Traverse City is lucky to have so many co-ops in our community. From keeping the lights on, to teaching kids, or growing our local food, co-ops help our region thrive. Here are a few of Oryana’s cooperative neighbors.
Cherryland Electric Cooperative
Cherryland Electric Cooperative is your friendly neighborhood not-for-profit utility, lighting up the lives of nearly 40,000 folks in Northern Michigan. They run things based on our good old-fashioned principles: focusing on their members, keeping things safe, and making sure the power’s reliable while keeping it all affordable. Their members are at the heart of their operation, and since they’re not chasing profits, you can trust that every decision they make is with their members’ best interests at heart.
Traverse City Cooperative Preschool
Traverse City Cooperative Preschool is a warm, play-based learning community where children grow through exploration, creativity, and connection. In their cooperative model, parents take an active role in the classroom, creating a tight-knit community, lowering tuition costs, and allowing for more individualized attention. This partnership between families and the school not only enriches the learning environment but also models the value of working together for our children.
TBA Credit Union
TBA Credit Union has evolved from storing cash in old cigar boxes to tapping screens on interactive Teller Machines (ITMs), and their commitment to building trusted relationships in their community remains as strong as ever. For over 70 years, TBA Credit Union has been a member-owned cooperative focused on helping people grow assets, returning earnings through better rates, higher savings yields, and reduced fees. With tailored financial services and access to over 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide and 250+ Xtend Shared Branching locations, they’re here to help you. Become a member today at tbacu.com.
MI Farm Co-op
In the heart of Northwest Michigan, MI Farm Co-op unites over 25 local family farms into a shared mission: to keep wholesome, nourishing food accessible, support fair prices for farmers, and strengthen the region’s food system.
Founded in 2014, the co-op began with a small group of growers committed to supporting one another. For many farmers, delivery logistics, managing wholesale accounts, and marketing can be challenging tasks. The co-op has transformed those big challenges into a streamlined system—allowing one order to bring together fresh, seasonal products from multiple farms, including eggs, vegetables, meats, and more. These goods are delivered directly to consumers, restaurants, schools, and through their CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program.
The cooperative model works because farmers keep ownership and control, allowing them to set fair prices. By working together on marketing, delivery, and processing, member farms can lower costs and reach more customers, including schools and area wholesale markets. This teamwork makes farms stronger and more resilient, supports sustainable growing practices, and reduces environmental impact. This model also deepens the personal relationships that local food brings. The seasonal food each week which boosts the local economy and strengthens the bonds between farms and the community.
MI Farm Co-op embodies the power of the cooperative model, combining shared ownership, local action, and community-driven agriculture. It demonstrates how, by coming together, local farms can thrive, regional food systems can flourish, and consumers can enjoy fresh, ethically sourced food.
