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Date: 4/26/2021
HOLYOKE – A cooperative is seeking to help Western Mass. residents enjoy nature and become part of a community of local explorers.
Julia Agron, who is one of several owners of Chronic Trips, described the co-op as “a group of elevated adventurers [and] explorers of whole plant medicine.” She said the owners and members of Chronic Trips are “a group of people who have all found easy ways to bring nature into our lives.”
This, Agron explained, was what the cooperative was hoping to bring to Western Massachusetts when forming the community. “What we want is to bring to everyone a connection to and love of nature. Our mission is simple, foster a sense of community, foster a sense of love of nature,” she said. “We try to foster a love of nature, a sense of place and really encourage people to go outdoors everywhere.”
She said often people see travel as a barrier or necessity to connecting with nature. Agron said this was not the case and people often overlooked how easy it was to connect with nature right where they were. “Nature is everywhere, Holyoke, Springfield. You don’t have to travel, the outdoors is everywhere,” she said. “Literally getting your hands in the soil when you garden is good for your health.”
Access to nature and the outdoors became obvious and apparent last summer during the coronavirus pandemic, she said. “Access was a big issue in the Valley last summer. Outside felt like the safest place to be, but not everyone has equal access to all aspects of nature,” she said. Among issues that divided access to nature, Agron explained were both social justice and class issues.
Agron explained that while traveling was always an option while connecting with nature and the outdoors, it wasn’t necessary. “We want to make sure people know that while they have every right and reason to travel to a river, travel to a beach, it doesn’t have to involve traveling. The Holyoke canals offer a beautiful walk,” she said. Additionally, Agron said that connecting with nature didn’t just have to include walks, runs or bike rides, it could also include a fun activity such as geocaching.
The group, she said, plans geocaching activities around the valley each month. “We give out clues and cardinal directions. The last one we planned was in the middle of Springfield – nature is everywhere,” she said.
From their mission to create a community of people wanting to connect with nature around them arose the idea for a space for members of the community to connect with one another. She said while they had been based out of their space at 380 Dwight St. and hosted events prior to COVID-19, they wanted more for the space. She said, “When it became time to figure out how to turn it into a base camp and open it up to the public,” the coronavirus had impacted the region and all non-essential businesses had shut their doors.
She said in addition to thinking of how to create an essential space for members who needed it, they also wanted to bring resources to Holyoke as well. “The Pioneer Valley, Connecticut River Valley is full of amazing farms. A lot of that doesn’t make it into Holyoke. There are definitely people working to alleviate and change that, but Holyoke still – as cliche as it sounds – the tofu curtain exists,” she said.
Agron explained that as someone who works in food and food justice she saw the inequalities of food access in Holyoke firsthand. “People need to make sure they have access to healthy foods. I work in food and food justice, I saw all these opportunities that don’t make it into Holyoke,” she said. Agron said the group felt as though they “needed to bring people agriculture and wellness.”
The group, who had dreamed of a wellness center where they could offer other options such as a juice center, turned into a juice bar where they could offer additional wellness opportunities. “What was initially envisioned as a wellness center with a juice center where we could offer yoga, it turned into a juice bar with a wellness center instead,” she said.
This, Agron explained, would allow the space to remain essential and stay open “no matter what happened.” She said, “They need food, they need a point of community, they need a gathering space.”
She said while the group was hoping to open the doors to the juice bar in mid-June, the opening date was likely going to be pushed back as they worked to continue to raise funds. One of the ways in which they were doing this was with an April membership drive. She said members were more important to the group than revenue when they were seeking financing and investment options for the groups. “Our biggest asset is our members. Having 100 members can show the community recognizes the need and wants us there,” she said.
The co-op, she said, offers members the opportunity to own part of the business and work with the community. “Employees have the opportunity to become worker owners, customers have the opportunity to become owners. We share in the profit, share in the vision. It’s that sense of ownership and belonging,” she said. “We knew from the beginning that Chronic Trips had to go forward as a co-op.”
A lifetime membership usually costs about $120, but for those who live and work in Holyoke it is reduced by 50 percent to just $60. Agron said they were willing to work with all who wanted to join to ensure membership was “both affordable and accessible.”
Those interested with questions should reach out, Agron said. “People should not hesitate to reach out, if they have questions shoot us an email. Connecting with people is the best place for us to start,” she said.
More information about the co-op can be found on the Chronic Trips Facebook page and their website, https://www.chronictrips.com/