Franklin County is a wonderful place to get outside and connect with nature. One of the ways that locals and visitors alike love to do so is by trout fishing. The Deerfield River offers some of the best fly fishing in the eastern US both for wild and stocked trout. The stretch of river below Fife Brook Dam consists of fast moving water, [...]
One of the greatest perks of living in the Pioneer Valley, is the abundance of farms and therefore farm-fresh fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural products. Now that summer is officially in full swing, so too are the area Farmers’ Markets. Grab your reusable bag and get over to one of these markets to load up on fresh fruits and [...]
Whether you’ve strolled across the Bridge of Flowers one time or thousands of times, there’s no doubt you felt the heartbreak of the Bridge’s closing last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Thankfully, life is moving on and the Bridge is once again open to its fans! As of June 1, 2021, the Bridge of Flower’s gates were opened for all to enter and surround themselves with the lovely flowers, vines, and blossoming trees that span the bridge.
The Bridge of Flowers was once a trolley bridge, which became outdated when automobile usage increased and freight was more frequently transported across the Deerfield River using the nearby Iron Bridge. The trolley company went bankrupt in 1927, leaving the trolley bridge covered in weeds, unable to be demolished since it carried the water main between the two towns. In 1929, Antoinette Burnham proposed the idea of converting the bridge into a garden and the Shelburne Falls Women’s Club sponsored the project.
For almost a century the bridge has hurdled challenges such as deterioration and flooding due to Hurricane Irene in 2011. However, the community has always stepped up for the bridge and pulled together efforts to raise funds to maintain the bridge and see to it that the plants were always cared for. To this day, the Bridge of Flowers remains a volunteer-run, donation-based project.
Head Gardener, Carol Laliberte DeLorenzo has held her position for the last 20 years, organizing the other volunteer gardeners, known as the Blossom Brigade. Along with her assistant, Elliston Bingham, Carol has made her gardening visions for the bridge a reality. This was made possible through monetary donations from supporters and friends of the Bridge, and through the hundreds of hours spent annually by the Brigade, planting, watering, and weeding the bridge in the early morning hours before the bridge becomes filled with visitors.
If you’re lucky enough to live in the village of Shelburne Falls, you might walk across the Bridge of Flowers on a regular basis, on your way to grab a coffee at Mocha Maya’s, or to pick up some groceries from McCusker’s Market, or maybe it’s part of your daily commute to work. If you’re traveling from farther away, the Bridge of Flowers could be the purpose of your visit, or just the cherry on top to your experience in such a lovely place. Either way, we are all grateful to have the Bridge of Flowers back into our lives this summer. Let’s all show our appreciation by making a donation, either small or large, to the Bridge’s donation box at our next visit or on their website, bridgeofflowersmass.org, and let’s see this magical garden over the river survive another century and more.
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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.
Photo Credit: Bridge of Flower's Facebook Page
Spring is the perfect time of year to explore the option of buying land and building your dream home. Before you begin the search for finding the right parcel, I recommend meeting with a [...]
Massachusetts allow residents to burn brush between January 15th and May 1st. However, there are certain regulations for where and how you can burn brush, as well as who is allowed to do it. You can apply for an Open Burn Permit through your local fire department. 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.
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.
The story of how the land where Franklin County sits was formed can be told through the incredible rock formations you can actually see! The Franklin County Chamber of Commerce’s Visitor Guide has a wonderful and informative summary of the geology of Franklin County, written by Richard D. [...]
The Franklin County community has always been there to support our local non-profits. Local community members volunteer their time, attend events, and donate money to support our local organizations which better our community and provide invaluable resources. This past year, with the Covid-19 pandemic, many local non-profit organizations [...]
Recently, I came across a blog post in Coldwell Banker’s blog, Blue Matter, about the Power of Kindness in the Age of Covid. Check out the post here. The post evoked the question that in a time of such uncertainty, what can we do to make the world around us a better place to live?
One of the reasons I love living in Franklin County is [...]
The Franklin County Fairgrounds will host a festive display of lights this holiday season to spread cheer to the community and raise funds for three organizations. They are working alongside Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Franklin County and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Regional Dog Shelter to organize a light display lasting three weekends. Over 30 groups from the community of 4 people or less are putting together the various light displays and are competing for a cash prize of $1000. We have two weekends left, December 4-6, and December 11-13, for the public to drive through the fairgrounds and enjoy the light display.
Each car is asked to donate a minimum of $5 and each night one of the three organizations will receive 100% of the proceeds. These local non-profits have been hit hard by Covid-19 due to canceling events to stay safe and this creative fundraiser is a way to recover some of those funds and spread joy to the local community.
For more information about this event, visit the Franklin County Fairgrounds on Facebook!
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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.
Earlier this year, the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce released a new Franklin County Gift Card. Now, as the holidays approach, consider gifting one of these versatile gift cards to your friends and loved ones. They can spend it at the participating Franklin County business of their choice - so they are guaranteed to love their gift! [...]
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