Asparagus Valley + The Potter's Trail - This Weekend

I just got off the phone with my friend Donna. She and her husband are innkeepers at a local B&B called House on the Hill. Donna and I are both small business owners and frequently talk about our businesses, the local area, what is going on...... We both LOVE where we live, LOVE all the fantastic people around our area, LOVE the incredible natural beauty we get to experience every day. I frequently recommend Donna's B&B to people who are coming to visit our area and they are never disappointed. 

Donna is a great supporter of artists such as me. Her B&B's walls feature local art and she features locally raised produce when possible. We both have a mutual friend named Lucy Fagella. Lucy and her potter colleagues have a twice yearly event called The Asparagus Valley Pottery Trail. Several different potters open up their studios to the public and sell their wares. The potters are located up and down our gorgeous valley from Northampton to Northfield. The spring event is this weekend April 25/26. 

You can purchase incredible handmade pottery at nine different studios. Each studio is also hosting a "guest potter." There will be all kinds of styles of pottery available. Our friend Lucy makes gorgeous work. I especially like these pouring batter bowls. 

Lucy has a stop action video on making an Asparagus Tray on Instagram here. 

Donna McGee of Hadley is another favorite potter friend. You have probably noticed her work in many of the photos in my book Crafting A Colorful Home. You can see some of her vases on the top of our corner cupboard below. I love her illustrative style. Her work frequently features flowers, chairs, chickens, cows, geraniums, and scenes out her window. 

Photo by Rikki Snyder from Crafting a Colorful Home

Molly Cantor of Shelburne makes beautiful carved ceramics - sometimes in black and white like the sunflower platter below and sometimes with added colors. She says the technique - called sgraffito - is similar to making a linoleum cut block. I love this look.

If you are local - check out The Asparagus Valley Potters Trail. Here is the website for further information. It is a nice day out in a beautiful part of New England. This coming Saturday and Sunday April 25/26. You can follow them on Facebook here. 

(Did you know that the Pioneer Valley is also called Asparagus Valley? In our valley, it is said that the finest asparagus in the world is grown. It is sometimes called Hadley Grass for the town of Hadley. You can read a fantastic article from Saveur Magazine by our neighbor David Nussbaum here. I cannot wait for this year's asparagus - it is so unbelievably good.)