Here’s a recap of news and information posted on Hilltown Families this past week, along with a map for finding out what’s happening this weekend and next week throughout Western MA!
Check out the New Members of our After-School Classes & Enrichment Programs Directory!
Our community is rich in learning opportunities to supplement the interests of children, teens, and life-long learners. We have put together a directory of after-school & weekend classes and enrichment programs happening across Western Massachusetts throughout the school year. Many of these programs aren’t just for kids, so to all the adults out there – feel encouraged to pursue your interests and honor your callings through these enrichment classes, too!
If you have a class or program you would like to have included in our directory, contact us at sales@hilltownfamilies.org to learn about our advertising options and sponsorship packages.
LIST OF WEEKLY SUGGESTED EVENTS
October 13th – 19th, 2018
Peruse our list below and make plans to get out into your community and learn while you play!
Featured seasonal highlight this week:
There are so many different uses for pumpkins! One of America’s oldest native crops, modern day uses include carving as ornaments for Halloween, prepared as pies, and highlighted as the main attraction in agricultural fairs (largest pumpkin contests) and fall festivals (pumpkin roll & pumpkin games). Needless to say, pumpkins are an integrated part of our fall traditions in Western MA. Find out how pumpkin can support an interest in pastry arts and Colonial History through seasonal pies in our post, How Pumpkin Pies Support Interests & Education.
To find out about more event, be sure to visit our Suggest an Event Bulletin Board to see what our readers have recently shared! Have an event to share? Feel encouraged to self-post community events here at any time!
If you have a community event, educational program, or service-learning opportunity happening in Western Massachusetts that you’d like to let us know about, self-post your event at any time on our Suggest An Event bulletin board. The events below are “suggested.” Please take the time to confirm that these events are happening, along with time, place, age appropriateness, and costs before attending.
Serving Western Massachusetts since 2005, Hilltown Families supports development and enhancement of our local economy and community. Local businesses, individuals, schools, and non-profits are encouraged to partner with Hilltown Families throughsponsorship and advertising. Let us help get the word out about your after school/homeschool class, event, camp, workshop, fundraiser, business/school, service, open house, volunteer opportunity or general announcement. Deliver your message to thousands of families living throughout the four counties of Western MA while supporting the community development work of Hilltown Families! Click HERE to find out more.
After-School Classes & Enrichment Programs
Reach thousands of families in the region with our 2018-2019 directory! Reserve your space.
Our community is rich in learning opportunities to supplement the interests of children, teens, and life-long learners. We have put together a directory of after-school & weekend classes and enrichment programs happening across Western Massachusetts throughout the school year. Many of these programs aren’t just for kids, so to all the adults out there – feel encouraged to pursue your interests and honor your callings through these enrichment classes, too!
If you have a class or program you would like to have included in our directory, contact us at sales@hilltownfamilies.org to learn about our advertising options and sponsorship packages.
Bulletin Board
Oct 13
Join The Common School for their annual Children’s Carnival on Saturday, October 13 from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on their school’s beautiful campus at 521 South Pleasant Street in Amherst. The Carnival is open to the public, with no admission fee. Many activities, such as a bounce house and games will be available for a small fee. Breakfast, hearty lunches and treats, such as, cotton candy, homemade baked goods and smoothies will also be available for purchase. In the event of rain, The Carnival will be held indoors at The Amherst Regional Middle School at 170 Chestnut Street. For more information, call 413-256-8989 or go to www.commonschool.org.
Oct 13
OnTrend Crafts is hosting its 5th annual Fall Craft Fair on Saturday, October 13 on the beautiful Hadley Town Commons. More than 60 of the region’s top indie crafters will be in Hadley selling their high-quality handmade goods. Shoppers will find handcrafted jewelry, home decor, paper goods, ceramics, body care products, knitted apparel, and much more. Locally sourced and made eats include tacos, ice cream, cake pops and more. Come support our talented local artisans! Free admission; rain or shine. For more information, visit ontrendcrafts.com or email Jennifer at jennifer@ontrendcrafts.com.
Oct. 16
The Bement School is pleased to host the Pioneer Valley Independent School Fair on Tuesday, October 16, 2018 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the Kittredge Building. Twenty-five independent schools from the Pioneer Valley area participating represent pre-school through grade 12 and post graduate. Information sessions on topics such as how to apply for financial aid, finding the right match, and advice on applying to schools will take place from 5-6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Registration is not required. Please contact Kim Loughlin in the admission office at Bement at 413-774-4209 if you have any questions. A list of schools participating in the event can be found at www.bement.org.
Oct 20
Take part in the 47th Annual Fall Foliage Celebration and 5K Walk/Run on Saturday, October 20th , 9:30am – 1pm on the Amherst Town Common. This will be a family event with lots of great entertainment including FREE face painting, hayrides, dancing and drumming, local hip hop and more. The 5K includes beautiful vistas during peak foliage! The Amherst A Better Chance program has been in Amherst for nearly 50 years and has changed the lives of over 125 high schoolers. The community has played a critical role in making this program happen, so please sign up today. Click here to register: www.amherstabetterchance.org.
Oct 21
Celebrate the Valley’s farms, food, and friends with Kestrel Land Trust’s special 10th Annual 5K for Farmland & Farmers’ Market Festival! Sunday, October 21, 11 a.m. – 2 pm on the West St. Common, Hadley. Family-friendly 5K race on a flat route through scenic farmland or a beautiful 2-mile riverside walk. Farmers’ Market Festival after the race with music by “The Empty Bottle Ramblers,” local food, products and crafts, plus a live Birds of Prey demo with Tom Ricardi. Henry the Juggler will be there, courtesy of Hadley Cultural Council. For the adults, free local beer by Valley Malt for registered participants age 21+. Get a special edition pint glass and be entered into a drawing for great prizes when you register at 5kforfarmland.org.
Add your class
Reach thousands of families in the region with our 2018-2019 directory! Reserve your space. Our community is rich in after-school learning opportunities to supplement the interests of our children, teens, and life-long learners. We are putting together a directory of after-school & weekend classes and enrichment programs happening across Western Massachusetts to be published on our web site later this month and featured throughout the school year. If you have a class or program you would like to have included in our directory, contact us at sales@hilltownfamilies.org to learn about our advertising options and sponsorship packages.
Add your school
Hilltown Families Preschool Directory: Are you looking for a preschool that fits your child’s personality and reflects your family’s values? Check out our growing Preschool Directory, covering all four counties in Western Massachusetts, and find the perfect place for your young one! — Have a school you’d like to include in this list? Click here to find out how to have it added.
ADVERTISE HERE: Reach thousands of families in Western MA while supporting the community development work of Hilltown Families! See your summer camp, class, community event, school, open house, audition, homeschool program, workshop, volunteer opportunity, wellness program, local business, after-school class, or non-profit featured here in the Bulletin Board section of our list of Weekly Suggested Eventsand in our weekly eNewsletter, reaching thousands of families living throughout the four counties of Western MA while supporting the community development work of Hilltown Families! Find out more about our advertising options and how you can partner with Hilltown Families in your online marketing by emailing us at at sales@hilltownfamilies.org.
JOIN OUR TEAM OF CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Interested in becoming a Contributing or Guest Writer for Hilltown Families? We welcome writings that reflect the community-building and educational efforts parents, teens, teachers, artists, activists and community leaders work towards and accomplish, and how that affects, supports and empowers our families. All writing styles welcomed, including local reviews, DIY posts, seasonal cooking/local food, and community-based educational & community service learning opportunities/resources. Send your query to info@hilltownfamilies.org.
LIST OF WEEKLY SUGGESTED EVENTS
October 13th – 19th, 2018
Hilltown Families on Mass Appeal:
Fall Foliage & Apple Harvest
Hilltown Families and Mass Appeal (a weekday, hour-long lifestyle program on NBC) have teamed up to offer a live monthly segment on WWLP 22News! Each month, community-based education specialist and Hilltown Families’ Founder, Sienna Wildfield, joins Mass Appeal hosts to talk about ways to engage in your community while supporting the interests and education of your children (and yourselves!).
This monthly segment continued on Tuesday, October 9, 2018, Sienna and Lauren talking about different ways to engage in learning and placemaking this Fall season.
Click to view video. “Hilltown Families should be called ‘the circle of life.'” – Lauren Zenzie, Mass Appeal
Once school is back in session, the transition from summer to autumn is signaled by a steady stream of fall icons appearing across the region that mark the season. We begin to find ourselves behinds school buses in the early morning hours while dodging squirrels racing across the roads in search of acorns before the cold settles in. Pumpkin lattes and apple cider donuts appear on cafe menus. Scarecrows, mums, and gourds decorate storefronts and front porches. The leaves of deciduous trees bloom into hues of red, orange, and yellow. And apple orchards invite families to pick-their-own apples or the convenience of 1/2 pecks of locally grown fruit for homemade apple pies and cobbler. Signs of autumn not only mark the season and engage our senses, but they are also embedded with limitless community-based educational opportunities and value-based methods for community engagement. Let’s take a quick look at three different signs of autumn that are connected to the weather, local harvest, and cultural heritage of the region and how they can support learning while strengthening a sense of place. Read the rest of this entry »
Bones are fascinating to study because they come directly from the insides of creatures – the very parts we never really expect to see! Their shape and structure speaks volumes about the body function and general habits of the creatures whose skeletons they compose. Simple bone studies can be done easily, and the titles included here offer a rich look at the bones of living things of all kinds.
Not meant to be exhaustive, this book list simply includes all of the relevant titles currently found within the library of our community-based education network affiliate, Dirigo Learning. Download the accompanying guide for further detail, including genre, age range, and book style for teach title as well as short descriptions of each text. Read the rest of this entry »
Weekday community-based educational opportunities can be found throughout the four counties of Western MA all week long! Each weekday we feature community-based educational opportunities that can be selected to support the interests and education of self-directed teens, homeschoolers and life-long learners.
Select the day of the week and find events that support your interests through community engagement!
Check our list of Weekly Suggested Events for our comprehensive list, including ongoing learning and play opportunities for younger children and intergenerational community events.
See your banner here! Sponsor Weekdays in Western MA!
Inspiration. What is it? Where does it come from? What inspires us to make music? In this episode of the Hilltown Family Variety Show, Jamie Broza takes us through a diverse array of fantastic songs and singers that have inspired him to make music, and hopefully will inspire some of our listeners to start writing their own songs! – www.jamielawrenceproductions.com
Saturday from 9-10am & Sunday from 7-8am October 6 & 7, 2018 WXOJ LP – 103.3 FM – Valley Free Radio Northampton, MA
Here’s a recap of news and information posted on Hilltown Families this past week, along with a map for finding out what’s happening this weekend and next week throughout Western MA!
To find out about more event, be sure to visit our Suggest an Event Bulletin Board to see what our readers have recently shared! Have an event to share? Feel encouraged to self-post community events here at any time!
If you have a community event, educational program, or service-learning opportunity happening in Western Massachusetts that you’d like to let us know about, self-post your event at any time on our Suggest An Event bulletin board. The events below are “suggested.” Please take the time to confirm that these events are happening, along with time, place, age appropriateness, and costs before attending.
Serving Western Massachusetts since 2005, Hilltown Families supports development and enhancement of our local economy and community. Local businesses, individuals, schools, and non-profits are encouraged to partner with Hilltown Families throughsponsorship and advertising. Let us help get the word out about your after school/homeschool class, event, camp, workshop, fundraiser, business/school, service, open house, volunteer opportunity or general announcement. Deliver your message to thousands of families living throughout the four counties of Western MA while supporting the community development work of Hilltown Families! Click HERE to find out more.
After-School Classes & Enrichment Programs
Reach thousands of families in the region with our 2018-2019 directory! Reserve your space.
Our community is rich in learning opportunities to supplement the interests of children, teens, and life-long learners. We have put together a directory of after-school & weekend classes and enrichment programs happening across Western Massachusetts throughout the school year. Many of these programs aren’t just for kids, so to all the adults out there – feel encouraged to pursue your interests and honor your callings through these enrichment classes, too!
If you have a class or program you would like to have included in our directory, contact us at sales@hilltownfamilies.org to learn about our advertising options and sponsorship packages.
Bulletin Board
Oct 5 – 28
Connecticut Trolley Museum will hold their popular Pumpkin Patch event startingOct 5th and will run the rest of the month every Fri, Sat & Sun including Monday, Oct 8th for Columbus Day. Pumpkin Patch is a family fun filled adventure where you ride on a trolley car out to the pumpkin patch field and each child can pick out a FREE pumpkin. Additionally, when you return back to the Museum you can decorate the pumpkins, get your face painted (Fri & Sat) & enjoy the outside play area with SPOOKTACULAR Halloween activities. Don’t forget you can take as many Trolley rides as you would like. Visit www.ct-trolley.org for hours of operation. Admission is $12 for adults, $11 for seniors, $10 for youth (ages 4-12) and $3 for children (under age 3).
Oct. 6
The New England Air Museum will hold an Open Cockpit Day on Saturday, October 6, from 10am to 4pm. Special activities will include Touch A Truck, designed for children of all ages to view some very large vehicles-up close – from the following industries: aviation, construction, 1st responders and the military, along with the chance to climb aboard historic aircraft including a WWII P-47 Thunderbolt, a jet-age F-100 Super Sabre and a F-104 Star-fighter, as well as number of helicopters. Other activities include hands on flight simulators and the opportunity to Build & Fly your own flying machine! Food and beverage will be available, and all activities are included with museum admission. Rubber-soled shoes recommended. www.neam.org.
Oct 13
OnTrend Crafts is hosting its 5th annual Fall Craft Fair on Saturday, October 13 on the beautiful Hadley Town Commons. More than 60 of the region’s top indie crafters will be in Hadley selling their high-quality handmade goods. Shoppers will find handcrafted jewelry, home decor, paper goods, ceramics, body care products, knitted apparel, and much more. Locally sourced and made eats include tacos, ice cream, cake pops and more. Come support our talented local artisans! Free admission; rain or shine. For more information, visit ontrendcrafts.com or email Jennifer at jennifer@ontrendcrafts.com.
Oct 13
Join The Common School for their annual Children’s Carnival on Saturday, October 13 from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on their school’s beautiful campus at 521 South Pleasant Street in Amherst. The Carnival is open to the public, with no admission fee. Many activities, such as a bounce house and games will be available for a small fee. Breakfast, hearty lunches and treats, such as, cotton candy, homemade baked goods and smoothies will also be available for purchase. In the event of rain, The Carnival will be held indoors at The Amherst Regional Middle School at 170 Chestnut Street. For more information, call 413-256-8989 or go to www.commonschool.org.
Oct. 16
The Bement School is pleased to host the Pioneer Valley Independent School Fair on Tuesday, October 16, 2018 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the Kittredge Building. Twenty-five independent schools from the Pioneer Valley area participating represent pre-school through grade 12 and post graduate. Information sessions on topics such as how to apply for financial aid, finding the right match, and advice on applying to schools will take place from 5-6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Registration is not required. Please contact Kim Loughlin in the admission office at Bement at 413-774-4209 if you have any questions. A list of schools participating in the event can be found at www.bement.org.
Oct 21
Celebrate the Valley’s farms, food, and friends with Kestrel Land Trust’s special 10th Annual 5K for Farmland & Farmers’ Market Festival! Sunday, October 21, 11 a.m. – 2 pm on the West St. Common, Hadley. Family-friendly 5K race on a flat route through scenic farmland or a beautiful 2-mile riverside walk. Farmers’ Market Festival after the race with music by “The Empty Bottle Ramblers,” local food, products and crafts, plus a live Birds of Prey demo with Tom Ricardi. Henry the Juggler will be there, courtesy of Hadley Cultural Council. For the adults, free local beer by Valley Malt for registered participants age 21+. Get a special edition pint glass and be entered into a drawing for great prizes when you register at 5kforfarmland.org.
Add your class
Reach thousands of families in the region with our 2018-2019 directory! Reserve your space. Our community is rich in after-school learning opportunities to supplement the interests of our children, teens, and life-long learners. We are putting together a directory of after-school & weekend classes and enrichment programs happening across Western Massachusetts to be published on our web site later this month and featured throughout the school year. If you have a class or program you would like to have included in our directory, contact us at sales@hilltownfamilies.org to learn about our advertising options and sponsorship packages.
Add your school
Hilltown Families Preschool Directory: Are you looking for a preschool that fits your child’s personality and reflects your family’s values? Check out our growing Preschool Directory, covering all four counties in Western Massachusetts, and find the perfect place for your young one! — Have a school you’d like to include in this list? Click here to find out how to have it added.
ADVERTISE HERE: Reach thousands of families in Western MA while supporting the community development work of Hilltown Families! See your summer camp, class, community event, school, open house, audition, homeschool program, workshop, volunteer opportunity, wellness program, local business, after-school class, or non-profit featured here in the Bulletin Board section of our list of Weekly Suggested Eventsand in our weekly eNewsletter, reaching thousands of families living throughout the four counties of Western MA while supporting the community development work of Hilltown Families! Find out more about our advertising options and how you can partner with Hilltown Families in your online marketing by emailing us at at sales@hilltownfamilies.org.
JOIN OUR TEAM OF CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Interested in becoming a Contributing or Guest Writer for Hilltown Families? We welcome writings that reflect the community-building and educational efforts parents, teens, teachers, artists, activists and community leaders work towards and accomplish, and how that affects, supports and empowers our families. All writing styles welcomed, including local reviews, DIY posts, seasonal cooking/local food, and community-based educational & community service learning opportunities/resources. Send your query to info@hilltownfamilies.org.
LIST OF WEEKLY SUGGESTED EVENTS
October 6th – 12th, 2018
Weekday community-based educational opportunities can be found throughout the four counties of Western MA all week long! Each weekday we feature community-based educational opportunities that can be selected to support the interests and education of self-directed teens, homeschoolers and life-long learners.
Select the day of the week and find events that support your interests through community engagement!
Check our list of Weekly Suggested Events for our comprehensive list, including ongoing learning and play opportunities for younger children and intergenerational community events.
See your banner here! Sponsor Weekdays in Western MA!
We’ve made it through another September. Once again, I successfully avoided the back to school shopping circus with my kid. Not yet fashion conscious, his drawer full of t-shirts proved sufficient. Still Minecraft obsessed, he made no request for a new backpack. And wondrously, our district provides the essentials: loose-leaf, composition books, and a stocked pencil box. I was shocked to discover this during Kindergarten orientation years back; teachers, not parents provide school supplies?! Really??! Really. In our well-resourced town, the system provides the necessary study tools.
∞
School came easily for me as a child. I did well without much effort. Until college. I finished eventually, but not without a little extra time and a lot of extra angst. Twenty years later – and a decade ago now – I began pursuing my current profession and line of study, yoga, mindfulness and healing modalities. The first week of yoga teacher training included an anatomy intensive. I was amazed at how quickly and easily my mind absorbed information about muscle mechanics while I was moving my body instead of staring at a lecture screen. My body provided the necessary study tools.
Last school year, I (finally!) completed my body work and Reiki teaching certifications. Briefly, I considered pursuing the next level of yoga teacher training or another in-depth healing course. But I paused. Instead, I committed to step back from course work and instead to go deeper with the tools I have.
One month into this school year, I regularly have to remind myself of this intention. How do I keep this commitment to study with no external assignment holding me to it? In theory, I can study on my own. I can read the masters – women like Devi, Chodron, Kempton, Judith – and apply their teachings to my life and work. Practically, the moments for reading and introspection get quickly filled with laundry and lunch making, and the myriad of other external commitments populating my to-do list. When I enroll in (and let’s be honest, pay for) a course, I make the time. Now that my commitment is wholly internal, qualms arise. Self-study feels self-centered. Self-indulgent.
And yet.
And yet I strive to live my life from a place of mindful awareness. I know yoga to be more than physical stretches, to be a practice that keeps me connected, mind body and spirit. Lately, my racing mind and sluggish body and…spirit? Oh yes, don’t forget spirit. Well, such signs point to the need to fulfill my internal commitment. To do my homework.
∞
Yoga philosophy names svadyaya, or self-study, as one of the ten pillars for authentic living. Originally, svadyaya referred to chanting sacred texts or mantras. Modern scholars have expanded this, for better or worse, tying svadyaya into the self-help culture.
Modern shaman Alberto Villodo encourages “study to know your own nature and cultivate wisdom.” Yoga Master Nischala Joy Devi defines svadyaya as the study of scripture, nature and introspection, then quotes Rabbi Hillel, “Study brings us wisdom. Wisdom brings us life.” Sanskrit scholar Nicholai Bachman advises reading, listening, observing ourselves in action. “We may or may not like what we discover,” he cautions. Yet when we can look at ourselves insightfully, we are better able to grow our strengths and address our shortcomings.
While my habit of procrastinating by cleaning may have appealing outcomes, it is worth observing. My inner critic demanding professional “should” before exercise deserves curious attention. My interactions with challenging community members provide opportunities to find compassion.
My homework becomes applying the pillars of yoga philosophy – nonviolence, cleanliness, truthfulness, gratitude – to whatever life sets before me. At work. With my family and myself, my body, my home. This human experience provides the necessary study tools.
Pain specialist, yoga instructor, and Reiki Master Ginny Hamilton teaches simple & proven techniques to release pain & restore energy in the workplace, group classes & private sessions. She has put down roots in South Amherst with her spouse and young son. Daily she’s amazed by the beauty the Pioneer Valley offers, though her allergies beg to differ. In Off the Mat, Ginny explores how yoga’s physical and mindfulness exercises help her parent and how parenting shapes her yoga practice. www.ginnyhamilton.com
Reiki means life force energy. Many of us refer to Reiki as Love, but love can be a tricky word. Love is multi-complex. To some, love means romantic love or adoration or a form of affection. I prefer using the term Reiki because it simplifies these complex ideas into simply offering positive energy to one another.
In Reiki, intentions are extremely powerful. Sending loving wishes to others is not unlike a prayer. In practicing loving-kindness meditations, it trains us to send love and kindness to ourselves, our friends, our family, our neighbors, and even our rivals. That is an act of love, opening the heart. To truly wish people well, even though you may not understand a word they speak or a belief they hold. That is love in action. Can you love the child that calls your son names? Can you love the child that teases your daughter? Can you love the parents that think you are a subpar parent? Love is accepting them regardless of those judgments. Someday it may be your kids doing those things or you being the subpar parent. No one said love was effortless. Read the rest of this entry »
Berkshire County Highlights for Families:
October 2018
Find out about community events and learning opportunities happening throughout Berkshire County for the month of October. We’ll be adding to this list as the month progresses, so be sure to check back each week.
To find out what’s happening throughout the four counties of Western MA, check our comprehensive list of Weekly Suggested Events, published every Thursday!
Berkshire Family Fun, a project of Hilltown Families, is sponsored in part by MASS MoCA:
Berkshire Family Fun is also supported in part by a grant from the Hinsdale/Peru, Mount Washington, Monterey, North Berkshire, Pittsfield, Washington, and Windsor Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
Intro to the History of Rock Episode with Guest DJs, Ari & Ezra from The Oot n’ Oots
Ari and Ezra from The Oot n’ Oots play songs and tell stories to highlight the evolution of rock music from the 1950s to the 1970s, covering major trends and introducing listeners of all ages to a distinctly American musical tradition. – www.theootnoots.com
Saturday from 9-10am & Sunday from 7-8am September 29th & 30th, 2018 WXOJ LP – 103.3 FM – Valley Free Radio Northampton, MA
Featured Video: 10-year-old Oot n’ Oot lead singer Ruth Cipes belts out the rock n’ roll classic “Too Much Monkey Business.” Originally by Chuck Berry, this version features alternate lyrics told from a kid’s perspective.
Here’s a recap of news and information posted on Hilltown Families this past week, along with a map for finding out what’s happening this weekend and next week throughout Western MA!
Our After-School Classes & Enrichment Programs Directory is Here!
Our community is rich in learning opportunities to supplement the interests of children, teens, and life-long learners. We have put together a directory of after-school & weekend classes and enrichment programs happening across Western Massachusetts throughout the school year. Many of these programs aren’t just for kids, so to all the adults out there – feel encouraged to pursue your interests and honor your callings through these enrichment classes, too!
If you have a class or program you would like to have included in our directory, contact us at sales@hilltownfamilies.org to learn about our advertising options and sponsorship packages.
Inspired by the town’s 1915 celebration, “Pageant of Patriotism in honor of Independence Day,” Conway Festival of the Hills took form in 1967 as an annual event, celebrating local talent and culture. Every year, families come to witness a Conway tradition: the skillet toss! Along with the skillet toss there are many activities to behold: a log splitting contest, live music, handmade crafts, parade, pancake breakfast, community dinner, and their most popular event, a book signing with local authors. This year the festival happens on Saturday, Sept 29 & Sunday, Sept 30.
Peruse our list below and make plans to get out into your community and learn while you play!
Featured seasonal highlight this week:
FALL FESTIVALS
During the autumnal months, communities celebrate the change of season with festivals that bridge agricultural and cultural traditions. These festivities celebrate not only the harvest season but also the cultural traditions that define Western Massachusetts’ unique identity. Fall festivals are a community space that acts as an intergenerational gathering place for folks to come together in the spirit of the season and share in the harvest and local traditions. Engage your community and attend a fall festival this season! It’s a great way to meet your neighbors, new friends and contribute to the preservation of this region’s unique character, culture, and history. Check out these featured annual fall festivals that happen in Western MA.
To find out about more event, be sure to visit our Suggest an Event Bulletin Board to see what our readers have recently shared! Have an event to share? Feel encouraged to self-post community events here at any time!
If you have a community event, educational program, or service-learning opportunity happening in Western Massachusetts that you’d like to let us know about, self-post your event at any time on our Suggest An Event bulletin board. The events below are “suggested.” Please take the time to confirm that these events are happening, along with time, place, age appropriateness, and costs before attending.
Serving Western Massachusetts since 2005, Hilltown Families supports development and enhancement of our local economy and community. Local businesses, individuals, schools, and non-profits are encouraged to partner with Hilltown Families throughsponsorship and advertising. Let us help get the word out about your after school/homeschool class, event, camp, workshop, fundraiser, business/school, service, open house, volunteer opportunity or general announcement. Deliver your message to thousands of families living throughout the four counties of Western MA while supporting the community development work of Hilltown Families! Click HERE to find out more.
After-School Classes & Enrichment Programs
Reach thousands of families in the region with our 2018-2019 directory! Reserve your space.
Our community is rich in learning opportunities to supplement the interests of children, teens, and life-long learners. We have put together a directory of after-school & weekend classes and enrichment programs happening across Western Massachusetts throughout the school year. Many of these programs aren’t just for kids, so to all the adults out there – feel encouraged to pursue your interests and honor your callings through these enrichment classes, too!
If you have a class or program you would like to have included in our directory, contact us at sales@hilltownfamilies.org to learn about our advertising options and sponsorship packages.
Bulletin Board
Oct 5 – 28
Connecticut Trolley Museum will hold their popular Pumpkin Patch event startingOct 5th and will run the rest of the month every Fri, Sat & Sun including Monday, Oct 8th for Columbus Day. Pumpkin Patch is a family fun filled adventure where you ride on a trolley car out to the pumpkin patch field and each child can pick out a FREE pumpkin. Additionally, when you return back to the Museum you can decorate the pumpkins, get your face painted (Fri & Sat) & enjoy the outside play area with SPOOKTACULAR Halloween activities. Don’t forget you can take as many Trolley rides as you would like. Visit www.ct-trolley.org for hours of operation. Admission is $12 for adults, $11 for seniors, $10 for youth (ages 4-12) and $3 for children (under age 3).
Sept 29 & 30
The 20th Anniversary of the North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival is September 29 and 30, 10am to 5PM in Orange MA. There’s something for everyone at this fabulous family destination. Over 100 booths are vibrant with local artists, farmers, fabulous food, chef demos and skills for local living. Enjoy amazing music, performance, spoken word and dance on three stages. Ample activities for all ages, all weekend. Only $5.00 ($8 weekend pass) adults, kids 12 and under free! Visit www.garlicandarts.orgfor travel/parking info and full program; follow enjoyable festival updates daily on Facebook!
Sept. 30
Sukkot Harvest Festival at Abundance Farm! Sun. Sept. 30th from 10 AM-2 PM at 253 Prospect St., Northampton, MA. Come celebrate the harvest with apple cider pressing, cob oven baking, live music, harvest games, nature-based arts and crafts, food and drinks, tea making, seed saving activities, and much more! All are welcome! Rain date: Sun. Oct. 7th. $5 per person suggested donation. To learn more, please visit our Facebook event page or contact info@abundancefarm.org! This event is sponsored in part by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation.
Oct. 6
The New England Air Museum will hold an Open Cockpit Day on Saturday, October 6, from 10am to 4pm. Special activities will include Touch A Truck, designed for children of all ages to view some very large vehicles-up close – from the following industries: aviation, construction, 1st responders and the military, along with the chance to climb aboard historic aircraft including a WWII P-47 Thunderbolt, a jet-age F-100 Super Sabre and a F-104 Star-fighter, as well as number of helicopters. Other activities include hands on flight simulators and the opportunity to Build & Fly your own flying machine! Food and beverage will be available, and all activities are included with museum admission. Rubber-soled shoes recommended. www.neam.org.
Enroll Now!
Stoneleigh-Burnham School offers Community Dance programs for all children ages 5-18 from Sept. 26, 2018 to May 22, 2019. Director Cat Wagner offers quality creative movement, ballet, and contemporary classes in a nurturing environment. Students build confidence and a sense of well-being through dance. The program’s foundation is on robust skill development, but also brings dance alive using a collaboration. Students build trust, community, and new perspectives. Classes are limited to 15 students and take place in the school’s dance studio in Greenfield. The program ends with a full-length collaborative piece with SBS students at a Spring Dance Concert. Questions: wtherrien@sbschool.org or Register: www.sbschool.org.
Add your class
Reach thousands of families in the region with our 2018-2019 directory! Reserve your space. Our community is rich in after-school learning opportunities to supplement the interests of our children, teens, and life-long learners. We are putting together a directory of after-school & weekend classes and enrichment programs happening across Western Massachusetts to be published on our web site later this month and featured throughout the school year. If you have a class or program you would like to have included in our directory, contact us at sales@hilltownfamilies.org to learn about our advertising options and sponsorship packages.
Add your school
Hilltown Families Preschool Directory: Are you looking for a preschool that fits your child’s personality and reflects your family’s values? Check out our growing Preschool Directory, covering all four counties in Western Massachusetts, and find the perfect place for your young one! — Have a school you’d like to include in this list? Click here to find out how to have it added.
ADVERTISE HERE: Reach thousands of families in Western MA while supporting the community development work of Hilltown Families! See your summer camp, class, community event, school, open house, audition, homeschool program, workshop, volunteer opportunity, wellness program, local business, after-school class, or non-profit featured here in the Bulletin Board section of our list of Weekly Suggested Eventsand in our weekly eNewsletter, reaching thousands of families living throughout the four counties of Western MA while supporting the community development work of Hilltown Families! Find out more about our advertising options and how you can partner with Hilltown Families in your online marketing by emailing us at at sales@hilltownfamilies.org.
JOIN OUR TEAM OF CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Interested in becoming a Contributing or Guest Writer for Hilltown Families? We welcome writings that reflect the community-building and educational efforts parents, teens, teachers, artists, activists and community leaders work towards and accomplish, and how that affects, supports and empowers our families. All writing styles welcomed, including local reviews, DIY posts, seasonal cooking/local food, and community-based educational & community service learning opportunities/resources. Send your query to info@hilltownfamilies.org.
LIST OF WEEKLY SUGGESTED EVENTS
September 29th – October 5, 2018
Every month, Hilltown Families features a new Learning Landscape, which aims to inspire learning along with a common theme easily spotted in our surroundings that month. The hope is to bring a little bit of the outdoors inside for inspection, dissection, identification, creative play, art projects, and lots of other educational activities.
September has brought a nature table filled by the hands of young amateur scientists. As we work to build our new classroom community together, we’re also learning how to look at the world around us. Writing lessons take us outside with clipboards, ready to write about the things that we find. Science sends us on a hunt for specific items, though we’re easily side-tracked by crickets and butterflies. Math surveys are centered around favorite local animals, and whether or not we go hunting with our families. Outside games disintegrate into a group effort to free apples from trees using sticks…
Lucky for all of us, fall’s graceful appearance comes on slow, allowing us to soak it in. Our collecting so far has been filled with excitement over the very, very first signs that the seasons are beginning to change. Sumac – plentiful ’round these West County parts – has started to turn a little bit, and golden rod is blooming with glory. Both of these have been major players in our early fall table-scape, reminding us of the overlap of summer and fall. The half-eaten apples we’ve found (and have watched quickly brown) can only be the leftovers of a feasting animal, though the students don’t seem to be inclined to believe its origins. Read the rest of this entry »
Weekdays in Western MA:
September 24th – 28th, 2018
Weekday community-based educational opportunities can be found throughout the four counties of Western MA all week long! Each weekday we feature community-based educational opportunities that can be selected to support the interests and education of self-directed teens, homeschoolers and life-long learners.
Select the day of the week and find events that support your interests through community engagement!
Check our list of Weekly Suggested Events for our comprehensive list, including ongoing learning and play opportunities for younger children and intergenerational community events.
See your banner here! Sponsor Weekdays in Western MA!
World Languages Episode with Guest DJ, Sarah Aroeste
Sarah Aroeste, a children’s singer and songwriter in the rare and eclectic dialect of Spanish called Ladino, will take listeners around the globe to explore some contemporary kids music in lesser-known dialects. From Quechua to Yup’ik to Amharic and more, Aroeste hopes listeners will agree that good music is good music, no matter the language! — www.saraharoeste.com
Saturday from 9-10am & Sunday from 7-8am September 23 & 24, 2018 WXOJ LP – 103.3 FM – Valley Free Radio Northampton, MA
Featured Video: “Over the course of human history, thousands of languages have developed from what was once a much smaller number. How did we end up with so many? And how do we keep track of them all? Alex Gendler explains how linguists group languages into language families, demonstrating how these linguistic trees give us crucial insights into the past.” View full lesson: How languages evolve – Alex Gendler (TED-Ed)
Here’s a recap of news and information posted on Hilltown Families this past week, along with a map for finding out what’s happening this weekend and next week throughout Western MA!
Also, check our monthly column, Berkshire Family Fun, for a list of premier educational, cultural highlights in Berkshire County for families.
Our After-School Classes & Enrichment Programs Directory is Here!
Our community is rich in learning opportunities to supplement the interests of children, teens, and life-long learners. We have put together a directory of after-school & weekend classes and enrichment programs happening across Western Massachusetts throughout the school year. Many of these programs aren’t just for kids, so to all the adults out there – feel encouraged to pursue your interests and honor your callings through these enrichment classes, too!
If you have a class or program you would like to have included in our directory, contact us at sales@hilltownfamilies.org to learn about our advertising options and sponsorship packages.
Are you looking for family-friendly activities that will create lasting memories this Fall? Well, your neighbors are here to help! We asked our readers to tell us their favorite seasonal events, activities, and locations – and they did not disappoint! Check out this list of 30 things to do and places to see in Western MA. Help another family find their new autumn tradition by adding your own suggestions in the comment section!
To find out about more event, be sure to visit our Suggest an Event Bulletin Board to see what our readers have recently shared! Have an event to share? Feel encouraged to self-post community events here at any time!
If you have a community event, educational program, or service-learning opportunity happening in Western Massachusetts that you’d like to let us know about, self-post your event at any time on our Suggest An Event bulletin board. The events below are “suggested.” Please take the time to confirm that these events are happening, along with time, place, age appropriateness, and costs before attending.
Serving Western Massachusetts since 2005, Hilltown Families supports development and enhancement of our local economy and community. Local businesses, individuals, schools, and non-profits are encouraged to partner with Hilltown Families throughsponsorship and advertising. Let us help get the word out about your after school/homeschool class, event, camp, workshop, fundraiser, business/school, service, open house, volunteer opportunity or general announcement. Deliver your message to thousands of families living throughout the four counties of Western MA while supporting the community development work of Hilltown Families! Click HERE to find out more.
After-School Classes & Enrichment Programs
Reach thousands of families in the region with our 2018-2019 directory! Reserve your space.
Our community is rich in learning opportunities to supplement the interests of children, teens, and life-long learners. We have put together a directory of after-school & weekend classes and enrichment programs happening across Western Massachusetts throughout the school year. Many of these programs aren’t just for kids, so to all the adults out there – feel encouraged to pursue your interests and honor your callings through these enrichment classes, too!
If you have a class or program you would like to have included in our directory, contact us at sales@hilltownfamilies.org to learn about our advertising options and sponsorship packages.
Bulletin Board
Sept. 23
The Hitchcock Center for the Environment invites the community to Pollination Celebration Day, Sunday, September 23rd from 11am to 3pm. Come and celebrate the pollinators in our world — bees, caterpillars, monarchs and more! Activities for the whole family include: building bee hotels, tagging monarchs, gardening workshops, face painting, the Caterpillar Lab from Keene, NH, pollinator parade and obstacle course, crafts, and treats from Crooked Stick Pops. Bring a picnic, stay for the day! Information, including full event schedule and tickets are available at hitchcockcenter.org or call 413-256-6006. Members: $4 Children/$7 Adults, Non-members: $5 Children/$8 Adults. Sponsored by: Western MA Master Gardener Association and Shumway Services.
Oct 6
Piti Theatre Youth Troupe Fall Session: Greenfield’s Grumpiest T-Rex to be performed for the Great Greenfield DinoFest on October 6th at Hawks and Reed Performing Arts Center. The troupe will perform again in December. Performers ages 8 and up learn improvisation, magic, singing, movement, acting and puppetry skills while developing their capacities for trust, confidence, teamwork and creativity! “We loved watching the show; our children loved being part of it.” – C.W., Shelburne Falls Rehearsals on Thursdays, 4:00 – 5:15 and some Saturday mornings, 10 – noon in Shelburne Falls and Greenfield. Registration: info@ptco.org, (413) 339 – 4569. Also watch out for improv classes for teens and adults. More at ptco.org/classes.
Enroll Now!
Stoneleigh-Burnham School offers Community Dance programs for all children ages 5-18 from Sept. 26, 2018 to May 22, 2019. Director Cat Wagner offers quality creative movement, ballet, and contemporary classes in a nurturing environment. Students build confidence and a sense of well-being through dance. The program’s foundation is on robust skill development, but also brings dance alive using a collaboration. Students build trust, community, and new perspectives. Classes are limited to 15 students and take place in the school’s dance studio in Greenfield. The program ends with a full-length collaborative piece with SBS students at a Spring Dance Concert. Questions: wtherrien@sbschool.org or Register: www.sbschool.org.
Add your class
Reach thousands of families in the region with our 2018-2019 directory! Reserve your space. Our community is rich in after-school learning opportunities to supplement the interests of our children, teens, and life-long learners. We are putting together a directory of after-school & weekend classes and enrichment programs happening across Western Massachusetts to be published on our web site later this month and featured throughout the school year. If you have a class or program you would like to have included in our directory, contact us at sales@hilltownfamilies.org to learn about our advertising options and sponsorship packages.
Add your school
Hilltown Families Preschool Directory: Are you looking for a preschool that fits your child’s personality and reflects your family’s values? Check out our growing Preschool Directory, covering all four counties in Western Massachusetts, and find the perfect place for your young one! — Have a school you’d like to include in this list? Click here to find out how to have it added.
ADVERTISE HERE: Reach thousands of families in Western MA while supporting the community development work of Hilltown Families! See your summer camp, class, community event, school, open house, audition, homeschool program, workshop, volunteer opportunity, wellness program, local business, after-school class, or non-profit featured here in the Bulletin Board section of our list of Weekly Suggested Eventsand in our weekly eNewsletter, reaching thousands of families living throughout the four counties of Western MA while supporting the community development work of Hilltown Families! Find out more about our advertising options and how you can partner with Hilltown Families in your online marketing by emailing us at at sales@hilltownfamilies.org.
JOIN OUR TEAM OF CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Interested in becoming a Contributing or Guest Writer for Hilltown Families? We welcome writings that reflect the community-building and educational efforts parents, teens, teachers, artists, activists and community leaders work towards and accomplish, and how that affects, supports and empowers our families. All writing styles welcomed, including local reviews, DIY posts, seasonal cooking/local food, and community-based educational & community service learning opportunities/resources. Send your query to info@hilltownfamilies.org.
LIST OF WEEKLY SUGGESTED EVENTS
September 22nd – 28th, 2018
There is a brokenness
out of which comes the unbroken,
a shatteredness
out of which blooms the unshatterable…
Rashani Réa
One crisp autumn evening in 1977, leaves swirling around our feet, a college friend and I entered the unfinished basement of a department store in downtown Northampton to attend a women’s karate demonstration. Sitting in a gray metal folding chair, I watched the teacher and several students perform bold moves, shouting and shining and breathing into the shadows. Women in the martial arts were just beginning to become more visible at that time. I had never seen such action before.
Decades have not dimmed the memory; in a single flash it was clear that the next phase of my life had begun. My spirit woke up more deeply that evening to a timeless and familiar sense. The young woman I was, facing fear and determined to grow, recognized the intrinsic wholeness in shards of uncertainty. Kara – Open. Te – Hand. I held out my palms to discover the lotus, unbroken and unshatterable, already in bloom. Read the rest of this entry »
Now that my newborn is becoming a toddler overnight, I have begun to include her in toddler–esque art projects. This is exciting in so many ways. As all kids, she explores, experiments and creates every waking moment. Like every one-year-old she loves sensory exposure at its best- mostly by mouth. So, the question became how do I include her without poisoning her, letting her choke, or dumbing down toddler activities? Because she mouths everything and taste it just the same, I decided to create a few sensory activities that would be safe and fun for both infants and toddlers. And what do they both love? Food! Read the rest of this entry »
Weekdays in Western MA:
September 17th – 21st, 2018
Weekday community-based educational opportunities can be found throughout the four counties of Western MA all week long! Each weekday we feature community-based educational opportunities that can be selected to support the interests and education of self-directed teens, homeschoolers and life-long learners.
Select the day of the week and find events that support your interests through community engagement!
Check our list of Weekly Suggested Events for our comprehensive list, including ongoing learning and play opportunities for younger children and intergenerational community events.
See your banner here! Sponsor Weekdays in Western MA!
Pirate Episode with Guest DJ, Tom Mason of the Blue Buccaneers
Captain Tom Mason of the Blue Buccaneers takes the helm as our guest DJ for an hour of songs about pirates and the sea. Listen to songs from islands the pirates visited, dance to both the peg-leg jig and the peg-leg tango, and sing along to sea shanties old and new. Captain Tom also gives a brief lesson in how to talk like a pirate, as well as a few words about fine dining on the deep sea. – tommason.net
Saturday from 9-10am & Sunday from 7-8am September 15 & 16, 2018 WXOJ LP – 103.3 FM – Valley Free Radio Northampton, MA
Featured Video: Are Ghost Ships Real?
According to TED-Ed, “In 1884, the British steamer “Rumney” crashed into the French ship “Frigorifique.” Seeing their ship filling with water, the French crew climbed aboard the “Rumney.” But as they sailed towards port, a silent form emerged from the fog – the abandoned “Frigorifique,” seemingly back for revenge. So what happened? Peter B. Campbell investigates the fascinating phenomenon of ghost ships.”
Here’s a recap of news and information posted on Hilltown Families this past week, along with a map for finding out what’s happening this weekend and next week throughout Western MA!
Our After-School Classes & Enrichment Programs Directory is Here!
Our community is rich in learning opportunities to supplement the interests of children, teens, and life-long learners. We have put together a directory of after-school & weekend classes and enrichment programs happening across Western Massachusetts throughout the school year. Many of these programs aren’t just for kids, so to all the adults out there – feel encouraged to pursue your interests and honor your callings through these enrichment classes, too!
If you have a class or program you would like to have included in our directory, contact us at sales@hilltownfamilies.org to learn about our advertising options and sponsorship packages.
Can Woolley Bears (Pyrrharctia isabella) offer us an indication as to the severity of the coming winter? Common North American folklore says that a wide brown band calls for a mild winter and a narrow one calls for a severe winter. While there is no scientific evidence for this prediction, looking for these little guys and examining them closely with your kids opens up channels for learning while connecting to the seasons.
Peruse our list below and make plans to get out into your community and learn while you play!
Featured seasonal highlight this week:
APPLES
Apples, one of the earliest (and most delicious) signs of fall, have been an essential part of New England agriculture for centuries. McIntosh apples are undeniably the most iconic of New England’s apples, and make up over two thirds of the regions apple crop! Macs and countless other delicious and fascinating varieties of apples are grown at orchards across western Massachusetts, and families can enjoy this year’s fantastic apple crop by visiting an orchard to pick or purchase a bushel. Participate in the tradition of apple-picking and support local agriculture! Check out local orchards and farms in Western MA for Pick Your Own Apples, including Park Hill Orchard (Easthampton), Outlook Farm (Westhampton), Bear Swamp Orchard & Cidery (Ashfield), Quonquont Farm (Whately), Clarkdale Fruit Farms (Deerfield), and Bashista Orchards (Southampton).
Welcome to Hilltown Families, an online grassroots communication network for families living throughout the four counties of Western Massachusetts. Hilltown Families believes in creating resilient and sustainable communities by developing and strengthening a sense of place in our children and citizens through community-based education and engagement. We work to accomplish this by highlighting the embedded learning that is found everywhere in our communities, making the information accessible to families, and giving parents/educators access to opportunities that support their children’s interests and education while encouraging community engagement.
Hilltown Families was founded in 2005 by Sienna Wildfield and is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
Established in 2005, Hilltown Families has been supporting community-based education through community engagement for over a decade! With your support, we can continue to connect community members of all ages with learning and value-based opportunities throughout the four counties of western Massachusetts! Make a tax-deductible donation to Hilltown Families today! - Hilltown Families is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
“We try to go to at least one of the Hilltown Families recommended events each weekend to keep our son experiencing new, educational, and community oriented experiences. Hilltown Families supports my interests in education through community engagement by providing a network of families with similar interests in the same area…a sense of belonging to a group that supports my goals and interests.” – Yi-Lo Yu (Southampton, MA)
"Hilltown Families keeps us connected with all the amazing educational and cultural activities and resources that abound here in W. Mass and curates them in a way to let us know just what’s out there for the many varied interests of our young families and communities, while creating networks of support and growth." - Kara Kitchen (Plainfield, MA)
The Hilltown Family Variety Show (HFVS) airs Saturday mornings on Valley Free Radio, 103.3FM WXOJ, Northampton, MA from 9-10am with encores on Sunday from 7-8am. Playlist and podcasts are posted immediately following broadcast. Listen to our archived shows at any time: HFVS Archived Shows.
From Our Library: A Booklist for Studying Seed Dispersal. Studies of seed dispersal can illuminate secrets to plant… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…1 day ago
Food, glorious food!!! We all eat it, so why not sing some songs about it! Heather Hirshfield and Eddie RosenBerg I… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…2 days ago
Look through our List of Weekly Suggested Events and let Hilltown Families connect you to your interests, your neig… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…5 days ago
Posting a comment to Hilltown Families will automatically add you to the Hilltown Families mailing list to receive our weekly update. Email addresses are never rented or sold. To be removed from our mailing list, email info@hilltownfamilies.org to request to be removed.
disclaimer
Information provided on Hilltown Families (HTF) is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Reasonable efforts are made to provide the most accurate information, but no guarantees of any kind can be made. Information can be changed without prior notice. Please check with 3rd parties to confirm all listings for date/time, cost, location and age appropriateness before attending. Opinions expressed on HTF are that of the writer and not necessarily that of HTF. In no event shall HTF be liable (directly or indirectly) for any losses or damages causes (or allegedly caused) in connection with HTF. All health and wellness related information is for entertainment purposes only and should not be used to substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. All provided links are provided as a courtesy and not as an endorsement. HTF is not responsible for the content of external websites.
Our community is rich in learning opportunities to supplement the interests of children, teens, and life-long learners. We have put together a directory of after-school & weekend classes and enrichment programs happening across Western Massachusetts throughout the school year. Many of these programs aren’t just for kids, so to all the adults out there – feel encouraged to pursue your interests and honor your callings through these enrichment classes, too!
Once school is back in session, the transition from summer to autumn is signaled by a steady stream of fall icons appearing across the region that mark the season. We begin to find ourselves behinds school buses in the early morning hours while dodging squirrels racing across the roads in search of acorns before the cold settles in. Pumpkin lattes and apple cider donuts appear on cafe menus. Scarecrows, mums, and gourds decorate storefronts and front porches. The leaves of deciduous trees bloom into hues of red, orange, and yellow. And apple orchards invite families to pick-their-own apples or the convenience of 1/2 pecks of locally grown fruit for homemade apple pies and cobbler. Signs of autumn not only mark the season and engage our senses, but they are also embedded with limitless community-based educational opportunities and value-based methods for community engagement. Let’s take a quick look at three different signs of autumn that are connected to the weather, local harvest, and cultural heritage of the region and how they can support learning while strengthening a sense of place. 
Weekday community-based educational opportunities can be found throughout the four counties of Western MA all week long! Each weekday we feature community-based educational opportunities that can be selected to support the interests and education of self-directed teens, homeschoolers and life-long learners.
Weekday community-based educational opportunities can be found throughout the four counties of Western MA all week long! Each weekday we feature community-based educational opportunities that can be selected to support the interests and education of self-directed teens, homeschoolers and life-long learners.
School came easily for me as a child. I did well without much effort. Until college. I finished eventually, but not without a little extra time and a lot of extra angst. Twenty years later – and a decade ago now – I began pursuing my current profession and line of study, yoga, mindfulness and healing modalities. The first week of yoga teacher training included an anatomy intensive. I was amazed at how quickly and easily my mind absorbed information about muscle mechanics while I was moving my body instead of staring at a lecture screen. My body provided the necessary study tools.
Reiki means life force energy. Many of us refer to Reiki as Love, but love can be a tricky word. Love is multi-complex. To some, love means romantic love or adoration or a form of affection. I prefer using the term Reiki because it simplifies these complex ideas into simply offering positive energy to one another.
Find out about community events and learning opportunities happening throughout Berkshire County for the month of October. We’ll be adding to this list as the month progresses, so be sure to check back each week. 
Berkshire Family Fun is also supported in part by a grant from the Hinsdale/Peru, Mount Washington, Monterey, North Berkshire, Pittsfield, Washington, and Windsor Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
Weekday community-based educational opportunities can be found throughout the four counties of Western MA all week long! Each weekday we feature community-based educational opportunities that can be selected to support the interests and education of self-directed teens, homeschoolers and life-long learners.
Now that my newborn is becoming a toddler overnight, I have begun to include her in toddler–esque art projects. This is exciting in so many ways. As all kids, she explores, experiments and creates every waking moment. Like every one-year-old she loves sensory exposure at its best- mostly by mouth. So, the question became how do I include her without poisoning her, letting her choke, or dumbing down toddler activities? Because she mouths everything and taste it just the same, I decided to create a few sensory activities that would be safe and fun for both infants and toddlers. And what do they both love? Food! 
Weekday community-based educational opportunities can be found throughout the four counties of Western MA all week long! Each weekday we feature community-based educational opportunities that can be selected to support the interests and education of self-directed teens, homeschoolers and life-long learners.
