Changes at Granby's Holcomb Farm: Evolution, Not Revolution

The interim agreement recently entered into between , Inc. and the Town of Granby that calls for increased collaboration between the two entities in the operation of the 367-acre Holcomb Farm represents a positive evolution, not revolution, according to those involved in the process.

“It would be a huge mistake to view this as a takeover by the town; it’s all about cooperation,” said Jenny Emery, a member of the Board of Education and a self-described “honest broker” in the interim agreement set to begin on April 1. “Likewise, it would be a mistake to say that HFI hasn’t done a terrific job.

“All parties agree this is the right step in being good fiduciaries and stewards for the preservation of this asset that Tudor and Lauren Holcomb left to the people of Granby.”

The move, which was approved by the Board of Selectmen at its Feb. 21 regular meeting, was precipitated by the loss in June 2011 of $200,000 in education grants that the farm received annually from the state.

“We had a lot of costs owning the farm, and HFI didn’t have the income,” said Bill Bentley, the president of HFI’s board of directors. The town assumed ownership of the farm in 1993 turned over its day-to-day operation via lease to HFI, a non-profit organization that owns the region’s Holcomb Farm Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).

But the increased involvement by the town in the farm’s operation does not mean wholesale changes are to be expected.

“The reality is in the short run, the farm in the next year and maybe longer, the uses will be no different,” First Selectman John Adams said in a telephone interview. “The CSA will continue to be the same.”

Indeed, most of the initial changes up will be in consolidating back-office operations, such as using one payroll system for both entities, having the town put the farm on its insurance policy instead of having the farm obtain its own and having the town plow the farm’s property instead of the farm having an independent contract to have the work done.

The farm’s main goals of education, agriculture, arts and recreation will not only remain intact, but will be enhanced, according to Bentley.

“We’re going to have more programming,” said Bentley, giving examples of possibly having the town’s Parks and Recreation Department hold yoga classes at the farm or having youth services take advantage of the property to have a center with a ping pong table.

“There are ideas out there,” said Bentley, who also added that any changes in programming would not be intense. “This is an incremental change.”

As such, the interim agreement, according to a recent press release, includes the creation of an advisory committee by the Board of Selectmen to guide programming facilities.

“The advisory committee will provide the forum for the collaboration amongst a number of constituencies, such as the Granby Land Trust, the Board of Education, and the Town’s agricultural communities, the Park and Recreation Department, the Conservation Commission and others,” the release said.

One thing that Bentley was careful to note was that Holcomb Farm will not be turned into athletic fields.

“That’s not going to happen,” he said.

Instead, much of the focus, he believes, will be on growing (no pun intended) the CSA. As it stands, the CSA has about 700 members, 80 percent of whom are from outside of Granby, according to Emery.

“We’ve only scratched the surface of that,” said Emery, noting that the Holcomb Farm store is open only half a day once a week. “Imagine if it were open year round.”

Bentley added the idea of possibly having a community kitchen for farmers to make things on site to sell at the market.

“We’re looking at more programs to benefit the local farms in the area,” he said.

In addition, the town will solicit opinions from the public by holding at least one workshop in April.

“We are looking for opportunities to engage the community,” Emery said.

Bentley said that he views this as nothing short of positive for the long-term health of the farm, noting that the farm actually would be more attractive to entities that dole out grants because of the increased involvement by the town, something that has changed over the last 10 or 15 years.

“I’m very optimistic,” he said embracing the change.