Two Connecticut natives who met in California, married, and who have refocused their futures in Sandisfield have wasted no time in getting involved in local affairs and contributing to community life.Could Bill Tayler and Jaye Moscariello be the most interesting couple in the world? You be the judge.Bill, an astrophysicist by training (Princeton), has a wide repertoire of interests and skills. He is an accomplished pianist and composer of jazz and classical music. He is also a passionate proponent of new and more efficient ways of producing biologically grown food. Well informed and curious, Bill is engaging and eager to learn more about almost any topic.
Jaye is a first-rate painter and designer, vivacious and brimming with ideas. Her accomplishments range from artistic awards to films to books for children. She brings a positive attitude and interest in others to all of her public encounters. Upon first meeting Jaye any new friend is likely to go away thinking, “Whew! What just happened?”She credits her training at Paier College of Art in Hamden, Conn., with sharpening her innate artistic ability. That skill led to opportunities as a creative director in New York and art exhibits and commissions in Europe and elsewhere. Jaye has worked with all kinds of media but recently favors water-based paint.
First to California.After years in urban ecological planning in Boston, Bill moved to California to play and record his music – and to farm, which he describes today as his “foremost interest at this point in life.”Soon after meeting Jaye, who for eight years operated a gallery in Santa Monica, the two moved upstate while continuing to search for the perfect place to plant roots together. Their dreams were realized in 2012 in Redwood Valley and a 195-acre property they named Floodgate Farm On Heart Mountain.Even in California, a place teeming with talent and creativity, they stood out. They became darlings of local media, co-hosting episodes of the local public radio station’s popular “Farm and Garden Show.” Bill and Jaye used music and food with other creations to add zest to communitylife. Their signature offering is “Salad University,” a how-to clinic that incorporates wild and cultivated plants into healthy diets, the latest thing for leading-edge foodies. Think delicious dandelions.Floodgate Farm thrived and their reputations grew. The manager of the area’s major farmer’s market said, “Floodgate Farm is known for overflowing bounty and a salad mix that boasts over 50 types of greens. The farm is a botanical tangle, with edible surprises wherever you turn.”Bill produced original music recordings and Jaye painted her specialty, landscapes. She also held classes in creativity while completing degree requirements for her Masters of Fine Art from TransArt Institute in Berlin, Germany.
Bill established a biological training center for summer interns.
Fire, and then to Sandisfield ...In October 2017, their idyllic but hectic lives were upended as fire swept through Floodgate Farm. Jaye said, “The wildfires were traumatic. We experienced three on our land that year. Living in dread of a reoccurrence, I was inspired to produce a short film, From the Ashes - Fire, Survival. and Renewal, about how our community responded to the Redwood Complex Fire.”They lost almost their entire orchard and about one-third of the garden to flames. Insurance covered only a small fraction of the loss. "The community pitched in with a Go Fund Me effort but it was not enough. I sold lots of my artwork which mostly went to help needier victims of the fire. We were luckier than our neighbors. Six out of twelve on our road lost everything,” she said.When asked “What brought you to Sandisfield?” Jaye responded, “In November 2019 we rushed back home to deal with the sudden death of my sister. My other sister was ill. It made us reflect on our situation. The rural character of the Berkshires suited our life style. Proximity to family in Connecticut was a factor.”She said, “We attended an event at the Sandisfield Arts Center. The atmosphere was great and the people were so friendly that we made up our minds on the spot. Sandisfield would be our new home.”So here they are at 7 New Hartford Road in Sandisfield Center, the energy-efficient house previously owned by Kathryn Clark. Jaye and Bill at their produce stand at the Sandisfield Farmers’ Market. Photo: Bill PriceSlowed by the PandemicPossibly a beaver in a previous life, Bill is furiously building a garden of raised beds. In the works are an avant-garde geodesic dome greenhouse and more experimentation with advanced biological growing methods. Produce is already on sale at their farm stand. Jaye has announced the opening of Jaye’s Place Gallery which offers contemporary art and portraits of “people, pets and home.”Both have inaugurated new activities in town. Bill initiated an online performance forum called “The Musical Zoo(m) of Sandisfield.” Meeting monthly and open to all, it features music, poetry and story-telling. Working with others, Jaye orga- nized a farmer’s market every Friday afternoon at the American Legion pavilion in New Boston.This May, Bill was elected to the Planning Board, no better place to learn about how the town works, its needs and the possibilities. Page 18The Sandisfield TimesSandisfield is Bugging OutThe Recreation Committee is absolutely thrilled to have Laura Rogers-Castro, our town’s favorite Entomologist, (a person who studies or is an expert in the branch of zoology with insects) agree to come/show and discuss every- thing you always wanted to know about bugs, spiders, and other crawling things.BYOB (bring your own bug, dead or alive) or gather some new ones when you get there. Afterwards, we will help you craft your own bugs, (Mom won’t try to get rid of these). This is for all ages. Please join us Sunday, August 22 from 9:30 to 11:30 at The American Legion Pavilion in New Boston on Rt. 8. Thanks, EversourceThe Saturday of Memorial Day weekend was a miserable day with rain, cold and high winds. A big limb on one of our 200 year old, or more, maple trees broke and hit the power line on New Hartford Road. The power went out for many of the people on our road. We were very impressed with th
