Locally grown produce is da bomb. This summer I forced myself to get my veggies by joining the Farm…read moreSchool CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. For $600, I received a box chock full of all kinds of vegetables, from those I know (kale, onions, potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, squash, blueberries, basil, etc) to those I don't (gourds?, random greens?, I don't know?). It has done a lot to expand my vegetable repertoire. There was so much produce, I split the share with a co-worker. We each cook for two people, and the amount of vegetables we received weekly has been more than sufficient. We more than got our money's worth. They also have a freezer on site where you can buy locally grown meats! yay! And they often have gorgeous bouquets of flowers for $6 or $7, and cage free eggs. How does it work? Well you sign up in the winter, and indicate the day on which you would like to receive your produce, and where you want to pick it up. They have a drop off point in Watertown at the Arsenal on the Charles, which conveniently enough is where I work. They also have a drop off point in Cambridge, or you can go out to the farm in Athol. CSAs are for people who like to cook, aren't afraid to learn about new vegetables, and want to support local farmers. CSAs are not for people who don't like vegetables, cooking, or getting their food from nearby. All in all, I am 100% positively absolutely definitely going to sign up for this CSA next year. There is some risk - if the crops don't come in, you lose your money - but I think it's well worth the chances. Hey, it's gotta be safer than the stock market these days, eh?

There is so much good I can say about Footloose School of Dance. As I sit here ready to write a…read morereview, I'm trying to think of any potential bad and...I don't think I can! The instructors? Amazing, and so patient with each child. The classes? Worth every penny to see the kid's faces come recital weekend. The facility? Always clean, regardless of how many people are inside. The owner? A great person. There are many different classes offered for all ages. Ballet, tap, hip hop, acro, lyrical/liturgical, musical theater, combos...even ballroom dancing classes for adults! The studio is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year and like a fine wine, it just gets better with age!

We sent my daughter to eagle hill a few years back. She went as a junior in high school and we…read moretook her out in January in the middle of the school year. At that time the drugs and the alcohol that was going through the dorms were rampant. There were a few overdoses that year as well. DO NOT LET THESE PEOPLE RAISE YOUR CHILD !!! You will regret it. The academics are ok ,but I was so concerned about my daughters well being and safety.

We sent our son there for one month, some may say it is a lot of money for one month. It was worth…read moreevery dime. What Eagle Hill accomplished in one month no other educator has been able to do. My son finally became motivated, believes in himself and is confident about his learning. The school and campus is state of the art. The staff and instructors know how to motivate students and get the most out of them. Only one word describes Eagle Hill and that is Incredible.

This place is fantastic! I've been obsessed with reading about woodworking of all sorts whether it…read morebe magazines, books, you tube videos, etc. I have had a harder time time actually committing any of this newfound book knowledge to use because of the lack of tools. Unfortunately woodworking is one of those hobbies that by and large require a large assortment of tools to do various projects. While many of these tools can be useful for even the regular homeowner into DIY (router, band saw, table saw, palm sander, various hand tools) several other tools are needed depending on the project. While I own most of the tools mentioned above one I don't have is the lathe. It's also one of those tools that I couldn't justify buying without trying because a) Wood spinning at 1000rpm is a little scary b) I would prefer to have some instruction prior to purchase c) Why spend the money on a machine for it to collect dust because I'm just not that into it. Enter Easthampton School of Woodworking/The Workbench. Aside from offering an intensive 6 month cabinet building program they also offer several weeknight and weekend classes that cover various topics. I perused through their list of available classes and saw an introductory lathe class for $80 which accounted for the material for the mallet you would make and also the 6 hours of instruction. Not too shabby. Location/Amenities: This place is pretty flipping stellar Its housed in an old factory building with several different rooms setup with various workbenches for use with hand tools, large woodworking power machinery, and in the back is a room with their lathes available for classes and open shop time. Instructor: Our class was taught by Brian who attended the North Bennet Street School of Woodworking (pretty esteemed school). He did a great job of giving our class of 5 individual instruction when necessary and also partitioning out the group instruction in manageable pieces so as not to inundate us with information. Open Shop Time: While I haven't used this resource I can see where it would be amazing. Aside from having the wood necessary for the project, the amount of machines necessary to dimension rough cut lumber can be quite expensive and take up a lot of space in your workshop area. Many people can't justify the space or the expense to own these machines, or perhaps they're reluctant to buy any of the big power tools because of cost or safety hazards of the machines. The great thing about this place is on Thursdays from 6:30-9:30PM they have open shop where once you demonstrate you can safely use their machines you can log in to a computer that tracks your hours (~$10/hr), and use their machinery. Not only do you have access to their machines but you also can use the staff that is overseeing open shop to ask for help if you run into an issue. I personally don't own a jointer/planer (needed for dimensioning lumber), but I would certainly use theirs and save quite a bit of money buying the wood rough cut vice s4s (smooth on all sides) and finishing it myself. Overall: It was an awesome experience and I'm currently searching Craigslist and auctions for a quality vintage lathe (I'm a sucker for anything old). It's pretty amazing turning a straight piece of wood into a useable tool in the course of an hour. Highly recommended if you have an interest for woodworking, or would like access to larger tools that you may not own. This would also be a good gift for a spouse, sign them up for a class, who doesn't like a guy/girl that can create something with their own two hands.

I went to this school a long time ago, and transferred here for 8th grade. I have to say I wish I…read morefound this school earlier. I liked how small the classes were and everything felt very personal and intimate. The teachers cared a lot about the students, and we went on fun school trips. The academics were somewhat challenging, but not unrealistic. We had a dance or two, wish we had more. But a lot of the kids weren't into that kind of stuff. Small, cute, hippy, crunchy/granola type school. The social scene at this school was okay. I didn't make a ton of new friends, but there were some nice kids there. The only bad thing was that a girl from the middle school decided to transfer here the same time I did, and then when we both graduated from this school (only goes until 8th grade), she followed me to the high school. Obviously this wasn't the school's fault, but that is a bad memory I have there.

This is one of our favorite indoor get-the-toddler-out-of-the-house destinations! It's a bit off…read morethe beaten path, occupying an old schoolhouse tucked onto a side street closer to Bondsville than Belchertown center, but is very much worth the trip. There is off-street parking both in front of the building and behind, though I have yet to see the front spaces at capacity. There are three large play/activity rooms off a spacious center hall lined with hooks for your belongings. All of the doors are open from room to room and the children are free to move between them as they wish. Each space has comfortable adult seating to facilitate community, which I think is a really nice touch. Our little guy is still pretty hands-on demanding of our attention, but I look forward to the day when he can play independently while we lounge on a couch with a cup of tea and chat with other parents! There is a really sweet reading area with kid-sized couches and chairs, as well as all kinds of vehicles (stationary for "make believe" play, ride-on, a big train table and basically every little thing a kid could want to make go vrooom), dolls, strollers, doll houses, play kitchens, a dress-up area, climbing structures/slides, lots of musical instruments, puzzles, a terrific art space with daily arts & crafts activities, blocks galore -- this place really does have it all. Separate boys and girls bathrooms are tricked out with potty seats, stools and a stocked changing table, and there is also a private bathroom for adults, pee-shy potty trainers and the like. The large kitchen/dining room has a variety of snacks on hand as well as a full-size refrigerator where you are free to put anything you may bring which needs to stay cold. There is a microwave, coffee maker, and a long communal table with plenty of seating for parents and kids alike (the chairs are kid-size, but sturdy!). Oh, and there are a couple of high chairs, too. The playground out back is free for public use from dawn til dusk regardless of whether the Family Center is open or not. It's a little rough and is largely on asphalt, but it's fenced in (always helpful!), low key and our little guy enjoys it. There are baby and bigger swings, lots of ride-on vehicles, a big sand box, some random scattered toys, and a playscape with slides (it's the plastic "Step 2" variety, but is a more commercial size -- bigger than one that you might have in your home). And finally, what really pushes this Family Center over the top is its director, Lori. She is warm, welcoming, helpful, inclusive...just a wealth of knowledge and experience. She has kids of her own and also taught for several years. When we've been at the Family Center, it's been unstructured, open play with Lori milling around chatting and interacting with both kids and adults alike. If we're having a rough day with our toddler (the type when we probably have no business being out in public -- parents, you know what I'm talking about!!), we do our best to put one foot in front of the other and get to the Family Center because it's seriously so nurturing and helpful...I feel like I could come to Lori with any parenting problem or struggle and she would know how to get us over the hurdle and make our day better. Yeah, she's THAT good :-) It's also reassuring to have professional eyes on my little one from time to time and I always appreciate Lori's opinions and observations. We've only been to the Family Center a handful of times because it's currently only open on weekday mornings (when I'm at work), but I have yet to see it crowded. Often, it's just us and Miss Lori...sometimes a couple of others, but I don't think I've ever been there when there are more than (4 or so?) other kids. Everyone has been super nice and friendly. I wish my work schedule allowed me to go more often....if it were open on weekends, I'd be there all the time! It's a special place and a great find for our family. If you're looking for something to do on a weekday morning, I encourage you to stop by and check it out! I've uploaded some pics :-)

My daughter is in her first year at Petersham Montessori School. We can't say enough good things…read moreabout the program. The teachers are amazing and dedicated. We have been so impressed with the things our 3yr old has learned, things I never would have thought she could do at this age, like cleaning her own crumbs off the table; her eagerness to help out with any spills that occur; correctly putting away the cutlery in the drawer when we empty the dishwasher, singing about the continents, etc. She impresses us all the time with what she has learned at school. She loves going and learning as well as having time to play with her friends and get outside. They learn real life skills and lessons. We couldn't be happier!

This is an amazing school! The teachers really care about each student and foster their…read moreindependence and individual learning styles. My kids absolutely love it, and it is far less expensive than other montessori schools and private preschools in the area.