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

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

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

CAFO, What Is It?

March 1, 2013 by Swarthmore Co-op

CAFO is an acronym for concentrated animal feeding system. Meat industry leaders are notorious for using (and therefore abusing) CAFOs. These products infiltrate the market by finding their way into our local supermarkets, into our grocery bags, and unfortunately, into our mouths. Below Marc explains why the Swarthmore Co-op opts not to support companies that us CAFOs. “One of the things I realized when explaining  CAFOs to Laura, was that it is easy to spit out  the words organic, humane, […]

Categories: Education • Tags: Antibiotic, cafo, Co-op, concentrated animal feeding operation, conglomerate, Coop, diet, free, health, Hormone, humane, industry, Joel Salatin, Local, meat, nitrate, Organic, polyface farms, Swarthmore

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

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

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

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

Road Trip To Wisconsin

November 6, 2012 by Swarthmore Co-op

This past week, I hitched it up (well, I didn’t really hitch) to the state of Wisconsin to tour and sample a variety of cheeses on behalf of the Wisconsin Milk Board and BK Internationals. Day 1: Maple Leaf Cheese in Monroe, WI. They have been making cheese for 100 years and have two certified master cheese makers.  While we were in their facility, the cheese masters were in the midst of crafting cheese curds – they gave us fresh ones to taste […]

Categories: Co-Op, Specialty Department & Cheese • Tags: American, American cheese, Carr Valley, cheddar, cheese, cheese wheel, cheeses, Cleveland, Cow, Crave Brothers, Emmi Roth, Gruyere, Hennings, Kiel, Local, Maple Leaf, milk, Monroe, Organic, Plymouth, road trip, Satori, Sauk City, Saxon Creamery, Sustainable, Waterloo, wheel, Wisconsin

Santa Ynez Olive Oil

October 22, 2012 by Swarthmore Co-op

The Swarthmore Co-op’s Specialty Department is bringing in some awesome new items. The latest items are two varieties of bulk olive oil, coming from Santa Ynez in California. Your first choice is an Italian blend extra virgin olive oil. This extra virgin olive oil is made in Santa Ynez from olives harvested from a seven-acre orchard in the nearby small town of Ballard. The orchard, which is traditionally farmed, is on a plateau at an elevation of a few hundred feet. Temperatures typically […]

Categories: Co-Op • Tags: blend, bulk, california, Co-op, extra virgin olive oil, italian, oil, olive, olive branch, olive oil, olive orchard, Organic, santa ynez, Swarthmore

The Co-op’s Guide to Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse

October 10, 2012 by Anthony

Check out our NOVEMBER 10 FOR 30 MEMBER BENEFITS TO STOCK UP FOR THE IMPENDING APOCALYPSE. 1. Be Fit If worst comes to worst, you can always run away to fight another day. This is rule number one when it comes to zombies and it clearly makes a lot of sense. Begin training now by riding your bike for trips shorter than 5 miles instead of taking your car.  You’ll increase your stamina and get into shape.  You might just […]

Categories: Co-Op • Tags: apocalypse, bicycle, bulk, car, Co-op, end of the world, Food, green, Local, Organic, survival, survival guide, Sustainable, Swarthmore, zombie, zombies