A trip to the co-op can meet multiple needs at once—stocking the cabinets for the week, grabbing a hot vegan soup for lunch, or even building new friendships and learning new skills.
At the Berkshire Food Co-op in Great Barrington, “concern for community” is one of the eight cooperative principles. Mutual care and concern between members is founded upon relationships, and one of the main ways the Co-op fosters these connections is through its plentiful workshop offerings, which appeal to varying ages, interests, and skill sets.
“Workshops are one offering that makes us more than a grocery store,” explains Devorah Sawyer, the marketing manager at Berkshire Food Co-op. “We provide a space for learning and sharing experiences. It’s about building relationships—something a little more meaningful than just food shopping.”
Food Brings People Together in More Than One Way
Whether cooking, mocktail-making, game nights, or wellness workshops, the Co-op looks to the ownership body for direction on which events to hold. They plan offerings based on community input as well as those who volunteer to share knowledge on a special subject.
“The importance of a strong network is that when we have a need, such as deciding to host a kids’ cooking workshop, we have built relationships with people to call upon,” Sawyer says.
Collaborations with nearby Canaan Kids Artspace exist because a founding member of the organization is a long-time friend of the Co-op. One recent free workshop was stuffed animal house-building with upcycled items, planned in response to a half-day in the school district.
“In the area, there are usually events for adults but not as many for kids, so we wanted to respond to that need,” Sawyer says. For anyone who missed the last kids’ workshop, there’s a “Make Your Own Paper Squishy Toys” collab on January 25.
Many workshop offerings at the Co-op are free, and some have a registration fee. The upcoming herbalism workshop on January 26 is part of Angela Highsmith’s Empowered Herbalism series, with a focus on using kitchen spices for winter flu and cold care. A free sauerkraut workshop on January 30 with Terry Walters caters to everyone’s health interest as of late—gut health.
An Area for Gathering
For any in-person workshop, an inviting and spacious gathering place is required. The Co-op’s upstairs pop-up space exists for this reason. “We’re encouraging people to spend time up there, even if they are not attending a workshop. You can grab lunch with a friend and eat there, have a quick work meeting, or use the space as your remote office for a day,” Sawyer says.
The pop-up space includes a lounge area, an abundance of plants, couches, games, puzzles, and lending library.
Sawyer plans for the Co-op to host more events in the upcoming year and welcomes continued ideas and workshop facilitators to get in touch. “Whether you’re gathering to learn skills or share experiences, we want to be a community resource.”
