Feb - March 2013, vol 6
Take One, It's Free!
Our BerkshireTimes
™
Community News | Local Events | Personal Growth | Vibrant Living
Special W edding Feature In side!
Western MA | Northern CT | Eastern NY | Southern VT
Connect, Share, Grow, Prosper • The Voice of Our Community!
Left Field Farm Middlefield, MA
Community Matters. Eat Local Food. www.berkshire.coop
Our BerkshireTimes™ PUBLISHER Kathy I. Regan publisher@ourberkshiregreen.com _______________ EDITORIAL Kathy I. Regan editor@ourberkshiregreen.com
Contents 2
DESIGN Magazine Design/Layout Kathy I. Regan Ads–Independent Designers Katharine Adams, Rural Ethic Studio katmail@ruralethicstudio.com Christine Dupre cedupre@msn.com Elisa Jones, Berkshire Design Studio elisa@berkshiredesignstudio.com Shirley Sparks, Graphic Design on a Dime sms234@aol.com _______________ ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER Patty Strauch patty@ourberkshiregreen.com ______________ EVENT COORDINATOR Patty Strauch patty@ourberkshiregreen.com _______________ CONTACT Our BerkshireGreen, Inc. P.O. Box 133, Housatonic, MA 01236 Phone: (413) 274-1122, Fax: (413) 541-8000 www.OurBerkshireGreen.com www.OurBerkshireTimes.com www.OurBerkshireCalendar.com
Publisher's Page
10 Home, Garden & Landscape
Publisher Letter
Rodelinde Albrecht rodelinde@ourberkshiregreen.com Copyeditors/Proofreaders Rodelinde Albrecht Patty Strauch _______________
February - March 2013
Electrosmog - Part 1
Good Tidings Event Sampler
3
12 Education & Workshops Event Sampler
Special Wedding Feature 5 Tips to Avoid Becoming a Bridezilla!
jane iredale Wedding Makeup Tips
6
Find Part 2 in the April-May Issue
Animal Talk The Family Dog School
14 Community Spotlight Lenox, MA
16 Health & Wellness Intentional Communication
Back to Nature
7
8
Our Berkshire Marketplace Fashion & Beauty In Business Food & Drink The Fresh Egg Cookbook Review
Monthly Reiki Exchange
19 Mind & Spirit Your Thoughts Are and Do Matter
20 Directory of Advertisers 21 Featured Advertisers
Potato and Corn Frittata Recipe
Tell Them You Saw Them Here!
Our BerkshireTimes™ The Voice of Our Community! New! Follow Us On Our BerkshireTimes™ is an Our BerkshireGreen™ publication. We are dedicated to supporting our local economy and creating an ever-expanding, unified network of community-minded individuals, businesses, and organizations in our area.
COVER ILLUSTRATION
We give more than 75,000 readers per issue the opportunity to connect, share knowledge, and inspire one another through our publication, networking events, and growing online services. Our bimonthly publication (six issues yearly, starting in February) is free to the public and distributed throughout western MA, northern CT, eastern NY, and southern VT, and is enjoyed by community members, second home owners, and visitors alike.
Cover photo used with permission from the 2012-2013 Lenox Wedding Tour Gallery and taken by Sabine Vollmer von Falken. Sabine is one of New England’s
Most of our editorial content is contributed by our community members. We welcome your ideas, articles, and feedback, and encourage you to submit original material for consideration through our website. You will find complete instructions on our online form.
R
premier wedding photographers specializing in wedding, portrait, architectural, and editorial photography. Based in the beautiful Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts, Sabine creates lyrical and personal statements about people and places. Her photographs reveal the essential and often hidden emotional core of her subjects. With professional recognition as a commercial and fine art photographer, Sabine has earned a broad client base throughout the East Coast and Europe. (413) 298-4933, info@sabinephotoart.com www.sabinephotoart.com
It’s all about community! To find out more about advertising, submitting editorial, attending one of our popular free networking events, and posting events on our free community calendar, see our websites at left, and join our mailing list to receive our free monthly eNewsletter. __________________________________________________ All content in Our BerkshireTimes ™ is accepted in good faith. We do not necessarily advocate and cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by our authors, illustrators, and advertisers. We reserve the right to refuse advertising for any reason. For printing errors of the publisher's responsibility, liability is limited to the cost of the ad space in which it first appeared. Unless otherwise noted, we use a Creative Commons License in place of a standard copyright.
1
From the Publisher
Good Tidings
O
ur BerkshireGreen Publishing began in early 2009 with three magazines per year, distributing to Berkshire County. In 2010 we expanded to a quarterly publication. Then, in April 2012 we expanded once again to six issues of Our BerkshireTimes per year with more than 400 distribution locations in western MA, eastern NY, northern CT, and southern VT. All thanks to you and your support! Most of our editorial is contributed by you, our community members – Our BerkshireTimes truly is the voice of our community. I hope you enjoy our very first special wedding feature in this edition. Please look for another special feature (gardening) this coming April! Kathy I. Regan, Publisher & Founder Our BerkshireGreen Publishing (413) 274-1122, publisher@OurBerkshireGreen.com
Readings, workshops, panels & performances—55 events in March 2013 at venues throughout Berkshire County
The Third Annual
Berkshire Festival of Women Writers
Nourish Your Body, Mind, Soul, and Home
T
By Susan Jameson
his issue of Good Tidings encourages you to nurture yourself. Take time out of your busy schedule to pamper, love, and nourish your body, mind, soul, and home. Treat yourself to soul-satisfying, mindful experiences at the Sruti Center for Yoga and Transformational Arts. Dive deeply into nourishing nutrition at The Nutrition Center. Make home repairs of all kinds at the Repair Café. Soothe and soften your heart listening to beautiful music at the Piano Bar at the Gateways Inn. As you take time to nurture yourself you’ll have more energy to give to others. May good bless you!
S
ruti, Center for Yoga and Transformational Arts has expanded into two studios on Railroad Street! The expansion has assisted our diverse programming and our evolution as a true learning center. The warm and supportive environment provides the right admixture for personal growth and transformation. I love the incredible adventuresome spirits who find their way here! ~ Amy Webb, Great Bar-
rington, MA, www.srutiyogacenter.com
T
he Nutrition Center, recently awarded the Pittsfield HSAC grant, has used the funds to great success by developing and teaching a series of interactive cooking classes for the low-income population of our region. The Nutrition Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Its mission is to inspire healthy relationships with food to create long-lasting health. It provides community-based nutrition education, culinary curricula, and clinical nutrition counseling for increased well-being and disease prevention. ~ Peter Stanton, Pitts-
field, MA, www.thenutritioncenter.org
G
See our website for complete listings:
et small household items fixed for free at the Repair Café, where experienced workers bring new life to broken possessions.
berkshirewomenwriters.org
You can’t really enjoy your home, your place of refuge, when your lamps need repair, your vacuum cleaner is on the fritz, your chairs are in pieces, or your pj’s need mending. Take part in stimulating conversations and delight in hot drinks and snacks while you wait. ~ For upcom-
ing schedule contact Janet Henderson, Organizer, Pittsfield Resilience Circle, jmh227@hotmail.com
I
t is exactly one year since we bought the Gateways Inn. We had a wonderful year; our lodging business is up 23 percent compared to what it was under the previous ownership. Our biggest success has been the introduction of our Piano Bar, which has become a popular platform for local musicians and just as importantly an attraction for local jazz and cabaret lovers. The restaurant provides gourmet food at reasonable prices, and we are one of the few places that offers quality late-night snacks. We look forward to welcoming you to the Gateways Inn! ~ Eiran Gazit, Gateways Inn and Restaurant, Lenox, MA, 01240, www. GatewaysInn.com
~ Susan Jameson is the founder of Humanity in Concert, and the co-founder of Healing Winds and the Rock, Rattle & Drum Pow Wow. www.HealingWinds.net
S
February - March Event Sampler To see more events or to post your event for free go to www.OurBerkshireCalendar.com Now You're Cooking: The Homemade Pantry: Make Your Own Snacks
Date: Thu, Feb 7, 2013, 6-8pm Place: Berkshire South Regional Community Center, 15 Crissey Road, Great Barrington, MA (413) 528-2810. Price: $25 Members (BSRCC or CoOp) $35. Guests In collaboration with The Berkshire Co-Op Market. Everybody needs a snack now and then. Local author, blogger, and educator Alana Chernila will show you how to satisfy those snacking needs in your own kitchen. Participants will make their own crackers and granola bars. www.berkshiresouth.org
Third Annual Berkshire Festival of Women Writers Date: Starting Fri, March 1, 2013
2
February / March 2013
Place: Venues throughout Berkshire County, Sheffield to Williamstown, MA Monthlong countywide festival featuring 55 events and more than 150 presenters! Kicks off on March 1 and keeps going through March 30! www.berkshirewomenwriters.org
A Taste of Community
Date: Thu, March 7, 2013, 6:30-8:30pm. Place: Berkshire South Regional Community Center, 15 Crissey Road, Great Barrington, MA - (413) 528-2810. Price: $30 per person at the door. Enjoy a reasonably-priced evening out while supporting a good cause! Sample fabulous food and libations from some of the Berkshires’ finest restaurants and wine merchants. Proceeds help to support our
www.OurBerkshireTimes.com
weekly free Community Suppers. Purchase tickets in advance: $25 per person, $45 per couple, $20 per person for groups of 6 or more. www.berkshiresouth.org
Making Goat Cheese
Date: Sat, March 9, 2013, 1-4pm Place: Berkshire Botanical Garden, corner of Rte 102 and 183, Stockbridge, MA (413) 298-3926 Price: Members $45; Nonmembers $50 Join Hawthorne Valley Farm’s cheese-maker for a workshop using goat’s milk. He will demonstrate how to make a fresh chevre and a hard tomme and will share tips and techniques for making fresh and aged goat cheeses from start to finish, followed by a tasting and discussion. www.berkshirebotanical.org
Special Wedding Feature 5 Tips to Avoid Becoming a Bridezilla! By Tracy Remelius edding planning does not have to be a crazed time filled with the overwhelm, stress, and cranky outbursts that have coined the term “bridezilla.” You need as much vital energy as you can get to keep up with the demands of your job, family, relationship, and wedding planning. When it comes to staying healthy and sane during this time, get inspired by all that you want to accomplish, rather than letting it drain you, so you can be a happy and healthy bride.
W
1. Self-Care. In some ways, it may seem like this planning time is all about you and the idea of selfcare might appear selfish. When you really stop and think about it, in addition to planning your dream wedding, you are also planning a huge family get-together. Think of how stressful negotiating the typical family holidays might be, then double that, as two families are coming together. Self-care is our key weapon in battling stress. What are some things that feel like self-care to you? Is it sharing massages with your partner, getting a pedicure, taking a sauna, going for a walk or a yoga class, curling up with some tea and your favorite magazine? Self-care can be incredibly luxurious or incredibly simple. 2. Sleep. Make sure to catch your zzz’s. Harvard
Health reports: “Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates, and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite. Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness.” Sounds like a recipe for bridezilla syndrome! Make sure that overdoing coffee drinks does not interfere with your sleep. Another way to avoid interrupted sleep from having to get up to go to the bathroom at night is to drink fluids earlier in the day and stop drinking in the early evening.
3. Eat health-promoting, energizing foods. You are what you eat. Eating sugar, junk foods, and lots of caffeine because you’re dragging only depletes your natural energy. Think of us-
ing food as the highest octane gas you have to power up your day. By adding more natural and whole foods to your diet, your brain and body will function on a higher level so that you can more fully enjoy your life and feel like the Happy and Healthy Bride you are.
4. Water. Most of us are aware of the importance of drinking enough water. Getting our daily dose of water helps our organs perform their functions, keeps our skin clear and hydrated, and allows physical action in our bodies to flow smoothly. Those who are not drinking enough may experience poor digestion, sluggish thinking, skin breakouts, headaches, bad breath, and general fatigue.
Studio
Day Spa
Makeup Facials Massage Nails Waxing Fantasy Tan
2 Elm Street Great Barrington, MA 413.528.5523 www.studiodayspa.com
5. Listen to and connect with your partner.
I know I started this article with self-care, but equally important is the care you put into your relationship – remember that’s really what this is all about. Try to keep perspective. Regularly acknowledge and appreciate all that your partner does for you; whether it’s listening to you complain about invitations, or compromising to support you. Sometimes it might feel like you have to please your mom or your family, so make sure you are also allowing your partner’s wishes to be respected. You are starting a new family and the way you treat each other through this time is setting a foundation for your marriage. If wedding planning is taking up a lot of your time, keep scheduling those date nights! Happy and Healthy Brides breathe, glow, relax, smile, laugh, love, sleep, envision, play, dance, and stay present in the moment. Consider working with a health coach to help you gain the confidence you need to sail through the countless decisions and family negotiations required so that you can fully enjoy your entire wedding journey.
~ Tracy Remelius, certified Health Coach and Yoga teacher, helps brides find their natural path to health while healing their body, mind, and spirit. www.happyandhealthybrides.com. See ad page 4.
Wedding Packages starting at $55 per person
Crissey Farm Catering offers a perfect year-round destination for your wedding, reunion or special event. Our 6,000 square foot green building has stateof-the-art heating and cooling systems. The large, open space allows full flexibility, so we can host parties as small as 30 and as large as 200. Two fireplaces complement the simple, yet tastefully designed interior. Decades of hospitality experience, a passion for food and entertaining, and a beautiful banquet facility make us an excellent consideration for your next function.
413-528-4844 www.crisseyfarm.com BERKSHIRE BANQUET HOUSE
Jennifer House Commons, Route 7N • Great Barrington, MA 01230 (413) 528-4844 • www.crisseyfarm.com
www.OurBerkshireTimes.com
February / March 2013
3
Special Wedding Feature jane iredale Wedding Makeup Tips By Joanna Mariani
Happy and Healthy Brides
Health Coaching with Tracy Remelius “My mission is to help brides find their natural path to health. I will help you look and feel your best and make lifestyle changes that will keep you that way long after you’ve returned from your honeymoon.” ~ Tracy Remelius, Health Coach
www.HappyandHealthyBrides.com
Creative ~ Intimate ~ Personal
he wedding season is right around the corner. Whether you are the bride, mother of the bride, bridesmaid, guest, or the makeup artist, you may be in need of tips on how to get the perfect wedding makeup look.
T
My mission is to help brides find their natural path to health. Imagine walking down the aisle with calm confidence.
A ceremony that celebrates you and your love.
I will help you look and feel your best
Rev. AnnE O'Neil
and make lifestyle changes that will keep you that way long after you’ve returned from your honeymoon.
Ordained Interfaith Minister
info@yoursoulpath.com ~ (917) 748-8463 www.yoursoulpath.com “Reverend AnnE was a true blessing at our wedding. The ceremony that she crafted was beautiful and heartfelt. All of our guests complimented her on such a touching ceremony. It was truly a magical day and it couldn’t have happened without Reverend AnnE.” ~Ashling & Ryan, September 2011
The ambiance, rich history and intimacy in a beautiful Gilded Age mansion built in 1893 create a truly unique setting for your wedding day.
I reached out to Sabrina, the Business Development Coordinator and wedding makeup expert at jane iredale, to ask for her best wedding makeup tips. Here’s what she had to share: “My best wedding day makeup advice is to look like you, just enhanced. If you don’t normally wear a lot of makeup I would suggest staying light on your wedding day as well. You want your husband to recognize you and you want to be happy when you look back at photos.
False lashes look beautiful on your wedding day, but I would advise doing a pre-wedding trial first so that you can see if you like them and get used to them. I always suggest wearing a little more blush than normal on your wedding day, as wearing all white can tend to make you look washedout in photos.
“My best wedding day makeup advice is to look like you, just enhanced.”
Waterproof and highly water-resistant makeup is a must! You want to look your best even through tears (happy tears, of course)! I always tend to lean toward the pressed powder when doing wedding makeup as it has a more matte finish. Brides get nervous and hot and they sweat . . . you want them to look fresh in photos and not shiny.
Purchase the lip color or gloss you will be wearing on your wedding day so that you can use it for touchups throughout the night. Keep blotting papers on hand as well.
Eye Highlighter Pencil is a must for highlighting! I usually use the highlighter pencil under the brows, on the inner corner of the eyes, along the cheekbone, and right above the Cupid’s bow of the lips!” We suggest that you have a trial application of your makeup before your wedding day. Whether you are applying your makeup yourself or using an artist, practice makes perfect! Happy wedding season! ~ www.janeiredale.com. See ad on facing page.
For more information contact us at 413-637-3206 or by e-mail at info@GildedAge.org 104 Walker Street, Lenox, MA 413-637-3206 GildedAge.org
PurePressed® Base Golden Glow
PurePressed® Eyeshadow Sundown Triple
S
Highlighter Pencil White/Pink
PurePressed® Blush Cheekie
Did You Know? Early Roman brides carried a bunch of herbs, such as garlic and rosemary, under their veils to symbolize fidelity and fertility and to ward off evil. These herbs served as a precursor to the modern bridal bouquet. Throwing rice at weddings symbolizes fertility, prosperity, and bounty. Nearly all cultures have showered the wedding couple with symbolic food and items including nuts, dates, seedbearing plants, cake, wheat bread and salt, flower petals, rose leaves, and coins to name a few. Medieval newlyweds would spend a month alone together, enjoying mead, a fermented honey drink (honey is an ancient symbol of life, health, and fertility) until the moon waned, hence the term honeymoon. The superstition that the bridegroom must not see his bride before the wedding stems from the days when marriages were arranged and the groom might never have seen the bride. There was the chance that if he saw her, he might bolt!
4
February / March 2013
www.OurBerkshireTimes.com
Special Wedding Feature Rev. C heryl Ann Luft, MSS Ecumenical v Non-denominational
Creating unique, Spirit-centered ceremonies, serving interfaith & unaffiliated couples, honoring all paths.
RevSherel@gmail.com
413-229-8080
Weddings at Darrow School
Photo by Jane Feldman ’74
Choose a setting of unparalleled beauty at historic Mount Lebanon Shaker Village.
Darrow School ∙ 110 Darrow Road ∙ New Lebanon, NY 12125 www.darrowschool.org ∙ 518-322-3657
You deserve to be radiant on your wedding day.
janeiredale.com
www.OurBerkshireTimes.com
February / March 2013
5
Animal Talk The Family Dog School
CARING FOR PETS SINCE 1957
at Berkshire Humane Society in Pittsfield, MA Your trusted source for quality foods and supplies. Your trusted resource for raw-feeding information and advice.
BENSDOTTER’S PET 413-528-4940 940 MAIN STREET, GREAT BARRINGTON, MA 01230
Convenient Location with Ample Parking on route 7 less than a minute south of Guido’s
Monday-Friday 10-6 Saturday-Sunday 10-4 www.bensdotters.com
S
olvable behavior problems are the number-one reason why dogs are surrendered to shelters. To foster human-canine relations and ensure that more dogs have forever homes, the Berkshire Humane Society Family Dog School offers a variety of training classes. Because each class has a maximum of eight dogs taught by two trainers, students receive a great deal of personal attention. Sessions are eight weeks long; participants may choose either Tuesday evenings from 6:30-7:30 or Saturday mornings from 9:30-10:30.
Level 1 Class - For dogs more than four months old. Basic obedience cues are taught, including polite greetings, down and relax, loose lead walking, sit, down, stay, and come – as well as solving canine behavior problems, with the goal of teaching the dog to be a polite member of the household. Agility obstacles are introduced, and owners will learn how to interpret their dog’s communication signals. Keep in mind: We don’t train your dog – we teach you how to train him! Level 2 Class - Continuing education provides a good foundation for owners who want to go further in training, either on their own, or in more advanced classes.
Why should I train my dog? To make him happy and well-behaved, to form a bond with him, to establish leadership, to have fun!
Who in the household should work with
my dog? Everyone! For your dog to respect each family member, it’s important that they all participate in the training. How much time will it take? In addition to the weekly class, you’ll have to practice several times a day – but only for a few minutes at a time. A training session takes no more time than a TV commercial break or a cup of coffee. When is it too late to start training? Never! If you’ve adopted an older dog, training is a great way for you to bond with him. Or if you haven’t yet taught your pet how to behave, now is the time to start. You can teach an old dog new tricks! How much does it cost? Tuition for each
course is $120, or $100 for Berkshire Humane Society alumni. Class size is limited. Sessions fill up quickly, so reserve your space by sending in your payment and registration form now. A letter confirming the date and time of the first class will be mailed one week in advance. Note that Level 1 Manners classes for February/March are already filled! Contact Lisa Corbett at (413) 447-7878 ext. 39 or email her at: lcorbett@berkshirehumane.org. Go to www.berkshirehumane.org/family-dog-school to download The Family Dog School brochure and application. There are no refunds for Family Dog School fees.
Back to Nature
Catering to the needs of the well loved pet since 1993. Premium foods. Quality Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience. toys, treats, bedding and accessories for your furry friends! ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson 333 Main St., LakeviLLe, Ct (860)435-8833
Catering to the needs of the well loved pet since 1993. Premium foods. Quality toys, treats, bedding, and accessories for your furry friends!
333 Main Street, Lakeville, CT
(860) 435-8833 6
February / March 2013
www.OurBerkshireTimes.com
E& SNOWSHO LS SKI RENTA
Cross Country Skiing and Snowshoeing with Amenities
� Warm up by the fireplace � Enjoy delicious mulled cider, hot chocolate and fresh baked goods � Taste any one of our wines for FREE Professionally groomed trails designed by Olympian John Morton. Hilltop Orchards, home of Furnace Brook Winery Open daily 9am-5pm 508 Canaan Rd/Rt 295 • Richmond, MA 01254 Snow conditions: 800-833-6274 / Hilltoporchards.com Check website for details of full moon snowshoe treks!
Our Berkshire Marketplace
Fashion & Beauty
Rooster Paisley Note Cards
Blue Thistle Paperie creates nostalgic, artfully designed greeting cards & bookmarks featuring farmhouse and cottage chic, fab fabrics, and retro revival style. This Bonjour French Country Rooster Paisley Card measures 4¼" x 5½" and is hand-stamped in rich chocolate brown with beautifully contrasting reds, olive greens, and chartreuse. The swirling pattern of the paisley enlivens the background of the card while "Bonjour" is raised for a 3-dimensional effect. Trimmed in chocolate brown grosgrain ribbon for an elegant finishing touch. Inside card is a pretty salmon color. Makes a great alternative to a postcard when you have a little more to say! Includes matching chartreuse envelope. Blank inside. Sells for $4.00 on Etsy.
P
eople are like stained glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within. ~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
In Business
www.bluethistlestudio.net
Genne M. LeVasseur
S
CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT
Business & Personal Accounting
Fire Cider
Shire City Herbals' philosophy is simple: "whole
foods make the best medicine!" Fire Cider Health Tonic is based on the traditional New England cure-all of raw apple cider vinegar and honey. But, they spiced things up with a synergistic blend of health-enhancing, immunity-boosting, organic roots and fruits. It's a medicinal tonic whether you use it as a salad dressing, in your favorite beverage, or straight from the bottle for cold and flu symptoms. It's made with only organic, domestic produce to make it as healthful as possible. The amber glass bottle that it comes in is completely recyclable, even the plastic caps! Plus, the brown glass protects from damage due to sunlight so the bottle can be kept anywhere. See their website for a complete list of retail stores. It sells for $12.49 for 8 oz and $23.99 for 16 oz at the Berkshire Co-op Market in Great Barrington.
Email: genne.levasseurcpa@gmail.com P.O. Box 599, Hinsdale, Massachusetts Ph: (413) 655-8548, Fax: (413) 655-2059
www.firecider.com
S
Vegetable & Fruit Baskets Berkshire Organics is a local, family-owned
business created to bring area residents and local farms together. Their store in Dalton, MA, offers the freshest food, personal care and cleaning products, and more. They deliver fresh, local, organic produce and groceries to homes and businesses throughout Berkshire County, and work with over 50 local farms and businesses. You can order a produce basket or individual items at any time (minimum order $35) for delivery or pickup with no future commitment. Baskets range in size and can be customized. Order though their website or by phone. Theme baskets include kid-friendly healthy snacks, salad mix, and juicing, and range in price from $35 to $55. (413) 442-0888,
www.berkshireorganics.com
www.OurBerkshireTimes.com
February / March 2013
7
Food & Drink The Fresh Egg Cookbook By Jennifer Trainer Thompson
I
Antichi Sapori
The authentic flavors of Pompeian brick oven cooking & grilling savored in an elegant rustic ambiance. Emphasis on local and organic products. Meats are antibiotic & hormone-free. The authentic flavors of Pompeian brick oven cooking & grilling savored in an elegant rustic ambiance. Emphasis on local and organic products. Beautiful Courtyard Dining Meats are antibiotic & hormone-free.
Antichi Sapori
�
You will experience Italy, from the intimate setting with Neapolitan artwork 413.499.1192 Trattoria-Rustica.com �you will enjoy. It's the fine art of Italian surrounding you to the delicious food
26 McKay Street in downtown Pittsfield. Dinner 5 p.m. (closed Tuesday) dining, service, music and the enjoyment amongDining family and friends. Beautiful Courtyard
413.499.1192 Trattoria-Rustica.com 26 McKay Street in downtown Pittsfield. Dinner 5 p.m. (closed Tuesday)
Review By Miriam Jacobs
t is customary in the Berkshires to anticipate the summer by looking through seed catalogs, but after reading The Fresh Egg Cookbook you just might grab a catalog filled with pictures of chicks! No, I’m not being rude here, but this cookbook is not just filled with great egg recipes, it also makes a powerful argument in favor of egg-laying chickens! Towns often have ordinances that prohibit this, but in lots of places these laws are now being repealed, because keeping chickens is becoming a nationwide movement. It would never have occurred to me to get chickens but Jennifer Trainer Thompson makes it sound not only practical but fun. Obviously it is appealing to have a steady stream of fresh, highly nutritious eggs supplied by chickens who, in addition to eating some “chicken food,” also recycle your food scraps. What I had not expected is that these chickens are apparently not just clucking egg machines, but can become beloved pets, who
D
February / March 2013
www.OurBerkshireTimes.com
The one detail I particularly love in this charming book is the way her family handles the “egg surplus” problem. When there are a dozen eggs, her son sends out an “eggmail” to his fanbase, who then scramble for the privilege to purchase these amazing eggs. Who says there can’t be a happy blending of the old-fashioned chicken farmer with the new technology? Let’s hear it for chick power! The Fresh Egg Cookbook, published by Storey Publishing, provides 101 delicious and creative recipes for enjoying and celebrating the versatility of eggs. Author Jennifer Trainer Thompson has written numerous cookbooks, including Hot Sauce. She has been featured in Martha Stewart Living magazine and has written for Yankee, Travel & Leisure, The Boston Globe, and The New York Times. She lives in western Massachusetts with her family and a flock of backyard chickens. ~ Miriam Jacobs, www.sandwichdiva.com
S The Egg: Did You Know?
id you know that according to Dr. Joseph Mercola, “The idea that eggs, as a source of saturated fats, are unhealthy and promote heart disease is a complete myth. While it’s true that fats from animal sources contain cholesterol, this is not necessarily something that will harm you. On the contrary, the evidence clearly shows that eggs are one of the most healthful foods you can eat, and can actually help prevent disease, including heart disease.” Read more at www.mercola.com. Dr. Andrew Weil states, “Eggs provide a number of nutritional benefits. Their yolks contain vitamins A, D, E and K and also give you iron. The whites are a good source of protein. Eggs from free-ranging, organically fed hens also give you omega 3 fatty acids needed for optimum health.” Read more at www.drweil.com. Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride says, “If you stop any person on the street and ask them what causes heart disease, you know what the answer will be: butter and eggs, meat and fat. Did you know that this idea comes from a hypothesis, which has been proven to be entirely false? This infamous hypothesis, called The
8
like to be cuddled and sung to! Really: am I the only one who had no idea?
Diet-Heart Hypothesis, had been proposed in 1953, and it took scientists all over the world a few decades to prove it wrong. We have been subjected to anti-fat and anti-cholesterol propaganda for decades relentlessly and with increasing intensity. If this policy was correct, if indeed natural fat and cholesterol-rich foods caused heart disease, then the rates of this disease would have fallen by now. But they are not falling, they are increasing! So, the policy is wrong, and how can it be right, if it is based on a wrong hypothesis!” Read more at www. doctor-natasha.com. When possible be sure to buy local, organic eggs from pastured hens, which are far more nutritious and will not contain pesticides or genetically modified organisms (GMOs) from feed grains.
Food & Drink Potato & Corn Frittata Excerpted from The Fresh Egg Cookbook © by Jennifer Trainer Thompson, used with permission from Storey Publishing I cook frittatas when I have a lot of eggs, a lot of vegetables, and not much time.
Ingredients (serves 4-6) 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 scallions (green and white parts), chopped 1 large baking potato, peeled and diced ¼ teaspoon dried thyme Salt and freshly ground pepper 2 cups corn kernels 6 eggs 1 cup coarsely shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese (4 ounces) 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley
BTW save room 5pm dinner only, seasonal hours
150 Main Street Lee, Mass. 413.243.6397 cheznousbistro.com
French chef, American baker, real food
Instructions Position an oven rack 3 inches from the broiler and preheat. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, and add the garlic, scallions, potato, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, resisting the urge to stir. Remove the lid, flip the mixture so the other side can brown, and then cook for 5 minutes longer. Add the corn and cook for a few minutes longer, to heat through. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl, then add the cheese, parsley, and salt and pepper. Pour into the skillet, stirring just to mix the potatoes. Cook without stirring (shaking occasionally to loosen it) until the bottom is golden but the top is still runny, 8 to 10 minutes. Finish the frittata by placing it under the broiler and cooking about 2 minutes until the top is golden and set. Slide onto a serving plate.
S
Crepes • Paninis • Soups • Salads
Espresso • Coffee • Tea • Juices
Food You Can Trust
Open Weekly 7:30 - 5 (Closed Tuesday) Sunday Musical Brunch 9 - 3
320 Main Street • WilliaMStoWn Ma 413-458-8060 WildoatS.coop
www.StavingArtistCreperie.com
40 Main St • Lee, MA • 413-394-5046
Sullivan Station Restaurant Open for lunch & dinner Tuesday through Sunday Host your special event in our historic location or let us cater at your home
Visit our historic landmark Railroad Street, Lee, Massachusetts (413) 243-2082
Vegan, Gluten-free, Vegetarian upon request Live Entertainment on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights
www.SullivanStationRestaurant.com
www.OurBerkshireTimes.com
February / March 2013
9
Home & Garden
Electrosmog - Part 1 Wahida Janice Young 413.281.1804 car eer
abundance
www.youngfengshui.com
love
happiness
mmejyoung@yahoo.com
Look for Part 2 in the April-May Issue / By Kathy I. Regan Part 2 will cover meters and how to measure EMFs and RFR, as well as offer numerous solutions to help create a healthier environment in our homes, schools, and workplaces.
E
lectromagnetic fields/radiation (EMFs), and radio frequency radiation (RFR) – sometimes referred to as “electrosmog,” are man-made invisible forces (areas of energy) that emanate from electric and wireless devices respectively. We are quite literally surrounded by them. EMFs are also created naturally by such things as lightning and static electricity. In fact, all humans and living creatures have their own EMF fields – your nervous system controls and regulates every function of your body by transmitting electrical energy/signals to and from each and every cell. We are bioelectrical beings. There is significant growing evidence, however, that when our natural and man-made fields meet it can cause disturbing biological changes that are quite detrimental to our health and behavior by distorting the balance of the body’s electromagnetic field and its communication systems. In other words, man-made electrosmog interferes with and confuses our body’s natural signals. Our cells then have great difficulty “talking” to each other, which unfortunately not only disrupts normal functioning, but may also reduce the effectiveness of healing modalities and our body’s ability to detoxify harmful substances. This is a rather startling thought when you consider that most diseases involve cell miscommunication.
The Precautionary Principle
Berkshire Photovoltaic Services, BPVS 46 Howland Avenue, Adams, MA 01220
Tel. 413-743-0152 • www.bpvs.com MA LIC #'s HIC131996, CSL 73150
S
ince 1985, recognized for careful designs, proven components and high quality workmanship, BPVS solar electric systems are user friendly, efficient and reliable.
rr Member: American Solar Energy Society, Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, Solar Energy Business Association of New England, Solar Energy Industries Association.
10
February / March 2013
that detail the toxic effects and possible risks from wireless technologies and electromagnetic fields. This report has been created by 29 prestigious independent scientists and health experts from around the world (Sweden, USA, India, Italy, Greece, Canada, Denmark, Austria, Slovak Republic, and Russia). Many people have heard about the risks of malignant brain tumors and childhood leukemia, but new studies link EMFs and RFR to breast cancer, sperm damage, and altered brain development of the fetus in utero (linked in both animal and human studies to hyperactivity, learning, and behavior problems). David O. Carpenter, MD, and co-editor of the 2012 report states “There is now much more evidence of risks to health affecting billions of people world-wide. The status quo is not acceptable in light of the evidence for harm.” The report is available at www.bioinitiative.org. Donna Fisher, author of Dirty Electricity and Electromagnetic Radiation, and Silent Fields, states “History has shown that the western world with its vested interests is slow to inform citizens about toxic agents and help protect them. The ‘dirty electricity’ pandemic is no stranger to inaction, as were the asbestos, lead, acid rain, DDT, PCB, and tobacco-smoking public health issues before it. The contention that artificially created electromagnetic fields (EMFs) which emanate from electricity generation can cause cancer has medical and legal experts commenting that EMFs will dwarf the tobacco-smoking issue and the asbestos crisis combined.” Simply put, we must protect ourselves and our family, because local and federal agencies do not.
Studies show that electrosmog can damage DNA and genes and cause and/or seriously exacerbate cancer, nervous system disorders, brain fog, impaired learning, hyperactivity, sleep disorders, hormonal disturbances, autoimmunity, inflammation, ringing in the ears, heart palpitations, blood sugar imbalances, depression, joint pains, bone mineral density loss, fatigue, and infertility problems, among others. Quite a laundry list, and of course these symptoms can be caused by other conditions as well, but because electromagnetic radiation confuses our body’s natural communication system, it makes sense, and logic dictates caution. The Precautionary Principle or Precautionary Approach states that if an action or policy has a suspected risk of causing harm to the public or to the environment, in the absence of scientific consensus that the action or policy is harmful, the burden of proof that it is not harmful falls on those taking the action.
Electromagnetic fields/radiation comes from household and personal appliances and wiring that you plug into electrical outlets, power lines, and the electrical outlets and wiring in your walls. Note that electric fields result from the strength of the charge, and magnetic fields result from the motion of the charge or the current. Both are detrimental, but electric fields can be shielded or weakened, whereas magnetic fields cannot be, but do drop off quickly with increasing distance. The magnetic field generated by a device will be stronger when it is on its high setting than when it is used on its low setting.
BioInitative 2012 Report
Radio Frequency Radiation (RFR)
The BioInitiative 2012 Report (updated from the 2007 report) cites more than 3,800 studies
Wireless devices include cell and cordless phones, cell towers, microwaves, cordless com-
www.OurBerkshireTimes.com
Electromagnetic Radiation (EMF)
Home, Garden & Landscape
puters and routers, wireless baby monitors, game systems, two-way radios, compact fluorescent light bulbs (which also contain mercury – LED lights are a much safer alternative) tablet PCs, satellite television, remote controls, broadcasting transmitters, certain medical equipment, dimmer switches, and so forth. The spread of cell towers in communities, often placed on school grounds, means that young children can have thousands of times higher RFR exposures in home and school environments than ever before. Wi-Fi access points (hotspots) that radiate 24/7 in cafes, stores, libraries, classrooms, on buses and trains, and from personal Wi-Fi enabled devices (iPads, tablets, PDAs, etc) increase exposure to almost all community members regularly.
“Smart” Meters The largest single source of community-wide, pervasive RFR (and in my opinion most upsetting second only to WiFi in schools) is the smart meter infrastructure, or smart grid. This program has your electric company replacing your analog (spinning dial) electric meter found on the outside of your home, school, or workplace with a wireless digital meter – without your permission. They are to be installed, if they have not been already, on every building with an electric meter. Tens of millions have already been installed around the country, despite health concerns of experts and enormous public resistance (you will find protest groups and petitions throughout the web). I, like many others, want the right to say no to the installation of these radiation-producing health hazards, but since we are not being given that option my family and I have securely locked our analog meter to our home to prevent our power company from making the switch.
Wireless meters produce spikes of pulsed radiofrequency radiation 24/7, and saturate living space at levels that can be much higher than those already reported to cause adverse health effects (see www.sagereports.com/ smart-meter-rf). Incredibly, smart meters can produce RFR exposure levels similar to that within the first 100 to 600 feet of a cell tower. In conjunction with smart appliances, that also emit radiation by themselves, smart meters invade our privacy by collecting information about our personal habits of energy use without our permission, which is very much against our constitutional rights. According to www.smart grid.ieee.org, Samsung and LG launched Wi-Fi- and Zigbeeequipped smart refrigerators in 2011 and were in the process of launching a full suite of smart appliances in 2012, while home appliance giants Electrolux, GE, and Whirlpool also had smart appliance products set for 2012. Pike Research predicts that the smart appliance market will take off in earnest this year. Also, they expect the market to grow to $26.1 billion worldwide, by 2019. It is clear to see that our health does not rank at the top of the list on their agenda in light of those figures.
The Good News The good news is, with a little knowledge and the use of simple procedures and reasonably priced EMF protecting devices that can be found on the market today (that can be easily verified with affordable meters) you can considerably improve your health potential and the EMF environment in your home, schools, hospitals, and workplace. Please look for Part 2 of this article in the next issue of Our BerkshireTimes.
~ Kathy Regan, Publisher, Our BerkshireGreen Publishing, www.OurBerkshireGreen.com
We believe in the power of small business. We believe in you. See Our Stylish Collection of Unique Handcrafted Gifts & Home Decor
WHERE YOU WANT TO BE
Pottery Glass Exclusively Pottery∙Gla Jewelry Art Textiles ss∙Jewelry∙Textiles∙Art Home Decor
Contact us to learn more about marketing opportunities that can help your business grow.
Located in the Sharon Shopping Center, 6 Gay Street, Sharon, CT - 860.364.5642
www.bodhitreegallery.com Professional Timber Frame Restoration Since 1970
SERVING AMERICA’S COLONIAL AND CIVIL WAR ERA HOMES, BARNS & LOG CABINS
advertise@OurBerkshireGreen.com
Tucked away at the end of a quiet country lane, this Call Our Stockbridge Office 413-499-7490
George Yonnone
Restorations
TIMBER FRAMING SERVICES: Sill replacement Structural timber repairs Jacking - Leveling - Squaring Historic project management Pre-purchase consultations
Nationwide Service − We travel anywhere! References available
413-441-1478 GYRESTORATIONS.COM
Licensed Insured
Please call or email us to discuss your restoration needs.
Serving The Berkshires, Hudson Valley & Litchfield Hills
(413) 298-0610 Easily Search Over 9,000 Listings
TKGRE .COM www.OurBerkshireTimes.com
February / March 2013
11
Education & Workshops
New Toddler options! Introducing toddler 3, 4, 5 day options.
Children’s House 3 - 5 yrs Toddler 16 mos - 3 yrs
Parent -Child Playgroups See what inspired hands can do!
Saturdays
9:00 - 11:00 am February 9 March 2 April 6 May 4 Lenox Dale, MA
12
February / March 2013
www.OurBerkshireTimes.com
Education & Workshops February - March Event Sampler To see more events or to post your event for free go to www.OurBerkshireCalendar.com GBRSS School Open House
Date: Tues, Feb 12, 2013, 9-11am Place: Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School, 35 West Plain Rd, Great Barrington, MA - (413) 528-4015 Price: Free. In this hands-on introduction to Waldorf education, guests will step into lower and middle school classrooms to experience Main Lesson in progress, tour dedicated handwork and wood-working studios, and visit Early Childhood classes for circle or snack time. A Q&A with school administrators follows in the library. GBRSS Open House Teas take place February 12, March 12, April 9, and May 1, 2013. Reservations are requested. www.gbrss.org
American Red Cross Standard Babysitting
Date: Wed, Feb 20, 2013, 9am-3:30pm Place: Berkshire South Regional Community Center, 15 Crissey Road, Great Barrington, MA (413) 528-2810 Price: $45 Members $55 Guests ($25 materials and certification fee) Ages 11-15. Learn leadership skills, age-appropriate activities, conflict resolution, decision making, writing resumes, interviewing for jobs, diaper changing, meal times, and bed times. Please bring a packed lunch. www.berkshiresouth.org
American Red Cross CPR/First Aid for the Babysitter
Date: Thurs, Feb 21, 2013, 9:30am-2pm Place: Berkshire South Regional Community Center, 15 Crissey Road, Great Barrington, MA - (413) 528-2810. Price: $30 Members $40
MOUNTAIN ROAD SCHOOL
Guests $40 ($33 materials and certification fee) From bumps and bruises to saving lives, participants will learn what to do if the unexpected happens. Upon successful completion of this class, participants will receive certification in Standard First Aid and Infant and Child CPR. www.berkshiresouth.org
American Red Cross CPR/AED
Date: Fri, Feb 22, 2013, 12-2pm Place: Berkshire South Regional Community Center, 15 Crissey Road, Great Barrington, MA - (413)528-2810 Price: $30 Members $40 Guests. Cost is per course ($25 materials and certification fee). Learn valuable skills that could save a life. CPR courses include training in CPR/AED for adult, child, and infant. These American Red Cross certifications are valid for 2 years. See our listing for CPR/AED as well. For both CPR and First Aid: $40 Members $50 Guests ($33 materials and certification fee). www.berkshiresouth.org
Growing Fruit in a Healthy Orchard Ecosystem
Date: Fri, March 8, 2013, 9am-4pm Place: Berkshire Botanical Garden, corner of Routes 102 and 183, Stockbridge, MA (413) 298-3926 Price: Cost: $150. Embrace a whole new way of thinking about growing fruit and dealing with insects and disease holistically. Pruning for fruit production will be demonstrated in the afternoon session, held offsite in a home orchard. Instructors: Peter and Jennifer Salinetti. www.berkshirebotanical.org
HANDS-ON SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION Sustainability tours by appointment:
• Ecological wastewater treatment • Wind and solar energy • Organic gardening • Composting & recycling • Sustainability Education Experience Days (SEEDs) for grades 7-12 Fourth Annual Sustainability Symposium:
April 23, 2013
Darrow is a college-preparatory, coed, boarding and day school for grades 9–12 located on the Massachusetts–New York border. 518-794-6000 • www.darrowschool.org
Call or email to set up your campus visit today!
Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School
S
Arts HotcHkiss The
at
hotchkiss.org/arts (860) 435 - 4423
programs september through July all are Welcome The Hotchkiss School, Lakeville, CT
Parent-Baby • Pre-K • Kindergarten 1st-8th grade • Summer Programs
Igniting a Lifelong Love of Learning for over 40 Years 4656 County Route 9 East Nassau, NY 12062 (518) 794-8520
guest concert series ~ tremaine gallery dance ~ hotchkiss dramatic association
~ film screenings ~ summer portals
The Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School integrates academics with the arts in a developmentally appropriate, experiential education for preschool through eighth grade, providing a well-rounded education which prepares students for their choice of high school and college.
(413) 528-4015
www.OurBerkshireTimes.com
www.gbrss.org
Great Barrington, MA
February / March 2013
13
Community Spotlight: Lenox
Lenox, the Center of the Berkshires
T Low Energy Neurofeedback System
Has your child been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, autism or a learning disorder? For a safe and effective way to help your child, contact Dr. Peter May for a FREE CONSULTATION to find out how LENS Neurofeedback can help.
Dr. Peter May | 413-664-9050 | brainneurofeedback.com
Lenox Commons, 55 Pittsfield Lenox Road Lenox, MA 01240
Tel: 413.637.9777 www.jaeslenox.com Jae’s since 1990
By John Townes
he exact geographic center of the Berkshires, Lenox is also one of its cultural centers.
Early History
The first white settlers arrived in Lenox in 1750. Jonathan and Sarah Hinsdale built and eventually established a small inn and general store. In 1770, a small meetinghouse was constructed in the north end of the central village. In 1806, the congregation replaced the original small meetinghouse with a new church building, now known as the Church on the Hill, a famous Berkshire landmark. Lenox contributed many troops to the Revolutionary army. The 231 names on the town’s military roster included that of Colonel John Paterson. The stone monument in the center of town honors his memory. Iron was one of early Lenox’s major industries. During the Revolutionary War, ore from a rich vein running through the town was made into bullets for the Revolutionary troops. By the 1780s, Job Gilbert had established the Lenox Iron Works to process the ore on a large scale in Lenox Furnace, now known as Lenox Dale. The completion of the railroad initially promised a boost to Lenox industries by providing a faster way to get products to the markets. The owners of the local iron industry had often faced financial struggles, but the new railroad and the building of the nation, and the need for armaments for the Civil War, offered the possibility of an increased demand for metals. As these existing manufacturers shut down, industry began to play a smaller role in the Lenox economy. Most new mills and other manufacturers’ industries went to neighboring Pittsfield and Lee instead, while Lenox became based more on trades and merchants.
Tourism and Culture The original Berkshire County seat was Great Barrington, but the growing population of the northern Berkshires required a more central location. Lenox, the exact geographic center of the county, won out over Pittsfield and Great Barrington in 1784. The first session of the new county court was held in a wooden building on the corner of Walker and Main Streets; a new courthouse was erected on Main Street in 1816. The presence of the County Court focused a new and beneficial attention on the 14
February / March 2013
www.OurBerkshireTimes.com
town. Judges, lawyers, businesspeople, and others who came to conduct court business often returned to their hometowns praising the town’s beauty. This in turn led to a booming market for inns and boardinghouses to house the visitors attending court sessions. Among the visitors who would play a major role in establishing the reputation of the town were the Sedgwicks. Charles Sedgwick moved to Lenox to become clerk of the court. His wife Elizabeth established a school for young ladies. His sister, Catharine, was one of America’s first popular woman writers. One of the Sedgwicks’ frequent guests was Catharine’s close friend Fannie Kemble, a celebrated actress and writer. The most important literary figure during this time in Lenox was Nathaniel Hawthorne. During the mere year and a half that he lived here with his family, he wrote The House of the Seven Gables, A Wonder Book (a collection of children’s stories), Twice Told Tales (a collection of short stores), and began work on the Tanglewood Tales.
The Cottage Era In 1838, a railroad line was completed through eastern Lenox via the Stockbridge Pittsfield Railroad as an extension of the Housatonic Railroad. This line, which eventually had three stops in the town, established a rail link with New York and other major cities. Samuel G. Ward, a Boston businessman with a literary bent, is said to have been the first to create a large Berkshire estate, in the early 1840s. A few years later, his fellow Bostonian William Tappan bought Ward’s estate. A third Bostonian, E.J. Woolsey, and his brother-in-law John Aspinwall bought most of the mountain land west of Main Street as his hilltop Cliffwood estate. More and more of the country’s wealthiest families followed suit. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, at the start of the Gilded Age, Lenox became the “inland Newport,” one of the playgrounds of the wealthy. The Astors, Carnegies, Westinghouses, and their ilk spared no expense in building, furnishing, and landscaping the mansions they referred to as “cottages,” hiring the likes of C. F. Mc Kim and Frederick Law Olmsted to design their houses and the surrounding lands. Shadowbrook, a 100room cottage, built by Anson Phelps Stokes in 1893, was once thought to be the largest home in the United States. One of the later estate owners was novelist Edith Wharton, who came to Lenox for
Community Spotlight: Lenox The only place that can make snowbirds fly north. a quiet place of retreat. She belonged in temperament more to the earlier cultural era and depicted the commoner side of Berkshire life, although she was distinctly of the wealthy classes. In 1902 she built an estate, The Mount. One of the unfortunate side effects of the influx of these visitors was its impact on farming, an original mainstay of the Lenox economy. With the demand for estates on the rise, land values increased, and many farmers found it more profitable to sell out to the millionaires than to scrape by on their farms. The high price of land also made it hard or impossible for people of average means to buy property. In his 1903 book Lenox and the Berkshire Highlands, R.D. Mallary noted that Lenox land was selling as high as $20,000 an acre, while similar acreage in nearby towns only cost a few dollars an acre. The drive of the townspeople for progress occasionally came into direct conflict with the cottagers’ desire to preserve Lenox as a rustic retreat. In 1900, a streetcar company proposed a direct trolley line from Pittsfield to the center of Lenox village. Many locals supported the idea, but the cottagers fought it because they did not want carloads of commoners disrupting their quiet neighborhoods. (A longer streetcar line was established east of the village.)
The Old Made New With changes in the nation’s social and economic climate in the early twentieth century, the ostentatious cottage lifestyle began to fall out of favor. New taxes, especially the federal income tax in 1913, and the exorbitant cost of maintaining the country estates meant that the owners and their heirs became increasingly unable or unwilling to hold onto these properties. At first gradual, the end of the Berkshire Cottage Era was hastened by World War I and the Depression. Historians cite the death in 1945 of Giraud Foster, the owner of Bellefontaine, as the symbolic last gasp of the Berkshire Cottage era. Many of these estates were put to new uses that would reshape Lenox as a highly desirable tourist destination. Some of the estates, such as Wheatleigh and Blantyre, became inns and resort hotels, allowing a new generation of visitors to experience the trappings of the old cottage life vicariously. Perhaps the best-known of these conversions took place in 1937, when the Tappan family offered their old estate as the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Tanglewood Music Festival. After several interim incarnations, a number of the cottages, such as Cranwell, Fox Hollow, and the Music Inn, were turned into vacation condominiums. Ventfort Hall lives on in its glory as a museum portraying the privileged life of its former inhabitants. The Lenox School campus eventually became home to Shakespeare & Company. Shadowbrook reemerged as Kripalu Institute, Bellefontaine as the Canyon Ranch Spa, and Kimball Farms as a residential lifecare community. The Cliffwood estate is now Kennedy Park. The legacy of the privileged few from bygone days is the Lenox of today: vital and exhilarating to its residents and available to the many who throng here throughout the year.
~ John Townes is a journalist, freelance writer, and artist who lives in Pittsfield. www.jtgallery.net
Kimball Farms –
The Berkshires’65+ retirement community Independent living where your monthly fee never changes, even if your needs do. Call to tour the only lifecare community in Western Massachusetts.
235 Walker Street • Lenox, MA 01240
Life Care
800-283-0061
www.kimballfarms.org
I NDEPENDENT L IVING • A SSISTED L IVING • S KILLED N URSING • M EMORY C ARE
Berkshire Country Day School
Where you belong.
“Our son’s interests were ignited and nurtured in BCD’s challenging classrooms.” –Eric & Evelyn Wilska Preschool through Grade 9
Stockbridge MA
www.OurBerkshireTimes.com
BerkshireCountryDay.org
February / March 2013
15
Health & Wellness Intentional Communication
T
By Karen Andrews
he way we habitually use language can sometimes create hurt and pain, and unintentionally alienate us from one another. Nonviolent Communication, known as NVC for short, provides a far-reaching set of practices and principles that can help people to create the quality of connection in which everyone’s needs can be addressed. Over the past 30 years, psychologist and conflict resolution expert Marshall Rosenberg and his colleagues have developed a revolutionary synthesis of philosophies, applications, and techniques that have begun to sweep the world and are changing how people think, speak, and connect with each other. Nonviolent Communication has been taught and is now being practiced in 59 countries, 50 states in the US, and has a strong presence here in Berkshire County, with several hundred practitioners of varied levels. Based on four simple but profound elements, NVC starts with making an observation free of any evaluation, followed by identifying a feeling (as distinct from a thought), followed by identifying a need or value that may be causing such a feeling, and finally coming up with a strategy or request for meeting that need. Sound simple? NVC, also known as “Giraffe” language (a language of requests), can take hours of practice to really get under one’s belt, but it’s worth it. NVC is like driver education for human relations. So, what motivates people to spend the time it takes to learn NVC? Wanting to get along better with one’s spouse, needing more effective ways to speak to one’s teenager, being able to make a difficult request of someone, being able to say no to someone without hurting them or compromising oneself . . . pretty much anything that comes up around communicating with other humans can be improved with NVC. People can learn NVC in either self-taught practice groups or in classes. A practice group can meet many different needs: to give and receive support, to get coaching on how to handle and word delicate conversations, and a way to learn how to deal with interpersonal differences in real time. I have been exposed to a variety of selfhelp and healing modalities over the years, and I believe NVC has some of the most solid and far-reaching possibilities for truly changing how people think, speak, and behave towards one another. Giraffe schools
16
February / March 2013
www.OurBerkshireTimes.com
help create more cooperation between students and teachers and can reduce bullying; NVC is used widely in prisons to help people develop more effective and life-serving strategies to meet their human needs rather than reacting out of desperation; and NVC has helped individuals, couples, families, and employees find new ways to manage conflict, speak their truth with honesty, and create more heartfelt connections. NVC is all about refining and shifting what we say and how we say it – removing words and phrases that imply blame and judgment; becoming acutely aware of our needs, and when they are being aroused; and most importantly, learning to go into our heart instead of our head before we speak. Empathy is really the keystone of NVC. NVC contradicts much of our cultural conditioning, and teaches us about choice, autonomy, and being true to our values. That is where Marshall found the origins of the violence that plagues us – embedded in the daily language we all speak and especially in the mental constructs with which we create unnecessary enemy images of one another. I have been involved with NVC since 2005, serving as a self-appointed clearinghouse for people wanting to get into practice groups and helping to coordinate NVC trainings around the Berkshires. NVC seems to be an important part of a global evolutionary movement towards more conscious communication and co-creating a world that truly works for everyone. Many of us who practice NVC share a vision of having these principles and techniques utilized in schools, the justice system, the mental health system, and throughout our communities. I myself would like to see NVC become a household word in the Berkshires in the not-too-distant future. Nonviolent Communication is a practice that not only takes a village, it makes a village. While it is not a panacea for all that separates us, it may be one of the most important ingredients in the development of our consciousness. ~ Karen Andrews; for information about classes and practice groups, contact The Intentional Communication Project, karenjandrews@gmail.com, (413) 232-4027.
AwA
Inner
simple
Ka
Health & Wellness Colon Hydrotherapy & Sauna Therapy
Spinal Health!
Colonic-Lymphatic Enhanced Detoxification Far Infrared & Ozone Sauna Therapy Concettina & Bruce Collingwood I-ACT Certified Colon Hydrotherapists
GYROTONIC® exercise Cranio-Sacral Therapy Creative Movement
er ast
413-445-7470 • ccollingwood@nycap.rr.com Located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts
M
MEDICAL HYPNOSIS
SOMATIC MOVEMENT THERAPIST
413-458-6100
Jacqueline Nicholas
Williamstown, MA • threadsofjoy@gmail.com
413.446.0691 413.298.7025
NordiCare Physical Therapy, P.C. Restoring and Enhancing your Orthopedic, Post-Operative & Women’s Health •••
22 Upper Main Street, Suite 7 Sharon, CT 06069 (860) 364-9840
Certified Nursing Care
Ming Lash,
Strength Flexibility RSMT Joint Mobility
Quit Smoking ❖ Weight Loss ❖ Relieve Pain ❖ Fears Stress Relief ❖ Sleep Better ❖ Prepare for Surgery SUSAN SPIEGEL SOLOVAY Free consultation 917.881.0072 Great Barrington & Hudson healingwithhypno@fairpoint.net ❖ hypnocoachny.com
18 years of successful results
dreamcatchertree @gmail.com
S
Bente Dahl-Busby, PT, DPT Kimberly Parker, PT Sylvia Stots, PT
Become the best version of yourself Wellness Bound Coaching
Kenly Brozman, LICSW FREE Initial Certified Health & Wellness Coach Consultation www.wellnessboundcoaching.com kbrozman@gmail.com • 518-929-2050
Hands-On Health & Wellness
Sharon True, M.A., C.M.A., R.S.M.T
Somatic Movement Therapist & Certified Pilates Instructor PRIVATE, DUET, AND GROUP CLASS WORKOUTS WITH HOLISTIC APPROACH
Providing Holistic Primary Care, Integrative Medicine, Acupuncture & Medical Massage
AVAILABLE IN GREAT BARRINGTON
413.528.2465
Child, Adolescent, Adult, Couples, and Family Psychotherapy 413.591.8802 kate@hinds.org
S
Ronald Stram, M.D. Founder and Medical Director 530 Main Street, Bennington, VT 05201 802-445-3152
www.stramcenter.com
Stockbridge Road Therapy & Wellness 401 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA
Energy In Motion Studio PILATES, YOGA, FITNESS Movement for renewed energy, health and well-being. Focus on alignment, back care, sports performance; special needs welcome. Private sessions or small group classes in a beautifully equipped studio.
BCBS, Cigna, MVP, Medicaid Accepted for Certain Services Health & Nutrition Coaching
Whole food eating • Weight loss • Cleansing
Finally receive the personal attention you deserve regarding your health!
Catherine Brumley West Stockbridge, MA 413-232-7838
Nicole Anagnos, M.Ed. nicole@zentreewellness.com Williamstown • 413.884.4537
House Calls Available
www.ZenTreeWellness.com
www.OurBerkshireTimes.com
February / March 2013
17
Health & Wellness
Board Certified Internal Medicine
Integrative Medicine Consults • Early Prevention • Diabetes and Weight Loss • Heart Disease Prevention and Treatment • Irritable Bowel, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Thyroid Disease • Mood and Sleep Disorders
IV Nutrition and Chelation Therapy Breast Thermography
s In clinical partnership with
Deb Phillips, ldn, Nutritionist For more information,call: 413-637-8921 or email: assistant.ihs@verizon.net 42 Summer Street, Suite 308 Pittsfield, MA 01201
By Pam Youngquist, PhD
A
Reiki Exchange is an opportunity for Reiki practitioners, other handson healing practitioners, and anyone interested in learning about energy healing methods to gather and exchange healing. Everyone is given the time to receive and share energy in the course of the evening. Typically each person will receive a 10-20 minute session attended to by at least three other practitioners. The continual rotation of receiver and practitioner is a great occasion in which to share together and build community in a completely safe and nurturing way. Everyone benefits and leaves feeling recharged. The recipient of Reiki energy often feels warmth or tingling in the area of the body being treated, even when a non-touching approach is being used. A state of deep relaxation, combined with a general sense of enhanced wellbeing are the most common effects of Reiki, though emotional releases, profound realization and awareness, and greater health have all been reported by many recipients as well. A Reiki treatment is given to activate and encourage the body’s own natural healing processes, of which every human being is capable. Reiki is a spiritual practice developed in 1922 by a Japanese Buddhist named Mikao Usui. It has since been adopted into every country in the world by various teachers. Reiki uses a technique called hands-on healing as a form of complementary therapy and is sometimes classified as oriental medicine by some professional medical bodies. Through the use of this
Healing Ginger Therapy Dr. Goldman (left) administers an osteopathic treatment to a young child while her father (right) looks on.
This ancient Japanese treatment uses heated compresses to powerfully energize circulation and release stagnation. A unique, deeply soothing and relaxing experience!
Key Benefits:
As a certified specialist in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine and fully licensed physician, Dr. Goldman treats the whole person, not just the symptoms, by emphasizing the interrelationships of structure, function, and the ability of the body to heal itself.
Great Barrington, ma 413-528-3334 | Sharon, ct 860-364-5990
18
February / March 2013
• • • • •
Stimulates circulation Detoxifies & Invigorates Relieves chronic pain Promotes general wellbeing Effective for many ailments Highly personalized & targeted therapy.
www.ragasha.com/naitea Call: 413-528-1982
www.OurBerkshireTimes.com
technique, practitioners are transferring universal energy (i.e. Reiki) in the form of “chi,” “prana,” or “ki” through the palms of the hands, which allows for self-healing and equilibrium in the recipient. The Japanese loanword Reiki roughly translates as “spirit consciousness” and “ethereal atmosphere of mystery.” The healing method of Reiki is now being utilized in numerous medical settings, including hospice, palliative care programs, assisted living, and rehabilitation units. Many oncology units, pre- and postoperative departments, and recovery wings in major hospitals throughout the US employ Reiki practitioners on staff. Additionally Reiki has been included as part of the milieu in correctional facilities and educational institutions throughout North America and England. Please join us the fourth Tuesday of every month for the Great Barrington Reiki Exchange at TriYoga Berkshire, 6:30-9pm. $3 donation for studio use suggested. We welcome everyone who holds an interest in sharing healing! ~ Pam Youngquist, PhD, is the owner of Traditional Naturopathic Wellness Care, a holistic health care consultation practice, both national and local to Great Barrington, MA. www.natur opathicwellnesscare.com, pam@naturopathicwellness care.com (413) 229-9013. See ad on page 17.
For more interesting health information, follow Our BerkshireTimes on Facebook.
Alan Inglis, md
Monthly Reiki Exchange
Mind & Spirit Your Thoughts Are and Do Matter By Peter May, DC
O
ne of my favorite quotes to ponder and discuss with patients is from Deepak Chopra: “A neuropeptide is born at the touch of a thought.” Let’s look at that. A neuropeptide is a short-chained amino acid produced in the brain, used as a neurotransmitter or hormone to affect physiology/body function. What that quote means is that every thought produces a biochemical reaction in the brain. At a touch of an intangible thought your brain is physically linking together specific amino acids, into specific lengths, in specific configurations to make specific, tangible, neurotransmitter and hormone molecules to communicate with your body to carry out your body’s functions. In no uncertain terms, your thoughts immediately create matter! That is amazing and miraculous! If our thoughts create neuropeptides, does the quality and focus of our thoughts – our attention – create specific neurochemistry that elicits specific emotions, behaviors, and responses? According to neuroscientist Michael Merzenich, PhD, “The patterns of activity of neurons in sensory areas can be altered by patterns of attention. Experience coupled with attention leads to physical changes in the structure and future functioning of the nervous system. This leaves us with a clear physiological fact . . . moment by moment we choose and sculpt how our ever-changing minds will work. We choose who we will be in the next moment in a very
real sense, and these choices are left embossed in physical form in our material selves.” This physical reality of attention means that we need to choose our thoughts and what we focus our attention on very carefully and, by so doing, we can change who we are by changing what we think about most. It all begins with paying attention to our thoughts, the essence of Buddhism. When you don’t understand the nature and origin of your thoughts, your thoughts use you. When the Buddha recognized the nature of his mind he reversed the process. He showed us how we can use our thoughts instead of being used by them. It would appear to me, as it does to many neuroscientists, that our understanding of the brain is catching up to Buddhism. This all makes a good scientific case for meditation – to hone the skill of paying attention to your thoughts; and for daily affirmations – to remind yourself of the power and role of your thoughts in shaping your day and your life.
heilaa Hite Intuitive Counselor
Featured in Paulette Cooper’s directory, ‘THE 100 TOP PSYCHICS in AMERICA’
~ Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
Tarot • Astrology • Palmistry • Psychometry Mediumship • Past Life Regression Hypnotherapy • Life Coach Consultations in Person, by Phone or Skype Classes, Parties and Events
413-637-0085 “SHEILAA’s accuracy rate is 95-100%.” manager
– malibu shaman bookstore – malibu, ca
www.SheilaaHite.com
Control your thoughts for they become your words. Control your words for they become your actions. Control your actions for they become your habits. Control your habits for they become your character. Control your character for it becomes your destiny. ~ Robert E. Wells ~ Dr. Peter May is a certified LENS Neurofeedback practitioner and chiropractic wellness physician with offices in Lenox and North Adams, MA. (413) 664-9050, docmay@gmail.com, www.brainneurofeedback.com. See ad on page 14, and information below.
S
Ever Hear of LENS Neurofeedback? It May Benefit You! Low Energy Neurofeedback System (LENS) empowers the brain to optimize itself. It is a unique type of neurofeedback that nudges the brain out of maladaptive brainwave patterns it is stuck in, allowing it to restore homeostatis, to reset itself for optimal performance. LENS has been used by practitioners since 1992, and there are more than 500 practitioners worldwide who have treated more than 75,000 patients. LENS is not diagnosis-based. It works best on patients who, at one point, were nor-
S
mal functioning in their lives, and then something (a singular episode, multiple or repeated exposures) happened to change them. More than 75 percent of clients benefit significantly, often noticing improvement within six visits. LENS can help you if you face challenges in many areas, including anxiety, depression, traumatic brain injury, ADD/ADHD, substance abuse, autism, Aspergers, OCD, eating disorders, insomnia, and more. ~Dr. Peter May, www.brainneurofeedback.com
GO DEEPLY INTO YOUR OWN HEALING AND
LEARN TO GIVE POWERFUL HEALINGS TO OTHERS ONE LIGHT HEALING TOUCH 6-MONTH SCHOOL COMING TO THE BERKSHIRES SPRING 2013! Introductory Evenings & Day Classes Now Forming in the Berkshires! www.yoursoulpath.com info@yoursoulpath.com (917) 748-8463 AnnE O'Neil is a OLHT Instructor and Certified Practitioner. She has been working with energy healing since 1996. She is also an ordained Interfaith minister, life coach, and writer.
www.OurBerkshireTimes.com
February / March 2013
19
Directory of Advertisers Animals BensDotter’s Pet .........................................................................6, 21 Petpourri, Inc. .....................................................................................6 VCA All Caring Animal Hospital ...................................................6
Art, Culture & Entertainment Berkshire Festival of Women Writers ............................................2
Automotive Lenox Dale Service Station, Inc. ..................................................14
Business Services Geiger Computers .............................................................................7 Genne M. LeVasseur, CPA ..............................................................7 GoodWorks Insurance ....................................................................21
World's Most Powerful Advanced Ultraviolet Air Purifier For people who are serious about clean air The Sun Pure offers the ultimate in indoor air purification as it 'Cleans Air Down To The Last Molecule' using a Six Step process to achieve Maximum Results!
Kathleen Edelman Call (860) 397-5181 kathleen@blendsolution.com
www.HartsvilleDesign.com
www.blendsolution.com
(413) 274-1010 528-6133 (413) 20
Education & Workshops Berkshire Country Day School ......................................................15 Darrow School .............................................................................5, 13 Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School ......................................13 Hotchkiss School ............................................................................13 Indian Mountain School ................................................................21 Montessori School of the Berkshires, The ..............................12, 21 Mountain Road School ...................................................................13
Fashion & Beauty
Health & Wellness (continued)
Lenox Village Integrative Pharmacy .........................................14 Livingstone Dental Excellence ....................................................16 Matt Albert, Bodywork .................................................................17 Mikka Barkman, Native American Bodywork .............................17 Ming Lash, Somatic Movement Therapist ................................17 Naomi Alson, Acupuncturist & Herbalist ................................17 NordiCare Physical Therapy, PC .................................................17 Stram Center for Integrative Medicine .......................................17 Susan Spiegel Solovay, Certified Medical Hypnotist ...............17 Traditional Naturopathic Care, Pam Youngquist .........................17 Veronique Rignault, Healing Ginger Therapy ............................18 Wellness Bound Coaching, Kenly Brozman .............................17 WholePerson Movement, Sharon True .......................................17 Zen Tree Wellness ...........................................................................17
Home, Garden & Landscape Berkshire Fabric & Wallpaper Outlet ...........................................10 Berkshire Photovoltaic Services (BPVS) ........................................10 BLEND Solution ............................................................................20 Bodhi Tree Gallery ............................................................................11 George Yonnone Restorations .......................................................11 Hartsville Design Woodworking ...................................................20 Kinderhook Group, Inc., Real Estate ...........................................11 Okerstrom Lang, Ltd. .....................................................................11 Young Feng Shui ..............................................................................10
Iredale Mineral Cosmetics, Ltd. ....................................................................5 Shear Illusions, LLC ........................................................................7 Studio Day Spa ..................................................................................................3 Zabian’s Jewelers ........................................................21, back cover
Lodging
Food & Drink
AzureGreen ......................................................................................19 Dolores Mannix ...............................................................................19 Sheilaa Hite, Intuitive Counseling .................................................19 your soul path ................................................................................4, 19
Berkshire Co-op Market ..........................................inside front cover Berkshire Organics ............................................................................9 Chez Nous Bistro ..............................................................................9 Crissey Farm .......................................................................................................3 Guido’s Fresh Marketplace ..............................................................8 Hilltop Orchards - Furnace Brook Winery ...................................6 Jae’s Asian Bistro ............................................................................14 LaBonne’s Markets ...........................................................................9 Starving Artist Creperie & Cafe ......................................................9 Sullivan Station Restaurant ...........................................................5, 9 Trattoria Rustica .................................................................................8 Wild Oats Market ..............................................................................9
Gift & Specialty Shops AzureGreen ......................................................................................................19 Invite Paper Goods, Gifts, Event Design .................................................4 Lenox Village Integrative Pharmacy ............................................14
Health & Wellness Andrew M. Goldman, DO ...........................................................18 Dr Peter D May, LENS Neurofeedback ...................................14 Energy in Motion Studio, Catherine Brumley ........................17 Happy and Healthy Brides, Health Coaching and Yoga ........................4 Hydro Health of Western Massachusetts .................................17 Integrative Health Solutions, Alan Inglis, MD ...........................18 Jacqueline Nicholas, Healer ........................................................17 Kate Hinds PhD LICSW ............................................................17 Kent Mikalsen Studio ....................................................................18 Kimball Farms Retirement Community .....................................15
February / March 2013
www.OurBerkshireTimes.com
Race Brook Lodge ............................................................................................3
Mind & Spirit
Nature Hilltop Orchards - Furnace Brook Winery ...................................6
Real Estate
Kimball Farms Retirement Community .....................................15 Kinderhook Group, Inc., Real Estate ..........................................11
Social Networking Concerned Singles .............................................................................5
Weddings Berkshire South Regional Community Center .........................................5 Concerned Singles ............................................................................................5 Crissey Farm .......................................................................................................3 Darrow School ..................................................................................................5 Happy and Healthy Brides, Health Coaching and Yoga ........................4 Invite Paper Goods, Gifts, Event Design .................................................4 Iredale Mineral Cosmetics, Ltd. ....................................................................5 Race Brook Lodge ............................................................................................3 Rev AnnE O’Neil ......................................................................................4, 19 Rev Cheryl Luft, MSS ......................................................................................5 Studio Day Spa ..................................................................................................3 Sullivan Station Restaurant .........................................................................5, 9 Ventfort Hall ......................................................................................................4 Zabian’s Jewelers ........................................................21, back cover
Special Thanks to Our Featured Advertisers It’s Time for a Second Opinion on Your Insurance!
sm
Communities Profit as Our Business GrowsSM Call us or visit our office on Main Street in Great Barrington because… • We’re the strongest independent agency in the region with a team of dedicated and seasoned professionals offering solutions from over 40 major insurance companies. • Our independence allows us to represent your interests, provide best-inclass service and find you the right coverage at the best price. • We’re a full-service agency, offering both commercial and personal lines coverage of all kinds as well as payroll solutions and consulting services. • Our commitment to giving back to our communities further distances us from the competition. We give at least HALF our annual operating profits to local non-profits, so there’s no reason to go anywhere else for insurance.
An education for life. Toddler Children’s House Elementary Adolescent Summer
New Toddler 3, 4, 5 day options!
(413) 528-5509 www.GoodWorksInsurance.com Great BarrInGton Worcester canaan coLUMBIa GLastonBUry neW MILford
berkshiremontessori.org
BENSDOTTER’S PET 413-528-4940 940 MAIN STREET, GREAT BARRINGTON, MA
A Little Bit Conventional. A Little Bit Alternative. A Whole Lot Different!
Convenient Location with Ample Parking on Route 7 less than a minute south of Guido’s Monday-Friday 10a-6p Saturday-Sunday 10a-4p WWW.BENSDOTTERS.COM
www.OurBerkshireTimes.com
February / March 2013
21