Recent Stories

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.

Tree Swallow

Jay Harder’s photo of a tree swallow is one of several by Granby Land Trust members during Spring Migration Walks in Dismal Brook Wildlife Preserve.

Davis painting to hang at country club

On April 23, Susan Regan of the Sylvia Davis Art Foundation presented an oil painting to Dick Zanini, director of history at the Wethersfield Country Club. The painting was completed by Sylvia Davis Patricelli in 1961 and reflects the practice tee at the 1961 ICO championship at the club.

Silver Street Glass at Wadsworth Atheneum

Annukka Ritalahti and Mark Gottlieb were pleased to be invited to the Wadsworth Atheneum’s 42nd Fine Art and Flowers exhibit April 25–27. It was the pair’s second invitation to be part of the display of arts and crafts, paintings and sculptures throughout the museum. Live entertainment, including music, was part of the festivities.

Social Services — June 2025

The focus of the Social Services Department is to coordinate existing federal, state, regional and local services, to increase community awareness of these services and to develop new programs to meet the needs of Granby residents.

News and Notes as of April 22, 2025

As I write this column, it’s the morning after Granby voters approved the FY26 budget.
A direct budget vote on the operation of our town is democracy in action and an important act in the self-governance of our community. Of the more than 8,500 registered voters in Granby, 1,126 exercised their voting privilege.

Opportunity Knocks!

The Granby Drummer seeks Part Time Managing Editor
For more information, please contact editor@granbydrummer.org

FY26 Budget Passes

The town’s FY26 Budget Referendum was held on Monday, April 21 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Granby Town Hall.
The 2025-26 Budget PASSED by a vote of 686 to 440.

What’s that in the bush?

Did you hear something rummaging in the undergrowth, but you couldn’t see who was making all the noise? It could be an Eastern towhee, like this one that Merle Yoder photographed on the Granby Land Trust’s Katan-Ensor Preserve.

Connecticut needs a moratorium on BESS site development

Recently, I was invited by our state representative Mark Anderson to testify before the Connecticut combined House and Senate Energy and Technology committee. The objective was for me to provide technical information on utility-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems, BESS.

Granby to participate in Neighborhood Assistance Act Program

The Connecticut Department of Revenue Services (DRS) has announced the 2025 Connecticut Neighborhood Assistance Act Program Proposal. This program provides tax credits to non-profit 501(c)(3) businesses that make cash investments in qualifying community nonprofit programs.

Granby Food Bank

We currently need: jarred spaghetti sauce, chicken and beef broths, manwich, baked beans, assorted crackers/cookies, brownie/cake mixes, dishwashing soap, and facial tissues

Social Services

The focus of the Social Services Department is to coordinate existing federal, state, regional and local services, to increase community awareness of these services and to develop new programs to meet the needs of Granby residents.