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Hancock Shaker Village Announces 50th Anniversary Programming

Hancock Shaker Village celebrates its 50th anniversary as a living history museum in 2010. Announcing the season, Hancock Shaker Village President and CEO Ellen Spear said, “The Shakers were a group of ordinary people who came together to live a principled life. Our 50th anniversary activities will help you think about how the Shakers lived their principles—practicing sustainability, land stewardship, use of renewable energy, equality, pacifism, to name a few—and about what you might adopt or adapt from their approach into your life—be it learning how to build a root cellar, grow, buy and cook local food, save seeds, keep a backyard chickens flock, or integrate the tranquil elegance of Shaker design into your home.”  
The centerpiece of Hancock Shaker Village’s 50th anniversary is the exhibition, True and Honest Before the World (May 28 – October 31), for which 30 celebrity curators, including Shaker scholars, museum directors, local politicians, students, and nationally recognized luminaries such as filmmaker Ken Burns, architect/designer Michael Graves, television personality Al Roker, furniture maker Thomas Moser, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma each chose the object from Hancock’s vast collection of Shaker art, furniture, tools, and textiles  that for them best illustrates the Shakers’ enduring influence. Participants were free to choose Shaker architecture, music, objects, or even Shaker ideals. The wide variety of responses is fascinating, and each person offers a unique perspective on what the Shakers’ influence has meant to American life and culture. “Our hope,” said. Spear, “is that the guest curators will help us look at Shaker principles through the objects they made and used and will illuminate the Shakers’ continued influence and relevance today.” The exhibition will feature Shaker creations along with videos and photographs of the guest curators talking about their choices, and recordings of their words and, in some instances, their music.  
The 50th anniversary year will feature an array of community events, including the ever-popular Baby Animals on the Shaker Farm (April 3 - April 25) and Hancock Shaker Village Country Fair (September 25 – 26), along with a festive Gala (August 7) and a Charter Day for families (August 21). Every week of the year will feature workshops, lectures, and panel discussions on a wide range of Shaker-inspired topics, including food, sustainability, interior décor, textiles, woodworking, and modern day intentional communities. The complete schedule of programming follows below. 
Situated on a picturesque expanse of farm, field, and woodland in Pittsfield, Mass., the fully restored Village includes 18 historic buildings, heirloom medicinal and vegetable gardens, 22,000 examples of Shaker furniture, crafts, tools, and clothes that depict daily life at the Shakers’ City of Peace through its 220 years, as well as heritage breed farm animals and spectacular hiking trails. There are daily tours, craft and cooking demonstrations, lectures and workshops, and a variety of activities for children and families, as well as a Museum Store and Shaker-inspired cuisine at the Village Harvest Café. The Discovery Room offers hands-on opportunities for kids of all ages to try their hand at chair seat weaving, working at a loom, trying on Shaker-style clothing, or milking a life-sized replica of a cow. An interactive audio tour (free with admission) is available in English, French, Italian, and German. For more information, call 800.817.1137 or go to www.hancockshakervillage.org.
Hancock Shaker Village is open daily for self-guided visits from April 3 through October 31.  April 3 through May 28, Village is open 10:00am to 4:00pm daily and May 29 through October 31, the hours are 10:00am to 5:00pm daily.  
Hancock Shaker Village members and children 12 and under are admitted free of charge. Admission for adults is $17.00 and youth visitors aged 13 to 17 are $8. Note: all special events, lectures, and workshops are free to members or free with admission unless noted otherwise. 
Hancock Shaker Village is located on Route 20 in Pittsfield, Mass., just west of the junction of Routes 20 and 41. For GPS purposes, the Village is located at 34 Lebanon Mountain Rd., Hancock, Mass. 01237. Or, enter 1843 W. Housatonic St., Pittsfield, Mass. 01201 then proceed 1/2 mile further west on Rt. 20 to the parking lot.

COMPLETE SCHEDULE OF PROGRAMMING 50th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

True and Honest Before the World
Hancock Shaker Village’s 50th Anniversary Exhibition

May 28 – October 31
(Friday, May 28 press preview at 4pm – RSVP required: 413.464.2851; followed by opening reception
at 5pm – RSVP required: 413.443.0188 x115.) 

Behind the Scenes Curator’s Tours of True and Honest Before the World with Hancock Shaker Village Collections Manager Lesley Herzberg on June 2 and September 15 at 2:00pm. 
For Hancock Shaker Village’s 50th anniversary exhibition, the museum asked a wide variety of people who have an affinity for the Shakers this question: “If you could pick any Shaker creation that, for you, best illustrates the Shakers’ enduring influence, what would it be and why?” The 30 guest curators include Shaker scholars, museum directors, local politicians and students, as well as celebrities such as filmmaker Ken Burns, architect/designer Michael Graves, The Today Show’s Al Roker, furniture maker Thomas Moser, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Mr. Ma said when he and his family present gifts to people from other countries, they often give a Shaker oval box, as it represents to him “a quintessentially American aesthetic.”  
List of guest curators: Edward Andrews (Shaker Collector), Amanda Batey (Hancock Shaker Village Overseer), Ken Burns (Filmmaker), Alex Carlisle (Art Conservator), Michael Conforti (Director of Clark Museum), Jake Eberwein (Superintendent of Pittsfield School District), Leslie Ferrin (Art Gallery Owner), Nancy Fitzpatrick (Owner of the Red Lion Inn), Yo-Yo Ma (Cellist), Christian Goodwillie (Former Hancock Shaker Village Curator), Michael Graves (Architect//Designer), Hancock Elementary School Students (5th and 6th Graders), Stacy Hollander (Senior Curator at American Folk Art Museum), Gerrie Kennedy (Expert Basketmaker), David McFadden (Chief Curator and Vice President of Museum of Arts and Design), Steve Miller (Shaker Scholar), Thomas Moser (Furniture Maker), John Ott (Former Hancock Shaker Village Curator and Director), Steve Paterwic (Shaker Scholar), Phillippe Petit (High wire Artist), Connor Kelly (Pittsfield High School Junior), Tim Rieman (Shaker Furniture Expert), Al Roker (Weather and Features Reporter on NBC News – “The Today Show”), James Ruberto (Mayor of Pittsfield), June Sprigg-Tooley (Former Hancock Shaker Village Curator), Ellen Spear (Hancock Shaker Village President and CEO), Roy Underhill (Host of PBS’ “The Woodwright’s Shop”), Peter Van Demark (Shaker Descendant),  Larry Yerdon (Former Hancock Shaker Village President and CEO).
In addition, Hancock Shaker Village invites community members to apply online at www.hancockshakervillage.org to be a guest curator. In April 2010, one entry will be selected to be included in our 50th anniversary exhibit. As a guest curator, your photo will be shown by the object or creation that you chose, and you will be a special guest at the opening reception on May 28. 

SculptureNow in Lee 2010
June 12 - October 31

In honor of Hancock Shaker Village’s 50th anniversary, the theme for SculptureNow’s 2010 juried exhibition of outdoor sculpture in Lee, Massachusetts, will be the Hancock Village Shakers—their culture, philosophy, architecture, and objects. For more information, contact SculptureNow at 413.623.2068 or annjon@bcn.net. 

Shaker Seminar: Hancock Shaker Village
July 21-25

The 36th annual Shaker Seminar will convene at Hancock Shaker Village this July for five days of lectures, tours, and camaraderie. This special edition of the Shaker Seminar will highlight the 50th anniversary of Hancock Shaker Village as a museum site. Presentations will include new scholarship, behind-the-scenes access, field trips, and exploration of historic preservation initiatives. An optional volunteer work day will be offered on Wednesday, July 21 prior to seminar registration. Novice Shaker enthusiasts and scholars alike will enjoy these communal studies-oriented days of learning and sharing. For more information, call 413.443.1088 x213. 

Hancock Shaker Village 50th Anniversary Gala
August 7

The Hancock Shaker Village 50th Anniversary Gala will include Shaker-themed musical performances and an auction of Shaker-inspired modern art. Prices and further details TBA. 

FAMILY PROGRAMMING 

Hancock Shaker Village’s Eighth Annual Baby Animals on the Shaker Farm April 3 - April 25 

The Baby Animals on the Shaker Farm spring celebration is one of the most exciting times of the year at the Village, when scores of baby lambs, piglets, calves, goats, ducklings, and chicks arrive at the historic Round Stone Barn. The animals represent livestock once kept at the Village by the Shakers, beginning in the 1700s and continuing into the 1960s. In addition to the heritage breed animals raised by Hancock Shaker Village year round, this event includes “guest” livestock raised by local farms and 4H clubs. Visitors get to meet and greet the baby animals and participate in farm chores, such as helping to feed the animals and to save seeds. They may also participate in fun Shaker-themed craft activities, including basket weaving, making and decorating seed packets, and weaving on a small loom. 
The Round Stone Barn is the only circular barn ever built by the Shakers. Widely recognized as an architectural icon and agricultural wonder, this unique dairy barn originally stabled 52 milk cows. It has attracted visitors—most notably Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville, who staged a footrace in the structure—since its construction in 1826. 

April 17 – 18 Sheep Shearing Weekend.

In addition to the regular farm activities, Sheep Shearing Weekend will feature shearing of the Village's Merino sheep and special hands-on textile demonstrations and activities that will be conducted by volunteers from three local spinning and weaving guilds. 

Charter Day
August 21

Charter Day will be a community celebration of the 50th anniversary of Hancock Shaker Village receiving its museum charter from the State of Massachusetts. This family-friendly event will include wagon rides and Shaker-inspired crafts and games. 

Hancock Shaker Village Country Fair – 13th Annual
September 25 – 26

Hancock Shaker Village’s 2010 Country Fair promises fun for the whole family with Shaker-inspired games in the Kids Tent, a farmers’ market with samples of heirloom vegetables to taste, vendors and demonstrations of handmade crafts, wagon rides, antique engines and tractors, sustainable gardening tips, a pie contest, juried quilt exhibition, and more. Celebrating the bounty of the harvest, the Country Fair showcases sustainability in all its dimensions and makes it easy for families to learn about Hancock Shaker Village’s mission and its connection to sustainable, principled living. 70 vendors will fill the Village with delightful fresh produce, finished farm products, and crafts of all sorts. This year’s esteemed pie judges include WAMC President Alan Chartock, along with others TBA.

Highlights from the Hancock Shaker Village Collection: Recreational Artifacts and Shaker Pets
July 21, 2:00pm

Presenter: Lesley Herzberg, Hancock Shaker Village Collections Manager
Always wanted to get your hands on some of those original Shaker made artifacts that are behind barriers or under glass? This behind-the-scenes, hands-on “Curator’s Tour” offers a rare opportunity to examine up-close some original artifacts from the Hancock Shaker Village collection.  Although the Shakers were serious about their way of life, it was not all work and no play, especially for the many children (orphans and children of adult converts) raised in the community. Great for families and children as well as adults, this fun and entertaining session will examine the Shakers’ handcrafted toys, such as tops and marbles, board games, dolls, and even Shaker-made croquet mallets. Learn about how the early 20th century Shaker children and adults eventually kept pets and visit the Hancock Shakers’ little-known pet cemetery.  

Sing like a Shaker
August 27, 1:00pm

Presenters: Todd Burdick, Hancock Shaker Village Director of Education, and HSV Staff Interpreters
Shaker worship has always intrigued the world’s people, since it incorporated not only praying, speaking, and singing, but also dancing – called “exercises” and “laboring” by the believers themselves.  Through motions and movements, such as bowing, bending, turning, marching, and shaking, the believers would “labor before the Lord.” This enthusiastic and energetic worship is what earned them the name Shaker. This program, great for all ages, will be held in the Meeting House, the authentic Shaker Sunday worship location during the warmer months. Led by Hancock Shaker Village staff dressed in Shaker costume, you’ll learn Shaker songs with accompanying motions, and be invited to sing-a-long with some Shaker tunes, including the well-known “Simple Gifts.” 

FOOD PROGRAMMING 

Root Cellar Workshop
May 15 - 16 and October 2 - 3, 10:00am to 5:00pm (participants must sign up for both weekends)
$500 for full two-weekend course

Students will learn the basics of food storage, tour existing root cellars, see presentations on innovative design options, assess and plan their own crop storage needs, examine energy and monetary savings, and explore planting guidelines while seeding a garden. Participants will get to take home their own food security action plan, a design for a space of their own, and planting and storage guideline charts, as well as a copy of the Bubel’s book on root cellaring. Come ready for two intensive weekends and learn how to transform hard work into simple living. 

The Locavore Way
August 8, 1:00pm

Presenter: Amy Cotler 
Join us for a lively and inspiring conversation with renowned culinary professional (a.k.a. food fanatic) and farm-to-table advocate, Amy Cotler, as she discusses the Locavore movement, which emphasizes the many benefits of local eating and seasonal cooking. A recognized pioneer in the field, she was the founding director of Berkshire Grown, an early local farm and food advocacy organization that has become a national model. (Note: copies of her recent book, The Locavore Way, will be available for sale/signing.) 

Shaker Cooking For Today
September 9, 11:00am

Presenter: Michael Roller, Savory Harvest Catering and Hancock Shaker Village Harvest Café
The Hancock Shaker Kitchen Sisters were renowned for their culinary skills, and for the nutritious, delicious meals they produced for their fellow believers. Vegetables, herbs, meats, cheeses, breads, pies, puddings—most of it from the Shakers’ own productive farms, orchards, and gardens. In this program, Hancock Shaker Village Chef Michael Roller will discuss and demonstrate how you can make the most of the seasonal availability of fresh foods and provide tips about adapting Shaker recipes and techniques for your kitchen today. A select sampling of Shaker treats will be available for tasting, but after this mouth-watering program ends you will surely be hungry for more, so plan on visiting the Village’s Harvest Café afterward for a lunch of Shaker-inspired cuisine.

Fall Foods Forage
October 23, 2:00pm

Presenter: David St. James, Naturalist
The Berkshire harvest season is winding down by October, but there are still plenty of wild edible plants growing in the fields and forests. Not familiar with foraging on your own, and unsure of what is edible and what is not? Spend this adventurous afternoon on a fall foods forage with a local naturalist and wildlife expert, and see what edible treats you can find—wild rose hips high in Vitamin C, sumac fruit clusters that can be made into a “lemonade,” the surprisingly tasty and nutritious burdock root, and much more.  This program will take place off the beaten path, so be prepared to hike through the fields and forests with clothing appropriate for outdoors, including sturdy footwear.  

Food Preservation 101
October 30, 2:00pm

Presenters: Julie Gale, Founder and Cooking Instructor, At the Kitchen Table Cooking and Gianni Ortiz, Executive Director, Regional Farm and Food Project
Wondering how to best preserve the foods from the bountiful fall harvest through the coming months? This session will provide basic information and practical advice, tips, and techniques for proper food storage and preservation. Highlighting lacto fermentation, the natural fermentation of foods as a preservation technique (sauerkraut is a good example), this program will also touch upon canning, pickling, drying, and freezing. 

Shaker Suppers
October 9 and 10 at 5:30pm, November 6 and 27 at 4:00pm

$60 for HSV Members / $65 for non-members
Shaker Suppers at Hancock Shaker Village are a fall tradition for families and friends. Guests come to the Village for a private tour and Shaker-inspired candlelight dinner in the historic Brick Dwelling, followed by a Shaker music program. For reservations, call 413.443.0188 x213. 

SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMMING 

Green at Hancock Shaker Village, the City of Peace
April 22, 2:00pm

Presenter: Todd Burdick, Hancock Shaker Village Director of Education
Celebrate Earth Day in the Shakers’ Heaven on Earth. Held in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, this family-friendly event will feature a tour of Hancock Shaker Village’s historic-to-modern green and environmentally-friendly features. Included will be information on sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, architectural design and construction, smart growth town planning, and more. There will be a demonstration of the 1858 water power turbine in Laundry and Machine Shop and up-close investigation of the historic passive solar features of Shaker buildings, compared with Hancock Shaker Village’s new solar photovoltaic array, which generates 89.9 kilowatts, supplies 66% of the Village’s electrical energy needs today, and is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 3.7 million pounds over the life span of the system. Since this celebration is during Hancock Shaker Village’s annual Baby Animals event (April 3 – 25), it also is a great opportunity to meet the new barnyard babies on the Shaker farm.

Shaker Organic Gardening and Sustainable Farming Workshop
May 8, 10:00am - 2:00pm (includes picnic lunch)

Tuition: $68 HSV Members / $75 Non-Members
Dig in to a hands-on day of composting, weed eradication, and bug control with the Hancock Shaker Village Organic Gardening Workshop. Whether you're starting fresh on a small Berkshire farm or maintaining an urban window box garden, you can reap the rewards of this workshop. Tools and materials provided. Every student will take away starter plants and ready-to-use compost. 

May 22, 2:00pm
So, You Wanna Have a Backyard Chicken Flock…?!

Presenters: HSV 4-H Club Member Aliza Ahlen and Club Leader Donna Chandler Come and learn from an experienced HSV 4-H Club youth member and the club’s adult leader about what you should know to plan, set up, and operate a small poultry flock in your backyard. Introductory level session for those considering getting poultry sometime in the future, or for those who have already begun a small poultry flock and wish to know more. A great opportunity for adults and children to learn this enjoyable and growing trend. Learn about the wide variety of chicken breeds available, including the benefits of heritage breeds vs. modern breeds. This session will be full of helpful advice, tips, and information on different aspects of keeping poultry, including health and safety, basic supplies and equipment, design of chicken coops and yards, poultry tractors (moveable outdoor pens to keep chickens safe and contained yet allow them to free-range), feed and nutrition, protection from predators, composting chicken manure, showing your poultry at fairs, economic costs and benefits of having poultry, ensuring that you and your flock maintain good and proper relations with your neighbors, and more. This “egg-citing” session is sure to be pure “poultry in motion.”  

Integrating Shaker Principles into the Home Landscape
May 24, 2:00pm

Presenter: William “Buzz” Gray, Design and Build Landscape Contractor
Enter into a conversation with the land—how we live with it, how we take care of it, and how it can take care of us. This one-hour walk and talk is great for adults and families who desire to learn about incorporating some Shaker core land stewardship principles and techniques into the home landscape. The session will begin with an overview of the Shakers’ stewardship of the land and general commentary about modern day gardens, yards, and properties that is widely applicable to many landscape scenarios. Also, participants will be encouraged to ask questions about their particular landscape specifics, for group discussion and commentary and suggestions from the presenter. 

What is Green? The Environmental Attributes of Building Materials and Consumer Goods
July 17, 2:00pm
Presenter: Jenny Gitlitz, Director of Environmental Assessment, Green Depot
With so many companies jumping on the green bandwagon, it can be a challenge to distinguish truly green products from “greenwashed” impostors. This class will discuss the different ways that green can be defined: in terms of human health, impacts on ecosystems and on global climate, and in terms of local economies. We will survey a wide range of building materials and consumer goods—from lumber and insulation to paint, cleaning solutions, and flooring—to identify “what makes them green.” We’ll discuss trade-offs between environmental attributes (some products excel in one area but not in others), and will look at examples of “greenwashing” to be on the lookout for. We’ll also discuss taking a systems approach to your own green efforts: what to do first at your home or business to get the most bang for your buck. Whether you’re a homeowner, renter, activist, or businessperson, there will be something in this class to interest you.

Renewable Energy at the City of Peace: Shaker Water Power and Archaeology Tour
October 3, 3:00pm

Presenter: Todd Burdick, Hancock Shaker Village Director of Education
This two-hour “green tour” focuses on the Hancock Shakers’ nineteenth century water power technology and other examples of renewable energy evident at the Village yesterday and today (hydro, solar, wind, biomass, biofuels, architectural design, smart growth town planning). Included will be a demonstration of the 1858 water power turbine and an easy/moderate level hike to the Village’s North Family archaeological site to view ruins of Shaker buildings and dams. Co-sponsored by the Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area (UHVNHA), Heritage Walks, and Mass. Historical Commission Archaeology Month. 

INTERIOR DÉCOR PROGRAMMING 

The Studio: Steve Grasselli, Artisan in Residence
April 1 - October 31, Thursday - Sunday

Master woodworker Steve Grasselli will be in residence at The Studio in the Tannery building at Hancock Shaker Village. He will craft Shaker oval boxes and furniture in the shop, which will be open to the public, as well as offer workshops (detailed below in the woodworking section). Visitors will also be able to commission Mr. Grasselli to reproduce any piece of furniture from the Hancock Shaker Village collection for their homes. 

Dash and Albert Rug Company: The Shaker Collection

In honor of Hancock Shaker Village’s 50th anniversary, Berkshire-based designer Annie Selke created The Shaker Collection, a line of woven cotton and wool rugs inspired by the textiles in the Hancock collection. By interpreting original Shaker rug designs, Ms. Selke wanted to highlight the simplicity and timeless beauty of Shaker weaving techniques and demonstrate how relevant they remain today. A portion of the proceeds from rug sales of will benefit the Village. The rugs will go on sale in mid-April at the Village Museum Store and online at dashandalbert.com, as well as at retail outlets nationwide.  

Highlights from the Hancock Shaker Village Collection: Furniture
June 16, 2:00pm

Presenter: Lesley Herzberg, Hancock Shaker Village Collections Manager
Want to get a closer look at some of those original Shaker made artifacts renowned for their fine craftsmanship? This white-glove, behind-the-scenes “Curator’s Tour” offers a rare opportunity to examine up-close some original pieces in the Hancock Shaker Village collection.  Chairs, stools, tables, cupboards, desks, dressers…the Shaker woodworkers made them all. Learn about Shaker furniture design and construction, their finishes (paints, stains) and, when it is known, a little bit about the makers. Also, the curator will reveal some little-known, rarely viewed secret Shaker messages that have been found on the insides of selected pieces of furniture.  

Integrating Shaker Style into Your Home
July 29, 2:00pm

Presenter: Gladys Montgomery, Editor, Berkshire Living Home + Garden Magazine
The Shakers were famous in the 19th century for their creativity, design, simple style, and quality craftsmanship and the Shaker aesthetic is still appealing to the world’s people today. Not only are original Shaker artifacts highly sought after in the antiques marketplace, but a wide variety of replicas, reproductions, and adaptations of Shaker design are available as well. Don’t we all want to simplify our lives? This session will help guide you as you learn about and discuss various approaches and ways to incorporate Shaker design and style into your home.  

Highlights from the Hancock Shaker Village Collection: Metal Ware
August 18, 2:00pm

Presenter: Lesley Herzberg, Hancock Shaker Village Collections Manager
Always wanted to get your hands on some of those original Shaker made artifacts that are behind barriers, under glass, or otherwise just beyond your reach? This white-glove, hands-on “Curator’s Tour” offers a rare opportunity to examine up-close some original artifacts from the Hancock Shaker Village collection. Hand-forged iron hardware, copper kettles, tin ware, kitchen implements, cast iron woodstoves, and all types of hand tools…these are some of the heavy and not-so-heavy metal artifacts, designed and crafted by the Shakers, that you will learn about in this session. We’ll also hear accounts of the Hancock Shakers’ iron ore mining operations, and visit the Village forge to talk with blacksmiths as they carry out their craft in the authentic setting. 

Informal Appraisal of Your Antique
August 30, 2:00pm

Presenter: Charlie Flint, Charles L. Flint Antiques Inc.
Ever wonder about the history, craftsmanship, and background of that antique harvest basket you use in your garden? Could that old framed painting you picked up for a song at a tag sale years ago perhaps actually be a hidden treasure? Did your grandma hand down to you an old, early American country style ladder back chair, and have you wondered ever since if it could be Shaker-made?  Bring in your item, whether Shaker or not, and get this antiques expert to look it over, comment on it, and informally appraise it for you. Who knows what you might find out! 

Holiday Sale at the Hancock Shaker Village Museum Store
November 26 - 28

Stock up on gifts at the annual holiday sale at the Hancock Shaker Village Museum Store. Shaker oval boxes, prints and posters, dishes, books, and other treasures will be sold at discounted prices. 

TEXTILES PROGRAMMING 

Highlights from the Hancock Shaker Village Collection: Textiles
October 6, 2:00pm

Presenter: Lesley Herzberg, Hancock Shaker Village Collections Manager
Always wanted to get your hands on some of those original Shaker made artifacts that are behind barriers, under glass, or otherwise just beyond your reach? This white-glove, behind the scenes hands-on “Curator’s Tour” offers a rare opportunity to examine up-close some original artifacts from the Hancock Shaker Village collection. This session will reveal the wide variety of Shaker textiles, such as clothing, blankets, chair tape, rugs, towels, cloaks, and quilts. Learn about typical Shaker fibers and see the near-perfect cross stitching of the sampler made by young Shaker girl Besty Crosman. Read poignant words of spiritual dedication and encouragement creatively stitched into an old linen salt sack.  Hold in your hands a Shaker burial shroud. Learn about how the Shakers invented a process for making clothing waterproof and wrinkle resistant. This program is held in conjunction with Hancock Shaker Village Spinning and Weaving Week, October 4 -10, so plan time to visit with the expert spinners and weavers and participate in hands-on textiles activities that change daily and are geared for all ages and interests. 

Spinning and Weaving Week
October 3-10

As part of National Spinning and Weaving Week, Hancock Shaker Village highlights Shaker textiles. Visitors will see historic demonstrations and have opportunities to try a hand at tasks that would have been accomplished by Shaker Sisters at Hancock. Fiber artists from the Village and local guilds will bring traditional cloth-making to life—flax processing, spinning, dying, and weaving. Shaker textiles from the Village collection will also be on display. 

WOODWORKING PROGRAMMING 

Hand-cut Dovetail Workshop
July 10 OR 17; 9:00am to 4:00pm, all materials included

Tuition: $175 HSV Members / $195 Non-Members
The dovetail joint has long been considered a hallmark of fine craftsmanship. The Shakers were well versed in hand joinery and used dovetails in boxes, case construction, and, of course, drawers. In this one-day workshop, you will make either a pine candle box or a pine tray using dovetail joinery.  

Shaker Oval Box Making: Box Basics Workshop
August 7 - 8 OR October 9-10, 9:00am - 4:00pm each day, maximum ten students

Tuition: $200 HSV Members / $220 Non-Members
Make your own nest of four boxes while learning to carve swallow tails, bend the box, and install tops and bottoms with instructor Steve Grasselli. A great weekend for woodworking beginners to get a good start, and for experienced woodworkers to develop a new skill. No previous experience required. Tools and materials provided. 

Classic New England Side Table Workshop
August 28 – 29, 9:00am - 4:00pm each day, maximum three students

Tuition: $585 HSV Members / $650 Non-Members
A tapered-leg one-drawer stand, this design was utilized throughout New England and fits well in any home décor. This class offers the opportunity to learn two skill sets: building the table and hand dovetailing the single drawer. Your completed cherry side table will stand two-feet tall, 20 inches wide, and 16 inches deep. This course utilizes both machine and hand tools.  

Timberframing: A Traditional Approach
September 22 - 26

Call Jack Sobon 413.684.3223 or Dave Carlon 413.684.3612
Tuition: $430 HSV Members / $475 Non-members
Participants learn the craft of timber frame construction using 18th and 19th century tools and techniques, completing the parts and assembling the frame of a small building. Instructional demonstrations and discussions supplement the hands-on learning activities. Tools and materials provided; students may also bring their own. Participants must register directly with instructors Jack Sobon and Dave Carlon. 

Shaker Chimney Cupboard Workshop

Three-day workshop: Please contact Hancock Shaker Village to coordinate dates: 413.443.0188 x213
$1100, includes materials and instruction with Steve Grasselli
A private, one-on-one opportunity, scheduled at the student's convenience, to custom build this classic Shaker design. The size of this piece can be modified slightly to suit individual needs. This design was used and modified by all Shaker communities, either as a built-in or stand alone piece. Tall and narrow, the Chimney Cupboard was usually installed next to a chimney to make use of otherwise wasted space. With two doors and adjustable shelving inside, modern uses include storing books, linens, or media. Custom pieces built with pine, in keeping with Shaker tradition.  

MODERN DAY INTENTIONAL COMMUNITIES PROGRAMMING 

Intentional Community is an inclusive term describing a group of people who choose to live and strive together with a common vision. The Shakers did this, but of course, they are not the only ones who have ever tried it. As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, Hancock Shaker Village will host a series of panel discussions of different people who purposefully share life in community today. The presenters are eager to share information about their communities’ goals, practices, missions, and visions and there will be ample time for questions and answers. 

Modern Day Intentional Communities: Sirius Community, the Abode of the Message, and Alchemy Initiative
June 25, 2:00pm

Presenters: Bruce Davidson, Sirius Community; Ingrid Wisswaesser, the Abode of the Message; and Crispina ffrench and Jessica Conzo, Alchemy Initiative
The Sirius Community in Shutesbury, Mass. was founded in 1978 and has a fourfold purpose, focusing on non-sectarian spirituality, ecological sustainability, communitarian life, and educational endeavors. The Abode of the Message was founded as a residential community and spiritual learning center by the Sufi Order International in 1975 in nearby New Lebanon, New York, at the site of the former Mt. Lebanon Shaker Village South Family. Alchemy Initiative is an urban model of sustainability and community in nearby Pittsfield, Mass., working to promote the principles of holistic living, including health and healing, art-making, and sustainability.

Modern Day Intentional Communities: The Shakers at Sabbathday Lake, Maine
June 30, 2:00pm

Presenter: Stephen Paterwic, Shaker Scholar and Author
Intentional Community is an inclusive term describing a group of people who choose to live and strive together toward a common vision. The Shakers lived in this manner at Hancock from 1790 until 1960, and the Shaker way of life that has lasted for more than two centuries still continues today with the community of Believers at Sabbathday Lake in Maine. Stephen Paterwic (not a Shaker himself, but a good friend of theirs) shares his knowledge and insider information about life in the only remaining Shaker community in the world today. (Note: copies of his recent book, Historical Dictionary of the Shakers, will be available for sale/signing) 

Modern Day Intentional Communities: Living Routes
August 4, 2:00pm

Presenter: Daniel Greenberg, Executive Director, Living Routes
Living Routes, based in Amherst, Mass., creates opportunities to purposefully live and learn within an international network of human-scale communities and “consciously strive to live well and lightly.” Called “ecovillages,” these communities are based on a holistic view of sustainability. They are not utopias, but rather on-going, evolving efforts to experiment with and integrate community-scale solutions to today’s most vexing social, cultural, and environmental problems. This presenter will give an overview of the goals, practices, mission, and vision of Living Routes and the many different eco-villages.   

HIKING AT THE VILLAGE 

Discover the Shaker legacy along trails that pass bygone building sites and gathering places while enjoying the scenic beauty of the Berkshires. The Hancock Shaker Village Museum Store features a section of hiking books and walking sticks for visitors to take advantage of on Village trails, as well as in the adjoining Pittsfield State Forest. Hikers are welcome to park for free at the Village; maps to the Pittsfield State Forest are available at the front desk.
Well-marked trails start on the north side of Route 20, continue past the Shaker Reservoir, the site of the North Family and on to Mt. Sinai, the Shakers’ most spiritual place. This hike takes about three hours, up and back. Admission to the Village is not required in order to hike on the north side of Route 20. Hancock Shaker Village trails link with those of Pittsfield State Forest, for those who would like a longer hike. Please note that trails beyond Mt. Sinai are difficult due to the ice storm last winter. Signage is being restored, but caution is advised.
On the south side of Route 20, the Hancock Shaker Village Farm and Forest Trail is a handicapped accessible loop going through pastures and wooded lands behind the Round Stone Barn. Signage along the way describes the Shakers’ use of this land. This half-hour hike is not difficult and is included in admission to the Village. 

Guided Hikes 

Hancock Shaker Village Farm and Forest Trail Seasonal Hikes
May 10, June 7, July 5, October 18 at 2:00pm

Presenter: Roger Schroder, Hancock Shaker Village Staff Interpreter
The Village will host four guided hikes on the Farm and Forest Trail, with visitors encouraged to come back to experience the changing seasons, as this is never the same walk twice. This family-friendly, easy level, walk and talk on Hancock Shaker Village’s one-mile long, accessible trail focuses on natural and cultural history of the Village’s outlying farmlands, wetlands, fields, and forests, and on how the Shakers considered themselves stewards of the land.

On the spring hike (May 10), visitors will listen for the woodpeckers, feel the spongy earth beneath their feet, view the Red Trillium blooming in the shady forest, marvel at the rushing water from the springtime runoff as it makes its way from the Shaker Swamp underground into a disappearing stream, and see the tiny apples beginning to grow from the early spring’s blossoms. 

Participants on the early summer hike (June 7) will experience the Shaker land as it transforms itself at this time of year. They will spot the many thriving wild plants, herbs, and flowers that the Shakers harvested for their medicinal properties, such as Coltsfoot, Skunk Cabbage, and Burdock and listen and look for the many woodland creatures, including Scarlet Tanagers, Grey Squirrels, and Red Eft Salamanders, that make their homes in the fields and forest and scurry about in the trees and on the ground.

On the summer hike (July 5), visitors will see if the water in the disappearing stream is still running strong from the springtime runoff and summertime rains, or if dry weather has slowed it down to a trickle as it makes its way from the Shaker Swamp to its underground channel. They will feel the shady cool of the forest microclimate as they leave the warm, sunny summer fields.

The autumn hike (October 18) will showcase the stunning color of the Berkshires’ famous fall foliage. Hikers will feel the crunch of fallen leaves under their feet and watch for different woodland birds and animals as they scurry about preparing for the coming winter. They will also get to taste an heirloom variety apple from the long-ago abandoned Rock Orchard. 

Mother Ann Lee and the Shaker/Mt. Washington Connection
June 26, 4:00 pm (Note: Off Site)

Presenters: Todd Burdick, Hancock Shaker Village Director of Education, and staff/volunteers from Mt. Washington Cultural Commission, and Mass DCR/ Mt. Washington State Forest
Learn about Shaker founder Mother Ann Lee’s May 1781 missionary journey to the town of Mt. Washington, Mass., including a visit to the farmhouse of Benjamin Osborn, where she stayed, preached and gathered in new Believers to the Shaker way. Participants should meet at the Mt. Washington Town Hall at 4:00pm and then drive/car pool to the Mt. Washington State Forest entrance. After the program, participants are invited to the annual Mt. Washington Cultural Commission potluck supper back at the Town Hall; please bring a covered dish to share. Co-sponsored with the Mt. Washington Cultural Commission, and Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Mt. Washington State Forest.

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