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The Berkshires

The Berkshires (/ˈbɜːrkʃərz/ or /ˈbɜːrkʃɪərz/), is a highland geologic region located in the western parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut, although the term "Berkshires" is normally used by locals in reference to the portion of the mountain range that lies within Massachusetts. The portion of the Berkshires that extends into Connecticut is commonly referred to by locals as either the Northwest Hills or Litchfield Hills.

Also referred to as the Berkshire Hills, Berkshire Mountains, and Berkshire Plateau, the region enjoys a vibrant tourism industry based on music, arts, and recreation.

The Berkshires was named among the 200 Last Great Places by The Nature Conservancy.

Definition

The term "The Berkshires" has overlapping but non-identical political, cultural, and geographic definitions.

Political

Berkshire

Berkshire (/ˈbɑːrkʃər/ or /ˈbɑːrkʃɪər/, abbreviated Berks) is a county of south east England, located to the west of London. It has also been known as the Royal County of Berkshire since at least the 19th century because of the presence of Windsor Castle and was recognised as such by the Queen in 1957 and letters patent issued in 1974. Berkshire is a county of historic origin and is both a ceremonial county and a non-metropolitan county without a county council. Berkshire County Council was the main county governance from 1889 to 1998 except for the separately administered County Borough of Reading.

In 1974, significant alterations were made to the county's administrative boundaries although the traditional boundaries of Berkshire were not changed. The towns of Abingdon, Didcot and Wantage were transferred to Oxfordshire, Slough was gained from Buckinghamshire and the separate administration of Reading was ended. Since 1998, Berkshire has been governed by the six unitary authorities of Bracknell Forest, Reading, Slough, West Berkshire, Windsor and Maidenhead and Wokingham. It borders the counties of Oxfordshire (to the north), Buckinghamshire (to the north-east), Greater London (to the east), Surrey (to the south-east), Wiltshire (to the west) and Hampshire (to the south).

Berkshire (soil)

Berkshire soil series is the name given to a well drained loam or sandy loam soil which has developed on glacial till in parts of southern Quebec, eastern New York State and New England south to Massachusetts. It belongs to the podzol soil group and is one of the most important soils in its area of occurrence, supporting extensive forests and a fair number of farms. Many Berkshire soils lack the eluvial (E) horizon characteristic of podzols because they have a history of being cleared for cultivation.

Geology

The deep glacial till which provides the foundation of the Berkshire series contains material derived from mica schist with fragments of gneiss, granite and phyllite also present in some areas. These rocks are not high in mineral nutrients but provide enough fine-grained material to produce a loamy soil.

Agriculture

Cleared areas of the Berkshire series support a livestock industry with an emphasis on dairying. Grasses, legumes and silage corn are raised for cattle food. These crops are likely to need lime and fertilizer for optimum growth. Potatoes are also grown; they are well adapted to the Berkshire's natural acidity. Many Berkshire soils, however, are too rough and stony for easy cultivation and have been allowed to revert to forest.

Berkshire pig

Berkshire pigs are a rare breed of pig originating from the English county of Berkshire.

Herds of the breed are still maintained in England by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust at Aldenham Country Park, Hertfordshire, and by the South of England Rare Breeds Centre in Kent. The Berkshire is listed as vulnerable; as of 2008 fewer than 300 breeding sows were known to exist. Some pigs of the breed are also kept in New Zealand and Australia, but it is estimated that there are now fewer than a hundred purebred sows there.

In the United States, the American Berkshire Association, established in 1875, gives pedigrees only to pigs directly imported from established English herds or to those tracing directly back to such imported animals. The pig is also bred in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, under the trademarked name Kagoshima Kurobuta (かごしま黒豚, lit. Kagoshima black pig).

Culinary uses

Berkshire pork, prized for juiciness, flavour and tenderness, is pink-hued and heavily marbled. Its high fat content makes it suitable for long cooking and high-temperature cooking.

Radio Stations - Berkshire

RADIO STATION
GENRE
LOCATION
Retro Soul Radio London R&B UK
Energy FM DJ Mixes Non-Stop Dance UK
RadioFish Country,Oldies,60s UK
Radio Wivenhoe Varied UK
Scanner: VHF Marine Radio Public UK
RAT Radio Varied UK
Gem 106 Varied UK
BBC York Varied UK
Skyline Gold 60s,Soft Rock,Rock,Oldies,Easy,Country,Classic Rock,80s,70s UK
BBC Hindi - Tees Minute News Updates,Indian UK
BBC Radio 1 Pop UK
Free Radio Herefordshire & Worcestershire Pop,Top 40 UK
Miskin Radio Pop UK
EKR - WDJ Retro Rock,Adult Contemporary,Soft Rock UK
RollinRadio Electronica UK
Hard House UK Dance UK
My Social Radio Top 40 UK
Flight FM Electronica UK
Remarkable Radio Oldies UK
80s And More 80s UK
Sunshine Gold Oldies UK
House FM Dance,Electronica,Jungle UK
Jemm Two Indie Rock UK
Rickhits Pop UK
Dance Music 24/7 - EHM Productions 90s,Dance,Electronica UK
Hope FM 90.1 Christian Contemporary UK
Phoenix Radio Rock,Classic Rock UK
Gold FM Radio Rock,90s,80s,Adult Contemporary,Pop UK
87.7 Black Cat Radio Oldies,Pop UK
Radyo 90 Sports,Folk,Pop UK
Chester Talking Newspaper Flintshire Edition News UK
URN College UK
Sauce FM Dance UK
Anfield FM Sports UK
Sky News News UK
Citybeat 96.7FM Adult Contemporary UK
BBC Hindi - Din Bhar News Updates,Indian UK
RWSfm Varied UK
BBC Surrey Varied UK
106 Jack FM Oxfordshire Adult Contemporary UK
Bradley Stoke Radio Varied UK
Energy FM Old School Classics Dance UK
Deddington OnAir Rock,Pop UK
Summer Time Radio 90s,Dance,Electronica UK
Stomp Radio R&B UK
Stress Factor Dance,Electronica UK
Total Biker FM Rock,Punk UK
BBC Manchester Varied,News UK
BrooklynFM Rock,Classic Rock UK
FRED Film Ch9 Romanian Talk UK
Fantasy radio Varied UK

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Latest News for: berkshire mountains

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At new Grand Avenue bakery Razava Bread Co., ‘everything is in service to the bread’

Pioneer Press 16 Jan 2025
There are no shortcuts, and no coverups ... in St ... 20, 2024 ... Paul ... And then, through a “strange and amazing turn of events,” he said, he landed a brief apprenticeship with sourdough bread master Richard Bourdon of Berkshire Mountain Bakery in Massachusetts.
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Four must-visit winter getaways from North Jersey, and where to stay while you're there

northjersey.com 15 Jan 2025
The Berkshires have several different trails available for skiers and snowboarders of all ages, including Catamount Mountain Resort, Ski Butternut, Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort and Canterbury Farms.
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Searching for the $50 lift ticket: Where to ski in New England that won’t break the bank

Burlington Free Press 14 Jan 2025
Berkshire East Mountain Resort, Massachusetts. Berkshire East, a resort located in the Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts, has 45 trails on 180 acres of skiable area ... But the mountain also offers a deal for Vermont residents.
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High schools: Billy Warren paces Hampshire Regional in opening PVIAC alpine ski race

Daily Hampshire Gazette 10 Jan 2025
CHARLEMONT — The Hampshire Regional alpine ski team was ready to go for the season-opening meet at Berkshire East Mountain Resort on Thursday night as the boys took on the giant slalom course ... .
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College athlete dies from tragic accident on ski resort’s most difficult trail

New York Post 10 Jan 2025
Alex Kemp, a Williams College freshman from New Jersey, was skiing at the Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort in Hancock, Massachusetts on Monday when the incident happened, the Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release.
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College student, 19, dies in horrific skiing accident on 'most difficult trail on Massachusetts mountain' ...

The Daily Mail 10 Jan 2025
A college student horrifically lost his life while skiing on a Massachusetts mountain's most challenging trail ... Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort in Hancock on Monday afternoon, the New York Post reported.
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Zynka Gallery marks 5 years of showcasing art in Sharpsburg

Pittsburgh Tribune Review 09 Jan 2025
It’s a thrill for Jeff Jarzynka when the glass doors of his Sharpsburg art gallery are ajar and something inside catches the eye of a passerby ... Next up is a show by Karl Mullen, born in Ireland and now living in the Berkshire mountains ... 11 ... ....
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Snow sports: Skiers get more for their dollar around world with Indy Pass system

The Gardner News 18 Dec 2024
If you love skiing or snowboarding at Berkshire East, Pats Peak, Waterville Valley, Cannon Mountain, Magic Mountain, Saddleback, Jay Peak or other great independent New England ski areas, you’ve got to get an Indy Pass.
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Will the Berkshires be 'the next big mountain bike destination' in New England? That's the plan

The Berkshire Eagle 16 Dec 2024
Two Berkshire groups just won state grants to develop trails — on 800 acres at Berlin Mountain in Williamstown and on 565 acres straddling the Hancock and Lanesborough line near Jiminy Peak ....
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'That’s as good as you can ask to kick off the season': Stratton Mountain enjoys successful opening day

The Gardner News 04 Dec 2024
By the time you read this, other major ski areas will have opened for the 2024-2025 season, with nearby options Crotched Mountain in Bennington, New Hampshire, opening on Friday and Berkshire East in Charlemont in Western Massachusetts on Saturday.
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Gene Chague: Start of shotgun deer hunting season rises a memorable hunt from 1991

The Berkshire Eagle 30 Nov 2024
The start of deer hunting season in the Berkshires has Gene Chague reminiscing about a trip to Beartown Mountain back in 1991 ....
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These five New York cities ranked among the best places to live in the U.S. See the list

Democrat & Chronicle 22 Nov 2024
It's proximity to the Finger Lakes wine region and Massachusetts' Berkshire Mountains makes it ideal for foodies and outdoor lovers. However, both the Adirondack Mountains in the north and Catskills in ...
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Balsam Hill early Black Friday sale: Best-selling trees are half off for a limited time

Penn Live 21 Nov 2024
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! ... And even better, free shipping is included with your tree for more holiday savings ... More details about the Balsam Hill Early Black Friday sale ... price $1,749)6.5′ Berkshire Mountain Fir Trees $449 (reg ... ....

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