In my previous two columns, I discussed a number of ways that the City could launch composting drop-off programs, either on its own or in partnership with private composting companies. A third way forward would be an expansion of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation’s Farm Philly Community Compost Network. Based on a program in Washington, D.C.,
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It’s said that Isaac Newton was inspired to develop his theory of gravity when an apple fell on his head. But what happened to the apple after it hit him? Did he leave it there, uninterested in its value, and start working on his theory? Or did he pick it up, gather a few more
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Alicia Short, the founder of Alicia’s Pies, laughs when she thinks about the personal and professional transformation that led to her launching a business devoted to baking. “Growing up, I couldn’t even hardly boil water,” she says. Even into her adult life, she was largely indifferent to making food. “I was married before, and I
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Jonathan Deutsch, the head of Drexel University’s Food Lab, likes to challenge his culinary arts students with cauliflower stems and other trimmings they too-hastily discard. “I’ll pull things out of the compost bin and I’ll say, ‘Look at this. What could we do with this?’” Deutsch asks the students what they could make with the
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Margaret isn’t as mobile as she used to be. At 79 and still recovering from a car accident that forced her to learn how to walk again, she relies on her walker and cane to get around. Some days she doesn’t descend the stairs from the second floor of her North Philadelphia home because the
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With Thanksgiving right around the corner, many Philadelphia residents are beginning to plan where to buy ingredients for the big meal. Of course, turkey is a top priority, especially for those looking to buy local. Here’s a list of regional farms and how to get your hands on their turkeys. Lindenhof Farm Kirkwood, PA •
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Philadelphia, PA, October, 2023- In September, the Sustainable Business Network (SBN) in partnership with Sharing Excess, the National Resources Defense Council and others, welcomed nine local food businesses to participate in their brand new Food Saver Challenge. The goal is to bring attention to and decrease the amount of food waste that occurs in the
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Today, Weavers Way Co-op counts more than 10,000 member households, with storefronts in Ambler, Chestnut Hill and Mount Airy, and a new store due to open this year in Germantown. But long-time member Sylvia Carter can remember 50 years back to its humble beginnings as a buying club in a church basement. Carter moved to
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Sheetal Bahirat was a graduate student studying to become a food researcher at the prestigious Drexel University Food Lab when inspiration struck. On a day Bahirat will never forget, the assignment was simple enough. She was tasked with making guacamole for her class to study the textures and tastes of the classic Mexican dish. But
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Across the street from one of the last remaining Catholic girls’ schools in the city, the Hunting Park Community Garden sits unattended behind a padlocked fence. Where nettle and knotweed grow in abundance and raised beds sit empty, the garden waits for the return of its loyal stewards. Michael Wilcox has been involved with the
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The year was 1970. The Jackson 5’s “I’ll Be There” was a number-one hit. The New York Knicks were the NBA champs. And Amira Abdul-Wakeel had made her first pound cake. Although she was extremely proud of her creation, her pride was quickly tempered when her mother tried it and proclaimed, “Sweetie, this is the
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