SHOPberkshires

Farmers markets … cheese markets … meat markets … best places to find local and interesting pottery! Featured markets and local specialties are recommended, with an overview of what’s not-to-be-missed in the area.  

FARMERS MARKETS

Great Barrington Farmers Market: Saturdays 9am – 1pm beginning May 13/ Taconic Avenue at Castle Street at the historic Railroad Station, Great Barrington, MA

Lenox Farmers Market: Fridays 3pm – 7pm beginning May 12/ 55 Pittsfield Road, Route 7 & 20, Lenox Shops, Lenox MA

Sheffield Farmers Market: Fridays 4pm – 7pm beginning May 12/ Route 7, Old Parish Church, Sheffield, MA

Williamstown Farmers Market: Saturdays 8am – noon beginning May 21/ South end of Spring Street

Hudson Farmers Market: Saturdays 9am – 1pm beginning May 5/ 6th and Columbia Street, Hudson, NY

Millerton Farmers Market: Saturdays beginning May 26/ Railroad Plaza, Millerton, NY

SETTING THE TABLE

Home Asian Antiques on Route 23 in South Egremont is well worth a visit. The store features gorgeous Asian antiques – statues and wooden furniture – and fabrics and textiles for the table as well. There are hand-dyed textiles and beautiful patterned and solid napkins for the dining table. Ceramic plates and tea pots are also in stock. It's the kind of place that's just great to spend time in – EVERYTHING in there is beautiful, from the jewelry to the furniture. Home Asian Antiques is located on the south side of Route 23 (195 Hillsdale Rd.): as you're driving from the village of South Egremont, it's on your left about 2 miles from the village. Hours*: Mon-Fri 10:30-4:30; Sat 10-5. Sun 12-5 or by appointment. (*They are sometimes closed Tues or Wed, so please call ahead.)

MARKETS

 Mazzeo’s Meat & Seafood – in Guido's - has an exceptional selection of meats: several varieties of sausage, chicken breasts breaded and stuffed, pork stuffed and cut for roasting or grilling, gorgeous beef and fresh seafood. Germana, one of the butchers, is so warm and helpful, she has become like family, remembering what we bought the last time and wanting to know how we cooked it; she, along with Rob, and Rudy Mazzeo’s entire team keep the beautiful display of cuts irresistible.

ARTICLES FROM AROUND THE WEB:

A Paean to Germana: The Guido's Butcher  / Rural Intelligence/ June 2008 

EGGS

lynda composite 2

Black Java hens (left) at River Valley Farm in Lenox (photo by Lisa Dachinger); Lynda Fisher of The Inn at Sweetwater Farm in North Egremont (right) with one of her hens.

Local farms market their eggs through farmers markets, stores, and through their farms. Food writer Judith Lerner's* story LOCAL EGGS: Symbol of Spring, Renewal and Hope  provides stories of backyard egg producers, such as The Inn at Sweet Water Farm (photo above) as well as larger egg farms, such as River Valley Farm (photo above). For a listing of all places to get delicious eggs, Judith has published an extensive list, including breeds and farm locations: LOCAL EGGS: The Taste and the Quality.

*Judith Lerner has been writing about people and their food traditions for 23 years. Her articles have appeared in the Berkshire Eagle, The Boston Globe, The Advocate, The North Adams Transcript and other publications.

CHEESE

cheese

Old Chatham Sheepherding Company (left); Rawson Brook Farm's Monterey Chevre (right).

Two cheesemakers in the Berkshires are featured on this site: Rawson Brook Farm produces Monterey Chevre, and the Old Chatham Sheepherding Company produces cheeses and a variety of sheep milk products.

See interviews on this site:  Rawson Brook Farm  and Old Chatham Sheepherding Company.