Let’s “Shake” Things Up

One of the best things about living in Saratoga Springs is how central it is to so many different and interesting places. Yesterday my husband was fortunate enough to have the day off and we decided to explore a part of New England that we’ve never been to. With no particular place in mind, we looked at a map and decided to check out the small town of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Just a short drive away and barely on the other side of the New York state border, it seemed like a perfect day trip location. Our next task was to figure out what to do. Before our son came along, we would just drive around until we found something. However, as every parent knows, day trips have to be planned out and sometimes even have a back-up plan.

With a love of history and the weather as beautiful as it was this weekend, we decided to find some place involving the outdoors. That’s when we stumbled upon the Hancock Shaker Village. Although no Shakers live there today, volunteers have preserved the twenty different buildings and gardens in the village making this a living museum. On top of everything, they currently have an exhibit running until May 8th called “Baby Animals on a Shaker Farm.” Lastly, admission was very reasonable and children under six were free. It didn’t take much to convince us that this is what we wanted to.

Our day started off very smooth. Driving mostly on back roads once we got past Albany, we found the drive scenic, relaxing, and just under an hour and a half. Upon walking to the entrance, we were welcomed by the view of the Shaker Round Barn through the covered walkway.

I could express what an exciting view it was, but my two-year-old son said it quite simply with an “Ooooh.” Once we paid our admission we walked briefly around the Visitor Center. Although our son wasn’t interested in looking at the museum’s historic pieces, from what we saw by quickly walking by, were some beautiful Shaker tools, furniture pieces, craft, and artifacts. We then went outside to start on our little adventure. Some of the highlights of our day included walking through the medicinal herb garden, getting ice cream from SoCo Creamery, seeing what day to day life was like for the Shakers, and petting baby animals like chicks, cows, and baby goats. Although our son loved petting and seeing all the animals in the Round Barn, I believed he also enjoyed the Discovery Room where he got to see a beehive, color some pictures, and learn how to milk a cow. As we found out, a lot of the village is hands on and the staff, some dressed in traditional Shaker costume, were throughout the various buildings to answer any of our MANY questions. We finished the day with a late sit-down lunch at the Village Harvest Café. And while it didn’t seem like we were there long, after three hours of exploring Shaker life, we headed home. The only thing I wish we could have done, and couldn’t because our son was so tired from running around here and there, was hike one of the two trails (one trail is said to take about thirty minutes to a hour, while the other one is said to take one to three hours).

I think in the end, what we took from our trip, was what an interesting religion and utopia-like life style. It gave us a clear understanding of the Shakers and their history. When it comes down to it, however, I love my car, air conditioning, TV, and refrigerator. As we say in my family, “kudos to them, but I couldn’t live like that.” Definitely worth the trip if you ever want to get out of town though.

Here some tips in case you decide to go:

1.) Check out their website for special events and hours of operation.

2.) Definitely wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Don’t forget the sun screen too.

3.) Although many of historic buildings and the Visitors Center are wheelchair accessible, it is mostly dirt pathways and wooden boardwalks. We used a stroller, but in the future we’ll probably put our son in a back pack.

4.) Plan on going for about 2-3 hours as there are a ton of different things to see and do. More time if you plan on going on the hiking trails.

5.) They do offer military discounts.

6.) If you plan on going for the day, the Village Harvest Cafe© is open April through October and serves continental breakfast, lunch and take-out picnics.