June 2007 Vol
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June 2007 Vol. 36, No. 6 559 Carpenter Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19119 phone: 215-843-2350 · fax: 215-843-6945 www.weaversway.coop Manager’s Spring Harvest Begins in Earnest Film Series Corner by David Zelov PHOTO BY Features Gar Summer is coming and so are J Buying from Independent America the weeds It’s too bad we don’t ONATHAN Alperovitz in April by Glenn Bergman have a market for all of them at by Larry Schofer M C the Co-op; the farm would be G “Sustainable Mt. Airy” ORAN In a replay of a speech made at the making a profit in no time. Its You know the sign on Lincoln Drive Weavers Way membership meeting in the been an exciting spring, full of till- in front of the Unitarian Church that an- spring of 2006, Gar Alperovitz looked at ing, bed-forming and planting, nounces this area is a “Nuclear-free the audience and asked,“What do you and beginning on the first of May, zone?” What if we got a sign that says, want?” harvesting The produce race re- “Mt. Airy is a ‘Green Community”? It In Gar’s eyes, liberalism has lost its ide- sults are in. The first crop to would tell people this a community that ological basis, and true conservatism has as make it out of the ground and recycles, has a central community com- well. An incredible maldistribution of into the Co-op was the baby bok posting center for food scraps, has co- wealth in the United States has led to inor- choy, beating out all others by at housing to allow for people of different dinate power concentrated in the hands of least a week. Next up, we had a tie ages to live together, does not allow pesti- a few. for second place between the Tom cides to be used on lawns by residents and The group gathered at the Little The- Thumb baby bibb lettuce and the landscapers, teaches our residents to grow ater at Video Library saw Gar on the big mesclun mix. The pea shoots and their own vegetables in their front yards screen making his point that local groups radishes battled it out for third as well as their back yards, has a commu- have the potential to create the founda- and fourth respectively. All in all, nity taxi service to assist people to food tions of change in our society. The show- the Co-op farm is off to a good shopping and a free bicycle program, en- DAVE ZELOV DELIVERS THE FIRST PRODUCE OF ing was part of the Weavers Way education start. courages retailers to sell “green” products, committee’s Wednesday night film series As the spring harvest starts to THE SEASON FROM THE CO-OP FARM. has people available to assist residents (second Wednesday of each month). The come in, it’s already time to start planting tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and squash. with retrofitting their homes to be more speaker described himself as a “prudent the summer crops in the ground. The We at Weavers Way Farm are pushing the energy efficient, a community tool and historical optimist,”one convinced that so- average last frost in our area is April 20, limits a little bit with the help of some garden sharing program in different areas cieties do change and will change, but not but most people wait until around Moth- black plastic and floating row covers. (continued on page 4) er’s Day to plant cold sensitive crops like (continued on page 4) (continued on page 7) Much Accomplished, But Much Work New Playground at Henry School Remains at Ned Wolf Park Courtesy of Boxer Bernard Hopkins PHOTO BY PHOTO BY by Kimberly Newman Joined by students, teachers, E VELYN R ONDA local politicians, and communi- B OCK T HRONE ty members, Philadelphia light heavyweight boxing great -M URRAY Bernard Hopkins cut the ribbon for the new playground he sponsored at the Henry School, which he attended as a youth. Hopkins used funds from his newly established foundation, The Bernard and Shirley Hop- kins Make A Way Foundation. “I couldn’t think of a better place to start than my elemen- tary school,”said Hopkins. “My mother raised me in this area and it’s a great honor to memo- rialize her with something in the neighborhood.” NEIGHBORS GETTING DIRTY WITH NEIGHBORS AT NED WOLF PARK Hopkins established the by Ronda Throne-Murray Bernard and Shirley Hopkins Make A Way Foundation in Some people who heard me talking we clean up the long-standing debris and 2006 in honor of his late mother about Ned Wolf Park put it on their radar dangerous eyesores, we are increasing real Shirley. Its mission is to raise and went to check it out. They came back estate values. By creating a safer more awareness and money to help to me to ask,“This is what all the fuss is pleasant place to convene, more neigh- HENRY SCHOOL ALUMNUS BERNARD HOPKINS, “make a way” for the city’s un- about?” bors are getting to know each other. A derprivileged youth to flourish AND A FEW CLOSE FRIENDS No, renovating the park is not the week before soil prep day, Bruce, Syd, academically, socially, and athleti- The Henry School students and com- only thing happening with the Ned Wolf Steve, and I had the pleasure to work with cally and will implement its mission by munity members are thrilled with this Park Project. There is much more. While two of the long-term caretakers of the rebuilding playgrounds and recreation beautiful new playground, and are grate- centers throughout Philadelphia. ful to Bernard Hopkins for making this (continued on page 2) donation. Weavers Way Cooperative Association Presorted Standard Board Election 559 Carpenter Lane · Philadelphia, PA 19119 U.S. Inside: POSTAGE Product News 3 PAID Results! Philadelphia, PA Pet Food Recall 3 Permit No. 2658 See results of the Board Elections from the Spring Threat to Chocolate? 6 General Memberhsip Meeting at Suggestions 20 www.weaversway.coop And of course... scads more PAGE 2 THE SHUTTLE JUNE 2007 Editor’s Note Co-op Helps Install New Signs in Carpenter’s Woods by Jonathan McGoran by Louise Hayes PHOTO BY It is pretty much accepted On April 22, members of the Co-op and the community T around here that locally-produced food is installed three new notice boards in Carpenter’s Woods. ERRY better than that which is produced on a F The notice boards will be used for posting news about Car- OSS national scale. There are plenty of reasons penter’s Woods, such as community meetings and service for this, and they all seem pretty valid. days, bird and vegetation sightings, lost pets, and park rules. Something else I have noticed is that the The boards are located at key entrances to the woods: at the same thing is usually true of the news Wayne Ave. bus stop; at the corner of Greene St. and S. Mt. about food. Locally, the news about food Pleasant Rd.; and at the confluence of the paths leading into is good: the Co-op farm, Paradise Organ- the woods from Ellet and Sherman Sts. The Friends of Car- ics, artisanal cheeses, Solebury apple penter’s Woods, which spearheaded the project, will main- sauce. Happy, happy. tain the signs. Nationally, the news is not quite so Almost half the funds for the notice boards were raised cheery. The recall of pet food has been ex- by over a dozen Co-op members and Weavers Way itself, panded to include human food and... What’s that? Oh, right, only the actual with the Co-op matching members’ donations. Other chemical contamination has been ex- donors making the boards possible included Carpenter panded to involve human food. As of Lane Garage, Elfant Wissahickon, Prudential Fox & Roach, press time, the FDA has maintained that a and many other individuals. recall of the contaminated people food is The notice boards were designed and built by local car- AMONG VOLUNTEERS AT THE CARPENTER’S WOODS EARTH DAY unnecessary. (They’re just people.) penter James McCoy, using mostly wood salvaged from the Even more depressing is an effort by Wissahickon and donated by the Friends of the Wissahick- SERVICE EVENT WERE TOMMY HANSEN, JOHN SCHUPPERT, MIKE candy manufacturers like Hershey to re- on. The posts are black locust wood, which is particularly MCCLEARY, JOANNE GREEN, LOUISE HAYES, CONNIE FALCONE move rules that require candies labeled tough and resistant to fire and rot: James reports that the “chocolate” to contain the actual ingredi- signs may last 50 or 60 years. He adds that we may even see ing that the day’s volunteers found everything from an old ents that make up “chocolate.”I was sprouts growing from the unseasoned posts. bowling ball to $20 in cash. She reminded everyone that,“We shocked to hear that Hershey wanted to Installing the notice boards was just one project among many have a piece of heaven right here in our community and it is our stop using these ingredients; having tast- during the Friends of Carpenter’s Woods service event honoring responsibility to care for it.” ed their candy, I assumed they’d stopped Earth Day. With the guidance of David Bower, Fairmount Park Echoing her comments was Pete Hoskins, president of the using the real stuff years ago. volunteer coordinator, participants cleared a fallen tree from the Greater Philadelphia Parks Alliance and former executive direc- I guess it’s not all bad news, although main path, planted a new oak tree, removed trash, and re- tor of the Fairmount Park Commission.“You all are to be con- it’s hard to get too excited when what groomed berms to prevent soil erosion on the paths.