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January 2026

Business of the Month: Vermont Sun Fitness Centers

Looking for a great way to jump start the new year? Check out Vermont Sun! They’re our featured Co-op Connection Business this month and they offer 50% off their enrollment fee to Co-op member-owners!

Vermont Sun has been keeping our community fit since 1985. Whether you’re visiting their facilities in Middlebury or Vergennes, you’ll find their clubs geared up with the essential elements of a great workout. Their fitness equipment vendors are the best in the industry, and their club owners stay current with the latest technology! They offer a wide variety of cardio, strength, and free weight equipment to ensure that you get the best possible workout.

FACILITIES AND PROGRAMMING

Both Vermont Sun locations are open Monday thru Friday 6 am-8 pm, Saturday & Sunday 7:30 am-4 pm. This includes the pool as well! Vermont Sun’s two thousand square foot exercise room features a cushioned hardwood floor and is fully air-conditioned. Their top of the line sound system provides amazing sound quality for all group fitness classes.  All group fitness classes are included in most memberships at no extra charge. Find their class schedule on their website. 

Their facilities also offer racquetball courts, saunas, and indoor pools for lap swimming, rehab, or recreation.

Need help to ease safely back into a workout routine? Or maybe you’re just looking to set some new fitness and nutrition goals and could use a professional guide? Vermont Sun offers Personal Training services and Nutritional Counseling from a knowledgeable staff of certified, credentialed specialists.

In short, Vermont Sun has everything you need to help make your fitness goals a reality! Stop in and find out for yourself why they are voted the #1 Fitness Center in the region year after year! And don’t forget to tell them you’re a Co-op member-owner!

 

 

 

 

Interested in Getting More Involved in Your Co-op’s Governance? Run for the Board!

Article written by MNFC Board Member Barbara Hofer

Have you loved shopping at the Co-op and think you might want to get more involved and contribute in a meaningful way? I hope you’ll consider running for the Board of Directors. When I participated in a national training for new board members a couple years ago, I learned how fortunate we are to have a co-op that is such a strong, thriving, growing presence in our community. We can’t take this for granted. 

The board is composed of 11 members who are elected to serve three-year terms. The board is currently composed of member-owners who have been Co-op members for different lengths of time. We range in age from the twenties to the seventies, and have varying work-lives as pastor, student, farmer, non-profit and college administrators, butcher, baker (no candlestick makers, as yet!), business owner, sales rep, professor, sled dog driver, ceramicist/ fiber artist. This diversity of backgrounds and skills makes our board stronger. What we have in common is a passion for the Co-op, our democratic principles, and the collaborative processes that guide our work together. No particular expertise is required. 

The board has three primary roles: 1) to represent the 7,000+ member-owners of the Co-op, 2) to oversee and support the General Manager, and 3) to provide strategic and financial oversight for the Co-op. Board members craft and monitor policies that ensure the Co-op is meeting our mission and our ends. We meet monthly, with online conversations and some committee meetings in between. Board members receive a small annual stipend, a 10% discount, and access to professional training.

Each year we are committed to recruiting new board members to bring fresh voices and diverse perspectives to our team. Institutional knowledge from longer serving board members and fresh perspectives from newer board members are equally valuable. Our board strives to be actively anti-racist and inclusive, and we continue to educate ourselves about what that means and how to put it into practice to better serve our members and community. 

There are several opportunities to learn more about the board: 

  • Co-op members are always welcome to attend board meetings, and it’s a great way to see the board in action and to discover if this might be a good fit for you. Prior to the next two meetings we’ll also hold an informal “meet and greet” to answer any questions and to talk a bit about what we do. These board meetings are on Wednesday, February 18, and Wednesday, March 18th from 6:00-8:00pm, with the “meet and greet” session starting at 5:30. If you’d like to attend either meeting, please contact Board President, Amanda Warren, in advance: board@middlebury.coop.
  • We will be holding an Info Session for prospective board members on Zoom, on Thursday, March 12, from 7-8pm. MNFC’s General Manager, Greg Prescott, and I will describe the board’s function, responsibilities, and governing style and answer any  questions. RSVP at bhofer@middlebury by Tuesday, March 10, to receive the Zoom link.

We are always happy to connect with you outside of these meetings, too! If you are interested in learning more about what it’s like to serve on the board, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at bhofer@middlebury.edu or speak with any of the other board members. Applications will be due March 27, with more details about the election and the application process provided in the February newsletter. 

Barbara is Chair of the Board Development Committee.

Spotlight on Joe’s Kitchen

Are you craving the warmth and comfort of a nourishing, home-cooked soup but find yourself short on time? That’s where Joe’s Kitchen soups come in! This week, we’re excited to feature Joe’s Kitchen in our Member Deals Spotlight, with all their locally made, from-scratch soups available at 20% off for Member-Owners from January 21st to 27th.

From Grandma’s Kitchen to Culinary Excellence

Joe Buley’s journey to founding Joe’s Kitchen at Screamin’ Ridge Farm began in his grandmother’s home in East Randolph, Vermont. He recalls her kitchen as a warm, bustling hub filled with family, friends, and the enticing aroma of a soup pot simmering on the stove. His grandmother’s cooking philosophy balanced flavor and economy, often using whatever ingredients were on hand to create hearty, delicious soups. The key to her creations? The fresh vegetables and herbs she harvested straight from her garden.

Joe’s mother carried on this tradition, teaching him the art of making great-tasting food with fresh, home-grown ingredients. These early lessons shaped Joe’s passion for cooking and laid the foundation for his future career.

Chef-Owner Joe Buley

A Culinary Journey

Joe’s culinary career took him far and wide. He trained at the prestigious École Supérieure de Cuisine Française in Paris (also known as École Ferrandi), where he was the only U.S. citizen in his class. After graduating, Joe honed his skills in culinary hotspots like Brooklyn, San Francisco, San Diego, and Austin before returning with his family to Vermont in 1999. Back home, he served as a chef-instructor at the New England Culinary Institute for nearly a decade.

During this time, Joe began growing his own food, inspired by memories of his grandmother’s garden. What started as a small operation with a single greenhouse and a walk-behind tractor evolved into Screamin’ Ridge Farm—a thriving business known for its winter spinach and a wide variety of summer crops. The farm’s produce was sold at the Montpelier Farmers Market and through seasonal CSA programs.

Bridging the Gap Between Farm and Table

As Joe connected with customers at farmers markets and through the CSA, he noticed a common challenge: people wanted to eat healthy meals but often lacked the time or inspiration to cook from scratch. This realization sparked the idea for Joe’s Kitchen at Screamin’ Ridge Farm, where he could combine his passion for growing ingredients and cooking them into flavorful, ready-to-eat foods.

Joe’s soups are crafted with integrity and a commitment to using local ingredients. When sourcing items not grown on his own farm, Joe partners with neighboring small farms in the Montpelier area. This approach not only supports Vermont’s working landscape but also ensures that his soups have the authentic, fresh flavors reminiscent of his grandmother’s cooking—all without the need for added sugars or excessive salt.

Joe’s crew hard at work at their production kitchen in Montpelier, VT

A Co-op Favorite

At the Co-op, we’re proud to offer a rotating selection of Joe’s Kitchen soups, showcasing the best of Vermont’s seasonal produce. From hearty stews to creamy bisques, there’s a flavor for everyone. Which one will you try next?

Rooted in the family traditions passed down from his grandmother’s kitchen, and combining locally sourced ingredients with time-honored cooking methods, Joe’s Kitchen soups bring together the quality and essence of home-cooked meals with the convenience that busy lives demand.

Co-op Member-Owners, don’t miss your chance to stock up and save 20% on Joe’s Kitchen soups from January 21st to 27th!