Invasive shrub-clipping parties begin Nov. 2
GREENFIELD — Greening Greenfield invites people to sign up for its first of several invasive shrub-clipping parties on Sunday, Nov. 2, from 2 to 4 p.m. in Highland Park.
“Although it may feel sad to attack burning bushes and barberries when they are in their autumn glory, it is also the perfect time to clip them because they are so visible,” Greening Greenfield member Nancy Hazard said in a statement.
These shrubs were brought here intentionally in the 1800s from Asia for landscaping. Another variety of barberry was brought by settlers in the 1600s to make jam and dye, and to make hedges. However, they now fill our fields and woods, and shade out native plants that play important roles in the ecosystem.
No experience is needed. Some tools, such as hand clippers, will be provided. Attendees are advised to wear gloves and bring any clippers they have. To sign up for the shrub-clipping party or to receive future announcements of additional Sunday afternoon shrub-clipping parties, email info@GreeningGreenfieldMA.org or call 413-774-5667.
To learn more about why controlling invasives is important and Greening Greenfield’s past efforts, go to GreeningGreenfieldMA.org and click on “Nature.”
Library to host Election Day voting for kids
GREENFIELD — Children ages 3 to 12 can stop by the Greenfield Public Library Children’s Room on Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 4, from 2 to 8 p.m. to vote for their favorite picture book, graphic novel, chapter book or which baby animal is the cutest.
Filmmaker Don Wright to lead Nov. 4 program
GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Public Library will welcome Don Wright, Greenfield activist and filmmaker, on Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 5:30 p.m. with the new documentary, “Cathedrals.”
Decades after making a film together about kids living in a housing project in Boston’s South End in 1976, filmmaker Dan Algrant embarks on a personal journey to reconnect with his co-director while uncovering challenging questions about race, class and disparities of power that complicate and compliment the film’s own narrative. After falling out of touch for nearly 50 years, his quest becomes an exploration of the bonds that tie us together, the experiences that shape our identities and the possibilities that form when different paths converge.
Doors open at 5 p.m. The film will start promptly at 5:30 p.m. and will be followed by a brief question-and-answer session. Light refreshments will be served.
Nov. 4: Vermont-based poet to speak at library
GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Public Library will welcome local author Gregg Orifici on Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 2 p.m. to talk about the connections between poetry and place, flowers and invasive weeds, the rapture of summer and the meditations of winter, and more.
“Rattle of the Sun” (July 2025) is a first-time poetry collection by Orifici, a Vermont-based poet and garden designer. Orifici’s book of poems, compiled over decades, experiments with language and invites the reader on a pilgrimage through flowering and feeling.
Books will be available for purchase at the event.
Youths, teens to learn about healthy food choices
GREENFIELD — The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts is collaborating with the Greenfield Public Library to allow youths and teens to explore how foods go from fresh to ultra-processed during a program on Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 3 p.m. in the library’s Makerspace.
Attendees ages 8 to 18 can compare fruit to fruit-flavored treats, while learning how to make healthier choices. In this interactive class, kids will line up different food samples and discuss how processing affects health and taste. They’ll discover the benefits of whole and minimally processed foods while learning to spot the healthiest options.
This program is free, but space is limited and advance registration is required. Register at greenfieldpl.libcal.com/event/15540453.
Nov. 1: Straw Dog Writers Guild presents Theresa Okokon
GREENFIELD — The LAVA Center at 324 Main St. will host writer Theresa Okokon in an event collaboration with the Straw Dog Writers Guild and Black Writers Read on Saturday, Nov. 1, from 3 to 4:30 p.m.
Okokon, a storyteller and co-host of “Stories from the Stage,” will read selections from her writings and share stories of grief, identity and courage. Nicole Young-Martin, founder and host of Black Writers Read, will shepherd the conversation with Okokon, inviting questions from members of the audience.
In addition to writing and performing her own stories, Okokon also teaches storytelling and writing, and collaborates with nonprofits on narrative-driven projects and events. An alum of both the Memoir Incubator and Essay Incubator programs at GrubStreet, Okokon’s memoir of essays about memory, family stories and the death of her father — titled “Who I Always Was” — was published by Atria Books at Simon & Schuster in 2025.
WRITE NOV programs offering support for writers
GREENFIELD — The LAVA Center is gearing up for its fourth year of hosting WRITE NOV, a full month of open hours and support for writers, including those who are participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). WRITE NOV launches on Saturday, Nov. 1, with a kick-off event from noon to 3 p.m.
Hosts will be on site almost every day in November, with prompts. Beginners, emerging writers and professionals are all welcome.
Sessions for quiet writing time will be Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sessions that may have other events happening in the space simultaneously will be Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m., Fridays from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The month will culminate with an open mic session on Saturday, Nov. 29, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. where writers can share their work.
For a full lineup of events and more information, visit thelavacenter.org/write-nov.
Conway author to read from new book
GREENFIELD — The LAVA Center will welcome Conway resident Annie Cheatham to read from her new book, “The Baby’s Gotta Have Somethin’: Glimpses of a Southern Childhood,” on Friday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m.
“All of the stories in this book, both fiction and non-fiction, describe places, conditions and relationships that taught me resilience and gave me courage while I was growing up in the 1950s South,” Cheatham said in a statement. “Unwritten rules about race, class, gender identity and religion dominated my world, and as a child, I looked for loving people who could guide me to safety. These stories are about a few of those people.”
Cheatham is a retired middle school teacher and speechwriter. With Mary Clare Powell, she is co-author of “This Way Daybreak Comes: Women’s Values and the Future.”
Brown bag program returns Nov. 6
GREENFIELD — The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts’ monthly brown bag program for income-qualifying seniors will be held at The Weldon apartments at 54 High St. on Thursday, Nov. 6, from 10:30 to 11 a.m.
Kristine Jelstrup to demonstrate muscle response testing
GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Senior Center will host a presentation on muscle response testing on Tuesday, Nov. 4, from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
Kristine Jelstrup uses a technique called muscle response testing to communicate with a person’s nervous system and find out what is going on with their body. She will demonstrate this technique on anyone who is interested.
Jelstrup is a natural health care practitioner who has been doing this work for more than 20 years. She has a practice called Shelburne Falls Natural Healing.
The program is free. Registration is required as space is limited to 20. To sign up, call 413-772-1517, ext. 0 or stop by the Senior Center’s front desk.
Nov. 7: Connecticut River Flute Choir to perform
GREENFIELD — The Connecticut River Flute Choir will perform at the Greenfield Senior Center on Friday, Nov. 7, from 11 a.m. to noon.
The Connecticut River Flute Choir is made up of Franklin County flutists who delight in the harmonies of ensemble flute music. Not limited by genre, the program will be a mix of Americana, international folk, baroque, classical and some familiar children’s melodies.
Advance registration is required, but Senior Center membership is not necessary. To sign up, call 413-772-1517, ext. 0 or stop by the Senior Center’s front desk.
Three-week chair Pilates class starts Nov. 7
GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Senior Center will offer a three-week chair Pilates class on Fridays from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. between Nov. 7 and Nov. 21.
Chair Pilates helps improve posture and mobility. A variety of slow-paced, gentle exercises can be done seated in the chair to tone the whole body. Doing Chair Pilates is especially helpful for those struggling with osteoporosis.
Advance registration with a $15 payment and Senior Center membership (free) are required for this class by Oct. 31.
Greenfield Senior Newcomers’ Group meets weekly
GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Senior Newcomers’ Group, bringing people who have recently relocated to Greenfield together with longtime residents who are interested in welcoming their neighbors, meets from 10:30 to 11 a.m. on Thursdays in the lobby and Room 112 at the Greenfield Senior Center beginning Nov. 6.
This is a drop-in program; registration is not necessary. Coffee will be available.