Just when I thought there weren't any tomatoes on my plants I saw these: [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500"] friends[/caption] And lots of peppers, too! [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500"] hello, sun[/caption] I didn't do much to my plants this past week because we had so much rain, so it was nice to come out and see all the growing that's been going on.  Unfortunately this kind of growing was happening, too: [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="375"] sucker![/caption] I've been pinching these little suckers off because I read something about tomatoes that told me to do that.  It's kind of fun! We've been lucky to be getting all this rain - not so lucky when you get caught in it walking home from work - but the plants love it.  I think the 2nd Annual Garden Tour couldn't come at a better time.  Think how lush all these gardens are going to be!

Just when I thought there weren't any tomatoes on my plants I saw these:

friends

And lots of peppers, too!

hello, sun

I didn't do much to my plants this past week because we had so much rain, so it was nice to come out and see all the growing that's been going on.  Unfortunately this kind of growing was happening, too:

sucker!

I've been pinching these little suckers off because I read something about tomatoes that told me to do that.  It's kind of fun!

We've been lucky to be getting all this rain - not so lucky when you get caught in it walking home from work - but the plants love it.  I think the 2nd Annual Garden Tour couldn't come at a better time.  Think how lush all these gardens are going to be!

With the Garden Tour just THREE DAYS away, we'd like to take this time to thank the many businesses (some of which are also part of our Shop South Philly member-benefit program) for helping out on the day of the tour. When you check in at Urban Jungle to pick up your wristband and tour map, you'll also learn the location of these refreshment stops, some of which are being hosted at the businesses themselves with others at some of the gardens. Thanks go out to Wash Cycle Laundry, The Wishing Well, Rita's on E. Passyunk Ave, Black N Brew, Theatre Exile, OCF Coffee House, and Girls Can Tell for providing refreshments, specials and discounts to Garden Tour participants. Many thanks also to Urban Jungle for being both a ticket sales location and allowing us to use some of their space as our check-in location. We also have get a shout out to Ultimo Coffee and Grindcore House for being ticket sales locations. We're certainly lucky to have so many friends in the world of local South Philly businesses so that we can offer in-person ticket sales in several convenient locations. Cantina Los Caballitos will be the location of our Garden Tour after party - featuring 20% off drinks. The Cantina has hosted a few events for us in the past and we couldn't be more grateful. Finally, we have to give special thanks to our sponsors, each of which ponied up the cash that helped defray the costs of the Tour and ensure that more of the proceeds of the Tour go directly to the Co-op to help us cover the start-up costs for the storefront itself. Those sponsors are Saul Ewing; The Campaign Group, Inc.; Theatre Exile; and Fresh* Dipped. Please take the time to click on all the links above to learn more about these great and generous businesses. The Second Annual South Philly Food Co-op Garden Tour will be on Sat., Sept. 8, 2012 (raindate Sun., Sept. 9, 2012) from 1-5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at http://southphillygardentour.eventbrite.com/ or at these locations: Urban Jungle, 1526 E. Passyunk Avenue Ultimo Coffee, 1900 South 15th St., Grindcore House, 1515 S. 4th St. The Garden Tour will be a self-guided ticketed event, and will feature over 20 public and private gardens throughout South Philadelphia. Participating gardens will have their doors/gates open for the duration of the event, and will have someone available to greet visitors, show them around and answer questions. RSVP on Facebook here. This is one of many fundraisers that will help us raise the funds for a site analysis of potential store locations. Help us make it a success – buy tickets for yourself, your friends and your family! And, if you haven’t yet joined, meet some of our member-owners and please consider joining now!

With the Garden Tour just THREE DAYS away, we'd like to take this time to thank the many businesses (some of which are also part of our Shop South Philly member-benefit program) for helping out on the day of the tour. When you check in at Urban Jungle to pick up your wristband and tour map, you'll also learn the location of these refreshment stops, some of which are being hosted at the businesses themselves with others at some of the gardens. Thanks go out to Wash Cycle Laundry, The Wishing Well, Rita's on E. Passyunk Ave, Black N Brew, Theatre Exile, OCF Coffee House, and Girls Can Tell for providing refreshments, specials and discounts to Garden Tour participants. Many thanks also to Urban Jungle for being both a ticket sales location and allowing us to use some of their space as our check-in location. We also have get a shout out to Ultimo Coffee and Grindcore House for being ticket sales locations. We're certainly lucky to have so many friends in the world of local South Philly businesses so that we can offer in-person ticket sales in several convenient locations. Cantina Los Caballitos will be the location of our Garden Tour after party - featuring 20% off drinks. The Cantina has hosted a few events for us in the past and we couldn't be more grateful. Finally, we have to give special thanks to our sponsors, each of which ponied up the cash that helped defray the costs of the Tour and ensure that more of the proceeds of the Tour go directly to the Co-op to help us cover the start-up costs for the storefront itself. Those sponsors are Saul Ewing; The Campaign Group, Inc.; Theatre Exile; and Fresh* Dipped. Please take the time to click on all the links above to learn more about these great and generous businesses. The Second Annual South Philly Food Co-op Garden Tour will be on Sat., Sept. 8, 2012 (raindate Sun., Sept. 9, 2012) from 1-5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at http://southphillygardentour.eventbrite.com/ or at these locations: Urban Jungle, 1526 E. Passyunk Avenue Ultimo Coffee, 1900 South 15th St., Grindcore House, 1515 S. 4th St. The Garden Tour will be a self-guided ticketed event, and will feature over 20 public and private gardens throughout South Philadelphia. Participating gardens will have their doors/gates open for the duration of the event, and will have someone available to greet visitors, show them around and answer questions. RSVP on Facebook here. This is one of many fundraisers that will help us raise the funds for a site analysis of potential store locations. Help us make it a success – buy tickets for yourself, your friends and your family! And, if you haven’t yet joined, meet some of our member-owners and please consider joining now!

[caption id="attachment_4179" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Bouvier Community Garden. Photo courtesy of flickr user xram[/caption] From two overgrown, abandoned garden plots owned by the Neighborhood Gardens Association, the Newbold Neighbors Clean & Green committee has, over the past three-plus years, carved out an urban oasis known as the Bouvier Community Garden. The verdant grounds provide the neighborhood  with a venue for environmental education; a link to a sustainable community food system; a space for quiet respite; a composting program through Bennett Compost—oh, and a home for one mischievous gnome. You can learn more about this major achievement of vacant lot beautification AND see a number of unique household and community gardens by going on the Second Annual South Philly Food Co-op Garden Tour, on Sat., Sept. 8, 2012 (raindate Sun., Sept. 9, 2012) from 1-5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at http://southphillygardentour.eventbrite.com/ or at these locations:

• Urban Jungle, 1526 E. Passyunk Avenue
• Ultimo Coffee, 1900 South 15th St.
• Grindcore House, 1515 S. 4th St.

The Garden Tour will be a self-guided ticketed event, and will feature over 20 public and private gardens throughout South Philadelphia. Participating gardens will have their doors/gates open for the duration of the event, and will have someone available to greet visitors, show them around and answer questions. RSVP on Facebook here. This is one of many fundraisers that will help us raise the funds for a site analysis of potential store locations. Help us make it a success – buy tickets for yourself, your friends and your family! And, if you haven’t yet joined, meet some of our member-owners and please consider joining now!

 

Bouvier Community Garden. Photo courtesy of flickr user xram[/caption]

From two overgrown, abandoned garden plots owned by the Neighborhood Gardens Association, the Newbold Neighbors Clean & Green committee has, over the past three-plus years, carved out an urban oasis known as the Bouvier Community Garden. The verdant grounds provide the neighborhood  with a venue for environmental education; a link to a sustainable community food system; a space for quiet respite; a composting program through Bennett Compost—oh, and a home for one mischievous gnome.

You can learn more about this major achievement of vacant lot beautification AND see a number of unique household and community gardens by going on the Second Annual South Philly Food Co-op Garden Tour, on Sat., Sept. 8, 2012 (raindate Sun., Sept. 9, 2012) from 1-5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at http://southphillygardentour.eventbrite.com/ or at these locations:

• Urban Jungle, 1526 E. Passyunk Avenue

 

• Ultimo Coffee, 1900 South 15th St.

 

• Grindcore House, 1515 S. 4th St.

The Garden Tour will be a self-guided ticketed event, and will feature over 20 public and private gardens throughout South Philadelphia. Participating gardens will have their doors/gates open for the duration of the event, and will have someone available to greet visitors, show them around and answer questions. RSVP on Facebook here.

This is one of many fundraisers that will help us raise the funds for a site analysis of potential store locations. Help us make it a success – buy tickets for yourself, your friends and your family! And, if you haven’t yet joined, meet some of our member-owners and please consider joining now!

A civic association, a public high school and a major greening, gardening and beautification advocacy group have come together to transform a formerly vacant and barren asphalt lot along one of the city's major thoroughfares into a beautiful and green addition to South Philadelphia. The two plots produce a bounty of fruits and veggies that are actually sold at a nearby farmer's market. Have we whet your appetite enough yet? You can learn more about this major achievement of greening and beautification AND see a number of unique household gardens by going on the Second Annual South Philly Food Co-op Garden Tour, on Sat., Sept. 8, 2012 (raindate Sun., Sept. 9, 2012) from 1-5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at http://southphillygardentour.eventbrite.com/ or at these locations:

• Urban Jungle, 1526 E. Passyunk Avenue
• Ultimo Coffee, 1900 South 15th St.
• Grindcore House, 1515 S. 4th St.

The Garden Tour will be a self-guided ticketed event, and will feature over 20 public and private gardens throughout South Philadelphia. Participating gardens will have their doors/gates open for the duration of the event, and will have someone available to greet visitors, show them around and answer questions. RSVP on Facebook here. This is one of many fundraisers that will help us raise the funds for a site analysis of potential store locations. Help us make it a success – buy tickets for yourself, your friends and your family! And, if you haven’t yet joined, meet some of our member-owners and please consider joining now!

A civic association, a public high school and a major greening, gardening and beautification advocacy group have come together to transform a formerly vacant and barren asphalt lot along one of the city's major thoroughfares into a beautiful and green addition to South Philadelphia.

The two plots produce a bounty of fruits and veggies that are actually sold at a nearby farmer's market. Have we whet your appetite enough yet?

You can learn more about this major achievement of greening and beautification AND see a number of unique household gardens by going on the Second Annual South Philly Food Co-op Garden Tour, on Sat., Sept. 8, 2012 (raindate Sun., Sept. 9, 2012) from 1-5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at http://southphillygardentour.eventbrite.com/ or at these locations:

• • Urban Jungle, 1526 E. Passyunk Avenue

 

• • Ultimo Coffee, 1900 South 15th St.

 

• • Grindcore House, 1515 S. 4th St.

The Garden Tour will be a self-guided ticketed event, and will feature over 20 public and private gardens throughout South Philadelphia. Participating gardens will have their doors/gates open for the duration of the event, and will have someone available to greet visitors, show them around and answer questions. RSVP on Facebook here.

This is one of many fundraisers that will help us raise the funds for a site analysis of potential store locations. Help us make it a success – buy tickets for yourself, your friends and your family! And, if you haven’t yet joined, meet some of our member-owners and please consider joining now!

[caption id="attachment_4169" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo | landscapedesignideas.com[/caption] Ever wonder how your co-worker turns out such incredible produce from her teeny container garden? Ever stand on your tippy-toes to catch a peek at flowers blooming beyond alley fences? Ever turn green with envy over your neighbor's inexplicable koi pond? This year's South Philly Food Co-op Garden Tour has the cure for what ails your voyeuristic green heart/thumb: In addition to getting the inside scoop on South Philly's vast variety of community gardens, a handful of homeowners will also open their doors, sharing secrets on everything from proper container-garden soil combos to the best ways to eliminate pesky South Philly-dwelling slugs. Get the inside scoop on tons of private gardens, and more, on the Second Annual South Philly Food Co-op Garden Tour, on Sat., Sept. 8, 2012 (raindate Sun., Sept. 9, 2012) from 1-5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at http://southphillygardentour.eventbrite.com/ or at these locations:

• Urban Jungle, 1526 E. Passyunk Avenue
• Ultimo Coffee, 1900 South 15th St.
• Grindcore House, 1515 S. 4th St.

The Garden Tour will be a self-guided ticketed event, and will feature over 20 public and private gardens throughout South Philadelphia. Participating gardens will have their doors/gates open for the duration of the event, and will have someone available to greet visitors, show them around and answer questions. RSVP on Facebook here. This is one of many fundraisers that will help us raise the funds for a site analysis of potential store locations. Help us make it a success – buy tickets for yourself, your friends and your family! And, if you haven’t yet joined, meet some of our member-owners and please consider joining now!

Ever wonder how your co-worker turns out such incredible produce from her teeny container garden? Ever stand on your tippy-toes to catch a peek at flowers blooming beyond alley fences? Ever turn green with envy over your neighbor's inexplicable koi pond?

This year's South Philly Food Co-op Garden Tour has the cure for what ails your voyeuristic green heart/thumb: In addition to getting the inside scoop on South Philly's vast variety of community gardens, a handful of homeowners will also open their doors, sharing secrets on everything from proper container-garden soil combos to the best ways to eliminate pesky South Philly-dwelling slugs.

Get the inside scoop on tons of private gardens, and more, on the Second Annual South Philly Food Co-op Garden Tour, on Sat., Sept. 8, 2012 (raindate Sun., Sept. 9, 2012) from 1-5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at http://southphillygardentour.eventbrite.com/ or at these locations:

• • Urban Jungle, 1526 E. Passyunk Avenue

 

• • Ultimo Coffee, 1900 South 15th St.

 

• • Grindcore House, 1515 S. 4th St.

The Garden Tour will be a self-guided ticketed event, and will feature over 20 public and private gardens throughout South Philadelphia. Participating gardens will have their doors/gates open for the duration of the event, and will have someone available to greet visitors, show them around and answer questions. RSVP on Facebook here.

This is one of many fundraisers that will help us raise the funds for a site analysis of potential store locations. Help us make it a success – buy tickets for yourself, your friends and your family! And, if you haven’t yet joined, meet some of our member-owners and please consider joining now!