Photo Project

Calling photographers!
A UMass graduate student researcher is seeking 1-3 photographer volunteers to participate in a documentary community photography project on Hadley.  The purpose of the project is to study how community members value the landscape of the town and are motivated towards the preservation of its rural character.
This is going to be a fun opportunity to participate in a community-building project and share views on Hadley.  If you think you might be interested in joining this undertaking and would like more information, leave me a comment (it won't be published) with some contact information (email or phone) to pass on to the researcher.

Jazz... or Garlic?

O, the disappointment I felt when on the radio today I heard announced the Northampton Jazz Festival being presented this Saturday -- the same day as the North Quabbin Garlic & Arts Festival.  Words cannot describe the excitement of hearing about the jazz festival and then the sudden and heartfelt regret at its timing.  I love jazz.  I love live music.  I love food.  But the annual tradition at our house for the first Saturday of October is to make our way north and east for a little bit of music, a little bit of craft, a little bit of autumn, a little bit of food, and a whole lot of garlic.  It hasn't failed us yet.  And this year, if I'm brave, I'll even try the garlic ice cream....
Which will you choose -- jazz or garlic (or something else)?
I guess if I'm really lucky, I might be able to get to the garlic early -- and the jazz late.

9/29: PS -- there's also the Source to Sea Cleanup on Saturday.

Fall Festival in Hadley

After seeing a couple of signs on the road and not being able to read all the information while driving past, I finally got around to snapping a picture of the sign for the First Congregational Church's Fall Festival that will be held this Saturday (24th) from 9-3 at the corner of Rts 9 & 47.

It appears to be cosponsored by the Hadley Farm Museum.
Sounds like fun!  If you go, maybe you'll see me there....

Beautiful Hadley Farms

I love the farms in Hadley -- their long fields planted in corn, squash, cabbage, beans, tobacco, and more.  They are pleasing to the eye and soothing to the soul, framed by hills, rivers, and trees.  They are definitely part of what makes Hadley Hadley and such a delightful place to be.

 

 

 (Click on photos for larger view.)

Public Discussion: Rt 47+

On Wednesday, September 14, there will a public discussion at the Senior Center (46 Middle Street) concerning Rt 47, which is part of the Connecticut River Scenic Byway.  According to the notice written by Nick Grabbe in the Sept 9 edition of the Amherst Bulletin, the meeting will be moderated by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and will invite Hadley residents and business owners to identify distinguishing characteristics of the region, other possible uses (i.e. recreation, tourism) for the area, and land protection.

Update 9/17:  MassLive published an article about the meeting.  Read it here.

Just Peachy

This is the peach I picked from our baby peach tree before Irene came to visit.

Mr Madley and I split it, and it was just like eating a little piece of heaven -- delightfully sweet and juicy and peachy.  We were very impressed that our new tree was strong enough to produce such perfect peach (2 of them, actually).  If all Cresthaven peaches taste this good, I might be tempted to give up apples!  Well, not really, but I'm definitely looking forward to a whole tree full of these mouthwatering delicacies!

Three Counties of Fun

The 3 County Fair is here for the weekend, from Friday (2) through Monday (5).  Get on over to the fairgrounds in Northampton and enjoy the agricultural exhibitions, the rides, the tasty treats, the music, the demolition derbies, the horse and oxen pulls
Want to know more?  Here's a little piece of history from the fair, and here's what's going on this year.

Looking for more fall fairs and festivals?  Check out the calendar page.