iBerkshires.com - The Berkshires online guide to events, news and Berkshire County community information.

'WHEN HOPS WAS KING'
Stephentown, 2 p.m.

Roger Savoy, owner of Homebrew Emporium and the Emporium Farm Brewery in Defreestville, N.Y., will talk on "When Hops Was King," a history of New York hop growing, at the Stephentown Heritage Center, 4 Staples Road.

Free and open to the public. For information or directions: 518-339-6485.

THURSDAY - APRIL 10, 2025

BCC: LEAH PENNIMAN EARTHSEED SPEAKER SERIES
Pittsfield, 2 to 3:30 pm

Leah Penniman, food justice activist and co-founder of Soul Fire Farm, speaks on reclaiming ancestral connections to land and ending racism in the food system.Location: Koussevitzky Arts Center, Room K111, at Berkshire Community College. Free and open to the public

TRIANGLE, A TALE OF LOVE AND DEATH
Pittsfield, 7 p.m

Local author and Berkshire Eagle columnist, Ruth Bass, will introduce her latest novel, which explores what happens when a man discovers that the younger woman he is supporting is also seeing another man. This is Ruth's 5th novel. A Q&A session will follow her talk, as well as a book signing. This is free, at the Berkshire Eagle, and sponsored by the Friends of the Berkshire Athenaeum.

FRIDAY - APRIL 11, 2025

GROWING BEAUTIFUL NATIVE GARDENS

Adams, 10:00 am - Noon

Learn how to turn your landscape at home into a wildlife-friendly paradise with guest presenter Liz Stell, who designed Pleasant Valley's pollinator garden. This program is primarily indoors but may have a short outdoor component at the end to explore plants on-site. For more info: 413-637-0320 / berkshires@massaudubon.org Who: Adults Where: Greylock Glen Outdoor Center Gould Road, Adams, MA 01220 Cost: Members $20, Nonmembers $25 Link to register: https://www.massaudubon.org/programs/pleasant-valley/96618-growing-beautiful-native-gardens

MONDAY - APRIL 14, 2025

ADDRESSING ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME & FRAUD WORKSHOP
Pittsfield, 9am-2pm

The Berkshire County District Attorney’s office and New England State Police Information Network (NESPIN) are hosting a tuition-free, half-day workshop on topics related to Organized Retail Crime (ORC) and Financial Fraud. This training is geared toward Law Enforcement, Asset Protection staff, Financial Fraud criminal investigators, and Legal professionals.

The workshop is at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, MA from 9am to 2pm. A light breakfast will be offered from 8am to 9am. Lunch will be provided.

Speaker topics include organized retail crime, financial crimes, legislation related to ORC and financial crimes, and active frauds effecting businesses and banks.

Questions:

James Hall, Organized Retail Crime Specialist, Berkshire District Attorney's Office

James.J.Hall@mass.gov, 413.443.5951 ext. 120

WEDNESDAY - APRIL 16, 2025

WM. ARTHUR GALLUP AND THE ARNOLD PRINT WORKS, 1870-1926: AN EPIC OF AMERICAN INDUSTRIALISM

North Adams, 6 p.m.

In his fifty years leading Arnold Print Works, a world-renowned textile manufacturer, Arthur Gallup's business & community influence transformed North Adams, and helped usher in the region’s golden age of manufacturing. Under Gallup’s leadership, the company grew to employ 3,000 in a 26 building complex, as the Arnold label became synonymous with the highest standard of textile quality & design in the industry. Mr. Gallup was widely admired for his broad community support and philanthropy. Join Samuel M. Trudel, Arthur Gallup’s great grandson, and a graphic designer & historian, as he discusses his recently published two-book companion series covering Arnold Print Works history between 1868 and 1942 with an engaging presentation including important never before published photographs of the company’s operations, samples of original Arnold Print Works fabrics, family photographs and letters. 3rd floor community room. All are welcome. This event is co-hosted with the North Adams Historical Society. Any questions, please email Assistant Library Director Ryan Miller at rmiller@northadams-ma.gov, or give us a call at (413) 662-3133. The North Adams Public Library is located at 74 Church Street, North Adams, MA, 01247

WEDNESDAY - APRIL 23, 2025

SAFE DRIVING WORKSHOP - SHIFTING GEARS
Lenox, 1:00pm

Presented by Mass DOT. Lenox Town Hall. Tops include: Warning signs of unsafe driving, Age-related changes that impact driving, rules of the road including vulnerable road users, distracted driving and the Move Over law, driving assessment programs, planning for driving in your retirement years, REAL ID info, transportation options in your community. Hosted by Lenox Chief of Police Stephen E. O'Brien.