Grid Magazine November [#079]

A HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE FOR MOVERS AND SHAKERS

CRAFT, GARDEN & BOOZE STARTER KITS | COOL CLASSES & PASSES | AFFORDABLE LUXURIES

TOWARD A SUSTAINABLE PHILADELPHIA NOVEMBER 2015 / ISSUE 79 GRIDPHILLY.COM

INSIDE: INSIGHT FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE MAKER MOVEMENT MANIFESTO · WEARABLE TECH THAT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE · THE PROS AND CONS OF 3D PRINTING · GETTING MORE GIRLS IN THE MAKER GAME  WINTER IS COMING—DON’T MISS GRID’S GUIDE TO FINAL FALL TRIPS

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CONTENTS D E PA RT M E N TS

09 Market Watch Brussels sprouts and root vegetables are here Kids learn how to make slime using commonly found household ingredients during the Maker Jawn Words at Play block party held at the Widener Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia

10 Editorial The Hacktory’s Georgia Guthrie reminds us to mind the gender gap

12 The Big Picture TechShop CEO Mark Hatch’s manifesto for makers

“The [maker] movement is really coming out of what I believe is the human spirit and interest in making things. It’s fundamental to what it means to be human.”

– Mark Hatch, CEO, TechShop

14 ON THE COV ER

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On the Make

Final Fall Field Trips

Maker Jawn

The Right Question Should you buy a hybrid car? Calculating energy use is more complicated than you think

16 Made in Philly Featuring Norman Porter Co. and Bauman’s Apple Butter

20

It’s not time to hibernate yet—check out these great fall destinations

58 Events What to see and where to go

Comings and Goings

64

Find out which doors are opening and closing, and who deserves kudos

Dispatch

22 To Do List November means saying goodbye to the garden and planning your holiday

P HOTO BY JA R ED GRU ENWA LD

A former punk rocker exercises his do-it-yourself spirit at the Philadelphia Sculpture Gym

Philadelphia public libraries trade stacks for hacks with an innovative maker program

INSIDE THE ISSUE

36

The maker community is getting serious about supporting Philadelphia-based design and manufacturing

40 A New Dimension of Recycling Is 3D printing a bane or boon?

The Undoing of DM+D The partners of a popular West Philly makerspace are priced out of the neighborhood

37 Co-Working for Carvers All the right tools at a Manayunk woodshop

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

43 Grid Crafts a List for Makers and Doers This year, give your loved ones great experiences, new skills and some much needed pampering

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EDITOR’S NOTES

by

HEATHER SHAYNE BLAKESLEE

POPULIST MECHANICS The Singularity, and the next industrial revolution

F

ollowers of advances in artificial intelligence are waiting for a tipping point they call the “Singularity.” It’s the moment in time when the computers and machines that we’ve designed are smart enough to design better versions of themselves, an event that would trigger a cascade of exponential improvement—as well as the possibility of disaster. The fear of the rise of

seems to be a 3D printer in every garage and a prototype in every hand.

The maker movement is democratizing access to tools that were taken away during the first industrial revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries. At that time, in England and America, the knitting loom exited the living room and entered the realm of the factory, wresting tools from the hands of skilled craftsmen who

the robots has played out in books and movies for decades, including in the long-running Terminator series.

Rather than its dystopian aftermath, more recent movies such as Her and Ex Machina have also explored the softer side of the Singularity, the jaw-dropping awe and breathless excitement when “the moment” has arrived.

Both films seem to capture the zeitgeist of our complicated feelings about machines: They are fascinating; they can make our lives better; they seem, even, to understand us and our desires; and they are our partners in creativity and connection. At the same time, we’re a little afraid that we’re no longer in complete control. It’s that feeling we get when we realize we’ve just reflexively checked our phone, or can’t seem to stop reading the endless scroll.

We should trust that instinct to remain the masters of our machines, especially as we move into what many in the burgeoning “maker movement” have called a second industrial revolution. Makerspaces in cities across America are offering people the chance to innovate, test out ideas and learn new skills on equipment—and in the presence of collaborators—to which they would never have otherwise had access.

An eight-year-old girl can learn how to weld and an 80-year-old engineer can finally patent that invention that his cautious company left on the milling room floor. After decades of decline in America’s manufacturing sector—and a correlated drop in the science, technology, engineering and math prowess that our country once enjoyed—our entrepreneurs stand at the ready. Inventors are on the make again: With greater access to the tools of production combined with increased access to capital in the form of crowdfunding campaigns, there

were replaced by industrial machines run by unskilled workers.

The loss of those tools sparked distrust and rebellion among the craftsmen whose jobs were subsumed, including the famous “Luddite Rebellion” in England, in which workers attacked the factories and machines that had taken their jobs. It wasn’t an isolated incident, but a movement that eventually required the strength of the English army to suppress. It turns out that humans deprived of their tools can be just as angry as an army of robots insisting on autonomy.

Industrialists and capitalists continued to dominate the last century as they efficiently produced the goods that our growing population needs, and, increasingly, the things that we simply want. In the wake of all those cheap goods, we also left exploited workers, brownfields and air pollution—especially in poor neighborhoods—and created our throwaway culture.

During this next revolution, we shouldn’t let our 3D printers become pollution pushers, beckoning us with an easy good time and uncertain aftermath. This is the time, this moment of excitement and awe, to remind ourselves of our complicated relationship with making so that we don’t repeat the same mistakes all over again. We know that we can.

We should also ask if we should, and how we should. We must demand more of our innovative nature, and stay smarter than our machines.

editor-in-chief Alex Mulcahy managing editor Heather Shayne Blakeslee heather@gridphilly.com 215.625.9850 ext. 107 designer Kathleen White kathleen@gridphilly.com 215.625.9850 ext. 112 copy editors Andrew Bonazelli Walter Foley editorial assistant William Beisley writers Marilyn Anthony Matt Bevilacqua Tim Canny Georgia Guthrie Alex Jones Emily Kovach Peggy Paul Casella Jerry Silberman Alex Vuocolo Lindsay Walker Hannah Waters illustrators Corey Brickley Narrator Mike L. Perry photgraphers Jared Gruenwald Addison Geary

___________ Sales & Marketing Manager Claire Margheim claire@gridphilly.com 215.625.9850 ext. 103 ad sales Wesley Kays-Henry wesley@gridphilly.com 215.625.9850 ext. 100 distribution Megan Matuzak megan@gridphilly.com 215.625.9850 ext. 106 published by

heather shayne blakeslee Managing Editor heather@gridphilly.com

Red Flag Media 1032 Arch Street, 3rd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 215.625.9850 G R I D P H I L LY . C O M

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MARKET WATCH

by

PEGGY PAUL CASELLA

leaves, roots and fruits This month, celebrate these long lasting winter vegetables

Brussels Sprouts

Celeriac

Quince

The Brussels sprout plant looks like a lanky sea monster: Its thick spine grows straight up from the soil, covered with mini-cabbage “eyes” and dozens of leafy arms. Though the leaves are also edible, like those of fellow Brassicas, the sprouts are the most commonly eaten part of the plant. Look for whole stems at the farmers market with small, compact sprouts and store the sprouts in the refrigerator for up to three days.

This gnarly vegetable, also known as celery root and celery knob, may not win any awards for beauty, but pare off its rough exterior and you’ll find crunchy, ivory flesh that will add vibrancy to your meals all through winter.

Celeriac comes from a variety of celery that is specially cultivated for the bulbous root. Its flavor is a mix of parsley and celery, and it can be eaten raw or cooked. Look for firm, small bulbs that are heavy for their size, and store them in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. To prevent the flesh from turning brown, soak it in lemon water before using.

These pome fruits are a little high-maintenance, but well worth the effort. Though they rein you in with an enticing perfume of vanilla, citrus and pineapple, their flesh is actually tough, woody and too astringent for most people to enjoy. Only after you’ve pampered them a bit—poached them in wine or honey water, for instance—will they reveal their delicious secrets: a rosy pink hue and a flavor reminiscent of apples and pears. Look for quinces with smooth, golden skin, and store them in the refrigerator for up to two months.

Separate the leaves, toss them in a little oil, salt and pepper, and bake them into crispy vegetable “chips.” Shred them for slaws, salads, pasta dishes, gratins and hash. Wrap them in pancetta and bake them with honey and thyme. Marinate them in lemon juice, oil and garlic. Pickle them. Braise them in cream. Roast them whole or halved with bacon and rosemary.

Trim off the root and outer later with a knife, then grate or shave the raw flesh into salads and slaws. Roast it with other root vegetables. Boil and mash it with potatoes. Add it to soups, stews, gratins, casseroles and pot roasts. Chop it into spears for a delicious alternative to traditional oven fries.

Peel, core and slice them, then poach them in sugar water with some honey and cardamom, citrus or a split vanilla bean. Add poached quince to apple pies. Bake them in tarts, cakes and other confections. Cook them down to make compote, jam or membrillo paste for cheese plates and savory dishes. Roast them with lamb or pork.

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EDITORIAL /

HACK THE GENDER GAP To build a better world, we need more girls who believe they can be makers by georgia guthrie

“W

ow, that seems very complicated. I don’t think I would be able to do that.”

“I just started learning myself, and believe me, if I can do it, you can, too!”

I heard this snippet of conversation during the Drop In + Do, the weekly free project time provided by the Hacktory and the Department of Making + Doing. It was part of a conversation between two women, one black and one white, both over 40. One had come to our facility to try out some of the modeling software on our computers to tackle making her own embroidery design, and the other was using one of our sewing machines because she didn’t have one at home.

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These are the moments I live for, and strive to cultivate through our environment and offerings—for people of all ages and backgrounds. What I’ve learned in the years I’ve been involved in the worlds of design, fabrication, hardware and technology is that this kind of experience is extremely rare for women of all ages, and as a result they are often left out of the “maker” revolution that is revitalizing the manufacturing and technology industries.

The topic of women and girls in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) is hot. Positions in these fields offer some of the best pay and benefits for workers nationally, yet participation rates for women

lag far behind men. Since the mid-1980s, the number of undergraduate computer science majors peaked at 22 percent women, and it has never recovered.

Much of the research on this topic has focused on finding out when girls lose interest in STEM topics, rather than why they might lose interest.

The Hacktory developed a workshop on the gender gap to delve into this issue, and we’ve found a few strong trends time and again. Girls in K-12 educational settings often experience direct discouragement from teachers, mentors and counselors from their interests in STEM. This is not a phenomenon from decades ago, but something that still happens

IL LUSTRATIO N BY CO RE Y BRI C KLEY

“Girls in K-12 educational settings often experience direct discouragement from teachers, mentors and counselors from their interests in STEM. This is not a phenomenon from decades ago, but something that still happens on a daily basis.”

on a daily basis. Environments where girls might be able to explore interests in these topics, such as science class or computer club, are often hostile in both direct and indirect ways during grade school—in college it’s usually worse. Once women do make it to the workforce, they often suffer from isolation, a workaholic culture, a sense that they must prove themselves far beyond the capabilities of their male colleagues, and, at times, blatant harassment. Rather than swim upstream, they leave these fields, which means there are few senior women that junior colleagues can look up to for much-needed encouragement and mentorship.

At the Hacktory, we try to remove as many barriers to women as possible. Our weekly free project time is just one such offering. We also abide by a powerful set of social rules that create an environment where asking for help or clarification is met with understanding, not derision. We offer classes with specific outcomes such as “LED Masks and Monsters” rather than broad overviews such as “Intro to Circuits and Textiles,” because many women and girls respond better to outcome-based learning approaches. We’re proud of our diverse group of teachers, board members and volunteer organizers—including the extremely talented women among them—and we offer scholarships for girls to attend our after school programs.

Still, we are just shy of 50/50 participation for women in our adult classes. Unfortunately, that gap is larger in our kids classes. What this tells me is that there are overwhelming

cultural forces telling girls that they don’t belong in these environments or doing this kind of work. Unless girls have a home environment where their interests in maker activities are really supported, they are hesitant to try them, because even at ages seven or eight, they get a message that they should be doing something else. That also means that every instance of encouragement counts, from the time they are four to when they’re 40.

Overall, the Philadelphia community should be commended for its leadership encouraging women, girls and people of color to participate in technology fields and in the maker movement. Many major cities now have a few makerspaces, but of the four in Philly, two of them were founded or are run by women: the Hacktory and Philadelphia Sculpture Gym. The tech community in Philly lives on Meetup.com, and the largest tech group there is Girl Develop It, which offers classes and opportunities for women to learn programming; their national president lives here as well. One of the few nonprofits in our country dedicated to getting middle-school girls interested in coding, TechGirlz.org, was founded in Philly, as was the Women in Tech Summit.

It’s time we started celebrating more about Philadelphia in general; we must also challenge ourselves to have even greater gender parity and diversity in the maker movement so that we can be a national leader—and share our strategies for success far and wide.

Have a big idea?

Join us and make it here.

Don’t know how? We’ll show you the way!

3D Printers

Woodshop

Laser Cutters

Electronics

Metalshop

Jewelry Studio

Now with two Philly locations: • 2025 Washington Ave • 1227 N 4th St phone: +1 (215) 921 3649 email: info@nextfab.com web: www.nextfab.com

Georgia Guthrie is a designer, maker and the executive director of the Hacktory.

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THE MAKERS ARE COMING TechShop CEO Mark Hatch thinks that the world’s next industrial revolution is on its way interview by heather shayne blakeslee

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ifty years ago, factories were busily producing products that America was exporting around the world. Since then, we’ve outsourced much of our making

craft from the turn of the previous century where people got interested and excited about making things again. Whether it’s an entrepreneur or an artist, or an educator or even

MH: The more iterations you can run on the prototype, the more effective your waste management and sustainability capabilities are. If you only have six weeks and you can only take

and doing. “Makerspace” is a catch-all term for places where inventors, tinkerers and hackers—makers all—can gather. These collaborative workspaces can be for-profit companies, nonprofit organizations, or even hosted by a public institution—such as a library—that offer access to industrial tools like mills and lathes, 3D printers and commercial-grade sewing machines. Regardless of the business structure, any makerspace is designed to foster innovation and offer open access to tools and resources for the do-it-yourselfer.

Makerspaces are reigniting a desire to design tangible goods—many of them invented to help solve environmental and social problems—and then make them in America. Mark Hatch, author of The Maker Movement Manifesto, is also the CEO of TechShop, a growing San Francisco-based company that operates nine such spaces around the country.

just a tinkerer, [it’s] the joy of doing, essentially re-found and then shared. It’s infectious joy to make things, then show other people that they can make things.

time to do two or three prototypes, it’s just not as effective as doing 60 and really working the problem. There is a little more waste on the front end, but it saves a lot on the back end.

We are still cleaning up some of the environmental damage of the first industrial revolution and our current manufacturing processes.

Do you see greater consciousness now about resource extraction, manufacturing impacts, life cycle analysis, materials toxicity?

In Philadelphia, some critics have characterized the maker movement—dismissed them— as a bunch of mainly affluent white guys fooling around. You believe the largest untapped resource on the planet is spare time, creativity and the disposable income of the creative class. Is the truth somewhere in the middle?

You write in The Maker Movement Manifesto, “Call it what you will: the next industrial revolution, the maker movement, the creative revolution. History will name it once it’s over.”

MH: I prefer “the creative revolution,” because in the process of democratizing the tools, a broader array of people are going to have access… The movement is really coming out of what I believe is the human spirit and interest in making things. It’s fundamental to what it means to be human. The opposable thumb and making tools is often ascribed to what it means to be human. But then there is the question, “So what? What do you do with those thumbs? What do you do with those tools?” What you do with those tools is create things ...

The movement itself is a reemergence of

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MH: [According to an independent survey by BMW] 30 percent of the projects being made at TechShop were explicitly designed to resolve societal issues, sustainability—recycling and so forth—and that a much larger percentage had embedded those principles into the production of what they were trying to do.

That is really exciting.

The maker movement isn’t just about being able to print 3D custom key chains with your baby’s face on them at home.

MH: Right. [One product example] is a nitrogen detection product that figures out how much fertilizer—nitrogen—is in the soil. At the beginning of the planting season, it does it meter by meter, across the entire crop field.

So, then you adjust your fertilizer accordingly, meter by meter and by doing so, the farmer saves a lot of money on fertilizer, and—more importantly—by not over-fertilizing, there’s not as much runoff that goes into the rivers, [creating] a massive death zone that we have at the end of the Mississippi.

I also read that some of the access to machines and processes that allow for really rapid prototyping can eliminate waste.

MH: Yes, it is. I guess it’s a fair assessment to say that it is higher income ... but it’s a little unfair to say that it’s all the fault of the movement. The movement [has] emerged in a society that is ignoring [social problems] ...

[At TechShop] I can’t tap into the local public school educational institution infrastructure to get kids to catch up. I want to; we give free tours. We would love to have them there.

But [the schools] have other priorities. Until those priorities change, there’s not a lot that I can do to get kids there.

You believe American institutions are failing to graduate enough engineers and scientists— and that economically this is “insane.” How must we change the education system to get people more accustomed to the idea that this is something that they can do, whether they are a boy, girl, person of color, man, woman, child or retired person?

MH: We have [designed] our entire [eighth through 12th grade] system around a lie that everybody has to go to college. ... Everybody doesn’t have to go to college. … Where are all the tools, where’s the education in order to help those who aren’t going? The answer is

THIS EXCE RPTE D IN TE RV IE W HAS B E E N E D ITE D FO R C LA RI TY

/ the big PICTURE environment ... a magnetic environment. ...

You are more likely to get access to the same space at the same time as somebody else that is working on the same kind of problem … they will geek out for hours. What these spaces do … is create a commons that allows them to have those interactions. It’s not that [the people there] are smarter; it’s just that they are in the right place at the right time, often by intent.

There are pieces of this movement that will allow for more local manufacturing—but you note that there are products we are producing faster and cheaper overseas. Do you see that changing as America retools itself and understands what this opportunity is, or is China just always going to be ahead of us in that regard?

MH: China has some fundamental advantages now that they built over the last 30 years, and specifically it’s the ecosystem of components and design and supply chain. The Shenzhen area is unmatched. ... But having said that, as I pointed out in the book, I truly believe big chunks of the economy are going to shift back to local manufacturers.

we ripped all those tools out and sent them off to the junkyard when the industrial art instructor retired.

It’s going to come back. It’s going to come back because the colleges are going to make the adjustments. You are going to need to have these skills to get into college, and these are definitely the same tools that employers need. The educational institutions are going to become more project-based … [classrooms with] a lot more hands-on work, and [where] more kids are teaching kids, and mentors are involved, and it’s less of spewing knowledge and more of collectively learning knowledge.

I think that’s coming.

You also mentioned that the federal government is interested in creating some new advanced manufacturing research and development efforts at universities around the country, but you have concerns about how that’s implemented, and whether or not more people than just a very, very select few researchers will have access to that equipment.

MH: It’s an unmitigated tragedy, a disaster.

We spend billions of dollars at universities, which is fine—they do great research—but, you know, a portion of those publicly provid-

ILLUST RAT IO N BY M IK E L . PE R RY

ed funds go to acquiring equipment that can only be accessed by the few people authorized. That’s got to stop ...

I’m just really talking about mills, lathes and laser cutters. ... [They] are the backbone of any mechanical engineering department, art department, architecture department, physics department, chemistry department. [They] are used only a few hours a day, and sometimes a week. You walk around a university at five o’clock at night, you know, these classrooms are empty, the tool rooms are empty.

Whereas, if you walk into any kind of makerspace there is always activity going on?

MH: It’s jammed! There are lulls in the morning time. ... By 2 o’clock in the afternoon, things are jammed and they become a social center.

We’ve got to be running—I don’t know—20 different kinds of events in San Francisco on a monthly basis? From date night to women in engineering, the electronics meet-up, the robot meet-up ... it’s wonderful.

You wrote that something magical happens when 300 people or so join a makerspace.

MH: They spark more creative collisions. … It’s a combination of collisions in a friction-free

When we talk about manufacturing, most consumers instantly think of iPhones and millions of millions of something. But shirts are produced one at a time, typically, by hand. When you have a robot that can do that, why do the manufacturing in China when you can just do it locally? Why ship the cotton over there?

In your nine-point manifesto you say that we should “make, share, give, learn, tool up, play, support and change.” There is a lot of language about the act of making being essential to who we are as human beings. So, what’s the nexus in the creative movement where creating jobs and making money coexist with changing the world and changing ourselves?

MH: Some of it historically has been bad, right? We started making, we started extracting the materials and polluting the world in order to create an economic system. … But now, the tools, the political will, the sociological will [are there]. We are understanding [the] impact it has and we are discovering that we can actually in many instances—and I actually say in most instances—we can produce things in a way that is much more sustainable.

Mark Hatch is the CEO of TechShop and the author of The Maker Movement Manifesto.

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theRIGHT

QUESTION /

But the vehicle itself is only part of the question. Living in a society so accustomed to— and dependent upon—driving, it’s easy to forget the massive amount of infrastructure that cars require. According to PennDOT, there are approximately 119,000 miles of asphalt and concrete surfaced highways in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. That’s the same area as Philadelphia, Montgomery and Delaware counties, all of it land withdrawn from photosynthesis and unavailable to soak up stormwater runoff, which also causes erosion.

Producing cement (48 million tons embedded in the Interstate Highway System) annually accounts for five percent of CO2 released

CAR CULTURE CALCULUS Sorry. Your hybrid car isn’t good for the environment by jerry silberman

Q

uestion: What is best for the environment—a fuel-efficient internal combustion car, hybrid, or electric car?

The Right Question: Is driving, regardless of the car, the biggest threat to the environment?

When it comes to evaluating a car, we tend to look at how much gasoline (or electricity) it will use as the sole measure of how it contributes to carbon emissions. But cars aren’t hatched, and when you are finished with them, you can’t compost them. How much energy and material will be used from the time a car starts its roll down the assembly line until it is finally scrapped, and at least partially

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recycled? It turns out that regardless of how your car is powered, the life cycle energy consumption is pretty much the same.

The MIT Energy Laboratory calculates that an internal combustion engine (ICE) car’s gasoline energy consumption is equal to the energy required to build the car when you have driven approximately 150,000 miles.

The energy used to build (and dismantle) your electric car is two to three times higher than the ICE, while the energy used to move it around is about the same. However, depending on the source of the electricity, it may result in fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

by human technology. Building one lane of highway, one kilometer long, uses the energy equivalent of 23,000 gallons of gasoline.

PennDOT alone has over 2,000 heavy maintenance trucks, and uses one million tons of salt annually.

That said, most Americans are unable to conduct daily business without a car, so what’s a civic-minded driver to do? In the long term, we can insist on better planning for our cities and invest in infrastructure that supports our public transit system.

In the short term, we can change our habits, and let’s be real and honest about it: Even the few of us who are able to consciously structure our lives so as not to use a car, or use one only rarely (a choice your author makes), mostly we pretend that a convenience is a necessity, and we rationalize driving by seeking only to answer the Big Question I began with.

We can also change our mindset. As I walk or bike around the city, or bus or train around the region, I am always rewarded (even if my trip takes longer) by realizing how much more there is to see and think about when I don’t have to focus on the asphalt in front of me.

In the end, an examination of the life cycle, energy and material use of a vehicle and its constructed environment tells us that no car, unfortunately, is friendly to the environment.

But to answer the orginal question: Avoid buying a new car, and drive what you have as long as possible. The longer you keep your car on the road—regardless of its flavor—the less damage is done to our ecosystem.

Jerry Silberman is a cranky environmentalist and union negotiator who likes to ask the right question and is no stranger to compromise.

IL LUSTRATIO N BY KATHL E EN WHI TE

THROUGH DECEMBER 27, 2015

Christopher Knowles: In a Word Becky Suss

Josephine Pryde: lapses in Thinking By the person i Am Free. For All.

Institute of Contemporary Art University of Pennsylvania 118 South 36th Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 (215) 898-7108, icaphila.org

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Michael Stampler of Norman Porter Co. sews a pair of jeans at his workshop in Fishtown 16

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/ made in PHILLY

A STITCH IN TIME Upholding a bygone American tradition of handcrafted jeans with Norman Porter Co. by william beisley

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ith garment manufacturing in Philadelphia at an all-time low, a brand like Norman Porter Co. appears like a denim-clad apparition from the past.

The company’s jeans and other products have all been designed and produced with an almost bygone craftsman approach. Michael and David Stampler, brothers and co-owners of the company, favor raw, selvedge denim, primarily the Cone Mills variety, which has been manufactured in Greensboro, NC, since 1891.

Their back-to-roots approach shows in every dimension of their work. After the denim arrives in their Fishtown workshop, Michael tends to each aspect of the production. The process for making a pair of jeans takes roughly three hours. First there is the initial trimming and shaping, stitching, and meticulous ironing and hand-hammered riveting. It eventually concludes when the hand-cut and stamped leather patch is sewn on to the reverse. The jeans have a distinctly American look and feel to them, as if they

P HOTO BY M IC H A EL P ERSI CO

were made to be stained with grease and worn for weeks on end.

“We feel that American-made products really tie people and communities together,” David says. “Personally, purchasing products made in the United States gives us a stronger connection and value to that product. Just knowing that it was made here by people you may know or interact with in the community is a powerful thing.”

Norman Porter Co. works with other Philadelphia-based companies like the Selvedge Yard, which retails its wares, and tattoo shop True Hand Society, whose artist, Mike Ski, tattoos each of the leather patches for the trio’s collaboration line.

After years of Michael making his own clothing, the Stamplers combined their savings, and with the help of a friend started Norman Porter Co. in a small Kensington shop.

Research and experimentation followed, resulting in their first run of jeans in 2012.

“I think it was the idea that starting our own company really meant that whatever

amount of time and effort we put in was a direct investment in ourselves,” David explains.

The Stamplers attribute family and community to much of their success, and they pledge to continue to hold up both as ideals as they continue to grow the company.

Norman Porter Co. proudly bears the namesake of the brothers’ engineer grandfather, and they believe their collective ambition is a “direct result of our upbringing,” says David. “It always feels great when our mom calls and tells us she saw an article about our work. That has been the biggest accomplishment for us.”

They continue to expand, and aficionados of their jeans can also now get denim aprons, leather belts and—just in time for the winter weather—wool hats.

Norman Porter products are available online at NormanPorter.com, Totem (535 South St.), Art in the Age (116 N 3rd St.) or by scheduling an appointment to visit their shop at 150 Cecil B. Moore Ave.

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made in

PHILLY /

Bauman’s Apple Butter is made only with apples from a 100-year-old recipe

NOTHING BUT FRUIT The Bauman family's centuries-old recipe makes a delicious local food with modern-day ethics by lindsey walker

A

pple butter—a sweet, spreadable concentration of apple cider and apple sauce—is a centuries-old method of preserving fresh fruit that serves our appetite for local food and creates almost no waste.

It’s “a simple food done incredibly well,” says Michael Holahan, who co-owns the Pennsylvania General Store with his wife, Julie. They’ve stocked Bauman’s Apple Butter at their shop in the Reading Terminal Market since they opened 27 years ago. “It’s got an incredible history,” he enthuses. “It’s been on tables in Southeastern Pennsylvania for over 100 years.”

In the 1890s, John W. Bauman founded the family apple butter business, converting his small sleigh-making factory in Sassamansville, Montgomery County, into a cider pressing operation. However, like the sleigh business, competition was fierce—there were 18

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several other cider presses in the area serving the abundance of local orchards. After a few years, Bauman began using the recipe his wife Catharine inherited from her German ancestors. The ingredients? Nothing but fruit.

Catharine was raised in the Schwenkfelder Church, a small Christian community descended from the Germans who immigrated to Southeastern Pennsylvania in the 1700s to escape religious persecution. “When settlers came over from Germany, they brought apple butter with them,” says Cathy Bauman, who now runs the family business with her husband, Stanley. “It was one of the things that they credited with helping to keep them alive on the ship, because apple butter is so thick and concentrated that it won’t spoil.”

This thickness is the key to rich flavor, too.

Bauman’s uses over five pounds of fresh apples from local orchards—most within a 20-minute

drive of their factory—to make just one pound of apple butter. Whole apples are boiled into sauce, then apple cider (pressed from the previous winter) is slowly added while the mixture cooks and thickens for several hours. Before being canned, the butter passes through a strainer to remove seeds and skins.

“Not much is wasted,” Bauman says. “Each thing is a resource for something else.” Pulp left over from pressing cider is often used by local farmers to feed their cattle, and wood used to heat the cooking barrels is scrap from a local sawmill.

Bauman’s also helps farmers process their excess produce into fruit butters and products like ketchup, which they can sell year-round.

“The whole idea of making apple butter and other fruit butters,” Cathy says, “is to make use of the resources that you have at the moment and preserve them for the future.”

Connect to Your Food.

Connect to the Co-op.

When you shop at Weavers Way, more of your money stays local, through our partnerships and our very own farms. For 40 years, we’ve been owned by our members, the people who shop here every day.

Chestnut Hill

Food Market 8424 Germantown Ave.

Next Door

Wellness & Beauty 8426 Germantown Ave.

Mt. Airy

Food Market 559 Carpenter Lane

Across the Way

Wellness & Pet Supplies 610 Carpenter Lane

Community-owned, open to everyone.

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NEWS /

COMINGS & GOINGS News from around town STARTUP PHL GRANTS $104K StartUp PHL, a city initiative to endorse and fund entrepreneurship in Philadelphia, has awarded $104,000 in grant money to six diverse organizations.

Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha, who was granted $20,000, will convert land at 6th and Susquehanna streets into a popup marketplace. Corzo Center for the Creative Economy at the University of the Arts ($15,000) will offer an interactive program to consult and assist others who are considering opening a business. Refugee Women’s Textile Initiative ($18,500) is using the money to empower refugee women with textile skills and provide them with an opportunity to enter the manufacturing world. Schoolyard Ventures ($6,000) will create a networking marketplace where young entrepreneurs can more easily secure funding for their aspirations.

TechGirlz ($19,900) will provide a stipend or college credit for students who teach at their TechShopz in a Box program, and Tiny WPA ($25,000) will put the money toward their

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Building Hero Project, an entrepreneurship incubator for teenagers who want to be a part of a diverse community of civic change agents.

PWD BREAKS GROUND AND HANGS INSTALLATION On October 7, the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) and its partners broke ground at the site of their new project at Heston Lot and Baker Playground at 55th and Hunter streets.

The improvements will include a rain garden and storage drench that will reportedly repurpose 3,638 cubic feet of stormwater, enough to fill a SEPTA bus.

PWD’s Green City, Clean Waters program also celebrated a new “living wall” installation on the west-facing side of the National Parks Services’ Independence Park institute, located at 3rd and Walnut streets.

The living wall system includes a planted wall structure, a storage tank, irrigation lines and a solar panel that powers a pump in order

to reuse and filter stormwater while simultaneously irrigating the enclosed plants.

The installation, which was funded by the PWD and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Coastal Zone Grant program, was conceived and designed

by Philly-based studio SHIFT_DESIGN in an effort to promote the reduction of stormwater pollution.

EPA HONORS HAVERFORD YMCA WITH AWARD Shawn M. Garvin, the administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency Mid-Atlantic Region, presented the Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA and its Vice President of Facilities Michael Troupe with the 2015 Excellence in Site Reuse award. The award recognizes the reuse and revitalization of formerly contaminated Superfund sites.

“The Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA, under the leadership of Michael Troupe, is a safe, healthy and beautiful community as-

set,” says Garvin in a press release. “Innovative and beneficial reuse of Superfund sites, such as this one, supports economic growth and a more sustainable community.”

The 70,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility opened in October of 2013 on the Haverford Superfund site. The building boasts many eco-friendly features such as a rain recovery system for lawn and plant irrigation, various recycled materials used as flooring and efficient LED lighting.

The site was contaminated in the 1970s by the National Wood Preservers, who had dumped liquid waste and hazardous chemicals in a well that led to a groundwater supply.

A section of the YMCA also occupies space left from the bygone Swell Bubble Gum factory, which closed in 2003.

Since opening its doors two years ago, the YMCA has been a notable benefit to the community, distributing over a million dollars in financial aid and serving over 24,000 community members. It’s programs, aimed toward participants of all ages include a Bike-a-Palooza, a women’s wellness retreat, free retirement planning courses and a healthy and informative summer camp, among others.

STEEL PONY FINDS A HOME ON FABRIC ROW Artisanal designers Joanne Litz and Dennis Wolk have been producing sustainably minded clothing and handbags since 1992.

Their high-end bohemian-chic women’s wear has found a home of its own in their newly opened storefront on historic Fabric Row at 758 S. 4th Street. The new boutique will provide a sophisticated selection of handmade clothing and accessories, all made in America. They source fabric from California, have it knitted in North Carolina and dye it all themselves in their Philadelphia studio.

“Most brands are all image in their retail environments,” explains Litz in a blog post.

“We hope to give our customers a better understanding of the value they are buying.”

SWEETGREEN OPENS IN NEW LOCATION IN RITTENHOUSE

in late October. Sweetgreen’s forté is salads and other healthy foods, and it sources local ingredients for regional menus. The company also provides an educational program that teaches children the importance of healthy eating, fitness and sustainability.

“For the past two years, we’ve worked with Albert M. Greenfield School through our Sweetgreen in Schools program, and we’re thrilled to be just three blocks away, so we can continue to connect with the kids there,” enthused Jonathan Neman, co-founder & coCEO of Sweetgreen. “On opening day, we’ll be donating 100 percent of proceeds to the school to host free farm stands for the kids and the local community.”

The 2,900-square-foot Rittenhouse store joins three other Philadelphia locations.

SEPTA PASS PERKS

SAINT-GOBAIN OPENS NORTH AMERICAN CORPORATE HQ IN MALVERN Saint-Gobain, manufacturer of building materials ranging from the components in the Mars Rover Curiosity to the glasswork featured in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, is celebrating its 350th anniversary with the opening of their North American headquarters in Malvern, Pa. The 320,000-square-foot complex will be located at 20 Moores Rd. and will house more than 800 employees across its family of companies, such as the CertainTeed Corporation.

“Saint-­ Gobain and CertainTeed’s headquarters is designed using eight exterior and 32 interior products from our portfolio to demonstrate the impact our products have on occupant’s well-being, health and productivity,” said President and CEO John Crowe.

The state-of-the-art headquarters is designed to achieve the highest level of LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s rating system and will be a living laboratory for how design and healthy materials affect productivity. Saint-Gobain expects to bring 120 new jobs to Chester County.

R i d i n g S E P TA i s a l re a dy re wa rd i n g. B u t d i d y o u k n ow y o u c a n u s e y o u r S E P TA P a s s f o r m o re t h a n j u s t a r i d e ? L e a r n m o re a t I S E P TA P H I L LY. C O M .

Send your news, notes and kudos to Grid at news@gridphilly.com

Sweetgreen, a steadily growing fast-casual chain, opened its flagship store in Rittenhouse

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TO-DO LIST 1. make a weatherization appointment

We all know we should have done it in August, but it’s really time. Even if you aren’t getting a full retrofit (or can’t because you rent), wrap up the hot-water heater with an insulating blanket, get plastic out for the windows, and service your furnace and filters so they’re running efficiently. Also, the U.S. Department of Energy claims that drafts beneath doors can be responsible for up to 30% of your energy use in the winter. Use this as motivation to dust off your sewing machine and make your own simple draft stoppers.

2. get local craft

3. make your

Check the event calendar on Grid’s website for fairs around town and check our gift guide on page 43 that will also provide lots of inspiration for experiential gifts like theater tickets and classes.

Shop local! There’s nothing quite as special as a personalized, handcrafted present. For gifts like books, order now from a local store so you don’t need the fuel intensive (or panic inducing) “overnight” option from national retailers.

fairs on your calendar

holiday shopping list

4. prepare your

6. make your

Dig up and pot herbs like basil that will last throughout the winter on a sunny window indoors. Utilize the newly available space outside to get a head start on spring-blooming flower bulbs like tulips or plant some garlic and shallots for next summer’s harvest. Compost your leaves and your withered tomato plants, but don’t throw in the weeds!

Remember that the holidays are the best time to give rather than receive. Volunteer at local food pantries, soup kitchens or other organizations to make someone’s holiday.

volunteer plan

garden for winter

5. check the air pressure in your tires The cool weather naturally contracts air molecules, which lowers the PSI of your ties. This could potentially affect your fuel efficiency and traction. Be sure to check and fill your tire pressure at night, as the temperature drop in the evening could cause the pressure to read differently.

7. order your

8. break out the

turkey

moisturizers

Order your free-range turkeys for Thanksgiving from a local farm. If you’re throwing a big bash that will need reinforcements, book your caterer now.

Dry weather is coming, don't let dry skin come too! Lots of local shops will offer natural and handmade products to protect you throughout the winter.

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9. locate the snow shovel, and get

10. get your

That way you aren’t stuck the day of the storm. Make sure you buy pet-friendly and environmentally-friendly products that won’t pollute the river or harm your four-legged roommates.

Find a green dry cleaner for anything that requires a little attention. Don’t forget that you

your ice melt

winter clothes out of storage

can have your boots worked on by a cobbler to get new heels and weatherproofing so you don’t need to buy new ones.

Congratulations to our team member Noelle on her contribution to GRID’s Dispatch on page 64!

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12TH ANNUAL WINTERFEST

Wednesday, Dec. 2nd 6pm-9pm Mugshots Winterfest is your stop for unique & sustainable gift giving, featuring crafts, jewelry, blown glass, mosaics, accessories, and textiles, made by local artisans.

1925 Fairmount Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19130 267.514.7145 www.mugshotscoffeehouse.com

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Grid’s picks for

Don't let the chill in the air fool you— it's not too late to get outdoors by hannah waters

Autumn colors in the Meadow Garden at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square

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s the November chill sets in, it’s tempting to turn on the heat, lock the doors and curl up under a blanket for the long winter ahead. The reasons to go into an early hibernation practically invent themselves: it’s too cold; bundling up is too burdensome; the couch cushions are too alluring.

But the last days before winter truly sets in present some of life’s great pleasures. Cheeks chill, but deep cold never sets in. Hot cider warms hands as readily as it does the gullet.

Freshly fallen leaves delight the senses. And deep breaths of cool air fortify the soul.

This year, don’t give in to your animal impulse to hibernate. Instead, spend some time outdoors with our picks for final fall trips—a last taste of glory before you give in to the couch until spring.

 Explore the Pine Barrens Nature and History Just an hour’s drive from Philadelphia, you can walk through woods straight out of a fairytale.

White sand covers the forest floor; pitch pines and white cedars tower above; and the rivers run red with iron. There may not be a big bad wolf (or even a Jersey Devil), but the Pine Barrens feel imbued with magic regardless.

However, few Philadelphians know the Pine Barrens exists even though it’s in our own backyard. Get to know this unique place with a series of guided tours offered by Pinelands Adventures throughout November.

Nature lovers can join ecologist John Volpa on a four-mile hike between the Mullica and Batsto Rivers to learn about local ecology and wildlife (November 5, 6 and 14; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.). On November 7, tour the Indian Mills Cranberry Company, one of many cranberry farms in the Pinelands, and learn about the industry’s history. And pick one of two fivehour bus tours—one through Pine Barrens’ ghost towns (November 21), and the other through areas of geologic and environmental history (November 7).

No matter which tour you attend, you’ll get a feel for the rich natural and cultural history of the Pine Barrens. “Hopefully those things help people fall in love with the Pine Barrens,” says Volpa. As a bonus, any profits from the trips fund educational field trips for local schools. See pinelandsadventures.org for full schedule and costs ($15 – $60 per trip).

The barn at Terhune Orchards in Princeton, NJ

 Walk for the Birds with BirdPhilly

 Apples Galore at Terhune Orchards

By November, bird migration season is over for the East Coast, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing left to see. In fact, BirdPhilly co-organizer Tony Croasdale says that he likes birding this time of year because there are no leaves to obscure his view. Throughout the month, he’ll host a series of bird walks within city limits—and all accessible by public transit.

Every Thursday morning at 7:30 a.m., let the crisp air wake you for a morning bird walk at Wissahickon Environmental Center. Sip your coffee while keeping an eye out for pileated woodpeckers, bluebirds and LBBs—little brown birds, in birder parlance—taking wing across the meadow. Also behind the center are lines of crabapple trees, which bear ample fruit to attract a crowd of fruit-eating birds.

The month’s big birding event is at Cobbs Creek and Morris Park in West Philly (Saturday, November 7, 9 a.m.). Tony Croasdale will lead you through woods, meadow and wetland, and point out birds along the way.

It’s the best time of year to spot tapping woodpeckers, small brown creepers that run like mice along tree trunks, and tiny elusive kinglets with their yellow and red crowns.

No matter how common or rare your finds, BirdPhilly walks let you see the city and its wildlife with fresh eyes while exploring local parks. First-time birders welcome. Binoculars available; bring your own coffee. No cost. Thursday morning walks meet at Wissahickon Environmental Center (300 W. Northwestern Ave.) at 7:30 a.m.; November 7 event meets at Morris Park (6839 Landsdowne Ave.).

Fall is the time for apples in abundance, enough to sate your seasonal appetite for crisps and pies. Whether you want to sneak in a final harvest or enjoy apples more leisurely, you can do both at Terhune Orchards in Princeton, NJ. Until the season’s first frost, you can pick your own apples, including late-season varieties like Granny Smith, Pink Lady and Braeburn, on the 200-acre family-owned farm. Taste their 35 apple varieties, including the brand new Crimson Crisp and Topaz Crisp. Sip hot cider and scarf down sugary cider donuts by the bag.

Some of us, however, prefer to taste apples in the form of adult liquids—and the Terhune Orchards Winery has us covered. The 12 varieties of grapes grown on nine acres are made into 14 varieties of wine, including reds, whites and fruit wines. Among their most popular wines is their apple wine, a dry white wine that is a few steps up from your typical hard cider, says owner Pam Mount, with a smooth finish.

The winery’s tasting room is open every weekend, and over Thanksgiving weekend (November 27 to 29), you can stop in for their special Holiday Wine Trail Weekend. In addition to their normal tasting menu ($5 for five wines), they will serve hot mulled wine made with their Chambourcin wine and fresh apples, and offer samples of local delicacies like mustard and chocolate.

There is plenty to do at Terhune Orchards that doesn’t involve alcho hol and is fun for the whole family. Explore the farm and orchards on a half-mile trail. Enjoy wagon rides through the orchard from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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and meet sheep, chickens and other farm animals at the barnyard. You can also watch the kids scramble over old-fashioned stationary tractors. And while you’re there, pick up a pie or two to take home. All activities (except food and drink) are free. Open Mon through Fri (9 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and Sat-Sun (9 a.m. to 6p.m.).

330 Cold Soil Rd., Princeton, NJ.

 Longwood Gardens More than 80,000 colorful chrysanthemum blooms are on display in the Conservatory during Longwood Gardens’ Chrysanthemum Festival

You may think you know mums—the red and yellow potted flowers that adorn many a Philadelphia doorstep. But their simple looks deceive. In the right hands, chrysanthemums can be coaxed into delightful living sculptures, an art form pioneered by the Japanese. Every fall, Japan hosts chrysanthemum festivals called kiku matsuri—and until November 22, you can attend one nearby at Longwood Gardens.

More than 80,000 chrysanthemum blooms will fill Longwood’s four-acre conservatory, forming shapes such as spirals, cascades and clouds, during its Chrysanthemum Festival.

The festival features a single mum plant that puts forth as many as 1,500 flowers, known as a thousand-bloom mum. You'll also see a chrysanthemum fountain—a 12-foot-tall sculpture of 17 different plants, with 2,000 blooms cascading down to look like water.

The Chrysanthemum Festival is a great excuse to explore Longwood Gardens. Fall colors will be on full display at the Meadow Garden, and the grounds will be open for autumnal strolls during the entire month.

And if you have kids in tow, they will go wild for the model train, which winds down 450 feet of track through a miniature landscape.

Festival and train free with garden entry.

Adults $20, seniors (62+) $17, students (5 to 18) $10, children (0 to 4) free. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Purchase tickets online. 1001 Longwood Rd., Kennett Square, Pa

 Yoga and Rock-Climbing Workshop Rock-climbing and yoga are an unlikely pairing. But on November 19, you can take part in a one-of-a-kind workshop including both

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activities, as well as hiking, at Bucks County’s Ralph Stover State Park with Doylestown Rock Gym. The day will start with a short walk into the woods for a warm-up yoga session, followed by a half-mile hike to the climbing site. There, you’ll brush the leaves aside to roll out your yoga mat for a 30 to 40 minute yoga session to stretch, take in the fall smells and breathe in that crisp air.

The instructors will teach the fundamentals of rock-climbing and then give everyone an opportunity to make their way up a rock face in the park. The session closes with a yoga and meditation session by the creek so you can wind down after the climb.

The trip is a great opportunity to try out new activities in a friendly environment—or combine hobbies as you’ve never considered before.

All three parts of the day—the yoga, the hike and the climbing—will let you enjoy the colorful leaves and fresh air in different ways, while keeping you moving and comfortably warm.

You don’t need to have experience with either yoga or rock-climbing to attend, according to the organizers. They note that it’s helpful if you’ve tried one of them before, but if you haven’t, enthusiasm for learning both is enough of a prerequisite. Climbing gear is provided. Bring your own water and snacks. Location: Ralph Stover State Park High Rocks (150 Tory Rd., Pipersville, PA). $90 for non-members; register today at doylestownrockgym.com.

 Fall Festivities at Linvilla Orchards By the time Halloween comes around, many of us are through with pumpkins and haystacks. But kids (and some adults) can never get enough. Luckily for them, the Linvilla Orchards Pumpkinland festival continues for a week after Halloween, allowing you to indulge in your favorite falltime festivities until November 8.

And Linvilla has everything you could want. Get lost in your maze of choice—a straw bale maze for beginners, and a three-mile corn maze for the adventurous. Throw unsellable apples at targets in the Apple Sling game. Ride a steam-powered train, a hayride or a pony— or all three. Get the makeover you’ve always wanted at the face-painting station.

Starting on November 22, move onto the next winter holiday by chopping down your own Christmas tree. Then Linvilla staff will do the rest—haul it back, shake it out, wrap it up and stick it on your car—while you roast marshmallows around a bonfire.

And as always, the barnyard animals always appreciate a visit and a feeding. Along with the standard menagerie, Linvilla has white-tailed deer, emus, peacocks and a pot-bellied pig. Entry to farm is free; other activities cost extra. Christmas tree package is $59.99.

598 Linvill Rd., Media, Pa

2015

HOLIDAY GREENS SALE

Festive Fun on December 5 from 10 am – 2 pm Our annual Holiday Greens Sale is the perfect time to buy wreaths and create your own decorations with fresh greens and branches.

Visit the Marketplace for seasonal treats.

See our website to order Bartram Signature wreaths.

For first choice of greens, join or renew at our MEMBER PREVIEW PARTY ON DECEMBER 4, 4 PM–7 PM 5400 Lindbergh Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19143 • 215-729-5281 Take the #36 trolley.

BARTRAMSGARDEN.ORG Connect. Learn. Be inspired. Bartram’s Garden is a 45-acre National Historic Landmark on the banks of the Schuylkill River. grid flavor 2015_Layout 1 10/7/15 9:56 AM Page 1

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Israel, eight, and Asahay, four, Carter show off the slime they learned how to make at the Maker Jawn event Words at Play block party at the Widener Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia

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MAKE RS & D OERS

MAKING IT Succeeding also means the freedom to fail—and try again— at Philadelphia's Maker Jawn program by marilyn anthony photos by jared gruenwald

O

n a textbook-perfect October afternoon, a dozen kids are busily making things in the children’s section of North Philadelphia’s Rodriguez Library. Tyliaha, age nine, is cutting pink felt into a complex shape that will become a backpack for her sister's doll. Cianai, 11, shows off a montage of photos and hand-drawn hearts she made on a computer using Photoshop. Malaysia, nine, and Ashlee, six, are morphing cereal boxes into a castle complete with turrets and drawbridge.

Scissors, fabric, paper, markers and hot glue guns are all in motion as the girls rummage through a wall of supplies to augment their endeavors. They’re participating in the Maker Jawn Intiative, an intergenerational program of the Free Library of Philadelphia.

What Marion Parkinson, North Philadelphia neighborhood libraries leader, most wants you to know about Maker Jawn, is that “It is not arts and crafts. Even when it looks like it’s arts and crafts, they have a purpose. The programs get boys sewing, girls doing computer coding.

It crosses genders in either direction.”

The name “Maker Jawn” captures the inclusive range of program outputs. For non-natives of Philadelphia and others who’ve never heard the word, a “jawn” is a non-specific noun that can be applied to anything, so its meaning depends on the context. Their program website offers these examples: “Let me get a piece of that jawn?” and “That Frankenstein remix jawn be tight!”

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The kids who attend the program are “Makers.” Maker Jawn’s goal is to provide anyone age seven and older the opportunity to follow his or her interests in a safe, free space where failure is encouraged as a necessary step of learning. The program largely serves kids, but the people behind Maker Jawn hope to eventually draw in adults as well. The program offers access to materials, technology and guided support that would otherwise not be available to most participants. Project Coordinator Sarah Winchowky estimates attendance is between 700 to 1,000 makers monthly, with the majority falling between the ages of eight and 12. A Maker-made, hand-lettered sign— embellished with many hearts—hangs on the Maker Jawn door at Widener Library, and, with Dante-like simplicity, captures Maker Jawn’s appeal: “Hi People. You will have fun in this room.”

Maker Jawn launched in 2013. That same year, its “Connected Messages” project—which produced five electronic, interactive murals of multi-colored LED lights—won a Red Ribbon Editor’s Award and a Blue Ribbon Educator’s Award at the World Maker Faire in New York City. Funded in large part by a three-year, $1 million grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Maker Jawn offers programs in five North Philadelphia branch libraries: Kensington, Cecil B. Moore, Ramonita de Rodriguez, Lillian Marrero and Widener.

The McPherson branch will begin offering programs this month.

The maker mindset At Cecil B. Moore, kids are using GarageBand software, MIDI keyboards hand-built from scraps, and a MIDI sampler to generate mash-ups, club mixes and sci-fi sound effects. They share their creations with friends by uploading files to the Internet-based audio platform SoundCloud.

At Widener, participants built a six-bysix-foot raised garden bed from hay bales and grew giant pumpkins, glass gem corn, red amaranth and rainbow chard. At harvest time they made masks and posed with their pumpkins for a photo shoot, popped the corn in the library kitchen, and composted whatever pumpkins were too big to be carried or rolled home.

Maker Jawn participants have built motorized toothbrush robots, and made stop-motion animations and short movies complete with sets and costumes such as the Kensing30

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ton branch film Where the Spooky Things Are. While some cool, funny and imaginative things result from Maker Jawn activities, the final product is less important than the process of learning. Elliot Washor, co-founder of the nonprofit Big Picture Learning, calls it “thinkering—engaging the hands and the mind.” His organization is “dedicated to a fundamental redesign of education in the United States,” he says. Observers of a Maker Jawn session may be impressed by what the children are making, but will be even more impressed by how they are behaving: relaxed

and immersed in their work, not bored, not nervous about interacting with a grown-up.

They exude a sense of belonging in the library, happy and content.

Yasmin B. Kafai, University of Pennsylvania professor and chair of the Graduate School of Education’s “Teaching, Learning and Leadership” divisions, is an acknowledged leader in learning theory whose pioneering work has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the Spencer Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation.

Kafai was an early partner with Maker Jawn,

MAKE RS & DOERS

A girl plays the bottle xylophone at a Maker Jawn event

collaborating on the award-winning “Connected Messages” project.

Kafai is a strong advocate of the “maker mindset.” She says Maker communities are interest-driven, are not restricted by age or ability and contain a powerful social component. Makers can be part of an intergenerational learning environment where experience counts more than age. “That’s something we rarely have in school classes,” Kafai says.

“In the Maker community, kids can be in the position of mentoring. We have forgotten that this is an important and successful learning

model which doesn’t segregate by age.”

Kafai applauds the maker movement’s high tolerance for failure, acknowledging that failure is always part of the creation process. “It would be very rare to get a program or a design working the first time around… Productive failure is built in the process. You have to go back and examine what isn’t right, maybe go find someone to ask the right questions so they can help you fix it, then try again.” Permitting this style of learning through productive failure, she feels, is often dismissed as “too messy for our traditional educational process.”

The mentor effect Each year, Kafai sends Penn students from the Graduate School of Education into city neighborhoods to spend an academic year observing how learning happens outside of school. Kai Evenson, M.S Ed., a curricular technology consultant for Bates College, observed the Maker Jawn sessions in 2014–15 when he hoped to identify a method for measuring impact.

Evenson describes the learning paradigm of Maker Jawn as encouraging movement

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A girl learns about weights and scales as part of a Maker Jawn lesson around the word “measure.”

from “hanging around, to messing around, to geeking out. You can’t assign a number to its impact. It’s much more qualitative.” He feels the relationship Makers develop with Maker Mentors may be more valuable for long-term impact than any other program element. As the library’s Parkinson observes, “Makers seem to latch onto the mentors. Each one of our Maker Mentors has their own little cult following. [The youths] are seeing people who have college degrees in art, engineering, science—and they are interacting with mentors who are not buttoned down and are doing really cool things.”

Ten adults, ranging in age from their 20s to 40s, comprise the Maker Mentor team.

These part-time staffers bring a range of skills as varied as the number of roles they fill. Makers are encouraged to go anywhere their interests lead them—engineering, digital media, electronics, programming, cooking, sewing, illustration, gardening and construction are all fair game. One of the greatest challenges for these multi-talented mentors

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is resisting the urge to take over a project and “fix” it. Mentors work at asking the right questions, being excited about a child’s task, and—especially for the older kids—knowing when specific technical instruction will help advance their project.

Maker Mentor Goda Trakumaite, 27 and equipped with a philosophy degree, is “Miss Goda” to her Makers. Moving around the room, she checks in with her young creators, watching for points of frustration that may lead to giving up on a project. She looks for times when encouragement is the answer, or moments when instruction will urge a child on. Fear of failure, or of breaking something, often inhibits young Maker Jawn participants, but encouraging them to tinker helps them move past their reluctance. Swarming like bees around a hive, the young particpants constantly come to Miss Goda to show or ask.

The castle builder holds up a tiny door she has cut out of a cereal box. Miss Goda says, “You could attach that with a hinge. Do you know what a hinge is?” She didn’t, but she does now,

and her castle has the drawbridge to prove it.

Mentors encourage self-expression by being non-judgmental and expecting that same attitude from all participants. “It’s great when people bring their friends or teach other people skills they’ve already learned,” Trakumaite says. “I love when a kid comes in and says ‘Today I want to make a kite,’ or ‘I’m going to make a book for my dad’s birthday,’ or ‘Can I sew up a hole in my backpack?’ It’s cool that they think of the program as a place where they can come to try out something new or to make or fix something they will actually use in their life.”

Hannah Holby, a 30-year-old artist Maker Mentor at the Kensington branch, celebrates Maker Jawn for allowing participants to develop new skills, along with the confidence to apply those skills to projects that are meaningful to them. “I like that this program doesn’t focus on the end result,” says Holby.

Film projects are especially gratifying to her, since they involve diverse groups working together. Kids take over the storyline, add scen-

MAKE RS & D OERS ery and costumes, and then ad-lib the dialogue.

Kensington branch Makers proudly rattled off names of the films they’ve made, including a cooking show on roasting cauliflower. They accidentally set off the library smoke alarm, but nonetheless it was so popular that beginning this month, the Kensington Maker Jawn crew will be producing a monthly series of cooking shows on YouTube, followed by a cookbook.

Not about the jawn, all about the science The Makers’ excitement at the Kensington library contrasts with an appraisal of school that nine-year-old Tyliaha offers, along with a project she worked on there. “School is just work, work, work. We have a list of what we’re supposed to do and we’re supposed to have a break, but we don’t ever have any.

We never get a break. The only thing we do that’s fun is science. It’s fun because it’s a lot of projects and I like to do projects.” Tyliaha’s science project was to mix flour, salt and water in a plastic bowl, then let it dry into a beige disk, about five inches in diameter. “What are you going to do with it?” she is asked. “I don’t know yet,” she shrugs; a gray disk can’t compare to that pink backpack she’s making for her sister’s doll at Maker Jawn. Studies show that outcomes-based learning is one of the approaches that helps keep girls interested in science, and innovative educators are taking note.

Much of the interest in maker activity can be attributed to the dismal scientific literacy rating U.S. students scored (21st out of 30 countries) in the Program for International Student Assessment in 2009. A 2010 report from the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology stated that “the problem is not just a lack of proficiency among American students: there is also a lack of interest in STEM fields.” President Barack Obama, in a 2009 address to the National Academy of Science, voiced a growing concern.

“I want us all to think about ways to engage young people…to be makers of things, not just consumers of things.”

“Doing science” is the lure of MakerFaires. First held in the San Francisco Bay area in 2006, MakerFaires now occur around the world. The White House held a MakerFaire in June 2014, and that same year Google and Make: Magazine held their third online maker camp, attracting more than two million global

participants. Intel, the chip maker, in a report called MakeHers, compared the maker movement to 1970s computer clubs, a phenomenon they claim gave rise to “a new wave in software programming, semiconductor design, and technology products, and ultimately to the world of technology as we know it today.”

Such aspirations are tempered by comments in a Maker Movement report by Dale Dougherty, president and CEO of Maker Media and publisher of Make: Magazine. “I have observed,” Dougherty says, “that parents have forgotten what tinkering is. Playing and entertainment—even with cardboard boxes and scissors—have been forgotten. Making is reintroducing this … and gameplay to people’s lives.”

It’s not easy to design a lesson plan for people of varying ages and skills. Sarah Winchowky and her team, the architects of the Maker Jawn program, are experimenting to hit the right balance of structure and openness. This year, Maker Jawn will introduce monthly themes, such as “Elemental,” where Makers will explore component parts of products as diverse as movies, circuits or cakes. Maker Jawn avoids top-down programming. “What we do is facilitate. We do not dictate,” says Winchowky.

Miss Goda notes, “There’s a lot of value in being less directed, but it’s more chaotic, and it isn’t for everyone.” Her colleague Holby adds, “I love it when a Maker takes something they’ve learned and comes up with a new project of their own. We all love being inventors, designers and creators, not just participants.”

Maker Jawn block party participants dance together

“I have observed that parents have forgotten what tinkering is.

Playing and entertainment—even with cardboard boxes and scissors— have been forgotten.”

- DALE DOUGHERTY,

president and CEO of Maker Media

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GRADUATE STUDIES AT MOORE SOCIAL & STUDIO PRACTICES Three unique, low-residency programs that fuse making, research and action with the subject of place in contemporary art!

• MA in Social Engagement • MFA in Community Practice • MFA in Studio Art For information: moore.edu/graduatestudies Email: dtucker@moore.edu

FALL OPEN HOUSE Saturday, November 21, 10:00 am Presentations and breakout sessions will demonstrate how Moore’s MA in Art Education with an Emphasis in Special Populations, MA in Social Engagement, MFA in Community Practice, and MFA in Studio Art will prepare you with the skills and knowledge to become a professional artist, designer, administrator or teacher.

For information: moore.edu/graduateopenhouse E-mail: gradstudies@moore.edu Phone: 215.965.4016

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MAK E RS & DO ERS

THE UNMAKING

OF DM+D

A diverse makerspace is priced out of University City by alex vuocolo

F

or the Department of Making + Doing (DM+D), a collaborative makerspace situated on the western edge of University City, location is a blessing and curse.

Michael Darfler, program manager at the space, says that DM+D owes much of its success to its ground-level location at 3711 Market Street and its glass storefront, which creates a sense of transparency and inclusion that is unique among makerspaces.

The 4,000-square-foot space contains a woodshop, a laser-cutter, computers, sewing machines, and a full set of hammers, saws, screwdrivers and other hand tools. It attracts a mix of first-timers, hobbyists and youth

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through planned programming, events and drop-in days.

“Our location is incredible,” Darfler says.

“It provides so much exposure to people that are just walking by, seeing what we’re doing, getting interested. On a daily basis, people come in and ask, ‘What is this place?’’’

But taking up prime real estate in University City, among the fastest growing economic hubs in Philadelphia, has a downside as well: the rising cost of rent.

“The trajectory of rent in this area is only on the up,” Darfler says. “It was pretty much fully half of our budget.”

As a result, DM+D will shut down at the end of November after nearly three years in

operation. Of the four partner organizations that use the space, three of them—Public Workshop, the Hacktory and NextFab—will move to separate locations.

“That’s really just the nature of real estate in University City,” says Kristen Fitch, manager of marketing and media relations for the Science Center, which owns the space and uses it for its own youth education program, FirstHand.

Research confirms this: A 2014 report from the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government found that University City has experienced the most severe rent appreciation in Philadelphia, increasing by over 60 percent since 2010.

“Without substantial grant funding, due to the rent increases and the steadily rising popularity of that corner [38th and Market streets], there’s no way that we could stay there,” says Alex Gilliam, director of Public Workshop, a design firm devoted to engaging youth and improving communities through design and building.

Yet, as Gilliam points out, the organizations themselves have never been stronger.

“I can say without hesitation that each one of the organizations is stronger [as a result of DM+D],” he says.

His own organization is now picking up projects all over the country, including in other major cities such as Detroit and Chicago.

It is also working on setting up other makerspaces in schools around Philadelphia, as well as moving to a new headquarters on Lancaster Avenue. The Hacktory, which focuses on the intersection of technology and hands-on making, is also moving to Lancaster Avenue.

Prior to DM+D, the Hacktory was an informal group of tech/making enthusiasts. Now it’s a 501(c)3 nonprofit.

The Science Center’s FirstHand program, aimed at teaching science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) to youth, has grown into a nationally recognized program since DM+D was created.

“Looking at the impact of what this space has done for partner organizations, it was a success,” Darfler says. “We set out to really grow these organizations, and it worked.”

While Darfler and Gilliam recognize DM+D as a success, they both would like to see inclusive makerspaces continue to exist in University City, even if DM+D has run its course.

The closing of DM+D “raises a really good question about the accessibility of programs like these,” Gilliam says. “How do we keep it accessible to everyone?”

IL LUSTRATIO N BY M IKE L. PERRY

CO-WORKING FOR CARVERS

WHAT I MADE: CLAY TEAPOT

Manayunk's Philadelphia Woodworks offers all the right tools and an emphasis on education by matt bevilacqua

W

alk into the front office of Philadelphia Woodworks and you will come across shelves full of handmade bowls, clocks, candlesticks, chessboards, reusable wine corks and even kaleidoscopes. All are made from wood, and not by professionals.

Tucked into an Umbria Street warehouse at the foot of Manayunk’s Germany Hill, Philadelphia Woodworks functions as a sort of co-working space for carvers. Not only does it hold classes and private lessons, but it also allows amateurs and hobbyists alike to join as members and take advantage of its plentiful space and equipment.

“This is a gym for woodworking,” founder Michael Vogel says. He gestures to the biggest of the space’s three rooms, which rings with the sound of saws.

Members can drop in whenever they like to work on projects, and Vogel keeps late hours —until 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and until 6 p.m. on the weekends—to accommodate people with day jobs. Unlimited access to the tables, lathes and saws costs $129 per month, or $20 an hour for non-members.

Vogel, 36, started Philadelphia Woodworks in 2011 after spending 10 years in the financial sector. Looking for more fulfilling work, the Penn architecture grad at first sought to develop what had been his hobby at established furniture factories, but they rarely take on inexperienced workers.

That’s when he got the idea to start his own space. At the time, only three such membership-based, open-access woodshops existed in the country.

“All three had the same advice, which was, ‘You have to have a retail store to make all your

money and subsidize the fact that you want to have this fun experience in the shop where users come and go,’” Vogel says.

Instead, he aimed to support his business by bringing together a community of learners and makers. Today, Vogel earns about 40 percent of his revenue from classes and another 40 percent from memberships. He stays in touch with the other shops, and says that they have taken a page from his book by ramping up the educational and co-working sides of their own operations.

“Originally, it was a mentor-ish relationship, and now they are peers,” Vogel says.

Vogel does sell lumber, prioritizing supply companies that cull stock from trees that fall down naturally—after storms, for instance.

For customers, though, the shop tends to have both a concrete and an abstract appeal.

Vogel talks of members who did woodworking with their parents as children and rediscovered the craft at his space, with the added tint of nostalgia.

Gloria Becker is one such customer. “My father had a shop in the basement, but he would never let me touch any tools,” she recalls.

It wasn’t until two years ago, when her wife encouraged her to find a hobby, that Becker, 53, came across Philadelphia Woodworks. She started at a women-only intro class, learning how to make cutting boards, and has since become a monthly member.

“I could never set up a shop at home,” the Roxborough resident says.

Ted Feldman, 61, was one of the shop’s earliest members. A physician assistant in orthopedics, he calls woodworking “a natural extension of my professional interests.”

“During the week, I work on bones, and during the weekend, I work on wood,” he says.

Artist: Hope Irion | Age: 24 Profession: Art Therapist My ceramic work and motivation to create are based on my desire to find the balance between beauty and utility: I aim to produce beautiful objects that can be used and appreciated by others.

In both art and therapy, one fuses the unique with the functional; it's a careful balance of beauty and purpose. My process begins on the wheel, where I throw and then assemble parts to create functional objects such as teapots, mugs, bowls and jars. I then apply a colored underglaze that serves as the surface, into which I carve patterns and designs inspired by the individuality of various people and cultures. This multi-step process not only takes time—it also involves an interesting (and often unnerving) loss of control.

This is what I love most about ceramics. I can use a raw material from the earth, mold it, alter it, decorate it, add to it and subtract from it to ultimately create an object that embraces this aesthetic of balance. I then give up this control to the heated atmosphere of the kiln, as I wait to witness the results. I am constantly amazed by the parallels between this artistic process and the trajectory of human development and self-actualization, both within myself and with the individuals I work with in a therapeutic setting.

I make my work in a weekly class at Neighborhood Potters, under the guidance of Sandi Pierantozzi and Neil Patterson.

2034 Fairmount Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19130 215.236.1617 www.sandiandneil.com

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Andrew Dahlgren knits in his studio

ON THE MAKE Building a collaborative support system for Philadelphia-based design and manufacturing By alex jones

J

anell Wysock designs and makes knitted and woven garments. For most of the year, she’s a one-woman shop, using a combination of machine knitting and by-hand techniques to create one-of-akind pieces. However, demand from local and regional boutiques outstrips her abil-

He believes that for businesses like Wysock’s to expand, makers’ needs must be met—and the needs of different businesses are diverse. “[We’re] attempting to understand what this new generation of makers is looking to do, and then finding the ways of supporting that,” says Dahlgren, who has worked with

and make their own products, while others are designers in need of production facilities or skilled labor.

One of the first steps to organizing this sector is defining what the maker community is. For Dahlgren, “Our target community is somebody who makes things for people or for

ity to produce finished garments, and cash flow issues prevent her from hiring additional craftspeople to help fill orders.

“My scale now is when I caan afford to have someone help me knit and do the piecework, I do that a couple times a year,” says Wysock.

“Otherwise, I'm doing it, and I don't have time for design.” If Wysock had access to a shared knitting mill in the city where she could place small orders for production runs at a lower cost, she’d be able to sell more products to retailers eager to stock her unique creations.

Wysock is also a member of the Community of Philadelphia Makers. Maker, designer and University of the Arts professor Andrew Dahlgren, the group’s leader, hopes to support a new generation of making in Philadelphia.

metals, wood and textiles. Dahlgren recently launched a Community Supported Manufacturing program in which customers pay up front for the production of a quarterly delivery of Philly-made knitted garments and housewares, a riff on the community-supported agriculture concept.

Rather than streaming into factories wearing hard hats and carrying lunch pails, these makers are working out of their apartments, artists’ studios or shared incubator spaces like the Clay Studio or NextFab, producing small batches of high-quality products that are sold locally. Some learned their craft in art school, while others are hobby makers hoping to one day support themselves through work they’re passionate about. Some design

themselves, and the making activity requires an understanding of materials, technology and people.”

Next, Dahlgren hopes to build a membership base of local makers and fundraise to create an online database that would collect information on makers and resources. The data will help CPM, the City of Philadelphia, potential partner organizations, and investors address needs and opportunities of the making and manufacturing sector. Makers would be able to look to the database to meet their needs for raw materials, design, production help and other support.

“Makers want to find someone to make for,” Dahlgren says. “Designers are more and more interested in local manufacturing [and]

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P HOTO BY V IV IE NNE TA NG

MAKE RS & D OERS smaller batch manufacturing, and right now that tool to connect the two doesn’t exist.”

Michael Cooper, director of the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Manufacturing and Industry, is also eager to get numbers on the current maker movement in Philly in order to learn how the city can better support these enterprises. “I’m interested in understanding and quantifying the sector a little bit more locally, so that we can develop some sense of policies and programs that actually meet that need,” Cooper says, “[with the] understanding that some of [these businesses] will grow, and we want them to grow in Philadelphia.”

Andrew Jevremovic, CPM member and owner of Octo Studio, works with Pennsylvania hardwood and New Jersey-sourced steel to create sleek, dramatic sculptures, furniture and interiors. Since the 2008 recession, Octo has been hit with unexpected small business taxes from a city looking to increase revenue; dealing with a downturn in business combined with burdensome taxes has been a challenge.

To keep business afloat, Jevremovic has turned to more business-to-business work, designing and manufacturing signage and interiors for hip spots like Fishtown’s Kraftwork and Bing Bing Dim Sum in East Passyunk.

What Jevremovic thinks would help makers like him—whose enterprise requires highly specialized skills and equipment, appropriate space and customers willing to pay a premium—is a rebranding of the city as the nation’s source for top-quality products once again.

“What people like myself really need in Philadelphia is someone helping to get rid of this stigma that buyers in Philadelphia have about things that are made in Philadelphia,” Jevremovic says. Philly customers in the market for items of a similar quality to those produced at Octo Studio—ready to pay up to $50,000 for a dining room table—go to New York to shop because of its reputation for luxury goods, something that Philly doesn’t have.

Aside from specialized needs like equipment and skilled labor, the maker community needs the same support that all small businesses do. Morris Levin is a consultant with Elysian Fields, which provides business development and other support to all types of small businesses in Philadelphia—including navigating requirements of the Affordable Care Act and the notorious bureaucracy of the city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections. “[Streamlining L&I] would make a huge difference,” Levin says. “Even before

you talk about city programs and city financing and special tax breaks. I’m probably in the minority, but I would just set all that aside and really hit the basics.”

In addition to assessing the maker community and working to meet its diverse needs, Dahlgren plans to hold networking events for makers and potential customers that will help connect supply and demand more efficiently. He’s also hoping that strategic partnerships with schools and other educational

organizations will reintroduce kids and parents to the idea that making and manufacturing can be a viable career path.

“There’s been a break between the historical blue collar families working in factories and a new generation of makers,” says Dahlgren. “I think if the new makers are successful at expanding their businesses in a way I hope they are, I think we'll see a new appreciation for that work again.”

WHAT I MADE:

ATHENA SAFETY JEWELRY

Inventor: Yasmine Mustafa | Age: 33 | Profession: CEO, ROAR for Good ROAR for Good’s first product, available in the spring of 2016, is Athena—fashionable jewelry for women’s self-defense. When threatened, the wearer presses a button, instantly sounding a loud alarm that sends your GPS via text to pre-programmed emergency contacts. We’re also engineering a way to call 911 in the future.

Our goal is to diminish violence against women in two ways: by making existing self-defense tools better, and by investing part of the proceeds into nonprofits that educate young boys about empathy and equality. We’ve discovered that addressing lack of empathy and transforming viewpoints on healthy relationships are key to decreasing aggression.

We’re a benefit corporation, also known as a B-corp, because they are designed as triple bottom line businesses that set specific standards for social and environmental performance. It’s a community that provides us the support we need to be our best.

The device and circuit board for the Athena are fabricated in Philadelphia. In addition to using local industrial designers, electrical and mechanical engineers, we’ve been 3D printing at Shapeways and NextFab. Being an inventor has been a rollercoaster ride. I feel on top of the world when I have the latest prototype in my hand and I think about how it was just an idea at one point. And there are low moments when something doesn’t work and you have to go back to the starting point.

At the end of the day, I learn from them and they help make the product better. It’s incredibly satisfying to work on something that will help create a better world.

Pre-order an Athena safety device by contributing to the INDEGOGO campaign or at: www.roarforgood.com

A robot made on a 3D printer at NextFab studio

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MAKE RS & D OERS

A NEW DIMENSION OF RECYCLING 3D printing is a breakthrough tool for makers. It also creates mounds of unwanted material by william beisley

T

he 3D printer was first patented in 1986 by Chuck Hull, co-founder of 3D Systems. The initial purpose of the machine was to expedite labor-intensive and costly milling procedures for companies prototyping new products. Hull’s stereolithography apparatus (SLA) employed a computer-controlled ultraviolet laser that solidified liquid photopolymer resin in accordance with a virtual design. Resin would be reapplied and shaped before being cleaned and cured in an ultraviolet oven.

In recent years, the 3D printer has become increasingly more powerful, popular and versatile. Doctors and engineers are using the technology to create everything from prosthetic jaws to tracheal molds; hobbyists are individualizing production by designing and printing their own kitchen utensils and children's toys; developers are even 3D printing eco-friendly vehicles such as the Urbee, a crowd-funded hybrid car that reportedly exceeds 300 miles per gallon.

These diverse applications are why many analysts refer to 3D printing as a harbinger of a new industrial revolution. As the method becomes more ubiquitous, makers should concern themselves with materials, toxicity and waste: three issues from that first in-

P HOTO BY A DDISO N GEA RY

dustrial revolution whose impacts we’re still reeling from in the form of lasting environmental pollution, overfilled landfills and compromised human health.

“I think there are ways to make [3D printing] sustainable, but I see much more focus on the potential for innovation than on the potential for risk and waste,” notes Stephanie Alarcon, measurement lab technologist for the Open Technology Institute in Washington, D.C. “That’s a shame because we have such clear histories about how previous innovations have created novel waste problems.”

Users of 3D printers should be aware of the high energy use that the machines expend, especially when printing in bulk. Energy consumption during mass-production is the one area where traditional mold-injection machining still has the upper hand. 3D printers are at their most helpful when going through a rapid prototyping process, necessarily an iterative beast that can eat up energy and resources.

End-of-life treatments are particularly worrisome, despite the marketed reusability of the materials used for printing. Polylactic acid (PLA) is one of the most common thermoplastics used in 3D printing. It’s biodegradable—and happens to be what is used to make compostable cups. However, it is up to the

operator to properly dispose of excess material. If the user doesn’t have a complete understanding of how to compost the leftover PLA, it could end up in a landfill where it would sit for roughly the same amount of time as an ordinary plastic cup—anywhere from one-hundred days to a century.

“We are still in a sweet spot where a smart focus on the waste issues [with 3D printing] could really make a difference, and I think it could be done without a lot of effort or cost,” ensures Alarcon.

Many companies are starting to provide recycling services, and some start-ups are even manufacturing re-extrusion machines that repurpose excess material from homes, but the potential for waste is still difficult to determine.

Despite the uncertainty concerning the sustainability of 3D printing’s future, Evan Malone, president of NextFab studios is hopeful.

“The 3D printer enables you to very quickly develop ideas, but as you’re developing ideas, you’re producing waste,” he remarks.

“It accumulates on people’s desktops and in their hobby-spaces, so it becomes a very visible problem, and recycling becomes a very natural answer. The tool itself seems to suggest this solution.”

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holidays at the clay studio Visit our shop and gallery for beautiful handmade gifts this holiday season

Start your day with coffee and pastries from High Point Cafe while viewing holiday table settings arranged by local designers.

Learn from the designers how to create beautiful table settings for your holiday entertaining needs.

December 5 11am – 6pm Free

Tenaya Darlington will teach how to best select and pair cheeses while Emily Carris demonstrates how to pour beeswax to make container candles, something you can easily do at home. The day will end with a holiday happy hour.

137-139 n 2nd street philadelphia pa 19106

Thanks to our sponsors: media sponsor

215 925 3453 theclaystudio.org

GRID MAGAZINE

e d i Gu

lid Ho

t f i G

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2015 / 2016

BY EMILY KOVACH

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Starter Kits The winter months are great for learning and tinkering while we wait out the weather. For the maker or doer in your life, Grid has compiled some starter kits and DIY gift baskets that will serve as inspiration as you craft the perfect gift.

Maybe there’s a foodie who wants to stock the bar with homegrown bitters and beer. Or do you know a gardener who just can’t wait for those first green shoots of spring? Try some winter flowering bulbs to light up his or her life.

The best part about “starter kits” is that you can put them together yourself—so get creative. Did someone mention that they want to learn to knit? Ferment? Get into vermiculture? Work with a local shop owner to gather the tools of the trade, and you’ve got a gift that will keep on giving. A few months down the road, you may even receive something in return.

Gardening and Crafts Standard or Moss Terrariums A terrarium is a little oasis of vibrancy, just right for someone working all day in a cubicle, or living in an apartment without much light. These simple kits provide the materials to construct one’s own tiny green space: glass containers, soil, decorative stones, activated charcoal and live moss. $12–$28 at City Planter • Northern Liberties

Growing Indoor Bulbs Bulbs bring the promise of spring, even in the darkest days of winter. Put together a variety of holiday bulbs such as paper-whites, crocuses and different types of amaryllis to make the garden guru in your life smile. $.75–$16 at Greensgrow Farms • Fishtown

Knitting for Beginners With just a few simple stitches, even novice knitters can make scarves, hats and mittens. Package together a skein of worsted weight yarn, locally milled and dyed by Studio Plus near York, Pa, and a pair of size 8 starter needles. $24 for the yarn, $8.49 for the needles at Loop • Graduate Hospital

Beginner’s Needlepoint Introduce the curious crafter to the art of needlepoint with an easy beginner’s kit.

Rittenhouse Needlepoint offers a variety of themed canvases, and every Saturday morning at 10 a.m., they hold a free one-hour beginner’s class to get the ball rolling. $11–$44 at Rittenhouse Needlepoint • Rittenhouse

Beading

Terrarium kits available at City Planter

PHOTOS BY JEF F SH EL DO N

For the beginner to intermediate DIY jewelry maker, the Zig-Zag and Gemini bracelet kits from the Bead Garden in Havertown provide a fun challenge with beautiful natural materials such as faceted colorized agate and freshwater pearl beads. $25 at the Bead Garden • Havertown

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Holiday Gift Guide

Art In The Age of Mechanical Reproduction Bar Roll Tool Kit $75

food and drink Mixology The Bar Roll Tool Kit (four essential stainless steel tools in a handsome waxed canvas and leather roll) and a bottle of local spirits—Bluecoat gin, perhaps?—are the only ingredients needed to set up a budding mixologist for a fun winter of “recipe testing.” Bar Roll Tool Kit, $75 at Art in the Age. $27.99 Bluecoat gin • Old City

Craft Your Own Bitters Bitters are tinctures and extracts made from spices, herbs and fruit peel that add depth of flavor to cocktails. This kit includes everything needed to make DIY bitters, whether you’re following a recipe or getting experimental. $65, Hella Bitters (NYC), sold at Occasionette • Passyunk East

Age Your Own Rum or Rye Barrel

Herbcraft

Barrel aging changes a spirit’s flavor and rewards those who wait. Let a bourbon or rum aficionado compare and contrast aging profiles with this kit, which includes a new, two-liter charred American white oak barrel and three bottles of locally distilled Petty's Island rum or Silver Fox rye. $165 for the rye kit, $120 for the rum kit at Cooper River Distillers • Camden

Each Hometown Herbcraft kit, specially designed by the wellness manager at Weavers Way Across the Way, includes instructions and enough supplies to create six pieces. Pick from make-yourown herbal tea, herbal vinegar, herbal hydrosol, herbal tincture (alcohol not included), herbal glycerite or herbal salve. $44 each at Weavers Way Across the Way • West Mt. Airy

Pickling/Fermenting It’s easy and affordable to put together a DIY pickling kit. Place some high quality salt in a Ball jar, and seal the top with a pretty piece of fabric and some baker’s twine. For guaranteed success, add a copy of local fermenting blogger Amanda Feifer’s new cookbook, Ferment Your Vegetables. Various prices, $18.49 for the book at Fante’s Kitchen Shop • Bella Vista

Sewing for Beginners Winemaking Homebrewing beer is so 2012 (just kidding!). But why not encourage the accomplished homebrewer to keep exploring the possibilities of at-home beverage fermentation? This deluxe kit includes everything necessary to get started, including two fermenters, a siphon hose, bottle filler, corker and more. $99.95 at Home Sweet Homebrew • Rittenhouse

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Dust off the old Singer and introduce a crafty kid to sewing with an easy and satisfying make-your-own pillowcase project. These kits include two pre-cut pieces of 100% cotton fabric and clear instructions. $10.99 at Handcraft Workshop • Mount Airy

Cooking Spices Sure, there are plenty of herb and spice gift boxes out there, but why not customize one for the culinary whiz in your life? Penzeys carries empty jars in multiple sizes and literally every kind of bulk spice you can think of. Mix it up with more obscure choices like epazote, sanaam chili peppers and annatto seeds, or pick some of Penzeys specialty blends.

Jars $1.69–$3.79 each; Spices, various prices at Penzeys • Center City and Mt. Airy locations

P HOTO BY CHAUCE E ST I LLMA N

Wait, isn’t that a map of West Philadelphia?

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Holiday Gift Guide

Meredith Klein, director of the Philadelphia Argentine Tango School, and Pablo Garcia Gomez, an Argentine native, dance at Love Park during a performance to welcome Pope Francis

Experiences There are thousands of things to do and learn in the Philadelphia region, and every one of them could be a great gift. This year, create some memories: Laugh in the kitchen with a face full of flour, make a gift that you can’t wait to give away, or explore a place you’ve always wanted to go with your family and friends at your side.

Take the kids to a children’s show at the Arden or do downward dog at Heavy Metal Yoga; try out ice skating or cheese making (just not at the same time!). These classes and passes are some of Grid’s favorites, and while they cover a wide spectrum of interests, they are all guaranteed to make great memories.

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Classes Beginner’s Tango For the dance floor destroyer in your life, give the gift of new moves with beginner tango classes from the dance school whose motto is “Tango for All.” At these casual Thursday evening drop-ins, dancers will learn the fundamentals, including improvisation with basic steps, leading and following, and more. $10 per class, eight classes suggested at Philadelphia Argentine Tango School • Kensington • Thursdays, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., no partner required

P HOTO BY RAJ E EV A RGULA

Mozzarella Pulling Book a class for the couple who always has the best cheese plates at their parties. Chef Rebecca Foxman will guide them through making fresh mozzarella.

They’ll also get a history lesson and—of course—a cheese tasting. $75 per person for fewer than 10 people at Valley Shepherd Creamery, Reading Terminal Market • Market East • Individually scheduled dates and times after January 2016

Two Books in Two Hours Lapsed zinesters will renew their DIY publishing spirit with a two-hour session at this cozy maker-education space.

Participants will learn to make pamphlet-style books, including versatile, elegant and staple-free long-stitch binding. $50 at Craft Foundry • Fishtown • Dates throughout early 2016

Intro to Forging and Welding How better to banish the winter blues than by joining pieces of metal with force or heat? Both of these classes, taught by experienced artisans, require no former experience in metal work. $120 for Forging I (one 2.5-hour class), $250 for Welding I (three two-hour classes) at Philadelphia Sculpture Gym • Fishtown • Multiple dates throughout early 2016

Making Victorian Valentine Watercolors Would a true romantic rely on a storebought card to profess their love?

Heavens no. This workshop, appropriately held in a stately old mansion, will teach watercolor techniques and Victorian aesthetic principles (naked cherubs optional). $30, materials included at Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion • West Germantown • Jan. 31, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Basic Beading With so many gorgeous materials out there, both new and vintage, why doesn’t everyone make his or her own jewelry?

Because the process can be mystifying.

This 90-minute class will cover basic tools, techniques and design. $40, includes materials at Beadworks • Queen Village • Saturdays from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Heavy Metal Yoga

Making Music with Babies and Toddlers

“Heavy Metal Mondays” might sound like a DJ night at your neighborhood hipster bar, but at Palo Santo Wellness, it’s a yoga class. Yup, heavy metal and yoga, together at last. $110 for a 10-class pass at Palo Santo Wellness Boutique • East Passyunk • Mondays, 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Forget the itsy bitsy spider. These weekly music classes acquaint little jammers and their caretakers to folk songs from around the globe. Drums and shakers delight the kiddos, and geographical and historical info keeps the grownups engaged, too. $175 for 11 weeks of 45-minute classes at All Around This World • Various days, times and locations allaroundthisworld.com

Studio Pottery for Kids Creativity and motor skills come together in the pottery studio, the perfect place to let a child’s imagination run wild. During these classes, designed for ages six to 13, students will get their hands dirty in the best way. $175, includes instruction, materials and all firing at Neighborhood Potters • Fairmount • Saturdays, Jan. 23 to March 7, 1:30 to 3 p.m.

Wine 101 A great place to start for the aspiring wine enthusiast. This 20-year-old institution fuses fun and facts into its programming for a decidedly non-snobby foray into the study of vinology. $39.99 at the Wine School of Philadelphia • Logan Square • Jan. 16, 2016, 5 to 7 p.m.

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Theater Tickets for Kids Think the smartphone-savvy youth of today can’t sit still for an hour? Think again. The reimagined fairy tales in The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales will keep young audiences totally entranced. $18–$36 per ticket at Arden Theatre • Dates April through June 2016 • Center City

Indoor Playground For a caretaker stuck inside all winter, could there be a more heartening phrase than “indoor playground”? Tots can burn off a week’s worth of energy (there is a ball pit!), while adults relax and sip coffee. 10-visit pass, $65 at Lulu’s Casita Ardmore • Passes never expire

Camden Children’s Garden Treat a family to a springtime frolic. At Camden Children’s Garden, they will marvel at thousands of butterflies, romp through Storybook Gardens, climb up the Tree House and much more. Bonus points if you throw in a few $2 Garden Carousel and Arrow River Train tickets for the tykes. $6 per person, children two and under are free • Open Wednesdays through Sundays • Camden

Children in front of a Tyrannosaurus rex skull at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University

University of Pennsylvania Class of 1923 Ice Rink

Passes The Rosenbach of the Free Library of Philadelphia Tucked away in a historic townhouse on Delancey Place is a bibliophile’s dream: a small but comprehensive library and museum devoted to all things literary.

Members enjoy reading groups, special events and exhibition previews. Membership, $55 • Rittenhouse

Co-Working at the Hive Calling all Lady Bosses! Most self-employed, freelance types agree: Working from home can be a real drag. Enter the co-working space, surely one of the smartest workplace trends going. The best of the best congregate at the Hive, a women-only space in Old City. $100– $300 per month • Old City

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Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust Perfect for casual hikers, Pennypack comprises 11 miles of trails, ponds, meadows and woodlands, all verdant and gorgeous enough to make even the most stalwart urbanist rethink some life choices. Luckily, it’s just a quick jaunt from the city. Family membership, $50 • Huntingdon Valley

Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University

Indulge an ice queen or king’s figure skating fantasies with a 10-pack of passes to this conveniently located, well-appointed ice rink. Tag along sometime to let them show off their jumps and twirls. 10-Pass Discount Book, $45 • University City

Rock Climbing Gym Whether climbing by hand (bouldering) or using a rope, any rock climber would be stoked to receive a pass to the largest rock climbing gym of its kind of the East Coast. Five multi-pass adult coupons, $86 at GoVertical • Northern Liberties

Insects, dinosaurs, reptiles and all the other awesome/gross things that little naturalists love exist under one roof at the Academy of Natural Sciences. Membership includes a laundry list of perks, like discounted parking and special access to collections. Family membership, $99 • Logan Square

P HOTO BY N IC D'A MI CO

GIVE A GIFT THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE! Join The Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County (TLC) as a Member, or purchase a gift Membership, and help us to protect the irreplaceable.

M E M B E R S H I P S S UP P O RT Land Conservation

Environmental Education

Historic Preservation

Stewardship

Members receive 10% off at local retailers, free and reduced-cost programs, and more!

Learn all about the perks of TLC membership for all ages at tlcforscc.org & 610-347-0347

Scarves, pillows, bedding, curtains, & fabric remnants Handmade by people in Philadelphia (South Broad Street to be exact)

kevinobrienstudio.com

Up to 70% off retail prices

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Nov. 12th – Dec. 23rd | Mon. thru Fri. from 9:00 – 4:30 + Sat. Nov. 14th & Sat. Dec. 19th from 11:00 - 4:00 1412 S Broad St, Philadelphia | 215-923-6378 | Btwn Dickinson + Reed | Lots of Street Parking | Tasker/Morris Stop on BSL

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Holiday Gift Guide

An Italian cheese plate from DiBruno Bros

Gifts That Go Away Everyone can appreciate a thoughtful gift—especially when it doesn’t take up permanent residence in the apartment. If you live in the city (or you’re pondering a gift for someone who does), try these small luxuries on for size: a winter facial or some handcrafted incense if someone needs a little pampering; fancy cheese or tea that a frugal friend might not get for themselves; or see if you can resist the urge to get a little gift for yourself.

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Pantry Gin and Tonic Candles These hand-poured vegan candles from Olliver capture the essence of the ultimate classic cocktail: a playful gift for someone whose home bar is already stocked to the gills. $10 at Olliver, sold at Philadelphia Independents and Jinxed • Various locations olliverlifestyle.com

Vegan Meal Delivery A family’s schedule can be so hectic, even those who love to cook often just can’t find the time. A weekly delivery of freshly prepared vegan meals solves that problem, with tasty choices from a rotating online menu. From $38 at Miss Rachel’s Pantry • Newbold

Cold Brew Growler Subscription

Fresh Juices and Smoothies

Three-Month Cheese Subscription

Know what most new parents end up with? A heap of freezer burnt casseroles.

Know what they actually need? Coffee.

Lots of coffee. Sixty-four ounces of fresh cold brew should do the trick! A subscription includes four growler deliveries right to their doorstep. $75 at HubBub Coffee • Logan Square and other various locations hubbubcoffee.com

These fresh, vibrant juices and smoothies are jam-packed with nutrition and handcrafted by local fitness maven Katie Rodger. Gift some greens to the all-weather athlete in your life to power them through the winter. Various prices at the Juice • Various locations juicephilly.com

For the person who never, ever makes a New Year’s resolution, help keep the holiday indulgence going. Every third Monday, giftees receive a box including a pound of artisan cheese with a few gourmet pairings (mustard, chocolate, crackers, etc.), specially curated by cheesemongers. $149.97 at Di Bruno Bros. • Rittenhouse and various other locations dibruno.com

Butterscotch Bourbon Pie Cookies and candy abound at holiday time, but this rich, whiskey-kissed pie should take center stage on the table.

Baked by the pie-obsessed artisans at Magpie, it’ll knock the socks off the sophisticated sweet tooth. $30 at Magpie • Graduate Hospital

Pint of Ice Cream How’s this for a party trick? Find out what’s on the menu for your holiday dinner. Go to one of Little Baby’s locations, ask an employee to help pick a perfect flavor pairing, and pack a pint or two.

Bring ice cream to the party, blow minds, win hearts. $11 for one, $10 for multiple at Little Baby’s • Kensington and West Philadelphia

Pu-Erh Tea Pu-Erh is special. It’s one of the oldest teas in the world, and one of the few to undergo an aging process. The result is a little nest-like cake of tea that can be steeped multiple times, and produces an earthy, smooth cup that will delight the tea devotee. $4.50 an ounce at Random Tea Room • Northern Liberties

Classic Peanut Butter Reward the avid brown bagger’s lunch-packing frugality with this deeply flavorful spread from local nut butter masters PB & Jams. The local honey used in this recipe adds just the right touch of sweetness. $5.59 at Mariposa Co-op • Cedar Park

Herbal Collection Variety Soap Box This collection combines a variety of lovely, unisex scents like honey oatmeal, lemongrass and shea, made with high-quality essential oils right here in Philadelphia. Perfect for the office gift exchange or a last-minute stocking stuffer. $24 at C.O.P.A. Soaps • Fishtown

The cold brew coffee growler from HubBub Coffee

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Holiday Gift Guide

The Beard Box A well-kept beard is a beautiful thing. But it takes effort, and the right tools. This handy kit combines everything—beard oil, balm, moisturizer and a brush—necessary to keep fuzzy faces looking their best. $39 at Duross & Langel • Washington Square West

Herbal Facial Mists A spritz of facial mist, made in-house at this cool Old City salon, is the little luxury your overworked pal deserves.

Infused with essential oils and blended for individual skin types, this is affordable pampering at its finest. $10–$15 at MOKO Organic Beauty Studio • Old City

Locally Made Incense This is not the stuff of your college dorm room days. This is incense all grown up: Perfectly blended and handcrafted, it leaves a fleeting burst of nuanced fragrance behind. $6 • Made by Tribe Jewelry, sold at Bikram Yoga Philly • Rittenhouse and various other locations bikramphiladelphia.com

Signature Facial

Incense made by Tribe Jewelry

Hoagie Relish This cherry and green pepper-based condiment will take the serious sandwich artist’s homemade hoagies to the next level. The artisans of Brine Street Picklery—relative newcomers to the Philly food scene—source as locally as possible. $8 at Made by Brine Street Picklery, sold at Talula’s Daily • Washington Square

Pampering Traditional Straight Razor Shave The necessary ingredients for a great shave are tried and true: a sharp steel blade, hot lather and a confident hand.

The barbers at Duke Barber Co. have been doing it right for five generations. $33 at Duke Barber Co. • Northern Liberties

Dog Treats For your four-legged friend: Don’t leave the pup out of the holiday festivities!

Keep the treats local, with a buffet of bone-shaped doggie cookies in a variety of sizes and flavors. $.70–$2 at Doggie Style • Rittenhouse and various other locations doggiestylepets.com

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Couples Massage Treat the newlyweds who eloped last year to a blissed out afternoon of expert attention at this all-natural spa, dedicated to organic products and holistic wellness practices. $230 at Eviama Life Spa • Washington Square West

Every face is different. That’s why this deep cleanse, exfoliation and re-balancing session starts with a personal consultation. Even better: All the products used at this Fabric Row spa are cruelty-free and organic. $90 for 60 minutes at Fabriq Spa • Queen Village

Acupuncture Gift Certificate South Philadelphia Community Acupuncture’s peaceful open space provides a comfortable, affordable introduction to this medicinal art. The licensed and certified acupuncturists can tailor sessions to help relieve specific maladies, or just ease everyday stress and tension. $20–$100 • East Passyunk

Sawmill, woodworking, furniture, & restoration

manayunktimber.com

215-843-4299

We value work.

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half share $159.00** ** two products, one Summer 2016 one Winter 2016, e.r.v. $310.00+

When you buy a share you help build a new knitting mill in Philadelphia. We will use money raised from sales of shares to hire a new workforce, purchase new production technology, and buy materials.

In return you get high quality, locally made products! buy shares @ squareup.com/market/andrew-dahlgren more info @ www.andrew-dahlgren.com

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Hybrid Cycles Pedal Assit Electric Bikes &

2015

Friday, November 20th Adults Only 6 pm – 10 pm Saturday, November 21st $5 Admission 10 am – 5 pm Handmade gifts and homemade food for sale Magical children’s activities

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Available at the Fair Food Farmstand (Reading Terminal Market), Metropolitan Bakery, and Carlino’s Specialty Foods.

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EVENTS /

N ovember 1 Sunday Bird Walk Join Delaware Nature Society staff as they hike Bucktoe Creek Private Preserve in search of birds such as vultures, hawks, woodpeckers, phoebes, bluebirds, mockingbirds, finches, warblers and more. bucktoecreekpreserve.org WHEN: 8 to 11 a.m. COST: Free WHERE: Bucktoe Creek Preserve, 541 Chandler Mill Rd., Avondale, Pa

Reptiles: The Beautiful and the Deadly The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University sheds new light on some of Mother Nature’s most interesting animals.

The museum’s latest exhibit showcases an array of scaly creatures, including deadly snakes, colorful lizards, unusual turtles and crocodiles from all over the planet. ansp.org WHEN: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., daily COST: $5 for non-members with admission WHERE: The Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.

N ovember 3 Certified Interpretive Guide Workshop Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve and the National Association for Interpretation (NAI) are offering a professional certification course for individuals who deliver interpretive programs or have public contact at interpretive sites. The class will combine both the theoretical foundations of the profession with practical skills in delivering interpretive programming. bhwp.org

Author Talk: Tim Flannery

Little Explorers Toddler Program

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University is welcoming back climate-change activist Professor Tim Flannery. Flannery will be discussing his new book, Atmosphere of Hope: Searching for Solutions to the Climate Change Crisis, which describes the achievable goals that can lead to an ecologically viable future. ansp.org

Encourage your little one’s curiosity about the natural world through the Little Explorers Program, designed for children ages 2 to 4. Each lesson includes activities, reading, snacks and walks through the garden. At least one adult chaperone is required for every two children. bartramsgarden.org

WHEN: 6:30 to 8 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: The Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.

WHEN: 10 to 11:30 a.m. COST: $10; free for Bartram’s Garden members.

WHERE: Bartram's Garden, 5400 Lindbergh Blvd.

Bicycle Coalition Volunteer Night

N ovember 4 South Philly Green Drinks South Philadelphia Green Drinks (SPGD) is a part of a worldwide movement to bring sustainably-minded individuals together to network, share ideas and strengthen communities. SPGD meets the first Wednesday of each month at Bridget Foy’s to discuss all things sustainable. greenlimbs.com WHEN: 6 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Bridget Foy's, 200 South St.

Planting in a Post-Wild World Authors Thomas and Claudia West will present a fresh approach to design, incorporating community-based strategies and the use of native plants to achieve the aesthetic and ecological goals of future landscapes.

Join members of the Bicycle Coalition for a night of volunteer work. Responsibilities vary from outreach training to envelope-stuffing, with some nights featuring a special guest speaker. Pizza will be provided to volunteers. bicyclecoalition.org WHEN: 6 to 7:30 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: 1500 Walnut St., 2nd Fl. Conference Room

The Art of Play with Anna Beresin Dr. Anna Beresin, author of The Art of Play, will be hosting a workshop that is specifically crafted for designers of playgrounds, and will discuss many of the topics of her book, such as what children do during recess, and how these interactions are important. cdesignc.org WHEN: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Center for Architecture, 1216 Arch St.

mtcubacenter.org WHEN: 6 p.m. COST: $25 WHERE: Mt. Cuba Center, 3120 Barley Mill Rd., Hockessin, Del

WHEN: 8 a.m. COST: $310 for NAI members; $360 for non-NAI members WHERE: Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve, 1635 River Rd., New Hope, Pa

MUSHROOMS

GROW KITS SCIENCE KITS HOME COMPOSTING CSA www.mycopolitan.com/store

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/ EVENTS

N ovember 5 Hackensack Dreaming: Nancy Cohen in the Gallery The landscape of the wetlands of the Hackensack River inspired artist Nancy Cohen. Come see how Cohen’s installation has transformed the gallery, creating its own environment and transporting viewers to a wholly new place. schuylkillcenter.org WHEN: 6 to 8 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, 8480 Hagy's Mill Rd.

Tree Tenders Tree Planting Become part of the Tree Tenders team and join thousands of volunteers planting trees in neighborhoods throughout the region and. Help out as they start on the second half of their Plant One Million campaign goal. phsonline.org WHEN: 6 p.m. COST: $25 WHERE: Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, 100 N. 20th St.

N ovember 6

Philly Co-op Summit & PACA Annual Membership Meeting

Associate and Work Exchange Holiday Sale

Join members of cooperatives from across the region for the annual Philly Co-op Summit and PACA Annual Meeting. The evening includes complimentary dinner and drinks, talks on co-op innovation, and the announcement of the Philly co-op and cooperator of the year awards.

The Clay Studio hosts a holiday sale with festive food, drinks and artwork, just in time for holiday gift- giving. The sale takes place all weekend. theclaystudio.org

WHEN: 5:30 to 8 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Rad Dish Co-op Café, Ritter Annex, Temple University, 1301 Cecil B. Moore Ave.

Screening at the Wagner Free Institute of Science: Memory of a Time Twice Lived Angel Nevarez and Valerie Tevere premiere their project Memory of a Time Twice Lived, which builds connections between 20th century iconoclasts and mythic heroes, the collection of the WFIS, contemporary Mexican immigration in Philadelphia and the accordion as a migratory instrument. icaphila.org WHEN: 7 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Wagner Free Institute of Science, 1700 W. Montgomery Ave.

WHEN: 5 to 9 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: 137-139 N. 2nd St.

Walking the River Trail: Nature & History by the Schuylkill R iver Join director Mike Weilbacher for an informative three-mile walk between the Shawmont and Miquon train stations as he describes the birds, creeks, trees, flowers and history. schuylkillcenter.org WHEN: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, 8480 Hagy's Mill Rd.

Oyster Shucking Workshop Join FDA-licensed shellfish vendor Paul Appleby for a workshop on oysters. Learn about oyster varieties, growing methods, taste differences and the history of aquaculture. You’ll also discover issues of sustainability that pertain to oyster farming while you shuck. greensgrow.org WHEN: 12 to 2 p.m. COST: $40 WHERE: St. Michael's Lutheran Church, 2139 E. Cumberland St.

Putting the Garden to Bed

N ovember 7 Varied Terrains of the Wissahickon with Scott Quitel Guide Scott Quitel leads an informative hike starting at the base of the valley and ascending up the forested gorge to the open natural area known as Houston Meadow. Learn about regional ecology and the history of the area. fow.org WHEN: 9 a.m. COST: Free WHERE: Forbidden Dr. and Bells Mill Rd.

Learn essential techniques to ensure that your garden will be more manageable in the spring. This class will give you a checklist of fall cleanup tasks that improve your efficiency and planning. pennhort.net WHEN: 9 to 11:30 a.m. COST: $20 PHS members; $30 non-members WHERE: Chanticleer, 786 Church Rd., Wayne, Pa

Green Ribbon Trail Race Challenge yourself on the beautiful Green Ribbon Trail, a five-mile race from the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association that is ideal for both experienced and new trail runners. It will start at Parkside Place Park and follow the Green Ribbon Trail back to the park’s pavilion for the award ceremony and brunch. wvwa.org WHEN: 9 a.m. COST: $35 for WVWA members; $65 for entry and membership.

WHERE: 1 Parkside Dr., North Wales, Pa

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EVENTS / TreePhilly Yard Tree Giveaway, East Falls

Apple Festival

Join TreePhilly, the East Falls Tree Tenders and the Friends of McMichael Park for an event where up to two free trees will be donated to registered residents. Free mulch and tree planting demonstrations will be held. treephilly.org

Peddler’s Village will be hosting a weekend-long event dedicated to everyone’s favorite fall fruit. They’ve gathered local artisans who will sell their fritters, ciders, butters and pies, ensuring everyone has a scrumptious autumn. Stick around for the pie-eating contest, live music and other family friendly activities.

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 3:30 pm COST: Free WHERE: McMichael Park, 3201-45 Midvale Ave.

Native Plants for the Autumn Garden Transform your landscape with trees and shrubs that provide colorful fruit, bark and foliage. Instructor Steven Kristoph delivers valuable insights on how to use them in your garden, grow them successfully and where to obtain them. mtcubacenter.org WHEN: 1 p.m. COST: $38 WHERE: Mt. Cuba Center, 3120 Barley Mill Rd., Hockessin, Del

Hazardous Household Waste Event Handling and disposing of hazardous waste materials requires a special set of regulations due to the potential damage they can cause to people, pets and the environment.

Residents can bring their hazardous waste to the event for safe disposal. philadelphiastreets.com WHEN: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: 3901 Delaware Ave.

WHEN: Sat. and Sun., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Peddler’s Village, Rt. 202 & 263, Lahaska, Pa

N ovember 8 Empowering Tea and Fashion Show Celebrating its 20th anniversary, nonprofit Career Wardrobe will host its annual Empowering Tea and Fashion Show. The event’s sales will benefit Career Wardrobe, continuing to ensure women in transition will have clothing for career opportunities.

After the show, shop at the local vendors and see their crafts. careerwardrobe.org WHEN: 1 to 5 p.m. COST: $80 for adults; kids for $40 WHERE: Hyatt at the Bellevue, 200 S. Broad St.

N ovember 13 Build a Gourd Birdhouse

Create your own iron artwork. Learn an intuitive process suitable for beginners and students of any skill level. Students will scratch unique designs into a 5 x 5 inch square sand mold to be used to create a plaque or medallion. groundsforsculpture.org

Get ready for spring with a birdhouse crafted from organically grown gourds. These unique homes for birds invite a variety of species to nest in your yard—bluebirds, chickadees, wrens, purple martins and even small owls. mtcubacenter.org

WHEN: Two sessions: 10 to 11:30 a.m. and 12 to 1:30 p.m.

COST: $60 for members; $70 for non-members.

WHERE: Grounds for Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, NJ

WHEN: 6 to 8 p.m. COST: $25 FREE: Mt. Cuba Center, 3120 Barley Mill Rd., Hockessin, Del

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All are invited to join artist Lucretia Robbins for a free reception and gallery opening in the parlors of Awbury Arboretum’s Francis Cope House. Robbins will offer a presentation on gardening, painting, teaching and photography. awbury.org WHEN: 7 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: 1 Awbury Rd.

Philadelphia’s Clean Energy Future is Now

Scratch Mold Workshop

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An Evening with Lucretia Robbins: a Retrospective

The Energy Coordinating Agency will be holding its annual Sustainable Energy Conference, which will examine the Clean Power Plan, the City’s Climate Change Adaption Plan, the Water Department’s new low-income program, and other developments in environmental justice and climate resilience. ecasavesenergy.org WHEN: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. COST: $40 WHERE: PECO’s Energy Hall, 2301 Market St.

Spanning Generations: A Conversation Craft + Material Studies professors Bruce Metcalf and Judith Schaechter will engage American Craft Council fellows and former students in a discussion on transitions between generations of makers and speculation about the future of craft. The keynote address will be provided by Perry Price, American Craft Council director of education. uarts.edu/events WHEN: 3 to 5:30 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Terra Hall, 211 S. Broad St.

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N ovember 14 Permanence/Impermanence: States of Flux in Art and Nature Join LandLab resident artist Jake Beckman as he discusses his residency project, “Future Non-Object #1: Sol’s Reprise.” Beckman will present the process and research that informed his sculpture, as well as the inspiration of its form and content. schuylkillcenter.org WHEN: 2 to 4 p.m. COST: $10 for members, $15 for non-members WHERE: Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, 8480 Hagy's Mill Rd.

The Magic of Mushrooms Scott Aboretum hosts farmer/forager Tim Mountz. Learn about stalking wild mushrooms, as well as tricks and tips for cultivating mushrooms in your garden. This lecture will be followed by a hands-on workshop where logs will be inoculated with mushroom spores. scottarboretum.org WHEN: 10 a.m. COST: $35 for arboretum members; $45 for non-members.

WHERE: 500 College Ave., Swarthmore, Pa

Old Pine Farm Wood Cutting/ Splitting Party The Old Pine Farm House is heated with wood from fallen trees and wood found on the street. Help cut and split some in preparation for cold winter months and then enjoy a complimentary harvest dinner.

RSVP required. oldpinefarm.org WHEN: 1 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: 340 Pine Ave., Deptford, NJ

Harvesting History: Philadelphia before the Europeans A rrived Remembering Native American history should be an important part of our Thanksgiving celebrations. Learn about the original residents of Philadelphia and their reliance on local rivers and streams. You will learn about their culture, lifestyle and diet, and about the local environment thousands of years before European settlers arrived.

Weave a mat of natural materials as the Lenni Lenape did. fairmountwaterworks.org WHEN: 2 to 4 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: 640 Water Works Dr.

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CraftNOWCreate

The Artful Leaf

Enjoy a family friendly Saturday at the Kimmel Center with CraftNOWCreate, a hands-on exploration of craft. There will be various demonstrations programmed by Suzanne Kahn and many activities, such as a make-your-own-scarf-machine knitting station. centerforartinwood.org

Take in the autumn landscape and enjoy the simple beauty of leaves with this artist workshop hosted by Heather Rinehart and Alina Josan. Allow the season and its many colors and textures to inspire your art in the same way that it did for botanical illustrator William Bartram. bartramsgarden.org

WHEN: 11 to 4 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Kimmel Center, 300 S. Broad St.

WHEN: 1 to 4 p.m. COST: Free for members; $18 for non-members.

WHERE: Bartram’s Garden, 5400 Lindbergh Blvd.

Love Your Park Service Day The Fairmount Park Conservancy and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation are holding their annual Love Your Park Service Day. Work alongside friends and neighbors to collect litter and fallen leaves, plant bulbs and trees and much more. Register yourself or your group and the parks you’ll be cleaning on their official website. loveyourpark.org WHEN: All day COST: Free WHERE: Public parks across the city

N ovember 15 Upcycled Light Fixture Workshop Learn how to illuminate your garden this fall in a hands-on workshop where everyone will get to create and wire their own mason jar light fixture to take home. They’ll provide everything you need to complete your project. greensgrow.org WHEN: 12 p.m. COST: $35 WHERE: Greensgrow Farms, 2501 E. Cumberland St.

Hazon Philadelphia Jewish Food Festival The Hazon Philadelphia Jewish Food Festival is all about learning, exploring and celebrating food, sustainability and Jewish life. The day will bring together foodies, farmers, rabbis, nutritionists, restaurateurs, chefs, entrepreneurs, educators, vegans, omnivores, beekeepers and more. Tickets are available online. hazon.org WHEN: All day. COST: $36 for adults; $18 for children.

WHERE: Congregation Keneseth Israel, Elkins Park, Pa

N ovember 16 Nutrition for Pets Are you interested in holistic health care for your pet? Join holistic veterinarian Natasha Kassell for an informative talk about nutrition and preventative healthcare for pets. All ages are welcome, please RSVP. mariposa.coop WHEN: 7 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Mariposa Coop, 4824 Baltimore Ave.

N ovember 18 Sprouts and Seedlings Join the Camden Children’s Garden Education Department for interactive programs on the many biological traits plants and animals have in order to endure the winter.

Children ages two to five and their accompanying adults will take part in hands-on activities, nature crafts, story time and explorations.

WHEN: 10 to 11:30 a.m. COST: $10 for members; $12 for non-members.

WHERE: 3 Riverside Dr., Camden NJ

N ovember 19 Third Annual Fair & Sustainable Gift Fair Fair Trade Philadelphia will be hosting its third annual Fair & Sustainable Gift Fair at Friends Center. fairtradephiladelphia.org WHEN: 11 a.m to 8 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Friends Center, 1501 Cherry St.

/ EVENTS

N ovember 20

N ovember 22

D ecember 5

Schuylkill Soundings: City in a Park

Co-ops and Social Justice Book Club

Greensgrow Holiday Bazaar

Meet the authors of City in a Park, James McClelland and Lynn Miller, for a special book signing and lecture. The book chronicles the continuing efforts to create a 21st century version of what founder William Penn desired, a “greene countrie town.” Registration required. fairmountwaterworks.org

This month, the book club will be reading the first two chapters of The World According to Monsanto: Pollution, Corruption, and the Control of the World's Food Supply. This meeting will cover many of Monsanto’s practices and the dangers inherent in them.

Shop locally and support local artists at the Greensgrow Holiday Bazaar. The farm will be bursting with evergreen swags, holiday trees and more for your December décor. The event will run all weekend long.

WHEN: 6 to 8 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: 640 Water Works Dr.

WHEN: 11 a.m. COST: Free WHERE: 4824 Baltimore Ave.

mariposa.coop

greensgrow.org WHEN: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Greensgrow Farms, 2501 E. Cumberland St.

Holiday Greens Sale and Festival

N ovember 21

N ovember 27

Make Your Own Cocktail Bitters

Dinosaur Days

Join mixologist Phoebe Esmon for this informative lesson on cocktail bitters and their history. Participants will make two jars of this herbal essential. greensgrow.org

Celebrate dinosaurs and their closest living relatives—birds—with a holiday weekend of family fun. Explore the world of the dinosaurs as you examine real fossils up close, meet live birds and talk with dinosaur experts. ansp.org

WHEN: 12 p.m. COST: $35 WHERE: Greensgrow Community Kitchen at St. Michael's Lutheran Church, 2147 E. Cumberland St.

Seasonal Branches, Holiday Table Arrangements and Evergreen Containers Create a serene winter holiday tableau with fresh greens and natural elements from the garden in this interactive class. Using branches and trimmings from evergreen plants, you will create lovely and repurposed arrangements for the table, mantle or front stoop. pennhort.net/chanticleer WHEN: 9 a.m. COST: $25 for members; $35 for non-members.

WHERE: Chanticleer, 786 Church Rd., Wayne, Pa

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. COST: $13.95 for children; $17.95 for adults WHERE: The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.

D ecember 3

Join the arboretum for some shopping and family friendly activities such as marshmallow roasting, garden tours and more. Make sure to pick up a festive wreath or buy some fresh, delicious greens. Opens early for members. scottarboretum.org WHEN: 1 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: 500 College Ave., Swarthmore, Pa

Grow Strong: 10th Anniversary Benefit Party Support 10 years of community-based agriculture and environmental education at Grow Strong’s 10th Anniversary Benefit Party. The festivities include live music; light refreshments featuring local produce; desserts, drinks and a raffle; and silent auction. All proceeds benefit Mill Creek Farm. millcreekurbanfarm.org

Magnolia Holiday Wreath Enjoy the season with a festive magnolia wreath. Start by making a circle of native magnolia leaves, embellish it with cones and colorful berries, and finish it with a decorative ribbon during this autumnal class.

WHEN: 5 p.m. COST: $25 WHERE: The Penn State Philadelphia Center, 675 Sansom St.

mtcubacenter.org WHEN: 1:30 to 4 p.m. COST: $65 WHERE: Mt. Cuba Center, 3120 Barley Mill Rd., Hockessin, Del

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DISPATCH /

PUNK IS DEAD, LONG LIVE PUNK Gray hair can’t get in the way of a lifelong DIY ethic by tim canny

I

n my early 20s, I embraced the punk rock DIY ethic when I played in a band and published a fanzine, both of which you’ve never heard of. But that’s okay. Back in the early ’80s, the goal wasn’t fame or fortune; it was the experience and sense of accomplishment. I was enamored with the idea that I didn’t have to stand by and be a spectator. I could jump in with both combat boots and do it myself. I didn’t care if I was a little fish in the big sea (the name of my band’s record, which you’ve also never heard of): I was creating, not consuming.

Experiencing things firsthand and not living vicariously through others—and there was a whole community of like-minded individuals to share in my DIY adventure.

After my punk rock days, I gravitated toward technology. The advent of the Macintosh computer and ImageWriter felt as important as the Gutenberg Press: technology was breaking down the barriers for regular people who’d been given the power to publish and open new avenues of communication. I parlayed my interest into working with computers in the world of publishing, pre-press and printing. I even spent a little of my free time putting out an art zine, which—you guessed it—you’ve never heard of.

For 30-plus years, I’ve watched technology revolutionize industry after industry, including music. It’s made digital do-it-yourselfers out of anyone with a smartphone, laptop and

internet account: You can start your own punk band; record, mix, release and sell your music; make your own videos; manage your fan club; sell your swag; and then publish your tour tellall when the band breaks up.

For me, punk is now the equivalent of the Golden Oldies my folks used to listen to; it’s the Internet meme picturing two old punk rockers that says, “Punk Rock Isn’t Dead, It Just Has Grey Hair, and Goes to Bed at a Reasonable Hour.” In my case, it is also balding and smokes a tobacco pipe. But beyond the fact that I’ve outgrown punk, I started to feel I was outgrowing the digital revolution, even though it’s still my day job.

After all those years sitting in front of a computer, all my work—all my creations— had become virtual. There was nothing that I could hold up, and, like Tom Hanks dancing around his just-made fire in the movie Cast Away, shout “Yessss! Look what I have created!” I found myself looking for a creative outlet with a physical, tangible component. Something I could jump into with both Dr. Scholl’s Oxfords.

I landed in the DIY community here in Philadelphia by attending Make:Philly and Hacktory meetings, and taking welding and forging classes at the Philadelphia Sculpture Gym (PSG). Eventually, with the help of the welcoming artists at PSG, I was able to take an idea I had for a pipe stand and make it a reality. So far, I have produced almost 100 of my Workbench pipe stands, forged from repurposed vintage wrenches.

I consider myself very lucky that there is a community of DIYers here in Philly that make it possible for me to get my hands dirty again as I gravitate toward more “analog” technologies. I like the direction things are going—I’m meeting many like-minded individuals who want to get out from in front of the screen and make something real. If you are one of those people, you’ve got a great resource in the maker community here. Feel free to look me up; I’ll be more than happy to show you my creations, introduce you to pipe smoking and tell you all about that punk band you’ve never heard of.

Tim Canny is a technical writer and graphic artist living and working just outside Philadelphia.

You can follow his pipe smoking and metalworking adventures on Instagram (@timcanny).

Each month, Dispatch features personal reflections on adventures in sustainability. Have a story you’d like to share? E-mail getinvolved@gridphilly.com 64

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THEY ARE ALL

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The seeds of biodiversity A Philadelphia native returns home to change the way the region thinks about horticulture.

Tom Brightman Master of Environmental Studies ’00, University of Pennsylvania To learn more about Tom’s green initiatives and endeavors in sustainability from the ground up, visit www.upenn.edu/grid

Staff from Penn’s MES

Tom Brightman (Master of Environmental Studies ‘00) of Kennett Square, PA, first discovered the fragile nature of ecosystems while working as a fly fishing guide in Colorado. He joined the Colorado Division of Wildlife on a study about a nearby zinc mine’s impact on the local trout population. It was there he found his calling in regional ecology. Soon after, he enrolled in Penn’s MES program.

The multidisciplinary curriculum expanded Tom’s expertise in working with plant life, migratory species, sustainability and conservation. Now, as the Land Steward at Longwood Gardens, Tom works every day to educate visitors and students about what impacts their local landscape. He’s currently managing an innovative capital project that integrates meadow field planting and solar energy.

program are here to answer your questions face-to-face on the second Wednesday of each month.

Tom’s degree proved to be transformative, “I’m really glad I took on the Penn MES and was able to move into this field of endeavor,” he beams, “My work is as much of my passion as it is my work, and I’ve never really felt that before.

It makes coming to work every day very easy.”

Walk right in.

www.upenn.edu/grid

www.upenn.edu/grid

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@PENN_EES