June-July 2014 OurBerkshireTimes Magazine

June - July 2014, vol 14 (25)

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Our BerkshireTimes

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Community News | Local Events | Personal Growth | Vibrant Living

O Special Art, Culture & Entertainment Feature O Online Coupons at www.OurBerkshireTimes.com/Coupons!

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42 Bridge Street, Great Barrington 413.528.9697 www.berkshire.coop

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Our BerkshireTimes邃｢ PUBLISHERS Kathy I. Regan publisher@ourberkshiretimes.com Kevin J. Regan kevin@ourberkshiretimes.com _______________ EDITORIAL Kathy I. Regan editor@ourberkshiretimes.com Rodelinde Albrecht rodelinde@ourberkshiretimes.com Copyeditor/Proofreader Rodelinde Albrecht _______________ DESIGN Magazine Design/Layout Kathy I. Regan Ads窶的ndependent Designers Katharine Adams, Rural Ethic Studio katmail@ruralethicstudio.com

June - July 2014

Contents 4 art, culture & entertainment

18 animal talk

THE ART OF JOHN GAMPERT

BLUE RIDER STABLES

EVENT SAMPLER

HIGH & MIGHTY CAMP HUMANE

8 health & wellness

20 education & workshops

HOLISTIC MEDICINE

EGREMONT FREE LIBRARY

VIBRANT LIVING TIPS OUTFOXING YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS

12 food & drink

22 mind & spirit EVENT SAMPLER

THE CHERRY TOMATO FETA-PESTO CHERRY TOMATO SAUCE NEIGHBORHOOD GOURMET

22 special food & drink index

23 featured advertisers

ONE SMART COOKIE

16 home, garden & landscape NATIVE BUTTERFLY HOUSE

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his publication is printed with soy ink on FSC-certified paper!

Christine Dupre cedupre@msn.com

Our BerkshireTimes邃｢

Elisa Jones, Berkshire Design Studio elisa@berkshiredesignstudio.com

The Voice of Our Community! Like Us On

Shirley Sparks, Graphic Design on a Dime sms234@aol.com _______________ TO ADVERTISE CONTACT Our BerkshireGreen, Inc. P.O. Box 133, Housatonic, MA 01236 Phone: (413) 274-1122 advertise@OurBerkshiretimes.com www.OurBerkshireGreen.com www.OurBerkshireTimes.com www.OurBerkshireCalendar.com _______________ COVER ILLUSTRATION

John Gampert, Artist Making art carries one through life. Though retired from a career in advertising, art education, and publishing (with the exception of selfpublishing), my time is happily filled with creating works for my own pleasure . . . combining artwork with love of travel, most works today are plein air or studio responses to the land or cityscapes that inspire me. jgampert@mac.com, www.johngampert.com.

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Our BerkshireTimes Magazine is a bimonthly publication (six issues yearly, starting in February), free to the public, and is enjoyed by community members, second home owners, and visitors alike. 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. To find out more about advertising, submitting editorial, 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 邃｢ 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.

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April - May 2014

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art, culture & entertainment special feature

the art of john gampert

THIS MONTH'S OUR BERKSHIRETIMES COVER ARTIST

by John Gampert

F

rom my days as an art student at the High School of Music and Art, through college and post-grad art training, I was always drawn to the commercial side of the art and design field.

In my career as art educator and illustrator/designer for a number of publishers and advertising agencies, I was exposed to a great variety of subject matter, media, techniques, and means of artistic expression. Every week presented a different challenge – a science fiction book cover, a CD cover portrait of a celebrated musician, poster art for a Broadway musical, or historical paintings for an educational series.

My work and personal projects today continue to draw on that unique response and expression to a variety of inspirations. Hopefully, the viewer will find

Clovelly © 2013 by John Gampert

this variety as interesting as I found it in their creation. Different projects ask for a unique artistic response. For me, this made a career that was never mundane and produced interesting and unique results.

Frank Sinatra © 2013 by John Gampert

My work today follows the same pattern with varying media including oil, watercolor, and collage. I work representationally some days and more abstract others, designing books and works of art that present new daily challenges.

R

John and his wife, Joan, live in Austerlitz, NY. John is affiliated with the NY Society of Illustrators, Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators, Columbia County Council on the Arts, Housatonic Valley Art League, and the Manatee Art Center.

The art displayed on John’s website at www.johngampert.com may be available either as originals or as prints – inquiries are invited at jgampert@mac.com.

Ted Williams © 2013 by John Gampert

Summer Conference 2014, Aug 3-17

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Macrobiotic Lectures | Cooking Classes | Yoga Do-in | Berkshire Food Fair | and more!

Offering Weekly, Weekend, or Day Admittance

198 Leland Rd, Becket, MA www.kushiinstitute.org/summer-conference 4

June | July 2014

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ed, July 2, at 7pm, Singer/songwriter/guitarist Jeffrey Folmer will perform a benefit concert for Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum located at 104 Walker Street, Lenox, MA. Folmer says, “This is a very worthy cause - I hope the community will agree that we need to preserve our rich history, help save endangered buildings like this one, and support the arts.” A delicious array of food and beverages, plus wine and beer (for donations), will be available.

For reservations and information call (413) 637-3206, www.gildedage.org.

art, culture & entertainment special feature

june -july 2014 event sampler SEE MORE EVENTS OR POST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT WWW.OURBERKSHIRECALENDAR.COM Thursday Morning Story Time

Date: Thurs, June 12, 2014, 10:30-11am Place: Lee Library Association, 100 Main Street, Lee, MA - (413) 243-0385 Price: Free! Pre-school Story Time. Thursday mornings from 10:30-11am in the Children’s Room. Ages 2 ½ to 5 with caregivers. www.leelibrary.org High and Mighty Therapeutic Riding and Driving Center 501(3)(C) Summer Camp

Date: Thurs, June 12, 2014, 10am Place: 71 CR 21C, Ghent, NY (518) 672-4202 Price: Weekly fee/Scholarships available.

Horseplay Camp for all abilities with an emphasis on self-development and team building. The camp incorporates a variety of equine activities such as riding, driving, horse handling, grooming, and stable chores. Additional activities may include music, movement, drama, arts, and crafts. www.high-n-mighty.org

Tea & Performance:

Actress Sally Mummey as Mary Todd Lincoln: An Unconventional Woman

Saturday, July 12, 4 to 6pm

Ventfort Films: The Berkshire Series Thursdays, July 17 through August 28 Walker Street, Lenox, MA 413-637-3206 GildedAge.org 4 to 6pm

Date: Tues, June 17, 2014, 8:30pm Place: PS21: Performance Spaces for the 21st Century, 2980 Route 66, Chatham, NY - (518) 392.6121.

Price: Free.

Award-winning documentary about the piano prodigy, portrayed by Colm Feore.

Canada. 1993. 98 minutes www.ps21chatham.org/film.html Music at the Mansion presents "Moonshine Holler"

Date: Fri, June 20, 2014, 6pm Place: North Adams Public Library, 74 Church Street, North Adams, MA (413) 662-3133.

Price: Free.

Appalachian folk music is the specialty of Moonshine Holler. Singing, dancing, footstompin’ sounds will be heard on Church Street tonight. www.naplibrary.com

Weddings at

Darrow School

Darrow School 110 Darrow Road New Lebanon, NY 12125 www.darrowschool.org 518-322-3657

Choose a setting of unparalleled beauty at historic Mount Lebanon Shaker Village.

Photo by Jane Feldman ’74

Lecture Series

Every Tuesday June 17 through August 26 4 to 6pm

Movie Tuesdays: Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould

Celebrate Our Forty-second Year!

Wonderful Things

thru JUNE 15

"Selected Visions and Multiple Creations The Eyes and Soul of an Artist"

Largest Selection of Yarns and Unique Handcrafted Gifts in the Berkshires Gift Certificates S Free Knitting Lessons Open Mon-Sat 9:30-5, Sun 12-4 Harry and Debbie Sano 232 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA 01230 (413) 528-2473 • www.wonderful-things.com

JUNE 20 - JULY 27 "The Complexity of Experience-Engaging Reality" Route 102 (Next to the Fire Station) South Lee, MA ● (413) 717-5199 Open Fri thru Mon 11am - 5:30pm

www.saintfrancisgallery.com www.facebook.com/stfrancisgallery

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June | July 2014

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art, culture & entertainment special feature

june -july 2014 event sampler SEE MORE EVENTS OR POST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE AT WWW.OURBERKSHIRECALENDAR.COM Bug & Butterfly Safari

Photo by Peter Slothower

Date: Sat, June 21, 2014, 10:30am-12pm Place: Project Native, 342 North Plain Road, Housatonic, MA - (413) 274-3433 Price: Free Join us on an adventure through the farm. We will go on a safari with nets, bug boxes, and magnifying glasses to find eggs, caterpillars, and butterflies to relocate into the Butterfly House. We will identify the butterflies we collect and in some cases release them into the Butterfly House. All ages are welcome to participate. Please note, safaris do require walking on uneven ground, and children should be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Participants will gather at Project Native (weather permitting – must not be raining, and preferably sunny). www.projectnative.org.

Ninth Annual Paul Grunberg Memorial Bach Concert

Date: Sun, June 22, 2014, 2-4pm Place: PS21: Performance Spaces for the 21st Century, 2980 Route 66, Chatham, NY (518) 392-6121 Price: Free Repast Baroque with guest harpsichordist Dongsok Shin, baroque violinist Amelia Roosevelt, and viol da gambist John Mark Rozendaal. An All-J.S. Bach program www.ps21chatham.org/music.html BHS Bloodmobile at Haddad Hyundai Date: Mon, June 23, 2014, 9am-3pm Place: Haddad Hyundai, 689 East Street, Pittsfield, MA 6

June | July 2014

(413) 997-2277 Berkshire Health System’s Bloodmobile will be at Haddad Hyundai. Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield and Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington will receive your blood donations - so all blood collected will stay right here in Berkshire County! www.berkshirehealthsystems.org/bloodmobile Beck Date: Tues, June 24, 2014, 8:30pm Place: MASS MoCA, 87 Marshall Street, North Adams, MA - (413) 662-2111 Price: General admission: $50 advance; $54 day of event. Tickets available only through the MASS MoCA box office, online, or by telephone during museum hours (413) 664-4481 x1. All tickets are General Admission, Standing Room Only: There is no seating. In the twenty years since “Loser” hit the charts and introduced the world to an ironic poet of breathtaking musical range, Beck has become one of the most creative and idiosyncratic voices in 21st century music of any genre, mixing influences. www.massmoca.org/event_detailsphp?id=909 Movie Tuesdays: You Were Never Lovelier Date: Tues, June 24, 2014, 8:30pm Place: PS21: Performance Spaces for the 21st Century, 2980 Route 66, Chatham, NY (518) 392-6121 Price: Free Fred Astaire with Rita Hayworth. Memorable dancing, music, and laughs. Score by Jerome Kern. USA. 1942. 97 minutes www.ps21chatham.org/film.html Strawberry Fields Forever at the West Stockbridge Farmers Market Date: Thurs, June 26, 2014, 3-7pm Place: On the Green, Harris Street, West Stockbridge, MA Price: Free Farmers Market in West Stockbridge Thursday afternoons 3-7pm, through October 9, selling local produce with entertainment and weekly raffle, rain or shine, located On the Green at Harris Street, Town Center near the Post Office. www.weststockbridgefarmersmarket.org

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Meditation and Your Health Date: Thurs, June 26, 2014, 6:30-8pm Place: Lee Library Association - Gallery 100 Main Street, Lee, MA - (413) 243-0385 Price: Free!

A Talk by International Speaker Dr. Andrew Vidich. The scientific community has recently been exploring the use of meditation as a healing modality. Join Dr. Vidich, PhD, author, educator, consultant, and international speaker as he discusses the extraordinary effect of meditation to reduce stressrelated responses, improve concentration, and enhance clarity of thought and mental equilibrium. He will also present a simple yet powerful meditation technique that can enrich one’s life personally, professionally, and spiritually. www.leelibrary.org Maids in the Mills

Date: Sat, July 5, 2014, 7:30pm (for additional performance dates see their website below) Place: Melville Stage, Barn Theatre at Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA - (413) 442-1793 Price: $15 - 25 An original play by J. Peter Bergman, Maids in the Mills is a drama exploring capitalism, immigration, oppression, and subjugation of women and ethnic minorities.

Set in the Pittsfield woolen mills in the period 1850-1917, the “historic Pittsfield” piece offers a unique cameo of Berkshire County during an earlier period of gross income inequality. Maids in the Mills is co-directed by J. Peter Bergman and Sally Filkins. The play features veteran actor Kevin Wixsom, who portrayed Herman Melville in Filkins’ Melville Trilogy, as The Overseer. Rodelinde Albrecht, Diane Arduini, Sally Filkins, and Delaney Ivas play Polish, Irish, Italian, French, and Jewish immigrant women struggling to overcome their poverty in a brutal industrial city. www.mobydick.org

home, garden & landscape

Medicine Mammals

Date: Sat, July 5, 2014, 10am-3pm Place: Mountain View Campground, Rte. 8, South Otis, MA - (413) 269-8928 Price: Free Performance of Native American dance, music, drumming, and storytelling. www.townofotisma.com/culturalcouncil 7 Simple Solutions to Successful Self-Coaching Workshop Date: Sat, July 12, 2014, 10:30am-12:30pm Place: Crystal Wellness Center (Crystal Essence) 39 Railroad Street, Great Barrington, MA (413) 528-2595 Price: $35 at door, $32 pre-register A workshop designed to put the focus back on yourself and teach you ways to coach yourself through life. Come remember the importance of self-love and applying gentleness to your inner voice. Call Crystal Essence Wellness to pre-register. www.crystalwellness.com Movie Tuesdays: The Full Monty Date: Tues, July 15, 2014, 8:30pm Place: PS21: Performance Spaces for the 21st Century, 2980 Route 66, Chatham, NY (518) 392-6121 Price: Free In depressed Sheffield, six unemployed steel workers in need of money form a male striptease act. Many Academy Award nominations; won Best Original Music Score. UK. 1997.

Rated R. 91 minutes. www.ps21chatham.org/film.html Seventh Otis Arts Festival Date: Sat, July 26, 2014, 9am-3pm Place: Farmington River Elementary School North Main Street, Otis, MA - (413) 269-0220 Price: Free Artists and crafts vendors of paintings, photography, fiber, glass, weavings, jewelry, leather, ceramics, and more. Entertainment by Moonshine Holler from 12-2pm. Parking available. www.townofotisma.com/culturalcouncil

15 Main Street, Lee, MA 413-243-0508 zabians.com June | July 2014 www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

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health & wellness

holistic medicine AND HEALING IN MODERN LIFE

by Jeff Migdow, MD

H

olistic medicine is the general term for any healing modality that not only naturally strengthens and rejuvenates our cells and organs but also helps create emotional balance, mental clarity, and spiritual attunement. This includes day-today activities such as a healthy, nonrefined unadulterated diet, regular exercise, fresh air and water, and healing through herbs, sacred medicines, and natural supplements. It also includes energetic activities such as yoga, tai chi, qi gong, martial arts, energetic healing arts, and remedies such as homeopathy, flower remedies, reiki, acupuncture, therapeutic massage, prayer, mantra and drumming circles, and many others.

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Karen Bonhote

Cert. Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist

Richard Cleaver

Cert. Kripalu Yoga Teacher

Lee, Massachusetts • 413-243-2224 hawkmeadowinlee.com 8

June | July 2014

Ancient Chinese medicine says 70 percent of disease is caused by poor diet. The yogis and reiki masters claim that by balancing our energetic chakra system we access greater health and well-being. Herbalists back to ancient Egypt have shown that many of the causes of our ills can be treated directly with plants grown by our earth. In many areas of the world, healing is still done by a medicine man or woman/shaman who is deeply connected to the wisdom of Mother Earth and who uses music, chanting, sacred herbal medicines, and prayer to create what we consider miraculous healings. I have experienced some of these healings with ayurvedic physicians in India, medicine men and woman in North America, and shaman healers in South America.

What all of these have in common is a reverence for the wisdom and healing potential of Mother Earth, the presence of energy/chi/spirit that flows through all life, and our innate healing ability. Holistic

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healers believe that the body is constantly in the process of health and wholeness, but that we are constantly getting in the way of this process through poor food and drink choices, lack of exercise, mental stress which tightens and poisons the body, inability to calm our dramatic emotions, and a basic disregard for the wisdom of the earth.

In the early 1900s a huge conflict broke out in America between the allopaths and the homeopaths and herbalists. The allopaths believed that nature was the cause of disease and the only way to overcome it was to gain mastery over the body and earth, leading to many toxic medicines with side effects that are often worse than the cure, in addition to creating destruction of the earth, toxic air and water, and soil pollution. Creating and marketing these drugs often required (and continue to require) animal experimentation in the name of human well-being, even though many animals respond differently to drugs and stimuli than humans.

The homeopaths and herbalists, on the other hand, believed that all that we needed to know to create vibrant health and joy was to use the wisdom and life the earth provided, and to utilize and relearn techniques that balance our energy or vital force, such as acupuncture, crystal healing, and homeopathy. At that time, 25 percent of the MDs were homeopaths and herbalists treating many conditions. By 1920 almost all herbal and homeopathic medicine had vanished from America.

In the 1960s and early ’70s there was a renaissance of creative thinking spiritually

health & wellness

Naomi Alson Lic. Acupuncturist & Herbalist

and in terms of healing as many activities regained popularity, including therapeutic drumming, chanting, acupuncture, homeopathy, yoga, and reiki. At the time, in many parts of America, most of this was considered counterculture, weird and strange, and even un-American or anti-God. However, by the 1990s most of these holistic methods were accepted or at least tolerated aspects of our culture in most areas. In fact, healing touch, reiki, yoga, exercise, healthy organic diet, tai chi, acupuncture, and even herbal medicine are becoming somewhat mainstream!

The other important aspect in holistic medicine is the reconnection to the idea and experience that vital force or prana/ki/ chi is a part of all life, in fact, connects all life. The concept is that this universal energy is what activates and rejuvenates our body and mind, and creates life itself. Thus, if we can balance our energy, the body naturally moves toward greater health and balance. This is the core idea behind all activities and healing techniques that work on our energy field. As more of us experience our energy field, activities such as yoga, tai chi, qi gong, acupuncture, homeopathy, reiki, the Tibetan 5 rites, shaman ceremonies, and healing prayer are becoming more and more popular. In this way we are collectively improving our energy flow and innate health and well-being.

If we can all decide to live more in harmony with our bodies’ basic needs through healthy lifestyle, such as healthy diet and daily exercise, experiment with activities that allow us to experience our vital force directly, such as yoga or qi gong, and open to energetic healing techniques such as homeopathy, acupuncture, reiki, and vibrational/music healing, we will find that our bodies heal and rejuvenate more effectively, our mind calms more easily, our emotions balance more gracefully, and life will become less anxiety producing and more joyous and revitalizing day by day. ~ Jeff Migdow, MD, has been practicing holistic medicine in Lenox since 1983, currently at Healing Rhythms in the Lenox Commons mall. His practice includes homeopathy, Bach flower remedies, herbal medicine, lifestyle counseling, stress management, and reiki. He is a reiki master and attunes people in reiki 1, 2, and 3. Jeff is the creator and director of the Prana Yoga teacher training course in NYC and the Princeton Center for Yoga and Health near Princeton, NJ. He is coauthor of the book Breathe In, Breathe Out and contributed to Goddess to the Core by Sierra Bender. He can be contacted at (413) 637-1513, jeffmigdowmd@gmail.com, and facebook.com/pranayoganyc.

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For general wellbeing …

Feel your best! at Lee Family Practice (413) 243-3223

• Homeopathic Medicine • Yoga & Relaxation Training • Reiki Attunements / Healing

• Nutrition & Lifestyle Counseling • Herbal & Flower Remedies • Healing Imagery

Jeff Migdow, M.D. Holistic Physician & Reiki Master Prana Yoga & Wellness Teacher Trainer

P.O. Box 2372, Lenox, MA 01240 (413) 637-1513 www.facebook.com/pranayoganyc horus888@aol.com jeffmigdowmd@gmail.com

gol dm an / tripp osteopathic healthcare As osteopathic physicians, we use our comprehensive knowledge of anatomy and physiology to promote health and healing. We work gently with our hands to help your body restore optimal function – based on optimal structure – to help solve musculoskeletal problems and health issues of all kinds.

As fully licensed physicians, we have all the full and current medical pharmacopeia, nutritional science and medical training at our disposal.

Your individual treatment may include a wide range of approaches, but is always founded on our gentle hands-on work.

Andrew M. Goldman, DO, Osteopathic Physician Kim E. Tripp, DO, PhD, Osteopathic Physician Great Barrington, ma 413-528-3334 | Sharon, ct 860-364-5990

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June | July 2014

9

health & wellness

vibrant living tips

A

void fluoride in toothpaste, oral rinses/products, processed foods and drinks, certain teas and antiobiotics, insecticides, and of course flourinated water. Fluoride is a poison and a significant contributor to lowered IQ and a wide range of chronic inflammatory diseases, stomach problems, metabolic disorders, neurological diseases, thyroid problems, and cancer. Did you know that a single tube of bubble-gum flavored Colgate-for-Kids toothpaste contains enough fluoride to kill a small child? Ironically, flouride toxicity causes dental and skeletal fluorosis – conditions that weaken the teeth and bones. It simply does not make sense to try to strengthen (or so they claim) one part of the body by poisoning the rest of the body, especially when there are safe methods that work more effectively.

Is just “a little poison” OK for you and your family? Note that researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai recently published a report identifying one dozen common chemicals known to disrupt brain development and cause brain damage, neurological abnormalities, reduced IQ, and aggressiveness in children. Flouride is on this list. A study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association confirmed fluoride is a toxic substance that actually destroys teeth, particularly those of developing young children and babies. Read more at www.fluoridealert.org

F

rench scientists have reported a new study showing that extensive cell phone use can seriously increase your and your children’s risk of brain cancer. The study, included in the British journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, found that brain cancer risks tripled in individuals who used their phones for more than 15 hours per month and that glioma and meningioma brain tumors occur three times more often than normal in people who used their cell phones extensively in their careers and day-to-day activities. The findings correlate with a Swedish study that showed increased risk for glioma with cumulative cell phone use, especially for those who first used cell phones before the age of 20.

According to www.mercola.com, Japan has banned cell phone use on trains to cut down on “second-hand radiation,” in France it is illegal to advertise mobile phones to children, a cell call lasting just two minutes can alter the natural electrical activity of a child’s brain for up to one hour, and when you use a cell phone, 70 percent of the energy emitted from the antenna is absorbed into your head.

You can help cut down on your exposure to these extremely harmful radio frequencies by putting your phone on airplane mode when not in use, using the speakerphone option when in use (making sure to place the phone on a flat surface so you are not touching the device), or using a Blue Tube airtube headset. Find out more at http://products.mercola.com/blue-tube-headset.

Allergies? Asthma?

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Tobacco Smoke?

Dust? Pollen? Mold?

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June | July 2014

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health & wellness

outfoxing your subconscious WHY YOUR OLD HABITS, ADDICTIONS, AND BROKEN HEARTS HANG ON

by Nina Anderson

H

ow many of us have started diets, done really well, and then the holidays come and we put those pounds back on? If you are a smoker you’ve probably tried all of the paraphernalia that comes with smoking cessation only to be tempted when a friend offers you a cigarette. For those of us who have had bouts with love that didn’t end up with the golden ring on our left finger, we may still long for what we think we could have had. Wouldn’t it be nice to just say good-bye to the hurt, anger, and distrust that came with the breakup?

So what do we do? We can read lots of books and search the Internet for advice on what’s wrong with us. Or we can go to a support group, beat ourselves up for returning to bad habits, get depressed, lose self-confidence, and bore our friends with our sad stories of our problems. All of these attempts to change our behavior can be frustrating – especially when they don’t work!

We seem to be in a rut and caught in an endless tug-of-war with ourselves. We can blame others, find excuses, or just ignore the problem. What we really have difficulty with is captivating the attention of our subconscious where the problem lies.

The subconscious really wants to control us. It talks to the conscious mind, but there seems to be a wall between the two so when we want to alter our behavior, a little voice coming from behind that wall has its own agenda and diffuses our intention. No matter how hard we try to break through that wall and get to the root of the problem, we fail. The only solution is to go through a back door and surprise the subconscious. Can we do this on our own? It’s doubtful.

The subconscious has its defenses up and reroutes the messages.

Somewhere, somehow, the subconscious got a message that became a belief and it uses that to determine our course of action.

We use the analogy of a time when we were told we needed to eat all of the food on our plate or the kids in a Third World country would go hungry, grandma wouldn’t visit, or Santa wouldn’t bring us presents. So, as children, we got this “implant” and now every time a restaurant heaps on the food, we either feel obliged to eat it no matter how stuffed we feel, or we get a guilty feeling for not eating it. Do you relate to what you were told as a child? Maybe, maybe not. But, for most of us, we don’t think about the why – we just act out the subconscious direction – eat and eat.

How can we remove this misguided piece of programming in our subconscious? One way is through a process of visualization that alters the image that is issuing the controlling behavior.

Through a process known as Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) coupled with visual imagery, folks are led through a pathway where they can set their own goals and make them become reality. The saying “thoughts are things” is true, but most of us are incapable

of getting past the barrier to convince the subconscious it can be reprogrammed. During the process of NLP, the old thought patterns are not removed, merely merged with the new desires allowing them to morph into a new behavior pattern. Repetition is the key. The mind does not know the difference between fact and fiction, so techniques are used to “trick” the mind into believing that the fiction is now a new fact, and that it will manifest soon.

This may sound a little too easy, but a friend, Dr. William Mundy, Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Missouri School of Medicine, discovered that people with multiple personalities that manifested a disease such as diabetes in one personality actually became healthy when they flipped to the other entity – the disease clinically disappeared. This discovery prompted him to spend the rest of his life treating the mind and helping people change their physical conditions. He used the principles of NLP and creative visualization in his practice and has written much on the subject. To learn more about these techniques, visit the blog www.nlpberkshires.wordpress.com.

~ Nina Anderson is a certified NLP human development coach and ISSA-certified Specialist in Performance Nutrition living in Sheffield. She is also author of 18 books on natural health, environmental issues, and aviation.

(888) 217-7233, safe@bcn.net., www.nlpberkshires.wordpress.com.

Hydro Health of Western Massachusetts

Colon Hydrotherapy Ozone & Far Infrared Sauna Therapy • Best Methods for Detoxification • Powerful Adjuncts for Optimizing Wellness and Longevity • Enhances healing and rejuvenation

Internal body cleansing is ultimately considered the finest health insurance.

Concettina & Bruce Collingwood I-ACT Certified Colon Hydrotherapists

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June | July 2014

11

food & drink

the cherry tomato BITE-SIZE DELECTABLE TREATS

by Lawrence Davis-Hollander

T

he cherry tomato, like its close cousin the beefsteak and the rest of that crowd, originated in the western slopes and valleys of South America and adjacent coastal regions as wild plants. These were small cherry-like or smaller tomatoes that somehow migrated north to Mexico and along the way became domesticated. As with many other food plants the exact process by which Indians figured out how to create a culinary phenomenon is not clear. These wild species hardly resembled those hard tasteless hybrid tomatoes featured in our supermarkets in the winter.

We know that by the time of the conquest of the Aztecs by the Spanish, tomatoes in a variety of forms and colors were being grown and eaten. They were of such interest to these early explorers that by the early 16th century they had arrived in Spain and were pictured in herbals by the second half of the century. The herbals illustrate large pleated tomatoes, along with small cherries. Round tomatoes were a distinctly American development and don’t show up until 1870, the first entries being Paragon and Trophy.

Tomatoes were not an immediate culinary rage, rather a curiosity or ornamental to be admired in the garden. One strike against the tomato was its resemblance to cousins mandrake and belladonna, nasty poisonous and hallucinogenic plants of the old world with reputed use by witches. Some enterprising cooks discovered that

tomatoes made a rather interesting sauce, perhaps taking after the Aztecs who made a dipping sauce from tomatoes for the consumption of sacrificial victims.

Tomatoes did not become a common vegetable until after the middle of the 19th century. Then we see a variety of large tomatoes along with red and yellow cherries, Red and Yellow Pear, Yellow Plum and red currants. While most of the cherries at the supermarkets are modern hybrids, some farmers are growing authentic heirloom tomatoes along with a whole slew of contemporary and newly developed heirloom-like varieties in a wide range of shapes, tastes, and colors. Whether fresh in salads, marinated, or cooked, they make a tasty culinary summer treat. ~ Lawrence Davis-Hollander is an ethnobotanist and plantsman. He was founder and director of the Eastern Native Seed Conservancy in the Berkshires, an organization dedicated to preserving and promoting thousands of heirloom vegetable varieties, and former Director of Horticulture at the Berkshire Botanical Garden. Lawrence has created gardens in New York State, the Berkshires, and London. He is a principal of Dandelion Gardening Arts, a garden company that designs, installs, renovates, and maintains ornamental gardens as well as kitchen gardens, and the author of Tomato: A Fresh-from-theVine Cookbook. He currently writes for Grit and Heirloom Gardener magazines.

(413) 229-8316, www.dandeliongardeningarts.com

Paul’s

Restaurant & Pizza

Authetic Greek Food in a Family Dining Atmosphere

Pittsfield, MA | 413.445.4965 www.paulsrestaurantandpizza.com

Visit our historic landmark Railroad Street, Lee, MA (413) 243-2082

Meadow Farm Market

Vegan, Gluten-free, Vegetarian upon request

Live Entertainment on Friday & Saturday evenings and Sunday brunch

Procuring exceptional organic and conventional produce and goods, both locally and regionally grown, as to ensure the best quality offerings for our customers.



Serving certified free trade organic coffee, nitrate free meats and cheeses, dairy from local farms, bakery fresh breads and of course sundries.

(413) 394-4308 | MidgesMarket@yahoo.com Route 102, 905 Pleasant Street, South Lee, MA

www.MeadowFarmMarket.com 12

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food & drink

feta-pesto cherry tomato sauce QUICK − EASY − FLEXIBLE − DELICIOUS!

by Lawrence Davis-Hollander

T

his is about the quickest-cooking sauce I know. Cherry tomatoes combined with garlic scape pesto are the essential ingredients. Any type of cherry tomato may be used, such as the well-known and sweet Sun Gold hybrid tomatoes, or see if a local farmer is growing one of the many wonderful heirloom red or yellow cherry types or something exotic like the Black Cherry tomato. If using a large cherry, you may want to halve or even quarter them.

Don’t get too attached to the exact quantities. The greatest danger is overcooking them and ending up with a tasty yet undistinguished mass.

You are probably not going to find garlic scape pesto in the store and it is one of the essential ingredients for the kitchen. You’ll have to make it yourself and it is quite easy. Scapes are available late June and early July and usually sold by the bunch. Buy a couple of bunches, trim off the stem end if too fibrous, and blend with olive oil and salt in a food processor. Refrigerated this will keep for a year. Basil pesto may be substituted. It will create quite a different taste sensation.

Ingredients 50-80 cherry tomatoes, roughly one quart or 20 ounces ¼ tsp. sea salt 4 T. olive oil 3 T. garlic scape pesto (or basil leaf pesto) 1 T. coarse chopped garlic ⅓ to scant ½ cup coarse crumbled feta cheese 1 T. fresh lemon juice Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large cast iron skillet. Add salt. When quite hot, yet not so hot the oil burns, add the tomatoes. Stir gently while adding one tablespoon pesto. After a minute or less add garlic. Cook for another 30 seconds to one minute.

Turn off heat. Add the rest of the pesto and lemon juice. When slightly cooled add feta and the rest of the olive oil.

Serve over angel hair pasta, soak crusty pieces of bread in the sauce, or spread the sauce on slices of bread.

La Fogata Restaurant Colombian and Latin Cuisine Lunch & Dinner

770 Tyler Street Pittsfield, MA 01201 (413) 443-6969

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413.232.7000 32 Main Street West Stockbridge, MA

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June | July 2014

13

food & drink

La Fogata Restaurant Colombian and Latin Cuisine Lunch & Dinner

770 Tyler Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201

(413) 443-6969

neighborhood gourmet INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS AROUND THE BERKSHIRES

by Sharon Vidal

F

unny how we sometimes take things for granted. As a kid I had “gourmet” food right outside my door and I didn’t even know it! I only had to hop on my bike to find the delights that awaited me around every corner and over every hill.

Just steps outside my front door, the strong smell of freshmade bread and the sight of huge tomatoes growing in coffee cans on porches told me that I was near my Nonna’s house.

Her kitchen was my personal bakery!

Lenox Commons, 55 Pittsfield Lenox Road Lenox, MA 01240

Tel: 413.637.9777 www.jaeslenox.com Jae’s since 1990

A short ride down the hill was the Jewish neighborhood. Talk about latkes! An invite to join a friend for lunch was indeed an honor. Up the hill and around the corner were the Polish, Russian, and then African American neighborhoods. I’d go past the one Japanese restaurant on the Main Street and back around the loop to the intersection to find the Greek neighborhood, to hook up with a friend. Her mother would stuff us with spanakopita, and send us off with a sweet treat whose name neither of us could ever pronounce.

A short car ride to the other side of town would bring us to the Irish food I enjoyed with my mom’s side of the family. By car, you could also easily find yourself enjoying a French or Lebanese meal.

WiFi, Food Cooked to Order, No MSG, Gluten-Free Available 75 North Street (entrance at McKay), Pittsfield, MA 413-443-3188 CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR A LISTING OF LIVE WEEKLY ENTERTAINMENT www.FlavoursInTheBerkshires.com

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dinner only • 150 Main St., Lee 413.243.6397 cheznousbistro.com June | July 2014

The biggest curiosity for me, however, was in school. I remember my Yankee American friends bringing peanut-butter-andjelly sandwiches, banana bread, and Campbell’s soup to eat for lunch. Boy, were they lucky! I would happily trade my minestrone soup for that banana bread. They in turn looked in wonder and fear at the thickness of my sandwich bread (the “pre-pannini”). My combination of Italian meats and smelly cheeses must have made a real impression on them!

Today, with the influx of new cultures moving to the Berkshires to work, learn, and teach, it stands to reason they are also bringing with them their food traditions to contribute. From the East, we have Indian, Malaysian, Japanese, and Chinese. South America is giving us Peruvian, Mexican, Colombian, and Puerto Rican food. Berkshire visitors with a sophisticated palate will not be disappointed by the variety and quality of fine food on offer.

M-m-m-yum!

14

A visit to a family friends’s farm gave us good old hearty farm fare. I remember learning how to color eggs for Easter using beets and carrots! Who can forget the drive-in shacks? We would indulge in milkshakes, hot dogs, and hamburgers under the stars and a neon Penguin sign. Homemade root beer was our reward for winning a game of miniature golf.

www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

Those of us who live here? Well, we no longer take our good fortune for granted.

food & drink

one smart cookie PARLAYING A PASSION INTO A PROFIT

by Rodelinde Albrecht

flavor. Realizing that such a business would not be comfortably consonant with raising a family – another long-range plan – she gave up that idea. One day, she made a batch of cookies from one of her grandmother’s recipes and offered them to Jefferson. He found them so delicious that he suggested she bake them for sale. At that time, he was working for The Marketplace Kitchen at Guido’s, and Klara brought in another batch of her cookies, to unanimous acclaim. The rest, as they say, is history.

F

or Klara Sotonova, age 19, a whole new life began the day she emigrated from her native Chrast, a small town in the Czech Republic, in the late 1990s. She brought with her to America her dream of starting her own business, her exceptional work ethic, and her grandmother’s marvelous cookie recipes.

Newly arrived in the Berkshires, Klara set about turning her dream into reality, using her natural initiative, courage, and resourcefulness. She earned her degree in hospitality management at Berkshire Community College while working as assistant to a kitchen manager at Camp Eisner where, she says, she “really fell in love with food.” Later, working at the Swiss Hutte, she met her husband-to-be, Jefferson Diller, who was the sous-chef there. What began as a friendship based on mutual interests, as well as on mutual respect and admiration, eventually blossomed into romance.

Klara had considered opening a restaurant with an Eastern European

Klara and Jefferson started baking small batches of a variety of cookies in their Great Barrington home, offering them for sale throughout the county. When the demand outpaced the capacity of their small kitchen, they purchased a handsome yellow house with a wraparound porch on Railroad Street in Lee. The little family – Klara, Jefferson, and their four-year-old daughter, Mika – live upstairs, while the downstairs has been converted into the fully equipped bakery, packing rooms, and office for the business, now known as Klara’s Gourmet Cookies. Thousands of cookies – not only their macaroons but also Linzer cookies and several remarkable flavors of shortbreads – are shipped each week to the Berkshire Coop, Guido’s, Berkshire Organics, and other retailers of quality foods throughout the Berkshires and surrounding areas.

Success is extra sweet for Klara’s Gourmet just now: Their gluten-free and dairy-free Coconut Macaroon is a finalist in the Outstanding Cookie category in this year’s Specialty Food Association’s sofi™ (Specialty Outstanding Food Innovation) Award competition.

Klara’s story proves once again what drive, determination, and a dream can do. ~ Rodelinde Albrecht, Concerned Singles, www.concernedsingles.com

Open 7 Days a Week

Homemade Ice Cream Shoppe Outdoor Patio

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240 Stockbridge Road, Route 7 Great Barrington, MA

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528cafe@gmail.com facebook.com/528cafe www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

June | July 2014

15

home, garden & landscape

native butterfly house SOARS INTO ITS SECOND SEASON

P

Celebrate Our Forty-second Year!

Wonderful Things

Largest Selection of Yarns and Unique Handcrafted Gifts in the Berkshires Gift Certificates S Free Knitting Lessons Open Mon-Sat 9:30-5, Sun 12-4 Harry and Debbie Sano 232 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA 01230 (413) 528-2473 • www.wonderful-things.com

Berkshire Photovoltaic Services, BPVS 46 Howland Avenue, Adams, MA 01220

Tel. 413-743-0152 • www.bpvs.com MA LIC #'s HIC131996, CSL 73150

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ince 1985, recognized for careful designs, proven components and high quality workmanship, BPVS solar electric systems are user friendly, efficient and reliable.

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Member: American Solar Energy Society, Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, Solar Energy Business Association of New England, Solar Energy Industries Association.

16

June | July 2014

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roject Native will celebrate the Summer Solstice, Saturday, June 21, with the opening of their Native Butterfly House.

After an exciting first season that drew hundreds of visitors, the staff and community at large are looking forward to another season to observe and learn about these winged wonders.

Last summer, Project Native built a 35-by-55 foot Native Butterfly House on their 54-acre property. Inside, the butterflies find an abundance of native wildflowers, puddling stations, and – of course – their important host plants. Although most adult butterflies are not choosy about which flowers they visit for nectar, many will only lay their eggs on one or two species of plants – those perfect host-plants that their caterpillars have evolved to eat over centuries. The most famous of these relationships is the Monarch butterfly’s affinity for milkweed, but other butterflies have similar requirements to feed their caterpillars.

“It’s sometimes hard to get people interested in plants, especially children, but give them something that crawls and has wings and they are a lot more interested,” explained Karen Lyness LeBlanc, Education & Outreach Coordinator for Project Native. The fun of watching butterflies puddle on the wet soil and bask in the early morning sun is easily accompanied by an opportunity to educate visitors about pollinators and the dangers of pesticide use in gardens and agricultural areas.

“This is a great addition to Project Native,” General Manager David Ellis said. “It is a terrific educational resource and a great attraction. It will serve as the keystone for our educational programs which show the importance of native habitats in sustaining our wildlife.”

Determined to avoid the environmental and ethical issues surrounding the sale of butterfly chrysalises, Project Native staff and visitors collect butterflies and caterpillars right on the property to populate the butterfly house.

Some of the butterflies visitors can see at the farm include Great Spangled Fritillaries, Monarchs, Tiger Swallowtails, Spicebush Swallowtails, Black Swallowtails, Commas, Mourning Cloaks, Red Admirals, Common Wood Nymphs, as well as several moths.

Visitors to Project Native also have the opportunity to participate in Bug Safaris. Every weekend, children and their families have a chance to explore native habitat, learn about insects, and ultimately release what they find into the butterfly house.

On Friday, July 25, 5-7pm, Project Native will host a Butterfly Open House and Reception. Nibble on hors d'oeuvres while learning about beautiful New England butterflies and moths, and find out how you can attract native pollinators to your garden at home!

The butterfly house is open daily from 10am-4pm and admission is free. Donations to help support educational programs and the maintenance of the butterfly house are greatly appreciated. Project Native’s nursery is open from 9:30am–5pm Monday through Saturday and 10:30am-5pm Sunday, from mid-April through October. www.projectnative.org

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Energy-efficient North Adams house for sale.

Charming twostory cape has everything. PV and solar hot water. Pellet stove insert. Totally renovated in 2007: new boiler, roof, siding, insulation, windows, plumbing, and electrical. Whole house generator, radon mitigation system, basement drainage with sump pump. $182,000. Contact: Christine Girard, Steepleview Realty, (413) 441-5450.

Accurate

Plumbing & Heating

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(413) 443-7729

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June | July 2014

17

animal talk

blue rider stables EQUINE HEALERS FOR THE BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT

by Christine Sierau

B

lue Rider Stables, Inc., is a not-forprofit therapeutic riding stable located in South Egremont, MA. Our mission is to offer a holistic educational environment in which people and animals can safely interact, and, through their mutual therapeutic experiences, broaden the scope of their lives.

CAMP WAGALOT Stockbridge, MA (413) 298-5300

EXERCISE & PLAY BOARDING in a safe and supervised environment.

DAYCARE

www.lovecampwagalot.com 18

June | July 2014

Blue Rider Stables offers a diverse riding program, geared to the individual rider. We work on basic horsemanship skills and take that skill in any direction the rider wants to go – English, western, natural horsemanship, and others. Students learn balance, dexterity, social skills, confidence, self-control, caring, and communication, among other life skills, while they learn to take care of and ride a horse.

The therapeutic value of riding has been well documented, and we feel that horses are therapeutic for all – no diagnosis needed!

Our equines are magnificent caring gentle beings that thrive on their ability to help people learn the joys of riding. They have all come to us from other walks of life that did not suit their needs. We make sure our equines (fourteen horses and three donkeys at this time) are cared for as best we can. They live together in a herd, no boxes or segregation (if a horse needs a box or quiet time, we have the means to offer that as well). We give them supplements, myotherapy, chiropractic, Chinese herbs, and laser treatments, as well as grooming and love every day.

All of this care costs a good deal of time, money, and commitment on the part of our staff. We have a horse sponsorship

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program to help offset these costs. If you would enjoy helping a horse, consider a symbolic adoption of one of our equines to help maintain its health and to help it heal some humans! Without fundraising and donations, the care to both our equines and our students would be greatly diminished, if not impossible.

Upcoming Fundraising Events Summer Camp starts June 9, and goes through August 22. Spaces still available most weeks.

July 12 and 13 – Ride-a-thon. Open to all students who have previously ridden at Blue Rider. Get sponsored to ride a certain number of miles.

July 26 – Hoedown. Come enjoy our barn and property. Dance the night away to Kitchen Kaylee Band and caller Anne Banks. All ages welcome, no experience or partner necessary. Refreshments available, including S’mores and hot dogs over the fire. $5 per person.

For information including profiles of our horses, history of our organization, testimonials, and more, visit our website at www.bluerider.org. You can contact the barn directly by calling (413) 528-5299, or emailing blueriderorg@hotmail.com.

Visitors are welcome Monday through Saturday 9-12am and 3-6pm. Call ahead please. ~ Christine Sierau, Head Instructor and Executive Director, Blue Rider Stables, Inc.

animal talk

CARING FOR PETS SINCE 1957 Your trusted source for quality foods and supplies.

H

igh & Mighty Therapeutic Riding & Driving Center, located on 50 acres in beautiful Columbia County, New York, offers riding, driving, and other equine-assisted activities to children, teens, and adults with special needs. The farm is dedicated to providing a welcoming and safe environment for all participants, volunteers, instructors, and horses alike. Programs are designed by registered PATH International instructors, and are supported by a team of dedicated volunteers and other specialists. Their mission is to provide equine-assisted activities to people with special needs with the goal of enhancing their physical, emotional, and spiritual well being.

The folks at High & Mighty believe horses provide an opportunity to travel to new places physically, emotionally, and spiritually, and that riding, driving, and other equine-assisted activities offer many benefits. Look for their summer camp information on our community calendar at www.OurBerkshireCalendar.com, and check out their website at www.high-n-mighty.org.

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

Mon-Fri 10a-6p

Sat-Sun 10a-4p

www.bensdotters.com

S INTRODUCING OUR NEW DOCTOR:

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Dr. Mady Hoog-Crellin!

t’s time to register for Camp Humane, Berkshire Humane Society’s popular summer program that brings a fun and educational “animal experience” to campers of all ages. This year BHS will offer four sessions for children entering fourth through eighth grade, with the first session beginning July 7.

Each session runs Monday through Friday, from 9am-3pm, and is limited to 20 campers.

Besides learning from shelter staff and animals, each session will have a particular theme that focuses on a different category of animals. For example, fourth graders will be introduced to farm animals while sixth graders will explore wildlife native to New England. The curricula for Camp Humane are especially designed for each grade level. Activities will include presentations by and hands-on demonstrations with animal experts, field trips, and animal-related arts and crafts.

Tuition is $300 after June 1. Families who enroll more than one child receive a $10 discount for each camper. A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available. For more information, visit www.berkshirehumane.org. Camp Humane is truly the place to be for “Kids Who Care About Animals.”

OPEN EK 7 DAYS A WE NOW till 8 pm Mon & Wed

VCA All Caring Animal Hospital RING NOW OFFE LS L A C E S U O H AY D S E ON TU NS O O N R E T AF more Call us for n! io at rm info

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413-528-8020

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June | July 2014

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education.. .

d.

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education & workshops

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Now enrolling for the 2014-2015 school year.

Check out our summer programs at BerkshireMontessori.org/summer (413) 637-3662 BerkshireMontessori.org Lenox Dale, MA 20

education & workshops

egremont free library AN INVALUABLE COMMUNITY LIBRARY CREATING CONNECTIONS THAT ILLUMINATE, ENLIGHTEN, ENTERTAIN, AND INSPIRE

by Lesliann Furcht

E

gremont bustles with activity in the summer and is home to many creative, dynamic artists and crafters.

They will sell their wares at the first annual Egremont Free Library Arts and Crafts Fair on the beautiful, spacious grounds of the Egremont Village Inn. This fundraiser will provide needed funds to help support the programs and services offered by the Egremont Free Library.

The library serves not only as a place to borrow books but also as a place for community members to make meaningful connections as well. In this digital age, it’s more important than ever for people to meet face to face and gather for fun, informative community programs.

Room, run by the Egremont Historical Commission, with access to historic artifacts, old maps, photos, and newspaper articles.

Come discover and treat yourself to unique, hand-crafted pottery, country decor and gifts, artwork, jewelry, and much more at the first annual Arts and Crafts Fair on July 19 and 20 from 11am-4pm. The Egremont Village Inn is located at 17 Main Street, South Egremont, MA. Library hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 2-6pm and Saturday 9am-12pm For more information, contact the Egremont Free Library at (413) 528-1474. See Facebook. ~ Lesliann Furcht, Director, Egremont Free Library

“I’ve seen so many connections made among community members who are stopping by to check out a book or attending one of our game nights,” says Library Director Lesliann Furcht. “One of my favorite experiences was watching one of my 95-year-old patrons seeing her great-granddaughter for the first time via Skype. She thought it was magical to talk to her daughter and granddaughter in California from our little library in Egremont.”

The library is one of the few places in town offering high-speed internet access. The library also has two fully loaded personal computers for patrons to use should they need to work or study.

The Egremont Free Library is a certified library and part of the Massachusetts Library System. The library has been serving the community for decades and is housed on the first floor of the historic Academy building, which was built in 1829. It was operated as a local school for almost 50 years. In 1882, the building was sold to the town for use as a town hall. In addition to the library, the Academy building is home to the Egremont Archives

Our innovative EARTH program offers hands-on discovery learning in a small, mixed-age nature and farm-based setting.

Visit our website for details.

Nurturing living connections... early childhood through grade 12 Situated on a 400-acre Biodynamic farm in New York’s Hudson Valley, Hawthorne Valley’s integrative curriculum is designed to meet the unique needs of the developing child.

Day and Boarding Programs • Accepting Applications 518-672-7092 x 111 info@hawthornevalleyschool.org WALDORF SCHOOL | www.hawthornevalleyschool.org 330 County Route 21C, Ghent, NY 12075 | 518-672-7092 x 111 www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

June | July 2014

21

mind & spirit

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mind & spirit events

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SEE MORE EVENTS AT WWW.OURBERKSHIRECALENDAR.COM Meditation and Your Health Date: Thurs, June 26, 2014, 6:30pm-8pm Place: Lee Library Association-Gallery, 100 Main Street, Lee, MA - (413) 243-0385 Price: Free. A Talk by International Speaker Dr. Andrew Vidich. The scientific community has recently been exploring the use of meditation as a healing modality. Join Dr. Vidich, PhD, author, educator, consultant, and international speaker as he discusses the extraordinary effect of meditation to reduce stress-related responses, improve concentration, and enhance clarity of thought and mental equilibrium. He will also present a simple yet powerful meditation technique that can enrich one’s life personally, professionally, and spiritually. www.leelibrary.org Self-Coaching Workshop Date: Sat, July 12, 2014, 10:30am-12:30pm Place: Crystal Wellness Center (Crystal Essence), 39 Railroad Street, Great Barrington, MA - (413) 528-2595 Price: $35 at door, $32 pre-register A workshop designed to put the focus back on yourself and teach you ways to coach yourself through life. Come remember the importance of self-love and applying gentleness to your inner voice. For more information, email bestyouforever@yahoo.com.

To preregister, call Crystal Essence Wellness at (413) 528-2595. www.crystalwellness.com

special food & drink index

GOURMET DELIGHTS AND FRESH PRODUCE IN THIS ISSUE OF OUR BERKSHIRETIMES MAGAZINE

528 Cafe, The

Brenda & Co. Caterers & Food Bar

La Fogata Restaurant

Ben & Jerry's

Chez Nous Bistro

Meadow Farm Market

Berkshire Co-op Market

Flavours of Malaysia

Paul's Restaurant & Pizza

Berkshire Organics

Guido's Fresh Marketplace

Sullivan Station Restaurant

Black Leg Tavern, The

Jae's Asian Bistro

West Stockbridge Farmers Market

(413) 528-2233 240 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, MA See Facebook ........................................................15

(413) 443-5400 179 South Street, Pittsfield, MA www.benjerry.com/pittsfield .............................13

(413) 528-9697 42 Bridge Street, Great Barrington, MA www.berkshire.coop ..............................................2

(413) 442-0888 813 Dalton Division Road, Dalton, MA www.berkshireorganics.com ....................2, 15, 23

(413) 232-7000 32 Main Street, West Stockbridge, MA www.theblacklegtavern.com ...............................13 22

June | July 2014

(413) 997-4500 137 North Street, Pittsfield, MA www.brendaandcompanycaterers.com .............13

(413) 243-6397 150 Main Street, Lee, MA www.cheznousbistro.com ...................................14

(413) 443-3188 75 North Street, Pittsfield, MA www.flavoursintheberkshires.com .....................14

(413) 442-9912 Great Barrington & Pittsfield, MA www.guidosfreshmarketplace.com ....................13

(413) 637-9777 55 Pittsfield Lenox Road, Lenox, MA www.jaeslenox.com ..............................................14

www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

(413) 443-6969 770 Tyler Street, Pittsfield, MA ...........................................................................13, 14

(413) 394-4308 905 Pleasant Street, Rte 102, Lee, MA www.meadowfarmmarket.com ..........................12

(413) 445-4965 157 Seymour Street, Pittsfield, MA www.paulsrestaurantandpizza.com ...................12

(413) 243-2082 Railroad Street, Lee, MA www.sullivanstationrestaurant.com ...................12

See website for member phone numbers Harris Street, PO Box 148, West Stockbridge, MA www.weststockbridgefarmersmarket.org .........12

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BENSDOTTER’S PET 413-528-4940 940 MAIN STREET, GREAT BARRINGTON, MA

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June | July 2014

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QUALITY FOODS EQUIPMENT SUPPLIES CAREFULLY SELECTED

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BENSDOTTER’S PET