Shelly Hardy, Realtor

04/11/2026

Thinking about starting a veggie garden this year in Western MA? 🌱🥕

🌼 **Zone 5 Gardening = Timing is Everything!** 🌼

If you’re new to gardening, keep it simple:

🟢 ✔️ Start with easy crops like lettuce, peas, cucumbers, and tomatoes
🟢 ✔️ Don’t rush—our last frost is usually mid-May
🟢 ✔️ Tomatoes & peppers? Start indoors first 🌞
🟢 ✔️ Carrots & spinach? Go straight in the ground early 🌧️

🌿 **Great Veggies to Grow in Zone 5:**
🫘 Beans
🥬 Beets
🥦 Broccoli
🌱 Brussels Sprouts
🥬 Cabbage
🥕 Carrots
🥦 Cauliflower
🌽 Corn
🥒 Cucumbers
🥬 Kale
🥗 Lettuce
🧅 Onions
🌿 Peas
🌶️ Peppers
🥬 Spinach
🎃 Squash
🍅 Tomatoes

✨ You don’t need a huge garden to start—just a small space and a little patience.

There’s nothing better than stepping outside and picking fresh food you grew yourself 🍅💚

📌 **Save this post + planting guide so you stay on track all season!**

Thinking about making a move this year? Let’s find you a home with the perfect yard to grow in 🌿🏡

04/08/2026

If you bought your home this past fall or winter here in Western MA, your yard is probably just starting to reveal itself 🌱

Before you start digging everything up—pause.

In Zone 5, gardens wake up slowly… and you might be surprised by what’s already there 👀

Here are a few quick tips for your first spring:
✔️ Give plants time—some don’t show up until May
✔️ Watch where the sun hits before planting anything new
✔️ Clean up gently (don’t rush it!)
✔️ Look for hidden gems like bulbs, peonies, or hostas
✔️ Hold off on big changes until you’ve seen a full season

Your garden is just getting started—and so are you.

Thinking about buying or selling in Western MA? I’m always happy to help 🌿🏡

02/18/2026

Carnival Mazatlan Mexico 💃💥🏖️☀️

01/17/2026

11/26/2025

🎉 Celebrating One Year on Pleasant Street! 🎉
It’s hard to believe it’s already been a year since a group of us from the former Maple and Main Realty decided to stick together and continue doing the work we love. When Maple and Main took a new direction and the owners joined Delap as a team, a handful of us chose a different path — and we found a new home with Brick & Mortar Realty.
Since then, we’ve been settling into our space above YES Computers at 196 Pleasant Street, Suite 400 in Downtown Northampton, and it has truly felt like the right place to land. And we’re now happily working on both sides of the bridge — our original Amherst office welcomed us with such warmth, and we’re grateful to be part of a team that embraces collaboration across both communities.
This first year has been full of learning, growth, laughter, and plenty of house tours — and we’re grateful for every bit of it.
Most of all, thank you to everyone who has supported us, reached out, referred friends, or simply cheered us on. Your trust means everything, and it’s the reason we get to keep showing up for the community we care so much about.
Here’s to year one in the books — and many more ahead. 🏡💛
— Brick & Mortar Realty

08/08/2025