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