Alternatives To The Mega-Markets

June 18, 2013 by Swarthmore Co-op

If I had a dollar for every person who said, “I live in the supermarket,” I would never have to work again. While supermarkets present a great convenience due to their pursuit to become the one-stop-shop, what if I said you never had to step in one again? I’m sure most of you would be overwhelmed with joy. No more fluorescent lighting, brand overload, and non-seasonal produce departments.   Supermarkets are no longer the only resort for grocery shopping. The […]

Categories: Co-Op • Tags: agriculture, alternative, at home, baked goods, baker, beekeeper, Co-op, community supported agriculture, Coop, creekside, CSA, farm, farmer, Farmers, farming, free range, garden, gardening, Grass-fed, Grocery, health, Healthy, holistic, Local, mariposa, market, meat, medicine, mega, mega store, Organic, philadelphia, Produce, share, stone miller, store, supermarket, Sustainable, Swarthmore, tip, weavers way, yield

GMOs – What’s Up With That?

June 10, 2013 by Swarthmore Co-op

With the recent controversy over GMO labeling, the term, “GMO,” is being thrown around like a hot potato. If you’re just tuning in, it can be hard to catch up. What exactly are GMOs? GMO stands for genetically modified organism, often created in labs through mutation and genetic engineering. GMOs are common in the agriculture industry to make plants more resistant and to create a greater yield. While this all seems fine and dandy written on paper, GMOs could quite […]

Categories: Education • Tags: agriculture, australia, biodiversity, california, Co-op, Connecticut, Coop, corn, cotton, crop, debate, eu, Food, genetically modified organism, genetics, gm food, GMO, golden, industry, japan, just label it, label, labeling, Local, march against monsanto, monoculture, monsanto, new zeland, non, Organic, plant, Produce, prop 37, proposition 37, rice, science, scientist, security, seeds, soy, Sustainable, Swarthmore, united nations, Wheat

Finding Montreal In Swarthmore

June 4, 2013 by Swarthmore Co-op

Have you been reading our blog lately? Let me catch you up to speed… I recently traveled to Montreal and fell in love. The people, the food, everything is absolutely beautiful – definitely a city everyone should enjoy. But, since I’ve been back, I’ve been trying to figure out how to incorporate the Montreal culture I love into my daily routine. The best way, I decided, is through food! It’s easy to find Montreal-inspired cuisine at the Co-op, you just […]

Categories: Co-Op • Tags: canada, certified, cheese, Co-op, cocktail, cocktail mix, coquilles St-Jacques, cuisine, dirty martini, dominion square tavern, goat cheese, home made, homemeade, hot toddy, house made, Local, montreal, mustard, Organic, oysters, pastrami, quebec, reciple, salmon, scallops, seafood, shwartz, speak easy, Sustainable, Swarthmore

Greetings From Montreal

May 28, 2013 by Swarthmore Co-op

The following post was written by, Hillary Wickline, our marketing coordinator. Montreal is a vital city to the Quebec province known for its French history and unique cuisine. Colonized by the French in the 1500s, the city became a fur trading post in the 1700s, after signing a peace treaty with local Iroquois also known as the Great Peace of Montreal. Much later, the city served as an outlet for nearby Americans as an escape from strict prohibition laws. Today, […]

Categories: Co-Op • Tags: 1920s, bagel, beauty's, bike, bixi bike, canada, central park, city, Coop, cuisine, culture, deli, diner, european, Frederick Law Olmsted, French, jean talon, katz, l'express, Local, lox, luncheonette, market, montreal, mount royal, new york city, notre dame, nyc, old, open, open air, oyster, park, philadelphia, picture, planning, quebec, reading terminal, schwartz, speak easy, Sustainable, Swarthmore, travel

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

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

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

“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

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

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