created by the swarthmore food cooperative

october 2013INSIDERth

e

wellnesswednesdayevery wednesday from 11 AM - 2 PM

What’s Inside

features

follow us

you said it page 3

gm’s corner page 6

upcoming events page 7

secret gardens of south phillypage 11

the simple lifepage 13

celebrating co-opspage 15

recipe 101 page 8

how to page 9

10 for 30s page 17

you said it“This Merrymead farm milk is amazing. Thank you for bring-ing it to the co-op! And I also ap-preciate all the other information you’ve posted about the farm. On a slightly related note, what hap-pened to Hoover’s multicolored eggs? I haven’t seen any eggs explic-itly marked as “pastured” in the case lately. Do hens go indoors in the fall or something?”

- Angie

We receive Meadow Run & Hoover

eggs whenever possible. Because

Meadow Run & Hoover eggs are

pastured, they are not ava

ilable all

the time due to the farmers and

their hens. Like you, we believe tha

t

these eggs are some of the best

in

terms of quality and sustainabi

lity.

As an alternative, we do carry ca

ge-

free organic eggs. Thank

you for

your comment, Angie, and if you

have any further question

s please

feel free to email us!

“I congratulate you on the Back to Basics program. We can all use a few extra pennies in our pockets. The Co-op is a cornerstone of our community and keeping affordable prices when and where we can will only serve to enhance the diverse members of our community. As I am now in retire-ment, I know I appreciate the co-op taking a leadership position here; perhaps other merchants might fol-low. Thank you for your dedicated service to our swarthmore com-munty.”

- Annon.

“I bought some of your soup a few days ago and put it in the fridge, and only now had the chance to eat it. Just wanted to let you know that this is hands-down the best cream of mushroom soup I’ve ever tasted. I wish I’d bought more!”

- Kathy

fried chicken Every friday starting at 2 pm

friday

gm’s cornerFood has always been a big part of my life. I get excited reading about food, getting to a great new restaurant, or get-ting behind the stove professionally and for my family. Like food, sports have always been a big part of my life too. With the upcom-ing Olympics, I am anxious to see the speed skaters, cross country skiers, and curlers (well, not so much the curlers). I must also admit that I’m very excited for another football season to start. But these days my love for sports seems to compete with the politics that conincide with them. Recent conflicts, such as the NFL settlements and the social struggles between the Russian government and the Olympic athletes, got me thinking about whether I should support what it seems like this business

is based upon. If I spend my life fighting for issues in food that are important to me - GMO labeling, the sustainability of food products, and supporting farmers that believe in the stewardship of our land, water and skies - why shouldn’t I do the same for all aspects of my life? Wendell Berry said that everything we put on our plate is a political statement. It seems that everything I do these days has political implications, or am I just getting older? But rather than turning my back on sports all together, I will use my knowledge to educate others, just as I do in the food industry. I will inject my dis-cussion about football with my knowledge of concus-sions and how they have hurt the men that play the game. Instead of boycotting the Olympics, I am going to raise awareness of organizations like Play For All that support all people and their desire to participate in sports. And, like always, instead of dismissing res-taurants that do not take sustainability into account, I will continue to patronize them and talk about these issues.

- Marc BrownGold, General Manager

upcoming events

october

4 2612Quizzo8 pmBYOB

membersappreciationDay

food day

recipe 101

with these simple flavored water recipes

RETHINK HYDRATION

for all recipes...- bruise herbs with the back of a knife to release flavor

- cut fruit into slices or cubes- place in a pitcher of water & let it sit in fridge for 15 min.

basil, cucumber, lime2 limes

1/2 cucumber2 sprigs of basil

mojito2 limes

4 sprigs of mint

citrus2 lemons2 oranges

1 grapefruit

rosemary lemon4 rosemary sprigs

2 lemons

food day

how to

DIY wine cork boardwhat you need

wine corksplywood

razor blade or short, sharp knifecontact cement or a hot glue gun

paint brush (if you’re using contact cement)

Step One: Gather corksSave every wine cork! I can’t stress this enough. It took us about 9 months to gather the appropriate amount of corks to create our corkboards. Ask family & friends to save them for you too. To save time, ‘double’ the amount of corks you have by cutting them in half vertically with a razor blade or sharp knife (be very careful, as older corks are quite hard to cut).

Step Two: Coat the plywoodIf you are choosing to use contact cement or another strong, goopy glue, we found that pre-painting the plywood first helps the corks stick. Paint evenly and let dry for 24 hours.

Step Three: Create a patternBefore you hit the ground running, lay down a sample pattern. By doing this you are able to tell how the corks will fit on the plywood and also if you like the design.

Step Four: Glue & placeCoat the plywood and place corks (flat side down) as quickly as you can. Working in small sec-tions helps avoid mistakes. If you run into a bind, be creative! Cut corks into smaller pieces or use champagne or beer corks in odd corners. If you are using a glue gun, coat the back of the

BBQ Saturdayevery saturday from 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM

cork with hot glue & quickly place.

Step Five: Set aside & waitAfter your corks have been placed, wait 24 hours to assure the glue is completely dry. Placing heavy books on the corkboards help keep corks firmly in place.

*Once the board is dry, you may want to paint a thin layer of Mod Podge if the corks still seem loose, however, we were fine without it*

Secret Gardensof south phillyby HILLARY WICKLINE

The South Philly Co-op hosted its third annual urban garden tour on Septem-ber 7. The self-guided tour took attendees through the gardens of 16 South Philly resi-dents and community owned gardens. All proceeds directly benefited the South Philly Co-op, a new co-op in search of a brick and mortar location.

Perhaps the most inspiring aspect of the tour was how residents chose to use their notoriously tiny patios and roof decks. A variety of potted plants and wall hangers cover some while those with more space chose raised beds. In addition to decorative plants, many residents chose the hyper-local route and grew food, such as peppers, herbs, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and hops. One South Philly resident even took advantage of the natural climate to grow a fig tree!

Regardless of the method, South Philly residents prove that gardens don’t have to take up a lot of space. It may just require you to think vertical.

residents grow hyper local lettuce (above), local hops grow on passyunk avenue (left), and the last peppers of the season grow in a raised bed (right).

For me, simplicity is a virtue born from life experience. Just after graduating col-lege, I moved to Japan and taught English for two years. While there, I moved three times and worked for two companies. I arrived in Japan with two suitcases and I did not buy much beyond food, train tickets, and admis-sion to cultural attractions. I found that this ‘lightweight’ lifestyle, emphasized by Japanese culture, suited me well and gave me a sense of freedom. It also simplified my life and allowed me to focus on what was important, learning a second language and living in Japanese culture.

One great simplifying exercise of my life has been backpacking. I love to walk and I’ve been avidly pursuing this avocation for ten years. In 2012, I was lucky enough to walk from Georgia to Maine on the 2,200 mile Appalachian Trail. The normal accouterments of backpacking are eschewed in favor of the lightest possible solutions. Normal tents, filters, and Coleman stoves are abandoned in favor of tarps, chemi-cal water treatments and homemade alcohol stoves, if the hiker even has a stove. Camp shoes? I didn’t need them. My only footwear for most of the hike was a trusty pair of Teva

the simple lifeby BROOKE PORCH

Brooke Porch takes us on his journey of finding simplicity through backpacking across the country

sandals, which performed admirably - even on such fearsome mountains as Mount Washington and the biggest, baddest mountain east of the Mississippi, Mount Katahdin, the northern termi-nus of the Appalachian Trail. Again, simplicity was the rule that carried the day. The reason for such ruthless simplicity is two fold. First, simple things don’t easily break and are easily repaired. Second, there are extreme elevation changes along the Appalachian Trail. Changes of 1,000 feet in a mile are common. The less weight you carry, the easier these climbs become. Before hiking the Appalachian Trail, I would often embark on backpacking trips with a pack weight of 40, 45 or even 50+ pounds. These days, my pack seldom registers beyond 20 pounds. Life on the trail suits me well—I know exactly what I have, why I have it and how to use it. Recently, I spent six nights backpacking through Glacier National Park. This park is inde-scribable - how can you really express what it is like to see a 2,000 ft. tall glacier-fed waterfall as it cascades into a perfectly aquamarine glacial pond, surrounded by peaks and ridges soaring 4,000 feet above the valley floor? Words, as they say, fail—utterly so—at the task. While in Glacier, I was again able to live the simple life I lived in Japan and on the Appa-lachian Trail, this time with some of my closest friends. Together, we traversed the park from north to south. Along the way we had close encounters with a griz-zly bear, mountain goats, and an ornery bull moose. We heard the ethereal screams of mountain li-ons as we made our way through a perfect alpine valley. As always, my modus operandi was simplicity. By carrying only what I needed—and nothing else—I was free to enjoy the park as it is and completely fo-cus on my immediate environment and the treasures it holds. For me, simplicity is the physical embodiment of the categorical im-perative. Less is always more. When I cook, I find that fewer season-ings lead to a better seasoned dish. When traveling, fewer possessions leads to a more fulfilling trip. And as we live our lives in other realms, such patterns of actions will contin-ue to yield more fruits. Just as the lightweight backpacker minimizes the impact on his body, on the local environment, and the planet, we must all seek to consider the weight of our own literal - and metaphori-cal - packs.

Brooke takes a quick look at the map in Glacier National Park (above) and shows off his beard and Teva sandals on top of Mount Katahdin along the Appala-chian Trail (below).

To some, October means the beginning of fall, decorating pumpkins, or celebrating Oktoberfest. But to us, October means celebrating National Co-op Month.

“Why join a co-op? What’s my benefit?” are two questions we get a lot around here. While we have a num-ber of member benefits, we think about the benefits in terms of the community. Joining a co-op directly affects your local economy because membership supports a local, independent business within your com-munity. Unlike large corporations, your membership and opinions are extremely important to your local co-op – it’s how a co-op survives and operates on a daily basis. Beyond the immediate community, co-ops often strive to support local farmers and vendors by selling their products in store.

The Philadelphia area is lucky to be rich with co-op communities. While we are our own separate entities, we work together to strengthen the co-op movement. At a time when local food and community needs seem to be lacking in the industry, we are looking to put the control back in your hands.

Below are the seven principles co-ops uphold themselves to nationwide:

Voluntary and Open MembershipCo-operatives are voluntary organizations, open to all persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimi-nation.

Democratic Member ControlCo-operatives are democratic organizations con-trolled by their members, who actively participate in setting their policies and making decisions. Men and women serving as elected representatives are accountable to the membership. In primary co-operatives members have equal voting rights (one member, one vote) and co-operatives at other levels are also organized in a democratic manner.

Member Economic ParticipationMembers contribute equitably to, and democratical-ly control, the capital of their co-operative. At least part of that capital is usually the common property of the co-operative. Members usually receive limited compensation, if any, on capital subscribed as a con-dition of membership. Members allocate surpluses for any or all of the following purposes: developing their co-operative, possibly by setting up reserves, part of which at least would be indivisible; benefit-ing members in proportion to their transactions with the co-operative; and supporting other activi-ties approved by the membership.

Autonomy and IndependenceCo-operatives are autonomous, self-help organiza-tions controlled by their members. If they enter into

Celebrating co-opsby HILLARY WICKLINE

agreements with other organizations, including governments, or raise capital from external sources, they do so on terms that ensure democratic control by their members and maintain their co-operative autonomy.

Education, Training and InformationCo-operatives provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers, and em-ployees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their co-operatives. They inform the general public - particularly young people and opinion leaders - about the nature and benefits of co-operation.

Co-operation among Co-operativesCo-operatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the co-operative movement by working together through local, national, regional and international structures.

Concern for CommunityCo-operatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies approved by their members.

October Specials

Beyond The Spice Simmer Sauces $6.99 ea

Cedar Lane Frozen Mexican Meals $3.99 eaCrumpets $2.49 ea

Imported Aged Provolone $8.99 LbImported French Ham $13.99 Lb

Chinese Honey Walnut Shrimp $14.99 LbGreek Pasta Salad $6.99 Lb

Alo Drinks $1.69 EaLondon Broil $10.99 Lb

Loch Fyne Scottish Salmon $15.99 LbOpera Cake $4.75 ea

INTERNATIONAL FOODS