Recent Stories

Memorial Days

Every Memorial Day for the past 14 years my husband and I have risen at dawn and made our way to  the Over the Mountain Burial Ground in West Suffield (OTM) to watch the Marquis of Granby. We first entered the hallowed grounds 15 summers ago to consider final resting spots for our daughter and Marquis member, Jacky, and ever since the Marquis has kept vigil with us.

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.

Bear season in Granby

June is bear season in Granby.

According to Connor Hogan, director of the McLean Game Refuge, there are currently at least three sows with cubs in the eastern portion of the Game Refuge and likely at least one more mother bear with cubs in the west.

June and the color yellow

There is a day in June celebrating yellow, appropriately named Yellow Day. In the psychology of color, yellow is linked to joy, and “the happiest day of the year” was started by psychologist Cliff Arnall to balance Blue Monday, the saddest day of the year, which occurs on the third Monday of January.

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.

Much needed radio system update nears completion

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.

The Spak Pak claims its own space

Each year, Terry Spak hosts friends and family at the Puzzle Slam. This year, she offered to move her group of 64 puzzlers to the cafeteria so that additional teams could compete in the gym.

Granby Doctors Part 2: medicine in the 18th and 19th centuries

Last month I wrote about Granby’s more recent doctors, William Dwyer to Alfred Weed. They were modern doctors who had learned the principles of germ theory. They understood that microscopic organisms such as bacteria, viruses and fungi cause disease. However, that knowledge was relatively new. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, doctors saw medicine differently.

Plan a staycation!

A blogger from Litchfield County, Karen Valenti, recently posted about 11 things to do on a day trip to Granby. It is such an interesting list that we are sharing it here.

GMHS students present new logo at BOE meeting

A group of motivated high school students presented to the Granby Board of Education at their February 4 meeting, delivering an impressive presentation of Granby Memorial High School’s athletic logo. Their professionalism, creativity and pride in their school community were on full display as they shared the new design and the thoughtful process behind it.

Mark Kennedy joins FOHF board

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.

CSA sales now open for 2026

Imagine picking up a weekly share of just-harvested vegetables, grown right here in West Granby and bursting with flavor—all summer long and into the fall.
Holcomb Farm’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and Pick-Your-Own (PYO) programs connect you directly to the land and the farmers who tend it—providing seasonal produce and supporting sustainable agriculture while strengthening local food access.