Ice cream trucks and icebox cakes

Summers in the 1950s included gleaming white Good Humor trucks whose jingling bells announced that frozen treats had arrived. I’d beg my parents for change and dash to the curb for a creamsicle or toasted almond bar.

Hunting for hungry, hungry hatchlings

In late spring and early summer, many birds take up hunting. This is true even for birds that primarily survive on diets of nuts, berries and seeds throughout the fall and winter. Common birdfeeder species, such as northern cardinal, tufted titmouse and black-capped chickadee, shift from foraging for fruit and seeds to hunting insects, spiders, beetles and caterpillars.
So, what accounts for these seasonal shifts in diet and behavior?

June is the start of picnic season

I always enjoy sharing tried-and-true favorites from my recipe box, and this one has become a longtime favorite for good reason. I first brought this salad to a friend’s Labor Day picnic years ago, and after several people immediately asked for the recipe, I knew it was a keeper!

A gardening adventure awaits

Near the center of town, community gardeners work the soil in the tradition of Granby’s agricultural past. On Hungary Road, in Ahrens Park, kids enthusiastically play ball near the south entrance while gardeners use the next entrance for the Granby Community Gardens. Just as enthusiastically they plant, water and care for their little bit of nature.

Gardening for the plants

“Companion planting” is a good way to think about relationships in the kitchen garden. This is a method of gardening where plants are situated alongside one another for mutual benefit: tomatoes and basil, marigolds and squash, cabbage and thyme, cucumbers and radishes for a few. Each relationship offers something different, whether it’s pest control or shading the soil, attracting pollinators or improving soil fertility.

Kestrel nesting box added to the Tree Trail

If you’re not familiar with the Holcomb Farm Tree Trail located on the hill across from the entrance to the North Barn event facility, this would be a good time to check out its newest addition. It’s not a new tree—it’s a kestrel nest box placed 12 feet in the air, on the right a short way up the entrance trail.