Hilltown Families 
October 3-9, 2020: Suggested Learning Ideas, Events & Resources for Western MA
Awarded the “Essential Agent of Change Award” by the MDPH’s Massachusetts Essentials for Childhood, Hilltown Families is recognized as a leading family strengthening initiative in the region, promoting “positive parenting through the social norm of community social connectedness.” Serving Western Massachusetts since 2005, Hilltown Families continues to support the development and enhancement of our local economy and community. Local businesses, farms, individuals, schools, and non-profit organizations are invited to collaborate with Hilltown Families in their community outreach. With 10,000 opt-in subscribers and over 2.7 million visits to our web site alone, Hilltown Families can deliver your message to thousands of families living throughout the four counties of Western MA! Find out about our affordable advertising options and how you can partner with Hilltown Families in your online marketing by contacting us at info@hilltownfamilies.org… and scroll down to discover learning ideas and community-based educational opportunities to explore at home and outdoors this weekend and next week.
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Online classes for lifelong learners!
Located in the Pioneer Valley, Greenfield Community College opens doors for students from all stages in life! This fall, GCC is offering Business Bootcamp, an opportunity for lifelong learners to update their skills to become more marketable to employers or establish a new career path. Non-credit classes include Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses & Entrepreneurs (Tues, 9/29-11/3, 6-8pm. $249) and WordPress 101 (Mon/Tues, 10/5-11/17, 10-11am. $330). These online classes offer an excellent opportunity to boost skills with training in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, WordPress, Social Media and Digital Marketing, and more. All sources are delivered remotely via Zoom. To learn more about these non-credit classes and other lifelong learning opportunities with GCC, visit Workforce Development & Community Education with Greenfield Community College.
Virtual. Adapted In-Person Outdoors & Indoors
The Institute for the Musical Arts will be offering a Collaborative Home Recording Intensive, October 19-November 1. This virtual recording intensive designed to introduce participants to the basics of creating high-quality recordings home. Whether you are interested in recording music or spoken word or in production and sound design, this course will provide you with basic studio production concepts, terminology, mic selection, and recording technique. In a collaborative virtual environment, participants will explore recording voices for oral histories or podcasts, remix a previously recorded piece and learn to produce, record, and mix music on your PC. All ages & abilities are welcomed. Enrollment is limited. Register at www.ima.org.
Discover virtual & adapted programming in our 2020/2021 Class Directory for Western MA!
Find what you’re looking for in our 2020/2021 Preschool & Daycare Directory for Western MA!
ADVERTISE HERE: Partner with Hilltown Families in your online advertising! Delivering your message each week to over 25,000 subscribers, web visitors, and social media followers, Hilltown Families can deliver your message to thousands of readers in Western MA who are committed to their community and willing to support one another in times of need. In-person and virtual event organizers, local and online businesses, virtual and local service providers, non-profit organizations, and individuals are encouraged to reach out to find out about our affordable advertising options and marketing packages. To find out how we can partner together in your online marketing and outreach, contact Sienna at swildfield@hilltownfamilies.org.
SUGGESTED LEARNING IDEAS,
RESOURCES, & EVENTS
October 3-9, 2020
Saturday, Oct 3 • Sunday, Oct 4
Monday, Oct 5 • Tuesday, Oct 6 • Wednesday, Oct 7
Thursday, Oct 8 • Friday, Oct 9
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Online and in-person events and resources shared below are done so as a courtesy and not as an endorsement. While we do our best to share accurate and up-to-date information, please take the time to confirm information, age appropriateness, registration requirements, safety protocols, and associated costs.
Discover virtual & adapted programming in our 2020/2021 Class Directory for Western MA!
Saturday, October 3, 2020
Suggested Events
- 9-10am: Hilltown Family Variety Show on WXOJ 103.3FM out of Northampton.
- 10am-4pm: Pick Your Own Apples (Every weekend until Oct 11)
- 10am – The Colorful & Curious World of Carnivorous Plants (On-site class)
- 10am-5pm – Annual Kid’s Pumpkinfest Weekend
- 12pm: My Caribbean One World Expo Virtual
- 7pm: Saw-whet Owls: Small, Fierce, and Migratory
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for more events!
Want to have your online or in person event, class, or workshop featured with Hilltown Families? Inquire at info@hilltownfamilies.org.
MUSHROOM SEASON
With fall comes crisp air, reddish-orange leaves, apple picking, jack o’ lanterns, and – of course! – mushrooms! Hundreds of fascinating species of mushrooms are happily popping their caps out of moss, wood, soil, mulch, bark, and mud all over Western MA. While mushroom foraging should only be done by those who are very confident in identifying edible species, searching for mushrooms to observe in nature can spark curiosity while supporting an interest in biochemistry, agriculture, culinary arts, plant biology, and colonial history.
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Find what you’re looking for in our 2020/2021 Preschool & Daycare Directory for Western MA!
Sunday, October 4, 2020
Suggested Events
- 10am-4pm: Pick Your Own Apples (Every weekend until Oct 11)
- 10am-5pm – Annual Kid’s Pumpkinfest Weekend
- 10am: Walking Tour of African American and Abolition Era Florence
- 2pm: Virtual Chantey Sing
- 3pm: Sukkot Cook-Along with Saul Radow
- 3pm: Owl Power
- 4pm: Barks & Brews – at Home!
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for more events!
Want to have your online or in person event, class, or workshop featured with Hilltown Families? Inquire at info@hilltownfamilies.org.
SCARECROW
The history of scarecrows begins in Egypt, where the earliest records of the use of scarecrows have been found. Rather than using models of humans, farmers along the Nile River built wooden frames with nets in their wheat fields, and used their scarecrow-like devices to trap quail who would visit their fields to feast on wheat. So, rather than scaring away birds, these early scarecrow-users actually protected their crops and caught their dinner at the same time! Not long after the Egyptians’ development of scarecrow-like tools, Greek farmers began carving wooden sculptures of Priapus, son of the god Dionysus and the goddess Aphrodite. Priapus, according to Greek mythology, was said to be very ugly and, luckily for farmers using his likeness, when he played in the fields of the vineyard on which he lived, the birds flew away afraid and left the crops alone.
Over time, scarecrow-like bird-scaring tools were developed in cultures all over the world, the most notable of which include Japan, Italy (during the time of the Romans), Germany (during the Middle Ages), and medieval Britain. Native North Americans sometimes used similar tools to guard their own crops, but relied more heavily on live humans to deter birds from devouring their harvests. Today, scarecrows can still be seen in the fields of farmers, but are usually only used in small-scale farming operations. Larger farms tend to utilize bird-scaring tools like shiny polyester PET film, hawk kites, and balloons, as well as more serious tools like propane-powered noise guns, inflatable dancing characters, and even dead birds.
This autumn, families can explore the use of scarecrows and similar bird-deterrents used by local farmers by visiting local farms, exploring and/or observing fields (with the permission of farmers), and by asking questions of farm employees during visits to farm stands and stores in search of local food. Local farmers may employ a variety of bird-scaring devices based on the crops they grow and the scale of their farming operation, as well as the cost of materials, availability of farm workers to maintain bird-deterrents, and some of the ethical questions that come with the use of certain tools.
Families can engage in celebrations of the history of scarecrows and their role in our modern celebrations of fall by creating their own scarecrows at home! By creatively reusing old clothes and, in the absence of hay, recycling paper or packing materials as stuffing, families can engage in creative-free play while crafting their own unique Halloween decoration (or bird-deterrent, if you’d prefer!).
SUGGESTED READING LIST
- The Little Scarecrow Boy by Margaret Wise Brown
- Creative Scarecrows: 35 Fun Figures for Your Yard and Garden by Marcianne Miller
- Scarecrow Pete by Mark Kimball Moulton
- The Lonely Scarecrow by Tim Preston
- Scarecrow by Cynthia Rylant and Lauren Stringer
- The Scarecrow’s Dance by Jane Yolen
Discover virtual & adapted programming in our 2020/2021 Class Directory for Western MA!
Monday, October 5, 2020
Suggested Events:
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for more events!
Want to have your online or in person event, class, or workshop featured with Hilltown Families? Inquire at info@hilltownfamilies.org.
HARVEST SEASON
During the autumnal months, communities celebrate the change of season with activities that bridge agricultural and cultural traditions. Teaching our children the value of connection with seasonal traditions through self-directed learning can help them learn and grow in endless ways. Children who understand and connect with their local landscape are much more likely to value environmental conservation as adults, and building awareness of the variety of cultures represented within a community and across time. Connecting to where we live through the seasons can help children appreciate and understand the places(s) they call home. In addition to participating in seasonal patterns of community engagement, learning about harvest seasons in other parts of the world is a point of entry for self-directed learning that can help us to better understand culture through the harvest lens, including cinnamon, pecans, seaweed, cork, and kalo.
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Find what you’re looking for in our 2020/2021 Preschool & Daycare Directory for Western MA!
Tuesday, October 6, 2020
Suggested Events:
- 6:30pm: Book of the Dead – Wicked Tales and Wandering Ghosts
- 6:30pm: Virtual: New Zealand: Penguins, Parrots and Pods (grades 6-Adult)
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for more events!
Want to have your online or in person event, class, or workshop featured with Hilltown Families? Inquire at info@hilltownfamilies.org.
PUMPKIN, WINTER SQUASH, & GOURD SEASON
Pumpkins and winter squashes are a traditional harvest in New England. This time of year in Western Massachusetts, you’ll find a locally grown varieties being sold at roadside stands, co-ops, and local farms. Memories of pumpkin games at town festivals, the smell of winter squash baking with cinnamon and nutmeg, and gourds decorating dining room tables and front porches conjured up a connection to place through the seasons. Let’s use this local harvest to guide our learning about art, science, and culinary arts today’s learning module.
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Discover virtual & adapted programming in our 2020/2021 Class Directory for Western MA!
Wednesday, October 7, 2020
Suggested Events:
- 3:30pm: Creative Ballet and Dance Making
- 4pm – Creative Lettering (Every Wed until Nov 4)
- 4pm – After-School Adventures: Virtual Nature Detectives (Every Tues until Oct 28)
- 4pm: Storytime for School-Aged Kids: “Whose Shoes?” (Every Wed until Dec 23)
- 5pm: DIY Cold Frame
- 6pm: Marine Ecology
- 6:30pm: The Grotesque 10: Amazing Architectural Sculpture from Ten American Colleges & Universities
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for more events!
Want to have your online or in person event, class, or workshop featured with Hilltown Families? Inquire at info@hilltownfamilies.org.
BLUEJAYS & THE AMERICAN CROW
Bluejays and American crows fill the late September soundscape with their jeers and caws, warning one another of migrating broad-winged hawks overheard. The grey squirrel’s kuks & quaas can be heard from the branch-highway of oak, aspen, and maple trees they scurry upon, as these deciduous trees slowly begin to drop their leaves. These are some of the sounds and movements of late summer and early autumn. Paying attention to our soundscape changes as we move through the seasons anchors us in the present moment and allows for investigation and appreciation. Take the time to stop and observe, seeing what thoughts and curiosities arise when you pay attention to your soundscape. Why are bluejays so quiet in the summer but not in the fall? How does the fall hawk migration influence their behavior? Can you tell the difference between a male and a female bluejay? How about crows? Do you know how long they live? Let these questions lead your learning this week, following your interests and connecting with the seasonal changes and behaviors of native species.
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Find what you’re looking for in our 2020/2021 Preschool & Daycare Directory for Western MA!
Thursday, October 8, 2020
Suggested Events:
- 8am: Music & Movement Facebook Live Recording (Every Thurs until Nov 19)
- 12:30pm: Lebanon: Restive Past, Uncertain Future Travel with Amy Dane
- 1pm: Holyoke Farmers Market Opening Day & Beyond! (Every Thurs until Oct 29)
- 4-9pm – The Incredible Naumkeag Pumpkin Show (Every Wed-Sun in Oct)
- 4pm – Virtual Nature’s Nursery Series
- 4:30pm – Cooking the Harvest for Kids, Fall Edition (Every Thurs until Oct 29)
- 7pm: YA Virtual Book Group
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for more events!
Want to have your online or in person event, class, or workshop featured with Hilltown Families? Inquire at info@hilltownfamilies.org.
APPLE SEASON
Apples, one of the earliest (and most delicious) signs of fall, have been an essential part of New England agriculture for centuries. McIntosh apples are undeniably the most iconic of New England’s apples and makeup over two-thirds of the region’s apple crop! Macs and countless other delicious and fascinating varieties of apples are grown at orchards across western Massachusetts. Families can enjoy this year’s apple crop by visiting an orchard to pick or purchase a bushel. Participate in the tradition of apple-picking and support local agriculture! Check with these local apple orchards for picking conditions and opportunities this year: Park Hill Orchard (Easthampton), Outlook Farm (Westhampton), Bear Swamp Orchard & Cidery (Ashfield), Quonquont Farm (Whately), Clarkdale Fruit Farms (Deerfield), and Bashista Orchards (Southampton). Before heading out, learn about the history of the apple pie, and then while visiting these properties, take a picnic lunch and read Robert Frost’s “After Apple-Picking” and William Cullen Bryant’s “The Planting of an Apple-Tree.”
“Have you ever walked into a grocery store and wondered where all the varieties of apples came from? You might find SnapDragon, Pixie Crunch, Cosmic Crisp, Jazz, or Ambrosia next to the more familiar Red Delicious and Granny Smith. So why are there so many types? Theresa Doud describes the ins and outs of breeding apples.” – TED-Ed
Now that you’ve learned about the different types of apples in your grocery store check out these apple recipes from our contributing writers, integrating culinary arts and kitchen math into your apple lessons this month: Apple Chutney & Apple Cake.
Discover virtual & adapted programming in our 2020/2021 Class Directory for Western MA!
Friday, October 9, 2020
Suggested Events:
- 3pm: Virtual Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
- 4-9pm – The Incredible Naumkeag Pumpkin Show (Every Wed-Sun in Oct)
- Check Hilltown Families Facebook event page for more events!
Want to have your online or in person event, class, or workshop featured with Hilltown Families? Inquire at info@hilltownfamilies.org.
AUTUMN FOLIAGE
Fall in Western Mass is when nature literally takes center stage; a destination visitors outside the area flock to because of the gorgeous dynamism of the season. The trees and their changing foliage are great connectors for kids (in a sense they connect to themselves!) to the outdoors and their sense of place. In this change lies a wonderful community-based educational opportunities tied to art and science. Read our post, Autumn Leaf Collecting Supports Art & Science, to see how you can get your kid hooked on fall by collecting, creating and learning in their own backyards! Also check out these videos to support learning about botany, chemistry, and ecology through the lens of fall foliage!
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Hilltown Families’ list of Suggested Events is supported in part by grants from the Amherst, Bernardston, Buckland, Chester, Gill, Goshen, Hadley, Heath, Hinsdale-Peru, Holyoke, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, New Salem, Northern Berkshire, Pelham, Plainfield, Rowe, Shelburne, Shutesbury, South Hadley, Springfield, Washington, Westhampton, and Windsor Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
