Grid Magazine April 2012 [#037]

S u s ta i n a b l e Philadelphia

take one!

Growing roots Gardening with kids Seasons in the sun Boosting food production with high tunnels Topping it off Making spring salads even tastier

may 2012 / issue 37 gridph il ly.co m

Take your backyard garden to the next level with

Chickens & Bees

APRIL 20 – 29, 2012

WINE • JAZZ • FORENSICS • BASEBALL • VACCINES • ART • CHOCOLATE COMEDY • HISTORY • ROBOTICS • FASHION • TECHNOLOGY • AGRICULTURE FILM • GENETICS • ARCHEOLOGY • NEUROSCIENCE • GASTRONOMY! Experience over 50 immersive events at local bars, restaurants, museums and theaters. Right here at home.

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EXPLORING ALL THE THINGS WE and pretty much everything else in the universe...

Presenting Sponsor:

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FROM THIS MONTH’S ISSUE Agricultural entrepreneur educator for Penn State Extension Philadelphia

Jerome Shabazz

will discuss the High Tunnels Alliance, a new urban agriculture project.

Owner of Milk & Honey Market

Annie Baum-Stein

will talk about backyard (and rooftop) beekeeping in Philadelphia.

CO-SPONSORED BY

SUSTAINABLE

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HOSTED BY

Alex Mulcahy Grid Publisher

Nic Esposito

Urban Farmer and Novelist

MUSICAL GUEST

Hezekiah Jones

T H E CI T Y OF PH IL A D E L P HIA

MAYOR’S OFFICE OF

SUSTAINABILITY

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Kindergarten is no place for pressure tactics.

It’s for nurturing that leads to real growth.

Is there such a thing as an urban oasis for preserving childhood? At the Waldorf School of Philadelphia, there is.

Our curriculum nurtures your child’s body, mind and spirit in a playful environment that grows her capacity for learning, thinking and doing. Life long.

g rid ph illy.may 2012 / is s ue 37

10 Environment Natural Voice: Q&A with author, environmentalist Terry Tempest Williams | Moving Mountains: Local activists take action against PNC

page

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12 Green Living Craft Works: A look inside local creative hub Heirloom Home & Studio 14 Media Reviews of Straphanger, Wine to Water and Fool Me Twice

The Birds and the Bees

16 Design Garden Chic: Shift_Design brings a fresh face to the garden | Recycling Challenge: Mirrors 18 Food Celebrate spring with the arrival of salad greens | In a Pickle: A modern practice of age-old fermentation | Cheese of the Month: Kidchego | On Tap: Gang Aft Agley | The Feed: Delaware Valley Farm Share, CreekSide Co-op and Grateful Acres Farm

Grid’s guide to bringing chickens and bees to your backyard

36 Urban Naturalist Spring Peepers: Nature’s smallest creatures announce spring in a big way 38 Shoots & Ladders In the Underground: Root vegetables make ideal crops for gardening with kids 39 Guest Column Deregulation Time: The energy caps are off, so why haven’t prices changed much?

46 Dispatch A backyard beekeeper recounts the road to her first honey harvest

cover il lust rat io n by m eli ssa m cfe et e rs

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Tunnel Vision

Simple technology brings Philly farmers a longer season and new network of peers

photo by emily wren

42 Events Gardening workshops, farm market openings, Earth Day celebrations and many more local events welcome the spring season!

It’s your future.

Make the future happen with a BS or MS in Community and Regional Planning or certificates in Environmental Sustainability, Sustainable Community Planning, or Transportation Planning.

Classes offered at Ambler, Main, Center City and Harrisburg campuses.

Department of Community and Regional Planning School of Environmental Design www.temple.edu/ambler/crp 267-468-8300

Amb

The art and science of making food one day i’ll have chickens. I find them incredibly endearing, and they make me laugh every time I see them – especially when they run.

Right now, however, I live in a condo, and I don’t think even my best arguments would persuade my neighbors to share our small courtyard with some feathered friends.

I might try bees one day, too. I was stung when I was very small – I tried to pet a bee, despite my sister warning me it was a bad idea – which probably caused me to be disproportionately afraid of them. I overcame that fear in my late teens after realizing that flailing around when a bee was nearby didn’t exactly impress the ladies.

Just a few months ago, I donned a protective suit and watched up close as a friend cared for his honey-makers. It was easy to see the appeal and to feel the thrill of interacting with the bees so directly.

If you’ve been daydreaming about chickens and bees, I hope you find our guide helpful in your quest to become a backyard farmer. It’s by no means comprehensive, but the basics are explained and it includes valuable local resources to help you get started.

While your motivation for raising chickens or bees may be the eggs, the honey or the sheer joy of the practice, it’s an important step to community self-reliance. Caring for bees and chickens also helps in understanding the challenges of food production, which seem distant when eggs come in a carton and vegetables arrive frozen in a box.

Recently, at the Home Grown Institute’s Spring Conference, I was talking to Andy Andrews, farm director at Pennypack Farm, who mentioned some unexpected difficulties he was encountering. He told me pests that typically die in the winter from cold weather exposure were being spotted months before they’re usually seen. Why? This year, we didn’t have the three or four consecutive nights of temperatures in the teens to kill them. Now he has to be even more vigilant, and ready to improvise in response to more threats.

A week later, I was talking to Josh Smith of Frecon Farm, who was hoping the cold front that moved in wasn’t going to wipe out the blossoms

publisher

Alex Mulcahy 215.625.9850 ext. 102 alex@gridphilly.com managing editor

Liz Pacheco liz.pacheco@gridphilly.com art director

Jamie Leary jamie@gridphilly.com designer

Melissa McFeeters melissa@gridphilly.com distribution

Claire Connelly 215.625.9850 ext. 100 claire@gridphilly.com copy editor

Andrew Bonazelli production artist

Lucas Hardison writers

on his fruit trees, which had appeared much earlier than usual. The frost did do some damage, but much to his relief – and the relief of the many people who enjoy their delicious wines and ciders – only modest damage occurred.

Farming has never been easy, always a storm or pest away from a wipeout, but as our climate changes and the weather behaves erratically, farmers are experiencing even greater challenges.

Which is why the proliferation of high tunnels, the simple, inexpensive structures that extend the growing season, couldn’t come at a better time. Everyone involved talks about the potential for high tunnels to increase the volume of local, urban food production. As the weather grows more unpredictable, using our land efficiently is going to become more and more important.

Shaun Brady Bernard Brown Tenaya Darlington Dana Henry Alaina Mabaso Marisa McClellan Katherine Silkaitis Missy Steinberg Char Vandermeer Tanya Veitch Samantha Wittchen photographers

Emily Wren Albert Yee illustrators

Stephen Haigh Melissa McFeeters interns

Jesse Kerns Kimberly Richards Marisa Steinberg ad sales

Alicia McClung 215.625.9850 ext. 114 alicia@gridphilly.com bookkeeper

Alicia McClung published by

alex j. mulcahy, Publisher alex@gridphilly.com

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

p hoto by g e ne smi rnov

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environment

Natural Voice Celebrated environmentalist and author Terry Tempest Williams to visit Philadelphia by bernard brown

A

fter her mother’s ovarian cancer diagnosis, environmentalist and author Terry Tempest Williams wondered if her family’s high incidence of cancer was related to nuclear testing that occurred not far from her childhood home in Utah. The resulting book, a memoir that also explores natural history, is her best-known: Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place. Since then, Williams has been recognized for her work promoting wilderness preservation and women’s health issues. She will be speaking at the Free Library of Philadelphia on May 17 in support of her new book When Women Were Birds: Fifty-Four Variations on Voice.

Grid: What can we find in birds?

Terry Tempest Williams: First of all, they’re always

around us. Whenever we hear bird song, it reminds us that we do not live on this planet alone.

I like to think of them as mediators between earth and sky. And it’s a joy; I have my field guide with me constantly… They animate the landscape.

upcoming event May 17, 7:30 p.m.

terms of Monkey Wrenching. This is a beautiful tradition I’m proud to be part of, a great tradition of writers using their pens as weapons.

Grid: Your Mormon background figures prominently in your work. How is it important to you?

TTW: I’m probably more representative than I

Grid: What is the power of writers in social and environmental struggles?

TTW: Even if in the U.S. they expect writers to

care to admit… I am no longer a practicing Mormon, but it is part of my background and culture.

Commitment to community as writer and activist is front and center to Mormon culture. My love of family, love of history and love of land— [these are] part of Mormon culture.

keep to their poetry, look at Hemingway, his dispatches from the Spanish Civil War, Faulkner’s activities in the Civil Rights struggle, Rachel Carson’s work with Silent Spring… Ed Abbey in

Grid: What does it mean to be an environmentalist?

TTW: Let’s put it this way: to be informed, in-

Moving Mountains 10

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Terry Tempest Williams

Free Library of Philadelphia (1901 Vine St.) For more information, visit freelibrary.org

volved and engaged in social change. However we choose to define that in the local social issues that our lives depend upon. It’s about being alert, awake and alive.

I think we’re in an incredibly exciting time right now of tremendous engagement. It’s a tremendous time in public lands movement in terms of the fracking issues […] in issues like the XL pipeline… Go down to West Virginia to see activists engaged around mountaintop movement. [This] is what it means to be citizens in the USA, citizens taking these matters into their own hands. 

Activists take aim at PNC Bank Mountaintop removal isn’t happening in Philadelphia, but the controversial mining practice is a major local issue. Philadelphia’s Earth Quaker Action Team (EQAT) has launched a campaign against PNC Bank for their financing of companies that use mountaintop removal mining practices. This February, EQAT introduced a “Green Your Money” initiative to encourage Philadelphians to pull their accounts from PNC.

During the 90-day-or-so campaign, eight EQAT members will also be making a 16-day, 300-mile walk from Philadelphia to PNC’s national headquarters in Pittsburgh. They hope the walk will build statewide commitment for “Green Your Money” and put pressure on PNC to change their practices. To join the walk (which starts April 30) or to learn more about EQAT’s work, visit eqat.wordpress.com . —Liz Pacheco

p hoto by D e b ra Anderson

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CITY NURSERY

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Green living

Craft Works A creative hotbed of handmade goods in Glenside by liz pacheco

W

hen Gregg Moore, an art and design professor at Arcadia University, decided to go on sabbatical, he started looking for a space to make and display his work before it reached galleries. The result is Heirloom Home & Studio in Glenside, Pa. Gregg and his wife Jackie, who refinishes furniture, knew the store would also meet another need: connecting local artisans with the public. Heirloom opened in August 2011, and in addition to Gregg’s “Garden to Tableware” ceramics collection and Jackie’s furniture, also features locally-made home furnishings, vintage items, paper goods and heirloom seeds. The store regularly hosts gatherings highlighting local craftspeople, as well as workshops in partnership with HOOT, a Philadelphia literary magazine that publishes stories and poems on postcards.

Gregg and Jackie also have plans to do more, like adding a community garden of raised beds in front of the shop. “We grow a lot of our food, as much as we can, and know a lot of artists and creative people,” says Gregg. “So, we wanted to try and create a shop that was everything handmade with an effort at being sustainable at some level.”

1

Heirloom Home & Studio 2227 Mt. Carmel Ave., Glenside, Pa. heirloomhomean dstudio.com

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l e m o n b ow l p hoto by Lisa Sc ha ffer

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4

6

1 The lemon bowl was introduced in January as part of Gregg Moore’s “Garden to Tableware” collection, which features hand-drawn sketches of produce.

2 Gregg works on a berry basket, which has become the store’s signature piece.

3 The baskets are ideal for sharing fruit and have quickly become popular with customers.

4 In addition to the ceramics and Jackie’s refurbished furniture, the store also hosts local favorites, like John and Kira’s chocolates.

5 Handmade paper ornaments by local designer Liddy Russo.

6 Gregg and Jackie see the store both as a way to feature area artists and share their passion for sustainable living.

store ph otos by a l b ert ye e

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Media

book reviews

Wine to Water A Bartender’s Quest to Bring Clean Water to the World

by Doc Hendley (Avery, 288 pp., $26, January 2012)

Straphanger

Saving Our Cities and Ourselves From the Automobile

by Taras Grescoe (Times, 336 pp., $25, April 2012)

a

cross the globe, car-centric urban planning has wreaked havoc on many a city. In Straphanger, Taras Grescoe explores this problem by traveling on public transportation in cities like Tokyo, Copenhagen, Los Angeles and even Philadelphia. He interviews people involved in the movement to create affordable, sustainable urban transportation. Part urban history and part travel narrative, Grescoe shows how transit defines cities—from the endless highways of Phoenix, the city with no downtown, to the rapid transit of Bogota, Columbia, which has expressway lanes and large, clean bus stops.

His chapters on Moscow’s lavish subway stations, replete with chandeliers and marble columns, and New York’s ghost subway lines are inspiring, but the chapters on Copenhagen and Los Angeles are most memorable. Grescoe portrays Copenhagen as heaven on Earth.

There the city planner is worried about bicycle rush hours, and bike lanes are plowed before car lanes. In contrast, Los Angeles is a public transit nightmare as the overpopulated city is clogged with cars. But Grescoe doesn’t give up hope, as he cites that even this city is starting to make some major investments in their public transit infrastructure. —Katherine Silkaitis

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In 2004, Doc Hendley was a bartender and a bit of a partier in Raleigh, N.C. But an encounter with a family friend whose husband worked for an international aid organization set his life on a different course.

Using his experience in the bartending industry, Hendley launched a series of wine tasting events to fund clean water projects. However, instead of donating the funds, Hendley traveled to Africa and witnessed the water crisis firsthand.

In his memoir Wine to Water, Hendley recounts the sequence of events that led to the development of his passion for international water safety, and his harrowing and confusing experience in Darfur, Sudan. While issues of water quality are addressed, the book is more focused on Hendley’s personal transformation from renegade biker to a globe-travelling nonprofit director. —KS

Fool Me Twice Fighting the Assault on Science in America

by Shawn Lawrence Otto (Rodale, 380 pp., $24.99, October 2011)

In Fool Me Twice, Shawn Lawrence Otto narrates the evolution of science in America. His story begins with the beliefs of the founding Puritans and leads all the way to the climatechange and evolution deniers who influence policy today. Otto explains how the government, our politics and the media have prevented the public from understanding the science critical to solving our greatest challenges. The book is both heart-wrenching and empowering because the nation’s future depends on science—its observation, facts, innovation and creativity—and not the rhetoric with which it’s now so closely associated. —KS p hoto by e rin c hurc hi ll

MARIPOSA

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There are many benefits to being a member of Mariposa Food Co-op. For more information, stop by our store, visit us on the web at mariposa.coop or call 215-729-2121.

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“The historic market is a favorite of mine when hosting out-of-town guests for a Center City tour.”

—rhonda buell schier, collingswood, nj market shopper since 1993 12th & arch ~ mon–sat 8-6 sun 9–5 ~ 215-922-2317 ~ readingterminalmarket.org

Park for $4

at 12th & Filbert garage with $10 purchase and validation from any merchant. Limit 2 hours.

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design

Garden Chic Rain barrels that capture water—and the imagination by shaun brady

M

ario Gentile describes his basic philosophy as a question: “How can the everyday homeowner buy local and afford something that looks really well-designed made out of relatively expensive materials?” His answer: Shift_Design.

Gentile started Shift_Design in 2010, after being laid off from his architecture job. With support from a Temple University business plan competition and GoodCompany Ventures, a nonprofit that helps entrepreneurs launch businesses, Gentile put his idea into action.

The company designs and manufactures sustainable home and garden exterior products that won’t break the average consumer’s bank. Their wares include living walls, planters, solar shades and a combination fire pit/ice chest. Although more of a budgetary stretch, a 58-gallon rain tank offers a clean-lined stainless steel alternative to replace what Gentile refers to as the “ugly, hideous” standard blue barrel model. The young company has already caught the eye of clients like Urban Outfitters, which commissioned a green roof, living wall and stormwater planters for their corporate headquarters, and the Philadelphia Water Department, which has contracted them to design downspout planters.

All products are created in-house by Gentile and his three-person crew. Everything is manufactured locally from recycled material, and is 100 percent recyclable following a long lifespan. Pieces are designed using the “IKEA model” for flat pack shipping, and ease of construction and installation. This spring, Gentile is introducing new colors and finishes as “more playful” alternatives, and has plans to develop products that utilize interactive technologies.

Shift_Design products can be found at City Planter (814 N. 4th St., cityplanter.com), Horne (211 South St., shophorne.com ), Millesime (1001 N. 2nd St., millesime.us ), Plants Etc. (2313 Fairmount Ave.) and Greenable (2200 Walnut St., greenable.net ).

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p hotos by sam oberter

by samantha wittchen

Mirrors Glass used in mirrors

fact contains additives that

make them unsuitable to throw in the blue bin.

Unlike glass used for food and beverage containers, which must comply with food safety regulations, glass used for items like drinking glasses, windshields, light bulbs and mirrors utilize additives like plastic, lead or other metals to add strength and reflective properties. As a result, these additives render the glass impossible to recycle without the use of special equipment. Unfortunately, this means these items can’t be processed at a regular municipal recycling facility. And although mirrors are inert in a landfill, it’s still not a great idea to send them there when they could have a second life in someone else’s home, or as a beautiful mosaic.

problem

If your mirror is in fine condition, donate it to a charity or reuse organization. Good options include the Salvation Army, Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore (2930 Jasper St., 215.739.9300, habitatphiladelphia.org/ habitat-philadelphia-restore ) or The Resource Exchange (2829 Cedar St., 267.997.0060, theresourceexchange.org ). If you have an antique mirror, it might be worth something, so consider contacting one of our city’s consignment shops or antique dealers.

If your mirror is broken, Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens (1020 South St., 215.733.0390) will be happy to take the pieces off your hands for incorporation into mosaics. Smaller pieces can be dropped off at the main office. For larger pieces, they ask that you drop them off around the back of the building on Kater Street. Hours vary seasonally, so call or visit their website (phillymagicgardens.org ) to find out when they’re open. 

solution

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food

Greek Yogurt Dressing with Herbs 1

cup Greek yogurt cup buttermilk 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar 1 garlic clove, crushed cup chopped fresh chives cup chopped fresh dill 1 tsp sea salt tsp freshly ground black pepper tsp onion powder

Salad Days

In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, buttermilk and red wine vinegar until smooth.

Add garlic, chives, dill, salt, pepper and onion powder. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt and pepper amounts, if necessary.

Shower your greens with these delicious toppings by marisa mcclellan

O

nce the growing season in the Philadelphia area kicks in, we get six to eight good weeks before the weather is too hot for delicate lettuces. While they do return in the fall once the heat lessens, I take that initial and finite season as a challenge to eat as many local green salads as I can.

I eat salads for breakfast with a sliced hard boiled egg and a bit of toast. At lunchtime, I heap whatever leftovers I can find on my dish of arugula, spinach and butter lettuce. And for dinner, I set up a mini salad bar on the kitchen counter so my husband and I can each build the salad we crave.

In addition to chopped vegetables, grated cheese, grilled chicken and dried fruit, I like to prepare a couple of top18

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pings to make our salads special. Savory granola adds crunch and flavor to your salad (it also goes quite well on smooth soups). Homemade dressings like roasted tomato vinaigrette or Greek yogurt dressing with herbs are a nice step up from the bottled stuff. And for a hit of sweet and salty, a few of these maple-glazed pecans are just the thing (they’re also delightful on a cheese plate).

Enjoy your salad days!

MapleGlazed Pecans 2

cups pecans cup real maple syrup tsp flaky sea salt

Place a large skillet over medium heat.

Add pecans and dry toast until fragrant, shaking pan frequently to prevent burning.

Add maple syrup to pan and stir rapidly as the syrup bubbles. When syrup is reduced, scrape nuts onto a sheet of parchment paper and sprinkle with salt.

Let nuts cool completely, and then store in an airtight container.

Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette roasted tomatoes

1 pint grape tomatoes 3 large cloves of garlic 3 sprigs fresh thyme 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 350° F. Wash tomatoes and spread on a small, rimmed cookie sheet. Scatter unpeeled garlic cloves and thyme sprigs around tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until tomatoes are tender and shriveled.

Remove from oven and let cool. vinaigrette

cup red wine vinegar cup olive oil Salt and pepper to taste

When tomatoes are cool, combine them in a blender pitcher with red wine vinegar.

With the blender on low, stream olive oil into dressing until fully emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste.

We’ve been Greening on the Railroad.

Savory Granola 3 1

cups rolled oats cup pepitas cup sunflower seeds cup sesame seeds cup grated gruyere 1 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary 1 tsp sea salt tsp ground black pepper 1 egg white cup olive oil 1 tsp Sriracha sauce

Now One SEPTA Station is Among the Nation’s Greenest.

C

Preheat oven to 350° F. M Combine oats, pepitas, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, cheese, rosemary, sea salt and Y pepper in a large bowl. Toss to combine.

CM In a smaller bowl, whisk the egg white, MY olive oil and Sriracha until thick and frothy.

Pour the egg white mixture over the oats CY and seeds. Stir until well mixed.

CMY Spread granola mix on a rimmed cookie sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring K several times during baking. Granola is done when fragrant and golden brown.

Let the granola cool fully, and then store in airtight container. Well-sealed, the granola will keep 10 to 14 days at room temperature. For longer storage, put in a zip-top bag and keep in the freezer.

SEPTA rebuilt its Fox-Chase Station to be eco-friendly by design, and people-friendly on purpose. It earned the nation’s first LEED Silver Certification for a train station. This recognizes leadership in energy and environmental design. It is an unprecedented accomplishment and an honor for SEPTA.

go green go 215-580-7800

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septa.org

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food

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In a Pickle Former policeman embraces the art of fermentation by dana henry

T

om forrest, owner of Wills Valley & Forrest Acre Farm in Lancaster, maintains that sauerkraut, done right, doesn’t need refrigeration or a warehouse. “There’s not a whole lot of equipment that we use,” he explains of Wills Valley, his minimalist organic vegetable fermentation production. “We’re taking [the product] right out of the crock, putting it in a jar and putting a lid on it.”

Raw food fermentation, the art of process- be a solid business move, but also spoke to ing using microorganisms, preserves fresh Forrest on a gut level. The traditional fervegetables, dairy, and dried meats by enabling menting method is, in all likelihood, older healthful bacterial strands and yeasts to break than fire and is practiced by most native culdown food in the absence of oxygen. This pro- tures. In recent years, fermentation has been cess alters flavor and texture popularized by food activwhile increasing the available ists, including Sally Fallon nutrient content. The aging (Nourishing Traditions) and Sandor Katz (Wild Fermenprocess can take weeks – in tation and The Revolution some cases months – giving craft foods like cheeses, beer Will Not Be Microwaved). and chocolate distinct and Forrest, an avid follower subtle flavors. of Fallon and professional Forrest ferments vegetables acquaintance of Katz, bethe traditional Pennsylvania lieves in traditional methods Dutch way, with 52 original of processing foods, which stoneware crocks, each holddo not include preservaing up to 65 pounds of vegetatives, stabilizers or refrigbles. The farm workers pack eration. When he brought the produce weekly with sea the Wills Valley product to salt and water, sourcing certithe Kutztown market, he fied organic vegetables by the found older patrons were truckload from small organic nostalgic, recalling krautfarms, mostly within the immaking as their first job. mediate region. In addition With current culture putto kraut, Wills Valley makes ting more focus on avoiding salty, sour, and slightly sweet frozen and commerciallypickled beets, kimchee and processed foods of the postginger carrots.

—tom forrest, owner World War II era, Forrest Forrest, a former policesees his products playing man, quit the force in 2000 at an important role in both the age of 30 to start his first farm our culinary history and future. in Salem, N.J. He bought Wills Valley from Tim Bock, a Pennsylvania Look for Wills Valley products Dutch farmer and retired engineer, at area farmers markets and whom he had met at a farmers marhealth food stores, specifically the ket. Bock, who began work at the Swarthmore Co-op, the Fair Food farm by making sauerkraut from a Farmstand and Farm to City’s family recipe, was ready to retire.

Winter Harvest buying club.

Acquiring an old-fashioned Products can also be purchased fermentation practice proved to online at willsvalley.com .

We’re taking [the product] right out of the crock, putting it in a jar and putting a lid on it.

The region’s best selection of plants!

Hundreds of organic & heirloom vegetable & herb plants

Now is the time to plant!

Bicentennial Town Square Series Urban Heat Islands: Is Philly the New Tropics?

Tuesday, April 17, 2012 | 6:00 p.m. reception; 6:30 p.m. program Free for Members | General Public $5 Join us as the Academy’s Center for Environmental Policy kicks off its yearlong bicentennial sustainability series with a discussion of urban heat islands and

their role in global climate warming. After the presentation, a panel that

includes representatives from the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability will examine

heat mitigation strategies in Philadelphia.

Annuals ~ Perennials ~ Flowering Shrubs Planters ~ Hanging Baskets

Visit ansp.org/environmental for more information and to register.

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Heirloom and Organic Vegetable, Herb and Flower Seeds Locally-grown Vegetables and Herbs Fruit trees and berries Full Range of Organic Garden Supplies Raised Garden Beds Rain Barrels and Composters Terrariums and Indoor Gardens Chicken Supplies and Organic Feed

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food

cheese of the month

Kidchego Break out some Kid Rock; there’s Kidchego in the house. Amos Miller, an Amish cheesemaker from Lancaster County, may be the only person in the country who is making Spanish-style Manchego from raw goat’s milk. Miller, who runs Misty Creek Goat Dairy, is known for his goat’s milk ricotta salata, a snow-white cheese he calls Misty Lovely. It’s bright and zesty, perfect for spring greens and summer tomatoes. But Kidchego is one for the cheese board. It stands up to cured meats, muscles in around almonds and does wicked gyrations with rosemary bread.

Spanish Manchego is typically made from sheep’s milk, which creates a lusciously fatty wheel often served on tapas plates alongside cured ham and quince paste. Kidchego is surprisingly rich tasting, given that goats don’t produce fatty milk. The paste is bone-colored and dense, and the rind is marked with faint reed-like impressions from the baskets used in shaping this cheese—a nod toward tradition.

As you prepare for summer festivals, patio-entertaining and picnics on the banks of the Delaware, consider packing a wedge of Kidchego. This sturdy

cheese travels well. Pair it with a wheat beer or saison to play off the woodsy, herbaceous notes, or pick a light white or rosé. —Tenaya Darlington, madamefromage.blogspot.com

Kidchego is available at the Fair Food Farmstand in Reading Terminal Market, and is distributed through Farm Fromage (farmfromage.com ). Misty Creek Goat Dairy, 43 West Eby Rd., Leola, Pa., 717.656.1345

on tap

Gang Aft Agley Sly Fox Brewing Co., Pottstown Pa. Strong Scotch Ale / 7.5% ABV

this month’s featured beer celebrates Scottish poet Robert Burns, owing its name to his famous line: “the best-laid plans o’ mice an’ men gang aft agley.” But don’t worry, lads, nothing went awry with this bottle.

Brewed in Pottstown, 40 miles up the Schuylkill northwest of Philly, this wee heavy

the feed Having a hard time getting to a farmers market? Bring local produce into the workplace with an office farm share program. The Delaware Valley Farm Share is offering 12-week shares with an optional add-on dairy.

To learn more, e-mail Kristin Mulvenna, kristin@farmtocity.org.

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ale falls pretty far to the malty end of the spectrum and features a mild roasty flavor with maybe some cherry notes. It’s a well-behaved bottle-conditioned beer, thin head and not excessively carbonated. All kilt and no claymore. Bless me bagpipes, it’s a good yin.

—Lucas Hardison More at slyfoxbeer.com

Four years and more than 1,300 household members later, the Elkins Park neighborhood has finally broken ground on their CreekSide Co-op. Construction is slated to take six months, so look for this community spot to be open in the fall.

Follow their progress at creekside.coop. 7909 High School Rd., Elkins Park creekside.coop

Philly restaurant C19 (formerly Cichetteria 19) is extending their farm-to-table commitment beyond prepared meals. Their Grateful Acres Farm in Orwigsburg, Pa., which supplies produce for the restaurant, will be supporting a 22-week Community Supported Agriculture program, with options for full and partial shares.

Learn more at c19philly.com.

7 0 1 S 4 th St, P hila d elp hia , PA 1914 7 P hone: (215) 238-1888

Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 5 pm - 2 am Sunday Brunch 11 am - 5 pm Closed Monday Guest Tasting Dinners Every Third Wednesday of the Month

so u t hwa rkre st a u ra nt .c o m

THU 10-7 | Fri 10-6 | SaT 10-6 | SUn 10-6 | Mon 10-6

Morel Hunt fundraiser for MS — April 28 + we are vending at PhillyFarmFest.org spottedhillfarm.com

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tunnel vision A network of farmers is using a new tool to extend the growing season by liz pacheco

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Entering the high tunnel at Mort Brooks Memorial Farm in Mount Airy is a little like

stepping into a time machine. In early March, there are dense rows of rainbow chard and arugula, and a few beds have green stems poking through the soil. Farm manager Rick Rigutto reaches down and pulls out some chard, munching on a pink-hued stalk as he walks through the tunnel. While it’s been unseasonably warm, these greens shouldn’t be ready for eating for weeks. ¶ Most farms shut down by December, but Mort Brooks keeps on growing – and not in greenhouses. Instead they use sturdy, metal pipe frames covered in plastic sheeting known as high tunnels. The structure’s concept is based on greenhouse principles, but this is simpler – no electric, gas or water lines required. Sunlight streams through the plastic, warming the soil and providing an ideal winter oasis for hardy greens, which are planted directly in the ground. During warmer months, the sides are rolled up and the doors opened, creating a climate more suited to cut flowers and tomatoes. The tunnels are essentially season extenders, ensuring farmers and their crops year-round support and protection.

Thanks to Penn State Extension, high tunnels have made serious inroads at Philadelphia urban farms. What began as a project by a Penn State horticulture professor has blossomed into a new farming community. The High Tunnel Alliance is a group of 10 Philadelphia organizations with food-growing agendas – community groups like Weavers Way Co-op, public and private schools, recreation centers and even food banks.

Through the alliance, these organizations have received funding and training to install and operate the tunnels.

Just as importantly, the organizations have found a community and support group for the technology, something that’s never existed for urban farmers before in Philadelphia.

From rural classroom to city farms

Dr. William “Bill” Lamont, a horticulture professor at Penn State University, has been experimenting with high tunnels since 1998. He picked up the idea from a retired colleague at the University of New Hampshire. If the technology worked in New England, thought Lamont, then why not in the Mid-Atlantic?

Lamont applied for several Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture grants to build high tunnels at State College.

“But I always felt that there were so many opportunities in the urban environments,” he says.

The first tunnel went up a few years ago at the Saul High School for Agriculture in Roxborough. But the results were mixed. “My short read of the situation is that it wasn’t really maintained well and it kind of became marginalized,” explains John Byrnes, director at Penn State Extension in Philadelphia, the educational outreach branch that connects communities with the University’s resources and expertise.

Traditionally, the University’s extension services have

“If you’re trying to grow as many vegetables as possible in a small space, a high tunnel can increase your yield by up to a third.” —bill shick

p hotos by em ily wr en

focused on rural areas and large-scale agricultural operations. So when the tunnel went up at Saul High School, the extension service was still trying to figure out how best to support the city’s growing urban farming movement. As Byrnes and his colleagues began building relationships with area farmers, Lamont expressed interest in expanding his high tunnels project. Soon, Byrnes was playing matchmaker, connecting Lamont with interested Philadelphia farms.

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Rick Rigutto and Nina Berryman, farm managers at Mort Brooks and Saul High School respectively, enjoy a break outside the high tunnel at Rigutto’s farm.

Brooks just a couple of years ago. The farm, part of Awbury Arboretum and run by Weavers Way, was the first member in what has become the Penn State Extension High Tunnel Alliance. Since then, nine other members have been added, including Saul High School, whose tunnel was revived after collaborating with the Weavers Way Community Program Henry Got Crops!

Simple technology, more food

High tunnels are built to control variables. The plastic sheeting allows the sides to be easily rolled or unrolled for ventilation. Without rain exposure, water can be completely managed, typically with drip irrigation. And plant varieties can be selected for the specific tunnel conditions; crops like peppers, hardy greens and tomatoes have been successful. “[The tunnel] basically allows us to grow crops late into the year and keep crops harvestable all winter,” explains Rigutto, “and obviously, allows us to get an early start on the season.”

Another benefit of the tunnels is their size. Most alliance members are working with limited space. “If you’re trying to grow as many vegetables as possible in a small space, a high tunnel can increase your yield by up to a third,” explains Bill Shick, farm manager at Nice Roots Farm, part of the SHARE food program and an alliance

Water Whirled Local teens ride stationary bike to power irrigation At the Teens 4 Good farm on Eighth and Poplar Streets, growing produce relies on a surprising technology: a stationary bike. The bike-powered watering system is a recent addition to the urban youth farm, which previously used a nearby fire hydrant for irrigation.

The new watering system uses a 500-gallon tank

member. SHARE, which operates from an 180,000-square-foot warehouse in North Philadelphia, collects and grows food which is distributed to approximately 500 local food cupboards and soup kitchens, as well as sold through their discount grocery package program. They also sell to the general community.

“I have local tomatoes and peppers about a month earlier than the other growers because of the high tunnel,” says Shick. “So, if you’re one of the only people at market with a vegetable, you can get more money for it.” But being a nonprofit, the money isn’t as important, he insists. “We’d rather this produce be accessible to people.…

We’re just trying to get more volume of food.”

And volume has definitely increased. With two tunnels and a farm, SHARE harvested 6,500 pounds of produce last year. More than half, about 3,500 pounds, was from the tunnels.

Sweet peppers and tomatoes did especially well in 2011, says Shick, who has also found success with greens like spinach, lettuce, kale, collards and Swiss chard.

Learning from fellow farmers

Through the alliance, members receive important support and training, as well as the opportunity to communicate with local farmers doing the same work. “By having a group of [farmers who have] tunnels coordinating with one another, you’re able to create a rubric of performance and problems and issues,” explains Jerome Shabazz, the agriculture entrepreneur educator for Penn State Extension in Philadelphia and one of the original alliance developers. “[It’s] a network that will allow you to have a greater success of crop production.”

“We share information on pest problems we are seeing,” says Shick. “Some may see them a week or two before they become problems in others and it is good to have a heads up.” Shick also mentions sharing planting schedules, construction techniques for building tunnels, and even early seedlings he grows for alliance members who would have trouble finding them at garden supply centers so early in the season.

“If everyone is keeping track of what they’re doing and how they’re doing it,” says Rigutto, “you have nine other minds…contributing to a knowledge pool you can pull from and learn different techniques.”

that collects runoff from the farm’s high tunnel and distributes it through two valves: one for drip irrigation and another for a hose. The hose is powered by a stationary bike that must be pedaled at a minimum of five miles per hour.

The idea was pitched last May by Tommy McCann, a landscape architecture masters student at Penn State, after helping the extension program install the Teens 4 Good high tunnel. “I thought, ‘There must be some way to attach gutters to [the high tunnel] and collect the water and use it for something,’” he says.

McCann presented the problem to Timothy Simpson, an engineering professor and director of the Penn State Learning Factory, which provides hands-on learning to engineering students. Simpson pitched the challenge as

an initiative for the Learning Factory and in September, six undergraduate engineering students chose it for their semester-long project.

The students worked in collaboration with the teenage farmers and developed a system that addresses both the irrigation dilemma and the need to reduce stormwater overflows – a problem that plagues Philadelphia’s overburdened sewer system. Plus, the watering system has become a great education tool.

“They’ll be the first ones to show you how the bike works,” says Jamie McKnight, director at Teens 4 Good.

“It’s totally an educational piece right now for our youth.” If the system proves efficient, McKnight hopes to install pumps in other Teens 4 Good farms throughout the city. —Missy Steinberg

Extending the season and the community

While maximizing production is an important part of Lamont’s research, he sees high tunnels as serving critical community and education purposes as well. At Mort Brooks, the tunnel has become part of the curriculum, teaching kids the difference between high tunnels and greenhouses. At Saul, the high school students run a Community Supported Agriculture program, while some produce goes directly to their cafeteria; the tunnels have allowed them to work an extended season and increase yields. And at SHARE, the steady stream of volunteers isn’t interrupted by the weather – there’s always work to do in the tunnels.

Most of the alliance members are large organizations, but Penn State Extension has heard from smaller entities as well. A waiting list has formed and there are plans to expand the alliance with additional funding.

“This is the kind of thing that I can’t wait to put in front of my dean because, basically, extension in Pennsylvania is still pretty rural, big agriculture mindset,” says Byrnes.

“And we’re just constantly on a mission to make sure that the fine work that’s going on down here with the Bill Shicks and everybody else is getting the resources and attention they deserve.” 

“[The tunnel] basically allows us to grow crops late into the year and keep crops harvestable all winter, and obviously, allows us to get an early start on the season.”

BECOME AN ENVIRONMENTAL PROFESSIONAL • Restore damaged ecosystems • Grow community food crops • Renew urban neighborhoods • Design and build storm water gardens BS Landscape Architecture Nationally accredited professional program Master of Landscape Architecture Focused on Ecological Restoration BS and AS in Horticulture Plant science in a living environment

—rick rigutto

Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture School of Environmental Design www.temple.edu/ambler/lahort MLArch Information Sessions held last Wednesdays of the month

267.468.8181 71194 Temple Ad.indd 1

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You’ve mastered tomatoes and beets, but are you ready to take your garden to the next level? Chickens and bees can enhance your harvest and bring you joy that a plant can’t. Here’s how to get started. guide by alaina mabaso • illustrations by melissa m c feeters

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Starting from Scratch Be honest: it’s springtime, and you’ve been checking out some cute chicks. Sure, you’ve been a dutiful gardener, faithfully tending your fruits and vegetables, but now you’re wondering: Is there something more? You have an itch, and you need a chicken to scratch it.

Y

ou are not alone. Philadelphia has a growing number of backyard chicken keepers, a community both welcoming and inspiring. Whether you’re starting with chicks or adopting fully grown hens, you’ll find plenty of help from your new chicken-keeping friends. To get you started, Grid has put together this guide, which we hope will be an egg-cellent resource.

Are you ready for chickens?

Do your legal homework

Talk with your neighbors

Think about free range

Consider the time and cost

Resources

Local laws can vary significantly for This is a crucial first step in ensur- In a large enough yard, chickens Feeding chickens can be expeneach township, so be sure to check ing that entering your new life as can range free, eating grass, clover sive, especially if you opt for orthe regulations in your area. Some a chicken keeper is as smooth as and insects to supplement bagged ganic feed, and building a chicken may allow chickens, but limit the possible. How will neighbors re- feed. Such active, omnivorous coop can be costly and time connumber. Others may forbid selling spond to the altered look of your chickens produce the highest- suming. Veteran keepers suggest eggs. Coops or structures may re- property? How will they react if a quality eggs. But the benefits of free it’s easier and more cost-effective quire a special zoning permit. And chicken escapes into their yard? ranging should be weighed against to order a custom coop or build roosters are usually banned for And roosters aren’t the only ones risks to your chickens’ safety and a from a kit. These can cost uptheir natural noisemaking. to raise a racket. constant need to clean non-grassy wards of $200.

In Philadelphia, current zoning “There’s nothing subtle about areas. Like all birds, chickens can’t The good news: A well-built coop law doesn’t directly address keep- chickens,” warns Lisa Stockebrand, control their bowels. “It’s fair to will last. And chickens don’t require ing chickens. However, Chapter 10 a Melrose Park chicken owner. say,” reports a North Wales chicken too much care – budget about 10 of the zoning code defines chickens “When they lay an egg, you’ll know owner, “that chickens are either get- minutes a day for gathering eggs, as livestock, which are outlawed in all about it.” Will your neighbors ting ready to defecate, defecating, or refreshing straw, and cleaning out city limits. (So keeping chickens in mind the noise? have just defecated.” the coop.

Philadelphia is almost always illegal.) A few exceptions: propThe Small-Scale chickenowners.com Zoningmatters.org MyPetChicken.com erties of three Poultry Flock A hub for local chickenFor information on For ordering chicks acres or more, or

by Harvey Ussery keeping community Chicken current zoning law in and coops, and tips (Chelsea Green, 416 pp., Owners Outside (and in) educational, zoo Philadelphia. on raising chickens. $39.95, Oct. 2011) Philadelphia (COOP) or veterinary facilities. m ay 20 12

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Keep the coop sealed to prevent drafts, but not so tight that moisture can’t escape, leaving the chickens to get damp overnight.

Don’t be tempted to repurpose an existing shed or structure.

Veteran keepers suggest it’s easier and more cost-effective to order a custom coop or build from a kit.

Add a secure closure to keep out predators at night.

Build a perch at least an inch and a half across. This will allow the chickens’ chest feathers to comfortably cover their toes.

Ensure easy access to water outdoors for filling the chickens’ dish and necessary cleaning.

Choose Your Breed Chickens breeds come in different color varieties, some more rare than others. The chicken breed will determine egg color as well. And keep in mind, chickens can range widely in size. The larger the chicken, the more feed required.

Jersey Giant

rhode island red

A large, good-natured chicken and a productive egg layer.

A once popular bird making a comeback. Productive egg layers and hardy in the cold.

Orpington

ameraucanas

plymouth rock

dutch bantam

A hardy, docile layer who can withstand chilly temperatures.

A somewhat rare bird available only through a breeder.

Lays eggs in shades of blue.

A friendly bird popular on small farms. Good for free ranging and cold winters.

A hardy, practical chicken.

Make good egg layers and mothers.

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Chickens in the Garden Chickens are powerful, inveterate scratchers, and no lawn or garden lasts long under their feet. If you have room and can rotate your chickens’ daytime space, grass damaged by chickens grows back quickly, thanks

Provide an area with trees or bushes – especially if your chickens roam freely – to provide protection from weather and deter avian predators.

to the natural fertilizer of their droppings. Even better, after you clean the coop, the droppings are perfect for the compost pile – a plus for any serious gardener.

Build a sturdy fence to provide protection from common predators, like large birds of prey, foxes, weasels, rats, raccoons and even coyotes.

The fence should extend at least six to 12 inches underground, to deter digging predators.

Make way for eggs creature comforts Show some Love Handle your chicks often as they grow and they will become accustomed to your touch.

Also, if you make a certain call or noise at each feeding, over time your chickens will be conditioned to run towards you when they hear it – a handy way to get them into the coop when needed.

Party Animal Chickens need company. Some keepers swear chickens speak their own language of clucks and chirps. Each flock forms a unique social hierarchy, so watch out for bullies and separate harassed birds if necessary.

W

hen raising chickens, be patient.

Veteran keepers counsel to not give up hope if your chickens take some time to begin laying. “Relax. You are not running an egg factory,” advises Chuck Amos, Chicken Owners Outside Philadelphia (COOP) member. Chickens will lay eggs with or without a rooster, although laying varies seasonally according to daylight, and naturally slows during the shorter winter days.

During the peak of the summer, a healthy chicken, depending on the breed, can lay up to six eggs per week. Keepers who want to boost winter egg production can simulate the laying season by adding lights to the inside of the henhouse.

And don’t be alarmed if the nest you built is ignored; chickens will often scorn individual

nests to lay their eggs in one area.

While chickens will lay eggs for two to three years, some can live up to seven. Hens aren’t suitable for eating, as far as meat is concerned, but they can be rendered into

broth — an option some chicken owners might not feel comfortable with. “It costs a lot to keep the hens and feed them when they become pets and not laying hens,” explains Laurie Jenkins, Flourtown resident and founder of COOP. “We all struggle with what to do – it’s the reality of owning chickens.” m ay 20 12

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Bee confident The allure of sweet honey to call your own is strong. But is the risk of something sweet worth a few stings? Bee not afraid.

L

Apis mellifera

ike chicken keeping, beekeeping can be a challenging backyard undertaking. There’s the hive, the bees, the smoke, the bee suit, the threat of being stung. But relax...beekeeping is fun, and the reward is unmatched. And, as with chicken keeping, the community of beekeepers has grown tremendously in Philadelphia. There are classes, clubs, lectures and workshops to help you get started. For now, spend some time with this guide and check out the life of the backyard beekeeper. While bees may not be as cute as chickens, we bet you’ll enjoy caring for them just as much.

There are four different honey bee breeds; however, most beekeepers in the U.S. primarily use the European (Apis mellifera) honey bee.

Are you ready for bees?

Talk with your neighbors

Educate yourself

consider the time and cost

Since 1921, Pennsylvania law has regulated beekeeping in an effort to prevent outbreaks of contagious hive diseases. Current bee law requires all state beekeepers to register their hives with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and to submit to hive inspections.

Under the law, any “modern” hive is permissible as long as each frame or bar of the hive is removable for a full inspection for possible disease (non-compliant hives can be destroyed without compensation to the owner). Registration is $10 for two years and covers all hives on the property.

Check your local township policies as well (Philadelphia doesn’t have specific rules). Some may have additional registration requirements, laws that ban beehives or require a minimum distance from the beehive to public walkways or property lines.

“One of the biggest challenges to beekeeping in urban and suburban areas is that misconceptions about honey bees abound,” says Leo Donovall, chief apiary inspector for the state’s Department of Agriculture.

Talk with your neighbors about what they can expect from having a backyard beehive next door.

For help on how to start this conversation, check in with your local beekeeping clubs. Many will have resources about how to reach out appropriately to community and local authorities.

Honey bees are commonly affected by many internal and external parasites, viruses and illnesses.

Educate yourself on signs and symptoms, and commit to regular inspections of your hives and any necessary treatments.

Besides illness, bees are also prone to swarming, which happens when bees attempt to leave their hive for a new home or one colony splits in two. Learn the common signs of of swarming and find the professional beekeepers in your area able to catch swarms.

Are you ready for the expense of beekeeping? If you choose to buy all the trappings, beekeeping can become a costly endeavor. A basic two-level Langstroth hive can cost $270, and a Top-Bar hive upwards of $120. And that doesn’t even include the starter bee package (see page 34).

While you probably won’t spend a lot of time putting your hive together, be prepared for some hard work later. A full Langstroth hive can get heavy, so some serious physical labor is required.

Resources

Do your legal homework

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For local beekeeping events, advice on ordering bees and professional contacts to help remove swarms: The Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild phillybeekeepers.org

Montgomery County Beekeeping Association montcobee1.farming.officelive.com

Pennsylvania State Beekeepers Association pastatebeekeepers.org

For more information on hive registration and regulations

Natural Beekeeping Organic Approaches to Modern Apiculture

by Ross Conrad (Chelsea Green, 240 pp., $35, June 2007)

Anatomy of a Hive There are two hives commonly used in the beekeeping world: the Langstroth hive and the Top-Bar hive. Both can be great options for backyard beekeeping.

Langstroth Hives The boxy Langstroth is the most commonly used hive in the U.S. and Europe. They can be purchased pre-built, or constructed from kits. Hives should be placed in a mostly sunny area, facing southeast. Don’t paint them too dark, which can overheat the bees. If necessary, the hives can be moved to more sheltered locations in winter.

The Father of Modern Beekeeping Philadelphia-born teacher and clergyman Lorenzo Langstroth (1810-1895) patented the world’s first beehive with removable frames in 1852, revolutionizing the honey-collection process. His design ensured that bees wouldn’t use propolis (a resin-like mixture made by bees) or wax to bond the hive together. Langstroth’s book The Hive and the Honeybee, introduced beekeeping methods still practiced today.

1 The size of the hive can be increased by placing additional boxes on top of the bottom board. Each box usually hosts between eight and 10 verticallyinstalled removable frames.

2 The bottom box is the deepest and hosts the hive’s queen and “brood”, or developing eggs and larvae.

3 Shallower upper boxes primarily hold honey, the bees’ food store.

4 Each frame carries a sheet of plastic or beeswax as a foundation for the bees’ honeycomb. The cells, depending on the location within the hive, are filled with baby bees, nectar or honey.

5 A weatherproof roof covers the hive.

top-bar hives Popular among first-time beekeepers, Top-Bar hives are part of a growing trend to return to a more natural style of beekeeping in which the bees are not obliged to draw out their comb on a vertical structure. These hives are especially suited to beekeepers who like to harvest wax as well as honey – they do not allow for honey to be harvested separately from the comb, as with the Langstroth hive.

PRO Some proponents of natural beekeeping argue the Top-Bar method is a healthier lifestyle for the bees, allowing instinctual building tendencies. The Langstroth hive is primarily designed for ease of human inspection and harvest.

PRO Top-Bar hives are relatively easy to build, inexpensive and require no heavy lifting on the part of the beekeeper.

CON Unlike in the Langstroth, the comb in the Top-Bar hive is not structurally supported. There is a greater risk of wax breakage, especially during hot-weather inspections.

1 Top-Bar hives have a trapezoidal shape and stand about 12 inches high. The hives’ sides can vary in length although they are always at a 120-degree angle to the bottom of the hive..

2 Wooden bars lie across the top of the hive.

They have no frame for the bees to build on; instead, a small ridge runs along the bottom of each bar, which can be dipped in melted beeswax.

This encourages the bees to begin building their comb to hang from the top-bars in a natural threedimensional shape.

3 A secure weatherproof roof covers the hive.

5 4 3 2 3

1

1

2

Bees in the Garden

the hive may be in your garden, but bees will fly within a three-mile radius in search of food.

Chemical-free gardens are best for bees, which is one reason organic gardening is so important.

Do you have a high fence or hedge? Placing a hive next to these can naturally encourage bees to take a regular flight-path above human height, minimizing problematic run-ins.

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Country Bees and City Bees Traditionally a rural image, the beehive has made inroads into urban and suburban environments where bees are leading surprisingly healthy lives. Rural bees are increasingly limited to food from massive monocultures treated with pesticides and herbicides. City bees enjoy a vibrant small-scale polyculture, featuring a variety of plants, flowers and trees. Found in

parks, street plantings, lawns and gardens, this vegetation is typically not treated with herbicides or pesticides, keeping chemicals out of the hive.

And while space on the ground may be at a premium, city rooftops are proving an ideal place for hives. Milk & Honey Market in West Philadelphia and Weavers Way Co-op in Chestnut Hill host hives on their roofs for Urban Apiaries, a

If you build it, will they come?

While birdhouses attract birds, a beehive will likely not attract a colony of bees. A bee “package” can be purchased from reputable beekeepers online and will include two to three pounds of living bees and a mated queen. The best time to order bees is January for an April delivery. Many bee experts also urge new keepers to start with two hives, in case one hive experiences setbacks. Aside from the additional cost, there is little extra effort in beginning two hives.

Colony Collapse Disorder While losing bees from winter weather is usual, over the past few years beekeepers have experienced a new magnitude of hive loss. The culprit? Colony Collapse Disorder.

Scientists are still determining the disorder’s specific cause; climate

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change, habitat destruction, pesticides and disease have all been suggested. Sam Comfort, founder of the New York-based Anarchy Apiaries and a speaker at February’s annual Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild Symposium, goes as far as to give the disorder another name: “It’s more like People Collapse Disorder,” he says. Comfort sees the disorder as rooted in a dysfunctional agricultural system where genetically modified crops and use of agricultural chemicals and pesticides, as well as industrially-kept honeybees’ unnatural cycle of year-round work, mean bees are more susceptible than ever before to existing parasites and viruses. In the meantime, colony loss is threatening serious damage to our food supply and our ecosystem as bees hold a crucial role in pollination.

Philadelphia-based honey business. Founded in 2009, Urban Apiaries has 32 apiaries throughout the city, many on rooftops. At-home beekeepers are getting in on the action too, finding roofs a great place to host their small-scale hives.

For more information on Urban Apiaries, visit urbanapiaries.com

A taste of

honey Have patience.

Taste the difference.

New hives commonly take two years to produce enough excess honey for beekeepers to harvest.

Honey can have an extraordinary range of flavors thanks to the flora local to where it’s produced. Philadelphia-based Urban Apiaries has made an asset of this variety, labeling their honey with the different zip codes of their hives throughout the city.

Time your harvest.

The more pollen in springtime, the earlier the bees get to work and the more honey available for harvest.

Harvesting honey in late summer, when fewer blooms mean the bees will rely more on their honey stores for food, could potentially endanger the hive’s health. Think about how your harvesting will affect the bees’ food supply. During cold Pennsylvania winters, bees may need to be fed with sugar water or even better, purchased pollen.

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urban naturalist

by bernard brown

A Frog in Your Ears O

Big sounds from small frogs fill the spring air head out into the field. The NAAMP uses volunteers to monitor frog populations. You can help build the database that helps researchers know how well (or poorly) populations are doing. bernard brown is an amateur field herper, 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 .

1.25 inches

ne early sign that spring has ar- ally hard,” says Maret. The difficulty in studying rived is the sound of Spring Peepers. this problem is exacerbated by the lack of fundTo call these frogs “peepers” is a bit of ing available to fuel the work. an understatement. They have loud, projecting For me, this is both a call to action and a recalls. When you finally track down one of the minder to get out and appreciate even the comlittle guys (easiest with a friend to triangulate on mon creatures while they’re still common. Frogs the sound), it’s a surprise to find a frog no bigger and toads will be singing their little hearts out than your thumbnail, beige with a darker X on into June, so now’s the time to start enjoying its back. Get a hundred together and you can’t them. Check out the North American Amphibhear anything else. ian Monitoring Project (NAAMP) website (pwrc.

For me, this is one of the defining joys of usgs.gov/naamp ) to listen to the calls before you spring. I’ll be out in a marsh at night, and I’ll wade into the middle. The peepers will shut up for a moment, frightened by the Godzilla in their midst. Then one courageous frog calls, a challenge a few more can’t resist, and soon I’m enveloped in an overwhelming chorus of “peep” as complete aurally as the night is visually.

Of course, the frogs do not intend to serenade me; the singers are males calling for love and defending their turf. They might be tiny, but they’re tough. Along with the peeps, you can make out little trills, the sound male peepers make in direct response to another male getting too close.

Here in Philadelphia, peepers sing down at the Heinz National Wildlife Refuge near the airport, and at just about any other rural water in the area where they can find shallows with weeds or grass to hide in. They are so common now that it’s hard to imagine spring without them. Unfortunately, once-common frogs and toads are disappearing all over the world, most famously due to a species of infectious fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd).

Could this happen to the peepers? Tim Maret, a herpetologist in the Shippensburg University Biology Department, has found that four species of chorus frogs, close peeper relatives, have been mysteriously declining throughout Pennsylvania for the past 50 years. The cause doesn’t seem to be pesticides. It might be Bd, but no one knows for sure. The sustained peeper population only deepens the mystery, says Maret, as one would expect something that hurts chorus frogs to also hurt their peeper cousins. Other Pennsylvania frogs are also in inexplicable decline: cricket frogs, northern leopard frogs and spadefoot toads. “Turning average size (to scale) the unknowns to knowns is re36

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shoots

ladders

by char vandermeer

In the Underground Root vegetables, the perfect crops for kids

W

hen I was a little squirt, my folks always made sure I had a patch of garden all to myself. My specialties were radishes and carrots, but I also have happy memories harvesting potatoes with my dad. What fun it was rooting underneath those big, leafy green plants, looking for hidden treasure—tiny red-skinned new potatoes. Like an Easter egg hunt, but dirtier and less chocolaty. And so much more rewarding than weeding the monster garden my folks planted.

Lest you get the wrong impression of my time in the garden, let me assure you there’s a pattern here: Root vegetables are fun! And containers more or less eliminate weeding altogether. While potatoes are awesome, March is the best time to plant them in Philly, so let’s focus on a few other high-reward crops.

Radishes are pretty much perfect for kids. The seeds are just big enough for little fingers to grasp, and within a month those same fingers will be yanking up a bright red, peppery vegetable that’s perfect for quick pickling and serving alongside some tasty kimchee, which our kid happens to love. Radishes thrive in cooler weather, so aim to plant a couple dozen seeds each week throughout April 38

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and May. But gardeners beware—cabbage loopers (pesky garden-eating worms) love radish greens, so send junior on a hunting trip and offer a shiny penny or a high five for every looper killed. Think of it as a cheap, organic pesticide.

And if you’ve memorized Ruth Krauss and Crockett Jones’ victory garden classic The Carrot Seed, as we have, carrots are a must. The thrill of pulling up a pointy orange vegetable is something no dirt-loving kid can resist. Toss in some Parmex or Tonda di Parigi carrot seeds and blow their little minds with a few golf-ballshaped carrots planted alongside the familiar spears.

Carrots are great way to teach your kid patience and perseverance. It takes two to three weeks for the seeds to germinate, hence Krauss’s warning: “Everyone kept saying, ‘It won’t come up.’” (Here’s a tip: Soak the seeds overnight to speed germination.) Have your little one thin the young carrot plants, leaving three inches between plants (measuring!), and a mere 60 days or so later, with regular water and weeding check-ins, you’ll have carrots ready for the picking.

If patience isn’t your virtue, and space is at a premium, you can commingle your carrot and radish seeds.

Both are planted at a depth of a quarter to half an inch. The radishes will keep your mini-me occupied, and will be ready for harvest long before your carrots. As a bonus, by the time the radishes have been plucked, your wee one won’t have to commit as much carrotcide through thinning. char vandermeer tends a container garden on her South Philly roof deck; she chronicles the triumphs and travails at plantsondeck.com

guest column

by samantha wittchen

Deregulation Time Have energy prices changed since the caps came off last year?

B

y mid-2010, news of PECO’s energy rate caps expiring had the media filled with doomsday tales of electricity prices rising 20 to 30 percent by the end of the year. And then, a strange thing happened – or rather, it didn’t happen. As the ball dropped at midnight on January 1, 2011, electricity rates remained stable. In fact, for many customers who took advantage of the opportunity to switch electricity suppliers, their bills dropped. So, what’s the story? Was the fear that deregulation was going to send us to the poorhouse just hype?

When looking at what happened as rate caps expired in other parts of the state, it seemed logical to predict a price jump here in the Philadelphia area. For example, in 2010, PPL, a major energy company in Pennsylvania, had customers see significant rate increases. But by 2011, the stagnant economy had changed the market.

Wholesale electric prices had decreased, and PECO customers were already paying more for their electricity due to higher competitive transition charges (temporary charges to cover costs of previous power generation investments). In late 2010, PECO formally announced that rates would only rise by about five percent. With more modest increases, many residents remained with PECO, citing confusion about options available, fear of being taken advantage of, and lack of time to search for savings.

As of March 2012, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) reported only 25 percent of residential customers had switched to a new supplier. For those who did switch, many discovered lower rates. In some cases, customers now pay less for clean, renewable energy than they would have for dirty-sourced energy. But perhaps more important than the savings is how the rate cap expiration has shaped the conversation in the region around energy.

Before deregulation, residents had few options for renewable energy. Now, there are 11 suppliers. These choices have allowed Philadelphians to talk more specifically about renewable energy, says Alex Fuller-Young, electricity program manager for the Energy Cooperative, a Philadelphia nonprofit energy cooperative offering members Pennsylvania-based renewable energy. Residents can discuss what actually

constitutes renewable energy (i.e. Does coal waste count?) and whether sourcing renewable energy locally versus from somewhere across the country is important. “This is the conversation that the Energy Cooperative wants to start having,” says Fuller-Young, “and it has been enabled by the rate caps coming off.”

Renewable energy providers and residents who want to purchase renewable energy aren’t the only ones to have benefited. With the City of Philadelphia able to purchase electricity from suppliers other than PECO, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has targeted Philly to become the largest green power-purchasing city in the country. “Green power purchasing” is the percentage of total power purchased from renewable sources.

Washington, D.C. is currently the top green energy user, although our own Borough of Swarthmore ranks third in the percentage used category.

Through EPA’s Green Power Community partnership program, local government, businesses and residents collectively buy green power. In order to surpass D.C., Philadelphia needs to get more than 8.5 percent of its power from renewable sources.

And thanks to expanded electricity choices, that could happen.

The predicted rate increases were not crippling, as some expected they would be, but consumers are now exposed to another danger: price fluctuations and potential rate increases based on the energy market. So while the rates are comparatively low now, there is no guarantee they will continue. Luckily, the deregulation has pushed the renewable energy conversation forward, giving customers more (and greener) options than PECO. 

But perhaps more important than the savings is how the rate cap expiration has shaped the conversation in the region around energy.

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Earth Day Events APr

Earth Friendly Pest Management

Learn to deal with garden pests using Integrated Pest Management – the common sense approach that uses rhythms of nature and an observant eye.

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APr 21

31st Annual 5K Run for Clean Air and Earth Day Celebration

The Clean Air Council’s 5K is a community effort to decrease air pollution and support programs that reduce waste and encourage recycling and composting.

→→ Wed., Apr 11, 7-8:30 p.m., $15 non-members/

$10 members, The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, 8480 Hagy’s Mill Rd. To register, call 215.482.7300 x110 or email scee@ schuylkillcenter.org

APr

The Food Not Eaten

Jonathan Bloom, journalist and author of American Wasteland: How America Throws Away Nearly Half of Its Food (and What We Can Do About It), will speak about food waste.

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apr

Fourth Annual Earth Day Festival and Flea Market at 21 Clark Park: “Earth Uprising: Rebirthing the Planet!”

Enjoy a farmers market, food trucks, live music, kids activities, flea market and free sustainability workshops at this annual Earth Day festival.

→→ Sat., Apr 21, 9-11 a.m., $20-$120, Martin Luther

King Dr. next to the Art Museum. To register, visit 5krunforcleanair.org

APr

Earth Day Terrarium Workshop

Build your own terrarium and learn to care for these enclosed gardens that mimic the natural process between plants and the atmosphere. Cost includes terrarium materials.

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→→ Wed., Apr 11, 6-8 p.m., free, Claudia Cohen Hall,

G17 Auditorium, University of Pennsylvania, 249 S. 36th St. To register, visit library.upenn.edu/exhibits/

APr

→→ Sat., Apr 21, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., free, Clark Park, 43rd

St. and Chester Ave. For more information, call 215.387.0919 or visit uhurufleamarket.blogspot.com

APr 21

Collingswood 4th Annual Green Festival

Check out booths with eco-friendly products, local food and information and tips on sustainable living. Bring hard-to-recycle items like sneakers, cell phones and alkaline batteries.

→→ Sat., Apr 21, 6:30-8 p.m., $50, City Planter, 814

N. 4th St. To register, call 215.627.6169 or visit City Planter

→→ Sat., Apr 21, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., free, Irvin Ave., Collingswood, N.J. For more information, visit collingswood.com/parks/going-green

Urbanized

A documentary about the design of cities, specifically the issues and strategies behind urban design. Screening will be followed by a conversation with the director.

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Earth Day Celebration at Bucks County Gardens

Celebrate Earth Day with local vendors, workshops and kids activities in the oasis of Bucks Country Gardens.

→→ Thurs., Apr 12, 6-8:15 p.m., free, University of

Pennsylvania – School of Design, Meyerson Hall, B-1, 210 S. 34th St. For more information, visit design.upenn.edu/calendar

→→ Sun., Apr 22, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., free, Bucks Country

Gardens, 1057 N. Easton Rd., Doylestown. For more information, visit harmonyhillgardens.com/lotusproject.php

APr 13

Students for Responsible Business: Better Business Conference

A diverse group of local and national companies will showcase initiatives for corporate social responsibility to inspire students to opt for triple bottom line careers.

APr 14

Doris Stahl, a horticultural educator with Philadelphia Penn State Extension, teaches how to plan and plant your community garden.

→→ Fri., Apr 13, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., free, Fox School of

Business, Temple University, 1801 Liacouras Walk. For more information, visit fox.temple. edu/posts/2012/04/better-business-conferencealter-132d-alter-hall-atrium

APr 13

Greensgrow 4th Annual Whole Hog Head-to-Tail Feast

Enjoy live rockabilly music, local beers and wine, and an expansive buffet from local Riverward restaurants and chefs in support of Greensgrow Community Kitchen. →→ Fri., Apr 13, 6-9 p.m., $75 general public/

$50 CSA Member, Philadelphia Brewing Company, 2439 Amber St. For tickets, visit wholehog.eventbrite.com

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PSU Master Gardeners: Community Garden Know How

→→ Sat., Apr 14, 9-11 a.m. $10, Fairmount Park

APr

Walk+Run Against Hunger

Participate in this 5K race to support more than 100 food pantries, soup kitchens and hunger-relief agencies in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

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→→ Sat., Apr 14, 7 a.m.-12 p.m. $30 on event day/ $25

until April 12/ free to walk, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Ben Franklin Pkwy. To register, visit hungercoalition.org/hungerwalk

Horticultural Center, N. Horticultural and Montgomery Dr. For more information, visit extension. psu.edu/philadelphia/events/community-garden

APr

GO WEST! Craft Fest

Fifty of Philly’s finest artists and crafters will be displaying their handmade wares for purchase. The all-day event includes live music and special kids activities.

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→→ Sat., Apr 14, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., free, The Woodlands,

4000 Woodland Ave. For more information, visit gowestcraftfest.blogspot.com

APr oct t h r u

PECO Green Roof Tour

Tour the PECO green roof and learn about green roof technology and how it can help the environment.

Ages 18 and older.

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→→ Every third Tues., Apr-Oct, 5-6 p.m., $10 gen-

eral public/$5 members, PECO Building, 2301 Market St. To register, visit pennhort.com or call 215.988.8869

APr 18

Growing Your Landscape: A Design Workshop

A panel of experienced gardeners, restoration experts and designers will present basic design principles and guide you through the first steps of your own garden design. →→ Wed., Apr 18, 7-8:30 p.m., $15 non-members/$10

members, The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, 8480 Hagy’s Mill Rd. To register, call 215482-7300 x110 or e-mail scee@schuylkillcenter.org

APr APr

Earth Day Bike Tour of the Navy Yard

APr

PEC Silent Auction Soiree

Celebrate Earth Day with a bike tour of the cutting edge sustainable building and business practices at work every day in the Navy Yard.

Pennsylvania Environmental Council’s Silent Auction is a chance to mingle along the Delaware River while bidding on unique environmentally-themed gifts and experiences.

Ticket includes complimentary cocktail reception.

→→ Tues., Apr 24, 3:30-5:00 p.m. free (bring your

→→ Sat., Apr 14, 5:30-7:30 p.m., $40 general pub-

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own bike and helmet), starts at Crescent Park.

For more information and to register, visit

lic/$30 PEC members, Corinthian Yacht Club, 300 W. 2nd St., Essington. To register, visit pecpa.org/

gpichub.org/events/2012/earth-day-tour-of-thenavy-yard

silentauction2012

APr

APr

Vegetable Gardening 101

Learn how to select a good site, choose the best plant varieties, sow seeds, maintain plants and cultivate the soil to ensure fresh vegetables throughout the growing season.

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→→ Sat., Apr 14, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., $30 general public/

$25 members, Meadowbrook Farm, 1633 Washington Ln., Meadowbrook. To register, visit pennhort.com or call 215.988.8872

APr

Public Art Bike Tours

The Fairmount Park Art Association is introducing their new Public Art Bike Map with a tour of Fairmount Park sculptures.

Part of Site Seeing, a month-long celebration of public art in Philadelphia.

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String Gardens

Learn to plant your favorite foliage using strings and moss to create two kokedama creations during this hands-on workshop.

Enjoy complimentary wine and cheese.

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→→ Sat., Apr 14, 6:30-8 p.m., $40, City Planter,

814 N. 4th St. To register, call 215.627.6169 or visit City Planter

apr 17

Urban Sustainability Forum: Urban Heat Islands: Is Philly the New Tropics?

A discussion on urban heat islands (specifically Philadelphia’s own heat alert warning system) and how they affect densely populated cities.

Part of the Academy of Natural Sciences’ Bicentennial Town Square Series. →→ Tues., Apr 17, 6-8:30 p.m., free for Academy mem-

→→ Sat., Apr 14, 1:30- 4:30 p.m., free, 24th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. To register, visit museumwithoutwallsaudio.org

bers/$5 for nonmembers Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pky. For tickets, visit ansp.org/visit/events

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Growing a Green Thumb: Vegetable Gardening 101

This session will cover planning a garden, soil preparation, selecting the right varieties, planting, and making the most of your available space. →→ Thurs., Apr 19, 6-7:30 p.m., $15, The Salvation

Army Kroc Center of Philadelphia, 4200 Wissahickon Ave. To register, visit pennhort.com or call 215.988.8872

apr

NextFab 2 Preview Party

Get a sneak preview of the future home of Philadelphia’s premiere facility for artistic and technological innovation. Event includes demos from the NextFab community, refreshments, and music and video entertainment.

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→→ Thurs., Apr 19, 6-9 p.m., $25 general public/$15

NextFab member/$150 corporate sponsorship, 2025 Washington Ave. For more information and to buy tickets, visit nextfabstudio.com/preview-party

APr 19

Global Food Security: A 21st Century Challenge

Dr. Alan M. Kelly, veterinary medicine professor and dean emeritus at University of Pennsylvania, will speak on agriculture’s challenges to expand production while conserving the environment and controlling disease. →→ Thurs., Apr 19, 6:30-8:30 p.m., free, Hill Pavilion

Room 130, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, 380 S. University Ave. For more information and to register, visit library. upenn.edu/exhibits/americanpie.html

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APr

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The Future of Food: Sustainable Agriculture is not optional

APr

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Cool-Season Harvesting and Post-Harvest Handling

Dr. John E. Ikerd, agricultural economics professor emeritus at the University of Missouri, will talk about sustainable agriculture and the challenges facing the movement.

One of six Philadelphia Community Farming Collaborative On-Farm Field Days designed as an introduction to farming for beginners.

→→ Tues., Apr 24, 6-8 p.m., free, Claudia Cohen Hall,

→→ Wed., Apr 25, 6-7 p.m., free, East Park Revitaliza-

G17 Auditorium, University of Pennsylvania, 249 S. 36th St. To register and for more information, visit

tion Alliance, Natrona St. and West Montgomery Ave. For more information, call 215.988.8885

library.upenn.edu/exhibits/americanpie.html

APr

Window Box Design and Demo

Mary Costello, City Planter owner, will demonstrate how to combine color, textures, heights and fillers to create container combinations according to your lighting conditions.

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→→ Fri., Apr 20, 6:30-8 p.m., free, City Planter, 814 N. 4th St. To register, e-mail info@cityplanter.com or

call 215.627.6169

APr

Composting & Compost Tea

apr

Bill McKibben: Building the Movement to Save the Climate

apr

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Wyebrook Farm Market Grand Opening

Renowned author and environmentalist Bill McKibben will speak and answer questions about his work in the climate change movement.

Wyebrook Farm debuts their farm market with a grand opening celebration. Tour the grounds, enjoy live music and sample the farm’s hand-butchered, pasture-raised meat.

→→ Tues., Apr 24, 7:30-9 p.m. free, Lang Performing

→→ Sat. Apr 28, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wyebrook Farm, 150

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Arts Center Concert Hall, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave., Swarthmore. For more information, visit pendlehill.org

Wyebrook Rd., Honey Brook. For more information, visit wyebrookfarm.com

A workshop on turning everyday household waste into nutrient-rich compost and “compost tea”, a magical potion that fertilizes and prevents disease.

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→→ Sat., Apr 21, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., $30 general pub-

lic/$25 members, Meadowbrook Farm, 1633 Washington Ln., Meadowbrook. To register, visit pennhort.com or call 215.988.8872

APr

MOOREcycle

View “upcycled” creations by Moore College of Art & Design students and make your own crafts at this outdoor event. Part of the school’s new environmental campaign MOOREcycle.

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→→ Sat., Apr 21, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., free, Moore College of

Art and Design, 20th St. and The Parkway. For more information, visit moore.edu/moorecycle

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First Pickles Workshop with Marisa McClellan

Philadelphia-based canning teacher, blogger and cookbook author Marisa McClellan will walk through the basics of boiling water bath canning. Class includes food safety tips, best canning practices and more. →→ Sat., Apr 21, 12-2 p.m., $35, Greensgrow Community

Kitchen at St. Michaels, 2139 East Cumberland St. To register, visit greensgrow.org/events

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Weird Waste Day

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Vertical Gardening Using Pallets

Bring your computers, TVs, printers, faxes, cell phones and other electronic waste to be responsibly reused or dismantled.

Greensgrow’s farm manager teaches how to garden in small urban spaces by using a wooden pallet to build your very own green wall.

→→ Sat., Apr 21, 1-4 p.m., $5 to $20 suggested dona-

→→ Sun., Apr 29, 12-2 p.m., $20, Greensgrow

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tion, Norwood Academy, Germantown campus parking lot, 8991 Germantown Ave. For more information, visit greeninchestnuthill.blogspot.com

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Farms Greenhouse, 2501 E. Cumberland St. To register, visit greensgrow.org

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Wissahickon Creek Clean Up and Trash Talkin’ Picnic

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Billy Jonas in Concert

Join Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed in their annual creek clean up and Trash Talkin’ picnic.

Experience Billy Jonas’ use of found objects (buckets, bottles, key chains and more) as well as traditional instruments to create percussion-based music for audiences of all ages.

→→ Sat., Apr 28, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., meets at the pavilion

→→ Sun., Apr 29, 3-4 p.m., $6 before Apr 15/ $8 after

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along Forbidden Drive, south of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. For more information and to register, visit fow.org

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Conserving the City Symposium: Critical History and Urban Conservation

Join historians, preservationists and urban designers, among others, in an exploration of current thinking and practices of urban conservation. →→ Sat., Apr 28, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. free,

University of Pennsylvania – School of Design, Meyerson Hall, 210 S. 34th St. To register, visit conservingthecity-eorg.eventbrite.com

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The Food Trust Pancake Breakfast

Kick off the farmers market season with a home-style farm-to-table meal, prepared by chefs Mitch and Jennifer Prensky of Supper restaurant and Global Dish Caterers. →→ Sun., Apr 29, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., $25, Headhouse Farm-

ers Market, 2nd and Lombard Sts. For tickets, visit thefoodtrust.ticketleap.com/pancake-breakfast

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Apr 15, Ardsley Community Center, 2828 Spear Ave., Ardsley. To register, visit briarbush.org

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United By Blue Cleanup

Enjoy a free cookout at 5 p.m., followed by a few hours of picking up trash along the Schuylkill. Supplies and snacks provided.

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→→ Tues., May 1, 5-7 p.m., Bartram’s Garden, 54th St.

and Lindbergh Blvd. For more information, visit unitedbyblue.com/upcoming-cleanups

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A Woolly Herb Garden

Get your hands dirty and learn how to plant and care for your very own wall garden, perfect for kitchen herbs. Supplies and complimentary wine and cheese provided.

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→→ Wed., May 2, 6:30-8 p.m., $35,

City Planter, 814 N. 4th St. To register, visit cityplanter.com/storefront/events

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Deep Roots Explore an outdoor art installation by Meei-Ling Ng located on an organic farm of a local permaculturist. Part of the Turtle Artisans Tour in Cheltenham.

→→ Sat.-Sun., May 5-6, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.,

free, Elkins Park Front Yard Farm, 7607 Spring Ave., Elkins Park. For more information, visit meeiling.com

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Yellow Springs Farm Spring 2012 Annual Open Farm Day

Enjoy a native plants sale with more than 200 species and an artisanal goat cheese tasting at the annual Yellow Springs Farm open house. →→ Sat.-Sun., May 5-6, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., free, Yellow

Springs Farm, 1165 Yellow Springs Rd., Chester Springs. For more information, visit yellowspringsfarm.com/events-schedule.php

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Philly Swap 2012

A clothing swap and series of do-ityourself workshops featuring the talents of local artists and DIY specialists offering alternatives to consumerism.

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→→ Sat., May 12, 12-5 p.m., $20 general admission/$10

Spring Craft Bazaar at Greensgrow

Enjoy the Greensgrow farmstead while shopping for a Mother’s Day gift from a talented array of local artists and craft vendors.

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with clothes/$10 students & seniors, Broad Street Ministry, Lower Level, 315 S Broad St. For more information, visit thephillyswap.com

→→ Sat., May 5, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., free, Greensgrow Farms,

2501 E. Cumberland St. For more information, email events@greensgrow.org

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Love Buzz

Learning by bumbling with bees by tanya veitch

F

irst, a confession: I am a full-on honey bee nerd. I love my bees and am totally addicted to beekeeping. I’ve been “keeping” bees since July 2010. In that time I’ve lost sleep, been stung (my fault), felt terrified and overwhelmed, and of course, made what feels like a million rookie mistakes. Still, I kept returning to the hive, and eventually I started to get the knack for this crazy hobby.

My first bees arrived from a nice guy named Fred. I found him on Craigslist and after a few informative, pleasant emails, he showed up at my house with a nuc – a small starter hive involving three frames of bees with brood (baby bees) and a queen, and two frames of honey and pollen. I was very nervous. Not as much about the bees, but of making a fool of myself in front of Fred. I had never handled bees or even taken a class; all I had was a how-to book and a strong desire to have bees.

Fred spent an hour showing me “the girls” and giving instructions. He was calm, moved slowly, wore only a veil (no gloves) and used no smoke. My bees settled into the new hive, and I attached a feeder full of sugar syrup before saying goodbye to Fred.

I watched my new pets as often as I could and kept their feeder full. They seemed to be thriving and even managing common pests, like Giant Hornets and Small Hive Beetles. When fall turned cold, I bundled the hive in foam board and wished them well. I nervously watched from a distance all winter, praying they would pull through. Sometimes I stood with my ear against the hive listening for a reassuring hum.

On the first warm day I opened the hive for 46

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inspection. After months away I was clumsy and not prepared for the huge number of bees. I lifted the box from the top without first loosening individual frames, and comb – laden with brood – began to tear and fall off. One well-deserved sting and panic set in as angry guard bees took to the air. I dropped the box and made a dash away from it all. I felt overwhelmed and stupid. What was I thinking?

After recovering from what happened, I realized I couldn’t just leave the bees. Once I walked away the bees had calmed down, so I put the hive back together as best as I could. I felt like I must have squashed a hundred bees in my bumbling first attempt to examine them. I was shaking and covered in sweat. Maybe I wasn’t cut out for this hobby.

Over the next few months I cleaned up the hive and made sure not to repeat my mistakes.

I tried to move slowly and not squash bees. I used my smoker. I worked on being calm. I got stung three more times. I bought leather gloves and wore thick pants. I started to feel more confident.

In June 2011, we harvested 35 pounds of hon-

ey. It was a delicious, sticky mess and a great day. I turned it into a family affair, dragging everything inside, escorting a few remaining bees back outside, “spinning” the honey from the comb and finally, pouring the sweet amber goodness into sterilized jars. We sold some, used lots and gave away even more to our family, friends and (very importantly) neighbors.

Since then, another winter has passed. Now it’s March and the bees are flying around, gathering pollen and nectar. They seem to be enjoying the unusually mild weather as much as we are and I look forward to sampling honey influenced by these early flowering plants. I’m excited for another season with my bees and while I’m becoming a better beekeeper, I’m sure there will be mistakes – maybe fewer this time around!

tanya veitch , a fulltime urban homesteader and part time RN, is a wife (to a very tolerant husband) and mother of two lovely girls. She and her family live in East Falls. illustration by stephen ha igh

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What matters most?

Walk-In wednesdays

Biodiversity Matters.

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

Students in the University of Pennsylvania’s Master of Environmental Studies are passionate about wednesdays biodiversity and how plants and animals interact

Walk-In

with each other and with the environment.

The Environmental Biology concentration—including coursework in Botany, Wetlands, Freshwater Ecology, and Ecological Design—prepares

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

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our graduates for careers in environmental research, environmental consulting, or horticulture or wildlife biology.

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

www.facebook.com/UPennEES