The fifth and final in the series of introducing the five new members of the Friends of Holcomb Farm Board of Directors.
Originally from New London, Tom Filburn moved to Granby in 1990 from State College, Pa., where he worked for the Applied Research Lab at Penn State University. Filburn read about Holcomb Farm shortly after moving here and became acquainted with Dave Emery at a shared youth soccer field, where they both coached. Filburn also assisted Emery for five years with the high school varsity team. Of course it wasn’t long before Filburn met up with Jenny Emery, and after becoming acquainted with her, Filburn was caught up in her passion for the non-profit enterprise that is Holcomb Farm and he said “yes” when she asked him to join the board.
Emery was undoubtedly impressed with Filburn’s degrees in mechanical and chemical engineering and his career in engineering education. Although semi-retired, Filburn will be teaching nuclear engineering and thermal design at the University of Hartford this fall. He has a good understanding of energy and HVAC systems. He believes “that his expertise is useful as we convert the former Methodist Church building into the farm store and vegetable processing facility.”
Filburn notes that he and his wife have found Granby a wonderful community to raise their five sons. They are happy that their seven (soon to be eight) grandchildren are all within a 15–minute drive. Perhaps they will all grow up to enjoy not just the Farm’s produce, but also the extensive hiking trails on the property and, of course, they will be proud of the part their grandpa played in establishing the new look for the Farm.