Pig weed is causing problemsOk, wait for it, this is really going to shock you: The use of Roundup-resistant GM crops has led to Roundup-resistant weeds! Now, who could have anticipated that?! From The New York Times: Just as the heavy use of antibiotics contributed to the rise of drug-resistant supergerms, American farmers’ near-ubiquitous use of

Last week's City Paper cover story, "Agricultural Phenomenon," is a look at the past, present and future of urban agriculture in Philly. One question that the article raises, regarding what urban agriculture is meant to mean for the city, caught my interest more than anything else:
Is urban agriculture a means for supplying low-income neighborhoods with

My Plot Before; click through for "After"About ten days ago I received some great news—I had gotten off the waiting list for a community garden plot in Bouvier Garden (yes, like Marge), a humble little project on Bouvier Street, a small thoroughfare between 17th and 18th Streets in the Point Breeze/Newbold Neighbors area. The garden itself

Renaissance Sausage makes its debutYesterday marked the return of Philadelphia’s largest and most celebrated Farmers’ Market. Held under the brick arch of Headhouse Square at 2nd St. between Pine and Lombard, the bustling market boasts one of the most idyllic settings in the city.  There was asparagus (which went quickly), lots of rhubarb and the first

It was recently brought to my attention that there is a swimming hole in Wissahickon Park called Devil’s Pool. As I began researching the specifics of this urban watering hole, I became more and more intrigued by the mystery, beauty and legend of this questionably-legal spot.
I’m not a Philadelphia native so as I was

 Infill Philadelphia’s Industrial Sites Design Challenge will have its big reveal on May 27. The event will showcase designs that explore restorations of old, underused industrial buildings—structures that those who call Philly home are all too familiar with. The Community Design Collaborative and The Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation have partnered to explore this issue in

We are all still feeling a little shaky, with the economy struggling back from the brink—but forward progress has not ground to a halt. Just last week, on the eve of Earth Day, Mayor Nutter announced that the city of Philadelphia, its partners in the Metropolitan Caucus and a coalition of public, private and non-profit

This weekend is chock full of spring events. There’s the opening of the Headhouse Farmers’ Market, an IPA Block Party in Queen Village and the annual Chestnut Hill Home and Garden Festival on Germantown Avenue. We Grid folks will be out and about all weekend, handing out magazines and germing* farmers. On Sunday (11 a.m.

Recently, I’ve been reading a fair bit about the sewage-as-fertilizer debate raging in San Francisco. Much of the drama centers around the position of the Chez Panisse Foundation, Alice Waters’ charitable arm. They haven’t come out against the use of sewage in fertilizers. This has gotten people all worked up. From The Atlantic: For the

Grid favorite Happy Cat Organics are going on tour. Owner Tim Mountz, tomato king, will be selling seeds and seedlings all around the Philadelphia area over the next month or so. At least one of his almost 200 varieties is bound to be the perfect fit for your garden. May 1, Donaldson Nursery, Hackettstown, NJ May 2,