News & Events May 2012
Make a difference -- support local farms! Join Berkshire Grown online
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SPOTLIGHT ON FARMED + FORAGED SPONSORS The dates, prices and menus for Farmed + Foraged vary. Some restaurants will be celebrating only on Saturday night or Sunday morning. Please contact participating restaurants directly for accurate information on when they will be offering Farmed + Foraged, their menu options and pricing. Berkshire Co op Market in Great Barrington, MA The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, MA Mezze Restaurant Group Allium Restaurant + Bar in Great Barrington and Mezze Bistro + Bar in Williamstown. Baba Louie's Sourdough Pizza in Great Barrington and Pittsfield Guido's Fresh Marketplace in both Pittsfield and Great Barrington locations  More details here |
Where the Wild Things Are Foraging walks in the Berkshires throughout the month of May presented by Berkshire Farm & Table
- May 5 Saturday, 1 - 3 pm - Williamstown with Russ Cohen (pictured)
- May 6 Sunday, 1 - 3 pm - Williamstown with Russ Cohen
- May 12 Saturday, 10 - 12 pm - Stockbridge with Evan Strusinsksi
- May 13 Sunday, 10 - 12 pm - Gt. Barrington with Evan Strusinski
- May 19 Saturday, 9 - 11 am - Tyringham Cobble with Aimee Gelinas
- May 20 Sunday, 1:30 - 3:30 - South Pittsfield with John Wheeler
 Participant limits for each walk vary and
registration is required 48 hours before the walk.
For reservations and pricing info see the website, or send email to berkshirefarmtable@gmail.com. Williams College students attend for FREE, but registration is required.
Wild food walks, lead by experienced and passionate instructors, will focus on responsible harvesting techniques, recipes and the history of foraging in the Berkshires. Find more about the guides and walks and how to register here Thanks to sponsors: the Williams College Sustainable Food and Agriculture Program is a major sponsor of the event along with Mezze Restaurant Group, The Porches Inn at Mass MOCA, The Red Lion Inn, Storey Publishing, the Zilkha Center for the Environmental Initiatives, and Briarcliff Motel. Russ Cohen -photo by Ellen Vliet Cohen |
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Farmers Markets are opening!
Hurray!!!!!!!!!! Support your local farmer
Wednesday May 9: Berkshire Area Farmers' Market at Lanesborough
Friday May 11: Lenox Farmers' Market
Saturday May 12:
Great Barrington Farmers' Market
Farmers Market of Otis
Pittsfield Farmers' Market, Park Square
Saturday May 19: Norfolk Farmers' Market
Thursday May 24: West Stockbridge Farmers' Market
Friday May 25: The Sheffield Farmers' Market
Saturday May 26: Williamstown Farmers' Market
Photo of Hawk Dance Farm by Nichole Calero
FIND FARMERS' MARKETS on MAP-O-LICIOUS
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Sheep to Shawl Festival May 5 from 11 am to 3 pm at Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation  Celebrate spring and New England heritage with legendary Fred DePaul who will spin stories while shearing sheep with traditional tools. Local farms will bring alpacas and other animals along with their farm products.
Tickets $5 per individual for non-members, and $10 per family, $3 for members, $6 for family
413-458-2494
More information here |
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COMPREHENSIVE MEDICINAL HERB CLASS FOR BEGINNERS
SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2012 10:30 to 3 p.m.
MYSTICAL ROSE HERBALS
New Marlborough, MA
 Learn to identify herbs, when and how to harvest, store, and use them safely.
You will spend a hands-on day in the field identifying herbs, picking and digging as well as learning to dry,
store and use medicinal herbs. Learn how to make teas (both fresh and dried), salves and simple, folk medicine.
Class given by nationally-certified herbalist, Jean Pollock
Size limited to 10 students. $150. Scholarships available (don't be afraid to ask!)
413.229.8057 or e-mail: myrhmade@verizon.net
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Mighty Food Farm Tour Pownal, VT
Sunday, May 6, 11 am-12:30 pm
 All are welcome to join farmer Lisa MacDougall on a tour of her sprawling farm in nearby Pownal, Vermont. Lisa will show what she is planting and planning for the 2012 growing season, and answer questions about her farm and the methods she uses to produce such beautiful organic produce. The tour will last about 1 1/2 hours, including Q&A. Meet at Mighty Food's CSA building at 11 am. Mighty Food Farm photo by Gina Iannitelli
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Berkshire Grown is thrilled to have contributed to Great Barrington's being chosen 'The Best Small Town' by the Smithsonian Magazine.
 "The 20 Best Small Towns in America: From the Berkshires to the Cascades, we've crunched the numbers and pulled a list some of the most interesting spots around the country"
- By Susan Spano and Aviva Shen
"at the forefront of the big-chain-grocery-store-defying, eat-local movement, Great Barrington is devoted to its family farms, farmers markets and co-op. Berkshire Grown, an organization that promotes the production and marketing of locally grown foods spreads the word with lectures by writers like Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma and most recently Food Rules)...."
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What We're Reading
Greenhorns: 50 Dispatches from the New Farmers' Movement  A community of more than 5000 young farmers and activists, the Greenhorns are committed to producing and advocating for food grown with vision and respect for the earth. This book, edited by three of the group's leading members, comprises 50 original essays by new farmers who write about their experiences in the field from a wide range of angles, both practical and inspirational.
Funny, sad, serious, and light-hearted, these essays touch on everything from financing and machinery to family, community building, and social change.
Edited by Paula Manalo, Severine von Tscharner Fleming and Zoe Ida Bradbury
Published by Storey Publishing
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What We're Reading
In The New Yorker's Dept. of Gastronomy
Raw Deal: California cracks down on an underground gourmet club. By Dana Goodyear.
 Is Raw Milk Worth It?
A suspenseful tale, read more here
A Berkshire County view here
Cow photo from Cricket Creek Farm, Williamstown, MA
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Support Project Sprout: a student garden
5th Annual Pig Roast Sunday May 27th
12 - 4pm at Route 7 Grill
Great Barrington, MA
More information here
Watch on youtube here
 Project Sprout is a student led effort at Monument Mountain Regional High School to cultivate an organic garden on school grounds to grow vegetables for the cafeterias, to build connections with the natural world, and to be used as an educational tool by classes.
Route 7 Grill here
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SAVE THE DATE:
SATURDAY JULY 21st, 2 PM
Stonover Farm, Lenox, MA
"Climate Change and Local Agriculture"
 Celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Share the Bounty a project of Berkshire Grown created to support farms and food pantries.
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Quick Bites
DISCOVER THE:
Berkshire Grown Online Farmers' Market
a 24 hour Farmers' Market!
Berkshire Grown created a Facebook page called Berkshire Grown Online Farmers' Marketplace - a central place for Berkshire Grown members to congregate and talk supply and demand.
Self-propelled by Berkshire Grown members, the page benefits those of you who choose to participate in it. Farmers and food producers can post what they have available, and chefs and community members can comment or contact suppliers directly with requests for product or more information.
Thanks for the photo of The Berry Patch's "Luscious Lettuce" to Dale Ila Riggs who posted it on Facebook.
Berkshire Grown offers this as a networking service and bears no responsibility for transactions.
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MASSACHUSETTS GROWN...and FRESHER!
If you are traveling through Massachusetts check out this map, support our local farmers throughout the state!
CHECK OUT MAP-O-LICIOUS FOR FRESH
LOCAL EGGS, CHEESE, MEAT & MORE
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 Stay In touch!
Berkshire Grown's e-newsletter will come out twice a month, around the 1st & 15th, during the growing season. Please send information to barbara@berkshiregrown.org, thanks! Join Berkshire Grown here.
Barbara Zheutlin, Director
Sheryl Lechner, Outreach Coordinator
413-528-0041 |
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