june 2009
c onnec tion
free
TRANSITION New Mexico!
Transition Town TRAINING Empowering Resilience
June 13-14
La Montanita and UNM Sustainability Studies Department Sponsor: Transition Town Training: June 13 and 14 at the Historic Hubbell House. Transition Trainer from Maine joins New Mexico Training.
BY MAGGIE SEELEY ransition N.M. is delighted to welcome Alastair Lough of Portland, Maine, as a featured speaker and trainer at the upcoming Transition Training, June 13-14 at Gutierrez- Hubble House in Albuquerque’s South Valley.
T
Alastair is a permaculturist and a PhD hydrologist who has dedicated years to groundwater remediation and documentation of the lost sand and gravel aquifers in New Hampshire.
He trained in England with Transition originators Naresh Giangrande and Sophy Banks of Totnes, England, becoming one of the first Transition Trainers that brought the Transition Initiative model to the US. There are now twenty-one US trainers, including Zaida Amaral and Maggie Seeley from Albuquerque. The Transition Approach Recognizing the intersection of climate change, peak oil and the possibility of a continuing economic crisis, Alastair has chosen to promote the Transition Model as a social innovation that empowers communities, local organizations and citizens to directly create local resilience activities (car sharing, gardens, water conservation, bike lanes, bio-diesel, re-developing lost skills, indigenous medical care, recycling and neighborhood solidarity, to name a few). See http://transition-training-community.ning.com.
“I
believe that one of the main factors contributing to the sense of panic that often sets in immediately after an awareness of peak oil is the realization that we no longer have many of the basic skills our grandparents took for granted. One of the most useful things a Transition Initiative can do is to offer widely available training in a range of these skills.” -Rob Hopkins, author The Transition Handbook
June is MEMBER
SURVEYMonth! Tell us what you
think!
PLEASE FILL OUT YOUR SURVEY AND RETURN IT TO ANY CO-OP
Help Guide your CO-OP Members: Look in your mailbox
for our Annual Member Survey.
We sincerely hope you will take a moment to fill it out. Let us know how we are doing and what you would like to see in the future. This Survey helps us understand how to best serve you, our member owners. Please fill it out! Bring it in to the La Montanita Co-op location of your choice and receive one shopping trip at a 15% discount. Your input is important to us. Please take a moment to fill out the survey and bring it back to your Co-op before June 30th and receive a 15% discount Co-op shopping trip for your effort. For information contact Robin at 217-2027 or call the toll free number: 877-775-2667.
Get a 15% DISCOUNT!
Peak oil, climate change and fair share will be demystified. Addiction (whether as a nation to oil, or as a person to instant transportation) will let us see our attachments (we get anything we want quickly) to the status quo. Both real and imagined solutions like permaculture and future scenarios (Mad Max, green technology will save us, disaster mitigation) will be displayed. The “Heart & Soul” aspect of the Transition Initiative model training helps participants touch core emotional issues with regards to the challenges we all face. Much of the Transition Training is interactive. Local projects, state networks and national case studies (Portland; Sandpoint, Idaho; Boulder, Colorado; LA and NYC) will be explored. How to start a successful Transition Initiative is included in the training. Best of all, local actions and plans for reducing oil dependence and increasing sustainability get people connected in inspiring and creative new ways.
Transition Training gives citizens and the many community leaders already committed to a sustainable New Mexico, a chance to come together, celebrate accomplishments and develop a coordinated plan to reduce their dependence on oil and increase their tools and techniques in strengthening neighborhoods and communities.
Alastair Lough will be joined by local transition facilitators Maggie Seeley and Zaida Amaral for the two-day training, June 13-14, 2009, at historic South Valley Hubble House. The cost is $225; some scholarships are available.
Training for Transition in Albuquerque: June 13-14 The Transition Training is June 13-14, 2009, at the historic Hubble House (www.hubblehousealliance. org) in
For more information, contact, Zaida Amaral, zaida@ecovillagedesignsouthwest.org, 505410-4611, or Maggie Seeley, 505-268-3339, MaggiHeart@aol.com.
SPRING MEETING REPORT Transition Town Santa Report from our meetings on April 1 and May 6, 2009 La Montanita Co-op, Santa Fe, New Mexico BY SUZANNE OTTER
the South Valley of Albuquerque. The program is designed for community leaders already involved in transition and everyone who wishes to take their knowledge of sustainability to a deeper level.
• Tim White, Traditional Building Models & Systems LLC, www.traditionalbuildingmodelsand systems.com, 970-946-1204
Fe
The Great Re-Skilling Conversation At both meetings we asked participants: 1) What skills will you and your community need in the aftermath of peak oil and climate change? 2) What resources are available today to learn these skills? This is what people asked for, and their ideas about resources to build these skills: Water harvesting • Observe older homesteads • Use Brad Lancaster’s books Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond • Haul your own water • www.Amerpsandproject.org • Book called Harvest the Rain • Ecoversity Foraging food/nutritional/medicinal • Freecycle • Michael Moore’s books • Harrington’s book Edible Plants Carpentry/building with locally available materials • The Habitat ReStore for materials • Trash to Treasures in Sunday New Mexican • 3 books- Fine Homebuilding, Fine Woodworking, Fine Sewing (TauntonPress)
Learning efficiency and how to use alternatives to fossil fuels • Experiment • Internet • EcoNewMexico.net • Zomeworks in ABQ Sewing/knitting • SFCC Continuing Ed, Knitting yarn shops How to fix things • Home repair manuals, including How to Do Just about Everything Having fun without media • Traditional Dance, Contra Dance, fiddler Michael Combs, 946-0338, cojmichael@gmail.com Time banking • Flexible Barter • Ithaca Hours, Santa Fe Hours (Howard Shulman) • www.Homegrownevolution.org • Like alternate economy Blacksmithing • Local blacksmiths, Shidoni in Tesuque Food growing and distribution • Farmers’ Market, classes at EcoVersity • Master Gardener program, County Extension 3229 Rodeo-be sure organic) continued on page 2
TRANSITION TOWN MEETING SANTA FE
Learn another traditional community dance with fiddler Michael Combs
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3RD, SANTA FE CO-OP 6PM
C
hristina Selby, Executive Director of Earth Care International, will join us to speak on their Sustainable Resources Map and Mapping Project. Don’t miss this fun and informative gathering. We will continue our networking and re-skilling activities. There will be a quinoa tabouli making demo and sampling. Quinoa is a high protein grain that is easy to grow in a small space and does well at higher altitudes like those gardens in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and above.
Remember to bring flyers if you have an event to announce. “Everything may well be up for grabs as we emerge blinking into a new economic and energy world that many in government and other positions of responsibility are quick to claim that no one could possibly have seen coming. Yet, some did see it coming and their insights are of great value today as we struggle for clarity.” - Rob Hopkins, The Transition Timeline
June 3
santa fe CO-OP
sustainable future 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
RAINHARVESTING? BY NICHOLAS D. WARD
T
hose of us out here trying to live the “Green Life”, or at least paying attention to current events, know that water shortage may very well be the greatest challenge facing future generations. Water is one of the most basic human needs. It underlies human health and impacts all other aspects of sustainable
dating from as early as 2000 B.C. have been discovered in the Negev Desert of Israel, and a system of collection and storage with some complexity and sophistication was found in the ruins of a 1700 B.C. Cretan temple. Closer to home, floodwater farming has been practiced in Arizona and western New Mexico for the last 1,000 years or more. It was only in the mid-nineteenth century, with public water systems guaranteeing consistent distribution of clean and affordable water, that the time-honored practices of rain harvesting and water recycling were abandoned. Capturing rainwater as close to its initial precipitation point as possible helps to alleviate both the effects of evaporation and the possibility of contamination. The use of this water for irrigation purposes is not only affordable, it will actually pay for itself and start to show a return in a much shorter period then one might think. Additionally, if properly designed, installed and maintained, a filtered rain capture system can provide a potable water source that is close to the purest on earth.
Living a
Green Life
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 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 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
YOU OWN IT 2
development. From the pages of National Geographic to the local newspaper, articles abound concerning the fact that the Southwest is drying out, and it is looking more and more like the 20th century was an abnormally wet period. Combine population growth rates with increased per capita water consumption, add projected trends of drought in the area, and we have a recipe for new ghost towns. If we as a community do not adopt new ways of thinking about our water, it will be gone. Of the many techniques for water conservation, one of the most efficient and cost effective is rain harvesting. Rain harvesting is a time-honored method dating back over several millennia. Water harvesting systems
TRANSITION TOWN
SPECIAL
Home Water Harvest The installation of a rain harvesting system on an existing home is encouraged, with rebates and other incentives that include decreased water bills. It is only through a return to rain harvesting and other water conservation measures that the continued growth of our community can occur without causing a breakdown in our overall infrastructure. After all, decreasing supply and increasing demand make for outgoing dollars, and in these tough economic times we can all appreciate conserving a little cash and water while saving our community.
NICHOLAS D. WARD, owner of Root Brothers Landscape and Design, works closely with water harvesting expert Terry McMains, of Aqua Nueva. For more information or to sign up for a rain harvesting workshop. Please email tyrant@theroot66.com or call Root Brothers at 505-821-6674. There is additional information at www.claimyourrain.com.
SANTA FE
REPORT!
continued from page 1
• TTSF resource-www.santafecommmunitygardens.org needs founding members- Libby 505-559-4516 libby@santafecommunitygardens.org • TTSF Resource: www.econewmexico.com, you can add useful items • Federal legislation-we need to monitor bills at the Federal level and contact our representatives Cooking from scratch • Cookbooks including Deborah Madison, Stone Soup, Eat with Friends • Tristan.Chambers@gmail.com • How foods are prepared in less developed countries Food preparation and storage • Canning • Local chefs, mushroom experts, book Stocking Up • Drying food • Cellar preservation Medicine: treatments for small problems and pandemics • Need resource for basic medical skills like Where There is No Doctor. • Develop model of barefoot doctors, Women’s Health Network has critiques of drugs, etc.
• Classes at Herbs, Etc. • Bert Norgarden at Plantworks.com • Medicinal Herb Works for plant id Water purification with natural materials • REI, internet, appropriate technology sites • TTSF resource- for non-technical methodsMaggie Seeley 505-268-3339 Bicycle repair • Chain-breaker Collective • REI • “Bikists” in Tucson has good model Making it home • Building adobe houses • Demonstrate adobe brick making • Build small homes for homeless that are single-room occupancy with shared kitchen, etc. Engaging more people • Engaging others in these issues will be easier if we re-frame “Energy Descent.” Possible terms include energy evolution, fossil fuel freedom, efficiency ascent, energy escape, fuel flexibility, energy independence • Learn the Transition Model • Link to the City of Santa Fe • Santa Fe hires a full-time staffer to deal with peak oil • Create cohesive efforts
Let us know how we are doing and what you would like to see in the future. This survey helps us understand how to best serve you, our member owners. Please take a moment to fill out the survey and bring it back to your Co-op before June 30th and receive a 15% discount Co-op shopping trip. For info contact Robin at 217-2027 or call the toll-free number: 877-775-2667.
June is Member
SURVEY MONTH
Contact Robin at 505-217-2027 or toll-free at 877-775-2667 June 2009
sustainable future MAKING THE TRANSITIONS:
ENERGY
SUSTAINABLE
60% of your energy consumption. Because of the Solar REC program, you would not pay an electricity bill! Instead, you would receive a check from PNM for over $25 per month!
FOR NEW MEXICO BY RANDY SADEWIC, POSITIVE ENERGY he perfect storm for solar power has hit New Mexico – sharply rising energy costs and new and improved incentives that now offset 140% of the system cost over 25 years! Converging with this is New Mexico’s abundant sunshine - solar energy - the best in the US!
T
Here is a rundown of all of the incentives Late last year a 30% federal tax credit for solar electric systems with no limit for homeowners or businesses was passed. In addition, the New Mexico Public Regulatory Commission passed a new Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) program for larger PV systems (over 10 kilowatts in size) in PNM territory paying 15 cents per kilowatt-hour for 20 years. The REC program for small PV systems (10 kilowatts and smaller) was extended to 12 years from the time of sign-up; the price paid for each REC (equal to 1 kWh of electricity generated from a renewable source) is 13 cents. It doesn’t end there. The state legislature and Governor Richardson signed into law two new solar bills that help with financing and make solar more affordable. Senate Bill 257 offers a 10% state tax credit for homeowners and small businesses up to $9,000. Then, House Bill 572 introduces a financing program that is similar to one offered in Berkeley, California, whereby you can finance your solar system investment through a loan with a qualified institution that collects your payments through your property taxes. This could simplify and lower the cost of financing your solar system. This program requires the local taxing jurisdiction to implement a program, so you can expect to hear about it through the local news. Since this is a lot to comprehend, here is an example: If you consume the average energy per month in New Mexico of 600 kWh per month, then this system would offset over
There are a number of financing options available to home and business owners now. If the solar system is part of new construction, then the costs can be wrapped into the financing of the building. Local banks and credit unions provide loans, some with preferred rates for “Green” improvements. The City of Santa Fe is offering 25-year-loans at 3.75%, administered through Homewise (505-983-9473), for city residents earning less than $99,000 per year, for energy efficiency upgrades and renewable energy system purchases. All of these incentives for solar will still not beat investing in energy efficiency, such as changing out incandescent lights for compact fluorescents, upgrading old appliances and eliminating unnecessary “phantom” loads (electronic appliances that use electricity when they are turned off). Why invest in a solar electric system? Aside from generating clean energy that reduces your carbon footprint, you permanently freeze the cost of your energy for the portion of your bill covered by solar. You can also earn a modest 4+% return on this long-term investment which is generally backed by a 25-year warranty on the solar modules.
Valley
This perfect storm creates the path to a green energy economy that was unimaginable just five years ago.
Co-op
AFFORDABLE SOLAR ELECTRICITY SYSTEMS
To learn more, call a local solar electricity expert or research the web. The website www.solar-estimate.org provides contact information and qualifications for renewable energy professionals from every state. At www.nabcep.org you can find all the nationally certified solar installers in the state of New Mexico. The New Mexico Solar Energy Association can be found at www.nmsea.org. Incentives are described at www.dsireusa.org. The State of New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department is a great resource for a variety of renewable energy programs: http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/ecmd/
Gallup
TRANSITION
INITIATIVES
Santa Fe
TRANSITION INITIATIVE AMPERSAND SUSTAINABLE LIVING CENTER: SOLAR OVEN COOKING AND CONSTRUCTION June 13, 10am-4:30pm at Ampersand Center Instructors: Alex Valenzuela and Amanda Bramble. Learn how to make a solar oven from Ampersand's favorite design and how to cook in it whenever the sun shines. Amanda will share cooking techniques, cookware and how to integrate this essential tool for sustainable living easily into your current lifestyle. Using wood, glass, cardboard and tinfoil construct an oven, Alex will guide us through the steps and suggest products and techniques for weatherizing and other construction details. After this class you will be prepared to start your transition to sustainable cooking. Pre-cut solar oven kits for home assembly will be available for purchase. For registration and sliding scales fees go to www.ampersandpro ject.org or call 505-780-0535.
TRANSITION INITIATIVE GREEN DRINKS June 24th, 6:30pm at the Zia Diner, Santa Fe Network with fellow Greenies, Foodies, Locavores - whatever label you like! Sink your teeth into a locally grown beef or veggie burger at the Zia Diner,
BIKES MAKE EVERY DAY
KUNM’S first social justice fair June 2009
326 S. Guadalupe, and learn about the Farm to Restaurant project, Cook with the Chef and meet the new Executive Director of the Farmers’ Market, Tim Vos. For more info go to Greendrinks.org or e-mail programs@santafealliance.org
TRANSITIONS RE-SKILLING PRIMITIVE WOODEN BOWLS AND UTENSILS WORKSHOP June 7th, 9:30am to 1:30pm, ABQ Open Space Visitor Center In a survival situation, you will need to drink water, but can you trust the water sources available? Besides, in a survival situation, can one find a vessel to carry water? You may find an old can or pot, but do you want to drink from it, or cook in it? Mike Bochnia will teach how one can make a container, cooking vessel and drinking cup all in one. Learn to create a wooden vessel, rock-boil water to remove biological matter that may be life threatening and make eating and cooking utensils. Bring a pair of work gloves, a long-sleeved shirt, your knife, drinking water and snacks. The Open Space Visitors Center is located at 6500 Coors Blvd, between Montano and Paseo del Norte, at the end of Bosque Meadows Road. For more information, fee and to preregister, contact Jodi Hedderig, 505-897-8831 or e-mail her at jhedderig@cabq.gov, www.cabq.gov/openspace.
Hear author and award-winning founder and director of Alternative Radio David Barsamian speak. Live and in person at the UNM Continuing Education Center, Monday, June 8th at 6:30pm. Admission is only $5 per person, but current KUNM members can advance reserve 2 tickets for the price of 1. Call Cris at 277-3968 or Carol at 277-0768. Have fun, get inspired, win a door prize, benefit KUNM, talk to community social justice organizations, get involved.
MONDAY, JUNE 8TH,
6:30PM
for more information
www.lamontanita.coop 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 3
great
outdoors
June 2009 4
NEW MEXICO VOLUNTEERS FOR THE by Joni Arends
Caring for Public
LANDS This land is
Project details are subject to change at the last minute, so keep in contact with the leader. Volunteers should bring work gloves, sturdy boots or shoes, long pants, long-
OUR LAND
T
he New Mexico Volunteers for the Outdoors (NMVFO) is an all-volunteer organization that has been organizing groups of individuals to participate in projects that improve New Mexico's back-country hiking, bicycling and horse trails along with other outdoor public recreation areas since 1982. NMVFO projects are open to everyone and volunteers have fun while caring for our public lands.
June and early July NMVFO Projects: NATIONAL TRAILS DAY Saturday, June 6, Leader: Lowell Hioki 505-4740913, Lhioki@msn.com Join us in the cool mountains amongst the pines in Hyde Memorial State Park outside Santa Fe for routine maintenance on NTD.
HELP care for public lands
The NMVFO hosts one-day, weekend and longer work trips from March through November. A variety of work is done, depending on the particular project, including: build or maintain hiking trails, paint visitor centers, stabilize archaeological sites, remove barbed wire from wilderness areas, improve wildlife habitat and a host of other projects. Day projects are usually planned on a weekend at sites relatively near major metropolitan areas. Weekend projects usually involve camping or backpacking in more remote areas. Longer trips often involve backpacking or horse packing into remote wilderness areas. Projects vary widely in complexity and exertion. Each is classified in one of three levels – moderate, intermediate or strenuous – to help volunteers understand what to expect and to help match their capabilities with the tasks. All projects involve outdoor physical activity in a variety of weather conditions, and all have activities that can be tailored to meet individual tastes. Please sign up for a project in advance so that the project leader may plan for meals, tools, transportation, etc. The leader may be able to arrange a ride for you with another volunteer if you need one. Also, please inform the project leader if you have to cancel out of a project after you sign up.
fresh, delicious organic...co-op
OUTDOORS
SUGARITE CANYON STATE PARK Saturday, June 13, through Sunday, June 14 Leader: Barbara Hoehne, 505-227-1673 nymphaea123@msn.com Visit a great state park to build a small bridge, take up barbed wire and maintain trails.
sleeved shirt, rain gear, hat, sunscreen, snacks and water. If you are camping, bring camping equipment (e.g., tent, sleeping bag, flashlight or lantern, etc.), warm clothing, plates, cup, eating utensils and food (except for provided meals). Plates, cups and such may be provided. The VFO has some camping equipment to lend to volunteers. Tools will usually be provided unless otherwise noted. For safety reasons ask the leader if pets are okay on a particular project. A parent or guardian must accompany children under 18. If you have any questions, please call the project leader for more information, 884-1991, or visit www. nmvfo.org to check out their many activities throughout the summer and fall.
PECOS BACKPACK XVI Saturday, June 13, through Sunday, June 21 Leader: Kevin Balciar 505-293-1477 Kevin@soleilwest.com We’ll be in the heart of the Pecos Wilderness near Rito Azul and Trail Riders Wall. Join us for 9 days or just a few. SIGNAL PEAK CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL Friday, June 19, through Monday, June 22 Leader: Wayne Brown 575-538-3648 waynejbrown@gmail.com Work with us on the CDT on a reroute that includes cutting new tread, sawing, lopping and building water bars and dips. SAN PEDRO PARK BACKPACK Friday, July 10, through Wednesday, July 15 Leader: John Thomas 505-298-5234 Jt87111@comcast.net Join us in performing trail maintenance in the wilderness with good companions, great food & coyote serenades.
National Trails Day: June 6th Take in the OUTDOORS BY KENT SWANSON, ALBUQUERQUE OPEN SPACE DIVISION elebrate nature and outdoor recreation during National Trails Day 2009. The event will take place on Saturday, June 6th, at the Elena Gallegos Picnic Area in the Sandia Foothills. On this day volunteers can work on over 10 different projects in the Sandia Mountains and Sandia Foothills Open Space trail systems, including trail maintenance, trash cleanup and vegetation restoration.
C
The Sandia Foothills Major Public Open Space and the Sandia Mountain Wilderness at the eastern edge of Albuquerque offer thousands of acres of high desert terrain where you can enjoy hiking, wildlife and bird watching, mountain biking, horseback riding and quiet sunsets. These lands also help protect important native species of wildlife and plants. Trails Day is a wonderful way to celebrate these public lands and protect them for future generations. Hundreds of communities throughout the United States celebrate National Trails Day, which is supported by the American Hiking Association. The goals of Trails Day are to educate the public on the importance of trails and their conservation, strengthen alliances of different agencies that work together beyond National Trails Day and to create new trail advocates. As our city grows, so does the need for community stewardship of these precious places. More visitors
mean more impact on our public lands. The presence of trash, graffiti or eroding trails can ruin your experience and remind you of the impacts of urban growth. With your help we can protect and preserve these lands for years to come. This summer get your whole family outdoors and join us in our continuing stewardship of public lands by volunteering for National Trails Day. EVENT DETAILS: When and Where: Saturday, June 6th at the Elena Gallegos Open Space in Albuquerque starting at 8am. Elena Gallegos is located east of Tramway just north of Academy at the end of Simms Park Road. Projects finish in the early afternoon, and we treat volunteers to a delicious lunch and a donated prize drawing at the end of the event. Please register with Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI) by calling 247-1191 or stop by their store located at 1550 Mercantile Ave. (I-25 and Montano). The first 100 people to register will receive a NTD commemorative T-shirt! The day of the event bring work gloves, water and sun protection. There will be activities appropriate for all ages, so bring the whole family! For more information, call the City of Albuquerque Open Space Division at 452-5200 or visit www.cabq. gov/openspace.
national trails day: June 6th
Open Space visitor center it’s free
MEET A FRIENDLY
WOLF!
June 28 12:30-2pm WITH STEPHANIE KAVLAN OF THE WANAGI WOLF FUND Get up close and personal with wolves and wolf-dogs and participate in a discussion on the passage of laws for their protection. Info: call 505-897-8831 or go to jrwillis@cabq.gov, or www.cabq.gov/openspace.
vida WATER QUALITY aqua es
June 2009 5
students address community concerns disrupting compounds and personal care products (such as sunscreen and insect repellant).
Monitoring the Irrigation Ditches
I
n March, Amigos Bravos began working with two high schools and a group of community health workers (promotores) to sample the water quality of the ditches and irrigation system that runs through Albuquerque. The schools are the School on Wheels, an alternative high school located on Bridge west of Isleta Blvd. and Río Grande High School on Arenal. The promotores are part of a project run by South Valley Partners for Environmental Justice and the Rio Grande Community Development Center.
Residents expressed concerns about pesticides in the system and in 2005, South Valley Partners developed a one-year project to sample sites on both sides of the river over the course of one irrigation season. Their study did not find pesticides in the water, but indicated the presence of E. coli at some sites, as well as highlighting some cause for concern about industrial chemicals and mer-
sampling sites on both sides of
The project operates at eight sites on both sides of the river, from the Angostura Diversion in Algodones, where Rio Grande water is diverted into the irrigation system, to I-25. Funded by the US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), their staff provides water monitoring training for the students, teachers, promotores and others and supervises the water sampling at each site. The Bernalillo County Environmental Health office has also funded part of the project and provides additional supervision. Community concerns The project is a result of long-standing community concerns about the quality of the water in the ditches and drains that run along the river and supply irrigation water to farmers, ranchers and a number of acequia associations. During the state Triennial Review of Surface Water Quality in 2004, Amigos Bravos worked with residents of the South Valley and with South Valley Partners to gather testimony on how people use the river. Their testimony – especially the testimony of a group of youth to the Water Quality Control Commission Board – helped raise the water quality standard for the Rio Grande in this region.
the river
cury at the San Jose Drain, which runs through a Superfund site (one of three in the South Valley). Over the last few years, people in the Albuquerque area have become concerned about other possible contaminants, including radioactive contamination – possibly from Los Alamos National Laboratory – and pharmaceuticals in the new Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (WUA) Drinking Water Project, which takes both San Juan-Chama and native Rio Grande water and blends it with well water for domestic use. To address these concerns, we added sampling for pharmaceuticals, endocrine-
SUMMER READS: BOOKS THAT CLARIFY PROBLEMS, PROVIDE SOLUTIONS Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond, Volume 2: Water Harvesting Earthworks BY BRAD LANCASTER REVIEWED BY ROBIN SEYDEL
I
f you haven’t yet heard Brad Lancaster speak and have “water on the brain”, he is a must see. Not only does he pack lots of useable information into his talks, he keeps you laughing a lot of the time. But if you can’t get a hold of a hot ticket to see this water harvesting rock star live, the next best thing—or maybe an even better thing, as you can refer to it on an ongoing basis, is his book Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond, Volume Two. Complete with how-to diagrams, before and after photos and easy to understand directions, this book can help us all “plant the water” in our environment so we can begin to restore native landscapes and create edible ones in harmony with our desert environment. Key in both preventing flooding and erosion and regeneration of our environment, water harvesting is an ancient technology that, with a few modern updates, can help mitigate water shortages, climate change, food insecurity and a host of other problems. His eight principles of successful rainwater harvesting not only apply to rainwater harvesting but to all we do in relation to nature. 1. Begin with long and thoughtful observation 2. Start at the top of your watershed and work your way down 3. Start small and simple 4. Spread and infiltrate the flow of water 5. Always plan an overflow route, and manage that overflow as a resource 6. Create a living sponge 7. Do more than just harvest water 8. Continually reassess your system: the feedback loop In action-packed chapters he walks us through paradigm shifting water awareness, including assessing your site, utilizing earthworks, picking the right earth-
The list of substances sampled for includes: • Total dissolved solids • Nutrients (nitrate, nitrite, nitrogen, ammonia, phosphate) • Metals (antimony, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, silver, thallium and zinc) • Total recoverable petroleum hydrocarbons • Gross alpha and beta (both naturally occurring and man-made radionuclides) • E. coli (a bacteria found in the intestine of most mammals, including humans) • Semi-volatile organic compounds (like solvents and other industrial chemicals) • Pharmaceuticals, endocrine-disrupting compounds, and personal care products
work, building berms and basins, terraces and rock walls, spreader drains and swales, tools and materials needed and tips for implementation. Showing real life examples with extensive before and after pictures, just flipping through the book picture to picture is enough to get you inspired and moving on implementation. He even includes the diagrams and tips necessary to get your city permit to do the curb cuts that will allow the retreeing of our city ; utilizing only a relatively small percentage of the runoff from city streets. One section, Chapter 6—Imprinting, shows how we can “accelerate the re-vegetation of disturbed and denuded land by creating numerous small, firm, and well formed imprints or depressions in the soil that collect seed, rainwater, sediment and plant litter and provide sheltered microclimates for germinating seed and establishing seedlings.” Complete with sections on imprinting as weed suppression, dust control (how welcome that would be on our windy spring days) and as a remedy for overgrazed rangelands, imprinting techniques are reminiscent of traditional Native agricultural waffle beds as described in the classic book Buffalo Bird Woman’s Garden. In our modern hubris, with its prevailing “conquest of nature” philosophy and the “techno fix” so prevalent in society, we often fail to recognize the brilliance of our ancient and traditional technologies and how with just a bit of tweaking we can apply them for positive outcomes to some of today’s most pressing problems. Encyclopedic in scope and with accessible information, Brad’s Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond is more than worth the purchase price. Also check out his Rainwater Harvesting For Drylands and Beyond: Volume One, Guiding Principles to Welcome Rain into your Life and Landscape and his soon to be published, Volume 3: Roof Catchment and Cistern Systems.
www.HarvestingRainwater.com
We built on the 2005 study in two ways, by revising the site selection to capture water as it first enters the system (at the Angostura Diversion) and then by tracking it all the way to I-25. The project samples water at eight sites over the course of the irrigation season form March 1st to October 31st.
Focus on Youth During this first year, Amigos Bravos is working with two schools to implement the project and seeing some profound impacts as it provides experiential education opportunities for students that connect their classroom learning with the rest of their lives. Rio Grande HS is using this project as a component of its new restructured curriculum. Ninthgrade students and teachers from math, biology, social sciences and literature classes are incorporating water and acequia research and their work on the project into the different disciplines. Over 200 students participated directly in the project; about 30 students gave presentations at a workshop held at the school with about 200 students attending. Scores of students also had poster presentations of their projects on display in the library. The school hopes to expand this model to other grades and other schools experimenting with their own curriculum redesign. Amigos Bravos would like to continue the project for at least two more years in order to get a significant data set and to increase the number of participating schools and students. It is dependent upon continued funding. BY MICHAEL JENSEN, AMIGOS BRAVOS Next month we will report on the results of the first round of sampling. For information or to make a donation to continue this project, contact Michael Jensen (mjensen@amigos bravos.org) or Lucy Sanchez (lsanchez@amigosbravos.org).
“Field to Food” a Community Food Event
Give Peas a Chance Honoring foods from our community and supporting sustainable communities for senior care. All proceeds go to SC, Inc. a New Mexico Nonprofit
Five Course Dinner plus Wine, sitting under the stars - free Tickets are $50.00. Call 865.8813 for information and tickets June 19, 2009 7pm Center for Ageless Living, Los Lunas, NM
Honoring Sustainability by Nurturing Your Soul and Body
505.865.8813
growageless.com
Los Lunas, NM
co-op
news
June 2009 6
LOCAL FOOD SPOTLIGHT
THE RED AND GREEN OF S U M M E R KRISTIN WHITE o, we’re not talking chile. We’re talking cherries and peas! Two summer treats that are as health promoting as they are delicious! Cherries and peas are perfect local choices for a summer diet. BY
N
Cherries A recent clinical study led by the University of Michigan suggests even more reasons to EAT RED. The study concluded that a daily dose of tart cherries (a cup and a half for study participants), in particular, may help decrease the risk of heart disease. Previous studies have demonstrated that a cherry-enriched diet lowers blood cholesterol, influencing body fat and total weight. "Cherries are absolutely loaded with anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, anticancer compounds that don't show up on your average nutrition facts label. These include quercetin, a member of the flavonoid family which
has powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties," Dr. Jonny Bowden, author of 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, explains.
Cherries are easy to can, making them easy to enjoy all year round. Look for fresh, local (weather permitting) cherries in June at all Co-op locations.
There are two types of cherries, sweet and tart, or sour. The Bing cherry is the most popular type of sweet cherry and is sold fresh in most grocery stores. Sour cherries are canned and used in pies, dried into fruit snacks and made into juice concentrate.
Peas Green peas, available from spring through the beginning of winter, are bursting with nutrients. They supply good to very good amounts of 8 vitamins, 7 minerals, dietary fiber and protein. These nutrients make peas good for our bones and heart, and contribute to our energy and overall wellness. GO GREEN!
Sweet and tart cherries contain pigments called anthocyanins, antioxidants that give cherries their dark red color. Anthocyanins are what produce the anti-inflammatory effects of cherries. Tart cherries are at the top of the list of fruits containing the most antioxidants. According to the American Chemical Society, eating 20 tart cherries (or drinking the equivalent in juice concentrate) a day could provide the same pain relief as aspirin or ibuprofen. Tart cherries also contain high levels of melatonin, another antioxidant naturally produced by the body that is thought to help slow the aging process as well as fight jetlag and regulate sleep. Like most other fruits, cherries are fat-free, low in calories and sodium, and high in certain minerals and vitamins such as potassium, Vitamin C and B-complex.
FIG AND CHERRY PARFAIT
a RECIPE
with Cinnamon Scented Greek Yogurt by Chef Mat Schuster 12 oz Greek yogurt 2 T agave nectar 1 t cinnamon 1 C fresh figs, cut into bite-sized pieces 1 C fresh cherries, pitted and cut into bite-sized pieces 1 C sliced almonds, lightly toasted In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, agave and cinnamon. Using parfait cups or wine glasses layer with one fruit, some yogurt, sliced almonds and then the other fruit, yogurt and sliced almonds. Sprinkle a little extra cinnamon on top, if desired.
LOCAL SALE ITEMS SHOP LOCAL & SAVE
Beneficial Farms Santa Fe, NM Fertile Eggs, 12 ct. Reg. $4.99, Sale $3.99 Bueno Naturals
Albuquerque Cookie
Albuquerque, NM
Chile Pecan Sandia Cookies, 8oz. Reg. $7.49. Sale $6.99
Even more
LOCAL PRODUCTS on sale in our stores!
Folic acid and B6 support heart health in a similar way they do for bones. Vitamin K, too, serves the heart as well as the bone; it is instrumental to the body's healthy blood clotting ability. Green peas are a great food to include in your diet if you often feel fatigued and sluggish. They provide important nutrients, such as B complex vitamins, Vitamin C and iron, which help support the energy-producing cells and systems of the body.
MEMBERSHIP IS OWNERSHIP BY STEPHANIE DOBBIE, BOARD OF DIRECTORS he notion of cooperation among members of a community is not a new one. Humans have been working together to meet their needs since the time of hunters and gatherers. It wasn’t until the 19th century that the principles of cooperation were applied to business organizations which eventually led to the cooperative movement. A cooperative is a business owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit. Many cooperatives have come and gone over the years. They are too many to name and the reasons for their failure are quite diverse and complicated. Market forces, political obstacles and poor management have challenged cooperatives trying to stay viable. In some cases, the members of the cooperative did not follow their own principles. In others, the members just couldn’t get along.
T
Albuquerque, NM
Green Chile Tamales, 6 pack. Reg. $5.99. Sale $4.49
Peas are a very good source of vitamin K, folic acid, and B6. Vitamin K is responsible for securing calcium to bone, and folic acid and B6 help to reduce buildup of a metabolic byproduct called homocysteine, a dangerous molecule that can block collagen cross-linking, resulting in weakened bone structure and osteoporosis.
Some cooperatives have succeeded over the long-term and influenced others around the world. One cooperative that stands out in history is the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers. In 1844, a group of artists from Rochdale, England, formed a consumer cooperative that provided high quality, unadulterated food to its members. The principles that guided the members of this group greatly influenced the modern cooperative movement. These principles included:
open and voluntary membership, democratic member control, member economic participation, autonomy and independence, cooperation amongst cooperatives, concern for community, and education, training and information. These same principles have been guiding La Montanita Co-op since its inception in 1976. The history of the cooperative movement is just one of the topics that the board of directors is covering in our monthly study sessions. We are trying to answer the question, “How can we take the cooperative model seriously?” Most recently, we read and discussed a history of cooperatives in the United States from 1800 to the present. Next, we’ll be looking into cooperatives at an international level. So far, our study has led to more questions than answers. Questions like, “Why have so many cooperatives failed?” and “What characteristics would most likely foster long-term success in a cooperative?” We believe our study is taking us on a path to better understanding. We are learning about the importance of educating our members, nurturing future leaders, sticking to our principles and adapting to our environment. This foundation of knowledge will help us to guide La Montanita Co-op into the future, taking the cooperative model to new heights.
VALID IN-STORE ONLY from 6/3-6/230, 2009:
Not all items available at all stores.
JUNE SPECIALS WANT TO SEE YOUR LOCAL PRODUCT ADVERTISED HERE? Contact Eli at elib@lamontanita.coop
Help Guide Your CO-OP! June is Member
SURVEY MONTH
SMOOTHIE SEASON
TO POM OR NOT TO POM Keeping Cool with Delicious Nutrition BY ROBIN SEYDEL t’s smoothie season—cooling, refreshing, delicious and nutritious! The Co-op Deli makes the best smoothies around. The unbeatable flavor is in the ingredients; locally produced when possible, mostly organic, fresh and delicious. No fillers, stabilizers, artificial flavors or additives are ever used.
I
Choose from one of the deli classics or build your own, with options that include, organic apple juice, organic yogurt, soy, rice or almond milks, high-quality protein powders and delicious organic fruit.
Members: Look in your mailbox for our Annual Member Survey. Please take a moment to fill out the survey and bring it back to your Co-op before June 31st and receive a 15% discount Co-op shopping trip for your effort. For more information contact Robin at 217-2027 or toll free at 877-775-2667.
GET A
Very special smoothies can be made with local pomegranate juice, high in vitamin C, antioxidants and power packed nutrition.
Try the POM Morning Shake with local organic Pom Juice, soy or low-fat milk, fresh organic bananas, almonds, protein power and honey. Energize with the Pom Blue Passion Smoothie, also with local organic Pom Juice, organic fat-free yogurt, organic blueberries and soy or low-fat milk. ADD A SHOT OF POM JUICE TO ANY SMOOTHIE FOR $.79 Keep cool and maintain good nutrition for high energy summer fun. Check at your favorite Co-op deli for all your smoothie possibilities and don’t forget to try one of our delicious, fresh-squeezed, made-to-order veggie juices.
15% SHOPPING DISCOUNT!
F I L L O U T Y O U R M E M B E R S U R V E Y. . .
GET A 15% DISCOUNT!
co-op news THE INSIDE
June 2009 7
SCOOP:
MEMBER SURVEY TIME:
WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Look for our annual member survey in your mailbox in early June. I hope you will take time to complete this year’s survey and turn it in at your favorite Co-op location by June 30th. You will receive a 15% discount on your purchase when you give a completed survey to a cashier. Your feedback is very important to us. This is your community-owned business, so please tell us what you think. How are we doing? In what areas would you like to see improvement? You may notice that many of the survey questions remain the
same from year to year and wonder why we keep asking the same questions. This consistent set of questions enables us to measure our service to you over time and helps us determine which areas of your business need additional resources. If you have more comments than the survey space permits, please attach them to the survey form. If I can ever be of service to you, please don’t hesitate to contact me. My e-mail address is terryb@lamontanita.coop or call 217-2020. Thanks for your support. -Terry
Calendar of Events 6/3 Santa Fe Transitions meeting, Santa Fe Co-op, 6pm 6/13-14 Transition Town training, see page 1 6/16 Board of Directors Meeting, Immanuel 6/22 TBA
Church, 5:30pm Board Member Engagement Committee, CDC, 5:30pm Finance Committee Meeting, CDC, 5pm
CO-OPS: A Solution-Based System 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.
HOW TO BE A HEALTHY
VEGAN
BY TWO MOONS N.D. t’s very easy to stay healthy on a vegan diet, as long as you make good health and wellbeing an important part of your life, and are happy and relaxed with your life choices. Above all, attempt to eat as many foods in their natural, raw state, so that the enzymes are not harmed through cooking. Minimize your intake of salt, fats, caffeine, alcohol and overly processed foods; avoid artificial ingredients such as colourings and flavourings, and products with empty calories, such as most snack foods. Buy organic produce and other foods to avoid pesticides and to support a healthier environment. Soak your produce in a vegetable wash, in order to eliminate the possibility of parasites and bacteria. Eat only when you’re hungry, eating a variety of foods in order to obtain all the elements that your body needs. Eat so that your diet consists of a minimum of 70% alkaline- and 30% acid-producing foods. Variety is the spice of life, so vary rice, potato and pasta and soup dishes during the week. Also remember, eating too much of even wholesome foods can be unhealthy and cause weight gain, especially when filling up on carbs, pasta and snack-type foods. A balanced diet is the key to remaining healthy.
I
Don’t forget to chew each mouthful of food at least 50-100 times, so that the good nutrients are released. Drink enough pure water every day between, not with, meals. Consuming cold drinks with food actually disrupts the digestive process. A general guideline is to drink at least half your body weight in ounces of pure water, which could include herbal teas, but not coffee or soda pops. This is only a guideline, as those living in drier climates, or working or hiking in the hot sun, might need more, and those living near the ocean, eating lots of juicy fruits and vegetables, may need less. Just remember, our bodies function better when hydrated and that dehydration can be the cause of many ailments. Eat meals with thankfulness, being mindful of all the energies that brought it to your table; the elements of fire, soil, water and air; the earth, sky, sun and moon; the farmers, and all those that planted, harvested, packed and shipped the food to your store; all the good hard work it took to get that food from a tiny seed to the vegetable, fruit or grain that is about to nourish you.
Protect yourself from environmental toxins in the air, water and food. Avoid the harmful affects of chemicals by avoiding such things as tap water, aluminum cookware, mercury dental fillings, and unnecessary immunizations and chemical drugs, and by using distilled or purified water, stainless steel pots and pans, natural therapies and supplements and organic household and personal care products. Attempt to maintain a positive outlook on life, limiting your exposure to negativity from people, television, radio, newspapers and movies. Emotions can also be toxic overloads to your system. Take time to relax, have fun and not take life too seriously. Live each day as if it were your last… each moment to the fullest. Laughter and seeing the humor in perplexing situations can be the greatest healer of all. Also, find time every day to exercise, whether a short walk or jog, a five-minute jump on a rebounder, or an aerobics, yoga or tai chi routine. Find an exercise program that suits you and develop a routine that is fun. Make it a consistent part of your life. View staying healthy in a preventative manner. Endeavor to improve your physical, mental and spiritual bodies by right living and avoiding injurious habits. Find time to be in the silence and out in nature. Keep your life force or chi energy high by eating quality foods, drinking pure water, getting exercise and plenty of restful sleep. Rather than mask symptoms of illness with chemical drugs, try relaxation techniques, meditation, herbs, periodic cleanses and fasts from food. If things aren’t working out the way you envisioned in your life, take steps to make changes. Change comes from letting go of attachments to people, places, things, values and practices that no longer serve you. You are responsible for developing your own well-being, inner peace and happiness. The only person you can really change is yourself. Start there first, and maybe the positive changes others witness in you will be an inspiration for their lives.
Fourth in a series on Vegan Education: COMING SOON: Help! I’m A Vegan In An All Meat Eating Household! From the author of Peace In Every Bite, A Vegan Cookbook with recipes for a Healthy Lifestyle.
Weekly Co-op
BBQ!Saturdays at your North Valley Co-op Enjoy a delicious healthy foods BBQ at your North Valley Co-op. Each Saturday from 11am to 2pm the Co-op will host a BBQ featuring grass fed, local beef burgers and sezchuzan tofu burgers with all the fixings. And for the kids there will be hot dogs and a variety of savory sides to choose from. All reasonably priced for a delicious lunch during your busy Saturday errands. Or come and relax for a while with friends and neighbors under the portico at the North Valley Saturday BBQ. Held every Saturday all summer long — weather permitting, from 11am- 2pm. For more information call the Valley Deli at 242-8800.
LOCAL ORGANIC
BEEF!
SHOP CO-OP AND SAVE BUY LOCAL SHOP CO-OP AND SAVE
MASTER OF DRIP IRRIGATION to satisfy every need from seedlings to mature trees and everything in between
345-9240
Classical Homeopathy Visceral Manipulation Craniosacral Therapy
MARY ALICE COOPER, MD St. Raphael Medical Center 204 Carlisle NE Albuquerque, NM 87106
505-266-6522
by Valerie, Rio Grande HBA Dept Leader
Chris’s Favorite Local Product LAVENDER LOTION
by Los Poblanos Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM I love Los Poblanos Lavender Lotion because of the pure ingredients. It moisturizes the skin without leaving a greasy feeling, and has the freshest lavender scent I have experienced in any body lotion. With its affordable price, you must try it!
Unprotected exposure to the sun is a proven cause of skin cancer. Although any sunscreen should reduce this risk somewhat, the best product would protect fully from UVA and UVB rays, remain stable on the skin, and contain no ingredients that are harmful in themselves.
–Chris, Nob Hill HBA Dept Leader B Janecka with her products on display at the Rio Grande Store.
Cynthia’s Favorite Local Product SKIN THERAPY
by La Peubla Elementals Rowe, NM
I love La Peubla Skin Therapy because it’s all natural and great for all skin types. It contains essential oils and herbs in a wonderful, creamy consistency. It sinks right into the skin and feels great. My skin loves it! –Cynthia, Santa Fe HBA Dept Leader
Valerie’s Favorite Local Product CALENDULA SALVE by The Super Salve Co. Mogollon, NM
I love Super Salve’s Calendula Salve because it’s such a simple and natural product. It’s the best lip balm and cuticle cream in the world, as well as a great all-purpose skin salve. Try it! –Valerie, Rio Grande HBA Dept Leader
The Janecka Collection, of Jemez Springs, New Mexico, is truly a family business. In fact, the first natural skin care and cosmetic products B., Elizabeth, Gerald and Wesley came up with were made to meet their personal needs. It was family members’ allergy troubles that prompted their first experiments with homemade soaps and salves. In the course of careful research, they had found that products advertised as “natural” are not always entirely what they claim to be. Some use fillers and preservatives that can be harmful. They also discovered that testing of these ingredients for safety was often spotty. So they began creating their own recipes, using pure oils, herbs and other natural ingredients. A family of artists and craftspersons—they are potters, jewelers and photographers—they saw this new venture as a creative project in itself. The Janecka Collection has since developed into a thriving business, with on-line marketing and a retail store and gallery in Jemez Springs. Many of their products are also available at Co-op stores, including moisturizers, sun protection products, and a fabulous palette of mineral make-up. These always use the best natural and organic ingredients available, and have been thoroughly researched and tested. They contain no parabens, sulphates, petrochemicals, or artificial preservatives or colors—only natural, high-quality, cosmetic-grade ground minerals, oxides, micas and salts, oils and herbs. “100% natural...What does this really mean? Many skin care products contain natural ingredients but they also contain chemical or man-made ingredients which void the benefits of the natural oils and herbs. Our formulas are concentrated, with no fillers, so all ingredients are active ingredients and beneficial to you. Skin care should be caring for your skin, not damaging it and the environment. This is what we believe and this is what we do. Janecka Skin Care is 100% natural.” –B Janecka
Skin Deep, a website maintained by Environmental Working Group (EWG), rates cosmetic products for safety and effectiveness. For sunscreens, Skin Deep assigns ratings according to risk, so those with the lowest numbers present the lowest risk. Ratings of zero to two are “low hazard,” seven and up “high hazard.” Total sun protection, proven safety, and stability of ingredients are taken into account when rating these products. Detailed information is posted at www.cosmeticsdatabase.com. This is a list of sunscreen products available a the Co-op, with EWG ratings in parentheses: The Co-op’s selection with the EWG rating in parentheses: • Alba Sport SPF 30 (2) & Kid’s SPF 18 Mineral (3) • Burt’s Bees SPF 15 & SPF 30(2) • Badger SPF 15 & SPF 30 (1) • All Terrain Aquasport SPF 30 (3) • Eco-lips Sport SPF 30 (2) • Kiss My Face Oat Protein SPF 30 (2) and Face Factor (2) • Earth’s Best Mineral by JASON SPF 30 (1) Based on Skin Deep’s ratings, the Co-op plans to phase out Lily of the Desert, Kiss My Face Everyday Moisturizer, Nature’s Gate sunscreens, Jason Family and Kids Block, and the Alba Hawaiian Green Tea sunscreens. We may get Dr. Haushka sunscreens, but because they may not provide complete UVA protection, we don’t recommend them. According to EWG, micronized and nano-size zinc and titanium are safe in creams, which don’t penetrate the skin, but should be avoided in sprays or powders because they are risky when inhaled. Local sunscreen products Mychelle’s Sun Shield, Super Salve’s Sierra Madre, El Milagro Sun-Goddess Sun Protection, and La Peubla Skin Therapy appear to be mineral-based and to contain natural ingredients. They are not included among the products rated on EWG’s website.
Cosmetic Grade Ground Minerals, Oxides & Micas that will not clog your pores: Titanium Dioxide - a white colored inorganic salt that is produced as a white powder, offers sun protection broad spectrum UV absorber, reflects light, has high coverage, offers good coverage and adhesion Zinc Oxide - is another white powder that is used as a natural sun-block, astringent, and antiseptic, soothes and heals irritated skin, making this ingredients great for acne prone or rosacea sensitive skin, offers sun protection UVA & UVB Serecite Mica - low luster mica, reflects light and reduces the appearance of enlarged pores and fine lines Magnesium Stearate - magnesium is a naturally occurring metal and stearic acid is derived from vegetable oil Boron Nitride - a soft silky white mineral powder, oil absorbing, glides on smoothly, has anti-bacterial properties, helps the make-up stay on longer Oxides -are purified iron salts, used as a pigment to color mineral make-up instead of made-made colorants Ultramarine Blue - is a clay that has been heated to a high temperature, discovered by the Egyptians, this mineral is used as a colorant Micas - a reflective mineral which is added to provide a satin finish, we use only micas which are coated with titanium dioxide to give mica its color, as opposed to dyes or lakes to give the mica its color 100% Silk Powder - natural moisturizer, entraps oil, an ancient aid to dry skin
DO read the label. Most of us use personal products everyday—from shampoo to deodorant to lotion and make-up—that contain chemical ingredients, including some that are potentially harmful. These can be absorbed through the skin, inhaled or ingested, and build up in our bodies. DON’T assume the ingredients in your favorite lotion, eye cream or sunscreen have been tested for safety. There is no such requirement in federal law. Only thirteen percent of the 10,500 ingredients in personal care products have been reviewed for safety by the cosmetic industry’s own review panel. DO choose safer products. Go to www.safecosmetics.org, click on Skin Deep, and check the safety of your product. This website, operated by Environmental Working Group, crossreferences 25,000 brand-name personal products against fifty toxicity databases. DON’T forget that even ingredients known to be harmful can be found in some natural skin care products. Some of the most problematic are petrochemicals, which are by-products of crude oil. These can be found in some shampoos, mascaras, foundations, and lip balms. DO take action. Tell your favorite cosmetic company you want safer products.
soups of summer Cold summer
Soups
The ideal summer soup requires no cooking. Most of the cold soup recipes below do not involve turning on the stove or oven, and are quick and easy to make. All of these recipes include a selection of seasonal summer fruits. (Key: C = cup, T = tablespoon, t = teaspoon, lb = pound, oz = ounce, qt = quart) Chilled Avocado Soup with Tomato Cucumber Salsa This cool, refreshing soup is amazingly simple; all you need is a food processor or a blender. The crisp Tomato Cucumber Salsa spooned on top creates a striking color contrast. Serve it with your favorite chopped vegetable salad; together they make an easy, light meal that will keep you out of the kitchen on a hot summer day. FOR THE SOUP: 2 large ripe avocados, pitted, peeled 3 C chicken broth 2 T fresh lemon juice 1/2 t chile powder 2 T finely chopped chives Puree the avocado in a food processor. Add the broth, lemon juice, chile powder and chives, and process until smooth. Season with salt, to taste. Chill for 4 hours. FOR THE SALSA: 2 large tomatoes (about 1 lb), peeled, seeded and finely chopped 1/2 C cucumber peeled, seeded and finely chopped 1 medium jalape単o, seeded and finely chopped
1 T fresh cilantro, finely chopped 1 T fresh lemon juice 1 medium clove garlic, minced The salsa may be prepared 3 days in advance and refrigerated. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving. Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl, including salt to taste, and mix well. Taste for seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until needed. FOR THE GARNISH: 1/4 C sour cream 1/2 C tomato cucumber salsa Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream and Tomato Cucumber Salsa. Serves 4. Melon Soup with GingerCucumber Salsa Wait for those juicy, dead-ripe melons to make this soup; the ones sitting on your counter attracting fruit flies are perfect. The spicy salsa adds texture and makes the soup a cooling summer appetizer. FOR THE SOUP: 1 honeydew, persian or casaba melon (about 2 1/2 lbs) grated zest and juice of 2 limes 1/2 C yogurt, sour cream or buttermilk, optional mint or basil sprigs salt FOR THE SALSA: reserved wedge of melon, peeled 1/2 small cucumber, peeled and seeded grated zest and juice of 1 lime 1 T minced thai or regular basil 1 T chopped mint leaves 1 jalape単o seeded and finely diced 1 small knob of ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped salt
June 2009 10
Cut the melon into eighths and set one wedge aside. Seed, peel and puree the rest. Stir in the lime zest and juice, yogurt and a few pinches of salt. Cover and refrigerate. Neatly and finely dice the melon and cucumber and combine with the lime zest and juice, basil, mint and chile. Force the ginger through a garlic press and add it to the salsa. Season with a pinch of salt and chill. Serve the soup very cold with the salsa spooned into the middle of each bowl and garnished with mint sprigs. Serves 4 to 6. Cold Pea Soup Cold pea soup is a delicious and light main dish soup recipe that's perfect for hot summer days. 11/2 C fresh baby peas, freeze before use 10 oz chicken broth 1 C half and half 1 celery stalk, chopped 1 lettuce leaf, torn into pieces 1 T fresh mint, chopped 1/4 t salt 1/8 t pepper Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender, cover and process or blend until smooth. Chill thoroughly before serving. Sprinkle a little more fresh mint and peas on each serving. Serves 4. Sassy Nectarine Summer Soup This cold soup is ultimately refreshing; sweet and tart with a kick; clean, but with complex layers of taste. It's terrifically good with a summer barbeque. Serve with chicken, potato salad and corn on the cob. Serve cold to 4 people as small servings and as a first course. 11/2 lbs fresh ripe nectarines, cut up (about 6 of them, unpeeled)
1 C orange juice 1/2 C dry white wine (vermouth is good) 1/4 t tabasco sauce 1/2 T balsamic vinegar 2 T fresh cilantro, minced 1cilantro leaf per serving for garnish salt and white pepper to taste Puree the nectarines in a blender with the orange juice, wine, tabasco and balsamic vinegar. Taste for seasoning. Add cilantro and pulse a few times to chop into a nice texture. Chill until ready to serve. When ready to serve, pour into small bowls (glass nesting bowls with shaved ice recommended), top each with a cilantro leaf and serve. Crema de Guacamole with Crunchy Topopos This is a perfect make-ahead soup that is a stunningly beautiful, vibrantly colored refresher to savor when the sun is hot and the air is humid. 12 small tomatillos 3 serrano chiles, seeded and chopped 1 white onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, chopped 6 C vegetable stock 1/4 C freshly squeezed lime juice, more if needed 4 large ripe avocados, peeled and pitted 1/2 C fresh cilantro, loosely packed and chopped 1/2 t sea salt, fine grain 1/2 lime crema*, for garnish, optional fresh salsa, for garnish, optional cilantro, one small handful for garnish CRUNCHY TOPODOS 1/4 C clarified butter, plus more if needed 12 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips sea salt, fine grain 1/2 lime
soups of summer Remove the husks and stems from the tomatillos. Rinse them well, coarsely chop and put in a soup pot along with the serranos, onion, garlic and stock. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then immediately lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the tomatillos start losing their structure. Puree thoroughly with a hand-held immersion blender. (If you must use a conventional blender, be careful; the hot liquid can burst out the top and make a huge, potentially painful mess. Try leaving the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape. Cover the top with a kitchen towel and blend in batches on low speed.) Push the puree through a strainer and into a bowl to remove the tomatillo seeds and skins: this is an optional step, but one I like to take because it yields an ultra-smooth soup. Cool for 30 minutes, and then stir in the lime juice. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 2 hours. Meanwhile, make the topopos. Heat the butter in a heavy skillet until hot but not smoking. Put a small handful of the tortilla strips into the skillet in a single layer: don’t overload the skillet or the topopos will steam rather than brown. Toss occasionally with a metal spatula or metal tongs (preferred) until the strips are crisp and golden brown, usually 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain and immediately toss the hot strips with salt and a squeeze of
June 2009 11
Personal Growth Childhood Trauma • Illness Drugs/Alcohol • Loss Women’s Issues
lime juice. Continue in this manner until all of the strips are cooked. When the topopos have cooled, they can be stored in a mason jar or plastic bag. In a separate bowl, blend the avocados thoroughly with the cilantro, salt and a big squeeze of lime juice, and then blend into the chilled soup base. Adjust the salt and lime as needed; you should be able to taste and smell the lime, but it shouldn’t be mouth puckering. Return the soup to the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. Top each bowl with a swirl of crema, a spoonful of salsa, a sprinkling of topopos and a pinch of cilantro. Serves 6 generously.
Louise Miller, MA LPCC NCC Psychotherapy louise@louisemiller.org www.louisemiller.org
Phone (505) 385-0562 Albuquerque, NM
*Organic crema is hard to come by. You can make your own by thinning organic sour cream with a bit of water. These recipes have been adapted and reprinted from the following sources: www.cooking.com Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison http://busycooks.about.com www.soupsong.com Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson
STAY
COOL !
Healthy Eating for the Summer
traveler
BY KRISTIN WHITE here is no doubt that making wise food choices while traveling takes a bit more effort and ingenuity than at home. Take heart. With a bit of planning your summer vacation can be filled with great times, great fun and, most importantly, great food that will keep you going.
T
Before heading out, plan ahead. Pack enough snacks to get you (and whomever you may be traveling with) through. If flying, learn about recent restrictions and policies concerning bringing food on the plane. Liquids, yogurts and fruit are forbidden, but solid foods (other than fruit) are currently permissible. Consider bringing an empty water bottle so that you can fill it at any water fountain along the way. Water is by far the most essential ingredient when traveling, keeping you hydrated and energized without effecting blood sugar like sweetened juice or soda. Also, water doesn’t stain or leave a sticky mess like juices or soda, and it’s free. Put cold items in a to-go hot/cold bag that you can get at the Co-op along with a package of frozen vegetables for an “ice pack.” If driving in the car, pack a cooler full of pre-made sandwiches and any other perishable items.
BELOW IS A LIST OF SOME OF MY FAVORITE TRAVEL FOODS. Protein Hard-boiled eggs, hummus, beef jerky, tahini, various nuts or nut butters, canned sardines, tuna, salmon, cheese or vegan variety, protein bars (the Co-op carries a good selection of organic and vegan brands), yogurt cups (for the road), sunflower or pumpkin seeds Fruits/Vegetables Frozen berries, single-serving cups of applesauce (unsweetened), apples, oranges, avocados (if you buy them before they are ripe they will be ready to eat in a few days), pre-washed baby carrots, broccoli or cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces, slices of cucumber Non-perishable Meals Freeze-dried food packets, instant meals (oatmeal, soups, etc.)
Master Gardener Does the Master Gardener of all use pesticides? Does the Guardian of the Planet spray her roses with Malathion to get rid of the aphids? Does the Protector of Earth fell tropical forests to make room for more humans? Is the Flower of the Universe a rose or a water lily? And is it an organic rose or is the Flower of the Universe a waterlily floating in a chemical-laden bog? Larry Goodell
Snacks Granola or trail mix, pretzels, homemade popcorn, baked chips, whole grain or gluten-free crackers.
For more good Goodell poems contact Larry at poetheart@comcast.net ot go to www.lalamedapress.com
Beverages Individual packets of tea, single-serving sized aseptic containers of dairy or non-dairy milk and juice Find a great selection of organic, local, vegan and gluten-free foods for your summer travels at your favorite neighborhood Co-op.
Body-Centered Psychotherapy and Trauma Healing
Summer Art Camp
Where creativity and self expression shine!
Member of International Society of Arboriculture and Society of Commercial Arboriculture ISA Certified, Licensed & Insured
232-2358 www.EricsTreeCare.com ericstreecare@yahoo.com
SUMMER TIME CARE Now is the time to deadwood your larger trees and assess your Elms and Cottonwoods for potential hazards.
Penny Holland M . A . , L . P. C . C , L . M . T.
June 1 - June 12 June 15 - June 26 July 6 - July 17 July 20 - July 31
Call for estimate on crown cleaning your trees.
Register Today!
505-265-2256 LPCC Lic. 0494
LMT Lic. 1074
1114 7th St. NW 242-6367 www.harwoodartcenter.org
SERVICES • Fruit and Shade Tree Pruning • Technical Removal • Planting • Cabling & Bracing • Fertilization • Root Rehabilitation Services
health & healing
Men’s health HERBS & NUTRITION BY ROBIN SEYDEL t is increasingly clear that many men are suffering from the effects of environmental pollution. Early on it was believed that these pollutants acted like estrogen and so were called environmental estrogens or estrogen mimics. Today we know that not only do they mimic estrogen in the body but that they have a series of activities relating to the whole endocrine system. As such they are now known as endocrine disruptors.
I
Nearly a decade ago laboratory experiments and literature searches, including a lengthy report by the National Institute of Environmental Health Science as well as the now famous research by Lou Gillette on the alligator populations in the Everglades that live downstream from one of the most intensely cultivated and chemicalized agricultural areas in the nation, showed definite links between male reproductive function and these synthetic endocrine actors. Over the past two decades, as these chemicals have increased in the environment and concentrated in our bodies, there have been rising public health concerns relating to men’s health, including: reduced fertility, reduced sperm functionality and count, hypospadias among other urethral and penile deformities, cysts in the sperm reservoir, testicular cancer and most commonly a host of prostate problems. When the prostate enlarges and swells, it pinches off the urethra tube, obstructing the flow of urine. Not only can this be uncomfortable but the inability to pass water can be downright dangerous should the urine
F R E S H FA I R A N D L O C A L AT Y O U R C O - O P
ACUPUNCTURISTS WITHOUT BORDERS
DAD’S DAY
June 2009 12
SPECIAL
stagnate, back up, first distending the bladder and, if left unchecked, farther up the line to the kidneys where it can do serious renal damage. Also bacterial infection and inflammation can cause painful prostatitis. Pro-active for Health: Food and Herbs Stagnation of prostatic fluids may occur with sedentary lifestyles, and needless to say, regular exercise is key to any wellness plan. Diet, too, is an important
Parsley is the foremost diuretic in cases of painful and incomplete urination due to an enlarged prostate. Its flavonoids apiol and myristicin stimulate urination: but overdoses of concentrated apiol can be harmful to the kidneys and liver. Utilizing the whole plant will prevent this from becoming a problem. Eating some parsley each day is easy; it is quite tasty and delicious in salads, with mint in tabouli, in soups and stews. Keeping a bunch in a glass of water and grazing on a stem or two each time you open the fridge can work wonders and is simple, tasty, affordable and easy. Cornsilk, another diuretic, works well when used in conjunction with parsley as it greatly helps reduce painful symptoms and swelling. Buchu Leaf, used for generations in South Africa for chronic or acute prostate problems, stimulates urination and reduces inflammation and urinary tract infection with its anti-microbial action. Also, in clinical trials, daily ingestion of Sea Kelp has shown to gradually reduce prostate size in older men until urination becomes painless.
Parsley
for your health aspect. It is well known that industrial-raised livestock are often fed estrogens (and antibiotics) for growth and increased milk and egg production. Residues of the hormones remain in the fat of foods produced in this manner. The inner part of the prostate is known to be extremely sensitive to estrogen. Reduce exposure to estrogen by eating only grass-fed or organic animal products. There are several herbs that are well known to aid prostate health. Saw Palmetto Berry is the most well known of them. It acts directly on the enlarged prostate to reduce inflammation, pain and throbbing. It may also reduce swelling, although it is not known whether relief is found from the reduction of the swelling itself or by a reduction in the throbbing pain and irritation. It also increases the bladder’s ability to contract and expel its contents.
Other herbs include Gravel Root and Cleavers, which besides being diuretic, are excellent when cysts are present, and Hydrangea Root which reduces prostate enlargement and inflammation and is excellent when used for urinary stones associated with cystitis. Gravel Root is especially good as a diuretic for elders with lax tissues and leaking problems. Stinging Nettles is a nourishing diuretic that may reduce estrogen binding on prostate receptor sites. A simple tea can be made mixing Cornsilk, Cleavers, Stinging Nettles, Buchu Leaf and Hydrangea root, steeped in boiling water or made in the sun tea fashion. Drinking one to two cups early in the day, either hot or cool, can greatly increase comfort levels.
As with all health-related matters it is most important to seek the care of an experienced health care professional. This information is for educational purposes only.
Acupuncturists Without Borders (AWB) will be offering free acupuncture treatment to veterans and active service military people on Wednesdays from 5-6:30pm at 801 Encino Place NE, Suite A-16. This offering is part of the national initiative by AWB to help our returning and active service military personnel. AWB treated close to 8,000 people in Louisiana with free community acupuncture in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. AWB vision is to foster the creation of stable, peaceful global communities through its communitybased acupuncture services and training which interrupt the cycles of unresolved trauma. Military personnel, both vets and active duty soldiers of all genders, are welcome to utilize this free community service. For information on treatment or to make a donation call 804-8285. AWB is a nonprofit that relies on contributions to continue its work with communities in crisis. All donations will go to the Military Stress Recovery Project.
MEN’S HEALTH MILITARY STRESS
GREAT GIFTS AT THE CO-OP
Just for Dad
!
BY KRISTIN WHITE Cook a Meal for, or with, Dad ccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the three most common health risks for men are heart disease, cancer and injuries, and are largely preventable. Most of the CDC’s recommendations overlap for the prevention of heart disease and cancer. One of those recommendations is to eat a healthy diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fiber and fish.
A
On Father’s Day, show your dad how special he is with a home-cooked meal prepared with love. Take plenty of time to plan ahead and create a menu that you know he’ll enjoy. There are plenty of popular recipes that can be modified to reduce salt and fat without sacrificing flavor and sustenance. For example, serve extra fresh fruits and vegetables; substitute fish for red meat, or cook smaller portions of meat as a side or garnish, and incorporate a generous serving of whole grains. With a little creativity and planning, your dad will enjoy the foods that give him pleasure prepared in a way that’s healthful and savory. At La Montañita you’ll find everything you need to prepare a Father’s Day feast: fresh, local summer produce, a plentiful assortment of whole grains from the bulk department, and fish and organic local meats, all at your favorite neighborhood Co-op. La Montañita also carries a selection of items for the culinary dad, including tongs and skewers for the grill, pepper mills, vegetable steamers, cook-
F I L L O U T Y O U R M E M B E R S U R V E Y. . .
books and cookware. We offer gift certificates, too, so dad can get what he likes. Eating or cooking together is a superb way to strengthen bonds, relate on a creative culinary level (if cooking together), and share a rewarding experience. Exercise Together Exercising with our dads could be the best and healthiest gift we could give. It provides us with a fantastic opportunity to develop camaraderie, reduce stress, keep a healthy heart and move our bodies. This is valuable time spent. Make sure to find activities that get the heart rate up and that you and your dad can enjoy together. Some examples may include: Weight lifting or cardio work at the health club, recreation center, YMCA or local gym, weight-lifting or cardio work in your home gym, biking, hiking, tennis or racquetball, rollerblading, playing catch or hitting fly balls or grounders at the baseball/softball park, shooting baskets or practicing another team sport like soccer or volleyball, taking a walk or jog, heavy bag work or martial arts, Tai Chi or Yoga, golf (walk the course), swimming, fitness class or tape, recreation or sports leagues. Other Gifts The Co-op carries a supply of items that can encourage dad to reuse: travel coffee mugs, reusable shopping bags, water bottles and to-go ware like stainless steel containers and bamboo eating utensils. Consider buying dad a CD. Music can lift the spirit and reduce stress, another factor affecting men’s health. The Co-op offers a selection of CDs, from Putumayo world music and local bands to the soothing sounds of music for meditation.
GET A 15% DISCOUNT!
gardening Small is Beautiful
farming &
BY BRETT BAKKER or awhile now, I’ve been focusing on the growth in New Mexico of large scale organic farms (dairies, peanuts, cotton) but that’s only because it’s really new in relation to the many small farms that have been certified organic for years.
F
The New Mexico Organic Commodity Commission (now in our eighteenth year!) was built on the strength, hard work and tenacity of the small organic grower: a few acres of apple orchards, mixed vegetables and medicinal/culinary herbs. There are no fewer small farms than before, just many more new big ones. There are still plenty of “little guys” out there as evidenced by the amazing mix of fresh produce you can find at your local growers’ market or Co-op. Many of them grow organically even if they happen not to be certified organic. In many ways, achieving certification is harder on the small operation. The paperwork requirements can be overwhelming because certification is built on verification: receipts for organic seeds/seedlings and allowed fertilizers/pest control materials; logging and documenting planting, harvest and sales; soil tests; labeling; pre-cleaning of
These are the hardworking folks who’ve built the organic movement. Think about it. In all the years we’ve read the word “organic” in major newspapers and magazines, except for a few grains and beans, until recently it has mostly been used in relation to vegetables and fruit. Raising huge monocrops of organic carrots or broccoli has its own set of difficult challenges but the entire farm is pretty much on the same schedule.
A mixed acre or two of carrots, broccoli, lettuce, mustards, corn, beans, peas, salad greens, beets, radishes, corn, melons, squash, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, garlic, onions, herbs, a few fruit trees and a flock of chickens? Every crop has its own needs at specific times and they don’t take turns. How do you choose between picking the snap beans that will be too tough by tomorrow or watering the itchy green cukes that are beginning to wilt? The zucchini is covered with squash bugs that need intensive hand-picking while the tomatoes desperately need a feeding. borrowed or rented equipOh, and the irrigation ditch just overflowed, and ment that may have been used on non-organic farms. hey, how did the chickens get out into the neighbor’s yard again? It’s It’s endless. a juggling act more amazing than anything you’ll see in a circus.
thumb
The dairy or peanut butter facility already has people whose job it is to keep records and meet bureaucratic requirements of up to a dozen agencies for health and safety licenses. Even the large-scale family farm is used to keeping some kind of records for taxes and bank loans (and it should be noted—and applauded—that this bookkeeping duty is most often taken on by the farmer’s wife who’s doing this in addition to her family duties). By comparison, the small grower may often be holding down another job in order to keep the place running and can barely—if at all—afford hired help in the field. Forget about bookkeepers!
PRODUCING BACKYARD PROTEIN
The Chicken Coop Tour BY JENNIFER DWYER t’s the beginning of summer, and for many city chicken wranglers in Albuquerque that means cleaning up the yard and getting ready to share their chickens, coops and gardens with the larger community. The Albuquerque Chicken Coop Tour is back! This tour was created to inspire and educate people on the possibilities of keeping chickens in an urban setting.
I
small flock of chickens has few needs, and Albuquerque is an ideal place to raise chickens due to our dry climate and poor soil! The dry climate helps keep odors down within the coop, while chickens use the dust to help keep away fleas, mites and other chicken pests.
It may surprise you to learn that our current city law allows Albuquerque residential homeowners to keep up to 15 chickens. This can include fourteen hens and one rooster, or fifteen hens. However, a rooster or large group of hens falls under the same noise ordinance laws that a barking dog does, so in the more densely built areas of town smaller flocks with no roosters often works best.
Have you considered keeping chickens but are unsure of how to proceed? Does the hurdle of creating a chicken coop seem daunting? Many people across the Albuquerque area already have small flocks of hens happily tucked away in their backyard coops, and they are willing to share their knowledge with you. This year’s coop tour will include eleven coops in various areas of the city, and coop designs in the tour range from simple to complex. Many participants have even used scrap and reclaimed materials in their construction. Many of the stops on the tour also include appealing yards and vegetable gardens, showcasing water harvesting techniques and more.
So why keep chickens? Collecting fresh eggs is just one of the many benefits of owning chickens. They also make great pets, are good at clearing out weeds and insects, create manure for gardens, and contribute to the natural cycle of a household by consuming all the kitchen scraps. You may find that once you have chickens in your yard, you are spending more time outside, perhaps even setting up a chair and table near the chicken pen, as watching chickens peck around can be entertaining and relaxing. Urban chicken keeping has grown by leaps and bounds in the last ten years, and is a fun and easy way to participate in the growing local food movement. The raising and care of chickens can be very satisfying, and some families find it is a great way to teach their children about the food-to-table connection. A
THE ALBUQUERQUE CHICKEN COOP TOUR WILL TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY, JUNE 6TH, FROM 10AM-2PM. A map of the tour, with descriptions of each stop, will be available on www.urbanchickens.org one week prior to the tour for individuals to chart out their own routes. For more information about the tour or chicken keeping in Albuquerque, please visit our Albuquerque Urban Chickens Group forum on Duke City Fix at www.dukecityfix.com.
Plant A Row: SPREAD THE LOVE! HELP LOCAL FOOD BANKS BY YVONNE SCOTT Plant A Row for the Hungry (PAR) and help supplement area food banks, soup kitchens and shelters! The PAR program was started in 1995 by the Garden Writers Association. This year PAR celebrates 15 years of working to alleviate hunger and has provided over 14 million pounds of produce to food banks, homeless shelters and meal distribution sites. Each month here in New Mexico nearly 90,000 people visit food pantries, shelters and meal sites. Our largest state-wide food bank, Road Runner Food Bank, located in Albuquerque, has seen a 35% increase in assistance requests this year. One
in eight elder citizens do not know where they will get their next meal. And nearly 35% of those needing supplemental food are children. Through PAR, you, as a gardener, can make a big, big difference. The Plant A Row for the Hungry campaign is a people-helping-people program—there’s no money involved—just you, your garden and some folks in town who need and deserve fresh food. To learn more about how to participate as a grower or volunteer contact Yvonne Scott, 505-907-9070 or email: environmentalenhancers@gmail.com.
Organic Certification was begun by farmers who had outgrown their local markets and customers and began selling to out-of-state distributors. When your local customers know you and the quality of your crop, being “officially” organic may not count for much. But those far-off buyers wanted some assurance of what they were getting, hence the convoluted certification system which is still in its infancy (less than ten years) as a federal program. If the requirements and fees become too much for the small farm, they may choose to opt out of organic certification altogether and concentrate on the local markets. There are some incredible certified organic small farms out there, but I’ve seen many non-certified farms go above and beyond the organic rule as far as sustainability and environmental impact. And I’ve also heard many a grower tell me he’s organic but uses a little RoundUp herbicide here and there and an occasional shot of MiracleGro. So how do you as a consumer know whom to trust? Most farmers’ markets require those folks making organic claims to display their organic certificate. But if the grower you’re talking to doesn’t have one, ask about their methods and inputs. Get to know them and, if possible, visit the farm sometime. There’s a lot to be said for buying local produce (I’ll usually opt for it myself) but if the farm is using synthetics and poisons, that’s not the local economy I want to support. In any case we’re fortunate to have many small and dedicated organic farms in New Mexico. Take the time to visit your local farmers’ market and meet these folks. And believe me, no matter what you pay for their products, they’re not making enough.
Step Into the Flow
supporting local growers
June 2009 13
$5 Yoga Hour at Bhava Yoga Studio Starting the week of June 22nd An hour of play and practice – a fun, active, mixed level flow class with Anusara’s alignment principles and uplifting attitude for only $5. (cash/checks only)
TUESDAYS 7:30 - 8:30am with Michael TUESDAYS 7:15 - 8:15pm with Erin THURSDAYS 7:30 - 8:30am with Michael FRIDAYS 5:30 - 6:30pm with Angie SATURDAYS 8 - 9am with Susan
520-A CENTRAL AVE SE U 505-842-1080 U WWW.BHAVAYOGASTUDIO.COM
community
forum
June 2009 14
ACTION
EXPEL GE HORMONES FROM
lons of milk distributed through national school milk programs, let’s take action now to get artificial hormones out of school milk!
School Milk!
no
BY????
T
Most of the industrialized countries in the world have banned rBGH. But here in the United States, we’re giving it to our most vulnerable citizens—our children! It is possible that at least 84 million gallons of milk from artificial hormone-treated cows were distributed through the school nutrition programs in fiscal year 2005-2006 – or about one out of five pints of milk offered in school cafeterias nationwide.
Take the first step in expelling the hormones from school milk by signing the petition. Food & Water Watch and the Center for Food Safety are working together to collect 50,000 petition signatures to deliver to Congress.
!
rBGH
he food kids eat today will have a lasting impact on their health. We've got a great opportunity to affect what kind of milk is in the National School Lunch Program. Please take action now to get better milk into school lunches. Roughly 15 percent of all dairies (mostly large dairies) in the United States inject their cows with an artificial, genetically engineered growth hormone called recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) that increases cows’ milk production. Besides the documented increase of infections in dairy cows injected with rBGH, which necessitates increased use of antibiotics, there are ongoing questions about links to cancer in humans.
THE PETITION READS Dear Member of Congress: I urge you to include language in the Child Nutrition Act stating that schools and other federal feeding programs can purchase artificial hormone-free milk and organic milk. The good news is we now have a great opportunity to bring milk free from artificial, genetically engineered hormones into our schools as Congress takes up legislation on the National School Lunch Program. Food & Water is asking Congress to clarify that schools do have the option to purchase milk from cows that are not treated with artificial growth hormones. With nearly 430 million gal-
FAMILIES TODAY FAIR:
SCHEDULED TALKS INCLUDE: 10:30am: Top Tips for Parenting Through Divorce • 11am: Understanding the Benefits - Social Security for Families Today • 11:30am: Single Mothers by Choice • Noon: Resources for the Albuquerque Single Parent
• 12:30pm: Adoption in NM - its many faces OTHER BOOTHS AND INFORMATION SHARING INCLUDE: childcare assistance for families, comprehensive adoption support for EVERY type of adoption, child support in NM, adoption and foster parent recruiting in NM, understanding Social Security benefits, single-parent resources and parents without partners, stepparent adoptions, teen parent resources, low-cost childbirth assistance. FOR DETAILS, MAPS AND DIRECTIONS, CONTACT 505-232-2772.
School children deserve milk that is produced without controversial products like rBGH, and school food service directors deserve clear guidance on their right to request rBGH-free milk. Please support this effort to improve the milk served to children in our schools. Our children should not be subjected to risky, unwanted hormones in their school milk. Please sign on to the petition at http://ga3. org/campaign/SchoolMilk or at www.foodand waterwatch.org.
HONORING THE FOODS OF OUR COMMINITY
I N S P I R E D B I R T H I N G A N D PA R E N T I N G F E S T I V A L JUNE 20, 2009, 10am-2pm A FREE community event filled with information for people interested in or already involved in adoption, fostering, single parenting, teenage parenthood, parenting through divorce and more!
ALERT!
SUMMER SOLSTICE W E E K E N D C E L E B R AT I O N FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 7PM The Center for Ageless Living Presents the “Field to Food” Event, a five-course dinner with wine, prepared by the Green House Rotisserie. The menu is made completely with local produce and ingredients produced within 100 miles of the Center and served in the Center’s Community Park under the stars. Center for Ageless Living is located at 3216 Hwy 47 South, Los Lunas, NM. All proceeds support SC, Inc., a New Mexico non-profit, committed to sustainable communities for senior care. For tickets call the Center for Ageless Living at 505-865-8813.
field to
food June 19 SAVE THE DATE! The 2nd Annual Urban Farm and Harvest Festival When: September 19th, 2009 • Where: Open Space Visitor Center, 6500 Coors Rd. NW www.cabq.gov/openspace or call 897-8831 for more information Seeking Vendors: Farmers • Arts and Crafts • Local Food vendors • Conservation and Educational Organizations working to preserve agriculture Please call 452-5216 or e-mail: kswanson@cabq.gov for information on how to sign up for a FREE booth. Spaces limited.
community forum ALBUQUERQUE FOLK FESTIVAL
EXPANDS IN ITS ELEVENTH YEAR! KELLY KOEPKE JUNE 19-20 AT AT EXPO NM he Albuquerque Folk Festival celebrates its 11th year by expanding from one day to two, June 19-20, at EXPO New Mexico. More than 3,000 music, dance and folk arts fans participate and learn during two days of 160+ nonstop performances, dancing and storytelling events, jam sessions, instrument and singing workshops, folk arts and crafts demonstrations, as well as four evening dances for the entire community. BY
T
“The Festival has grown every year, and this year we decided that with so many great performers and activities, we had to expand,” says Festival Co-director Erika Gerety. “Now you can hear great music, participate in instrument workshops, hear storytelling, jam with the band and dance over two days.”
Among the new attractions this year are a talent contest for local musicians and dancers, and a musical instrument “petting zoo,” where kids of all ages can create their own music on more than 50 different folk instruments. There will also be a ghost story open mic and, because of popular demand, more food and folk-arts vendors. The Festival’s Friday evening program begins at 6:30 with performances by Tish Hinojosa, Boulder Acoustic Society and Wagogo. A two-hour talent contest begins at 7:30, as does the outdoor “barn dance” with the music of Syd Masters and the Swing Riders. At 8, it’s time for the Balkan Dance party, featuring Albuquerque favorite Goddess of Arno. On Saturday morning, the gates open at 9:30 for storytelling sessions, jams, a band and dance scramble,
June 2009 15
PLAY SING DANCE folk arts and crafts presentations, workshops and Main Stage performances that go until closing time at 11pm. Friday night’s Main Stage line-up returns on Saturday, joined by Native American dance band T.O. Combo, the dancers of Alma Flamenca and Aztec Stories. Louisiana Cajun group Feufollet cooks up music that’s made for dancing during their Main Stage debut Saturday at 10pm. Of course, local groups are well represented in a variety of ethnic and traditional American music styles, as well as showcases for intimate performances by local singer/songwriters. Other workshops feature songwriting with Tish Hinojosa, shape note singing and Klezmer music, harmonica, tin whistle, bluegrass flatpick guitar and a special Cajun fiddle workshop with Feufollet. With two dance areas, attendees can learn a range of ethnic and traditional American styles. For the kids, there are special areas for storytelling and other activities, including a fiddle contest, sing-alongs, dancing, ukulele and drumming. Everyone will love the demonstrations and hands-on experiences with quilt and lace making, knitting, sewing, crocheting, beading, woodcarving and other folk crafts. Visit www.abqfolkfest.org or call 505-294-6909 for ticket prices and performance and dance schedules.
Juneteenth C O M M U N I T Y C E L E B R AT I O N ALBUQUERQUE: The annual Juneteenth celebration will be held on SATURDAY JUNE 13TH at The Thomas Bell Park, at University and Gibson, between noon and 6pm. All are welcome to enjoy Juneteenth entertainment, vendors and food at this free community event sponsored by the Juneteenth Committee. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas, with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. This was two and a half years
after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which had become official January 1, 1863. Later attempts to explain this two-and-a-half-year delay include a story of a messenger who was murdered on his way to Texas, that the news was deliberately withheld by enslavers to maintain the labor force on plantations and that federal troops actually waited for the slave owners to reap the benefits of one last cotton harvest before going to Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation. All or none could be true. For more information on the June 13th, Juneteenth event contact SHELIA THOMAS AT 505-261-9359 OR LANTHIA GILLESPI AT 505712-4505
PEACECRAFT’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION! Saturday, June 13th, Noon-5pm. Local entertainment, including Rogue Bindis, Maple Street Dance Space and Burning Moonlight! Bike Auction, 11-4pm! Donate your bikes NOW to Peacecraft. Join us in singing and dancing, enjoy great food, Fair Trade coffee and lots of memories of selling Fair Trade products for 20 years!!! 3215 Central Ave. NE, 255-5229.
S AT U R D AY, J U N E 1 3 T H , F R E E !
S O N G S F R O M A S I M P L E R T I M E : D O W N AT F L O Y D ’ S
BARBERSHOP New Mexico’s Men’s A-capella Ensemble n Friday, June 5th, and Saturday, June 6th, the Duke City Sound (DCS) will host Down at Floyd’s Barbershop, a compilation of music from decades gone by in beautiful barbershopstyle harmony. The theme, tied into the famous barbershop from “The Andy Griffith Show,” lends its whimsy to music that could have been heard out in front of any barbershop in America, not that many years ago.
O
Special featured guests for the evening are “The Summit,” most recently 2007 gold medalists in the
Two Locations! Nob Hill
Acupuncture Center Relief from stress, pain, digestive discomfort, colds & flu Most insurances accepted. 3415 Silver SE Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106 P: 505-265-5087 103 East Hill Gallup, New Mexico 87301 P: 505-863-8018
Rocky Mountain District quartet competitions and Albuquerque natives. Also “The 505,” a new ensemble of young men under 30 years old that have an amazing sound of their own. Performances Friday, May 5th, at Desert Springs Church, 705 Osuna Road NE, and Saturday, May 6th, at the AfricanAmerican Performing Arts Center at Expo New Mexico, 310 San Pedro NE, at the Gate 3 entrance. For more information on this event and tickets or the Duke City Sound and its performances, please visit www. dukecity sound.org or Arnie Routson, Duke City Sound, (505) 866-7707, arout son2@wild blue.net
Duende Poetry Series
presents:
The Nob Hill
Growers’ Market
"DUENDE AND FRIENDS" the 18th reading, in its 5th year with Hakim Bellamy, Maria Leyba, Luci Tapahonso. Come hear three of our region’s poets. Following the reading, there will be a thirty-minute open mic, with a 4-minute time limit per poet. Drive up to the Anasazi Fields Winery in Placitas and be inspired by the region's wealth of poets. Admission is free. 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 before the Presbyterian Church, follow Camino de los Pueblitos through two stop signs to the Winery entrance. For more info contact: Jim Fish 505-867-3062 anasazifieldswinery@att.net or Cirrelda Snider-Bryan 505-897-0285 cirrelda@laalamedapress.com, www.anasazifieldswinery.com
sunday,june 14,3pm
Thursdays 3:00 to 6:30pm
Morningside Park Opening Day is May 21
Kick-off the
Summer with
the Co-op!
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!
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.