Our BerkshireTimes Magazine

Dec - Jan 2013, vol 5 Take One, It's Free!

Our BerkshireTimes™

Community News | Local Events | Personal Growth | Vibrant Living

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Special Winter EventsTo see more events or to post your event for free go to www.OurBerkshireCalendar.com

Holiday Reception 2012Date: Sat, Dec 8, 2012, 2-4 pmPlace: DeVries Fine Art International, Inc., 62 Church Street, Lenox, MA - (413) 637-3462Price: Free. “A Festival of Angels,” our 2012 Holiday Reception. The gallery is open from 11am-4pm; reception is from 2-4pm. Featuring bronze sculptures and pastel drawings of angels. Light Refreshments. Come meet the artist! www.andrewdevries.com

Shire City Sanctuary Holiday SaleDate: Sat-Sun, Dec 8-9, 2012, 10am-6pmPlace: Shire City Sanctuary (the former Notre Dame Church), 40 Melville Street, Pittsfield, MA (413) 236-9600 One of the largest special events being held at Shire City Sanctuary in 2012 is the Holiday Shindy. Forty strikingly accomplished, mainly regional, artist/makers are working tirelessly to stock their coffers for our festivities. www.shirecitysanctuary.com

Holiday Craft Sale - West Stockbridge Date: Sat-Sun, Dec 8-9, 2012, 10am-4 pmPlace: Cafe Space, Old Train Station, Depot Street, West Stockbridge, MALocal artists: Ben Evans (ceramics), Jess Fitzgerald (jew-elry), Margie Skaggs (ceramics), Emily Wilson (weaving).

Tragicomedia - A Baroque Holiday CelebrationDate: Sun, Dec 9, 2012, 2pmPlace: Mahaiwe Performing Art Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA - (413) 528-0100Price: $42/$32. Tragicomedia offers the repertoire of the Italian Cantata with its unique constellation of leading instrumentalists and singers presenting rarely heard baroque instruments. Tragicomedia, Baroque Ensemble; Stephen Stubbs, director. www.cewm.org

Norman Rockwell: Humorous Tales and Little Known FactsDate: Fri, Dec 14, 2012, 2:30pmPlace: Norman Rockwell Museum, 9 Rte 183, Stockbridge, MA - (413) 298-4100Price: Free with Museum admission, members free. Celebrate Norman Rockwell’s unique brand of humor during this engaging, enlightening series

exploring the artist’s adventures in illustration, with Curator of Education Tom Daly. www.nrm.org

Dede Wilson, Bon Appetit Contributing Editor at Verdigris Tea in HudsonDate: Sat, Dec 15, 2012, 6pmPlace: Verdigris Tea, 135 Warren Street Hudson, NY (518) 828-3139 Price: Free. Come hear Bon Appetit’s Contribut-ing Editor Dede Wilson as she discusses tips and techniques for making two of America’s favorite things: doughnuts and – the newest dessert rage – cake balls. This well-known food expert has made frequent appearances on TODAY, Dr. Oz, and the Home Shopping Network. www.VerdigrisTea.com

The Elf ExpressDate: Sat-Sun, Dec 15-16, 2012, check for timesPlace: r.k. Miles, 670 Depot Station, Manchester Center, VT - (802) 362-1645Price: Adults: $25 Children: 2-13, $20 Under 2 Free (advance ticket sales only) This whimsical 2012 holiday train will leave r.k. Miles Depot Station taking its riders on a one-hour enchant-ing journey through the Green Mountains of South-ern Vermont. Holiday melodies, dance routines by the elves of the theater and dance program of Burr and Burton Academy, hot chocolate and button cookies will be provided. Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus will make a surprise visit to provide every child with a special gift. Buy tickets at www.ManchesterLionsElfTrain.com.

Nowell We Sing ClearDate: Sat, Dec 22, 2012, 7:30pmPlace: Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School Auditorium, 35 West Plain Rd, Great Barrington, MA (413) 528-4015Price: Donation. Nowell Sing We Clear is a four-member musical group that performs an annual yuletide concert including yuletide stories and music, and often a Mummers Play. This is a fundraiser for the GBRSS eighth grade, with a donation suggested. www.gbrss.org

Hoffmann Bird Club Field Trip South Berkshire Christmas Bird Count

Date: Tue, Jan 1, 2013, 7amPlace: Location TBA, Lenox, MA (413) 637-0320Price: Free. Join a team and welcome the new year with some winter birding. Contact René Laubach (637-0320, [email protected]) to sign up or for more information about time and place. www.hoffmannbirdclub.org

Yoga and Deep Relaxation Retreat: The Gift of Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra with Jennifer ReisDate: Fri-Sun, Jan 11-13, 2013Place: Kripalu Center, 57 Interlaken Road, Stockbridge, MA - (800) 741-7353For all levels. Experience deeper levels of inner free-dom than you ever imagined possible, giving your-self permission to rest, balance, restore, and tap into new sources of energy. This nourishing retreat is the perfect combination of revitalizing yoga postures, breathing, hand mudras, and the profound healing rest called yoga nidra. www.kripalu.org

Mornings @ MatrushkaDate: Sat, Jan 26, 2013, 10:30amPlace: Matrushka Toys and Gifts, 309 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA - (413) 528-4015Price: Free. Delightful puppet plays for pre-K and toddler-age children, presented by an experienced Waldorf early childhood teacher. www.gbrss.org

GBRSS Science Fair and School Open HouseDate: Wed, Jan 30, 2013, 7pmPlace: Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School, 35 West Plain Road, Great Barrington, MA (413) 528-4015Price: Free. In their independent science fair projects, GBRSS middle school students partner with a mentor to explore their chosen topic from Earth Science, Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy, or Biology via experiment, exploration, or project. Come hear students demonstrate their outcomes; a fascinating way to learn how children learn. School tours also available (please call ahead). www.gbrss.org

Linda Dockey Graves, www.lindagravesartist.com

ContentsDecember - January 2013

About Us

R

1

Our BerkshireTimes™

By Melody Lea LambIs Melody an artist who can also talk to animals – or a lover of fur and paws who draws like a dream? The combination has led to some interesting life circumstances, from teaching art in a chicken coop to composing watercolors on horseback.

Having done her time at art school and the gallery scene, Melody now paints miniatures in the Berkshires while tending to a husband, a horse, three cats, two kids, and a dog. She donates 10 percent of all her art sales to animal charity. You can read more about Melody on page 2 of this issue and purchase her affordable miniature masterpieces at www.MelodyLeaLamb.com, www.MiniatureAnimalArt.com, Etsy, and more. You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

3 Art, Culture & Entertainment Event Sampler

4 Food & Drink Conscientious Meat-Eating

Roast Pork Pate Recipe

6 Home & Garden The Power of Incremental Change

7 Education & Workshops Learning as Natural as Breathing

10 Animal Talk Animal DREAMS Feline Rescue

11 Our Berkshire Marketplace

14 Health & Wellness The Healing Power of Detoxification

Is Breast Thermography the Answer?

12 Community Spotlight Stockbridge, MA – An Incredible History

PUBLISHERKathy I. [email protected]_______________

EDITORIALKathy I. [email protected]

Rodelinde [email protected]

Copyeditors/ProofreadersRodelinde AlbrechtPatty Strauch_______________

DESIGNMagazine Design/LayoutKathy I. Regan

Ads–Independent DesignersKatharine Adams, Rural Ethic [email protected]

Christine [email protected]

Elisa Jones, Berkshire Design [email protected]

Shirley Sparks, Graphic Design on a [email protected] _______________

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGERPatty [email protected]______________

EVENT COORDINATORPatty [email protected]_______________

CONTACT Our BerkshireGreen, Inc.P.O. Box 133, Housatonic, MA 01236Phone: (413) 274-1122, Fax: (413) 541-8000www.OurBerkshireGreen.comwww.OurBerkshireTimes.comwww.OurBerkshireCalendar.com

COVER ILLUSTRATIONS & PAGE 1

18 Directory of Advertisers

NEW! Follow Us On

Our BerkshireTimes™ is an Our BerkshireGreen™ publication. We are dedicated to supporting our local economy and creating an ever-expanding, unified network of community-minded individuals, businesses, and organizations in our area. We give more than 75,000 readers per issue the opportunity to connect, share knowledge, and inspire one another through our publication, networking events, and growing online services.

Our bimonthly publication (six issues yearly, starting in February) is free to the public and distributed throughout western MA, northern CT, eastern NY, and southern VT, and is enjoyed by community members, second home owners, and visitors alike.

Most of our editorial content is contributed by our community members. We welcome your ideas, articles, and feedback, and encourage you to submit original material for consideration through our website. You will find complete instructions on our online form.

Our popular networking events are held at fine locations throughout our region. There is no admission charge or reservation required for most events, and you will find great company, interesting speakers, delicious free appetizers, and a cash bar.

It’s all about community! To find out more about advertising, submitting editorial, attending one of our popular free networking events, and posting events on our free community calendar, see our websites at left, and join our mailing list to receive our free monthly eNewsletter.

All content in Our BerkshireTimes™ is accepted in good faith. We do notnecessarily advocate and cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by our authors, illustrators, and advertisers. We reserve the right to refuse advertising for any reason. For printing errors of the publisher's responsibility, liability is limited to the cost of the ad space in which it first appeared. Unless otherwise noted, we use a Creative Commons License in place of a standard copyright.

2 Publisher's Page Publisher Letter

Good Tidings: Awakening in 2013

The Art of Melody Lea Lamb 11 In Business

11 Fashion & Beauty

17 Mind & Spirit

19 Featured Advertisers Tell Them You Saw Them in

Our BerkshireTimes!

10 Back to Nature

1Berkshire (a collaboration of the Berkshire Chamber, Berkshire Visitors Bureau, and

Berkshire Creative) believes that 2013 will be a year known for expansion and growth - great news for all of us who live, work, play, and create in the region! With recent funding from the State, 1Berkshire has a renewed commit-ment to economic development throughout the Berkshires. ~ Lauri Klefos, President & CEO, Berkshire Visitors Bureau, Pittsfield, MA. 1berkshire.com, www.berkshires.org

Nonprofit organizations in the Berkshires should make sure to submit an applica-

tion for a GoodWorks Grant from GoodWorks Insurance, a leading agency in this region that makes substantial financial contributions every year to help tackle issues related to healthcare, education, and public safety. Eligible nonprofits that would like to be considered should send an email to [email protected] or call (413) 528-5509 ext. 117. ~ Nat Worden, Vice President, GoodWorks Insurance

Berkshire Taconic Community Foun-dation (BTCF), which works to improve

the quality of life for area residents through charitable giving, has reached two milestones: the Foundation will turn 25 this December

and it has reached $100 million in grants to the community. BTCF’s community leadership ini-tiatives address important local issues such as affordable housing, emergency economic as-sistance, and support for nonprofits. In 2013, the Foundation will launch a new initiative to address the needs of young children from birth to 5 years. ~ Jennifer Dowley, President, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Sheffield, MA

The Women’s Interfaith Institute in the Berkshires (WII) celebrates 20 years as an

organization and now hosts its monthly potluck programs at the First Congregational Church of Stockbridge. WII is comprised of women of different faiths and diverse traditions who practice their beliefs through dedicated action. Monthly potluck programs are opportunities to learn about different traditions and faiths, deepen conversation, and find new ways to reach out to the community. WII’s theme for 2012/2013 is “Sustainable Peace.” ~ Alison Gaines, Stockbridge, MA. www.womensinterfaith berkshires.org, wiiberkshires.blogspot.com

~ Susan Jameson is the founder of Human-ity in Concert, and the co-founder of Healing Winds and the Rock, Rattle & Drum Pow Wow. www.HealingWinds.net

Good Tidings

Awakening to Our Full Potential in 2013 By Susan Jameson

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2 December / January 2013 www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

Good Tidings is celebrating the opportunity to awaken to our full potential as individuals, as a community, and as a humanity. With a confluence of cosmic cycles all beginning anew, I believe 2013 promises to be a year of transition, renewal, expansion, and

growth. Below are four quotes from organizations in the Berkshires committed to human and economic development, pioneering refreshing new concepts, launching new initiatives, and tak-ing dedicated actions to reach and connect with our community. Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, and may Good bless you now and always!

The Art of Melody Lea Lamb – Miniature Masterpieces and Tiny Treasures

M elody Lea Lamb’s vibrant, de-tailed, lifelike miniature paintings of woodland animals and whimsi-

cal fairies (as well as a wide array of other creatures great and small) capture the vitality and essence of her subjects. Working mainly with a combination of rich-toned colored pencils, India ink, and acrylic, Melody’s love of art, animals, and nature is evident (see our cover art this issue).

This talented artist grew up in Bakersfield, CA, went to college at Sonoma State University, and then continued art training at Maine College of Art. Melody is married, has two teenage kids, and currently lives and works from her home in North Egremont, MA. She has been painting collectible, diminutive, 3.5 inch x 2.5 inch works of art, known as ACEOs (Art Cards, Editions, and Originals) for more than eight years.

In addition to the ACEOs, Melody has illus-trated the children’s book Moonlight Memoirs, writ-ten by teen author Maggie Mei Lewis (which has won multiple awards and is now in its second print-ing) and is currently working on her second book, Thomas and Autumn, written by Jana Laiz. She also creates unique collectible art gifts including holiday card sets, pendants, ornaments, tiles, beaded art, magnets, and bookmarks. There is even a pocket gallery of Melody’s art for your iPhone – this app reached the #20 most popular spot out of 4,334 the very first week it launched!

An avid runner, Melody regularly supports worthwhile animal charities by racing in the annual Memorial Day 10K Race, Run for the Critters, in Le-nox, MA. The next race, on May 26, 2013, will benefit Old Dog Haven, www.olddoghaven.com. Become a sponsor at www.MelodyLeaLamb.com/critters.html.

Come meet Melody, celebrate the holidays, and collect her miniature art at The Magic Fluke Company, 292 South Main Street, Sheffield, MA, on December 8 and 15, at 10am-3pm. Also see her work on Etsy, Art Fire, Zazzale, and at www.MelodyLeaLamb.com.

“When I begin a painting of a particular animal (or land-scape) I find myself becoming slowly and completely enamored with God’s perfect creation. With each stroke I am more in awe of this spirit and throw myself into capturing what inspires me. It’s a process filled with heart and my hope is that I can convey at least some of this feeling.” ~ Melody Lea Lamb

O O

From the Publisher

Are you passionate about what you do? Are you

excited about sharing your knowledge and the joy you experience with others? That is what Our BerkshireTimes is all about, and that is why most of the editorial we choose to publish is contributed by you, our community members. Our BerkshireTimes is the voice of our community.

My personal interests are family (my husband Kevin is a cabinetmaker and I have a seven-year-old daughter, Brianna), vibrant living, and small business. But whether your passion involves the arts, health & wellness, educa-tion, building & landscape design, kids & family, or food & farming, I believe that amazing things can happen when community members with diverse interests connect with one another and share their knowledge and creative, posi-tive energy. And the best part is that it’s contagious!

Whether you live in our beautiful Berkshire region year round, are a second home owner, or just enjoy visiting the area when you can, we look forward to learning more about you, sharing stories, and discovering our common goals and values. Do you have something to share? Please go to www.OurBerkshireTimes.com and submit your material through our convenient online editorial form. I also encourage you to connect with us on Facebook.

This is a time of awakening – a time of expansion, growth, and change. I am deeply grateful for being able to connect with you through Our BerkshireTimes at this time. I wish you peace, joy, good health, strength, and fulfillment during the holiday season and throughout the upcoming New Year. Blessings.

Kathy I. ReganOur BerkshireGreen Publishing(413) 274-1122, [email protected]

www.OurBerkshireTimes.com December / January 2013 3

Art, Culture & Entertainment

Holiday FairDate: Sat, Dec 8, 2012, 11am-4pmPlace: Mountain Road School, 4565 County Road 9, New Lebanon, NY - (518) 794-8520A holiday fair with fun for the whole family - local artisans with fine handcrafts, tiny treasures room for the little ones, children’s seasonal games and crafts, gourmet cafe for hungry tum-mies, a visit from pocket lady, and much more. www.mountainroadschool.org

Berkshire Grown Holiday Farmers’ MarketsDate: Sat, Dec 15, 2012, 10am-2pmPlace: Muddy Brook Regional Elementary School gymnasium, 318 Monument Valley Road, Great Barrington, MAPrice: Free. Locally grown, produced, and prepared food for the holiday table from farm-ers and food producers in the region, includ-ing produce, cheese, eggs, meat, poultry, bread, pies, and other baked goods, plus pickles and jams. www.berkshiregrown.org

A Christmas CarolDate: Sat-Sun, Dec 15-16, 20-23, 27-30, 2012, 7:30pmPlace: The Colonial Theatre, 111 South Street, Pittsfield, MA - (413) 997-4444Price: $25-$50. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens - adapted and directed by Eric Hill. Pittsfield. www.berkshiretheatregroup.org

The Elf ExpressDate: Sat-Sun, Dec 15-16, 2012, check for timesPlace: r.k. Miles, 670 Depot Station, Manchester Center, VT - (802) 362-1645Price: Adults: $25 Children: 2-13, $20, Under 2 Free (advance ticket sales only). This whimsi-cal 2012 holiday train will leave r.k. Miles Depot Station taking its riders on a one-hour enchanting journey through the Green Mountains of Southern

Vermont. Holiday melodies, dance routines by the elves of the theater and dance program of Burr and Burton Academy, hot chocolate and button cookies will be provided. Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus will make a surprise visit to provide every child with a special gift. Buy tickets at www.ManchesterLionsElfTrain.com.

Annual Messiah SingDate: Sat, Dec 22, 2012, at 4pmPlace: First Presbyterian Church, 4th Street and Warren, Hudson, NY - (518) 828-7513Price: $8.00 advance/$10.00 doorCelebrate the season by singing the Christmas portion of Handel’s Messiah (plus the Hallelu-jah Chorus, of course) with family, friends, and neighbors! Join this nonsectarian, festive annual holiday tradition – listeners welcome, too!www.claveracklanding.org

Comic Creations!Date: Wed-Sun, Dec 26-30, 2012, 1-5pm.Place: Norman Rockwell Museum, 9 Route 183, Stockbridge, MA - (413) 298-4100Price: Free with Museum admission, members free. Envision your own story lines and design unique comic book characters during this lively series of drop-in art workshops inspired by the work of comic book master Alex Ross. Super-man, Batman, Wonder Woman, and other favor-ite superheroes will be on view! www.nrm.org

Reiki Healing ExchangeDate: Tues, Jan 22, 2013, 6:30pmPlace: TriYoga Berkshire, 1224 North Main Street (Rt 7), Sheffield, MA - (413) 854-3177Price: $3 suggested donation. Welcoming all hands-on healers (Reiki or other modalities), as well as anyone interested in learning energy work, to share in a delightful exchange of healing ener-gies together. On the fourth Tuesday evening of every month! www.triyogaberkshire.com

December - January Event Sampler To see more events or to post your event for free go to

www.OurBerkshireCalendar.com

My house is my refuge, an emotional piece of architecture, not a cold place of convenience. Luis Barragan

Dana Bixby Architecture www.danabixby.com 413-232-7834

SBennington Area Chamber of Commerce(802) 447-3311 • www.Bennington.com

Around the WorldFestival of TreesBennington Museum

BenningtonMuseum.org

The BenningtonWinter Festival& Penguin PlungeNorth BenningtonBennington.com

The DowntownHoliday FestivitiesDowntown BennintonBetterBennington.com

Enjoy Winter Fun and Bennington's Holiday Spirit!

1. Register 2. Fill in your event information 3. Post!

OurBerkshireCalendar.comit’s smart ✓ it’s popular ✓ it’s fun ✓ it’s free ✓

and it’s extremely easy to use ✓It’s YOUR calendar.

See what’s happening around town. Advertise your events for free!

will give you instant gratification!

www.OurBerkshireCalendar.com

A Whimsical Holiday Trainis arriving in Manchester, VT

December 15th & 16th

to purchase ticketswww.ManchesterLionsElfTrain.com

The Elf Express ™

Food & Drink


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40 Main St • Lee, MA • 413-394-5046

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KITCHEN GARDENING:The Ultimate in “Locally Grown”

Save Money. Eat 100% Organic All Year Round.No Soil! No Green Thumb Required! Coupon OBG10 for $10 off!Steve Meyerowitz, Sproutman | 413-528-5200 | Sproutman.com

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On our farm the lambs are born in spring. They grow on summer’s green, green grass. In the fall and

winter they are our food, and we eat them. To-night, while barbequing lamb sausage, I was looking out over the pasture while my hus-band moved the sheep. They were baaing, and the flock was sprawled out in a great, bucolic chain across the hillside following their shep-herd. Our flock is small. Needless to say, with children around, each sweet new lamb gets a name. Tonight I grilled Cartman, a big, strong guy that we’ve known since he was a baby.

When people hear that we are meat farmers they often say something like “I don’t think I could eat an animal I raised.” This always strikes me as funny, because I can’t imagine eating an animal that I didn’t raise. As a mat-ter of fact, until we became meat farmers, I didn’t eat meat. At the age of seven, I became a vegetarian, citing animal rights and environ-mental issues (I was a kind of intense kid).

It took more than two decades for my veg-etarianism to wane, but in the past several years, as our meat production grows, so too does my meat consumption. Here’s a brief explanation of why: As a vegetarian I often turned to beans, soy, and dairy for protein. Most beans and soy are grown half a world away, mainly in China, which means that while they are more energy efficient to produce than meat, they have an enormous carbon footprint due to transportation. Our animals (and their food) are grown right here in our valley. And dairy operations (for the ovo-lacto vegetarian) are rarely as picturesque as the side of a milk

carton would have you believe: Many have deplorable conditions, and most young dairy bulls are fed into the commercial veal market, which isn’t known for animal welfare. I’m guaranteed (and so are you) that the animals at Climbing Tree Farm live well, because we’re taking care of them, and their welfare matters to us, the farmers. In short, if I am concerned with the environment and with animals being treated justly, it makes sense for me to raise my own protein in the form of meat. (We do grow soy in our garden too, but there’s only so much edamame you can eat!)

Does it feel weird to eat an animal, with a name, that you raised from infancy? I would be lying if I said “no.” It’s really weird, but anything turns weird if you think about it enough. At dinner tonight, our five-year-old son asked whether we were eating Cartman. When we said yes, his re-sponse was, oh, he’s good. Our society has been so divorced from meat production for so long that we forget that meat is animals. My hope is that as people become more involved with local, small farms, we will remember that meat comes from real animals on real farms. And that more people will choose farms, like ours, where the farmer’s kid calls his lamb sausage by name.

~ Schuyler Gail and her husband, Colby, own and run Climbing Tree Farm in New Lebanon, NY. They raise pork, lamb, poultry, eggs, and two small children on pasture. Read more about their farm at www.Climbing TreeFar m.b log spot.com.

Conscientious Meat-Eating

By Schuyler Gail

5 www.OurBerkshireTimes.com December / January 2013

Food & Drink

320 Main Street • WilliaMStoWn Ma413-458-8060 WildoatS.coop

Food You Can Trust

www.SullivanStationRestaurant.com

Visit our historic landmarkRailroad Street, Lee, Massachusetts

(413) 243-2082

Live Entertainment on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights

Sullivan Station RestaurantOpen for lunch & dinner Tuesday through Sunday

Host your special event in our historic location or let us cater at your home

Vegan, Gluten-free, Vegetarian upon request

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Coarse Country Roast Pork Pateor “Rillettes De Porc”

By Martha Montgomery

If you like roast pork flaking off the bone, you might enjoy this hearty appetizer. It can also be used in a sandwich or on picnics. Active prep time is about 15 minutes. Recipe may be multiplied and preserved frozen.

Ingredients¾ pound unsalted pork fat (optional) or high quality fatty bacon (optional)2 pounds boned blade steak of pork (or other inexpensive cut)1 clove garlic½ cup water½ teaspoon dried sage or a large sprig of fresh sage, mincedsalt and pepper to taste

InstructionsPreheat oven to 275ºF or set up crockpot on low.Cut the pork fat or bacon into strips.Cut up the pork shoulder – fine dicing makes less work later but isn’t necessary.Peel and crush garlic.Cut up sage if using fresh, discarding stems.Put all ingredients into a heavy crock with tight lid, or into a crockpot, and bake until the pork is tender – about 4-5 hours.Strain the meat mixture in a fine sieve over a bowl to reserve the liquid.Allow the fat to separate from juice in the bowl. Chill to remove.Pound the meat with a mallet or shred with two forks till the consistency of

coarse pate. Press tightly into one large or several small ramekins.Return the non-fatty juice to the pork if desired.Melt the reserved fat and pour over the pate to serve as a preservative, if desired,

or cover tightly with plastic wrap.

Keep for up to one week in the refrigerator or freeze till serving time. Serve at room temperature with warm, crusty baguette.

~ Martha Montgomery, AIA, LEED AP, is an avid cook and an architect at Montgomery Ark. She is the mother of farmer and writer Schuyler Gail of Climbing Tree Farm, whose pork is used in this recipe, and whose article can be found at left.

Shop and Dine Local!

December / January 2013 www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

6

ou’re busy, right? If you’re nodding your

head, then the answer is yes and we have something in com-

mon: not enough time. And perhaps the sense that large things

can’t be created or conquered because we don’t have the big time they require.

I offer a simple solution: Make intentional ten-minute efforts every day.

This idea was born out of necessity in my life. During a recent summer, I was still in the la-bor-intensive phase of raising my young son. I longed to put in a flower garden, but as a single parent with neither partner nor family nearby, time for such endeavors did not exist. Still, I wanted that garden.

So one day, I bought a six-pack of impatiens and upon returning home, I got out of the car, dug one hole and planted a single flow-er. Then I went inside to attend to the many things that needed my attention. I left the oth-er flowers in their container at the edge of the grass. And for the rest of the day, I could feel that one flower singing. All day long.

Something had happened: I was back in the flow of possibility. Step by step, flower by flower, and day by day, I created a garden that knocked me out with its beauty. I never spent more than ten minutes on it, because I never had more than ten minutes. Nonetheless, its magnificence was the single most sustaining element of my world that summer. Every day, its beauty soothed and inspired me. I would look down on it from the window above and feel proud, accomplished, and . . . sane.

Not only was the garden itself incredible, but every time I looked at it, I was reminded that I could make things happen, even with very small amounts of time. The flowers became my cheer-ing squad, encouraging me to remember this new blueprint for action. I no longer felt at the mercy of my situation, and the joy I experienced inspired me to apply the technique to other cor-ners of my life. It was a quiet, daily revolution.

And what I learned was this:

Ten Minutes a Day isSeventy Minutes a Week,

Two Hundred Eighty Minutes a Month,and Sixty Hours a Year.

Let me say that again. Ten Minutes a Day is Sixty Hours a Year.

Imagine spending sixty hours this year pursu-ing the experience you have dreamt of for so long, but never felt you had the time for.

Imagine spending sixty hours this year con-quering the tasks that you constantly avoid.

Imagine spending sixty hours this year learn-ing a new language, doing yoga, writing a nov-el, practicing an instrument, singing, growing your own food, or finally, finally cleaning out that cruddy basement or reorganizing those closets. Then, imagine what else you might be doing, having accomplished all of that.

Imagine.

Try inviting your life forward with this mode of action. Take ten minutes right now and write down three things you long to do but think you don’t have time for. Then choose something from the list and dive in.

For Ten Minutes.Each Day.

For Seven Days.

After a week, check in with yourself. I guar-antee you will find yourself in a new swing of activity. Something will have shifted. You will be gently mobilized in a way that makes continuing feel like a breeze.

You will have made something happen and learned you can make it happen. In ten min-utes a day. ~ Laurie McLeod (writing as Lorne Holden) is an award-winning artist and author living in the Berkshires. You can reach her at [email protected] and order her book through www.makeithappenintenminutesaday.com.

Home, Garden & Landscape

Wahida Janice Young413.281.1804

www.youngfengshui.com [email protected]

ca r e e r abundanc e l o v e happ in e s s

The Power of Incremental ChangeBy Laurie McLeod (writing as Lorne Holden)

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www.HartsvilleDesign.comTraditional Creative Original Design

Custom Cabinetry Fine Furniture Staircases

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Hartsville DesignWoodworking

CountrytownMarble & Tile

518-325-5836Approximately 1 mile East of Hillsdale traffic light

5 East Hill Lane (corner of Rt 23), Hillsdale, NYMonday through Friday 8:30 – 4:30 • Saturday 9 – 3

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Education & Workshops


Did you know? Rather than adhering to a single edu-cational philosophy, teachers at the Mountain Road

school in New Lebanon, NY, draw from many great teach-ers and approaches, including Maria Montessori, Rudolf Steiner, John Dewey, Vygotsky, Piaget, and the schools of Reggio Emilio and Wilderness Awareness. As a result, their curriculum has depth, variety, and the ability to engage children meaningfully in the learning process.

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Where you belong.

Preschool through Grade 9 Stockbridge MA BerkshireCountryDay.org

Berkshire Country Day School

“Joining BCD mid-year was the right choice for our family - there was no reason to wait!”

HANDS-ON SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION

Sustainability tours by appointment:

• Ecological wastewater treatment• Wind and solar energy• Organic gardening• Composting & recycling• Sustainability Education Experience

Days (SEEDs) for grades 7-12

Fourth Annual Sustainability Symposium: April 23, 2013

Darrow is a college-preparatory, coed, boarding and day school for grades 9–12

located on the Massachusetts–New York border. 518-794-6000 • www.darrowschool.org

Call or email to set upyour campus visit today!

[email protected] (413) 528-4015, ext.106

To learn more visit, www.gbrss.org

Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School

January Openings for Pre-K and Kindergarten

Curiosity, imagination and the ability to think creatively— the basis of a healthy and lively intellectual life—

take root in early childhood.

P a r e n t - B a b y • P r e - K • K i n d e r g a r t e n1 s t - 8 t h g r a d e • S u m m e r P r o g r a m s

35 West Plain Rd, Great Barrington, MA 01230

A day in pre-k and kindergarten at the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School is a rich progression of activities, flow-

ing from one to the next, hallmarked by natural transitions and the fulfilling consistency of a cherished routine. For instance, after being qui-etly absorbed in a puppet show, the children expand into free play and full-body movement; similarly, their daily, all-season nature walk is followed by a more focused indoor activity such as watercolor painting or chopping veg-etables for soup. Steiner teachers describe these classroom rhythms as “in-breaths” and “out-breaths.” Like the essential act of breathing, a healthy rhythmical balance to their day allows children to feel nourished, centered, and fully engaged in life. A strong rhythm also allows children to relax and learn.

“Young children are happiest living in the moment,” says teacher Jo Valens. “Our whole purpose as early childhood teachers is to be with them in the moment, because that’s when learning happens.”

Young children learn through imitation, imagi-

nation, and integration of their initiative through activity. At the Steiner School, the children’s days are designed to take full ad-vantage of this age-appropriate learning. The curriculum nourishes the child’s physi-cal, emotional, and intellectual development and fosters the basic skills necessary for later academic excellence, such as sequencing, sensory integration, eye-hand coordination, task-focus, listening, and appreciation for the beauty of language.

A Steiner early childhood teacher’s gift to her students is to create a sense of wonder, rever-ence, and play that makes each day a delightful journey to the next level of learning. She does this by providing opportunities for the children to learn through the senses, through discovery in and out of the classroom, and through being part of a community. Children develop balance, initiative, creativity, and imagination. They ex-perience goodness and beauty, and learn how to care for the world and one another. This is the work of early childhood; to fulfill it is to provide the strongest possible base for joyful lifelong learning. Visit www.gbrss.org.

Learning as Natural as Breathing By Robyn Coe


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There are few things that say contentment better on a cold day than a cat snug-gled in front of a woodstove or soak-

ing up the sun’s rays on a windowsill. Such blissful repose is even more special if we’re aware that the cat was once a starving, shiver-ing waif just trying to survive outdoors in the Berkshire winter, so frightened or traumatized that it spent most of its hours in hiding. All of Animal DREAMS’ rescued cats fall into this category. We know their histories because we were the ones who saved them.

Thirteen winters ago, I was thrust into the role of feline rescuer quite by happenstance, when I discovered a tiny wild kitten huddled next to a dumpster in downtown Great Bar-rington. It’s not that I didn’t want to help – I had been an animal lover and veterinary technician for years, so helping animals was in my nature – but the kitten wouldn’t let me get close. It was feral (born wild), and as I ap-proached, it fled. When I tried to find some-one or some group to assist me in my efforts, I was surprised to have door after door slam in my face. No agency, no animal control of-ficer, no animal shelter would go out to where cats like this lived. Cats living outdoors, and feral (untamed) cats in particular, fell through the cracks as far as help went. I had no choice but to take matters into my own hands.

My research led me to learn about the trap-neuter-return (TNR) movement. Before the advent of TNR, there were only two options: do nothing and walk away – leaving the cats to dumpster-dive for food, procreate, and die – or round them up to be killed. TNR is a humane and nonlethal way to manage the staggering number of cats forced to live outdoors because of abandonment, failure to spay or neuter, or indifference toward animal suffering.

Now, 13 years later, more than 3,500 Berkshire cats and kittens have been helped by Animal DREAMS (Dignified Rescues, Ed-ucation, Advocacy, Medical Services). Animal DREAMS is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) orga-nization. We are always in need of donations, volunteers, cat food and other supplies, and fellow cat lovers willing to speak up for these beautiful, misunderstood, and forgotten crea-tures. We are not an animal shelter; we are a rescue organization. We work in the trenches – going into barns, derelict buildings, alley-ways . . . the places these cats find refuge. We work in subzero temperatures, at night, and on weekends, and many of our emergency rescues involve injured cats. We rely on the community to help, since we receive no public funding or government support.

Every cat and kitten we rescue receives comprehensive veterinary care, including spay-ing/neutering and vaccinations as needed. Kit-tens, and adult cats who were once pets and can be adopted, are given loving home-fostering by volunteers. Feral cats who will be forever wild, and can therefore be returned to their home colonies (in a particular neighborhood or barn, for example), are provided food, water, and in-sulated sleeping boxes by dedicated caregivers.

To learn more about TNR, our rescued cats available for adoption, or to volunteer or drop off donations, call (413) 997-2287 (CATS) or stop by our headquarters at 441 North Street, Pitts-field, MA. www.berk shireanimaldreams.org

~ Yvonne Borsody is the founder and director of Animal DREAMS and a specialist in feline emer-gency rescue and TNR.

Animal Talk

440 Stockbridge Road • Gt. Barrington, MA

413-528-8020www.vcaallcaring.com

Please visit our website for current promotions and discounts,such as the Free First Exam for New Clients.

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Animal DREAMS Feline Rescue By Yvonne Borsody

940 MAIN STREET, GREAT BARRINGTON, MA 01230

CARING FOR PETS SINCE 1957

BENSDOTTER’S PET 413-528-4940

Your trusted source for quality foods

and supplies.

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Convenient Location with Ample Parking

on route 7 less than a minute south of Guido’s

Monday-Friday 10-6 Saturday 10-4 Sunday 10-2


Back to Nature

Cross Country Skiing andSnowshoeing with Amenities

� Warm up by the fi replace� Enjoy delicious mulled cider, hot chocolate and fresh baked goods� Taste any one of our wines for FREE Professionally groomed trails designed by Olympian John Morton.

Hilltop Orchards, home of Furnace Brook WineryOpen daily 9am-5pm508 Canaan Rd/Rt 295 • Richmond, MA 01254Snow conditions: 800-833-6274 / Hilltoporchards.comCheck website for details of full moon snowshoe treks!

SNOWSHOE &

SKI RENTALS

In BusinessOur Berkshire Marketplace


Genne M. LeVasseurCERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT

Business & Personal Accounting

P.O. Box 599, Hinsdale, Massachusetts Ph: (413) 655-8548, Fax: (413) 655-2059

Email: [email protected]

Fashion & Beauty

...the farm store off the farmExperience the Exquisite Luxury of Alpaca

Apparel, Accessories, Home & Hobby.Handcrafted soaps, jewelry, knits &

gifts from local artisans.

Always something new!

Meet the alpacas, visit the farm.Contact the shop at

20 Main Street, Millerton, NY518-592-1414

Hours: Th-M, 11:00-5:30Poseidon

Did you know? According to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (www.

mass.gov), a “Big & Growing” and “High Wages & Growing” cluster in the Berkshires has added more than 350 jobs in the past few years and is projected to grow 2.25% annually. Some 2.5 million visitors travel to the Berkshires each year.

MagnetsThese beautiful ceramic tile magnets, featuring paintings inspire by Van Gogh, make great stocking stuffers! These super-strong magnets measure 1 7/8” x 1 7/8” and are available for purchase at the CATA Boutique in Great Barrington, MA, and online. A set

of three magnets is $15. Community Access to the Arts (CATA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that nurtures and celebrates the creativity of people with disabilities through shared experiences in the visual and performing arts. Visit their boutique and online store for unique gifts at www.communityaccesstothearts.org.

OrnamentThis beautiful porcelain mouse Christmas ornament is printed with the image of Melody Lea Lamb's tiny painting. She created the original Christmas Mouse using colored pencil and India ink. The painting was a mere 3.5" by 2.5".

This flat oval-shaped ornament measures 2 7/8" across and is just over 1/8" thick. It is made of high-quality porcelain in a classic holiday shape with a red ribbon included. Each ornament is signed and dated by Melody and costs $13.99. www.miniatureanimalart.com

MonolaurinMonolaurin is a derivative of coconut and a powerful wide-spectrum antimicrobial agent, but it does not appear to have an adverseeffect on the good bacteria that live in our digestive tracts. Studies have found that numerous maladies – including the common cold and influenza as well as Epstein-Barr and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, shingles, and RSV –are lessened or eradicated by regular intake of monolaurin capsules. Monolaurin is a potential replacement for traditional herpes treatments, as it's been found to tackle herpes simplex virus 1 and 2. Be sure to consult your doctor. Request Monolaurin at your local health food store, co-op, or from your health care practitioner. List Price $16.95.

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Community Spotlight: Stockbridge

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It was the end of the ice age in North Amer-ica. The massive glacier that scoured our landscape had finally retreated. Abundant

plant and animal life returned to the Housa-tonic Valley rather quickly, geologically speaking. Mastodons and woolly mammoths roamed the turf, and human visitors known as Paleo-Indians followed their prey here. Little is known about these prehistoric Berkshirites, but they lived here at least seasonally. Radiocarbon dating of artifacts found near Kampoosa Bog in Stock-bridge indicate a Native American presence here at least 4,000 years ago.

For unknown reasons, the ancient aborigi-nal settlements were abandoned, but later the Housatonic Valley and surrounding hills became part-time hunting grounds for Mohican Indi-ans who drifted over from their Hudson River settlements. At some point after Henry Hudson first sailed up the Hudson River in 1609, the Mohicans established small, seminomadic, but permanent settlements here in South Berkshire.

The Stockbridge area was settled by a few Dutch traders in the early 1700s. Eng-lish missionaries then established a Christian mission and township here for the Mohican Indians who lived nearby. First chartered as Indian Town in 1737, the village was officially incorporated two years later as Stockbridge. Most importantly, the town was owned by the Mohicans. Only a few English families were allowed land titles – it was their “job” to ed-ucate the Mohicans about Christian life and convert them to a more “modern” lifestyle.

The Reverend John Sergeant became the first missionary in charge of the settlement. Most accounts suggest he was protective of the Mohicans, and tried his best to guard their inter-ests. Sergeant was succeeded in 1750 by Jonathan Edwards, a prominent Christian theologian.

Over time, trickery and legal maneuvers were used to separate the Stockbridge Indians from their land. Yet tribe members voluntarily served as American soldiers and patriots during the Revolutionary War. Despite the goodwill, honesty, and patience exhibited by the Stock-bridge Indians toward their white neighbors, they were generally treated poorly at home, and were later “encouraged” to relocate to New York state, and eventually to Wisconsin.

Stockbridge was also the home of Eliza-beth Freeman, a former slave who helped change the course of Massachusetts history. Also known as Mum Bett, she convinced attor-ney Theodore Sedgwick to file a freedom suit on her behalf. The trial served as precedent to a later case before the State Supreme Court, ef-fectively ending slavery in Massachusetts.

With the arrival of the Housatonic Rail-road in 1850, Stockbridge became more easily accessible to wealthy residents of New York and Boston. Visitors were initially attracted to the scenic beauty of the area, and decided to build their large “Berkshire Cottages” here. The most popular hotel in town, then and now, is the handsome Red Lion Inn, which has graced Main Street since the late 1700s (the exact date is subject to ongoing debate).

Stockbridge claims one of the first village beautification societies in the United States. Created in 1853, the Laurel Hill Association has worked hard to protect and improve the town’s scenic and cultural assets. The Stock-bridge Bowl Association strives to maintain and preserve the natural beauty of Stockbridge Bowl and the neighboring Bullard Woods.

During the latter half of the twentieth century, Stockbridge became well known as the home of artist Norman Rockwell. He painted many of his later works here, and was a beloved neighbor and friend to many Stock-bridge residents.

Stockbridge has two other hamlets within its township. Interlaken, once known as Cur-tisville, was home to one of the first practi-cal wood-pulp (used for newsprint) mills in the United States. During the early 1900s, St. Helen’s Home, an innovative summer retreat for poor city children, was also located here. Near the hamlet of Glendale, sculptor Daniel Chester French created the Lincoln Memorial statue at his studio and home called Chester-wood. The popular Norman Rockwell Mu-seum is also nearby.

Lesser-Known Historic Sites

There are so many amazing places to visit in Stockbridge! This abbreviated list features several of the less-publicized sites.

Cat and Dog Fountain: Set in a triangular park just west of the Red Lion Inn is an un-usual animal fountain. The stone canine and feline have been frolicking since 1862. Whim-sical sea creatures decorate the basin.

Stockbridge Library: Located on the corner of Main and Elm streets, this library is one of the oldest in Western Massachusetts. Better still, it is also home to an exceptionally interesting lo-cal history museum, which is found downstairs.

Watering Trough: This smiling gargoyle has been spitting water at the top of Elm Street since 1881. Originally designed for thirsty horses, the marble base reads: “Merciful man is kind to his beast.”

Stockbridge – An Incredible HistoryBy Gary Leveille

Community Spotlight: Stockbridge

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Soldier’s Monument: The bottom of Pine Street is host to a monument dedicated to lo-cal citizens who gave their lives to preserve the Union during the “Great War of Rebellion.”

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church: In addition to spiritual enrichment, this beautiful church of-fers a baptistery by Louis Saint-Gaudens, as well as special windows by La Farge and Tiffany.

Mission House: At Main and Sergeant Streets stands the Mission House. It was built for Rev. John Sergeant, the first missionary to the Mohican Native American Indians. Originally located on Eden Hill, the Mission House was moved to its Main Street site in the 1920s.

Sedgwick Pie: Located in the historic Stock-bridge Cemetery is the ancestral plot of one of Stockbridge’s most prominent and accom-plished families. Also buried here is Mum Bett (Elizabeth Freeman) whose legendary trial chal-lenging slavery took place in the Berkshires.

Children’s Chime Tower: Located in front of the old town hall near Main and Church Streets, the 1878 Carillon tower rings every evening between “apple blossom time and the first frost on the pumpkin” (now Memorial Day through Labor Day). The tower was built by prominent lawyer David Dudley Field to honor his grandchildren.

Indian Burial Ground Monument: The rough-hewn stone obelisk along West Main Street was quarried near Ice Glen and erected in the 1870s to commemorate the Mohican burial ground.

Ice Glen and Environs: Take Route 7 south and turn left at the gas station onto Park Street. Follow this road to the end. A lovely suspen-sion footbridge over the Housatonic River will lead you to three trails. The Mary Flynn trail is a paved walkway along the Housatonic River. To reach the other two trails, carefully cross the railroad tracks. The trail eventually forks. The right trail leads you into the mystical Ice Glen, complete with glacial boulders and old-growth trees. The left fork (a challenging hike) takes you up to Laura’s Tower where you will discover a magnificent three-state view.

Prominent Residents

Stockbridge has always been home to accom-plished citizens. Here are just a few of them:

Joseph Choate: Lawyer, diplomat, Ambassa-dor to the United Kingdom.

Jonathan Edwards: One of America’s most important eighteenth-century theologians.

Erik Erikson: Legendary developmental psychologist, psychoanalyst, and author.

Cyrus Field: The first to successfully lay a trans-Atlantic cable in 1866, revolution-izing communications between Europe and America.

Elizabeth Freeman (Mum Bett): One of the first slaves in Massachusetts to success-fully sue for her freedom. Mum Bett’s trial helped end slavery in Massachusetts.

Daniel Chester French: Sculptor of the Lin-coln Memorial and The Minute Man statue.

William Gibson: Novelist and playwright whose best-known work was The Miracle Worker.

Agrippa Hull: African-American patriot who served as an aide to General Tadeusz Kosciusz-ko during the American Revolutionary War.

Chief Konkapot: Eighteenth-century Sachem of the Mohican Native Americans during the early development of what is now Stockbridge.

Story Musgrave: Physician and astronaut who helped develop the Skylab program and flew on all five Space Shuttles.

Arthur Penn: Movie and theater director known locally for his Stockbridge-based film Alice’s Restaurant.

Norman Rockwell: Beloved artist and il-lustrator famous for his Saturday Evening Post covers.

Catharine Sedgwick: Perhaps the most nota-ble and popular female novelist of the nine-teenth century.

John Sergeant: First missionary and minis-ter to the Mohican Native American Indians. Viewed as a guardian and protector of the Indians.

~ Gary Leveille is the author of several books includ-ing Eye of Shawenon (Egremont history), Around Great Barrington, and Old Route 7 – Along the Berkshire High-way. Gary is principal of Berkshire Creative Commu-nications and has more than 30 years’ experience as a copywriter, editor, author, and newspaper columnist. He is also an avid local historian and manager of a vintage photo archive. www.BerkshireArchive.com, [email protected]


Health & Wellness

Hydro Health of Western Massachusetts

The Healing Power of Detoxification

T he Secret - If you are serious about healing, regenerating, and revitalizing your body, starting a detoxification

program will be the most important paradigm shift of your life.

The Reality - On a daily basis, we are ex-posed to and steadily accumulate disease-producing toxins through the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. Even negative emotions can add to our toxic load. In this age of environmental stressors, these toxins must be removed on a regular basis or we set ourselves up for chronic illness.

The Answer - Connie and her husband, Bruce, both I-ACT Certified Colon Hydro-therapists, own Hydro Health of Western Massachusetts. They can help you reduce your “toxic body burden” in their highly personal-ized, private, clean facility, using state-of-the-art FDA-approved equipment. The body uses many pathways to eliminate toxins. The path-ways that Hydro Health taps into are the gas-trointestinal tract, the lymphatic system, and the integumentary system (skin). The experi-ence is relaxing and restorative.

How It Began - After many years of suffer-ing with gut issues including colitis, constipa-tion, IBS, fatigue, and severe diarrhea (which at times left Connie unable to work), she con-sulted with numerous Boston doctors with no hope. She finally opened the doorway to heal-ing by adopting a grain-free diet and was in-troduced to colon hydrotherapy by a therapist in Kansas who had also regained her health after being chronically ill.

What We Offer Colon Hydrotherapy (Colonic-Lymphatic Enhanced Detoxification) - Many people are unaware that more than half of the detoxifi-cation and immune system for the entire body occurs in the gut. Colonics help remove im-pacted feces, parasites, intestinal flatus, and

cellular debris, and they cleanse and reju-venate the portion of the immune system that resides in the intestinal tract. As a re-sult, this therapy becomes a whole body tissue cleansing on a cellular level. Colonics can also help release the tension caused by emotional repression. The transverse colon passes through the emotional center of the body where many “undigested” emotions are stored. In fact 60 percent of the body’s neurotransmitters are found not in the brain but rather in the gastrointestinal tract.

Ozone Steam Sauna - Oxygen is a basic element of life, and ozone provides one of the best methods of supplying it to the body. Ozone acts as a nonspecific antibiotic, anti-viral, and antifungal agent. Health benefits include stimulating the immune system, en-hancing circulation, and purifying the skin. It is natural and relaxing, and does not have side effects. Ozone steam sauna therapy is a powerful method for increasing tissue and cell oxygenation, thus bringing about improve-ment in health and increasing longevity.

Far Infrared Sauna - Far infrared saunas remove toxins from the body unlike any other method of detoxification because of resonant absorption. Combining it with another heavy metal protocol, such as a chelating agent, pro-duces remarkable results. Sweat produced un-der normal conditions contains 97 percent water and 3 percent toxins on average. Sweat produced from a quality far infrared sauna is 80 to 85 percent water and 15 to 20 percent toxins. These toxins will also be expelled by the kid-neys, liver, and hair due to resonant absorption. Toxins excreted due to far infrared wave’s pen-etration include heavy metals, pesticides, and other petroleum-based chemicals, as well as fat itself. The additional health benefits are endless, including immune system enhancement, cardio-vascular conditioning, pain relief, and stress re-lief by triggering the production of endorphin, combating toxic overload, and more.

IonCleanse Foot Bath. IonCleanse detox-ifies and neutralizes tissue acid wastes inside the body.

Contact Information Concettina Collingwood and Bruce Collingwood, I-ACT Certified Colon Hydrother-apists, 51 Stearns Avenue,

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House Calls Available

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PRIVATE, DUET, AND GROUP CLASSWORKOUTS WITH HOLISTIC APPROACH

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Colon Hydrotherapy & Sauna TherapyColonic-Lymphatic Enhanced DetoxificationFar Infrared & Ozone Sauna Therapy

Concettina & Bruce CollingwoodI-ACT Certified Colon Hydrotherapists

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Energy In Motion Studio PILATES, YOGA, FITNESS

Movement for renewed energy, health and well-being. Focus onalignment, back care, sports performance; special needs welcome.

Private sessions or small group classes in a beautifully equipped studio.

Catherine Brumley West Stockbridge, MA 413-232-7838

Become the best version of yourselfWellness Bound CoachingKenly Brozman, LICSWCertified Health & Wellness [email protected] • 518-929-2050

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Winter’s Mystery Time To Go Within

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There is a great deal of understandable fear around breast cancer. One in eight American women will develop breast

cancer sometime during their lifetime. Risk fac-tors include family history, high density breast tissue, alcohol consumption, and obesity. A troubling array of environmental toxins and ex-posures also boost risk.

Mammograms Come Under Fire

Recent mainstream research and analysis has called into question the effectiveness of annual mammograms. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) now recom-mends mammograms every other year for women ages 50 to 74.

Experts interpreting the data are critical of the way the benefits of mammograms have been distorted. They are “oversold” and “the advantages of screening have been exaggerated,” according to the Ameri-can Cancer Society and the USPSTF leaders. Research shows that the benefits of mam-mography have been overstated while the potential harm – that i t could resu l t in over d iagnosis and unnecessary treatment of duc-tal carcinoma in situ, which poses no immedi-ate threat to a woman’s life – has been down-played. Furthermore, the question of what it means to be exposing sensitive breast tissue to repeated doses of ionizing radiation over 10 to 20 years or more will not be answered any time soon. Into this tangled web of unanswered questions around breast cancer screening and prevention enters thermography – a safe, rela-tively inexpensive technology, approved by the FDA in 1982 as an adjunct for evaluating breast cancer risk.

In Addition To, Not Instead Of

Before we go any further, let me state that I am in no way opposed to the use of mammo-grams. Like all such tools they need to be indi-vidualized. Evidence-based medicine was never intended to result in the slavish adherence to guidelines – yet that appears to be what many time-pressed doctors with insurance compa-nies nipping at their heels are currently doing.

Tumors Create Heat

Breast thermography, as the name suggests, de-tects heat, a defining feature of inflammation.

Breast tumors emerge in areas of inflammation. Due to their increased need for nutrients, tumors require increased blood vessel support. Ther-mography is good at picking up these changes, which may suggest early tumor activity.

Thermography identifies breast tissue at risk and allows for early prevention and ratio-nal surveillance, in conjunction with mammo-grams, breast ultrasound, and MRI, if neces-sary, plus timely office and self breast exams.

Thermograms can highlight the need for closer monitoring with mammograms and breast exams. Thermography is not intended as an alternative to mammograms. You should walk away from anyone who offers it instead of mammography. On the other hand, some women are simply dead set against mammo-grams, because of pain issues and/or concerns

over radiation exposure. For these, thermography may provide useful infor-mation beyond breast ex-ams, ultrasounds, or MRIs.

Good Reasons Why

Thermography is also suitable for young women under 45. Many younger women have breast tissue too dense for mammog-raphy. Young breast tissue

is also more sensitive to radiation. Thermog-raphy can clarify the need for biopsy when a mammogram is ambiguous. One may safely use thermograms to follow precancerous changes, without having to resort to excessive serial mammograms.

Thermography also offers the possibil-ity of monitoring for reversal of changes that may herald increased cancer risk, although we do not have any evidence that this guarantees eradication of cancer risk.

An abnormal thermogram can act as a wake-up call and an opportunity for true pre-vention – the type of nutritional and lifestyle measures we’re talking about are relatively in-expensive and have collateral benefits, reduc-ing risk for other common diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, depression, de-mentia, arthritis, and autoimmune diseases.

Perhaps most important of all, thermog-raphy can act as a powerful motivator for change. Its powerful visuals are invaluable in moving people to take safe food and lifestyle interventions.

The Problem with Thermography

Thermography is hampered by several obsta-

Health & Wellness

Is Breast Thermography the Answer?By Alan Inglis, MD

Dr. Goldman, a leading international figure in the practice and continuing education of Osteopathy, has been in practice in Sharon, CT since 1992. He now brings his extensive healthcare experience to Great Barrington and the surrounding communities.

As a certified specialist in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine and fully licensed physician, Dr. Goldman treats the whole person not just the symptoms by emphasizing the interrelationships of structure, function, and the ability of the body to heal itself.

call for appointment and informationconcerning treatment protocol

and insurance eligibility

Great Barrington, ma 413-528-3334 | Sharon, ct 860-364-5990

Alan Inglis, mdBoard Certified Internal Medicine

Integrative Medicine Consults• Early Prevention

• Diabetes and Weight Loss

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IV Nutrition and Chelation Therapy

Breast Thermography

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Deb Phillips, ldn, Nutritionist

For more information,call: 413-637-8921 or email: [email protected]

42 Summer Street, Suite 308 Pittsfield, MA 01201


Health & Wellness

Intuitive Counselor

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the beautiful Housatonic RiverIn the Flow and on the River

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Mind & Spirit

cles. It is not supported by a national consensus. Nor is its use subject to any sort of third party oversight. Its use is highly practitioner dependent and requires the sort of independent “out-of-the-box” thought process and time-consuming self-education that re-ceives little support in most health care settings.

Thermography lacks consistent standards for technology and interpretation, although there are reliable companies in the marketplace. Thermogra-

phy is not usually covered by insurance. This is due to a successful lobbying campaign conducted by the health insurance industry. Apparently thermogra-phy is also useful for evaluating injuries; its applica-tion resulted in higher payments to plaintiffs.

Breast thermograms currently cost in the $200-$300 range. Since the 1970s and 1980s, breast thermography technology and interpreta-tion has made significant advances. In the hands

of thoughtful doctors willing to self-educate, think for themselves, and individualize care, it of-fers the promise of a useful, potentially life-saving tool for women . . . along with the other tools at hand, including mammography.

~ Board certified in Internal Medicine, Dr. Alan Inglis is founder of a private solo medical practice called Integrative Health Solutions, located at 42 Summer Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201. (413) 637-8921. See ad on page 16.

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An affirmation is a strong, positive statement that something is already so. ~ Shakti Gawain, author of Living in the Light

Our BerkshireTimes

December / January 2013 www.OurBerkshireTimes.com

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Directory of Advertisers

Animals

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Art, Culture & Entertainment

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Berkshire Organics ............................................................................4Chez Nous Bistro ..............................................................................4Guido’s Fresh Marketplace ..............................................................4Hilltop Orchards - Furnace Brook Winery .................................10LaBonne’s Markets ...........................................................................5Pastorale Bistro & Bar ......................................................................4Sproutman® ........................................................................................4Starving Artist Creperie & Cafe ......................................................4Stockbridge Coffee ..........................................................................12Sullivan Station Restaurant ...............................................................5Wild Oats Market ..............................................................................5

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Health & Wellness

Andrew M. Goldman, DO ............................................................16

BLEND Solution ............................................................................18Calm Therapeutic Massage ............................................................15Dr Peter D May, LENS Neurofeedback ......................................15Energy in Motion Studio, Catherine Brumley ............................15Hydro Health of Western Massachusetts ....................................15Integrative Health Solutions, Alan Inglis, MD ...........................16Jacqueline Nicholas, Healer ...........................................................15Kent Mikalsen Studio .....................................................................15Lenox Village Integrative Pharmacy ............................................17Livingstone Dental Excellence ......................................................14Marion Bergan Irwin, Licensed Acupuncturist .........................15Matt Albert, Bodywork ...................................................................15Mikka Barkman, Native American Bodywork ............................15Ming Lash, Somatic Movement Therapist ..................................17Naomi Alson, Acupuncturist & Herbalist ...................................15NordiCare Physical Therapy, PC ..................................................17Reinventing Health Publishing ......................................................15Sproutman® ........................................................................................4Stram Center for Integrative Medicine ........................................15Susan Spiegel Solovay, Certified Medical Hypnotist ..................15TriYoga Berkshire ............................................................................17Veronique Rignault, Healing Ginger Therapy ............................17Wellness Bound Coaching, Kenly Brozman ...............................15WholePerson Movement, Sharon True .......................................15


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Mind & Spirit

AzureGreen ......................................................................................17Psychic Studio ..................................................................................17Sheilaa Hite, Intuitive Counseling .................................................17your soul path ..................................................................................17

NatureHilltop Orchards - Furnace Brook Winery .................................10

Real EstateKinderhook Group, Inc., Real Estate ........................................7, 13

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Health & Wellness (continued)

Special Thanks to Our Featured Advertisers

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