Williamstown Rural Lands To Host Sheep to Shawl

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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Williamstown Rural Lands (WRL), a non-profit, member-supported land conservation trust, invites members of the community to the return of its Sheep to Shawl event on Saturday, May 7, from 11am to 3pm.
 
Located at WRL's Sheep Hill headquarters, the festival will celebrate spring and New England heritage with time-honored crafts, local artisans, farm animals, and a focus on the region's historic fleece and fiber industry. 
 
Fred DePaul will spin stories and use traditional tools to shear sheep, while border collies from Tanstaafle Farm and Littlebrook Farm herd sheep in complex maneuvers around the hills. 
 
The Green Mountain Weavers and Spinners Guild will demonstrate carding, spinning, and weaving throughout the day. And McKay Farm Animal Menagerie will bring alpaca, emu, goats, and more animals for the community to meet. 
 
Other local farms, artists, and craftspeople will also be present. Grilled cheeses from Cricket Creek Farm, burgers from Sweet Brook Farm and bakery items from Two Bears Bakery will be available for purchase.
 
Admission costs are $5 individual /$10 family for members, and $6/$12 for non-members. Visitors who arrive by bicycle get in free. Also admission is free for those purchasing a new WRL membership at the gate.  
 
All are welcome to enter their admission tickets in a Sheep to Shawl raffle for a "locally produced" prize basket. Proceeds from the Sheep to Shawl festival support Williamstown Rural Lands and its public programming.
 
Parking is available at the highway pull-off just north of the entrance to Sheep Hill and at Mezze.
 
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Williamstown Board of Health Hears about Bed Bugs at Highland Woods

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Board of Health Tuesday discussed efforts to remediate a bed bug infestation at a senior apartment complex.
 
Will Raymond was before the board at its monthly meeting to raise awareness of the bugs' presence at the Highland Woods apartments, an income- and age-restricted 40-unit building constructed on land donated by Williams College and opened about 10 years ago.
 
Raymond said that Pittsfield's Hearthway, Inc., manager of the apartments, has been trying to treat what he characterized as a "low-grade" infestation of the insects, which feed on human blood.
 
"Hearthway has tried to treat this with their vendor, Orkin, in April, again in June and another spraying two or three weeks ago," Raymond said. "They upped the treatment to take the outlet covers off the walls and get some kind of insecticide into the walls, because the problem is the migration of the bed bugs from unit to unit to unit."
 
Raymond said he has a friend living at Highland Woods who has an allergy to bed bugs, causing her pain.
 
"I'm just asking for some follow-up," Raymond said. "[Health Inspector Ruth Russell] maybe can ask them for specifics: What insecticides have they used in the past, and are there alternative treatments they could consider if they're needed?"
 
Board Chair Devan Bartels and Russell confirmed that the town's health agent has been working with Hearthway on the issue.
 
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