the crew, took some great photos and prepared crew notes on her fellow farmers. Starting this month, we will share them with you.
Joe is the Farm Manager and mastermind behind it All!
Years at Holcomb Farm: 11. From Long Island, N.Y. Favorite Holcomb crop: beets. When Joe isn’t farming, he is reading, cooking or spending time with the family. Field gear Joe can’t live without: steel-toe boots. Beverages that sustain Joe in the summer: Reishi/Chaga/Honey/Lemon drink, Orange Mango Juice from the farm store, strong morning coffee and, as of this year, electrolyte salts. Dream Jeopardy Category: Lithuania
Tom is the Assistant Farm Manager and Farm Crew Lead.
Years at Holcomb Farm: nine. From Granby. Favorite Holcomb crops: snap peas and fall carrots. When Tom isn’t farming, he is reading, cooking for friends, watching sports, playing with a soccer ball, caring for his potted fig trees, or watching a movie. Field gear Tom can’t live without: sun hoodie, ankle high rain boots and a sharp harvest knife. Beverages that sustain Tom in the summer: morning cup of black tea, plenty of water and an afternoon electrolyte mix. Dream Jeopardy Category: Sports or Lord of the Rings.
Emma is the Wholesale Manager and Farm Crew member.
Years at Holcomb Farm: 11. From New Jersey. Favorite Holcomb crop: eggplant. When Emma isn’t farming, she is parenting, reading, pickling, gardening. Field gear Emma can’t live without: dovetail pants and her wide-brim hat. Beverages that sustain Emma in the summer: water with electrolytes and coconut water. Dream Jeopardy Category: Insects.
Upcoming Events
Saturday, Sept. 6, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Granby Open Farm Day at Holcomb Farm CSA Barn, 111 Simsbury Road, West Granby.
Sunday, Sept. 7, 2–6 p.m. Holcomb Hoedown at Holcomb Farm North Barn, 113 Simsbury Road, West Granby.
Thursday, Oct. 23, 6–9 p.m. Mark your calendar for Harvest Dinner at Holcomb Farm North Barn, 113 Simsbury Road, West Granby.