Spread the Word . . .

[ABOVE: Roberta and Tom Scott of the Falls Village Flower Farm on Kellogg Road preparing for Trade Secrets on May 19]

Falls Village prides itself on being a humble, low-key town, but there are days when I wish the community had a bigger collective ego. For instance, why aren't there road signs when you drive into town that announce "Falls Village: Home of Music Mountain, the Oldest Continuing Summer Chamber Music Festival in the U.S.A."? Shouldn't there be signs that proclaim "Falls Village: Birthplace of Trade Secrets," the phenomenally successful plant and garden antiques sale that benefits Women's Support Services, which helps victims of domestic violence in the Northwest Corner and nearby New York and Massachusetts?

Trade Secrets was born at Bunny Williams' house on Point of Rocks Road in May 2001. After two years, it grew too large and moved to the Wake Robin Inn in Lakeville. Last year, bigger than ever, it moved to Lion Rock Farm, the home of Elaine LaRoche, on the Sharon/Salisbury border. It will be held there again this Saturday. The Falls Village spirit is encoded in the event's DNA and one of this year's co-chairs is Deb Munson who lives on Canaan Mountain. (Bunny is the honorary chairman.) Roberta and Tom Scott of the Falls Village Flower Farm will have a booth for the sixth year in a row with their extensive assortment of lush perennials. Nancy McCabe of Dublin Road will have a booth, too (she usually brings wonderful topiaries and pottery that she buys in Sante Fe during the winter) and so will Cyd and John Emmons of Music Mountain Road, who run an antiques business called Gardenalia

One of the things I've always loved about Trade Secrets is that it's one of those events where full-time residents and weekenders come together as a community for an undeniably worthy cause. Though it is no longer held here, it will always have the Falls Village imprimatur because it is literally our town's baby.