Dave Long of Maiden Flower Farm, 8/26/09

Dave Long, a local business owner and strong supporter of BerkShares was our guest on Local Biz for August. Dave is co-owner with Asa Hardcastle of Zenn New Media, a software company located in Great Barrington, and also operates a small family farm in Housatonic with his family, called Maiden Flower Farm. Both businesses accept BerkShares and Dave and family have no trouble whatsoever spending the BerkShares they take in.

Dave has a long-standing understanding of and appreciation for local currencies and a locally supported economy that began in the 1980s when he met and spent a great deal of time with Bob Swann and Susan Witt, who founded the E.F. Schumacher Society in South Egremont. He was involved with the first local currency effort in the southern Berkshires, the Deli Dollars created to help Frank Tortoriello, proprietor of the beloved Deli that was in Great Barrington for so long, to help with the expense of moving the location of his restaurant in Great Barrington. Despite the widespread global media interest at the time, that effort didn’t take, so when the current program of BerkShares was launched Dave immediately became a strong proponent.

Listen to the Local Biz show featuring Dave by clicking on the link below. And as always, if you know of a business owner who trades in BerkShares who you would like to hear on this show, let us know. We'll see if we can arrange it.
Dave Long of Maiden Flower Farm, 8/26/09

Steffen Root of Berkshire Bike & Board, 9/30/09

Steffen Root, co-owner with partner Dave Clark of Berkshire Bike & Board, and Local Biz radio show co-host, was our special guest in September. Steffen usually asks questions of other local business owners, and this time it was his turn.

There was a slight glitch at the beginning of the show so we weren’t able to record the first part and instead are joining in mid-conversation. Please be patient … it will all make sense as you listen. We start out by talking about the 3rd birthday of BerkShares and an event that was held at the Route 7 Grill in early October, in part to celebrate the occasion, and in part as a regular monthly Green Drinks event, one that is sponsored by The Orion Society.

Then we join Steffen as he shares some interesting history of how he and Dave came to own the business, along with some great insights on how they operate the business and how they work with BerkShares. He talks about using them both professionally and personally, and the importance of keeping them in circulation. He is quick to say that he has never deposited a BerkShare in the bank, instead keeping them in a safe place until he has occasion to spend them.

Listen to the Local Biz show featuring Steffen by clicking on the link below. And as always, if you know of a business owner who trades in BerkShares who you would like to hear on this show, let us know. We'll see if we can arrange it.
Steffen Root of Berkshire Bike & Board, 9/30/09

Sean Stanton of North Plain Farm, 6/24/09

Sean Stanton, who runs North Plain Farm and Blue Hill Farm, both located in Great Barrington, was our guest on Local Biz in June. Sean has been farming for about 8 years and began because he wanted to know where his food was coming from. Originally he farmed and raised only his own food, for his own family, then expanded when he realized he could raise food for others as well.

He raises chickens for both eggs and meat, pigs, has a small dairy operation and grows 16 different varieties of heirloom tomatoes. He sells mostly wholesale to the Farmer's Market in Great Barrington, Guido's in both Great Barrington and Pittsfield, the Berkshire Co-op Market, Rubiner's, Allium and Castle Street Cafe, all in Great Barrington, and the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge. And as a result of the expansion to Blue Hill Farm he also sells to two Blue Hill Restaurants, in Westchester County and New York City.

North Plain Farm on Route 41 heading north out of Great Barrington has a very casual farm stand located in the boot room of the main farmhouse. There's non sign (one may come within the year), but everyone is welcome to stop by. Payment, in either BerkShares or Federal Dollars, is on the honor system. You'll find a fridge, a freezer and a money box.

He can and does sell the raw milk from his Normandy cows, but only from the farm due to Massachusetts laws. He has long range plans to make cheese with the milk so we can look for to that someday in the hopefully not-too-distant future.

Listen to the Local Biz show featuring Sean by clicking on the name of the show above. And as always, if you know of a business owner who trades in BerkShares who you would like ot hear on this show, let us know. We'll see if we can arrange it.

Nancy Fitzpatrick of Red Lion Inn, 5/27/09

Nancy Fitzpatrick, who oversees the daily operations of the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, was our guest on Local Biz in May. Nancy is different from our other guests to date in that she is also very involved with several other businesses, including the Elm Street Market in Stockbridge, Jacks Grill in Housatonic, and the Porches Inn in North Adams, among others. She made an excellent guest on Local Biz because all of these businesses enthusiastically accept BerkShares. She is also a partner in the women’s clothing shop Evviva in Lenox and invites their customers to ask them to accept BerkShares as well. They’d be happy to do it if the demand is there.

Nancy and Steffen had a great conversation about how neither of them has ever put any of their BerkShares back into the bank, preferring to spend them and keep them circulating. They both agreed that with very little effort they were able to spend them, which is the ultimate goal. And for the record, they both take in fairly sizable quantities.

Nancy shared that she took her 2008 bonus in BerkShares and then did her Christmas shopping with them. Some of the Red Lion Inn staff does a good deal of business travel, and they all agree to accept at least a portion of their reimbursed expenses in BerkShares. She uses them for advertising, printing, local food from local farmers for her restaurants and more.

In addition to being actively involved in all of the above-mentioned businesses, Nancy is also chair of the Berkshire Creative Economy Council, which strongly supports the very wide-ranging businesses that make up our creative economy and definitely embraces BerkShares.

Listen to the Local Biz show featuring Nancy by clicking on the link below. And as always, if you know of a business owner who trades in BerkShares who you would like to hear on this show, let us know. We’ll see if we can arrange it.
Nancy Fitzpatrick of Red Lion Inn, 5/27/09

Nancy Fitzpatrick is May's guest

This month’s guest on Local Biz, airing on Wednesday, May 27th at 9 am on WSBS AM-860, is Nancy Fitzpatrick, a second-generation hotelier whose family has owned the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge since 1968. For the last 15 years Nancy has overseen a hospitality business that includes The Red Lion Inn, Jacks Grill in Housatonic, Elm Street Market in Stockbridge and Porches Inn in North Adams.

In addition to her roles at the Red Lion and Porches, Nancy is vice chairman of The Fitzpatrck Companies, parent company of Country Curtains and Housatonic Curtain Company, a partner in Evviva in Lenox and a trustee of the High Meadow Foundation, the family’s private philanthropic foundation. In addition to family business pursuits, Nancy is the chair of the Berkshire Creative Economy Council, which supports and promotes all of the varied businesses that make up the creative economy in the Berkshire region. Berkshire Creative is a strong supporter of BerkShares and encourages their use whenever and wherever possible. Nancy is also involved with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the MASS MoCA Foundation and the Berkshire Natural Resources Council.

All of this is augmented and complimented by the fact that Nancy herself, both personally and in her businesses, is a strong and enthusiastic supporter of BerkShares, with the Red Lion, Elm Street Market, Jacks Grill and Porches all accepting them. We are looking forward to spending some time chatting with her next Wednesday morning, May 27th after the 9 am news on WSBS AM-860. We hope you join us!

Lester Blumenthal of Route 7 Grill, 4/29/2009

Lester Blumenthal, owner of the Route 7 Grill on Route 7 south of Great Barrington was the guest in April on the Local Biz show. Lester spoke about the farm to table thrust of his restaurant and how he strives to buy as much locally grown and raised food as possible.

He accepts and spends BerkShares as often as possible and is looking for a local supplier of chickens who can keep him supplied and who will also accept BerkShares. Anyone out there? Contact Lester at 413-528-3235 or check out his website at http://www.route7grill.com/.

Lester is offering a BerkShares discount - 10% off your meal only when you use BerkShares on Thursdays until summer begins, so grab your BerkShares and head to the Route 7 Grill on Thursday for some great local food and wonderful camaraderie!

Listen to the Local Biz show featuring Lester and Route 7 Grill by clicking on the link below. If you know of a business owner who trades in BerkShares that you'd like to hear on this show, let us know. We'll see if we can arrange it.

Route 7 Grill, Lester Blumenthal, 4/29/2009

Robin Curletti From Fuel Coffee Shop, 3/25/2009

Robin Curletti of Fuel Coffee Shop joined the show in March to talk about her great local hangout on Great Barrington's Main Street. Fuel accepts BerkShares and offers some of the fondly-remembered "Deli" sandwiches from days of yore: The Zonker Harris is still one of the favorites! Robin offers a special BerkShares deal: a 2 BerkShare large coffee, so stop in today! Enjoy the coffee, the food and the atmosphere.

Hear Robin on Local Biz by clicking on this link:

Fuel Coffee Shop, Robin Curletti, 3/25/2009