march 2009
c onnec tion
free
La Montanita Co-op’s
Spring Festivals
NOT TO BE MISSED! Valley Garden
Party Saturday, April 4th 10am-3pm 2400 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, Albuquerque ooray! It’s planting time! And time for the Co-op’s 10th Annual Valley Garden Party. As always, the Coop has what you need for a successful growing season in our arid southwestern climate. From the finest in organic seeds, seedlings and native plants to the most up to date information on how to successfully garden and landscape in our dry climate, composting, pruning, growing organic, mulching, water catchment, drip and other conservation-based watering systems and much more.
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Some of our regions’ most dedicated farmers have already confirmed, including: Tom’s certified organic; Bethany Farms seedlings; South Valley Academy’s Dragon Farm; Lloyd Kreitzer, a.k.a., “The Fig Man,” with his extensive variety of heritage New Mexican fig trees; ARCA Organics; Hawkwatch; and Thomas Hogan’s recycled wood birdhouses. Kathy Morris is bringing her garlic, and Old Windmill Dairy will be on hand with their baby goats. Paul of Vincent’s Flowers and Everlasts with their variety of veggie and herb seedlings and AHL Garden Supply are already confirmed at press time. Booth space is going fast, call Robin at 217-2027, or toll free at 877-775-2667 to reserve yours today.
profit 501(c)3 organization will be helping with the jolly jumper, doing face painting and other children’s activities as a fundraiser for this free, public charter school.
In addition to supplies there will be some of our community’s most knowledgeable people on hand to answer your how-to questions. Again this year we are honored to have Joan Quinn, education coordinator for the New Mexico Organic Commodity Commission, our state’s organic certification agency. A walking, talking natural resource, she can tell you everything you need to know on how to grow it organically, how to get certified organic or how organic farming and gardening supports healthy food production and long term environmental health.
Hopefully Mother Nature will cooperate and bless us with a beautiful day, but as early April weather can be unpredictable, even by New Mexican standards, the weather date is Sun., April 5th. Farmers, gardeners and related educational organizations, space is limited so reserve yours today. Call Robin at 217-2027 or toll free at 877-775-COOP (2667).
As always it’s our great pleasure to spotlight some of our community’s wonderful local musicians. From Susan Clark’s angelic voice to Saudade’s Bossas, tangos, sambas and choros; the beloved Watermelon Jug Band for toe tapping, and the fabulous Daddyo’s with the tunes mom and dad grew up with that all the kids still love to listen to today. The Valley Garden Party has fine sounds for everyone. See schedule on this page.
Valley Garden Party Music Schedule 10:00am: Susan Clark 10:45am: Loren Kahn Puppet Theater 11am: Saudade 12pm: Watermelon Jug Band 1:30pm: The Daddyo’s
And of course there will be great Co-op food from the outdoor deli grill. Sit at an umbrella-shaded table with friends and neighbors and enjoy delicious lunch specials from the Co-op Deli. For the children there will be a jolly jumper as well as other children’s activities. Friends of Mountain Mahogany Community School, Inc., a non-
The 20th Annual Celebrate the Earth
3500 Central Ave. SE • Nob Hill Co-op (on Silver between Carlisle and Tulane) t’s that time again! And we here at the Co-op can hardly believe that this is the 20th year we have hosted this festival. People all over Albuquerque and throughout the state are getting ready for this year’s event, on Silver Street behind the Nob Hill Shopping Center.
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You can expect the same wonderfully inspiring day filled with information and education booths from over 100 environmental, social and economic justice organizations, local farmers, seedlings, drought resistant plants, beautiful art from fine local artists and crafts people, inspiring music and dancing by some
Get a FREE Tree
Garden Party
at the
of our favorite local performing artists and of course great Co-op food.
plant a
tree
Pine, Ponderosa, (Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa) This North American native evergreen pine has moderate to rapid growth to 60'-100' with a 25'-30' spread. It adapts to a variety of soil conditions at high and low elevations including deep, moist, well-drained, loamy sand, clay loam, rocky, dry, alkaline, and salt. The ponderosa pine will grow in dry, arid areas and is highly drought tolerant when well established. It is intolerant of excessively wet sites or sites with poor drainage. Its cinnamon-colored bark when mature is fire resistant, and its deep taproot very wind resistant.
Please reserve your booth space early. We give first priority to environmental, social and economic justice non-profit organizations, and farmers and farming organizations.
This year we will once again have our special alternative transport area with displays from Renewable Technologies and “Bountifuel” Co-op and are pleased to be partnering with The City of Albuquerque’s main bike man, Chuck Malagodi and Bike ABQ on a Kids Bike Safety Rodeo, bike safety training classes, bike maintenance classes and all things to do with bike transport. Watch for more information in our April Co-op Connection News.
Join your friends and neighbors as we educate and inform ourselves and dance in the streets at Albuquerque's favorite spring gathering. Mark your calendar— this is one event you don't want to miss.
There will be several special events at this 20th anniversary Earth Fest. Watch upcoming Co-op Connection News editions for details on Transition Town Team Trainings.
For more information or to reserve your free booth space, please contact Robin at 2172027 or toll free at 877-775-2667.
April26
earth FEST
Local Organic Beef: River
Canyon Ranch FOOD-SHED Update:
We have 100 trees to give away FREE at the Valley Garden Party. As a member of the Arbor Day Foundation, the Co-op is pleased to be working with them to re-tree our world. This year we will be offering, FREE to Garden party goers (while supplies last) the ever lovely Thornless Honeylocust and the drought tolerant Ponderosa Pine. See details on growing both trees below. Thornless Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos inermis) A fast-growing tree with fragrant spring flowers; its delicate, open silhouette lets grass grow underneath. Tiny leaflets turn yellow or yellowgreen in fall. This tree is pollution, salt and drought tolerant. It adapts to a wide range of soils, including: Acidic, alkaline, drought tolerant, loamy, moist, rich, sandy, well drained, wet, wide range, clay. Prefers full sun but will grow in partial shade. Water while getting established!
garden PARTY
Fest!
Sunday, April 26th 10am-6pm
Global Warming Solutions
april 4
NEW LOWERED BEEF PRICES AT YOUR CO-OP: e all know that seeing “natural” on a food label doesn’t really mean anything except that the manufacturer or the retailshop er thought it would be a good marketing scheme. And for a while it worked. Back in the 80s and 90s lots of producers got a higher price for “natural” groceries, meat, body care and other items. But by now most consumers, especially Co-op shoppers, are educated enough to know that you get what you pay for; especially when it comes to beef. So called “all natural” beef still often comes from confined feeding operations (CFOs) and is subject to all the health and safety issues of the mainstream industrial food system.
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smart
We at the Co-op are well aware of the economic hard times we are all living through and one of the places many of our members tell us they need help is with meat prices. To help during these hard times we at the Co-op have negotiated a deal with our long time friend and beef supplier, Allen Lackey at River Canyon Ranch. Located about 90 miles southwest of Raton, Allen maintains the highest standards of animal care and feeding and is a certified organic producer of beef. This is without a doubt some of the VERY BEST BEEF MONEY CAN BUY. And now you can get more for your money!
LOCAL ORGANIC BEEF AT
Lower Prices and Special Weekly Sales Thanks to Allen, ranch manger at River Canyon Ranch, and Gino Garcia, our main meat man, the Coop has been able to substantially lower its prices on all cuts of local organic beef. The lowered prices come from the creation of a system of greater efficiencies and from volume of sales. For the past two years, Gino, who has been a meat cutter in New Mexico since 1965, was going out to Moriarty to supervise the harvest and cutting of all the beef that comes to the Co-op. This was our way of ensuring the cleanest most humane practices every step of the way, and that the beef was cut and processed to the high standards Gino required for all the beef sold at the Co-op. Now their staff knows what the Co-op wants and Gino no longer has to spend his time and Co-op resources to make the trip each week. Along with across the board lowered prices (averaging $3 less a pound) on all our local beef, each week Co-op shoppers will be treated to Special Sales on select cuts of beef. Check out our weekly sales flyer for the weekly beef special.
SHOP SMART SMART — come to the Co-op for NEW lower beef prices and get fresh, locally produced, humanely harvested, organic beef at prices you are used to paying for that so called “natural” stuff. BY ROBIN SEYDEL
NATURAL PRICES!
farming & gardening A Community - Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store La Montanita Cooperative Nob Hill/ 7am-10pm M-S, 8am-10pm Sun. 3500 Central SE Albuq., NM 87106 265-4631 Valley/ 7am-10pm M-Sun. 2400 Rio Grande Blvd. NW Albuq., NM 87104 242-8800 Gallup/ 10am-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 Cooperative Distribution Center 3361 Columbia NE, Albuq., NM 87107 217-2010 Administrative Staff: 505-217-2001 TOLL FREE: 877-775-2667 (COOP) • General Manager/Terry Bowling 217-2020 terryb@lamontanita.coop • Controller/John Heckes 217-2026 johnh@lamontanita.coop • Computers/Info Technology/ David Varela 217-2011 tech@lamontanita.coop • Food Service/Bob Tero 217-2028 bobt@lamontanita.coop • Human Resources/Sharret Rose 217-2023 hr@lamontanita.coop • Marketing/Edite Cates 217-2024 editec@lamontanita.coop • Membership/Robin Seydel 217-2027 robins@lamontanita.coop • CDC/MichelleFranklin 217-2010 mf@lamontanita.coop Store Team Leaders: • Mark Lane/Nob Hill 265-4631 markl@lamontanita.coop • John Mulle/Valley 242-8800 jm@lamontanita.coop • William Prokopiack/Santa Fe 984-2852 willpro@lamontanita.coop • Alisha Olguin/Gallup 575-863-5383 alishao@lamontanita.coop Co-op Board of Directors: email: bod@lamontanita.coop President: Martha Whitman Vice President: Marshall Kovitz Secretary: Ariana Marchello Treasurer: Ken O’Brien William Bright Lonn Calanca Stephanie Dobbie Tamara Saimons Betsy Van Liet Membership Costs: $15 for 1 year/$200 Lifetime Membership Co-op Connection Staff: Managing Editor: Robin Seydel robins@lamontanita.coop Layout and Design: foxyrock inc Cover/Centerfold: Co-op Marketing Dept. Advertising: Robin Seydel Editorial Assistant: Kristin White kristinw@lamontanita.coop 217-2016 Printing: Vanguard Press
issue
PARADIGM
Copyright © 2009 La Montanita Co-op Supermarket Reprints by prior permission. The Co-op Connection is printed on 65% postconsumer recycled paper. It is recyclable.
CO-OP
CRISIS & CLIMATE
SHIFT
Gardening is IN!!!
BY ROBIN SEYDEL hese are troubling times and the intensity of the problems we face call for creative solutions. That people are
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losing their jobs and homes and the food-banks are running out of food is a devastating societal calamity. That climate chaos is all happening so much faster than anyone believed it would is another gut grabber. No longer can we blithely continue in our “business as usual” mindset. Time is not only money, as the saying goes; at this point it’s survival, for ourselves and for other species with whom we share the planet. What’s clear is that we are at a major turning point in societal organization and perhaps the history of our species. We have a choice; buy into the fear and panic, or see the upside of the intersection of the economic and climate crises as a kick in the pants to get moving on a veritable smorgasbord of sustainable solutions. Beauty Joins FUNCTION Last spring, while strolling through Albuquerque’s University District, I saw a new profusion of front-yard food gardens in places where they had never been before. The up-tick in urban gardening—this generation’s version of “victory gardens”—and the growing interest Integrated solutions among youth in agriculture are for a sustainable some of the most positive signs future! for a sustainable future. These “victory” gardens, the growth of interest in community gardens, farmers’ markets and other aspects of the local food movement are a triumph of initiative for sustainability and of hope overcoming inertia. Even a postage stamp backyard or pots on a patio or balcony can produce a surprising amount of food. It is here that beauty and function are joined in a productive environment for cooling shade, carbon dioxide reduction, oxygen production and sustenance. Done with an eye toward drought tolerance and low water use plants, it can take food production to the most local level—our backyards. Utilizing fruit and nut trees to create a permaculture guild can cause the desert to bloom. Although a Black Walnut or Arizona Walnut as a guild anchor can be tricky due to the toxic juglone they secrete (a substance that suppresses competing plants), a few favorite desert species do well in conjunction with them. Walnut trees are well worth the effort as they are fast growers, provide wonderful shade, do well in southwest soils, are drought tolerant and provide delicious high protein nuts and a fine wood. Hackberries or currents planted together with walnut trees provide both food for wildlife and human life respectively. Add an Apache plume for nitrogen fixation and you have beauty as well as an environment that is well suited for those desert favorites, the Solanaceae (nightshade) family, i.e., peppers, tomatoes, chile, eggplants, all of which do well when planted in a walnut guild. On the margins try elderberries or mulberries. Elderberries have lovely butter colored flowers in late spring. The berries help improve immune function and make a wonderful traditional wine. Mulberries have gotten a bad rap as a “dirty tree.” Sweet and delicious, great eaten out of hand off the tree or made into jam, they are one of the first fruits of the season; a big plus when you are thinking of local self-sufficiency. Besides, they provide lots of great food for wildlife and if planted away from driveways or sidewalks the mess is negligible and will be happily cleaned-up by domestic, egg laying fowl. Planted in walnut guild margins they provide a buffer that
Membership information is available at all four Co-op locations, or call 217-2027 or 877-775-2667 email: robins@lamontanita.coop Membership response to the newsletter is appreciated. Address typed, double-spaced copy to the Managing Editor, robins@lamontanita.coop website: www.lamontanita.coop
THE UPSIDE OF THE ECONOMIC
SAVE the DATES!
CHAOS
allows for the planting of other vegetables and fruit trees just beyond. (For a more complete discussion of permaculture guilds and edible landscapes see the classic how-to book, Gaia’s Garden, A Guide to Home Scale Permaculture by Toby Hemenway.) Food and FUEL The links between the high cost of energy and the high cost of food is a no-brainer. Agribusiness food travels an average of 1,500 to 3,500 miles before it graces the average plate adding to our carbon load. The huge amount of petrol used to power agribusiness farm machinery and in the production of massive quantities of petroleumbased pesticides and other agricultural chemicals adds, in a less obvious way, to rising food prices. The links between food, fuel and climate change go even deeper. Ronnie Cummins of the Organic Consumers Association, a non-profit watch dog group, writes, “Current methods of industrial-scale biofuel production worsen global warming by increasing deforestation and degradation of peat-lands and soils, while also creating more nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizer use.” Large swaths of rainforest in South America and protected prairie grasslands here at home are being offered up for biofuels crop production and (fuel made from used veggie oil excepted) most biofuels are made from genetically modified corn.
Don’t Panic Grow ORGANIC A mere sixty or so years ago everyone ate organic, and farms throughout the world produced food for local and regional populations. While there has always been hunger, part of the current food crisis has to do with the overshadowing of traditional regional and local food production by industrialization, global trade agreements and food production for the global marketplace. (Read Raj Patels book Stuffed and Starved). While agribusiness insists that organic farming methods will never feed our overpopulated planet, Cummins says, “Decades of research have shown that small farms produce far more food per acre than chemical farms, especially in the developing world, and organic farms out-perform chemical farms by 40-70% under the kind of adverse weather conditions that are quickly becoming the norm.” Also, small to mid sized family farms tend to be more diversified, providing a wider nutritional balance, are more energy efficient and less oil dependent (Organic Farming Research Foundation). Add to the Rodale Institute data on organic farming showing 3,500 pounds/per organic acre/per year of carbon sequestration and you have a fully functioning system of food production that if implemented on a national and international basis could mitigate some of the pressure in all three areas of concern. The Will to CHANGE Experienced for decades in developing nations around the world, this confluence of crises is finally affecting First World nations. The question becomes do we, the most privileged of peoples, have the personal and political will to make the necessary changes while we still have time to do so? We have the technologies that allow us to begin to surmount our challenges and no doubt the creative capacity to respond to unimagined problems as they arise; but will we act quickly enough to mitigate to some degree, the mass starvation, climate change and resource scarcity violence we are beginning to see? Solutions are bubbling up all around us. The wake up call this confluence of crisis’ present, with their possible positive outcomes, are the upside of our current predicament. Do we have the political will and the community capital to, through peaceful means, revision and manifest a more sustainable and cooperatively based society? We at La Montanita believe we do!
VALLEY CO-OP’S 10TH ANNUAL
GARDEN PARTY Sat., April 4th, 10am-3pm NOB HILL CO-OP’S 20TH ANNUAL
CELEBRATE THE EARTH FESTIVAL Sun., April 26th, 10am-6pm
the CO-OP’S
Spring Festivals are coming soon!
Space fills quickly so reserve your FREE space early. To reserve your space contact Robin at 217-2027. Or call toll free 877-775-2667
DON’T MISS THEM!
YOU OWN IT 2
March 2009
farming & gardening
issue
BIODIVERSITY on the
FARM
established invasives on your property and to aggressively prevent the spread of invasive species, especially those that threaten natural areas. Endangered plants and animals are those in danger of becoming extinct within the foreseeable future. Maintaining these species is a very high priority for the conservation of biological diversity. Learn about and protect these species on your property. By providing habitat and wildlife corridors for these species, your farm or garden can make a major contribution to their survival.
Feed People, Rejuvenate the Ecosystem BY JO ANN BAUMGARTNER, WILD FARM ALLIANCE iodiversity (or biological diversity) is the variety of life. From bacteria and fungi to grasses, ferns, trees, insects and mammals, biodiversity encompasses all life forms. More than that, it covers the full range of processes, such as nutrient cycling, carbon and nitrogen fixation, pollination and beneficial predation.
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FARMS are habitat
Caring for the LAND Consider how habitat can contribute economically to your farm, and how your farming and gardening practices can benefit wildlife and the landscape. Provide habitat by cover cropping, planting a diversity of crops, leaving food and cover in the fields after harvest and managing fields for native pollinators, predatory birds and four-footed rodent-eating wildlife.
For more information on rare and endangered species in specific watersheds and threatened ecosystems go to www.natureserve.org/ explorer. For more info on incentive programs call your local Co-op Extension Agent or go to: www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs; see the Wild Farm Alliance Briefing Paper, Farming with the Wild Forever. www.wildfarmalliance.org/resources/briefing.htm.
Increasing and maintaining biodiversity on farms is compatible with food safety practices. Habitat attracts wildlife with minimal risk of harboring species that carry human pathogens. For more info check out the Wild Farm Alliance’s publication Farmer’s Guide to Biodiversity at: www.wildfarmalliance.org/resources/organic_BD.htm
Planning and MONITORING Develop a plan with specific conservation goals for your property and determine if the farm and surrounding area have benefited from your efforts. Review and revise the plan based on your results. Ways to begin include: Inventory wildlife and major native plants, create a farm map that includes hedgerows, woodlands, riparian zones, invasive species, eroded areas and other wildlife habitats.
Restoring Native Habitat in Wilder MARGINS Restore degraded habitat on your property based on native species and ecosystems present on the land before it was turned over to agriculture. Nearby intact ecosystems can be useful models. Revegetate riparian areas and wetlands, which have the ability to break down nitrogen and other toxins, and which recharge groundwater (especially important in New Mexico) and protect against flooding. Restore and maintain other wild margins using a diversity of native plants in hedgerows.
A Farm is Not an ISLAND Think of the way water flows through your land, the routes wildlife take and the connections to your neighbors’ properties and surrounding wildlife areas. Learn about what conditions local species are adapted to and what ecosystems historically occupied the farm. Habitat conservation can ensure clean water leaves your land, and can provide a stopover for migratory birds and movement corridors for wildlife. Remember, water, species and habitats do not follow property lines. Work with your neighbors to make your efforts more effective.
Protecting Existing HABITAT Protect sensitive habitats from degradation and conserve existing native habitat on your land rather than converting to agricultural production. In any region, farms should aid in protecting enough native habitat to maintain self-sustaining populations of native plants and animals. You can help by identifying high-priority existing habitats, including grasslands, scrublands, forests, oak woodlands and wetlands; by eliminating non-native invasive species; and by encouraging the re-establishment of native vegetation. Learn how your farm or gardens can be part of a conservation network at www.biodiversitypartners.org
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A hedgerow can be installed to connect riparian or other valuable habitat areas, creating a corridor for animal movement. Native plants work extremely well in hedgerows because they provide numerous benefits while requiring little attention once they have established (takes 2-3 years). When considering a hedgerow installation on your property, determine your specific goals and relevant site variables. Planning, plant choices and installation naturally follow. One example is planting a hedgerow with sweet alyssum (white flower). This excellent groundcover provides habitat and food source for aphid-eating syrphid flies. It also serves as a weed-barrier.
Santa Fe
For more information contact the Wild Farm Alliance, PO Box 2570, Watsonville, CA 95077. Check them out on the web at www.wildfarmalliance.org or contact the Community Alliance with Family Farmers at www.caff.org. Reprinted with permission from the Wild Farm Alliance and the Community Alliance with Family Farmers. Special thanks to Jo Ann Baumgartner and Sam Earnshaw for their help, support and the sharing of their photographs.
for more information
www.lamontanita.coop
AGRICULTURE
HEDGEROWS BY SAM EARNSHAW, COMMUNITY ALLIANCE WITH FAMILY FARMERS (CAFF) hedgerow is a line or group of trees, shrubs, perennial forbs, and grass that is planted along field edges, fence lines, drainage channels, property borders. A native plant hedgerow uses plants adapted to the particular geographical region to attract a variety of beneficial insects, mammals, reptiles and birds. Not only do they provide year-round habitat, they control soil erosion and enhance water quality and retention.
Gallup
When managed at a watershed or regional scale, your farm becomes more accessible for fish, wildlife and pollinators, and regional ecosystems become naturally complex, stable and resilient. By collaborating with neighboring farmers, private organizations and public agencies, you can achieve even broader conservation goals.
Controlling & Removing Invasive SPECIES The spread of non-native or exotic plants, animals, and diseases poses a major threat to biodiversity, pushing some atrisk species to the edge of extinction. Invasive introduced species out-compete native plants and animals for space, food, and water. Some may also fundamentally alter ecological processes, making it difficult or impossible for native species to survive. It is critical to control populations of
Conservation Based
Valley
Co-op
Agriculture, on a farm or in your garden, that provides natural habitat when combined with similar efforts in your community and across the land, can meet the needs of multiple species, support pollination and pest control, protect water quality, and make a meaningful contribution to wild Nature.
There are a number of incentive programs that offer assistance from different agencies and organizations to help with your conservation efforts. Cost-share programs help defray costs of creating riparian buffers around streams or restoring wetland, grassland or woodland areas. Long-term easements can help protect priority habitat from damage or development. Extension services, resource conservation districts and other local groups can offer technical assistance to get you started and help you along the way.
Hedgerows provide multiple benefits including: • preventing soil erosion caused by excessive water run off and wind • protecting water quality by reducing erosion • providing habitat to beneficial insects that control agricultural pests • providing habitat for pollinating insects • providing habitat for birds and wildlife • providing wildlife corridors when placed to connect vital habitat zones • minimizing weeds once larger shrubs and trees get established • providing a buffer between diverging land uses • minimizing issues of dust and spray drift • providing aesthetic beauty and privacy Thanks to the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) and the Wild Farm Alliance for permission to reprint this information. CAFF is assisting growers and ranchers to plan and install hedgerows. For more information on creating hedgerows, including their online manual, go to http://www.caff.org/ programs/ farmscaping/hedgerowin.shtml There are a number of fine local nurseries that can provide you with native New Mexican plants for your hedgerow.
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. 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 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 March 2009
3
grow it! Grow it YOURSELF
March 2009 4
RIO GRANDE COMMUNITY FARM: RESERVE YOUR ROW NOW! This year Rio Grande Community Farm is increasing its productivity. We are installing a subsurface drip irrigation system to allow us to grow more food using less water and to serve as a demonstration for other small farms. We are adding rows to the Community Garden so that more people can grow their own food. We are increasing our educational offerings, providing support to community groups at their locations so they can develop gardens of their own and working with the Albuquerque “Garden eXchange” to support growing food at homes, schools and community locations throughout Albuquerque. To join this growing network, go to www.gardenersguild.org and register or attend monthly meetings of the Agriculture Collaborative hosted by the Mid-Region Council of Governments (www.mrcog-nm.gov).
at the Community GARDEN BY SUSAN SMITH hat’s the only thing better than fresh, local organic food from the Co-op? Straight from the good earth to your mouth, watered with your sweat and love – food you’ve grown yourself and eaten before it even knows it’s been picked. Food grown in your own yard OR – if you don’t have garden space or prefer to garden with other people — in the Community Garden at Rio Grande Community Farm.
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The Community Garden provides ditch-irrigated rows that are about 80 feet long and 2 feet wide. The Garden is irrigated weekly by Farm staff and volunteers. The Farm provides many tools and seeds for gardeners, as well as information about how to garden organically. Albuquerque Area Extension Master Gardeners plant an experimental plot every year to test organic methods and are available on Wednesday mornings for consultation. Now is the time to reserve your row for this season. Community Garden rows are a benefit of Farm membership. Rio Grande Community Farm is a non-profit organization, so all contributions are tax-deductible. RGCF is dedicated to providing fresh, local organic food and to serving as a model of sustainable, small organic farming. To join, go to the Farm website at www.riograndefarm.org and print out the membership form or call the Farm office at 345-4580. Your first row is free with a Family membership. Additional rows cost $25. Be sure to mark on your membership form how many rows you want. Rows are on a first comefirst served basis, and a waiting list is created when all rows are taken.
Container
GARDENING BY KRISTIN WHITE here are a myriad of uses and benefits to container gardening. Container gardening, as you can guess, is simply growing a garden in a container. Growing plants in containers is a distinctive form of gardening. It is especially appealing because potted plants can be easily moved to offer a change of scenery or mood, and add depth and interest to a landscape.
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Potted plants are the perfect solution for those who live in rented houses or apartments and lack the space to garden, or don’t wish to invest in permanent plants even if they have a yard. Planting in containers utilizes minimal space, conserves water, enables the ability to create and customize soil quality, provides easy access for the elderly and persons with differing abilities, keeps flowers, vegetables or herbs close at hand, and brings color and fragrance to an indoor or outdoor environment.
Rio Grande Community Farm relies on members and The Community Garden is just one part of Rio community supporters to enable us to offer more Grande Community Farm. Located in the Los opportunities for you at the Farm. We appreciate the Poblanos Open Space north of Montano, the Farm consistent and generous support of La Montanita Comanages part of the Open Space by growing organop. Please look at our “Wish List” and call 345-4580 ic crops for both people and wildlife. Food from the if you would like to make a donation. Thank you for Farm goes to students in APS, the Co-op and other your support! local outlets as well as the Los Ranchos Growers Market and local food banks. The annual Corn Maze provides great family entertainment every September and October and food for cranes, geese and other wildlife each winter. School and community groups visit For the Community the Farm for educational activities Garden: and service projects. Scores of people • 2 medium-sized stock tanks walk the Farm every day to enjoy the • Landscape cloth beauty and tranquility of nature in • Row covers the heart of Albuquerque.
RGCF
Wish List
For the Farm and Garden: • Delivery van • Donations for the sub-surface drip project • Donations for plants to landscape for wildlife Call 345-4580 to Donate! Thank You!
Selecting a Container Containers can be made out of almost any kind of material as long as it has holes for drainage. The container gardener is limited only by imagination. Use pots of varying sizes and shapes to add interest and depth to your landscape or home environment.
The size and depth of a container is important for success. An ideal container has 1/2-inch holes for adequate drainage and a wide opening, is between 15 and 120 quarts, and is attractive, strong and durable, if being left outside. Line hanging baskets with sphagnum moss for water retention, and keep baskets away from afternoon sun. Selecting Plants Once you have selected a container, decide what type of plant material you’d like to grow. A kitchen or herb garden, tropical plants, grasses or flowers can all be grown in pots successfully, given the right amount of sun and water. If you choose to grow more than one plant in a pot, try to match the environmental requirements of the plants. For example, plant drought tolerant plants together. Vines can be placed in big pots next to a railing or trellis and be trained to grow up or across. Morning glories grow beautifully in containers. Use taller plantings for privacy or to lead the eye to an area of
interest. Arrange small and medium sized pots in between large ones for contrast. Soil Use good quality potting soil. Ensure the soil drains well, as container gardens typically require frequent watering. Potting soil does not contain a lot of nutrients so you’ll need to add them. To start, mix a slowrelease granular fertilizer into the potting mix. Then, once a week, use Peters water-soluble fertilizer at half strength. Water Ensure proper drainage by placing pottery shards, large gravel or foam packing peanuts in the bottom of the container. If you have a yard with drip irrigation in place, you can fit your containers with drip tubing and save time. There are many publications devoted to container gardening. Some great online resources are: www. containerseeds.com; www.gardensablaze.com; www. container-gardens.com. Container gardening is one aspect of gardening in which every member of the household, at any level of gardening, can contribute.
Create scenery, mood and FOOD!
DRAGON
Farm: It’s an Agricultural School,
It’s a Farm, It’s a Community Resource BY RICHARD BRANDT ragon Farm serves as a model of sustainability for the students at South Valley Academy Charter High School as well as the surrounding community. We sell our produce at the Downtown Growers Market, La Montanita Co-op and the Grove Restaurant. Produce can be purchased directly from the farm during summer months on Friday afternoons.
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We are hosting a series of workshops this spring. The first one will be a cold frame workshop conducted by master gardener Ron Jobe on February 28 at 1pm.
Dragon Farm will also host a fruit tree planting workshop conducted by Bernalillo County Horticultural Agent, Joran Viers, on Saturday, March 21 at 1pm. Dragon Farm is located at 3426 Blake Rd SW (SE corner of Blake and Coors). The South Valley Academy is a public charter high school open to all qualified and interested students. To take a tour of the farm or for more info on the spring workshops contact Richard Brandt at 505-363-3776.
SAVE THE DATES! • 10th Annual VALLEY GARDEN PARTY Saturday, April 4th • 20th Annual EARTH FEST in Nob Hill, Sunday, April 26th
BE THERE!
grow it!
March 2009 5
EVERYONE SHOULD
Outrageous
GARDENS Urban and Community Gardens BY YVONNE SCOTT o you’ve got no backyard, no front yard, or maybe no yard at all, but you want a garden. As food prices rise and access to arable land close to cities dwindles, we all feel a certain pressure to become more self-sufficient. Don’t despair of growing your own because the truth is you don’t need a plot of ground to grow vegetables. Forget in-ground, tilled, straight-row gardens. All over the world, people have developed ingenious ways to grow food in everything from bags, piles of rocks and used tires and you can, too!
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Urban gardening must increase and become more efficient and adaptable. By 2020, 75% of the world’s city dwellers will live in developing countries, according to the International Resource Center for Urban Agriculture and Forestry, many of them in poverty. Lack of foresight and planning in nearly all major metropolitan cities around the world may well mean that there will not be enough open space for gardens for all those people. Unlike Cuba, which enforced organic garden systems on the citizens of Havana in the 1990s, most countries have stubbornly refused to support expanding local food growing systems and small farms, choosing instead to continue to depend on large agri business growers and shippers to feed their expanding populations. But while the politicians and corporations gloat over the lack of local initiatives to create more open space and green commons, the average folks know the truth: our food must be grown closer to home, it must be fresher when we buy it, and it must
be grown organically in order for us to be nourished and healthy. That’s why so many are returning to the traditional food-growing system of thousands of years: the garden. But where in an established urban area can that occur? Community gardens are the prime examples, but there are problems inherent in these as well. If the community garden is located in an area that is far from your home, is it economical or even possible to get there to work on it day after day? Is there a space or rental fee involved? In this economy every penny counts. What about seeds and watering? And tools. Are they available, or are they rented? What if they break and I can’t fix them? And then how do I haul home my bounty if I ride a bus or bike? After all those questions swirl around in your head for awhile, it’s easy to see why some folks who really desire fresh food and a garden close by just give up.
VEGGIEGROWER
GARDENS
Micro Intensive Box Gardens Produce QUALITY AND QUANTITY CHUCK O’HERRON-ALEX Just down the street from the Nob Hill Co-op is a little shop that produces little gardens. But there is nothing little about the quantity of food that these box gardens can produce! Veggiegrower Gardens range in size from 2’ x 2’ up to 8’ x 4’ with the smallest garden capable of providing fresh greens for an individual; while the biggest garden can provide produce for 5-6 adults year round. The advantages of Veggiegrower Gardens over in-ground gardening are many, but the protective covers, built in drainage/aeration system and raised bed design make these gardens especially productive. BY
The gardens all come with two protective covers: one for warmer weather that blocks the wind, keeps bugs off the vegetables and cuts down on evaporation. The
THE FARMS RACE: Land Grab BY
LOUSIE PAPE, CLIMATE TODAY,
cold weather cover turns the garden into a mini greenhouse that allows food production to continue down to single digit temperatures. Veggiegrower Gardens are perfect for food production in a variety of settings, including apartments, homes, schools, hospitals, restaurants, and trailer parks. Their small size and large production capacity make them perfect for urban settings and their ease of use and low maintenance requirements make them perfect for veggie lovers and gardeners of all ages and capabilities.
Visit the Veggiegrower Garden shop at 3211 Silver Ave. SE Abq., see their website at www.veggiegrower.net, or call owner Chuck O’Herron-Alex at 505-217-5110 for more info.
their (heavily subsidized) desert wheat made no sense. The Saudis are in the process of purchasing and leasing vast tracts of farmland to allow them to export back home most or all of the food grown there, bypassing the international market. Such "offshore farms" are a quiet, though burgeoning, form of neo-colonialism.
WWW.CLIMATETODAY.ORG
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The Saudis are not alone in the nderneath the surface of unpreceNEW global land grab. Other countries dented supermarket abundance, neoon the land grab hunt include: there are rumblings. A few years colonialism United Arab Emirates, Jordan, ago we learned about farmland in multiple Libya, India, China, Japan, plus a states being bought up with the goal of pronumber of investment and privateviding long-term food security for people equity funds. A report published in outside of the US. The purchases were listed the autumn by the United Nations under multiple names to prevent detection. International Fund for Agricultural The sub rosa goal of buying up farmland to lock in future food supplies for a distant, specific Development said that "public and private corporapopulation is not a small issue, and has serious inter- tions and industrial groups are buying millions of national implications. Every city and state needs to (acres) of land in Africa, Asia and Latin America to develop strong programs to protect their farmlands produce food or agrofuels." At first, the UN and the and to ensure that their farmlands are used to pro- World Bank either ignored or cautiously supported vide future food for their populations while increas- the trend. Food prices were rising and foreign investment in raising crop productivity in poor countries ing sustainable production. seemed like a fine idea. They changed their minds when they realized offshore farms were all about Off Shore Farms As reported in Climate Today, wealthy countries locking up food supplies, not boosting them for the short of fertile land are gazing hungrily at Canada's markets. For more info go to business.theglobe prairies. Last year, the Saudis finally concluded that andmail.com.
HAVE ONE!
Outrageous GARDENS Well, don’t. Through a collaboration between Yvonne Scott, Environmental Enhancers, Ron Margolis and Katya Miller of the Quadalupe Sustainable Gardens on North 4th Street and urban gardener, Yasmeen Najm, help is on the way. Scott has been promoting what she calls “Outrageous Gardens” through her column in Touch The Soil and on her blog, www.outrageousgardens.com, proposing that these small intensive, aboveground gardens created with recycled materials could provide enough basic nourishment throughout the year, providing fresh greens, vegetables, small fruits and herbs. At the same time, these minimal input systems allow new gardeners to develop and hone their growing skills without large outlays either of cash or labor. Seasoned gardeners will find these gardens productive and often portable additions to established beds. It’s a win/win situation. On March 21st, you can be part of the extreme makeover of a former parking lot into a more beautiful and functional community garden at 6346 Fourth St. NW (the former North Valley Obama headquarters.) There is a nominal fee for this workshop, and children are very much welcome to participate (some of these gardens are perfect for small hands). Two weeks earlier, on March 7th, we’ll be preparing the area with cardboard and bark mulch to suppress weeds and create a toxic-free zone on which to set the gardens and we can use a few good hands for that as well. So if you think that your 2nd floor patio or your walled-in gravel back-yard can’t possibly grow food, our “outrageous garden party” will show you just how wrong you are! For more information or to register, contact Yvonne Scott, 907-9070. Environmental Enhancers is a woman-owned company specializing in restoring the soil and re-designing and revitalizing landscapes. To learn more about small growing systems and how they can assist in reducing malnutrition, please visit: www.out rageousgardens.com.
FARMERS MARKETpresents: Santa Fe
ONE MAN, ONE COW, ONE PLANET:
March 18 Winner of 7 international awards, the film follows the father of biodynamic farming, Peter Proctor, in this inspiring journey in India. After the film, meet local farmers. NM Film Museum 418 Montezuma Avenue (formerly Jean Cocteau Cinema) All shows: 7pm More info: 505.983.7726 www.santafefarmersmarket. com/events
co-op news
March 2009 6
Membership is OWNERSHIP
LA MONTANITA’S “ENDS” context of all we’ve learned about the membership’s needs and values. By the way, the primary sources for this information are your responses in the annual member survey, one more good reason to hand those in!
THE DESIRED OUTCOMES OF OUR ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS BY MARTHA WHITMAN, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, PRESIDENT ome of the most interesting and challenging work done at the Board of Directors level is the development of “Ends.” Simply stated, Ends are the outcomes we want the Co-op to achieve through all its activities. Articulating the Ends is not simple, nor is it a one-time activity. Unlike our Mission Statement, which describes who we are and what we do, the Ends go beyond this to hold out what the Co-op should achieve, whether it be next year or 3, 5 or 10 years from now. It is the board’s job to define the Ends and it’s the general manager’s job to get us there. Every year he formally reports to the board all that has been done to meet the desired outcomes.
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The board has recently updated the Ends, which are printed below. As you can see, they look a bit like shorthand and oddly enough… it’s intentional! The board paints with a broad brush and delegates the details to the experts, the Coop’s management and staff. Over time, with regular evaluation of the general manager’s reports, our study of the outside world and the board’s understanding of member needs and values, the Ends may become more defined.
Creating Ends is a curious practice. As Ends aren’t programs or activities, we instead name their guiding principles. We ask ourselves interesting questions such as, “Imagine what our community would look like if the Co-op didn’t exist?” and “What difference do we make?” We ask these questions in the Personal Growth Childhood Trauma • Illness Drugs/Alcohol • Loss Women’s Issues
GLOBAL: A
C O O P E R AT I V E
COMMUNITY
THE ENDS are significant board policies designed to steer our cooperative in a positive and fruitful direction. They are ambitious and represent our intent for a better tomorrow.
BASED
IN
THE
SHARED
B E N E F I T S O F H E A LT H Y F O O D , S O U N D E N V I R O N M E N TA L P R A C T I C E S A N D A STRENGTHENED
Louise Miller, MA LPCC NCC Psychotherapy
LOCAL
ECONOMY
C O M M U N I T Y: A
COMMUNITY
P E R S O N A L R E L AT I O N S H I P S
louise@louisemiller.org www.louisemiller.org
Phone (505) 385-0562 Albuquerque, NM
WITH
R E S U LT S
T H AT
JUSTIFY
THE
RESOURCES USED.
• A
BASED
ON
T R U S T,
V I TA L G AT H E R I N G P L A C E
COMFORT
AND
• PEOPLE
H AV E
H E A LT H I E R O P T I O N S .
E C O N O M Y: A
DIRECT
LINKAGE
BETWEEN
THE
F I N A N C I A L H E A LT H A N D T H E M E M B E R S ’ W E L L B E I N G
CO-OP’S • LOCAL
POSITIVE PRODUC-
E R S A N D M A N U FA C T U R E R S B E N E F I T .
La Montanita’s
ends
E D U C A T I O N : A C O M M U N I T Y I N F O R M E D O F : T H E C O O P E R AT I V E M O D E L • L A M O N TA N I TA ’ S VA L U E S • B R O A D P R O D U C E R / C O N S U M E R I M PA C T S O N L O C A L A N D G L O B A L H E A LT H . A G R I C U LT U R E : F A R M L A N D
C O N S E R VAT I O N I S S U P P O R T E D .
TRANSITION TOWN TEAMS: Open Studios Night & New Exhibits
INFO SHARE
Friday March 6th, 6-8 pm
SANTA SANTA FE REPORT REPORT
Spring Classes
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Newsletter available NOW!
Summer Art Camp Registration starting SOON 1114 7th St. NW (505) 242-6367 www.HarwoodArtCenter.org
LOCAL SALE ITEMS SHOP LOCAL & SAVE Herbs, Etc. Santa Fe, NM Deep Sleep, 1 oz,. Reg. $11.99. Sale $8.99.
High Country Kombu Cha Eagle, CO Organic Kombucha Tea, 16 oz. Reg. $3.79. Sale Two for $5.00
Zuke’s
Durango, CO Power Bones, Chicken Dog Treats, 6 oz. Reg. $4.29. Sale $3.59
Even more
LOCAL PRODUCTS on sale in our stores! VALID IN-STORE ONLY from 3/4-3/31, 2009:
Not all items available at all stores.
MARCH SPECIALS WANT TO SEE YOUR LOCAL PRODUCT ADVERTISED HERE? Contact Eli at elib@lamontanita.coop
early thirty-five Co-op members attended the first Transition Town meeting at The Santa Fe Co-op on Feb 4th. The gathering was co-sponsored by The Sustainable Santa Fe Commission and La Montanita Co-op. Our mission was to come together to see how we can create a Transition Town Team in Santa Fe. The meeting inspired by the international Transition Town Movement and the Transition Handbook by Rob Hopkins works communities toward energy self-sufficiency and local resilience. Louise Pape with the Sustainable Santa Fe Commission shared how the Sustainable Santa Fe Plan was created, and that it was unanimously approved by the Santa Fe City Council in October 2008. Suzanne Otter facilitated the meeting, which had participants talk in small groups on how they experience the issues surrounding sustainability and local resiliency. The reports from the groups included the following common themes: • While it’s true that we have technical sustainability issues to solve, we also have the wider social issues that are part of solving growth and development, education, health and poverty problems. • More dialogue will help various groups understand how to take action because people are at different stages and will benefit from different kinds of support. • This is a community effort, so things we can do that increase communication, build relationships, and help us learn together will benefit all. • For many people how to actually do it is the missing link. We want to learn by going in steps, NEXT MEETING: 3/4 @6pm, Santa Fe Co-op
skips, and leaps! Adopt an attitude that we can just get started with tips for immediate, affordable ways to begin. If everyone does something, we can start to turn the tide. • Some of the things we would like to learn more about include: policies, incentives for efficiency, green building, and what’s in the Sustainable Santa Fe Plan anyway?! • Although this was a good start, we need a lot more people, and a wider cross-section of Santa Fe active in this effort. TRANSITION TOWN TEAMS: UP AND COMING! La Montanita Co-op will host the next Transition Town meeting in Santa Fe on March 4 at 6pm. The Coop Connection News will host a regular column on Transition Town Team activities for the Santa Fe Group and for those that meet in Albuquerque. Members of all Transition Town Teams statewide are welcome to send information about their activities to robins@lamontanita.coop for inclusion. Deadlines are the 10th of the month preceding, for the first of the month publication. Questions? Call Robin at 877-775-2667 or 505-217-2027. • There will be a Transition Town Training in Santa Fe. Contact: Maggie Seeley at maggiheart@aol.com or see page 15 for more information • A Low-interest Solar Loan Program is available. More information can be found on the City of Santa Fe website and at homewise.org. *Santa Fe Green Drinks is a monthly environmental and social gathering to network, inspire and create change in our community that meets the last Wednesday of every month during the cocktail hour at different locations throughout the city that practice sustainability. FOR DETAILS, go to www.greendrinks.org or contact bookchambers@ earthlink.net to get on the announcement list. Photo by Seth Roffman
co-op news
March 2009 7
THE INSIDE Shop Smart
SCOOP
You will see in this edition of the newsletter the phrase “Shop Smart.” I can’t think of a better place to shop smart than at the Co-op. We are constantly searching for ways to make your Co-op the smart place to shop. Our new agreement with Allen Lackey at River Canyon Ranch to reduce our New Mexico organic beef prices is an example of how we are working to provide our members with a smarter shopping experience and still provide support to our local producers. This is truly a win-win for us all. We will be providing additional smart shopping opportunities as we move forward. Thanks for your support of La Montanita. As always, I can be reached by e-mail at terryb@lamontanita. coop or by phone at 217-2020. -Terry
An economic downturn opens up rare opportunities to out maneuver rivals. But first you need to put your own house in order. We are all aware of the downturn; bad economic news has become the norm these days. The conditions we all are experiencing provide us with the opportunity to closely examine our Co-op and how we operate our business. One of my highest priorities is to make sure we at La Montanita have our house in order, work efficiently, and do our best for our member owners and our customers.
Calendar of Events 3/4 3/17 3/23 TBA 4/4 4/26
Transition Town Team Meeting, Santa Fe Co-op, 6pm Board of Directors Meeting, Immanuel Church, 5:30pm Board Member Engagement Committee, CDC, 5:30pm Finance Committee Meeting, CDC, 5pm 10th Annual Valley Garden Party, Valley Co-op 20th Annual Earth Fest at the Nob Hill Co-op,
CO-OPS: A Solution-Based System
TURN OFF TV: TURN ON LIFE An Earth Day Fest for Children of all Ages Wednesday, April 22, 4-7pm at the Santa Fe Coop, 913 W. Alameda Street in the Solana Shopping Center. The Co-op’s Santa Fe location is pleased to be participating in Turn Off TV Week again this year. Turn Off TV Week is sponsored each year by the Santa Fe Public Schools’ Office of Student Wellness and the Santa Fe TV Turn Off Committee. On Wednesday, April 22nd, the Co-op will honor all the elementary school children throughout the public education system who took the Turn Off TV pledge and participated by turning off their TVs for one whole week. We also welcome other children of all ages in the hopes of inspiring more of us to TURN OFF TV and TURN ON LIFE. Since this is Earth Day we also invite environmental activists to join us to educate and activate children of all ages on all kinds of environmental and justice
issues. Table space is free. To set up your table please contact Robin at 877-775-2667. Enjoy youthful musicians and puppet shows, free pizza for the kids, environmental education and action to inspire in our next generation the understanding of all we can do and be when we TURN OFF TV and TURN ON LIFE. Come and participate in this FREE, FUN event for children of all ages. Local community organizations and children related businesses are welcome to participate. To reserve your FREE space contact Robin at 877-775-2667 or e-mail her at robins@lamon tanita.coop.
PEANUT RECALLS and the
Industrialized Food System BY KRISTIN WHITE he recent recall of peanut butter and foods containing tainted peanut paste is yet another reminder of the risks involved when food production and distribution become industrialized. Volume, wide distribution and an involved supply chain are just a few of the contributing factors affecting a growing list of foods that have been recalled by the FDA in Food-Shed recent years.
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ON FEBRUARY 9, 2009, THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTED: “Interviews and government records show that state and federal inspectors do not require the peanut industry to inform the public – or even the government – of salmonella contamination in its plants. And industry giants like Kellogg used processed peanuts in a variety of products, but relied on the factory to perform safety testing and divulge any problems.” The factory reportedly knew about the problem, but decided to ship it anyway. Community Investment Sunland, Inc., peanuts and peanut butters, sold at all Co-op locations, are safe and grown and processed right here in New Mexico by farmer/owners and local peanut growers. When farmers are involved in growing, processing and marketing their products, they are invested in the outcome. Sunland, Inc. was formed in 1988 by a group of
CO-OP Trade Initiative: Bringing local farmers together with Co-op shoppers for the best in fresh, fair and local food.
FRESH DELICIOUS ORGANIC
peanut farmers in eastern New Mexico who wanted to process and market the Valencia peanuts they grew. The company works with dozens of growers and employs 147 full-time staff members. Ninety percent of Sunland, Inc. peanuts are grown within 180 miles of the processing plant in Portales, NM.
UPDAT E
The Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), in Blakely, Ga. is currently under investigation for the recent outbreak of salmonella in their products. This corporation sells to schools and nursing homes, as well as to big companies like Kellogg. No one knows for sure how salmonella ended up in PCA’s peanut butter and paste, but one theory suggests that it happened after the nuts were roasted. Roasting peanuts is a step that produces temperatures high enough to kill pathogens.
Valencia peanuts are planted in May and dug in the fall. Once they are unearthed, they are dried naturally in the strong New Mexican sun. Eastern New Mexico has a climate that is essential for the Valencia peanut, and gives it its sweet taste. After a few days of drying in the sun, the nuts are gathered and brought to Sunland, Inc. for the first cleaning and additional drying time.
To ensure quality, peanuts are collected in jars every thirty minutes. A sample is taken from each collection and sent to a third party laboratory. The samples are tested for salmonella, E. coli, yeast, mold and other pathogens. The peanuts are then roasted in a closed roaster and heated at 335 degrees Fahrenheit, the kill point for bacteria. From the roaster, the peanuts are ground at 180 degrees F. Peanuts are sorted for a variety of uses at the Portales plant. They may end up shelled, roasted, salted or crushed for oil. All of the processing is done on site. No additives are put into the peanut butter made at Sunland. Sunland, Inc. is USDA Organic Certified, New Mexico Organic Commodity Commission Certified Organic and Orthodox Union Kosher/Pareve. All the whole peanuts in our produce departments, and the peanuts sold as bulk grind-yourown butter and in the bulk bins are from Sunland and are safe and pathogen free. Buy locally grown and processed peanuts and peanut butter at all Co-op locations from local farmers and our Sunland, Inc. friends.
KNOW WHERE YOUR FOOD COMES FROM
April 4
A co-operative is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise.
2400 rio grande blvd. nw
G a r d e n P a r t y a t Yo u r Va l l e y C o - o p
DON’T MISS IT!
Spring is upon us, let
AGUA DULCE EARTHSCAPES enhance your environment NATIVE LANDSCAPE DESIGN RAINWATER CATCHMENT AND IRRIGATION STONE WALLS, PATIOS AND WATER FEATURES FREE GARDEN CONSULTATION FOR ALL CO-OP MEMBERS. FIND OUT THE RIGHT PLANTS AND TECHNIQUES TO HELP YOUR GARDEN FLOURISH.
24 years experience helping Albuquerque’s trees and plants
Luke Resnick 764-0096
QUENCH SMART Rehydrate and give your body a boost!
Gadiel says he was inspired to bottle myTepache “out of a desire to share the richness of my cultural traditions and to promote local economies.” Tepache, an agua fresca (mixture of fruit and water) beverage popular in Mexico, is made from slightly fermented pineapple rinds flavored with honey and canela (cinnamon). In Mexico, Tepache is sold in restaurants and by vendors in clear, barrel-shaped jars called vitroleros. “By utilizing all-natural raw products,” Gadiel notes, “I am creating a drink that is reminiscent of the Tepache consumed in ancient times by the Mexikahs.” Prepared from a recipe entrusted to Gadiel by his father, with only slight changes for a healthier and more authentic flavor, Tepache is an innovative nutritional and dietary supplement that supports immune system function, promotes cell health, and aids digestion and metabolic activity through liver health. It is high in antioxidants, enzymes and probiotics that ignite the body’s energies. The delicate process of producing Tepache involves selecting the highest quality raw materials, including local New Mexican honey and pineapples that meet Gadiel’s high standards for excellence. myTepache is prepared in small batches and carefully tended for ten days until it is perfectly cultured. myTepache is committed to promoting a healthy and sustainable environment in all facets of production and distribution by recycling, reusing, reducing and composting. Look for myTepache in the refrigerated case at all Co-op locations in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Gallup shoppers are welcome to put in their special order for myTepache any Tuesday for delivery on that week’s Co-op Trade truck.
LIVE SMART
HIGH OCTANE RECIPES by Eric Lujan
The High Octane Diet Cookbook, Eric Lujan’s new cookbook, is one part diet and one part cookbook. The first portion describes easy ways to make your energy and digestive systems work more efficiently. The food program laid out in the book is the same program he has developed for his own professional athletic career. His personal doctors and exercise physiologists, from the Olympic Training Center and the International Triathlon Union, have contributed to this book.
Raw Sunflower Pate
The main focus of the High Octane Diet is to eat unprocessed, plant-based foods. The emphasis is on timing your meals, eating organic, and consuming high-nutrient, low-calorie foods. The second part of the book is packed full of delicious, southwestinfused recipes. With the US dollar worth less and time being limited, Eric has created recipes that are simple and quick to prepare. His belief is that we should eat food that is grown as close to home as possible. Food should be prepared with lots of love, and shared with friends and family. And finally, food should make us feel happy and energized, allowing us to live exciting and passionate lives!
2-cups soaked raw sunflower seeds 1/2-cup fresh basil 1 jalapeno pepper (or less if you’re heat sensitive) 1/4-cup cilantro 2 cloves garlic 1/2 red onion 1/4 tsp turmeric 1-2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp cayenne pepper Sea salt to taste Fresh black pepper to taste
Eric’s 10 Ways To Save Green While Eating Greens
Directions Soak the sunflower seeds in a bowl for one hour to soften. Then drain and add them to the other ingredients and blend in a food processor until creamy and smooth. Great with crackers, pita, or blue corn tortilla chips.
Make your energy work more efficiently
1. Bulk Bins – For the best deals on dried foods, head to the bulk bins. All the staple ingredients for The High Octane Cookbook are available for dollars a pound. 2. Buy In Season – If you’re buying blueberries in January, you can plan to pay top dollar. If you buy foods in season, you’ll not only get ripe and great-tasting food, you’ll get a great deal. Eating foods in season will also ensure variety in your diet. 3. Plan Ahead – Sunday afternoons are usually my time to shop, then chill around the house. While I relax I like to prepare big batches of salsa, hummus, beans, rice, and energy bars to have during the week. I add the bulk ingredients to different recipes throughout the week. This saves money and time. 4. Make Large Quantities – I am the king of leftovers. Instead of making one batch of enchiladas, make two and leave the second batch in the fridge to bake up later in the week. Reinvent extra grilled veggies into a sprouted tortilla wrap for lunch. Think big even if you’re little. 5. Freeze – You can buy in bulk at a discount if you use your freezer. Make a big batch of soup or beans and freeze it. Instead of leaving ripe fruit out to go bad, throw it into a freezer bag and use it later in a smoothie. 6. Don’t pay for packaging – Packaged processed food is expensive, bad for your body, and bad for the environment. Try making meals from scratch. It’s way cheaper and dramatically reduces energy use. Use your dollars for food, not plastic. 7. Buy local – Don’t spend $3 a pound on apples imported from Honduras, if Johnny Gonzales in the neighboring town is selling his for $1.50. You’ll save money and will be supporting your local Homie. 8. Volunteer – Both organic farms and co-ops offer work for food or discount programs. 9. Cook with friends – Invite your friends and neighbors for dinner. Over the years I have created once-a-week community potlucks. Everyone pitches in for food, and everyone takes home leftovers. Throw in a hike or a bike ride before, and now you’re taking it High Octane! 10. Grow your own – Even with limited time or space, growing your own food is a fantastic way to save money. If you’re a novice gardener, start with some basic herbs in terra-cotta pots. Herbs are really expensive at the store, but you will have a fridge full for pennies.
This recipe was created to add some variety to the typical party dips or spreads. The paté is loaded with energy-packed enzymes, and the fresh herbs give it a major antioxidant kick. This recipe is perfect for a spring afternoon cocktail party!
Spicy Spinach Salad
In my opinion, salads should be able to stand alone without an entree. This salad makes an awesome spring lunch with a refreshing green ice tea! 1/2 lb spinach 1 yellow bell pepper sliced into thin strips 1 red bell pepper sliced into thin strips 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half 1 jalapeno chopped very fine (you can use less) 1/4-cup slivered almonds 2 tbsp chopped cilantro 1-cup loosely packed tortilla chips
(break them up with your hands and sprinkle on after you toss with the dressing)
Sweet & Spicy Vinaigrette 1/3 cup olive oil 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 1 lime juiced 1 tsp raw agave syrup 1 clove minced garlic 1 tsp red chile pepper flakes Sea salt to taste
Combine the ingredients in a large salad bowl and toss with the vinaigrette to taste.
lighter
fare
1/8-1/4 t chili powder or cayenne 1/4 t allspice 1/2 t ground ginger generous pinch saffron, lightly crushed 2 bay leaves 1 3-inch cinnamon stick 3 C cooked chickpeas (or 2 cans, drained and rinsed) 8 C vegetable broth (or water plus bouillon) 1 large bunch kale, thick center ribs removed and chopped (at least 8 C) about 2 C water salt to taste Coat a large saucepan with olive oil and heat it. Add the onion and carrot and cook over medium-high heat until the onion begins to brown (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the spices, including bay leaves and cinnamon stick; cook, stirring, for another minute. Add the chickpeas and stir to coat them with the spices. Pour in the 8 cups of vegetable stock, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to a simmer for 20 minutes. Add the chopped kale and stir. Add water, if necessary, to cover the kale and cook until it is tender, about 10-25 minutes, depending on how cooked you like your kale. Check frequently to see if it is becoming dry, and add water as needed. Add salt to taste and serve. Serves 6 to 8. Rainbow Salad Vibrant, succulent greens with pale pink, sweet-tasting radishes make this simple salad a beautiful dish. Blanching or parboiling softens the vegetables, and makes them more juicy, sweet and refreshing than if they were steamed. Any of the cabbage family members, except mustard greens, which are too hot, go well with this salad. Also good are carrots, celeriac, asparagus and pot herbs such as tender dandelion, m창che and chicory.
March 2009 11
Brown 6 garlic cloves, with their peels on, in a skillet over medium high heat until the garlic is lightly browned in places, about 10 minutes. Remove the garlic from the pan, cool and remove the skins. Toast the nuts in a pan over medium heat until lightly brown. Food processor method (the fast way): Combine the arugula, walnuts, roasted and raw garlic into a food processor. Pulse while drizzling the olive oil into the processor. Remove the mixture from the processor and put it into a bowl. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Mortar and pestle method: Combine the nuts and garlic in a mortar. With the pestle, grind until smooth. Add the cheese and olive oil, grind again until smooth. Finely chop the arugula and add it to the mortar. Grind up with the other ingredients until smooth. Because the pesto is so dependent on the individual ingredients, and the strength of the ingredients depends on the season or variety, test it and add more of the ingredients to taste. Mix with freshly prepared pasta of your choice. You may need to add a little bit of water or extra olive oil to mix the pesto more evenly with the pasta. This pesto recipe makes enough sauce for an ample serving of pasta for four. These recipes have been adapted and reprinted from the following sources: http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/ www.designspongeonline.com/ www.npr.org www.rwood.com/Recipes/Rainbow_Salad.htm www.elise.com
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1/2 t sea salt, plus extra for the salad 4 large cabbage leaves 4 large kale or collard leaves 1 bunch small red radishes 2 T extra-virgin olive oil 1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice In a large pot bring 3 quarts of water with the salt to a rapid boil. Add the cabbage leaves and boil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until their color changes. With a slotted spoon, remove the cabbage leaves to a colander. Blanch the kale in this manner, and then blanch the radishes until their red color softens to pink, about 2 minutes. Drain well. Slice the vegetables into bite-size pieces. Toss the vegetables with the olive oil and then add the lemon juice and salt to taste. Serve warm or cold. Serves 4. Arugula Pesto 2 C of packed arugula leaves, stems removed 1/2 C of walnuts 1/2 C fresh parmesan cheese 1/2 C extra virgin olive oil 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled 1/2 garlic clove peeled and minced
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farming & gardening CHANGE AT USDA REFORM ORGANIC
March 2009 12 viduals to create the illusion of independent ownership—that's a lot of effort and expense to prop up their public relations greenwashing!
PROGRAM
BY WILL FANTLE, CORNUCOPIA INSTITUTE he organic label is under serious attack. You’ve probably heard the stories about purportedly “organic” eggs produced at industrial operations with 70,000 birds to a building—with no outdoor access. Or “organic” milk from a dairy milking 7,200 cows. Or how about organic food from China, with minimal regulatory oversight; do we trust that?
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This is not organic by any stretch of the imagination, yet the USDA has been looking the other way for years, allowing these kinds of fraudulent operations to claim the organic label and to cash in at the expense of organic family farmers and consumers. Clearly, we need “change” at the USDA, or the “People’s Department,” as President Lincoln so aptly called this agency. The organic label belongs to all of us and we must reclaim it. We need new management at the National Organic Program that will create a culture supporting the thousands of ethical organic family farmers, and their consumer allies and patrons, who have built vibrant organic agricultural and food markets. The timing is critical, but ripe with opportunity. We need to carry the serious concerns of the organic community to the new Obama administration and new USDA Secretary, Tom Vilsack. To accomplish this, the Cornucopia Institute is organizing a “Change @USDA” campaign. We are urging farmers and consumers to join with Cornucopia’s members in expressing the need for reform of the USDA’s organic program. One vehicle is a proxy letter developed by Cornucopia for your signature that we will hand deliver to the White House and USDA. You can find specifics and more details under the Action Alerts tab on Cornucopia’s web page at www.cornucopia.org. Timing is critical. A true crisis is unfolding in the organic dairy sector. Ethical organic dairy farmers, and the co-ops and family-owned businesses they partner with for processing and marketing, are getting hammered. Part of their problem is the country’s current economic struggles. The growth in organic sales has slowed, although sales are still growing. Yet the dairy community is facing a more ominous challenge: cheap, phony "organic" milk from giant factory farms and predatory pricing by the $11 billion agribusiness behemoth, Dean Foods.
Dean, which owns 50 different milk labels in the country, Horizon Organic being just one, has heavily discounted pricing. They’ve given stores promotional money that has greatly handicapped the Organic Valley Co-op and others.
ethical
ORGANIC
Dean/Horizon gets a large percentage of their milk from their 8,000-cow industrial dairy and from many other mega-farms they contract with. This is not organic in the eyes of most consumers! New Mexico Link Dean recently transferred thousands of cows/heifers from their giant industrial dairy in Idaho to an operation in New Mexico. Although they have denied an ownership stake in that and other industrial dairies, we discovered through an obscure filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that they were "leasing" the New Mexico dairy. And the word on the street, in Texas and New Mexico, is that they are partnering with certain indi-
NATURAL PRICES shop
SMART!
These unethical competitors are squeezing other brands. Stonyfield, Organic Valley, and other smaller dairies have had to let some of their family farmers go and/or cut prices paid to them. Sadly, some organic dairy farmers now risk losing their land. When you consider saving $.20 per half gallon of milk at some retail outlet, are you sure you’re not partnering with a corporation that’s destroying the very family farmers who created the organic movement? And are you getting your nutritional money's worth?
To better understand what brands source milk from REAL organic family farmers, you can view Cornucopia’s scorecard ranking all organic dairy brands (milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, etc.) at website, www.cornucopia.org.
WHY GARDEN
WITH CHILDREN? BY HEIDI ANDERSON, VOLUNTEER GARDENER, RIO GRANDE COMMUNITY FARM igging up a carrot is surprisingly hard work. But the result is a sweet treasure to a child. A friend introduced our family to community gardening about four years ago when our oldest child was only a few months old. As he and his younger brother have grown and we’ve caught the gardening bug, I’ve been delighted to watch the wonderful influences a garden has on young children.
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Cultivating gardens creates a veritable wilderness for children. A garden is a multi-tiered green space where children can feel a sense of wild freedom. There is no need for a mountain expanse. Children are captivated by following a single ladybug from tomato plant to chard to kale. Plants create tunnels, caves, vast miniature worlds to explore. Through this exploration children gain first-hand experience and knowledge of the natural world and its ecological processes. This experience in a garden has been shown repeatedly to help school-aged children succeed in all academic subjects, including language, arts, math and science.
Get LOCAL River Canyon Ranch ORGANIC BEEF at
The majority of the bogus private-labeled, storebrand milk marketed by Wal-Mart, Costco, Safeway, Target and other grocery chains comes from the controversial Aurora Dairy, operator of five giant factory farms in Texas and Colorado. A USDA investigation, sparked by a Cornucopia complaint, found Aurora had “willfully” violated 14 federal organic rules.
The cycle of a garden from spring planting through summer snacking, fall harvest and winter composting connects children (and their parents) to the seasons and creates family rituals that connect us to the Earth. My children especially like shelling black beans and tiger’s eye beans – something even a oneand-a-half year old can do!
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Food gardens are a great way to encourage children to eat fresh vegetables and are also a great vehicle for experimentation. Some of my children’s favorites are sugar snap peas, purple “green” beans, kale, purple basil, chives, red lettuce and, of course, carrots. Community gardens have the added benefit of introducing children to people of all ages and backgrounds. It helps give them a little bit of that proverbial “village” we parents wish they had. If you are a beginner, start small. A garden can be as simple as a pot of miniature Tom Thumb peas on your kitchen table or a 1’ X 4’ patio box with a cherry tomato plant and salad greens. Or join a community garden. Experienced gardeners love to share their knowledge – especially with children. You’ll know you are hooked when you and your children can sit down with a good seed catalogue and call it entertainment! I asked my five year old why he likes the community garden. He said, “Because I like eating carrots. I like playing, too, and digging in the dirt.” Come to think of it, these are the same reasons I like the garden! RESOURCES for Intergenerational Gardening www.kidsgardening.org GARDEN eXchange ABQ hosted by www.gardenersguild. org/ membership Rio Grande Community Farm, www.riograndefarm.org Plants of the Southwest, www.plantsofthesouthwest.com Seed Savers Exchange, www.seedsavers.org Seeds of Change, www.seedsofchange.com
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Penny Holland M.A., L.P.C.C, L.M.T.
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seeds: source of life
March 2009 13
BOTANICAL INTERESTS
Organic, Regionally Produced Gardening Success for the Beginner or Experienced Gardener BY ROBIN SEYDEL he Co-op has been a proud supplier of Botanical Interests Seeds for a number of years. Curtis and Judy met while waiting to interview for the same horticultural job and soon found they shared a boundless enthusiasm for gardening. Their small family-run company, Botanical Interests Seed, began out of their mutual passion and personal desire for better quality seed and more informational tools to help and inspire gardeners.
SEED
tically signed the “SAFE SEED PLEDGE: We do not knowingly buy or sell genetically engineered seeds or plants.”
ful. Their great germination rates and gardening success is also achieved by the high quality seed they and their seed producers grow. Their seed packets have lovely detailed botanical illustrations and you can choose from over 400 varieties of vegetables, flowers and herbs, with interesting new ones to try each year.
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Their unique seed packets were designed for people who, though interested in growing from seed, may have never learned how to garden from their parents. With an increased desire to "get back to our roots,” concern about food quality, local production and the economic issues we face, Botanical Interests Seed packets provide more information on the front, back and inside of the packet than most books. This enables people at all levels of gardening to be success-
“We wanted a level of purity and quality that wasn’t easy to find,” recalls Curtis. So they searched out the highest quality seed available and began their business in 1997, in the spare bedroom of their Colorado home. The business objectives they established then still hold strong now: to inspire and educate gardeners, to provide high quality seed to their customers and to create an enjoyable workplace for employees. The quality of Botanical Interests Seed is unsurpassed – and is guaranteed with the germination rates of each variety tested before they are packaged. They offer a large selection of certified organic seed and untreated seeds. Recently they enthusias-
They offer a selection of common and unusual varieties, many of which will “Solve problems: vines to cover fences, drought-tolerant blend for those spots screaming for beautiful garden color but without enough water to support that desire, easy-to-grow perennials that come back year after year, indoor (and outdoor) easy-to-grow herbs to add ‘fresh-from-the-garden flavor’ to your food, and vegetables that will make you wonder why you never grew your own food before (or for those seasoned gardeners, wonder why they never bought these seeds before).” Over the years, Judy and Curtis’s family has grown along with their line of seeds which now attracts and pleases customers nationwide. This planting season look for Botanical Interests Seeds at all Co-op locations in the produce section. Don’t see a specific variety you want? Ask your friendly and knowledgeable Produce Staff person to special order it for you.
GARDENING SUCCESS FOR ALL!
Who Owns
nature?
REPORT FROM ETC GROUP (FORMERLY THE RURAL ADVANCEMENT FOUNDATION) n the first half of the 20th century, seeds were overwhelmingly in the hands of farmers and public-sector plant breeders. In the decades since then “Gene Giants” have used intellectual property laws to commodify the world seed supply – a strategy that aims to control plant germplasm and maximize profits by eliminating farmers' rights.
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Today, the proprietary seed market accounts for a staggering share of the world's commercial seed supply. In less than three decades, a handful of multinational corporations have engineered a fast and furious corporate enclosure of the first link in the food chain. According to Context Network, the proprietary seed market (brand- name seed that is subject to exclusive monopoly - i.e. intellectual property), now accounts for 82% of the commercial seed market worldwide. In 2007, the global proprietary seed market was $22,000 million. The total commercial seed market was valued at $26,700 million in 2007. The commercial seed market, of course, does not include farmer-saved seed. The Monsanto company continues to try to corner the market and at present controls almost one quarter of the world’s seeds. Based on industry statistics, ETC Group estimates that Monsanto's biotech seeds and traits (including those licensed to other companies) account for 87% of the total world area devoted to genetically
engineered seeds in 2007. The company claims that it licenses its biotech traits to an additional 250 companies. In 2007, almost half (48%) of DuPont's seed revenue came from products that carried a biotech trait. Gene Giants Tech Cartel: Anti-trust regulators in Brussels and Washington take note: The Gene Giants are forging unprecedented alliances that render competitive markets a thing of the past. By agreeing to cross-license proprietary germplasm and technologies, consolidate R&D efforts and terminate costly intellectual property litigation, the world's largest agrochemical and seed firms are reinforcing top-tier market power for mutual benefit. In March 2007 the world's largest seed company (Monsanto) and the world's largest chemical corporation (BASF) announced a $1.5 billion R&D collaboration to increase yields and drought tolerance in maize, cotton, canola and soybeans. ETC Group refers to this kind of partnership as a "non-merger merger" - all the benefits of consolidation and oligopoly without the anti-trust constraints. Industry analysts expect the agreements to have "lasting repercussions throughout the seed, biotech and crop protection industries." For other examples of the manipulation and control of the seed market, biotechnology, farming, food, the economy and justice go to www.etgroup.org
seed consolidation and the FUTURE of
food
WHO OWNS THE GLOBAL SEED SUPPLY 2007 SEED SALES (US $ MILLIONS) % OF GLOBAL PROPRIETARY SEED MARKET 1. Monsanto (US) - $4,964m - 23% 2. DuPont (US) - $3,300m - 15% 3. Syngenta (Switzerland) - $2,018m - 9% 4. Groupe Limagrain (France) -$1,226m - 6% 5. Land O' Lakes (US) - $917m - 4% 6. KWS AG (Germany) - $702m -3% 7. Bayer Crop Science (Germany) - $524m - 2% 8. Sakata (Japan) - $396m -<2% 9. DLF-Trifolium (Denmark) - $391m - <2% 10. Takii (Japan) - $347m - <2%
CONTROLLING OUR
The top 3 companies (Monsanto, DuPont, Syngenta) together
20th Earth Fest at Nob Hill Co-op
TO ACQUIRE CENTRAL AMERICAN CORN AND SEED COMPANY
A
s reported in Feed and Grain news in January 2009, “Monsanto Company has agreed to acquire Marmot, S.A., which operates Semillas Cristiani Burkard (SCB), a privatelyheld seed company headquartered in Guatemala City, Guatemala.” The acquisition gives Monsanto’s GMO corn broader access to farmers throughout Central American countries and pushed Monsanto into the top spot of seed corporations worldwide. With Monsanto’s strict contracts and heavy handed policing and legal battles against farmers, this purchase could turn hundreds of small independent self-sufficient farmers into Monsanto serfs.
Again from Feed and Grain, “SCB focuses on hybrid corn seed production and is a leading provider of corn, sorghum, forage sorghum, soybeans, and pastures (grass-type seeds). The company operates in twelve countries throughout North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. “Monsanto believes the acquisition holds the opportunity to expand the potential adoption of biotechnology traits internationally.”
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account for $10,282 million, or 47% of the worldwide proprietary seed market. ETC Group conservatively estimates that the top 3 seed companies control 65% of the proprietary maize seed market worldwide, and over half of the proprietary soybean seed market.
FOOD FUTURE
Sun. April 26
MONSANTO
10am-6pm DON’T MISS IT!
We can help you realize your goals
Robert Marchand CPA email: robert@marchandcpa.com 1512 Deborah Rd Rio Rancho NM 87124
(505) 710-5401
healthy food
March 2009 14
HEALTHYECONOMICAL AND SPIRITUAL
Why Choose a VEGAN
by Two Moons N.D. Author of Peace in Every Bite
DIET?
MAKE the LINKS: HEALTH and FOOD
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he reasons for choosing a vegan diet can be numerous. Initially it was embraced in the United States by those protesting violence, wars and consumerism in the nineteen sixties, and the back to the land movement and those interested in incorporating Gandhian principles into their lives. For many it’s a simple matter of not wanting to harm another being, or a love for all animals, and concerns about animal cruelty issues, including those related to factory farming, rodeos, zoos, circuses and animal testing. While factory-farmed animals often suffer stressful situations in overcrowded and confined conditions, the raising of animals for food has generally been excluded from humane legislation on the federal and state level. According to vegsource.com and John Robbins, author of Diet for a New America, 660,000 animals are now killed for meat each hour of every day in the United States. According to Robbins: “Since the Surgeon General’s report on Nutrition and Health, in 1988, estimated that as many as 10,000 cancer deaths annually could be caused from chemical additives in food, and the fact that a meat based diet has 55% pesticide residue, compared to 1% with commercial (non-organic) grains, and that a high fat, meat based diet can contribute to high cholesterol and elevated blood pressure, heart ailments and numerous other health problems, many see a vegan diet (especially one containing organically grown foods) as a healthier choice. It’s a diet free of chemicals, hormones and other questionable ingredients fed or injected into livestock. As
well, better health is often obtained without the mucus-forming affects of dairy products.” Others stop eating meat because of environmental issues. This is a viable concern, considering the intensive land use for animal farming, and that 55 sq. feet of rainforest is consumed in every pound of hamburger. A meat-based diet requires 3 acres of land per year as opposed to only 1 acre for a vegan diet. Approximately sixteen people on a vegan diet could live off the same land and water supply as one meat eater. Some choose a vegan diet, often after years on a vegetarian one, because of further understanding about the connection between dairy products and calves raised for veal, and the cruelty issues surrounding both mama cow and her offspring. Still others choose a meat and dairy free diet because of the realization that by doing so, one can actually help conserve the world’s natural resources and fuel supply and contribute to a
cleaner environment. It takes 50 times more fossil fuel to produce a meat-centered diet than vegetarian, or 20 times more of our natural resources to produce a calorie of beef, as compared to a calorie of vegetable protein. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization reported that cattle emit 18% of greenhouse gases, contributing more to global warming than transportation. As well, it generally takes only 25 gallons of water to produce a pound of wheat, as opposed to 2,500 gallons to produce a pound of meat. Some people consider that we would be better equipped to take care of all the starving people in the world if we fed the grain that cattle eat to people. This seems a logical consideration, taking into account that 99% of protein is wasted when grain is cycled through livestock, and since it takes 15 pounds of grain to produce a pound of feedlot beef, compared to only 1 pound of grain to produce a one-pound loaf of bread. As well, 20,000 pounds of potatoes could be grown on the same amount of land as 165 pounds of beef. A vegan diet is often chosen for spiritual reasons, either pertaining to a person’s particular religious followings, and the instructions or endorsements of past or present spiritual leaders. As well, many choose a vegan diet and lifestyle for more than just one of the above reasons. RESOURCES: vegsource.com and Diet For A New America by John Robbins. From the author of Peace In Every Bite, A Vegan Cookbook with Recipes for a Healthy Lifestyle, this has been part of our continuing series on Vegan Education. Watch for the next installment: Food Choices on a Vegan Diet in upcoming Co-op Connection News Issues.
Cooking from
SCRATCH Classical Homeopathy Visceral Manipulation Craniosacral Therapy
S
end us your spring recipes for an 18% one-time discount shopping card for each recipe that we use in the Co-op Connection News! We’re looking for light, healthy, seasonal spring fare: salads, salad dressings, light soups and meals. Please email your recipes to Kristin White at kristinw@lamontanita.coop or call her at 217-2016 for more information.
MARY ALICE COOPER, MD St. Raphael Medical Center 204 Carlisle NE Albuquerque, NM 87106
505-266-6522
CO-OP
Kitchari This Ayurvedic recipe comes from Co-op member Sandra Aumiller. Kitchari is an East Indian mixture of two grains that is easy to digest and nourishing. Choose vegetables that are best for your digestion. If you decide to include greens, add them during the last 5 to 9 minutes of cooking.
Spring Festivals
COMING soon!
VALLEY CO-OP’S 10TH ANNUAL
vegetables: asparagus, hard winter squash, celery, sweet or white potatoes, rutabagas, onion, etc. 1 C basmati rice (brown or white) 1/2 C split mung dal
Garden Party Sat. April 4th, 10am-3pm
and Nob Hill Co-op’s 20th Annual Celebrate the Earth Festival Sun. April 26th, 10am-6pm Space fills quickly so farmers, gardeners, artists and environmental and social justice organizations please reserve your FREE space early. To reserve your space contact Robyn at 217-2027. Or call toll free 877-775-2667
Celebrate
Spring! with your CO-OP
SHOP CO-OP AND SAVE BUY LOCAL
HEALTH T H E
7 C water, more if needed 2 T ghee or clarified butter 1/2 t each: cumin seeds, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and fennel powder pinch of asafoetida (hing) pinch of salt note: for improved digestion add a pinch of ginger powder and 1/4 t mustard seeds Carefully clean rice and dal and remove any foreign material such as stones, bran covering, etc. Rinse in three changes of water. Sauté cumin seeds in the ghee, or clarified butter, until they pop; add all other spices. Add the dal, salt and rice and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Add boiling water and cover; bring to a boil and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the dal begins to soften. Cut vegetables into bitesize portions and stir into the dal/rice mixture. Add water if it appears too thick. Bring to another boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Rice and dal should be soft and yielding. If it’s too thin, remove cover and simmer until texture is smooth like porridge. SEND US YOUR SPRING RECIPES!
H I P P O C R AT E S W AY
DR. BRIAN CLEMENT SPEAKS IN NEW MEXICO r. Brian Clement, Director of the Hippocrates Health Institute, West Palm Beach, Florida, will be in Santa Fe and Albuquerque for a series of lectures on March 6-8. Brian Clement, PhD, LNC, has spearheaded the international progressive health movement for more than three decades. As Director of the Hippocrates Health Institute, he and his team have developed a state-of-the-art program for teaching health maintenance, active aging, disease prevention and recovery. Dr. Clement is the author of nine books, including the bestselling Living Foods for Optimum Health. All lectures will have an extensive question and answer period.
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THE LECTURES INCLUDE: • March 6: ACHIEVING AND MAINTAINING PERFECT HEALTH - THE EASY WAY at Santa Fe Soul. For directions call 505-4748555. • March 7: CELEBRATING HEALTHY LIVING – EMBRACING THE
PROCESS OF TRANSFORMATION. The Santa Fe Raw Food Potluck, St. Michael’s Drive (near K-Mart), Santa Fe. Limited space, reservations required. For information and reservations: contact meet-up organizer Anou Mirkine 505-699-2416 or anouchka@ anoumirkine.com • March 7: LIFEFORCE & LONGEVITY: CREATING A VIBRANT AND ABUNDANT FUTURE. At Body/Santa Fe, 333 Cordova Road, Santa Fe. Directions: 505-986-0362 • March 8: HEALTHY BODY, CLEAR MIND, STRONG SPIRIT: Your Radical Health vegan, raw food diet meet-up group, at the Regener Hall, UNM campus, Albuquerque. For directions contact meet-up organizer, Kaylee Tejeda at 505-268-0898 or abqraw@gmail.com For times and reservations go to: www.hippocratesinst. org/calendar.aspx. For info about Hippocrates Health Institute and this tour, please contact Susan Lerner at 800-842-2125 ext.343 or VitalLongevity@earthlink.net.
community
forum
March 2009 15
GROW YOUR OWN FOOD!
POSSIBILITIES FOR NEW MEXICO: T H E T R A N S I T I O N T O W N S
MOVEMENT BY MAGGIE SEELEY AND ZAIDA AMARAL he experiences of Totnes, the British town of 8,000 people, which fostered the Transition Towns movement, is documented by Rob Hopkins in his book, The Transition Handbook).
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Transition Towns are forming all over the world, the US and in our own state of New Mexico. In response to peak oil and climate change, community groups in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Jemez Springs, Silver City (and other places we have yet to discover), Neighborhood Associations, Permaculture activists, our own La Montanita Food Co-op, schools and environmental groups are planning an oil-free future. It is a “bottoms-up momentum,” particularly suited for New Mexico communities. We have lots of experience with “off the grid” living, plenty of wind and sunshine, gardeners galore and facility with a perpetual economic recession. We say this because New Mexico has the 47th (of 50) lowest GDP in the US and challenging social indicators due to poverty.
In December 2008, at a Transition Town Training in San Francisco, designed and led by two Totnes citizen facilitators who are international TT trainers, the following key TT (Transition Towns) factors were discussed: Resilience INDICATORS • The number of locally owned businesses is important. Both Albuquerque and Santa Fe have independent business alliances representing hundreds of businesses. New billboards advising “BUY LOCAL” are posted all over. • The percent of food grown and consumed within our Food-Shed: The Co-op uses a 300-mile radius to designate our Food-Shed, meaning that we enjoy potatoes from Colorado. • Ratio of car parking to productive land use: Here we don’t fare very well. Albuquerque is a one-story western town/city dependent on the auto, and still experiencing active sprawl. • Degree of citizen activity in taking on the critical issues: car sharing, community gardens, carbon mitigation, renewable energy and “neighborly-ness.” Oil ADDICTION When we speak about our own personal addiction to
GLOBAL NUCLEAR ENERGY
Partnership EXPANDING NUKES LOCALLY AND GLOBALLY: BY LUCILLE CORDOVA, DON HANCOCK, JANET GREENWALD
contaminated by a neighboring chemical company. It was through this difficult personal experience that McKinnon developed an interest in environmental issues.
McKinnon realized that not only were there health issues to consider but issues of public trust, accountability, governhe Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) is ment truthfulness and even media culpability. Once the the former Bush administration’s program to public meetings on GNEP began, he was surprised to find build nuclear power plants in the US and around out that the DOE, in an unprecedented move, gave out milthe world. It would include reprocessing lion-dollar grants to companies and plants and could allow foreign nuclear waste to organizations to put together probe disposed in the US. In addition to costing THE NEW posals for GNEP. Additionally he hundreds of billions of dollars, GNEP could MEXICO LINK was also surprised at Roswell’s proliferate nuclear bomb materials worldwide. Mayor Sam De Groin and then Hundreds of New Mexicans and thousands of Senator Domenici’s misleading people across the country have opposed claims that the community was in GNEP. That opposition succeeded in delaying a favor of the facility and that the decision to proceed with GNEP. Now, the decicommunity had participated in pubsion is up to the Obama administration. lic meetings on the proposals. According to McKinnon, there were no such public meetEleven sites were proposed for GNEP in all: two sites proings prior to the ones organized by Concerned Citizens of posed in New Mexico, one east of Roswell and one west Roswell months after the mayor’s claim; he also does not of Hobbs. Though little opposition arose to the plan in the believe that the majority of the population, in southeast Hobbs area, there has been widespread opposition in the New Mexico, are in favor of the facility. Roswell area. At the height of the opposition, two women from Albuquerque, Lucille Cordova and Sylvianna Diaz He is mainly concerned with Gandy Marley, Inc., and d’Ouville, visited Roswell. They were impressed with the Energy Solutions (ES), the companies that would operate breadth and depth of the opposition. The following are the Roswell site. The Utah Department of Environmental excerpts of the account Lucille wrote. Quality, where ES owns a nuclear waste dump, reports
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In August 2007 the crowd at Peppers Grill and Bar, in Roswell, New Mexico, was having a great time, dancing, eating and enjoying a night out. Music was by the Spring River Band, led by Frank McKinnon who had gathered over one thousand petition signatures against the citing of a plutonium reprocessing plant in his Roswell community. A big soft spoken guy, McKinnon is a teacher, a talented musician, a committed community activist, self taught nuclear research historian, a father and husband. His interest in environmental issues began when he inherited a summer camp in Arkansas. The camp, enjoyed by hundreds of children for years every summer, had to close its doors forever because the camp swimming hole became
between 8 and 18 violations per regulatory visit. He believes that this kind of carelessness would also affect the nuclear waste processing facility proposed for the Roswell area and could result in a variety of public health hazards due to leaks, not unlike those experienced at a similar nuclear reprocessing plant in Sellafield, England. Like Roswell, the area around Sellafield has a lot of dairies and would be approximately 35 to 36 miles away from the proposed reprocessing site. As we left the lights of Roswell behind, we felt hopeful; we had met a man of integrity and purpose who would not let short term gains obliterate the need for good stewardship of our land, air and water and the health of our communities.
Protect Roswell and all New Mexicans from more nuclear contamination and from the continued use of our enchanting lands as a national nuclear sacrifice area. Don’t let former officials, Bush and Domenici force their nuclear legacy on New Mexico! TELL PRESIDENT OBAMA TO STOP GNEP! Please submit your comments by March 16, 2009. Mark your comments: DRAFT GNEP PEIS COMMENTS Mail comments to: Mr. Francis G. Schwartz, GNEP PEIS Document Manager, Office of Nuclear Energy US Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20585
Fax comments to: 1-866-489-1891. Email comments to: http://www.regulations.gov/fdm spublic/component/main?main=DocumentDetail&o= 0900006480744445 More information and sample comments are at: http://www.ananuclear.org Or contact Citizens Against Radioactive Dumping (CARD) at 266-2663 if you want to help with a petition against GNEP.
Action alert!!
oil, it’s startling. The TT training includes a teaching on and experience of the Psychology of Change. Steps in becoming a TRANSITION TOWN: 1. Steering committee to guide the process 2. Awareness raising 3. Citizens, groups, organizations, events 4. Official unleashing 5. Self organizing working groups and training 6. Open space issue identification 7. Vision, plan & practical manifestations 8. Re-skilling, building resilience, gap-filling 9. Local government bridge building 10. Honoring elders 11. Letting the TT movement go where it wishes 12. Energy descent plan & re-localization agenda APRIL 2009 TRANSITION TOWNS TRAININGS IN NEW MEXICO
As this article is going to press, Transition Towns trainings for citizen groups are scheduled in Boulder, Omaha, Tucson, Seattle and Vancouver. We hope to offer the training in Santa Fe in April 2009, and an abbreviated free version of the training at the Co-op’s 20th Annual Celebrate the Earth Festival on April 26. MAGGIE SEELEY is a green business consultant who uses the Triple Bottom Line as a model for slow growth (social equity, prosperity and ecological responsibility). A teacher at UNM, she is inspired by the work of her students in the Sustainability Studies Program. MaggiHeart@aol.com 505-268-3339. ZAIDA AMARAL is the Director of the Eco Village Design Southwest Institute. She is an architect, a feng shui master and a native of Brazil. She was trained at Findhorn Institute in Scotland and launched the lst US Eco Village design course in Albuquerque in 2007-2008. 505-410-4611 Zaida@ecovillagedesignsouthwest.org March 14th: Clarifying Meditative Work at the Wat Center continues with a workshop for people from any or no meditation tradition. Explore what meditative work is and how it sheds light on the concerns of our lives. Sat., 3/14, 2pm with programs through the afternoon. More info contact the Wat Center, 145 Madison NE, corner of Madison and Copper. $2 donation. More info: Jay Cutts, New Mexico Center for Meditative Inquiry and Retreat, at 281-0684 http://www.cuttsreviews.com/meditation/
Duende Poetry Series
presents:
Duende Poetry Series Invitational: Mary McGinnis, Anne MacNaughton & Peter Rabbit. Following the reading, there will be a thirty minute open mic, now with a 4 minute time-limit per poet. Sunday, March 15th, 3pm at Anasazi Fields Winery of Placitas, NM. Anasazi Fields wines will be available for tasting and purchasing. Suggested donation of $3 will pay the poets. Drive out for a good time and a fistful of literature. To get to the Winery, take I-25 to the Placitas exit 242, drive 6 miles east to the Village, turn left at the sign just just before the Presbyterian Church, follow Camino de los Pueblitos through two stop signs to the Winery entrance. Info call Jim at 867-3062 anasazifieldswinery@att.net or Cirrelda 897-0285 cirrelda@laalamedapress.com www.anasazifieldswinery.com
sun.,march 15,3pm
L M La Montañita t ñit C Co-op Distribution D Center 3361 Columbia NE • Albuquerque, NM 87107
Join La Montañita Co-op! Your community-owned natural foods grocery store
Why Join? -You Care! –about good food and how it is produced -You’re Empowered! –you help support the local/regional food-shed -You Support! –Co-op principles & values and community ownership -You Vote! –with your dollars for a strong local economy -You Participate! –providing direction and energy to the Co-op -You Receive! –member discounts, weekly specials and a patronage refund
You Own It!
–an economic alternative for a sustainable future
In so many ways it pays to be a La Montañita Co-op Member/Owner!
Spring is Here!
Don’t miss the Co-op’s Spring Festivals. See page 1 for details.
Great Reasons to be a Co-op Member • Pick up our monthly newsletter full of information on food, health, environment and your Co-op. • Member refund program: at the end of each fiscal year, if earnings are sufficient, refunds are returned to members based on purchases. • Weekly member-only coupon specials as featured in our weekly sales flyer. Pick it up every week at any location to save more than your annual membership fee each week. • Banking membership at the New Mexico Educators Federal Credit Union. • Member only discount days: take advantage of our special discount events throughout the year–for members only. • Special orders: on order large quantities or hard-to-find items at a 10% discount for members. • General membership meetings, Board positions and voting. Co-ops are democratic organizations. Your participation is encouraged.