November 29, 2021

Giving Gratitude

In the days after Thanksgiving, I hold tight to my feelings of gratitude for the many blessings in my life, one being the abundance of delicious local food I enjoyed during our holiday feast! As I reflect on this feeling, I’m reminded of something a speaker at a conference I attended years ago said, “What you appreciate, appreciates”. This remark has stuck with me and comes back to me often, especially in my day-to-day work with farmers. There is so much to appreciate in the work of farmers, but not all are as obviously visible as the food that we find in the aisles at the Co-op.

Farmers steward our landscape and through their work, they sustain Vermont’s signature working landscape – the pastures, crops, and barns along our roadways that form the foundation of our state’s iconic image. Many farms pride themselves in implementing practices to actively build the health of the soil. Through this caretaking, they increase the resilience of our ecosystem by building up the capacity for the land to store carbon and increase stormwater storage. These practices are important ways that farmers are increasing the resiliency of the land to weather as our climate changes. Moreover, many farmers also implement special programs to make sure that all members of their communities, regardless of income, can also access their products.

For all these reasons and more, I appreciate the work of farmers. While it’s natural to think about gratitude and farmers when we sit down to a delicious meal, I think it’s important to also remember all the other benefits our society gains when we support local producers. And, if you’re still basking in the gratitude of the season, try reaching out to a local farmer to share your thanks for all they do. I know they’ll be glad to hear it and you’ll feel good too. If you don’t know a farmer, have a look around the Coop at the posters introducing you to the farmers who sell their products right on our shelves.

Erin Buckwalter is a Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op Board Member.

November 29, 2019

Giving Gratitude

In these days after Thanksgiving, I’m holding tight to my feelings of gratitude for the many blessings in my life, one being the abundance of delicious local food I enjoyed during our holiday feast! As I reflect on this feeling, I’m reminded of something a speaker at a conference I attended years ago said, “What you appreciate, appreciates.” This remark has stuck with me and comes back to me often, especially in my day-to-day work with farmers. There is so much to appreciate in the work of farmers, but not all are as obviously visible as the food that we find in the aisles at the Co-op.

Farmers steward our landscape and through their work, they sustain Vermont’s signature working landscape – the pastures, crops, and barns along our roadways that form the foundation of our state’s iconic image. Many farms pride themselves in implementing practices to actively build the health of the soil. Through this caretaking, they increase the resilience of our ecosystem by building up the capacity for the land to store carbon and increase stormwater storage. These practices are important ways that farmers are increasing the resiliency of the land to weather as our climate changes. Moreover, many farmers also implement special programs to make sure that all members of their communities, regardless of income, can also access their products.

For all these reasons and more, I appreciate the work of farmers. While it’s natural to think about gratitude and farmers when we sit down to a delicious meal, I think it’s important to also remember all the other benefits our society gains when we support local producers. And, if you’re still basking in the gratitude of the season, try reaching out to a local farmer to share your thanks for all they do. I know they’ll be glad to hear it and you’ll feel good too. If you don’t know a farmer, have a look around the Coop at the posters introducing you to the farmers who sell their products right on our shelves.

Erin Buckwalter is a Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op Board Member.

June 1, 2019

Featured Co-op Connection Business- Wild Mountain Thyme

Warmer weather is finally here! If you’re putting away your flannel and wool to find there’s not much left in your closet, we invite you to check out Wild Mountain Thyme! They’re a part of our Co-op Connection program (they were one of the original businesses to participate in this program!) and they offer a 5% discount to card-carrying Co-op member-owners!

This funky, iconic Main Street shop was first opened by the late Allen Israel in 1971. His partner Paula Israel came on board in 1976 and has been running the show ever since. The store has been a fixture of downtown Middlebury since the very beginning, offering an eclectic and well-curated mix of clothing for women and children, jewelry, art, gifts, and decor. But, perhaps the best thing about this store is the people behind the counter. Paula, Jen, and Kitty create a fun, friendly atmosphere that keeps loyal local customers coming back. One enters the store as a customer and leaves feeling like an old friend.

When asked to share their favorite thing about working in the store, Jen says its “absolutely the people. It’s such a pleasure to get to know our customers and help them find what they’re looking for. And I also adore my co-workers. We make such a great team and we have a lot of fun together.” Owner Paula echoed these sentiments. “I’ve met all of my lifelong friends in this store. It’s a pretty special place.”

October 27, 2017

Check out faster AND help us all avoid credit card fees

Did you know you can increase another aspect of “keeping it local” by adjusting how you pay at checkout? During the past year, MNFC paid over $150,000 in credit card fees! This startling amount leaves our local community and flows to out-of-state banks. Think about what could be done locally with these funds, either through increased community supports or improvements in customer services.

When you purchase food at the Co-op, you support the hundreds of local producers who live in our area and you are keeping the money in local circulation. And remember, if you’re a member-owner of the Co-op, you own shares in this store and will receive an annual patronage dividend refund based on your purchase history. The shares you hold represent your whole-hearted commitment to community-produced and distributed healthy foods.

While I certainly do not want to “guilt” anyone for using a credit card, there are some options to consider. The use of checks or cash is one possibility to avoid credit card fees, but this is not always convenient. You could also consider using an MNFC Gift Card for all of your Co-op purchases. This card can be obtained from any cashier. You decide how much value you want to put on the card, write a check for that amount, then use the gift card every time you shop. It is like cash and thus should be kept in a secure place. There is a number associated with the card, found on the back and on the receipt when you put money on it. Note this number somewhere secure so if the card is lost, payment can be stopped. I took a photo of my card with my phone.

Any customary Co-op discount you receive stays the same, and the amount remaining on the card shows up at the bottom of your receipt every time you make a purchase. When the balance runs low, writing another check will load the same card for another period of time. I tend to reload every month.

There are several advantages to this process:

You can budget what you believe is reasonable for you to spend at the Co-op, say for a month’s time, and keep track of your spending.
Going through the check out line is extremely quick and efficient. The cashier scans your card, you get a receipt, and you’re done! Nothing to sign, no check to write, no numbers to punch in, no waiting for change. The cashiers really like the ease of this process and you’re apt to get some unsolicited positive regard from them.
Use of the MNFC gift card completely eliminates fees the Co-op has to pay to banks and financial institutions when you use a credit or debit card. Yes, debit cards have fees as well!
Finally, remember that an MNFC gift card is a wonderful way to give anyone a present, for any occasion. The gift card can encourage someone new to the Co-op to make their first visit and can introduce longtime customers to this very efficient way of paying for purchases.

This is a very quick and convenient way to pay for purchases, and avoids paying fees to out of state banks … a win-win. This is how I have paid for all of my MNFC shopping over the past two years. Try it, I think you’ll like it!

Louise Vojtisek is a member of our Co-op Board of Directors. For questions about this article, please contact board@middleburycoop.com.

September 1, 2016

Co-op Connection Deals on Shoes & Apparel!

With back-to-school season looming large, perhaps the kids are asking for some new duds? And maybe those old, tired winter boots are no longer keeping the elements out? Or, maybe you’re in the market for a new pair of Carhartt’s or some Darn Tough socks? It’s a perfect time to check out our Co-op Connection Business of the Month – Green Mountain Shoe & Apparel! Co-op member-owners can enjoy 10% off when they shop at Green Mountain Shoe & Apparel! Read on to learn more about this family-owned local business and the wide array of products they offer to keep you covered from head to toe.

Here at Green Mountain Shoe & Apparel we believe that high-quality products and good service should also be affordable. That’s why we carry the brands you know and trust. We offer a wide variety of dress & casual shoes for the entire family. Sneakers by Asics, New Balance, & Saucony. Casual shoes by Merrell, Keen, Born, Haflinger, Sanita & Dansko clogs. We know which products run narrow or wide, which ones will break in and which ones hold their shape. Both quality and comfort are important to us. We’ll help you get the shoe that is right for you.

Our store is also chock full of fleece, jackets, hats, gloves, jeans, vests, and coats. We’ve got your favorite brands of casual clothing by Woolrich, Carhartt, & North River, and socks by Smartwool & Darn Tough. Our selection of Carhartt is one of the best in Vermont and if we don’t have your size in stock we are always happy to order it for you. Find out what the locals already know- Green Mountain Shoe & Apparel is their source for work wear, warm gear, and year-round comfortable clothing and footwear.

Our family-owned business has been serving our communities for over 12 years in Middlebury and 7 years in Bristol. We carry the items your family needs from head to toe!

We have two locations to serve you:

Middlebury- 260 Court St., Suite 4, near Hannaford.

Bristol – 1 Main St., in the heart of downtown.