Weavers Way GM Leads Discussion of Urban Farms at Temple Library



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Philadelphia, PA, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2013 — Weavers Way General Manager Glenn Bergman will moderate a panel on the ways in which urban agriculture transforms the foodways, health, environment, communities and even the art of cities.

“Temple Students Explore Urban Farms and Community Gardens,” Sept. 24, 5:30 p.m., is the first of Temple University Libraries’ “Beyond the Page” public events series for 2013-14. This year’s theme is “Gather Around the Table.” All programs, held in the Paley Library, 1210 Polett Walk, on Temple’s main campus, are free and open to the public.

The Sept. 24 discussion will feature Temple students who have developed, designed, or worked on urban farming/gardening projects.

Can choosing local foods create a more sustainable city? How can we eat healthier in a time of rising obesity and public health concerns? How can design and communal spaces change our neighborhoods? Urban farms and community gardens offer tentative answers at the intersection of these questions.

Temple students Alex Epstein of Philly Urban Creators, Katy Ament with Temple Community Gardens and students from the FarmLab architecture seminar will discuss their first-hand experiences with a variety of urban farming models.

This discussion will be led by Bergman, the general manager of Weaver's Way Co-op, a vital institution combining food and community in Northwest Philadelphia for 40 years. A former chef from the Commissary restaurant and food-service professional, Bergman took over the top job at the Co-op in 2004. In addition to grocery store management, Glenn is passionate about local farming, food justice and commuting by bike. He holds a master’s degree in public health from Temple and is on the boards at Cliveden and the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education.

The “Gather Around the Table” series will offer panels, presentations, lectures and discussions examining food and food-related projects through aesthetics, the social sciences, resource inequity, public health, media, the culture of critique, communities, planning, design and other topics of importance at our university and in our community. Sessions are held in the lecture hall on the ground floor of the Paley Library at 1210 Polett Walk unless otherwise noted. All programs are free and open to the public, and refreshments are provided!

For info on the full series, visitlibrary.temple.edu/about/programs.

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About Weavers Way Co-op: Weavers Way is a member-owned food co-op open to the public, with stores in Mount Airy and Chestnut Hill offering quality products that are locally grown, sustainable and nutritious. This fall, Weavers Way will celebrate 40 years of commitment to healthy food, healthy communities and a healthy environment. For more information, visitwww.weaversway.coop.