VIP 23

For the third year, The Eagle presents profiles of 23 exceptional individuals -- in one case, a couple -- who have made significant contributions to life in Berkshire County.

Arranged in random order, our roster, selected by members of The Eagle newsroom staff, includes people in business, in health care, in the arts and in the faith community; one who works to support local farmers, and one who is trying to improve education. Some are chosen for their professional efforts; some for volunteerism. Representing the county from north to south, our "VIP 23" for this year is just a small sampling of the fine people who make Berkshire County such a special place to live and work.

Amy Cotler

Amy Cotler: Working for the Berkshire farmers
By Patrick Rheaume

People who live outside the area often imagine that the Berkshire landscape mirrors the pastoral scenes of Norman Rockwell's paintings. Yet anyone who has visited the area can attest to the presence of fast-food restaurants and chain supermarkets.

Amy Cotler, the director of Berkshire Grown, hopes to reverse the growth of big agribusiness in Berkshire County. "It's important," she says, "that we work to recapture our rural heritage."

Her organization supports small farmers by linking them to area restaurants, hotels and bed- and breakfasts. "We have 98 businesses buying food from 102 local producers, most of them farmers," she notes. Called the Buy Berkshire Grown Campaign, the program works to increase the awareness that will steer people to farmers and farmers' markets.

"People need to know where they can purchase the high quality local foods that are available here," she says. "If we can increase consumption of local foods by one percent, that would bring an extra six million dollars in the economy. Additionally, the small farm industry provides a sustainable, ecologically sound alternative to commercial development.”

Many people, says Cotler, want to stop the loss of small farms and preserve our connection to the land.

Berkshire Grown connects chefs to many niche market farmers who grow an unusual or hard-to-find product, like mesclun lettuce, yellow tomatoes, or various cheeses, herbs and flowers. An important part of its work involves educating consumers.

Says Cotler, "People need to know where they can find these quality food products."

Cotler's interest in farming and crops began with her experience in the culinary industry. Born in Westchester County, N.Y., she attended New York University. After becoming a chef, she taught at the Culinary University of America, worked as a caterer and contributed to the "Joy of Cooking" series.

She lived in the Berkshires during a period in the 1970s that she describes as her "back to the earth movement". Since 1990, Cotler has lived continuously in Berkshire County. "I couldn't bear to stay away," she says. “One thing I missed in particular was going to the farmers’ markets.

"I was very concerned about where our food comes from," she says. That interest brought her into contact with Berkshire Grown.

Since she began working for Berkshires Grown more than 10 years ago, Cotler has become familiar with other aspects of local farming, besides its importance to the culinary world, including its impact on the economy, the environment and the Berkshires' rural heritage. "We’d like to address the loss of local dairies," she says.

Berkshire Grown also wants to aid small and struggling farmers. "We are conducting an inventory of farms right now to determine exactly what they need," Cotler notes.

The organization relies heavily on community support. "The last few years have been tough for nonprofit groups," she says. "Last year, we lost our state funding. To fill that gap, Berkshire Grown utilizes a volunteer pool that includes people from every town or city in the county. In recent years, the group has collaborated with the Berkshires Natural Resources Council, various Land Trusts and Berkshire Botanical Gardens, among others, to support the farming community in the county."

Cotler lives with her husband, Tom Powers, and her daughter. She enjoys books, movies and outdoor activities, including kayaking.

Her enthusiasm for local farming, though it encompasses economic and environmental concerns, ultimately returns to the belief that small farmers produce the best food. "Ever since I was very young, I've enjoyed having all the fabulous products that you can only get from local farms," recalls Cotler. "We need to keep that resource alive and vital."

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