Caretaker Farm Rewarded for Sunshine Use

11:00AM / Friday, December 14, 2007Print Story | Email Story

WILLIAMSTOWN - Caretaker Farm has been selected to receive nearly $65,000 in rebates and funding through the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative's Renewable Energy Trust and state agriculture programs for solar-power installations. The local community-supported agriculture farm grows produce to support 250 families and the Berkshire Food Project each year. Though the Renewable Energy Trust, Caretaker Farm will receive a $34,650 rebate for the installation of a 9.90-kilowatt photovoltaic system, representing roughly one-third of total project cost. The state Department of Agricultural Resources will be providing an additional $30,000 though its Agricultural Environmental Enhancement Program. Farm owners Don Zasada and Bridget Spann are financing the remaining project costs. Once complete, the 9.90kW PV system will generate approximately 90 percent of the farm's electricity needs. "We all have a responsibility to find ways of incorporating renewable, sustainable practices," said state Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, D-Pittsfield. "I applaud Caretaker Farm for stepping up to find their role in fighting climate change. This is a huge step for sustainable agriculture." Farm co-owner Bridget Spann said, "At Caretaker Farm, we utilize sustainable agriculture practices on the land. Now we are delighted to take this next step of relying on clean renewable energy for the farm's electricity. As we learn more about the rapid and alarming changed in our climate, we are encouraged that with the support of this grant money, we will be able to address global warming by reducing our farm's carbon footprint." State Rep. Daniel E. Bosley, D-North Adams, said, "When we passed the electricity restructuring act in 1997, the renewable energy trust fund was, in my mind, one of the most important aspects of the bill. Small scale renewable energy projects are good for communities on so many levels: they save small businesses money, they create jobs, and perhaps most importantly, they are environmentally friendly. "The project at Caretaker Farm reinforces the importance of what was set up in 1997. I congratulate Don Zasada [owner of Caretaker Farm] and his team on a job well done and look forward to similar projects in the future." The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, as administrator of the Renewable Energy Trust Fund, supports projects that embrace clean energy technology and sustainable practices though a variety of programs including the Small Renewables Initiative. Through 2010, SRI disburses approximately $3.6 million in rebates each year for photovoltaic panels, wind turbines and microhydroelectric systems (up to 10 kilowatts) located at residential, commercial, industrial, institutional and public facilities. Rebate awards may be used to facilitate the installation of solar panels, wind and small hydro renewable energy projects. How-to-guides are available online for prospective applicants interested in renewable energy rebates through the Renewable Energy Trust Fund at www.mtpc.org/renewableenergy. Applicants and project sites must be customers of a Massachusetts investor-owned electric distribution utility.

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Williamstown Board Hears Concerns About 'Hometown Heroes' Banners

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
05:32AM / Wednesday, September 16, 2026

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Kurt Durocher told the Williamstown Select Board that he had received nothing but positive feedback from the North County communities where he proposed participation in the Hometown Heroes banner program.

Then Williamstown residents started to weigh in.

Durocher was before the board Monday evening to seek its blessing to put banners recognizing living and deceased military veterans on utility poles in Williamstown, an initiative that has been embraced in all but one of the other municipalities in the district where he serves as Veterans' Service Officer.

"The only negative I've had right now, and it's not really negative, [the Town of ] Florida doesn't want banners to go on Route 2, the Mohawk Trail, for safety reasons, understandably," Durocher said. "So we're trying to figure out an alternate way to make that work in Florida."

By and large, though, the reception to the program has been encouraging, Durocher said.

"I'll use Adams as an example," he said. "They've had a program for many, many years, but it's only for [military personnel] killed in action. Now that I've been allowed to take over that program … there's been a huge outpouring of support, because now we get living veterans on the poles as well.

"The only negative I've had is certain people want their banners in certain locations. So what we did in North Adams is we just did a random draw. I can't please everybody. I've got people who want a banner in a certain location, but three other people want that same location.It was a straight random draw for them."

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