In spite of the fact that we have some of the most beautiful countryside in New England, some of the finest educational institutions and some of the most unpretentious, generous and down-to-earth people you'll find anywhere, it's a source of constant amazement to us that many people either a) don't know where the Pioneer Valley is or b) think it's just a stretch of highway that links Connecticut to the vacation destinations of Vermont and New Hampshire. When we say we're from Western Massachusetts, they assume that we live in the Berkshires. Then we have to explain just how big the state of Massachusetts is, and that there's a whole other region (actually several) between Boston and the Berkshires.

But those of us who live in the Pioneer Valley know why it's special. That's why an increasing number of us have uprooted our lives elsewhere and made the conscious decision to live here.

In this website and its accompanying e-mail newsletter (see the signup link on the left side of this page), we'll attempt to capture the true spirit of the Pioneer Valley.

We'll profile the people and businesses that make a difference. We'll travel to undiscovered places. We'll inform you about local issues and let you know how you can make your voice heard with our local and state representatives. We'll show you ways to live a more sustainable life. And we'll offer you opportunities to give back to the community by volunteering to help out local organizations and events.

We don't plan to provide entertainment listings (there are plenty of newspapers and websites that have this area covered). However, we will promote the events with a community focus — local festivals, benefit concerts, etc. And down the road, we plan to organize some events ourselves.

This website is yours. We hope you'll get involved with us. Tell us what you like about living in the Pioneer Valley. Tell us what you don't like. Tell us what we're doing right. Or what we can do better. Together we can make a difference.