Alice Maggio

Teamflys operates their flight school during the “dairy bar season,” offering an April-to-October course that includes everything required to get your pilot’s license.

“With everything that’s going on with the economy, the more local it can be, the more successful and secure.” --- Oskar Hallig, owner of Only in My Dreams Events

In a market full of pasta sauce behemoths, Ooma Tesoro’s takes a “Small is Beautiful” approach to their business.

“It’s really important that we resist the commodification of the world. We need to hang on to our genuine things.” -- Dana Bixby

There is a growing awareness of where and how our goods are made and a lot more transparency from the clothing industry about what we are buying and wearing.

Maddie Elling and Abe Hunrichs of Hosta Hill were intrigued with recipes from Sandor Katz’s "Wild Fermentation," and excited by the opportunity to dig up ancient traditions and experiment with them in the 21st century.

Isaacs created a design for the currency, BerkShares, that was inspired by the Euro, one that was elegant, contemporary, and “looked as good as global, but had a local feel.”

Right now, Doyle says, is a great time to be in the Berkshires. Thanks to improved communications technology people can choose to live here for the quality of life, even if their work is based somewhere else.

“When you look at the big picture in the world — between politics and war and where money is going – it’s a privilege and it’s liberating to have our own currency. It’s an action when you use BerkShares. It’s an instant way to not feel helpless; to do something that makes a difference. It’s like voting.” -- Adam Zieminski, owner of Café Adam

"Economic gardening really starts in your backyard, and we really like the way that BerkShares create a virtuous circle, in which we can recirculate money in our local economy." -- Van Shields, executive director of the Berkshire Museum

Some customers are so dedicated, in fact, that they come up from New York for the weekend and buy bagels before heading back to the city. “We are actually the exporter of a Berkshire product — New York-style bagels!” -- Bob Climo, owner of Great Barrington Bagel Company

“In many places, things are getting homogenized, which is a real loss for our economy and our culture. I see the Berkshires as one of the final bastions of independent, unique entrepreneurs. What really makes our entire economy go is local people supporting each other.” -- Rob Navarino, owner of The Chef's Shop in Great Barrington

“We’re interested in supporting the local economy because it supports us so much. So we accept BerkShares, giving people an opportunity to keep their money local, and then that incentivizes us to find local purveyors so that we can keep the circulation going.” -- Casey Rothstein Fitzpatrick, managing partner of the Stagecoach Tavern at Race Brook Lodge

Doughnuts hold an important place in the American psyche. One Depression-era slogan advised, “As you go through life make this your goal: Watch the doughnut, not the hole.” Thanks to John and Debbie Scalia for stepping in to fill the doughnut hole in our local economy.

“If we continue on this path of — dare I say it — food self-sufficiency, we could feed the whole county using 500 acres or fewer. BerkShares is a currency that actually reflects an understanding that we can do things for ourselves.” -- Ted Dobson, Equinox Farm in Sheffield

One of the most common complaints heard in the Berkshires is that young Berkshire county residents have few opportunities to stay here after high school and make a good living.