Hilltop Orchard’s 20th Anniversary - Celebrating A Tradition of Open Space Preservation in the Berks

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farm painted by local artist Sue Leal
Richmond – Hilltop Orchards is 160 years-old but the Vittori family’s purchase of it 20 years ago started a new chapter for this 200 acre farm. They rescued the apple orchard from development in 1987 with a desire to ensure the preservation of open space and farming tradition for generations to come. It is now the largest producer of fresh pressed cider in the region and home to the Berkshire’s First Farm Winery. The Furnace Brook wines have been awarded multiple medals in the 2006 and 2007 Big E Northeast Wine Competition and free wine tasting of these award-winning wines are available during hours of operation; Friday – Sunday from 11am-5pm. Join us as we celebrate the last 20 years and look forward to sustaining this valuable farmland for years to come. Event: “20th Anniversary Celebration” Date: Saturday, August 18 and Sunday, August 19 from 1pm-5pm Place: Hilltop Orchards 508 Canaan Rd. / Rt. 295 (just over the NY border) Richmond, MA 01254 Tel. 1-800-833-6274 Less than 10 miles from downtown Lenox, less than 5 miles from Hancock Shaker Village and about 1 mile west from the junction of Rt. 295 and Rt. 41 Details: Free admission, free wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres Justin Allen Trio – live jazz band Background This year marks the 20th anniversary that John Vittori and his sister Wendy purchased the 200-acre Hilltop Orchards. John and his wife Julie and their children live on the property year-round. At the time of the purchase, the orchard’s cider production was only 3% of what it is today. The Vittori’s invested substantially in the business to ensure that the orchard would sustain itself financially in order to preserve the open space that symbolizes the beauty of the Berkshires. This included boosting production of sweet cider (the largest in the region with over 200,000 gallons per year) and the 1994 introduction of Johnny Mash, a hard apple cider containing 6% alcohol. After the success of Johnny Mash, they built a 6,000 square foot facility to house a new cider-mill and necessary equipment to pasteurize and ferment all their products on site. In 1998 they started Furnace Brook Winery, the first farm winery in the Berkshires. The Furnace Brook Winery label (named after the brook that originates on their property and runs into the historic Richmond Furnace site) includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Riesling, White Zinfandel, Chardonnay, French Cidre’, Sparkling Muscato and Blanc de Blancs. Last year, for the first time, John submitted wines for judging at the Big E Wine Competition and was honored to win silver medals for the 2004 Riesling, Muscato and 2003 Chardonnay Special Reserve. The 2007 Big E Wine Competition recently honored the 2004 Riesling with a gold medal and the 2004 Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Muscato plus Johnny Mash with bronze medals. The farm winery store at Hilltop Orchards is open year-round, Friday through Sunday, from 11am – 5pm. In addition to wines and ciders, the store sells fruit pies, scones, cider donuts, healthy local produce and cheeses. One year ago, the Vittori’s acquired The Garden Gables Inn on Main St. in Lenox and are making substantial improvements to the property. As farm owners and members of Berkshire Grown, they are committed to supporting other local farmers by buying regionally grown and prepared ingredients for their Inn’s kitchen.
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North Adams Man Indicted on Murder, Arson Charges

Staff Reports
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Darius Hazard was arraigned in Berkshire Superior Court on Thursday on two counts of first-degree murder related to deaths of his parents last November. 
 
Hazard, 44, pleaded not guilty to the charges and to a third charge of arson of a dwelling house.
 
He is being held without bail at the Berkshire County House of Correction, where he has been housed since Nov. 25. 
 
Hazard is accused of assaulting his parents, Donald Hazard, 83, and Venture Hazard, 76, on Nov. 24, 2025, and setting fire to the family on Francis Street. 
 
The bodies of his parents were discovered in the home by firefighters. 
 
North Adams Police said Hazard allegedly confessed to the assaults and the arson when he was taken into custody that day.
 
Hazard was initially arraigned in Northern Berkshire District Court on Nov. 26 and was to appear for a pretrial hearing on March 3. That hearing was postponed but he was indicted March 23 on the felony charges and his case removed to Berkshire Superior Court. 
 
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