Tree Trail growing, and open to all

The Friends of Holcomb Farm Stewardship committee and volunteers have been maintaining trails and planting trees as our Tree Trail, launched in 2019, really begins to take shape. In addition to planting new trees, they have been freeing older trees, like apple trees, that were almost lost to overgrowth and invasives.

Victory Farming in Granby

This spring, the greenhouses full of seedlings and the freshly turned soil of the Salmon Brook flood plains at Holcomb Farm are providing a sense of normalcy in these unsettled times. Just as people turned to growing their own victory gardens in times of war, our community is counting on Granby’s own farm, under the stewardship of the Friends of Holcomb Farm—along with the whole local farming community—to fill tables with fresh produce.

Gorgeous garlic

The Garlic Farm’s crops flourish on the Granby Land Trust’s new Wilcox Family Preserve on Simsbury Road in West Granby. The Garlic Farm, located at 76 Simsbury Road, opens for the season on July 10.

Summer action and resources

This column has profiled an Invasive Plant of the Month since last October, providing season-specific information about seven damaging invasive plants that proliferate in town. This month covers summer strategies for gaining control over invasive plants and describes some key resources.

Alternatives to Invasive Plants

Since October 2019 the Not Wanted Drummer column has profiled seven damaging invasive plants in Granby, describing how to identify and control them over time. Now it’s the peak of the planting season, and this month’s column lists Wanted plants—good alternatives to invasives.

Cottage Pie

I was contemplating what to make for dinner a couple weeks ago and wanted to make something easy and new. I remembered my mom making a Shepherd’s Pie when I was young.