Community Day at Jacob's Pillow in Becket, MA. (Photo credit: Sienna Wildfield)

SUGGEST AN EVENT

If you have a family-friendly event or educational program happening in Western Massachusetts that you’d like to let us know about, post your event on our “Suggest An Event” page. The events below are “suggested.” Please take the time to confirm that these events are happening, along with time, location, age appropriateness and costs before attending

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Sunday, July 26th: Community Day at Jacob’s Pillow in Becket, MA.  Bring the whole family and come dance with us! No experience necessary and it’s all free fun! Community Day at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival is a celebration of dance, art and community. All are invited to enjoy performances, workshops and activities; take a guided tour of the 163-acre grounds; browse the extensive Archives, view historic dance videos and join the Dance Party on The Great Lawn. All for free.  – This year’s Dance Party will be led by the Vanaver Caravan, a dance troupe that gathers their inspiration from all corners of the globe. Led by Artistic Directors Bill Vanaver and Livia Drapkin Vanaver, the dancers perform clogging, body percussion and stick dancing with live accompaniment. – Jules Feiffer and his daughter Kate Feiffer will read from their new children’s book, Which Puppy?, about the First Family’s search for the perfect pet. Click here to view this book on Amazon.com.

BULLETIN BOARD

• Kathy McMahon writes: Wanted: Museum Tour Guide at the Kingman Tavern Museum in Cummington, MA. Saturday afternoons until the end of August. $12 a hour. No experience necessary. Will train. Must like people and able to present material well. If you have a strong interest in history and want to help bring a simpler era alive for people (1880-1920), join us. Two immediate openings. Respond with brief letter of intent to: Kathy McMahon PeakShrink@peakoilblues.com
• LOCAL LIBRARIES OFFERING SUMMER READING PROGRAMS: Most, if not all, of the Gateway town libraries are hosting summer reading programs for kids and teens. This is an excellent way to encourage reading over the summer months! Library hours and contact information are posted on the web (some sights include summer reading program hours) for Blandford, Chester, Huntington, Middlefield, Montgomery, Russell and Worthington libraries.
• The Grand Opening for the HHuGE Garden Wagon is Monday, July 20, 2009. Please stop by and take a look! We’ll be in the Old Creamery parking lot on the corners of Rte 9 and Rte 112, Cummington, MA.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS WEEK

Update on Hilltown Home Garden Exchange (HHuGE)

And to think it happened at Elmer’s!

Senate Passes Broadband Stimulus Bill

HFVS Giveaway: (Tickets) Lunch Money at the Iron Horse in Northampton, MA

Great Park Pursuit: The MA State Park Family Adventure

Summer Fun: More for Your Money on Wednesdays

Painted Turtle Episode on the HFVS (07/11/09)

Learn How Solar Power Can Save Your Family Money

Guinea Pig Co-Op

Suggest an Event | Local Forecast | Get Directions | Free Museum Passes | Farmer’s Market | Family Centers (Ages 0-4)|Facebook

Events Happening in the Hilltowns

Saturday, July 18th

• 6-10am – FAMILY RADIO:  Valley Free Radio (WXOJ-LP 103.3FM Northampton, MA) offers 4-hours of commercial-free family programing every Saturday, including Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child from 7-9am, and the Hilltown Family Variety Show from 9-10am.  Listen via streaming audio at www.valleyfreeradio.org.  SRSC can also be heard on The River from 8-10am.
• Green River Festival in Greenfield, MA.
• 9am-12Noon – OUTDOOR ADVENTURES:  Adult Wilderness Survival Skills workshop all weekend in Conway, MA.
• 10-11am – MUSIC: Jay Mankita performs at Buttery Brook Park in South Hadley, MA.
• 10:30-11:30am – THEATER: The Magic of David Garrity during the Children’s Summer Theater at Eastfield Mall in Springfield, MA. (Free)
• 10:30am – THEATER:  Paintbox Theater presents Chicken Little in Northampton, MA.
• 11am-12:30pm – OUTDOOR ADVENTURES: Geology on the Riverboat with MA Department of Conservation & Recreation for ages 10 & older in Northfield, MA.
• 11:30am – MUSEUM ADVENTURES:  Bang on the Can Music Festival at Mass Moca in North Adams, MA.
• 11am – THEATER:  “Wind in the Willows,” presented by Berkshire Theatre Festival at the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, MA.
• 11am, 1:15pm & 3pm – OUTDOOR ADVENTURES:  Northfield Mountain’s Quinnetukut II Riverboat cruises on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Cruise times are 11:00, 1:15, and 3:00 in Northfield, MA.
• Noon-4pm – COMMUNITY CELEBRATION:  Bryant Day in Cummington, MA at the Bryant Homestead.
• 1:30 & 4:30pm – MUSEUM ADVENTURES:  Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival at Mass Moca in North Adams, MA.

Sunday, July 19th

• Green River Festival in Greenfield, MA.
• 11am, 1:15pm & 3pm – OUTDOOR ADVENTURES:  Northfield Mountain’s Quinnetukut II Riverboat cruises on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Cruise times are 11:00, 1:15, and 3:00 in Northfield, MA.
• 1-4pm – OPEN HOUSE: Activities for kids at the Vipassana Meditation Center Open House celebration in Shelburne, MA.
• 6pm – CONCERT: Sunday Evening Band Concert Series at Look Park in Florence, MA.

Weekdays 07/20/09-07/24/09

For more events happening this week check below in our comment box or visit our “Suggest An Event” page. There are also fun suggestions on our THINGS TO DO, PLACES TO SEE page. If you know of an upcoming event that you would like to share with other families, please feel encourage to do so by posting it HERE.

Update on Hilltown Home Garden Exchange (HHuGE)
By HHuGE Coordinator, Kathy McMahon

We were in the Chesterfield Parade on the Fourth of July, (dressed as farmers and vegetables) and handed out produce to the crowd. We won Fourth Place!!!! Many people had ALREADY heard about us, so we're getting around!!! Wonderful coverage in the Country Journal as well, complete with evidential photography! (Photo credit: Jennifer Peotter)

WHAT IS HHuGE? In a nutshell

• Bringing family gardeners together to donate their excess bounty – in trade or just to help local families in need.
• Nature is abundant, just not evenly distributed.
• Sharing fresh, wholesome produce is the neighborly thing to do!

UPDATES: A few quick updates about the happenings with HHuGE

1. Our Grand Opening is Monday, July 20, 2009. Please stop by and take a look! We’ll be in the Old Creamery parking lot on the corners of Rte 9 and Rte 112, Cummington, MA.
2. We are needing volunteers to help paint our ‘wagon.’ It needs to be primed in the next few days and final paint put on before Monday. If you can help between now and then, please contact me (Kathy- 634-0002.) We need your help with priming and putting on the final touches!
3. We have a website now, and a calendar of events. See www.HHuGE.org and click “calendar” to see the weeks we have open weeks. If you can get a group of friends or an organization to open and close the wagon for one week, let me know. It is a job that will take less than 10 minutes.
4. We were in the Chesterfield Parade on the Fourth of July, (dressed as farmers and vegetables) and handed out produce to the crowd. We won Fourth Place!!!! Many people had ALREADY heard about us, so we’re getting around!!! Wonderful coverage in the Country Journal as well, complete with evidential photography!
5. If you haven’t already, it isn’t too late to Take the Lead, Plant More Seed. If we ever DO get a steady week of heat, consider planting a whole host of plants like carrots, lettuce, kale, radishes, swiss chard, and the like. Consider helping those facing hard times, and creating the sharing spirit for which the hilltowns are so famous for.

TIP OF THE HAT:  A Word of Thanks

• ENOC would like to thank Steve Yoshen for the magnificent job he’s done in volunteering all of his time, energies, and materials to building our ‘wagon’
• Sienna Wildfield for her diligent efforts establishing the website
• The Old Creamery for allowing our ‘wagon’ to take up precious summertime space in their parking lot
• Jennifer Peotter and her family for creating the award-winning float and donating the printed materials
• Collective Copies for the 50% reduction on printing
• The Northampton Survival Center for lending their carrot, apple, and corn costumes
• Dan Dashnaw for his role as an ear of corn
• The GoodTimes Stove Company for contributing the “wagon wheels”
• The West Cummington Congregational Church
• The Village Congregational Church of Cummington
• Hilltown Families
• The Worthington First Congregational Church
• Our Lady of the Hill Church of Williamsburg

HAVE WE MISSED YOU?

We’d like to involve all area churches and organizations that are invested in improved food security in the hilltowns. If you’d like to get involved, please let us know.

We ask anyone interested in coordinating their civic or religious organization’s participation to contact Kathy at peakshrink@peakoilblues.com for more details. All volunteers: Please stay tune for a late summer party held just for you (you’re the greatest!!!) celebrating our upcoming success!!!

PILOT PROGRAM

If you know of folks that would like to participate in this pilot program (to adopt it into their own town next year…) have them contact Kathy McMahon at peakshrink@peakoilblues.com

Thank you for your time reading this, and for your interest in caring for your friends and neighbors in these wonderful hilltowns.

Notes from Nan: And to think it happened at Elmer’s!
BY HF Contributing Writer, Nan Parati

Man!

You just never know who you’re gonna see at Elmer’s. Last week at this time we had Sonya Kitchell, Erin McKeown and Erica Wheeler all sitting around at breakfast with their guitars and gorgeous voices, jamming together on a theme of pancakes. And just now I walked in to talk to Jim and there was a group of Tibetan monks having coffee. I’m thinking that Tuesdays are the day to come in just to see what in the world is going on!

So, my nieces and their friends were up from North Carolina over the last few days and yesterday Micki sees a thermometer says in her little southern accent, “It’s really only 60 degrees? Really? That’s so weird . . .”

Yes, and sixty degrees is the good news from where it’s been. My friends, they have record-breaking heat in New Orleans! Do you know how hard you would have to get before you can get hotter than it’s EVER been in NEW ORLEANS??? Hell itself has never been that hot! And what do we get? Sixty degrees on July 13th. It kind of makes me sad.

This weekend is The Green River Festival. Every other year that I have worked on it it’s been up in the 100s of degrees out there—like, 200 or more! This year I’m hoping we’ll be able to work up a sweat. Oh, you’re probably quite fine with sixty or seventy degrees for Green River Festival. It may be a good thing, as due to the large crowds expected this year, we’ve been forced to ask people not to bring tents. It has been advertised, by the way as “nearly sold out”, which is true, but I know that there are still some tickets left if you’re interested. (We even still have some at Elmer’s—both for the whole weekend ($45) and for the Friday night Anniversary of Signature Sounds artists ($25.) The whole line-up is at www.GreenRiverFestival.com.

Saturday morning at Elmer’s, we will have outside a short little performance by Double Edge Theater, while you wait for your table. They are getting ready for their summer performance of “The Arabian Nights” (www.DoubleEdgeTheatre.com) and will be handing out fliers and doing God Knows What outside of Elmer’s that morning. (You know how it is with Double Edge, you never know what to expect, which is what makes it so worth seeing!) I believe they should be here around 10 or 11, so come for breakfast, come for the Farmer’s Market down the street, and see what Double Edge is up to!

Here is what we are serving for dinner this week at Elmer’s: 

Thursday:

• Stuffed Peppers with Beef or vegetables in a Pomodoro Sauce

Friday:

• Beef Tenderloin teriyaki on skewers over vegetable lo-mein
• Or Vegetable Lo-mein

The Farm Report

Tomatoes, Bananas, Carrots, and Red Onions are coming!

The Black River Produce order is due today (Tuesday) and will replenish the supply of carrots, beets, avocados, bananas, mesclun, tomatoes, and zuchinni. Cantaloupe and red onions are new items that we’ll be carrying.

Also, look for fresh Haricot Vert (green beans), snow peas, and snap peas form our farm – Springwater Farm. I’ll pick them Wednesday morning and bring them in.

LOCAL MEATS, GROCERIES, DAIRY AND PRODUCE:

MEATS

• BEEF: GROUND, SHANKS, STEW, STEAKS, LIVER, ROASTS from Steady Lane Farm, Ashfield
• LAMB: GROUND LAMB, KABOBS, BREAKFAST SAUSAGES, LAMB CHOPS, SHOULDER CHOPS, LEG STEAK from Carter’s Farm, Ashfield
• PORK: HAM STEAK from Manda Farm, Plainfield

GROCERIES

• ELMER’S BREAD Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and now, on Monday: Baguettes, Daily Bread, Country White, Whole Wheat, Rosemary and Olive, and Rye.
• GRANOLA: MAPLE AND SAVE THE FOREST NUT from New England Naturals, Greenfield
• HERBS: DRIED. Basil, Cayenne Peppers, Celery Leaf, Cilantro Leaf, Parsley, Sage, Thyme, Lemon Thyme from Sangha Farm, Ashfield
• HONEY: WILDFLOWER, BEE POLLEN from Bear Meadow Apiary, Ashfield
• MAPLE SYRUP: New Crop Half gallons, quarts, pints, ½ pints, 100ml from Gray’s Sugar House, Ashfield
• MISO: ADUZI BEAN, CHIC PEA, SWEET WHITE, GARLIC RED PEPPER, HEARTY BROWN RICE from South River Miso Company, Conway
• PICKLES: ASIAN CABBAGE, SAUERKRAUT from Real Pickles, Greenfield
• SALAD DRESSINGS: HONEY DIJON, BUTTERMILK RANCH, GINGER MISO, CILANTRO LIME, CHIPOTLE RANCH from Appalachian Naturals, Goshen
• SALSA: MILD, MEDIUM, HOT from Appalachian Naturals, Goshen

DAIRY

• CHEESE: GOAT CHERVE – PLAIN, GARLIC/CHIVE, DILL from Sangha Farm
• ICE CREAM: VANILLA, CHOCOLATE WITH RASPBERRY, MOOSE TRACKS, MINT CHIP, CiSA VERY LOCAL BLUEBERRY from Bart’s Ice Cream, Greenfield
• YOGURT: WHOLE MILK PLAIN, LOW FAT PLAIN, MAPLE, VANILLA, APRICOT ALMOND from Sidehill Farm, Ashfield

PRODUCE

• BEANS: HARICOTS VERT from Springwater Farm, Ashfield
• BROCCOLI from Paddy Flat Farm, Ashfield
• CARROTS from Sangha Farm, Ashfield
• CHARD: RAINBOW from Sangha Farm, Ashfield
• CHERRIES from Paddy Flat Farm, Ashfield
• KALE: from Sangha Farm, Ashfield
• SNAP PEAS from Springwater Farm, Ashfield
• SNOW PEAS from Springwater Farm, Ashfield

To request a special order, please email me at elwell.donna@gmail.com

or leave me a message at the store. The phone number is 628-4003.

Donna

Side notes from the Editor: I saw where Donna has Haricots Vert this week—which is French for “Green Beans.” From what I was told down in Louisiana, that’s where the word “Zydeco” comes from:

Les Haricots Music—regular old, every day, “bean” music. (It would be pronounced “lays ah-ree-coh” or, quickly, “ ‘Zydeco.”)

Elmer’s Store | 396 Main St. | Ashfield, MA 01330 | (413) 628-4003
www.Elmersstore.com

Nan Parati

Nan is the proprietor of Elmer’s Store in Ashfield, MA. A New England transplant from the Deep South, Nan shares her southern wit, wisdom and charm every week in her column, “Notes from Nan.” Share dinner with her every Friday at Elmer’s. Menu’s are posted with her column. nanparati@aol.com

SENATE PASSES BROADBAND STIMULUS BILL
Steps Taken to Ensure Massachusetts is Eligible for Maximum Amount of Federal Funding to Support Broadband Deployment Initiatives

Senator Benjamin B. Downing (D-Pittsfield) announces today the Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives passed legislation enabling the Commonwealth to take full advantage of federal stimulus funds authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for broadband deployment initiatives.

Downing, a major proponent of legislation in 2008 establishing the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) and funding it with a $40 million state capital bond authorization, helped to shepherd this stimulus-related proposal through the Senate today.

The MBI is tasked with extending affordable high-speed Internet access to all homes, businesses, schools, libraries, medical facilities, government offices and other public places across the state, focusing first on unserved areas.

“Passage of this legislation puts Massachusetts in a solid position to gain access to federal funds that will assist MBI with its mission,” said Downing.  “Today, reliable broadband service is not considered a luxury – it is a necessity for continued economic development, engaging educational opportunities, higher property values and advanced public safety initiatives.  Pairing available federal funds with state bond monies will further our efforts to ensure all currently unserved and underserved communities will soon be plugged-in to a reliable high speed internet connection.”

Downing represents 48 communities in western Massachusetts, 22 of which are unserved – or completely without access to broadband – as well an additional 15 towns with only partial access to high speed internet.

The broadband stimulus bill is largely a technical proposal with four main components:

• Authorization for the MBI to use its fund to acquire indefeasible rights of uses of fiber facilities and FCC licenses;
• Clarification that petitions relative to the zoning of a communications or cable facility will be reviewed by the Department of Telecommunications and Cable and petitions relative to all other types of public service facilities will be reviewed by the Department of Public Utilities;
• Clarification that the MBI may be exempt from local zoning by-laws or ordinances so long as the MBI is acting within the confines of its essential government functions; and
• Authorization of a transfer of Mass. Highway Department property to the MBI to enable certain broadband initiatives along the I-91 corridor.

Congress authorized $7.2 billion in ARRA for broadband deployment initiatives.  Information and updates from the MBI is available at www.massbroadband.org.

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WIN FREE TICKETS:
SUNDAY MATINEE CONCERT FOR KIDS

At the Iron Horse
in Northampton, MA

SHOWTIME:
Sunday, July 26th at 2pm

Dizzy is Lunch Money's newest CD release.

Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win a family 4-pack of  tickets to see Lunch Money at the Iron Horse in Northampton, MA. Find out how to enter to win below.

ABOUT LUNCH MONEY

A perennial favorite of Bill’s Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child and Sienna’s Hilltown Family Variety Show local family radio shows, Lunch Money brings the indie-rock experience to family audiences with an energetic salute to the stuff of childhood: roller coasters, giant cookies and getting dizzy. This trio “artfully treads the line between alt-kids and just plain alternative” [Nick Jr. Family Magazine] and this year their song “It Only Takes One Night to Make a Balloon Your Friend” topped the charts on XM/Sirius children’s radio. The band delivers a high-energy show that aims to get children and their parents dancing, thinking and laughing.

• Click here to listen to Lunch Money on NPR’s All Things Considered

On Saturday, July 25th, Lunch Money

• will guest DJ on Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child (7-9am on Valley Free Radio, 8-10am on WRSI)
• and will be a featured artist on the Hilltown Family Variety (9-10am on Valley Free Radio).

ABOUT THE NO NAP HAPPY HOUR CONCERT SERIES

The No Nap Happy Hour concert series will feature the kinds of bands that seem to have taken their cue from They Might Be Giants in believing that kids’ music doesn’t have to condescend or, well, suck. The Iron Horse is teaming up with WRSI radio program for kids, Spare The Rock, Spoil The Child, to present a monthly Sunday afternoon concert for kids at the Iron Horse.  This Sunday matinee concert series for kids debuts at the Iron Horse on Sunday, July 26th at 2PM with Lunch Money. Click HERE to see what’s coming up in this wonderful concert series for kids.

HOW TO WIN

Your chance to win a family 4-pack of  tickets to see Lunch Money at the Iron Horse in Northampton, MA is as easy as 1-2-3 (4)!  To win simply:

1. POST A COMMENT BELOW and be sure to tell us your
2. FULL NAME and where you
3. LIVE (TOWN/STATE) PLEASE include your town and state to be eligible.
4. ACCURATE EMAIL (we never share your email address).
5. We’ll randomly draw 3 winners, one winner for each scheduled performance, and will share the results below.
   

IT’S THAT SIMPLE! — Deadline is Wednesday, 07/22/09 @ 7pm (EST).

If you don’t win you should still go! Tickets for the No Nap Happy Hour concert series are available at the Northampton Box office, online at IHEG.com, or by calling 413-586-8686.

Great Park Pursuit: The MA State Park Family Adventure

The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is launching its third annual Great Park Pursuit, a summer-long series of free family adventures in Massachusetts state parks. This year, families will design their own Park Pursuit adventures with activities they choose.

“We envision the Great Park Pursuit as a first step in building the next generation of environmental stewards,” said DCR  Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr. “The Great Park Pursuit gives participants a sampling of what our more than 450,000 acres of state parks offer on a daily basis. Let’s not let television and the Internet replace wonderful, traditional activities like hiking, fishing, and biking.”

During each of the first two years of the Great Park Pursuit, several hundred families participated across the Commonwealth. They hiked to beautiful views, learned to fish, pitched a tent, roasted s’mores, discovered secrets of the past, rode in horse-drawn wagons, and much more.

This year’s program will run July 10 through Sept. 12. DCR parks across the Commonwealth will host Great Park Pursuit activities at various times and locations throughout the summer. Teams are challenged to participate in six programs in several themed categories by Sept. 12th. Categories include “Into the Woods,” “Go Wild,” “Explore the Night” and more. They will step back in time, discover secrets of the coast, and get to know the night sky. Teams will collect special program stickers at each participating DCR park and chronicle their adventures on the team card that they download from the DCR website.  They can also track their adventures with stories and photos on their personal Great Park Pursuit homepage.

Great Park Pursuit teams can be families, but they can be other groups of adults and children, too. Each team must include at least one person 18 years or older and at least one person under 18.

The rise in childhood obesity, diabetes, and heart disease is a growing national crisis. The health and well-being of children is critical. Outdoor experiences in early childhood can help children get on the path to a healthy and active lifestyle, and create the next generation of stewards of our parks and natural resources.

The Great Park Pursuit is free, but teams must register to be eligible to win the prizes. For more information, visit www.greatparkpursuit.org.

An agency of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, oversees 450,000 acres of parks and forests, beaches, bike trails, watersheds, dams, and parkways. Led by Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr., the agency’s mission is to protect, promote, and enhance our common wealth of natural, cultural, and recreational resources. To learn more about DCR, our facilities, and our programs, please visit www.mass.gov/dcr. Contact us at mass.parks@state.ma.us.

Look Park Offers Half-Price on Wednesdays and Family Entertainment

(Water Spray Park) In addition to paid attractions, there are plenty of fun free things to do, including the Water Spray Park, Walking/Biking Paths, Playgrounds, Tennis, and even a small Zoo. There is a entrance fee to bring your car into the park. Season passes are available, and well worth the investment. (Photo credit: Sienna Wildfield)

Look Park announces that all Wednesdays between Memorial Day and Labor Day will be 1/2 price for all paid attractions.

Paid attractions include:

• Train Rides
  
• Pedal Boats
• Miniature Golf
• Bumper Boats
• Click here to see prices
  

Free attraction include:

• Water Spray Park
• Walking/Biking Paths
• Playgrounds
• Tennis Courts
• Baseball Fields
• Volleyball Sand Pits
• Zoo

Family Entertainment

Also on Wednesday in June at Look Park is family entertainment at the Pines Theater at 10am. The series features a collection of children’s performers who sing, dance, and perform a variety of children’s activities on stage. Performances last anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour The Look Park Children’s Entertainment Series is a program run by Look Park at the Pines Theater. The series features a collection of children’s performers who sing, dance, and perform a variety of children’s activities on stage. Performances last anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour on Wednesday mornings during the summer. The shows have proven to be a great place to take children for fun summer activities. Click here for ticket prices.

Here is their current July schedule:

• July 15 – Ed Popielarczyk
  Ed takes a lot of pride in bringing smiles to his friend’s faces. Whether he is performing a magic show or making a balloon creation, he is entertaining. The magic in what he does is not making a big duck riding a motorcycle out of balloons or fooling someone during a magic show, but the laughter that it brings. That is the TRUE MAGIC!!
• July 22 – Gerwick Puppets “The Case of the Missing Woodpile”
  Marylou and Bruce star in this musical mystery. They’re busy with all sorts of summer activities, when suddenly the pile of wood for a chicken coop disappears! Jon Klein, an instructor at Berklee College of Music, wrote the jazz score. All puppets sing as well as try to solve the mystery.
• July 29 – UNH Little Red Wagon Tour
  The Little Red Wagon’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is specifically designed for young audiences. Fairies, maidens, magic and fools abound in this wonderful introduction to the world’s greatest playwright. With audience participation and a good dose of comedy, it’s easy to enjoy Shakespeare’s most popular play. Appropriate for all ages.

Let other families in the region know about special events and destinations this summer.  Click here to post your event/suggestion.

Listen LIVE 9-10am on Saturday via streaming audio

HILLTOWN FAMILY VARIETY SHOW
Painted Turtle Episode

Photo credit: Sienna Wildfield

WXOJ LP – 103.3 FM – Valley Free Radio
Northampton, MA

07/11/09 PLAYLIST

listen LIVE via streaming audio | request a song | subscribe to free podcast
archived shows | contests | myspace | facebook

• Lisa Loeb – “Wake Up Song” [Camp Lisa]
• Justin Roberts – “Day Camp” [Way Out]
• Lisa Loeb – “Going Away” [Camp Lisa]
• The Not-Its – “I Love Camping” [We Are the Not-Its!] Music
• Wee Hairy Beasties – “Lightnin’ the Turtle” [Animal Crackers]
• Suzi Shelton – “The Turtle Song” [Simply Suzi]
• A Curious Glimpse of Michigan – “Painted Turtle: State Reptile of Michigan” [A Curious Glimpse of Michigan]
• Nicola Davies – “All About Loggerhead Turtles” [One Tiny Turtle]
• Station Id: Steve Weeks [www.steveweeksmusic.com]
• Ernie & Neal – “Turtle” [Rock & Roll Band]
• Tom Knight – “Invisible Girl” [The Library Boogie] Music
• Rainbabies by Laura Krauss Melmed
• Laura Freeman – “Flower Dance” [Somersault Season] Music
• Mr. Leebot – “Green Family” [Robot Dance] Music

Solar Power Seminar: Homeowners to Learn How Solar Power Is Cheaper than Utilities

Solar powered sun puppet. (Photo credit: Sienna Wildfield)

Alteris Renewables and GREEN Northampton will host a free public seminar on solar energy for homeowners in the Pioneer Valley on July 14th.at 7pm at the Media Education Foundation (60 Masonic St.) in Northampton. The seminar will explain how solar works and is cost competitive with electricity supplied by utilities for the first time. Homeowners are encouraged to register for the seminar by calling 800-955-1548 or via email info@GREENNorthampton.org.

The seminar will focus on the affordability of solar energy in the Pioneer Valley. Through its partnership with California-based SunRun, Alteris Renewables is turning home solar into a monthly service, like cable or phone service, for residents of the Pioneer Valley and others in Massachusetts. With this new program, upfront costs plummet from $30,000 to as little as $1,000 for customers to be able to install solar electric systems on their homes. Customers will enjoy immediate savings with locked-in rates for the next 18 years – a valuable protection from future electric rate increases. They can also make a good return on their initial investment.

Experts have long projected that solar electricity would eventually be on par with electricity from the traditional electric utility. Now that cross-over point has been reached for Massachusetts homeowners. Electricity rates in Massachusetts have nearly doubled over the last 20 years. If these trends continue, a typical customer could recover their upfront payment in as little as two years and see an after-tax return on their investment of as much as 60% or more.

GREEN Northampton is a 501(c)3 non-profit whose mission is to foster community bonds and promote environmentally sustainable, low-energy and healthy lifestyles neighborhood by neighborhood in Northampton in response to climate change and resource depletion. info@GREENNorthampton.org

Felice Wolfzahn of Shelburne Falls, MA writes:

GUINEA PIG CO-OP!!

We have two lovely female guinea pigs (mother and daughter): Peppermint and Sparkle. As with a lot of pets, the family members are excited and interested for a while, but often the interest fades and they become more of a chore than a fascination. BUT……….. there’s hope other than trying to get rid of these cute, cuddly creatures.

Here’s the idea:

• We get a few families (maybe 6) together who are interested and willing to care for and enjoy the guinea pigs for maybe two months at a time.
• Each family is responsible for the care and well being (and one way of the transportation) of the GP’s for their time and then they pass them on to the next family.
• (We could establish a small contribution from each family in a pot somewhere, in case the G.P.’s need any medical care).

If you’re interested please e-mail me: felwolf@crocker.com