Sometimes it’s only when you reach the end of a weekend that you stop and think about just how much can be packed into a couple of days — and how wonderfully varied community life in Middlebury and Addison County can be.
This was one of those weekends.
From cycling through the countryside for ACORN’s Tour de Farms, visiting some of the farms and producers that make our local food system so special, to heading underground and back in time for our own By Candlelight: An Evening of Séance. One moment we were celebrating agriculture and the landscape around us; the next, we were surrounded by candlelight, cocktails, history, tarot and just a little bit of mystery.
There was also the HOPE appreciation evening at Tourterelle, an opportunity to gather and recognize the people and relationships behind an organization doing such important work in our community. Then on to Shelburne Farms for the Vermont Cheesemakers Festival — another wonderful celebration of Vermont’s farmers, makers, food traditions and creativity.
And somewhere amongst all of that, a smaller and rather lovely gathering with the Addison Independent, hearing about Angelo’s retirement and the next chapter for such an important local institution, with Elsie and Christy stepping forward as his successors. There is something very special about witnessing those moments of transition — celebrating what someone has built while also looking forward to what comes next.
What struck us afterwards wasn’t simply how much we had managed to fit into one weekend. It was the variety of it all.
Farms and food. Cycling and cheese. History and a séance. Nonprofits and local journalism. Big public events and small conversations around a table.
In many ways, that variety reflects what we love about the work of the Better Middlebury Partnership. We don’t always have to be the organizer. Sometimes our role is to collaborate, sometimes to promote, sometimes to connect people — and sometimes simply to turn up, listen, learn and support.
At the heart of it all is community and connection — showing up, sharing experiences, supporting one another and celebrating the people and places that make this area so special. Whether around a table, on a farm, at an event or simply in conversation, these moments remind us that strong communities are built through relationships, participation and a genuine sense of belonging.
All of these seemingly separate things are connected. They are part of the texture of a place — the people who grow our food, run our organizations, tell our stories, create experiences and bring people together.
Quite a lot, it turns out, can happen in one weekend. And what a lovely reminder of how much is happening all around us.