2004-03-CCN

coop March 2004 / FREE

Annual Farm & Garden Issue •••• March is Co-op Member Appreciation Volume Discount Month see details inside

•••• Cover: Jimmy Pettit, erda Gardens ••••

connection

Nourishing New Mexico Since 1976

Farmscape Biodiversity:

Agriculture’s 21st Century

Challenge

by Dan Imhoff As this new century begins, the sustainable agriculture movement finds itself engaged in a thorough re-evaluation. A number of salient factors and influences are contributing to this. First is the burgeoning success of the organic movement, which, in its resistance to industrial systems and genetically modified crops, is heightening consumer awareness of the importance of on-farm diversity and closer partnerships between agriculture and nature. Another is the growing recognition of the roles that 20th century farming and ranching have played in the endangerment, not just of species, but of entire watersheds and ecosystems.

Land trust initiatives, landscape-scale conservation efforts (such as Y2Y), and site-specific habitat restoration programs are making it clear that our farms and ranches—which transform and domesticate vast amounts of native habitat and consume enormous quantities of water and resources—represent critical buffer zones and corridors that can interconnect wilderness areas. If the past century, then, has been focused on producing as much food and fiber as possible to accommodate an exploding human population, the next century’s focus must be on reconciling the extent to which agriculture can exist within healthy ecosystems.

Even for the organic farmer, this concept can be challenging, if not disturbing. Although the gains the organic movement has made in the past thirty years demonstrate that a farm is a

living organism beginning with healthy unpolluted soil, it is now clear that “purifying” operations within farm boundaries is not enough. And with its success, organic agriculture has evolved away from its back-to-the-land roots, becoming increasingly dominated by large-scale farming and distribution operations rather than local, community orientations. For agriculture to be truly sustainable, local ecosystems must be integrated farm-by-farm, creek-by-creek, prairie-by-prairie, maintaining habitat for the wide range of native species that have evolved there.

Healthy farms within decaying landscapes can offer only minimal value to local biodiversity. For that reason the sustainable agriculture movement has begun to look beyond farm boundaries to their respective bio-regions for road maps of the work to come.

River systems that once pulsed with the yearly migrations of salmon, for example, among the more immaculate manifestations of nature’s bounty, have been all but eradicated in farming regions throughout the country. “We must learn to treat this river as sacred,” a farmer recently said to me of his native Merced River, which connects coho and steelhead populations via the snowmelt of the California Sierra with the Pacific Ocean.

Such work can begin simply. A roadside or irrigation ditch revegetated with natives. Barn owl, bat, bluebird, and kestrel houses that compensate for lost roosting habitat. A tailwater or hill pond, which collects and filters agricultural irrigation and runoff, and at the same time creates a refuge for wetland species. continued on page 4

sunday april 18th 10:30am-6pm

Coming

Soon!

15th Annual

Celebrate the Earth!

It’s hard to believe that this is actually the 15th year of the Coop’s Celebrate the Earth Festival. From its humble beginnings with just a few organizations and crafts people set up around our little Coop, this beloved community event has mushroomed into one of the finest Earth Day celebrations in the region. Well over 100 environmental, social and economic justice organizations, farmers, gardeners, agricultural educators, artists, crafts people, performing artists and musicians from all over New Mexico fill the little block behind the Coop with the cooperative energy needed to manifest a shared vision of a better, environmentally and economically sustainable world.

Already we have numerous organizations reserving their space, including Rio Grande Community Farms, Master Gardeners of New Mexico, erda Gardens, Amigos Bravos, New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, Hawkwatch, New Mexico Solar Energy Association, The Vegetarian Society, The Veggie Car — Bio-diesel for the Future, The New Mexico Organic Livestock Cooperative, The Sierra Club, Cuidandos Los Ninos, the New Mexico Organic Commodities Commission, Citizens for Alternatives To Radioactive Dumping, Plants of the Southwest and many, many more.

The entertainment schedule is also shaping up nicely, Look for great local bands including the country blues of Alpha Blue, Jasper (a reincarnation of Stove with old and new friends), Dancing Horse Drum Group, the inspired dancing of Eva

Encinias-Sandoval’s Alma Flamenca, and some exciting performing artists still to be confirmed. As always there will be fine local artists and crafts people and great Coop food.

A Festival First This year it is with great pleasure that we welcome the participation of our neighbors and good friends at Immanuel Presbyterian Church. Located just across Carlisle from the Coop, for years they have allowed us to use their meeting space for our Board meetings, annual membership gatherings and been wonderful supportive neighbors in every way. Now we are pleased to be able to partner with them and expand our festival across the street to include this important neighborhood organization. We are pleased to announce that in conjunction with the Celebrate the Earth Fest, the Church will be offering a free classical concert by the Symphony Orchestra of Albuquerque, at 2pm and a variety of children’s activities in front of the main Carlisle Street entrance.

For the past 15 years, in keeping with the cooperative philosophy of continuous education and concern for community, we have been pleased to offer this free street festival. It is a great opportunity for us to educate one another on a variety of important issues and support each other’s work, as together we cooperate to manifest a shared vision of a sustainable world, and a strong local community. Mark your calendar so you’re sure not to miss this beloved community event, La Montanita Coop’s 15th Annual Celebrate the Earth Festival. And remember parking is tight so please bike or hike to the site If you are a non-profit environmental social or economic justice organization, New Mexican farmer, gardener or agricultural organization and want to reserve your free space please contact Robyn at 217-0107.

farming & gardening A Community - Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store La Montanita Cooperative Nob Hill 3500 Central S.E. Albuq., NM 87106 265-4631 Valley 2400 Rio Grande Blvd.

Albuq., NM 87104 242.8800 Administrative Staff: General Manager: C.E. Pugh ce@lamontanita.com/265-4631 Store Team Leaders: Michelle Franklin/Nob Hill 265-4631 John Mulle/Valley 242-8800 Accounting/Toni Fragua 217-0108 Computers/Info Technology/ Ahmed Elmaghlawi 232-8202 Human Resources/Sharrett Rose 217-0105 Marketing/Edite Cates 217-0106 Membership/Robyn Seydel 217-0107 Co-op fax line: 217-0104 or 265-6470

Permaculture

by Adam Trujillo New Mexico is at the heart of a revolution. The new green revolution has begun with a common view and practices that will provide food and fiber that are economically sound, environmentally wise and socially and culturally appropriate now and into the future. Sustainability of natural resources and our own connection with the Earth improve with the practice of Permaculture. “Permanent Agriculture” is the conscious design and maintenance of cultivated ecosystems, which have the diversity, stability and resilience of natural ecosystems. It is the harmonious integration of landscape, people and appropriate technologies, providing goods, shelter, energy and other needs in a sustainable way. Permaculture is a philosophy and an approach to land use which works with natural rhythms and patterns, weaving together the elements of microclimate, annual and perennial plants, animals, water, soil management, and human needs into intricately connected and productive communities.

being subject to varying inland climatic patterns due to dramatic mountain ranges and complicated geomorphology.

The pattern that many hydrologists and climatologists suggest is governance of our consumption. This can be done by various means: “gray water” systems, rainwater catchments or drought tolerant plant species. Two other sources of energy in New Mexico are sun and wind. By taking advantage of these forces, we can harvest and store amazing amounts of energy and build our communities with a more “earth cultural” mindset.

Traditions Converge In New Mexico there is a rich legacy of profound human interconnection with the land and its blessings of food plants. The native peoples of this region hold an intimate connection with the land and plant life. When the Spanish arrived in the 15th century they brought with them their own plants and practices, and when the Anglos arrived later

Co-op Board of Directors: President: Pat Janney Vice President: Marshall Kovitz Treasurer: Ken O’Brien Secretary: Julie Hicks Lon Calanca Eric Chrisp John Kwait Trout Rogers Martha Whitman Store Hours: Nob HIll Mon. thru Sat.: 7a.m. to 10p.m.

Sunday: 8a.m. to 10p.m.

Valley Mon. thru Sat.: 7a.m. to 10p.m.

Sunday: 8a.m. to 10p.m.

heart of a revolution

Membership Costs: $12 for 1 year $200 Lifetime Membership

Permaculture is a philosophy and an approach to land use which works with natural rhythms and patterns.

Co-op Connection Staff: Managing Editor: Robyn Seydel Layout and Design: foxyrock inc Advertising: Robyn Seydel Printing: Vanguard Press Membership information is available at the Co-op, 3500 Central S.E. (Nob Hill location), or 2400 Rio grande Blvd. N.W. (Valley location) Membership response to the newsletter is appreciated.

Address typed, double-spaced copy to the Managing Editor, memb@lamontanita.com email: bod@lamontanita.com website: www.lamontanita.org Copyright © 2004 La Montanita Co-op Supermarket Reprints by prior permission.

The Co-op Connection is printed on 65% post consumer recycled paper. It is recyclable.

The Co-op Connection is published by La Montanita Co-op Supermarket to provide information on La Montanita Co-op Supermarket, the cooperative movement, food, nutrition, and community issues. Opinions expressed herein are of the authors and are not necessarily those of the newletters or the Co-op.

CO-OP YOU OWN IT

All living systems are centered around energy flow. The existing energetic forces in the high desert of New Mexico, sun, rain, wind, humans, and money act through systems; whether that system is a garden, a family or a business. In a permaculture system, position interconnects elements in the system into beneficial relationships. When designed correctly, such a system will become, like a natural ecosystem, increasingly diverse and self-sustaining. Permaculture is based on three ethics: Care of the Earth, Care of the People and Setting limits to population and consumption. By governing our own needs, we can set resources aside to further the first two principles.

S

uccessful permaculture systems have three guiding principles that have proven successful. The first principle is that each element must perform multiple functions within the system. An example would be the cherry tree outside a home in the valley. The small tree bears fruit or a cash crop, the rotten cherries fall or get eaten by birds, spreading the fruit and also fertilizing the ground for the berries that grow in the shade. The twigs are used for kindling in the winter and the leaves act as mulch in the compost pile. The second principle is that each desired function is supported by multiple elements (shade is provided). Lastly, interconnectivity is vital. The susceptibility and output of a New Mexican permaculture system is not dependent on the number of elements, but rather the number of varied exchanges. Think about the diversity and richness of an old growth forest versus that of a monoculture tree farm.

Water is the dominant energy theme in dryland permaculture design. New Mexico and the Colorado Plateau have water resources that are being diminished at astonishing rates and the “ownership” of that water is being disputed with ever increasing fervor. When we take a step back from the water crisis and evaluate the sources of water and the lasting climatic and geographic patterns of our state, a drought should be no surprise. Water system quantity fluctuates dramatically in the high altitude deserts of the world,

they transported many botanical allies as well as foes. These traditions converged to form a rich and unique legacy, which serves as a primary source of health and healing.

At the heart of is the profound reservoir of indigenous knowledge, gleaned from millennia of living in intimate relationship with the natural world. Throughout the year ceremonial dances and rituals celebrate the gifts of the earth, giving thanks for corn, beans, seeds, rain and the mysterious tapestry of sacred relationships that sustain human beings and all life. Modern agribusiness built an industry based on the use of packaged hybrid seeds and toxic chemicals. The restoration of Native food plant and cultural heritage will be a difficult task, and is necessary for the evolution of permaculture design. We must use innovative, viable models for environmental restoration and implement them at the same level of importance as other political endeavors.

P

ermaculture is about understanding our human relationship to place; it is about being attached, connected, and belonging to the essence of these natural places and the delicate environmental balance. The cycles of energy to matter and matter to energy, and of birth, death and rebirth are ongoing. A slender thread binds the weave tight in the intricate, mysterious fabric of life, and yet we have been blindly unraveling the tapestry of creation. As we strain to find the limits of the natural world, we can no longer escape the knowledge that we are inseparable from our surroundings and that our fates are the same.

Permaculture principles are being used on every continent except for Antarctica. Design solutions exist worldwide for every environment and technological, social and economic needs can be modeled on natural systems.

Adam Trujillo is the owner of New Mexico Roots Down Permaculture, a family-owned business that does permaculture design landscaping.

Meet Adam and discuss permaculture at the 15th Annual Celebrate the Earth Festival, April 18 at your Co-op!

cover photos by Edite Cates

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march 2004

farming & gardening

Getting Back to Our Roots...

Caring for Our Elder Trees

by Eric Bishop Why do trees often fail in our landscapes? Are we loosing our mature shade trees to old age? Do boring insects prefer older trees? As an arborist I’m called to answer these questions hundreds of times a year. Most often tree care providers are called out to provide a service to a tree’s canopy, such as pruning to improve structure, pruning to remove deadwood, etc. A great deal of time and attention is given to caring for our trees’ canopy, yet their subsurface portion, constituting about 25% of a tree’s entire dry mass, is often overlooked.

The health of the canopy’s counterpart, the tree’s root system, is crucial so that it may provide the tree with water and nutrients for photosynthesis above. Knowing how tree roots grow and where they claim residence in your landscape is an important first step to proper tree care. Watering, fertilization, and soil improvements are optimized with a working knowledge of tree roots.

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ore than a few times now, I’ve been called out to look at someone’s tree that “the borers are killing.” A quick inspection of the tree and general site and several common, tell-tale flags go up. Ends of tree limbs, dead, protrude from a ‘fuzzy’ looking interior canopy. Remnants of a discontinued lawn, a recently xeriscaped yard, evidence of excavating, trenching, and other disturbances to the tree’s root zone tell a more com-

proper watering and mulching. Cutting edge treatments such as growth regulators and biostimulants may also provide some hope if used appropriately.

• Consider the needs of your established trees in the planning process, prior to re-landscaping— especially if your goal is to reduce water use.

Remove turf grass in the winter months taking care not to desiccate exposed tree roots during summer heat. Use composted organic mulch as an alternative to rock for landscape dressings.

• Provide adequate irrigation. Water should be delivered so that as much surface area as possible within the tree’s drip line and beyond can receive periodic deep soaking. Soaker hoses and in line drip tubing facilitates this nicely, especially if covered by mulch to control evaporation. Allowing some shallow drying of the soil will help draw much needed oxygen to tree roots.

• Consider root treatments such as those described above for damage control, between prunings, as part of your trees regular care regime. Periodic vertical mulching can be a good

Knowing how tree roots grow and where they claim residence in your landscape is an important first step to proper tree care. pelling story. Contrary to myth, tree roots don’t often seek great depth, nor do they simply stop at the edge of the canopy. They grow out to gain surface area and may claim an area three times the diameter of the tree’s canopy. In fact, feeder roots, comprising 75% or more of the root system, lay twelve inches or shallower within the soil profile. Trees have evolved this root structure over millennia to best acquire water, oxygen, and the mineral and organic constituents needed in the chemistry of photosynthesis, the miracle by which plants produce energy from sunlight. Many of the first home owners in the Univesity, Nob Hill and Ridgecrest areas began their landscapes when water usage was mostly a non-issue, so trees and lawn got plenty. Years go by and trees within this regime grow reasonably well. A decade or two later ownership of the property may change. The care the lawn receives often dictates how the tree will fare, since its roots co-mingle with grass roots, occupying the same area. Unknown to most of us, they endure numerous assaults to their roots. Tree roots that initially grew where water was relatively plentiful, over a large area that turf occupied, die back as watering habits change or lawns are discontinued. Roots are further damaged as new sewer or gas lines are trenched in, sidewalks and driveways are mended and replaced, and as changing water concerns demand water conservation within our landscapes. The stresses that trees endure tend to be cumulative over time, predisposing the tree to other ailments, pests, and an early demise.

way to break up compacted root zone, aerate soil, and apply fertilizer to tree roots.

• Use chemical control of insects sparingly. Know that insects are more often attracted to stressed trees, and often predate on trees whose vigor has succumbed to accumulated stresses to the point where death may be imminent regardless. A holistic approach to insect control may be viable if decline is not too severe. Healthy trees are capable of employing numerous defense mechanisms to protect against insects.

• Know your limitations. Declining/decaying trees may become hazardous to life and property and may be beyond saving — deal with them

appropriately. Consider the site as well. There are many large shade trees around town growing in spaces too small to sustain them. Match the site with an appropriate specimen — and look up! Overhead utility lines may dictate height restrictions.

• Plant Sustainably. Continuation of our urban forest depends on keeping trees alive and healthy through their maturity. Under the worst circumstances, improper planting can doom a tree to living less than 10% of its genetic potential. Plant trees at proper depth — not too deep — the trunk as it flares to form the roots should be visible above ground. Remove burlap, wire baskets and cut girdling roots, so that your tree may extend new roots into the surrounding soil easily. Again, irrigate properly. Those little flag emitters everyone uses at the tree’s stem are inadequate to provide water beyond the first and second years after planting. Consider spreading drip irrigation out away from the trunk progressively as the tree grows, anticipating the size of the canopy at maturity, while coaxing roots to extend outward there by, more effectively mining the soil.

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s a final note, remember, most trees have the potential to live longer lives than our own. Unlike ourselves, they are unable to move about to acquire the resources needed for survival. Hence, they have evolved strategies to store energy and water reserves to weather hard times. This accounts for the subtle expression of decline that may go unnoticed for many years. Human life by contrast tends to be highly transitory. We could surmise that in our faster paced lifestyle, we tend toward a narrower perspective of life. Much of what stands in the way of a sustainable urban forest is our inability to view trees in their entirety — their roots, trunk, limbs, and leaves as they comprise an entire organism — our lack of understanding that tree success depends on numerous relationships with its surrounding environment and the web of life intermingled with its own, and perhaps, our insistence that trees serve and function within the confines of the human lifespan.

Eric Bishop is a member of the International Society of Arboriculture, a certified arborist and owner of Eric’s Tree Care in Albuquerque.

So how can we enhance the health of our trees in a seemingly hostile urban forest? Here are some considerations: • Avoid damaging tree roots! This may seem to restate the obvious, but considering the frequency in which root damage initiates tree decline, it’s worth a second mention. No trenching, roto-tilling, extensive excavation, removal or addition of soil to the original grade should be performed within a trees drip line if at all possible.

• If damage has occurred, consider treatments that may remediate root damage. Options include; vertical mulching, radial trenching,

5th Annual Valley Garden Party Sat. May 1 BEDDING PLANTS, ORGANIC & LOCALLY GROWN NATIVE PLANTS, HERBS, GARDENING INFO & EDUCATION, MUSIC BY TERRA PLENA & OTHER LOCAL MUSICIANS, FOOD & MORE

ALL AT YOUR FRIENDLY NORTH VALLEY COOP!

enhance the h e a l t h of your trees

ON RIO GRANDE AT MATTHEW

march 2004

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farming & gardening Healing not Hacking: Proper Pruning

by Corva Rose Correct pruning of trees and shrubs has a significant impact on their future growth, and is one of the main factors that influence a plant’s longevity. We may hear this fact over and over, however, and still not have a clear idea what “correct pruning” truly is.

Like many ancient skills, pruning is part science and part art. Quality pruning incorporates plant biology, growth habits, and tree development into the aesthetic principles of pruning and training. As we know, one doesn’t need to be either elf or tree specialist to notice that there are many examples of bad hair in the trees and shrubs of our fair city. I do believe that raising the collective consciousness surrounding both the art and the science of pruning will greatly increase the health of our urban forest.

Here are some consciousness-raising tips: Some brief and basic biology: Incorrect pruning cuts can injure trees permanently, making them vulnerable to stressors such as insect damage and disease. This fact alone can motivate us to understand how trees function and what they need to thrive. Starting at the roots, we can become appreciative of the part of the tree which we do not see. The roots produce some of the growth regulators (hormones) needed by the tree, and send these, along with water and nutrients, upward through cellular structures called xylem.

Up in the leaves, photosynthesis occurs, transforming light energy into chemical energy. The sugars that are formed (energy), along with hormones and proteins, are moved around the plant in a series of living cells called phloem tubes, located just inside the cambium layer, near the bark. Thanks to these phloem tubes, energy can be stored all over the plant, including the roots, in the form of starch. This is important to know, because when any amount of a tree or shrub is removed, the plant is losing both stored energy (in the form of starch) and photosynthesizing potential (in the form of leaves). Thus, it is important to remove only what is necessary to invigorate a plant and help create a good struc-

ture. Injury to trees and plants, removing too much mass at once, and “topping” trees can severely disrupt the essential process of creating and storing energy, making much-needed reserves unavailable to the plant.

How plants heal: When a tree or shrub loses a branch, or is injured, it doesn’t truly “heal” the way we normally think, but rather compartmentalizes, creating boundaries around the wound.

This cellular process halts the loss of normal wood function, and resists the spread of discoloration and decay. Thus, the healthy tissue is separated from decayed tissue. Trees and shrubs will always strive to compartmentalize around a wound, whether the wound is a correctly-made cut, or simply an injury. The difference is that a proper cut compartmentalizes more efficiently. At the base of a branch, where it joins to the trunk or larger branch, there often appears a distinct swelling, called the branch collar. The collar contains trunk tissue as well as branch tissue, combined in a more-or-less overlapping fashion. At the base of the branch, hidden within the collar, is a thin zone of starch-rich tissue (called the branch protection zone) whose job it is to slow the spread of discoloration and decay. This bit of science is so important because it is vital that when branches are pruned, the collar must not be damaged or removed, as in a “flush cut.” If cuts do not compartmentalize well, decay can often make its way to the heartwood and then to the roots, creating instability. In addition, the tree becomes vulnerable to disease, insect infestation, and drought.

As we can see, trees and shrubs have specialized tissues that are adapted to particular functions.

The vascular system transports nutritive fluid throughout the body of the plant. The compartmentalizing tissue halts decay from spreading, when a branch is removed. With increased understanding, we will better care for the plants in our landscapes, which will translate as a healthier ecosystem for all of us.

Farmscape Biodiversity Continued from page 1 Livestock that are fenced out or intensely managed near streams. Other efforts can comprise a larger sweep of a landscape: restoring the natural cycles of flood and channel migration to a river system; creating a functional buffer that connects an interstitial farming region to larger wilderness areas; returning an entire area to its previous selfwilled state; or reintroducing threatened species.

While the costs of these efforts cannot be minimized—and in fact must be addressed by us as a culture dependent upon food, fiber, and healthy ecosystems and communities—the benefits to more integrated farming and ranching systems must also begin to be both qualified and quantified. The agricultural services of pollinating and predatory insects harbored in shelterbelts, hedgerows, and riparian set-asides is being documented. The facts that hundreds of rodent skulls can be cleaned from a single owl box during the eight-week brooding season, or that the average brown-eared bat consumes some 600 insects per hour, should pique our curiosity toward working with, rather than against natural forces. The response of fish populations or the recovery of the water table or the halt of streambank erosion could act as functional milestones to riparian restoration efforts.

Beyond monetary and efficiency benefits, larger issues are at play, and these are themes that we human cultures will perpetually struggle with.

Questions such as what it means to have a sustainable society, what our ultimate responsibility as stewards entails, whether vital communities within healthy bioregions can coexist in the face of global, industrial, corporate dominance. Urgent choices need to be made between farming and the

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wild, between communities and commodities, between minimalist monocultures and evolutionary biodiversity. These concepts are fodder for reinventing agriculture in the 21st century. Not everyone will agree on methodology, scale, or technique. But if one looks toward the possibilities, a new vision unfolds, one that offers enormous challenges but also immeasurable gains.

In response to these challenges, The Wild Farm Alliance (WFA) was established in 2000 to create a comprehensive approach to biodiversity and ecological recovery by working within and beyond agriculturally managed lands to connect and buffer fragmented wildlands. We are serving as a clearinghouse, building upon current knowledge, forging new alliances, promoting market-based incentives, educating consumers, and initiating working models for farming with the wild. The WFA welcomes the opportunity to collaborate and dialog with organizations and individuals working to reconnect our food systems with natural ecosystems, and believes this represents one of the greatest challenges and opportunities before us.

Dan Imhoff is a co-founder of the Wild Farm Alliance and of Watershed Media, which has published Farming with Wild.

For more information, contact: Jo Ann Baumgartner, Wild Farm Alliance 406 Main Street, Suite 213 Watsonville, CA 95076 1.831.761.8408 wildfarms@earthlink.net

Reprinted with permission from Environmental Grantmakers Association, Fall 2001.

march 2004

farming & gardening Master Gardeners: Here to Help You!

by Joran Viers Thirty-some years ago, in Washington state, the Master Gardener program was born. This volunteer service grew out of public demand for good gardening advice, a demand that outstripped the supply of people able to give such advice. Since its inception, the program has spread across the country and around the world!

The Albuquerque Area Extension Master Gardeners are a group of volunteers who provide horticultural information and recommendations to the public, free of charge. The Master Gardeners provide this service as volunteers to the Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service, a branch of New Mexico State University. Master Gardeners receive an intensive short-course on horticulture, from basic sciences that relate to gardening (soils, botany, entomology, etc.) through specific topics like xeriscaping, selection of trees appropriate to the area, container gardening, permaculture and many more. This information comes from New Mexico State University, our state's Land Grant college; as well as other local experts. For this year's training program see the class schedule at the end of this article. To sign up for individual classes on a day-by-day basis, come to the Albuquerque Garden Center (10120 Lomas NE) at 8am on that Tuesday, and pay ten dollars. There are two morning sessions and one afternoon session each Tuesday.

The Master Gardener's volunteer service takes many forms. The most visible is the Master Gardener hotline (292-7144), set up to take phone calls from residents with gardening questions. This hotline is staffed from February 1 through October 31, 9:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Call us if you're stumped!

Just a few of the other volunteer projects that Master Gardeners work on include: staffing tables at public libraries on Saturday mornings to answer gardening questions; maintaining an educational organic demonstration garden in conjunction with Rio Grande Farms; helping plan, plant and care for raised-bed gardens for residents of Los Palomas Nursing Home; and working with youth at Sunflower Camp, a garden and plant-related camp. Call 243-1386 and ask for Joran if you want more information on these and other volunteer projects. The list goes on, but you get the point! Master Gardeners are dedicated to pro-

viding good gardening information to the public, and that means you!

More volunteers are always needed, and if you have some time and interest we encourage you to consider joining the Albuquerque Area Extension Master Gardeners. To become a Master Gardener, you will need to take the training course. Call Joran Viers, Extension Horticulture Agent with Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension, at 243-1386, to find out more. If you or your organization would like to have a speaker on a horticultural topic, or have a plant clinic at an event, please contact Joran at the number above.

In addition, the Cooperative Extension Service has all types of information and programs for county residents. These include horticultural and agricultural topics, home economics, youth programs, nutrition programs, and much more. Check out our web page at http://cahe.nmsu. edu/bernalillo/ for more information.

Master Gardener Classes: 3/2/04: Vegetables • Drip Irrigation • Composting & Mulches 3/9/04: Trees & Shrubs • Fruits • Nuts & Grapes • Organic Fruit Production 3/16/04: Conifers • Tree Pest Management •

Container Gardening 3/23/04: Xeriscape Principles & Plants • Landscape Irrigation • Permaculture 3/30/04: Perennials • Annuals • Herbs & Bulbs • Growing Herbs 4/6/04: Turfgrass Establishment & Maintenance • Ornamental Grasses • New Plants and Plants for Hard-toPlant Places For More Information Contact Joran Viers, Extension Horticulture Agent, Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service 1510 Menaul St. NW Albuquerque, NM 87107 (505) 243-1386

Rio Grande Community Farms Connecting people, food and public land by: • • • •

demonstrating sustainable urban agriculture and community security creating education and training opportunities celebrating the traditions and culture of agriculture and providing urban widlife habitat

Community Garden plots 5 ft. by 80 ft. are available for an annual rental fee of $75.

Call 345-4580. Water, some seeds and educational support provided.

Humus: the Lifeblood of the Soil Robust, productive soil is made up of about 50% air and water, 45% inorganic materials from rock fragments, and 5% organic matter, or ‘humus’. Long ago, before mankind’s extensive manifestations upon the earth, virgin soil contained an average of 4-5% humus. The average now in this country is about 1.5% or less. Without organic matter, the soil is hard and compacted and cannot hold air and water. In compacted soil the water content nears 30%, and the inorganic mineral content increases to 68%.

As much as half this mineral content is due to chemical fertilizer residues that have built up in harmful quantities. Chemicals from fertilizers and pesticide sprays (which are washed into the soil by rain etc. and make their way into the plants that grow in it) thus disrupt soil balance more and more over the long term.

Fertile soil is a living, breathing medium. Poor soil can be made into a healthy growing medium by adding lots of humus – compost, animal manure, cover crops (such as clover, alfalfa, buckwheat) turned under, heavy mulches, and the proper amount of organic minerals, such as rock phosphate, blood meal, etc. (a soil test can help determine the proper amount and type of minerals needed).

Humus could be seen as the fiber and nutrients of the soil diet. The fiber provides a structural strength, by forming aggregates of soil particles that cling together and give each other strength to resist compacting, and provide space for air and water. Humus feeds the beneficial soil bacteria and fungi which create a nurturing environment for plant growth. Earthworms tunnel through the humus, digesting it and aerating the soil.

Humus stores nutrients such as nitrogen (N) (sources of this include manure, green wastes, etc.); phosphate (P) (sources include phosphate rock powder, bone meal, etc.); and potassium (K) (sources include granite dust, kelp meal, wood ashes). Nitrogen stimulates plant growth above

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the ground (leaves, etc.); phosphorous provides for strong roots, fruit development, resistance to disease; potassium helps develop strong plants that can adapt to changing conditions. These need to be in certain proportions in order to support the growth of particular plants. Growth of beets can be enhanced with a higher proportion of phosphate, whereas beet greens will grow better with a higher proportion of nitrogen. Too much of any can be a problem, such as very green (fresh) manure, which contains so much nitrogen that it would burn young plants (instead, use old manure broken up in water, or turn under green manure/cover crops in late fall or late winter to give them time to break down).

In nature, the cycle of the seasons contributes to the formation of humus: while the growing energy of plants rests in winter, the leaves and twigs which have fallen in autumn begin to break down and combine with animal droppings, receiving a soaking with snow and rain, in time creating a rich carpet of humus.

To create your own humus, start with compost.

Save weeds, grass clippings, leaves, kitchen scraps (nothing greasy). Layer this with manure, kelp, organic minerals (manure helps it break down faster). Situate the compost pile in a sunny spot, keep it moist, turn it now and then, and cover it.

The compost needs to reach hot enough temperatures (131-170 F. for 3 days) to kill weed seeds and pathogens; the heat also helps it to decompose.

There should be no odor if the heat is adequate, the materials are correct (no fats, enough green wastes—about 60%), the pile is large enough (at least 4x4x4 ft), the moisture is appropriate (a handful squeezed yields a few drops), and aeration from turning is adequate. The compost is finished when it is dark and crumbly and you don’t recognize what you put in. Once a healthy soil process is established, there will be much less maintenance needed in succeeding years.

by Mary Grube Sources: Grow Your Own by Jean Darlington, NM Organic Farming and Gardening Expo, Dr. Ron Godin, CSU

5

co-op news Cooperative Principals Prevail As you may have heard recently, a group of Co-op employees initiated a campaign to unionize with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM). But on February 2, the union withdrew its petition for representation with the National Labor Relations Board due to a lack of employee support.

Now that the legal constraints of the campaign have been lifted, we have the opportunity to analyze the campaign, learn from what has occurred, and speak freely with one another about it so that we can all benefit from the experience.

On December 16, the General Manager informed the Board of Directors that an effort to establish a union was under way. This news was a surprise because a recent staff survey had indicated general job satisfaction at the Co-op, and no recent grievances had been filed under the existing written grievance procedures. In addition, the Co-op was experiencing renewed financial success under the new leadership of the General Manager, after increased corporate competition proved financially challenging for several quarters. Nevertheless, reports about the union effort indicated that some staff felt board beat they didn’t have a voice, and that their only recourse was to unionize.

The Board and Management knew that the IAM would try to convince the employees to join the union, which is their right. The Board could not reasonably expect the IAM to tell the employees about the potential drawbacks to unionization (such as the possibility that unionization could bring us into conflict with cooperative principle #4, Autonomy and Independence). The Board strongly believed that the employees should have the opportunity to choose to unionize or not unionize. But, if the employees were to make this important decision, then they had the right to be fully informed.

Therefore, the Board directed the General Manager to offer information to the employees that must be “based on education and information; not ideology, fear or distortion.”

15th Annual Celebrate the Earth Day! April 18th 10:30-6pm

(505)

344-2111

fax: (505) 343-9397

I

B.W E A .

R

lath

1. Voluntary and open membership.

2. Democratic member control.

3. Member economic participation.

4. Autonomy and Independence.

5. Education, Training, and Information.

6. Cooperation among cooperatives.

7. Concern for the community.

La Montanita has dedicated itself to meeting not only the letter but also the spirit of these cooperative principles. Voluntary and open membership means we cannot exclude anyone, regardless of race, religion, politics or number of members.

Inevitably, our co-op has grown to serve thousands more people in our community than ever before.

With that growth have come changes and challenges. What hasn’t changed is our dedication to the cooperative principles. We have expressed our concern for the community by supporting local and organic producers. We consistently contribute to numerous community organizations to enhance the quality of life for others; and we continue to seek new ways to educate our members and the community on important and pertinent issues. We are also very involved in regional and national cooperative programs and associations, providing important leadership for them. The staff of La Montanita has made us what we are today and they deserve the best we can give them. We believe that by living in accordance with the cooperative principles and being a viable example of the cooperative, alternative economic model, we will do just that.

We hope that interest in the Co-op extends far beyond the recent union issue, and extend a warm invitation to all members who would like to become more involved in their co-op. Our Board meetings have always been open to the membership. We meet on the third Tuesday of every month at 5:30 p.m. at the Immanuel Presbyterian Church.

We also have regularly scheduled committee meetings and their dates are also listed in our newsletter’s Calendar of Events. Two committees that might be of particular interest these days are our Social Responsibility Committee and Member Linkage Committee. Please join us!

The members of the Board of Directors

Letter to the Editor:

at the Nob Hill C O - O P !

natural, gympsum & clay plasters cement stucco

Some meeting participants expressed concern about the General Manager’s hiring of a consultant, and use of the consultant’s printed materials.

Several spoke in support of the staff’s request of management to provide equal time for the union’s side. Management subsequently held a meeting allowing the union to speak to employees while they were on the clock, something unheard of in any corporate setting. Another issue raised at the meeting was the salary scale. Management had already begun to analyze salary levels before the union petition had been filed. However, they were unable to bring up this issue during the campaign because it could have been perceived as a “promise,” which is prohibited under Federal guidelines. In continuing to evaluate the process, the Board’s agenda includes the following: • Grievance policies will be examined and improved.

• The Board will play a role in ensuring salaries are regularly examined.

• The Board will examine ways to improve GM / Board communication.

Some members voiced concern that La Montanita appeared to no longer be a co-op. This concern can only be addressed by considering what it means to be a cooperative. The La Montanita Board of Directors operates on the philosophy that a cooperative is an organization that abides by the seven, internationally recognized principles of co-operation. These principles are:

Coming Soon!

Donna Earp

The Board’s next general meeting attracted dozens of members, non-members, local activists, union representatives, and employees—some agreed with unionization, some disagreed, others were unsure. Rarely has the member comment period portion of our meetings been so lively, informative, and well-attended. It was the type of event that could only occur at a co-operativelyowned entity, like ours.

march 2004 6

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& p last bond ed & er insur licen ed se # 61

038

This is to describe just one of many inspiring and horizon-extending experiences at the NM Organic Farming and Gardening Expo. At lunch, a group of Navajos told about how, with a grant administered under the Navajo Agricultural Technology Empowerment Center, they started an organic community farm near Winslow, AZ. They are using dryland farming methods — some fields rely solely on rain and snowmelt for water, others have a drip system (for which they haul water from a stream). Part of the way this works is through using adapted seeds — seeds from plants grown in drylands (seeds from other environments will not

grow with this method). Families can also have plots of land and grow their food and learn dryland farming. All the food is distributed to the community and/or surplus is sold at farmers’ markets. They have had programs where adolescents can be in charge of caring for farm animals, and can learn about roping cattle, etc. This comes from the original practices of indigenous agriculture, which is more about sustainability and sharing within families. Farm operational data will be provided to Navajo communities via their internet site (www.dineinc.org/community_foods.htm).

Mary Grube

MARCH IS MEMBER APPRECIATION WATCH YOUR MAIL BOX FOR YOUR VOLUME DISCOUNT SHOPPING POSTCARD! Bring it in and at your convenience receive a Member Appreciation Volume Discount Any Day in March Purchases from $00.00- $29.99 5% Discount • Purchases from $30.00- $79.99 10% Discount • Purchases from $$80.00 and over 15% Discount

SPEND MORE &SAVE $$

Good on all Co-op products at either location. Membership Appreciation Volume Discount cannot be added to any other Membership Participation (18%) Discount, Special Order Discount, or any other Discount.

To receive and use the postcard your membership must be current. Join or renew today and get your Volume Discount Postcard with your new member cards

VOLUME DISCOUNT MONTH!

co-op news

march 2004 7

General Manager’s Column I am sure we will make changes to our grievance policies, as what we currently have did not work.

We will see what suggestions the staff may have for this and set it up to work for them. It is their grievance policy, not management’s. I also anticipate changes in our meeting practices. Inviting staff to join us at the monthly leadership team meetings was not effective as no one ever came. We also asked staff to submit any concerns in writing for these meetings if they did not feel comfortable attending, but we had none submitted. I think requiring regular department meetings will help the communication the inside scoop flow — we have had these, Our wage grid was adjusted but very sporadically. Again, on March 1st to reflect changes in the Albuquerque we will see what suggestions come out of the staff market. We made these adjustments based on the meetings we have scheduled.

New Mexico Department of Labor’s annual wage survey. These adjustments were previously sched- Our business continues to enjoy strong growth uled to take place in January, but legal constraints and we greatly appreciate this support from the due to the union’s campaign prevented us from communities we serve. Watch for our Member making any changes during that time. We are also Appreciation Volume Discount postcard and looking at a staff gain-sharing program where staff Cooperative Grocers Associations’ Coupon book participates more directly in the financial improve- in your mailboxes this month. We continue to ments we are able to generate. Several co-ops are work to improve our service and value to you and using this program as is Whole Foods and I believe we hope you will share with us any ideas you may it has great merit. This concept will be explored have to help us accomplish this. with staff in our meetings to see what, if any, inter- Sincerely, C.E. Pugh est staff has in such a program.

(505) 265-4631 ce@lamontanita.com The Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union withdrew their petition for representation of La Montanita’s staff on Monday, 2/02/04 due to lack of support from the staff. As a result no election was held. For several days prior, Union representatives and supporters had gone door-to-door at staff member’s homes soliciting signatures to indicate a yes vote and were unable to get the number needed for the union to proceed with the election. We are now soliciting input from our staff on what changes they would like to see made and have scheduled a series of meetings with the staff to begin this work.

The Liquid Vegetable Guayakí Yerba Maté is a nutritious beverage from South America that has been revered for centuries for providing sustained energy and health. Guayakí offers 100% organic, rainforest and shade-grown premium quality yerba maté.

Yerba maté is renowned for its staggering list of health benefits with 196 active compounds: A, C, E and B vitamins; the minerals calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium and selenium; 11 polyphenols – powerful antioxidants that are currently undergoing exciting studies for anti-cancer effects.

Maté is high in chlorophyll giving additional antioxidant power to this amazing herb. Yerba maté can boast higher polyphenol and antioxidant counts than either green or black teas, already popular with the health-conscious consumers.

Guayakí uses the whole plant, hand picking only the healthiest yerba maté leaves (for strength) and stems (for energy and sweetness). The bundles are then passed over an open fire to fire-cure or flashheat the leaves and stop oxidation. ALL yerba maté must be dried to protect the plant from insects and fermentation. Guayakí uses only naturally-fallen rainforest hardwoods during the 24hour drying process. The yerba maté is then cedarwood aged for 12 months to ensure optimum quality and flavor.

Guayakí’s project has been singled out by the United Nations and environmental organizations as one of the best examples of medium-scale sustainable agriculture use in all of South America and is the second highest priority site for conservation. The 20,000-acre Guayakí Rainforest Reserve is a subtropical area of the lower Amazon, one of 10 tracts of rainforest left. In the 70’s and 80’s, the rainforest was deforested because of the demand for tropical woods. 95% of Paraguay was deforested. That is the size of California.

Thirty four indigenous families live on 2,500 protected acres, in addition to the 20,000-acre reserve, where they continue their traditional farming techniques and hunting and gathering. They are proud that Guayakí promotes their national drink and culture in the US market, especially because Guayakí Yerba Maté is from their forest and processed in the ancient traditional methods.

Guayakí’s mission is for yerba maté to be an economic driver for many different reserves creating biological corridors of forested maté plantations to connect reserves. This will create a natural pathway where animals can travel freely.

Guayakí is offering a sustainable and profitable way to change the direction of global business and its consequences. Look for Guayaki on sale in March at both Co-op locations.

FEED YOUR SOUL

FOOD & come together at the Coop! join us on March 19, 5-7pm

3/2 3/2 3/10 3/16 3/23

Finance Committee Meeting, 5pm Co-op Annex Social Responsibility Research Committee 5:30pm Annex Member Linkage Committee Meeting 5:30pm Annex Board of Directors Meeting 5:30pm Immanuel Presbyterian Church Finance Committee Meeting, 5pm Annex Use your Member Appreciation postcard any day this month to receive your discount!

BACK BY POPULAR

DEMAND

IN MARCH WATCH YOUR MAILBOX FOR ANOTHER COOPERATIVE ADVANTAGE

COUPON BOOK Thanks to the Regional Cooperative Grocers Associations of the Southwest, Northwest and Pacific Coast you’ll be getting another great Coop Advantage Coupon Booklet.

Watch your mailbox for these money saving coupons.

Good only at participating Cooperatives.

COOPERATIVES WORKING TOGETHER TO DO IT BETTER

Guayakí Yerba Maté: The Guayakí Difference!

Calendar of Events

ART

The Co-op is honored to be a participant in this year’s Central Corridor Arts Crawl! Come enjoy the food art of Coop members and staff hung throughout the Nob Hill store. Sample tasty treats with enjoy great jazz by Terra Plena. For more info call Edite Cates at 217-0106.

green & gorgeous great

greens

They’re green, gorgeous and they are popping up all over.

From dandelions to mustard, from spinach to arugula, here are some recipes to help them keep appearing on your plate in delicious and unusual ways.

Enjoy the taste of spring greens! www.epicurious.com www.recipesource.com www.napastyle.com www.seasonalchef.com www.producepete.com Baby Lima Bean Soup, Mustard Greens, Peas and Onions 1 (1-lb) bag frozen baby lima beans, thawed (3 cups) 2 1/2 cups water 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 large garlic clove, minced 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 cup frozen baby peas 2 cups coarsely chopped trimmed mustard greens 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives Purée 1 cup lima beans with water in a blender until smooth, about 1 minute.

Cook onion and garlic in butter in a 3quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add purée, remaining lima beans, salt, and pepper and simmer,

march 2004 10

covered, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Stir in peas and mustard greens and simmer, covered, 3 minutes. Stir in chives and season with salt and pepper.

Cut, peel and remove any white pith from grapefruit with a knife, then cut sections free from membranes. Toss mustard greens with dates in a bowl.

Sauteed Mustard Greens with Garlic

Just before serving, toss greens with dressing and salt to taste. Divide salad between 2 plates and top with grapefruit sections.

3 large garlic cloves, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup olive oil 1 1/2 lb mustard greens (2 bunches), stems and center ribs discarded and leaves halved 1/2 cup water Mash garlic to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat oil in a 5-quart pot over moderately high heat until hot and sauté garlic paste until fragrant. Add half of greens and toss with tongs to coat with oil, adding remaining half as greens wilt.

Add water and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Continue to cook, uncovered, until greens are just tender and most of liquid is evaporated.

Season with additional salt.

Grapefruit, Mustard Green, and Date Salad 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 small pink or red grapefruit 1/4 lb young mustard greens, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2 cups) 1/4 cup dried dates, pitted and chopped Garnish: pomegranate seeds Stir together shallot and lime juice in a small bowl and let stand 5 minutes.

Whisk in oil, sugar, and salt.

Cooks' note: Dressing, grapefruit sections, and greens can be prepared separately 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered. (Cover greens with a dampened paper towel and plastic wrap.)

Frittata with Mustard Greens and Fontina 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small bunch mustard greens, stems trimmed, leaves cut into 1-inch-wide strips 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic 4 large eggs, beaten to blend 1/2 cup diced Fontina cheese Preheat broiler. Heat oil in medium broilerproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add greens; stir until wilted and tender, about 2 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Pour eggs over greens; stir to blend. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover skillet; cook until frittata is almost set but top is still runny, about 2 minutes.

Place skillet under broiler. Broil until top is set and cheese bubbles, about 1 minute. Cut around frittata to loosen.

Slide out onto plate.

1 large clove garlic, minced 1 medium sweet red onion 3 T chicken stock 2 T balsamic vinegar 1 quart mixed piquant leafy greens (such as arugula, endive or mustard greens) 1⁄4 cup toasted pecans In a large, deep skillet or wok over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy.

Remove and drain on paper towels.

Crumble and reserve.

Add olive oil to bacon drippings in skillet, heat and add garlic and onions.

Sauté for 3-4 minutes, until onions and garlic are softened. Stir in chicken stock and vinegar.

Add greens and mix. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until leaves are coated. Cover and cook several minutes more, until leaves are wilted and cooked tendercrisp. Top with bacon and chopped pecans. Serve hot. Serves 4.

Mess o’ Greens Salad 6 cups fresh mustard, turnip, and/or collard greens (about 1 pound) 2 T balsamic vinegar 2 tsp. honey 1 T Dijon mustard 2 tsp. vegetable oil 1⁄2 cup pecans, roughly chopped or broken

Hot Wilted Greens

Wash greens well, dry thoroughly, then remove and discard the long stems.

Tear the greens into salad-size pieces and place in a large bowl.

1 thick slice smoky bacon (optional) 1⁄2 T olive oil

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, honey and mustard. Set aside.

Friday, March 19th beginning at 5pm Art - Food for the Soul Join 16 galleries from Nob Hill to Downtown for an evening of Food for the Soul.

Festivities include a special Food Art Exhibition at La Montanita Co-op

for more information call 244-0364 or go to www.ArtscrawlAbq.org

Blue Eyes by Brad Stoddard “Gang of Five” digital show Hernandez Fine Art & Studio.

PARTICIPATING GALLERIES: 516 Magnifico Artspace, 516 Central SW Acquiring Taste Art Galleries, 300 13th St. NW Albuquerque Artistic Frames, 130 Quincy NE Concetta D. Gallery, 20 First Plaza NW Dartmouth Street Gallery, 3011 Monte Vista NE Harwood Art Center, 1114 7th St. NW Hernandez Fine Art & Studio, 207 Dartmouth NE La Montanita Co-op, 3500 Central SE Mariposa Gallery, 3500 Central SE New Fisher Gallery, 1620 Central SE Nob Hill Gallery, 3015 MonteVista NE Patrician Design, 216A Gold Ave SW Peggy Neuman Fine Art, 20 First Plaza NW Plaza Escalante Artists Group, 418 Central SE Rincon Plaza Galeria, 521 Central NE Special Collections Library, 423 Central NE

green & gorgeous Heat the oil in a small skillet until hot but not smoking. Add the vinegar mixture and pecans and cook, stirring regularly, for 2 to 3 minutes.

Pour over the greens and serve at once.

Tear the arugula into bite-sized pieces and combine in a large salad bowl with the radicchio, endive, and onion. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour over salad and toss well.

Pasta with Dark Greens Dandelion Salad 2 pounds broccoli raab, turnip, mustard or dandelion greens Kosher salt 1 pound orechiette, penne or other pasta 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 4 cloves garlic, chopped 4 anchovy filets in oil, drained and finely chopped (optional) Pinch dried red pepper flakes, or to taste Freshly ground pepper and salt In a large pot, bring 2 to 3 quarts of water to a boil. While the water heats, trim the greens and wash them well. Cut the greens crosswise into 1-inch pieces or strips.

When the water comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt. Toss the greens into the boiling water; cook until they are almost tender but still bright green, 8 to 10 minutes. (The time will vary somewhat depending on what kind of greens you use. Testing them is the best way to know when they are done.) With a slotted spoon, remove greens from the pot and toss into a large bowl of cold water.

Add the pasta to the pot of water in which the greens were cooked. While the pasta cooks, squeeze the greens to remove as much water as possible. Fluff the greens to separate them, then set aside.

In a large, heavy skillet or a wok, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, just until the garlic begins to color.

(Take care not to let it burn or the dish will taste bitter.) Add the anchovies, pressing them so they "melt" into the oil. Add the pepper flakes. When the pasta is almost done, 10 to 12 minutes, add the drained greens to the pan and cook together for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove pan from the heat.

2 ea Red serrano or anaheim chiles 1/3 lb Sunflower sprouts 20 ea Ears baby corn 12 ea Radishes 2 lb Dandelion greens, washed & stemmed Mustard Greens Vinaigrette 1 ea Bunch nustard greens, washed & stemmed 1 c Sunflower oil 2 tb Herb-flavored vinegar 1/2 ts Salt 1/4 ts Black pepper Slice the chiles diagonally, remove seeds and veins, and stick small bunches of sprouts through the pieces. Remove the husks and silk from the corn. Bring a small pot of water to boil and cook the corn in it 1 minute. Drain, rinse in cold water, and cool. (If using canned corn, simply drain and rinse) Wash and slice radishes. To make vinaigrette, place mustard greens in a blender and add the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth.

Toss with salad greens and serve.

dandelion mustard

spinach

arugula...

Drain the pasta, leaving a bit of water clinging to it. Add the pasta to the cooked greens; toss well. Season to taste with pepper and salt. Serve immediately with a loaf of the thick-crusted, whole-grain bread.

Arugula Salad 1 bunches arugula, washed and trimmed 1/2 head radicchio, washed and sliced 1 Belgian endive, washed and sliced 1 small onion, sliced 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Eagle Ranch Pistachio Groves Midway between Alamogordo and Tularosa you will find Eagle Ranch Pistachio Groves, owned and operated by George and Marianne Schweers. The ranch contains New Mexico’s first pistachio trees which were planted in 1972.

Today, Eagle Ranch is home to over 12,000 pistachio trees. The trees are cultivated, harvested, and the crop processed enirely on the premises.

For many visitors to our community, a tour of the operation is a “must see” attraction.

The original recipes for red chile and green chile-flavored pistachios were developed by the Schweers’ son, Gordon. Some recent favorites include the extra hot red chile as well as the Lemon-Lime flavored in addition to the standard Salted and Roasted. Those popular flavors were joined by a line of candies and cookies made with the pistachios, as well as a special, handmade pistachio ice cream. A vineyard was planted last year to support the production of the line of Heart of the Desert wines. Pistachio Blush wine has become a favorite!

The FREE farm tours offer the visitor an indepth look at how pistachios are grown and processed. Tours are offered Monday thru’ Friday at 1:30 PM during September thru May. June thru’ August tours are offered Monday thru’ Friday, twice a day at 10:00 AM and 1:30 PM. Groups of 10 or more are accommodated at other times by prearrangement.

Eagle Ranch employs about 32 people year round, with that number increasing to over 40 during the busy Christmas season. Eagle Ranch was also the proud recipient of the 2003 New Mexico VIVA Award. Shipping worldwide, Alamogordo is becoming known as the home for “premium pistachios.” The gift shop is open 7 days a week, closing just two days a year on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Come visit this delightful, homegrown business!

Look for Heart of the Desert pistachios at both Coop locations in the Bulk Dept. and pre-packaged in the Grocert Dept. for easy gift-giving!

march 2004 11

farming & gardening

march 2004 12

Fatted Calves: Fatted People

U

sed to be, lean times meant lean folks and fat times meant fatter folks but at least there was some kind of ebb & flow.

However, no agriculturally-based civilization ever lacked some way to store food from fat years for the lean years. Today with modern economics and fuzzy math--while our farms' topsoil erodes away at ever faster rates, while farmlands are turned to Sprawl-Marts with increasing swiftness, while the farmer makes less money for producing more food than ever — there are more & more calories available to more & more Americans… and I’d also add "more girth & bulk."

other stalwarts like soybeans, chicken litter (manure & straw!), cement dust (to increase slaughter weight!) and other cows (only one of the sources of madcow disease; cannibalism is taboo for practical reasons whether human or bovine).

Back since the New Deal of the 30s, the Feds kept over-production down with a strategy of guarantees and loans to farmers to keep cash flowing until surpluses dropped and their stored grain was again marketable. Even the uniquely American notion of paying farmers not to grow crops (take land out of production) until the demand increases had some kind of conservation strategy, if convoluted logic. thumb

Its no accident that an alarming rise in already alarming American obesity & related disease correlates with super-sizing twofor-one McBurgers and liters or Mega-Gulps of Cola where there used to be only 8 or 10 ounce bottles.

What's the key ingredient here? Corn.

Native America's gift to the world has been itchy green obscenely turned into Modern America's health downfall. I'm not talking about corn in the form of chips or tortillas which we New Mexicans consume in heroic proportions.

No, I'm talking about corn in the form of corn syrup which long ago surpassed sugar as a sweetener whether in colas or "Double Stuf" Oreos. Or corn in the form of cheap (cheap!) livestock feed which is still the number one feedstuff for cattle including those

In the 70s however due to (1) bad weather (2) a damaging corn blight that swept through hundreds of thousands of acres of genetically identical corn plants and (3) a huge grain export to the Soviets, supplies dropped and grain prices climbed.

Co-op

So Nixon's Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz (please no jokes about his name here; he was but let it pass) tore apart every program designed to stop overproduction. Farmers made full price for their crop (that's a good thing) with the help of Fed payments but instead of being required to stockpile, were free to sell at any price (a bad thing) since their money was already made, no loans to repay as before. High production on the farm and inexpensive grain for the industry is now the status quo (bolstered by $19 billion subsidies annually and, relative to the rest of the world, cheap oil.

at Rio Grande and Matthew

But cheap raw material doesn't translate to cheap products (I hate to even dignify the stuff with the

5th Annual Valley Garden Party Sat. May 1 at your friendly North Valley

Lauri Norton Licensed Massage Therapist # 4199 Nationally Certified Cranio Sacral, Polarity, Swedish, Reflexology (505) 243-1701 cell 410-3741

OUTPOST Performance Space 210 Yale SE

word 'food'). No, that would mean lower profits for the industry. But since there's billions of tons of cheap grain to be converted to sugars & meat, the strategy is to increase sales by increasing portions and only minimally increasing the retail price of a new triple-whopper. Volume sales, never high prices, is the key in fast food.

The fast-food-portion mentality has crept into ubiquity in American restaurants: we feel cheated if we don't walk away stuffed. We feel slighted if we can't choose to leave food on the plate.

We equate waste with value for our dollar.

Ever-mounting stockpiles of cheap grain inspires new ways to deal with it, at a profit of course (which the farmer never sees by the way; "full price" for the farmers' bushel remains abysmal).

How many ways can we figure out to (over) process corn into a marketable product? This then spurs retooling of factories to make and to use the stuff, usually at increased environmental costs. In turn, we get more "bigger & better" packaging (which ends up in the landfill) and increased ad campaigns (which ends up in the landfill of our information-age-overloaded minds) to convince us to eat more of this junk (which ends up in the landfill of our over-extended gut).

Besides infecting the rest of the world with our hunger for empty calories, we turn a handsome profit (at the expense of our topsoil and the farmer) by dumping "free trade" grain that even we can't use on developing countries. In turn, this drives down their local markets, hurts their farms and devastates local irreplaceable seed varieties that are viewed as old-fashioned because they don't easily process in to chips or puffs.

Add to all this our miserable public-healthcare system and you can easily see how we are being led to slaughter like the fatted calf. What can we possibly get in return for this public sacrifice besides increased heart disease? Wider airline seats?

by Brett Bakker

A New Day for Sustainability

by Monte Skarssgard In the past, I have been afraid for sustainability. It seemed that too often sustainability was painted with a sense of sacrifice. That a person must actually make “sacrifices” in order to be sustainable. A labor of love, in a sense. Well, my friends, I am here to tell that this is quite simply not true. Sometimes the easiest and most enjoyable things in life can be sustainable. Yes, you can have it both ways

value around. Sometimes I almost wish that it was more complex than that, but I like to keep it as simple as possible.

This is the philosophy that has guided my wife, Amy, and me as we run Los Poblanos Organics.

Our business model is pretty simple, I must admit.

We grow a lot of produce on our fields in the Valley; and the produce that we are not able to grow, we contract with other Organic growers to buy their produce at wholesale. This ensures that our CSA members get the highest quality produce at the best

Albuquerque is just starting to realize its organic potential. With the help of new growers and the support of your local Co-op, green pastures lay ahead for us all, and I am optimistic and excited to be a part of it. For more information or to become a member of Los Poblanos CSA contact Monte at 681-4060 or check them out at www.LosPoblanos Organics.com

This last October we launched our program to help “weed out” excuses that were prohibiting people from eating healthy produce. It has been a fun several months at Los Poblanos and our “Veg Van” continues to make its weekly missions.

for more info call 268-0044 MARCH 1 5 6 8 12 13 14

Dave Phillips: Freedance

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Oliver Lake Steel Quartet

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1116 Park Avenue S.W. • Albuquerque, NM 87102 tel: (505) 873-8107 fax: (505) 873-4530

Integrated Counseling, Therapeutic Bodywork and Movement

email phyto@swcp.com website www.swcp.com/botanicalmedicine

Penny Holland

HERBALISM

FOR THE

21ST CENTURY

M.A., L.P.C.C, L.M.T.

505-265-2256 LPCC Lic. 0494, LMT Lic. 1074

farming & gardening

march 2004 13

Herbs for Our Dry Climate

by Robyn Seydel Rooting for more rain and snow this Feb. day, I’m already daydreaming about digging in the dirt in my little organic herb garden. Providing food, medicine, soil building, earth busting, nitrogen fixing, beneficial insect attraction, habitat creation and the sheer joy of great beauty; little patches of herbs and other drought tolerant plants can change a barren hard pack clay landscape into one that welcomes, birds, bees, toads even a garden snake or two.

T

he great thing about many herbs is that basically they are weeds; weeds that will grow in a variety of environments, the trick being choosing the right plant for the right spot in your garden. They also can serve a wide variety of functions. Take the often misunderstood dandelion for example. Though its bright yellow flowers have induced many a misguided suburban homeowner to douse the environment in toxic herbicides, for me they have a free, joyful quality that I love, not to mention that I have been wishing on their seed heads since I was a wee tot. Every part of the plant has a use. One of my favorite, very early spring greens, dandelions are extraordinarily tasty when lightly wilted in a sauté with toasted sesame oil, garlic and a dash of tamari. Their clay busting taproots make them a great pioneer plant when you need to break up your hard pack soil.

They don’t require much water or attention once they get going, make a great border in a bed, attract lacewings, lady beetles and other insect predators, as well as are a repellent for the Colorado Potato Beetle. And come fall you can dig and dry the roots for a fine tea that is highly efficient in restoring liver function, especially when mixed with burdock root, another edible/medicinal (whose large leaves do a great job of shading soil) and red clover (another taproot plant that helps fix nitrogen).

in a variety of hybridized colors, the wild white is a lovely addition to any garden patch and its wound healing abilities were documented as early as the ancient Greeks. It is known to attract beneficial hover flies, lady beetles and parasitic wasps.

Then of course there are the classic three arid land herbs, the ever wonderful rosemary, lavender and sage; low water use once established and each so superbly useful in myriad ways.

How about the trees. Don’t be fooled, even in our drought conditions carefully chosen trees provide benefits that more than balance out the water that it takes to establish and maintain them. The coolness and shade they bring lowers ground and soil temperatures, the cooling and heating that occurs in their canopy in the course of a usual hot summer day and cool desert night creates moisture transpiration and their roots mine minerals from deep in the earth that when mulched as leaves furnish rich soil building material. Finally trees and shrubs can provide not only a nursery environment protecting other plants and allowing them protection from the elements (sun, heat etc) while they get established they offer the benefits of their own fruits as well. Try desert willow in bosque areas (pain relieving bark), elderberry (choose the drought tolerant southwestern variety sometimes called “Mexican Elder” or Sambucus niger), whose creamy white flowers are intoxicatingly aromatic or Vitex whose lovely purple flowers attract all kinds of beneficials and seeds have a long history of use for women’s health issues.

Then too, there is creating that right spot by integrating concepts like the water saving waffle beds from the book “Buffalo Bird Woman’s Garden” with bio-intensive double digging and permaculture’s plant guilds. Try out a mounded herb spiral, for its space saving, water saving, microclimate creating benefits. Check out the book Gaia’s Garden, A Guide to Home Scale Permaculture by Toby Hemenway for easy to follow directions on how to build one. Plants of the Southwest has two beautiful ones if you want to see the spiral in action.

Planting perennial weeds/ herbs can be as healing for the planet as they are good for us. Yellow dock’s eye catching red brown stalk is as beautiful in the winter as it is in late summer bloom; its roots are an excellent alterative that improves the overall functioning of the liver and in old fashioned folk language was considered a “blood purifer”. Stinging nettles grows beautifully under trees helping to hold moisture, is a great early spring bitter green power packed with important minerals, and the stings (although they hurt like the dickens with the itchy-burn response they cause) help reduce arthritic and other muscle and skeletal aches and pains. Nettles attract numerous insect predators, parasites and is an alternative host of aphid predators. Although yarrow comes

Stone River Massage Located at Uptown Acupuncture 7111 Prospect Pl. NE Albuquerque, NM 87110 Call 269 0194 for an appointment

Linda Sue Strange, RN

Hot Stone Massage, Swedish Myo, fascial release and Healing Touch

Spring is Here!

Free Workshops!

March 6 fruit tree pruning March 13 rain water harvesting March 20 spring festival March 27 grow a salad (for kids) all at 12pm Mon-Sat 8am-5:30pm Sun 10am-5pm 6680 4th St. NW 344-8830 www.plantsofthesouthwest.com

dandelions: s o many uses!

BEEKEEPING WORKSHOPS! If you would like to learn the art of Natural Beekeeping, or if you already are a beekeeper and need to expand your skills, spend one day with Les and Beth Crowder at Sparrow Hawk Farm. Les and Beth have taught beekeeping here in New Mexico for 19 years. Folks who attend their workshops leave with enthusiasm, and the confidence they need to keep bees successfully. Les and Beth work in a calm, peaceful manner, and keep their bees naturally without chemicals, antibiotics, contraptions, or expense. The workshops are taught at their home and beeyard, about an hour drive south of Albuquerque.

Topics include: hive-building, basic bee biology, beginning beekeeping, dividing hives, dealing with swarms, natural disease- and mite- control methods, raising queens, honey and beeswax harvest and handling.

For more information on fees and schedules, call them at 505-864-0520 or write Sparrow Hawk Farm, P.O. Box 88 SABINAL, NM 87006

health & environment

march 2004 14

EPA Moves to Weaken Mercury Protections!

Coming Soon!

15th Annual Celebrate the Earth Day! April 18th 10:30-6pm

Tell EPA to enact a strong mercury rule that reduces mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants and protects the health of our nation's children!!

at the Nob Hill Co-op!

In late January the EPA showed total disregard for over a decade of research and progress toward effective regulation of mercury from coal-fired power plants-the only major source of unregulated mercury emissions. In a move comparable to its 2001 delay of protective regulations to remove arsenic from drinking water, the EPA proposed a weaker, polluter-friendly mercury rule that will result in more mercury in the environment, in the food chain, and in our bodies for years longer. EPA is seeking public comments on its proposed rule until March 30 and needs to hear your opinion!

Office Space Available Approximately 1400 sq ft On Carlisle near Comanche Lots of windows, shaded by mature trees Ideal for those working in complementary healing and community service professions

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Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that can result in impaired brain development in fetuses and young children. Affected children may suffer deficits in fine motor skills, learning capacity, and memory.

According to the National Academy of Sciences, more than 60,000 children born each year may suffer from learning disabilities due to mercury exposure before birth Mercury released into the air falls into lakes and rivers and eventually enters our food supply through contaminated fish. It has so far contaminated 10.2 million acres of lakes, estuaries, and wetlands and 415,000 miles of stream, rivers, and coastline. 45 states have issued specific fish advisories due to mercury contamination, and 19 states have issued statewide fish advisories for mercury in freshwater lakes or rivers.

Instead of requiring all power plants to install Maximum Achievable Control Technologies (MACT) — the most health-protective standards available — to reduce mercury air emissions, the agency has indicated that it supports a cap-andtrade system strikingly similar to the Administration's 'Clear Skies' pollution legislation that has stalled in Congress. According to the EPA's own estimates, a strong MACT rule would reduce mer-

Open Studio Night at Harwood March 19 Friday evening 5 PM to 8:30 PM

HARWOOD

1114 7th Street NW at Mountain Road for more info call

ART

505-242-6367

CENTER

cury emissions by nearly 90 percent, to approximately five tons by 2008. Yet EPA's weaker cap-andtrade rule will reduce coal-fired power plant emissions to only 34 tons by 2010 and 15 tons by 2018 — three times higher than a strong MACT standard, with no further reductions planned.

Moreover, the cap and trade plan would most likely disproportionately impact vulnerable communities with already high levels of toxic mercury pollution.

EPA's trading scheme will allow some power plants to keep emitting high levels of mercury by buying pollution credits from other facilities. Even EPA's highly respected Children's Health Protection Advisory Committee (CHPAC) has warned EPA Administrator Leavitt of the public health threat that mercury trading represents and has asked the EPA to strengthen the rule.

Currently, coal-fired power plants emit approximately 48 tons of hazardous mercury every year.

Using state-of-the-art pollution control technology, some utilities are already cost-effectively reducing mercury emissions by as much as 91 percent over uncontrolled levels. The medical and municipal waste industries have already demonstrated the feasibility and success of strong regulations by costeffectively reducing mercury emissions from waste incinerators by 90 percent.

Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) is working hard to force EPA to abandon its weak mercury rule, and to adopt aggressive regulations to protect public health and urges you to make your voices heard in this important debate.

Visit www.MercuryActionNow.org to learn more in-depth information on the health effects and sources of mercury, as well as the latest developments on EPA's rulemaking. Send your comments to Environmental Protection Agency, Docket OAR-20020056 Mercury comments, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave N.W Washington D.C. 20460. Or go to http://www.mercury action.org/getactive.html for help in filing your comments electronically.

WALK FOR FOOD DEMOCRACY Tierra Azul Projects invites everyone to join in a weeklong walk for Food Democracy beginning on March 13 and ending on March 20. The walk will travel through the Rio Grande Valley north of Santa Fe. We will meet with farmers and community members to raise awareness about food democracy and community connection. We are walking: • to support farmers and to raise community awareness about the planting season that will begin soon • to ask landowners to donate small parcels of land to allow sharecroppers to grow food (Land Share) • to talk about creating food buying groups and food cooperatives • to promote a moratorium on genetically modified agriculture and to talk about nutrition for children Persons interested must be comfortable with walking approximately 10 miles a day and camping in New Mexico during this season. (lows around 32, highs around 60) If a week is too long you can join in along the way for a day, or a few days as you are able. We are asking that each person either raise or donate $100 or more for the walk. The money will go to the Tierra Azul Community Trust which holds money for community service cooperative efforts. Contact Information: www.tierraazul.20m.com, call Layne Hartsell or Ann Peters at 505.501.3233.

isis sophia

FREE COMMUNITY

Counseling Service Offering a free of charge counseling, psychotherapy consultation to anyone in the community, especially isolated and lonely persons, not just prospective clients. Help with life directions, decision making, or whatever concerns you.

Confidential, no-obligation single sessions with a professional psychotherapist with twenty five years experience in private practice.

To make an appointment call 268-7477 Hania Stromberg MA, LISW

health & environment Hawkwatch: Annual Migration HawkWatch International (HWI) and the Cibola National Forest are working to learn more about raptors and their migration through New Mexico.

HWI began standardized, annual migration counts in the Sandia Mountains in 1985, followed by a banding project in 1990. Last season's tally included 5,533 migrant raptors of 18 species. Observation at the Sandia site runs from February 24 through May 5. Observers are at the site daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather permitting. The peak of the season runs from March 15 to April 15.

In addition to gathering important scientific data, the Sandia project provides opportunities for the public to learn about the ecology and conservation needs of raptors through on-site environmental education and interpretation conducted by a volunteer field educator.

Visitors are always welcome at the site. This educational effort is the key to long-term success in securing public understanding and

action on behalf of raptors and the ecosystems upon which we all rely. Guided field trips may be scheduled by calling the local HawkWatch office at 255-7622. To improve your raptor ID skills, plan to attend the Central New Mexico Audubon Society Birding Academy on March 18 at St. Timothy's Lutheran Church at Copper and Jefferson. The program "Hawks, Falcons, and Eagles" will start at 7:15 p.m.

Call 255-7622 for more information.

Financial support for this project in 2003 was provided by the USDA Forest Service, Cibola National Forest, Region 3; New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Share With Wildlife; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 2; Intel Corporation; New Belgium Brewing Company; Central New Mexico Audubon Society; and HWI members. For more information contact Bobbie Posey, N.M. Office Administrator HawkWatch International at 255-7622 or hwabq@netzero.net.

Tonics for Your Spring Fever

by Nalini Goordial, Gonalini@yahoo.com Well, here it is. Spring fever, that is. It happens every year. We’re ready to open the windows, breathe in the fresh air, start cleaning up and tossing things out. Yes, we have the urge to get rid of the clutter.

Well, your body wants to sing its own song to spring too! Somehow nature knows what’s best for us and provides us with just the foods and herbs that we need to do some internal spring cleaning.

This is the time to cleanse and clear, the time to get rid of any of the stagnant influences of winter with its more sedentary lifestyle and richer, heavier foods. Now’s the time to review your existing diet.

Take stock. Ditch the junk food if you've gotten into that trap over the winter. Get rid of what doesn’t serve you and your health.

The liver is the target of spring tonics, as well as the heart, kidneys, blood and digestive systems.

You might want to start with a simple fast. Just try one day for a start. For one day take no solid foods, just drink plenty of water and maybe some broth or tea; or do a fresh fruit and vegetable juice fast. You should check with a health care professional if you’re diabetic or have heart disease or any other special medical considerations. Follow up your fast with lots of spring greens, those magical beauties that work wonders; dandelion, chickweed, sorrel, and nettles. Spring mustards, watercress and early spinach are also great additions to the early spring diet.

Some other spring tonic herbs include: yellow dock, sarsaparilla, licorice root, chicory root, and ginger root all can be brewed as a simple tea. Use honey or stevia to sweeten and drink one to three cups of your tonic tea per day for a week or two.

Another good spring tonic tea is equal parts alfalfa leaf, red clover, peppermint, sage, cleavers, nettle leaf (all dried) and dried crushed rose hips. This is a good choice if you can't get fresh herbs. Just make sure the dried herbs you use are as fresh as possible at the source.

lovage leaf, red clover blossoms, marjoram or oregano or thyme).

Yet another herb associated with spring is horseradish root. It's a circulatory and digestive stimulate, just what you need to get the energy flowing again. Use it in dressings and sauces for a little extra punch. And, as always, garlic is in season.

Garlic and onions are cleansers and blood purifiers, so feel free to indulge.

A LITTLE PAMPERING Let’s talk about shedding that winter skin and getting a warm spring glow. One of my all time favorite things to do is a salt scrub. It’s quite simple really, get some olive oil, mix in some sea salt and a little essential oil, (try orange, coconut or vanilla), then just step into the shower and use this mixture to scrub your entire body, rinse, then have a nice long soak in an herbal bath( try Epsom salt and chamomile).

AT HOME FOLK HOUSE CONCERTS Enjoy some of our country’s finest singer/songwriters in an at home environment. Call (505)842-5073 or e-mail abqmusic@att.net for reservations and directions.

June 24: A Thirsty Ear preview featuring The Red Stick Ramblers (6-

AT HOME FOLK HOUSE CONCERTS Enjoy some of our country’s finest singer/songwriters in an at home environment. Call (505)842-5073 or e-mail abqmusic@att.net for reservations and directions.

June 24: A Thirsty Ear preview featuring The Red Stick Ramblers (6piece band that infuses Cajun fiddling with western swing and 20's

March and Rally Against War A Mass March and Rally Against War and Occupation will take place in Albuquerque on March 20th, 2004. Local organizers will protest in solidarity with organizations around the world to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq.

The event will begin at 12:30 PM in Robinson Park, Central and 8th Street.

The March steps off at approximately 1PM, destined for the Old Town Missile and Tiguex Park. A rally there begins at approximately 3PM. For more information please visit www.stopthewarmachine.org, www. unitedforpeace.org, www.InternationalANSWER.org or call the Peace and Justice Center at 505-268-9557.

AT HOME FOLK HOUSE CONCERTS Enjoy some of our country’s finest singer/songwriters in an at home environment. Call (505)842-5073 or e-mail abqmusic@att.net for reservations and directions.

June 24: A Thirsty Ear preview featuring The Red Stick Ramblers (6-

Pay special attention to your face. Exfoliate with this recipe, equal parts of steel cut oats, powdered milk and dried lavender or rosebuds. Grind them to a powder and store in a glass container. To apply, simply wet your face, put a bit of the mix into your hand, add enough water to make into a paste and apply to face. Scrub and rinse thoroughly. Follow up with a witch hazel and essential oil splash (orange is my favorite) and your favorite moisturizer.

You may also want to try detoxifying baths. Add one cup of Epsom salts, one cup of baking soda, plus 5 to 8 drops of your favorite detoxifying essential oils such as juniper berry, yarrow and grapefruit. Or try an herbal infusion of red clover, nettle, peppermint and yarrow. Now soak, relax and enjoy!

If you’re in the country, soon you’ll be seeing the rhubarb sprout. Never eat the stalks, but cook the rhubarb in water and add some honey or stevia. If you don’t have access to fresh growing rhubarb, watch for it at your local coop market. As early herbs start to come up in the garden, just cut some, chop them up and put on salads, on top of soups, grains, vegetables or fish. These include: parsley, chives, mints, lemon balm and tarragon.

You’ll have a natural desire to eat lighter if you listen to your body. To help with the discharge of mucus from allergies or spring colds, lay off meat, dairy and breads as much as possible and begin to eat more fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. Try a daily drink of fresh carrot juice with spring herbs added like dandelion, parsley, chive (others might be fresh garlic, salad burnet, cilantro, young

march 2004 15

got spring fever?

AMP House Concert #58 The Dolly Ranchers, Sunday, March 27, 6:30 pm $10 suggested donation Reservations Required (Contact Jeff at 842-5073 or abqmusic@att.net) The Ranchers are four women who mix mix alt-country twang with punky energy and killer harmonies. It's catchy, quirky and fun - and very high energy. See http://www.thedollyranchers.com for more info.