Bird Observatory Director Speaking at Pittsfield Green Drinks

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The director of Berkshire Bird Observatory, Ben Nickley, will speak at the September Pittsfield Green Drinks hybrid event on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 6 p.m.

Nickley will discuss BBO's current research projects and will also show some of the many pictures of birds in hands captured this year and relate stories from BBO’s pilot spring, summer, and fall seasons at Jug End State Reservation. The in-person Pittsfield Green Drinks will start at 5 p.m. at Berkshire Environmental Action Team's Environmental Leadership & Education Center, 20 Chapel St.

Nickley is a researcher with a passion for birds and the natural landscapes that they are an integral part of. Over the past several years, Ben has traveled across North America to conduct field studies in many exceptional places and attended college and grad school along the way.

Nickley hopes to garner continued support from the Berkshire community to ensure the longevity of BBO as a social, scientific, and conservation institution.

Thanks to a donation, BEAT will offer one meal to each in-person attendee. If you plan to join the in-person event, stay for the presentation, and would like to reserve a free meal, you must RSVP at www.tinyurl.com/Sept22-Green-Drinks. If you plan to attend the virtual event, you must register at www.tinyurl.com/Zoom-Sept22-Green-Drinks.

Pittsfield Green Drinks is an informal gathering on the third Tuesday of the month. These nights are free and open to everyone with any environmental interest. The drinks aren't green but the conversations are. 

Pittsfield Green Drinks is sponsored by the Berkshire Environmental Action Team

For more information, contact Chelsey Simmons at chelsey@thebeatnews.org or  (413) 464-9402.

ServiceNet Cuts Ribbon on Vocational Farm to 'Sow Seeds of Hope'

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
06:30AM / Saturday, May 18, 2024

Lori Carnute plants flowers at the farm and enjoys seeing her friends. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Smiles were all around as farmers, human service workers, and officials cut the ribbon Friday on ServiceNet's new vocational farm on Crane Avenue.

Whether it is planting flowers or growing fresh produce, the program is for "sowing seeds of hope" for those with developmental disabilities.

"What Prospect Meadow Farm is about is changing lives," Vice President of Vocational Services Shawn Robinson said.

"Giving people something meaningful to do, a community to belong to, a place to go every day and to make a paycheck, and again, I am seeing that every day from our first 17 farmhands the smiles on their faces. They're glad to be here. They're glad to be making money."

Prospect Meadow Farm Berkshires held a launch event on Friday with tours, music, snacks, and a ribbon cutting in front of its tomato greenhouse. The nonprofit human service agency closed on the former Jodi's Seasonal on Crane Avenue earlier this year.  

It is an expansion of ServiceNet's first farm in Hatfield that has provided meaningful agricultural work, fair wages, and personal and professional growth to hundreds of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities since opening in 2011.

Eventually, the farm will employ 50 individuals with developmental disabilities year-round and another 20 to 25 local folks supporting their work.

The pay is a great aspect for Billy Baker, who is learning valuable skills for future employment doing various tasks around the farm. He has known some of the ServiceNet community for over a decade.

"I just go wherever they need me to help," he said. "I'm more of a hands-on person."