Board of Directors
Declares Patronage Dividend!
L
a Montanita Co-op is committed to the members and customers it serves and to the community we operate within. The Co-op completed its 2005-2006 fiscal year as of August 31, 2006 with both exceptional operational achievements and financial results. The Board of Directors and Management are in the process of engaging our external audit firm to complete a review of our financial position as of August 31, 2006.
When you think about your La Montanita Co-op, think about being an owner of a local business because that is what you are. You reap the benefits of a natural foods grocery store on a daily basis, and you can look forward to a return on your purchases as an investment in the future.
As a La Montanita cooperative member, you are an owner of the cooperative. As a member you have pooled purchases with other members and created earnings at La Montanita in excess of our expenses for the year. La Montanita is a member-owned co-op and one of the principles of cooperatives is a commitment to a return on your member participation. This is done in the form of a patronage dividend. Patronage dividends are net earnings that are returned to our members in direct proportion to the amount of their Co-op purchases.
by the Board of Directors
During November the Board of Directors declared a patronage dividend based upon completion of the accountants’ review and final financial adjustments. The cash dividend will be 2% of member purchases, which equates to an average of a week's worth of a member's Co-op purchases.
The Co-op has been pleased to serve its owners for the past 30 years. Thank you for sustaining your Co-op. We will continue to work to provide the very best service, products and community support.
WatchYour
Mailbox! Coming Soon — Your La Montanita Co-op Patronage Refund Check n mid December the Co-op will issue our annual patronage refund checks. Checks will be cut for all members that receive $5 or more in patronage refunds. If you were a member in good standing from September 1, 2005 to August 31, 2006 and do not receive a check, please come to any Coop location information desk. It may mean that your refund is less than $5. If that is the case will look up your membership account and we will issue you a refund in cash.
I
members
make it
happen! Watch your home mailbox for your Patronage Refund Check in mid December.
You’re Invited! Co-op Holiday Festivities 12th annual make a child
SMILE
Look for the Annual Holiday Giving Trees at all CO-OP locations
Return gifts to any CO-OP by Dec. 18th
Join us at all our Co-ops for holiday festivities, natural foods samplings, craft fairs, music, friends and fun. And don’t forget to take an ornament off our Make a Child Smile Holiday giving trees, up at all locations and make the season brighter for a needy child. Nob Hill: December 7 from 5-9pm: Enjoy the Annual Nob Hill Shop and Stroll. See details on this page. Activities at the Co-op include: • Loren Kahn Puppet Theater: 5:30pm, puppet theater for children of all ages • El Groupo Amore Eterno Mararichis: 6pm, traditional mariachi music • Terra Trio: 7:30pm, great jazz of a variety of genres. Nob Hill: December 8, 10:30am • Bandelier Elementary Choir sings.
North Valley: Saturday December 9 from 1-5pm: Los Trinos: 1:30pm, Nortano and New Mexico folk • International Duo: 3-5pm, Mozart to jazz they do it all on violin and guitar. Santa Fe: December 14 from 5-8pm: Marachi Juvenil de Santa Fe: 5-6pm, youth and young adult mariachi orchestra • Sama: 6-8pm, soothing and spirited tabla and oud. Gallup: December 14 from 5-7pm: Enjoy natural food treats, the holiday giving tree and your friends and neighbors! North Valley: December 16, Holiday Craft Fair, 124pm: Make gift giving fun and meaningful, support local artists and crafts persons • Revaxac Imish: 1pm, Didgeri Dream Shaman on didgerido, drums and guitar. Want to sign up for a space? Call Tammy at 505242-8800.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS! from the CO-OP
We sincerely invite you to celebrate the spirit of the season and let light and love, peace and laughter fill your heart, at one or all of our holiday parties. And we wish you the happiest of holidays, good health, good fortune, peace and fulfillment in the coming year. Your Co-op Staff
12th Annual Nob Hill Shop and Stroll
T
he Nob Hill Business Association is pleased to announce the annual Shop and Stroll Holiday event on Thursday, December 7 from 5-10pm. Central Avenue will be closed from Girard to Washington to allow for traffic free shopping and neighborhood shops have extended evening hours. As usual you can expect to find the street filled with Santa, carolers, magicians, colorful street entertainers and musicians as well as many of your friends and neighbors. At the Co-op there will be special musical entertainment and natural foods holiday treats to sample. All
the wonderful locally owned shops in the Nob Hill area are participating with special sales, treats and entertainment. La Montantia Coop will be sponsoring our annual Make a Child Smile Giving Tree that works to get gifts for children in need in our community. Pick an ornament off our tree, make that child’s holiday wish come true and bring it back to the Coop wrapped with the ornament that has the child’s name attached. We will make sure that the child or children you have chosen get your special gift. Once again we will be working with New Mexico Department of Children, Youth and Families, Peanut Butter and Jelly Day School and other caring organizations.
see you
there!
HOLIDAY PARTIES
co-op’s got the
spirit
A Community - Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store
12th Annual Make a Child Smile
La Montanita Cooperative Albuquerque/ 7am-10pm M-S, 8am-10pm Sun. 3500 Central S.E. Albuq., NM 87106 265-4631
Giving Tr ee
Albuquerque/ 7am-10pm M-S, 8am-10pm Sun. 2400 Rio Grande Blvd. Albuq., NM 87104 242-8800 Gallup/ 9am-7pm M-S, 11am-6pm Sun. 105 E. Coal Gallup, NM 87301 863-5383 Santa Fe/ 7am-10pm M-S, 8am-10pm Sun. 913 West Alameda Santa Fe, NM 87501 984-2852
by Robyn Seydel
F
or over a decade the Co-op has worked with a series of great state agencies and non-profit organizations that help care for the well being of children in need. Together, as part of our Make A Child Smile program we have made the holiday wishes of thousands of children come true. More than anything else, this program is a powerful reminder of the great good heart of people in our Coop community.
Administrative Staff: 505-217-2001 TOLL FREE: 877-775-2667 (COOP) • General Manager/C.E. Pugh 217-2020 ce@lamontanitacoop.com • Controller/John Heckes 217-2026 johnh@lamontanitacoop.com • Computers/Info Technology/ Mark Bieri 217-2011 computers@lamontanitacoop.com • Human Resources/Sharret Rose 217-2023 hr@lamontanitacoop.com • Marketing/Edite Cates 217-2024 editec@lamontanitacoop.com • Membership/Robyn Seydel 217-2027 robins@lamontanitacoop.com Store Team Leaders: • Michelle Franklin/Nob Hill 265-4631 mf@lamontanitacoop.com • John Mulle/Valley 242-8800 jm@lamontanitacoop.com • William Prokopiack/Santa Fe 984-2852 willpro@lamontanitacoop.com • Tracy Thomasson/Gallup 863-5383 tracyt@lamontanitacoop.com Co-op Board of Directors: email: bod@lamontanitacoop.com President: Martha Whitman Vice President: Marshall Kovitz Treasurer: Ken O’Brien Secretary: Roger Eldridge Susan Cizek Tom Hammer Tamara Saimons Jonathan Siegel Andrew Stone Membership Costs: $15 for 1 year/$200 Lifetime Membership Co-op Connection Staff: Managing Editor: Robyn Seydel robins@lamontanitacoop.com Layout and Design: foxyrock inc Covers and Centerfold: Edite Cates Advertising: Robyn Seydel Editorial Assistant: Ivy Edmondson ivye@lamontanitacoop.com 217-2016 Printing: Vanguard Press Membership information is available at all four Co-op locations, or call 217-2027 or 877-775-2667 email: memb@lamontanitacoop.com Membership response to the newsletter is appreciated. Address typed, double-spaced copy to the Managing Editor, robins@lamontanitacoop.com website: www.lamontanitacoop.com Copyright © 2006 La Montanita Co-op Supermarket Reprints by prior permission. The Co-op Connection is printed on 65% post consumer recycled paper. It is recyclable.
ornaments, each bearing the name, age, and holiday wish of a child, will go up at each Co-op location the week of December 4th. From the bottom of my heart I thank all of you who have participated: volunteer Gail Lyons, who for many years has helped prepare the ornaments; the social workers at all the agencies, many of whom have been with this project since it’s inception; Co-op staff; and each and every one of you who throughout the years has taken an ornament off the tree, found the time during this busy season to share your resources and find that special gift that will “Make a Child Smile.”I hope you will find the time and resources to do so again this year. If this is your first Co-op holiday season, we hope you will help us “Make a Child Smile.” The acts of kindness these gifts represent remind these children that although the world may be harsh there are many people who care. The wrapped gifts, and the holiday messages many of you lovingly write to an individual child in need are a deep and sincere expression of our shared hopes for a better world and a brighter future. How the Co-op Giving Tree Works Again this year we are honored to work with wonderful people at the following organizations: • The New Mexico Department of Children, Youth and Families (the Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Gallup offices) • Peanut Butter and Jelly Day School • Parent Child Resources • Enlace Communitario. Please read about the good work of these wonderful organizations on this and the next page. • Trees will go up at all Co-op locations the week of December 4th.
Year after year, despite the economic and societal challenges we have faced, the generous spirit of our Co-op community has come through in the most beautiful way. Each year our Co-op community’s compassion touches my heart as I watch the pile of beautifully prepared gifts grow into a colorful little mountain of happiness for some very special children. When I think about what we have done together it restores my faith in humanity, reminds me of the power of cooperation and gives me hope for the future. This year makes the twelfth year that La Montanita Co-op has had the pleasure of setting up holiday giving trees as part of our “Make a Child Smile” program. The program has grown and grown as each year we have taken on more children and different agencies. Last year Santa Fe and Gallup participated for the first time, and when taken together Co-op community members at all our locations made the holiday wishes of over 600 children in protective custody or foster care a reality. This year trees filled with
• The ornaments have wish lists for each child, allowing you to choose a gift you will enjoy giving and they will enjoy receiving. Although many of you have in the past and you are welcome to again this year, it is not necessary to get everything on the list. • Please return the gifts to the Co-op by Monday, December 18th so we can get them back to the agencies and to the children in time. Please, Please do honor this deadline. Some families and foster families have more than one child in the program. When one child gets a gift and another does not (because an ornament is taken but a gift is not returned to the Co-op in time) it can be devastating for that child. • Please gift-wrap the gift and tape the colored ornament with the child’s name and agency on the outside. As many of these children are victims of poverty, abuse and neglect placed in the care of these agencies by order of the courts, some of the names of the children have been altered for their protection. Taping the ornaments that have the agency name and an ornament code number to the top of the gift will help us get your gift to the right child. Together we can share the true spirit of the season and re-kindle a light of hope in the hearts of some of our community’s most special children, making the world a little brighter, a little better for us all.
12th annual make a child smile beginning dec.4 in Abq dec.5 in Santa Fe dec.4 in Gallup
CO-OP
YOU OWN IT
Look for the Annual Holiday Giving Trees at all CO-OP locations
Return gifts to any CO-OP by Dec. 18th 2
For more information contact Robyn at 505-217-2027, toll free at 877-775-2667 or e-mail her at memb@lamontanitacoop.com
Make a Child Smile Giving Tree: Participating Agencies Peanut Butter and Jelly Day School For well over 30 years, PB&J Family Services, Inc. has been working to keep children safe and help families survive. PB&J continues to pioneer innovative approaches to the prevention of child abuse and neglect and the preservation of the family through interactive parenting and bonding programs in its Peanut Butter & Jelly Therapeutic Preschools. Over the years PB&J has worked with tens of thousands of individuals in thousands of families in a number of diverse programs. The programs grow out of their work at their Therapeutic Preschools, located in Albuquerque’s South Valley and in Bernalillo, from their home-based programs and in their TEENS program at the Cuba, NM, High School — focusing on breaking the often generational cycle of family dysfunction. In the program that serves children with an incarcerated parent, PB&J works to break the cycle of crime. Often angry
december 2006
co-op’s got the
spirit
Make a Child Smile Participating Agencies and feeling abandoned, these children are six to eight times more likely to be imprisoned than other youngsters. PB&J’s Impact program works with them and their incarcerated parent in four New Mexico prisons and with middle school and high school youngsters in the South Valley through the KidPACT program. More than 80 percent of the families PB&J works with make progress toward meeting their goals. Many of the children we work with have low selfesteem. Your gift helps them have a holiday season to remember. Mil gracias! For further information you may contact Donna Brew at (505) 877-7060.
violence and strengthen the community. The organization was incorporated in 2000, but the core management and professional team have been working together since 1995. Our efforts have produced a dynamic continuum of services for both victims of domestic violence and their children including: safety planning; assessment; individual and group counseling; referrals to services (housing, health, financial, etc.); parenting and life-skills classes; legal advocacy; economic development, crisis intervention and community education. But what makes EC innovative is that its approach goes beyond providing services to include advocacy, leadership development and community organizing projects to make long term systemic changes and strengthen the community. Last year, we served over 350 Albuquerque women and children and thousands more were reached through educational and organizing campaigns. Domestic violence affects families from all backgrounds. Unfortunately, women from immigrant communities are often at greater risk and are less likely to access needed services. They face cultural and language barriers to police and social services, increased threats of becoming separated from their children through deportation or international child abduction, less access to public benefits and less awareness of their plight by churches, schools and the community at large. Please contact us at 246-8972 if you have any questions or want to support Enlace.
New Mexico Parent Child Resources New Mexico Parent & Child Resources, Inc. is a non-profit agency that provides treatment foster care for severely emotionally and behaviorally disturbed children from 3-18 years of age. These children are too seriously disturbed to be a part of traditional foster care programs. Our treatment foster children have been abused and neglected by their families and many have spent a great deal of time in psychiatric hospitals and residential treatment centers. These children are now living with treatment foster families as an alternative to being institutionalized. We are working extremely hard to help these deserving children return to society and have a chance at life as you and I know it. We would like to thank the Co-op community for the support you have shown us and the many holiday gifts you have provided over the past years for our children. Thank you! Happy holidays from the NMPCR staff and the children! Enlace Communitario Enlace Comunitario (EC)’s primary mission is to work with Latino immigrants to eliminate domestic
Valley
New Mexico Department of Children, Youth and Families Bernalillo County Child Protective Services (CPS) is a division of the New Mexico’s Children Youth and Families Department (CYFD). CYFD receives hundreds of reports every month regarding abuse/neglect of children. Social workers investigate the allegations and when needed intervene with families to ensure the safety of children. This intervention may consist of crisis counseling, referrals to community resources, or other community supports, or in worst case scenarios the Department requests custody of the children. Children in CYFD custody are placed in a licensed foster home.
Gallup
Foster parents give temporary care to children while they are in CYFD custody, providing a protective and safe home, structure, nurturing, and assistance in preparing the child to return to his/her home or to be adopted. In New Mexico everyone is mandated by law to report child abuse, neglect, or exploitation. To report child abuse or neglect please call: Metro Area, 841-6100 or Statewide 1800-797-3260.
Santa Fe
Bernalillo County has a group of very dedicated foster families, but the need is greater than the number of available families. If you feel you could provide a safe home for children in CYFD custody, please call Foster a Future, at 1-800-432-2075. Working together we can make a difference in a child's life.
Thank you for your interest and concern for the children of New Mexico this year, in the past, and in the future.
CO-OP’S got the Giving Spirit all year LONG! A
SOLAS, Monte Del Sol Charter School, Los Lunas Middle School, UNM/ACLU, Hawkwatch, Amigos de las Americas, APS Vending
s a community-owned organization we feel it is part of our mission to support the community that supports the Co-op. To that end the Co-op is continually looking for ways in which to help local organizations raise the funds they need to continue their work.
Machine Project, Local Energy, Leukemia/Lymphoma Society, College of
CO-OP SCRIP: This year with our Co-op Scrip we are pleased to have supported a number of schools in the Albuquerque and Santa Fe area. The “Co-op Scrip” program helps organizations raise money. Participating organizations make one dollar on every ten, their supporters get to eat local and organic Co-op food and the Co-op has made a 10% donation to organizations doing good things in our community.
Theater, Santa Fe Farmer’s Market Institute, Northern New Mexico
Ongoing Community Support: All year long hundreds of organizations come to the Co-op for help and support in their fundraising and educational efforts. These are just a few of the many organizations the Co-op has made donations to this year:
Co-op Values Cooperatives are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. In the tradition of their founders, cooperative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.
Santa Fe Art Department, American Lung Association, Bandelier Elementary School, KNME Public TV, KSFR Santa Fe Public Radio, UNM Fair Trade Initiative, Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice, Tesuque Pueblo Agricultural Resource Center, Delancy Street, KUNM, Tricklock Vegetarian Society, National Dance Institute, Barrett House, Albuquerque Opportunity Center, Alzheimer’s Fund, North Valley Neighborhood Assoc., Downtown Neighborhood Assoc., Silver Hills Neighborhood Assoc., Escuela Del Sol School, Site Santa Fe, Rio Grande
Co-op Principles 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 Community
Nature Center, Highland High School, Monte Vista Elementary, Bike ABQ, Animal Protection, Ecoversity, Santa Fe Veterans for Peace, El Morro Arts Council, Project Share, Children’s Cancer Fund, Health Care For the Homeless, ABQ Poetry Slam, Veterans for Peace, St Martins, Kitchen Angels, Food Depot, National Hispanic Cultural Center, N.M. Children’s Foundation, Southwest Pickers, Sage Council, Forest Guardians, Tewa Women United, Santa Fe Paws, Native American Law
Parents Reaching Out, Walatowa High School, First Nations
Students Assoc., Rio Grande Agricultural Land Trust, 1,000 Friends of
Health Project, Farm to Table, Independent Living Resource, New
New Mexico, Seniors in the Work Force, Earth Care International, New
Mexico Wilderness Association, Truth Seeker Foundation,
Mexico Jazz Workshop, Zuni Elementary, Cooking with Kids.
The Co-op Connection is published by La Montanita Co-op Supermarket to provide information on La Montanita Co-op Supermarket, the cooperative movement, and the links between food, health, environment and community issues. Opinions expressed herein are of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Co-op.
CO-OP
YOU OWN IT december 2006
3
shop with
integrity
Member Profile: Gallery One/Pueblo Loft
R
ight next door to the Nob Hill Co-op you can enter a warm, inviting space that houses some of the most interesting and unique folk art in New Mexico. After 20 years of business and friendship, the owners of this split level space are both as devoted to their customers as they are to the artists whose work they feature. Kitty Trask of Pueblo Loft and Bev Johnston of Gallery One are members of the Co-op and say they love having us as neighbors. Bev is delighted at how convenient it is to go to the Co-op and takes comfort in knowing that she’s buying high quality food that is good for her. Kitty adds that as well as being great neighbors, the Co-op members and staff are great customers!
favorite are the fetishes. Fetishes are special animal carvings imbued with specific meaning and protective power. Kitty, who has known the families that carve the fetishes in her store for three generations, promotes them as gifts exactly because of their specific significance. The double coyote fetish, for example, is a great wedding gift because it symbolizes timeless companionship and unity. Kitty stresses that the Native American crafts you find in her store are the real deal. Far from the “touristy stuff” you can find all over the Southwest, the treasures in the Pueblo Loft are her love, not just her business. She only buys things she likes to give as gifts and would like to receive herself. “If other people like them
art & friendship
Twenty years ago, when Kitty was looking to move her wholesale business out of her home, she contacted Bev at Gallery One. After talking it over, Bev told Kitty she could use the loft space of Gallery one, which at the time was being used to store boxes, and Pueblo Loft was born. Even though they are distinct stores, the women’s friendship pervades the space, as does their love for the folk art they carry.
Gallery One: Gallery One has an assortment of folk art from all over the world including African masks, Mah Jong necklaces, and intricate shell pictures from Meagan Gardiner, a Western Australian artist. Anything from clothing, handcrafted bags, verbena and lavender scented soaps, jewelry, and even Milagros can be found in this intriguing shop. Milagros, Bev explains, are traditionally pinned to saints on an altar in petition or thanksgiving. They are often pinned on the saints’ body part that corresponds to the request. For example, a Milagro might be pinned on the saint’s leg to request protection in the healing of a twisted ankle. “More often than not, they’re just used as lucky charms these days, which explain why the heart shaped ones are always the first ones to go,” says Bev. So whether you need to make an appeal to your patron saint, show thanks for a request that has been granted, or just want a little extra luck in your corner, stop by and ask Bev about Milagros. But make sure you’ve got some time to spare because in addition to gazing at the retablos from Santa Fe behind the stunning jewelry case, you’ll want to climb the stairs to the Pueblo Loft and ask Kitty about the authentic fetishes and other Native American crafts she fell in love with after moving to Albuquerque over thirty years ago. Pueblo Loft: Kitty Trask can be found upstairs in the Pueblo Loft surrounded by Pueblo masks, pottery, and stone carvings. Among her
Her favorite carver, Vernon Lunasce, carves beautiful bears and other animals with strong lines and the most striking expressions. If you’d like to know more about fetishes, Kitty recommends Zuni Fetishes and Carvings by Kent McManis as a good guide for beginners. She carries this and other books on fetishes in the store as well as masks, ornaments, and beautifully crafted silver bookmarks and letter openers for those hard to gift people on your list. Shop and Stroll: Bev and Kitty enthusiastically encourage everyone to come to the Shop and Stroll, which takes place on the first Thursday of December every year. This year on December 7th Pueblo Loft and Gallery One will join many other local stores as well as your Co-op for an outdoor event with refreshments and entertainment including two mariachi bands, choirs, and a brass ensemble from 5-10 pm. The streets are closed for
Even though they are distinct stores, the women’s friendship pervades the space, as does their love for the folk art they carry. and buy them,” she explains, “well, that’s the icing on the cake, and it encourages me to continue doing what I love.” With each fetish that she sells, Kitty writes out the significance of the carving, the kind of stone or material it is carved from, and the artist.
this annual event featuring fantastic sales on local items and it promises to be a blast. So come out to support locally owned shops and do some truly inspired holiday shopping in a fun festive neighborhood environment. Stephanie M. Clayton
Shop with Integrity... Buy Local! For years the Co-op has worked to build a strong local economy by supporting local farmers and producers. Our purchases of local products have increased substantially over the years due to your support of this effort. We hope that you will expand your support by extending it to include other local and family owned businesses. The joy of giving gifts is a delight that honors both the one who gives and the one who receives. Shopping at locally owned and operated businesses rather than with the big box corporate multinationals supports your friends and neighbors and sustains a strong local economy. A locally made and purchased gift gives many times over.
Purchasing gifts made by local artists and crafts people in cooperatives or from fair trade organizations is investing in a set of beliefs that give hope for the future. Come to our Co-op Craft Fair Dec. 16th at the Valley Co-op. Throughout the Co-op News you can find a variety of products and services brought to you by fine local business people. We urge your support of these independently owned and operated businesses. When you do shop — please, shop with integrity. Shop wisely: Shop Co-op and buy local. Thanks, Robyn Seydel
HOLIDAY
DINNER SPECIALS! Let our prepared foods chefs create or complement a holiday meal just for you. The Co-op deli is offering a special selection of entrees, side dishes and desserts available only by special order through Friday, December 22nd.
Entrees A pound serves 2-4 people Shelton’s All-Natural Sliced Turkey Breast • Beeler’s Sliced Glazed Ham • Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas (serves 2-3)
Side Dishes A quart serves 4-6 people Artichoke Pate • Caramel Pecan Butternut Squash • Garlic Mashed Potatoes • Green Beans Almondine • Wild Rice w/ Pinon Nuts • Cranberry & Mixed Fruit
Salad • Candied Yams & Apples • Sausage Stuffing • Calabacitas Con Chile Verde • Cranberry Orange Chutney • Turkey Gravy • Cornbread Dressing
Desserts Pies and Dessert Breads serve 6-8 people Maple Pecan Pie • Chocolate Silk Pie • Pumpkin Pie • Apple Pie • Cherry Pie • Poached Bartlett Pears (serves 1-2) • Cranberry Walnut Bread Loaf • Banana Nut Bread Loaf • Vegan Pumpkin Bread Loaf Order in person or by phone at these Co-op locations:
Nob Hill: 3500 Central SE, ABQ 265-4631 Valley: 2400 Rio Grande Blvd., ABQ 242-8880 Santa Fe: 913 West Alameda, Santa Fe 984-2852
Almost Complete Holiday Meal
A T YOUR
CO-OP
A nearly complete meal — everything but the turkey — includes hearty servings of: • Sausage Stuffing • Caramel Butternut Squash • Wild Rice with Pinon Nuts • Green Beans Almondine • Cranberry Fruit Salad • Poached Barlett Pears
$12.99/person
no substitutions Pick-up: Before 4pm on Sunday, December 24th
4
december 2006
shop local for great gifts need a perfect gift? CO-OP GIFT certificates from $10-up, give the gift of great tasting healthy food!
PAPERS! For a plethora of paper, as well as holiday cards & gifts that will amaze! Nob Hill Shopping Center 114 Amherst SE 254-1434 Mon.-Sat. 10:30-6:30 Sun. 11-5
Peace on Earth
Shop with Integrity Support Local Businesses...
Shop CO-OP
T wo Uncommon
Shops Under One Roof
G A LLE R Y O NE 505-268-7449 Contemporary crafts—Folk Art—Jewelry—Cards—Casual Clothing
T HE PU E B LO LO F T 505-268-8764 Storytellers—Masks—Miniatures—Zuni Fetishes (Including Horses)
3500 Central Ave. SE Albuquerque, NM 87106 in the Historic Nob Hill Shopping Center december 2006
108 Amherst NE in Hob Hill 505.255.4663
5
co-op news
december 2006 6
Dana Does it Again! Valley Staff Spotlight
Environment Club and the Albuquerque Academy. Our intentions are that 1) the Festival serves as an introduction to water education, 2) teachers utilize materials in their Teacher Resource Kits to conduct follow-up water education, and 3) teachers agree to have us return for a follow-up classroom visit/outreach.
Children’s Water Festival hile we are well aware that the Co-op is blessed with a marvelous staff, even among this extraordinary group now and again there are people who really step forward and take things to the next level. This fall, Dana Lusby, Valley Grocery Department Team leader did just that. While all our staff worked amazingly hard to get lots of great food donated for our 30th Birthday Bash, Dana also Dana worked found time to gather donations for the 8th annual to provide Middle Rio Grande Children’s Water Festival in mid snacks for October. This was the second year in a row, Dana 1,100 4th made sure the children attending the Water Festival graders that were treated to healthy snacks. Way to go Dana!
W
Thanks to her hard work La Montañita Co-op was able to help provide healthy snacks for 1,100 fourth grade students that attended. Below are excerpts of a letter of thanks we received from Katie Babuska, Children’s Water Festival organizer.
This year we filled every nook and cranny in the west complex of the Albuquerque Convention Center so that 100 more students could attend over the two days. Approximately 1,100 fourth grade public, private and/or home school students and their teachers attended. Each class participated in five of the 23 hands-on water-related activities. These activities were presented primarily by water professionals, but three were presented by students from the Del Norte
LOCAL SALE ITEMS SHOP LOCAL & SAVE
El Pinto Albuquerque, NM Original Salsa or Green Chile Sauce, 16 oz, Assorted Varieties, Sale 2/$7 Tijeras Organic Alchemy Albuquerque, NM Body Wash, 12 oz, Sale $9.99 Additional Tijeras products also on sale
Beneficial Farms Santa Fe, NM Fresh Eggs, 1 dozen, Sale $3.99
Leona’s
Chimayo, NM 8-Inch Flour Tortillas, 13 oz, Sale $1.99
Cannon’s Albuquerque, NM Sweet Hots, 9 oz, Assorted Varieties, Sale $3.69 VALID IN-STORE ONLY from 11/29-1/2, 2007:
Not all items available at all stores.
DECEMBER SPECIALS WANT TO SEE YOUR LOCAL PRODUCT ADVERTISED HERE? Contact Angela at angela@lamontanitacoop.com.
2006 LA MONTANITA CO-OP ELECTION RESULTS Lonn Calanca 822 • Lanny Goodman 466 • Marshall Kovitz 803 John Kwait 201 • Joseph Martinez 378 • Ken O’Brien 674 Martha Whitman 1,070 By-laws Number 1 Number 2 Number 3 Number 4 Number 5
Yes 1,129 1,143 1,061 1,142 1,137
Ballots cast Valid Ballots Invalid Ballots Late Ballots
No 29 21 96 18 23
Total 1,158 1,164 1,157 1,160 1,160
1294 1200 94 (Un-signed or expired memberships) 12 (Postmarked after Nov. 14 deadline)
• Developed an Essay Contest with cash prizes for teachers and students from Albuquerque, Rio Rancho and Santa Fe.
• Coordinated additional teacher training in water education (Project WET). • Continued Classroom Visits/Outreach in the majority of classes attending the Festival. • Initiated fundraising efforts to establish a Rio Rancho Children’s Water Festival for 2008.
This year, we had an astonishing increase in the number of teachers applying – from about 85 teachers to 150 (representing 3,500 students); however, our venue and funding can handle only about 1,000 students. Clearly, the demand for water education is growing!”
Plans are well underway for the 2007 Santa Fe Children’s Water Festival. Our venue this year (the Santa Fe Community College) can handle about 600 students, and we anticipate being able to serve almost all teachers who apply. On behalf of the Steering Committees from the Middle Rio Grande and Santa Fe areas, thank you for your generosity. Brava Dana — thanks for all you do for the Co-op and the Community!
Gallup Groove: Special Delivery Fresh Bread, Cheese, Produce and Meat Every Friday
O
ur Gallup store is small but mighty and vaguely reminiscent of the original La Montanita Co-op that used to be in the Girard Street Community Center. It’ s amazing the diversity of products that our dedicated Gallup staff has shoe-horned into this space. In response to member requests special deliveries of fresh baked bread, special cuts of fresh meat, domestic and imported cheese specialties and produce are being delivered in special runs from our Valley location to the Gallup location every week. The products will be available every Friday morning just in time for weekend shopping and enjoyment. Gallup customers can also pre-order anything that they can get at the Albuquerque Valley location. Please contact Tracy by Tuesday if you have a pre-order request for the coming Friday. New Hours, New Staff: The Gallup location is now open on Sunday from 11am to 6pm for your shopping convenience. This is made possible by the addition of two wonderful new staff
members. The Co-op is pleased welcome Joann Benenati and Brian Pierce to our staff. Holiday Festivities: Please join the Gallup staff at our holiday gathering on Dec. 14th from 4-6pm. Enjoy light refreshments and the company of Co-op friends and neighbors. Once again this year the Co-op’s Make a Child Smile Holiday Giving Program comes to Gallup. Last year the Gallup community really stepped forward to help make the season a little brighter for children in need in the Gallup area. This year we will again be working with Jolene of the Gallup office of N.M. Department of Children Youth and Families on this project. Come to the Gallup Holiday Party on Thursday Dec. 14th, 4-6pm and enjoy light refreshments, friends and neighbors, and pick a child from our festive wall decoration. Thanks to all who participated last year and welcome to all who join us this year.
spotlight on meat Your Coop has a variety of specialty meats available for your Winter Holiday celebrations. Turkeys and large turkey breasts, duck, quail, roasts, boneless hams, rack of lamb, organic prime rib, seafood, fish, elk and bison.
Correction: Last month we ran this picture of our 30th Birthday Bash Barbeque stalwarts. Their correct names are Jeremy (not Jerome) and Paul of the Valley Co-op Deli. Our apologies.
• Developed an on-line teacher application process to get teachers onto the website.
• Continue to increase the visibility of elementary level water education and developed elementary level water education goals and objectives.
attended the Children’s Water Festival.
“With a total value of $476.28, your contribution is both significant and valuable. Also, I am writing to let you know how the financial and in-kind support from our sponsors like you at La Montañita Food Co-op translates into results.
We instituted several Festival improvements this year: • Developed a new website – www.waterfestnm.com which includes resources for more water education.
For special cuts or special orders call Gino at Nob Hill: 2654631, Nick at the Valley: 242-8800 or Grace in Santa Fe: 984-2852.
fresh, fair, local... for your
holiday table B-b-que kings SHOP CO-OP AND SAVE BUY LOCAL SHOP CO-OP AND SAVE
co-op news
december 2006 7
General Manager’s Column
Calendar of Events
the inside scoop, by CE Pugh
I
received an inquiry from a member recently regarding our pricing as it compares to the Sunflower Market located in Albuquerque on the corner of Alameda and Coors. We checked the items referenced in this inquiry and Sunflower’s pricing on these items is indeed lower than ours. We regularly do price comparisons with Whole Foods and Wild Oats and our retail pricing strategies have been developed over the years to make sure that we are competitive with these two competitors. As a result of this feedback and similar feedback from other members we are now regularly checking Sunflower, Vitamin Cottage and Trader Joe’s. What we see is that our pricing remains very competitive with Whole Foods and Wild Oats and less so with these newer competitors. In some cases, Sunflower, Vitamin Cottage and Trader Joe’s have retail prices that are below our cost. I think some of this difference is due to the different product “mix” within these stores. Sunflower’s alcoholic beverage business is a large part of their total sales and the majority of Vitamin Cottage’s sales are derived from higher margin supplements and body care products. This larger “mix” of higher profit margin items permits them a lower margin on basic food items. I know that some of their pricing advantage also results from their internal warehousing. They are able to buy some items directly from the manufacturers and bypass the
distributor. Whole Foods and Wild Oats are using the same distributor in Denver that we use. We are opening a small La Montanita Co-op warehouse in January and we will begin to buy some items directly from the manufacturer. This will help us lower prices on these items early next year. We will also begin receiving a better discount from our Denver distributor in January. This is the result of our membership in the National Cooperative Grocers’ Association where we have joined 107 other food cooperatives in a “National Purchasing Agreement” with United Natural Foods. This reduced cost will also help lower our retail pricing early next year. One final observation is that Sunflower, Vitamin Cottage, and Trader Joe’s are more of a “self service” experience with significantly lower payroll costs. La Montanita pays a calculated living wage to all staff members and both full time and part time staff members receive our full staff benefit package. I know that many of our members do shop these other markets for price, but continue to patronize La Montanita for our quality and service. That being said, we will continue to be as competitive on price as possible.
12/4 12/7 12/8 12/9 12/14 12/16 12/18 12/19 12/20 12/24 12/25 12/31 1/1
Holiday Giving Trees go up at all Co-op locations Shop and Stroll in Nob Hill, see page 1 for details Bandelier Choir, Nob Hill store 10:30am Valley Co-op Holiday party, 1-5pm Santa Fe and Gallup Co-op’s, Holiday parties Valley Co-op Craft Fair, 12-4pm Make a Child Smile gifts due back at the Co-op Board of Directors Meeting, Immanuel Church 5:30pm Member Linkage, Immanuel Church 5:30pm Co-op’s close at 6pm CO-OP’S ARE CLOSED Co-op’s have regular hours Co-op’s have reduced hours, 9am-5pm
Paul Barlow
M A S S A G E T H E R A P I S T
242-1795
Polarity Somato-Emotional Release Cranio -Sacral Swedish
I hope you all have a safe and relaxing holiday season, C.E. Pugh,General Manager
in the Old Town Area
RPP LMT #2663
Product Spotlight: Flowers Both Beautiful and Fairly Traded
T
he flower business is a highly competitive global industry. Daily we struggle to find thequality products we need at the most competitive prices. In the “business as usual” model considering the cost and the impacts on the community in which a product is produced is a rarity. Not so at La Montanita. In many cases non-traditional agricultural imports—as flowers are known in the trade, take a tremendous toll on the South and Central American communities in which they are produced. With our Co-op’s purchases we hope to change that model. Responsibly managed flower farms are providing developing communities with much needed advantages not generally available in third world countries. A number of different programs have emerged to promote ecologically sustainable and socially responsible production of cut flowers. These include the “Flower Label Program” from Germany and “Florverde” from South America. To achieve full accreditation, farms must significantly reduce or eliminate the use of chemicals, recycle their plastics, compost their plant residues and only use a limited selection of approved chemicals in production. Workers on these farms ben-
Board
Brie f: Meeting of October 17, 2006 Financial Report. The Co-op enjoyed strong financial performance this year, at this point it appears that a 2 percent patronage dividend is likely. Member Linkage Committee. The Member Linkage Committee is planning a World Café Forum in February. Participants will rotate through several small roundtable conversations, and will serve as “ambassadors of meaning” for discussion points about the Co-op. Board Training. The Board Training Committee has developed a plan for Board development in the form of a one-year contract with CBLD (Cooperative Board Leadership Development). This training may include workshops for Board
efit from fair and secure employment practices, health care services, safe environmental practices, food cooperatives, child day-care, educational opportunities and others. Annual inspections ensure that the farms maintain these levels of standards. Buying flowers from these certified growers ensures that you’re contributing to responsible development in these countries. La Montanita Co-op, as a socially responsible business is committed to purchasing flowers from these sustainable producers. In recent months, the Nob Hill and Rio Grande stores have started buying their flowers directly from Ecuadorian and Columbian farms that are participating in these fair trade and sustainability programs. With the assistance of a flower savvy international purchaser Janet Halpern of Southwest Floral, Co-op flowers are fresh, vibrant and socially responsible. This holiday season and throughout the year, when you purchase flowers from the glorious array at the Co-op flower stand, you can be sure that once again Co-op members and all New Mexicans are getting a product that is the freshest and most fairly traded product we can find. LeeRoy Allen III Produce Assistant, Department Team Leader
members, consultations with the Board president, and networking with other co-op boards. Board Officer Elections. The Board unanimously voted to elect the following slate of officers: Martha Whitman, president; Marshall Kovitz, vice president; Ken O’Brien, treasurer; and Roger Eldridge, secretary. All four officers are continuing in their positions; many thanks for all their great work and for their willingness to serve again! Board Policy Manual. In order to clarify the roles and expectations of advisory Board members, new language was added to item B9 in the Board policy manual. Anyone interested in becoming an advisory Board member is welcome to refer to the policy manual. Annual General Membership Meeting. There was good food, good cheer, and good music at the annual general membership meeting. Nominees for the Board also introduced themselves, and anyone who wasn’t there missed C. E.’s interesting and inspiring talk. Board Meeting. Members are invited to attend monthly board meetings. The next meeting will be held on the third Tues., Dec. 19, 2006, at 5:30 pm at the Immanuel Presbyterian Church at Carlisle and Silver avenues in Albuquerque. Shirley Coe, Administrative Assistant
Member of International Society of Arboriculture and Society of Commercial Arboriculture ISA Certified, Licensed & Insured
232-2358 EricsTreeCare.com ericstreecare@earthlink.net
Dormant Season Pruning is Upon Us Call us about pruning pines, conifers and fruit trees November-February
Services • Fruit and Shade Tree Pruning • Technical Removal • Planting • Cabling & Bracing • Pest Management • Fertilization & • Root Rehabilitation Services
YOUR EMOTIONS Easily Release Fear, Anger and Confusion—Feel Worthy, Peace, and Love! Sovereign Light—Vibrational Sprays: Aromatherapy with a Twist of Energy! are designed as a healing system to work with your energy body and create positive change. Excellent for healers, yoga, feng shui and, of course, you!
NEW BOOK! Codes of Light— The Power of Our Beliefs $29.95
Available: The Herb Store, Nob Hill and www.SovereignLight.com (10% online only) 2 sizes: $17.98 & $11.98
UPCOMING CLASSES: ABQ Channeling Event with Divine Mother and Sanatkumara December 17, Unitarian Church, 2–4 pm, FREE Body Messages—Discover What Your Body is Saying Workshop January 14, 2007, Unitarian Church, 2-6 pm, $75 Sacred Egypt—A Spiritual Journey Beyond Everyday Consciousness March 17–31, 2007. Deposits due now.
www.PaulaMuran.com ● 217-3747
fresh FAIR local ORGANIC VALLEY
Organic Eggnog
3
$
49
32 oz.
valid in-store 11/29/06-1/2/07
Your
CO-OPSpecials R. W. KNUDSEN
3
$
99
EQUAL EXCHANGE
4
$ 99 8 oz., Fair Trade certified
4
16 oz., Salted or Unsalted
99
¢
12 oz.
1
$ 99 5.5-5.9 oz., select varieties
2
29
750 ml., select varieties
Organic Unsweetened Soymilk
2/ 3 $
SUNSPIRE
MARY’S GONE CRACKERS
Organic Dark Chocolate Chips
3
$
Organic Gluten Free Crackers
49
9 oz., Fair Trade certified
2
$
99
6.5 oz., select varieties
TERRA
Vegetable Chips
3
$
99
7.5-8 oz., select varieties
R. W. KNUDSEN
Sparkling Juice
WESTSOY
32 oz., select varieties
LUNDBERG FAMILY FARM
Organic Risotto
20 ct, select varieties
Evaporated Milk
Organic Butter
$ 99
1
$ 99
SANTINI
ORGANIC VALLEY
$
Holiday Tea
6 pack, select varieties
Organic Baking Cocoa
CELESTIAL SEASONINGS
Spritzers
IMAGINE FOODS
Organic Broth
1
$ 99 32 oz., select varieties
CASCADIAN FARM
Organic Vegetables
1
$ 99 16 oz., select varieties
NEW CHAPTER ORGANIC
Supercritical Holy Basil
19
$
60 softgels
99
delicious
dishes
Holiday
Recipes! Delicious Holiday Dishes… Try some twists on the traditional holiday dinner this year along with some simple time-honored favorites. From quick and simple ideas to the more gourmet fare, we hope you will find some inspiration here for an innovative vegetarian feast or interesting new ideas for side dishes. Happy holidays! (Key: t = teaspoon/ T = tablespoon/ C = cup/ oz = ounce/ # = pound) Simple Broccoli Soup 1 1/2 C chopped broccoli 1/4 C diced celery 1/4 C chopped onion 1 C low-sodium chicken broth 2 C low fat organic milk 2 T cornstarch or arrowroot powder 1/4 t salt Dash pepper Dash ground thyme 1/4 C grated Swiss cheese Place vegetables and broth in saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook until vegetables are tender (about 8 minutes). Mix milk, cornstarch (or arrowroot), salt, pepper, and thyme; add to cooked vegetables. Cook, stirring constantly, until soup is lightly thickened and mixture just begins to boil. Remove from heat. Add cheese and stir until melted. (serves 4) Ragout of Chanterelles, Chestnuts and Cipollini Onions 1 # chestnuts (at least 3 per person) 1 # cipollini or pearl onions (about 2-3
december 2006 10
per person) 2 to 3 C stock or broth (enough to cover the chestnuts) 2 # chanterelle mushrooms 4 T olive oil 2 T chopped thyme Salt and pepper Cut a cross on the flat side of each chestnut. Place them in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Simmer about 10 minutes. While the chestnuts are hot, remove the outer skin and thin inner brown peel (a painstaking and sometimes painful task, but the chestnuts must be hot for the inner brown skin to come off). If the chestnuts are not cooked through, simmer them in stock for 8-10 minutes. (You can tell if they are cooked by breaking one open and checking to see if the inside is the same color as the outside.) Set the cooked chestnuts aside. Trim the roots of the onions carefully without cutting across the ends. Cut a cross on the bottom of each onion. Cover the onions with water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until tender-firm. Drain and remove peels. Set aside. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel and cut into thick slices. Warm half the oil in a large saute pan and quickly saute the mushrooms in two batches. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine chestnuts, onions and mushrooms in a large casserole, and toss with thyme, adding broth if the mixture seems dry. Season dish with salt and pepper. Bake 15 minutes until hot all the way through. Serve hot. (serves 8) Quick Super Stuffing If you are not yet tired of stuffing, try this recipe. It’s great when you’re short on time, as is often the case during the holidays.
2 1/4 C chicken or vegetable stock 1/4 C wild rice 4 T butter 2 C fresh sliced mushrooms 2 C diced celery 1 C chopped onion 4 C corn bread stuffing mix 1 T poultry seasoning (or other all-purpose seasoning blend) Preheat oven to 325 or 350 F. In a medium sized saucepan combine stock and wild rice. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer until rice is tender. In a large skillet melt the butter. Add the mushrooms, celery and onion. Cook until the vegetables are soft. In a large bowl mix the cornbread stuffing and poultry seasoning. Add the rice and the vegetables and mix well. Bake for about 25 minutes. More chicken stock can be added if stuffing is dry. (Done in half an hour, serves 7) Roasted Root Veggies Slow roasting brings out the natural sugars in foods and is a simple, tasty way to cook all kinds of root vegetables. Beets add color, depth of flavor, and good nutrition to the meal. Mix and match veggies, vary the shapes, and come up with your own dish. 1 large beet, cut into rounds 1 large sweet potato cut into rounds 1 medium parsnip, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges (optional) 1 T olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced (optional) 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs (such as marjoram, thyme, rosemary, and oregano) Salt and pepper to taste Fresh chopped parsley for garnish In a 13x9x2-inch, oiled baking pan, arrange beets, sweet potatoes, parsnip,
and, if desired, onion. In a small bowl combine oil, garlic, mixed herbs, salt, and pepper. Drizzle oil mixture over vegetables; toss to coat. Bake in a 350-375 degree F oven for 30 minutes. Remove pan and stir or turn veggies with a spatula. Bake for about 20 to 30 minutes more or until vegetables are tender (baking time depends on thickness of vegetables and altitude). Add garnish and serve. (serves 6) Simplify: If you are in a hurry, try baking a couple of beets (red and/or gold) with just the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Follow the same baking method and be sure to use the parsley garnish for a festive appearance. You will be amazed by how great this simple version tastes. Pesto Potatoes A twist on the traditional mashed potato! You can prepare the pesto and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, store frozen for a month or more. 2 # medium yellow fleshed potatoes such as Yukon gold 1 C firmly packed fresh basil leaves 1/2 C torn fresh spinach leaves 1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 C pine nuts or walnuts 2 cloves garlic, quartered 1/4 t salt (optional) 2 T olive oil or cooking oil 2 T water 1/2 of an 8-ounce package low-fat cream cheese Salt/pepper 2 to 3 T organic low-fat milk Peel and quarter potatoes. Cook them, covered, in a small amount of salted water at a light boil for 15 to 20 minutes. Check to add more water as needed and, when tender, drain. Meanwhile, for pesto, in a food processor bowl combine basil, spinach, Parmesan cheese, pine
Classical Homeopathy Visceral Manipulation Craniosacral Therapy
MARY ALICE COOPER, MD St. Raphael Medical Center 204 Carlisle NE Albuquerque, NM 87106
505-266-6522
™
www.nmefcu.org • 889-7755 Member NCUA • Equal Opportunity Lender
delicious
dishes
nuts or almonds, garlic, and, if desired, 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and process with several on-off turns until a paste forms, stopping the machine several times and scraping down the sides. With machine running, gradually add oil and water. Process to the consistency of soft butter. Mash warm potatoes with a potato masher or an electric mixer on low speed. Add cream cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Gradually beat in enough milk to make potatoes light and fluffy. Top each serving with 1 teaspoon of the pesto. Cover and chill or freeze remaining pesto for another use. (serves 8) Two Quick Sides Savory Mediterranean Green Beans: Two pounds of green beans will serve about 8. Trim and wash beans. Start with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium-hot pan. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, a pinch of crushed red pepper, 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, and 1 sliced red onion. Saute onion and add green beans and 2 cups diced tomatoes. Stir and cover until tender. Season the beans with salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, squeeze the juice of 1 fresh lemon over the top. Glazed Carrots: Steam 2 pounds of julienne carrots until tender (10 min). Drain and stir in salt to taste and 2/3 cup orange marmalade or apricot preserves and cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until thoroughly heated. Combine 2 tablespoons each of brown sugar, butter, and rum in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until butter and brown sugar melt. Remove from heat, and stir in 1/2 cup roasted and chopped pecans. Pour over carrot mixture in bowl and gently toss. (serves 6) Apple Cranberry Squash 1 # butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes 2 Jonathan or Macintosh apples, peeled, cored and chopped 2 T organic sugar 1 C cranberries, thawed if frozen 2 t unsalted butter, melted Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place squash in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover saucepan and steam 15 minutes or until tender. Remove from steamer basket and set aside. Combine apples and half the sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook 12 minutes stirring frequently until juice has evaporated. Add apples to squash. Combine cranberries and remaining sugar in same saucepan. Cook 4 minutes or until liquid has evaporated. Add cranberries to apples and squash. Stir in melted butter and salt to taste and toss. Transfer mixture to a buttered shallow baking dish. Bake 10 minutes or until hot. (serves 4)
december 2006 11
3/4 C firmly packed light brown sugar 3/4 C granulated sugar 1 t baking soda 1/4 t salt 3/4 t cinnamon 1/4 t nutmeg 1/4 C applesauce 2 egg whites 1 t vanilla extract Waxed paper and 9-inch cardboard rounds to aid with cake assembly (optional) For the meringue: 1 C maple syrup 3 egg whites Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with vegetable spray and lightly dust with flour. Pour boiling water over the oats, cover and let stand 20 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the flour, sugars, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Combine the applesauce, 2 egg whites and vanilla in a small bowl and blend well. Add the applesauce mixture and oatmeal to the dry ingredients and mix well with a fork until blended. Spoon the batter into the cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cake tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean. Cover the top of the cakes with waxed paper, invert and cool on cake racks.
Body-Centered Counseling
M.A., L.P.C.C, L.M.T.
505-265-2256 LPCC Lic. 0494, LMT Lic. 1074
Psychotherapy louise@louisemiller.org www.louisemiller.org
C H IR O PR AC T I C Chiropractic with an Ayurvedic Influence K elly Coogan D.C. 3216 Monte Vista Blvd. NE, Suite A Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106 chiroveda9@yahoo.com ph 505.247.HEAL fx 505.247.4326
The recipes above have been adapted and reprinted from the following sources: www.fitnessandfreebies.com www.onhealth.webmd.com www.recipes.bhg.com/recipes www.foodfit.com/recipes www.allrecipes.com Ivy’s personal collection and the Co-op Deli
HAPPY HOLIDAYS! from your
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Assemble: Set the first cake layer on a 9-inch cardboard round or cake plate. Place 3-inch strips of waxed paper under edges of cake (this will prevent any frosting from getting on the plate). Spread a thick layer of meringue on the first layer. Place the second layer on top and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining meringue. Remove and discard waxed paper strips.
Integrated Counseling, Therapeutic Bodywork and Movement
Penny Holland
Louise Miller, MA LPCC NCC
To make meringue: Boil the maple syrup to “firmball� stage (248 degrees on your candy thermometer). Beat 3 egg whites until they form stiff peaks but are not dry. Gradually add the hot maple syrup to beaten egg whites and beat until fluffy.
Oatmeal Cake with Maple Syrup Meringue For the cake: 1 C boiling water 3/4 C rolled oats 1-1/2 C unbleached flour
Personal Growth Childhood Trauma • Illness Drugs/Alcohol • Loss Women’s Issues
the Best
SQUASH
SHOP
CO-OP!
SHOP with INTEGRITY
Fair Trade: Fair Made
Global and Local Gifts at Your CO-OP
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by Ivy Edmondson ook for some new fair trade and locally made gift ideas at the Co-op this holiday season. The Coops in Santa Fe (SF) and in Albuquerque’s Rio Grande Valley (RG) have created special fair trade and local gift sections in each store to make giving great gifts easy.
L
One of the top quality sources for fair trade products worldwide is Aid to Artisans (ATA), a nonprofit organization assisting and training artisans in developing countries. ATA creates jobs and boosts local economy with its effective “Maker to Market� approach, connecting artisans with buyers regionally and internationally and assisting in the development of enduring business connections. Look for exquisite, hand-made ornaments, such
of The Studio, a working studio and pottery classroom in Albuquerque’s north valley. Lindy’s functional and festive, terra-cotta pottery is microwave, dishwasher, and food safe. The pieces are hand-made and glazed with three layers of decorative glaze in a variety of bold colors. Look for candleholders, mugs, and dishes by Lindy Hirst at the Valley store. Each of the other Co-op locations has its own unique selection of local, fair trade, and fair made gifts. The Co-op in Santa Fe will be carrying eco-friendly gift wrap by Natural Elements, made from bark without destroying trees in the process and colored with chlorine-free, acid-free dyes. The Nob Hill Co-op is carrying African batik shirts in a bouquet of colors by local artisan and Co-op employee Ife Fidudusola. In Gallup, look for Kuumba scented oils made from natural botanical sources and Sunbeam beeswax candles, made in a solar-powered facility. Most Co-op locations will be carrying locally made candles by Sandia Soy Candles, and candles from long time local candle maker Bruce MacCallum (see article on this page), fair-trade African market baskets, locally distributed by Overseas Connection, and fairmade pottery by Le Souk. The pottery is hand-made in Tunisia and hand-painted in the style of Italian majolica using lead-free, non-toxic materials. Majolica is an age old tradition of coating terra cotta bisque with opaque white glaze that is then delicately painted with another layer of various pigments to create the design. The pottery is durable, dishwasher, microwave, and food safe. The pay and working conditions at Le Souk far exceed peer standards in the local area. The work space is properly lit and ventilated, and raw materials are used under safe conditions, providing good jobs for the local economy.
the
gift of
CO-OP gift
certificates from $10 and up you can give the gift of great tasting HEALTHY FOOD!!! as paper mache and hand-woven birds and fishes in a rainbow of colors, delicate, orange peel stars, and also “tea light� candle-holders from ATA artisans. Another exciting new fair made vendor available at Rio Grande and in Santa Fe is Mariachi Imports. The Co-op will be carrying their MadMats and Sweep Dreams brooms. All mats and brooms are hand-woven from strands of brightly colored, recycled plastic. Amy Kimmich, one of the founders of Mariachi, says “We are passionate about the environment and fairness in the workplace. It is essential to us to be part of the solution.� The company has woven these principles into the structure of all operations with excellent working conditions and by using recycled materials in their weaves and household products. The mats are intricately woven in the same fashion as flat weave rugs, in rich, deep colors, and the brooms are made with the same meticulous attention to detail and color. Some other fair trade gift items available exclusively at the Santa Fe and Valley stores are gourd ornaments from Lucuma Designs and Poco a Poco. All ornaments are intricately hand-painted and/or hand-carved and make a unique addition to any ornament collection. The Valley will also carry cards, incense, and gifts from the Tibet Collection, and The Santa Fe Co-op is featuring Zulu grass beads from the Leakey Collection of Kenya, all fair trade and fair made. The Rio Grande Co-op has an exclusive on pottery by Lindy Hirst. Lindy is a Co-op member and owner
food
Look for the earthy and floral colors of Native Leaf hand-woven bags and Andesgifts (AG) hand-woven, alpaca scarves, mittens, caps, and gloves at the Co-op as well. Both organizations are certified fair trade. The Native Leaf bags are richly colored with non-toxic and environmentally low-impact dyes and made with dried Romblon leaves, native to the Western Pacific islands and sustainably harvested so that the plant continues to grow and produce more foliage. The alpaca, whose wool is used in the AG weaves, are raised in open grasslands in the Andes and thrive under humane conditions. The people who produce AG clothing and Native Leaf bags are paid a fair wage, 3 to 5 times the national average in the case of Andes workers, and provided training, equipment, and financial assistance as needed. Above all, the artisans are genuinely grateful for the gift of work (and hope), according to the folks at Andesgifts: “Gracias por darnos trabajo y esperanza!�
Most items mentioned in this article can be special ordered from any Co-op location. For more information on these and other fair trade gifts, go to: www.aidtoartisans.org, www.mariachiimports.com, www. lucuma.com, www.pocoapoco.com, www.tibetcollection. com, www.andesgifts.com, www.nativeleaf.com.
Local Product Spotlight:
Sweet Light
Candles
Candles are often used in celebration. During the holiday season they are omni-present. Their gentle glow adds a special touch to any occasion and makes a glorious addition to holiday tablescapes. Bruce MacCallum has been making candles for 30 years and says he owes being able to continue his passion for candle-making to co-ops like La Montanita that put local products first. His high-grade paraffin tapers are reasonably priced, come in a wide variety of colors and burn for up to 10 hours. “I could make them from local all natural bees wax but I’m really proud that I can offer an affordable candle product that is made locally,� says Bruce. He got his start as a candle maker when
12
he received a candleholder and wanted to make a candle to fit it. Thirty years later, he’s still making candles out of a studio in his home in the rural community of Lone Butte, north of Cerrillos, New Mexico. He began selling the candles in Santa Fe in 1979 and was able to start selling them at the Albuquerque Coop in the mid 80’s. “I really appreciate the Co-op� Bruce said, “without it, I’d be shut down and have to find something else to do to survive.� Pick up some of Bruce’s Sweet Light tapers at your Co-op and keep it local for the holidays. Sweet Light Candles can be found at both Albuquerque locations and the Santa Fe location. They can be pre-ordered at the Gallup location.
december 2006
IN the SPIRIT
Super Celebrations
Ho-Ho-Holiday Eating by Stephanie Clayton ll of us look forward to the delicious bounty of goodies during the holidays. Unfortunately, most of us also regret our over-indulgence the very second we ring in the New Year. Naturally when friends and family gather to celebrate, food is usually the main event. It is extremely easy to over-eat due to a variety of factors, which can include pressure from family and friends to try (and have seconds of) their homemade specialties, anxiety about the upcoming year, and the general "but everything just looks so good" mentality. To make sure you don't over do it, keep in mind a few healthy holiday eating tips.
A
Don't give yourself an ultimatum. Many of us decide to counteract holiday pounds by promising ourselves we will start a new diet on January 1st. This restrictive mind-set only encourages us to eat more while we can. It also overlooks the fact that holiday leftovers will find a way into your fridge. Limit yourself to one or two treats a day, instead of six or seven. After all, if you only
get to have Aunt Millie's frosted Christmas gingerbread once a year, have as much as you'd like. As for the rest, plan on taking it easy on the remainder of the holiday spread, at least until the next day. Exercise, plain and simple. Habitual exercising is the foundation of weight management. And during the holidays the focus should be on weight maintenance, not weight loss. Either due to very hectic
BALANCE is not only a healthy goal to strive for; it will allow you to truly enjoy everything the holidays have to offer.
La Alameda Press: Great Books
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a Alameda Press began on a kitchen table with the production of Kate Horsley’s novel Crazy Woman in 1992 and they are still at it. They are one of the southwest's finest small presses, making beautiful books of artistic and cultural merit. Among their books you can find New Mexican authors plus kindred spirits from around the country, including well known Beat and post-Beat writers such as Joanne Kyger, David Meltzer, James Koller, Michael Rothenberg, and Anne Waldman. La Alameda Press operates in a world of big business similar in many ways to artisan farmers. Many, but not all, of their titles are poetry "because we believe poetry is an essential artform with all of its beautiful sincerity, various passions, brave experimentalism, and necessary wisdom." They also publish books which reflect their bio-regional bent as well as fine volumes of essays with a diversity of thought. When you connect all the dots you find at La Alameda a quirky aesthetic that is part of a long tradition in which art is integral to life. For them poetry stengthens the imagination and is an antidote to corporate thought. Cranes: The Nobelest Flyers, In Natural History and Cultural Lore by Alice Lindsay Price is as informative as it is beautiful. Price, a nature writer, photog-
rapher, poet, artist and bird scholar, brings it all together as gracefully as the birds themselves in flight. The personal becomes the political as Price, with a poet’s tongue, entwines her trips to view the cranes with conservation efforts to save nearly half of all crane species from endangered status. Whether you are inspired by the sight of a single crane standing in the Albuquerque bosque or have made the trip to Bosque del Apache and been moved by the sound of hundreds of crane wings coming in for landing at sunset, this book evokes the power of a crane experience. It is packed with stories and lore, both scientific and cultural that will enchant readers of all ages. Cranes: the Noblest Flyers makes a great gift, providing hours of enjoyment during our winter crane season; or try any of La Alameda’s other books. The best way to support small press literature is to buy a book!
We recommend patronizing your favorite independent bookstore (Bookworks in Dietz Farm Plaza, or Page One in Albuquerque or Collected Works in Santa Fe). La Alameda Press books are distributed via the University of New Mexico Press and Small Press Distribution. You can also find their books at Amazon.com, or by sending a check to La Alameda Press, 9636 Guadalupe Tail NW, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87114. Visit their website, www.laalameda press.com to see all of their books.
DELECTABLE CHEESE FONDUES by Lotti Abraham, Nob Hill Cheese Clerk Stemming from the French verb fondre, meaning to melt, fondue originated as a classic peasant dish from the region (or canton) of Neufchatel in Switzerland. At first, used to avoid wasting the hardened cheeses, fondue recipes can also include hot oils and chocolate, for dipping meats, vegetables, and fruits. Making its debut in the United States in 1952 in New York City, the heavy earthenware pot (or caquelon) with its low flame placed underneath keeps oils, chocolate and cheeses simmering. Long, two-pronged forks hold bite size pieces of crusty bread (Italian or French varieties will do) ready for dipping into the warm, thick, gooey substance. Depending on the region in Switzerland, basic fondue recipes differ. The most familiar recipe uses Gruyere and
Swiss Emmentaler, both available in our cheese cases. Aged over 100 days and made from partskim milk, they create a balance between sharp and sweet. Other suggestions for fondue include savory seafood and cheddar cheese fondue or a brie cheese fondue with basil. Also recommended are goat cheese, garlic and tarrgon fondue. For a Mexican fondue, try chili peppers and Montery Jack cheese. Mushroom, cheddar and beef fondues are hearty for the fall and winter seasons, and pizza fondue are easily made with mozzarella and tomato sauce. HERE’S A GREAT GIFT IDEA: Convenient, ready to use 14 oz. packages can be found in our cheese cases equipped with all the necessary ingredients and directions. Fondue kits complete with pot, lid, burner stand, and six forks and recipes (for chocolate, too!) are available for $35.99.
C H E E S E D E PA RT M E N T S P O T L I G H T december 2006
holiday scheduling or quite the opposite, a much needed vacation from the daily grind, exercise plans vanish this time of year. Since occasions to eat will occur more often than you can plan for, the best thing to do is make a point of doing some form of physical activity everyday. This doesn't mean you have to hit the gym; anything from taking a long walk to shooting hoops and catching up with your cousins from out of town will help relieve the effect of those extra calories. As a bonus, exercise will also produce endorphins which alleviate stress and help combat depression, an extremely common cause for over-eating, which runs especially high during the holiday season. Plan accordingly. There are always unexpected events that you have to make an appearance at, so plan for them. Set aside a few extra calories for last minute get togethers where you'll be expected to eat. Also don't forget to account for beverages. Alcoholic or not, the more you eat, the more you drink. Anything from the seemingly innocent nonalcoholic punch to the very notorious cup of egg nog need to be factored into your plans. Try to limit alcoholic drinks and sodas for that matter to two a day and have a glass of water to match every glass that contains sugar or alcohol. Most importantly, enjoy it! Balance is not only a healthy goal to strive for; it will allow you to truly enjoy everything the holidays have to offer: an air of magic, celebration, and giving thanks, spending time with friends and family, and most certainly the variety of textures and flavors we all associate with the holiday season. Also keep things in perspective. Overeating one day will not jeopardize all of your efforts. If you do indulge a little too much, relax and remember "'tis the season."
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M AT H T U TO R Credentialed Teacher M .Ed. Cross-Cultural Teaching ESL (TESO L) Endorsed K -Adult, All Math Levels Phone Mary (505) 417-7321
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COMMUNITY
forum
december 2006 14
Food & Environment
From the Factory Farm to YOU
W
hile there’s no solid conclusion yet from the spinach/E.coli investigation, pre-packed salads took a direct hit in sales. But small farms nationwide with loose, unbagged greens saw little loss and many even reported sales increases as new customers showed up at farmers markets, wanting substitutes for the bagged greens they no longer trust.
Wal-Mart itself said to the New York Times, “Organic agriculture is just another method of agriculture — not better, not worse... This is like any other merchandising scheme we have.” In other words, more market share: selling for less by driving down their costs. But organic farmers can go no cheaper and survive, and even if they could, the supply cannot yet meet this corporate demand. So Wal-
Manure contamination remains the suspect. Once again, here’s the true cost of mass-produced food The end product for a nationwide market rather than supporting may be low cost local, sustainable systems. Feedlot manure laced goods for the with E. coli and traces of antibiotics continues to pile up, creating health hazards rather than being American the beneficial by-product it used to be. Actually, consumer but by-product is not a correct term. The old-time in the long run, farmer knew that manure was as valuable and it’s not much desired as meat, eggs, hide, wool or feathers. of bargain Once valued for nutrients, organic matter and stimulating microbial life, manure is now viewed after all. as an odorous and filthy contagion in need of disposal. And sadly, it has become just that, accumulating in feedlots rather than dropping naturally in pastures — all in the name of “efficiency” that fattens cows quicker by bringing the feed to them. In the old days, the feed stood still and the cows moved around. Over-consumption of meat creates imbalance as our pastoral land base continues to dwindle. Land is over-grazed including that which was never suitable for grazing in the first place. Finally, we take the tired land out of food production and into “development.” Housing is one thing; as environmentally unsound as our homebuilding standards are, people must live someplace (that’s a rant for another time). But development these days means business of the sort that mainly gives Americans more “choices” as to which brand of useless junk we’ll spend our money on today and tire of by tomorrow. Which in my usual roundabout fashion brings us back to mass-produced food. Not only has Wal-Mart jumped into the organic market, but Target is right behind. And all at low prices. It’s hard to argue against organic food within range of all wallets. But costs are brought down by decreased prices paid to the farm and increased industrial practices like feedlots, pre-bagged salad and lower quality factory food. Rather than sustaining the farm community in terms of nutrition, health, environment and local dollars spent locally, food remains merely another international commodity.
Mart turns to its old trading partner, China. Besides undercutting stateside production — further hurting US farmers — China’s organic industry has one big problem. It’s a mess. Any organic product imported into the US must meet the USDA/National Organic Program’s standards. NOP accredits and audits all organic certifiers in the States to ensure integrity. But they moved much too quickly in approving Chinese certifiers who are now the target of numerous complaints. NOP officials are going to China this fall to investigate (as well they should have before approval was issued). The allegations are numerous: poor conditions and low pay for farm workers, questionable quality of the food itself, factory farm practices and poor compliance with organic standards coupled with corruption and bribery. Coincidentally, these are some of the same allegations that the global third-world manufacturing sector faces. The end product may be low cost goods for the American consumer, but in the long run, it’s not much of a bargain after all. by Brett Bakker Want to know more? Check http://cornucopia.org/index. php/wal-mart-white-paper/
itchy green thumb
Wal-Mart Charged with Selling NON-ORGANIC Food as ORGANIC
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he Cornucopia Institute, a non-profit organic farming watchdog, has filed a formal legal complaint with the USDA, asking them to investigate allegations of illegal “organic” food distribution by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Cornucopia has documented cases of nonorganic food products being sold as organic in Wal-Mart’s grocery departments. “We first noticed that Wal-Mart was using in-store signage to mis-identify conventional, nonorganic food as organic in their upscale-market test store in Plano, Texas,” said Mark Kastel of The Cornucopia Institute. Subsequently, Cornucopia staff visited a number of other Wal-Mart stores in the Midwest and documented similar improprieties in both produce and dairy sections.
SI IT
L o s Po b l a n o s Organics
Cornucopia’s complaint asks the USDA to fully investigate the allegations of organic food misrepresentation. The farm policy organization has indicated that they will share their evidence, including photographs and notes, with the agency’s investigators. Fines of up to $10,000 per violation for proven incidents of
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6 81-406 0 The best produce from the field to you. Always fresh. Always organic
The Institute released a white paper, Wal-Mart Rolls Out Organic Products — Market Expansion or Market Delusion?, which made the argument that Wal-Mart is poised to drive down the price of organic food in the marketplace by inventing a "new" organic — food from corporate agribusiness, factory-farms, and cheap imports of questionable quality (available at www.cornucopia.org). The Cornucopia Institute is dedicated to the fight for economic justice for the family-scale farming community. Through research, advocacy and economic development our goal is to empower farmers both politically and through marketplace initiatives. The Organic Integrity Project acts as a corporate watchdog, assuring that no compromises to the credibility of organic farming methods and the food it produces are made in the pursuit of profit.
Genetically Modified Alfalfa Puts Organic Dairy, Meat Supplies at Risk his summer, researchers discovered that an experimental bentgrass, genetically engineered to resist Roundup herbicide, had escaped its test plot and was growing several miles away. The incident was a stark reminder that genetically engineered plants — especially perennial plants — will spread in the environment and contaminate conventional varieties.
sign up online www.NMOrganics.com or call
This past September, The Cornucopia Institute also accused Wal-Mart of cheapening the value of the organic label by sourcing products from industrial-scale factory-farms and Third World countries, such as China.
organic ?
Cornucopia notified Wal-Mart’s CEO, Lee Scott, in a letter on September 13, 2006, alerting the company to the problem and asking that it address and correct the situation on an immediate basis. But the same product misrepresentations were again observed weeks later, throughout October, at separate Wal-Mart stores in multiple states. The Quivira Coalition’s 6th Annual Conference Jan. 18-20, 2007, Marriott Pyramid, Albuquerque, NM “Fresh Eyes on the Land: Innovation and the Next Generation” Opening Conference Benefit, Thurs. Jan. 18, 7pm: A Conversation with Wendell Berry. For the conference agenda and to register: www.quiviracoalition.org.
organic food misrepresentation are provided for in federal organic regulations.
Another Roundup-Ready perennial — alfalfa, has been approved for commercial release, with serious potential consequences for conventional and organic alfalfa producers. This issue could be especially troublesome for organic meat and dairy producers who feed alfalfa to their livestock — and for consumers who want organic and GM-free meat and dairy products. The Western Organization of Resource Councils (WORC) has just released “A Guide to Genetically Modified Alfalfa” for alfalfa producers and consumers concerned about the potential for contamination and other unanswered questions about Roundup Ready alfalfa. The guide covers environmental,
agricultural, and economic issues of concern to U.S. farmers, ranchers and consumers, including: • The importance and value of alfalfa in our food system, • The spread of glyphosate-resistant weeds, • Genetic contamination of organic and conventional crops, • Action steps for farmers and consumers concerned about Roundup Ready alfalfa, • Strategies for farmers to minimize risks of contamination, and • Information about Monsanto's Technology Use Agreement for Roundup Ready alfalfa and other genetically modified seeds. The guide is available at: http://www.worc.org/issues/art_issues/alfalfa_guide/alfalfa_ guide.html. Or for more information on genetically engineered agricultural products go to their web site at: http://www.worc.org/issues/art_issues/gm-crops.html. Questions or comments, please contact John Smillie, Campaign Director, at 406-252-9672 or jsmillie@worc.org.
COMMUNITY
forum
december 2006 15
Statewide ment between the nuclear and non-nuclear states in which the nuclear states promise to work towards total abolition and the non-nuclear states promise not to develop weapons. By ratifying this treaty, the U.S. promised to work towards completely abolishing our nuclear weapons. How can the U.S. simultaneously support the NPT and outline a vision for the year 2030 that hinges on new nukes? As many countries have said, the U.S. foreign policy is one of “do as we say, not as we do.”
THE BOMBPLEX: New Mexico’s Burden by Joni Arends, Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety
New Mexicans know that water is one of the most precious resources in our fragile desert ecosystem. In addition to contamination of water resources,
DOE claims they “will analyze the environmental impacts from the continued transformation of the United States' nuclear weapons complex by implementing [our] vision of the complex as it would exist in 2030, as well as alternatives." Just what all the alternatives are has not been determined. You have a chance to tell the DOE your vision for the year 2030. The proposal This month DOE will be holding public meetings to will impact hear your opinions about the scope for their analysis. New Mexico Let your voice be heard: transform the Bombplex.
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he Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced their plans for the next generation of nuclear weapons in a program called Complex 2030, also called the Bombplex. They are proposing to consolidate and renovate nuclear weapons facilities located around our country. The plan will lessen the number of nukes currently on hand. However, it will give the U.S. the power to build new nuclear weapons at an astonishing rate. The proposal will impact New Mexico and threaten U.S. compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Four DOE sites within New Mexico will be significantly impacted by the plans. New Mexico is home to Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Sandia National Laboratories, White Sands Missile Range and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, the only repository for nuclear bomb waste in the country. At the end of the day, Complex 2030 will concentrate the burden of the nuclear weapons complex onto areas already heavily impacted by such activities. Places like LANL and Sandia are likely targets for such consolidation. Furthermore, if nuclear weapons production is expanded anywhere in the U.S., then the bomb waste will come to New Mexico. Nuclear weapons manufacturing is a serious threat to our communities, our nation and our world. Locally, weapons research and production at LANL has lead to water contamination that threatens our health and well-being. There is overwhelming evidence of LANL contamination in our water. LANL’s own documents state that in the early years of operations, untreated radioactive waste was dumped into canyons that flow to the Rio Grande. This area is a main source of recharge for the Buckman Wellfield, a drinking water source for Santa Fe.
and threaten U.S. compliance with the Nuclear NonProliferation Treaty. the expansion of nuclear weapons production would use vast amounts of water. When LANL recently reported its plans for continued operations, it announced that water use could increase by more than 25 percent. That means that LANL would use a staggering 522 million gallons of water per year, more than a third of all the water pumped from the regional aquifer in Los Alamos County. Additionally, LANL currently discharges 163 million gallons into the surrounding watersheds. It is important to note that these are current LANL estimates; if the Complex 2030 consolidation occurs at LANL, it would vastly increase those numbers. More weapons means more contamination. When this fact is compounded with increased water use, LANL’s threat to our natural resources is grave. Not only will Northern New Mexicans have less water for drinking and irrigation, but the water we do have will be contaminated by weapons production. The Complex 2030 proposal also threatens our security by undermining the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). This treaty is an international agree-
Protecting a Pristine Water/Foodshed
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leveland, New Mexico is a small farming community in the Mora Valley where people are still tied to the land and are proud of their New Mexican heritage. Many residents have lived in the area for generations, developing deep cultural values that connect food, water and shelter to the very essence of life. Cleveland is a historic community with houses on both the State and National Historic registers. At the turn of the century the Mora Valley was the breadbasket of New Mexico, and sheep herding shaped a weaving culture. The rivers spawned an abundance of fish, and vegetables grew bountifully in the valley lowlands. Today Mora Valley residents are on the cusp of modeling a sustainable bioregion. The Tapetes de Lana weaving center trains and employs weavers, spinners and fiber crafts folk, re-energizing traditional sheep farming. A weekly Cleveland Farmers Market networks organic growers with traditional food production. And Sangre de Cristo Valley Livestock Growers share information about animal husbandry. There’s also a proposal to locate a biodiesel Co-op and wind energy farms in Mora to facilitate public transportation between Las Vegas and Mora, and initiate community grown energy solutions. But, all this could change if Sangre de Cristo Gravel Products LLC gains approval through the New Mexico Environment Department [NMED] to build a gravel pit on over 50 acres of land — within a 1/2 mile of 200 people, and within 100 feet of neighborhood houses, many of which are on the Historic register. The gravel pit also cuts across two important functioning acequia systems that are hundreds of years old. Named after families who first settled the region, Acequia de los
ALBUQUERQUE WATER COALITION
Holiday SHOP AND STROLL
5-10pm In historic Nob Hill between Girard and Washington ! TRAFFIC
FREE SHOPPING! Locally owned shops have special sales and extended hours! Special entertainment and treats at your co-op!
DEC. 7TH
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES Buy local!
The Rudolf Steiner Library has found a home in Albuquerque. It has several hundred books, many by Rudolf Steiner, about the various anthroposophical intitiatives. It can be visited by appointment, please call 823-4721.
Martinez and the Acequia de los Luceros, these acequias not only represent living links to a land based farming way of life and traditional New Mexican culture, but also hope for a sustainable foodshed and healthy economic development. Operating at 250 tons per hour, one truck will leave the plant every 5 minutes, threatening the foundations of historically registered homes and old adobes on route and bombarding residents with a noise level equal to living next to a jet engine airport. Ground and surface water are also at risk. All of the Mora Valley is situated at the foot of a critical watershed, where the Sangre de Cristo and Pecos waters transect and feed into the Canadian Basin. This watershed serves people’s drinking water needs all the way to the eastern edge of Oklahoma. The solution, say some in the community, is simple. Sangre de Christo Gravel should set up shop in the zoned area for industrial activity on HWY 434, on the outskirts of Mora, where other gravel pits operate. Mora Valley residents are fighting the encroachment of industrialization and development, and the cultural and environmental stakes are high. To help protect the Mora Valley Water/foodshed, please contact the following officials: Governor Bill Richardson, Office of the Governor 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, Room 400, Santa Fe, NM, 87501 www.governor.state.m.us/email New Mexico Environment Dept., Ron Curry 1190 St. Francis Dr. Suite N4050, Santa Fe, NM, 87505 800-219-6157 Congressman Tom Udall, 118 Bridge Street, Suite 3 P.O. Box 1977, Las Vegas, NM 87701 505-454-8824
M o r a Va l l e y : I n d u s t r i a l i z a t i o n o r S u s t a i n a b l e F u t u r e
DRINKING THE RIVER???
Meetings will take place: December 4: Socorro, Macey Center (at New Mexico Tech), 801 Leroy Place, 6-10pm • December 5: Albuquerque, Albuquerque Convention Center, 401 2nd St. NW, 11am-3pm, 6-10pm • December 6: Los Alamos, Mesa Public Library, 2400 Central Avenue, 10:30am-2:30pm • December 6: Santa Fe, Chavez Community Center, 3221 Rodeo Rd., 6-10pm For more information and to fill out your vision statement for 2030, please visit our website at www.nuclearactive.org.
The City of Albuquerque is planning to add treated Rio Grande water to our city drinking water in 2008. See the Sept. Co-op Connection article "What's in the Water, A Chemist's' View", discussing contaminants of concern at www.lamontanitacoop.com. (Click on Newsletter, then on archives to get to the September 2006 article. Then scroll down to page 4). If you are interested in educational or outreach gatherings on water quality issues, please call 266-2663.
Celebration of Solidarity for Peace and Justice 10th Annual Community Holiday Gala HARWOOD ARTS CENTER 7TH AND MOUNTAIN FOR INFO CALL 268-9557
Dance to the Fabulous Music
of WAGOGO & CON RAZON SAT. DEC 9, 7PM FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!
FOOD • BEVERAGES • HOME-BAKED GOODIES NON-CORPORATE & LOCALLY MADE GIFTS $8-10 suggested donation for adults/$3.00 children Benefits the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice Donations of warm men’s clothing, jeans, hats, coats, gloves, backpacks, sleeping bags and blankets gratefully accepted at the gala for St. Martin’s Hospitality Center.