I just unburied these old labels from 2021 as I was washing the bottom of the returned bottles pile!
Community Cultures’ old handwritten paper labels.
Labels of Love
Back in 2021 I created a Soda CSA–porch pickup and deliveries only, in typical pandemic fashion. The program allowed me to experiment, do R&D, play with flavor and local ingredients, and learn from my members’ occasional living room explosions. Two years later I popped up at the Bloomfield Market to sell these fermented sodas, with great support (aka free labor at the time) by my partner Jess Canose. Jess also brought the artistic flare that I didn’t have, with more appealing handwriting and an eye for design. Soon enough, by the end of 2023, we transitioned out of fully handwritten paper labels, into the bubbly blue stickers you see today.
Handwriting our flavors is a representation of our micro batches, commitment to the spontaneity of fermentation (I often don’t know my menu until the week of!), and ability to reuse labels and bottles more easily. It reduces waste, which we’re proud of. It’s also super tedious! Ensuring bottles are clean and sanitized, and labels are erased, entails hours of labor each week. We’re working on some new label designs to help highlight our variety of product offerings.
I want to highlight that this business is about breaking the mold (especially in the world of business) and seeing what is possible when preserving the seasons of our local landscape, while serving our community. How can we resist growth, while also making a living? This year we’ll be popping up at more markets and events, but we’re still committed to the craft of micro batches with fun, vibrant, seasonal flavors. Handwritten labels is part our brand (it’s not a hobby)…and it’s a labor of love 🥰
Very Fine New Wooden Shelves
New Display Shelves for Markets
Alsooo, check out these fine new shelves we have to display at the market. These are crafted by our talented friend Kyle @pondboy.pgh (they’re inspired by chicken of the woods mushrooms!!!). They’re also a reflection of how we value alternative economies, trading our knowledge and education for other skills and products within our community.
Returned Bottles Pile?
Our bottle recycling program allows us to recycle, reduce waste, and keep costs down. When you purchase a new flip-top bottle you own it. It’s then your decision: reuse the bottle on your own (hello fellow homebrewers!) or simply trade it back in for a “refill”, with a fresh, tasty fermented beverage inside. We encourage everyone to rinse the bottle before returning it to minimize the labor-intensive cleaning process on our end.
Come see us at the Market this year
We’re happy to announce that you can find our products at three markets this year! As always, you can find us weekly, every Saturday at Bloomfield Market. You can also find us occasionally, at least once a month at Squirrel Hill and Northside Markets. See the exact schedule on our products page here!
Community Cultures micro-batch fermented products on display at the Farmers Market.