Granby Drummer (https://granbydrummer.com/author/shirley-murtha/page/11/)
Anyone who knows Granby resident Nancy Butler as a multi-talented artisan and goat whisperer would probably be amazed to know that, although having an artistic bent from childhood, her college degree was in geology with a minor in civil and environmental engineering and that her first career was as a paralegal!
The traditional purpose of the Granby Agricultural Commission’s Open Farm Day is to showcase the variety of farms that are found in our town, highlight their products and/or services and perhaps garner some income from sales. While one might be tempted to think that John O’Brien would approach the day with a thought to selling lots of hosta, that is not the case at all.
For years, Rick Orluk and Trish Percival maintained the vegetation on the little island at the intersection of Higley and Silkey Roads. Their vigilance kept it from being paved over, but the plants growing there were planted long before their time and included the invasive Japanese barberry and non-native forsythia.
A few years ago, Granby’s own Michelle Niedermeyer, owner along with Kevin Riggott of Lost Acres Vineyard, was instrumental in the formation of a Connecticut Wine Country Passport Program in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture and the Winery Council.
The original Intra-Board Advisory Committee (IBAC) was established to study matters of common interest and promote efficiency between the Boards of Selectmen and Education. A modified IBAC was established in January 2022 to specifically study topics of importance for the town as determined by the First Selectman, the first of which has been the use of the federal Covid-19 funds.
Even as a child, Shannon Wilson knew she wanted to work with animals. As she passed through her school years, she discovered a passion for science. Veterinary medicine was an easy choice—a career in which she could pursue both.
The recent deaths of Eileen and Michael Guarco on March 14 and April 10, respectively, has left a large void for the remaining generations of a family instrumental in Granby’s business community since 1915.
John Weeks, our local bird watcher extraordinaire, is also an inveterate scholar and master of languages.
A couple of months ago, Farmer O’Grady talked about all the work that has to be done in the winter months on a big farm such as Holcomb Farm in West Granby. These photos capture the Farm on a single day, Feb. 21, which happened to be a 50+ degree day, so the crew could work without the usual layers of cold weather protection typical for mid-winter.
When deciding where to sign on to a practice, Dr. Marjorie (MJ) Bruce chose the Salmon Brook Veterinary Hospital in 2019 because of its reputation of having top-of-the-line diagnostic equipment and treatments that are hard to find at smaller-sized local veterinaries. She was impressed with the fact that the large animal team has the benefit of a full laboratory, knowledgeable receptionists and dedicated technicians.