Berkshire Daily: Harvest Events and Clarksburg Bridge Concerns

Local events

Fall flavors lead the calendar: Berkshire Botanical Garden is preparing for its annual Harvest Festival, and Orchard Day at Herman Melville’s Arrowhead offers a chance to try a new hard cider made exclusively from the property’s heirloom apples. Talbott & Arding also has an event featuring Luca Calvani and “A Tuscan Table,” a celebration of seasonal cooking and gathering together.

The Berkshire International Film Festival will present “Fork in the Road,” exploring the challenges facing small-scale farmers and their communities. For music lovers, British vocal ensemble VOCES8 comes to the Mahaiwe on Oct. 9.

Looking back at recent gatherings, a food-focused account of the Lenox Apple Squeeze captures an event whose spirit held up despite cold, rain, and wind. A letter thanking supporters of the “Rock the Pantry” concert at the Colonial Theatre offers another reminder of the community behind local events.

• BERKSHIRE FOOD EVENTS: Annual Harvest Festival at Berkshire Botanical Garden · The Berkshire Edge
• BERKSHIRE FOOD EVENTS: Orchard Day at Herman Melville’s Arrowhead · The Berkshire Edge
• BERKSHIRE FOOD EVENTS: Luca Calvani at Talbott & Arding · The Berkshire Edge
• BERKSHIRE FOOD EVENTS: Berkshire International Film Festival presents a screening of ‘Fork in the Road’ · The Berkshire Edge
• PREVIEW: Eight voices, one sound — VOCES8 brings the art of a cappella to the Mahaiwe on Oct. 9 · The Berkshire Edge
• WHAT I ATE: What I ate at the 45th annual Lenox Apple Squeeze by Monica Bliss · The Berkshire Edge
• Letter: Thank you to those who made Rock the Pantry possible · The Berkshire Eagle

Notable local news

Clarksburg’s temporary bridge is nearly complete, but access remains a concern. At a meeting with the DOT, Town Administrator Ron Boucher relayed residents’ worries that closures tied to the emergency project could prevent first responders and snow plows from reaching them. Separately, federal funding has been allocated for roadway projects involving Route 20 in Lee and Route 8 in Becket.

In Great Barrington, the hearing on Formel Auto Salvage has been continued to Oct. 26. The Selectboard heard allegations of noise and zoning violations, along with residents’ concerns about potential groundwater contamination and increased activity at the property.

Lee’s Founders Weekend also brought a community waste-reduction effort worth recognizing: participants diverted almost half a ton of compostables and recyclables from the trash over the event’s two days.

• Temporary bridge in Clarksburg almost complete, but residents decry significant impact · The Berkshire Eagle
• Lee and Becket roadway projects set to move forward this spring with federal funds allocated · The Berkshire Edge
• Hearing on Formel Auto Salvage in Great Barrington continued to Oct. 26 · The Berkshire Edge
• Collective action again minimizes waste at Lee’s Founders Weekend · The Berkshire Edge

Relocation tip from the team

When planning a move to or from the Berkshires, ask about access to both properties before coordinating moving day. Review driveway conditions, parking arrangements, and any road closures with your movers, and keep an alternate route handy. Share those details with everyone helping so arrival and unloading are easier to coordinate.