A Conversation With Ed Farace

May 1, 2013 by Swarthmore Co-op

Ed Farace has worked for the Swarthmore Co-op as the produce manager since 2010. Ed is a vital part of the Swarthmore Co-op community and has revitalized our produce department with his knowledge and commitment to local, organic, and sustainability. Below is an in-depth profile of Ed’s experiences in the produce biz.   Following in his father and grandfather’s footsteps, Ed’s passion for local produce began at an early age. Ed’s family always grew a wide variety of produce in […]

Categories: Produce • Tags: asparagus, best of the main line, business, carrots, Co-op, community, ed farace, farm, farming, fruit, garden, Local, main line, new jersey, Organic, parsley, Pennsylvania, Produce, produce stand, rainbow, road side, strawberry, sunny harvest, Sustainable, Swarthmore, Swarthmore Co-op, usda, vegetable, veggies, whole foods

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

I Got Love For Tofu

March 25, 2013 by Swarthmore Co-op

The following blog was written by James, one of our produce department associates.   I have to start by saying that I am not a vegetarian, but a man that is on the lookout for better tasting, body nourishing food.  Historically I know the bad rap that tofu gets such as the “what is it” to the texture or taste. Personally I was one who agreed until I got the guts to try it for myself. At first, the texture […]

Categories: Produce • Tags: bbq, Local, protein, recipe, tofu, Vegan, vegetarian

Introducing Wellness Wednesdays

September 19, 2012 by Swarthmore Co-op

At the beginning of September, the Swarthmore Co-op employees took in initiative to highlight our various healthy and sustainable products. Every Wednesday, a different department features a dish or product to be sampled by customers from 11AM to 2PM. Wellness Wednesdays are a great opportunity to learn about the “who, what, where, when, why, and how” of our products as well as how to live a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. If you’re in the neighborhood, stop by and try some […]

Categories: Bakery, Cfood, Co-Op, Deli, Education, Grocery, Meat & Poultry, Produce • Tags: applegate, di bruno, Food, Healthy, healthy-living, Organic, piave, Sustainable, sustainable lifestyle, sustainable products, Wellness Wednesday

In Season: Local, Fall Produce

September 10, 2012 by Swarthmore Co-op

Well, it’s my favorite time of year again. The summer flew by really fast, ushering in almost all the fruit 3 weeks earlier than usual (a future trend, perhaps?). It was great to have strawberries and blueberries so early, but to keep things balanced, they left just as early too. As far as balance, Monsanto is up to their usual tricks trying to persuade the courts (and the public opinion) on the greatness of genetically modified fruit and vegetables. 85% of the soy […]

Categories: Co-Op, Produce • Tags: apple, autumn, blue hubbard, blueberries, fall, GMO, kabocha, Kuri, Local, monsanto, Organic, pear, Produce, raspberry, squash, Sustainable, sweet potato

Food Trend: Heirloom Tomatoes

August 14, 2012 by Swarthmore Co-op

During the summer months, it’s hard not to notice the variety of big, hefty tomatoes on the shelves of produce departments. Beefsteak, plum, and cherry are among the commoners, but now, it seems as if a newbie has been added to the group, the heirloom varieties. Have you noticed an influx of these funky-looking tomatoes? If not, you will soon because it looks like we have a new foodie trend on our hands. When it comes to produce, heirloom traditionally […]

Categories: Co-Op, Produce • Tags: buy fresh buy local, food trend, foodie, heirloom, heirloom tomato, Local, Natural, Swarthmore Co-op, tomato

Add Some Flavor

June 12, 2012 by Swarthmore Co-op

Reblogged from Illustrated Bites: While you’re waiting for your herbs you planted in May to produce a bounty of goodness, check out these pictures for a little herb 101.

Categories: Co-Op, Grocery, Produce • Tags: All-Natural, budget, Certified Organic, Chickens, Choices, Co-op, Cooking, Coop, CSA, Eat, ethics, Farmers, Food, Gluten, Grocery, health, Healthy, Local, Local Economy, meat, Natural, Organic, Poultry, Produce, Regulations, seafood, Shopping, Sustainable, Sustainably, Swarthmore, Vegan, vegetables, vegetarian, Wellness

Price of Organic Produce V. Price of Cancer

June 4, 2012 by Swarthmore Co-op

“If you think the price of organic food is expensive, have you priced cancer lately,” asks Joel Salatin. The price of organic food versus the benefits of organic food is a hot issue throughout the nation. Many debate whether the extra dollar or two (sometimes even more, depending on the product) is worth the benefits of eating organic food or using organic products. Non-organic eaters claim there isn’t enough scientific evidence relating cancer and other fatal diseases directly to non-organic […]

Categories: Co-Op, Education, Produce • Tags: cancer, Dirty Dozen, Joel Salatin, Organic

The Doctrine of Signatures

May 4, 2012 by Anthony

Categories: Co-Op, Education, Produce • Tags: fruits, grains, Healthy, Nutrition, nuts, vegetables

Flower Care Tips from our Produce Manager

February 1, 2012 by Anthony

Flower Care check your flowers daily Keep the vase, container or liner filled with fresh water. Even if the container has floral foam, you should keep the water level high to promote long lasting flowers. The container’s water has a fresh flower food added to it. If you completely change the water, you should also thoroughly clean the container. Add fresh water mixed with a commercial fresh flower food. These flower foods may be supplied by the florist who delivered […]

Categories: Education, Produce • Tags: care tips, caring for plants, Co-op, Coop, environment, floral, floral arrangements, flowers, green thumb, Local, Organic, planting, planting flowers, Produce, seasonal, soil, Sustainable, tips

Eaters, beware: Walmart is taking over our food system

January 5, 2012 by Anthony

WRITTEN AND SOURCED BY:  Stacy Mitchell blogger for http://www.grist.org Aubretia Edick has worked at a Walmart store in upstate New York for 11 years, but she won’t buy fresh food there. Bagged salads, she claims, are often past their sell-by dates and, in the summer, fruit is sometimes kept on shelves until it rots. “They say, ‘We’ll take care of it,’ but they don’t. As a cashier, you hear a lot of people complain,” she said. Edick blames the problems […]

Categories: Co-Op, Education, Grocery, Produce • Tags: Co-op, Coop, Cooperative, Food, Grocery, Local, Local Economy, Organic, Shopping, Swarthmore, Walmart

How to pick a good piece of citrus…

December 28, 2011 by Anthony

This post is written strictly from experience. Who knows, there may be some scientific research somewhere to possibly back up my “claims”. Again, it’s all me…. When I speak of citrus, I speak of most citrus-like fruits (i.e. grapefruit, oranges, lemons, limes, tangelos, minneolas, etc.)  From my experience, the main indicator that measures if “this one is better than that one” is the skin – the other being weight.  Weight “weighs in” mainly with grapefruits and especially with an Ugli […]

Categories: Co-Op, Produce • Tags: citrus, fruit, grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange, seasonal