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Linvilla’s compost-fueled crops | Inquirer Greater Media

Plus, a local resident is competing on “Wheel of Fortune.”

Chris Pieretti's Kitchen Harvest is turning organic waste into compost on the grounds of Linvilla Orchards.
Chris Pieretti's Kitchen Harvest is turning organic waste into compost on the grounds of Linvilla Orchards. Read moreJose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

Hi, Greater Media, and happy fall!

A partnership at Linvilla Orchards is turning local food waste into compost. Here’s a look at how it’s feeding area crops. Also this week, Riddle Surgical Center is among the busiest of its facility type in the region, a new indoor play place is now open, plus the final Dining Under the Stars of the season is on the horizon.

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What happens to banana peels, eggshells, coffee grounds, and other organic material when area residents are done with them?

In many cases, they end up in landfills, but thanks to an initiative by Kitchen Harvest at Linvilla Orchards, those same materials are being repurposed into compost. In turn, the nutrient-rich, soil-like product feeds Linvilla’s crops and enriches local gardens, creating a circular system.

Media became the first municipality to sign on with Kitchen Harvest five years ago, and Swarthmore has launched its own program with EZComposting since. (It’s currently seeking bids for next year’s contract.)

Composting is “becoming more a piece of the waste management strategy than just this kind of crunchy, environmental practice that I think people thought about it before,” the founder of one local composting company said.

The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner digs into how local companies and residents are diverting waste.

💡 Community news

  1. Riddle Surgical Center on the Riddle Hospital campus in Middletown Township is one of the 20 busiest surgical centers in the region, conducting 6,078 surgical visits last year, according to data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The Inquirer’s Harold Brubaker explains why surgery centers have seen a surge in popularity in recent years.

  2. Swarthmore College has renamed the former Trotter Hall and its lawn Edley-Morgan Hall and Edley-Morgan Lawn, respectively, recognizing two prominent Black scholars. The move comes about a year after Swarthmore removed former professor Spencer Trotter’s name after learning that he dug up a Native American burial ground in 1899 and displayed human remains on campus.

  3. Media resident Emily Higgins opened a new indoor play place in Chester Heights over the weekend. Located at 77 W. Baltimore Pike, Sprout City offers open play and classes for kids 6 and under and is modeled after a miniature city. It also has coworking spaces for parents.

  4. Longtime Delaware County resident Anthony “Tony” Oriente will compete on Wheel of Fortune tonight. Oriente, who lives in Media and works for the county as an assistant county clerk and administrative assistant, is no stranger to competition shows, having previously appeared on The Price is Right and Deal or No Deal.

  5. Aqua’s work on Providence Road between West Rose Valley and Chester Roads has returned to daytime hours after a brief overnight stint. Work will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is expected to continue into next year.

  6. Delaware County Health Department is kicking off its fall flu vaccination clinics tomorrow, with an event at Media Community Center from noon to 4 p.m.

  7. Delaware County Libraries is hosting a “Read at Rose Tree” event today from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Rose Tree Park, where residents can sprawl out with a book and sign up for a library card.

  8. A “Win Pigs Fly” lottery ticket worth nearly $245,000 was sold at the Acme in the Concordville Town Centre last week.

🗺️ Other nearby news

🏫 Schools briefing

  1. Nine local students have been named 2027 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists. In the Rose Tree Media School District, they are Penncrest High School students Owen Cummings and Amar Dhillon. In the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District, semifinalists are Lavanya Dixit, Madeline Garson, Franklin Griffin, Clark Kerkstra, Sophia Shao, Joy Yang, and Emily Zhang. (Clark Kerkstra’s father is an editor at this paper.)

  2. Indian Lane Elementary School principal Michelle Britton recently camped on the school’s roof after families exceeded the Bobcat Club Campaign fundraising goal, which supports the school, including the installation of a new mural in the library. See Fox 29’s Judayah Murray catch up with Britton, who was live from the roof.

🍽️ On our plate

  1. Make your reservations now — Wednesday is the final Dining Under the Stars for the 2026 season.

🎳 Things to do

🇬🇷 A Taste of Greece: The annual four-day festival returns, complete with Greek cuisine, music, and folk dancing. ⏰ Thursday, Sept. 24-Sunday, Sept. 27, times vary 💵 Pay as you go 📍 St. George Greek Orthodox Church, Media

🏚️ Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride: Get in the spooky season spirit as the local haunt kicks off its festivities. ⏰ Select days from Friday, Sept. 25-Sunday, Nov. 1, times vary 💵 Prices vary 📍 Bates Motel, Glen Mills

🍎 Apple Festival: Pick apples and get a taste of apple-flavored treats at this annual festival. ⏰ Saturday, Sept. 26, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. (Rain date: Sept. 27) 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Linvilla Orchards, Media

🏎️ Delco Downhill Derby: The second annual event will see homemade cars cruise down North Edgmont Street. (Take a look back at last year’s event.) ⏰ Saturday, Sept. 26, noon-5 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Media

👻 Invasion Vendor Market: Now in its third year, this Delco Horror Haven event features artisans, crafts, food trucks, and plenty of cosplayers. ⏰ Saturday, Sept. 26, noon-6 p.m. 💵 $5.72 📍 Media Borough Community Center

📈 Greater Media market report

  1. Median listing price: $727,500 (up $27,600 from July) 📈

  2. Median sold price: $649,500 (up $29,500 from July) 📈

  3. Days on the market: 32 (up five days from July) 📈

  1. Median listing price: $429,900 (up $54,900 from July) 📈

  2. Median sold price: $424,000 (up $59,000 from July) 📈

  3. Days on the market: 32 (down 10 days from July) 📉

  1. Median listing price: $450,000 (down $75,000 from July) 📉

  2. Median sold price: $560,000 (up $193,500 from July) 📈

  3. Days on the market: 31 (up six days from July) 📈

This Greater Media market report is published on a monthly basis. Above is data for August from realtor.com.

🗞️ What other Greater Media residents are reading this week:

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