story by Tenaya Darlington, madamefromageblog.comThis spring, Pete Demchur of Shellbark Hollow Farm debuted a new cheese he calls Maysiola—a moon pie of pasteurized goat’s milk named after Masie, one of his favorite Nubian goats, and with nods to robiola, an Italian cheese. Maysiola has a grassy scent and custardy innards, and
MoreThe Latest
story by Lucas HardisonThe night brings respite from the assaults of the day, and we celebrate with glass tulips of cloudy dark amber ale brewed on the banks of the Schuylkill in nearby Manayunk. Nocturnum boasts a malty, fruity flavor of plum/fig/blackberry with a spicy Belgian bite. While there’s only the
More1 min read
Organic waste in University City can now stay local thanks to the opening of The Dirt Factory, a neighborhood composting center. With help from a local property owner and the University of Pennsylvania’s donation of two Earth Tub composting systems, residents will have a place to bring their organic waste and,
More1 min read
story by Dana HenryAlmost 10 years ago, Sandor Katz, the self-proclaimed fermentation fetishist, wrote and published the ‘zine-turned-book, Wild Fermentation, a DIY bible for making food with healthful bacteria. After a second book and years of touring, educating and meddling with microbes, Katz is back with his third and most comprehensive text
More1 min read
There’s a new renewable energy source in town and it’s coming from a surprising place: our sewage. In April, NovaThermal Energy, a Philadelphia-based company, installed a wastewater geothermal system at the Philadelphia Water Department’s Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant. This is the first facility in the country to have a system of this kind.
More1 min read
Image via takebackvacantland.orgLast month, we wrote about Pennsylvania’s land bank bill and Philadelphia’s own efforts to bring the “bank” to our city. Good news! The City recently acquired the “front door” to their land bank. After a year and a half, the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority has launched new processes in acquiring property and maintaining vacant
More1 min read
story by Liz Pacheco | photo by Neal SantosTo increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables in Philadelphia neighborhoods, a farmers market is often the ideal solution. But for parts of West Philadelphia, the model proved inefficient.
“[It] didn’t really work for us,” says Ryan Kuck, a former farmer at Greensgrow Farms
More1 min read
You’ve heard of rooftop agriculture, but what about basement farming? The Partnership CDC, a 17-year-old community development organization, is raising peppers, collard greens, tomatoes and tilapia, all in the basement and first floor of their building on 60th Street. By using an aquaponics system, where fish are raised and produce grown
More1 min read
story by Samantha WittchenInnovation” might not be the first word Philadelphians associate with SEPTA—two tokens sold in a plastic bag that says “Go Green” seems, um, not innovative—but that reputation deserves to change. SEPTA is piloting a cutting-edge regenerative braking project that saves energy and money, and positions Philadelphia as a
More2 mins read
Steps away from the Temple University Train Station is another example of how green building can be affordable. Paseo Verde, or “green way,” is a new, sustainable mixed-use rental housing development spearheaded by the Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha (APM) and Jonathan Rose Companies. APM has already built eco-friendly, single-family homes
More1 min read