2025 Programs
Wednesday, January 8
9:15 AM Socializing/Business
10:00 AM Program
Topic: Let’s Think Spring: Birds to Look for as the Winter Ends
Speaker: Nicaela Haig, Mass Audubon Naturalist based at Pleasant Valley
Place: Berkshire Botanical Garden
Mtg Coordinator: Lenore Sundberg
Hostess Committee: *Lenore Sundberg, Vaunie Graulty, Jane Shea
The beginning of the year is a great time to start thinking about the warmer months. From woodcocks to warblers, join Mass Audubon naturalist Nicaela Haig in a multimedia presentation exploring the live of birds in the Berkshires from late winter through the early spring month. Learn which birds are arriving or passing through, where and when to find them, and find out more about the fascinating lives of a few featured species. Nicaela will also share tips and resources you can use to help birds from your own backyard.
* Please RSVP to Head Hostess Lenore Sundberg at plsundberg@roadrunner.com or 413-358-1589
Wednesday, February 5
9:15 AM Socializing/Business
10:00 AM Program
Topic: Environmental Preservation in Our Own Backyard: the Housatonic River Clean-Up
Speaker: Marilyn Wyatt
Place: Berkshire Botanical Garden
Mtg Coordinator: Barbara Goldberg and Janet Egelhofer
Hostess Committee: *Jeanne Davidson, Bobbie Anne Salinetti, Margot Towl
Marilyn is a member of the PCB Advisory Committee advising the Lee Select Board on matters related to the remediation of the Berkshire Country’s only Superfund sites, the Housatonic River. She’ll offer information about the origin of the pollution; the complication negotiations between General Electric, the Environmental Protection Agency, and area towns about the clean-up of the reiver; the current state of the play; and what you and the Lenox Garden Club can do to help.
*Please RSVP to Head Hostess Jeanne Davidson at j.davison5@verizon.net or 413-243-2661
Wednesday, March 12
9:15 AM Socializing/Business
10:00 AM Program
Topic: Taking a Second Look at Cannabis
Speaker: Amy and Gail Hepworth
Place: Berkshire Botanical Garden
Mtg Coordinator: Judy Zahn
Hostess Committee: *Abbie Shoobs, Mary Stodden, Carolyn King
7th Generation Hepworth Farms, represented by Amy and Gail Hepworth will be speaking about the family’s farm They primarily produce organically grown fruits and vegetables, but since 2019 have grown cannabis. So, fasten your seatbelts for the second half of our program as we travel down Memory Lane. Dig deep in the back of your closet to find those well-worn denim bellbottoms and much-loved tie-dye T-shirts and join the experience. Unfortunately, jump ahead a few years….and our needs and wants have changed – therefore the focus of their talk will be age appropriate on the uses of cannabis and CBD for sleep, anxiety, and pain management.
*Please RSVP to Head Hostess Abbie Shoobs at afs1091@gmail.com or 201-207-2545
Wednesday, April 2
10:00 AM
Topic: French Gardeners’ Breakfast
Place: Orleton Farm, Home of Mary Waller
31 Prospect Hill Road, Stockbridge
Hostess Committee: *Angela Cason Hickey, Lynn Edelstein, Mary Howard, Kathy Tremblay, Sheila Schectman
Please come and celebrate “Le Printemps” at the French Gardeners’ Breakfast!
*Please RSVP to Head Hostess Angela Cason at angelacason@gmail.com
Wednesday, May 7
2:00 PM Socializing/Business
2:45 PM Program
((PLEASE NOTE THE REVISED TIME and mark your calendar)
The change of time from 10:00 to 2:00 was necessary due to the ongoing preparations for the plant sale and a previously scheduled art class. We hope this new time is not an inconvenience for you.
Topic: Foraging for Edible Mushrooms
Speaker: John Wheeler
Place: Berkshire Botanical Garden, The Center House
Mtg Coordinator: Mary Howard
Hostess Committee: *Pamela Sandstrom, Sarah Boyd
The Berkshire Mycological Society Group was founded in November 2017, and hosts a group of 2,556 followers. Mushroom research has led to the development of such drugs as penicillin, streptomycin and tetracycline as well as others. They are also wonderful to forage for and to eat, but they can be poisonous. John Wheeler, who leads this group, will guides us through a presentation of mushrooms, how to identify which are edible and which are poisonous. In addition, John leads a mushroom walk on Sunday mornings from May through November when attendees can forage for mushrooms in different locations in the Berkshires.
We encourage you to bring a few mushrooms from your yard or neighborhood for identification.
*Please RSVP to Head Hostess Pamela Sandstrom at sandstrp@pfw.edu or 413-623-2350
Wednesday, June 4
11:00 AM Gathering
Noon Luncheon
Topic: Annual Meeting and Luncheon
Place: The Lenox Club
Hostess Committee: *Cynthia Tindale, Janet Pumphrey (understudy), Diana French, Mary Copeland, KK Zutter, Sharon Cooper, Suzanne Yale
MEET! CELEBRATE! VOTE! CONGRATULATE! And of course, enjoy a beautifully prepared LUNCH!
*Please RSVP to Head Hostess Cynthia Tindale at cynthia.tindale@outlook.com 718-309-4443
Wednesday, July 9
2:00 PM Socializing/Business
2:30 PM Program
Topic: OASIS is OUT! Organic is In!
Speaker: KK Zutter and Kimberley Crocker
Place: Berkshire Botanical Gardens, The Center House
Hostess Committee: *Beth Levin, Mary Jane Piazza, Jacqueline Connell
KK Zutter and Kimberley Crocker will discuss alternative “green” options for supporting plant material in floral design. They will demonstrate methods (Ikebana/Sogetzu, weaving, etc.) and display tools (flower frogs, kenzan, etc.) to create the structure of 4 uniquely different designs in containers like those you may have at home. At a later date, KK and Kim will offer a workshop in which members are invited to bring their own container and plant materials, wedging material, kenzan, etc. There you can make a design using these techniques. Kim & KK will stand by to help.
*Please RSVP to Head Hostess Beth Levin at godiva_designs@yahoo.com or 513-967-7275
Wednesday, August 13
9:15 AM Socializing/Business
10:00 AM Program
Topic: The Life of a Beekeeper – month to month
Speaker: Doug Wilcox
Place: Berkshire Botanical Garden
Mtg Coordinator: Bobbianne Salinetti
Hostess Committee: *JoDare Mitchell, Carol Williams, Anna Smith
Come along with us as Doug Wilcox, a local beekeeper, takes us on his monthly journey as a beekeeper. Learn the importance of these little winged insects and their vital roles in pollinating our gardens and crops. Let’s put our bee bonnets on and join Doug in exploring and learning the fascinating life of a honeybee. And to add to the fun, we encourage everyone to bring a decorated bonnet in a bee theme and enter to win something sweet! After this meeting who knows . . . we might even make a beekeeper or milliner out of you!
*Please RSVP to Head Hostess JoDare Mitchell at jodaremitchell@hotmail.com or 917-969-3184
Wednesday, September 10
10:00 AM
Topic: Field Trip
Speaker: Will Conklin, Director of Greenagers
Place: April Hill (Greenagers); 62 N., Undermountain Rd. South Egremont, MA
Mtg Coordinator: Mary Spina
Will Conklin will lead a tour of April Hill, the home of the Greenagers, which is a non-profit organization that employs many teenagers and young adults in environmental, conservation and trail-building skills, Will Conklin will speak about farming and growing with youth in the age of climate change and will walk garden club members around the farm. You will learn how these hard-working young adults are being trained to be future leaders in the fight against climate change.
*Please RSVP to Mary Spina at casaspina@aol.com or 413-496-1574
Wednesday, October 1
9:15 AM Socializing/Business
10:00 AM Program
Topic: Berkshire Agricultural Ventures (BAV)
Speaker: Rebecca Busansky
Place: Berkshire Botanical Garden
Mtg Coordinator: Mary Spina
Hostess Committee: *Wendy Mackey, Liz Murray, Jeanie Knisely
Berkshire Agricultural Ventures (BAV) is dedicated to supporting local farms and food businesses in the heart of our community. These farms provide more than food; they steward our land, strengthen the rural economy and create opportunities for us all. But with growing challenges like climate change and food insecurity, farmers need support to remain resilient. In this talk, Rebecca, along with one or two farmers, will explore how BAV works to address these challenges and what we can do to build a more sustainable and equitable food system. Come learn about BAV’s work and discover how you can make a difference!
*Please RSVP to Head Hostess Wendy Mackey at wwmac45@gmail.com or 857-636-0876
Wednesday, November 5
2:30 PM Business (NOTE TIME!)
3:00 PM Program
Topic: Appetizer Swap
Speaker: Miriam Rubin
Place: Berkshire Botanical Garden ~ Center House Kitchen
Mtg Coordinator: Paula Gimblette
Hostess Committee: *Sally Set, Susan Moor
Your taste buds are in for a treat. Join the prominent food writer and author, Miriam Rubin, who will share her favorite appetizers with us. And we are encouraging members to participate in our appetizer tasting and recipe swap by bringing your favorite appetizer to share with our membership. This is perfect timing for next month’s holiday entertaining – you’ll be prepared with many new appetizers to woo your holiday gang! So, please plan to join us in a pre-holiday social.
*Please RSVP to Head Hostesses Sally Set or Susan Moor at swset60@gmail.com or 413-537-2042
susanmmoor@gmail.com or 617-441-0013
Wednesday, December 10
3:00 PM
Topic: Holiday Gathering
Place: TBD
Hostess Committee: *Mary Lou Bradley, Marilyn Wyatt (understudy), Alison Atlas, Mary Manning, Cynthia Danforth, Jacqueline Connell
Join in for a joyous holiday. Details to follow.
*Please RSVP to Head Hostess Mary Lou Bradley at mlbaparis@mac.com or 914-523-9311
