Granby Drummer (https://granbydrummer.com/author/shirley-murtha/page/2/)
Members of the Holcomb Farm Tree Trail team cast an invitation to anyone interested in becoming a volunteer or in expanding their already existing volunteer role on the trail to meet at the Farm’s workshop on March 14. Several folks arrived that morning to learn about the tree trail and what part they might play in maintaining it.
Holcomb Farm’s Joe O’Grady opened his talk at the Granby Public Library on Feb. 24 with this remark, “Sustainability is all about the soil.” He proceeded to back up his comment with facts garnered during his 20 years of studying this basic component of the farming process.
It’s getting to that time of year when the northern mockingbirds return to Granby, though some hardy individuals stay here year-round. Of course, you may not recognize them by their song since they have more than 200 of those, not to mention the 30 other bird songs they can mimic. This is the talent that gives them their common name. In addition to other birds, these clever avians can imitate crickets, barking dogs, squeaky hinges and many other things.
In 2018 it had been 25 years since the Town of Granby updated its police/fire/ambulance communication system. The dispatch console was 24 years old; the radio equipment was 20-30 years old. Parts were no longer available, so repair was not possible. The two-tower radio system installed in 2000 barely covered 50 percent of the town.
Having had childhood jobs cleaning up after the cows and bringing in their hay on the award-winning Davis farm on North Granby Road, and weeding and harvesting vegetables at Hidden Acres on East Street, it is no surprise that when grown up and looking for places to volunteer, Mark Kennedy ended up at Holcomb Farm.
In its 90th year of operation, Beman Hardware was honored by the Granby Board of Selectmen at its Nov. 17 meeting. A proclamation was read and delivered to Joan Beman Russell, Dianne Beman Myers and the new owner of the store, Vinnie Pagano. Also present were staff members Charles and Patricia George.
On Dec. 15, First Selectman Mark Fiorentino presented retiring board of selectmen member Kelly Rome with a plaque honoring her many years of continuous service to the Town of Granby.
The second in the series of introducing the five new members of the Friends of Holcomb Farm Board of Directors.
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was signed into law in March 2021. It allocated almost $2 trillion for Covid relief and economic recovery. Granby’s share of this money was $3,405,503, which had to be officially allocated for specific projects by the end of 2024, and be spent by Dec. 31, 2026.
Oct. 26 was a sunny warm day—perfect for the Granby Land Trust’s Dave Emery to take a group of 20 hikers on a walk that highlighted the beaver deceiver installed at the Dismal Brook Wildlife Sanctuary. A very industrious group of beavers had constructed a dam under the footbridge, effectively raising the water level on one side of the Dismal Brook and lowering it on the other side of the bridge.