Nestled in the hills of Huntington, VT, Krin’s Bakery has been bringing people together with delicious, handcrafted treats since 2005 – and from February 6-12, Member-Owners can enjoy 20% off Krin’s full line of local confections at the Co-op!
Krin’s Bakery is run by artisan baker Krin Barberi. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, her treats—like chewy cookies, cupcakes piled high with frosting, classic Italian biscotti, and chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons—are made with time-honored recipes and simple, fresh ingredients. Krin’s baked goods are perfect for every occasion—packed in a lunchbox, paired with coffee, or shared at a celebration.
Krin is dedicated to supporting Vermont’s local food system through her work as a baker. She sources ingredients from nearby farms, orchards, and local distributors, recognizing that these partnerships help sustain the small businesses that are vital to the region. Her passion for local food and community stems from her New England upbringing, where food was a way to bring people together. By choosing local whenever possible, Krin ensures that her bakery continues to support and celebrate the community that inspires her work.
Carrying the weight of the world in your neck and shoulders? Craving a moment to breathe and reconnect? Otter Creek Yoga, this month’s Co-op Connection featured business, is here to help. Co-op member-owners enjoy their first class free—just let them know you’re a member!
For over 20 years, Otter Creek Yoga has been a cornerstone of healing and self-discovery in Addison County. As the area’s first yoga studio, they continue to offer a peaceful space for relaxation and growth. Located in Middlebury’s historic Marbleworks, their bright, serene studio hosts classes throughout the day, evening, and weekends for all levels of experience—no prior yoga experience required.
Their dedicated team of seven certified instructors, led by founder and director Joanna Colwell, teaches a range of yoga styles to fit different needs. If you’re unsure where to start, send them an e-mail or give them a call—they’re happy to help guide you to the right class. Or explore on your own; click here to explore the schedule and class descriptions.
Otter Creek Yoga is also deeply committed to accessibility and inclusion. Through their Yoga Equity Project, individuals who are part of the global majority (BIPOC) can access free yoga classes or even receive compensation for attending. This eight-week Gentle Yoga Series, led by Sasha Finnell, fosters an inclusive and nurturing environment designed for comfort, healing, and community.
To learn more or register for the series, reach out to Joanna directly.
Whether you’re new to yoga or a long-time practitioner, Otter Creek Yoga welcomes you to reconnect with yourself and your community.
If you’ve shopped for eggs recently, you’ve probably notice an increase in price.
The rising cost of eggs is a reflection of a national shortage caused by the devastating impacts of avian influenza, which has drastically reduced egg supplies across the country. While Vermont’s commercial flocks have largely been spared, the increased demand for local eggs has placed unprecedented pressure on producers, driving up their costs. As a result, the price we pay for eggs has risen substantially over a very short period. We want to assure you that we are doing everything we can to navigate this challenging situation with fairness, transparency, and care for both our customers and our local producers.
At the Co-op, we have chosen to subsidize the cost of eggs as much as possible to keep them accessible to everyone in our community. This means that while our prices may still reflect the broader market pressures, we are intentionally absorbing some of the costs to help protect our customers during this time. Our goal is to strike a careful balance between maintaining accessibility and ensuring the sustainability of the local producers we all rely on.
We have a long-standing commitment to paying all of our producers fairly. As egg prices rise, we continue to pay local farmers more—not just to match the market but to ensure they have the financial stability to weather future challenges. Just as we supported farmers after this summer’s floods by purchasing whatever they could sell at whatever the asking price, we are now standing by our egg producers to ensure they can survive and continue to provide us with the food we depend on.
We want to be clear: any price increases you see are not arbitrary. They are the result of market realities beyond our control. Our commitment to you remains the same: to provide high-quality food at a fair and thoughtful price while prioritizing the long-term well-being of our community, our customers, and our farmers.
Being a member of this Co-op means more than just being a shopper—it means being part of a community that stands by its values, even when times are tough–especially when times are tough. We’re not just weathering this challenge – we’re making conscious choices to build a stronger, more resilient food system for the future. We deeply appreciate your understanding, trust, and support as we work through this together.
We’re casting our Co-op Spotlight on Bob’s Red Mill this week to shed a little light on this employee-owned business that has been offering stone-milled grains for over 40 years. Member-owners can enjoy 20% off all of Bob’s Red Mill products this week (January 2-8). Read on to learn more about their unique business model and their commitment to using traditional stone milling techniques to deliver healthy high-quality grain products to store shelves.
At Bob’s Red Mill, they believe that quality can’t be rushed. That’s why they manufacture their products using time-honored techniques, like grinding whole grains at cool temperatures with a traditional stone mill. Their beautiful stone grinding mills are much like the ones used during early Roman times and unlike the more commonly used high-speed steel rollers, their mills ensure the most nutritious parts of the whole grain remain intact. It was these beautiful antique grinding mills that first inspired founder Bob Moore to start Bob’s Red Mill over 40 years ago.
An Employee-Owned Business
On Bob’s 81st birthday, rather than receiving gifts, he decided to give his greatest gift away – his business! Bob surprised all of his employees by giving them total ownership of Bob’s Red Mill through an employee stock ownership program (ESOP). Bob didn’t extend this gesture as a means to step away from the company he had created so he could ease into a comfortable retirement. He did so because of his firm belief in putting people before profit, and giving due appreciation to the people who’ve made a company strong. Despite hundreds of lucrative offers to buy his company as he approached “retirement age”, Bob chose the rare path of putting people first and gifted his company to his dedicated, hard-working staff.
Milling, Testing, Packaging, & Distributing Under One Roof
The folks at Bob’s Red Mill knew from day one that if they wanted to ensure the best products possible and ensure quality every step of the way that they’d have to be able to do it themselves. Their facilities in Milwaukie, Oregon include the 325,000 sq ft headquarters, laboratory, and manufacturing plant, plus a 127,000 sq ft distribution center! Their gluten-free products are produced and tested in their separate gluten-free-only facilities to ensure product safety.
Bob and his wife Charlee at the Bob’s Red Mill Headquarters
Sourcing the Finest Products From Their Farms to Your Table
At Bob’s Red Mill, the relationship with the final product begins at the source. They maintain personal relationships with farmers across the country and make an effort to visit their farms. Together, they are able to ensure that they’re offering the best product available, while always using best practices.
