Blog

The Board Annual Retreat

Every year, our Board of Directors gathers for an annual retreat to deepen our connections and rally around our shared dedication to Open Harvest. As a cornerstone of our leadership, this time away lets us step out of our governance responsibilities to focus entirely on what matters most: our values, our impact, and where we are headed next. This year felt especially powerful.

Fresh off celebrating our 50-year milestone, we used that momentum to gain clarity and alignment. Our Directors and General Manager spent the day at a local Airbnb—proudly supporting a small business in our community—to pause, reflect, and map out the future of the co-op. Fueled by catering from our very own co-op team and facilitated by a co-op consultant, our conversations focused on strengthening our presence in the community, deepening relationships with our owners and shoppers, and discovering new ways to serve with purpose. Together, we recommitted not just to organizational growth, but to expanding our community impact in ways that truly matter.

We are so proud to serve as Directors for a co-op that has been a community cornerstone for 50 years. Now, as we look toward the next 50, our goal isn’t just to sustain what we have, but to build on the legacy we’ve been given. Our path forward is guided by a few core questions: How do we continue to evolve and stay relevant? And how do we grow our impact while staying true to the values that brought us here?

What makes this retreat so powerful isn’t just the strategic planning, it’s the alignment, the passion, and the shared belief that our work truly matters. The future of our co-op is bright, and this time together was a beautiful reminder that we are moving forward. 

We’re excited for what’s ahead and grateful for the shared leadership, vision, and commitment that will carry us into the next chapter.

-Jarvis Green

Board Secretary