MEMBER SIGN IN
Not a member? Become one today!
         iBerkshires     Berkshire Chamber     MCLA     City Statistics    
Search
Biz Briefs: 'Farm to Fork' Bike Ride Coming to Berkshires
02:06PM / Monday, January 16, 2017
Print | Email  

Hancock Shaker Village, which boasts its own farm, will host the 'Farm to Fork' ride in September. (Photo by Angela Cardinali/Berkshire Farm & Table)

Fresh and fit: The award-winning bicycle event series Farm to Fork Fondo will launch its first ride in the Berkshires in September. Five hundred cyclists from throughout the country are expected to attend Farm to Fork Fondo on Sept. 23-24 at Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield. Wrenegade Sports, the producer of this event, is based in Burlington, Vt.
 
The Berkshires' world-class arts culture is complemented by a close-knit community of farmers, food producers and chefs, committed to the farm-to-table movement for more than 25 years. The ride course, with options for all abilities ranging from 10 to 100 miles, will include gourmet aid stations at several Berkshire County farms where cyclists will sample chef-prepared food made from each farm’s ingredients.

Featured farms on the Berkshire ride will include Hilltop Orchards and Bartlett’s Orchard in Richmond, Colfax Farm in West Stockbridge, High Lawn Farm in Lee and Wolfe Spring Farm in Sheffield. Hancock Shaker Village will serve as the start and finish venue on Sunday, Sept. 24, and will host a pre-ride "Meet-the-Farmers Dinner" on Saturday, Sept. 23.

Local partners for Farm to Fork Fondo Berkshires include Berkshire Farm & Table, Berkshire Mountain Distillers, Big Elm Brewing, Blue Q and Wheelhouse Farm Catering. Registration is now open; several Farm to Fork Fondo events sold out last year. Interested riders are encouraged to register online early to ensure a spot.



Film class: The Berkshire Film and Media Collaborative will present the non-credit workshop, "Film Production 1," in partnership with Berkshire Community College at the BCC Great Barrington Campus.  The course will meet for eight sessions Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m., beginning Feb. 1.

This introduction to film and video production provides a foundation in the principles, techniques and equipment involved in production. Students will write, produce, direct and edit individual projects.  On completing this course, students will understand the basics of scripting, camera operation, direction, lighting, sound and non-linear editing; demonstrate proficiency in camera operation including framing, exposure, focus and movement; as well as demonstrate competency in non-linear editing software.  The cost is $320.  Students must be 16 years+. Information can be found online.



X marks the spot: Berkshire Bank achieved a 100 percent employee participation in its corporate volunteer program, the XTEAM, in 2016. Launched in 2008, the employee volunteer program was created as a way for employees in all of the bank's geographic markets to give back to the communities they serve. Through the XTEAM program, employees receive paid time off to volunteer during regular business hours at a series of company-supported service projects that benefit nonprofit organizations throughout the bank's footprint.
 
In addition to their year round schedule of service projects, Berkshire Bank completed Xtraordinary Day of Service in June 2016. On that day, the bank closed all retail locations, departments and operations centers to give its employees the opportunity to volunteer in their communities. During Xtraordinary Day, employees completed 56 group service projects. The day empowered employees to champion the causes that were most important to them.
 
Berkshire Bank has received local, regional and national award recognition for the achievements of the XTEAM . The program's volunteer hours completed in 2016 are valued at over $1 million to the nonprofit organizations served, according to Independent Sector, the leading coalition of nonprofits, foundations, and corporations. The dollar valuation is based on the average hourly earnings of all workers provided by the US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2016, the XTEAM completed nearly 300 projects directly impacting more than 350,000 individuals.

0Comments
More Featured Stories
NorthAdams.com is owned and operated by: Boxcar Media 102 Main Sreet, North Adams, MA 01247 -- T. 413-663-3384
© 2011 Boxcar Media LLC - All rights reserved