Barbara Zheutlin, director of Berkshire Grown, which supports and promotes local agriculture, has had almost too many careers to name. Here are few: work in Hollywood as an author and documentary film producer, with Salvadoran refugees and involvement in global nuclear disarmament causes, all in Los Angeles, where she’s from. But she would say all these things relate to each other, as they were done in the name of social change. That is her passion, something that she continued to pursue even after moving to the Berkshires in 1995. My husband, Jonathan Hankin, and I took a year-long cross-country trip to explore different places to live. We came here to visit cousins in Great Barrington and knew this is where we wanted to settle. I had become a therapist in LA and when we were first here I worked for Austen Riggs (psychiatric center in Stockbridge) doing research for a long-term study. I also coordinated a documentary film series at The Triplex Cinema before BIFF started. I went to one of the first Berkshire Grown events, and volunteered to create Share the Bounty in 2002, then became the director of Berkshire Grown in 2007. I felt a real calling to make sure we can sustain the agricultural based community here. Among many other things, Berkshire Grown offers mentorships with farmers and helps connect farmers and buyers. I’m excited by the number of younger farmers we are able to assist and inspire. It feels good to help foster a community that is more educated and inspired to face the challenges involved in the way we raise and distribute food. Anybody who knows me knows that I love apples. I’m always testing them, trying new varieties at the farmers markets. This year I particularly enjoyed the Stayman Winesap, Baldwin and Black Arkansas varieties. I love spring because of the spicy greens, and right now I’m really enjoying the delicata squash. The holiday farmers markets sponsored by Berkshire Grown have been so successful. I would urge everyone to come out to the last ones this weekend. There’s still plenty of good produce available. Because of their success, we are now going to have winter farmers markets indoors in Great Barrington on Jan. 16 and Feb. 13. Berkshire Grown Holiday Farmers MarketsSaturday, Dec. 19 at Monument Valley Middle School 313 Monument Valley Road, Great Barrington Sunday, Dec. 20 at Williams College Towne Field House 82 Latham Street, Williamstown 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
