Northampton Winter Market to open Nov. 21

NORTHAMPTON — Grow Food Northampton’s Winter Market opens its season Nov. 21 at the Northampton Senior Center, 67 Conz St.

The market will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on 10 Saturdays through April 3: Nov. 21, Dec. 5 and 19, Jan. 9 and 23, Feb. 6 and 20, March 6 and 20, and April 3. The nonprofit’s annual seed share will be held March 20 during the market.

More than 40 farm, food, herbal and artisan vendors will rotate through the season. They sell produce, meat, cheese, eggs, honey, maple syrup, mushrooms, breads and pastries, prepared foods, plants, herbal remedies, crafts, jewelry, ceramics and body care products. All vendors are based within 40 miles of Northampton, and most are within 20 miles, according to the organization.

Full-time vendors this season are Crabapple Farm (Chesterfield), Dave’s Natural Gardens (Granby), First Tube Microgreens (Easthampton), LifeBooch Kombucha (Easthampton), Lilo Sourdough Creations (Becket), Livingstone Mycology (Williamsburg), P’Frogi (Northampton), Red Barn Honey (Northampton), Sleepy Owl Herbs (Williamsburg), Spilled Milk Gang (Springfield), Twisted Bakery (Montague), Underline Farm (Easthampton) and Winter Moon Roots (Hadley).

Three newcomers will join during the season: Chase Hill Farm (Warwick), Little Light Farm (Amherst) and Preservation Farm (Hadley). Returning vendors include Barberic Farm (Shelburne), Cricket Creek Farm (Williamstown), Davenport Maple Farm (Shelburne), Foxtrot Farm (Ashfield) and Park Hill Orchard (Easthampton).

Live music is scheduled for the first three markets. Chris Gentes will perform Nov. 21, Peter Blanchette on Dec. 5, and Noah Daube-Valois and Max Watermill on Dec. 19.

The market accepts SNAP and Healthy Incentives Program benefits. Through HIP, Massachusetts SNAP recipients can get $40 to $80 a month, depending on household size, back on fruits and vegetables bought directly from local farmers. Grow Food Northampton also gives EBT cardholders an extra $10 in SNAP tokens at every market, funded by business sponsors and individual donors.

Grow Food Northampton also runs the Tuesday Market from April through November. More information is available at growfoodnorthampton.org/farmers-markets.

National Geographic photographer presents ‘Finding the Shot’

BELCHERTOWN — The Quabbin Photo Group will feature Massachusetts-based National Geographic photographer Russ Laman’s program “Finding the Shot: The Art and Science of Nature Photography” at its meeting on Monday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. at the Belchertown Recreation Department, 66 State St.

Laman will share some of his favorite photographic projects and take viewers inside the thinking behind each one: the research that set up the shot, the idea and passion that led him to pursue it, and the elements of the natural world he focused on to create a compelling image. Featured stories will include flying drones alongside wild orangutans in Indonesia, photographing the International Space Station over the Grand Canyon and documenting shark conservation in Indonesia.

‘Families and Politics’ workshop in Easthampton

Braver Angels in Western Mass, which meets monthly to learn skills and build community around bridging divides, will hold a free Braver Angels workshop titled “Families and Politics.”

Family relationships are often casualties of our toxic polarized environment. If you want to preserve important family bonds while still being true to your values and political beliefs, this workshop is for you. You’ll gain insight into why family differences over politics are uniquely challenging; recognize the common roles that family members play in political conversations; and learn skills and strategies for handling family political differences in a constructive way.

The workshop is Saturday, Nov. 21, from 3 to 5:30 p.m., at the Easthampton Public Library Annex, 52 Main St. The workshop is free, but registration is required. To register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/families-and-politics-registration-1998310892673 or email depolarizewmass@gmail.com. For more info about BAWM’s third-Saturday meetups and its project to further civil dialogue in Northampton, email depolarizewmass@gmail.com.

HCC opens registration for winter, spring classes

HOLYOKE – Registration is now open for Wintersession and Spring 2027 semester classes at Holyoke Community College.

HCC’s 10-day Wintersession term begins Monday, Jan. 4, and ends Friday, Jan. 15. The Spring 2027 semester begins Tuesday, Jan. 19.  

Students can earn up to four transferable credits by taking Wintersession classes in anthropology, communications, criminal justice, conflict resolution and mediation, economics, environmental science, geography, management, mathematics, nutrition, psychology and sociology. 

Most Wintersession classes are offered entirely online.    

Full 15-week spring semester classes begin Jan. 19. HCC will also run three accelerated spring flex start sessions: Flex Start I classes begin Jan. 19 and run for seven weeks; Flex Start II classes begin Monday, Feb. 1, and run for 12 weeks; Flex Start III classes begin Monday, March 22, and run for seven weeks.

A community college education is now free for most Massachusetts residents who have yet to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Eligible students who want to earn a certificate or degree need only to complete the standard HCC application, complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) for the 2026-2027 school year, and register for at least six credits (typically two classes).

Class schedules for both Wintersession and Spring 2027 semester classes can be found on the HCC website: hcc.edu. To enroll, please go to hcc.edu/admissions. 

HCC Admissions and Financial Aid offices are open Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Fridays, 1-4:30 p.m. The Advising, Career, and Transfer center is open Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.