Between January 15th and May 1st, open brush burning is allowed in some towns and cities in Massachusetts. Before beginning any burn, contact your local fire department to find out what is allowed in your area. You will also need to obtain a permit from your local fire warden or fire chief. The permit can be rescinded should weather conditions change, making a fire unfavorable. 

Many towns in Franklin County use the online system for residents to submit applications. This online application can be found at fcburnpermits.com. If your town does not use the online system, you can contact them by phone to inquire about how to obtain permission to burn brush. 

The Department of Environmental Protection has set up certain regulations around open burning, such as that any burning must be at least 75 feet from all buildings, be conducted between 10 am and 4 pm, and take place on the land closest to the source of material to be burned. There are also only certain types of materials which can be burned.

Go to fcburnpermits.com for a list of regulations around brush burning or for more specific information on how to get in touch with your local fire department. You can also go to mass.gov/service-details/open-burning-safety for more information on open burning and fire safety.

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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog. 

Franklin County has a multitude of amazing biking trails for all to enjoy. From mountain biking down Berkshire East in Charlemont to road biking along the Mohawk Trail, to the Canalside Rail Trail in Turners Falls, there is something for everyone. With so many routes for you to enjoy, you’ll want to make sure your bike is in good repair and ready for the next adventure.

Matt Sullivan has been in the bike and ski repair industry for over 20 years. Now, he has started his own business at 334 High Street in Greenfield plus a mobile bike service. Outer Limits Cycles is committed to bringing a convenient, high-quality bike service to the awesome people of New England. With Matt’s mobile shop, you don’t have to worry about transporting your bikes back and forth to the shop - he will come to you at your home, on the road, or at the end of the trail. 

Call Matt at 413-325-5143 or email [email protected] and check out his website, outerlimitscyclesmobile.com, for more information.

Be sure to also check out the Outer Limits Racing team!

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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog.

This Saturday, March 12, 2022 join Relay for Life Franklin County for their Kick-Off Event. Whether you have already signed up for the Relay for Life event in June or are considering it, this a great opportunity to learn more about the event and meet other [...]

Now you can enjoy fresh Tree House Brewing craft beer without having to drive all the way to Charlton. Local favorite brewery, Tree House Brewing, opened a new location in Deerfield a few weeks ago. Tree House offers a variety of award-winning fresh beer, cold brew, and seltzer. Now, it’s even easier to enjoy their delicious beverages fresh from the tap with their new location in Franklin County.

The new location is ideally situated near activities like rafting or fly fishing on the Deerfield River, hiking at Mount Sugarloaf State Reservation, cycling along scenic Route 5 or the Mohawk Trail, skiing at Berkshire East and more. It’s a great place to visit to enjoy a fresh, locally made craft beer after a day outside or visiting beautiful places like Historic Deerfield or the Village of Shelburne Falls. 

Visit the new tasting room at 1 Community Place, South Deerfield, MA. Be sure to make a reservation ahead of time. Bookings are essential at this time in order to visit the taproom. Once inside the brewery, you can also order a house-made pizza to enjoy with your drinks. It’s also easy to pick up an order of their delicious brews with their online ordering system. To make a reservation, place an order, and see their hours of operation, visit treehousebrew.com/visiting-deerfield. 

Cheers!

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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog.

While it might take you a bit more effort to get out of the warm and cozy house in the winter than in the summer, you’ll find that when you do it is totally worth it. In Franklin County, we are so fortunate to have a bunch of beautiful outdoor places to enjoy a scenic wintry landscape, while we stay active. Here are some local favorite [...]

This holiday season, give the gift of a Franklin County Gift Card to your friends and loved ones. This versatile gift allows them to choose whether they want to dine out in Turners Falls, purchase a unique handcrafted item from a shop in Shelburne Falls, have an adventure in Charlemont, or spend it with any of the other participating [...]

The Franklin County Festival of Trees, a three-weekend holiday season event starts today, Friday, November 26, 2021. The festival, which began in 2016, had to take a year hiatus last year due to the pandemic, but is happily returning this year. For the next three weekends, on Fridays 5-8 pm and Saturdays 12-6 pm, the Festival of Trees will be at Aromatic Fillers, 253 Greenfield Road in Deerfield, Massachusetts.

There will be as many as 100 or more decorated trees which have been sponsored by local families, individuals, and businesses. Attend the festival and enjoy the beautiful display of trees, plus enjoy exciting performances throughout the event. Purchase raffle tickets and enter the raffle for your favorite trees. At the end of the three weeks, on Sunday, December 12, a winner for each tree will be chosen. 

The idea behind the Festival of Trees, coordinated by April Healey and the Kiwanis Club, is to bring people together in a positive and joyous way while raising money for projects and programs which support the community. In previous years, the money raised benefited programs like Warm the Children, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Regional Dog Shelter, United Way of Franklin County, Stone Soup Café, Community Action Pioneer Valley and the Children’s Advocacy Center of Franklin County and North Quabbin. This year, the goal is to raise $30,000 for community grants.

Be sure not to miss this beautiful event and support local holiday fundraising. For more information, visit the Franklin County Festival of Trees Facebook page.
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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog.

Get in the holiday spirit with a beautiful display of holiday lights at the Franklin County Fairgrounds. The Annual Light Up the Fairgrounds event returns this holiday season. Load up the car and drive to the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Greenfield and you’ll be amazed by the fantastic lights display.

Light Up the Fairgrounds is happening November 26, 27, 28 and December 3, 4, 5, and 10, 11, 12. Cars are welcome from 5 pm to 9pm. The entrance fee is just a minimum donation of $5 per car. Proceeds benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters Franklin County, Franklin County Sheriff's Office Regional Dog Shelter, and the Franklin County Fairgrounds. 

For more information, check out the event page on Facebook.

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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog.

Cider Days, Franklin County’s popular event for all things apple, happens every year during the first weekend of November. This fun and informative event brings together local cider producers and orchards to share their love for apples and apple products and to expand their passions outward into the community. This Friday through Sunday, November 5th to 7th, local cideries and orchards will open their doors to host workshops, demonstrations, and tours. 

The events kick off Friday with a Pomological Exhibit at Ashfield Community Hall from 10 am to 5 pm. After the exhibition, there will be a cider makers gathering at Scott Farm Orchard in Dummerston, Vermont from 5-8 pm.

Then the events continue all day Saturday and Sunday at our local favorite orchards. Clarkdale Fruit Farms in Deerfield will host a cider pressing demonstration, an orchard tour, and several “Cooking with Apples” demos. Apex Orchards in Shelburne Falls will host a talk about Pollination for the Home Orchardist with Tim Smith. Pine Hill Orchards in Colrain is offering a workshop on pruning with David Shearer and William Shearer. 

West County Cider in Shelburne Falls will talk about “Preserving and Increasing Our Botanical and Cultural Heritage” with Ben Watson and explore Wild Apple Foraging with Matt Kaminsky. Plus, New Salem Orchard in New Salem will host an outdoor presentation about the History of Cider in Early America with William Grote and show how to make bread overnight with Cider Lees. Historic Deerfield will also participate in the Cider Days fun with a Heritage Apple Workshop on both Saturday and Sunday.

There are 23 venues in total offering workshops, tastings, tours, and demos. View the Cider Day’s Trail Map and check out all the Cider Day’s events planned for this weekend at ciderdays.org/cider-trail-2021. 

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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog.

You might already know that Franklin County is a great place to find antique, vintage, and upcycled items. But did you know that there is an actual trail to lead you to all the best places to find them? 

Organized by the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, the Vintage Valley Trail is a collection of local businesses who offer vintage, or high quality items from the past. You could spend a day or a weekend travelling around to these shops, exploring the clothes, jewelry, furniture, household items, games, books, and more. Embrace the nostalgia of items you’d forgotten about or discover something that’s old but new to you! 

Much of the Vintage Valley Trail runs along the Mohawk Trail - a quintessential drive through Western Mass. Along the way, you can take in the beautiful vistas of the rolling hills and flowing rivers. There are also plenty of restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops on the trail for you to enjoy. 

Go to vintagevalleytrail.com to find the list of participating shops. If you are a vintage shop owner, you can submit your listing on the website, as well, and join the trail. 

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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog