What can we do in our community to address affordable and available housing? | online | February 9

What can we do in our community to address affordable and available housing?

Wednesday, February 9, 7:00pm – 8:15pm
Hosted by Forbes Library
Preregister to attend: https://forbeslibrary.libcal.com/event/8674186

The Human Rights Commission in partnership with Forbes Library is presenting a panel in recognition of housing as a human right on Wednesday, February 9 at 7 PM. The panel will provide a regional context to our housing crisis and answer the question, “What can we do in our community to address affordable and available housing?”

Take time to engage in conversation about housing for all that will create affordable, healthy and safe housing options in the town of Northampton. We hope to examine the housing landscape in the town of Northampton, and engage with each other regarding the strengths and challenges of affordable housing and addressing the issue of those who are unhoused in our community. What is currently in place, and what actions can concerned community members take to address housing as a human right in our town?

Panelists:

Keith Fairey, Way Finders CEO,  Way Finders confronts homelessness head on in communities throughout western Massachusetts, including Hampden and Hampshire counties;

Dr. Jessica Bossie, founder of  Independent Housing Solutions

Pamela Schwartz, Director of the Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness.

Gordon Shaw, Vice-Chair of the Northampton Housing Partnership

You will receive the zoom link on the day of the event.

Greenfield Winter Carnival: Centennial Celebration | February 4-6

Greenfield Winter Carnival: Centennial Celebration

Friday-Sunday, February 4-6
Multiple Locations throughout Greenfield, MA
Free and open to the public

Event details:

A three day event that brings the community together in celebration of the season. This once-in-a-lifetime Centennial Celebration will sure to be one for the record books.
https://greenfield-ma.gov/d/29238/Winter-Carnival-Centennial-Celebration#:~:text=Winter%20Carnival%3A%20Centennial%20Celebration%2C%20Sat,2022%20%2D%20City%20of%20Greenfield%20MA

The town pond looks frozen: Is it safe to skate on it? Fish on it? Drive my pickup truck on it?

The town pond looks frozen: Is it safe to skate on it? Fish on it? Drive my pickup truck on it?

“The ice certainly looks solid: it is at least a few inches thick, it holds up when you step on it, and there are even a few people walking further out. But how do you know for certain that the frozen pond is safe enough to walk, skate or fish on?” Check out the full article for tips on tricks on being safe when you go out onto the ice at MassLive.com.

Wildlife Tracking Workshop for Youth and Families

Wildlife Tracking Workshop for Youth and Families

Text "Youth Wildlife Tracking" and "Hilltown Land Trust" circle around a central flat cartoon of a deer and rabbits underneath a green tree. In the background are purple bird and canine tracks crossing over a pink and orange gradient background.Sunday, February 6, 1-2:30pm
Bullitt Reservation, 332 Bullitt Road, Ashfield MA
Pre-registration required: https://www.hilltownlandtrust.org/events/wildlife-tracking-workshop-for-youth-and-families
Members**: $5 Youth / $5 Adult
Non-members: $10 Youth / $10 Adult
*If the cost of this event presents a burden for your family, please email sarah@hilltownlandtrust.org for scholarship options.

Event Details:

Have you ever wondered who left that trail of four-toed footprints through your backyard? What other kinds of clues do animals leave behind as they walk? Join naturalists and youth educators Cesi Marseglia and Sarah Welch for a winter afternoon of exploring wildlife tracks and signs at the Bullitt Reservation in Ashfield. This event is geared towards youth ages 5-11 and their families. Children must be accompanied by an adult over 18.

Instructions and Accessibility

During this program, we will walk between 0.5 and 1 mile, depending on the tracks we find and participant interest and ability. We’ll be sticking together, and moving as slowly as the slowest person in the group. This program is about being still and observing, not rushing. We’ll be walking on hilly, snowy terrain, over a combination of single-track woodland trails, open fields, and off-trail woods, also depending on tracks and participant interest and ability. The terrain is not wheelchair accessible. Indoor bathrooms will be available at the beginning and end of the walk, and are accessed by a ~60-foot-long wooden ramp without handrails.

Snowshoes and traction devices are available to borrow for free during the event! Please dress in warm layers and bring your own water and snacks.

Directions
Bullitt Reservation
332 Bullitt Road, Ashfield MA 01330
Google Maps

Advance registration is required, see RSVP form below. Please read our in-person event procedures below. For everyone’s safety and comfort, we will be following these procedures for all of our in-person events until further notice.

Questions? Call (413) 628-4485 ext. 6 or email sarah@hilltownlandtrust.org.

The 12 Best Hidden Gems In Massachusetts To Visit In 2022, One For Each Month Of The Year

The 12 Best Hidden Gems In Massachusetts To Visit In 2022, One For Each Month Of The Year

Belchertown and Holyoke are among the towns and cities named that have a special spot worth visiting. Check out the article at: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/massachusetts/12-best-hidden-gems-ma/.  What do you think is a hidden gem here in the Valley that people should check out?

 

Generative Beekeeping School: Queen Rearing Series | Online | February 24

Generative Beekeeping School: Queen Rearing Series

They Keep Bees is piloting an exciting program called “Queen School” an online, and in person Queen Rearing Series for beekeepers to learn the hows/whys of sustainable apiary management.  
 
The series kicks off with a guest lecture from our mentor Sam Comfort starting Monday 1/24 at 7 pm EST.
 
The goal of this series is to help beekeepers learn queen rearing skills so they can raise diverse, bioregionally adaptive queens using simple methods, regardless of their scale.  The Online Queen School will consist of 4 courses, offered once per month from January until April 2022.  The in person portion will be offered 1x per month from May-August 2022. 
 
In both series, we’ll be hearing from beekeepers from across the continent about how they do this work, and our guest speakers are next generation beekeepers who identify as: queer/trans, Afro-Indigenous, women/femmes, anarchists IE this is not grandpas beekeeping series.
 
All of the online classes are free.  There will be scholarships and travel stipends for the in person class, thanks to generous funding from NESARE.  All of the online classes will be recorded, so if/when the Zoom room fills, recordings will be sent out to everyone on the registration list.  
 
Folks can sign up here or here to get on the registration list for this event and ALL subsequent events.   

Tiers of joy: Easthampton baker opens new cake shop

Tiers of joy: Easthampton baker opens new cake shop

“What helps make a special occasion worth celebrating?

Some may say it’s the decorations. Others may say it’s the theme. For Brandee Simone, it’s the cake that takes the cake.

The Easthampton woman officially opened her business, Many Layers Cake Shop, in December after graduating from an eight-week Business Blueprint Easthampton program last year. ” Read the full article at the Daily Hampshire Gazette to learn more: https://www.gazettenet.com/Many-Layers-Cake-Shop-opens-in-Leeds-44530170