FOOD

Thanksgiving is the opening of the holiday season, and although it is not celebrated in Latin America, many Hispanics in Connecticut have embraced it as part of their holidays, giving it their unique twist.

The Eastern States Exposition purchased two prize-winning steers at the 4-H Beef Auction at the Big E this past September.

We get a jump on Hunger Awareness Week by chatting with Lev Ben Ezra of the Amherst Survival Center, and Executive chef of Stone Soup Cafe Kirsten Levitt, have Live Music Friday with Forest Alley String Band before they play a benefit for Stone Soup Cafe this weekend, heavily allude to a way you can help alleviate hunger and still enjoy some wine during our Tina Turner Memorial Wine Thunderdome at State Street Deli, Wine & Spirits, and go totally tuber with Diane Swazlowski-Mullins of Swaz Potato Farms.

Recently, for her 90th birthday, South Community Food Pantry director Mary Wheat asked the Pittsfield community to donate 900 boxes of cereal. Wheat said the response was overwhelming.

We indulge in reverance of the apple for Franklin County Cider Days, heat it up with Kara Peters of Ahlbin's Fire Cider, and hear about the initiatives in the bay state to end Daylight Savings Time with Dr. Karin Johnson

The coordinator for gleaning at the nonprofit Rachel’s Table of Western Massachusetts explains how volunteers harvest the remains left in farmers' fields.

Fruit Fair supermarket has received state funding to combat food deserts in Chicopee. Its owners say growing their own produce on site saves "food miles" and money.

We have Live Music Friday with Ciarra Fragale, playing Hawks & Reed this and next weekend, explore our local and global eating options with Andy Cox and German Alvarado of Smith College Dining Services, hear the final product of what the NEPM Media Lab Fellows got up to this summer, and head into the Wine Thunderdome at Table & Vine in West Springfield with one extra Mike and a whole lot of tradition.

Double Live Music Friday with La Perla Bogota and Priya Darshini both playing in the area over the weekend, and we head to the thunderdome for a switch up where we make the folx at State Street Deli Wine & Spirits pair a wine on the fly with food that we've brought.

We chat with the 4th generation currently running the 130+ year old Austin Brothers Valley Farm in Belchertown, hear about our NEPM colleague Elizabeth Roman's interview with Gov. Maura Healey, take a closer look at the new words in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, and Rep. Jim McGovern rues the plight of mcgoverning as another shutdown looms.