Granby Drummer (https://granbydrummer.com/category/grow/friends-of-holcomb-farm/page/8/)
Tons of volunteer time from board members Donna Snyder, Rocky Piccirillo and others, as well as some consulting support funded through a State grant, have helped the Friends of Holcomb Farm complete a Five-Year Business Plan for our farming operations at Holcomb Farm.
Being the partner of farmer Joe O’Grady, Emma Hoyt is well aware of the goings on around Holcomb Farm. Last year, in fact, the Drummer published a story about her mobile chicken coop and its productive occupants who are now laying lots of eggs and eating lots of insect pests in the growing fields.
Now entering its third year of development, the Holcomb Farm Tree Trail is really taking shape. The entrance, off Day St. South near its intersection with Simsbury Road, will soon host an information kiosk, and more interpretive signs and maps are planned.
The Friends want to acknowledge the recent passing of our friend and neighbor, Charlie Warren. Charlie and his wife were known for many things; for us, they were Santa and Mrs. Claus around the large Christmas Tree in front of the Farm, for years.
Get a start on your garden and find a great gift for Mom. Farmer Joe O’Grady is promising a three-day event this year, timed to be sure you have no excuse to come up empty-handed for Mothers’ Day.
Six years ago, the Friends of Holcomb Farm (FOHF) Fresh Access program that provides produce grown at the farm to people in need, set a goal to increase its impact. We focused on serving Granby, first—through the Senior Center, Social Services, and the Waste Not Want Not Community Kitchen.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult for so many, and the Friends of Holcomb Farm sends its heartfelt hope for comfort for all with loss. We also know from the snowshoe and ski trails throughout Holcomb Farm that many have found some consolation in their (re)discovery of all that Granby has to offer in open spaces, woodland trails and scenic views.
Welcome to 2021. Things may seem very quiet at Holcomb Farm this time of year, but in fact the Friends of Holcomb Farm are busy welcoming almost 100 new members through our year-end fundraising appeals and building an army of Tree Trail Stewards to assure that the investments we are making in the fields and forests are accessible to the whole community.
Jack Lareau first encountered Holcomb Farm in the 1970s when he cross-country skied from Case Street through Enders and McLean’s to the Farm. That was back in the days before he knew much about the Farm and its educational programs and farming operation.
Friends of Holcomb Farm volunteers have been busy all year expanding the Holcomb Tree Trail and enhancing the miles of trails throughout our woodlands; and the community has noticed.