Apple picking season in Franklin County, Massachusetts offers residents and visitors the chance to enjoy the bounty of New England’s orchards from late August through mid-October, with each farm featuring distinct varieties and experiences. Franklin County’s apple growers maintain a rich tradition of family farming, sustainability, and [...]
The Ashfield Fall Festival is a favorite event of Western Mass locals. Always falling on the weekend around the best foliage, the Ashfield Fall Festival is a time to come together on the Ashfield Town Commons in true New England fashion. Come out to Ashfield this Saturday, October 7th and Sunday, October 8th, 2023 and you will understand why [...]
Scarecrow in the Park is one of Western Mass’ most unique fall events. Presented by the Bernardston Kiwanis Club, Scarecrow in the Park is a fund-raising effort for the Scholarship Fund where contestants create a unique scarecrow to stand in Cushman Park. The scarecrows are judged in certain categories which this year includes Scariest, Funniest, Prettiest, and Most Interesting Use of Materials. The rotating category will be READING, which will be the theme in which classrooms are invited to compete for the prize of $100 and a pizza party.
Come to Cushman Park on Saturday and Sunday, October 15th and 16th, 2022 to see all the creative scarecrows displayed. In addition to the contest, there will be live music, artists booths, children’s activities, delicious food, the tractor parade, and more! The event will officially kick off on Friday evening, October 14th with live music under the big tent.
Check out the event page on Facebook for more information.
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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.com/blog.
Photo: Winner of the Scariest Scarecrow, "VooDoo", Heather & Deborah Scoble
The Ashfield Fall Festival returns this Saturday and Sunday, October 8th and 9th, 2022. Foliage colors have already come out in Ashfield, so head over to the Ashfield Commons this weekend and join in the celebration of this wonderful [...]
Many people’s favorite time of year in Massachusetts is autumn. The leaves turn and the trees become bursts of reds, oranges, and yellows. Now is the perfect time to get outside and enjoy the fresh autumn air and epic views of the foliage. There are many ways to witness the natural beauty of fall in Franklin County - by car, bike, foot, or [...]
New England is known for its delicious varieties of apples - and New England cider is one of my favorite ways to enjoy these magnificent fruits. This year’s Franklin County CiderDays might not have cider salons or workshops, but you can still enjoy the regions’ wonderful ciders by hopping in your car and visiting all the great spots on the CiderDays Cider Trail. The event has been extended through the end of the season this year, so you have more time to stop by every point on the trail.
All of the venues on the trail can be found at ciderdays.org/venues. Most of them are found in Franklin County. However, a few are found in the surrounding areas, such as Berkshire Cider Project in North Adams. Opened in July of this year, Berkshire Cider Project is a new craft cidery focused on dry sparkling ciders, located in a beautiful former textile mill with adjacent café and distillery. They are open Fridays and Saturdays from 12 to 6 pm. Check out their website for special CiderDays events!
Hawley’s own Headwater Cider Company is also on the list of cideries participating in CiderDays. Headwater prides itself on doing every step of the cider-making process (growing, pressing, and bottling) all right there at the orchard. With over 2000 apple trees in the orchard at 1800 feet elevation, Headwater has a short but ideal growing season, with plenty of sunlight. This makes for perfect apples for hard cider with lots of flavor and natural sugars. Headwater is open on the weekends starting October 10 to November 8 from 10 am to 5 pm. Check out their website for more information! (Photo right taken from Headwater Cider Company's Facebook Page.)
Did you know that the oldest running cider house is located right here in Shelburne, Massachusetts? West County Cider was started in 1984 by the Maloney family. Today, they continue to make small-batch ciders using local apples, working with the variety of flavors that come from each year’s distinct apple harvest. The community is welcome to their tap room and bottle shop, located on Peckville Road, and as well to wander along their hiking trails and picnic grounds with an incredible tri-state view. For their open hours, directions, and to check out their different styles of cider, head to their website. (Photo left taken from West County Cider's Facebook Page.)
Find out who else is on the CiderDays Cider Trail, plus more information about the 2020 Franklin County CiderDays at ciderdays.org.
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For more information about community happenings and real estate news visit Wanda's Blog at www.wandamooney.
Fall in New England is such a favored time of year; the bright colors of the foliage, a chill in the air, and of course, all things apple. Every fall on the first full weekend in November, I look forward to CiderDays, a Franklin County celebration of apples. Many of the events are free and range from workshops to talks to tastings to [...]
This Columbus Weekend, the Pioneer Valley will host two popular festivals. On Saturday, October 7 through Monday, October 9, the Paradise City Arts Festival will take place at the Three County Fairgrounds in Northampton. Meanwhile, only 30 minutes Northwest of Northampton, Ashfield will host its Fall Festival on Saturday, October 7 and [...]
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