The Co-op is bringing our Board election process into the 21st century! In August, when you receive your Annual Report in the mail, you’ll find directions to help you cast your online votes for our Board of Directors candidates and for proposed bylaws changes. If you have shared your e-mail address with us and receive our monthly e-newsletter, you can follow the link that will be provided in the August E-News to cast your votes. Your identity will remain anonymous and be confirmed by entering the last five digits of your member number, the first initial of your first name, and your full last name. All of this information will be available on the mailing label of your Annual Report. If you have any difficulty, please reach out to Karin @ karinmott@middlebury.coop or 388-7276 x307.
On Saturday, July 4th, your co-op will be joining co-operatives and credit unions around the world in celebrating International Co-ops Day. This year’s theme, Co-ops for Climate Action, highlights the role of co-operatives in building a more just and green future for everyone.
“Our common home is in danger,” said Ariel Guarco, President of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA). “We must act now, with our values and principles, to demonstrate on a global scale that it is possible to develop an economy with social inclusion and protection of natural resources.”
International Co-ops Day has been celebrated annually since 1923, and the theme this year was chosen to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal on Climate Action. The event will focus on the contribution of co-operatives to combating climate change, one of the most severe challenges facing our planet during the 21st century, as we build a more inclusive economy and society.
“Across our region, food co-ops have been leaders in building a more sustainable food system,” said Erbin Crowell, Executive Director of the Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA). “And with climate change and economic inequality as urgent challenges, food co-ops are taking the lead in working for climate justice, working together to ensure a more healthy, just, and sustainable future for everyone.”
For example, the UN Food & Agriculture Organization has pointed to organic agriculture as a tool for reducing energy consumption and the negative effects of energy emissions, sequestering carbon in the soil, and increasing the resilience of family farms. Food co-ops were pioneers in helping to build the market for organic foods and continue to demonstrate this commitment. Last year, member co-ops of the NFCA sold an estimated $97 million in organic products, supporting human health, sustainable agriculture, and a more resilient food system.
As our communities around the world work to rebuild in the wake of the COVID19 pandemic, co-ops offer an opportunity to envision a more inclusive economy. As part of Co-ops Day celebrations, food co-ops across the Northeast are using this important opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and to working together to address climate change and achieve a fair, green, and just future for all.
Celebrated internationally on the first Saturday in July, Co-ops Day in the United States coincides with Independence Day, offering a unique opportunity to focus on the democratic values of the co-operative business model. Based on the principle of one member one vote, co-ops reflect American ideals of democracy, self-help, self-responsibility, and social responsibility. And because co-operatives are focused on meeting member needs rather than maximizing profit, they are focused on goals identified by their members, including social, economic, and environmental sustainability.
As part of our celebration of Dairy Month, we’d like to take a moment to shine our Co-op Spotlight on a Vermont dairy that keeps us stocked in local, organic milk and some of the best ice cream we’ve ever tasted. Strafford Organic Creamery is nestled in the hills of Strafford, Vermont on the 600-acre Rockbottom Farm, which has been in the family for two generations. Farmer Earl Ransom and his wife, Amy Huyffer, milk 65 grass-fed Guernsey cows and carry on the tradition of tending the land organically without the use of pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers, just as Earl’s father did when he first founded the farm in the 1960s. Amy generally focuses on running the creamery while Earl handles the farming aspects of the operation. Their four young boys also help out on the farm, making it a true family affair.
Their herd is made up of Guernsey cows, famous for their rich, yellow cream, perfect for making premium milk and ice cream. The cows spend the entire growing season rotating on fresh pasture, grazing high-quality forage including grass, alfalfa, legumes, and clover. They rotationally graze across 56 paddocks, moving onto fresh pasture every 12 hours, turning sunshine into food, and sequestering carbon along the way. This same forage is harvested and stored for feeding the cows through the colder months. According to Amy and Earl, “everything we do, from the crops we grow for them to the gentle routines of milking, is focused on their comfort and well-being, and helping them create super-tasty milk and cream.”
Their commitment to the environment is not only evident in the way they chose to farm, but also in the reusable glass packaging they choose for their milk. In December of 2019, when Kimball Brook Farm announced they would be ceasing production of their organic dairy products, Amy and Earl received many requests from retailers asking Strafford Organic Creamery to consider switching to plastic jugs to fill the void left on the retail shelves in the wake of Kimball Brook’s closure. After reaching out to gather community input and giving consideration to the vast quantity of virgin plastic that transition would add to the waste stream, they held strong on their commitment to packaging their milk in reusable glass. According to Amy, “we don’t get all our first choices on everything we do, but we do get to choose how we care for this beautiful piece of land, which cows to milk and how to feed and house them, what ingredients to add (or not add) to our products, and what kind of bottle to put it in. It feels really good, after going to all the trouble to make milk like this, to put it in a bottle that will keep the milk cold on the counter, seal in the flavor, and that we’ll see circle around again next month.”
Earl is one of only three Black dairy farmers in the state of Vermont, according to the 2017 USDA Census data. This past February, VPR interviewed Earl about his experiences as a Black farmer in a state and occupation that is predominantly white. Despite the fact that Earl was born and raised on his Vermont farm and is carrying on a rich farming heritage started by his father, he still reports feeling like an outsider. “Nobody expects to see a Black guy milking cows or driving a tractor,” he says. He reports routinely receiving visits from seed salesmen or other drop-ins who ask to speak to his boss. Unfortunately, he bears the burden of helping these visitors see the error in their ways and check their preconceived notions about what a farm owner looks like. These kinds of microaggressions occur so regularly that Earl has become used to them, though, of course, it’s not Earl’s job to educate others about racism or the challenges of being a Black farmer in Vermont.
Despite the ailing state of the dairy industry in Vermont, Strafford Organic Creamery remains financially sound. Earl credits their ongoing success to their loyal local fanbase and the fact that their farm controls their own production, bottling their own milk since 2001 and making weekly batches of their ice cream by hand. He believes that there is a place for Vermont dairy in the broader agricultural landscape, despite the challenges the industry faces and he’s optimistic that his sons will want to carry the torch into the next generation at Rockbottom Farm.
Juneteenth, on June 19, is the nationally-celebrated commemoration of the end of chattel slavery in the United States. The holiday has its origins in Galveston, Texas, where on June 19, 1865, enslaved Black Americans were notified of their freedom by Union soldiers. This was more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863.
There has been some progress since then in regards to racial equality. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Constitutional Amendments – known as the Civil War Amendments – promised an end to slavery, the equal protection of the law, and universal adult male suffrage, respectively; the passage of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968, outlawed Jim Crow era discrimination based on race. However, the legacy of slavery and white supremacy persists in every aspect of American life, and so the struggle for civil rights continues.
On Juneteenth, many Black Americans enjoy spending time with family, friends, and loved ones, celebrating Black history, survival, and resilience. Because this day commemorates when the last enslaved Black Americans in Texas were informed of their freedom, this holiday is often referred to as Freedom Day, Emancipation Day or Black Independence Day. Right now, 47 out of 50 U.S. States officially recognize Juneteenth, including Vermont. Nationally, all Americans can celebrate what Juneteenth represents. This day is a call to action! Learn about the fight for racial justice in America. Address the ongoing movement for Black liberation. Organize with your community to dismantle the forms of oppression that continue to discriminate against Black folks. Honor the work of Black leaders who have made extraordinary contributions to the shared story of American progress and to a future where Black Americans are truly free. Last but not least, this Juneteenth, please join your Co-op to support the work of the Rutland Area NAACP.
The NAACP is an American institution of essential historic and cultural significance. With the vision of ensuring a society in which all individuals have equal political, educational, social, and economic rights without discrimination based on race, the NAACP was founded in 1909 in response to riots protesting the form of anti-Black violence known as lynching in Springfield, Illinois. There are now over 2,200 chapters with more than a half-million members. The Association continues to be instrumental to the civil rights movement, waging legislative battles, producing publications, and organizing mass protests in order to secure equal rights on the local, state, and federal levels. Through democratic processes, the Association works to remove all barriers of racial discrimination to achieve equality of rights for American citizens. In the 21st century, the Association is focused on six Game Changers: Economic Sustainability, Education, Health, Public Safety, and Criminal Justice, Voting Rights, and Expanding Youth and Young Adult Engagement. The Rutland Area Branch of the NAACP is dedicated to eliminating racial discrimination in Vermont, provides resources for the protection of civil rights for minorities, and offers opportunities for anti-racist engagement for all Vermonters.
The Better Middlebury Partnership has thrown down a challenge to the Middlebury community: purchase as many gift cards/certificates as possible from local businesses in a five-day period. The promotion runs from Monday, June 15 through Friday, June 19.
How Does it Work?
Purchase gift cards from participating businesses either online, in person, or by phone.
Each purchase will enter you to win one of ten prizes of $100 in Middlebury Money. There is no limit to the number of times you can enter –- support as many local businesses as you can! Winners’ names will be drawn Wednesday, June 24 and posted on this page.
Who is Participating?
7 South Sandwich Company
Agway of Middlebury
American Flatbread Middlebury Hearth
The Arcadian (Electronic cards for online ordering for both The Arcadian and Haymaker Bun. Physical cards for in-person dining are not interchangeable.)
Autumn Gold
Burnham Maple Farm & Market
Buy Again Alley
Champlain Valley Equipment
Costello’s Market
Countryside Carpet and Paint
County Tire Center
Danforth Pewter Click
Distinctive Paint & Interiors
Edgewater Gallery
Fire & Ice
Frog Hollow Bikes
Haymaker Bun Co. (Electronic cards for online ordering for both The Arcadian and Haymaker Bun. Physical cards for in-person dining are not interchangeable.)
HOPE
Inn on the Green
Jessica’s Restaurant (Valid for lodging and dining)
Juice Amour
Junebug
Little Pressroom
Maple Landmark
Middlebury Fitness
Middlebury Floral and Gifts
Middlebury Frameshop & Gallery
Middlebury Inn & Morgan’s Tavern (Valid for lodging and dining)
Middlebury Mountaineer
Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op
The Middlebury Shop & Forth ‘N Goal Sports
Mister Up’s Restaurant & Pub
Noonie’s Deli
Notte
One Dollar Market
Otter Creek Used Books
Parlour
Quilter’s Corner at Middlebury Sew-N-Vac
Round Robin
Shafer’s Market & Deli
Stone Leaf Teahouse
Stone Mill Public Market
Sweet Cecily
Swift House Inn (Valid for lodging and dining)
Texture Salon
Town Hall Theater
Two Brothers Tavern
The Vermont Book Shop
Vermont’s Own Products (Because they are currently closed please call 388-7711 and leave a message,they will return your call within 24 hours. Or email vermontsownproducts@yahoo.com)
At the Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op, we are committed to taking action to support black, indigenous, and people of color in our community. All are welcome at our Co-op and each and every day we will take steps to assure we are creating a safe and welcoming environment for all.
We know that learning and taking action are essential, not optional. As we work now to focus more on learning and listening to our staff, farmers, vendors, members, shoppers, and the entire community, we want to share some resources we are finding helpful. These have been compiled by Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility.
As we keep learning, we will share the actions we are taking to fight racism and injustice in our community and Vermont.
Commencement is just one of the watershed events upended by the global pandemic, prompting schools across the nation to cancel or postpone graduation ceremonies or create a virtual alternative. While students, teachers, and public health officials agree that this played an important role in limiting the virus’ transmission, it leaves a lot of graduates feeling a distinct lack of closure. The rushed goodbyes and the mounting uncertainties about how it would all unfold put a damper on a period of time usually marked by celebration and revelry. Thankfully, these difficult circumstances also seem to have given many members of the class of 2020 a unique sense of camaraderie and many have found creative ways to honor this very special and unique time in their lives.
The Co-op is bursting with pride for two of our own who are celebrating graduations this year. Kelsey Buteau and Renee O’Connell are valued members of our Front End team and you may recognize their smiling faces from the check-out lines. Kelsey is graduating from Middlebury Union High School and Renee is graduating from Otter Valley Union High School. They each took a moment to answer a few questions about the challenges of graduating in the COVID era and the ways they plan to mark this momentous occasion.:
Congratulations on your graduation! How will you celebrate?
Kelsey: I don’t have a set plan for how to celebrate but maybe a cake and a day with my family and friends.
Renee: I plan to celebrate with friends and family
Did your high school hold a ceremony?
Kelsey: MUHS is planning on having a drive-through graduation ceremony. We will pull up in our cars, walk across the stage, and get our pictures taken. They also put signs up around the Middlebury green with our names on them.
Renee: Otter Valley is also having a drive-through ceremony on the 13th of June.
What was the highlight of your senior year?
Kelsey: I think the highlight of my senior year was getting closer to my friends. I went away for most of my junior year and when I returned I found that I had lost an old group of friends. I began to get closer to a new group of girls who have become my best friends. I am so happy senior year brought us all closer together
Renee: There were many incredible memories and highlights of my senior year. If I had to pinpoint one it would have to have been my fall choir concert.
What have been some of the biggest challenges of graduating during a pandemic and having your senior year cut short?
Kelsey: For me, the biggest challenge is not having some sort of closure. I was looking forward to all of the big events at the end of my senior year, and it feels strange that they never happened.
Renee: There have been many challenges to graduating in a pandemic. I have missed out on some of the best things about being a senior. My softball season, the last three months with friends and teachers, spring concert, prom, etc. One of the biggest things for me was that I didn’t get the closure of saying goodbye. Say goodbye to my teachers, my friends, and the school that has been my home for the past four years.
What’s next? Do you have plans for the fall?
Kelsey: I am really excited to be attending the University of Denver in the fall! I have never lived in Colorado and I couldn’t be more ready!
Renee: This coming fall of 2020 I will be attending the University Of Southern Maine.
Needless to say, we’re so very proud of you both and we’re confident that you both have very bright futures ahead of you! Thank you for being an integral part of our Co-op family and congratulations on your graduation!
We’re thrilled to shine our Spotlight on a local cheese-making family that produces incredible award-winning cow and goat’s milk cheeses, while also demonstrating a deep commitment to environmental stewardship. Blue Ledge Farm of Salisbury, VT is a first-generation, family-owned and operated, Animal Welfare Approved dairy and cheese-making operation established in 2000 by Hannah Sessions and Greg Bernhardt. Their mission is to create a high-quality product built on the cornerstones of respect for consumers, land, and animals as well as their local community. They milk over 100 goats twice daily and produce fourteen types of cheese, from very fresh to semi-aged bloomy rind cheeses, to firmer aged cheeses.
Hannah Sessions and Greg Bernhardt of Blue Ledge Farm
Hannah and Greg have made some incredibly nimble moves over the past few weeks to pivot their business model in response to the challenges of the global pandemic, so much so that they caught the attention of the local news! The shift entailed adopting a direct-to-consumer model, and they’ve found some very creative ways to get their cheeses directly to you, including a brand new mini-fridge at their Salisbury farmstand where you can get farm-fresh cheeses all summer long! Those who aren’t lucky enough to live close by can order online or by phone and have their cheese shipped.
Blue Ledge Farm installed a mini-fridge at their farm stand to keep their direct-to-consumer sales flowing.
Our local cheesemakers need our support now more than ever, as many of Vermont’s specialty cheesemakers have taken an extra hard hit during the pandemic. With the mandatory closure of restaurants and institutions across the state, sales for Vermont’s specialty cheese producers dropped 50-70% almost overnight. As Blue Ledge co-owner Hannah Sessions put it in a recent blog post, “we can’t furlough the goats or the cows and bring them back in a month! It’s spring, and the milk is flowing. If we are to survive we need to adapt.”
Part of their adaptation involved shifting lineup to include more aged cheeses. Throughout history, aged cheeses provided a means for farmers to preserve their abundant spring and summer milk supply. Relying on this ancient form of preservation, Blue Ledge increased their production of their aged La Luna and added a brand new aged cheese to the lineup. This cheese, which will be known as Moosamaloo in honor of the treasured local recreation area, will be a Gouda-style cheese made with cow’s milk from the neighboring herd of Ayrshire cattle at MoSe Farm. Seth and Monika and their beautiful Ayrshire cows at MoSe Farm provide all of the raw milk for Blue Ledge’s cow’s milk cheeses, including their smooth, buttery Camembrie, their creamy, yet crumbly Middlebury Blue, and their apple cider-washed Richville.
Hannah adds that “we are so very grateful for the support of family, friends, and fellow cheese lovers from near and far who have bolstered our spirits and emptied our cheese supply throughout this challenge! We realize that we absolutely love selling direct to folks! We have worked on ways to create those “magical moments” so during these times of isolation folks can receive a carefully packed cheese package straight from our farm and feel our appreciation. The feedback we have received has kept us going.”
We’re so fortunate here in Vermont to be home to some of the finest cheesemakers in the world. Vermont cheesemakers set records in 2019, collectively taking home an astounding 44 ribbons at the prestigious American Cheese Society’s 36th Annual Awards competition in Richmond, Virginia. The 2019 World Cheese Awards hosted by The Guild of Fine Food in the UK saw 7 Vermont cheesemakers take home awards, including 2 gold medals. The Vermont Cheese Council lists 53 cheesemakers in our state, 8 of which are located in Addison County. According to Vermont Cheese Council Executive Director, Tom Bivins, “The importance of the dairy and cheese industry to Vermont agriculture is significant socially and culturally, as well as enhancing our sense of place and supporting agriculture economies in their communities.”
Kate Turcotte of Orb Weaver Creamery
For years, Vermont’s artisanal cheeses have been a rare bright spot in an otherwise ailing dairy landscape, but as VPR reported in April, Vermont’s specialty cheesemakers are taking an extra hard hit during the pandemic. With the mandatory closure of restaurants and institutions across the state and the fact that many consumers are needing to significantly trim their food budgets, sales for Vermont’s specialty cheese producers dropped 50-70% almost overnight. Adding to the crisis is the fact that these farmers and cheesemakers were ineligible for the emergency relief loans made available to most other small businesses in the initial $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package. They were able to qualify for the payroll protection program made available in the second tier of the relief package, though it remains to be seen if this will be sufficient to prevent a significant decline in the number of specialty cheese producers in Vermont.
Morgan & Chad Beckwith of Ice House Farm in Goshen
Of course, the cows and goats must still be milked, so many of Vermont’s resilient cheesemakers quickly shifted their business models to include direct-to-consumer sales through online platforms, roadside farm stands, and by partnering with other local farms to be included in community-supported agriculture (CSA) packages. The Vermont Cheese Council stepped in to help provide a way for cheesemakers to keep moving cheese our of their aging spaces by creating an Online Sales Directory and the Addison County Relocalization Network (ACORN-VT) created an online farmers market, to help connect shoppers with cheesemakers from Blue Ledge Farm, Bridport Creamery, Champlain Valley Creamery, Fairy Tale Farm, and Ice House Farm.
Blue Ledge Farm installed a mini-fridge at their farm stand to keep their direct-to-consumer sales flowing.
Since 1939, June has been designated as Dairy Month, so what better way to celebrate than by stocking up on some of your favorite local cheeses? Perhaps you have a graduation to celebrate, a socially-distanced barbecue with friends, or you simply want to treat yourself to that perfect wedge of your favorite cheese. Your local cheesemakers will certainly appreciate your support.
Warm weather is finally here and socially distanced barbecues are officially a thing, so we wanted to take a moment to shine our Co-op Spotlight on a local independent craft beer producer that is bound to bring some sunshine to your social scene. Lawson’s Finest Liquids hails from the Mad River Valley of Vermont and their craft brews have earned critical acclaim and an enthusiastic fan following. Read on to learn more about this celebrated craft brewery, their commitment to the local community, and their heady brews:
Their Story
In 2008, after 20 years of homebrewing, Sean and Karen Lawson officially founded Lawson’s Finest Liquids in a small building resembling a sugarhouse adjacent to their home. Fast forward to 2018 and the brewery grounds in Waitsfield consist of three buildings occupying more than 25,000 square feet, housing a 34-barrel brewery, taproom, retail store, warehouse, and distribution center. What began as a husband and wife team is now home to over 50 employees. Their specialty maple beers & IPA’s have garnered awards at the World Beer Cup, Great American Beer Festival, and at two National IPA championships.
The Taproom
Sean is a graduate of the University of Vermont, with a Bachelor’s in Environmental Science and a Masters in Forestry. His first career was as a scientist and educator. Sean continues to lead outings with the Naturalist Program he founded in 1996 at Mad River Glen ski area. Sean served as President of Vermont Brewers Association from 2014-2017 and was an active Board member for nine years.
Karen is also a graduate of the University of Vermont, with a Masters Degree in Public Administration. Her undergraduate degree in Sociology and Psychology was obtained at Franklin Pierce in NH. After graduation, Karen had a 20-year career in Vermont state government.
Sean and Karen were recently named as the 2020 Vermont Small Business Persons of the year by the US Small Business Administration. According to Vermont Business Magazine, the Lawson’s were awarded this honor in recognition of their employment growth, success in the marketplace, company expansion, and community involvement.
Founders Sean & Karen Lawson
Philanthropy
The Lawsons are committed to paying their employees a generous living wage and benefits, which Karen noted as being particularly important in a service-oriented ski town where income often reflects the vagaries of weather and scheduling. In lieu of tipping at their taproom, guests are invited to make a contribution to a featured local nonprofit. This program, known as the Sunshine Fund, features a rotating list of non-profits who serve as the beneficiary for this program. The non-profits are selected based on their work supporting healthy communities, food and economic security, natural resource protection, and sustainable recreation. Since their taproom opening in October 2018, they’ve been able to donate half a million dollars to local non-profit organizations through the Sunshine Fund!
In addition to the Sunshine Fund, the fine folks at Lawson’s Finest also offer mini-grants via their Super Sessions initiative. Through this program, they aim to build impactful connections and strengthen communities while creating memorable experiences by offering pint-sized grants for playful Super Sessions to bring people together in fun ways that build community anywhere Lawson’s Finest is distributed. For example, a group could organize a synchronized cannonball jump in the town pond to raise money for cancer research or sponsor a bike parade and cook-out to honor local school teachers. Quarterly, their employee-run Super Session Selection Squad will choose projects to each receive up to a $250 check to launch a Super Session. Applications will be scored on several criteria including innovation, community-building, fun, and credibility. Click here for an application.
Mission
Lawson’s Finest Liquids produces beer of the highest quality with outstanding freshness. They emulate the best of widely appreciated styles of beer, featuring world-class IPAs and unique maple brews while quenching the thirst of beer lovers from near and far.
Core Values
Lawson’s Finest Liquids aims for the highest quality standards in our beer production and in how they build relationships with employees, community partners, customers, and each other. They do this by valuing:
Quality
Our employees
Our customers
Communication
Community
Our company
Transparency
Philanthropy
Genuine personal interactions
In addition, they value the beautiful Mad River Valley and work to reduce their environmental impact through the conservation of resources. They use earth-friendly products in their operations and re-use and recycle their materials.
Current Services
During this very challenging time, their taproom must remain closed, though their drive-thru retail store allows for easy pickups of your online orders. Click here to learn more about the process and policies for their online ordering and curbside pick-up program. They are adhering to all of the latest guidance from the Vermont Governor’s office and the CDC in order to ensure the safety of their staff and guests. They continue to offer a 40% discount for healthcare workers (please bring your work ID). They want to thank all of their guests for continuing to support Lawson’s Finest Liquids in this new environment, and they look forward to the day when we can all share a cheers over a beer in the taproom again!
Retail Drive-Thru
Their Beers
In addition to their highly-touted year-round offerings — Sip of Sunshine and Super Session IPA series, Lawson’s Finest offers a rotating selection of beers which can be seen here. Also, click here to check out their 2020 release schedule.
