Calling All Members

March 29, 2013 by Swarthmore Co-op

Dear Members, We need your help. As you know, membership is a vital part of our Co-op community. You understand the importance of buying local and organic, supporting small farmers, and sustaining our Swarthmore and surrounding communities. But, as we also know, not everyone is sure if a Co-op membership is worth it.   This is where you come in. While we are always trying to get members, we need you to spread the word. Tell your friends and family […]

Categories: Co-Op • Tags: benefits, Co-op, Coop, CSA, Food, food inc, Local, Membership, Organic, philadelphia, Sustainable, Swarthmore

CSA – What Is It & Why It Matters

March 27, 2013 by Swarthmore Co-op

Similar to the models of a co-op, a CSA (or, community supported agriculture) is a commitment between a farmer and a consumer, or more importantly, a community. A community supports a famer by paying for individual shares, allowing the farmer to plan better for his growing season. In return, the farmer supplies community members with their individual shares, or yield, every week. It’s important to remember CSA shares will vary depending on the farm’s location and current season. For example, […]

Categories: Co-Op, Produce • Tags: agriculture, Bread, community, CSA, eggs, fall, farm, farmer, Fresh, Greener Partners, harvest, hillside, Local, meat, philadelphia, philly, Produce, recipe, seasonal, share, shared risk, spring, summer, supported, Swarthmore, yield

Caution: Greenwashing Ahead

March 22, 2013 by Swarthmore Co-op

As the local and green movements began to pick up steam a few years ago, “greenwashing” naturally evolved. Greenwashing is a technique used by PR moguls in order to promote their business as environmentally friendly, sometimes rightly so… others not so much. The words below can be seen a lot nowadays in order to describe products. While some of the words below ring true for some products, many brands misuse the words in order to sway us into buying their […]

Categories: Co-Op, Education • Tags: Beef, buzzwords, cage free, eggs, free range, Grass-fed, green, greenwashing, Local, milk, Natural, Organic, pig, pork, sustainability, Sustainable, usda, washing

Farming: An Inside Look

February 15, 2013 by Swarthmore Co-op

Cecilie currently works in customer service at the Swarthmore Co-op. But, little do some know, Cecilie has worked on a few farms in her day. Below she gives us an inside look to her experience of working on two farms in the area. “I spent most of my high school and college education learning the horrors of the industrial food system. First I was a vegetarian, then a pescetarian, and finally by the end of college I ate meat again […]

Categories: Co-Op • Tags: animal, baby lamb, baby sheep, bacon, Beef, cattle, Cow, farm, farming, fruit, humane, humanely raised, Local, local food movement, locavoure, Organic, pescetarian, picture, pig, pork, seasonal, sheep, small farm, Sustainable, sweet stem, tomato, traditional, Vegan, vegetable, vegetarian, WWOF

(Belated) New Year’s Resolution

February 11, 2013 by Swarthmore Co-op

I’ve never really been a big fan of new year’s resolutions. They always seem so daunting and overwhelming that I know I’m setting myself up for failure. But, after a month and a half into 2013, I have found the perfect resolution, one that I can hold myself to… Use less paper.   I know, it’s very simple, and it might even seem obvious, right? But think about it, really think about how much paper you use in a day or […]

Categories: Co-Op • Tags: drying, hand drying, hipcycle, napkin, New Year, new year's, paper, paper towel, recycle, reduce, resolution, TED, upcycle

“Everything You Eat Is A Political Statement”

February 1, 2013 by Swarthmore Co-op

“Part of my job as the General Manager at a food cooperative is spreading the word about what co-ops actually are and how we benefit the economy. This past Monday, I spoke at Penn State Brandywine to do just that.    It was a cold wintery day when I met with Dr. Laura Guertin. I was a bit early so Laura and I had the chance to talk about sustainability as well as how she is getting students involved with […]

Categories: Co-Op, Education • Tags: big box, Brandywine, business, Co-op, co-op certified, college, Coop, Dr. Laura Guertin, education, environment, Food, food cooperative, food justice, Local, Marc BrownGold, Penn State, politics, PSU, small, sustainability, Swarthmore

Things I Learned In Italy

January 23, 2013 by Swarthmore Co-op

Last January began one of the greatest experiences of my life to date as I packed my bags and flew to Rome for four months. I lived in Prati, a 30 minute walk from downtown Rome and a 5 minute walk from Vatican City. While I learned a lot about European business, architecture, and history, the greatest thing I experienced was the relationship between Romans and their food. Below are a few life lessons (or, food lessons, if you may) […]

Categories: Co-Op • Tags: anthony bourdain, biscotti, cappuccino, coffee, culture, espresso, european, europeans, farmers' market, Fresh, gelato, guide, italian, italy, latte, Local, machiato, market, meat, moscatto, open air market, Organic, pizza, prati, Produce, roma, roman, rome, Sustainable, travel, when in rome, wine

The Making of the Chef’s Table

January 14, 2013 by Swarthmore Co-op

Since I started here in August, there are very few things I miss about running a restaurant. But, that being said, something I truly miss is event planning – from menu design and pricing to decorations and execution. When I started here, I found out there would be events that I could help out with – this caught my attention! I was ecstatic when I was asked to sit in on the planning of the Chef’s Table (happening on January […]

Categories: Co-Op • Tags: centerpiece, Chef, chef's table, Co-op, craft, crafty, decor, decoration, event planning, Local, Michaels, pinterest, restaurant, snow globe, Sustainable, Swarthmore, table decoration, wine glass, winter, winter decoration

A Note On Fruits & Veggies

January 8, 2013 by Swarthmore Co-op

“Variety is the spice of life,” wrote William Cowper, so why do we lack it at home in the fruit and vegetable department? I mean, growing up, my family standbys were broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower. Nowadays, throw in the likes of a pomelo, maybe a rambutan, and let’s not forget those great shiitake mushrooms! See, my curiosity always got the best of me, so I read and educated myself on a wide range of fruits and vegetables, including their uses, […]

Categories: Co-Op • Tags: cholesterol, diet, fruit, fruits, health, Local, minerals, mushroom, Natural, nutrients, orange, Organic, Produce, red lettuce, spice, strong, variety, vegetable, vegetarian, veggie, veggies, vitamin c, vitamins

SwaCoop Holiday Shopping Guide

December 21, 2012 by Swarthmore Co-op

It’s okay. We all do it. The holiday season wouldn’t be the same without the anxiety-ridden last minute shopping trips. Lucky for you, we put together this shopping guide to save you some time and money. Earth & State, KUTA, Reconsidered Home, Blueberry Bog, Seven Stones, and Ten Thousand Villages are perfect for those who love unique gifts and trinkets. For the fitness gurus, check out Bryn Mawr Running Company, Fitness Together, and Cycle Fit. Sorella Boutique, Compendium, and Starry […]

Categories: Co-Op • Tags: academy of natural sciences, annenberg center, aria, blueberry bog, bryn mawr running company, business, christmas, christmas eve, Co-op, community, compendium, craftforia, cycle fit, desert rose, dos gringos, earth & state, eastern state penitentiary, economy, fitness together, hedgerow theater, hipcycle, holiday, KUTA, Local, Media, pa, penn museum, pilates connexion, please touch museum, Shopping, shopping guide, starry eyed optical, stress, Sustainable, Swarthmore, ten thousand villages, wellness on park, yoga

From Swarthmore To Texas

December 12, 2012 by Swarthmore Co-op

On Sunday, I received a letter from a former Swarthmore Co-op employee, Dori. She recently left the Co-op to intern with Utility Research Garden in Texas. While it’s always sad to see an employee leave the (swa)coop, I always love to hear how he or she is doing and what he or she is up to. Hey Marc, Just emailing you with an update on my farm experience!  I am interning at the Utility Research Garden in Jones Creek on […]

Categories: Co-Op • Tags: Co-op, compost, CSA, employee, farm, farmers' market, greenhouse, Gulf Coast, Houston, Jones Creek, letter, Local, Organic, Sustainable, Swarthmore, Texas, Urban Harvest Farmers' Market, Utility Research Garden, WWOOF

NEW! Co-op Certified Deli

December 6, 2012 by Swarthmore Co-op

With the start of our new Co-op Certified program, our deli has adopted Applegate deli meats and cheeses as our own. Why, you ask? We believe Applegate deli meats, and all their products for that matter, are products that support food responsibility and healthy eating. Stephen McDonnell, CEO of Applegate Farms, founded Applegate because of his “love/hate” relationship with meat. Like many others in America, Stephen is an avid meat lover, but he is disgusted by the treatment and livelihood of the animals. […]

Categories: Co-Op, Deli • Tags: anti biotic, antibiotic free, applegate, Beef, chicken, co-op certified, Cow, deli, economy, free range, GMO, gmo free, Healthy, Hormone, hotdog, Local, nitrate free, non gmo, Organic, pig, pork, small farm, stephen mcdonnell, Sustainable, Swarthmore Co-op, turkey