Jim McSweeney is seen as an industry leader in the horticultural field in Western Mass. He is a certified arborist & horticulturist with over 15 years experience in the landscape. History Established in 1995 Hilltown Tree and Garden LLC was founded by Jim McSweeney in 1995 in Chesterfield, MA. With a love of home grown food and a desire to learn more he started attending classes at University of Massachusetts Amherst in Amherst, MA where he was educated on horticulture and arboriculture. In order to diversify Hilltown's services from just edibles to perennials, trees, and hardscaping, Jim brought on two employees: Tom Farrington, M.C.H. and Peter Merriam, M.C.H., M.C.A. In 2007, Jim joined the faculty at the New England Wildflower Society to teach courses on a diverse range of topics, including: Natural Pest Control, Pruning, and Landscape Design with Natives. He also does workshops for The Franklin Land Trust, The Goshen Open Space Committee, The Hilltown CDC, various garden centers and a range of other not for profit organizations. Meet the Business Owner: Jim M. Jim McSweeney, Hilltown Tree & Garden's owner and operator, is seen as an industry leader in Western Mass in both the arborcultural and horticultural fields. He and his business has been regularly featured in magazines & newspapers articles and on radio. He is a certified arborist and a certified horticulturist with a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and was schooled in horticulture and arboriculture at the University of Massachusetts Stockbridge School. Jim spends much of his winters traveling while studying conceptual landscape design, alternative and organic methods for combating pests and treating plant disease, traditional agriculture, urban ecosystems, and other horticulture-related subjects.