Something for everyone at Sheep Hill
Editor’s Note: This is the ninth in a summer-long series in which Advocate Assistant Editor Judith Fairweather, a Berkshire County native, explores the county as a tourist would (no special media accommodations) and visits places she has never been. Read about all of her visits at blogtheberkshires.com.
By JUDITH FAIRWEATHER
WILLIAMSTOWN — On a Saturday in early August, Sheep Hill, home of the Williamstown Rural Lands Foundation, was holding a concert and candle float event with Lui Collins. The information about the event said to bring a picnic and a blanket, and that dessert and drinks would be provided. So I packed the kids in the car, stopped at the Store at Five Corners for some chips and sandwiches, and we headed up, not really sure what we would find.
The sign on Cold Spring Road (a k a Route 7) marks the place well. We found parking right at the bottom of the hill, not realizing there was additional parking up top. We were met with a breathtaking view of the open space and hillside after our climb.
The farmhouse, dating back to the early 19th century, sat to our left. Now the Mary & Craig Lewis Center for Nature and Rural Heritage, it houses a lending library, local history and nature exhibit, classroom space and also has binoculars and field guides for loan while on the property. But perhaps more importantly with two kids in tow, it also houses beautiful bathrooms.
Ahead of us was a small pond, with plenty of nets laying about for those who wanted to try to catch some frogs. To the left of the pond sat a gazebo with a fieldstone floor, where Collins was setting up. We plunked our chairs down right in front, so I would be in a good spot for pictures.
Besides the concert, there was also supposed to be a candle float. We wandered into the red barn to see what that was all about. We were invited to take a block of wood and decorate it any way we wanted, attaching a tea light in the center. Now, the only creative thing my hands can do is to use a keyboard. I felt a bit out of my league, but because my kids dove right in to the project, with no notions of how it should turn out or that it might not be “good” enough, I decided I had to be a good sport and give it a whirl. It actually didn’t come out half bad, even though it was far simpler in design than many of the others.
We set our floats aside and went off to explore further. The kids discovered a zip line — a wire, on which a handle was suspended, that stretched across an open space. They climbed a ladder to grab the handle, pushed off, and rode down the length of the wire. They were in heaven; I was having a heart attack. I was glad to hear the music start so I could have a reason to drag them away.
Collins, born in Barre, Vt., started her folk career in the ’70s. This night she played a mixture of adult and kid folk tunes, switching from an acoustic guitar to the banjo. Engaging and friendly, Collins encouraged all of us to sing, sometimes substituting “bah bah bahs” for the words in the song so we could join in.
And then it was time for dessert. We went into the farmhouse, which now also houses the WRLF offices, to find ice cream sundae materials. The ice cream was from Lickety Split (located in both North Adams and Williamstown). There were assorted sundae toppings, including fresh blueberries from Cricket Creek Farm, also in Williamstown. I had a small dish of the vanilla with some blueberries and hot fudge and can safely say I have never eaten any ice cream that was as good.
The big event came when it got dark. Everyone grabbed their floats and had their candles lit. Each of us then gave our boats a gentle push into the pond. The candle float, we were told, was to commemorate the recent anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. Collins stood by the edge of the pond and played from there. The soft music and glowing candles created an incredibly peaceful scene.
It was just about 9 o’clock, but there was one more thing to be accomplished before leaving — we had to rescue our floats to bring home (the kids insisted). Using one of the ponding nets, we easily recovered Gwen’s and Caroline’s. But which one was mine? It was so dark, and some of the floats were so far into the middle, it was hard to identify which was which. We were sure we had spotted it, but now how were we going to bring it in? Caroline had the bright idea to use the ponding nets to create a current, and it worked like a charm. All the floats came in together, and except for a brief moment where I leaned out too far and almost took an unwanted swim (Caroline grabbed the back of my sweatshirt to save me), the operation was a complete success.
Driving home, the kids were chattering about the zip line, about wanting to try the trails through the property, about making the floats. I was quiet, thinking about the numerous birds that had swooped and swirled through the wildflowers around the pond while the music played. The adventure to Sheep Hill had apparently had something for everyone in my family. How could you ask for more than that?
Sheep Hill, the former 50-acre dairy farm with its restored farmhouse, is open year-round. The farmhouse is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; the grounds are open daily from dawn to dusk. The next scheduled event is the first annual Williamstown Amble and Scramble on Saturday, Sept. 20. There will be guided hikes all afternoon, a raffle and potluck picnic. Events at Sheep Hill are by suggested donation of $5 per person or $10 per family, although no one is ever turned away for an inability to pay. Info: 413-458-2494 or wrlf.org.