Yes! You have what you need to support yourself and your family’s immunity and health this winter in your kitchen! With a variety of medicinal and culinary herbs, fruit, and spices, you can go home with a potent remedy that can be used daily to enhance both culinary salad dressings and/or to simply add to sparkling water for an immune-enhancing drink. Join herbalist Julie Mitchell to explore recipes and have a better understanding of the herbal actions of the plant medicines involved in this warming concoction. Bring a glass quart canning jar with a lid, if you have one. If not, we’ll have you covered!
Julie Mitchell is an educator, gardener, and herbalist who lives in New Haven, VT. She is the founder and owner of Eos Botanicals. The art and the science of being an herbalist have been a compelling force in her life for over 30 years. She is a gardener, wildcrafter, herbal product manufacturer, and herbal/health consultant, all with the intention to further both the health of the individual, as well as the health of the environment.
Advance registration is required. Please register at least one week in advance. Classes are capped at 12 participants. Enrollment is first-come, first-served. All classes are $30, or FREE for members of the Co-op’s Food For All Program. To register, please click here.
Are you curious about non-pharmaceutical techniques to support your mood, energy, and forever-changed life? In this course, we will begin with an experiential (and optional) ear acupuncture session to resource your nervous system. Then, you’ll learn foundational homecare practices for prenatal and postpartum care from a Chinese Medicine perspective. Ranging from milk-building recipes to infant massage for colic and anxiety-releasing techniques, this course is designed for real parents of all genders who want access to time-tested wisdom that can easefully be woven into their busy life. We’ll also have a solid 20 minutes for you to ask your questions of a prenatal and postpartum acupuncture expert. (Ear acupuncture is optional and can be done with pins or non-puncturing earseeds.) Your instructor is Rebecca Cariati, owner and head acupuncturist at Bristol and Burlington-based Refuge Acupuncture. All participants will receive a special offering for acupuncture.
Rebecca Cariati (they/them) is the owner and head acupuncturist at Refuge Acupuncture – an inclusive, trauma-informed practice that centers LGBTQIA-2+ community, prenatal and postpartum parents, neurodiverse people, folks in big bodies, children, people with mental health challenges, those who are afraid of needles, and people with unnameable ailments. Located in both Bristol and Burlington, Refuge Acupuncture was born of Cariati’s own healing through acupuncture during which their chronic pain resolved and they found a deeper sense of belonging in their own body and mind. According to Cariati, “This is what I aspire to do for my clients whether you’re taking your first or your last breaths on this planet — to play a part in supporting the sensitive and the spicy amongst us to find refuge right where you are.”
Advance registration is required. Please register at least one week in advance. Classes are capped at 12 participants. Enrollment is first-come, first-served. All classes are $30, or FREE for members of the Co-op’s Food For All Program. To register, please click here.
It’s widely known that some fungi are decomposers, but did you know that they can also eat plastic, clean up oil spills, hunt for prey, and enable trees to talk to each other? Join mycology educator, macro photographer, and author, Meg Madden, on a mushroom curiosity walk to learn more about the lives of these fascinating organisms. On this walk, we will explore the woods and talk about the mushrooms we find along the way including what they are and how to identify them. From building soil to connecting trees, we will go over the essential roles that fungi play within their natural communities. From environmental remediation to mycelium-based green building materials, we’ll also learn about some of the unique ways fungi can help us navigate our way in a more planet-friendly manner. Meg will also discuss the importance of community science, how you can contribute to Vermont’s growing database of fungi species on iNaturalist, and share tips and tricks for taking scientific-grade mushroom photos. We will meet at Wright Park on Seymour Street Extension at 5:00 pm. Wear comfortable walking shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, and bring your questions and curiosity! Signed copies of Meg’s new book, This Is A Book For People Who Love Mushrooms will be available for purchase.
Fungi educator, author, and photographer, Meg Madden, can often be found in the forests of her childhood practicing what she calls “mushroom yoga” — laying on the ground, standing on her head, or balancing precariously on a log — to capture the perfect snail’s-eye view of her favorite photo subject: Fungi! Her colorful, highly detailed mushroom portraits offer an intimate look into the often-overlooked world of these extraordinary organisms. Inspired by the belief that people are more likely to take care of something they love, she finds great joy in facilitating fun and meaningful connections between humans and nature. Meg shares her knowledge and contagious passion for the fantastic world of fungi through visually engaging presentations, mushroom walks, and via her Instagram gallery @megmaddendesign. An advocate for fungal diversity and community science, Meg teaches iNaturalist workshops and is helping to compile an Atlas Of Fungi for the state of Vermont.
Advance registration is required. Please register at least one week in advance. Enrollment is first-come, first-served. This class will be capped at 15 participants. All classes are $30, or FREE for members of the Co-op’s Food For All Program. To register, please click here.
Do you know your frisée from your puntarelle? Your radicchio from your escarole? Join us to celebrate Vermont’s 3rd Annual Chicory Week with this hands-on class celebrating the bitter beauty of chicory! Vermont Chicory Week is a celebration of all things chicory, from escarole, puntarelle, and radicchio to chicory root coffee, bitter cocktails, and chicory-centric culinary dishes. For this class, we’ll be led by Janis Reinke of Frog Hollow Farms to explore the culinary potential of veggies in the Chicory family. Bring your excitement, curiosity, and willingness to get bitter as we explore the flavors of Chicory!
Advance registration is required. Please register at least one week in advance. This class is capped at 12 participants. Enrollment is first-come, first-served. All classes are $30, or FREE for members of the Co-op’s Food For All Program. To register, please click here.
Co-op Member-Owners – check your receipts! All September, you can track how much you spend on LOCAL each time you shop at the Co-op. Choosing local products is always a winning choice for the Vermont Economy, and this September, choosing local could make YOU a winner, too! Read on to find out how:
JOIN THE EAT LOCAL CHALLENGE!
All September, check the bottom of your receipts to find out how much LOCAL you’ve purchased.
Receipts from LOCAL purchases of $25 or more are eligible to be entered into a drawing for one of six $25 Co-op Gift Cards.
Receipts from LOCAL purchases of $50 or more are eligible to be entered into a drawing for one of six $50 Co-op Gift Cards.
You may enter as many receipts as you like.
The more LOCAL you purchase, the greater your chances of winning. Raffle Boxes will be located at the Customer Service Desk near the Registers. Not sure if you’re buying LOCAL products? Just look for these signs:
Round up your register totals from August 17th – 23rd to benefit The Yellow House Community and the Co-op will match your donations! Read on to learn more about this intentional residential community located just a stone’s-throw away from the Co-op and the wonderful people who bring it to life:
Yellow House Community was founded in 2019 by two families planning for the future of their adult children with special needs. YHC has become an opportunity to design a future for these young adults, and others in the community, that is full of love, joy, and purpose and that extends beyond what families can offer in their homes and after they are no longer alive. YHC recognizes that this is a concern of many families presented with similar circumstances.
YHC founders and staff believe the solution exists in community – both in the community of Middlebury, Vermont to which both founding families are physically and emotionally connected and invested – and also in the creation of another community within Middlebury where adults with special needs live, work, and play side-by-side with individuals and families who are dedicated to creating and sharing this experience. Beyond the house, they have developed and continue to develop productive relationships with many local organizations. Perhaps you’ve seen them spreading joy throughout the Co-op during one of their regular shopping visits?
YHC’s intentional residential community is located in the heart of Middlebury at 29 Seminary Street in a beautiful, historic yellow house. YHC provides adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities with safe, residential family households, meaningful vocation, and the support to continue developing skills, interests, and relationships. Yellow House provides day programming and assistance with community-based employment and integration for its residents. Their culture is one of deep respect, kindness, love, and fun. Check out this wonderful short film to get a glimpse into the magic of the Yellow House Community:
Join Us for our 47th Annual Meeting and Celebration!
On Wednesday, September 13th, 5:30-7:30 pm, we invite you to join us at American Flatbread for our 47th Annual Meeting! We’ll gather to dine on flatbread, salad, and desserts while we talk about the past year and the progress we’ve made in meeting our Ends.
Our General Manager, Greg Prescott will update us on how the Co-op is doing and what next year may bring. We’ll hear from our Board of Directors and make time for questions from our members. Enjoy delicious flatbreads, salad, and desserts on us!
This is always such a special time to gather with our community and we look forward to seeing you all there!
New to the Co-op’s Annual Meeting? Have a look at some of the photos from past Annual Meeting Celebrations to see what’s in store!!
In the wake of the catastrophic flooding across the state in July, many of our local farmers and farmworkers across the state are in need of support. Many suffered extensive crop loss, loss of expensive infrastructure (barns, food processing equipment, irrigation systems, greenhouses, etc.), and flooded roads that limited their capacity to deliver products to local markets, resulting in the loss of crucial sales. You can help! Next time at checkout, ask your cashier to “Round-Up ” to benefit two local nonprofit organizations that are working hard to get funds to farms quickly and without strings attached. From July 30th – August 7th, your can round up your register totals to benefit AALV’s New Farms for New Americans Farmer Emergency Fund. From August 8th – August 16th all rounded-up proceeds will benefit the NOFA-VT Farmer Emergency Fund. Read on to learn more about these two local nonprofit organizations and the work they’re doing to provide critical relief to Vermont’s farmers and farmworkers.
AALV helps new Americans from all parts of the world gain independence in their new communities through a range of integration services, including bridging case management, workforce development, behavioral health awareness, and interpreter services programming. With support from AALV’s multicultural, multilingual staff, their clients can smoothly transition to living and working in Vermont.
8,000 refugees have settled in Vermont over the past 30 years. Many of them come with a lifelong experience of farming, but once here many do not have easy access to land and resources to continue their agrarian traditions. New Farms for New Americans (NFNA), a program offered through AALV, provides a community-based gardening and agriculture program for refugees and immigrants. Without New Farms for New Americans, families would not be able to grow large quantities of fresh vegetables for their families, grow culturally significant crops or address food and financial security.
Normally at this time of year, the New Farms for New Americans community is full of smiles in anticipation of the crops the community of refugee families would soon be harvesting. Unfortunately, their farmland in Burlington’s Intervale was destroyed during the recent flooding.
It is difficult to convey all that has been lost for the Bhutanese, Nepali, Burundian, Congolese, Somali Bantu, Burmese, and Karen farmers who make up the New Farms for New Americans community: seeds that have been saved for generations through other floods, famine and war; seven months of food for each of the 100 households who participate with NFNA every year; culturally important crops that can not be bought locally; and finally— the smiles on their faces.
New Farms for New Americans via AALV will continue to provide technical support for the farmers during the next several months, and if you’d like to do more to help the 100 households recoup some of their financial losses, please consider donating to the NFNA Flood Recovery Fund by asking your cashier to round up your total at the register. You may also contribute to their efforts by donating at this link: https://www.aalv-vt.org/donate.
Since its establishment in 1997, the NOFA-VT Farmer Emergency Fund has supported farmers in times of challenge. Money from this fund goes directly from donors to farms with no strings attached, quickly helping them get through the initial recovery stages after a disaster.
The recent catastrophic flooding Vermont experienced was no different. As soon as the floodwaters hit, NOFA put out the call for donations to the fund and the community answered. So far NOFA-VT has collectively raised enough money to support over 100 farms with $5,000 grants apiece. These funds were raised through the sheer force of community solidarity—small donations, big donations, farmers helping each other, businesses running fundraising events, funders, friends, neighbors, and strangers sharing the word.
The first round of checks has already been distributed to farms, and NOFA continues to write checks as more applications pour in. They anticipate distributing all of the currently available funds to farms impacted by the flood.
In the event that more funds are raised than NOFA has applications for, they will increase the funding available for each farm. NOFA does not pull any administrative costs for the organization out of the Emergency Fund, so all money is directly passed to farms in need.
For some farms, this will just be the start of a long rebuilding process. NOFA will continue to advocate for meaningful federal and state disaster relief for farms, as the scale and scope of need far exceeds that which grants can cover. But in the meantime, community support like the Farmer Emergency Fund helps farmers and farmworkers stay on their feet and make a plan for what’s next. Please consider making a donation by asking your cashier to round up your total in support of the NOFA-VT Farmer Emergency Fund. Your donations provide a vital lifeline for farmers in need in the wake of this disaster. You may also donate at this link: https://www.nofavt.org/farmer-emergency-fund
Round Up Your Totals at the Registers June 1-7 for Pride Center of Vermont…
…The Co-op Will Match Your Donation!
We are so excited to Rally for this local organization that is committed to building a community where all are welcome. If you are not familiar with Pride Center of Vermont, please read on to learn more from them, in their own words:
Pride Center of Vermont is the region’s most comprehensive community center, dedicated to advancing community and the health and safety of LGBTQIA+ Vermonters. Now is a critical time for LGBTQIA+ community centers. We are the first line of defense against a political climate actively working to take away our rights, erase our identities, and defund the resources that support us. In these turbulent times, community and connection are a lifeline for many across the state and country. We are proud to offer a wide range of services and support, including:
Health & Wellness programs helping LGBTQIA+ adults access HIV and STI testing and support, health insurance, affirming providers, sexuality and gender education and supplies, and social groups.
Affinity groups connecting individuals based on shared identities, to build power and share experiences, including THRIVE for Queer & Trans People of Color, GLOW for LGBTQIA+ Women and women-aligned individuals, Momentum for LGBTQIA+ Vermonters over the age of 55, and our Trans Program.
SafeSpace Anti-Violence Program which works to transform harm with and for LGBTQIA+ Vermonters, through direct service advocacy, education, and community support.
An online events calendar highlighting LGBTQIA+ events, hosted by Pride Center as well as other groups, organizations, and individuals, so that Vermonters can find community and build connections statewide.
Vermont’s largest Pride Parade & Festival every September. Pride brings together individuals, families, organizations, and businesses from around New England for a week-long celebration of LGBTQIA+ identities, culminating in a parade through downtown Burlington and a waterfront festival featuring artists, performers, musicians, vendors, and more.
Pride Center of Vermont provides the space and opportunity for LGBTQ+ people to celebrate our identities, and come together in solidarity, safety, and joy. The goal of the Pride Center of Vermont is to enrich the lives of each and every LGBTQ+ Vermonter so that we can all unapologetically exist. We are so grateful for the opportunity to participate in Middlebury Co-op’s Rally for Change, and thankful for your round-up donations to help us continue and expand our increasingly vital work. Thank you, and see you at Pride!
By now, Co-op member-owners will have received a Board of Directors Election Info packet in the mail. Inside this packet, you’ll find information about our Board, the election process, candidate biographies, and instructions to help you cast YOUR vote for our Board of Directors. Can’t find your paper packet? Not to worry! You can check out the packet online right HERE!
Are you ready to vote? Please follow the link below to get started, May 1st – May 31st. If you have any difficulty voting, please call Karin at 802 388 7276 x307 or email at karinmott@middlebury.coop.
You’ll need the first initial and last name of the co-op member-owner in your household, plus the last five digits of your member number (you can find this on the back of your paper Election Info Packet mailing label, or on the back of your co-op member card).
Your vote is completely anonymous, and after you participate in this year’s election, your name will be entered for a chance to win one of 50 $25 Co-op Gift Cards! Happy Voting!
Election results will be shared by Friday, June 2, via our website, e-news, social media, and in the store.
