Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.
When browsing through the several carts of fruit in Sharples, Swatties may have noticed the new selections of fruits this year, including fresh peaches, pears, and plums. What’s with all this new fruit?
The Gazette spoke to Linda McDougall of Dining Services about this new phenomenon. She explained that Sharples’ supplier is Beechwood Orchards, a local orchard in Biglerville, PA. She also conjectures that the Swarthmore Co-op in the Ville also has the same supplier and Beechwood also sells the same fruits at the Ville’s weekly Saturday farmer markets.
Sharples has different suppliers, including Noah Gress, Pete’s Produce, Four Seasons, and Night Owl. Out of environmental consciousness, these suppliers are from local farms and orchards. Has Sharples changed suppliers? The answer is no; Sharples simply buys fruit in season from local suppliers and delicious fruit like nectarines and plums are in season now.
In response to criticism about the ripeness of Sharples’ fruits, McDougall responds, “We get between 50-75 crates of fruit delivered a week and we do our best to go through the fruit but it is a massive quantity…can we guarantee that every piece of fruit that is put out will be ripe, probably not.”