greylocknews

Gardening for Bees and Humans May 20 at NAPL

North Adams, MA - On Tuesday, May 20 at 6:00 PM at the North Adams Public Library, Gardening for Bees and Humans will be presented by the Northern Beekeepers Association. This presentation will examine the foraging habits of bees, and highlight food sources with a succession of flowering times to provide three long seasons of bee habitat, from early spring through late fall; a featured selection of plants will be available for sale to the public so participants will be able to start right away developing their bee gardens. Call 413-663-9288 for more information. antpisano@hotmail.com

North Adams Garden Club Plant Sale May 17

North Adams, MA - The North Adams Garden Club is having their annual plant sale on Saturday, May 17th from 9:00- 2:00 PM. The sale will be located at 107 Main Street and will include hundreds of plants; dozens of varieties of annuals, hanging baskets, perennials, herbs, and vegetables will be available. The public is urged to support the club, who is also encouraging new members. Please call 413-664-7568.

Marino Announces 2008 Series of History Walks

North Adams, MA - Noted local historian Paul W. Marino has announced his 2008 schedule of historic walks in and around the city of North Adams, MA.

Except where noted, all dates are Saturdays and walks start at 2:30 pm.

June 7 Hillside Cemetery, short form (especially suitable for children!)
June 21 Southview Cemetery
July 5 Veazie Street
July 19 Hillside Cemetery, full tour
August 2 Church Street Wed.
August 20, 5pm: Main Street (for Downtown)
August 16: Center Street
September 6 Hillside Cemetery, short form (especially suitable for children!)
September 20 Main Street
October 4 Southview Cemetery
October 25 Hillside Cemetery, full tour

STARTING POINTS:
Hillside--top of the hill off Brown Street
Southview--the entrance opposite the Drury High School driveway
Veazie Street--corner of Veazie & River Streets
Church Street--Smith House on the MCLA campus
Main Street--west end of the street, past SubWay
Center Street--corner of Center & Marshall Streets

Rain, high winds or illness cancel, but nothing else. Walks canceled will be rescheduled at Marino's discretion. Wear a good pair of walking shoes, a hat with a wide brim and/or sunblock. Carry a canteen or bottle of water and bring children (somebody else's, if not your own), and be prepared to have your ears talked off.

Make Art for the River

North Adams, MA - Northern Berkshire Creative Arts and the Hoosic River Watershed Association (HooRWA) will collaborate for NBCA's monthly Family Art Day, May 17, from 1-3 PM.  River habitats and inhabitants will be the subject of sculptures, masks and painted banners, which will be displayed at the upcoming annual Riverfest. Family Day attendees will receive free admission to Riverfest.

NBCA Family Day is a fun way for parents and caregivers to work alongside their children and create art. This event is free and open to the public but you must call NBCA to register. Please leave your name, phone number, and number and ages of children attending. For more information about NBCA, see www.nbcreativearts.org or call 413-663-8338.

Four College Issues Forum Begins April 30 at MoCA

North Adams, MA - Amory Lovins, author of -Winning the Oil Endgame- will speak at the first annual Four College Issues Forum. The inaugural symposium will be held Wednesday, April 30, at 8 pm in Hunter Center at MASS MoCA. Free and open to the public. Tickets are available by phone or at the door. Call 413-662-2111. 

Hill's Pet Nutrition Presents the 6th Annual Humane Race May 4

Williamstown, MA-Run or walk, with or without your dog at the 6th Annual Humane Race and Dog Jog presented by Hill's Pet Nutrition.  The race will take place on Sunday, May 4th, 2008 at Mt. Greylock Regional High School, 1781 Cold Spring Road (Route 7) in Williamstown, MA. 

Benefiting the Berkshire Humane Society, Hill's Humane Race offers both a 5K-trail run as well as a 1-mile fun run for kids 12 and under.  Dogs are invited to participate in either distance (but please see our website, www.HumaneRace.org for "dog jog" safety rules).  Race day check-in and registration is from 8:00 - 9:30 A.M., the 1 mile fun run begins at 9:30 A.M., and the 5K starts at 10:00 A.M. 

Hill's Humane Race will also feature music by "D.J. Feel the Love" Mark Santella, dog agility demonstrations by Sugar Bush Farm of Stephentown, NY featuring BHS alumni Ziggy and staff member Cheryl Truskowski, a special visit from K-9 Officer Michael Ziemba and his famous bloodhound, Blue, as well as great prizes, refreshments and more!

Registration and pledge forms are available on our website,  www.HumaneRace.org, or you can register on-line at  www.active.com.   Forms are also available at the Berkshire Humane Society in Pittsfield, Greylock Animal Hospital in North Adams, The Mountain Goat and The Browns in Williamstown and The Arcadian Shop in Lenox.  Fees are $20 to pre-register, and $25 to register on race day for the 5K, $5 to pre-register, and $10 on race day for the 1 mile Fun Run for Kids 12 and Under.  The first 100 people to register for the 5K receive a Humane Race T-shirt, every 1-mile fun run participant will receive a small race keepsake, and all dogs will receive a doggie bandana.   Prizes/medals will be awarded to the top 3 finishers in each 5K-age category.

Hill's Humane Race is also asking participants to raise additional funds through pledges.  Pledge sheets are also available on the Humane Race website.  Prizes will be awarded to the top pledge earner in both the "20 and under", and "21 and over" categories.

All proceeds from the 6th Annual Humane Race go to support the Berkshire Humane Society and its many vital programs such as a pet food bank for economically distressed pet owners, free educational events for local school children, and through the Elizabeth Freeman Center, assistance in providing abused women with a safe haven for their pets during crisis.  The BHS is open Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 4pm, Thursday evenings 5-8pm, and Sundays 1-4pm.  The phone number is 413-447-7878.  For more information on the BHS, or to become a member, please visit  www.berkshirehumane.org.

The 4th Annual Humane Race and Dog Jog is generously sponsored by Hill's Pet Nutrition, Greylock Animal Hospital, theBrowns, The North Adams Transcript, The Advocate Weekly and iBerkshires.com.  For more information, please contact Race Director, Alix Cabral at   "mailto:info@humanerace.org" info@humanerace.org or (413) 441-3677, or visit our website,  www.HumaneRace.org.

"Gardening for Bees & Humans" May 20 at NAPL

North Adams, MA - The Northern Berkshire Beekeepers Association Presents “Gardening for Bees and Humans” by Nina Marks Tuesday, May 20, at 6:00 P.M. in the third floor Community Meeting Room of the North Adams Public Library.

Of the many beautiful flowering perennials, trees, shrubs and annuals available on the commercial market, there are often under-represented selections of edible, medicinal and New England native species which supply excellent forage for honey bees.  In this presentation, we will examine the foraging habits of bees, and highlight food sources with a succession of flowering times to provide three long seasons of bee habitat, from early spring through late fall.  We will also note individual plants' double utility for human consumption and/or native wildlife value, and offer suggestions for diverse growing conditions, from damp to dry and light to dark.  A featured selection of plants will be available for sale to the public so participants will be able to start right away developing their bee gardens.

Nina Marks was born in Gt. Barrington, MA to small farming family. Moved to Chicago and studied urban agriculture with Michael Thompson of Urban Paradise Landscaping and Chicago Honey Cooperative which teaches bee-keeping and honey production to former D.O.C. prisoners.  During that time she taught landscaping workshops for Chicago Women in the Trades, a not-for-profit skills training program for low-income women; spent several years in Yucatan Peninsula as an independent scholar studying Mayan agriculture and food self-sufficiency traditions.  In 2000, interned with Matt and Scout Proft at Someday Farm, an organic vegetable and poultry CSA in East Dorset, VT.  Then went to California and worked on community literacy projects among immigrant community.  Ran an organic restaurant garden for Cafe Gibraltar and installed medicinal herb gardens at a retirement community.  Had a small farm of goats, chickens and vegetables.  Was also wild crafting medicinal herbs.  Moved back to Massachusetts to raise my daughter in the Berkshires.  Landed the job at Project Native as Asst. Greenhouse Mgr. and teaching organic gardening at Redfield House Residence for teen parents in Pittsfield.  I've been working as a bi-lingual educator in several school systems in Berkshire County.  I host the medicinal garden tours for fall Hancock Shaker Village Country Fairs.  I started Sexto Sol Landscaping Company in 2006.  It is an organic landscaping company serving Berkshires and surrounds, that specializes in edible, medicinal and native landscapes.  I've done gardens for Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation, Hoosic River Watershed Association, Topia Inn, the Moomaw residence in Williamstown, which is the first petroleum-free "green home" of its kind in New England. 

THE NORTHER BERKSHIRE BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION USUALLY MEETS THE 4TH TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH, AT 7:00 PM AT THE COMMUNITY ROOM LOCATED UPSTAIRS IN THE PRICE CHOPPER SUPERMARKET ON STATE ROAD IN NORTH ADAMS, MA.   THE CLUB IS DEDICATED TO THE BETTERMENT AND PRESERVATION OF BEEKEEPING AND WELCOMES ANYONE WHO WISHES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BEES AND THE CRAFT OF BEEKEEPING.  ANY QUESTIONS, CALL PRESIDENT TOM STEFANIK @ 413 743 2187 OR EMAIL tsmcs1@verizon.net  OR SECRETARY TONY PISANO AT 413 663 9288 OR EMAIL   antpisano@hotmail.com .  OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE  APRIL 29TH, AT THE N.A. PUBLIC LIBRARY,   6:30 P.M., AND WILL FEATURE BOB GRENNE AND A PROGRAM ENTITLED” APITHERAPY AND BEEKEEPING”.  IT PROMISES TO BEE AN INTERESTING PROGRAM.

Winard to Give Talk on Wetlands Birds April 20

Williamstown, MA - The public is invited to a talk and book-signing with photographer Rosalie Winard on Sunday April 20th from 2 –-4 PM at Sheep Hill. Winard’s stunning images of wetland birds are brought together in her new book, Wild Birds of the American Wetlands, published by Welcome Books, distributed by Random House.  Winard spent more than ten years photographing large birds of the wetlands throughout the country. She will discuss her experiences in capturing the images in the book, copies of which will be available for purchase and signing at the event. The program is sponsored by the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation and North Berkshire Audubon.

Winard’s ongoing connection with Williamstown began when she visited here in the 1990s to photograph local artist Jessy Park as part of a photo essay on autistic adults.  She is pleased to introduce Birds of the American Wetlands at the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation’s Sheep Hill headquarters.  “"Conserving habitat is critical to the survival of the species illustrated in my book,"” Winard states.  “"I am pleased to be working with the WRLF to help raise awareness about the need for preserving wetland habitats."”

Random House describes Rosalie Winard as ‘at once a documentary photographer, artist, and student of natural history. Winard, in each of her photographs, slips soundlessly into a vivid and detailed realism’.

The WRLF is a land conservation organization dedicated to preserving important habitats, working landscapes and rural character.  Sheep Hill is located approximately one mile south of the Williamstown rotary on Route 7.  More information – call 413-458-2494

Learn About Reducing Your Carbon Footprint at Home, Work and the Community on March 13

North Adams, MA - The Berkshire Environmental Resource Center at <A HREF="http://www.mcla.edu">MCLA</a> will continue its series of Green Living Seminars with...Successes and Challenges in reducing our Carbon Footprint at Home, Work and the Community… on Thursday, March 13, at 5:30 PM in Murdock Hall room 218. Call 413-662-5303.

NA Garden Club Presents Talk on "Bulbs and Humans" March 9

North Adams, MA - On March 9 at 2:00 PM at the American Legion, the North Adams Garden Club will present “Bulbs and Humans: Rising above the Squirrel Mentality” featuring David Burdick of Daffodils & More in Dalton. For more information, contact NAGC President Ann Rosse at 413-662-2519.