Perhaps a little of my personal history is in order as I begin my first year as the new Board president. I’m a baby boomer in my mid-sixties who moved to the Brattleboro area as a 29-year old. I’d just completed four years of teaching at a Waldorf school in New York City. Having grown up in the Finger Lakes…

When visiting local producers around Vermont and beyond I often come across two attributes of the people who run these businesses. First, an unbelievable thirst for entrepreneurship and risk-taking that is exciting and inevitably drives the business to success. Second, an incredible product with unique qualities that customers love. Small Batch Organics in Manchester, VT is no exception and offers…

This time of year, we begin to work on our planning documents, from three-year plans to the more specific and detailed annual business plan that we prepare for the start of our fiscal year in July. As part of these annual rhythms, we assess trends in the industry, thinking about how our Co-op will fall in line or buck trends.…