How It All Began: A Brief History of Mass Local Food

Labors of Love Are Not Without Challenge

Upon returning to Massachusetts, Kelley created a presentation and began traveling around the state to promote the idea. For a year and a half, Kelley hosted presentations and set up information tables at fairs. People expressed interest, and her e-mail signup lists grew. She began connecting with like-minded people who wanted to support the creation and development of Massachusetts Local Food Cooperative.

The planning and development stage was not without its challenges, however. Kelley’s first steering committee lost members and ultimately disintegrated. It was hard for her to find people who were able to commit the time and energy needed to get the co-op off the ground. In January 2009, Kelley was ready to lay the idea to rest when she met Kerrie Hertel and Sheryl Vaillette.

Kerrie and Sheryl convinced Kelley to start small, with a pilot program in the Westminster area. Together, the three women planned the pilot’s launch. They found ten producers to list their goods on the Mass Local Food website. Forty-three members had joined the co-op, and more volunteers rallied around to help.

Early Fruits Are a Joy to Behold

In June 2009, Mass Local Food launched its first Distribution Day from the Westminster Farmers Market with thirty orders. Since then, the numbers of members and member orders have grown from month to month.

During Summer and Fall 2009, Kelley assembled and met with the co-op’s interim Board of Directors, who worked through the initial challenges of the startup and the co-op’s Articles of Incorporation. The Articles were officially filed with the State of Massachusetts on January 5, 2010—within days of the three-year target Kelley had established at the 2007 visioning event.

Massachusetts Local Food Cooperative held its first annual meeting and potluck dinner in February 2010. By then, the co-op had grown to 152 members. Twenty-seven voting members and their families attended the meeting and elected the co-op’s first official Board of Directors. They reviewed the co-op’s Bylaws and voted unanimously to approve them.

Business and membership continue to grow as the co-op approaches the first anniversary of its launch. At the time of this writing, the co-op has four established pickup sites and seven more in the planning stage. It’s quickly outgrowing its current sorting site in Westminster and actively seeking a larger space.

Were It Not for Your Support …

Kelley and the other members of the Board greatly appreciate the ongoing support of those who have surrounded this effort from the beginning, as well as the generous support and enthusiasm expressed by the co-op’s members. We look forward to the continued growth and success of Massachusetts Local Food Cooperative.

May 2010