Grid Magazine June 2013 [#050]

S u S ta i n a b l e P h i l a d e l P h i a

t a k e o n e !

Philadelphia’s founding

mother of Sustainability

story by alex mulcahy

judy wicks

GUIDE INSIDE

j u n e 2 0 1 3 / i ssu e 5 0 g r i d P h i l ly.co m

issue

#

The energy to save…

At Philadelphia Gas Works we’re developing new ways for residential customers to save more money and use less energy, without sacrificing comfort.

That’s why PGW rebates of up to $2,000 are available for homeowners, landlords and even renters who replace their old furnace or boiler.

Find out how to save green by being green at: www.PGWEnergySense.com

POWER OF INNOVATIONThe Fox Master of Science in Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship program enables unparalleled collaboration as scientists, engineers, designers, lawyers, and business-people address real-world innovation challenges.

Apply by June 30th to start in August.

Certi� cate in the Commercialization of Technological Innovation also available

DISCOVER THE POWER OF FOX®

www.fox.temple.edu/IMEText FOXMS to 69302 for info

FOXSp13_Grid_FullAd-IFC-bleed_June_F.indd 1 4/29/13 5:30 PM

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

CITY NURSERY

2501 E. CUMBERLAND STREET • PHILADELPHIA • 19125

SIGN UP FOROUR CSA TODAY–

GET 6 MONTHS OF GREAT LOCAL

FOOD!

HOURS:M-F 8AM—9PM

SAT-SUN 9AM—9PM

4824 BALTIMORE AVE 215.729.2121

MARIPOSA.COOP

LOCAL & SUSTAINABLY GROWN PRODUCE, MEAT, DAIRY, PET, AND

WELLNESS PRODUCTS

Featuring fresh organic, chemical-free, and conventional produce.

barbergale.combcorporation.net/barbergalebarbergale.prosite.com

DESIGNING COMPASSIONATE, PROSPEROUS AND SUSTAINABLE BRANDS is our

We embrace and promote sustainable branding and green graphic design, while working alongside brands which resonate with authenticity and strive for a balanced triple bottom line. It’s work worth doing. Ask us how (and why).

610-705-3606

10 Farm to office Take your veggies to work

12 down and dirty with Philadelphia forager David Siller

14 communityArt goes to market with The Edible Garden

16 Plain Sights What’s behind the face of City Hall’s iconic clock?

17 green living Liquid soap recipe lets you be Earth-friendly without dumping the pump

22 the Whole Food Strawberries are the taste of spring

38 urban naturalist Something Wild: Hope Springs Ephemeral

40 events Architectural walking tours, Farmers Market openings, a soupçon of soup, and lots of gardening

46 dispatch Sustainable economies sustain communities

cov e r a n d co n t e n ts p h otos by g e n e S m i r n ov

j u n e 2 0 1 3 / i ssu e 5 0 g r i d P h i l ly.co m

Page

26

hidden city FeStival 2013 — 24-Page SPecial inSert inSide!

good morning, beautiful

businesswoman by alex mulcahy

judy wicks

energy usage and waste disposal. Sustainability, before it became a buzz word, informed every de-cision that was made. The White Dog was a place that proved that, yes, you could have a successful business that reflected your values.

In this month’s issue, you can see hints of Judy’s influence in Sonja Claxton’s story, which I love for more reasons than that it proves how effective ad-vertising in Grid can be. Sonja was intent on mak-ing her corporate workplace more sustainable, and now she has a job with the Common Market, coordinating fresh food deliveries to offices. Now her ambitions are to make everybody’s corporate workplace more sustainable.

That she could take that zeal to the Common Market, a local food distribution company that built on the success of Fair Food, is also a tribute to Wicks’ legacy.

So thank you, Judy, for showing what’s possible. And thank you, readers and advertisers of Grid, for our first 50 issues.

Oh, and thanks to Sarah Adams, who tran-scribed the long and rambling conversation I had with Judy and the interview with PGW’s Elliott Gold. I’d like to publicly acknowledge her awe-someness.

alex j. mulcahy, [email protected]

It’s hard for me to believe, but this is Grid’s 50th issue. It still feels very new to me, like we’re still figuring out exactly what

belongs in the magazine and how best to present it. Part of the challenge of Grid, and what makes it different from other magazines I’ve worked on, is that we have a very specific goal: to inspire you to make your (and our) community a better place. So we highlight people who inspire us, and organizations and businesses that, through cre-ativity and innovation, solve problems. We want you to know about them, to join them, to support them. Or better yet, we want these examples to give you courage to follow your own passion and start something new.

In my pre-Grid days, I would take friends to the White Dog, and sometimes even go by myself, just to feel the magic of the place. I’d pick up a copy of Tales from the White Dog Café, the compa-ny’s newsletter, and read about how Judy had di-vested herself from the stock market and instead invested locally in The Reinvestment Fund, to get from her money what she called “a living return.” I’d go to the Black Cat, the adjoining gift shop, and pick up books like The Small-Mart Revolution and Going Local by Michael Shuman, and learn about the importance of local economies. And sometimes I’d buy local soap there, too.

As central as food was to the White Dog, it was only a piece of the puzzle. Social justice, ed-ucation and fostering community were just as important, and attention was paid to details like

Leader of the Pack

publisherAlex Mulcahy

215.625.9850 ext. 102 [email protected]

editor-in-chiefJon McGoran

[email protected]

art directorJamie Leary

[email protected]

designerDanni Sinisi

[email protected]

distributionJesse Kerns


community engagementMorgan Berman

[email protected]

writersBernard Brown

Grace Dickinson Jamie Gauthier

Marisa McClellan Juliane Mesaric

Molly O’Neill Brian Rademaekers

Leah R. Troiano April White

internSarah Adams

volunteersWhitney DiTaranto

Corey Jameson Andrew Schlesinger

Keysha Taylor Meredith Thomas

Rick Way Jessica Zuzack

photographersJen Britton Sang Cun

Emily Wren Gene Smirnov

illustratorsStephen Haigh

Melissa McFeeters

ad salesJesse Kerns


published byRed Flag Media

1032 Arch Street, 3rd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107

215.625.9850

g r i d p h i l ly . c o m

the inspiring work of Judy Wicks

p h oto by g e n e S m i r n ov

5-STEP ANIMALWELFARE RATING

your way of knowing how our meat animals were raised

Visit our stores in the greater Philadelphia metro area today!

community

Local artist Meei-Ling Ng is no stranger to farmers markets, both as a participating farmer and as a fre-quent customer. But for the first time, on June 15 at the Headhouse Square Craft & Fine Arts Fair, her artful interpretation of the farmers market will be part of the market itself. “The Edible Garden” is a series of acrylic

paintings of vegetable and fruit cross sections on recycled concrete. A sampling of the work is pictured above as part of an installation at the Elkins Estate garden in Elkin’s Park, where it was displayed next to the vegetable beds.

“The whole idea is to set up an installation like a farmer vendor display, with my new works on baskets, boxes, etc., looking like a real farmer vendor selling vegetables,” Ng explains. “Customers can pick and buy what they like, and they can put them in their outdoor garden or display indoors. I also see this idea as an opportunity for an interactive installation work with visitors in a farmers market environment.”

Environmental issues are a recurring theme in Ng’s work. “I am an artist, an organic farmer and a nature lover, and I care about these factors and how it is all

connected to sustainability,” she explains. “My main goal is to use my art installations as a tool to learn about preserving nature, sustainable living and organic urban farming. To draw people’s attention and look closely at these issues. These are the factors that in-spire and motivate me to continue creating art. I want to create art to get the sustainability message out.”

This will be the 45th year for Headhouse Square Craft & Fine Arts Fair, held by the Creative Collective at the Historic Headhouse Square at 2nd & Pine St., in Society Hill, Philadelphia. The show will take place un-der shelter of the Headhouse Shambles pavilion, rain or shine. The exhibit will be one day only, Sat., June 15 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. It is free and open to the public. For more on Ng’s work, visit meeiling.com. —Jon McGoran

Art Goes to MarketThe Edible Garden combines food, art and sustainability

1 0 g r i d p h i l ly.co m J U N E 2 0 1 3 P h oto by SA N G CU N

Progressive Solutions

for tree and land management

610 -235-6691

Now Offering organic lawn care

N E W L O O KN E W L O C A T I O N

N E W H A P P I N E S Scome and get it!

g i f t c e r t i fi c a t e sa w e s o m e s e r v i c e s

2 1 5 . 5 4 5 . 3 3 4 4109 S. 13th St . (2nd fl) Midtown Philadelphia

e v i a m a . c o m

J U N E 2 0 1 3 g r i d p h i l ly.co m 1 1

community Plain SightS Broad and market

CloCk WorkSince midnight on December 31, 1898, Philadelphia City hall has known the time. that is when its four 26-foot diameter clocks began service, powered by compressed air. In 1947, this system was replaced by four synchronous electronic motors, a contraption that continues to power the clocks today. housed in relatively small boxes, the motors move the clocks’ hands — the 11-foot minute hand and the nine-foot hour hand — via a long metal rod. In this photo, the rod is camouflaged amongst the perma-scaffolding inside City hall’s tower, but if you look closely, you can see it running up the center. right at 6 o’clock. For more on this story, visit hidden City Daily, hidden-cityphila.org.

P h oto by b rA D l E y M AU l E

IN PArtNErShIP WIth hIDDEN CIty, PlAIN SIGhtS hIGhlIGhtS hIStorIC bUIlDINGS WIth CoMPEllING StorIES hIDING IN oUr MIDSt.

12 g r i d p h i l ly.co m J U N E 2 0 1 3

IN PArtNErShIP WIth hIDDEN CIty, PlAIN SIGhtS hIGhlIGhtS hIStorIC bUIlDINGS WIth CoMPEllING StorIES hIDING IN oUr MIDSt.

http://hiddencityphila.org/

http://hiddencityphila.org/

Green livinG

Cleaning up doesn’t have to be a dirty business by leah r. troiano

Soap’s OnWhen I think of washing my hands

as a kid, the memory of a slip-pery, unattractive bar dripping

onto the bathroom sink comes to mind. It’s not surprising that my family now uses liquid soap for hand-washing. Pump containers are more user-friendly for little hands, and I like that they limit the mess factor. Plus, truth be told, I’m a sucker for a great-smelling soap in a pretty container.

But there are downsides to pump soap. Constantly tossing out plastic soap contain-ers is definitely not Earth-friendly, and soap scents are often made with harsh chemicals. In an effort to limit waste and the use of such

chemicals, I decided to make my own liquid hand soap, and reuse the containers I saved from prior use.

The following soap recipe uses traditional cooking methods. It might feel more like mak-ing soup than soap, but if cleanliness is next to godliness, you’ll think making your own soap is heavenly!

leah r. troiano, a certified cancer support educator, works with people who have cancer or would like to prevent cancer. Videos on how to make the products featured in this column can be found at cancerhealthandwellness.com. Contact Leah at [email protected].

11 cupswater

1 bar Castile soap

1 Tbsp glycerin

10 drops essential oil

Recycled soap pump containers

make YOUR OWN HaND SOaP

→ grate soap bar into small shreds. Bring four cups of water to a boil and add grated soap. Slowly stir until fully melted. re-move from heat and add the glycerin and remaining water. once the liquid is cooled, add the essential oils. let sit overnight.

→ The solution will thicken. Using a blender or a hand-held mixer, whip the mixture to produce a smooth consistency. if it’s too thick, add more water. if too thin, add more glycerin, 2 teaspoons at a time. pour into recycled pump bottles.

* For foaming soap pumps, add 1/4 cup of the soap solution to the bottle and fill with water. Shake to mix.

HOW TO

SEPTAMAKES FRUITFUL CONNECTIONS

Support our local farmers at one of the many farmers

markets near SEPTA stations. You’ll find fresh local produce,

meats, and dairy on SEPTA’s special Farmers Market

Map at www.septa.org/maps

Farm-to-SEPTA


AGriculture

Farm to OfficeWorkplace cSA makes fresh and local easy by julianne mesaric

As members of the Delaware Valley Farm Share program, these employees enjoyed fresh fruits, veg-etables and eggs from local sustainably-minded farms delivered directly to their office twice a week from May to November. This summer, the DVFS is inviting more businesses to take advantage of this great program, alongside current member organizations like the City of Philadelphia, the Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University and Independence Blue Cross.

A partnership between Common Market, which is a distributor of regional farm foods to large private and public institutions in the Mid-Atlantic region, and Farm to City, which connects regional farmers with consumer groups, the DVFS program was developed with two prominent social models in mind: commu-nity supported agriculture (CSA) and corporate social responsibility. The former helps companies achieve the latter by facilitating health and wellness among employees, strengthening links in their community and safeguarding the environment.

The CSA model sprouted in the U.S. in the 1980s amid concerns about food safety, diminishing avail-ability of local food and the migration of farmers to cities as small farms became less viable. CSAs help provide financial security to small farmers. In a tra-ditional CSA, individuals pay an upfront sum, usu-ally several hundred dollars, for a weekly or bi-weekly

If you’re sitting at a desk, you most likely have a Post-it note slapped somewhere near your computer, maybe reminding you to pay your electric bill, attend that 11:30 meeting or pick up something

for dinner. Last summer, over 650 employees from 18 corporations, non-profits and public agencies in Greater Philadelphia changed their Post-its to something like: “Farm share delivery in the office today: blackberries, grape tomatoes, peaches and mint!”


share of farm produce to be picked up at a des-ignated location. The CSA model helps alleviate the pressures of upfront costs faced by farmers at the beginning of the growing season, while increasing consumer access to farm direct pro-duce. But it is not without drawbacks for some.

Many people are unfamiliar with CSAs, or unsure of how to connect with one, according to Sonja Claxton, Organizational Wellness Manager for DVFS, and former site coordina-tor for a company that participated in the pro-gram (see sidebar). Additionally, many people find it difficult to pay upfront for a farm share. Another common obstacle is long commutes, which can mean missing the pickup times set by CSA distribution locations.

“Before working for Common Market, I was commuting an hour each way between West Philadelphia and Wayne,” says Claxton. “Many days I got home at 7 p.m., so even if I could have afforded to buy into a CSA, I would have been too late to pick it up. Many people I talk with have this issue.”

With these challenges in mind, Common Market and Farm to City designed a logical framework for DVFS. This modified CSA model makes it convenient for working pro-fessionals to buy into a farm share.

The program offers members payment plans and payroll deductions (about $27 each delivery week, with an option to add on a dairy share for $11). Deliveries are made directly to the offices of participating organizations, in the city or the suburbs. Delivery days evoke a community feeling not unlike that at a humming farmers market on the weekend. As an added bonus, by involving multiple farmers, DVFS minimizes some of the uncertainty of supply that can come with depending on a single farm, as many CSAs do. And while the actual farmers aren’t present, their involvement is reflected through relevant recipes and write-ups that are distributed with each share (along with a copy of Grid).

In order to join the DVFS, employers within the city must have at least 20 employee partici-pants; 40 if the office is outside of Philadelphia. Each office appoints an employee as a site co-ordinator, Common Market’s point person for the company. Site coordinators get free shares for the season, and there is no cost to employers to join the program.

“This model killed so many birds with one stone,” says Claxton. “What’s awesome about DVFS is that it is employee-driven; it’s a grass-roots employee wellness program. Human re-sources loves it.”

The program is a natural fit for organizations that exercise corporate social responsibility because it is in line with the values of a clean environment, engaged consumers, healthy em-ployees and viable communities. Economists

predict that the most successful businesses will be those who embrace these social responsi-bilities. Today, health and wellness programs for employees are a big part of many corporate social responsibility plans.

“Companies are placing more emphasis on health and wellness due to the growth in health care spending and as a way to contain medical costs,” says Josephine Hayes, Senior Human Resources Business Partner and Wellness Co-ordinator for Philadelphia Gas Works, and a DVFS member. “In fact, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act [PPACA] includes wellness incentives for companies.”

Shire Pharmaceuticals in Wayne, PA has over 70 employees participating in DVFS, and reimburses those employees up to $350 of the cost of participation under the company’s Healthy Lifestyle employee benefit.

Beyond the buzzwords, health and wellness programs have been proven effective at lowering employer health care costs while increasing pro-ductivity, morale and loyalty. All of this makes supporting DVFS a smart move for employers.

To join Delaware Valley Farm Share, contact [email protected] or 215-275-3435 x10. For more information, visit dvfarmshare.org.

dream Job SoNJA CLAxToN has always known what she’s passionate about, and now, as the orga-nizational Wellness Manager for Common Market, she has the title to prove it.

Earlier this year, Claxton was working at a health re-search company in Wayne. She liked her job, but felt disconnected from her roots in social and environmental sustainability.

While studying international business and economics at Temple University’s Fox School of Business and Management, she founded the student organization Students for Responsible Business, which later became Net Impact. She also pushed to make a business ethics class standardized business school curriculum. Now, Claxton “wanted to bring my network into my job.”

Mirroring her work at Temple, Claxton and a coworker co-founded a sustainability awareness group in the office, where they helped col-leagues recognize the negative effects of waste-ful workplace activities and the benefit of using resources wisely.

“I didn’t feel I was a valuable asset to my company until I started to use my knowledge of the sustainability and health and wellness world to show leaders that sustainability practices are more effective than they think,” she says.

Claxton’s office sustainability leadership (which was not a part of her regular job duties, but something she did simply because she was passionate about the issues), expanded when she discovered DVFS in 2011. She knew the pro-gram had to be a part of her office health and wellness program, and she volunteered to be the site coordinator. “But I didn’t stop with organiz-ing the farm share deliveries,” says Claxton. “on

off weeks, I arranged for health and sustainability speakers to come speak with our group.”

Claxton had organically become a workplace well-ness and sustainability advocate for her company and, in January, decided to officially brand herself as

such. Seeing a need for sustainability experts like herself within socially responsible business-es, Claxton placed an advertisement in the 2013 Sustainable Business Network Directory (distrib-uted with Grid Magazine), seeking a corporate social responsibility position.

Common Market got to her first.“We had thought of Sonja for the role of

organizational Wellness Manager long before the ad,” says Tatiana Garcia-Granados, Founder and Executive Director of Common Market. “She is so dynamic and passionate. our program was new, but she understood the value of it. More than that, she understood how to customize it for the corporate setting. Everyone who talks to her wants to participate.”

Claxton is also an Advisory Committee Mem-ber for Get Healthy Philadelphia, an initiative of the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health. Having grown up in the city, Claxton understands the disconnect for city dwellers to their food. “It’s real and I experienced it,” she says. “For me to provide my five-year-old daugh-ter with fresh food is an amazing feat.”

This summer, Claxton will not only keep her daughter eating well, but ensure that 35 site coordinators have all the tools that they need to make DVFS a success.

Though Claxton’s work will affect close to a thousand Philadelphia professionals, she shows that, really, sustainability can start with just one.

sonja claxtonOrganizational Wellness Manager, Common Market


http://dvfarmshare.org

AGriculture

The Lost Art of Found Food

How did you get your start as a forager?I’ve been foraging professionally and selling to restaurants for four or five years. Before that, I was foraging for myself. I was the kid who would eat berries from the schoolyard. After college, I started learning more about plants. I’m a conscious harvester, which means listening to the environment and caring about the sustainability of the plants.

What is the attraction of foraged ingredients?They taste awesome and they’re unique. It’s not just fiddleheads and ramps. The wild food world is so broad. I get excited about the uncommon things, like Cornelian cher-ries. I try to encourage chefs to get creative with uncommon ingredients.

What does it take to be a forager?I have a truck, boxes and bags, a shovel or two, a scale and a knowledge of plants and locations. I’ll go about 100 miles in all di-rections. I have my eyes open all the time. Sometimes I’m just going for a hike and poof! There’s maitake mushrooms. It’s like finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

So, anyone can do this?I’ve seen people of all ages get into it. It’s good to have a teacher before you start. It’s definitely not a good idea to just go out and pick random leaves and start eating them.

david siller is a professional forager from the Delaware Valley. If it’s edible and marketable, he knows where it grows. Visit him at yosoybean.com.

DAVID SILLER Forager

noT ASpArAgUS: these plants might look like asparagus, but are actually Japanese knotweed.

if you know what you’re looking for, delicacies abound on the ground story by april white • photos by emily wren

David siller’s talent for hunting out nettles, pawpaws, quince and dozens of other delicious, edible plants that grow wild in the region have made him a favorite of chefs at restau-

rants like Russet, Kennett, Pumpkin and Will. Will chef Christopher Kearse was Siller’s first customer when he was cooking at Pumpkin. “I showed up with ramps and nettles and told him about the other stuff I had,” recalls Siller. “He said ‘Bring it on.’”

1 6 g r i d p h i l ly.co m J U N E 2 0 1 3

Happening now: The greens season in the Delaware Valley is drawing to a close, but Siller is busy harvesting wild June berries, mulberries and cherry plums. After that he’ll be chasing down Cornelian cherries, lambs quarter, paw paws and chanterelle mushrooms.

Siller WAlkS across a green

meadow pilled with wild ramps.

Fiddle heAd FernS are among the forager’s early spring favorites.

J U N E 2 0 1 3 g r i d p h i l ly.co m 17

Grow Your Best Tomato

Tips from Tiffany Heater

of Burpee Home Gardens

Saturday, May 18th @10am

Featuring Burpee Bumper Crop

Grafted Heirloom Tomatoes

Growing with the Community since 1943

Organic GardeningVegetables • Herbs

Home OrchardTrees • Shrubs

Perennials • AnnualsBackyard Chickens

Compost • Rain BarrelsMulch • Tools

primexgardencenter.com • [email protected] W Glenside Ave, Glenside PA 19038 • 215-887-7500


Wolff’s Apple House Farm Market & Garden Center

www.WolffsAppleHouse.com81 S. Pennell Rd. - Media, PA - 610-566-1680

Fresh, Locally Grown Produce & PlantsShop our selection of 160 varieties tomato plants, 80 varieties of pepper plants and hundreds of vegetable and herb plants in many hybrid, heirloom and grafted varieties. Browse our garden center for annuals and perennials and find the region’s best selection of fresh, locally grown produce in our farm market.


enerGy

“It’s about helping customers become more efficient,” says Elliott Gold, manager of PGW’s Energy Efficiency Programs. “We want to help our customers afford their bill. We’d rather they pay 100 percent of a smaller bill than zero per-cent of a larger bill.”

Since 2011, PGW has invested $18 million in making Philly homes more efficient for resi-dents who pay for natural gas at market rates, a process that has not only saved homeowners money, but also cut back on greenhouse gas emissions. When you include what’s been in-vested in low-income homes, where customers

pay for gas at subsidized rates, the number is even higher. The funds come from a $60 mil-lion grant from the Public Utility Commission, which regulates companies like PGW. While the fund could dry up in 2015, PGW still has about $12 million to invest in market-rate customers’ homes and industrial and commercial build-ings, and they’re trying to connect with con-sumers to prove the program is a worthwhile investment.

As part of PGW’s EnergySense program, the efficiency initiatives, which include rebates for things like low-energy gas boilers and pro-

grammable thermostats, are funded through August 31, 2015. PGW will give homeowners as much as $2,000 towards a boiler with a 94 percent efficiency rating and $500 for natural gas furnaces with a 94 percent efficiency rating. Gold says customers can save on average $350 per year with the new boiler across a 15- to 20-year lifespan. Even bigger rebates are in store for residential customers under a new efficiency program being launched this summer.

And while most people won’t be fretting during the warmer months over heating bills to come, Gold insists that anyone looking to up-grade their air conditioning or HVAC system this summer should jump in for the full package and invest in programs offered by PGW while they’re getting the work done. Despite the in-centives and clear savings, Gold says it has been difficult to convince homeowners to spend big bucks on better, more efficient equipment and home improvements.

Get It While It’s HotPGW has millions to help thousands save hundreds by brian rademaeker

It might come as a surprise, but the folks at Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) don’t like it any more than you do when you get a whopper of a gas bill. Skeptical? Check out the raft of rebates and incentives PGW

is offering to help cut back on wasteful (read: expensive) natural gas use, an especially pricey problem in old Philly houses with clunky, inefficient gas boilers and furnaces.

pgW hAS millionS oF dollArS available to help pay for money-saving and energy-saving weatherproofing measures like this blown-in insulation


“You can’t just run down to the corner store to buy this equipment,” says Gold. “We are trying to compel customers to purchase equipment that is more expensive.” PGW is looking at customers who already have to invest in a new HVAC sys-tem, but aren’t comfortable with buying a pricier, more efficient model that will be cheaper in the long run. The PGW incentives are designed to give those customers the money and extra push they need to make that investment. But Gold wants homeowners and commercial property owners to think big and do all the work they can to cut back on wasteful gas use. “Where you re-ally see deep savings is through the comprehen-sive programs,” he says.

Through PGW’s Comprehensive Residential Retrofit Incentives program, customers can iden-tify cost-effective measures through an energy audit, and then implement a range of fixes like air-sealing, attic and wall insulation, and high-efficiency windows that will make the efficient heating equipment even more effective. Beyond retrofitting, Gold says builders of new commer-cial, industrial or multi-family buildings can get grants for as much as $60,000 to use the most efficient materials and equipment. The further

they go beyond the efficiency standards set by building codes, the more they can get from the program. In kitchens, restaurants are encour-aged to save resources with stoves that use less gas. “If they are looking at doing a project, now is the time to do it,” says Gold. “There’s a range of programs for a range of customers.”

The improvements, “make sense both envi-ronmentally and economically,” Gold argues. “We are reducing emissions, and that is the same thing as taking cars off the road. People don’t have to choose between the environ-ment and economics. It’s this combination idea where you can have your cake and eat it too.”

For more information on programs and incentives from PGW, visit pgwenergysense.com

“…We are reducing emissions, and that is the same thing as taking cars off the road. People don’t have to choose between the environment and economics. It’s this combination idea where you can have your cake and eat it too.” —EllioTT Gold, MANAGEr, ENErGy EFFICIENCy ProGrAMS

PGW Pays You Money to Save You Money

RESidEnTial CuSToMERSEquipment rebates: up to $2,000Construction grants: up to $2,750

Building grants for existing property upgrades coming this Summer 2013

CoMMERCial CuSToMERSEquipment rebates: up to $8,400

Construction grants: up to $60,000Building grants for existing property

upgrades up to $75,000


foodfood

for The gardener “A lot of the varieties you yield at home don’t get as

big, but they have so much more flavor,” says gardener Bill Schick, who grows strawberries at a community garden in Mt. Airy and at Chester County Food Bank, where he is Agriculture Program Direc-tor. “The really big ones in the store are hollow with generally no flavor, and are mostly grown for appearance, size and shipping, much like tomatoes.” When the commute is just from the garden to the kitchen, durability is less of a factor, opening the door to much tast-ier varieties of strawberries.

Strawberries are perennials that produce for a handful of years. There are three main types: June-bearing, everbearing and day-neutral. The most common category, June-bearing, produce heavily for two to three weeks each spring. Everbearing plants produce two to three batches in late spring/early summer, and again in the fall. Day-neutral produce from spring to fall, except for when tempera-tures exceed 90˚F. There are advantages to each type, but if space is limited, Schick recommends day-neutral. “You generally won’t get enough to make a pie,” says Schick, “but you’ll get them all through-out the summer.”

from The Farm If you are more interested in pick-your-own than grow-your-own,

Linvilla Orchards in Media has 250 rows of strawberries, each 500 feet long, spread across eight acres. The farm is trying a new variety called Seascape, a day-neutral with a picking season that extends all summer. “We’ll plant them in April and start picking in June or July that same year,” says Linvilla farmer Schultz. Most other varieties of strawberries require a year of growth time before harvesting can begin. “You plant them, and within three weeks, the flowers will start to grow out. You pick all the flowers that first year and all the energy

If there’s any public place where it’s ac-ceptable to openly act like a kid again, it’s out in a strawberry field. Forget any worries of a

red-stained face, mud on your knees, or washing or paying for your fruit — just let the moment melt around you as you relish the sweetness of a fresh-picked strawberry. All thoughts flee as the natural sugar hits your lips in one of the tastiest moments of life.

Anyone who’s experienced a strawberry straight from the vine knows that a supermar-ket strawberry should be known by an entirely different name. The flavors are that dissimilar. Even a locally purchased strawberry from a farmer’s market won’t stand up to one from the field. When you hand-select every strawberry from the vine, you get the sweetest carton you’ll likely ever take home. Plus, when you do the picking yourself, you get to eat a few along the way. Again, don’t worry. This month’s featured farmer, Norm Schultz, says it actually puts a smile on his face to see kids go home with a red face. And for the record, it’s fine by Schultz if adults eat a few, too — it’s a natural part of the picking process.

If you can’t get past an unwashed berry, or simply want a supply right outside your back door, consider growing your own. Spend an evening taking berries straight from your strawberry patch to a bowl of vanilla ice cream, and it’s unlikely you’ll ever let them leave your garden.

grace dickinson is a food blogger, photo enthusiast and recipe creator. These passions are brought together on FoodFitnessFreshAir.com, where she chronicles her experiments in the kitchen.

Jammed with flavor and nutritionstory and photos by

grace dickinson

The Whole food

Strawberries

nutrition 101 Strawberries are jam-packed with vitamins, fiber and other healthy perks. A one-cup serving has just under 80 calories, as well as almost 150 percent of your daily recommended value of vitamin C and an array of other antioxidants. Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside, which is where much of their five grams of fiber per serving is held. What to look for Choose plump, firm berries that are deep red from top to tip. Don’t discriminate by size. When ripe, the smaller ones are often the most flavorful. Note that once picked, strawberries will not continue to ripen.


goes back into the plant.” For the Seascapes, Schultz will pick the flowers off two to three times within the season, harvesting at several specific times throughout the spring and summer.

According to Schultz, the biggest challenge of grow-ing strawberries is spring frosts. “In one night, you could lose the whole crop,” he says. When frost is ex-pected, the Linvilla farmers stay up all night and when the thermometer hits 32°F, they start adding water to the field. “The production of ice produces heat,” he ex-plains, and underneath the ice, it stays at 33°F or above. This year, Schultz hopes to reduce his water usage by using a different method on half his acreage: low metal hoops with a covering three to four inches above the plants. “As long as that tarp doesn’t touch the flowers, the flowers won’t freeze,” he says. Schultz is unsure of how cold it can get before this method becomes ineffec-tive, but he suggests it could be a useful technique for home-growers, too.

Growing strawberries is hard work, but Schultz says the biggest reward is the reaction from customers see-ing directly where their food comes from. And when he takes his daughters out to pick on summer nights, it’s a sweet, annual experience he wouldn’t trade for anything.

for The kitchen Pastries and desserts re-

ceive a well-deserved emphasis at Lacroix, at the Rit-tenhouse Hotel on Rittenhouse Square. Each spring, Executive Pastry Chef Fred Ortega gives strawberries their own special emphasis on the dessert menu. “They’re appealing, a very likable berry to everyone across the board,” says Ortega, who’s been with Lacroix for 10 years. “You’re going to make a lot of people happy if you have them on the menu.” When in season, Lacroix will often feature some form of strawberries on the menu for both lunch and dinner. Ortega prefers local berries to California ones, because though they are smaller, they have a higher sugar content and more in-tense flavor.

The inspiration for the recipe to the right came after a series of wine tastings at the fine-dining restaurant. Ortega explains that it’s common, particularly in Eu-rope, to combine and macerate strawberries with wine or vinegar (wine that’s been turned to acid). “The sugar content of a strawberry brings a certain sweetness, and the wine is a different sweetness, so to combine them is very flavorful,” he says. Though Ortega suggests yo-gurt below, he has served variations of the recipe with everything from chocolate to various types of cake. He also proposes adding fruit to increase the texture or to serve the compote over a crumble.

Expect spice and herb-infused strawberry creations, like a basil-mint or coriander combination on the des-sert menu this spring, as well as strawberry juice and basil shooters.

Lacroix, 210 W Rittenhouse Square lacroixrestaurant.com

2 3

�� For the compote: Place cinnamon stick and vanilla bean in sauce pot and lightly brown over medium heat, stirring continuously. Add red wine, currants, sugar and lemon juice, and bring to a boil. Cook until wine is reduced by half. Remove vanilla bean and cinnamon stick. Pour liquid over strawberries and stir to incorporate. Allow to cool in refrigerator and serve over Honey Lemon Greek Yogurt.�� For the yogurt: Combine all ingredients

and then divide into two servings. Top with strawberry and wine compote.

compote¼ cup red wine

(Merlot)½ cup black currants

or blackberries½ vanilla bean, split½ tsp fresh lemon

juice 3 tbsp raw brown

sugar½ cinnamon stick

yogurt1 cup Greek yogurt1 tbsp honey½ lemon, zested

Strawberry and Wine Compote with honey lemon Greek yogurt(Serves 2)

from the kitchen of chef ortega

for The pantry Local strawberries are the most glorious manifestations of spring produce. Ruby red

and so, so sweet, they lend themselves to many preparations. While they have a naturally brief shelf life, you can extend them for a day

or so by keeping them unwashed, laying them in a single layer on a plate and refrigerating.

If your berries are wilting, wash and chop them, and combine them with a few tablespoons of sugar. The sugar will act as a preservative and extend their quality.

Once your berries are sugared, you can freeze them, cook them into jam, or simply stir them into plain yogurt. — Marisa McClellan

Learn more about food preservation at McClellan’s blog foodinjars.com


You buy your food locally, but what about energy?

SWITCH TO

ENERGYNOW

The Energy Co-op offers

100%RENEWABLE ENERGY

generated right here in Pennsylvania

215.413.2122 x1Call today, with your energy bill in hand,

or visit us at TheEnergy.Coop, and join the clean energy

movement.

LOCAL CLEAN

Find out more about local energy and why you should make the switch!

Eco-FriendlyCleaning Company

We clean with eco friendly products that we make by hand

using only natural non-toxic ingredients (plant and mineral derivatives) and essential oils.

Products are provided FREE of charge to clients who retain our cleaning services! Also, we

sell our exclusive ecological products direct to you.

Your Link to Greener Livingwww.myholistichome.com

215 •421 •4050

PLUS

CALL 215.510.0647 OR [email protected]

WWW.THESTOCKGROUP.NET

SUSTA INABLE BU ILD ING &

REMODEL ING

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLYBEFORE IT WAS TRENDY!


festivalmay 23 — june 30 2013 festivalfestival

Explore…

9 remarkable sites 10 artist projectstickets and info at festival.hiddencityphila.org

Post Brothers

www. goldtexapartments.com

From the vibrant façade

GOLDTEX sophisticated design in the city.

to the stunning kitchens,

has re-set the bar for

855-586-2474

RENTAL APARTMENTSPost BrothersRENTAL APARTMENTS

Post Brotherswww. goldtexapartments.com

From the vibrant façade

GOLDTEX sophisticated design in the city.

to the stunning kitchens,

has re-set the bar for

855-586-2474

RENTAL APARTMENTSPost BrothersRENTAL APARTMENTS

Post Brothers

Untitled-3 1 5/1/2013 1:48:56 PM

Corzo Center for the Creative Economy

at the University of the Arts

UArts.edu/summerinstitute for more informationemail [email protected] or call 215.717.6430.

The Corzo Center for the CreAtive eConomy

at the University of the Arts provides funding and support

to creative arts businesses.

Corzo Center for the Creative Economy

at the University of the Arts

UArts’ Corzo Center links creative arts, business and innovation. Guided by the belief that entrepreneurship is both a form of business innovation and a form of public and social action, our programs provide artists, performers and media makers the tools they need to control their economic lives.

corzocenter.uarts.edu

PhiladelPhia really is different than other Ameri-can cities. Someone once said we’re like Boston mixed with De-troit, a comparison that nails the combination of history and de-cay that makes this such a fascinating place. There’s a reason the Hidden City Festival happened here and not some tidy city like Portland or Minneapolis, and it’s because we have an outsized share of buildings that make you wonder, what the heck is inside?

Over the past two years we’ve scoured the city, neighborhood by neighborhood, to find the most unusual sites with the most interesting histories. Some are magnificent buildings that are

vacant and deteriorating; others are private, belonging to one of the picturesque institu-tions that seem to survive in Philadelphia long after becoming extinct elsewhere.

Now it’s time to unlock the doors. Join us and explore a storefront synagogue in South Philadelphia, a theater concealed within an ornate apartment block in Powelton and a massive dye works in Frankford.

There are nine remarkable sites in all, spread out across the city. It’s worth the trip just to see them, but the place and its his-tory are only part of the equation. Each site has been transformed by an ambitious contemporary artist project, a work created spe-cifically for that space. These projects are all participatory to vary-ing degrees, engaging the visitor and creating a shared experience, rather than being meant for the eye alone.

Your presence is what brings these projects to life. Take part in a Utopian experiment in civic democracy. Become a member of an imagined secret “Society of Pythagoras.” Join a knitting operation

to fashion a new façade for a 100-year-old store-front synagogue. These are the kind of experiences that await you, not to mention the extensive lineup of talks, tours, movies, concerts and workshops we have on tap.

The Hidden City Festival is also, we hope, a way to change the way people think about the city. Bringing inert spaces temporarily to life through the imagination of artists is a form of brainstorm-ing about what these places could be, an open-end-ed process that stirs the pot rather than providing the exact recipe. And it works (sometimes). After the first Hidden City Festival in 2009, a vacant part of Shiloh Baptist Church became practice space for local dance companies, the Drop Forge building at Disston Saw Works found a tenant, and the third floor of Founder’s Hall at Girard College became a site for performances.

We wanted this year’s festival to create even more stakeholders for these sites, so we devel-oped a new crowdsourcing website with web design firm I-Site and funded by a grant from the

Barra Foundation. The site allows us to recruit volunteers, raise funds, and source materials for each project. The campaigns are not only about generating these resources, but also bringing together a group of people we hope will stay involved with the sites after the festival is over. Follow artists and projects, connect with other festival-goers, and join the conversation at festival.hiddencityphila.org.

—the hidden City team

4

fest

iva

l.h

idd

en

cit

yp

hil

a.o

rg

Welcome to the hidden City

PhiladelPhia 2013 Festival.

9 sites > 10 art projects > 6 weeks to see the city anew

lead charitable support provided by

Left to right: Bryan Clark, Salem Collo-Julin, Jordan Klein, John Vidumsky, Nathaniel Popkin, Lee Tusman, Peter Woodall, June Freifelder, Bradley Maule, Michael Bixler, Thaddeus Squire

Cherry St

Cherry Stelfreth’S Alley

N 2

Nd

St

N 3

rd

St

N B

reA

d S

t

ArCh St

141 N. 3rd StreetPhilAdelPhiA, PA 19106215.923.8000

f r e e a d m i s s i o n — d o n a t i o n s a p p r e c i a t e d

centerforartinwood.org

Mark Sfirri & robert g. dodge, Secretaire

the CeNter for Art iN Wood

JohN GrASS Wood turNiNG ComPANy

« «

John grass artifacts exhibited down the alley at the center

John Grass & The CenterThe Quarry STreeTConneCTion: where old wood meeTS new

John grass wood turning co., Bundle of Balusters

QuArry St

Building Excellence with Master Craftsman for 132 Years

Metropolitan Regional Council of Carpenters of Philadelphia & Vicinity

EDWARD CORYELLExecutive Secretary TreasurerBusiness Manager

NOEL ORRPresident

6

fest

iva

l.h

idd

en

cit

yp

hil

a.o

rg

Opening HOurs: Thursday-sunday | 12-7p.m

t O P U R C h a s e & R e s e R v efestival.hiddencityphila.org/visit Or call the box office at 267 428 0575

f e s t i va l K i C K O f f B l O C K Pa R t ysaturday, May 25 | 7-11 PMGoldtex Building, 12th & Wood st. admission: $15 + pay-as-you-go food trucks and beer.

Volunteer for the Hidden City Festival! festival.hiddencityphila.org/volunteers

Visitors need to be comfortable walking up stairs and across uneven ground to visit some Festival locations. Where needed, there will be staff on site to assist the people with disabilities. Visitors with respiratory conditions should be aware that some sites are dusty. Contact our box office with any questions: 267 428 0575.

festivalmay 23 — june 30 2013

festivalfestivale v e n t s

v i s i t O R i n f O

may one-time events

may23 OPen hOUse: dUfala BROtheRs @ Globe Dye Works

Thursday, May 23, 1-4pM | project: Oil & Water | event type: Tour

may23 indUCtiOn CeRemOny tO the seCRet ORdeR

Of the Knights Of PythagORas @ Hawthorne Hall Thursday, May 23, 12-7pM | project: secret of pythagoras | event type: reception

may24 shivtei festival OPening PaRty @ Shivtei Yeshuron

Friday, May 24, 4-6pM | event type: reception

may25 hidden City OPening PaRty @ Goldtex Building

saturday, May 25 | event type: reception

may26 sUnday mORning sPeaKeR seRies: “ORal histORy PROjeCt:

shivtei yeshUROn in 1960s and 1970s” @ Shivtei Yeshuronsunday, May 26, 10AM-12pM | event type: Coffee, Bagels, and speaker

may26 “We the Weeds” Wild Plant tReK and BOtaniCal CORdial@ Ft. Mifflin

sunday, May 26, 2-3:30pM | project: ruins At High Battery | event type: Tour

may30 OPen hOUse: dUfala BROtheRs @ Globe Dye Works

sunday, May 30, 1-4pM | project: Oil & Water | event type: Tour

may30 edWaRd g. Pettit: the POe WaRs @ Athenaeum

Thursday, May 30, 5:30-7pM | project: Through The pale Door | event type: Talk

may31 a/v aRChaeOlOgy: heRitage eleCtROniCs @ Historical Society of Frankford

Friday, May 31, 7pM | project: A/V Archaeology | event type: Concert

reCurring eventseveRy

day! Knit laB @ Shivtei Yeshmuronstarting Thursday, May 23, 1-6pM (repeating daily)

project: ADMK Knit Lab | event type: Workshop

eveRy fRiday &

satURdaydOCent tOUR @ John Grass Wood Turningstarting Friday, May 24, 2, 2:30, 3, 3:30pM (repeating every Friday & saturday) | project: Wood shop | event type: Tour

eveRy satURday City hall meeting On an indePendent geRmantOWn

@ Germantown Town Hallstarting saturday, May 25, 3-5pM (repeating every saturday) project: germantown City Hall | event type: Talk

eveRy satURday WateR fUtURes: meet the BiBOtORiUm @ Kelly Natatorium

starting saturday, May 25, 3pM (repeating every saturday) project: Bibotorium | event type: Tour

fOUR sUndays OPen hOUse: the RUins Of high BatteRy @ Ft. Mifflin

starting sunday, May 26, 2-4pM (repeating four sundays) project: The ruins At High Battery | event type: Tour

f e s t i va l s i t e Pa s s e s ( t h U R s d ay s a R e f R e e )One-day pass: $20Weekend plus pass: $40 (Fri-Sun)All-Festival pass: $70

Festival passes include access to all nine sites during opening hours, and also a variety of events. These events are free, however they do require a reservation, as space is limited.

after hours special Events carry an additional charge, and are marked with a (listing to the right).

m e m B e R Pa s s e sBecome a member and receive 25% off! One-day pass: $15Weekend plus pass: $30All Festival pass: $50 hiddencityphila.org/membership

June 20, 20137:30 p.m.

Watch‘The Fight”

(1965-1978)

june one-time events

jUne1 OPen hOUse: data gaRden @ Historical Society of Frankford

saturday, June 1, 1-4pM | project: A/V Archaeology | event type: Tour

jUne2 sUnday mORning sPeaKeR seRies: ”Chasing dReams:

BaseBall and jeWs in ameRiCa” @ Shivtei Yeshuronsunday, June 2, 10AM-12pM | event type: coffee, bagels, and speaker

jUne3 RadiCal jeWish mUsiC: a COnCeRt seRies — aBRaxas @ Shivtei Yeshuron

Monday, June 3, 7pM | project: radical Jewish Music | event type: concert

jUne6 hilaRy iRis lOWe: POe’s ROse

COveRed COttage and PhiladelPhia’s haUnted PalaCes @ AthenaeumThursday, June 6, 5:30-7pM | project: Through The pale Door | event type: Talk

jUne8 hidden City BiKe Ride @ Ft. Mifflin

saturday, June 8, 11AM-1pM | project: ruins At High Battery | event type: Bike ride

jUne9 sUnday mORning sPeaKeR seRies:

“RadiCal jeWish PhiladelPhia” @ Shivtei Yeshuronsunday, June 9, 10AM-12pM | event type: Coffee, Bagels, and speaker

jUne12 RadiCal jeWish mUsiC: a COnCeRt seRies — vOlaC @ Shivtei Yeshuron

Wednesday, June 12, 7pM | project: radical Jewish Music | event type: Concert

jUne13 OPen hOUse: RUth sCOtt BlaCKsOn @ Athenaeum

Thursday, June 13, 5:30-7pM | project: Through The pale Door | event type: Tour

jUne14 a/v aRChaeOlOgy: digital aRChives @ Historical Society of Frankford

Friday, June 14, 7pM | project: A/V Archaeology | event type: Concert

jUne16 sUnday mORning sPeaKeR seRies: ClaRiOn, Utah and

the jeWish BaCK-tO-the-land mOvement @ Shivtei Yeshuronsunday, June 16, 10AM-12pM | event type: Coffee, Bagels, and speaker

jUne16 “We the Weeds” Wild Plant tReK and BOtaniCal CORdial @ Ft. Mifflin

sunday, June 16, 2-3:30pM | project: The ruins At High Battery | event type: Tour

jUne20 PUnK jeWs @ Shivtei Yeshuron

Thursday, June 20, 7pM | event type: Documentary


”my fiRst KafKa and favORite BOOKs” @ Shivtei Yeshuronsunday, June 23, 10AM-12pM | event type: Coffee, Bagels, and speaker

jUne23 indePendent geRmantOWn

flagmaKing WORKshOP @ Germantown Town Hallsunday, June 23, 12-7pM | project: germantown City Hall | event type: Workshop

jUne27 a sWeateR fOR shivtei yeshUROn @ Shivtei Yeshuron

Thursday, June 27, 7-9pM | project: ADMK Knit Lab | event type: reception


“the sPhas and jeWish BasKetBall” @ Shivtei Yeshuronsunday, June 30, 10AM-12pM | event type: Coffee, Bagels, and speaker

8

fest

iva

l.h

idd

en

cit

yp

hil

a.o

rg

Site HiStoryFort Mifflin was built starting in 1771 on what was then Mud Island, a sword-shaped sliver of marshy ground in the Delaware River. Revolutionary forc-es completed the fort only to see it bombarded and captured by the British in 1777. The Americans later recaptured, rebuilt and renamed it after Pennsyl-vania’s first governor, Thomas Mifflin. The fort was later used as a prison during the Civil War. In the 1870s, a gun emplacement known as the “High Bat-tery” was built outside the fort’s walls on the south-ern section of the island. The military decommis-sioned Fort Mifflin in 1962, and the Interior Depart-ment designated it a National Historic Landmark in 1970. Today, Mud Island is an island only in name, and is flanked by the Philadelphia Airport, storage tanks and an active military base.

Fort miFFlin & mud islandFort Mifflin

and Hog island roads

neighborhoodEastwick

how to get thereCar (no public transit

service available)

A restored former Revolutionary War fort on the Delaware River bordered by the ruins of a 1870s cannon emplacement.

ArtiSt ProjectArtists Ben neiditz and Zach Webber will create Ruins at High Battery, a series of improvised structures from sal-vaged materials on a wooded shore of the Delaware River, bordering the thick stone walls of Fort Mifflin. These ad-hoc structures will invoke both a forgotten past and a post-apocalyptic future, and echo the shack settlements that dotted South Philadelphia’s marshlands prior to the 20th century. The structures will be made with scavenged material from the past 250 years, unsettling the distinction between architecture and ruin, artifact and garbage. Some structures will appear to extend the ruins of the High Bat-tery cannon emplacement built in the 1870s, while others will blend in with the dense vegetation. The project calls attention to the presence of nature, even in an industrial landscape, and the history of informal settlement in the area, which has often been overlooked because it left be-hind so few physical traces.

P h oToS By P eT e r Wo o da L L

JOHN MILNER ARCHITECTS, INC.www.johnmilnerarchitects.com

JOHN MILNER ARCHITECTS, INC.www.johnmilnerarchitects.com

NEW DESIGN

PRESERVATION

NEW DESIGN

PRESERVATION

RESTORATION

RENOVATION

RESTORATION

RENOVATION

Mural Arts, through the Restored Spaces Initiative, is developing a model of practice using Philadelphia public schools, rec centers, and commercial corridors as permeable campuses on which to convene cross-community gatherings to integrate public art with sustainable revitalization strategies. The projects provide a platform for community action through art and planning in shaping the urban landscape.

SHISSLER & BIG GREEN BLOCK PROJECTCelebrate the opening of Shissler Greenway Spray Park, by renowned artist Beverly Fisher, whose work has expanded the breadth and depth of Restored Spaces.

Thursday, May 2311 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.Shissler Recreation Center1800 Blair Street (directly following Tot Graduation)

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Restored Spaces Originator & Project Manager, Shari Hersh 267-972-3944 | [email protected]

WORKSHOPS WITH STACY LEVYIn partnership with the Philadelphia Water Department, we present community workshops to design and install temporary art in Queen Village. The art will focus on the use of rainwater to bring awareness to storm water management in the neighborhood.

Community Art Making DaySaturday, June 110 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.Site TBD

Design WorkshopSaturday, May 1810 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.Shot Tower Recreation Center131 Carpenter Street, 19147 http://ph.ly/sqAdJEventBrite:

SPONSORS: The City of Philadelphia Water Department, The City of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department, PTS Foundation

Dear Hidden city,You celebrate the power of place. (lucky me!)

I celebrate the power of you.

P.S. Find more neighborhood treasures here:

ATKIN OLSHIN SCHADE ARCHITECTSArchitecture • Preservation • Adaptive Reuse • Planning

125 South Ninth Street, Suite 900 Philadelphia, PA 19107Tel: (215) 925-7812aosarchitects.comblog.aosarchitects.com

See our restoration work at the Commandant’s House at Fort Mifflin while at the Hidden City Festival 2013!

11

fest

iva

l.h

idd

en

cit

yp

hil

a.o

rg

neighborhood highlights

A part of Me » 3834 Lancaster Ave., apartofme.net, 215-662-0707 // Treasure trove of vintage and consignment clothing.

green Line Cafe » 3649 Lancaster Ave., greenlinecafe.com, 215-382-2143 // Fair Trade coffee, sandwiches and a patio.

international Foods & spices » 4203 Walnut St., 215-222-4480 // ask for the samosas behind the counter.

Dwight’s southern Bar-B-Que » 4345 Lancaster Ave., 215-879-2497 // Even southerners like it.

Site HiStoryThe corner of Lancaster Avenue and Hamilton Street holds a secret. Concealed in an ornate block of apart-ments is a dilapidated theater once used for performanc-es, meetings, church services—even boxing matches. Built in 1895 on the site of a lumber yard, the three-sto-ry building is a variation on the late Queen Anne-style, with rusticated keystones, press brick arches and ter-racotta sculptures. In 1914, the Knights of Pythias Union Lodge No. 14 made the hall its headquarters. The hall later hosted the Irish National Foresters, as well as sev-eral churches. Hawthorne Hall was added to the Phila-delphia Register of Historic Places in 1984. Several parts of the building are vacant, including the hall itself. West Philadelphia-based People’s Emergency Center Commu-nity Development Corporation purchased the property recently and hopes to restore the space.

ArtiSt ProjectArtist collective rabid Hands invites visitors to join the Society of Pythagoras. Collective members Andrew Schrock, Ben Wolf, Serra Victoria Bothwell Fels and Van-essa Cronan will explore the tangled history of the social halls that once made the site their home, drawing from secret spiritual and fraternal customs. The Society will be headquartered in the ruins of an old theater that will be transformed to create a full sensory experience, includ-ing interactive sound objects, light baths and ritualistic performance. After passing through the initiation office and swearing an oath of secrecy, visitors will ascend the stairs and undergo various ordeals to rise through the levels of the society.

HaWtHorne Hall3849

Lancaster Ave.

neighborhoodPowelton Village

how to get there#10 Trolley; 40th

st. stop on Market-Frankford Line

Hidden within an ornate apartment block, this dilapidated theater once hosted shows, dances, and boxing matches, and served as headquarters for various fraternal organizations.

i N T e r i o r & e P h e M e ra P h oToS By J oS e P h e . B . e L L i oT T / e xT e r i o r P h oTo By P eT e r Wo o da L L

12

fest

iva

l.h

idd

en

cit

yp

hil

a.o

rg

Site HiStoryFounded in 1865, and operated by the same family until closing in 2005, the multi-building Globe Dye Works dyed, bleached and wove cotton yarns for local knit-ting mills. Globe was typical of the highly specialized, mid-sized, family-owned companies that made Phila-delphia’s textile industry the nation’s largest by 1900. The adjacent Little Tacony Creek supplied the factory with water used in the dyeing and bleaching process, but was also used as dumping site for waste, frequent-ly turning the creek different colors. After the factory closed, partners Charlie Abdo, Pete Kelly, and Matt and Ian Pappajohn bought the complex and are converting its 17 buildings into spaces for craft manufacturing, art production and exhibition.

ArtiSt ProjectPhiladelphia artists (and brothers) Billy and steven Dufala’s Oil & Water will “dehab” the architecture and machinery of Globe Dye Works’ boiler room by creating a “defunct infrastructure” that blurs the line between historical and contemporary technological function and outdated industrial detritus. The title “Oil & Water” is a metaphor for the immiscible (unable to be mixed to-gether to form a homogenous solution) nature of any contemporary technology to seamlessly blend with fu-ture technological needs. Using faux ductwork and other industrial components, the artists will extend the exist-ing infrastructure that once powered the dye plant, lead-ing visitors into the dark corners of this industrial relic.

Globe dye Works

4500 Worth St.

neighborhoodFrankford

how to get there#56 Bus to Torresdale

avenue & Kinsey street; #25, J Buses to Orthodox & Worth

streets; Market-Frankford Line to

Church street

A sprawling, multi-building complex that was a family-operated yarn-dyeing plant until 2005. Today, Globe Dye Works is a community of artists, artisans and fabricators.


Leandro’s pizza » 4501 Frankford Ave., 215-533-1935 // Frankford’s best pie.

grey Lodge pub » 6235 Frankford Ave., greylodge.com, 215-856-3591 // Beer mecca, fantastic fries.

gilbert’s upholstery » 4529 Frankford Ave., gilbertsupholstery.com, 215-744-5385 // Family-owned antique shop and upholsterer.

shoecoholic (former Circle Theater) » 4656 Frankford Ave. // Look up and check out the façade!

P h oToS By J oS e P h e . B . e L L i oT T

13

fest

iva

l.h

idd

en

cit

yp

hil

a.o

rg

Site HiStoryEstablished in 1905, the Historical Society of Frankford gives visitors a peek into life in Northeast Philadelphia. The Society hosts monthly programming in its classic meeting hall, and has a basement-level museum (rarely opened to the public) filled with curiosities, including military uniforms, weapons, musical instruments, fire equipment, Native American artifacts, tools, toys, and even art made with human hair. The Society also houses a significant collection of research materials that run the gamut from the 1687 deed to the area signed by William Penn to 1920s game-day programs of the Frankford Yel-lowjackets football team, along with rare maps, news-papers, books, journals, business records and personal papers of local individuals.

Historical society oF FrankFord

1507 Orthodox st.

neighborhoodFrankford

how to get there#75, 89, J Buses to Orthodox & Penn streets; #3, 5 Buses to Orthodox street & Frankford avenue; Market-Frankford Line to Margaret &

Orthodox

Headquartered in a 20th-century Georgian Revival building, the Historical Society of Frankford boasts a collection of rare documents and a basement-level museum full of curiosities.

st. Mark’s Church Frankford » 4442 Frankford Ave., stmarksfrankford.org, 215-535-0635 // Ironwork by samuel yellin, stained glass by nicola d’ascenzo.

ArtiSt ProjectAvant-garde record label Data garden will create AV Archaeology, a wired sound installation combining con-temporary and outdated audio technologies that allow the public to “play” and mix the sound of the historic museum and its artifacts. The group will build primi-tive electronic music players that place superannuated equipment such as 1970s-era cassette tape machines into wooden boxes similar to the archival storage boxes used by early-20th century museums. Data Garden’s artists, will broadcast compositions made from sounds sampled from inside the building—including rattles, Victrolas and fire department horns, as well as inspired by the collec-tions in the Society’s basement museum. Data Garden will also present a concert of experimental, contempo-rary electro-acoustic music featuring renowned DJ and Producer King Britt, violist Gretchen Lohse, theremin player Laura Baird and Dino Lionetti on 8-bit sound technology.


c Animation & Visual Effects

c Architecture

c Arts Administration

c Dance

c Design & Merchandising

c Interactive Digital Media

c Entertainment & Arts Management

c Fashion Design

c Film & Video

c Game Art & Production

c Graphic Design

c Interior Design

c Interior Architecture & Design

c Museum Leadership

c Music Industry

c Photography

c Product Design

c Screenwriting & Playwriting

c TV Production & Media Management

www.drexel.edu/westphal

15

fest

iva

l.h

idd

en

cit

yp

hil

a.o

rg


grindcore House » 1515 S. 4th St., grindcorehouse.com, 215-839-3333 // Friendly vegan coffeehouse.

Khmer Kitchen »1700 S. 6th St., 215-755-2222 // Fantastic Cambodian soups.

Mummers Museum » 1100 S. 2nd St., mummersmuseum.com, 215-336-3050 // Get up close to the spectacular costumes.

Oregon Diner » 302 W. Oregon Ave., oregondinerphilly.com, 215-462-5566 // Where they still call you “hon.”

Site HiStoryBeginning in 1882, a wave of Jewish immigrants from Russia and Eastern Europe arrived in South Philadelphia. By the turn of the century they had ex-panded from the original Jewish quarter near South Street, establishing more than 100 synagogues east of Broad Street. Among them were the members of Shivtei Yeshuron-Ezras Israel, who in 1909 convert-ed a storefront at Fourth and McKean Streets into a place of worship. Since then, as the Jewish population grew, shrank dramatically, and began to grow again, the synagogue persisted. The interior has remained almost unchanged, a reminder of turn of the century immigrant life. A small group continues to hold regu-lar services at the synagogue — fondly nicknamed the “Little Shul” — and hopes to recruit new members and make necessary repairs in the coming years.

ArtiSt ProjectSTextile designer Andrew Dahlgren (working as ADMK — Andrew Dahlgren Machine Knitting) will ask festival-goers to help him create an enormous knitted “sweater” that will cover the facade of the 100-year-old storefront synagogue. Many early Jewish immigrants in Shivtei Ye-shuron-Ezras Israel’s South Philadelphia neighborhood worked in small sweatshops located in the upper floors of row houses or sewed piecework in their own apartments. ADMK Knit Lab will create a contemporary textile opera-tion that recalls this historic use, while allowing visitors to try their hand at operating the knitting machinery.

In the final months of 2004, composer-performer John Zorn wrote over 300 new compositions for his popu-lar Masada project, resulting in Masada Book Two-The Book of Angels. In celebration of Zorn’s 60th birthday, Ars nova Workshop presents The Book of Angels Mini-festival, featuring the group Abraxas and solo cellist erik Friedlander.

sHivtei yesHuron-ezras israel

2015 s. 4th st.

neighborhoodsouth Philadelphia

how to get there#57 Bus to

Mayomensing avenue & McKean street; #79 Bus to snyder avenue

& 4th street

A former storefront converted into a place of worship, the “Little Shul ” was established by the Shivtei Yeshuron- Ezras Israel congregation to accommodate the growing Jewish population in the early 1900s; still active today.


http://www.yelp.com/biz_redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oregondinerphilly.com&src_bizid=ZVu9TDpTvIgCN8x6IY-KmA&cachebuster=1366028798&s=b25b1c1ce360643059ce838e24e0f936acc97268af9f6b88e51419884483be04

http://www.yelp.com/biz_redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oregondinerphilly.com&src_bizid=ZVu9TDpTvIgCN8x6IY-KmA&cachebuster=1366028798&s=b25b1c1ce360643059ce838e24e0f936acc97268af9f6b88e51419884483be04

16

fest

iva

l.h

idd

en

cit

yp

hil

a.o

rg

Site HiStoryToday’s Town Hall is actually the second one built on the Germantown lot. The first Town Hall, popularly called “Old Town Hall,” was designed by architect Na-polean LeBrun and built in 1854, just as Germantown was being consolidated with Philadelphia. The build-ing was used as a police station, Civil War hospital and venue for traveling shows and political meetings. In 1920, it was declared structurally unsound and de-molished. The second Town Hall was designed by John Penn Brock Sinkler and modeled on the neoclassical Merchant’s Exchange building in Old City. Sinkler’s design included a magnificent rotunda that included places for the bell and clock from the old building, and for two tablets memorializing the 123 men from Ger-mantown who died in World War I. The City used the new Town Hall for the Health and Survey offices, but only a few remained after functions were centralized in the 1980s. The building has been vacant since 1998, when the City Community Services office closed. It is currently for sale.

ArtiSt ProjectOakland-based artist Jacob Wick will turn the vacant Germantown Town Hall into the Germantown City Hall — a functioning government center for an imagined “Free Germantown,” a Utopian experiment in civic democracy and participatory art. The multi-purpose public space will offer a performance and meeting area, a reading room with a lending library, and an office/copy center. All Germantown residents will have free access to City Hall. Wick’s Information Department, in partnership with a Germantown-based The Think Tank that has yet to be named, will also set up residencies in the Town Hall. The Think Tank will open an Office of Support Structures, to focus on current and potential resources and support systems in Germantown, and host Sunday afternoon workshops. The Information Department will manage the copy center and hold open meetings on the possibility and implication of German-town seceding from Philadelphia.

GermantoWn toWn Hall5928-5930 Germantown

Ave.

neighborhoodGermantown

how to get there#23, 65 Buses to

Germantown avenue & haines street; J, h, Xh Buses to Greene

& rittenhouse streets; Chestnut hill

East and Chestnut hill West regional

rail Lines

Although never a true town hall for Germantown, the now-vacant building once housed a number of City departments.


Wyck Historic House and Farm » 6026 Germantown Ave., wyck.org, 215-848-1690 // Beautiful gardens, some of the world’s rarest roses.

Johnson House Historic site » 6306 Germantown ave., johnsonhouse.org, 215-438-1768 // a key station on the underground railroad.

geechee girl rice Café » 6825 Germantown ave, geecheegirlricecafe.com, 215-843-8113 // Try the pulled pork.

earth Bread + Brewery » 7136 Germantown ave., earthbreadbrewery.com, 215-242-6666 // superb hand-crafted beer, homemade flatbreads.


Mt. AiryWed, May 22nd

9AM-10AM

West PhillyWed, May 15th

1PM-2PM

South PhillyMon, May 20th

2PM-3PM

Center CityMon, May 13th

2PM-3PM

KensingtonThu, May 16th

2PM-3PM

INFORMATION SESSIONSCultureBlocks is a free mapping tool that supports people making decisions about place and creativity in Philadelphia. Attend a session to learn how to use it for research,

planning, exploration and investment.

LEARN MORE & RSVP AT CULTUREBLOCKS.COM

Tune in on:WHYY: Saturdays at 11:30 a.m., Sundays at 5:30 p.m.Drexel University Television (DUTV): Tuesdays at 8 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays at 10 a.m.PhillyCAM TV: Mondays at 7:30 p.m., Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.

with host Paula Marantz Cohen

and guests likeChristopher HitchensA.S. ByattKenny GambleJohn Watersand more...

Drexel InterViewThe

Interesting People. Interesting Talk.

drexel.edu/thedrexelinterview

MAY 10TH JUNE 14TH JULY 12TH

Explore Lancaster Avenue! Enjoy art and live music featured at

over a dozen local businesses! Explore Hawthorne Hall as part of the

Hidden City Festival (June 14th)!

For more details visit www.facebook.com/lancasteravephilly

www.pec.cares.org www.lancaster21.com

www.inter face-studio.com340 n. 12th street, #419philadelphia, pa 19107

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE / URBAN DESIGN / PLANNINGWWW.THEOLINSTUDIO.COM

CREATEPLACESTHATENHANCELIFE

Kauffman’s

Iovine ’s

OK Produce

Fair Food

Reading TeRminal maRkeTMON–SAT 8–6 & SUN 9–5 • $4 PARKING 12Th & ARch STReeTS • 215-922-2317

www.readingterminalmarket.org

Produce Pros!

hiddencity ad_Layout 1 4/29/13 4:29 PM Page 1

19

fest

iva

l.h

idd

en

cit

yp

hil

a.o

rg

Site HiStoryIn the 19th century, citizens in several American cities created lending libraries and literary associations called Athenaeums, named for Athena, the Greek Goddess of Wisdom. Philadelphia’s Athenaeum was established in 1814, although the current clubhouse and library didn’t open on Washington Square until more than 30 years lat-er. The building — now a National Historic Landmark — is widely hailed as the seminal American structure in the Italianate Revival style. Severely plain on the exterior and deceptive in scale, the Athenaeum has richly embellished reading rooms with 24-foot ceilings and leaded, glass-fronted bookcases, as well as a charming chess room on the second floor. Persisting as a member-driven literary association and library (one of the remaining few), the Athenaeum also holds an internationally significant col-lection of architecture and interior design documents

ArtiSt ProjectEdgar Allan Poe wrote the vast majority of his oeuvre while living in Philadelphia, much of it at his home on Seventh and Spring Garden Streets. Literary historians have long sought to understand the influence of the house and the city on Poe. Artist ruth scott Blackson will take on this task, inspired by two discoveries at the Athenaeum: Poe’s signature in the sign-in log from 1838 and a book in the collection that analyzes the paint color of Poe’s home yet lacks illustrations. Scott Blackson’s project Through the Pale Door will create a complimentary artist book composed solely of images that will be hand printed at Philadelphia’s Second State Press. In addition, Scott Blackson will curate

a selection of books from the Athenaeum’s collec-tion that explore Poe’s life and times.

tHe atHenaeum of PhiladelPhia

216 S. 6th St.

neighborhoodWashington square

West

how to get there#9, 21, 42 Buses to

Walnut & 5th streets; #12, 47 Buses to

Washington square & Locust street; Market-Frankford Line to 5th

street

Unassuming from the outside, the Athenaeum is an historic lending library and literary association that boasts an internationally significant collection of rare books and architecture and interior design documents.


Khyber pass pub » 56 S. 2nd St., khyberpasspub.com, 215-238-5888 // Two words: gumbo and barbeque.

philadelphia History Museum » 15 S. 7th St., philadelphiahistory.org, 215-685-4830 // Philadelphia’s stories in a recently renovated space.

ishkabibbles » 337 South St., philacheesesteak.com, 215- 923-4337 // Cheesesteaks better than Jim’s. Fries, too.

Locks gallery » 600 Washington Square South, locksgallery.com, 215-629-1000 // new york City-quality contemporary art.

M. Finkel & Daughter » 936 Pine St., samplings.com, 215-627-7797 // Early americana, fantastic selection of samplers and needlework.

e x T e r N a L P h oTo By P eT e r Wo o da L L / i N T e r N a L P h oTo By J oS e P h e . B . e L L i oT T

20

fest

iva

l.h

idd

en

cit

yp

hil

a.o

rg

Site HiStoryWhen Bavarian immigrant John Grass opened his wood turning workshop in 1863, Old City had already been a center for light manufacturing for more than a century. Grass’s workshop specialized in tool handles, many of which were purchased by the Stortz Tool Co. located nearby on 2nd & Vine (and still in business!). Grass’s son-in-law Louis Bower and John Stortz took over John Grass in 1911 and moved to the present location — a former oyster house and tavern, liquor store, and rubber goods factory. The office and main workshop were located on the first floor. The workshop continued on the second floor where some equipment dates to as early as 1870. The business closed in 2003, but the workshop has remained intact and essentially unchanged for a century.

Wood turninG company146 N. 2nd St.

neighborhoodOld City

how to get there#5, 17, 33, 48 Buses to Market & 2nd streets;

Market-Frankford Line to 2nd street

A wood turning workshop opened in 1863 by Bavarian immigrant John Grass that closed in 2003, it has remained largely unchanged for a century.


Old City Coffee » 221 Church st., oldcitycoffee.com, 215- 629-9292 // around since 1984 and still one of the best.

Art in the Age » 116 n. 3rd st., artintheage.com, 215-922-2600 // Exquisitely crafted everyday objects.

race street Café » 208 race st., racestreetcafe.net, 215-627-6181 // awesome tap list, tasty sandwiches.

Arch street Meeting House » 320 arch st., archstreetfriends.org, 215-627-2631 // The society of Friends in all its beautiful simplicity.

Center for Art in Wood » 141 n. 3rd st, centerforartinwood.org, 215-923-8000 // discover the beauty of wood at this captivating museum

john grass

ArtiSt ProjectVisit Wood Shop and watch a pop-up mobile lathe in action operated by expert wood turners from the nearby Center for Art in Wood. In addition, artisan Joe McTeague will create a custom viewing area for festival-goers to peek into John Grass using balusters and other surplus material found inside the shop. McTeague is part of the local “Maker community,” a movement of artists, builders and DIY tinkerers who have helped to spur renewed interest in Phila-delphia’s industrial heritage.


See the city in a whole new light!

Architectural Walking Tours PreservationAlliance.com/walkingtours

volunteer for the hidden city festival!

FesTiVAL.HiDDenCiTypHiLA.Org/VOLunTeers

22

fest

iva

l.h

idd

en

cit

yp

hil

a.o

rg

Site HiStoryThe City of Philadelphia built the Fairmount Water Works, America’s first municipal water system, in re-sponse to the catastrophic yellow fever epidemic of 1793, hoping that fresh water would prevent disease. The Water Works was completed in 1815, but didn’t become Amer-ica’s second most popular tourist attraction for another 25 years, when the operation finally became profitable. Unfortunately, rising pollution levels eventually forced the Water Works to close in 1909. The building became an aquarium (the fourth largest in the world). In 1961 a section of the aquarium was converted into the Kelly Nata-torium, a swimming pool funded in part by Philadelphia’s illustrious Kelly family. The City closed the pool after Hur-ricane Agnes flooded it in 1972, and the facility remained vacant along with the rest of the Water Works for more than a decade. Following a lengthy restoration that be-gan in the 1990s, an education center and a fine dining restaurant opened, however the pool area remains closed.

kelly natatorium

640 Waterworks Dr.

neighborhoodFairmount

how to get there#32 Bus to

Pennsylvania avenue & 25th street; #38 Bus to art Museum

drive & Back Entrance 2; #43 Bus to spring Garden

street & art Museum

Today, all of the Fairmount Water Works – America’s first municipal water system – has been restored except for an area that once held an aquarium and swimming pool.


Cosmic Cafe » 1 Boathouse Row, cosmicfoods.com, 215-978-0900 // riverfront cafe using locally made and grown products.

The Barnes Foundation » 2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., barnesfoundation.org, 215-278-7000 // The new building is stunning (and the collection, too).

eastern state penitentiary » 2027 Fairmount Ave., easternstate.org, 215-236-3300 // radical then, still awe-inspiring now.

London grill » 2301 Fairmount Ave., londongrill.com, 215-978-4545 // Classic corner tap room. Get the burger.

at the Fairmount Water Works

ArtiSt ProjectFrom its earliest days, the Fairmount Water Works combined functional engineering with social, recre-ational and educational activities. Visitors came to observe the pump house wheel, stroll the gardens, and beginning in 1835, enjoy refreshments in the Engine House, which had been remodeled into a sa-loon. Bibotorium, created by artist collective Camp Little Hope, tests an unrealized 1920’s proposal to convert part of the Water Works into an educational saloon. The proposal envisioned a space where the public could enjoy beverages brewed by water filter-ing boats in pools of water from different endangered sources around the world. As drinks were served, the water level in the pools would drop and prices would increase accordingly, modelling the social and eco-nomic impact of human effects on the water supply. Members of the collective will build a different water-filtering boat in each of the three pools, and serve tea brewed from three water sources. Visitors are invited to explore the future of Philadelphia’s water together in the pop-up cafe.

P h oTo By P eT e r Wo o da L L

ALSO ON FACEBOOK!

www.philadelphiasalvage.com

WED 10-6 | THU 10-7 | FRI-MON 10-6 | TUES CLOSED

542 Carpenter Lane • Philadelphia, PA 19119 • 215-843-307420,000 sq. ft • 2234 W. Westmorland Street

housing reclaimed lumber, stone and custom textiles for the home, office & restaurant

2011E ST

PHILADELPHIA SALVAGE COMPANY

RECLAIMED LUMBER YARD, CUSTOM FURNITURE, DESIGN BUILD

opening 2nd location in july!

Metropolitan

Flour

Beiler’s Market Bakery Famous 4th Street

Reading TeRminal maRkeTMON–SAT 8–6 & SUN 9–5 • $4 PARKING • 12Th & ARch STReeTS • 215-922-2317

www.readingterminalmarket.org

Flying MonkeyTermini Bros.

rtmGRID4.5x4.75_Layout 1 8/31/12 3:27 PM Page 4

Chestnut Hill Office14 W. Evergreen Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19118

WittLippincottTeam.com

Sustainability. In life and in real estate.

1-6thpageWittLippincottFeb21b.indd 1 2/25/13 3:40 PM

Killer Wood-Fired Flatbread,Alchemic Housemade Beer,

World-Class Wine

EARTH bread+brewery

7136 germantown ave. (mt.airy)215.242.6666 / earthbreadbrewery.com

Handmade Soda,Microbrewed Kombucha,

Zero Gigantic Flatscreen TVsLive Music every 2nd + 4th Sunday

know your maker

137-139 N 2nd St | Philadelphia | PA

w w w. t h e c l a y s t u d i o . o r g

j u n e 2 0 1 3 gridphilly.com 2 5

From the White Dog Café to a global network of sustainable-minded businesses, Judy Wicks has written

the book on sustainability and local economies

story by alex mulcahy S portrait by gene smirnov

La VidaLocal

on livin’

judy wicks

=26

as she takes the stage at the Academy of Natural Sciences to read from her

memoir, Good Morning, Beautiful Business. Her closest friends sit in the first three rows, unaware that they are about to be drafted into service. But after delighting the audience with excerpts from the memoir that took her over a decade to finish, Wicks makes a request. ¶ “I’d like to end tonight’s program with a song,” she announces. “So, would everybody in the first few rows join me on stage to sing ‘Let There Be Peace on Earth?’” A few moments later, the unlikely chorus sways on stage, accompanied by the Swing Set, a jazz duo that Wicks had hired to entertain patrons at LaTer-rasse decades ago. Once a ringleader, always a ringleader.

Just shy of her 66th birthday, and three years after her retirement began, Wicks’ memoir is well timed. Her place in Philadelphia’s sus-tainability movement is secure, and her list of accomplishments is extensive: the founder of White Dog Café, Fair Food and the Sustainable Business Network — all institutions in Philadel-phia — and on the national stage, the Business Alliance for a Local Living Economy (BALLE).

She has enjoyed success as a restaurateur, a food and small business activist and an orga-nizer, but her idols are the great humanitarians Gandhi and Martin Luther King.

Of course, differences do exist between Wicks and her heroes. This is a woman whose annual Fourth of July celebration involved dressing as a pregnant colonial woman with a sign taped to her back that said “George Wash-ington slept here.”

Somehow Wicks managed to combine peace, business, activism and sustainability into a big party.

“To me, it was natural. It wasn’t a strategy where I said, ‘Well, I have to be fun now,’” she says. “It was just a part of who I am, ever since I was a kid... I was always thinking of things that were fun, that would draw people in, and I started to understand how to use that, how to gather people through fun at a young age.”

“Collective joy,” a term coined by Barbara Ehrenreich, is a major theme in Wicks’ work, and one that’s welcome in the often serious peace and sustainability movements.

As we assess the impact and legacy of Wicks, it’s easy for Philadelphians to take for

granted what she created, and to underesti-mate the obstacles she overcame, both per-sonal and societal, to become Philadelphia’s of Sustainability. Even as well-known as she is here, and as highly as she is respected, the question remains: Is it possible Wicks’ work is still underappreciated?

The Building Blockswicks was born in Ingomar, Pa., a small town in Western Pennsylvania that sounds as idyllic as any Norman Rockwell painting. Everyone in the town knew each other, and all of the stores and businesses were owned by Ingomar residents. This informed her adult vi-sion of a self-reliant community of small scale businesses.

Born in 1947, the first of three children, Wicks recalls herself as a tomboy who loved playing baseball and building elaborate forts that impressed and confounded her parents. She theorizes that her position as the first born in the family helped her cause, as her father gave her the attention usually reserved for a son. Gender roles in Ingomar at that time were very clearly defined, but her mother gave her a glimpse of what was possible.

“The guys went to work, and the women were all housewives,” says Wicks. “But be-cause my mother was a Girl Scout leader, she also led the day camp. My mom was the leader and when we put the flag up, she would be the person welcoming and leading a song and all that. I would see her organize chores for peo-

ple, making lists, making sure everybody did their part. So it was like watching her run a business in a sense. She was my role model.”

That she had a strong mother is not sur-prising, but to learn that Wicks suffered from a great fear of public speaking is.

“My father had a lot of emotional problems.

greets judy wicks

a r aucous standing ovation

28 g r i d p h i l ly.co m june 2013

Although he was a successful — to a certain point — lawyer, [and] he was a general council for the redevelopment authority in Pittsburgh, he didn’t want to sit at the table and talk to the family. He didn’t want to have to play the role of father at the dinner table. He wanted to watch TV while we ate. And this was a huge disap-

pointment for my mom, that my father insisted that we sit and eat our dinner in the TV room and eat off our trays while watching TV be-cause he didn’t want us to be talking. I realized later, like when I went around to other kids’ houses, that they all sat at the table and had a discussion, that I missed out on that part of my

development, learning to hear your own voice, how to interject your voice, the whole flow of conversation. I was scared stiff, when I went to school, to raise my hand. I was terrified of my own voice. So, that was why, more than other people, I had such a fear of public speaking. It took a lot to overcome that.”

Clockwise from left: judy at the White Dog, 1998; judy inside the Free People’s Store; judy, age nine; celebrating Independence Day; exterior of the Free People’s Store

june 2013 g r i d p h i l ly.co m 29

During the decade of Wicks’ stewardship, LaTerrasse grew in annual sales from $200,000 to $2,000,000, fueled by her knack for throw-ing great parties — such as the New Year’s Day pajama party, which she brought with her to the White Dog — and her keen business sense. She continually analyzed the business and con-ceived of new ways to bring in revenue.

At the same time, West Philadelphia was being transformed by the University of Penn-sylvania’s redevelopment. Beautiful buildings were being demolished to make way for chain restaurants. Wicks became actively involved in a “save the block campaign” for the 3400 blocks of Walnut and Sansom, where LaTerrasse was located — so committed, in fact, that she once laid down in front of a bulldozer being used to

Into Businessin 1969, Wicks married her high school sweetheart, who, like her, was opposed to the war in Vietnam. To keep her husband from being drafted, they joined the service organi-zation VISTA and were assigned to a remote village in Alaska, where there was electricity just one hour a day.

Her husband, Dick Hayne, would experi-ence an evolution just as profound as Wicks’, though in a decidedly different direction. Together they moved to Philadelphia and founded the Free People’s Store — a lifestyle store of vintage clothing, rock and roll albums and counterculture books — that provided a blueprint for a billion-dollar business: Urban Outfitters. But at the time, Wicks thought of business as something distasteful.

“I would say, ‘It’s not really a business! It’s nonprofit!’ I didn’t want to be associated with the profit motive.”

Though many of her ideas were critical to the success of the Free People’s Store, she felt marginalized within the business, and eventu-ally in the marriage, which she left.

It’s easy to be overly simplistic in compar-ing Wicks and Hayne, but it’s difficult to resist. Hayne pursued large-scale business as usual, and the paradigm of endless growth. Wicks pursued business on a small scale, where growth was measured with multiple bottom lines. But first she had to become an accidental restaurateur.

Birth of a Restaurateurit was a fender-bender on the day she left her husband and her business — a very funny story you’ll have to read in the book — that led Wicks to take a job as a waitress at LaTerrasse, a French restaurant on Sansom Street in West Philadelphia. She thrived as a waitress, and before long, to her surprise, was offered the job as general manager.

Her view of business began to evolve, and she began to see the exchange of money not as something crass, but something that was es-sentially about relationships.

“Judy is a remarkable person with both a serious commitment to social justice and building a local economic community, mixed with a wonderful love of life, good humor and whimsy. For us organic farmers, our personal relationship and friendship with her, her belief in and support of what we are doing, has made all the difference.”

“Judy was the main driver for bringing the local food revolution to Philadelphia. She led the city in mobilizing support for local farmers, farmers markets, humane meat raisers, local breweries, local food processors, food entrepreneurship in the inner city, local purchasing campaigns and local investment. And by introducing others — eaters, politicians, chefs, investors — to these ideas through the White Dog, she was able to show that these innovations were easy, sensible, and fun.”

Branch Creek Farmmark and judy dornstreich

michael h. shuman cofounder BALLE and author

Judy and Alice Waters


Chestnut Hill8424 Germantown Ave.

Mt. Airy559 Carpenter Lane

Across the Way610 Carpenter Lane

A member-owned food cooperative open to all.www.weaversway.coop

Do It for the Co-op!

Six Hours. 5% Discount.THAT’S A DEAL.Weavers Way members who choose to do work hours get a 5% discount at the Co-op. Working membership has been an important part of Weavers Way for over 40 years. We work together, as cooperators from all walks of life, and experience a deeper connection to the broader community. Working membership truly keeps the Co-op strong.

You don’t have to be a working member to shop at the Co-op. Contact [email protected] for information about Co-op membership and our Working Member Program.

Get Your CSA delivered to your door.

Neighborhood Foods CSA

1-888-611-9274 washcyclelaundry.com/csa

neighborhoodfoods.org/csa.html

Innovative Low Country Cooking at it’s best!

Soon to be seen on

The Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives

World’s best Fried Chicken on Wednesdays all summer long!

Make a reservation. Get there early ‘cause when it’s gone, it’s gone.

6825 Germantown Ave. Philadelphia, Pa 19119 . 215-843-8113

www.GeecheeGirl.com


Traveling to a White Dog international sister restaurant in Vietnam are (l to r) Andy Thornal, Kevin von Klause & Judy Wicks.

damage buildings before a restraining order could be issued. “Tiananmen Square it was not,” she says modestly, but it was undeniably a brave impulse.

Though not all of the targeted area was spared, the Sansom Street block was, and part of the settlement allowed members of the neighborhood group to purchase houses, which Wicks did.

Throughout the decade Wicks spent at La Terrasse, she had believed that she was gain-ing equity in the business she had been so in-strumental in building. The owner didn’t share that view, and when he planned to expand, he shut her out.

“I was totally devastated,” Wicks recalls. “I was crying hysterically. We had talked to a law-yer together to plan our partnership, so he told the lawyer that he owed me stock, so we had started the plan. I was going to call that same lawyer who witnessed this, and planned to sue for my shares. But when I called the lawyer, I just couldn’t speak. It had never happened

to me before. I realized it was so against my nature to fight with him after we had gone through this long struggle for over 10 years, saving the business and the block. And if I had won, what would I have gotten? I would get a partner who didn’t really want me there.”

In an attempt to stir up business in the morning — the only time LaTerrasse wasn’t busy — Wicks had opened a muffin and coffee shop in the front room of her home, a few doors down from La Terrasse. As a consolation prize, she was given the muffin shop. It was a modest beginning, but it would eventually evolve into a 200-seat restaurant, and an epicenter for the local food movement.

A Dog Has Its Dayanyone who takes pleasure in the story of a small company bootstrapping its way to success will enjoy Good Morning, Beau-tiful Business. Wicks didn’t begin with a fully-formed plan; as the business grew, rooms of her home were overtaken one at a time by the business. Living room chairs were dragged into the restaurant and magically became homey places for customer seating.

Wicks found that she’d had enough of the intricacies and richness of French cuisine, and longed for something more like the simple, homegrown food she had eaten as a child in Ingomar. Nationally, there was an awakening to the importance of fresh, local food led by Alice Waters, and closer to home, chef Aliza Green at the Philadelphia restaurant Apropos was a leader in the farm to table movement.

Green had been developing an approach to food that focused on fresh, locally sourced ingredients. She brought that approach to the White Dog Café when Wicks recruited her in 1984, and she was a key figure in establishing the identity of the White Dog as an early farm-to-table restaurant and an East Coast counter-part to California’s Chez Panisse.

“It was really Aliza’s concept for the food,” says Wicks. “I knew I wanted local food for the restaurant before I met Aliza, but I hadn’t found the style of cooking that I wanted. I was looking at all these cookbooks from different

“Judy believed that if you put better food on the plates, people appreciate it. I saw that happen right before my eyes. Then a new generation of chefs came along, and more restaurants started buying. But in the early days, everywhere I went, I had to show people fresh food was better... Like the West Coast’s Alice Waters, Judy was really a pioneer, although she’s also been much more politically active than Waters, which is good. Nationally, she’s made a name for herself, too. When I’m traveling and mention to someone in the food business that Judy’s one of the people that I would sell to, they’ll say, ‘Oh, you know Judy Wicks!’ She’s definitely made an impact on a national scale.”

Green Meadow Farmglenn brendle


Klause, Barrett and Smith Born also co-own Old City’s FARMiCiA restaurant, which emphasizes local, seasonal ingredients. Smith Born credits Wicks for teaching her that “to succeed in small business you have to first be-lieve that you can do it, you have to work with a few like-minded people and you have to be willing to take, and live with, enormous risks.” She says that, although there are many more people supporting and contributing to the local food system than there were 20 years ago, “the challenges are the same: support-ing farmers, preserving farmland, as a vendor being able to source and purchase fresh food locally and finally, having a public that is en-thusiastic about consuming the bounty!”

The list of White Dog alumni-turned-chef-owners goes on, including Bistro 7’s Michael O’Halloran, Dan Grimes of Chloe and Anne-Marie Lasher at Picnic. john Doyle supports

urban and local farming with the unique, seasonal flavors of john & Kira’s Chocolate. And the front-of-house and administrative types are just as active; former SBn executive Director Leanne Krueger-Braneky now runs the Fellowship and Alumni programs at BALLe. She first met Wicks at a White Dog Table Talk, and found that they “both wanted to create a local community of businesses.”

“As a BALLe Fellow,” she says, “I’ve really benefited from being part of a peer community of other leaders to grapple with similar issues in their own communities. And my fellowship cohort raised $2 million in new funding as fellows, so it had a real tangible impact on my own life, as well as SBn as an organization.”

And then there’s Ann Karlen, Founding Director of Fair Food. “My job really began with sort of pounding the pavement for chefs,” she says, “and that’s not really fun for anyone. Over the years, everybody’s con-nected the dots and understood that it’s about the whole food system, and we as an organization have worked to address that, still focused on the wholesale marketplace.”

Fair Food is now planning to work with more conventional markets, says Karlen, including a uSDA-partnered study measuring local products coming through the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market. Fair Food is also considering reaching out to cities like Baltimore to share the solu-tions Philadelphia has found. judy Wicks’ mission, after all, isn’t just about local food — it’s about building a global web of self-reliant, sus-tainable economies, one business at a time. —Molly O’Neill

During its 26-year reign, the White Dog Café and its satellite organiza-tions incubated a host of talented young chefs, leaders and entrepre-neurs. Today, their work continues to build upon judy Wicks’ legacy in the realm of local, sustainable enterprise.

Award-winning chef Aliza Green, first to helm the White Dog kitchen after its major renovation in 1986, pioneered the restaurant’s local food program. Although Green now focuses primarily on writing cookbooks, she also serves as Director of Culinary Development for erdenheim’s Heathland Hospitality Group, sourcing local ingredients and developing recipes for such venues as the university of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.

Kevin von Klause, james Barrett and Wendy Smith Born all bonded during their time in the White Dog circle. Then-sous-chef von Klause brought Barrett in to audition with Green for the position of pastry chef. Smith Born started in 1983 as a research/writing assistant for Wicks’ project The Philadelphia Resource Guide, then settled in as White Dog Manager. In 1993, Barrett and Smith Born left to co-found Metropolitan Bakery.

Metropolitan’s 19th Street shop was the first business to provide a pickup location for Community Supported Agriculture programs Winter Harvest and Farm to City. Barrett and Smith Born also helped create the Free Library’s H.O.M.e. Page Café, which is staffed by formerly homeless teens and adults. Today, Metropolitan Bakery has outlets in Reading Terminal Market, university City and Chestnut Hill. This past February, Barrett and Smith Born opened Metropolitan Bakery’s first sit-down café, next door to the 19th Street location.

Barrett says that in the early White Dog days, “local food was not easy to attain, expensive and in short supply.” However, he says, “when Kevin Klause took over as executive chef, he forged relationships with the farmers and worked to make it cost-effective.” Smith Born, having grown up in new York City, was inspired by the revelation that metropolitan areas could receive fresh, local, organic products.

White Dog AlumniJudy Wicks and The White dog café spawned a generation that continues to grow local food systems in philadelphia and beyond

Standing in front of The White Dog Café are (l to r) Wendy Born Smith, james Barrett, judy Wicks and Kevin von Klause

“Judy’s legacy has been in bringing local, farm-raised food to a larger cohort of restaurants and caterers, expanding exponentially the web of connections between chefs and farmers that I started developing in the early ‘80s and brought to the White Dog as chef.”

aliza green chef, cookbook author


regions of the country — Tex-Mex, Louisiana and Amish — trying to figure out what we wanted to be. But then I had dinner at Apro-pos, where she was the chef, and the food blew me away. She really made us a success. I’d also like to give credit to Kevin [von Klause], her sous-chef, who came with her from Apropos. Kevin was [at the White Dog] for 17 years, and really put in the time.”

With the right menu in place, Wicks became a champion for, and a friend to, the local farm-ers. A decade later, after reading harrowing ac-counts of how pigs were treated on industrial farms, she extended that same friendship to livestock. She immediately pulled all items from her menu that contained any pig prod-ucts, and she tasked von Klause, now her chef with finding a source for ethically raised meat.

At the White Dog, Wicks continued to ask perhaps the most important question in sustainability, and she asked it about every-thing: Where did this come from? So, it was not only the food that was carefully vetted before it reached a White Dog diner; Wicks also installed a solar hot water heater and a composting system. The White Dog was also the first business in Pennsylvania to purchase renewable energy.

Integrating these systems and ideas into a working business like the White Dog showed what was possible, and proved that a values-based company could be successful.

“The thing that helped me, really, was be-ing a businessperson,” says Wicks. “That was what made my voice effective, because I could make ends meet and I knew how to run a com-pany and I had credibility. You couldn’t be too leftist if you were a business owner.”

BuildingCommunitywicks’ life and business seemed to revolve around a series of realizations and epiphanies. And in the wake of the epipha-nies, she was filled with an evangelical need

to share what she’d learned. One way for her to do so was through the Table Talks program at the White Dog, where she hosted discussions about important issues with local and national thinkers. Speakers included such notables as Amy Goodman, Michael Pollan, Jim Hightower and Ben Cohen, of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream.

Wicks’ definition of community didn’t stop at the edge of her own neighborhood. With groups of White Dog customers, she traveled to Cuba, Vietnam, Nicaragua and the former So-viet Union, forging relationships with what she called “sister” restaurants in those countries.

“I remember I was really trying to figure

“She was the best customer and advisor we ever had because she cared about the farmers getting a fair price. She would also take the whole animal instead of just parts, which was great... She was and is a leader and groundbreaker. She had a lot of influence, and the chefs she had at the White Dog went on to do great things.”

Judy wicks is a rockn chick

She sticks by you thru thin and thick

She gives it her allWhile having a ballAn that’s what good ol

Wicksy’s made of

Buck Run Cattle Co.

Ben & Jerry’s

dr. bill elk ins

ben cohen


phi

llyw

ald

orf

.com Education isn’t

about storing facts.It’s about thinking

for yourself.

Mainstream education is failing your child. Replace it.

With a re-imagined, reinvigorated, more inspired

curriculum that mixes artistic thinking with scientific

thinking, yielding original thinkers. Prepared for life.

look for these products and more at and online at store.gridphilly.com

We'll still have all your favorites at every Grid Alive event, but now you can get at store.gridphilly.com, too.

Look Alive!maybe you can't make it to

this month's Grid Aliveevent, but that doesn't mean

you can't get yourself some great Grid gear!

5_1_13_merch.indd 1 5/1/2013 4:38:16 PM


this out: ‘How can I make sense of a restaurant getting involved with foreign policy?’” Wicks recalls. “Because to me, coming out of the 60s with the Vietnam War experience, I felt that our foreign policy was my greatest interest and my greatest concern. I think Nicaragua could have become another Vietnam if it weren’t for the large number of Americans that went there... So, I’m thinking, ‘How can I be effec-tive?’ And that’s when I thought — well, there’s such a thing as sister cities; why can’t we have sister restaurants? So, that’s how I connected it. Because I needed to use my own vehicle that made sense for the restaurant.”

Wicks also forged connections with restau-rants closer to home — even competitors. She describes a turning point in her understanding of her role as a business owner and community member: “I started Fair Food to share my pro-prietary information [about sourcing ethically raised meat] with my competitors, because I realized that there was no such thing as one sustainable business. We had to work collab-oratively to build a sustainable system.”

Within months of founding Fair Food, Wicks also started the Sustainable Business Network (SBN). Her goal was to encourage lo-cal businesses to buy from each other, making

Philadelphia a more diverse — and therefore more resilient — marketplace. Simultaneously, she started the parent to SBN, the Business Al-liance for Local Living Economies (BALLE), which would become, and continues to be, a national force.

All You Need is Love“i know she’s a Philadelphia institution,” says climate activist and environmentalist Bill McKibben, “but she’s a huge deal on the na-tional scene as well: Her work with BALLE to help build out the network of local businesses across the country has been spec-tacularly successful... The best proof is that there are now Judy Wicks-type people in an awful lot of towns!”

McKibben isn’t alone in rec-ognizing the impact of BALLE, which is now the fastest growing network of socially responsible businesses in North America, representing 30,000 entrepreneurs and 80 networks like SBN. “And none of it of it would have been possible without Judy’s early vision

and pioneering leadership,” says former SBN Executive Director Leanne Krueger-Braneky, who recently became Director of Fellowship and Alumni at BALLE.

But when Wicks reflects upon the meaning of her work, she looks beyond the organiza-tions she’s founded and returns to the philoso-phy of what motivated her: the need to change our destructive economy and to value relation-ships over money.

“Most of my business decisions that were important to me were made from the heart.

Signing up for 100 percent renew-able electricity. I didn’t do it be-cause it was the right thing to do; I did that because I love nature. I love the world, I love life. And I want to do what I can to protect it. All of my decisions really came from a place of love. And that’s the only way we’re going to get out of the mess we’re in.”

Good Morning, Beautiful Business: The Unexpected Journey of an

Activist Entrepreneur and Local-Economy Pioneer is available now from Chelsea Green Publishing.


j u n e 2 0 1 3 gridphilly.com 37

Don’t throw it all away!The average person throws away 1600 pounds of garbage each year. The average Bennett Compost customer throws away less than half that (and gets fi nished compost for their garden each spring!) Our weekly pick-up of food scraps and other compostable material helps you reduce your impact. Simply place our bucket outside your home or apartment, and we’ll take care of the rest.

BENNETT COMPOST www.bennettcompost.com | 215.520.2406

Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!Don’t throw it all away!$15 / month!

for residential customers

Business owners: call 215.520.2406 for a

customized quote

by bernard brown • photos by jen brittonurban naturalist

Spring is the season for woodland wildflowers. Not much light reaches the forest floor once the canopy leafs out, so native understory plants are forced to sprout and flower before the spring sun fades to summer shadow.

Elsewhere in Philadelphia, forest floors are green carpets with cute little yellow flowers: all the invasive Eurasian species lesser celandine. It looks lush, but it’s a boring wasteland compared to the variety of native wildflowers that bloom each spring in intact or restored woodlands.

Donohue continuously pointed out plants, invisible at first, but obvious everywhere once she had shown me the first one. The blue cohash [figure 1] with its leaves held in like little purple hands. Then the twin leafs, the dicentra, the tooth-wort, spring beauties [figure 2], Jacob’s ladders, the bank of blue bells, the trout lilies’ mottled leaves poking through the leaf litter along the stream; and of course, the bloodroots [figure 3] holding their own little stretch of ravine.

Typical of land in the Delaware Valley, most of the Schuylkill Center’s grounds was farmed for centuries. Native woodland plants that evolved on old forest floors lost out to exotic invaders better adapted to disturbed soil. This is why we found woodland phlox, trillium [figure 4], blue bells, and bloodroots on the steep sides of ravines, where it never made any sense to farm.

It took a lot more effort to bring back the flow-ers in Penn’s Native Acres, a restored forest tract at the Center. Staff and volunteers have been fight-ing history by planting natives and removing exot-ics, but they have also been battling a diabolical duo of seemingly innocuous villains. Exotic night crawlers (our forests have no native earthworms) chow through leaf litter and tear up the dense net-works of fungi that knit together healthy forest soil. More obvious and controllable are the deer. Figure 3

Something WildForest restoration brings back native wildflowers

Pink buds like miniature tulips reached for the sky from the gap in each bloodroot’s single leaf. This was the first time in my life that I’d noticed them. I

spend a lot of time in the woods, at least for an urbanite, but apparently they’ve been the wrong woods. ¶ On this spring morning, photographer Jen Britton and I were tagging along with Joanne Donohue, Manager of Land Restoration for the Schuylkill Environmental Education Center, on a wildflower (“spring ephemeral,” if you want to sound like a botanist) tour.

Figure 2

Figure 1

Figure 4

3 8 g r i d p h i l ly.co m J u n e 2 0 1 3

Not long ago, at 10 times the ideal population density they were stripping everything they could eat, which was mostly the native species, leaving the exotic plants they couldn’t stomach to thrive. The Center has since reduced the herd to a manageable size, and erected a tall fence to protect Penn’s Native Acres.

The results are shockingly obvious once you exit the fence and find yourself looking at chest-high banks of multiflora rose, a vile invader with savage thorns. Even worse is the tangled jungle around the ruins above the Springhouse Pond: invasive vines like wisteria and mile-a-minute scaling other invasives like trees of heaven. This kind of mess is sadly typical throughout our region, but if you have a chance this spring, I urge you to step inside the fence at Penn’s Native Acres and take a look at what the woods can be.

bernard brown is an amateur field herper, bureaucrat and founder of the PB&J Campaign (pbjcampaign.org), a movementt focused on the benefits of eating lower on the food chain.

restoration WorkdayHelp the Schuylkill Center’s land restoration department remove invasive plants

from our forest, fix deer fences, maintain the trails, and more. Wear long pants and sturdy boots; bring a water bottle, (refills and snacks are provided). In case of inclement weather please check our website for cancellation notice.

→ Sat., May 18, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., free, for adults

may18

Beyond the Surface: Environmental Art in ActionJoin the Schuylkill Center for a daylong conference of ideas

and innovative thinking, investigating relationships between art and nature. Funded in part by the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage and The National Endowment of the Arts. For more information visit schuylkillcenter.org/art

→ Fri., May 31, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., free

may31

★

volunteer

e v e n t

Actually, it’s a win, win, win.

Lower utility bills.More comfortable home.

Greener planet.

A Home Energy Assessment can show you how to use up to 40% less energy. Save money, be more comfortable.

ENERGYWORKSNOW.COM215-609-1052ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS

J u n e 2 0 1 3 g r i d p h i l ly.co m 3 9

may11 Second Annual Bird Fest

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University celebrates birds with

its second annual Bird Fest. The festival includes live bird flight shows, family-friendly activities, and more.

→ Sat., May 11, 9:30–10:30 a.m. Free with regular admission. The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy. Visit ansp.org for more information.

may11 Rain Barrels and You: Save Money,

Protect StreamsLearn how to install and maintain a rain

barrel. Help prevent stream erosion and water pollution while lowering your water bills and supporting your garden. Purchase a rain barrel for only $15 when you attend two workshops.

→ Sat., May 11, 10–11:30 a.m. at the Frame House, 7900 High School Rd., Elkins Park. For more information, visit highschoolpark.org

may11 Love Your Park Spring Edition

Come join us for a clean-up at Tacony Creek Park’s new gateways. We’re

working hard to establish access to the new TCP Trail. Supplies and snacks provided.

→ Sat., May 11, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., the Intersection at Whitaker Ave & Loudon St . Contact Alix Howard, [email protected] or call 215.844.8100 for more information.

may13 Energy Efficiency Workshop

Featuring a panel including residents and EnergyWorks experts, this eye-

opening workshop shows homeowners how to take advantage of rebates, low-interest financ-ing and tax credits to make energy-efficient upgrades.

→ Mon., May 13, 7–8:30 p.m., Freedom Hall of the Upper Merion Township Building, 175 W. Valley Forge Rd., King of Prussia. Hosted by Upper Merion EAC. All events are posted at umtownship.org

may14 Gardening with Nature

This program will highlight the fabu-lous garden, Twin Maples. The program

shows the landscape in all seasons and describes the process of planting sustainable wildflower meadows that become more beautiful each year.

→ Tue., May 14, 6–7 p.m. at PHS headquarters (100 N. 20th St., Philadelphia)

→ May 11, Sat. 2 p.m. Rittenhouse Square East Meet at pool, center of Rittenhouse Square

→ May 12, Sun. 2 p.m. Society Hill Sacred Sites Meet at gate of St. Peter’s Church, 3rd & Pine Sts.

→ May 15, Wed. 6 p.m. Fishtown Meet at William Penn statue, Penn Treaty Park, N. Delaware & E. Columbia Aves.

→ May 18, Sat. 10 a.m. Around Washington Square Meet at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington Square

→ May 18, Sat. 2 p.m. Spring Garden Meet in front of Jack’s Firehouse, 2130 Fairmount Ave.

→ May 19, Sun. 2 p.m. Society Hill Stroll Meet at NE corner, 2nd & Spruce Sts.

→ May 22, Wed. 6 p.m. Media Meet in front of Delaware County Court House, Front St. & Courthouse Square

→ May 25, Sat. 10 a.m. Victorian Philadelphia West of Broad Meet at steps of the Bellevue, 200 S. Broad St.

→ May 25, Sat. 2 p.m. City Hall to City Hall Meet at NE corner of 5th & Chestnut Sts.

→ May 26, Sun. 2 p.m. Gilded Age Philadelphia Meet at steps of the Bellevue, 200 S. Broad St.

→ May 29, Wed. 6 p.m. Post Industrial City: Callowhill St. From Broad to the Delaware River Meet in front of former Inquirer Bldg., 400 N. Broad St.

→ June 1, Sat. 10 a.m. Art Deco Meet at Liberty Place entrance, 17th & Chestnut Sts.

→ June 1, Sat. 2 p.m. Littlest Streets East of Broad Meet at center of Kahn Park, 11th & Pine Sts.

→ June 2, Sun. 2 p.m. Society Hill Stroll Meet at NE corner, 2nd & Spruce Sts.

→ June 5, Wed. 6 p.m. Bankers’ Heaven: Architecture and Finance in Philadelphia Meet at east entrance to Bourse Building, 111 S. 4th St.

→ June 8, Sat. 10 a.m. Ben Franklin’s Philadelphia Meet at entrance to Franklin Court, 316 Market St.

→ June 8, Sat. 2 p.m. Bella Vista Meet SE corner of 10th & South Sts.

→ June 9, Sun. 2 p.m. Old City Meet at the benches, N. 2nd St. at Elfreth’s Alley

The Preservation Alliance for Greater Phila-delphia’s award-winning Architectural Walking Tours are back, rain or shine from May through October (see partial schedule, below). Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for students with ID, free for children 10 and under accompanied by an adult. The Pres-ervation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia actively promotes the appreciation, protec-tion, and revitalization of the Philadelphia region’s historic buildings, communities, and landscapes. For more information, visit preservationalliance.com

Preservation Alliance Walking Tours


http://www.ansp.org

http://www.preservationalliance.com/events/walking_tours_descriptions.php#rittenhousesquareeast

http://www.preservationalliance.com/events/walking_tours_descriptions.php#societyhillsacredsites

http://www.preservationalliance.com/events/walking_tours_descriptions.php#societyhillsacredsites

http://www.preservationalliance.com/events/walking_tours_descriptions.php#fishtown

http://www.preservationalliance.com/events/walking_tours_descriptions.php

http://www.preservationalliance.com/events/walking_tours_descriptions.php

http://www.preservationalliance.com/events/walking_tours_descriptions.php#springgarden

http://www.preservationalliance.com/events/walking_tours_descriptions.php#societyhill

http://www.preservationalliance.com/events/walking_tours_descriptions.php#media

http://www.preservationalliance.com/events/walking_tours_descriptions.php#victorian

http://www.preservationalliance.com/events/walking_tours_descriptions.php#victorian

http://www.preservationalliance.com/events/walking_tours_descriptions.php#cityhalltocityhall

http://www.preservationalliance.com/events/walking_tours_descriptions.php#gildedage

http://www.preservationalliance.com/events/walking_tours_descriptions.php#gildedage

http://www.preservationalliance.com/events/walking_tours_descriptions.php#postindustrial



http://www.preservationalliance.com/events/walking_tours.php

http://www.preservationalliance.com/events/walking_tours.php

http://www.preservationalliance.com/

may14 GMO Free PA Monthly Meet-Up

Come find out about GMOs and how seriously they impact human health

and our environment. We will also continue to strategize for 2013 and discuss ways to raise GMO awareness.

→ Tue., May 14, 7–8:30 p.m., No charge, Ludington Library, 5 S. Bryn Mawr Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 More info at: www.facebook.com/gmoFreepA or [email protected].

may15 Tree Planting Training Session

PHS Tree Tenders training provides tree-planting knowledge and hands-

on lessons. Training sessions also include tree biology, identification and working within your community.

→ Wed., May 15, 5:45–8:45 p.m., Fee for training is $25, PHS, 100 N. 20th St. Visit pennhort.net/treetenders to register. For more information about the Plant One Million campaign go to plantonemillion.org. Repeats Wed., May 22.

may16 GMO Free NJ Meeting

Second annual Green Fest follow-up meeting will explore genetically engi-

neered substances in our food supply, shopping strategies and actions you can take today.

→ Thu., May 16, 7–8 p.m. Free and open to the public — bring a friend. Collingswood Library, 771 Haddon Ave., Collingswood, NJ. Visit gmofreenj.com for more information.

may16 Future Weather Film Screening and

Climate Change Lecture at Bryn Mawr Film Institute

Bryn Mawr Film Institute is screening the local-ly produced drama Future Weather, with a 15-20 minute lecture by Dr. Raluca Ellis, the Franklin Institute’s chief Environmental Scientist, who will be discussing atmospheric climate change.

→ Thu., May 16, 7–9:30 p.m., 824 W. Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr. For more information on the screening, visit brynmawrfilm.org.

may17 Civic Horticulture Conference

The Civic Horticulture conference will examine Philadelphia’s use of horticul-

ture and what that portends for the future of this city and other cities through multiple lenses.

→ Fri., May 17, 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Conference fees vary, from $75-$135, 150 South Independence Mall West, Public Ledger Building, Ste. 1123. For more information and to register, visit tclf.org

may18 Master Gardeners of Camden

County Plant ClinicPlant Clinic held on the third Saturday

of the month from May to September. Residents are invited to stop by with garden questions, sick plants, bug-eaten leaves and flowers, in-sects and conversation.

→ Sat., May 18, 9 a.m.–12 p.m., free, Camden County Environmental Center, 1301 Park Blvd, Cherry Hill, NJ. For more information, visit camdencounty.com/parks/going-green or email us [email protected].

Nature’s Notes

Connie Toll [email protected] (610) 664-5694


mailto:[email protected]

may18 Fresh and Local Fair at Weavers Way

Weavers Way Chestnut Hill and Mt. Airy stores will feature local vendors

and farmers, and plenty of delectable treats.

→ Sat., May 18, 11:30 a.m.–4 p.m., 559 Carpenter Lane (Mt. Airy Location) and 8424 Germantown Ave (Chestnut Hill Location). For more information, visit weaversway.coop

may18 DIY Vertical Hydro Strawberry

Garden WorkshopWe’ll show you step-by-step how to

build your very own PVC strawberry tower, an innovative way to grow lots of plants in a small space.

→ Sat., May 18, noon–2 p.m., Cost is $25. Everyone will get a $10 Greensgrow Gift Card after the workshop. Greensgrow Farm, 2501 E. Cumberland St. Philadelphia. Register at greensgrow.org or email at [email protected]

may18 Strawberry Mint Jam Workshop with

Marisa McClellanLearn to make Strawberry Mint Jam.

Students will go home with small jars of the jam made in class.

→ Sat., May 18, noon–2 p.m., $35, Greensgrow Farm, 2501 E. Cumberland St. Registration required, greensgrow.org

may18 Sustainability School - Stalking Wild

Edibles!Forager Dawn Toutkaldjian joins Dick-

inson College Farm to impart her wisdom and enthusiasm for foraging wild edibles.

→ Sat., May 18, 2–4 p.m., $6 member/$8 non-member, Dickinson College Farm, 553 Park Dr., Boiling Springs, PA

The Season Kick-Off at Headhouse Farmers’ MarketDiscover heirloom seeds, taste heirloom samples, and record your food stories and recipes with the Messages in Motion video van.

→ Sun., June 2, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., The Food Trust’s Headhouse Farmers’ Market, 2nd and Lombard Streets

jun02

may19 Shtetl Skills by the Jewish Farm

SchoolDiscover the Jewish implications of

community land use, social permaculture and how you can help transform the city of Philadel-phia into the community of Philadelphia!

→ Sun., May 19, 1–3 p.m., free, 5020 Cedar Ave, Philadelphia, PA. Register at jewishfarmschool.org or call (877) 537-6286. Repeats Sun., June 2.

may22 Living Foods Workshop

Explore the history, health benefits and cultural associations of fermentation as

a method of food preparation with Jared Blumer. Free (gift-based donations welcome) and open to the public.

→ Wed, May 22, 7–9 p.m., Weavers Way Mt. Airy, 559 Carpenter Ln., Philadelphia. For more information, visit weaversway.coop.

may25 Open Hive Day

Join TLC Apiarist Dan Borkoski for an inside look at the busy buzzy world of

honeybees while gaining practical beekeeping knowledge. Protective veils will be available. If you have your own gear, please bring it along!

→ Sat., May 25, 9–11 a.m., Free for TLC/CCBA members; $5 non-members, New Leaf Eco Center; 776 Rosedale Rd., Kennett Square, PA. Visit tlcforscc.org.

may29 Wyck House Garden Social

Tour Germantown’s historic Wyck House and rose garden, while enjoying

hors d’oeuvres and spritzers from Weavers Way.

→ Wed, May 29, 5–8 p.m., $20/person, Wyck House, 6026 Germantown Avenue. Contact [email protected] for more info. For more information on the Wyck House, visit wyck.org.

may30 Beyond Green: How can sustainable

design transform our lives?This Bicentennial Town Square will

feature Rob Fleming, LEED AP discussing the need to make transformative, values-based sustainable design decisions in order to create resilient communities for the future.

→ Thu, May 30, 5:30–8: 30 p.m., 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy. To register, visit ibeyondgreen.eventbrite.com

may30 Everything you wanted to know

about GMOs but were afraid to ask!Ken Roseboro shares his extensive

knowledge about genetically engineered foods. Please arrive early to secure your seat.

→ Thu, May 30, 7–8 p.m., Haddon Township Public Library, 15 MacArthur Blvd gmofreenj.com for more information

4 2 g r i d p h i l ly.co m J U N E 2 0 1 3 P H OTOS By R. K E N N E Dy F O R G PT M C

http://www.jewishfarmschool.org

http://www.jewishfarmschool.org

http://www.weaversway.coop

http://www.gmofreenj.com

Philadelphia Gardens, Inc.GREEN + SUSTAINABLE

GARDEN INSTALLATION + DESIGN

TONI ANN FLANIGAN

PHILADELPHIAGARDENS.COM

215.951.9193

www.camphillkimberton.org

Hootenanny: July 20a festival of local music and food

Sankanac CSA w Craft ShopSweet Water Baking Co.

Camphill Café featuring organic and local food

open Wed. - Sat. 10 am - 2 pm

an ecologically-focused intentional community in Chester County, PA

www.therenegadecompany.org

$5 offuse code:

GRIDChurch of the Crucifixion620 S. 8th StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19147

June 5-22nd

GLASS:SHATTERED


may31 Beyond the Surface: Environmental

Art in Action ConferenceJoin the Schuylkill Center for a daylong

conference of ideas and innovative thinking, investigating relationships between art and nature.

→ Fri., May 31, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. at the Conference admission fee $80; member admission $60; Students, artists, educators admission $40, 8480 Hagy’s Mill Road. Visit schuylkillcenter.org, or email us at [email protected].

may31 Opening of Stacy Levy’s “Rain

Garden”Join the SCEE to unveil a new perma-

nent artwork by renowned environmental artist Stacy Levy. The opening coincides with a day-long conference on “The New Environmental Art” at the Center (see above).

→ Fri., May 31, 6–7 p.m., free, Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, 8480 Hagy’s Mill Rd. For more information, visit schuylkillcenter.org

jun01 Edible Native Plants

Join landscape architect Anna Wik of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

for an introduction into delicious and plentiful edible native plants. After the walk enjoy tea and a snack made from edible natives.

→ Sat., June 1, 1–3 p.m., $25/30 member/non-member, Morris Arboretum, 100 E. Northwestern Ave. For more information and to register, visit morrisarboretum.org

jun02 PASA’s Bike Fresh - Allegheny

CountyPASA’s Bike Fresh Bike Local-Alleghe-

ny County ride offers different route options to make this the perfect ride for any cyclist.

→ Sun., June 2, 7 a.m.–5 p.m., Ice Rink at North Park, Mill Road Allison Park.

jun04 Bright Green Buildings Event

Panel discussion on sustainable de-sign, construction, operations and

maintenance in the Information Age. Learn about how to use current and future technolo-gies to build a more economic, greener, and more productive buildings.

→ Tue, June 4, 5–8 p.m., Admission: $35 Chapter Member/Member-Pro; $25 Students (ID Required); $15, Hub at Cira Center 2929 Arch St.

jun08 Heirloom Seed Exchange

Swap seeds and gardening tips with the Philly Seed Exchange at this in-

troduction to seed saving.

→ Sat., June 8, 11 a.m.–1 p.m., Mill Creek Farm, 49th St. & Brown St.

jun08 Opening Event for the 58th Street

GreenwayA ribbon-cutting ceremony has been

arranged to celebrate the end of construction. The event will feature activities for families and children, refreshments, and an inaugural kid›s ride down the bicycle path.

→ Sat., June 8, 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m., free, Myers Recreation Center, 5803 Kingsessing Ave.

Aliza Green Summer Soup WorkshopAliza Green will be doing a summer soup workshop at the Greensgrow Farm Community Kitchen featuring quick and cooling summer soups with recipes from her newest book, The Soupmaker’s Kitchen.

→ Sat., June 8, noon–2 p.m., Greensgrow Farm, 2501 E. Cumberland St.

jun08


OMS Private Label • Green Sleep

WJ Southard • Cozy Pure

Royal-Pedic • Shepherd’s Dream

1075 Main St. Hellertown, PAShowroom Equidistant from Philly & NYC

Toll Free 1.866.246.9866

Theorganicmattressstore.com

Franchise Opportunities AvailableOffer by Prospectus Only

Bryn Gweled HomesteadsCooperative Living Since 1940

www.bryngweled.org215-355-8849 — Ask for Gary

Inclusive, multi-generational community in wooded lower Bucks County. Homes available. Gardens and livestock possible. Easy commute to Center City.

Lloyd Hall, 1 Boathouse Row | Philadelphia | cosmicfoods.com 7 days a week, 8am to dusk | 215.978.0900 | cell 610.324.5256

215 854 6337 office www.glennromano.com215 742 0592 direct dial [email protected] 742-0591 fax

GLENN C. ROMANOAttorney at Law

Two Penn Center · Suite 200 · Philadelphia, PA 19102

COMMERCIAL LITIGATIONCONTRACTS · BUSINESS AND CORPORATE LAW

Old City Art & Framing

custom framing: 1, 25% off | 2 or more, 35% off

Expert Custom Framing & Mirrors10 N. 3rd Street | (215)-629-5852

FROM OUR FARM TO YOUR HOME

717.677.7186 R www.threespringsfruitfarm.com

� e fi nest sustainably raised fruits

and specialty vegetables available at

Headhouse Farmers Market (Sundays

10-2) and at like-minded stores and

restaurants throughout the city.

Bicycle Repair609 S. 16th Street (Corner of 16th & Kater)

11:00-7:00 Mon - Thurs 11:00-5:00 Fri & Sat 215.545.1711


I L LUST R AT I O N By ST E P H E N H A I G H

Sustainable Economy = Sustainable Community

I was born in southwest philly and lived there until I was 9. The sights and sounds of that time are vibrant — hopscotch, penny candy, water ice, jump rope. It would never be called a “good” Philly

neighborhood, but it’s what comes to mind when I think of a typical one. I remember starkly when things began to change for the worse — the crime, the drugs, the poverty. A standout event was the time a neighbor broke into our house when my mom and I were home alone. We heard the glass shatter and my mom told me to run. I did, as quickly as I could, up the street to my grandmom’s house, the wind roaring in my ears, my heart a drumbeat. We moved soon after — by then, we could afford it, my parents having both recently attained professional degrees. The new neighborhood, Wynnefield, was nicer and safer.

Over time, I noticed what happened to those we left behind in the other neighborhood. How poverty kept them from learning, and blocked their access to fresh, healthy food. How it incarcerated them and killed them. How poverty led many to accept that there was not much of a world beyond the confines of their block. That to me is about a lack of equity and it is what attracts me to the Sustainable Business Network (SBN) and the sustainable economy movement. I believe that over time this effort will ensure equity.

I love how the sustainable economy movement forces a new way of measuring prosperity, one in which financial success is viewed as a means to an and of supporting a fair and just society, as opposed to an end in and of itself. I love how it promotes fairness for workers, and encourages busi-nesses to facilitate good deeds within their communities. I love how this movement, our movement, promotes more people having an ownership stake in our economy, and how an emphasis on local sourcing ensures that success will be shared with multiple stakeholders. And how it forces entrepreneurs and consumers to acknowledge that resources are not infi-nite, ensuring that all of us — including generations to come — will enjoy the communities we are building.

As SBN’s new executive director, I am looking forward to many things. I’d like to expand SBN’s network by attracting more businesses that span a variety of industries. I’d like to do more direct marketing and education to consumers, in a way that will ensure their patronage of good business. I plan to continue SBN’s role as the voice of small and sustainable busi-ness through strong advocacy. And I’d like to provide an increased level of services to our business constituents that will help them to grow — financially, and otherwise.

To bring it all back home, I ask that you indulge me in a fantasy. It is 15 years from now, and we’ve made huge strides in the local sustainable economy movement — our communities are supported by a variety of businesses (owned by a variety of stakeholders) that nourish and provide for the many. I take a walk back onto a little block in Southwest Philly and again the sights and sounds are vibrant — hopscotch, penny candy, water ice, jump rope. People are outside, talking with neighbors, and instead of a feeling of scarcity, there’s one of hope and abundance. Because people know they can get their needs met — they can go to a good quality school, they can get fresh healthy food, they can get a good paying job or open up a business, they can breathe fresh air. And they know that they will be okay; because instead of being victim to our economic system, they are supported by it. They participate in it. They thrive in it.

And, that’s a worthy vision, right?

jamie gauthier joined SBN in March 2013 as Executive Director. She has a background in business and community development and prior to SBN worked as a Program Officer with Philadelphia Local Initiatives Support Corporation. For more on SBN, visit sbnphiladelphia.org.

Each month, Dispatch features personal reflections on adventures in sustainability. Have a story you’d like to share? E-mail [email protected]

What the sustainable economy movement means to me

by jamie gauthier


The kids of Philadelphia are learning about the benefits of solar power, how about you?

Solar States is a solar energy supplier but we support all green energy initiatives. One way we're helping is to partner with Philadelphia area schools to implement rooftop solar energy as well as educate students about the need for and benefits of alternative energy.

To get involved or learn how you can go solar, visit solar-states.com or call 1 (888) 895 8756

CHANGINGTHE CLIMATE

OF EDUCATION

Solar States 1400 N. American St. Suite 401 Philadelphia, PA 19122

FIND YOUR POWERS O L A RS T AT E S P h i l adel ph i a So l a r

S c h o o l s I n i t i a t i v e

wednesdaysWalk-In

EnvironmEntal StudiES

featured the SEcond

WEdnESday of each month

Open information session for all

LPS programs

Saras WindeckerMaster of Environmental Studies

Create Change.

Photo credit: Saras Windecker

Be part of tomorrow’s solutions today.

Pleurocera proxima is a small, freshwater gastropod—snail—whose grazing can have a significant effect on energy flow in small streams. Previously known only in the Southeast, the species has recently been discovered in the Christina Basin watershed in eastern Pennsylvania. Saras Windecker’s MES Capstone Project involved a survey of more than a hundred streams in the watershed to determine the extent of the snail’s distribution and its preferred habitat, a significant first step in determining its effect on the life of waterways in Pennsylvania.

Penn’S MaSter of environMental StudieS PrograM combines classroom work with field experience in a broadly based interdisciplinary approach to the study of the environment. As a culminating exercise in the program, students complete an individual project that puts what they’ve learned in the classroom to work in the field. Their choice of final projects often reflects the area of environmental work in which they intend to focus their careers.

www.facebook.com/UPennEES

@PENN_EES www.upenn.edu/mesor search penn mes

Grid Magazine June 2013 [#050]

Documents

Transcript of Grid Magazine June 2013 [#050]