Grid Magazine September 2011 [#30]

Sustainable Philadelphia

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Dispatch

Lindsay Lidge, closing out bad nutrition Recipes

september 2011 / issue 30 gridphilly.com

You’ll flip for savory flapjacks Tyler Talks Trash

Give receipts the slip

Urban Naturalist

Flex those mussels

class action

Healthy lunch programs are at risk!

Student advocate Seth Brown of puffa helps lead the fight for better, fresher school food.

Fall Style

Upcycle secondhand finds into a new, eco-chic wardrobe Plus

Our ultimate thrifting directory

inside Welcome to the smart grid | Heirlooms v. Hybrids | Garter snake attack!

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2011 LLC. © trademark Dansko 2is a registered gri d ph il ly.c o mof Dansko, s e p tem be r Dansko, 2 0 1 1 LLC.

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g r i d p h illy.com s epte m ber 2011 / is s ue 30

sustainability in

schools 22 Lunch Wars

Will school kitchen closings lead to shrink-wrapped “satellite meals?” PLUS: A brief history of the school lunch program

26 Tiny Teachings Agricultural education from spring to winter

28 Natural Allies

Pepper Middle School’s Rebel Gardeners fight for urban farming

30 Book Smart WePAC works to re-open school libraries

Fall Style 32 Worn Again Thrift-smart locals reveal second-hand shopping secrets 36 That’s Reuseful: GRID’s ultimate vintage, consignment, swap, flea market and thrift guide for once-worn wonders

38 Whole Lotta Love | Sustainable grocery innovator turns 25 (part of GRID’s Pillars of Sustainability series) 40 Vinho Verde | Two local wineries take sustainable sips seriously

8 Energy | The big price and pay-offs of geothermal

42 Tyler Talks Trash Rally against receipts

10 Green Living | Tierra Mia fights the finger nail biz’s toxic ills | Recycling Challenge: Pens

44 Urban Naturalist | Freshwater mussels dig deep in the Delaware

12 Agriculture | Pendle Hill’s aquaponics system comes full circle 14 Food | Bernard Brown seeks the secrets of fluffy, fermented tempeh | On Tap: Weyerbacher Harvest Ale | Cheese of the Month: Valley Thunder | Recipes: Seasonal produce whipped into savory pancakes

46 Shoots & Ladders | Salad greens call for a cool weather comeback 48 Events | Pasture traversing bike tours, artist openings, Sustainable Saturdays, family-friendly farm fests and 22 more can’t miss sustainable events 54 Dispatch | Lindsay Lidge makes a pitch for good nutrition

c ov er a n d c o n tents port rai ts by gen e smi rnov; st yle group sh ot by mi c h ael pe rs ico

sept ember 20 11

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Where there’s a will…

I

s there anything quite so complicated and unwieldy as a big city public school system? Yes, the school district takes a lot of flack—and much of it is deserved. But truth is, the district’s responsible for educating some of the city’s most at-risk students while fighting a constant battle of attrition—concerned parents who can afford to do so often move out of the district—all with a budget that’s acutely susceptible to the whims of the greater economy and ideologue state politicians.

This is meant neither as apology nor slam.

That’s not GRID’s gig. Think of this more as a practical acknowledgement: Making city schools function is a hard job, and we’re reasonably sure that most of those tasked with it—particularly those interacting with kids day in, day out—bust their butts because they recognize what hangs in the balance.

Which is why, with Philly’s schools gearing up for fall session fresh off an astonishing, and very well-publicized $629 million budget shortfall, our look at sustainability in schools focuses a bit on what’s at risk, a bit on programs that are thriving in the face of adversity, and a bit on programs fighting to quell the damage.

In our main story, Liz Pacheco looks into a controversial plan that would convert many school cafeterias to pre-plated, or “satellite,” meals. The decision was made to help close that budget gap by saving the district a couple million dollars. But advocates for better school lunches— including representatives of the Food Trust, Fair Food and our cover model, student activist Seth Brown of the Philadelphia Urban Food and Fitness Alliance—wonder at what ultimate cost.

The satellite lunches, at least from what we’ve seen reported (GRID requested and was denied a sample lunch) may technically be nutritionally sound, but they sure look unappealing. Despite the setback, the organizations behind Philadelphia’s chapter of the forward-thinking Farm to School program, which brings farm-fresh food to school cafeterias, continue to push.

Ariela Rose tells you about the West Philadelphia Alliance for Children’s efforts to reopen closed school libraries, and also gets her grow on with Howard Brosius, the man behind the ingenious Chipping Hill Micro Farms—small, heated, covered beds that will allow for yearround agricultural education, even through our frigid winters.

publisher

Alex Mulcahy 215.625.9850 ext. 102 alex@gridphilly.com editor-in-chief

Brian Howard brian.howard@gridphilly.com editor at large

Felicia D’Ambrosio felicia@gridphilly.com managing editor

Liz Pacheco liz.pacheco@gridphilly.com associate editor

Ariela Rose ariela@gridphilly.com art director

Jamie Leary jamie@gridphilly.com designer

Melissa McFeeters distribution

Claire Connelly 215.625.9850 ext. 107 claire@gridphilly.com copy editor

Andrew Bonazelli production artist

Lucas Hardison writers

Pacheco also tagged along with a group of students at the George W. Pepper Middle School who call themselves the Southwest Child Rebel Gardeners; along with tending their own impressive school plot, they’re teaming up with the endangered Eastwick Common Grounds community garden.

Which is all kind of inspiring; despite difficult times in one of the most labyrinthine of city bureaucracies, great, sustainable, grassroots ideas continue to find a way.

Shaun Brady Bernard Brown Tenaya Darlington Brian Freedman Lucas Hardison Lindsay Lidge Joy Manning Char Vandermeer Tyler Weaver Samantha Wittchen intern

Kelly Clayton photographers

Charles Bartholomew Lucas Hardison Michael Perisco Gene Smirnov Emily Wren Albert Yee illustrator

Melissa McFeeters ad sales

Brian Howard, Editor-in-Chief brian.howard@gridphilly.com

Alex Mulcahy 215.625.9850 ext. 102 alex@gridphilly.com bookeeper

Alicia McClung published by

Red Flag Media 1032 Arch Street, 3rd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 215.625.9850 g r i d p h i l ly . c o m

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SATURDAY, 9.10.11

11AM - 5PM Headhouse Square Electric Car Test Drives • Green Giveaways • Kids Korner Free Yoga • Live Music• Local Celebrities Local and Organic Food • VIP Clean Air Council Member Tent 100’s of Exhibitors and Much More!

www.GreenfestPhilly.org

Hosted by

Clean Air Council

The Greenhouse Projects

Five Takes on an Exhibition

Five contemporary takes on the APs Museum’s exhibition of elephants and roses: encounters with French natural history, 1790–1830 ArChITeCTure

FAMILY

TheATer

FooD

Greenhouse and Cabinet of Future Fossils September 9 – December 3

GPS Expedition Launching September 9

French Farce 8 Performances/F/Sa/Sun/ September 2 – 16

Bon Appétit Launching September 9

Experience a sustainable greenhouse for the 21st century, installed in the American Philosophical Society’s (APS) garden.

Architect Jenny Sabin is recognized for her awardwinning work at the forefront of a new direction in architectural practice that applies insights and theories from nature and science to the design of material structures.

Follow historian Erin Five Takes on an Exhibition McLeary’s family-friendly See Aaron Cromie, Mary geocaching hunt for the Tuomanen, and Genevieve Ghost Gardens & Lost Perrier’s richly imaginative, Landscapes of historic witty and utterly distinctive Philadelphia. new play, A Paper Garden, featuring Empress Josephine, explorer Andre Michaux, and MusIC their mutual love of botany.

Experimental Sounds September 9 – December 3 Inside the greenhouse, listen for the compelling sounds of Kyle Bartlett’s musical composition Chaotic Menagerie.

Learn about the rise of French cuisine (with recipes) in five podcasts produced by Lari Robling.

For more information on all of the Greenhouse Projects

www.apsmuseum.org

104 S. Fifth Street Philadelphia, PA 19106

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Energy

From the Depths

Can you harness the power of the earth to heat and cool your home? by samantha wittchen

W

ith such high-profile institutions and individuals as the Philadelphia Zoo, Friends Center and even Phillies reliever Ryan Madson all going gaga for geothermal, it looks like there may be a trend in the making for the future of heating and cooling in Philadelphia.

Geothermal systems, designed to exploit the fact that the Earth maintains a near-constant temperature throughout the year, offer high efficiencies and big energy savings, but with price tags to match.

Geothermal heat pump systems consist of three main components: →→ a ground heat exchanger →→ a heat pump unit →→ ductwork to deliver the air

throughout the house

The heat exchanger is a loop of pipes buried in the ground near the building. Inside that loop is a thermal fluid, such as glycol, that circulates through the system to transfer heat to and from the ground. In the winter, heat is transferred from the ground to the house; in the summer, vice versa. The system uses much less energy than a conventional heating and cooling system because the ground loop allows the circulating fluid to be naturally cooled to the Earth’s temperature of 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer, and naturally warmed the same way in the winter.

The good news: A geothermal system typically boasts energy savings in the 30-60 percent range, says the Department of Energy (DOE).

The bad news: A new geothermal system can costs tens of thousands of dollars to install.

That seems like a lot compared with the cost of a regular heating and cooling system, but when you consider the potential energy savings and available tax incentives, the payback period is often in the five- to 10-year range, reports the DOE. After that, you’ll reap the savings for a long time before you’ll need to consider replacing system components; typical system life for the inside components is 25 years, and 50 years or more for the ground loop.

Consider the newly completed Hazel House in West Philadelphia ( “Eye for Design,” March 2011), which sports a geothermal system and is seeking LEED Platinum certification. Laura Raymond, an architect and one of the house’s developers and residents, expects the payback for the system to happen in five years. The total system cost about $30,000, including the cost for drilling the hole for the ground loop. She compares that with $15,000 for an equally sized conventional heat pump system, and after $10,000 in tax 8

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incentives and grants, the extra cost of the geothermal system was really only about $5,000. Not bad for decades worth of energy savings, right?

And, according to the DOE, if you roll the cost of the system into your mortgage, your geothermal system is likely to have a positive cash flow from the very beginning.

But what about a retrofit instead of building new? If you have ductwork in your house, the payback may still be worth it. Unfortunately, many Philadelphia rowhomes have radiators for heating and no cooling system, so installing the geothermal system will require opening up walls and ceilings to run ducts, which can add thousands of dollars to the overall cost.

The other big question for both retrofits and new construction is how to run the ground loop. For houses with sufficient land, like those in the Philadelphia suburbs, a closed horizontal ground loop is ideal because deep drilling isn’t required. The loop is run closer to the surface, and the required piping—typically 1,500 to 1,800 feet for a 2,000-square foot-home—can be laid horizontally in the ground, which keeps the costs down. For houses on small plots, like those in the city, a closed vertical ground loop is better because the piping is run vertically deep into the ground, requiring less space; the Hazel House’s loop extends 350 feet down and cost $7,000 to drill.

As with any alternative energy system, the key is to first make your house as efficient as possible before you install that fancy new system. The bigger your alternative energy system needs to be to meet your heating and cooling needs, the higher the cost and longer the payback period. So, go ahead and consider that geothermal system, but let your mantra be: Conserve before you convert. samantha wittchen is partner and cofounder of iSpring (ispringassociates.com), a sustainability consulting firm serving companies and organizations in the Delaware and Lehigh valleys.

Is geothermal right for you? →→ What kind of ground loop can you have? A horizontal loop requires more room, but will generally be cheaper than a vertical loop, which requires drilling. A horizontal loop will, however, require substantial excavation. Your property’s geology and local municipal codes are also factors. →→ Do you have existing ductwork?

Adding ductwork adds cost. →→ Can you roll the system cost into your mortgage? Ask your bank. →→ Are there federal, state or local incentives available for the project?

The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (dsireusa.org) provides up-to-date information on state incentive programs. The federal government provides a 30 percent tax credit for geothermal systems in service before Dec. 31, 2016.

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Tickets: $15-$30

An equally grand and hilarious theatrical epic that connects worldwide telecommunications systems, humpback whales, Carl Sagan, and dinner at Applebee’s.

Conceived and directed by Thaddeus Phillips.

Starring Brian Osborne, Makoto Hirano, Lee Ann Etzold, James Ijames, and Emily Letts.

“Fuses intellect and feeling with an entirely original vision of the world.”

- Denver Westword

Previous Live Arts shows: ¡EL CONQUISTADOR! Flamingo/Winnebago (2007).

(2010),

WHaLE OPTICS has been supported by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage through the Philadelphia Theatre Initiative. Additional support was provided by the Wyncote Foundation, Live Arts Brewery (LAB) programs, which are supported by The Kresge Foundation, the Independence Foundation, and The PNC Foundation through PNC Arts Alive.

Tickets at

www.livearts-fringe.org september 20 11

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Green living

Pretty Poisons Y

How Tierra Mia is fighting the toxic ills of the ou’ll never see fresh-cut flowers in a nail salon,” says Justin fingernail biz

Mitchell, who co-owns Center City’s Tierra Mia Organic Nail Spa with his fiancée Karina Restrepo. “Flowers die in just a few hours, because the fumes in the air are so bad. It sounds like a tall tale, but it’s shocking, really.”

The nitrocellulose-based nail polish used by most salons is a highly toxic brew. Made from film-forming agents, adhesive polymers (tosylamide-formaldehyde resin), plasticizers (camphor), coloring agents and solvents (toluene, formaldehyde), it’s considered a hazardous waste by many regulatory bodies (see sidebar).

“The new research on increased rates of breast cancer, severe respiratory and brain damage, and short-term memory loss for nail technicians is staggering,” says Mitchell. An architect by trade, Mitchell founded his blog, The Nail Industry Exposed (tierramianailindustryexposed.wordpress.com), when researching the effect working as a nail technician was having on Restrepo’s health.

Together, the pair built Tierra Mia just over two years ago, as a safe sanctuary for both nail professionals and clients; here they’re developing and patenting their own completely organic, zero-fume base coat, top coat, remover and nail

Losing the Lacquer “The [EPA] classifies nail polish and remover as household hazardous waste,” writes Grist columnist Umbra Fisk. Just like paint, thinners, antifreeze, drain openers and rat poison, some cosmetics—and all nail polish and remover— require safe and approved methods of disposal. Fisk suggests the National Recycling Hotline at 1-800-CLEANUP (253-2687) and its online database, earth911.com, to find locations accepting household hazardous waste. Here you’ll find info for the Regional Southeastern Pennsylvania Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Drop-off Program, the Franklin Township Recycling Center and Philadelphia HHW Drop-off Events.

You can also contact the Philadelphia Streets Department (215-686-5560, phila.gov/streets/HHW.html) for dates and times of upcoming HHW Drop-off Events by calling. Upcoming events are scheduled for Sept. 24 at 22nd and York sts. and Oct. 22 at 3033 S. 63rd St.; all drop-offs are held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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conditioner, all used in conjunction with waterbased, nontoxic polishes. Tierra Mia is the first— and currently the only—100 percent organic, zero-fume nail salon in the country.

“The nail industry is completely unregulated, which leads to the worst kind of greenwashing,” says Mitchell. “Polishes marketed as free of the ‘toxic trio’ [toluene, dibutyl phthalates and the known carcinogen formaldehyde] are in no way nontoxic. We absorb through our nails just like our skin—nails are an incredibly porous surface—and this stuff is staying on your nailbeds and seeping directly into the bloodstream, and causing a longer-term effect.”

For Tierra Mia clients, the gritty reality of poisonous nail salons is replaced by sensual delights. Freshly grated lime zests and coconut waft through the air, and each treatment ends with a manicure that lasts at least two weeks, chip-free.

Natural beauty never looked so good.

Tierra Mia Organic Nail Spa, 328 S. 17th St., 215-735-7980, tierramiaorganicnailspa.com

by felicia d’ambrosio

by samantha wittchen

Pens According to the most recent statistics from the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association, nearly 5 billion pens were sold in the U.S. in 2008.

facts

The vast majority of pens are predominantly made of recyclable plastic—high-density polyethylene (No. 2), low-density polyethylene (No. 4) or polystyrene (No. 6). As with all plastics, these are petroleum-based products, and disposing of them in a landfill, instead of recycling them as feedstock for more pens, means more petroleum is needed to produce new pens. Additionally, some inks found in older pens can contain harmful chemicals such as acetone, ammonia, cresol, ethanol, naptha, phenol, toluene or xylene, which can leach into groundwater from landfill disposal. There are very few organizations recycling pens.

problems

Terracycle, a Trenton-based company that collects many types of post-consumer waste to convert into new consumer products, accepts all manner of writing instruments through their Writing Instrument Brigades. These brigades are mostly based out of schools and universities (which receive 2 cents for each instrument collected), but currently there is no searchable directory of participating organizations.

However, Terracycle plans to offer a searchable database which organizations can opt into within the next few months, so check terracycle.net frequently for the new listing. If you’re willing to organize your own brigade, Terracycle will pay shipping costs for sending the pens to them, and you’ll be able to donate the 2 cents per pen to the school or charity of your choice.

If you’re looking for a more immediate solution, The Pen Guy (penguy.org), a plucky graphic designer in California, is on a mission to collect 1 million pens for use in a variety of art projects, such as covering his 1981 Mercedes Benz in used pens. You can mail your dead pens to: The Pen Guy, P.O. Box 994, Forestville, CA, 95436, but you’ll have to pay the postage yourself.

solution

Have a recycling challenge of your own? Email recycle@gridphilly.com.

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Agriculture

cyclical Logic

In an aquaponics system, plants feed fish, fish feed plants, both feed us story by felicia d’ambrosio • illustration by melissa m cfeeters

S

ituated on 23 green acre s in Wallingford, Delaware County, the retreat and conference center at Pendle Hill has been run by Quakers for the past 80 years as a place of peace and reflection for visitors of any faith. Businesses holding retreats for their employees are just as likely to visit as the solo

Pump/tank A 34-watt pump siphons waste-filled water out of the fish tank into a 55-gallon barrel dump tank. Set on a 15- to 30-minute cycle, the full tank flushes out into the gravel-filled grow tanks.

sojourner taking in the mile-long walking trail, 24-hour art studio and vibrant vegetable garden. Since social justice and stewardship of the Earth are core Quaker values, the task of feeding Pendle Hill’s many on- and off-campus staff, visitors, artists-in-residence and students is carried out with utmost attention to sustainability. With

Bacteria Two different kinds of bacteria make aquaponics possible: Nitrosamines, which attach to the gravel in the beds, convert the ammonia in fish waste into nitrites, and Nitrobacterium, which excrete nitrates, a form of nitrogen that plants love.

a goal of even greater self-sufficiency, trained environmental educator and staff IT manager Kurt Rowe has recently built a demonstration aquaponics setup. Aquaponics, a portmanteau of aquaculture (farming aquatic organisms) and hydroponics (growing plants without soil), integrates a tank where fish are raised for food in tandem with gravel- or sand-filled beds growing edible crops. “This 55-gallon demonstration tank is designed for a single family, or someone with limited space,” says Rowe, who characterizes the project as both a demonstration and an ongoing experiment. He’s got designs on building a four-tank, 1,200-gallon system that would feature 1,000 fish, in various stages of development, meaning there’d always be fish ready to eat. 

go the flow with

Here’s How it Works Plants Rowe is experimenting with what types of plants will work best in grow tanks; so far, herbs, lettuces, bok choy, white eggplant and tomatoes have thrived.

Inflow Water inflow to the gravel beds is a little faster than the outflow, creating an ebb and flow system and allowing time for bacteria to convert waste into fertilizer.

Outflow Aerated and filtered of waste, the water returns to the fish tank from the grow beds through an outflow fitted with an overflow valve that prevents the flooding of the beds.

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Fish tank The number of fish you can use depends on temperature and type. Tilapia, shrimp and prawns are all edible species that can thrive in aquaponics systems.

Pond/ duckweed Rowe introduced fast-growing, fish-approved duckweed to Pendle Hill’s pond, which he scoops out and feeds to the fish.

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13

food

on tap

Weyerbacher Harvest Ale

The White Stuff

“N

ot everyone can get the tempeh so white and…” At Café Pendawa, a corner market on Mole and Morris in South Philly Iwan Santoso searches for the right word. He settles on “fluffy.”

Handmade by the Santoso family at their full-service restaurant Indonesia at Snyder and Bouvier streets, Café Pendawa’s grab-and-go tempeh represents the highest expression of fermented faux meats. The Santosos guard their production method so zealously, they refused to allow GRID a peek at the process, lest we reveal the white and fluffy secret to competitors.

Tempeh Basics 1. Soak dry soybeans overnight before cooking them.

2. Once soaked and cooked through, remove the transparent hulls of the beans by kneading them (the laborious part).

3. Dry hulled beans thoroughly and mix in the mold spores.

4. Incubate the beans until the mold has knit them together into a cake. At 90 degrees that takes about 20 hours, or longer at lower temperatures.

Beware that there are many ways to go astray. As with brewing, the medium you create for your partner microbe can host other, nastier critters. If the beans are too wet, too hot or too cool, if the starter culture is too old, or if your equipment isn’t clean, you can end up with a slimy, stinky mess.

If you’d like to get serious about making your own, pick up The Book of Tempeh by William Shurtleff and Akiko Aoyagi.

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Displayed on low wire shelves next to banana fritters, vegetable fritters and other deep-fried goodies, the tempeh arrives not quite done and finishes maturing on the shelf.

Indeed, if you don’t cook, freeze or refrigerate it soon after buying (A mistake I made only once), the tempeh will continue to mature and become overripe—a stage considered a delicacy in the vein of a stinky blue cheese.

The much-vaunted cottony white fluff casing is the mold that binds the soaked and cooked soybeans together and turns them into tempeh. To put it bluntly, the singlecelled organisms start digesting the beans for you. Grossed out? Think of beer: barley and water pre-digested by a fungus, and thus elevated to ambrosia.

The Santoso family, who came to the United States in the mid-’90s, opened their restaurant in 2001 (Café Pendawa opened in 2004). At the time they could only get tempeh from a factory in the Midwest and wanted a more reliable, fresh supply. Now, as well as selling their homemade tempeh in the Café, they supply other shops in the area, providing small quantities to stores in New York, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. Next time you get a craving for a protein-rich dish minus the meat, skip the hard shrink-wrapped blocks at the supermarket in favor of some almostfamous Pendawa fluff. —Bernard Brown

Wet-hopped ales sprung up in the mid-’90s on the West Coast, where craft brewers enjoy close proximity to commercial hops farmers.

The bulk of the hop harvest ends up dried and pressed into plugs or pellets, but some of the craftiest brewers have devised ways to use fresh, or “wet,” hops in their recipes.

Just a few years ago, Easton’s Weyerbacher planted their first hops crop (mostly Cascades) at a time when a global shortage was driving up brewing costs. Easy to grow almost anywhere in the continental U.S., the fragrant flowers lead the profile of this 6.2 percent ABV ale, imparting a floral, grassy aroma, as well as spicy flavors from the resins and oils normally lost in the drying process. Wet-hopped ales are best consumed as fresh as possible. —Lucas Hardison Look for bottles to appear in early- to midSeptember. More at weyerbacher.com.

cheese of the month

Valley Thunder

Valley Thunder is a cheese with a split personality, pairing the sweet-as-evening smell of a Parmigiano with the bright bite of a true cheddar. Raw sheep’s and cow’s milk collude in this heartthrob from Valley Shepherd Creamery.

Thanks to the fatty sheep’s milk, this cheese breaks apart on the tongue, starting out sugary, then melting into warm, citrine softness—all without a bitter hook. The finish is long and luscious. No muttony notes here, no goaty tang. It’s a marvel, which may be why the name sounds like a superhero.

Valley Shepherd is run by a pair of engineersturned-sheep-farmers, Eran Wajswol and Debra Van Sickle. Their farm is set up for educational tours and family visits; fall tours run September through mid-November.

Valley Shepherd cheeses are sold at the Fair Food Farmstand in Reading Terminal Market, Di Bruno Bros., and at farmers markets in New York and New Jersey. —Tenaya Darlington,

madamefromage.blogspot.com

Valley Shepherd Creamery, 50 Fairmount Road, Long Valley, N.J.. 07853; valleyshepherd.com; 908-876-3200

ECOTISTICAL. Riding SEPTA has always been the fresher, earth-friendlier way to commute.

And with our new hybrid buses saving over 20% on fuel, taking SEPTA just got a little greener. To find a SEPTA route, visit www.SEPTA.org or call 215-580-7800

go green go

Source: SEPTA / New Flyer

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food

Kale, Zucchini and Romano Pancakes await whipped ricotta

The Flip Side of Flapjacks Bring new life to the same old veggies with these savory pancakes

T

he csa box or farmers market haul delivers a thrilling source of kitchen inspiration—in June. By now, though, your cravings have probably taken on an autumnal tinge, and those big salads and grilled vegetables seem so very last month. But you can bring new life to the late summer and early fall harvest with a little culinary creativity. Almost any vegetable, no matter how many times you’ve already cooked it this year, can feel new again when you take a different tack. Enter pancakes: Savory versions of that infinitely accommodating breakfast staple are just as satisfying around the dinner table. They make a terrific vegetarian main course served on a bed of mixed greens, as well as a side dish for simply grilled or roasted meat or fish. joy manning is a food writer and magazine editor; she blogs at oysterevangelist.com 16

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Kale, Zucchini and Romano Pancakes with Whipped Ricotta For the whipped ricotta

1

cup ricotta cheese Tbsp. olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until the mixture is perfectly smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the pancakes

2 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more to grease the griddle 1 tsp. hot chili flakes, or to taste 1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup) 1 small head Tuscan kale, stems trimmed, ribs removed and minced, leaves shredded, ribs and leaves separated 2 garlic cloves, minced

by joy manning

1

small zucchini, shredded, (about 3 cups) excess moisture squeezed out with a clean dishcloth 1 large egg, beaten cup ricotta cheese cup garbanzo flour (all-purpose may be substituted) cup grated Romano cheese

Salt and black pepper Basil leaves, optional

In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the olive oil, chili flakes, onion and kale ribs, and cook until the vegetables soften, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the kale leaves and cook until just wilted. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Allow the vegetables to cool.

Preheat an electric skillet to 400 degrees (or set your large skillet over medium-high heat).

Combine the egg and ricotta and pour over the cooled vegetables, stirring to combine. Add the

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food

Mushroom, Leek and Tarragon Pancakes with Blue Cheese Butter

shredded zucchini, flour and Romano cheese, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine.

Spoon the batter onto the hot, greased griddle 1/4 cup at a time, and cook until the pancakes set up around the edges and have browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip, and cook on the other side until brown, about 2 minutes more. Serve topped with the whipped ricotta and torn basil leaves, if desired.

Curried Cauliflower, Jalapeño and Rice Pancakes with Raita makes 12 pancakes For the raita

cup Greek yogurt clove garlic cup diced cucumber 1 Tbsp. olive oil 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro 1 Tbsp. chopped mint

Salt, to taste 1

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and let stand one hour before serving. This may be made ahead—refrigerate until ready to use.

For the pancakes

1

cups long-grain white rice cup red lentils head cauliflower, broken down into florets (about 2 cups) 1 Tbsp. curry powder 1 Tbsp. coconut oil 1 tsp. salt cup plain Greek yogurt 1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup) 3 jalapeño chilies, stemmed, finely chopped (and seeded, if you don’t like the heat) cup chopped cilantro

The night before: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the rice and red lentils, and cover with water by several inches. Let stand overnight.

Toss the cauliflower with the curry powder and coconut oil, and season liberally with salt.

Arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Roast until the cauliflower is tender and golden, about 25 minutes. Chop the cauliflower into roughly ¼-inch pieces, transfer to a sealable container and refrigerate.

In the morning, drain the rice and lentils and purée them with 1 cup fresh water in a food processor to make a batter. Transfer to a bowl, cover loosely with a towel and let stand for another 8-12 hours.

Preheat an electric griddle to 375 degrees, or set a large skillet over medium heat. Add the salt, yogurt, baking soda, grated onion, jalapeño, cilantro and reserved minced cauliflower to the rice-lentil batter, and stir to combine. Grease the 18

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griddle with coconut oil, and pour the batter onto the griddle 1/4 cup at a time. Cook until brown at the edges, about 5 to 7 minutes, then flip and cook on the other side about 3 to 5 minutes more.

Serve with raita.

Mushroom, Leek and Tarragon Pancakes with Blue Cheese Butter makes 6 pancakes For the blue cheese butter

cup softened blue cheese cup (4 Tbsp.) softened unsalted butter 1 small shallot, grated 1 Tbsp. Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar tsp. black pepper cup tarragon, minced

Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Spoon the mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap and roll tightly into a log. Chill until firm and ready to serve.

For the pancakes

2 Tbsp. butter, plus more for greasing the griddle 2 medium leeks, white parts only, halved, washed and sliced thinly (about 2 cups) 1 pound mushrooms (any variety—

2 1

2

I used cremini and shiitake), sliced thin (about 5 cups) Tbsp. dry sherry large egg, beaten cup buttermilk cup all-purpose flour tsp. baking powder Tbsp. minced fresh tarragon Salt and pepper

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until they exude their liquid, the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms begin to brown, about 15 minutes more. Transfer the vegetables to a large mixing bowl and cool.

Preheat an electric griddle to 400 degrees (or set your large skillet over medium-high heat).

Combine the egg and buttermilk and pour over the cooled vegetables, stirring to combine.

Add the flour, baking powder and tarragon, and stir to combine.

Spoon the batter onto the hot, buttered griddle 1/4 cup at a time and cook until the pancakes set up around the edges and have browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip, and cook on the other side until brown, about 2 minutes more. Top with a pat of blue cheese butter, and serve. 

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The Lunch Wars For students and adults fighting for better, healthier school lunches, fresh cafeteria food is an issue of respect by liz pacheco

Philadelphia high school student Seth Brown is frank about it: He started skipping lunch more and more this past year.

“The rate has increased this year,” says the 18-year-old rising senior at West Philadelphia’s Parkway West High School, “because my English class is above the kitchen.”

According to Brown, the smells were less than appetizing. The days Brown did eat lunch in the cafeteria weren’t much better.

“My classmates and I either threw out the lunches because they didn’t look good, or we didn’t trust what was prepared,” he says. “That happened on several occasions.”

While Brown says the full-service cafeteria will serve homemade dishes, like lasagna, the menu also offers pre-packaged hoagies, salads and prepared hot meals—often featuring poorly cooked hamburgers, chicken patties and milk, sometimes past its drink-by date.

So, Brown has decided to take a stand against substandard school lunches outside the cafeteria. He is a member of the Philadelphia Urban

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Food and Fitness Alliance (PUFFA), a youth advocacy organization that’s part of a national movement to shape how children are fed and to provide safe places for exercise. PUFFA, supported with a three-year grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, works with youth leadership and advocacy groups The Enterprise Center Community Development Center and Southeast Philadelphia Collaborative to bring together high school students from West and South Philadelphia interested in healthy living.

PUFFA joins other organizations and individuals in Philadelphia, students and adults, working for fresher, healthier and more appetizing school lunches. Their efforts haven’t gone unnoticed, and the School District of Philadelphia is facilitating

The Evolution of School Lunch in Philadelphia

changes, like supporting the Farm to School program (which brings farm-fresh food to school cafeterias). But obstacles still abound. The district is making budget cuts, and improved school lunches are on the chopping block. These cuts would come at a high price in Philadelphia; poverty is prevalent and often school lunch is the only opportunity a child has for a fresh, nutritious meal all day.

The Satellite Scare “Naturally, I’m pro-health and pro-advocacy,” says Brown about his decision to join PUFFA. “I liked what PUFFA was all about.”

Brown says he heard about the organization through a friend, which, according to PUFFA Program Director Diane-Louise Wormley, is the way most students get involved.

The program, which initially began with a pilot group of just a few students, now has 20 to 35 high school students meeting monthly.

The students, who refer to themselves as part of Students Advocating for Lifestyle Transformations (SALT), spend the two-hour meetings

The philanthropic Starr Center Association begins serving penny lunches in an underprivileged Philadelphia school. The Home and School League establishes a lunch committee; nine elementary schools begin receiving lunch service.

William Penn High School for Girls opens; principal Cheesman A. Herrick successfully lobbies the Philadelphia School Board to take on lunch program responsibilities. Board agrees under condition that the program is self-supporting.

1894

1909

Satellite Meal a sample grade school lunch USDA Food and Nutrition Service,

www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/menu/menu_planning.doc

source:

Beverage (8 oz):

Grains/breads (min. 1 serving daily):

milk

2 slices of bread

2 or more servings of vegetable or fruit (½ - ¾ c):

Meat or meat alternate (1½ - 2 oz):

steamed carrots and fruit cup

chicken nuggets cooking healthy food, playing Wii (for exercise) and developing peer-education skills, like writing text messages that promote a healthy and active lifestyle, or practicing video camera skills for a public service announcement they plan to record.

Past meetings have included lessons on making sushi, shepherd’s pie and oven-baked chicken.

“The idea is that they select food they like anyway and learn… how to make it healthier,” says Wormley. “We’re not trying to make them gurus.

Philadelphia School Board creates the Department of High School Lunches. School lunch program is brought to all high schools.

1912

That’s not likely for 15- and 16-year-olds.”

The students have opportunities to attend conferences, like the annual W.K. Kellogg Foundation Conference and the Rooted in Community Conference, a youth leadership summit hosted by the Urban Nutrition Initiative in Philadelphia at the end of July. There is also a summer internship program during which students spend time at WHYY learning photo, video and audio skills to use in their advocacy. Aside from mentors,

School Board takes over lunch program from the Home and School League. Elementary schools receive lunches.

1915

In Philadelphia, 46 of 213 public schools receive school lunches.

Approximately 50,000 students are served each day.

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the program is almost all student-led, a format, Wormely explains, that allows the students to try new things while building self confidence and leadership skills in a fun way.

“PUFFA is really about advocacy for systems and policy change,” says Wormley, and “anticipating there will be elements where our youth want to stand up and speak out.”

For instance, when members of PUFFA heard that the School District of Philadelphia was

The National School Lunch Act is passed, officially establishing the federal school lunch program.

1946

Children Nutrition Act signed into law.

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read it!

Free For All: Fixing School Food in America

by Janet Poppendieck University of California Press, 368 pp., $17.95, January 2010

If sociologist Janet Poppendieck had it her way, school meals would change. Forget the often-unappetizing burgers, pizza and fries loaded with sugar, fat and salt; instead, Poppendieck sees school lunches and breakfasts offering healthy, fresh foods—all for free. Free for All investigates the federally funded school breakfast and lunch programs, tracing the programs’ evolution from a simple solution for food surpluses during the Great Depression to the defrost-and-reheat items of today’s cafeterias, where more and more meals are skipped and wasted. Through extensive research and interviews with government and

considering a major change to the school lunch program, Brown was asked to speak for the students at a meeting of the School Reform Commission (SRC), the school district’s five-person governing board.

The proposed change, which was never publicly announced to administration, students or parents, would convert 26 elementary and middle school fullservice kitchens into pre-plated “satellite” meal service for September 2011. These “satellite” meals would use the same foods and follow the same nutritional guidelines as full-service kitchens, but would be prepared in food factories in Brooklyn, N.Y., or Wilkes-Barre, Pa., then shipped to Philadelphia schools where they would be reheated or served cold.

Though GRID was denied its request for a sample meal from Illinois-based Preferred Meal Systems, according to numerous reports, the meals resemble airplane food: individually portioned and sealed with a cellophane cover. Even the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are fac-

school officials, lunch workers, students and activists, Poppendieck reveals how schools are struggling to meet federal nutrition guidelines and student tastes with small budgets. But the book isn’t all about the bad. Poppendieck also writes about the successes—where universal programs and healthy, fresh foods have been embraced, including Philadelphia’s own universal feeding program. And, she outlines her solution for fixing school meals, crunching numbers in defense of her argument that the cost of free, truly nutritious school meals is well worth a generation of healthy children. —Liz Pacheco To learn more about Janet Poppendieck, visit janetpoppendieck.com.

ing to kids, but we know that’s the only option in some schools,” says Kathy Fisher, Family Economic Security Associate at child advocacy group Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY). But Fisher isn’t in support of the conversion to preplated. If the less-appealing pre-plated meals are served, fewer children will likely be eating them. “For us, we just really want to see that low-income [children] are fed and fed stuff they want to eat,” she says.

The Numbers Game Appealing to kids is a huge part of the school lunch business. The more students who purchase school lunch, the more federal reimbursement the Division of Food Services and the school district receive.

Without that funding, providing appealing meals to students can be a challenge.

Not surprisingly, the switch to pre-plated meals is expected to decrease participation rates. Of the district’s —seth brown 315 meal sites, 70 percent already don’t have full-service kitchens.

The school district and city’s health department are currently conducting a study funded by the Centers for Disease Control that will compare pre-plated meals with those of full-service kitchens. Part of the study will assess discarded and rejected meals. Child and nutrition advocacy organizations are asking the school district to wait until the study is completed in December 2011 before making a final decision on the conversion to satellite meals. Their request came in a joint statement to the SRC, which outlined the ramifications of closing the full-service kitchens: negative impacts on student health, wasted kitchen equipment, firing of cafeteria managers and staff, undercutting successful health and nutrition efforts, and reduction of school lunch revenue for the district.

My peers and I are tired of receiving the pink cheeseburgers, the rotten milks and the pink chicken patties. We’re tired of the rotten vegetables.”

USDA and School District of Philadelphia develop the Universal Feeding Program pilot. A Temple University demographer determines student eligibility, simplifying the counting and claiming of meals for the federal lunch and

breakfast programs and eliminating the application process. This is the first and only universal program in the country.

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tory-made, prepared and packaged in a way that resembles warm ice cream sandwiches. (To see what satellite lunches are all about, visit fedupwithschoollunch.blogspot.com, a blog written by a teacher who ate them every day for a year.)

According to a June Inquirer report, the conversion is projected to save the School District $2.3 million toward closing its $629 million budget gap. “It was a very difficult decision, but we had to cut a little bit everywhere to be able to come up with enough dollars to balance our budget,” says Fernando Gallard, spokesperson for the School District. He assures that the decision is purely budget-based and is “not reflective of the commitment of the school district regarding nutrition.”

“We know the pre-plated stuff isn’t as appeal-

The 2004 Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act makes the National Farm to School program possible. The program links community farms with local schools

2004 s ept e m b e r 2 0 1 1

to encourage healthy eating and living. This year, the program will reach about 400 schools.

The statement was presented by PCCY, PUFFA, Community Legal Services, Center for Hunger-Free Communities and the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger at a special July 1 meeting of the SRC. Arlene Ackerman, the school district’s CEO and superintendent, and SRC members were in attendance.

For Seth Brown, speaking at the SRC meeting was an important lesson in school food politics.

“The experience opened my eyes of how serious the school board is, how serious this issue is,” he says. Even over the phone, Brown is articulate and polite, confident and comfortable in expressing his opinion. It’s easy to see why his peers immediately chose him as their spokesperson.

“My peers and I,” he reads from a draft of his speech over the phone, “we’re tired of receiving the pink cheeseburgers, the rotten milks and the pink chicken patties. We’re tired of the rotten vegetables.” watch it!

A video clip from the meeting shows Brown dressed in a shirt and tie, a bit Two Angry Moms too tall for the microphone. Although directed by Amy Kalafa the audio is poor, it is clear that Brown 86 mins., 2007 is invested in what he’s speaking about; One part undercover he repeatedly makes eye contact, not documentary, one part instructional video, this intimidated by his adult audience. film follows Amy Kalafa “The full service kitchens would and Susan Rubin, two make the students feel special, remoms fed up with the spected and appreciated,” he says, prepackaged junk food again reading from the draft. “No kids and mystery meat served in their children’s school should be disrespected during lunch cafeterias. Frustrated that the well-balanced and no kid should be hungry after meals they packed for their children each day lunch. They should be satisfied with are often tossed aside for chicken nuggets or what they take in.” supplemented with sugary, flavored milks, the women set out to understand how cafeteria food became carnival fare, and how they can change it. Their quest leads them to heated conflicts with school administrators and USDA representatives quick to defend the lunchrooms’ “wellbalanced” offerings, and reveals the underlying corporate pressures that influence what America’s children are fed. Kalafa and Rubin also visit schools in New York, California, Connecticut and New Hampshire that have successfully turned their backs on stringent guidelines in favor of sustainable and locally sourced produce, meats and dairy products—some of it straight from schoolyard gardens. With guidance and advice from school food reform pioneers Alice Waters and Ann Cooper (the Renegade Lunch Lady), the Two Angry Moms rally support from plenty of angry dads, uncles, aunts and grandparents in their fight to change school food. —Ariela Rose For more information and to host a screening, visit angrymoms.org. Amy Kalafa’s new school food revolution how-to guide, Lunch Wars, will be published Aug. 18 by Tarcher.

Pennsylvania passes the Healthy Farms, Healthy Schools Bill. The bill helps kindergartners and their families learn about the importance of healthy, fresh foods and assists Pennsylvania farmers in gaining access to new markets.

2006

For Each Step Forward...

In a school district where much effort is being put into improving school lunch, the conversion to pre-plated meals would be a big obstacle for programs like Farm to School. Here in Philadelphia, Farm to School is a collaborative effort. Fair Food, the Food Trust, Common Market and, most recently, PUFFA combine resources to bring local, farm-fresh produce to the city’s school cafeterias and better healthy living education to students.

The program is part of a larger, national network that’s almost 10 years old and is funded by the meal budgets of the individual school districts, not grants. In Philadelphia, Farm to School started in 2009 with

Fair Food starts its Farm to Institution program, which includes bringing locally, sustainably produced foods to Philadelphia schools.

The Fox in the Schoolhouse A Penn program readies students to change school food

A

nalyzing the Farm Bill or discussing health and educational inequalities can make for an interesting college-level course, but when students in the Robert A. Fox Leadership Program apply their classroom learning to fieldwork in Philadelphia public schools, education comes alive.

“I think actually having these experiences in a food stamp enrollment campaign or in schools gives students an understanding of how much these institutions need to change to support health and sustainability—beyond any one issue they might read about,” says Mary Summers, a senior fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Robert A. Fox Leadership Program.

Summers, who describes herself as an “historical institutions political scientist,” is interested in how institutions shape individuals and, in turn, how individuals shape institutions. At Fox, she teaches two of the undergraduate program’s seven academically based community service courses: “The Politics of Food and Agriculture” and “Healthy Schools: Community-Based Participatory Research, Planning and Action.”

These courses, like all those at Fox, are designed to compel students to reflect on their roles as citizens, and discover how they can become effective leaders in their communities.

“The Politics of Food and Agriculture” explores how institutions have shaped the way the U.S. grows and eats food. “Healthy Schools” focuses on why inner-city schools have inferior lunch programs and what it takes to make improvements. Both courses work with city schools and organizations like the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger, which facilitates food stamp enrollment. “[I] want students to be in situations where they’re learning a lot and changing initiatives to serve people better,” says Summers.

Though the courses are only one semester long, Summers says many students continue their work as an independent study or even after graduation. —Liz Pacheco For more information, visit foxleadership.upenn.edu

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read it! five schools. Last year, it brought 60,000 pounds of produce to 25 schools. While the program will not be extended to additional schools this fall (due to a lack of funding), there will be a bigger push to take Farm to School beyond the cafeteria and make students more aware about the foods they’re eating.

“Reaching that many students is very challenging, making them aware of what’s going on and why it’s important,” says Deb Bentzel, the Farm to Institution Program manager at Fair Food. It can be even more difficult than getting the farm produce in the first place, she adds.

With the help of Common Market, a Philadelphia wholesale distributor of local foods, integrating farm produce into regular menus has been made easier.

And even more so, since Common Market recently received a $1.1 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to purchase equipment and retrofit their warehouse for upcoming food safety regulation changes.

For schools with full-service kitchens, Farm to School allows cafeteria staff to create dishes specific to the produce.

“With the satellite meal program, it becomes a little more complicated,” says Alyssa Moles, Farm to School program coordinator at the Food Trust. “The equipment is no longer in the kitchen to cook fresh food, and sometimes the manager in charge of the satellite meal may not have the certification to prepare fresh foods.”

But there are other options. A Farm to School pilot program was conducted last year at three pre-plated schools. Salad bars with local pro-

How to Grow a School Garden: A Complete Guide for Parents and Teachers

by Arden Bucklin-Sporer and Timber Press, 224 pp., $24.95, June 2010

Arden Bucklin-Sporer and Rachel Kathleen Pringle know a thing or two about school gardens and outdoor classrooms. The members of the San Francisco Green Schoolyard Alliance boast a combined 20 years of experience in environmental education. How to Grow a School Garden is the result of their collaborative efforts, illustrating for parents and teachers how to plan, implement and nurture a schoolyard garden. The book’s 10 detailed chapters offer step-by-step instructions on the makings of a successful agricultural curriculum: from convincing your school’s principal that a garden is a great idea and raising the necessary funds, to gardening itself and planning outdoor lesson plans that tie into indoor classroom curricula. With

2007

duce were offered and Moles says they were well received.

Change in Philadelphia “has been moving more like a tortoise than a hare,” she says. With such a huge budget shortfall, changes are happening slowly and deliberately, to ensure they’re sustainable.

But compared with other school districts

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As part of the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act, President Obama signs into law the Healthy, HungerFree Kids Act, which sets new standards and funds child nutrition and free lunch programs for the next five years. The Act renews the Uni-

2010 s e pt e m b e r 2 0 1 1

detailed illustrations on garden design, sample grant letters, garden-fresh recipes and tips on organic-only agriculture, this guide makes launching a garden attainable for schools in any environment. —Ariela Rose For more information on the San Francisco Green Schoolyard Alliance, head to sfgreenschools.org

Professional garden drawings allow you to easily illustrate the many goals of your garden. Alice Fong Yu Alternative School children’s planting terraces. Drawing by Brian Laczko

We know the pre-plated stuff isn’t as appealing to kids, but we know that’s the only option in some schools.” —kathy fisher

The Food Trust is chosen as the lead agency for the midAtlantic region’s National Farm to School Network.

Fair Food joins the Farm to School Network.

Rachel Kathleen Pringle

of similar size, Moles says that Philadelphia is considered advanced in its work and approach to creating better eating options for its students.

Fisher, though, isn’t as optimistic.

“We know the district is in a tight spot now.

They’re trimming everywhere they can,” She says. “[But] it’s like a step backward for the efforts they’ve been putting into getting fresher foods.”

To to involved with PUFFA visit https://bhcusa. serverdata.net/philadelphia/default.aspx.

Learn more about the satellite meal conversion at the Facebook page “Good School Food for Philly Kids.”

versal Feeding Program in Philadelphia for the 2010-11 school year.

Farm to School reaches 25 Philadelphia district schools. More than 2,000 schools in 50 states participate in the Farm to School program.

Free meals are offered to all students in 198 of the city’s 257 schools; 79,238 free lunches daily and 7,711 reduced-price lunches.

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Natural Allies Pepper Middle School’s Rebel Gardeners join the fight to save a threatened Southwest Philly community garden by liz pacheco

T

hey call themselves the Southwest Child Rebel Gardeners. They’re a group of students from George W. Pepper Middle School in Southwest Philadelphia, and their stomping ground is the Pepper Pride Garden.

Pepper hardly looks like a city school. The building is surrounded by large expanses of grass, accessible via its own service road. In late May, the garden’s collection of fruit trees, raised beds and plotted rows was showing early signs of a summer bounty. Lettuce, kale and collards were abundant, and the students were eyeing their strawberry plants with impatient longing.

While middle school gardeners may seem unusual, particularly those who consider themselves “rebels,” more unique is their relationship with nearby Eastwick Common Grounds Community Garden. To call the space a community garden seems an understatement. The largest community garden in Philadelphia, this nearly 10-acre space, with views of a runway and I-95, yields close to 400,000 pounds of produce annually. The maze of plots, separated by fences and dotted with ramshackle sheds and greenhouses, creates a wild, natural oasis in an otherwise concrete expanse.

Common Grounds has been in Eastwick for more than 30 years, leasing space from the city’s Redevelopment Authority at Bartram and Island Avenues, walking distance from Pepper and just minutes from the Philadelphia International Airport. But in 2008, the long-term lease expired, the land was sold to the Airport, and instead, two one-year leases were issued.

The Airport, which is planning a $15 billion expansion project, considers the garden prime real estate and is unwilling to commit to a longterm lease. Despite a scare last December, the yearly lease has been renewed. However, gardeners are still on edge, worried their space could be taken at a moment’s notice.

In anticipation of a potential change in Common Grounds’ status, Michael Nairn, a University of Pennsylvania urban studies professor who completed a study of Philadelphia community gardens in 2008, asked Pepper for garden space. He talked with Jarrett Stein, a recent Penn graduate in his second year at Pepper. Stein is working as the school’s Nutrition Education 26

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Corrdanator through the Urban Nutrition Initiative, part of Penn’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships.

“Rather than using the angle for [Eastwick as] just producing food,” said Nairn, we wanted to “build more support by getting the kids interested.”

So, Stein and Nairn decided to bring the eighth grade boys to Eastwick Common Grounds. Their first visit was fall 2010.

“It was a complete experiment,” said Stein of their first trip to Common Grounds. The weather was rainy and damp, and any incentives an outside field trip brings were missing. But the trip became what Stein now calls his “favorite teaching day.”

Katie Haywood, the Girls Dean, eighth-grade science teacher at Pepper and faculty adviser on visits, agreed, admitting she was surprised by the enthusiasm and interest students expressed

MEASURE FOR MEASURE: Pepper student Angel measures a plant in the Eastwick garden during a visit in May.

during that first visit and those following.

“In the beginning, I thought it would be boring, something for girls only,” said eighth grader Ashanti Erwin. “But now I love [gardening]. I have this for the rest of my life.”

The trips to Eastwick Common Grounds are primarily observational, but entirely interactive.

Stein and Haywood essentially let the 25 or so students loose in the maze of greenery with a garden-related task.

During a trip in late May, the students were in small groups and asked to measure plants in three different plots. The next week, the students would return to remeasure and note the growth.

The students were also given a digital still or video camera to document their work. Some groups were asked to film what Stein calls “an MTV Cribs episode.” Similar to the reality show counterpart, students ask a gardener for a tour of his or her plot. photos by emily wre n

Ruling party: Pepper students (l. to r.) Ashanti, Davonte, Moussa, Raekwon and Quiar work together identifying and measuring plants in the Eastwick garden.

In the beginning, I thought it would be boring, something for girls only.

But now I love [gardening]. I have this for the rest of my life.” —eighth-grader ashanti erwin Making these episodes is fun and an easy way for Stein and the students to connect. “Throughout the two years, the biggest worry I’ve had is about the cultural differences,” said Stein. Activities like “MTV Cribs” help. “They want to be celebrities, and [the Cribs episodes] are more effective than a paper on a clipboard.”

Stein also stressed peer education as an essential way to keep students focused. All tasks at Common Grounds have the students working with each other as well as the gardeners. The Eastwick gardeners have a diversity of backgrounds. Many are first-generation immigrants from places such as Italy, Laos and China.

“Because of the relationship with us and Pepper, we’re willing to help the kids, teach them about gardening,” said Butch Thomas, president of Common Grounds. “They want to learn and we want to share that information. As [the students] get older, they will become gardeners and

know what to do.”

The students are respectful, but inquisitive during their visits, asking about types of plants, growing methods and favorite recipes. The students take these lessons (and often gifted plant clippings) back to Pepper Pride.

Before Stein, Pepper had a small garden as part of the Urban Nutrition Initiative. The Initiative also ran a cooking club and free assemblies on healthy eating, and taught students through the nutrition outreach program EAT.RIGHT. NOW. Stein has continued that programming, at Pepper, as well as Shaw Middle School in West Philadelphia and Vare Junior High School in Southwest Philadelphia.

“At Shaw, I’m only allowed to teach with certain teachers,” said Stein. “At Pepper, I have more freedom. I can work with whoever I want.” Cooperation from Pepper principal Yolanda Armstrong and the faculty has made the Pepper gar-

den program possible.

“Pretty much whatever Jarrett comes to me and says he wants to do [happens],” said Armstrong, who’s been principal for six years. “We’re trying to make this something special, not just for our children, but so that they can take that knowledge and transfer it to their home life. It’s another piece of the educational process.”

For Stein, the garden is important to teaching healthy eating habits. The idea is “to make eating good food and growing your own food cool,” he said.

This summer, nine Pepper graduates have been hired to tend Pepper Pride and sell its produce at the Clark Park Farmers Market and Mercy Eastwick Health Center. They’re also selling hand-painted flower pots and carrying a petition to save the Eastwick garden.

Back at Pepper, there are plans to add a shed, more raised boxes and create a website (the just-launched rebelgardeners.org) with recipes and “how-to” videos. In the future, Stein hopes to bring more classes, particularly of girls, to Eastwick.

“This whole thing has evolved, and it will continue to evolve. We continue to talk about the next step,” said Armstrong. “It’s not just a value for Pepper and the Pepper community; it’s for the overall community.”

Follow the Rebel Gardeners at rebelgardeners.org. sept ember 20 11

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SQUASH WASH: Howard Brosius shows Tree House camper Anisash Curry, 12, how to clean freshlyplucked zucchini.

Tiny Teachings Chipping Hill Micro Farms make agricultural education possible year-round by

P

hiladelphia’s flourishing urban agriculture movement has produced a bounty of youth education programs focused on farming. But providing year-round lessons on sustainable agriculture can be difficult in the city. First, there’s the challenge of finding land; then there’s the long winter season, during which most edible plants die or go dormant.

Howard Brosius has set out to solve this problem with his Chipping Hill Micro Farms—growing containers outfitted with heating systems that allow them to be used as agricultural teaching tools all year.

Brosius, 65, grew up working the land on his family’s two Chester County farms: a total of 200 acres that was home to 100 Guernsey cows, a large vegetable garden and four mushroom houses. Brosius went on to receive his degree in agriculture from Penn State, but rather than return to the fields, chose to earn his MBA from Temple University and work as a stockbroker for 40 years. Though he’d strayed a bit from his roots, Brosius continued gardening at his Glenside home, where he began building micro farms two years ago.

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like: small growing systems of vegetables, flowers and herbs housed in cedar boxes. Similar in appearance to a typical raised bed, the boxes come in two sizes: a portable, 80-by-27-inch, two-paneled version; and a larger, 4½-by-8½foot, four-paneled version. Both are built by Brosius, using wood panels cut to specification by a local big box store where he has become a regular customer.

“I build [the large boxes] on-site, and the small ones I build in my shop,” says Brosius. “I can build and install one of these in a day.”

The micro farms’ hinged polycarbonate panel

ariela rose

roofs take longer to construct, and are designed to capture light and heat from the sun. The small panels soak in the rays, creating a warm blanket that can keep temperatures in a micro farm at 50 to 70 degrees, even if the outdoor temperature is a frigid 10.

Since the roofs themselves cannot generate adequate heat once Philadelphia’s ice-cold winter settles in, built-in radiators powered by two 40-watt bulbs provide warmth for smaller farms, while an electric ceramic heater or heated towel rack embedded in the soil warms larger models.

Either way, thanks to the innovative design of micro farms, schools and community centers can offer children year-round lesson plans on sustainable agriculture, an educational component lacking in most urban institutions.

The need for agricultural education in the Philadelphia region was made clear to Brosius when he worked as a consultant with the Douty Foundation, a private organization that gives grants to social service projects. The organization’s benefactors had a particular interest in educational pursuits that benefited children, photos by albe rt ye e

I got up at 6 o’clock in the morning when I was 6, milked cows, [spent] all summer from dawn to dusk on tractors or hay wagons. That’s missing in all these children’s educations, and I’m just trying to supply some of that.” —howard brosius and Brosius’ work often included on-site visits to schools and camps.

One such place was Tree House Books, an after-school meeting spot, bookstore and tutoring center for children in North Philadelphia.

Tree House’s mission is to create a community of thinkers in a neighborhood in need of revitalization—the trash-filled vacant lots behind the center were perfect for last summer’s “Make Your Space Beautiful” program. The six-week camp invited children to assist in transforming the 20-by-65-foot lot directly behind the center into a garden filled with orange and green raised beds, pastel watering cans, hanging planters and mural-splattered rain barrels. Upon visiting the garden, Brosius began to imagine how he could assist Tree House in expanding its program in size and season. This year’s camp, which began on July 5, is a joint effort between Tree House and Chipping Hill called the “Canvas & Plate Institute.”

“The kids know we have a garden. They’ve been in it at least half of a school year now. So, the next steps are, ‘What can we do with this garden?’ and ‘How can we flourish from that?’” explains Lauren Macaluso, volunteer coordinator at Tree House Books.

The program will empower campers, ages 7 to 16, to use what they grow in the garden for culinary and artistic projects. They’ll work with volunteer chefs from Marigold Kitchen and the Art Institute to create dishes, paint a garden-influenced mural, and tour farmers markets and public art installations. But before learning to use their garden bounty, the students must become experts at growing it.

“That’s why it works for us to work with Howard,” says Macaluso, “because having a garden that grows vegetables and fruits is the first step in having the kids realize they can be self-nourishers, like they can actually grow these things and feed themselves.”

Chipping Hill’s teaching technique is part instant gratification, part agricultural education and implementation. Each micro farm installation features two boxes; in Tree House’s case, one large and one small. One is filled with pre-grown crops produced by George Didden Greenhouses Inc., a commercial grower in Hatfield, Pa. The second box serves as an incubator of the students’ growing pursuits. Lettuces, Swiss chard, arugula, carrots, beets, tomatoes and fresh herbs are started either indoors, or in outdoor pots, then transplanted into the micro farm once seeds reach germination. Along the way, lessons on “gardens’ companions, bullies in the garden, garden planning and elementary botany” supplement the hands-on experience.

“I got up at 6 o’clock in the morning when I

MICRO FARMS Completed Installations: →→

Tree House Books 1430 W. Susquehanna Ave.

→→

Urban Tree Connection Community Garden 54th St. and Wyalusing Ave.

→→

Jubilee School 4211 Chester Ave.

→→

North Light Community Center 175 Green Lane

→→

New Dimensions for Women 4807 Germantown Ave.

→→

Brosius’ Home

Upcoming Installations: →→

Wyck Historic House and Garden 6026 Germantown Ave.

→→

Northern Home for Children 5301 Ridge Ave.

was 6, milked cows, came home and did the same thing all summer from dawn to dusk on tractors or hay wagons,” remembers Brosius. “That’s missing in all these children’s educations, and I’m just trying to supply some of that.”

In order to build more micro farms and run his program, Brosius must rely on grants from philanthropic foundations. This March, Chipping Hill was awarded nonprofit status with the help of Skip Weiner, executive director of Urban Tree Connection (UTC), a fellow nonprofit and pioneer in transforming vacant properties into flourishing gardens. Upon receiving its first grant as a nonprofit, Chipping Hill used the funds to construct a micro farm installation for UTC’s 52nd Street and Wyalusing Avenue farm.

Since then, Brosius has raised a total of $37,000: enough for the six installations he has completed, and two that are currently in the construction phase. His goal is 50 installations by the end of this year—a few of which may find their way into the four remaining vacant lots behind Tree House Books.

“If we had micro farms running in rows, we could have four of five rows of them,” imagines Brosius. “We could also put a little building up here and have a little farmers market because we can grow all year long. Nobody has fresh vegetables in the wintertime unless they’re coming from Salinas, Calif. But nobody has fresh. This project has big legs.”

For more information on Chipping Hill Micro Farms, visit chippinghillmicrofarms.org.

For more on Tree House Books, visit treehousebooks.org sept ember 20 11

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Book Smart The West Philadelphia Alliance for Children will use a $100,000 grant to assist in reopening neglected school libraries by ariela rose

“P

What’s Your REad? WePAC

volunteer Joyce Henderson (below) and students (right) at the Samuel Gompers Elementary School in West Philadelphia.

eople are usually surprised to find out that there are no libraries left,” says David Florig, executive director of the West Philadelphia Alliance for Children (WePAC).

It’s a sobering fact that, due to budget cuts, 75 percent of schools in the Philadelphia School District no longer have certified librarians, resulting in out-of-date and neglected spaces where useful libraries once operated. WePAC’s Open Books Open Minds program is addressing this issue in local elementary schools by renovating libraries and staffing them with trained volunteers. With the help of a $100,000 grant from Impact 100 Philadelphia, a women’s philanthropic group, the nonprofit is fighting to bring the school library back from the brink of extinction.

WePAC launched Open Book Open Minds in 2009 to address the concern that some 8,000 children in West Philadelphia lacked adequate school library services. The program offers two services: recruiting and training volunteers who run libraries two to three days per week in schools where they have closed, and an after-school newspaper club where aspiring young journalists can participate in writing, editing and production. Over the past two years, the program has opened seven libraries and circulated more than

2,500 books per month to 3,000 children, both helpful steps in remedying the district’s woeful literacy statistics.

“Many, many students in West Philly are struggling with reading; many are below grade level, and some seriously below grade level, which puts them at risk for dropping out,” explains Florig. “We try to engage them in books and reading at an early age so that they learn to love reading and it’s something exciting for them.”

A 2011 fact sheet released by the Association of Philadelphia School Librarians cites Philadelphia Chief Education Officer Lori Schorr’s assertion that students develop effective writing skills through evaluating research materials, citing sources and understanding the importance of bibliographic references—all skills normally taught in the school library. To assist in providing these services, WePAC relies on grants and funding from individuals and organizations. Although the nonprofit has received a steady flow of donations over its seven years, Impact 100’s $100,000 grant this June was by far the largest.

Last December, WePAC was one of 152 nonprofits that submitted letters of inquiry to Impact 100 (whose granting funds come from its members’ minimum $1,000 annual donations).

From there, 42 organizations were selected to draft full-page outlines of their missions. Five were selected to present to Impact 100’s 164 members on June 6 at University City’s World Café Live. After an on-site vote, WePAC was awarded the grand prize: $100,000 of $164,000 up for grabs.

The funds will allow WePAC to open an additional three to five libraries, expand hours in existing libraries and reach a total of 5,000 students per year. The organization will also be able to hire additional staff members and train more volunteers.

“It really allows the program to grow at a time when there is a desperate need for both library and after-school programs in schools,” says Florig. “Many schools that had somebody working the library won’t next year, so there is a huge increase in demand for this program.”

For more on WePAC, including how to become a volunteer, visit wepac.org. For more on Impact 100 Philadelphia, visit impact100philly.org.

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Green Your Classroom A

Paper products need not enlarge your School’s or company’s footprint. by felicia d’ambrosio

fter witnessing how “shocking logging and deforestation” was denuding Costa Rica’s natural ecosystems, Stephen E. Baker decided to take on the wasteful world of office supplies, founding GreenLine Paper Company in 1992. Based out of Baker’s hometown of York, Pa., GreenLine is perfectly situated to serve the major metropolitan areas of the East Coast— think Dunder Mifflin with a green mission—and has recently expanded its free-shipping zone from New York City to Richmond, Va. We caught up with Baker to talk about the future of paper.

Why is switching to 100 percent recycled copier/printer paper the most important step toward “greening” an office or classroom?

Offices should recycle their paper, of course— it’s a huge thing. When you buy recycled paper, you are “closing the loop” of the process. There has to be a viable market for waste paper when you recycle it… if there is no demand for recycled products, there is not demand for waste paper, and it just becomes trash to be disposed of. When you buy that recycled copy paper, you are empowering the commodities broker who collects

waste paper and bales it, empowering the mill that uses waste paper stock. It’s a strong message that we want recycling to be an economically viable way of doing things.

What are more sustainable options for making paper than clear-cutting trees?

There are a lot of things we call tree-free source fibers: kenaf, hemp, bamboo… and they are all good, I think, as long as they are sustainably produced. The best options are kenaf and hemp: they require very little maintenance, grow like weeds and make excellent paper fiber. Introduc-

ing tree-free fibers into the marketplace makes sense—it’s a good agricultural product people can make money growing, and we can use it.

What sort of fun new products have come out recently?

We’re stocking pencils and rulers made from old blue jeans and old money [pictured]. There’s a compostable barrel pen out there now by PaperMate… it’s a vegetable-based pen, so you can dispose of part of it and compost the rest [pictured].

Does GreenLine really ship products in repurposed booze boxes?

Absolutely! We work in coordination [with] Pennsylvania state stores and pick up boxes on a regular basis. We’ve done this since the beginning; I know of no other company that reuses cartons as we do.

For more information and a complete line of products, visit greenlinepaper.com.

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Worn Yesterday Five Philadelphians show off secondhand chic by felicia d’ambrosio photos by michael persico • photo assistant david ohl

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eople think that if you buy secondhand clothes, you have to look shabby,” says Priyanka Lahiri, a Temple film student and employee of Chestnut Street consignment boutique Second Time Around. “It’s just not true—you can make outfits that look expensive based on how you put things together.”

Though global fast-fashion brands like H&M, Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters pump out trendy apparel at bargain-basement prices, lowquality has costs beyond the sticker price—supporting unsustainable production that exploits cheap labor, reliance on ’round-the-world shipping and the use of petroleum-based fibers, for starters. But to be both an ethical and stylish consumer is not a mutually exclusive proposition when you shop secondhand.

Sourced everywhere from streetside flea markets and thrift warehouses to upscale consignment and vintage boutiques, pre-worn clothing, shoes and accessories abound to freshen up your look for a new season—without all the attendant baggage.

Five local style stars—a milliner/taxidermist, a PR pro, a designer, a wheel builder and a film student—show off their secondhand finds in these pages, and share tips for creating lasting looks out of castoffs. The key to fruitful shopping on the used market is to remember that thrifting is as much sport as shopping—you must dig for buried treasure—and if something looks frumpy, don’t be afraid to whip out the scissors.

“Shopping secondhand helped me develop my style.

You can’t buy the $600 dress, so you have to get more creative.”

—Priyanka Lahiri

Local designers, screenprinters and studiomates Lauren Rossi and Anne Schaefer welcomed GRID into their Amber Street Studios space for our shoot. Check out their work at boutiquetextiles.com and anneandkate.com

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Priyanka Lahiri Age: 21

Temple film student and Second Time Around employee

→→ →→

Hat ($25), shirt ($15), St. John bowtie pin ($25), belt ($20) and shoes ($17): Second Time Around Shorts: Red, White & Blue (Voorhees, N.J.)

Tips on Consignment Shopping and Selling: →→ Don’t get overwhelmed by the prices in good consignment stores. You can get high-end labels for so much less [than retail]. For the most success consigning your stuff, make sure the clothes are in good condition and within the style of the past two years. s ep te m be r 2 0 1 1

Beth Beverly age: 33 taxidermist/milliner, Diamond Tooth Taxidermy diamondtoothtaxidermy.com

→→ →→ →→

→→

Navy tank ($5 rack) and belt ($8): Wilbur Vintage Jeans ($4): Philly AIDS Thrift Earrings made from old bookmarks and fringe, Vintage matador hat with taxidermy bling: Diamond Tooth Taxidermy Necklaces of family heirloom charms and gifts

DOs and DON’Ts of Thrifting Do keep an open mind. →→ Don’t go out looking to thrift something specific. →→

NOT-SO-FUN

FACT

According to the Council for Textile Recycling, 61 percent of the billions of pounds of clothing donated in the U.S. is exported to other countries, creating a significant carbon footprint and depressing their homegrown textile industries.

Donate instead to organizations reselling locally, like hospital and church thrift stores, or that use the revenues to fund programs you believe in, like Goodwill and Philly AIDS Thrift.

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Meredith Lindemon age: 29

director, MeredithComm PR, meredithcomm.com

→→ →→ →→

Diane Von Furstenberg jumpsuit ($1.75): Village Thrift (Germantown, since closed) Muskrat-jaw continuous-fringe earrings: Diamond Tooth Taxidermy Bangles (50 cents-$1 each): Bargain Thrift (Germantown)

Thrifting tips Don’t spend more than $10 at any one store. If you keep it under $10, you can take risks. You might buy something and not wear it for five years, but then one day you’ll pull it out—and live in it—because your fashion intuition told you to buy it. →→ Go with your gut. If something looks slightly off, tie it, drawstring it, turn it into a muumuu, cut it really short… →→

Jacci Stallone age: 27 wheel builder, Bell’s Bikes; fashion blogger and Etsy vintage shop owner, beingperfectishard.com

→→

→→ →→

Floral nurse’s smock ($2) and striped vest ($5): Village Thrift (Pennsauken, N.J.) Boots ($6): Philly AIDS Thrift Medallion necklace and rings ($10 total): flea markets

Tips: Use your imagination. If something looks huge on a hanger, you can cut or belt it to make it work. Look in the lingerie, uniforms and little kid’s sections of the store—I’ve found some of my best stuff in the kid’s section.

→→

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Sharif Pendleton age: 32 owner and home accessories designer, Masters of None, mastersofnone.org

→→ →→

Shirt ($1), tie ($1) and blazer ($4): Circle Thrift Jeans: gift of a friend; buttonhole relocated to adjust size

Secondhand shopping tips for men: Go early, go often! Think in terms of pieces, but also overall outfits. This shirt is the most ill-fitting thing ever, so I only wear it with a jacket. For $1, you can’t beat it. Since rolledcuff jeans are cool now, if something fits in the waist with the wrong length, you can just cuff and your problem is solved. →→ Sazz Vintage Warehouse (2438 Coral St., open to public Mon.-Sat., noon-6 p.m.) has so much stuff in so many boxes—ask them for a sheet, and just dump the box out and sift through. →→

Turning scraps into functional home décor is one of designer Lauren Rossi’s passions. She created the throw pillows seen here by collaging together remnants of custom-designed, hand-screenprinted textiles from other projects.

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That’s REuseful: GRID’s secondhand, Thrift Store A shop selling secondhand items, including clothing, often to benefit a charity. Characterized by crowded racks and overflowing bins, these require a careful comb-through, patience and practice in the art of unearthing hidden gems.

Second Mile Center 214 S. 45th St. 215-662-1663

wardrobeboutique.org

Second Time Around secondtimearound.net

American Thrift

Goodwill

747 Wolf St. 215-336-6626

2200 W. Passyunk Ave. 215-755-1320 2601 S. Front St. 215-463-5054

Bargain Thrift Center

Wardrobe Boutique 1822 Spring Garden St. 215-568-2660

Village Thrift Store

1728 Chestnut St. 215-988-9903

2ndavestores.com

7533 Crescent Blvd., Pennsauken, NJ 215-639-6930

Thrift Fair 2403 Aramingo Ave. 215-426-5204

bargainthriftcenter.com

5261 and 4530 Germantown Ave. 215-849-3225

Ort Resale Shop

Toviah Thrift Shop

29 S. 19th St. 215-563-2377

4211 Chestnut St. #13 215-382-7251

Buffalo Exchange 1713 Chestnut St. 215-557-9850

Philadelphia AIDS Thrift

Circle Thrift

710 S. Fifth St. 215-922-3186

phillyaidsthrift.com

circlethrift.com

2233 Frankford Ave. 215-423-1222 1125 S. Broad St. 215-468-0645

Consignment shop

Red White and Blue Thrift Store

D&D Thrift Store 5456 Walnut St. 215-476-0066

God’s Testimonial Thrift Shop 736 N. 42nd St. 215-386-4943

A retail shop that sells secondhand items on behalf of others in exchange for a percentage of the sales profit. Prices range from moderate to expensive; the best offer pieces carefully selected to be both timely and wearable.

redwhiteandbluethriftstore.com

Bella Boutique

590 N. Route 73, West Berlin, NJ 856-719-0400

527 S. Fourth St. 215-923-8174

St. Benedict’s Thrift Shop

Fabulous Finds

439 W. Girard Ave. 215-235-1848

1535 S. Broad St. 215-336-5226

Salvation Army

Green Street

2140 Market St. 215-561-0178

greenestreetconsignment.com

700 South St. 215-733-9261

Sophisticated Seconds Designer Consignment 2019 Sansom St. 215-561–6740 2204 South St. 215-546-0784

Clothing Swap Wardrobe Boutique Clothing Swap wardrobeboutique.org/clothingswap.php

1822 Spring Garden St. Upcoming swaps on Sept. 3 and Nov. 10 →→ noon – 2 p.m.: Small and Medium (sizes 0/2 to 8/10) →→ 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.: Large and Up (sizes 12/14 to 26/28)

An organized event where participants trade no-longer-loved clothing and accessories for items others are clearing from their closets. Events are usually organized by size, and often offer additional activities including doit-yourself styling and repairs, fashion forums and opportunities to donate to charitable organizations in need.

A minimum of five seasonally appropriate items in good-to-excellent condition are required to participate in these recurring swaps, held in the boutique’s Community Room. Items not swapped are donated to the Wardrobe Boutique. If you are interested in hosting your own swap at the Wardrobe Boutique, call 215-568-2660.

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Philly Swap-O- Rama-Rama

sorrphilly.wordpress.com

Annual swapping extravaganza that attracts hundreds of participants who shop, swap, reuse and recycle. In addition to trading your goodies with others, take part in craft and construction demos, silk-screening and talks on sustainable changes in the fashion industry. Check their website for a fall swap date.

Thrift& Flea Market Directory Vintage Store A shop defined by clothing, accessories, and items at least 10 years old. Expect a wide range of prices, depending on where the curator found the items, the condition they are in, and whether they are designer pieces.

Vagabond vagabondboutique.com

37 N. Third St. 267-671-0737

1600 Below Vintage 1600 E. Passyunk Ave. 267-974-88011

Antiquarian’s Delight 615 S. Sixth St. 215- 592-0256

Arcadia Boutique arcadiaboutique.com

819A N. Second St. 215-667-8099 (Mostly new clothing, but with some vintage racks)

Astro Vintage Boutique astrovintage.com

720 S. Fifth St. 215-922-0483

Decades Vintage 723 S. Fourth St. 215-923-3135

I Luv Vintage iluvvintage.com

3624 Lancaster Ave.

Immortal Uncommon Resale 125 S. 18th St. 215-563-2344

Pennsy Flea Market

pennsyfleamarket.com

1600 S. Warfield St. Every Sat. and Sun., 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

With 60,000 square feet of covered space, this is Philadelphia’s largest year-round flea market. More than 300 vendors set up shop every Saturday and Sunday with a plethora of goods, including vintage clothing and fashion accessories. The event also features live music and a food court; all-day shuttle buses ferry shoppers from 34th and Spruce streets and 29th and Tasker streets.

Punk Rock Flea Market

Oma Vintage omavintage.com

267-687-5959

Philadelphia Vintage philadelphiavintage.tumblr.com

2052 Locust St. 215-834-3733

Retrospect Vintage retrospectvintage.com

534 South St. 267-671-0116

Reverie reverievintage.com

205 W. Girard Ave. 215-769-2302

Sazz Vintage Clothing sazzvintage.com

38 N. Third St. Warehouse: 2438 Coral St. 215-923-7299

Sugarcube sugarcube.us

124 N. Third St. 215-238-0825

Sweet Jane Vintage 1820 E. Passyunk Ave. 215-339-0882

Wilbur wilburvintage.blogspot.com

716 S. Fourth St. 215-413-5809

Flea Market A public marketplace where vendors sell a variety of vintage, antique, secondhand and handmade items.

Vendor tables usually include those offering truly vintage clothing and accessories, as well as more recent apparel. Markets vary in size, and may be held annually, weekly or as a one-time event.

r5productions.com

You don’t have to sport a Mohawk to appreciate this recurring flea market full of unique finds. This past May’s “Spring Fever” edition featured more than 250 vendors selling everything from handmade jewelry and crafts to furniture and plenty of vintage and consigned clothing. Indie music promoter R5 Productions organizes the event and dedicates 40 tables to the event’s namesake—old punk records, band shirts and instruments. The $3 admission supports the all-ages shows R5 organizes in Philadelphia. Look for the next Punk Rock Flea Market in December.

Phila Flea Markets

philafleamarkets.org

Next flea market on Sat., Sept. 10, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Eastern State Penitentiary, 22nd Street and Fairmount Avenue Phila Flea organizes both indoor and outdoor markets in the spring and fall in various Center City neighborhoods. Most specialize in vintage and antique items, including clothing and accessories. Proceeds from each market day benefit a specified organization, institution or cause.

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Pillars of Sustainability

Whole

Lotta

Love D

Kimberton Whole Foods celebrates its 25th anniversary

GRID recognizes that sustainability isn’t a new phenomenon.

In recognition of our forebears, we will, from time to time, profile local people and institutions who’ve laid the foundation of the region’s sustainable infrastructure

by liz pacheco

on’t drive too fast by the Kimberton Whole Foods; you’re likely to miss it. Housed in a brick building with white painted windows and a green awning, the store is unassuming—nothing like the unrelated name-sharers from Austin, Texas. If not for the shopping carts outside, you might not even realize it’s a food store.

But, the best part of this independent natural foods store is inside, essentially Mecca for natural foods enthusiasts. Vibrant organic fruits and vegetables (many are local) overflow the produce bins, and the back wall is a shrine to all things dairy, with cold cases holding local butters, yogurts, eggs and milk. There are fresh baked breads, locally ground coffees and an entire section dedicated to handmade crafts and body care products. It’s hard to believe that 25 years ago the space was a hardware store.

Of course, 25 years ago, the idea of a natural foods store —terry brett, wasn’t popular. The Austinowner of Kimberton Whole Foods based Whole Foods chain was in its infancy, and the organic foods movement had yet to gain any mainstream ap- wife, Patricia, he had one goal: organic farming. peal. Then, in 1986, Phoenixville, Pa., saw the However, starting a farm and a family simultaarrival of its first natural foods store, the Seven neously wasn’t ideal. Instead, the couple moved Stars Farm Store—today’s Kimberton Whole to a home on a 120-acre dairy farm, and Terry Foods. started working as a truck driver for local comMuch has changed in the natural foods world pany Nelson’s Ice Cream. since 1986, but Kimberton Whole Foods has reSeven years as a truck driver and four chilmained a community staple. While Kimberton dren later, Terry decided it was time for a career has expanded to multiple locations, the com- change. A friendship with a local farmer workpany is still independently owned (no relation ing at the Kimberton Waldorf School led to jobs to the Austin-based chain) and its mission is un- for Terry and Patricia making and selling yogurt changed: to provide customers with fresh foods for the school’s organic dairy in a new venture: that support organic and biodynamic farming, the Seven Stars Farm Store. local production and a healthy lifestyle. “[It’s] “The [Waldorf farm] was losing so much the hub of our conscious community,” explains money selling into the conventional milk pool,” Jeff Bradbury, a Kimberton employee. says Brett. The decision to open a natural foods When Kimberton’s owner, Terry Brett, moved store, instead of a conventional corner store, to Eastern Pennsylvania in the 1970s with his seemed obvious, since the dairy was already

[We can] be the marketplace for local products and vendors who may not have ccess or don’t have the scale to sell to large entities.

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organic and biodynamic.

Even better, there was an eager customer-base that wanted a natural foods store with local raw milk, yogurt and other farm products.

At the time, “[there] really was not much by way of natural food stores in the area,” says Brett. “It was really at the beginning of the exponential growth of natural foods and organic components.”

Producing yogurt proved more profitable than bottling milk, and within two years all milk was going into the yogurt. Soon, yogurt sales expanded, helping the store become self-sufficient and independent of the Waldorf School.

By 1994, the store was doing about $1 million a year in business and had outgrown the original space (and insurance policies). The store moved to the hardware store in the village of Kimberton, changing names and leaving Seven Stars Farm as an independent yogurt and dairy. The Bretts have co-owned Kimberton with various partners over the years and today share the business with a silent investor and partner.

But in 1994, just as the store moved to Kim-

berton, the natural foods climate had changed and the Whole Foods concept had taken off. A Fresh Fields store opened nearby, and in 1996 it merged with Whole Foods.

Brett has found positives and negatives in having stores like Whole Foods in the neighborhood.

The negative, he says, is that large companies make it difficult for independent natural foods retailers to stay in business. The positive: “We’ve had to become much more sophisticated in the way we do business in order to bring value to our customers.”

While greater sophistication does mean buying from vendors owned by major corporations (i.e., Stonyfield Farms, part of French multinational Groupe Danone), Kimberton has also been able to maintain their community relationships. “[We can] be the marketplace for local products and vendors who may not have access or don’t have the scale to sell to large entities,” says Brett.

Kimberton has relationships with about 150 small, local businesses. Their produce is organic and local whenever possible—close to 90 percent during the summer months. They sell ph oto by c harle s b art h o l em e w

raw milk, cookies and bread from the Camphill Village Kimberton Hills Community [see Farm Profile, August 2011] and, of course, Seven Stars Yogurt is abundant on the shelves. The stores feature locally made crafts and body-care products along with homeopathic medicines. And the community support goes beyond what’s sold in the stores. Kimberton sponsors local events and hosts talks, workshops and film screenings.

In 2004, another Kimberton location opened in Downingtown, Pa. Three years later a Douglasville store was added, followed by an Upper Bucks County store in Ottsville in 2008. There’s also a café at the flagship location, providing a community gathering place alongside freshly made smoothies, coffees, baked goods and meals.

The expansion isn’t over, either. Brett talks about possibilities for stores in Lancaster, Newtown, Emmaus, the West Chester area, even Wilmington or Philadelphia. Of course, new locations depend on what other independent stores already exist in the area. “If they’re taking care of their local community, we don’t want to compete with them,” says Brett.

In honor of its 25th anniversary, the flagship location has been getting a facelift. The produce, dairy and apothecary areas are being redesigned, painting is being done and Brett himself has spent some evenings performing tile work.

As for the reveling, Kimberton has been doing that all summer. They’re hosting a series of farm tours to celebrate local farmers, and in July, they sponsored a “Shakespeare in the Park” performance by Theatre Horizon’s Young Company of Actors. In September, the flagship store is hosting a local foods dinner and a birthday barbecue.

“Its been a real privilege to service the communities we have,” says Brett. “We look forward [to serving] more and more of the public going forward as people make a commitment to support smaller local businesses.”

For more information about Kimberton and the anniversary events, visit kimbertonwholefoods.com.

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Vinho Verde Two Pennsylvania wineries get serious about sustainability by shaun brady

B

efore he returned home to convert his parents’ old bucks county horse barn into a winery, Tom Carroll Jr. spent three years in California learning as much as he could in the country’s most renowned wine regions. Along with the cultivation of grapes and chemical nuances of fermentation, Carroll picked up something else from his West Coast stint: a passion for environmentalism. ¶ “I think people out there have a greener mentality,” Carroll says. “So, from the get-go, we looked to California wineries as our model. Especially since I grew up on this property—what place are you going to care about more than the place where you grew up? To me, this is such a natural, pure place that I don’t want to pollute it.”

Crossing Vineyards, the 15-acre winery that him. As he throws open a recycling bin to reveal pleased to see energy being generated even on Carroll co-founded with his parents in 2000, the shards of green glass within, he talks about this overcast March day, but can’t help pointing reflects that eco-conscious attitude in numer- researching more easily removable labels so that out the half of the roof that’s not currently ocous ways, from approaches as obvicupied by solar panels. ous as recycling—no small matter for “I’d like to be 100 percent energya business that uses so much glass—to independent at this winery,” Carroll We’re like the hybrid car a 3,000-square-foot warehouse, built says. “We’re about a third of the way winery. We’re getting 40 with an energy-efficient geothermal there… for now, we’re like the hybrid heating and cooling system, no wincar winery. We’re getting 40 miles to miles to the gallon rather than dows and super-insulated doors. Half the gallon rather than 14, but I would 14, but I would like to get 150; of the barrel room’s roof is occupied by like to get 150; instead of being the Priinstead of being the Prius, a solar array to offset the winery’s enus, I’d like to be the Nissan Leaf, where ergy use. Winery waste is composted as I could be totally off-grid.”

I’d like to be the Nissan Leaf. fertilizer and sustainable agricultural The opportunities to go green in the tom carroll jr. methods are used to minimize the use wine business are, Carroll claims, “as of harmful chemicals. big as your checkbook,” and Crossing Walking through the winery that has been supplemented by an avid he first envisioned at the age of 10, it’s clear that bottles can be sterilized and reused rather than search for grants and subsidies.

Carroll is always seeing some future vision of destroyed and recycled; opening the door marked Just south in Chester County, Brad and Lele the place, rather than the one that stands before “Danger: High Voltage” in his barrel room, he’s Galer are encountering the environmental com40

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opposite Bucolic harvest scenes from Crossing Vineyards right Brad and Lele

outside the Galer Estate winery, which utilizes salvaged timbers and stone

promises one has to make when dealing with the expense and logistics of opening a winery.

Galer Estate Vineyard and Winery, the couple’s new Kennett Square endeavor, culminates nearly six years of work spawned by Lele’s charge to her ex-pharmaceutical industry exec husband to “get a hobby.” That turned into nearly eight acres of vines on two sites; part of the property includes the former Folly Hill Winery alongside Longwood Gardens, currently in the process of becoming the winery and tasting room.

The couple set out with a purist’s ecological intentions, “because we’re very liberal Democrats and we very much believe in it,” Brad says, only half-joking. “We lived in California and Seattle for many years; we like shopping at Whole Foods.

I’m a doctor, so I realize the importance.”

Brad and Lele are striving to be as organic as possible, a tall order on the East Coast.

“The hardest challenge on the East Coast is disease control, due to the heat, humidity and rainfall,” says John Griggs, manager of Penn State’s Lake Erie Regional Grape Research and Extension Center. “There just aren’t organic products available at this point for every weed and disease.”

“We’ll do the best we can with farming and viticulture,” continues Lele. “The things we can make more environmentally friendly, we will.”

One of the areas where the Galers have been able to implement their green ideas is the actual rebuilding. Having cleared 10 acres of scrub trees to make way for their first plantings and forced to tear down a dilapidated barn on the Folly Hill site, the couple milled as much wood and gathered as many rocks as they could to reuse in the building of their new facilities.

“I’m a salvage-crazy person,” says Lele, an artist by trade. Stained glass windows propped against a wall in the half-finished tasting room bear witness to her vocation. “Everything comes

But How’s It Taste?

We asked wine writer/ educator Brian Freedman (brianfreedmanphiladelphia.com) to put Crossing Vineyards’ offerings through their paces. (Galer did not have product available at press time.)

“I’m a salvage-crazy person.

Everything comes out of something else.

Maybe it’s eco, but it’s also funky and fun.” lele galer out of something else. Maybe it’s eco, but it’s also funky and fun.”

Vineyard manager Jan Grimes is taking the Galers’ eco-consciousness (and her own) to the grapes themselves, using high-density planting and French viticultural methods. The winery made its public debut at the Philadelphia Flower Show, co-sponsoring an exhibit with the University of Delaware on rain harvesting methods they plan to implement at the winery.

Grimes, like Carroll, is also working to minimize the chemicals used in the vineyards, finding organic alternatives made from crab meal and seaweed. “Some of the fungicides that have been historically sprayed on grapevines are pretty nasty,” she says. “We wanted to do a softer spray program that’s more gentle on the environment, and actually makes the plant healthier, so it can fight disease, rather than just spraying stuff on

Crossing Vineyards Viognier 2008 All the peach and honey notes you’d hope for in a viognier are here, if just a touch less aromatically flamboyant than examples from the grape’s native Rhone Valley. The upside of this subtlety is that the wine comes off as lighter on its feet than the plodding viogniers consumers still see too often.

The sweetness here lends the wine an almost dessert character, its candied lemon, orange oil, sweet white peach and honeysuckle flavors sparkling under a sugar-kissed light. Still, I expect this viognier to pair nicely with spicy dishes or smoky barbecued seafood, making it a very handy addition to the season’s wine arsenal.

the disease to eradicate it.”

“Theoretically you could drink this stuff,” she says of the spray, though a 2008 Chardonnay made from the winery’s first harvest makes a far more appealing sip.

Regardless of the individual approaches, what’s key, Tom Carroll summarizes, is the way that taking steps alters one’s thinking. “We’ve found that the second you put even one solar panel on your house, you start thinking not necessarily about what power that panel is making, but about what you can do to conserve. You start to play a game where you know what it’s producing, so how can you try to stay within those guidelines and make it work? You have to get smart about what you’re consuming. Having that mindset is almost as—if not more—important than the technology that you implement.” 

Crossing Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2008 Oak is the first note that jumps out on the nose, but once you work through that, there are appealing hints of chocolate-covered black raspberries, blackberries, red plums, and the tobacco leaf aromas that cab franc fans often look for. The palate seems to gain its greatest sense of definition through a lush, velvety texture, and though it’s lacking enough acidity to really sing, this has the mark of a crowd-pleaser: rich in dark berry, plum, roasted green bell pepper and chocolate-covered caramel flavors. —Brian Freedman

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Tyler Talks Trash

by tyler weaver

All This Useless Paper It’s high time to give receipts the slip

L

et’s take a second to ponder the lowly receipt. A slip of paper that proves you bought… a thing. Whether that thing’s as big as a building or as trifling as a pack of gum, you get one. That’s a lot of evidence floating around in pockets and purses and blowing in the breeze. Is it really necessary?

In Tyler’s waste-less wonderland, receipts wouldn’t be around all that much. Think for a second about the transactions you make every day. For how many of these do you really want a receipt? From the grocery store?

The coffee shop? A restaurant? How many old ATM receipts do you have on you right now?

Some receipts have their purposes, such as those for things you reasonably may need to return or exchange: big-ticket items, things from home improvement or clothing stores where you might conceivably buy the wrong size. But I wonder how many people immediately throw their receipts away? And how many throw them away months later without ever having looked at them again?

We have computers that can do anything we can imagine; printing a receipt could easily be an option rather than the default. It’d be nice if more businesses gave you the alternative to decline a receipt or have it emailed.

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If we can’t eliminate them (not that I’m conceding), they should, at the very least, be smaller. A disturbing trend I’m noticing is that receipts are getting longer and longer.

I’ve kept a few of my receipts, and I’ve pulled a bunch from trash cans of various stores (that’s how I roll). The last few times I’ve had friends over, they’ve seen my pile of receipts and agreed that it’s unthinkable to get one as long as your belt for buying, say, soda and a candy bar.

The offending receipt is from a pharmacy: 19 inches of paper for two soft drinks and candy. The receipt happens to have a bit more information than you’d find on a standard sales slip since it was an EBT purchase (yup, for soda and candy, but that’s a column for someone else).

But let’s look at the remaining 70 percent: We’ve got info on “Wellness Points,” followed by two inches of blank space, a bar code, another inch of nothing and then, in the biggest font on the receipt (bigger than the store’s logo, even), is a sales pitch to enter a code online for a printable coupon. Then I’m thanked for using a “Wellness” card, informed that the store is a Medicare expert, and presented with a block of fine print about redeeming coupons (specifically, the many many things one cannot redeem a coupon for).

No one is going to stop businesses from marketing; it’s in their nature.

But when it comes to marketing on receipts, there are ways to do it more responsibly. I found a 10-inch grocery receipt for the purchase of one bag of corn. There’s just one marketing message on it—“Your nearest fuel rewards station is at…”—but it’s half blank. With a tighter layout, the store could probably cut 50 percent of its receipt paper budget.

Of course, now we’re back to the question of why anyone needs a receipt for a bag of corn anyways.  ph oto by luc as ha rdis on

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urban naturalist

by bernard brown

Mussel Bound

W

ho’s got the best mussels in philadelphia? Sure, the Saison Dupont-bathed Ghent bivalves at Monk’s Café are divine.

But by far, Philadelphia’s most interesting mussels are out in our rivers, buried in the mud.

On a sunny morning in mid-June, I found myself sitting in a boat anchored in the Delaware River shallows off Northeast Philly. I watched researchers from the Academy of Natural Sciences and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary bringing in mesh dive bags bulging with rare freshwater mussels.

“These animals might be 80, 100 years old,” said Danielle Kreeger, the Partnership’s science director. The younger ones were a little flashier, in green, orange or yellow. Roger Thomas, section leader at the Patrick Center for Environmental Research at the Academy, showed me an

old-timer up close—rough black shell scraped to white and shiny silver where the shell bulged on either side of the hinge.

That big mussel started its life as one of thousands of itty bitty larvae ejected from its mother’s shell, and was incredibly lucky to latch onto the gills of a passing fish. There it rode with its “fish host,” filtering plankton as the gills around it traded carbon dioxide for oxygen. Eventually, maybe during the Wilson administration, it bade farewell to its host and dropped into the mud.

Along with about a hundred of his fellows, this mussel would be scrubbed clean, marked with a tiny electronic tag, and relocated to Ridley or Chester Creek; they were about to become mud pioneers that would tell researchers

The Delaware river’s a shellfish hotspot… again whether the creeks could again support proper mussel beds.

Have I mentioned some of these mussels were pregnant? The researchers (the effort also includes Cheyney University, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) had timed this mussel gathering mission so that larvae would be released in the new creeks. Later surveys for juvenile mussels will tell us more conclusively whether the creeks were making a comeback.

So, where had all their mussels gone? As you might expect, a couple hundred years of pollution has something to do with it. But remember those fish hosts? Our region’s creeks are blocked by scores of dams, some creating reservoirs, some left over from long-forgotten industrial projects.

If the fish can’t get up and down the creeks, neither can their baby mussel hitchhikers.

I know what a lot of you are thinking: “This is all very interesting, but can you eat them?” Yes, but they reportedly taste like mud and tend to host all kinds of interesting parasites. Not to mention that anything filtering Delaware River water for several decades has built up a scary load of toxic chemicals from the waterway’s ugly past.

Overall, the U.S. has about 300 freshwater mussel species; 40 percent are in danger of extinction. And there’s a lot more mussel work to be done out in the Delaware. In 2010, the research team found a species previously thought to be locally extinct, the Tidewater Mucket. The last comprehensive survey for Delaware River mussels was performed in 1919, and, as Thomas pointed out, the recent surveys have only looked in relatively shallow water. There’s no telling what mussel beds sit in the channel. . bernard brown is an amateur field herper, parttime bureaucrat and director of the PB&J Campaign (pbjcampaign.org), a movement focused on the benefits of eating lower on the food chain. Read about his forays into the natural world at phillyherping. blogspot.com. Pick up next month’s issue to honk it up with geese.

I know what a lot of you are thinking: “This is all very interesting, but can you eat them?”

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shoots

ladders

by char vandermeer

Cooler Crops I

Salad days are here again!

t’s hard to believe that in a city where August is punctuated by air quality alerts and the heat index routinely hits the century mark, cool salads, after taking a short hiatus in July and August, are back in rotation by September. So, smog be damned, late August is a great time to plant another round of lettuce, bitter greens and radishes.

Don’t even think about planting the seeds you sowed back in March, however. This time around, splurge on heat-resistant varieties that can withstand our scorching Septembers without immediately bolting (going to seed) or turning inedibly bitter.

Varieties to keep an eye out for include Red Sails, with its tasty textured leaf; the chartreuseleafed Black-Seeded Simpson, which regenerates quickly when the outer leaves are harvested; the sweet crisp-head Rouge de Grenoblouse; and burger-ready White Boston butterhead. Plant

Spinach and Radish Greens Saag Serves 2-3

2 Tbsp. canola or peanut oil 1 tsp. whole cumin seeds 2 dried red chilies 1 onion, halved and sliced into wafer-thin half moons 1 clove garlic, minced 1 lb. spinach, deveined, washed, drained and finely chopped 1 cup radish greens, deveined, washed, drained and finely chopped tsp. turmeric tsp. salt, or to taste

In a large pot, heat the oil over mediumhigh heat. When the oil shimmers, add the cumin seeds and chilies.

After a few seconds (the chilies will darken a shade), add the onions and garlic.

Stir for 10-15 minutes or until the onions begin to turn a reddish color.

Add the spinach, radish greens, turmeric and salt. Cook and stir over medium-high heat for approximately 15 minutes, or until all liquid disappears. Cover and cook on low for an additional five minutes.

Remove chilies and serve with rice.

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seeds ¼-inch deep and leave at least 4 inches between plants to allow for vigorous growth.

Lettuce has a shallow root system, so just about any container (like those 28-ounce tomato cans hanging out in your recycling bin) will do the trick. If the forecast calls for a day of steaming misery, simply shift your lettuce pots to a wellshaded area after making sure you’ve watered them well.

If you’re the type who relishes the eye-watering burn of wasabi, then you’ll enjoy the kick that mustard greens add to a ho-hum salad, not that a salad composed of freshly plucked lettuce could ever be mundane. Collards and kale likewise produce late into the growing season, but need to be cooked—they don’t have the versatility of mustard greens. Young mustard leaves are great in salads, and the more mature greens sauté or stew perfectly. These hardy plants will stay happy well into October and November. A word of caution: both mustard greens and lettuce attract aphids like car wrecks do NASCAR fans,

so try to segregate greens from more vulnerable crops like cucumbers and melons.

Radishes have to be one of the most rewarding crops for the container gardener to grow. Less than a month passes from seed to salad, and homegrown varieties are so much tastier than the dry, hard, bland supermarket types. Excellent options include White Icicle, French Breakfast and Long Scarlets. Not only is the seed-toharvest time deliciously speedy, but radishes don’t mind crowded quarters. Sow seeds ¼-½ inches deep, leaving a mere 2 inches between plants. And whatever you do, don’t chuck radish tops into the compost bin: give ’em a rinse and add them to your salad, stew them with your mustard greens, or concoct a delicious Indian saag (see recipe).

To keep the salads and saags coming in a crisp, steady stream, plant a new batch of lettuce seeds every two to three weeks, and fresh radish seeds every seven to 10 days. Consider switching to cool-weather varieties in late September or early October. char vandermeer tends a container garden on her South Philly roof deck; she chronicles her triumphs and travails at plantsondeck.com

JOIN US on September 17th for our

Birthday BBQ! Being held at our Kimberton Location Flagship Store. BBQ options for both our Vegetarian/Vegan and Omnivorous Locavore Friends! Plus: Birthday Cake • Live Music • Activities for Kids • Local Products Sampling Tent Victory Brewing Truck • Store Tours and more!

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aug

aug

VIX Emporium Queen’s Jewels” 13 “The West Philly local arts boutique VIX Emporium welcomes artist Gretchen Diehl, who creates jewelry using original illustrations printed on shrink plastic film, in the manner of 1980s phenomenon Shrinky Dinks. Inspired by the natural world, Diehl’s new and in-progress work runs the gamut, ranging from traditional to quirky, and from dainty to statement pieces. →→ Aug. 13, 6 – 9 p.m., VIX Emporium,

5009 Baltimore Ave., for more information, visit vixemporium.com

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Hillside Farm Pesto and Salsa Soiree 13 Festival Hillside Farm’s staff invites interested attendees to join them for a summertime fiesta exalting two condiments in their freshest forms: pesto and salsa. Live music, dancing, educational farm tours and more will prepare your palate for a day of salsa and pesto tastings, and regional food from the Great Harvest Bread Company, Burlap & Bean and MyHouse Cookies. A seasonal supper will be available for purchase; competitive types should whip up a batch of their secret salsa recipes for the homemade contest (rules and entry form available at greenerpartners.org).

A Call to Farms This transformative free program is a 19 two-and-a-half-day intensive crop pro20 duction workshop for war veterans in21 terested in a career in sustainable farming. Organized by the Farmer-Veteran Coalition, the Risk Management Agency of the USDA, the National Center for Appropriate Technology and PASA, the program’s highlights include farm tours, intensive crop production and marketing techniques, and farm planning. Both active and veteran military personnel may apply, but the program is limited to 24 veterans and their families, so sign-up fast. Lodging, transportation and locally sourced meals are all included. →→ Aug. 19–21, Seva Retreat, 1750 Ashbourne

Road, Elkins Park. Interested veterans can apply by contacting Chris Ritthaler at 530756-1395, or chris@farmvetco.org

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Sustainable Saturdays, Seed to Compost 20 From The West Philadelphia Local Food series’ third installment invites participants to follow the growing cycle from seed to compost.

Class offerings include a homebrewing session, a how-to on building seed bombs, mead and soda fermentation, and a primer on growing mushrooms. After school, head to Capogiro with Dock Street brew experts for adventurous beer-infused cocktails, gelato and sorbetto floats.

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Mantua Family Day Festival Mantua Community Improvement 27 The Center’s all-day festival will harness the power of old-school hip-hop to improve the lives of local residents. Concert headliners Naughty by Nature, Chubb Rock, Slick Rick and Kwame will bring the beats, while face painting, line dancing and local food vendors will keep the crowd busy between emcee sets. The event will raise funds for the RYYDA, a youth entrepreneurship program set to launch this fall, promoting community health and nonviolence. →→ Aug. 27, noon – 7 p.m. (rain date Aug. 28),

34th Street and Mantua Avenue. For more information, contact Jamila Payne at jpayne@mcic1.org, and visit mcic1.org

sep

35th Annual Brandywine Tour Delaware Valley Bicycle Club’s 04 The yearly tour winds through the serene Brandywine River Valley, on your choice of a 26, 50, 65, 80 or 100-mile ride. No matter your choice, enjoy a ride through the area where Revolutionary War troops fought the Battle of the Brandywine, and rest stops with delicious sustenance to boot. Each distance is fully supported with cue sheets and maps, sag wagons, clear markers and portable restrooms. End your pedal tour with a pizza party and a well-deserved pat on the back. →→ Sept. 4, 7 a.m., start at Pocopson

→→ Aug. 13, 4 – 8 p.m., Hillside Farm, 111 Elwyn

Road, Media, for more information, visit greenerpartners.org/events

→→ Aug. 20, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., various locations, visit universitycity.org for specific event

times and locations

Elementary School, 1105 Pocopson Road, West Chester. For more information, visit dvbc.org

aug

TTF Watershed Vernon Park 17 Cleanup Join the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership for this installment of their “Every Other Wednesday Cleanup” at Vernon Park. Volunteers are needed to clear trash and work on gardening with the Philly Green Machine Project. Another cleanup will be held Aug. 31. →→ Aug. 17, 10:15 – 11:45 a.m.,

Vernon Park, 5800 Germantown Ave. For more information, contact Lesley Saliga at 215-704-3859 or lesley@ttfwatershed.org

CLEAN SWEEP

Members of TTF, the Chew and Belfield Neighbors Club, and the Philly Green Machine began bi-weekly cleanups of Vernon Park on June 8.

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sep

sep

Shale Gas Outrage 2011 Happening concurrently with the 07 Marcellus Shale Coalition’s Shale Gas 08 Insight conference at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Shale Gas Outrage 2011 is a call for resistance against shale gas drilling (also known as fracking). On Sept. 7, participants will stage a rally outside the Convention Center against drilling, demanding that action be taken to stop this “public health and environmental disaster.” On Sept. 8, a conference featuring families affected by drilling, movement leaders, an interfaith ceremony blessing endangered watersheds and a free concert on the Delaware River will bring the event’s concerns to the forefront. →→ Sept. 7, 12:30 – 6:30 p.m., Pennsylvania

Convention Center, 1101 Arch St.; Sept. 8, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., $40 or $15 - $25 sliding scale fee, Congregation Rodeph Shalom, 615 N. Broad St., for a full schedule of events and to register, visit shalegasoutrage.org

sep sep

Philadelphia Honey Festival Bartram’s Garden, the Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild, Wagner Free Institute and Wyck Historic House and Garden are collaborating once again on the sweetest festival of the summer. The event will offer a full three-day schedule of fun and educational activities, like last year’s honey extraction demonstrations, exhibits on the history of beekeeping, a pollinator scavenger hunt, and more.

09 11

→→ Sept. 9 – 11, FREE, various locations,

for more information, visit any of the participating organizations’ websites

sep

Greenfest Philly Clean Air Council will again sum10 The mon the city’s environmental elite to Headhouse Square for a celebration of all that is “green.” This year’s fest will feature hundreds of exhibitors eager to impart their green knowledge and provide visitors with practical products, edibles and handmade crafts. Mix and mingle with the eco-conscious community. →→ Sept. 10, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Headhouse Square,

Second Street between South and Pine streets, for more information, visit greenfestphilly.org

sep

GO WEST! Craft Fest fall edition of VIX Emporium’s 10 The craft extravaganza will feature more than 40 artisan vendors eager to show off their handmade creations. Browse booth after booth of jewelry, art, paper goods, clothing, soaps and more. Makeup mavens should check out the beauty presentation by Gritty City creator Sarah Holmes to create a natural, custom eyeshadow blend. →→ Sept. 10, noon – 5 p.m., Cedar Park, Balti-

more Ave. between 49th and 50th streets, for more information, visit vixemporium.com

Hefty Harvest and Scary Scarecrows Family Festival 10 Join the Camden Children’s Garden for 11 their annual celebration of the bountiful harvest, and enjoy the rich flavors of fall. Activities include games, crafts, a scarecrowmaking workshop and more. Bring your own bounty (BYOB) and display a plate of vegetables from your own garden at the Bountiful Harvest concession stand. →→ Sept. 10 & 11, 1 – 4 p.m., $6, 3 Riverside Drive,

Camden, N.J., for more information, contact info@camdenchildrensgarden.org or 856-365-8733

sep

Bike Philly Bicycle Coalition’s annual event is 11 The back for its fifth year, bringing car-free streets to the cycling masses. The family-friendly event offers leisurely 10- or 20-mile car-free loops, as well as a more challenging 35-mile loop on shared roads for the experienced rider. →→ Sept. 11, 8 a.m., various routes,

for more information and to register, visit bicyclecoalition.org/content/bike-philly

sep

Green RFPs, Restaurants Range Hoods 15 and Learn about the costs and benefits of running a green restaurant at this seminar brought to you by the Philagreen Hospitality Association. Presentations include “Energy Efficient Kitchen Ventilation” and “The Costs of Going Green for a Restaurant.” →→ Sept. 15, 1:45 – 4:30 p.m., $25,

Sarah’s Garden at 7th and Reid

One Logan Square, for more information and to register, visit philagreenhospitality.com and app.icontact.com/icp/sub/survey/take

sep

South Philly Garden Tour wanted to peek over the wall and 10 Ever see what your neighbors were growing back there? Us, too! The Garden Tour will be a self-guided, ticketed event featuring over 12 public and private gardens throughout South Philadelphia. Participating gardens will have their doors/gates open for the duration of the event, and will have someone available to greet visitors, show them around and answer questions. →→ Sept. 10, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., $20, begins at

Urban Jungle, 1526 E. Passyunk Ave., for more information on participating gardens and where to purchase tickets, visit southphillyfoodcoop.org/2011/07/19/1stannual-south-philly-garden-tour

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ph oto by Sarah DeGiorgis

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sep

Mount Airy Art Garage Hat Ball 17 Hard Dance the night away to help the Mount Airy Art Garage raise funds to begin phase two of their build-out. With $40,000 successfully raised via donation for phase one, the arts and community organization was able to begin the build-out of the artist’s studios and community space in early July. Initial renovations include plumbing, electricity, an organic backyard garden and a living wall. The Hard Hat Ball will feature music from Sharon Katz and the Peace Train, and all proceeds will go towards the implementation of phase two. →→ Sept. 17, 7:30 p.m., 11 W. Mount Airy Ave., for more information, visit mtairyartgarage.org

sep

Kimberton Whole Foods Anniversary Celebration – 17 25th Grand Finale Barbecue The sustainable grocery innovator is turning 25, and wants you to join in on the celebration. Mark your calendar for a barbecue to rival all barbecues, featuring food options for omnivores, vegetarians and vegans, musical guests, a sampling tent, kids’ activities, local brews and, of course, a birthday cake big enough to wish for 25 more years of organic foods, local sourcing and saying no to GMOs. →→ Sept. 17, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.,

Kimberton Whole Foods, 2140 Kimberton Road, Phoenixville, for more information, visit kimbertonwholefoods.com

and haute hotdogger Dapper Dog will provide the eats. All proceeds will go toward the maintenance and operations of the Schuylkill Banks and greenway. Two thousand dollars raised will allow the organization to purchase a new maintenance vehicle.

→→ Sept. 23, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., $40 before Aug. 31, →→ Sept. 17, 5 p.m., $35 before September,

$45 after, purchase tickets at

friendsofsbanks.eventbrite.com, for more information, visit friendsofsb.org

sep

Pennypack Farm First Fall and Farm Tour 18 Garden This farm tour is a brand-new community event from Pennypack that will connect people to the land through tours of private gardens, award-winning backyards and edible landscapes traversing the Eastern Montgomery region. Attendees are invited to either pack their cars full of friends and family, or take a more communitycentric tour on Pennypack’s mini bus. Check-in for the tour begins at 10:30 a.m. for those driving, and 10:15 a.m. for those riding the mini-bus.

Tickets are limited and participants must be 13 and older. →→ Sept. 18, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., $20 before

Aug. 28, $49 for the mini-bus option, tour begins at the Temple Ambler parking lot, Butler Pike and Meeting House Road, for more information and to purchase tickets, visit pennypackfarm.org

sep

Sustainable Saturdays, the Harvest 17 Preserving The West Philadelphia Local Food series is at it again with a fourth installment, this time inviting participants to preserve summer’s bounty. Learn basic fermentation by creating your own kimchi and yogurt, discover how to can foods in a hands-on workshop, visit JG Domestic and Milk & Honey Market for tours, and get a sneak peak at the new Mariposa Co-op and Bartram’s Garden’s apple cider happenings.

Mount Airy Village Fair Carpenter and Green street busi18 Join nesses in Mount Airy for an afternoon of crafters, food and the famous Pet Parade, all in celebration of the hill-top ’hood. Happenings of the day include live entertainment at the Big Blue Marble Bookstore, crafting at the Nesting House, carnival fun with Springboard Studio, a pie-eating contest at High Point Café, and plenty of food at Weavers Way Co-op. Gather the whole family, hop on your bikes and enjoy the festivities while the Mount Airy Bike Collective parks your two-wheeler.

→→ Sept. 17, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., various locations, visit universitycity.org for specific event

→→ Sept. 18, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., various locations, for more information, visit mtairyvillage.com

sep

times and locations

sep

Brews & Blues on the Banks Friends of Schuylkill Banks (FOSB) 17 The invite the Philadelphia community to join them for an evening of live blues and local libations. The Brian LaPann Trio will perform, Flying Fish and Magner’s Cider will be served,

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University’s Fox School of Business, the Wyck Association, Awbury Arboretum and Weavers Way will cover how agricultural additions can aid fund-raising, community relations and attracting visitors.

sep

Agriculture Training Symposium Historic Site and Museum 23 for Professionals Join Wyck Historic House and Garden for an allday symposium on the benefits of adding agricultural aspects to small and large organizations.

Presentations by representatives from Temple

$65 after, Wyck Historic House and Garden, 6026 Germantown Ave., for more information and to register, visit wyck.org

sep

PHS Fall Garden Festival the Horticultural Society for this 24 Join free, family-friendly event to kick off autumn. Activities include veggie races, Navy Yard tours, horticultural presentations in the Gardener’s Studio and more. Attendees will also have the opportunity to shop in the Gardener’s Marketplace and Meadowbrook Farm store, and select edibles and blooms from the Gold Medal plant sale. →→ Sept. 24, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Philadelphia Navy

Yard, Marine Parade Ground, Broad Street and Constitution Avenue, for more information, visit phsonline.org, or call 215-988-8800

sep

Manayunk Eco Arts Festival The Manayunk Eco Arts Festival is a 24 celebration of artistic, sustainable and 25 local green initiatives where eco-minded artists, green businesses and ecologically concerned community groups gather to share resources and education about green and healthy living. In addition to green exhibitors, the festival highlights the sustainable efforts of Manayunk’s merchants. →→ Sept. 24, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sept. 25,

11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Main Street, Manayunk, for more information, visit manayunk.com

sep

PASA Bike Fresh, Bike Local out for PASA’s fourth annual 25 Pedal “Bike Fresh Bike Local” event to support the sustainable farming organization’s work in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Choose your distance (25, 50 or 75 miles) for this scenic bike ride along un-trafficked country roads that wind between small family farms. Top the day off with a locally sourced lunch and complimentary beer.

Register in advance for a discounted price and event souvenir. →→ Sept. 25, 75-mile registration 7 a.m.,

50 mile 8:30 a.m., 25 mile 10:30 a.m., Victory Brewing Company, 420 Acorn Lane, Downingtown, for more information, visit pasafarming.org

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Perfect

pitch How the Lidge family is trying to turn out the lights on bad nutrition by lindsay lidge

M

y story begins like those of many others who are passionate about real food. I was surrounded by it from the beginning.

I spent my young childhood growing up on our family farm in Missouri with cows, sheep, pigs and an enormous garden that nourished us with everything from Brussels sprouts to cherries.

Cooking and family meals were important to us, too. Everyone helped out. I remember that, when I was a little girl, my brother and I loved to help shell the peas from the garden, shuck the corn or carry bowls to the table. For special dinners I was even allowed to light the candles myself. We had real plates and cloth napkins, and if dinner was at my grandma’s house, there were always flowers on the table.

By age 5, I knew that not all food is created equal. It was normal to hear the adults, especially my grandma, talk about eating only “happy cows or happy chickens,” and paying more for whole, real food now instead of doctor bills later.

Not that my youth was all broccoli and turnips. When I was a little older, we moved away from our farm, and our lives became busy with sports, school and work. As a teenager, I enjoyed Cherry Coke as much as the next kid. One summer before college, I was a counselor at a kid’s summer camp, and saw the junk that these poor kids were being fed. It really upset me. I went to college and enrolled in the dietetics program, full of hope that I could help change the world with healthy eating.

But “nutrition” is part of the problem. During my studies, we counted calories, fat grams and carbohydrates—as if any of these qualified food as healthy or not. I also found the material—not to mention government regulations—to be transparently influenced by large agricultural businesses. When I saw how this affected real people 54

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during an internship at a hospital, I dropped out of the course, frustrated and confused. I read every book and watched every documentary I could find about food politics and our broken food system. The more I learned, the more I wanted to change it.

After having our daughter and son, my husband, Brad, and I could see that with every bite we fed them, we were shaping their tastes, bodies and experiences. With every dollar we spend we support something, whether it’s Monsanto’s genetically modified soybeans or the small family farm down the road. When our family moved to Philadelphia, we learned about the amazing work the Food Trust is doing.

After one phone call, Brad and I knew it was the perfect place to share our passion.

As a mom, I try to instill in our children an appreciation for food with peels and skins, grown with hands and hard work, rather than “food” from boxes that’s produced in factories by scientists. We show them this by growing a garden with them. We let them take ownership in everything from shopping for seeds, planting and watering, to everyone’s favorite part: harvesting and eating. The kids are helping cook in the kitchen, too. Another huge part is something that we don’t do: have the TV on very much. Kids’ channels are loaded with marketing for processed food specifically for

kids, and none of it is beneficial for their growing ideas. We also talk with them about our current food system (in an age-appropriate way) and its effects on all of us: people, animals, our environment and our future. And most importantly, we teach them that their actions and choices matter, and that they absolutely make a difference.

I want our children to have the same warm feelings of food and mealtime that we and many generations before us had. I hope all of our children will know the surprise in pulling a carrot from the earth, and appreciate the warm taste of

“I hope all of our children will know the warm taste of tomatoes just off the vine.” tomatoes just off the vine. I hope all our children will be nourished at the table, both in their bodies and souls. I hope our children learn that we cannot separate our health from the health of our soil. I know we can heal our world, and all living things; we need to start from the ground up. lindsay lidge shares snacking tips and Lidge family recipes at the Team Up! blog she writes for the Food Trust. She is married to Phillies pitcher Brad Lidge. Read her at thefoodtrust.org/teamup.

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What matters most?

Walk-In Water matters. wednesdays Walk-In wednesdays Environmental Studies featured the first Wednesday of each month

Students in the University of Pennsylvania’s Master of Environmental Studies program wednesdays are passionate about clean water.

Walk-In

Many of them combine academic work on local and global water issues with fieldwork opportunities through the Philadelphia Global Water Initiative to put what they’ve learned in the classroom to work where it’s needed most.

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The Environmental Studies Certificate

From Cameroon to Kenya, from Bangalore to Sri Lanka, from Chicago to

within Penn’s Master of Liberal Arts program allows you to combine environmental studies with interdisciplinary coursework from the arts and sciences.

determined to find solutions to the world’s water problems.

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Philadelphia, MES graduates are part of an active community of thinkers and doers

Give purpose to your passion at Penn. www.sas.upenn.edu/lps or search penn mes