July 20, 2017

Tour de Farms Gearing Up for 10th Annual Ride August 6th – Pre-registration closes July 28th

BRISTOL, Vt. –The 10^th annual Tour de Farms, one of Vermont’s oldest biking and tasting tours of working farms, is in the final stages of preparation for Sunday, August 6^th in Bristol, Vt.

The Tour will start at 8:30 a.m. and end at 4:00 p.m. at the Rec Club Field, next to Mt. Abraham High School. The route will feature nine farm stops and 31 farms, food producers and restaurants, including the Bobcat Café and Mary’s at Baldwin Creek, collaborating to provide riders with fresh samples of the summer’s bounty.

The 2017 Tour will make stops at Four Hills Farm, Vermont Tree Goods, Olivia’s Croutons, Smith Family Farm, Boyer’s Orchards, the Monkton Farmers Market, Last Resort Farm, Layn Farm and New Leaf Organics. A Farm Van will enable riders to purchase products directly from the farms without having to worry about how they’ll get them back to their car.

The ride will conclude with a celebratory after-party featuring live music by blues roots band, Left Eye Jump, dancing, Bristol’s Farmhouse ice cream, Fuego’s grilled local meat tacos and Lucky Star’s local vegetarian delights as well as local craft beverage producers, Shacksbury Hard Cider, Hogback Brewing, All Times Sparkling Cider and Huntington River Winery.

“The Tour is one of Vermont’s most unique and loved local food and farm experiences,” said Jonathan Corcoran, ACORN’s Executive Director and Tour co-founder. “Over 3,500 people have ridden the Tour to date. For the first timein ten years, we’re working with the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing to share the Tour with riders across New England, New York and Quebec. We are capping registration at 400 riders.”

The Tour de Farms is a rain or shine event. More details can be found at www.acornvt.org/tourdefarms. Advance registration is at https://www.bikereg.com/ and will close on July 28 at 5:00 p.m. The advance registration fee is $60 for adults and $35 for students and kids under 18. The on-site registration fee the day of the event is $75 for adults and $50 for students and kids.

The Tour is not possible without the support of 50-60 community volunteers who register riders, serve food at farms, photograph the Tour or ride as safety marshals. The link to sign-up is: www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0a4aadad2ba5f85-2017

The 2017 Tour is generously sponsored by Earl’s Cyclery and Fitness, AARP Vermont, All Times Sparkling Cider, City Market, Community Bank NA, IPJ Real Estate, Langrock, Sperry & Wool, and Skinny Pancake. Earl’s Cyclery will provide two support vans for cyclists. Frog Hollow Bikes will offer mechanical prep at the start.

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ACORN (Addison County Relocalization Network) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community organization based in Middlebury, Vt. Its mission is to promote the growth and health of local food and agriculture in Vermont’s Champlain Valley. ACORN is working with growers, schools, businesses and community and statewide partners to double the consumption of locally-grown food by 2020. For more information, go to http://www.acornvt.org/.

TOUR DE FARMS: The Tour is ACORN’s top fundraiser of the year, and 25 percent of the proceeds from advanced registration go to participating farms on the Tour. The 2016 Tour was recently featured on Vermont PBS:http://www.vermontpbs.org/clip/4299.

July 20, 2017

Spotlight on Alaffia

We’re casting our Co-op Spotlight on Alaffia and alll of their Fair Trade Certified, Co-op-made body care products are 20% off for member-owners from July 20th – 26th! Many Alaffia products are already featured in our Co-op Basics program, so this Member Deals discount will be in addition to the everyday low price on those items! It’s a great time to stock up and save! Read on to learn more about Alaffia and their efforts to alleviate poverty and empower communities in West Africa through the fair trade of shea butter, coconut, and other indigenous resources:

Alaffia was founded in 2004 with Fair Trade as the fundamental foundation of their organization, which is comprised of the Alaffia Village in Sokodé, Togo; the Alaffia Coconut Cooperative in Klouvi-Donnou, Togo; and the Alaffia headquarters in Olympia, Washington. Their cooperatives handcraft indigenous raw ingredients , and the Alaffia team in Olympia creates the finished products. Proceeds from the sales of these products are then returned to communities in Togo, West Africa, to fund community empowerment and gender equality projects.

What impact have your Alaffia purchases had in these communities thus far?

Each year in West Africa, 160,000 women die due to complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Over her lifetime, an African woman has a 1 in 32 chance of dying in pregnancy or childbirth, compared to 1 in 2,400 in Europe (UNICEF, 2012). There are several reasons for the high maternal mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa, including extreme poverty and inadequate infrastructure. The Alaffia Maternal Health Project follows the World Health Organization’s recommendations for reducing maternal mortality rates both directly, through providing funds for pre- and post-delivery care, and indirectly, through the Alaffia Women’s Clinic Project, which provides training and information for women’s health issues including nutrition, prevention of genital mutilation practices, and more. Alaffia product sales have funded the birth of over 4,142 babies in rural Togolese communities through the Togo Health Clinic System.

The future of African communities depends on the education and empowerment of young people. Since Alaffia founded their shea butter cooperative in 2003, they’ve provided school uniforms, books, and writing supplies to children in Togolese communities to offset the ﬁnancial burden these items have on poor families. They also donate desks and install new roofs on schools to make learning a more enjoyable experience. Since 2011, Alafﬁa product sales have funded the construction of ten schools throughout Togo and provided school supplies to 23,700 recipients. They now partner with retail stores to collect school supplies – if you would like to help collect pens and pencils for this project, please contact Alaffia at 1-800-664-8005.

In rural areas of Togo, students walk up to 10 miles a day to attend school. There are no buses, and families cannot afford private transportation. As a result, school becomes very time-consuming, and most students decide to quit school in order to fulﬁll their family obligations. In rural areas, less than 10% of high school-aged girls and only 16% of boys attend school (UNICEF). In 2004, Alafﬁa began collecting and sending used bicycles to Togolese students to encourage them to stay in and complete school through their Bicycles for Education Project. Now, with over 7,100 bicycles sent and distributed, they are seeing a real impact on exam scores and retention in rural schools. 95% of Bicycles For Education recipients graduate secondary school.
They collect used bicycles in and around their communities in Washington and Oregon, with the help of their retailers, volunteers, and Alafﬁa staff. All costs of this project – from collecting, repairing, and shipping bicycles, to customs duties, distribution costs, ongoing maintenance, and follow-up – are paid for through the sales of Alafﬁa products. This project brings communities in the US and Togo together. Bicycles that would otherwise be destined for the landﬁll are encouraging students in Togo to stay in school so they can lead their communities out of poverty. To ﬁnd out how you can be involved, visit alaffia.com or email communications@alafﬁa.com

Deforestation and climate change have had a devastating impact on West African farming communities. Alaffia product sales have funded the planting of 53,125 trees by Togolese farmers to help mitigate erosion and improve food security for their families. They also conduct trainings to discourage the cutting of shea trees for ﬁrewood and charcoal to preserve this important indigenous resource for future generations. Through their Alternative Fuels Project, they investigate sustainable fuel alternatives, such as bio-gas and bio-oils, to reduce the demand for wood and charcoal.

n Togo, it is extremely difficult for visually impaired people to obtain eyeglasses. An eye exam costs as much as one month’s wage and a pair of eyeglasses can cost up to four months of wages. Through their Eyeglasses Project, Alaffia collects used eyeglasses at retailer locations throughout the US and employs an optometrist in Togo to correctly fit and distribute the glasses. A pair of eyeglasses is life-changing for a child struggling in school, the elderly with failing vision, and adults who have never been able to see clearly. To date, Alaffia has collected and distributed over 14,200 pairs of glasses.

As part of their Maternal Health Initiatives, Alafﬁa aims to educate women about the dangers of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), or excision. FGM includes procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons and is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. The procedure can result in severe bleeding, infections, life-threatening complications in childbirth, and increased risk of newborn deaths (World Health Organization).

Abidé Awesso is the Maternal Health & FGM Eradication Coordinator in the Bassar region of Togo and has been working with Alafﬁa since 2012. Hodalo Katakouna was one of Abidé’s ﬁrst patients and one of the ﬁrst women to be supported as part of our Maternal Health and FGM Eradication project. Click here to read Abidé’s account of Hodalo’s story.

July 17, 2017

The Right to Food in the United States – What can we do on the local level?

It’s time for the United States to support the human right to food. Every person must have access to safe, nutritious, and adequate food obtained in dignified ways to be healthy and have an adequate standard of living. Our federal government should commit to respect, protect and fulfill the right to adequate food and nutrition, as almost every other country in the world has done. Recent assaults on federal food assistance by our government have stirred public outrage, as well as resistance from more moderate members of Congress. But the problem goes deeper than threats to food access in the current administration – the solutions need to be made comprehensive and accessible.

United States opposition to the right to adequate food and nutrition (RtFN) has endured through Democratic and Republican administrations. Nevertheless, post-World War II bipartisan programs in support of food and economic security were greatly improving hunger and poverty until they were reversed in the early 1980s. Combined federal and private food assistance cobbled together since that time has not been adequate to prevent steady or rising hunger and food insecurity in the U.S. on national and local levels. In Vermont, the latest available data (2013-2015 average) tell us that 6.3% of households had low food security (reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diet) and 5.1% had very low food security (reduced food quantity or disrupted eating patterns because of not having enough money or resources). This problem is especially serious in households with children: nearly 1 in 5 children in Vermont doesn’t have regular access to enough food for a healthy, active lifestyle.

We shouldn’t be surprised: private charitable food assistance, such as food banks and pantries, and government food assistance such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and WIC cannot end hunger and food insecurity. These programs do not address the root causes of food insecurity such as racism, falling real wages, and rising inequality in income and assets. People at the front lines of hunger and food insecurity do not participate in the design and implementation of US programs. Nor do these programs respond to chronic food insecurity by building robust, diversified, sustainable, and decentralized food economies. There is no popularly conceived, comprehensive plan in the U.S. with measurable benchmarks to assess the success or failures of the present approach. Therefore, our capacity to hold government actors accountable to progressively improving food and nutrition status is ultimately constrained. All of these actions are part of putting the RtFN in action. Countries endorsing the RtFN and taking steps to make it real (e.g., Brazil, France, all Scandinavian countries, Eastern European countries, Japan) have a lower prevalence of moderate and severe food insecurity than the US, even when their GDP is much lower than the US. For a look at how U.S. food security is broken down geographically, please click on the graphic, below:

Although nobody expects action at the federal level anytime soon, support may be feasible at town, city and state levels. Democratic action is often most effective and possible when people know and encounter each other regularly, and can hold each other accountable. Middlebury and Vermont could support the RtFN, even without federal action, in many ways. We could look for guidance to many other places around the world that have created programs in line with the RtFN, then develop a plan for eliminating hunger and food insecurity that could be a model for other cities and states.

To find out more about the state of food security in the U.S., please see the following resources.

USDA Economic Research Service

Hunger Free Vermont

Molly Anderson is MNFC’s newest member of the Board. She teaches at Middlebury College about hunger, food security, food sovereignty, and ways to “fix” food systems. She works to improve our food system with national and international organizations, as well as through MNFC.

July 10, 2017

The Checks Are In The Mail!

We’re excited to announce that this year’s Member Patronage Refund Checks are in the mail! If you’re a member, and your patronage refund amounts to more than $2, you should be seeing yours in your mailbox in the next week. If you’re new to patronage refunds, or just want to know more, read on!

Here’s a quick overview of how this benefit works. In 2015, our Co-op’s member-owners voted to switch from a discount at the register to a patronage refund system (also called a patronage dividend system). This simply means that in years when the Co-op has a profit and declares a member patronage, you will receive a share of the profits in direct proportion to how much you’ve purchased. So, the more you shop, the more you’re eligible to earn! At the end of the fiscal year, if the Co-op is profitable, your Leadership Team, comprised of both Management and the Board of Directors, reviews any anticipated projects and financial needs for the Co-op. That information is then used to determine how much profit to retain, and how much to return to you. The amount retained stays in the Co-op. It still belongs to all member-owners and becomes part of what we own together. It also represents another aspect of our investment in this community-owned organization. The remaining profits are then returned (refunded) to you, a member-owner, in the form of a check. Your check stub includes the total amount of your purchases at the Co-op during the last fiscal year, April 2016-March 2017. Because our Co-op was profitable in the fiscal year, ending 3/31/17, the Leadership Team decided to return 35% of the profits to the member-owners and retain 65% to reinvest in the Co-op. For more information about how our patronage refund system works or the by-laws, click here.

Here are some options and ideas for enjoying your patronage check:
Cash or deposit your check within 90 days (deadline is October 13, 2017). Why not spend it locally
to keep your dollars circulating in the community? You can even use it at your Co-op!
Donate it to support the local food shelves HOPE and CVOEO in MIddlebury to help us combat food
insecurity in our community. Endorse the back of your check “Payable to MNFC” and return to a
cashier at the Co-op and we’ll make the donation for you.
Please note that if you do not cash or deposit or return your check within 90 days, the check becomes void,
and the Co-op will donate the amount to be split between the two food shelves, HOPE and CVOEO.

Thank you so much for helping to make your Co-op a successful part of our vibrant local community!

July 6, 2017

Spotlight on Orca Bay

We’re casting our Co-op Spotlight on Orca Bay this week to shed a little light on their efforts to source sustainable, ocean-friendly seafood for all to enjoy. Their seafood products are 20% off for member-owners from July 6th – 11th! Read on to learn more about this energetic and creative company providing exceptional seafood choices for more than 30 years:

Orca Bay is pleased to be an example of how ethics, fairness, and friendship can be core values of a healthy and thriving business endeavor. They attribute their success and longevity to a winning blend of quality, value, and innovation. From their people to their products, to the clients that they serve, their goal will always be to exceed expectations and to keep the Orca Bay whale synonymous with true quality and customer satisfaction. They believe that from great people come great products. To that end, Orca Bay has invested three decades into searching out and nurturing business relationships with some of the most quality-minded seafood harvesters in the world. From those fishermen and harvesters to their headquarters in Seattle, they source and process the very best seafood products, offering both variety and value to the health conscious consumer. By combining convenient and informative packaging with wholesome and delicious seafood, Orca Bay consistently delivers excellence to that most important of daily social events – mealtime. Their products have garnered awards from the prestigious Alaska “Symphony of Seafood”, a competition celebrating wild, all natural selections.

At Orca Bay, they view themselves as partners with their customers, suppliers, community and their environment. Together they collaborate to ensure that demand and standards for the finest seafood do not come at the expense of the individuals or oceans that provide them. They are committed to supporting organizations which promote their shared values in business, health, and social responsibility such as the National Fisheries Institute and Sea Share. Their seafood products are non-GMO verified, they are certified for responsible fisheries management by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI), and their seafood is certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). They’re also a participating and certified supplier in a cool program called Smart Catch, created by chefs for chefs to recognize restaurants working toward ensuring an abundant supply of seafood for generations to follow.

Why is it so important to support sustainable seafood?

From above, it may seem that there are plenty of fish in the sea, but dive beneath the surface and it’s a different story. Over-fishing, lack of effective management, and our own consumption habits are just a few factors contributing to a decline in wild fish populations. Evidence of these problems abounds.

In just the past decade, Atlantic populations of halibut and yellowtail flounder joined the list of species at all-time lows. The cod fishery, once a backbone of the North Atlantic economy, collapsed completely in the early 1990s and has shown little evidence of recovery two decades later. The breeding population of Pacific bluefin tuna is now at only four percent of its original size and decline will continue without significant, immediate management changes.

Other harmful effects of fishing—some of which are preventable with modifications to gear—also impact the ocean, including the accidental catch of unwanted species (bycatch) and habitat damage from fishing gear.

So, how did we get here? One reason is the advent of industrial-scale fishing, which began in the late 1800s and has been accompanied by significant declines in the size and abundance of fish. By the mid-1990s, these fishing practices made it impossible for natural fish stocks to keep up. Ninety percent of the world’s fisheries are now fully exploited, overexploited or have collapsed.

Because the ocean seems so vast and its resources limitless, these threats are often “out of sight, out of mind,” but over-fishing issues are not just for future generations to bear; they’re very real problems threatening our current seafood supply and the health of our ocean. The good news is that there is much we can do.

Support sustainable seafood with your food dollars – Ask for sustainable seafood at stores and restaurants. By asking this simple but important question, you can help shape the demand for, and ultimately supply of, fish that’s been caught or farmed in environmentally sustainable ways. Consumers play an important role in shaping ocean health, so start making a difference today!
Use sustainable seafood resource guides, like this one from the Safina Center, when shopping for seafood.
Consider these ocean-friendly substitutes when the seafood in your recipe isn’t a sustainable option.
Check for logos indicating sustainable seafood options like those from the MSC or ASMI.

Want great recipes, cooking tips, and other resources? Check out Orca Bay’s web page!

June 29, 2017

Spotlight on Wood’s Market Garden

There are certain fruits and vegetables that seem to announce the changing of the seasons, and for us here at the Co-op, the day we receive our first delivery of local, organic tomatoes and strawberries from Wood’s Market Garden, we know that summer is finally here! We’re casting our Co-op Spotlight on Wood’s Market Garden this week to highlight their magnificent 150-acre organic farm in Brandon, VT. Member-owners can enjoy 20% off all of their glorious local, organic fruits and veggies from June 29th – July 5th. Choose from heirloom tomatoes, succulent strawberries, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers (the first of the season!), shell peas, sugar snap peas, broccoli, and cauliflower! Read on to learn more about the family that makes it possible for us to offer such a beautiful bounty:

Wood’s Market Garden is a fruit, vegetable & flower farm and seasonal market nestled in the quaint town of Brandon, Vermont. Their fields have been producing fresh food for the greater Brandon community for over 100 years. Jon Satz purchased the farm 16 years ago from Bob and Sally Wood. With his passion for growing and sustainable farming practices, the farm and market have blossomed into a destination for beautiful organic vegetables, quality bedding plants and some of the sweetest strawberries around! Jon, his wife Courtney, and their 2 young sons make their home on the farm and enjoy the continued legacy of farming the land that the Wood family started generations ago.

The farm consists of 150 acres of Vermont farmland and woods. Known far and wide for their delicious sweet corn and plump, sweet strawberries, they also grow over 50 kinds of vegetables and fruits on 60 acres of sandy loam soils. In addition to their field production, they also have 7 greenhouses for raising bedding plants, ornamentals, vegetable starts and the tastiest early tomatoes in the state! Their unique varieties of plants and their passion for quality crops keeps people coming back year after year.

All of their produce is certified organic. It’s a labor of love for everyone involved from seeding to harvesting to washing and selling. They’re really proud to be able to provide such a bounty of farm fresh, organic fruits and vegetables to their community year after year. It’s what feeds their own family on the farm and they grow it all with love, care and a commitment to good organic practices.

Aside from growing an abundant array of fruits and vegetables for retailers like our Co-op, they also offer a CSA and have a seasonal farm stand open daily in the summer from 9 am – 6 pm. Outside, it’s a paradise of plants, hanging baskets, creeping vines, and gardens to wander. If you haven’t yet visited their farm stand, add it to your list of things to do this summer! It’s such a treat to browse all of the gorgeous plants, flowers, and fresh produce! They’re located on the banks of Jones Mill Pond on Route 7, which during the warm summer months is covered with those famous pink water lilies. Inside the market, the shelves and baskets are filled with gorgeous fresh produce from the farm and bouquets of fresh-cut flowers. Depending on what’s in season, you’ll find everything from fresh spinach to strawberries to squash. They grow over 50 different kinds of produce on the farm, just yards from the farm stand. In addition to produce, you’ll find a variety of artisanal cheese, organic milk, and other local dairy products, local meat and poultry, fresh baked goods, maple syrup, raw honey, homemade pickles, jam and more! If you’re looking to stock your own garden, you can browse their selection of farm-grown organic veggie and herb starts, and a stunning variety of annuals, and perennials! Stop by to see them on your next visit to Brandon!

June 26, 2017

Business of the Month – Juice Amour

We’re excited to shine a little light on one of our newest members of the Co-op Connection – Juice Amour! They’re our featured Co-op Connection Business of the Month and they have a sweet deal for Co-op member-owners. Show your member card when you visit Juice Amour and you’ll receive 10% off their full line of organic, raw, fresh-pressed juices, smoothies, chia pudding bowls, acai bowls, sprouted nut milks, and other healthy snacks! Read on to learn more about one of Middlebury’s hottest new spots!

Juice Amour is truly a family affair! The business is run by Sheri & (Dad) David Bedard with tons of support and skill from (Mom) Bonita, (Sisters) Shawna & Kristi and all the many nieces and nephews that lend a hand whenever they can.They are a VERY juicy family (wink, wink) and they LOVE promoting and drinking healthy juice, smoothies, and yummy soups.

Juice Amour produces local, raw, organic juice and products made daily on site for pick-up or delivered to you! You can order in person at their shop, located at 1396, or order through a subscription plan where you decide which juices you want, which days you want them and which pick up location you want them delivered. Subscription clients have fewer upfront costs (no jar deposit), they get to skip the wait in line, and they have access to specials and offers that are not available to the general public!

The juice cleanses at Juice Amour are also extremely popular! These cleanses offer a nutrient dense reset for your cravings, they can jump start a long-term health change, and provide immediate living nutrients to support and heal your body. Their juice cleanses are 100% organic, unpasteurized and made fresh daily.

Getting as much produce from local, organic farmers is a core principle of the Juice Amour mission to make minimal impact on the earth while supporting local farmers (more about this mission below). They also reuse the glass jars their juices come in. This eliminates the use of disposable plastic from the waste stream.

Sheri and the Juice Amour crew are proud to be based in Middlebury, Vermont and are currently delivering to Bristol, Middlebury, Shelburne, Vergennes and the Burlington area. They deliver only to businesses and partner locations because the cost and environmental impact required to deliver to individual homes is not conducive to the do-goodery they hope to accomplish with Juice Amour.

Health Benefits

There is plenty of research that shows the healing properties of juicing. Juicing can facilitate weight loss, increase energy levels, strengthen immunity, support strong bones and a glowing complexion. A growing body of research suggests that most vitamin supplements don’t help prevent chronic disease while natural, plant-based vitamins and minerals are more easily and completely absorbed by the body.

Fresh is Best

Fresh juice not only contains greater nutritional value than mass-produced “bottled” juice, it is like drinking a natural vitamin filled with living enzymes, essential minerals, antioxidants, and natural antibiotics, which are vital for optimal health. Bottled juices sold in supermarkets are pasteurized which means they are heated and processed, which can kill vitamins and minerals. That also means that you should not “wait” to drink Juice Amour’s juices- Please consume within 48 hours!

Organic

Organic farming uses methods that minimize the use of toxins while building soil fertility and protecting water quality. Additionally, buying organic supports chemical and pesticide-free practices that are healthier for our farmers and for our planet. Lastly, the Juice Amour family feels that organic foods have more intense and delicious flavors.

Local

Supporting our local, organic farmers is essential to minimizing the global impact of their business as well as providing support and income for their neighbors. All ingredients in Juice Amour’s juices will be sourced locally whenever possible.

Glass and the “Milk Bottle” Concept

To maximize health benefits for you and minimize the impact on our planet, Juice Amour avoids the use of plastic and instead chooses to recycle and reuse the glass jars their juice is delivered in. They ask customers to return jars and lids to the location they picked up their juices and, after a commercial wash, Juice Amour will reuse the bottles again. This reduces the cost to clients, eliminates a great deal of plastic from the waste stream, minimizes any negative impact of drinking out of plastic, and maximizes benefits to the community and planet!

June 22, 2017

Spotlight on Neighborly Farms

As our celebration of Dairy Month churns on, we’re shining our Co-op Spotlight on a fantastic local, organic dairy farm hailing from Randolph Center, VT: Neighborly Farms! Member-owners can enjoy 20% off their award-winning organic cheeses from June 22nd – 28th! Read on to learn more about this 168-acre organic dairy farm that calls VT home:

Established as an operating dairy farm in the 1920’s, Rob and Linda Dimmick are continuing the tradition of family farming. Nestled in the rolling hills of Randolph Center, Vermont, Neighborly Farms decorates the countryside with its red barn and white post and beam farmhouse built in the 1800s. They operate on 168 acres with cropland and grazing fields to support the dairy and a sugarhouse for producing pure Vermont maple syrup. The clean and tidy barn is home to 70 Holsteins—the black and white cows that symbolize rural living at its very best.

Rob and Linda are continuing the family farming tradition because they have a passion for the land and animals. They are a totally organic farm. This means the farm is run in complete harmony with the land and the animals; no antibiotics, no hormones, and no commercial fertilizers. Just pure and natural techniques that keep the cows healthy, happy, and the dairy products wholesome and chemical-free. It means that the cheese produced at Neighborly Farms are pure and natural. And the best part? The organic cheeses taste great too.

Neighborly Farms of Vermont is not just another dairy farm. At their family farm, there is a deep love for the land and animals. That’s why they choose to be an organic farm. It’s a way of showing that they care about their surroundings and neighbors. Neighborly Farms produces eleven kinds of delicious organic cheeses; all made with wholesome milk from their well-cared for Holstein cows. They make cheese the old-fashioned way and believe that caring for the land and surroundings helps them produce the finest cheeses possible.

At the Co-op, you’ll find a rotating variety of their cheeses including Jalapeno Jack, Monterey Jack, Colby, Feta, Green Onion Cheddar, and their staple Raw Milk Cheddar, many of which have been honored with awards from the prestigious American Cheese Society. They hope you enjoy them and they thank you for supporting your local, organic dairy farms!

June 19, 2017

The Co-op Board Hosts Staff Appreciation Ice Cream Social

The Co-op Board of Directors hosted an ice cream social for staff in late May to show their appreciation to staff. While the board appreciates the staff every day, staff are going above and beyond their regular routines to accommodate many changes. The social was held in the old store space where the board meets monthly. This location did not go un-noticed as many noted how much the Co-op has grown.

There were many flavors of ice cream, but where the board went… well, overboard, was with the toppings: from pretzels and M&Ms to nuts, fresh fruit, and two kinds of secret recipe sauces (caramel and chocolate). All the ingredients were on hand to create a well-deserved treat. More than 30 staff members came by, some with just the time to grab an ice cream and go back to work or to a meeting, others with a bit more time to sit and talk.

As the expansion continues, keeping the store moving smoothly is a balancing act and one that has not gone unnoticed by customers. The board wanted to express gratitude to the staff for making the Coop function in the middle of a construction site. Board members hear every day from member-owners how the staff is always friendly and available to answer questions and to help. We really wanted to acknowledge that, and the fact that they make the store feel as welcoming as ever, in spite of all the kinds of interferences that an expansion brings about (noise, dust, having to park further away from the store, etc.).

Beyond expressing thanks to the staff, the members of the board who were able to attend the social appreciated the wonderful opportunity to connect directly with members of the Staff. These two “sides” of the Co-op work in tandem, but have very seldom the chance to connect personally.

By Ilaria……

Ilaria Brancoli-Busdraghi is a long-serving Co-op Board Member. Do you have any questions about the Board and how we do our work? Write anytime with comments, questions or suggestions: tam@middleburycoop.com.

June 15, 2017

Spotlight on Newman’s Own

This week, we’re casting our Co-op Spotlight on Newman’s Own to tip our hat to the man who decided to launch a food business that gives away 100% of its profits to charity. All of Newman’s Own products will be 20% off for member-owners from June 15th – 21st! Read on to learn more about how Paul Newman accidentally found himself at the center of a successful food business and the impact of his incredible philanthropy:

Paul Newman’s craft was acting, his passion was auto racing, his love was his family and friends. But his heart and soul were dedicated to helping make the world a better place. His commitment to philanthropy was clear — he used his influence, gave of his financial resources, and personally volunteered to advance humanitarian and social causes around the world. While Paul Newman was a Hollywood star of extraordinary celebrity and a person recognized for exceptional commitment and leadership for philanthropy, he lived his life as an ordinary person, which he always considered himself. He was a man of abundant good humor, generosity, and humility.

Newman’s Own began as a bit of a lark. In 1980, Paul Newman and his pal A.E. Hotchner filled empty wine bottles with his homemade salad dressing to give as gifts for the holidays. After friends and neighbors came clamoring for refills, Paul and “Hotch” were convinced that the special recipe was good enough to be bottled and sold.

Newman’s Own Salad Dressing was officially launched in 1982 and, surprisingly, became an instant success. The first year of profits exceeded $300,000 and Paul declared, “Let’s give it all away to those who need it.” Without ever taking personal compensation, Paul shared his good fortune. It was a unique concept at the time – giving away all after-tax profits, but he believed that helping others was just the right thing to do.

In these thirty-five years, Paul Newman and the Newman’s Own Foundation have given over $485 million to thousands of charities. Newman’s Own Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization formed in 2005 by Paul Newman to sustain the legacy of his philanthropic work.As the sole owner of the food and beverage and licensing companies, the 100% of profits earned from the sale of Newman’s Own products goes to the Newman’s Own Foundation. The Foundation is governed by an independent Board of Directors which is obligated by law to use the Foundation’s resources only to advance its charitable purpose. The Foundation makes grants to charitable organizations, pays for other qualifying charitable expenses, and sets aside reserves to cover future payments on pledges, establish a rapid response fund in case of disasters, make program-related investments, and cover unanticipated contingencies. The Foundation believes that each of us, through the power of philanthropy, has the potential to make a difference. As of January 2017, the Foundation has succeeded in providing:

Over $485 million to charities since 1982
More than 21,000 grants made since 1982
Grants have served 46 countries, including the U.S. (since 2011)
Over 600 grants, totaling $27.3 million in 2016

Click here to read more about the beneficiaries and impact of the Newman’s Own Foundation

Today, Newman’s Own produces over 200 individual products across 20 categories. Always great tasting, always top quality, just the way our founder, Paul Newman, insisted. We’ll always follow his vision for putting quality first. The Newman’s Own business model has remained the same over the years. The enterprise remains true to Paul’s original mission and values, using only all-natural, high-quality foods and donating 100% of profits and royalties to charity. Who would’ve thought that so much good could come from a simple idea? As Paul said, it has been “a heck of a ride.”

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