Here in Franklin County, we are lucky to have a variety of special restaurants offering delicious food. These restaurants are owned by locals and use locally sourced ingredients, as well. You can expect the vibe at these places to be true to The Valley and that the food will always be fresh and of the season. While the list of wonderful places to eat in Franklin County goes on and on, here are a few that really stand out to me as exceptional restaurants in our area. (Photo right: The Farm Table at Kringle Candle, Bernardston)

The Blue Rock Restaurant and Bar, Shelburne Falls

Located below Salmon Falls Gallery and overlooking the Deerfield River, the Blue Rock is a must-eat restaurant in Shelburne Falls. It offers a variety of seasonal dishes inspired by cuisines from around the world, as well as some staple dishes loved by their frequent visitors, such as the Roasted Cauliflower Head and the PB and Jam Burger! Visit them Thursdays through Mondays for dinner only or online at thebluerockrestaurant.com.

Gypsy Apple Bistro, Shelburne Falls

Eating at the Gypsy Apple is a very unique and special experience. Located on Bridge Street in Shelburne Falls, it is a small French Restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere. The menu is short but sweet with incredible options that are always changing and the service is warm and inviting, being run by a husband and wife team, Amy and Michelangelo. They are open for dinner only Thursdays through Sundays. View their menu at gypsyapplebistro.com.

Hope & Olive, Greenfield

Hope & Olive is easy to locate— it’s in the name! Located on the corner of Hope and Olive Streets in downtown Greenfield, it is an everyday, special restaurant owned by siblings Jim, Maggie, and Evelyn. The place is known for their creative cocktails, unique, seasonal dishes, and cozy atmosphere. Head over there for Lunch, Dinner, or Brunch. Also, every first Monday of the month, Hope & Olive hosts Free Soup and Games Night as a fundraiser for various local non-profit organizations. View their menu and events at hopeandolive.com.

The Farm Table at Kringle Candle, Bernardston

Up in quaint Bernardston at Kringle Candle, you’ll find The Farm Table, a restaurant housed in a restored farmhouse which was originally built around 1800. I especially love The Farm Table for its ambience with open hearth ovens, fireplaces, and outdoor seating on the deck. Their gourmet pub-style menu has a lot of wonderful options including brick oven pizzas, charcuterie boards, and a variety of large and small plates. Check them out online at kringlefarmtable.com.

Magpie Woodfired Pizzeria, Greenfield

From the folks who brought us all the delicious food at Hope & Olive, Magpie is a wood-fired pizzeria, also located in downtown Greenfield. Just like their other operation, Magpie Pizza has amazing cocktails and a very inviting atmosphere. The menu offers a variety of creative pizzas baked in their wood-fired oven, as well as other Italian-style dishes like the antipasto plate, Seafood Fra Diavolo, and Frazzioletti Crepes. Find them at 21 Bank Row, Greenfield and online at magpiepizza.com.

West End Pub, Shelburne Falls

At the end of the Bridge of Flowers, overlooking the Deerfield River, 

 

New this year, the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce has created the Franklin County Gift Card! This one gift card allows cardholders to make purchases at various participating businesses around the county. So with one purchase you could give someone the gift of an adventure in Charlemont, art from Shelburne Falls, a massage in Greenfield, or more!

Here is the list of businesses participating in the Franklin County Gift Card so far:

Andy's and The Oak Shoppe
Baker Office Supply
Beth Stadnicki, Licensed Massage Therapist
Berkshire Brewing Company Tap Room
Berkshire East Mountain Resort
Centennial House Bed & Breakfast
Ciesluk's Market
Crumpin-Fox Golf Course
Damn Yankees BBQ
ENJOY.
Floral Affairs
Greenfield Community College Bookstore and Bursar's Office
Greenfield Farmer's Cooperative Exchange
Greenfield Games
Hamel's Creative Catering
Institute for Wilderness & Emergency Medicine
Ja'Duke Theater
Loot found + made
Mesa Verde
Northfield Golf Course
Richie Richardson FAB
Ryan & Casey Liquors
Thai Blue Ginger
Upper Bend Cafe & Bruncheonette
Zoar Outdoor

 

Gift cards can be purchased at:

Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, 395 Main Street, Greenfield
Ciesluk's Market, 55 North Main Street, South Deerfield
ENJOY. 4 Deerfield Avenue, Shelburne Falls
Greenfield Savings Bank branches: Greenfield, Shelburne Falls, Turners Falls, Conway, South Deerfield, Northampton-King Street

More locations to purchase coming soon!

To check your gift card balance, please call 888-494-9760 and choose option #1

DiGeorge Builders has done it again. The transformation of this fabulous antique Cape is one you have to see in person to appreciate the quality workmanship and design. It is renovated top to bottom while keeping that old time charm you are looking for. The spacious, bright and sunny rooms enhanced by the beautiful wood floors makes this home a keeper. You will love cooking in the beautiful new kitchen that is open to the dining area and complete with attractive cabinetry and large center island. The first floor has a family room with fireplace and painted shiplap walls, living room, office or den, full bath and laundry room. The original curved staircase leads you to 4 bedrooms and a full bath. The builder is now completing the studio apartment that is located on the second floor of the oversized attached two car garage. Renovations include new wiring, plumbing, fully insulated, 30 year roof, windows and more! Convenient in-town location near Kringle Candle and I-91.

135 South Street, Bernardston, MA

Listed by Wanda Mooney of Coldwell Banker Upton-Massamont REALTORS

View the full listing here!

Sales of single family homes in Franklin County were up 4.1% and median price up 7.7% in 2019 compared to 2018. The sales were up in Hampden County and down in Hampshire County. Median price was up in both Hampden and Hampshire Counties. 

The average days on market was down 2.7% from 68 days in 2018 compared to 66 days in 2019. Listings which are pending (under agreement to sell) were up 4.8% from 5,867 listings pending in 2018 to 6,149 in 2019.  

The sale reports are provided from the Realtor Association of Pioneer Valley.

 

From now through the end of February, check out a community art exhibit at the Great Falls Discovery Center, curated by Exploded View. The exhibit includes work by regional artists in multiple media exploring maps, the significance of place, and movement across boundaries. It asks questions such as: Where do you live? Where are you from? Where do you dream? How do you find your way? Where are your borders? Do maps lie? 

During these two months, you may also come upon members of Exploded View working in various corners of the building. Exploded View is a dynamic group of women artists and writers working together to create original performance and exhibition. 

This program is supported in part by a grant from the Montague Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

The Great Falls Discovery Center is located at 2 Avenue A in Turners Falls. For directions, hours, and more information about the Discovery Center, visit greatfallsdiscoverycenter.org.

With the announcement of the closing of Wilson’s Department Store in downtown Greenfield, it feels like the end of an era for the town. Wilson’s has been a landmark business for about a century and in recent times has drawn in customers to shop at one of the last old-time department stores in the region. While the closing of the store is a sad loss to the community, it also represents a shift in the downtown businesses and the opportunity for something new in this space.

Business West recently published an article about the “Distinct Buzz in Downtown Greenfield.” The article highlights the following list of positive things happening in Greenfield: 

“• New businesses such as the Rise Above coffee shop, and established businesses under new ownership, such as the Greenfield Garden Cinema, another downtown anchor;

• A refocused Greenfield Business Assoc. (GBA), now under the leadership of coordinator Rachel Roberts;

• A burgeoning cultural economy headlined by the Hawks & Reed Performing Arts Center in the heart of downtown, but also a growing number of arts-related ventures;

• Co-working spaces — such as Greenspace, located above Hawks and Reed, as well as Another Castle, a facility that has attracted a number of video-game-related businesses — that are attracting young professionals and bringing more vibrancy to the downtown;

• GCET, the municipal provider of reliable high-speed internet, a service that that has made those co-work spaces possible;

• The Hive, a makers space now under development on Main Street, just a block or so down from Wilson’s;

• Rail service, specifically in the form of the Yankee Flyer, which brings two trains a day to the city, and enables one to travel to New York and back the same day;

• A new town library, which is expected to bring more vibrancy — and another co-working space — to downtown; and

• A noticeable tightening of the housing market, a tell-tale sign of progress.”

What all of these points amount to is that Greenfield is growing even more so into a community where people have access to important resources. The reliable internet, arts and culture, learning and career opportunities, and a thriving downtown area create environments where people love going to work and can own their own successful businesses. Several companies have already moved their office spaces to Greenspace, above Hawks and Reed because they wanted their employees to be happy in their workspace and enjoy coming to work. 

The housing market in Greenfield is also moving fast these days. Inventory is moving so fast that some report looking at homes which are sold before they even have an opportunity to place an offer. 

As a celebration of the collaboration happening now in Greenfield and the noticeable buzz in the community, the downtown area will soon be populated with giant bees. Many local artists are decorating these bees which will comprise this collaborative art installation and draw even more visitors to the area. The bees are expected to be installed in May or June. 

To read the entire Business West article about the buzz in Greenfield, click here.

And check out current homes for sale by Wanda in Greenfield, like the one pictured below here! 

 

Sales of single family homes in Franklin County remained the same and median price increased 8.9% in November 2019 compared to November 2018. The sales were down 1.4% in Hampden County and 24.1% in Hampshire County. Median price was up in both Hampden and Hampshire Counties.

The average days on market was up 1.8% from 69 average number of days in November 2018 compared to 70 days in November 2019. Listings that are pending (under agreement to sell) were up 20.3% from 384 listings pending in November 2018 to 462 listings pending sale in November 2019.

 

Now through December 31st, Salmon Falls Gallery in Shelburne Falls is hosting 16 different glass artists, all who are part of the Vermont Glass Guild. Their works fill the 2 featured exhibit spaces and cover an array of techniques including hot (furnace-worked), lamp (torch or flame-worked), warm (fused/slumped), as well as samples of cold-working.

Local glass artist, Josh Simpson is a member of the Vermont Glass Guild, which reaches exceptional artists even outside of Vermont. The Guild supports its members by providing excellent networking opportunities to the public and other artists. It also creates a great sense of community amongst the artists. 

Below are the statements from some of the artists whose works will be exhibited at Salmon Falls Gallery as part of the group exhibit:

Robert DuGrenier
Townshend, Vermont

OUT OF THE ASHES

This collection of Robert's work was born out of tragedy: the historic barn on his property burned to the ground in October 2015. He's been using the metal and cast iron pieces (missing, of course, their wooden handles and parts) from farm implements and antiques that were left behind in the debris, to create stunning sculptures. Many of the pieces in the Out of the Ashes series at first glance appear to be encased in ice; not until the viewer comes close is it revealed that the sculpture is made with glass.

Lori Pietropaoli
Williston, VT

Lori Pietropaoli took her first fused glass class the day after moving to Vermont. She quickly became hooked on the combination of color and construction, continuing to develop her skills at the Davis Studios. She studied under Alyssa Oxley, Micaela Wallace, Morgan Madison and Alicia Lomne. She is frequently inspired by the Vermont landscape and architecture. Ms. Pietropaoli explores variation – where the construction and finishing follows the same methods, yet the results are unique. She achieves distinctive outcomes through the specific choice of glass in each piece. Pieces shown are inspired by the light at different times of a single day.

Josh Simpson
Shelburne, MA

REFLECTIONS

Reflections represents Josh Simpson’s latest exploration of different ways to use murruni and latticino cane. In the Blue New Mexico pieces, he stretches straight cane into sweeping curved patterns that cast interesting shadows on the interior glass. In the clear pieces, he creates a multilayered “vase within vase” effect. These new works reveal Simpson’s decades-long interest in employing the traditional vessel form as a medium for playing with depth, reflection, transparency, and point of view.

Josh Simpson is a Western Massachusetts glass artist whose work includes vibrantly colored sculptural pieces often inspired by astrophysical or cosmological themes. Simpson has spent nearly half a century making glass objects that embody his fascination with color, form, pattern and complexity.

Participating Artists:

Mary Angus, Readsboro, VT

Chris Sherwin, Sherwin Art Glass, Bellows Falls, VT

Randi Solin, Solinglass, Brattleboro, VT

Dominique Caissie, Terrapin Glassblowing Studio, Jaffrey, NH

Dave & Melanie Leppla, Mad River Glass Gallery, Waitsfield, VT

Robert Burch, Brandywine Glassworks, Putney, VT

Zak Grace, Zak Grace Glass, Brattleboro, VT

Robert DuGrenier, Robert DuGrenier Associates, Inc., Townshend, VT

Monique LaJeunesse, Michael Trimpol, Little River Hotglass Studio, Stowe, VT

Lori Pietropaoli, Williston, VT

Matt Seasholtz, Seaholtz Glass Design, Johnson, VT

Josh Simpson, Josh Simpson Contemporary Glass, Shelburne, MA

Ann Conlin, Tewksbury, MA

Lucy Bergamini, Vitresse Glass, Brattleboro, VT

Wesley Fleming, Holyoke, MA

Exhibit runs through the end of the year. For more information, visit SalmonFallsGallery.com or call the gallery at 413.625.9833.

 

Sales of single family homes in Franklin County were down 4.8% and median price up 2.3% in October 2019 compared to October 2018. The sales were up 5.2% in Hampden County and 45.6% in Hampshire County. Median price was up in both Hampden and Hampshire Counties.

The average days on market was down 15.7% from 65 average number of days in October 2018 compared to 54 days in October 2019. Listings that are pending (under agreement to sell) were up 4.4% from 523 listings pending in October 2018 to 546 listings pending sale in October 2019.

This Thanksgiving, I feel especially grateful for my community and fellow businesses in the area. Tomorrow, 86% of Americans plan to hit the corporate stores for Black Friday shopping. I ask you to instead consider supporting local businesses in the area to do your holiday shopping. Tomorrow, Friday, November 29, Shelburne Falls is hosting Moonlight Magic, an annual holiday kick-off event. The downtown shops will remain open later and local vendors will set up tents on Bridge Street, displaying  beautiful hand-crafted items for sale. 

Then, Saturday, November 30, is Small Business Saturday. This national event which occurs the day after Black Friday, promotes shopping at your local small businesses. Help your local economy by spending your money at your neighborhood stores and other stores in Franklin County for your holiday shopping. You can find a list of local businesses at shelburnefalls.com and franklincc.org. We are so fortunate to live in an area of talented artisans and craftspeople. Take advantage and do your holiday shopping with them!

Happy Thanksgiving, Franklin County!

(Source: finder.com)