File this in "supporting local businesses!" (While also dining at some great places.) Feast on a 3-course prix fixe lunch and/or dinner at 21 award-winning East Passyunk restaurants for either $15, $25 or $35. From low key BYOBs to elegant candlelight dining, East Passyunk Restaurant Week boasts a diversity of dining experiences and cuisines that offers something for everyone. Come hungry! For a full list of restaurants, menus and reservations, go to www.eastpassyunkrestaurantweek.com. Tell your friends you plan on going by RSVPing at their Facebook page. And if you happen to get to chat with one of the owners of these fine establishments, let them know that you saw information about them on the South Philly Food Co-op's website and ask whether they'd like to be part of our Shop South Philly Program. (It can't hurt to ask!)

Note: The following post was written by Jon McGoran, editor of Weavers Way Co-op's The Shuttle newsletter. You can find the full issue here. On December 13, 2012, less than four months after the widely anticipated implementation of the city’s brand new zoning code, City Council’s Committee on Rules has voted to approve an ordinance that undoes important aspects of the code, including the gains made for urban agriculture in Philadelphia. Introduced by Councilman Brian O’Neill, Bill 120917 creates restrictions on a range of uses in commercial mixed uses areas. Among these restrictions, the bill would only allow community gardening and market farming by  “special exception” on over one third of  the city’s commercially zoned lands. What does this mean for existing gardens? The affirmative vote by the Rules Committee immediately renders illegal approximately 20 percent of the urban farms and community gardens already in existence in the city. The amendment is scheduled to come to a vote by the full Council on January 24, 2013. In the meantime, since the bill is regarded as a “pending ordinance,” the city may begin enforcing the provisions of the bill immediately. If council votes in favor of the bill, the changes would become permanent. While the provision allowing farm or garden parcels with a special exemption is an improvement over the initial version of the amendment, which would prohibited gardening and farming outright, it is still an onerous process that would inhibit urban agriculture in Philadelphia. “The Special Exception process is not an ‘over the counter’ approval and requires quite a bit of administrative effort,” explained Eva Gladstein, Deputy Executive Director of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. “The zoning applicant must: file an application for a ZBA hearing; notify the local RCO, near neighbors and the District Councilperson of the project; meet with the local RCOs and document the meeting; post notice of the ZBA hearing on the property for 21 days prior to the hearing; at the hearing, demonstrate that the proposed use is consistent with the zoning code and any applicable standards for the use; and if there is testimony at the hearing from the community that the impacts would be more than normally expected from that use, must provide evidence to overcome such testimony.” The amendment passed out of the Rules Committee on a four to three vote, despite almost unanimous testimony in opposition to the bill from an array of constituencies. The changes would prohibit new businesses such as auto shops, car rental and sales, gas stations, personal care homes, single- room residences, and group living from locating in commercial corridors. Joining urban farms and community gardens in requiring special exemptions would be transit stations and storage facilities. Prohibited outright, and thus requiring zoning variances, are businesses including auto shops, car rental and sales, gas stations, and personal care homes. “Philadelphians in neighborhoods throughout the city place a huge value on gardening and farming as food production, vacant land stewardship, and community building. Under the new zoning code, city policy began to reflect the commitment of the city’s residents. This dismantles progress made,” says Amy Laura Cahn, Skadden Fellow at the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia’s Garden Justice Legal Initiative. What can you do? Contact your district council member and the at-large council members.

1. Let council members know that gardening and farming matter to you.
2. Encourage council members to keep the zoning code intact and rely on the anticipated one-year review to address concerns.
3. Ask that they oppose City Council Bill 12917.

For more information on the zoning changes, click here.  

Note: The following post was written by Jon McGoran, editor of Weavers Way Co-op's The Shuttle newsletter. You can find the full issue here. On December 13, 2012, less than four months after the widely anticipated implementation of the city’s brand new zoning code, City Council’s Committee on Rules has voted to approve an ordinance that undoes important aspects of the code, including the gains made for urban agriculture in Philadelphia. Introduced by Councilman Brian O’Neill, Bill 120917 creates restrictions on a range of uses in commercial mixed uses areas. Among these restrictions, the bill would only allow community gardening and market farming by  “special exception” on over one third of  the city’s commercially zoned lands. What does this mean for existing gardens? The affirmative vote by the Rules Committee immediately renders illegal approximately 20 percent of the urban farms and community gardens already in existence in the city. The amendment is scheduled to come to a vote by the full Council on January 24, 2013. In the meantime, since the bill is regarded as a “pending ordinance,” the city may begin enforcing the provisions of the bill immediately. If council votes in favor of the bill, the changes would become permanent. While the provision allowing farm or garden parcels with a special exemption is an improvement over the initial version of the amendment, which would prohibited gardening and farming outright, it is still an onerous process that would inhibit urban agriculture in Philadelphia. “The Special Exception process is not an ‘over the counter’ approval and requires quite a bit of administrative effort,” explained Eva Gladstein, Deputy Executive Director of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. “The zoning applicant must: file an application for a ZBA hearing; notify the local RCO, near neighbors and the District Councilperson of the project; meet with the local RCOs and document the meeting; post notice of the ZBA hearing on the property for 21 days prior to the hearing; at the hearing, demonstrate that the proposed use is consistent with the zoning code and any applicable standards for the use; and if there is testimony at the hearing from the community that the impacts would be more than normally expected from that use, must provide evidence to overcome such testimony.” The amendment passed out of the Rules Committee on a four to three vote, despite almost unanimous testimony in opposition to the bill from an array of constituencies. The changes would prohibit new businesses such as auto shops, car rental and sales, gas stations, personal care homes, single- room residences, and group living from locating in commercial corridors. Joining urban farms and community gardens in requiring special exemptions would be transit stations and storage facilities. Prohibited outright, and thus requiring zoning variances, are businesses including auto shops, car rental and sales, gas stations, and personal care homes. “Philadelphians in neighborhoods throughout the city place a huge value on gardening and farming as food production, vacant land stewardship, and community building. Under the new zoning code, city policy began to reflect the commitment of the city’s residents. This dismantles progress made,” says Amy Laura Cahn, Skadden Fellow at the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia’s Garden Justice Legal Initiative. What can you do? Contact your district council member and the at-large council members.

1. Let council members know that gardening and farming matter to you.
2. Encourage council members to keep the zoning code intact and rely on the anticipated one-year review to address concerns.
3. Ask that they oppose City Council Bill 12917.

For more information on the zoning changes, click here.  

“What does organic mean?” “Is local really better?” “How do I know if something’s sustainable?” “What’s with these high prices?” “What I buy won’t make a difference, anyway…will it?” Understanding the complex spectrum of food choices in today’s world is often more like navigating a labyrinth than walking an aisle. But when it comes to what we eat, we’ve got a lot more power than we think... and it’s time to start taking and talking our food choices seriously. At 6 pm on January 30, 2013 come out and delve into the true value of the food we eat with Temple Professor Bryant Simon, author of Everything But the Coffee and founder of the collaborative “What Is Your Food Worth?” – a unique partnership exploring the choices each of us confronts in our everyday lives as we try to square what we eat with what we believe. During this candid conversation we’ll explore how the price of cheap food is hiding costs and making the “real” prices of organic or local food seem higher. Become a part of this exciting new initiative’s vibrant, roving conversation on food, ethics, sustainability, and eating at this Co-op debut event! South Philly Food Co-op Speaker Series When: January 30, 2013 at 6pm Where: The Charles Santore Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia, 932 South 7th Street (7th & Carpenter Streets) Cost: FREE (but please download tickets from our EventBrite site so we have an idea of how many to expect)

“What does organic mean?” “Is local really better?” “How do I know if something’s sustainable?” “What’s with these high prices?” “What I buy won’t make a difference, anyway…will it?” Understanding the complex spectrum of food choices in today’s world is often more like navigating a labyrinth than walking an aisle. But when it comes to what we eat, we’ve got a lot more power than we think... and it’s time to start taking and talking our food choices seriously. At 6 pm on January 30, 2013 come out and delve into the true value of the food we eat with Temple Professor Bryant Simon, author of Everything But the Coffee and founder of the collaborative “What Is Your Food Worth?” – a unique partnership exploring the choices each of us confronts in our everyday lives as we try to square what we eat with what we believe. During this candid conversation we’ll explore how the price of cheap food is hiding costs and making the “real” prices of organic or local food seem higher. Become a part of this exciting new initiative’s vibrant, roving conversation on food, ethics, sustainability, and eating at this Co-op debut event! South Philly Food Co-op Speaker Series When: January 30, 2013 at 6pm Where: The Charles Santore Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia, 932 South 7th Street (7th & Carpenter Streets) Cost: FREE (but please download tickets from our EventBrite site so we have an idea of how many to expect)

The South Philly Food Co-op had a great year, increasing our membership to 330, organizing a fabulous garden tour, teaching folks to make beer for the holidays and swapping homemade soup.  We’re asking you to step up and include us in your end-of-year charitable giving plans.  Your donation of $10, $25 or $50 will help us reach our goal of $2000.  Thanks to our fiscal sponsor Fair Food Philly, your donations are tax deductible. Donate TODAY through Paypal and not only will you help the Co-op grow, but you'll be able to deduct this from your taxes!

The South Philly Food Co-op had a great year, increasing our membership to 330, organizing a fabulous garden tour, teaching folks to make beer for the holidays and swapping homemade soup.  We’re asking you to step up and include us in your end-of-year charitable giving plans.  Your donation of $10, $25 or $50 will help us reach our goal of $2000.  Thanks to our fiscal sponsor Fair Food Philly, your donations are tax deductible. Donate TODAY through Paypal and not only will you help the Co-op grow, but you'll be able to deduct this from your taxes!

1)    We’re growing FAST – after two years we already have 330 members.  At 600 we will be ready to sign a lease or mortgage for our store. 2)    We organize fun, educational events like Brew Day and the Soup Swap. 3)    Your donation will cover education and outreach expenses so that more of your member equity can go into opening the store. 4)    Your donation will help us do more outreach and grow faster. 5)    Donations are tax deductible, thanks to our fiscal sponsor Fair Food Philly Donate now (it's sooo easy with Paypal) before the end of the year to help the Co-op grow and to deduct it from your taxes. Happy holidays!

1)    We’re growing FAST – after two years we already have 330 members.  At 600 we will be ready to sign a lease or mortgage for our store. 2)    We organize fun, educational events like Brew Day and the Soup Swap. 3)    Your donation will cover education and outreach expenses so that more of your member equity can go into opening the store. 4)    Your donation will help us do more outreach and grow faster. 5)    Donations are tax deductible, thanks to our fiscal sponsor Fair Food Philly Donate now (it's sooo easy with Paypal) before the end of the year to help the Co-op grow and to deduct it from your taxes. Happy holidays!

South Philly Food Co-op is partnering with Food and Water Watch Pennsylvania for a free screening of Dear Governor Cuomo – part concert documentary and part chronicle of New York's anti-fracking movement. The event takes place at Nomad Pizza - 611 S. 7th Street - at 7PM. Been meaning to join the Co-op? Nomad is offering a FREE MARGHERITA PIZZA to anyone who joins the Co-op on the spot. Current MEMBERS! Bring a few friends who haven't joined yet. The movie follows the efforts by activists in New York – including actors Mark Ruffalo and Melissa Leo, environmental biologist Sandra Steingraber and musicians ranging from Joan Osborne and Citizen Cope to Medeski Martin and Wood and The Felice Brothers – to convince Governor Cuomo to oppose hydraulic fracturing for natural gas. More about the film can be seen here. More info about Food and Water Watch. Pizza! Hanging out with fun people! A movie! Sounds like your Weds night plans are set.