Featured Events, Resources, & Opportunities

Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity Hosts 2021 Gingerbread Build at Home! Register a team by 12noon on Wednesday, December 1, and pick up your gingerbread kit on Saturday, December 4. Contestants will have six days to construct their dream confectionery dwellings and submit three photos to gingerbread@pvhabitat.org by Thursday, December 9 at midnight. Log in Saturday, December 11 at 3pm for a live virtual award ceremony. A minimum donation of $100 is required per team; additional fundraising is encouraged! For more information and to register, go to www.pvhabitat.org/events/gingerbread-build. Questions? Contact Amy Landry at amy@pvhabitat.org. Thank you for supporting the building of real houses for real families in western Massachusetts.

In June of 2021, the Center School moved to a beautiful brand new building, situated on 30 acres of land to explore. Admissions season is underway, and the school is booking more tours than ever. Valley families are drawn to the Center School’s approach– weaving justice, joy, collaboration, innovation, and love into a unique educational experience. If you’re looking for a school where kids are immersed in 21st Century curriculum and in the timeless world of nature and play that is so essential to childhood, visit www.centerschool.net to learn more and to book an in-person tour today! Please email Lauren Obregón, Director of Admissions and Outreach, at l.obregon@centerschool.net with any questions.

List of Weekly Suggested Events

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Self-Directed Learning: Apple Cider

The customs and holidays of traditional communities worldwide were designed to strengthen the connection between humanity and the natural world. For example, wassailing refers to the ancient tradition of visiting apple orchards in the West Country of England to bless and honor the apple trees. The word “wassail” itself is derived from the ancient Anglo-Saxon greeting “wæs þu hæl” or “be in good health.” People would greet the trees, give them offerings of bread and cider, and sing songs to them. A famous example of a wassailing song is as follows: “Here’s to thee, old apple tree, / Whence thou mayst bud / And whence thou mayst blow! / And whence thou mayst bear apples enow! / Hats full! Caps full! / Bushel—bushel—sacks full, / And my pockets full too! Huzza!” In this custom, it is important to recognize that traditional communities felt obligated to give something back to the natural world. Its gifts were not merely resources that we are entitled to exploit or exhaust as we choose. Let’s give thanks and celebrate the season by learning through the lens of apple cider!

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Self-Directed Learning: Native American Heritage Month

“November is National American Indian Heritage Month, a time to pay tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans. What started at the turn of the century as an effort to gain a day of recognition for the significant contributions the first Americans made to the establishment and growth of the U.S., has resulted in a whole month being designated for that purpose.” Visit nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov to discover many events, resources, and opportunities for learning and participating during National American Indian Heritage Month, including educator guides, audio/video, and a calendar of events.

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Self-Directed Learning: Wool & Fiber Art

New England was the center of the American textile industry in the 18th and 19th centuries. We can still see the impact of this industry on the land, in the stone walls in the middle of the forests that were once cleared for merino sheep to graze, in the old mill buildings that we can find in nearly every town in the region. What could be a better place to celebrate wool and fiber arts than locally here in Western MA? With the colder months upon us, warm wool is essential in New England, and fiber art activities like knitting and weaving often occur during these darker times. Through the lens of wool, let’s learn about local history, the science of wool, shearing, weaving, manufacturing, and fiber arts.

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Self-Directed Learning: Storytelling

The story creates the world. Storytelling is one of the oldest human activities. Given that many oral storytelling traditions rely heavily on gestures and cave paintings, it is possible that storytelling even predates language itself. For the indigenous Australians, storytelling is understood as a devotional ritual and a way of engaging with the landscape. As British author Bruce Chatwin wrote in his 1987 book Songlines, “the labyrinth of invisible pathways which meander all over Australia […] are known to Europeans as ‘Dreaming-tracks’ or ‘Songlines’; to the Aboriginals as the ‘Footprints of the Ancestors’ or the ‘Way of the Lore’. Aboriginal Creation myths tell of the legendary totemic being who wandered over the continent in the Dreamtime, singing out the name of everything that crossed their path – birds, animals, plants, rocks, waterholes – and so singing the world into existence.” Thus, telling the songs and stories, which identify and affirm the land and the spirits, is meant to keep the world together. In the present, we may ask ourselves what kind of world our stories create. Get curious with your family and share stories this holiday season and beyond!

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Self-Directed Learning: Games

Games are universal. Every human community in history has had some game played by children and adults. When you think about it, it’s no surprise that in addition to fun, games teach us a lot about positive social interactions. Games teach problem-solving, dramatically increase communication skills, foster cooperation, and reduce stress. Establishing a family game night can also be a great way to build new family traditions while supporting learning at home.

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Self-Directed Learning: Cutlery

Learn at home by getting curious about everyday items! What is the history of knives and forks? Who invented them, and how did they impact society and influence modern-day behavior? Check out The History of Spoons, Forks, and Knives to discover the history of cutlery, and get curious about the origins of your utensils!

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Self-Directed Learning: Pies

Humans have been eating pies for thousands of years. Pie recipes have been recovered from ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Some of these early pies were simply designed as portable containers for meat or dairy, but many were surprisingly similar to the pies we would recognize today. Learning about the history of food extends our connection to the culinary and pastry arts. It also opens up pathways for discovering new interests… like botany. Take the Apple Pie into consideration and think about the different apples that we could select for dessert. Not all apples are made the same. Why? What’s different? Why are some better for pies and others are better for eating out of hand? Learn about the varieties of apples and which ones would be better for your pie… and why! Also, sweet potatoes and pie pumpkins make delicious pies for the holidays!

Weekly eNewsletter

Online and in-person events and resources shared above 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.

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Hilltown Families’ list of Suggested Events is supported in part by grants from the Agawam, Amherst, Bernardston, Buckland, Charlemont/Hawley, Chester, Chesterfield, Chicopee, Colrain, Dalton, Deerfield, Easthampton, Gill, Goshen, Greenfield, Hadley, Hatfield, Heath, Hinsdale/Peru, Holyoke, Huntington, Leyden, Montgomery, Mt. Washington, New Salem, Northern Berkshire, Northfield, Palmer, Pelham, Plainfield, Rowe, Shelburne, Shutesbury, South Hadley, Southampton, Springfield, Tolland, Tyringham, Westhampton, Windsor, and Worthington Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.