Manager’s Corner Pop-up Ideas...

559 Carpenter Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19119

phone: 215-843-2350 · fax: 215-843-6945

www.weaversway.coop

Inside:Product News 3

Sandwich Schedule 18

Co-op Runners Club 20

Suggestions 20

And of course... scads more

Presorted Standard

U.S.

POSTAGE

PAID

Philadelphia, PA

Permit No. 2658

Weavers Way Cooperative Association559 Carpenter Lane · Philadelphia, PA 19119

August 2007

Vol. 36, No. 8

I am always amazed at the way anorganization takes on new ideas or meth-ods of doing business. Sometimes theseideas are planned out in a business planor strategic plan, but often it is an ideathat just “pops-up.” I call it managing“pop-ups.” It is a way of managing ideasthat just pop up, knowing when an ideahas “legs” and if it fails it will not ruinthe organization. It is an idea that has apotential positive outcome (meets someform of an organization’s mission or fitsinto planning), and if the idea does notwork, the worst it can do is put a smallbump in the road.

I thought I would give a few of thesepop ups that have taken place over thelast year:

Standing in front of the meat case theother day, a shopper came up to me andasked me why we package the meats thatalready come in Cryovac plastic, in addi-tional plastic and Styrofoam. I looked atthe case. I remember having had a dis-cussion about this before. Then I said, “Ido not know why we do this. Perhapsbecause we always have done it this way.”I knew, even before I was finished speak-

(contiunued on page 5)

by Glenn Bergman

Save the DateSaturday, Oct. 20

General Membership

MeetingMeet, Greet, & Eat“Past Meets Future”

details to follow

The board is re-examining the rolecommittees play in the Co-op and wantsinput from members on some ideas beingconsidered. Historically, Weavers Waycommittees were responsible for certainfunctions that, over time, have become theresponsibility of our general manager. Yet,our bylaws have not kept pace with thesechanging roles and responsibilities, result-ing in some friction and confusion be-tween and among the committees, theGM, and the board. Board members findit increasingly difficult and unproductiveto carry out their responsibilities to moni-tor the operations and functioning of thecommittees and the GM.

After much discussion, we have con-cluded that a significant change in the waycommittees are organized and functionwithin the Weavers Way governance struc-ture is necessary. At the same time, theboard recognizes that such changes maycause some members who have devotedlong hours to serving on Co-op commit-tees to feel displaced or unappreciated. Wedo not take such changes lightly and wantto do whatever we can to involve members

“Knee high by the fourth of July.” Ifwe were growing corn it certainly wouldbe at least that, but alas, we are not. Therest of our crops, however, are knee highor more, and in the case of the squash, sobig that we’ve lost a cooperator in therefor three days (sorry, it still only counts asa two-hour shift).

Late Novemberof last year, all sixdisplay refrigerationcompressors weremoved from thebasement of the Co-op up to the roofand a new deli walk-in box was installedin the basementspace they had occu-pied. One of the pre-dicted benefits ofthis move was thatour energy usage(BTUs) and energycosts would godown. In the old set-up, heat from the compressors made itsway into the rest of the building. Unlessyou were a barefoot shopper, you would-n’t have known that the floor above thecompressor room near the ice cream dis-play was usually very warm And since it’sno shoes, no service, there’d be no icecream for you either.

Well, there’s good news: the predictedsavings in energy usage has come to pass.From January through May 2007, we haveused 5.9 percent less energy (as measuredin BTUs/degree day), or $839 less than

could be expected (in similar weatherconditions as January through May of2006). Projected over the entire year, thatamounts to $1,865 of the store’s $31,000annual gas and electric bill. This improve-ment is all the more amazing in light ofthe fact that we added a big piece of elec-tricity-consuming equipment (the base-ment walk-in). And here’s another bonus— because the refrigeration equipmentwill run cooler and more efficiently, it willlast longer. Another factor in our recently

As we move towards August, farmactivities have shifted to mostly harvest-ing. David Siller and I are still pruningand tying tomatoes, weeding, and seedingsome of the shorter season crops that wedo multiple plantings of during the year— lettuce, scallions, beets, carrots andsalad greens. But it’s the harvesting thatwe seem to be spending most of our time

Down on the FarmKnee High by the Fourth of July

Re-examining the Role ofCommitteesby Stu Katz, Board President

Passion and ration — that’show I would characterize PaulMack’s presentation on hisweek of rehabilitation work inNew Orleans this past February.Passionate in his desire to helpthe displaced, but coolly ration-al in his analysis of the prob-lems that this population faces.

A member of Weavers Way,Paul traveled to New Orleans aspart of a group of volunteerscoordinated by the UnitarianUniversalist Service Committee,in this case through the Unitari-an Universalist Church of theRestoration on Stenton Ave. atGorgas Lane. The presentationwas sponsored by the Education Commit-tee of Weavers Way.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita occurredin the summer of 2005. Why is New Or-leans still such a mess?

Using pictures he took of individualsand homes, Paul reviewed the geographyof the city and the devastation that certainareas suffered. Much of the work seems tobe inspired by faith-based communities,

and it is churches who have sponsoredpeople to help those who want to returnto New Orleans.

Some of the most impressive pictureswere those of the insides of homes, wherepeople left their stuff expecting to be backin a few days — dishes in the drainingrack, pictures on the wall. Now, however,it is all covered in mold. Mold, dust parti-

Weavers Way Film Series Presentation:Rebuilding New Orleansby Larry Schofer

Energy Efficiency and the Green Life atthe Co-op

(continued on page 4) (continued on page 4) (continued on page 4)

(continued on page 7)

by Steve Hebden

by David Zelov, Co-op Farmer

WITH HARVEST KICKING INTO HIGH GEAR, THE CO-OP FARM IS BUSTLING WITH

VOLUNTEERS HARVETING CROPS AND GETTING THEM READY FOR SALE.

COMPRESSORS BEING MOVED FROM THE BASEMENT TO THE

ROOF LAST NOVEMBER.

PHO

TOBY

STEVE

HEBDEN

PHO

TOBY

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LLEVY

PHO

TOBY

LARRYS

CHO

FER

PAUL MACK (L) WITH MARGIE EGGERSON, A DIS-PLACED PERSON FROM NEW ORLEANS NOW LIVING

IN PHILADELPHIA. MARGIE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN

THE POST-PRESENTATION DISCUSSION.

PAGE 2 AUGUST 2007THE SHUTTLE

Editor’s Noteby Jonathan McGoran

The Shuttleis printed on 100%

recycled paper

The Shuttle is published by Weavers Way Co-op and is mailed to all members. Deadlines for upcoming issues:

September 2007 issue: August 1, 2007October 2007 issue: September 1, 2007November 2007 issue: October 1, 2007

Statement of PolicyArticles should be under 500 words and can be

submitted neatly typed, on disk, or e-mailed tojonmcgo@weaversway.coop. Be sure to include yourname, phone number, and membership number.Drop them off by the deadline to the Shuttle mail-box on the second floor of the Co-op. The purposeof the Shuttle is to provide members with informa-tion as well as education about co-ops, health foodpractices, and other matters of interest to the mem-bers as consumers and citizens of the community.

Articles express only the views of the writersand not those of the Co-op or the board of directors,unless identified as such. Articles, letters, comments,criticisms, and suggestions are welcome and shouldbe directed to the editor. Space limitations requirethat the editor has the right to edit all articles.

Ad rates are available upon request, in theadvertising mailbox on the second floor, or atwww.weaversway.coop. All ads must be camera-ready and submitted with payment. Products or serv-ices advertised in this paper should not in any waybe construed to be endorsed by Weavers Way Co-op.

One of the ways co-opsdiffer from for-profit businesses is thedemocratic way we govern ourselves.From time to time, that governance needsa fresh look, and the board is seeking in-put from members as they re-examine therole of committees at Weavers Way.Frankly, I think they’re rushing things. Acommittee has already been formed tolook at this, and it’s only fair that we waituntil they deliver their findings. I’m refer-ring, of course, to the Ad Hoc CommitteeCommittee, formed in 1978. It’s findingsshould be ready sometime next year. Theyear after that at the latest.

Another way co-ops differ is in howwe view competition. We are sponsoring afarmer’s market, right across the street.Whole Foods is launching a hostile take-over of rival Wild Oats. The bid will likelybe thwarted, however, in part becauseWhole Foods Chief Executive John Mack-ey and other top executives said they weregoing to "crush" Wild Oats to avoid “nastyprice wars... which will harm our grossmargins and profitability” (i.e., lowerprices due to competition). And partlybecause, as one prominent stock analystdescribes it, the FTC filing says Mackey is“obsessed with running Wild Oats out ofbusiness and that they seek to circumventthat process by taking them out and es-sentially dismantling the company.”

Still another difference is the behaviorof our leaders. Sure, Glenn Bergman canbe a little loopy, but from 1999 to 2006,John Mackey was secretly posting on Ya-hoo Finance bulletin boards using a fakename, boosting Whole Foods and attack-ing his rivals, most notably Wild OatsCEO Perry Odak. Obviously, screennames aren’t rare, but for eight years,Mackey consistently denied his identity,on one occasion claiming to be George W.Bush. Now, maybe Mackey’s 1,394 poststouting Whole Foods and slamming WildOats were not an illegal effort to affectstock prices, but even if it’s not illegal, it’shard to argue that it’s not kind of icky.

Ickier still is the personal nature ofsome of those attacks, like when he won-ders if “perhaps the OATS Board willwake up and dump Odak and bring in avisionary and highly competent C.E.O.”And Mackey doesn’t just get personalwith his competitors. Ickiest of all is whenhe gets personal about himself. “I likeMackey’s haircut,” he wrote of himself inApril 2000. “I think he looks cute ”

Ick.

Ned Wolf Park is one of over 80 city-owned parks that arebeing tended by volunteer coordinators who donate their timeorganizing volunteers, material and cash donations to improvecommunity life in their neighborhoods. We have been very for-tunate in our neighborhood that many continue to have aninterest in this park and contribute time and money to this proj-ect of improving it.

By the time you read this, the Ned Wolf Park sign will beprominently visible at the intersection of McCallum and Elletstreets. The sign was made by local furniture craftsman JackLarimore and his family. Regional woodworkers and craftspeopleknow Jack’s prominent reputation in the Philadelphia craftsmovement. We feel lucky and proud to have the sign he madefor us and are confident that we have the finest park sign in thecity.

Just beyond the sign, I hope you enjoy the flowering plantsthat have been giving a show for several weeks now. Ned WolfPark continues to make strides but still has issues that we aretrying to figure out how to resolve. I will say more on that later.

Recently donated work on the park includes Co-op stafferSteve Hebden’s efforts at eradicating the poison ivy without theuse of pesticides. Less visible, but just as important, is the mid-June tree and garden feeding provided by Savatree, a local treeand garden care company. Their organic ArborKelp® mixtureworks to stimulate fine root growth, which makes plants andtrees more tolerant to drought and stress. We are happy to reportthat the new plantings have stabilized and are flowering.

West Mt. Airy Neighbors (WMAN) spearheaded a fundrais-ing letter delivered in the local neighborhood. Many haveresponded positively and sent donations in amounts rangingfrom $20 to $100 to the fundraising campaign to support thepark and our efforts. A plant sale held by Susie Bloch to benefitNed Wolf Park in early June was a smashing success With dona-tions from Tony Aiello from the Morris Arboretum and dona-tions of plant divisions from neighbors, we were finally able toreimburse the park volunteers who advanced funds to the parkproject a few months ago. Another contribution received wasthree dozen assorted perennials donated by local members of theAmerican Rock Garden Society. All of these gifts have been veryhelpful and we are very grateful to all of our supporters.

But it has not all been work. One volunteer group taking careof daily watering — also known as the Mt. Airy Garden Club —took a road trip to the open house at the nearby MeadowbrookFarm estate and nursery, where we toured the house and gardensand shopped in the nursery. We also toured seven local gardensin the neighborhood surrounding the Co-op on the summer sol-stice in June where we shared good times, food, drink and gar-

Have You Visited Ned Wolf Park Yet?Ronda Throne-Murray

dening tips.At WMAN’s annual meeting, a dozen local people whose vol-

unteer efforts have made a significant contribution to theirneighbors received Partners in Progress awards. Among thoserecognized were Syd Carpenter and myself as Ned Wolf Park co-coordinators, Susie Bloch for Corners and Porches listserve, andCaitlin Stevens for Carpenter Woods Town watch.

Please remember that even a small contribution of time, tal-

Tree-lined streets are a feature of ourneighborhoods in West Mt. Airy, and WestMt. Airy Neighbors (WMAN) has recentlyestablished a Street Trees Committee topromote this beautiful asset. Among its ef-forts, the committee is planning a treeplanting project for March 2008 and iscurrently conducting a survey of residentsin order to gauge the level of communityinterest in the project. The planting will becoordinated with the Pennsylvania Horti-cultural Society’s annual bare root, streettree-planting which over the years hasplanted thousands of trees in Philadelphia.

To help with project planning, theCommittee would like to gauge generalinterest from West Mt. Airy residents byasking: (a) Would you like to plant a streettree on your property? (b) Would you liketo help organize tree-planting efforts onyour block? (c) Are you interested in help-ing with the actual planting next spring?Residents can participate in the survey on-line and provide their contact informationby accessing the WMAN website atwww.wman.net — look for the “TreesSurvey” box under “Events News andNotes.”

The street trees project is being led byDave Tukey, who organized similar effortsthrough Weavers Way in 2005 and 2006that resulted in 50 new trees on Mt. Airy’sstreets. Dave can be reached at

trainbow2@yahoo.com or by a note in hisCo-op mailbox.

The WMAN Street Trees Committee,which held its first meeting this past April,is a subcommittee of the WMAN Qualityof Life Committee. It was formed in re-sponse to a growing concern about the de-clining number and condition of treesalong Mt. Airy’s streets and the deteriora-tion of public landscapes in general. Treeplanting will be an on-going and centralpart of its work.

The group also hopes to focus on thecare of existing trees and the impact ofPECO and SEPTA management. The ulti-mate and long-term aim of this effort willbe to reduce conflicts between those agen-cies and residents.

Working with existing communitygroups to preserve and improve publicgreen spaces is another of the Commit-tee’s goals. It is currently involved withneighbors near the Allen’s Lane R8 stationin organizing community input into sta-tion renovations planned for 2008.

All community residents interested inbecoming involved with the Street TreesCommittee or any of its initiatives are en-couraged to contact WMAN at 215-438-6022 or wman@wman.net. The commit-tee is currently being chaired by DorisKessler, who can be contacted atdoris.kessler@verizon.net or 215-242-0651.

WMAN Launches Street Tree Effortsby Dave Tukey

The secret of Weavers Way’s successhas nothing to do with our communityspirit, trust in our food products, ourgreat customer service, nor our wonderfulmembers/shoppers. Our secret is in theemu eggs we sell in the produce depart-ment. I am convinced this is the mainreason for our growth in the past and forthe future. It has nothing to do with howmany emu eggs we sell, either. It has to dowith the fact that we will give a productlike a locally raised emu egg the space toeven exist in a store when we will not giveCoke and Pepsi the space to breathe.

We sell about two eggs per week for atotal of $11.42 in emu egg sales each week.Weekly total sales in the store are about$135,000. So, percentage wise, the emu de-partment accounts for roughly... not thatmuch. A current survey of Pepsi and Coketype products reports that this product

Emu Eggs:A Hot Seller….

(continued on page 6)

by Glenn Bergman

(continued in page 5)

THE NEW LOOK OF THE NED WOLFE PARK (ABOVE) AND

SUSIE BLOCH (R) HELPING A CUSTOMER AT THE PLANT SALE

TO BENEFIT NED WOLF PARK (BELOW)

PHO

TOS

BYR

ON

DATH

RON

E-MURRAY

Clarification:A reference in the July issue of the

Shuttle to “institutional memberships”

should have been “institutional

accounts.” Institutions may now apply

for accounts so they can purchase goods

at Weavers Way, but only households can

be actual “members” with equity voting

rights and the other priveledges and

responsiblities of membership.

AUGUST 2007 THE SHUTTLE PAGE 3

(continued on page 6)

In April, Rick Spalek and I had the op-portunity to travel to Milwaukee, Wiscon-sin for management training. Part of ourtrip included a visit to the Out Post Co-opwhere I studied the variety of cheeses theyoffered. Most of thecheeses were local,raw milk, organiccheeses from Wis-consin. When I re-turned to Philadel-phia I realized thatwe did not sell anyWisconsin cheese.Although I havebeen trying to buyproducts more localto Philadelphia, Ithought we should atleast sell one Wis-consin cheese. Wis-consin is, after all, closer to us thanFrance, Italy or Australia.

I called our main cheese supplier andasked what Wisconsin cheeses were avail-able. Coincidently, our supplier told me hejust received samples of Wisconsin cheesesand that he would send them our way. A

Howdy, shoppers. It’s still summer outthere, so let’s cut right to the big story inGrocery Land. We’ve got three flavors ofnew organic fruit popsicles: coconut,orange and raspberry. They’re fromNatural Choice, and you’ll find them nextto the Natural Choice sorbets, eye-level inthe freezer case if you’re that height. Atmy house, we say, “Popsicles. It’s what’sfor dinner.” (...at least until mid-September...)

Also, please check out the larger (26oz.) bottles of Reed’s beverages, locatedto the left of the ice cream freezer. At thismoment, we have spiced apple brew, andI’m hoping to get original ginger brewback as well. They’re displayed in woodencranberry crates, the same ones you want-ed to take home last fall, but someone onstaff said you couldn’t. Now you knowwhy. They’re eye-level if you’re under theage of 7.

Speaking of drinks, we’ve recentlyadded a line of juices from

the Lakewood juice com-pany. We have five flavors,all organic: orange carrot,mango, pink grapefruit,papaya, and “GoodMorning” blend (consist-ing of orange, pineapple,white grape, tangerine,papaya, peach andbanana juices).Lakewood gets highmarks for their supe-rior quality juices,which contain noadded water, and thejuices are not fromconcentrate.Additionally,Lakewood is an inde-pendent, family-

Thermal Bags The Philly Summer isin full bloom. In this heat, it can be such achallenge to get home with your perish-able foods intact. ThermaSnap Bags canhelp. Available in two sizes — the smallerone has a maximum load capacity of 20pounds andthe largerone, 30pounds —they are stur-dy andreusable, wa-terproof,washable,and ideal forgroceries,picnics, trav-el, sporting,boating andthe beach.They willkeep yourfoods cool or hot, so they are handy in thewinter time, too. The manufacturer advis-es that the more food inside the bag, thebetter it works. We also sell their thermalbags designed to hold a wine bottle. It cankeep white wine chilled or red wine at thedesired temperature. The bag is triple in-sulated and needs no ice.

Sun block and protection from thosesummer season bugs There are still lots ofsunblock and bug balm products to bepurchased, so remember to see us beforethat August vacation or Labor Day get-away. We also carry after-sun lotions andaloe products.

CAP Sales Remember to see what ison sale for the month of August — theitems are always varied and you’ll findsomething you like, want and need.

Housewares We have many house-wares suppliers — in many cases, wemake choices about whom we buy ourproducts from and whom we support.Our aim is to have a broad array of prod-ucts that will fill your need for handy andnecessary products. While we all knowthe second floor store is space-challenged,we have frequently managed to find inno-vative display arrangements. If you are

unable to spot the gadget, gizmo or culi-nary tool you are looking for, please askand we will assist you.

Sympathical Formulas This Califor-nia-based company specializes in prod-ucts whose formulas combine multiplehomeopathic remedies in a proprietarybase. The products do not contain glyc-erins, parabens, hormones, or syntheticchemicals. They do contain homeopathicremedies that have been proven in clinicaltrials to provide temporary relief fromparticular symptoms, conditions, and dis-comforts. The Sympathical Formulaproducts are in compliance with currentFDA regulations.

Their Homeopathic Eczema Lotioncontains key remedies proven to pro-vide temporary relief from symptomsof eczema, including: pustules; itching,pricking, and redness of skin; andburning, chapping, soreness, and

cracking. TheHomeopathicPsoriasis Lo-tion combineskey remedies toprovide tempo-rary relief fromsymptoms ofpsoriasis in-cluding pus-tules, skinplaque, guttae,and reddeningof the skin.

Boiron USAWhile youmight recog-

nize the name of this company from yoursecond floor purchases or as a recom-mended company from your health carepractitioners, you might not know Boironwas founded in France in 1932. It is con-sidered by many to be the world leader inhomeopathy, employing 3,800 employeesin more than 60 countries. They produceover 1,500 homeopathic medicines. AllBoiron products are manufactured instrict accordance with FDA and HPUSregulations for homeopathic medicines.This company maintains a strong com-

ownedcompa-ny,whereasthree oftheotherjuicecompanies the Co-op carries (Knudsen,After the Fall, and Santa Cruz) are allowned by J.M. Smucker, a grocery indus-try giant.

If you’ve liked the locally producedSolebury applesauce, we now haveSolebury apple juice, in half gallons, fromthe same Bucks County farm. It’s 100 per-cent juice, no water or sweeteners added.Solebury Orchards is about as small as acompany can get, and it’s local. If youhaven’t tried the applesauce, it’s gottenrave reviews from many shoppers, andeven fussy staff people such as Anton.

As promised last month, more fasci-nating facts about emus. Emus are thesecond largest bird on the planet, in theshadow of only the ostrich. They cangrow up to five feet in height, and run upto 30 mph. In the 1950’s and 60’s, emuracing was popular sport throughoutsoutheast Pennsylvania. In fact, WeaversWay purchasing manager Norman Weisswas, as a young boy, one of thePhiladelphia area’s most well known childemu jockeys. (Labor laws forbid suchthings these days, but times were differentback then.) Norman’s original helmet andjersey are on display in the Weavers Waymuseum, located on the fourth floor ofthe Co-op. Norman’s great affection foremus, kindled at such a young age, led tohis successful career at our very own co-op, where emu eggs are sold. Ask himabout it when you run into him ...in thegrocery aisles.

August Grocery News

few days later we received a large box con-taining samples of at least 30 differentWisconsin cheeses. I wasn’t sure how to goabout trying all the cheese but a deli staff

person had a goodidea. He suggestedwe have a cheesetasting. I volun-teered my house.On a Sunday nightthe deli staff and afew others broughtbeer and wine andwe sampled theWisconsin cheese.We all took notesand I orderedsome of our fa-vorites (PleasantRidge Reserve andBlack River Blue).

A few others were not yet available, butour supplier is hoping to have them avail-able soon.

In August, we will feature some of thedeli staff ’s favorite Wisconsin cheeses.Look for them in the prepared foods case.

What’s Up Upstairsby Martha Fuller

Deli Newsby Margie Felton

by Chris Switky

Finally, Good News About GarlicJust as some really bad news is coming

out of China about food safety (FYI: Thisis not exactly NEW news to those of uswho have been following the issue), we arefinally getting a few breaks with garlic.

First, Paradise Organics in LancasterCounty began harvestingtheir beautiful, juicy, zingyfresh garlic. Yes, it’s expen-sive ($5.38/lb as I writethis), but you need a lotless, and the flavor is justwonderful.

Second, we’ve beenable to get non-organicgarlic from Mexico recent-ly. Mexico isn’t exactly “lo-cal,” but it’s at least North America. Andwe haven’t had to raise the price.

And third, our own Weavers Way Farmis starting to harvest garlic. This year’scrop will not be huge, but the qualityshould be excellent.

And Speaking of WW Farm . . . . .Is the produce from our farm great or

what? It’s amazing what Farmer Dave(Zelov) and Farmer David (Siller) aregrowing. As I write this, there is suchabundance from the farm that we’re goingto experiment with setting up a table atthe weekly Farmers’ Market across thestreet. The store can’t keep up with thevolume of some of the harvest, notablysummer squash and kohlrabi, and soontomatoes. Selling at the Farmers’ Market

will give the farm a bit more money, andwill certainly give more people a chance tosee and taste our very high quality pro-duce.

“Value-Added”?There’s a lot of buzz in the produce in-

dustry about convenience and “value-added” products. All myproduce newsletters andmagazines tell me how Ican increase sales andmake my shoppers happyif we market our producein pre-packaged kits andunits — the “value” that ispresumably added is theconvenience of “grab-and-go” fruits and vegetables.

No more pesky recipes to look over, nolists to make; just grab the “salsa kit”(tomatoes, onion, lime, jalapeno,cilantro). No need to actually know howto bake a potato, just grab a few pre-wrapped in microwavable plastic wrap.They say shoppers love this stuff, and oursales will skyrocket if we purchase theseproducts or put them together ourselves.

Really?It all makes me wonder just what val-

ues are being added. Conspicuous con-sumption? Over-packaging, using mostlypetroleum-based packaging materials?Shopping illiteracy?

You are the shoppers, the members,the owners. Is this what you want? Letme know what you think.

Produce Newsby Jean MacKenzie, Produce Manager

MIKE AND CAROL GINGRICH AND THEIR

PLEASANT RIDGE RESERVE

PHO

TOCO

URTESYO

FPLEASANT

RIDG

ER

ESERVE

PAGE 4 AUGUST 2007THE SHUTTLE

HOURSMon-Wed: 10 a.m.-7p.m. • Thurs: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. • Fri: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

Sat: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. • Sun: 12 p.m.-5 p.m.

www.bigbluemarblebooks.com!

Don't miss our second sidewalk sale of the season on August 18thand 19th. 25% off a huge selection of new books, from fiction andmystery to politics and gay-lesbian, African American, and Jewishstudies. Lots of kids' books, too!

SIDEWALKSALES!August 18 & 19

Save us from a publisher return! 25% off lots of great books!

ing, that I was going to ask Dale tochange the process as soon as possible.Not only will this save plastic, Styrofoam,and space; it will save plenty of time inwrapping. The product may not look asneat, but the savings in labor and packag-ing are substantial.

In the fall of ’06, I remember Normanand Emily coming back from a tour ofurban farms and telling me that weshould do an urban farm. I rememberstanding in the hallway in front of themailboxes. I knew that as soon as every-one agreed that we should do this, thatwe were going to start on our road to hirea farmer and get started with a real farm.We had already looked at the potentialpayback on this process, and we knewthat if we really wanted to do somethingabout reducing our carbon footprint,growing produce two miles from the storewas the right thing to do. If it does notwork in three years I rationalized that theworst would be about a $150,000 loss.Sounds like a large number, but it will not

put us under and it has a very positivepay back in many different areas of local,organic, and energy reduction. So herewe are with Farmer Dave and 1.5 acres.

A few months ago a group put togeth-er the idea to start a community com-posting program. It would cost us about$3,000 to get into this and some dollars inlabor to maintain the process, but it wassomething that fit perfectly into our mis-sion and our ends. The worst that couldhappen is that we would have to sell offtwo large composters. So, Steve Hebden(see his article beginning on page 1) sentin a grant application to the state to makethis a reality. I hope we get it and start onthis process. We might be recyclingkitchen scraps from West Mt. Airy in afew months.

As I look around, I see many of these“pop-up” ideas from members, shoppers,and staff that have made this interestingstore what it is today. Keep those ideascoming in, fill out the comment book,send us e mails, letters, etc. Stop us in theaisles… we might not react right away,but at least the idea is out there.

improved energy efficiency isthat computer-wrangler NormWeiss has obliged staff to turntheir computers and monitorsoff at the end of the day. Thiscould reduce computer energyuse by about $25 annually foreach computer. Hey, every littlebit helps us move in the direc-tion of becoming carbon neu-tral.

And speaking of aiming for carbonneutrality, two grant applications havebeen written and submitted to thePennsylvania Department ofEnvironmental Protection by WeaversWay. The first, for solar electric panels,was a combined effort by myself, Co-opmember Ron Celentano (CelentanoEnergy Services) and Heat Shed, a region-al solar voltaics contractor. The otherapplication, co-written by former staffer

directly in the decision-making processwith regard to this important governanceissue.

This article and the subsequent dia-logue we hope it inspires are part of ourattempt to communicate better how theboard carries out its responsibilities andto engage members in a discussion ofsome of the changes being considered.Members are clearly the life-blood ofWeavers Way and we want to be sure thatyou fully understand why the board feelsthat changes are necessary. We want youto have an opportunity to raise questionsand offer suggestions about how to bestinvolve members in contributing to theCo-op’s mission and sustainability.

The governance structure we use de-mands an unbroken chain of accountabil-ity between the board and the GM and weare concerned that our current committeestructure weakens this link. At the sametime, we understand that membership in-volvement is essential to everything thatmakes us a co-op. The challenge is tostructure the organization in order to gaina high level of member input and partici-pation while ensuring that the work anddecision-making required of our sevenmillion dollar per year co-op continues tooccur. In representing the members, theboard develops written policies that detailto the GM what we want him to accom-

plish and what types of behavior or eventsmust not be allowed to occur, (e.g. excessdebt or discrimination in hiring). We havedevoted hours to writing these policiesand to the difficult and time-consumingtask of monitoring them. We take our fi-duciary and oversight responsibilities veryseriously.

In our vision, most committees willnot be permanent. They will be created tocarry out specific tasks requested of themby the GM or board. They will continue tomeet until they have completed their as-signed task and then be disbanded. Theboard understands that if we change ourcurrent committee structure, we muststrengthen and/or develop new policies toensure the inclusion of members in thework and organizational life of the Co-op.We have come to this proposal after muchthought, discussion and debate and wel-come and encourage the members toshare their thoughts with us.

On Tuesday, Sept. 18, at 7:00 p.m., theboard will be holding an open meeting (ata still undetermined location) to discussthis proposal. I look forward to an ongo-ing discussion and dialogue about this is-sue. Please feel free to contact me either atkatzstu@comcast.net or call me at homeat 215-242-9256 to discuss personally. Inaddition, I encourage your participationat the meeting.

Thank you.

Emily Neuman from team NewHampshire and myself at team Weavers,was for a pair of Earth Tub composters.Imagine a huge teacup, about four-feethigh and eight-feet wide, filled to thebrim with a hot (120° F), steaming com-post brew. If we hit the dualfecta, we willbe generating some electricity and com-posting all of the food wastes from ourstore and the High Point and Blue Marblecafés by this time next year.

G r e e n E n e r g y(continued from page 1)

Man a g e r ’s C o r n e r(continued from page 1)

R o l e o f C omm i t t e e s(continued from page 1)

Farm-Fresh Produce at Farmers’ Markets Near You

Cliveden ParkChew Ave & Johnson St.Wednesday 2pm-6pm

West Oak LaneOgontz & 71st Aves.Tuesday 2pm-6pm

GermantownGermantown Ave. & Walnut Ln.

Friday 2pm-6pm

Markets accept EBT/Access

cards and FMNP vouchers

w w w . T h e F o o d T r u s t . o r g

AUGUST 2007 THE SHUTTLE PAGE 5

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doing (which I guess means we’ve donesomething right earlier in the season).Each week, our sales seem to be gettinghigher, particularly with the onset of pep-pers, eggplant, and tomatoes. The squashharvest has exceeded our expectations,with a record 175 pounds on a single dayin June. The vast majority of the producecontinues to be sold through the Co-op,with small amounts going to a coupleother local outlets. There are only a cou-ple of crops that we seem to have more ofthan you folks can consume. (Please eatmore fennel.)

On that note, if you are seeing vegeta-bles you are not familiar with and needsome recipe ideas, or just to witness someof the goings on at the farm, take a lookat the farm blog, written by dedicatedfarm volunteer Jennie Love

(http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/— or link from the Co-op website,www.weaversway.coop). I also would liketo encourage you to give me feedback,good or bad, about the quality of the pro-duce. Please send me an e-mail me atfarmer@weaversway.coop or you canleave a note my mailbox. Something thatI am particularly interested in is how tol-erant people are of insect damage onsome of the leafy crops. So far, I have notsprayed anything at all to control insectpests, relying instead on beneficial insectsand row covers to prevent damage. Incases where damage will completely ruina crop, I will probably use an organicallyapproved pesticide (contrary to popularthought, organic does not mean pesti-cide-free), but if damage is minimal, Iwould just as soon not spray with any-thing. Your thoughts are welcomed.

So who has been doing all of this har-

vesting you may ask? Who is sweatingaway in the hot sun picking those purplestring beans one by one? David and I arecertainly not alone out there. There is noway we could do it all without you folks,so I’d like to give a big thanks to all ofyou who have been coming out to harveston Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdaymornings. In addition to cooperators, wehave also been enjoying the help of agroup of cooks and chefs from La SalleUniversity who join us for two of the har-

vests each week. They are joined by ourinterns Ezra and Tracy, as well as dedicat-ed farm helpers Jennie (of the blog) andBrandon (who lives nearby). Thank youall.

I would also like to thank everyonewho has generously donated equipmentto the farm over the past few months. Wehope that, together with bountiful har-vests, this will help us to break evenfinancially sooner than we thought. Seeyou out on the farm.

Down o n t h e Fa rm(continued from page 1)

ent, resources or money will be helpfuland because the park is a public space, wewill all benefit from it. On that note, westill need help with getting PECO and/orthe city’s Streets Department to installadditional lighting on the existing lightpoles. We also need materials, funds andvolunteers for repairing the woodenretaining wall.

If you have interest or resources tohelp us meet our goal of total rehabilita-tion in two years or less, contact Ronda atrondazmail@verizon.net or (215) 848-4222 to donate services or materials, orsend a check to WMAN at 6703 German-town Ave., Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA19119. (You can learn more at WMAN.orgor Google Ned Wolf Park). For moreinformation about Savatree go to www.savatree.com.

N e d Wo l f Pa r k(continued from page 2)

The Co-op farm at Awbury is producing more than just good food Here are a few pictures of some of the students from local schools who came out to help at the farm thus farthis year. Can you see your child? Over 150 students from schools and camps have visited the farm and plans are underway for a more formal program. Hopefully sometime soon,with a few visits to the farm, your child will be asking for the Kolhrabi from the farm at the kitchen table along with the brownies ~ David Siller

WALKING IN THE TRENCHES SAUL HIGH SCHOOL OUTWARD BOUND

EXPEDITION

HOME SCHOOL STUDENTS DOING THE

WEAVERS WAY COMPOST JIG

SECOND GRADERS FROM AB DAY

SCHOOL PLANTING SQUASH

Co-op Farm Supplying Much More than Great Local Produce...

PHO

TOS

BYD

AVIDS

ILLERAN

DD

AVIDZ

ELOV

PAGE 6 AUGUST 2007THE SHUTTLE

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line of carbonated beverages and snacksrepresent the highest percentage of totalgrocery store sales (by a large percentage).This means that if we placed more saltysnacks or a stack of Coke in the emu spacewe would clearly make more money.

Eliminating the emu egg may improveour pocket lining, but it would do nothingto help our emu farmer, Marcus Bass, wholive in Sewell, New Jersey. They raise emusand sell them (or I think give them awayto happy homes). Also, eliminating emueggs from our product line would alsomake it impossible to get the “Wow!” thatis so important in marketing. Let’s face it,showing a six-pack of Coke to a teenager(or anyone) is not a “Wow-effect” driver,but taking out an emu egg from its nestand giving it to a new shopper or potentialmember or school tour group gets plentyof “Wow.”

The other day a few members of the LaSalle University culinary team were work-ing on the Weavers Way farm, helping outand getting their hands into the local Ger-mantown soil (school is out and they havesome time to see what we are doing intheir community). When they were fin-ished working at the farm, Co-op memberRoyer Smith, the executive chef at LaSalle(formally the executive chef of the Con-vention Center and prior to that of FrogCommissary Catering for many years)brought four of his chefs over to the storefor a drink and to see where the farmproduct was sold. While touring themaround, they found the emu eggs and the“Wow!” effect took over. None of them

had ever used an emu egg in cooking, butthey were really interested in the productand how to use it (just like any other egg).

As I walked upstairs for a meeting, Irealized the emu eggs do not only helpplace a few bucks in our farmer’s pockets,but it also gives us that specialty feel. Wemight not sell many, but shoppers can telltheir friends about the emu egg and evenpick one up when they really want one.When I was a chef at the CommissaryRestaurant, we sold our food on a cafete-ria line format. We were known for ourFrench, Thai, and other foods served in arelaxed, cafeteria atmosphere (many ofyou might remember the place). Youwould come in and pick up your tray andthe first section of the cafeteria line wascalled the “Charcuterie” section. We soldhomemade patés (country, duck, chickenliver, etc), smoked salmon with differentspreads and salmon roe. We also soldblack Russian sturgeon caviar (differentgrades). The next section was salads, fol-lowed by hot items, soups, our famousvegetarian chili, entrees, and then ourhomemade desserts (always the hearttart). I remember the “Wow!” effect thatthe first section always had on our cus-tomers. We did not sell very much Russ-ian caviar, nor did we sell much of thepaté, but the veg chili flew out. The own-er, Steve Poses, realized that the first sec-tion set the tone of the place, but that itwas a relaxed way to enjoy food, people,the entire community, and the love of life.The first section was there to “Wow!”those that needed it, or were there experi-encing the restaurant for the first time.

So how do you cook an emu egg? The

Emu E g g s(continued from page 2)

mitment to education and research. TheBoiron Institute develops training materi-als and sponsors programs around theworld to educate medical professionals.The Boiron Research Foundation pro-motes scientific, medical and pharmaco-logical research in homeopathy.

We have a wide variety of their prod-ucts, including some brand new products.Cyclease is for those PMS side effects: dis-comfort, aches, bloating and irritability.Sedalia is geared toward the hypersensi-tivity from stress and the irritability dueto stress. Quietude is for those of us whoare challenged by sleeplessness and rest-less sleep. While I have received some(very positive) feedback on the Cycleaseproduct, the greatest amount of feedbackhas been about Quietude — and all thecomments I have received have been ex-cellent. A full disclosure alert: I have beenusing this product and I love it.

All three of these products are takenorally and are in a quick-dissolving tabletform.

Wha t ’s U p s t a i r s(continued from page 3)

same way you would cook a half dozenchicken eggs. When I use them in a fritta-ta or timbale custard type item I add per-haps an additional chicken egg yolk or twoto make sure it sets up well. If I am mak-ing an omelet or other breakfast egg dish,just use it as you would any egg. It is sureto get a “Wow!” early in the morning fromguests, especially when you show them thesize of the egg. A great item for a specialsummer brunch.

Enjoy the “Wow!”

BENJAMIN ELLICH OWEN & EMU EGG

PHO

TOBY

JON

ATHAN

MCG

ORAN

AUGUST 2007 THE SHUTTLE PAGE 7

cles containing who knows what, heavymetals brought in with the sludge turnedover by the hurricane related flooding —all these are threats to local residents.

The big question is how the people canbe helped to return. Paul emphasized theUN declaration of the right of displacedpeople to return to their homes, but he seessome sinister forces at work that are work-ing against this principle. It is clear to himthat many of the rebuilding plans are in-tended to make New Orleans smaller,whiter, and less poor. That means prevent-ing many former residents from returning.

Taking one well-known rebuildingplan as an example, Paul showed that itwas only locally organized residents whostopped what would have been a takeoverof their neighborhoods by redevelopers.New Orleans has been criticized for nothaving a rebuilding plan, but this is notexactly true. It has had more than oneplan, but these had elements of race andclass built into them.

And what about the crime we hearabout? Of course there is a lot of crime insuch a devastated community, but Paulpointed out that this is a complex issue,tied to slow rebuilding, unemployment,divided families, closed schools, poor in-frastructure.

The presentation was not all policy-ori-ented. It was much more people-oriented,and it was the people in New Orleans whomost impressed Paul and his group. It waspeople working together to make a differ-ence, although the tasks are so large that it isunclear what the results will be.

What can people do? Paul and othersare helping to build a network of support-ers and volunteers. One place to lookfor more information online iswww.commongroundrelief.org. For information about volunteering, visitwww.commongroundrelief.org/node/314.

This presentation was another in thefilm series of the Weavers Way EducationCommittee. After a pause in August, themonthly series will resume in September,generally on the second Wednesday of themonth at the Little Theatre in Video Li-brary.

In July, if you have a garden you knowthere are certain things that will startscreaming out at you every time you walkamong the plants. In my garden, it is theherbs and especially the basil. “What areyou saying?” I ask. “What? Make somepesto?” And then some of the other herbsget into the act — the cilantro, oregano,sage, parsley and even a few squawksfrom the arugula. One day last year thecacophony was deafening.

With hands over my ears I ran back tothe house and started pulling cookbooksoff the shelves to scan them for pestorecipes. My children gave me the usuallooks of dismay, and the question, “Nowwhat are you doing?” hung in the air. Ididn’t want to explain about the noise inthe garden, or what that look was in myeyes — I was still out of breath.

In no time at all, I gave my prelimi-nary report, “Fifteen cookbooks havepesto recipes ” I exclaimed. “So?” some-body replied, and left me to it. When Idiscovered a vegetarian cookbook with nopesto I threw it across the room,“Worthless,” I cried, thinking of those bel-ligerent herbs still shrieking in the gar-den. “Pasta ” I yelled, “We must havepasta tonight ”

Over the years, I have made pesto inthe food processor with basil, and onceeven blended a sage pesto (very strong bythe way), but my survey of the books gaveme a whole new appreciation for the pos-sibilities.

Besides the traditional “PestoGenovese” with basil, garlic, pine nuts,and parmesan cheese, there was: pista-chio-almond pesto from Sicily with mint,green olive and capers; red pepper pesto;sun-dried tomato pesto; parsley pecan;spinach walnut; arugula and basil; marjo-ram pesto with capers and olives; and

even a tofu pesto (from Moosewood, ofcourse). I didn’t find my sage pesto, but Iknow I didn’t make that up myself. Andthe variety of cheeses added into the mixwas also quite varied, including sheepcheese, goat cheese, Fontinella, andRomano.

Pesto was born in the Ligurian regionof Italy in Genoa, and the word has noth-ing to do with basil; it means “pound.”The real pesto fanatics say that is the“only way” to make perfect pesto, thatyou must pound it by hand in the “mor-taio” by means of a wooden stick called“pestello” (purists insist on a marble mor-tar and a boxwood pestle).

In order to allow the full release of itsaroma the little leaves of basil should becrushed. They say the action of the wristis of great importance. It must be a roundmovement, which squeezes the leavesrather then injuring them. Gradually youpour in extra virgin olive oil (Ligurian, ofcourse), add some unrefined salt andagain pound the mix and finally sprinklein the freshest parmesan cheese and thepine nuts with some more olive oil andkeep stirring (pounding?). The resultshould be a creamy pesto, thick but nottoo stiff. You can add a little pasta waterto thin it slightly. Alice Waters suggeststhat the process of hand pounding basil isone of the more intoxicating things youcan do in the kitchen.

Others say that to make a really goodpesto you need to chop the ingredientsand you must get a good sharp knife andpreferably the Italian kind called a mezza-luna. Once you decide to put aside yourprocessor or blender — hand choppingthe ingredients will only take twenty orthirty minutes, but you will be in ecstasythe whole time

A slightly different version of the

sauce exists in Provence insouthern France, where it isknown as Pistou. In con-trast with the Genovesepesto, pistou is made witholive oil, basil and garliconly: cheese may be added,but no nuts. Pistou is usedin the typical soupe au pis-tou, a hearty vegetable soupthat is served in the sum-mer to showcase all thedelicious produce available in the marketsor from backyard gardens. It’s said thatthis classic of Provençal cuisine was creat-ed in the 18th century by a duchess inorder to seduce a marquis. Soup can dothat.

Basil has been known to all theMediterranean people since the age of theRomans, probably originating from thenorthern coast of Africa. Now it grows inmany regions throughout the world, andis prominently featured in cuisines suchas Italian, Thai, Vietnamese, and Laotian.

The name “basil” is derived from theGreek word basilikohn, which means“royal,” reflecting that ancient culture’sattitudes towards an herb that they heldto be very noble and sacred. The traditionof reverence of basil has continued inother cultures. In India, basil was cher-ished as an icon of hospitality, while inItaly it was a symbol of love.

Basil has all kinds of health benefits. Itis a very good source of vitamin A andbeta carotene, which acts as an anti-oxi-dant. It is also a good source of magne-sium, which promotes cardiovascularhealth by prompting muscles and bloodvessels to relax, thus improving bloodflow and lessening the risk of irregularheart rhythms. Basil is also an excellentsource of vitamin K, vitamin C andpotassium, and a very good source ofiron, and calcium.

Pat Piro has the delightful job of help-ing out Bonnie Shuman, the head of pre-pared foods at the Co-op, and one of Pat’stasks is to make the pesto. The Co-opproduces two kinds — basil and sun-dried tomato. Pat said she usually makesthe pesto Tuesday and Friday and that theCo-op probably sells at least 60 containersof basil and 30 of sun-dried tomato in a

Pesto for Pasta, Peace and Pleasureby Peter Samuel

(continued on page 8)

R e b u i l d i n g N ew O r l e a n s(continued from page 1)

PHO

TOBY

PATRIZIAS

CHIO

ZZI

wwwwww..mmttaaiirryyvviiddeeoolliibbrraarryy..ccoomm

PAGE 8 AUGUST 2007THE SHUTTLE

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typical week. She described how JeanMcKenzie, the produce manager, bringsin four cases of basil, Pat pulls the leavesoff and mixes the whole concoction in thegiant mixer called the Robot Coupe. Thenshe adds the garlic, pine nuts and oliveoil. “Our secret ingredient at the Co-op isorganic baby spinach to keep the pestonice and green,” she confided in me. “Andno, there is no way I could do it by handwith a mortar and pestle. It’s too much.”

In my perusal of the cookbooks, Ilearned that the variety of ways to eatpesto goes far beyond pasta. Here aresome ideas: on mashed potatoes, a dollopin soup, on broiled fish or chicken, onfresh steamed vegetables, use instead ofmayonnaise with vinegar in dressing ormarinade, mix with mayonnaise for adipping sauce, spread on pizza dough or

It’s summer time and, for many of us,that means it’s soda-drinking time aswell. But maybe it’s time to think aboutdrinking less soda. Why? Sodas have beenshown to have harmful effects on yourhealth, from promoting tooth decay, toobesity and diabetes, to possibly causingcancer.

Most people know that sodas containlarge amounts of sugar. The average 12-ounce non-diet soda contains ten tea-spoons, usually in the form of high-fruc-tose corn syrup. With the average personin the U.S. drinking over 50 gallons ofsoda each year (more than their intake ofwater and vegetable juice), is it any won-der that soda consumption has beenlinked to obesity and diabetes? Indeed, astudy by the Harvard School of PublicHealth found that women who drank softdrinks daily had twice the risk of diabetesas those who drank little or no soda.

Less known is that there seems to besome risk of certain types of cancer fromdrinking sodas. Some have been shown tocontain high levels of benzene, a sub-stance classified as a known carcinogen bythe Food and Drug Administration. Itforms in beverages that contain sodiumbenzoate or potassium benzoate, com-bined with either ascorbic acid (VitaminC) or erythorbic acid (d-ascorbic acid),according to the FDA. Unfortunately forthe careful consumer, soft drinks withhigh benzene content are perfectly legalin the U.S., because the benzene limit fordrinking water does not apply to softdrinks.

While the FDA said in March 2006 thatbenzene formation in soda is minimal andno cause for concern, The EnvironmentalWorking Group (EWG), a nonprofit publichealth watchdog organization, uncoveredFDA tests which found significant benzeneconcentrations in certain beverages.

Between 1995 and 2001, the FDA tested 24samples of diet soda for benzene in itsTotal Diet Study. Of those 24, 19 (79 per-cent) were contaminated with benzeneabove the federal tap water standard of fiveparts per billion (ppb). The average ben-zene level was 19 ppb, nearly four timesthe tap water standard. The FDA has notmade public the brand names or manufac-turers of these drinks. The EWG is cur-rently demanding that the FDA continueto conduct more testing, make results pub-lic, and require soft drink manufacturersto reformulate their products to eliminatebenzene-forming ingredients. Currently,PepsiCo, Coca-Cola and Cadbury-Schweppes are facing class action lawsuitsover benzene-forming ingredients in theirbeverages — specifically PepsiCo’s PepsiTwist, Vault Zero and Fanta Orange-Pineapple drinks from Coke, and CrushPineapple from Cadbury. (Although thelawsuits mention one or two specificdrinks, other drinks from these companiesmay contain benzene-forming ingredients.None of their flagship products, Coke,Diet Coke, Pepsi, Diet Pepsi andSchweppes Ginger Ale, contain the ingre-dient combinations, however.)

What’s a concerned consumer to do?When buying sodas, look at ingredientlabels and stay away from sodas, sportsdrinks and juices containing ascorbicacid/vitamin C or erythorbic acid/d-ascorbic acid in combination witheither sodium benzoate or potassiumbenzoate. Or, try organic sparkling juicesand sodas, like those made by Blue SkySoda and Santa Cruz Organic, which aregenerally made without artificial ingredi-ents. Or look for drinks that are 100 per-cent fruit juices combined with sparklingwater. Better yet, why not drink morewater? It’s sugar-free, calorie-free, and it’sregulated under stricter safety guidelinesthan soda.

crostini, mix into butter and serve oncorn on the cob, add to fresh crab andbrie in a phyllo dough, put on hamburg-ers, put on eggs or on an omelet. Wow

Luckily, this is a food that most ofmy children (except for Colin) will gob-ble up, and it keeps the noise down inthe garden too.

If you are going to make pesto your-self instead of buying it from the Co-op,here are a couple of things to remember:When you mix up a big batch and planto freeze some, leave the cheese out,pour into an ice tray, and after it freezesput the cubes into bags to later bring toroom temperature and use as individualservings. Or if you are going to eat it inthe next couple of days, it can be storedin the fridge with a thin layer of oil ontop. It should last a few days that way.But of course, it is best when you mix itinto fresh-cooked pasta and serve imme-diately.

Soda: Not so Refreshing!By Marsha Low

Pe s t o(continued from page 7)

Pesto Genovese3 Cups Loosely Packed Fresh Basil 3 Tablespoons Pine Nuts, Lightly Toasted 2 Cloves of Garlic (or more if you love the stuff)3/4 Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 1/4 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese Salt to Taste

Place basil, nuts, garlic and salt in the food processor, and process 1 minute. Slowly start pouring in the olive oil until you reach the desired consistency. Add the cheese, and mix well. Stir into fresh cooked pasta immediately or eat in one of the suggested wayslisted below.Makes about 1 1/2 cups of pesto.

AUGUST 2007 THE SHUTTLE PAGE 9

New research suggests organic fruitand vegetables may be better for the heartand overall general health than eatingconventionally grown crops.

Researchers at the University ofCalifornia, Davis found that organictomatoes had almost double the amountof antioxidants called flavonoids, a typeof antioxidant credited with everythingfrom helping to prevent some types ofcancer and dementia to fighting highblood pressure, which cuts the risk ofheart disease and stroke.

The study was published June 23 inthe online edition of the Journal ofAgricultural and Food Chemistry.

“Comparisons of analyses of archivedsamples from conventional and organicproduction systems demonstrated statisti-cally higher levels of quercetin andkaempferol in organic tomatoes [79 per-cent and 97 percent higher, respectively],”the study said.

Previous comparative studies oforganic and conventional produce yieldedfew results given the difficulties in com-paring soil quality, irrigation practicesand the handling of harvested produce.

But this study was a ten-year compar-ison of the influence of organic and con-ventional crop management practices onthe content of flavonoids in tomatoes.

The flavonoids — quercetin andkaempferol — were measured in driedtomato samples archived over the periodfrom 1994 to 2004 from the Long-TermResearch on Agricultural Systems project(LTRAS) at UC Davis, which began in 1993.

Researchers, led by UC Davis professorAlyson Mitchell, suggested that cover cropsand compost used in organic farming overtime gradually increased the amount oforganic matter and overall fertility of thesoil, reducing the need for compost tokeep inorganic nitrogen levels high.

That lack of growth-promoting nitro-gen triggered a defense mechanism in theplants causing them to devote more ener-gy to producing flavonoids.

“The increase in levels of flavonoidsover time in organic tomatoes corre-sponds not only with increasing amountsof soil organic matter accumulating inorganic plots but also with reducedmanure application rates once soils in theorganic systems had reached equilibriumlevels of organic matter,” the study said.

The lower levels of flavonoids in con-ventional tomatoes were caused by “over-fertilization,” the study concluded.

The study cautioned, however, thatnot all organic tomatoes may containmore flavonoids than their conventionalcounterparts given the differences in soilsand growing methods on farms.

And, at least one detractor of thestudy believes that higher flavonoid levelsdo not necessarily make organic foodhealthier than processed food.

“Tomato ketchup has higher levels oflycopene, a strong antioxidant, thantomatoes,” said Sir John Krebs, formerchair of the UK’s Food Standards Agency.

“So, if you wanted lots of lycopeneyou should eat ketchup.”

Few will argue with the idea that thebest way to consume antioxidants is eatingat least five portions of fruit and vegetablesevery day.

Organic farming can yield up to threetimes as much food as conventional farm-ing on the same amount of land, accord-ing to new findings, which refute thelong-standing assumption that organicfarming methods cannot produce enoughfood to feed the global population.

Researchers from the University ofMichigan found that in developed coun-tries, yields were almost equal on organicand conventional farms.

In developing countries, food produc-tion could double or triple using organicmethods, said Ivette Perfecto, professor atUniversity of Michigan’s School ofNatural Resources and Environment, andone of the study’s principal investigators.

“My hope is that we can finally put anail in the coffin of the idea that you can’tproduce enough food through organicagriculture,” Perfecto said. She said theidea that people would go hungry iffarming went organic is “ridiculous.”

For their analysis, researchers definedthe term organic as: practices referred to assustainable or ecological; that utilize non-synthetic nutrient cycling processes; thatexclude or rarely use synthetic pesticides;and sustain or regenerate the soil quality.

“Corporate interest in agriculture andthe way agriculture research has beenconducted in land grant institutions, witha lot of influence by the chemical compa-nies and pesticide companies as well asfertilizer companies — all have been play-ing an important role in convincing thepublic that you need to have these inputsto produce food,” she said.

In addition to equal or greater yields,the authors found that those yields couldbe accomplished using existing quantitiesof organic fertilizers, and without puttingmore farmland into production.

The idea to undertake an exhaustive

Study Finds Organic Produce Richer inDisease-Fighting Antioxidantby Sustainable Food News

U. Michigan Study:Organic Farming Can Feed Worldby Sustainable Food News

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review of existing data about yields andnitrogen availability was fueled in a round-about way, when Perfecto was teaching aclass about the global food system and vis-iting farms in Southern Michigan.

“We were struck by how much foodthe organic farmers would produce,”Perfecto said.

The researchers set about compilingdata from published literature to investi-gate the two chief objections to organicfarming: low yields and lack of organical-ly acceptable nitrogen sources.

Their findings refute those key argu-ments, Perfecto said, and confirm thatorganic farming is less environmentallyharmful yet can potentially produce morethan enough food.

“This is especially good news fordeveloping countries, where it’s some-times impossible to deliver food fromoutside, so farmers must supply theirown. Yields in developing countries couldincrease dramatically by switching toorganic farming, Perfecto said.

While that seems counterintuitive, itmakes sense because in developing coun-tries, many farmers still do not have theaccess to the expensive fertilizers and pesti-cides that farmers use in developed coun-tries to produce those high yields, she said.

After comparing yields of organic andconvention farms, the researchers looked atnitrogen availability. To do so, they multi-plied the current farm land area by the aver-age amount of nitrogen available for pro-duction crops if so-called “green manures”were planted between growing seasons.

Green manures are cover crops whichare plowed into the soil to provide natu-ral soil amendments instead of syntheticfertilizers. They found that planting greenmanures between growing seasons pro-vided enough nitrogen to farm organical-ly without synthetic fertilizers.

Organic farming is important becauseconventional agriculture — which involveshigh-yielding plants, mechanized tillage,synthetic fertilizers and biocides — is sodetrimental to the environment, Perfectosaid. For instance, fertilizer runoff fromconventional agriculture is the chief culpritin creating dead zones — low oxygen areaswhere marine life cannot survive.

Proponents of organic farming arguethat conventional farming also causes soilerosion, greenhouse gas emission, increasedpest resistance and loss of biodiversity.

PAGE 10 AUGUST 2007THE SHUTTLE

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The practical side of me loves weddingregistries, and the values-driven side ofme has grown to loathe them, as bridesand grooms seem ever bossier. Registriesare nothing new, of course. We registeredfor gifts in 1973 and as a result receivedtwo lovely sets of china and 10 place-set-tings of silver. Beyond that it was openseason: we received all sorts of gifts notdesignated. Most we used, a few we active-ly hated, and many we came to appreciateand even love over time.

The pros of a gift registry are:• efficiency. You can order the gift and

you’re done. The store ships it and youdon’t have to wrap it, schlep it, or evenbuy a card.

• the couple picks what they choose andyou know your gift is to their taste, es-pecially helpful if you hate shoppingor don’t know the couple well enoughto key-in to their life style. Easy. Done.

From my point of view, the negativelist is more extensive.• It’s impersonal. No way to write a note

to go with your gift, except electroni-cally.

• The choices are not prioritized. Re-cently after scrolling through scores ofchosen items, I finally decided, once I

added on the shipping/gift wrappingcharges, to just purchase a gift certifi-cate from the registry and let the cou-ple decide. (By the time you add thewrapping and shipping, it’s an extra$20, which seems mostly wasted.)

• The options are overly directed. Theattitude expressed, even if it’s not in-tentional, is don’t even think aboutgiving us something not on our list. Ifind it arrogant that young couplesthink they know more about whatthey will need over a lifetime thanpeople who have actually lived a gen-eration or two longer.

• I don’t like being limited to chainstores and/or mass produced items.Some of my favorite wedding gifts arepottery and other handmade crafts(easily purchased on the second Floorof Weavers Way), which you can’t pur-chase from a registry. It’s also nice togive a family heirloom or somethingmore personal.

• I am often turned off by the actualitems chosen, since they are way prici-er and more extravagant than any-thing I own, and I live a perfectlyabundant life. I like to feel simpaticowith the gift I’m giving, since it’s an

expression of my values.• I don’t like not knowing whether our

gift arrived, since brides and grooms(or bride + bride and groom + groom)are often really terrible about writingthank-you notes.

• The old-fashioned side of me feels un-comfortable with the couple knowingprecisely, down to the dime, what Ispent on their gift. It feels so calculat-ed. Why don’t they just send a bill?A few brides and grooms I know have

recently worked to transcend the tax-as-sessment feel of store registries. Whilethey feel obliged to include conventionalstores on their wedding sites, becausethat’s what lots of their guests prefer, theyexpand their suggestions, including fa-vorite charities and causes. One couplesaid they would love gift certificates to lo-cal bookstores and garden shops and de-scribed their literary loves and their gar-den, giving guests a sense of their valuesand passions. A few years ago we gave a gi-ant composter to a couple, since they hadincluded it on a wishlist, and it reallyspoke to me; I totally enjoyed sending it tothem. The fancy china comes out maybeonce a year, but that composter is usedevery day.

Another way some couples counteractthe gimmes is to request non-materialgifts. We were recently asked by a bride’sfriend to submit a favorite recipe, alongwith all the other invitees, which they willmake into a cookbook for the bride and

by Betsy Teutsch

The Simplicity DividendBridal Registries:Wedding Tax or The Best Idea Ever?

groom. My sister’s sister-in-law Dale didsomething similar for her future daugh-ter-in-law, collecting recipes from all theimmediate family, including copies ofrecipes written by grandmothers nolonger alive. (She made copies for all thecontributors, and I’m sure they are treas-ured.) A nice custom in the Jewish com-munity is to send close friends and familyfabric squares to decorate, which are thensent back and stitched together to createthe wedding canopy. None of these touch-es are in lieu of a material gift, but theyserve to make guests feel like they aremore than ATM’s. Some couples create anonline donation registry, but the site noti-fies the couple the amount of each contri-bution, something which makes somepeople (like me, for example ) uncomfort-able. And what about the most obviouswedding gift? Cold cash, of course. It’snice to receive, but I can tell you, 33 yearslater, it’s the beautiful, thoughtful itemsthat I enjoy, the cash long ago having beenplowed into aggregate savings. Many ofthe brides and grooms I know are matureand earn more than I do, so money feelslike a really weird gift. If they really arestarving students, money is a great idea,perhaps along with a smaller materialitem.Wedding registries are here to stay,but I’m ready for a gifters’ revolt

Please visit my blog, www.money-changesthings.blogspot.com, where thisessay is posted, and add your thoughts.

AUGUST 2007 THE SHUTTLE PAGE 11

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Dead-Heading: What and WhyWe’ve all heard the garden term

“dead-heading,” but not everyone under-stands its importance. When a plant pro-duces a flower, we are struck by its color,beauty, and — sometimes — aroma. Buta flower is more than just a pretty picture.It’s an important part of a plant’s seedproduction and survival. Most gardenflowers have a seed pocket or pod at thebase of the petals. For example, if you cutopen a rose hip — the little ball at thebase of the rose petals – you’ll find seeds.When the flower withers, the energy ofthe plant will go into seed productionrather than forming new flowers. It is theseed that will generate new life and per-petuate the species.

However, gardeners are not worriedabout species preservation. We can alwaysget more seeds. We want more flowersand color. If we cut off the spent flower(dead-head) and the incipient seed pock-et, the plant’s energy will then channelinto new flower production so that —again — it can produce more seeds. So bydead-heading your snapdragons,dianthus, and pincushion flowers, you arestimulating new flower growth. Is itwork? Yes. Is it worth it? Also, yes.

Recycling WaterWhen I discovered that my new house

didn’t have a stationary tub in the base-ment, I thought, “Oh no. What am Igoing to do with all that dehumidifierwater?” Problem solved. Each morning, Iempty the pan of water into one of mygarden watering cans. If they are fullbecause it rained, I pour the water into areserve pail for those hot, twice-a-daywaterings. So the humid basement andlack of indoor drain has become a plus: Isave on water use (and bill), and my

plants are growing nicely.

Garden Book Rec-ommendation

A great book forlovers of both gardeningand poetry is The Wild Braid byrenowned poet Stanley Kunitz. Alongwith his poems on gardening and natureare transcriptions of his reflective conver-sations with writer-friend GenineLentine. Making the book even richer arephotographs by Marnie CrawfordSamuelson of Kunitz and hisProvincetown garden.

Here is an excerpt from the poem“The Round.”

Light splashed this morningon the shell-pink anemonesswaying in their tall stems;down blue-spiked veronicalight flowed in rivuletsover the humps of honeybees;this morning I saw light kiss the silk of the rosesin their second flowering,my late bloomers flushed with their brandy.

This book is all the more amazingwhen we learn that Kunitz was 100 yearsold when it was written.

August ReminderDon’t give up on your garden in the

dog days of August. If you go on vacation,have someone reliable water it, or hookup an automatic sprinkling system. If youstay home, weed and dead-head. You’ll beglad in September and October that youtook care of your garden in August.

me to brake, he’d wave his arm out of thewindow. I admired his calmness in suchan anxiety-producing situation, not tomention his Yankee ingenuity. I didn’tquestion the safety of his strategy; I justwent along with the plan, and our unlike-ly tandem meandered through the Mainecountryside — the tow truck providingthe power, and the bus, with a city slickerand a money cat, supplying the brakes.

If the story had ended here, it wouldhave been enough to repeat on those coldwinter days when the locals gathered andswapped yarns around the makeshift 55-gallon drum wood stove at Brann’sGarage. But about five miles later, I saw aquick shadow, and then a large furry ballhit the windshield of Cliftons truck. Istopped the vehicles, and before we couldmake sense of what hit us, we saw twohawks dive and then ascend. Apparently,one of the hawks had caught a rabbit, andwhile flying off, an interloper contestedthe quarry, causing the original captor todrop its prey. For a moment, I felt as if Iwas in a fantasy tale a la Alice inWonderland. Even Clifton and his buddy,who had pretty much seen it all, weretaken aback by the aerial oddity.

Finally, we made it back to home base,and I walked to the nearby camp with thekitten on my shoulder. I met the campers,and my first camp story was about thebroken-down bus, the money cat, thebrakeless tow truck, the fighting hawks,and the rabbit that fell from the sky.

It was the summer of 1972, when Iworked at a teenage summer camp inMaine, that I saw the rabbit fall from thesky. You may think that I’m one of thosetall-tale spinners who got caught up inthe folklore and charm of rural Maine.But it really happened. Here’s how.

On the day that the campers were dueto arrive, I was chosen to drive a schoolbus to Bangor airport to pick up somecampers and their luggage. However, thebus broke down with engine problems, soI went to a farmhouse to call the mechan-ic that serviced camp vehicles.

While waiting for the tow truck, Iheard a constant mewling and found askinny stray tan and white calico kitten.In Maine, calico cats are called “moneycats,” because they supposedly bring goodluck.

About an hour later, long-timeMainer Clifton Brann showed up in histruck with a friend. The two old-timershooked the tow apparatus to the front ofthe bus, lifting the front wheels off theground, and away we went. I rode in thebus with the cat.

After a few miles, I saw Clifton wavingat me frantically. Finally, his friend stuckhis head out of the window and shouted,“Hit your brakes ” I did, and both vehi-cles came to a halt. Clifton told me thathis brakes failed and that the bus wouldhave to be the brakes for the 20-mile tripback to Branns Garage.

He went slowly, and when he wanted

Garden GleaningsDead-Heading:What and Whyby Mark Goodman

Summit Presbyterian ChurchGreene and Westview Streets

A welcoming spiritual communitydedicated to learning from diversity.

Sunday Worship: 10:00 a.m. - Learning Hour: 9:00 a.m.

Lunch for anyone over 60 every Tuesday at noon.

Rabbit From the Sky:A Summer’s Tale by Mark Goodman

Cecilian Center for Earth, Arts and Spirit

Come and see what is happening for the Fall 2007 Season.Pick up a brochure on the hand rails at the Center or go to

www.ssjphila.org/cceas for a schedule of courses.

For more info call 215-849-3364 or e-mail meclark2004@verizon.net

PAGE 12 AUGUST 2007THE SHUTTLE

Chestnut Hill Sales Office14 W. Evergreen Avenue, Phila., PA 19118

Bus: 215-247-3750 x227 Fax: 215-242-3425E-mail: Ingrid.Brown@prufoxroach.com

“Lost pet” flyers break your heart.They also proliferate in the summer, whenwe spend more time outside with our petsor go on vacation and leave our pets insomeone else’s care. According to theAmerican Society for the Prevention ofCruelty to Animals, over 95 percent of lostpets are never found. Don’t let your petbecome one of those sad little faces on fly-ers stapled to telephone poles. Here’s howto prevent it.

Keep an identification tag on your petat all times, even indoors. On the tagshould be your address and your homeand cell phone numbers with your areacode. If you’re leaving the pet in someoneelse’s care, put that person’s number onthe tag as well or on an additional tag.

Some people insist that they don’tneed a tag because their pet never goes outwithout them, but you never know whatmight happen. One local dog was attackedby yellow jackets — he didn’t stop run-ning until he was in Roxborough. Cats of-ten slip outside when a child or visitorfails to block the door. Cats have also beenknown to jump into parked cars and windup in another state.

And if you think an ID tag under-mines your pets autonomy — think aboutit. An ID tag makes it easier for those of uswho don’t speak dog or cat to help a lostcritter get back where he or she belongs —with you.

You can make tags instantly on ma-chines at Petco, PetSmart, and some of thesmaller pet stores. If your cat goes outside,buy several elastic collars with bells andmake several tags. Your cat will lose them.More and more people, however, are keep-ing their cats indoors full-time. The catsare safer (from cars, dogs, and thieves)and so are the birds (from cats). Don’t kidyourself into thinking you can superviseyour cat outside. Once Fluffy gets a tasteof the great outdoors, you’ll never hear the

end of it. You will become a slave to yourcat’s every whim (as if you’re not already)and before you know it, you’ll be lettingyour cat out without you.

Don’t rely on the kindness ofstrangers. Look where that got BlancheDuBois. There are some very sick individ-uals out there and it’s our job to protectour pets from them. A sweet, friendly dogor cat should never be left outside alone,even in your own fenced yard, since any-one can walk off with them. It’s a fairlysafe bet that someone who would steal apet does not have the animal’s best inter-est at heart.

Train your pet to come when called incase he or she does get out. Yes, cats canlearn this too. If you don’t know how, takea class, hire a trainer to teach you, or reada book and practice, practice, practice un-til he or she comes to you immediatelyevery time you call. By law, we are re-quired to keep dogs on a leash unlessyou’re in a fenced yard or approved,fenced dog park or kennel. If someone elsewalks your dog, make sure he or sheknows these rules. Ask them to put theleash on before opening the door and toonly take it off when they’re back inside.Don’t count on your dog knowing that“Fido, come” means the same thing whenuttered by someone other than you. Yourpet sitter should practice, practice, prac-tice with your pet too.

While on vacation, if you hire a cat sit-ter, have them keep the cat inside thehouse the entire time you’re away. IfFluffy’s used to going out, she may be un-happy, but she’ll be there when you getback. Check pet sitters’ references and in-sist on this safety protocol regarding dogson leash. A boarding kennel is a safe alter-native, but most pets don’t like them andgood luck getting a reservation at a goodkennel for the summer at this late date.The better pet sitters are probably also al-

ready booked. Ideally, youand your dog alreadyknow someone very reli-able and safety-consciouswho can stay at yourhouse or keep your dog attheir home.

Teach your dog to stayin your car or wait insideyour door until you tellhim he can come out. Ifyour car breaks down oryou live near a street(duh), the safety advan-tages of this learned behavior are obvious.

Microchips, tiny devices injected intothe animal by your vet, can be lifesavers. Ifsomeone who finds your pet takes it to avet, that vet should scan it for a chip,which contains your contact information.Unfortunately, if your pet is stolen, thethief is unlikely to get your pet scanned.

If, God forbid, your pet does get lost orstolen, panic is appropriate, but you mustalso take immediate action. Right now, assoon as you finish reading this article, takea good picture of your pet in case youhave to make flyers. Contrary to somepeople’s opinion, flyers do work. Keep in-formation on the flyer to a minimum: Pic-ture (preferably in color), name, breed,date lost, last known location, and everyapplicable phone number. As soon as yourpet is missing, put flyers on every surfaceyou can find for several blocks around thepoint last seen. Post flyers at local vets’ of-

fices. Ask neighbors to check their garagesand basements for your wayward cat. Putflyers in neighbors’ mail slots and mailboxes. Use ink that won’t run in the rain.

Call every shelter and visit them atleast every other day. The shelter staff maynot recognize your pet from your descrip-tion. I know a Golden Retriever who waslisted as a Labrador at a local shelter. For-tunately, the owner went to the shelter andfound his dog.

Run classified and display ads withpictures in all local newspapers.

Local shelters include:PA SPCA: 215-426-6300;Philadelphia Animal Care and Control

(PACA): 267-385-3800;Montgomery County SPCA: 610-

825-0111.Jessie Morgan is founder of Animal

Rescue Network, retired vet tech, and pro-fessional pet sitter for over 30 years

Don’t Lose Your Pet This Summer – Or Any Other Time For That Matterby Jessie Morgan PH

OTO

BYN

ICKB

OBBY

(215) 939-7510sultansofschlep@earthlink.net

AUGUST 2007 THE SHUTTLE PAGE 13THE SHUTTLE

Pearson Insurance AssociatesMaureen Pearson

Health � Life � Disability Income InsuranceIncluding Student and Temporary Health

Phone 215.402.9045 e-mail persongroup@aol.com

Acupuncture & Oriental MedicineAcupuncture Chinese Herbology Asian Bodywork

IAN A. CYRUS, MS, R.Ac, Dipl.Ac, ABT, CHPractitioner

American Association of Oriental MedicinePresident Emeritus610.664.1348

200 Monument Rd. Ste 10BalaCynwyd, PA 19004

215.955.2923Thomas Jefferson Univ. Hosp.Center for Integrative Medicine

Center city Philadelphia

This year I began vol-unteering with The NatureConservancy and trainedto become a beach pa-troller in Cape May to pro-tect endangered pipingplovers, least terns, blackskimmers, and Americanoystercatchers who nestalong the beaches. Pa-trollers at this ocean-sidenature preserve interactwith visitors and collectshorebird observation information andhuman use/disturbance data. They alsocollect trash from the preserve.

The piping plover, or charadrius melo-dus, is an endangered species. These small,sand-colored birds with the dark ringaround their necks and the yellow legsmake their home on the beach dunes atthe Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge(CMMBR), formerly known as TheMeadows. Plovers deposit their sandy-col-ored eggs in shallow depressions on thesand. CMMBR is approximately 400 acressitting between two very crowded beaches— the free public state park and beachand the Cape May town beaches, whichrequire a fee to access.

Human disturbance and loss of habi-tat remain key factors in the decline of thepiping plovers. For this reason, each sea-son the Nature Conservancy erects fenc-ing around plover nests, monitors thebeach, and attempts to educate the public,all in an effort to give the plovers a betterchance for survival in their natural world.Once a nest is confirmed, “exclosure”cages are placed over the bird, allowing itto freely move about while keeping preda-tors away.

In just my brief experience as a pa-troller, I could sense that the survival ofthese birds is tenuous. Many disregard notonly the signs warning people to stay awayfrom the fences and to not walk dogsalong the that section of beach duringnesting season, but they even ignore thepersonal pleas to stop other behaviorsprohibited on the preserve, such as fish-ing, swimming, jogging, and sunbathing.

Because this sensitive beach is sand-wiched between two of the most populat-ed beaches in the area, and because manyfolks walk from Cape May town to thelighthouse along the ocean, there is con-stant traffic and human/bird interaction.The birds, especially if they have precocialnestlings in tow, are often toothreatened/frightened to walk to the wa-

ter’s edge to forage. They can quickly dieof starvation or dehydration. I was incred-ulous to learn that over Memorial Daypeople set off fireworks and breached thefenced-in nesting area to play Frisbee.

In working with animals, I havelearned that I see the best and the worst ofhumanity. This has also been my experi-ence at CMMBR. I have met people whohave traveled from London and Australiaand Vermont and Washington to see thesebirds. Most visitors are pleasant to talkwith and respectful; unfortunately, thereare always exceptions.

The Nature Conservancy needs morevolunteers to do patrols through the endof August. You only need to commit totwo shifts per season. Anyone seeking afulfilling experience working to protectthis remarkable habitat and the speciesthat inhabit it should contact Alyssa Allenat 609-861-0600 ext. 19 or via e-mail ataallen@tnc.org.

Protecting Beach-Nesting BirdsBy Brenda Malinics

Many haunting legends surroundDevil’s Pool where the Wissahickon andCresheim Creeks meet in Fairmount Park.Lately, the old stories are eclipsed by litterleft by people picnicking in the area sur-rounding this once scenic spot. This sum-mer, the Friends of the Wissahickon(FOW), a nonprofit organization dedicat-ed to preserving the Wissahickon sectionof Fairmount Park, is encouraging parkusers to stop littering and carry out whatthey bring in.

“We want Devil’s Pool to be enjoyablefor the entire community,” says ExecutiveDirector Maura McCarthy. “But litteringin the Wissahickon is damaging to thepark.”

Litter is not only ugly, it is also un-healthy for the environment:

• it attracts vermin and the diseasesthey carry;

• open containers (paper cups, bever-age cans) can hold rainwater, provid-ing breeding sites for mosquitoes;

• litter endangers aquatic life throughchoking or polluting the water;

• it blocks drainage systems and causesflooding; and

• litter may be a fire hazard (ie., ciga-rette butts).

Litter has long been a problem at Dev-il’s Pool, but park users have observed anincrease in the amount of beer bottles,

soda cans, plastic bags, and other debristhis summer. While littering is illegal, a70% decrease in Fairmount Park Com-mission (FPC) funding since 1970 andsignificant reductions in staff have made itincreasingly difficult for Fairmount Park’semployees to maintain the park and en-force its rules.

Fairmount Park’s District 3 providesonly 11 employees to maintain 2,300 acresof parkland and countless trees lining thestreets in 18 northwest Philadelphianeighborhoods. Devil’s Pool is particular-ly difficult to maintain because it is se-cluded and difficult to access by truck,making trash collection challenging.

What You Can Do to Help“There are two positive steps people

can take to help make Devil’s Pool enjoy-able for the entire community,” says Mc-Carthy. FOW encourages park users to:

• Carry out what you bring in. Bringtrash bags with you on your picnicand carry out your trash.

• Join FOW or one of the 80 friends ofparks group in Philadelphia.

For more information on the Friendsof the Wissahickon, or to become a mem-ber, visit www.fow.org. Concerned citizenswishing to report problems at Devil’s Poolare urged to contact the Fairmount ParkCommission at 215-683-0200 or FOW atoffice@fow.org or 215-247-0417.

Litter in the Park is More than Just Uglyby Denise LarrabeePH

OTO

GRAPH

BYLUTH

ERG

OLDM

AN, U.S. FISHAN

DW

ILDLIFES

ERVICE

Fire at Cape May AnimalOutreach Shelter Kills CatsAnd Kittens

On May 18, the trailers housing res-

cued and adoptable cats of Cape May

suffered an electrical fire and all 37 cats

and kittens perished.The shelter needs

a lot of support and donations to

achieve their goal of building another

shelter on the 3.5 acre parcel of land

recently purchased. Please send any do-

nation to:

Animal Outreach of Cape May CountyPO Box 1225, Cape May, NJ 08204 609-898-1PET / www.aorcmc.org.A memorial was held at the state

park for all the cats who died.There

were framed photos of each cat and

kitten that perished in the fire and each

cat’s name was called.At the conclusion

of the memorial, each attendee was giv-

en a white carnation to toss into the

ocean. Needless to say, there was not a

dry eye in the house.

PAGE 14 AUGUST 2007THE SHUTTLE

Fall Open House

October 20th, 10am – noon

Cresheim Valley Psych Associates

Psychotherapy and Play Therapy for People of All Ages

Child/Teen/Adult/Couple/Family

A collaborative approach to growth and change using a variety of methods including Sandtray therapy and Parent/Child (Filial) therapy.

We use imagination, creativity and humor as an integral part of our work.

KAREN E. PERNET, LCSW, RPT-S WENDY A. CAPLIN, Ph.D., RPT-S6445 Greene Street 436 E. Durham St.

Philadelphia, PA 19119 Philadelphia, PA 19119

(215) 843-2992 (215) 248-9446

Gestalt and Registered Play Therapists

JEWELRYWEARABLE ART

CONTEMPORARY CRAFTS

7151½ Germantown Ave./215-248-2450www.artistagallery.info

Tues. - Sat. 11 to 6First Friday Open til 8!!

Tarver, an Inquirer photographer, bothlive in Philadelphia, Tarver in NorthwestPhilly. Each of the men and women whohave served in the Armed Forces is intro-duced with a biographical sketch and aphotograph. Then they tell their tales ofservice. This personal approach gives aclear voice to African American veteranswho often get overlooked in media andhistory book accounts of our recent wars.

Those of us who lived through theCivil Rights era of the 1950s and 1960swill doubly enjoy the new short story an-thology, Stories of the Civil Rights Move-ment, edited by Margaret Earley Whitt.Why doubly? First, the stories are great.Second, we can relive in our minds andhearts that tumultuous, noble time whenpeople risked so much to stand up fortheir beliefs.

Those who didn’t live through theCivil Rights Era can grasp the magnitudeand intensity of the times through these23 well-crafted stories, divided into fivesections: school desegregation, sit-ins,marches and demonstrations, acts of vio-lence, and retrospective. Authors includeLerone Bennet, Jr. (former editor ofEbony Magazine), Eudora Welty, AliceWalker, John Updike, and James Baldwin.

For readers who prefer magazines tobooks, take a look at the bimonthly BlackIssues Book Review, which emphasizesbooks by and about African Americans.There are featured writers and personali-ties (Bebe Moore Campbell, Barak Oba-ma, Angela Bassett) and reviews of bookson African American — and African —

It’s time to look at some books to getyou through the time between dips in theocean; to be companions on long bus,train, or plane rides; to help you relax afterdinner; or to activate your dream life be-fore you fall asleep.

If you like books that stimulate and in-trigue well as educate, I recommend Menof Maize, by Miguel Angel Asturias, aGuatemalan writer who won the NobelPrize for literature in 1948. This book fo-cuses on the plight of Guatemalan Indi-ans, who even in the 20th century livewith the negative effects of 500 years ofexploitation, cultural dislocation, andcolonialism. Asturias uses myths and reli-gious transcriptions from the Mayans andAztecs to show how 20th century indige-nous Guatemalans are still connected totheir past, however tenuously.

The University of Pittsburgh Press edi-tion, translated and edited by Gerald Mar-tin, offers valuable cultural informationand insights. Unfortunately, Men of Maizeis currently out of print (another poor de-cision in the publishing industry), butthanks to the Internet, it’s availablethrough the popular used book outlets.The book that brought Asturias interna-tional acclaim, Mister President (some-times sold as El Senor Presidente), a terri-fying look at Latin American politics, isthe only work by Asturias still in print inthe U.S..

While we’re in Latin America, lets lookat Tropical Synagogues, a collection of

short stories all written by Jewish LatinAmericans, edited by Ilan Stavans. Sta-vans, a Mexican Jew, has reached intoSouth America, as well as Central Americaand the Caribbean, to compile a widerange of stories that capture the Jewish ex-perience south of the border. Authors in-clude Alberto Gerchunoff (Argentina),Clarice Lispector (Brazil), and IsaacGoldemberg (Peru), along with 18 others.

Young children (fourth thru sixthgrade) can appreciate Angel Island, byLarry Dane Brunner. Angel Island, in theSan Francisco Bay, was the Ellis Island ofthe West, processing immigrants predomi-nantly from Japan and China. Rather thanbeing a welcoming and friendly environ-ment, Angel Island functioned more as aprison or concentration camp, withcrowded conditions, poor food, andbarbed wire.

Older readers (high school and adult)can get an in-depth view of Angel Islandby reading Island: Poetry and History ofChinese Immigrants on Angel Island,1910-1950, edited by Him Mark Lai, Gen-ny Lim, and Judy Yung. The poems werecarved into or inkbrushed onto the wallsof the barracks and capture the travel sto-ries, hopes, despairs, successes, and set-backs of the immigrants. Historical pho-tographs embellish both Angel Islandbooks.

A book with local flavor is We WereThere: Voices of African American Veter-ans from World War II to the War in Iraq.Author/compiler Yvonne Latty, a reporterfor the Philadelphia Daily News, and Ron

history, culture, and literature. There is aliterary calendar focusing on publishingevents, readings, and symposia. The “Chil-drens Bookshelf” highlights books foryoung readers. The January/February2007 issue honored Philadelphian VanesseLloyd-Sgambati for her stalwart efforts increating the African American ChildrensBook fair, held each February at the Com-munity College of Philadelphia. Authorscome not only to sell and sign books butto discuss them with children and theirparents.

Finally, if you want to be kept abreastof environmental issues, especially whenour administration treats the naturalworld like an expendable commodity,Sierra Magazine is a must. The magazineis part of the package when one joins theSierra Club. Recent issues have presentedarticles not only on global warming, back-packing, and Galapagos Island, but also onmore urban oriented topics such as a LosAngeles High School that sponsors a 13-mile hike from the inner city to the ocean,“Six City Escapes “ (no, Philadelphia is notone of them), and urban transit. Co-opmembers will appreciate last year’sMay/June article on buying locally grownfood.

So whether it’s a book or magazine,beach or living room, for pleasure or re-search, keep your mind active with someenergizing reading this summer.

Black Issues Book Review is availableat Borders. You can get the books men-tioned here through Big Blue MarbleBookstore.

Summer Reading, 2007by Mark Goodman

DIVERSIFIED SERVICESSOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

Anything OrganizedPacking for Moving

Unpacking and Setting UpParty Help

Cat-Sitting w/TLCCompanion CareSenior Services

references available/25 years experience

Debbie Ansell215-844-2280

AUGUST 2007 THE SHUTTLE PAGE 15

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Roberts Family Chiropractic is proud to offeran array of wellness services. Call the officeor check our website for more information.

Pepperidge Farm

Crackers

ON SALE!!

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regularly $2.99 - $3.19, now just

$2.49 - 2.69!offer good August 1 August 31, 2007

Co-op members have been followingthe developments at the Co-op Farm atAwbury Arboretum with great interest.A local farming success story, the farmat Awbury signals a positive change re-garding food, nutrition, and awarenessabout the path food takes from the farmto the table.

As many people feel concernedabout the increase in diet-related healthproblems, particularly among children,and with increasing recognition of theenvironmental implications of eatingfood grown thousands of miles away,there is growing determination on thepart of city dwellers to support localagriculture. Philadelphia is one of thecities at the forefront of a growing ur-ban agriculture movement, and it hasbecome home to a number of urbanfarms in the last five years. A few ofthese include Somerton Tanks in theNortheast, Mill Creek Farm in WestPhiladelphia, and Greensgrow Farm inKensington.

A newcomer to the urban farm scenein Northwest Philadelphia is the WyckHome Farm, and yet this urban farmcan not be called new at all.

A Historic House Museum and Gar-den, located at Germantown Ave. andWalnut lane in Germantown, Wyck wasowned by the same Quaker family from1690 to 1973, when it became a non-profit registered as a National HistoricLandmark.

One of the first farms to be estab-lished along Germantown Ave., Wyckoriginally encompassed fifty acres ofgardens and farmland. Besides domesticfarm animals, the farm produced grain,flax, fruit, and vegetables for consump-tion by the family and to bring to mar-ket. Now two and a half acres includingthe house and outbuildings, the currentfootprint of Wyck’s garden is muchsmaller than it was three hundred yearsago. Nevertheless, with the help of agrant from the Fels Foundation, thisyear the vegetable garden has been ex-

panded and planted intensively withmany types of produce, and already theHome Farm is producing a significantamount of food.

In an effort to create ease of accessto its local food, Wyck has worked withThe Food Trust to bring a new outdoormulti-vendor farmers’ market into theneighborhood. On July 6, the German-town Farmer’s Market at Wyck beganselling its produce, supplemented byLancaster County produce grown byfarmer Amos Fisher. The market willrun every Friday from 2-6 p.m. untilNovember in front of Wyck House onGermantown Ave., and will offer sea-sonal, local, chemical-free produce andornamental plants and flowers.

It is the mission of Wyck to bring

fresh, healthy, local food to the Ger-mantown/Mt. Airy neighborhood, aswell as opportunities for both childrenand adults to learn more about wheretheir food comes from, and informationon how to grow it. But a visit to Wyck ismore than a chance to check out a nicelooking vegetable patch Also on site isone of the only intact rose gardens inthe country from the 1820’s, as well asan historic house museum with an ex-traordinary collection of furniture andartifacts that date back to the earlyeighteenth century.

Wyck is open for house and gardentours on Tuesdays and Thursdays be-tween 12-4 p.m., and on Saturdays be-tween 1-4 p.m. For more informationcall 215-848-1690, or visitwww.wyck.org.

Northwest Philadelphia’s Other Urban FarmBy Nicole Juday

Trio

Quartet

Butterfly

HeartyWheat

PAGE 16 AUGUST 2007THE SHUTTLE

Providing Supportive Guidance as You Regain Your Authentic Self

JAMES DiPUPPO, M.Ed.Psychotherapist

Serving adults in thePhiladelphia andMain Line areas

610-505-6123jjd6123@hotmail.com

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Do you have difficulty creating and sustainingintimate relationships?

Do you find it difficult to express your anger directly?Or do you express only your anger?

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free flow and balance in our energy sys-tems. (2) Balancing activity and rest isvery important. Take short breath,stretch, or meditation breaks throughoutyour work day (Even a few deep, slowbreaths can help you release and rechargeyour energies). (3) How we eat is as im-portant as what we eat (more below in thePractical Tips section). (4) Chinese med-icine views long-held emotions as a majorcause of physical disease. There are manytechniques to help emotions move. Askyourself “what’s here now?” then, ac-knowledge it, and breathe it out. Orsmile. Or pat yourself on the back. (5)Soft gentle exercise such as qigong, tai chi,yoga, swimming, and walking help us stayfluid and healthy.

Elsewhere in this issue of the Shuttle isan article about the present season, latesummer. It will be followed by a series ofarticles introducing you to the essentialqualities of each season as it manifests inus, body, mind, and spirit. Each will con-tain practical suggestions to cultivate well-being now and to plant seeds for your fu-ture. I’ve gathered these pearls from

clients in my acupuncture practice, myteachers, and various writings: JaniceMackenzie’s Discovering the Five Ele-ments One Day at a Time; Sandra Hill’sReclaiming the Wisdom of the Body: APersonal Guide to Chinese Medicine; andMeridians, a publication of Tai Sophia In-stitute; Harmony, published by Tradi-tional Chinese Medicine World Founda-tion.

What about that ripe tomato?Late summer, from mid-August to

mid-September, is associated with the ele-

Did you know that the cycle of seasonsin nature is woven into the fabric of whowe are? Do you ever wonder why justabout everyone notices the weather andhas something to say about it? Have youever wondered why some people love hotbright summer days and others come aliveon cool, silvery foggy mornings? Whathave you noticed about yourself in eachseason?

Oriental medicine and philosophy arebased on the observation of nature, par-ticularly the changes of the seasons. Theancient Chinese associated each of theseasons with one of five elements. Thesefive elements — wood, fire, earth, metal,and water — are energetic movements orqualities inherent in all phenomena of na-ture. They are also the ground of who weare — our organs, body functions, senses,

tissues, emotions, mental processes, andthe seasons of our lives.

The ancients taught that change andmovement are what life is (dead things donot change). The seasons can teach us toaccept the inevitability of change andguide us to flow with life’s circumstances.Just as different energies predominatewhen a plant sprouts in spring (wood),matures and flowers in summer (fire),ripens fruit (our tomato) for late sum-mer’s (earth’s) harvest, drops its leaves infall (metal) and goes dormant in winter(water), each of the seasonal energies gov-erns distinct and essential aspects of whoand how we are as humans.

Cultivating the seasonal energies inourselves through awareness and lifestylechoices helps us sustain our health andlive with greater ease and vitality: (1)Traditional acupuncture helps re-awaken

What Can I Learn from a Ripe Tomato?by Susie Bloch

(continued on page 17)

THE SHUTTLE PAGE 17AUGUST 2007

September 16

6

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215.327.1547 Gentle gynecology andobstetric services in two convenient locations:

606 Carpenter Lane, Mt. Airy832 Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting

ment earth. Within the five element mod-el, late summer is a fifth season when thedays grow noticeably shorter and lifeseems to slow down. It has been describedas a still point which facilitates the some-times difficult transition from the exuber-ant expansion of summer to autumn’scontraction and descent to winter. Latesummer is when Mother Earth offersabundant harvest for our nourishment.

The stomach and the spleen/pancreasare the organs of the earth element. Theseorgans receive, transform, and distributenourishment throughout the body, mind,and spirit. All that we ingest — food,ideas, experiences — is churned into ahearty, nutritious stew from which thebest essences are extracted to produce ourbody’s vital energy (qi).

Earth governs the ability to reflect andturn things around in the mind.

Earth holds us and keeps us grounded,fully present in our bodies and in life as itactually is. Earth/late summer is our ca-pacity to harvest what we have sown, to

savor it, to be nourished by it, and to gen-erously share it with others. It is our ca-pacity to be thoughtful and to give and re-ceive sustenance. Late Summer/Earth isalso the embodiment of our center, theplace in ourselves where we are most athome. Are you at home in your body?Where do you go to be truly comfortable?What helps you feel centered?

Practical Tips for Cultivating LateSummer & Earth

Take a moment at bedtime to remem-ber three things from your day that youare grateful for.

Notice what you’re hungry for. It maynot be food. Perhaps something else islacking. What nourishes you mentally?Spiritually? Emotionally? How can youbring more of these qualities into yourlife?

The stomach prefers warm food anddrink to create its 100 degree soup. Tosupport healthy digestion, hold the iceand eat salads and fruit at room tempera-ture, not straight out of the fridge.

Eat seasonal foods, locally grown, tosupport the health of your organs andyour qi.

If you crave sweets, ask yourself “isthere enough sweetness in my life?” Ifnot, look for non-sugary sources of“goodies.”

Sit down while you eat and take thetime to chew and savor every bite. A calmattitude while eating improves digestionand nourishment. Don’t eat when angryor anxious.

Stand for a moment in your garden, afarmers market, or a pick-your-own farm,and take in the abundance of the season’sharvest.

Listen to the singing of the crickets.Sing to yourself.

Treat yourself to a massage. A warmbath can be surprisingly refreshing andsoothing on a hot day.

Take a slow walk today, and feel yourfeet on the ground as your legs absorbearth’s stabilizing energy. Or lie down onthe earth and feel the solidity in yourflesh.

Do you often give of yourself, makingsure that others have what they need?Wonderful. And are you equally able tonurture yourself? Remember what manyforget: knowing how to nurture yourself

is essential to your well-being.If you crave sweets, savor seasonal

fruits, sweet corn, root veggies, andsquash. After even a few days without re-fined sugar, your palate will appreciatetheir natural sweetness.

Eat a healthy breakfast. Morning iswhen your digestive organs are most ac-tive and able to extract and process themost nourishment.

Take a moment before eating to re-member where your food comes from andthank your digestion for its part in bring-ing this food to you. Then, after you eat,take a moment to feel the satisfaction andcontentment that follows a good meal.

Remember: we are part of the naturethat is here to sustain and teach us. Now,when the energies of this season of LateSummer are here to support you, nourishyourself well, be more generous, andthank the earth for its bounty.

R i p e Toma t o(continued from page 16)

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PAGE 18 AUGUST 2007THE SHUTTLE

Are you thinking of buying or selling?Keep this information handy... Weare the neighborhood professionals!

We offer an in-depth market analysisto help you correctly price your prop-erty. We invite you to call us now fora free, no obligation consultation.

Denise Chapline, Jessica Rodriguez Becker,Noelle Dames, Larry DiFranco

Info at: wwwwww..LLaarrrryyDDiiFFrraannccooTTeeaamm..ccoommAsk for a member of the DiFranco Team at 215-247-3600 or calldirect 215-681-6940

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215-247-3600 Ext. 245 / Fax 215-242-52692

alam@elfantwissahickon.com / www.elfantwissahickon.com

Summer is the season for wild Alaskan Salmon. The Omega 3 fatty acidsEPA and DTTA make this fish a very delicious and heart healthy choiceThe salmon remain abundant and their habitats intact. The fisheries arewell-managed and sustainable. This month, we are featuring Wild CohoSalmon at the special price of $13.80 per pound.

2 salmon filets (about 2 lbs.)2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Remove skin from the salmon filets and wash with cold water. Dry thefilets with paper towels. Coat the bottom of baking pan with the butter ormargarine. Mix the dill sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Place the filetsskin-side down in the baking dish. Coat the filets with the dill sauce mix-ture. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until the filets flake. Serves four.

Dill Sauce:1 cup mayonnaise2 tsp. dill weed1 tsp. dijon mustard1 tbs. lemon juice

Coho Salmon with Dill Sauce

AUGUST 2007 THE SHUTTLE PAGE 19

Co-op MeetingsBoard: 1st Tues., 7:00 p.m. • Education: 3rd Wed., 7:30 p.m.

Environment: 1st Wed., 7:30 p.m. • Finance: 3rd Thurs., 7:30 p.mDiversity:3rd Tues., 7:15 p.m.

Operations, Membership, Merchandising,and Leadership Committees meet as need-ed. All meeting schedules are subject to change. Meetings are held at 610 and 559

Carpenter Lane and at members’ homes. For more information about committee meet-ings, e-mail boardadmin@weaversway.coop or call the store.

Board of Directors

PresidentStu Katz (06-08) Stuart.Katz@phila.govVice PresidentNancy Weinman (06-08) nweinman@schnader.comAt-large DirectorDavid Woo (07-09) woo3D@earthlink.net At-large DirectorSylvia Carter (07-09)At-large DirectorGarvey Lundy (07-09) garvey@ssc.upenn.eduAt-large DirectorJim Peightel (06-08) JPeightel@comcast.netAt-large DirectorChris Hill (06-08) chris@chrishillmedia.comAt-large DirectorRick Sauer (06-08) rsauer@pacdc.orgAt-large DirectorAfshin Kaighobady (07-09) afshink@markis.comStaff DirectorLou Dobkin (06-08) ldobkin@weaversway.coopStaff DirectorJosh Giblin (07-09) sapoval@verizon.net

Committee ChairsDiversity & Outreach Laura HolbertEducation Larry SchoferEnvironment: Sandra FolzerFinance Susan BeetleFarm Norma BrooksLeadership Bob NobleMembership Sylvia CarterMerchandising Support: openOperations Support David Baskin

Board members and committee chairs have mailboxes onthe second floor of 559 Carpenter Lane

C O - O P I N F O R M A T I O N

Shuttle Staff

Editor & Advertising Manager: Jonathan McGoran

Advertising Billing:Lou Dobkin

Advertising Assistant:Angela Allen

Proofreaders/Editors: Mikael Elsila, Al Erlick,

Karen McGoran, August Tarrier

Contributors:Glenn Bergman, Susie Bloch,

Margie Felton, Martha Fuller,

Mark Goodman, Steve Hebden,

Nicole Juday, Chris Kaiser,

Stu Katz, Denise Larrabee,

Marsha Low, Jean Mackenzie,

Jessie Morgan, Peter Samuel,

Larry Schofer, David Siller,

Chris Switky, Betsy Teutsch,

Ronda Throne-Murray, Dave Tukey,

Norman Weiss, David Zelov

Photographers:Steve Hebden, Sol Levy,

Jonathan McGoran,Larry Schofer, Savid Siller, Ronda

Throne-Murray,

David ZelovPHOTO BY NICK BOBBY

PHOTO BY PATRIZIA SCHIOZZI

LUTHER GOLDMAN,

STORE HOURSMonday-Friday 9-8

Saturday-Sunday 9-6

Weavers WayRecycling

New Courtland Elder Service6959 Germantown Ave.

(Enter from Carpenter Lane)

9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., 3rd Sat./month.

Managers/Department Heads

General ManagerGlenn Bergman, ext. 123 gbergman@weaversway.coopPurchasing ManagerNorman Weiss, ext. 103 normanb@weaversway.coopOperations ManagerRick Spalek, ext. 101 rick@weaversway.coopFinance ManagerLou Dobkin, ext. 110 ldobkin@weaversway.coopFresh Foods ManagerDale Kinley, ext. 104 dale@weaversway.coopPrepared Foods ManagerBonnie Shuman, ext. 102 bonnie@weaversway.coopSecond Floor ManagerMartha Fuller, ext. 114 martha@weaversway.coopHuman Resources ManagerDave Tukey, 215-843-6552, hr@weaversway.coopDeli ManagerMargie Felton, ext. 112 margie@weaversway.coopCashier Dept. ManagerSusan McLaughlin,ext. 311 just call herCommunications DirectorJonathan McGoran,ext. 111 jonmcgo@weaversway.coopFlowers Nina DaSilva, ext. 317 floral@weaversway.coopMembership ManagerRobin Cannicle, ext 303 member@weaversway.coopBoard CoordinatorKarly Whitaker boardadmin@weaversway.coop Grocery ManagerChris Switky, ext. 113 christopher@weaversway.coopProduce ManagerJean Mackenzie, ext. 107 mackenzie@weaversway.coopI.T.Tanya Rotenberg, ext. 105 tanya@weaversway.coopFarm ManagerDavid Zelov farmer@weaversway.coopRepair & Maintenance/EnvironmentSteve Hebden, ext. 304 steve@weaversway.coop

Home DeliveryAvailable to all members

DDeelliivveerriinngg MMoonn.. && TThhuurrss..,, 1122--77 pp..mm..Order by PHONE: 215-843-2350, ext. 309

E-MAIL: delivery@weaversway.coop

FAX: 215-843-6945

s: “What happened to the koshercheese — Tillamook? We only eat koshercheese in our home.”

r: (Margie) The kosher cheese is stillin stock. It moved one row down and tothe right a few spaces. (Norman) Let’shope the kosher cheese doesn’t getshpilkas and “sort of travels around” likethe Living Granola.

s: “Though I believe Fair Trade is veryimportant, so is taste — the new choco-late chips are half as good as the old onesand I won’t buy them.”

r: (Chris) Sorry to hear your displeas-ure with the Fair Trade chocolate. Sales ofthis item are strong, so I believe that we’regoing to keep stocking them.

s: “The whole wheat Roling’s challahsare stale. They used to be yummy. Whathappened?”

r: (Nancy) They only come onThursday and Friday, leftovers may bearound after that. I usually reduce them byTuesday, perhaps I need to do so sooner.

s: “It would be great to have quart sizeSpectrum Organic Mayonnaise — espe-cially for summer salads.”

r: (Chris) Shelf space is a little too

tight to add quart mayo to our condi-ment section. You can preorder this item,minimum of 3 jars, for $5.14 per jar.

s: “We’ve really been missing theorganic string beans — the long onesdon’t do it. There just aren’t places in thisarea that look out for us humans — theCo-op does what it can, I’m sure, giventhe type of demand.”

r: (Jean) We’re starting to have lovelygreen (and purple) green beans organical-ly grown in our own Weavers Way Farm.They’re beautiful, fresh, and tasty, andreasonably priced ($3.50/lb.).

s: “Napa cabbage, please.”r: (Jean) Done. It’s in the organic pro-

duce case.

s: “Could we stock fireplace logs?”r: In accordance with our value of

sourcing locally, we are bringing in a lineof fireplace logs. However, Carpenter’swoods may end up with a little less shadeas we are part of a program where kids inthe juvenile justice system chop downtrees with axes (an anger managementtechnique), split them, and leave themout in the Henry School yard to dry. ThenHenry third graders bundle them whichgives the seventh graders practice remov-ing splinters from the third graders. Win-win for everyone.

Don’t be fooled by that mild-mannered, curly-haired, hattedman standing next to you at thecheck-out counter, because BrianOsborne has an explosive energywhen he is performing on stage.

Brian, artistic director ofElastic Theater, will premier hisone-man show “The Word” inSeptember at The PhiladelphiaLive Arts Festival and Philly Fringe(Christ Church NeighborhoodHouse, 20 N. American St., Sept.7-8 at 10 p.m. and Sept. 9 at 7 p.m.

“The Word” spotlights the verycharming and often paranoid psyche ofMarjoe Gortner, one of the most electri-fying evangelists of our time. By the timeMarjoe was 4 years old in 1947, he hadalready performed his first marriage tocameras on the Universal Studios Lot inHollywood. He then went on to earn hisparents millions of dollars as he touredthe country spreading “The Word.”Eventually, Marjoe (named after Maryand Joseph by his evangelical parents)

traded his Bible-belt revival tours for acareer as a “B” movie actor and self-pro-fessed rock star.

Directed by Suli Holum, BrianOsborne (“Bitch on Wheels,” 2006 PhillyFringe) is Marjoe, a natural-born per-former who redefines himself again andagain while searching for his own innertruth …a cultural chameleon in a never-ending cycle of excess and oddity.

For more information visitwww.elastictheater.com.

Brian Osborne Spreads “The Word”at Philly Fringeby Chris Kaiser

S u g g e s t i o n s(continued from page 20)

Concerts atPastorius Park

Back by popular demand,Weavers

Way will once again be supplying

refreshments at the popular

Summer Concert Series at

Pastorius Park in Chestnut Hill,

Wednesday nights at 7:30. Sit under

the stars, listen to great music, and

eat delicious Weavers Way food.

PHO

TOCO

URTESYO

FBRIAN

OSBO

RNE

BRIAN OSBORNE AS MARJOE GORTNER

August 1

MinasFeel the Heat of the Brazilian Beat

August 8

ScythianFun, Foot-Stomping Celtic Music With

An Edge

August 15

Jim Dragoni & FriendsLocal Faves Playing Standards and More

PAGE 20 AUGUST 2007THE SHUTTLE

Welcome to Weavers Way Cooperative AssociationDear Neighbor,If you are not already a member of Weavers Way Co-op, you are invited tojoin. Weavers Way is a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative. Our bylawsrequire that in becoming a member, someone from your household attend anorientation meeting, where details of membership will be explained. Meetingsare held at the Germantown Jewish Center (GJC), Lincoln Drive and ElletStreet, and at Church of the Annunciation (CA), Carpenter Lane and LincolnDrive. Upcoming Orientation Meetings are on the following dates:

Meetings start promptly and last about 1¼ hours. Latecomers cannot beadmitted. Written reservations are required, so please fill out the tear-offsheet below and return it to the store. At the close of the orientation meeting,you will be expected to pay your initial $30 annual investment (check orcash). We look forward to seeing you and welcoming you into the Co-op.

Robin Cannicle, Membership Manager+

PLEASE RETURN THIS PORTION TO WEAVERS WAY

Someone from my household will attend the orientation meeting on

Name (please print)

Phone Number

Address (including zip code)

by Norman Weiss

DAY DATE TIME LOCATION

Wednesday Aug. 1, 2007 6:45 p.m. GJC Saturday Sept. 8, 2007 10:30 a.m. CA

Greetings and thanks for writing. Asusual, suggestions and/or responses mayhave been edited for clarity, brevity,and/or comedy.

Our Co-op is a member of theNational Cooperative GrocersAssociation (NCGA), an organization ofabout 135 co-op food stores. NCGA sup-ports its member co-ops with a variety ofsupport programs; the main onesWeavers Way uses are staff and Boardtraining resources and a supply agree-ment with our largest supplier, UnitedNatural Foods. United treats NCGAstores as part of a large chain, like WholeFoods or Wild Oats, and as a result mostco-ops get better pricing and servicesthan they would get as an independent.In our NCGA region, I am on an adviso-ry committee, and part of my role (alongwith a few buyers from other co-ops) isevaluating new products. As a result, weget loads of samples and marketingmaterials from manufacturers pushingnew products.

Recently, we got a promo packagefrom a new line of yogurts called“Rachel’s.” Rachel’s sent us a case of theiryogurt, and some slick marketing materi-als, along with a package of their emptyyogurt cups(so we could admire them?).You might wonder “Does the world reallyneed another yogurt brand?” Do retailersreally have room in their refrigeratedcases for a new yogurt line? Do con-sumers need another ten yogurt choices?It appears that the people at Rachel’sthink they are on to something so signifi-cant that the grocery world will be happyto adjust all their dairy sets to accommo-date them.

The “something” Rachel’s has createdis “mood inspiring yogurt.” In five “bliss-fully blended” flavors: Vitality, Revive,Glow, Relax, and Calm. This is huge. Theimpact of the development of “moodinspiring yogurts” cannot be overstated.Think of discoveries that have trans-formed human civilization: fire, thewheel, sliced bread, etc. By simply cultur-

ing milk, adding some sugar and specialingredients (like ginseng, in the “Revive”blend), and distributing this special for-mula in small plastic cups to middle andupper-class consumers in the UK and theUSA, Rachel’s has found a way to affectall of the world’s major problems: globalwarming, the health care crisis, ethnicstrife, corrupt politicians, etc. Blissed-outconsumers who are calm yet vital, relaxedyet revived, and glowing their waythrough life will be sure to inspire othersto live simple, healthy, sustainable, non-exploitive lives. Politicians and diplomatswill take note, and soon the entireworld’s populace will be blissed out, eat-ing Rachel’s yogurt. Who knew Nirvanawas so close, right there in the WholeFoods dairy case? (By the way, Rachel’s isa White Wave brand item, which is aDean Foods subsidiary. Dean Foods isone of the companies accused of —among other things — trying to subvertorganic standards, especially for dairyproducts).

Suggestions & Responses:

s: “Thanks for getting the Fruita Bu.How about a butter from a local dairy?We get yogurt, milk, and cheese locally.Why not butter?”

r: (Chris) Thanks for the feedback.(Fruita Bu is the new version of StretchIsland organic fruit leather.) We’ll lookinto butter sources this summer.

s: “We just bought a seltzer-makerthat is great. I’d recommend the Co-opsell it — ecological, cheaper, and no lug-ging home bottles.”

r: (Martha) Thanks for your sugges-tion. I have added it to our suggestionbook for upstairs products.

s: “Can we get more sausages that us“sort of kosher” people can eat — nopork casings or meat-and-cheese com-bos?”

r: (Dale) I will look into it.

s: “I’m looking for Living Granolafrom Didi’s Baking for Health. I got ithere about a month ago and it doesn’tseem to be here anymore? Is it somethingwe stock?”

r: (Margie) We still carry this. It isdelivered every two weeks. It doesn’t real-ly have a regular location, but sort oftravels around the bakery area. If youdon’t see it, ask a staff person.

s: “Could we replace low-fat cottagecheese (small curd) with no fat? It tastesjust as good. Cabot makes one, but thereare lots of others.”

r: (Chris) We did exactly that someyears ago and got zillions of complaints.Many shoppers feel that there is a tastedifference...

Why don’t

we carry...

Suggestions

Equal Exchange

August Coffees of the Month

$6.99/lb.Caramel sweet flavor with a touch of

blueberry, a bit of dark chocolate, vibrant

body and a “kick-in-the-pants” finish.

Organic Espresso

Reg. $8.75/lb

$10.05/lb.

Our Vienna roast highlights the vibrant

glow of this exquisite coffee, and brings

out the round, syrupy body.

Organic Café

Peru Decaf Reg. $11.05/lb

(continued on page 19)

Musicians/Performers

Vendors & CraftspeopleInterested in participating in the

Second Annual Mt. Airy Village Fair?

We are looking for entertainers, vendors and people to lead interactive funat our Village Fair, Sunday, Sept. 16. Interested?

Visit www.maternalwellness.org for information and an application.

First Name Last Name Co-op #

Address (City, State, Zip Code)

E-Mail Address

Current Running Pace: (Minutes / Mile)

Long Race Distance Past 12 Months:

[ ] New Runner [ ] 5K [ ] 10K [ ] 10 Miler [ ] ½ Marathon [ ] Marathon

From “I’ve never run a day in my life”to marathoners, the Co-op Runners Clubis for you. Starting July 4, 2007, come joinus once a week or every day at 5:30 a.m.for fun, friendship, and an absolutely fab-ulous workout

Running is a great sport. It builds fit-ness and strength, and all you need is a t-shirt, shorts, and a pair of good runningshoes. Running in a club adds the supportyou need to go the distance: 5K, 10K, halfmarathon, full marathon, ultra marathon.

Regardless of your age, physical condi-tion, running experience, or speed, theCo-op Runners Club is for you.

Come run with us and we will helpyou:

• Get started• Improve your running• Build up your distance and speed• Set new PR’s• Link you to local and regional races• And most of all have fun with your

runningAnd it’s absolutely free So fill out the

form below and bring it with you, brightand early at 5:30 a.m. in front of the Co-op (rain or shine) at either 5:30 am or5:30 pm. For more information, pleasecontact Martin Schmieg via e-mail at cooprunners@yahoo.com.

Co-op Runners Club Formingby Martin Schmeig