BUILDING THE COOPERATIVE
ECONOMY La Montanita Joins
COOPERATIVE COMMUNITY FUNDS
COMMUNITY FUND BY ROBIN SEYDEL n May of 2009, La Montanita Co-op joined the Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation (TPCF) by creating a Cooperative Community Fund (CCF) endowment. Our initial commitment of $5,000 was matched by Organic Valley Co-op for a beginning endowment of $10,000. This money will be invested in cooperative development throughout the nation. The dividends paid on our CCF will be donated to New Mexico-based non-profit organizations.
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We are honored to be among the approximately 30 co-ops nationwide that are participating in this program. Each year a portion of your unclaimed patronage refund money will be invested in La Montanita’s CCF. These investments are in keeping with the Co-op principle of co-ops supporting co-ops, as well as our dedication to the ongoing development of the alternative cooperative economy, both in our region and nationwide. We encourage you to join us in this cooperative economic development effort either by not cashing your patronage refund check or sending back your patronage check to us, and specifying its use in our CCF at the Twin Pines Cooperative Community Foundation. Over the years we hope to build a substantial endowment that, in perpetuity, will continue to support national cooperative development as well as strengthen our local economy with donations to organizations that are doing worthwhile work in our communities. For more information see articles this page or contact Robin Seydel at robins@lamontanita.coop or call 217-2027 or toll free at 877-775-2667.
Cooperative Community Funds (CCF) are endowments. The annual earnings of each CCF are donated by that co-op to their own local community groups. By the end of 2009 the CCFs will have made donations of over $200,000 to over 200 local community groups. About 25% was donated to building other cooperatives nationally. The Cooperative Community Funds actively fulfill three of the International Cooperative Alliances Cooperative Principles; “Education, Training and Information.” “Cooperation among Cooperatives” and “Concern for Community.” By the end of the 2009 fiscal year the approximately 30 co-ops that participate in the Cooperative Community Fund will: • Serve over 20 million customers a year in their food co-op stores • Do over $600 million dollars a year in gross retail trade • Serve 600,000 people in co-op member households • Operate about 50 retail locations in sixteen different states • Have at least eight cooperative community funds above $35,000 in endowment assets • Have the largest CCF fund at above $300,000 in endowment assets • Have a combined CCF endowment balance of over $800,000 • TPCF/CCF will have invested $1.9 million in cooperative development
ITSYOUR
Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation has become the largest single co-op investor in cooperative development organizations in the USA. By the end of 2009, TPCF will have invested almost $2 million in the expansion, remodel or relocation of food co-ops in the USA. There are over 100 consumer cooperative organizations which operate over 140 retail locations and do over $1 billion in sales annually. The food co-op sector in the U.S.A. has been growing at 10% per year. Recently, almost 50% of the food co-ops were engaged in some form of physical growth. The faltering economy is of course impacting existing sales and the rate of growth has slowed. However, the growth will return.
CO-OP
RUN for the
BOARD of DIRECTORS CANDIDATE PACKETS AVAILABLE AUGUST 7TH Pick up a Board Candidate packet at any Co-op location. Help guide the growth of New Mexico’s Cooperative Economic network. For more info contact : bod@lamontanita.coop.
DEADLINE: September 17, 2009 BOARD ELECTIONS: November 1-14th, 2009 NOMINATIONS: from August 7-September 17
Every dollar invested by the TPCF/CCF program creates at least five dollars of bank financing. TPCF/CCF dollars have generated over $10 million of lending mainly to food cooperatives. Almost every new food co-op, second store and existing food co-op expansion is funded with dollars from the cooperative development groups TPCF/CCFs invest in. The more CCFs there are, the more donations to community groups at the local level and the more funds for cooperative development at the regional level. Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization established in 1964. Over forty years of building cooperatives. You can find them at: www.com munity.coop.
Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation invests the TPCF/CCF assets in cooperative development funds, National Cooperative Bank
COMMUNITY FUNDS W
TPCF/CCF assets are financing the development of consumer, worker and housing cooperatives in all fifty states.
In 1990, North Coast Cooperatives (NCC) began the concept that later became the Cooperative Community Fund. With their approval, the Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation (TPCF) began replicating the NCC program in 1999, first in California and later nationally.
Twin Pines Cooperative
BY DAVID THOMPSON hat if your money did two socially responsible jobs 24/7? Well it does when it is part of the Cooperative Community Fund program in the US! The principal is used to develop cooperatives nationally and the interest is donated to charities locally. Visit www.community.coop/ccf to learn more.
TPCF/CCF provides more funding to cooperative development organizations in the US than any other cooperative organization.
FUN FACTS!
TWIN PINES COOPERATIVE
Where our Principal Carries out our Principles
Savings, and in those credit unions and community-owned banks that actively support cooperatives. The TPCF/CCF assets create a vibrant cooperative and community-building economy throughout the USA.
The first step financial engine for expanding most of the food co-ops comes from three cooperative loan funds. These three funds lend equity-like capital to food co-ops to strengthen their
balance sheets. With a stronger balance sheet the food co-ops are then able to obtain additional loans from either conventional or non-conventional lenders. The three cooperative development organizations have over $17 million in assets which they leverage externally at a rate of approximately 15 to 1. So $17 million creates $255 million in additional financing. TPCF/CCF is also the largest U.S. co-op investor in Organic Valley, the nation’s leading cooperative organic dairy, and Equal Exchange, the nation’s leading cooperative in fair traded food products. By the end of 2009 about 30 food coops will be partnering in the Cooperative Community Fund program. Each co-op has its own Cooperative Community Fund as an endowment within the Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation. TPCF uses all of its assets to invest in cooperative development organizations, individual cooperatives and financial institutions that support or loan to cooperatives. At the local level, the individual co-ops donate the interest earned on their endowments to local charities. One of the slogans of the campaign is “Give Where You Live.” Co-ops encourage their members to make donations to their CCF, which under U.S. law are tax deductible.
Slow MONEY Inaugural National Gathering: FROM THE GROUND UP Save the Date! SEPTEMBER 10-11, SANTA FE RAILYARD low Money is a new economic vision. It's an emerging network of investors, donors, entrepreneurs, farmers and activists committed to building local food systems and local economies. It's about the soil of the economy. It's the beginning of the "nurture capital" industry.
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Come to Santa Fe. Meet thought leaders and change agents from around the country. Help build new capital markets that support preservation and restoration and fix America's economy... from the ground up.
Speakers include: • Paolo di Croce, executive director, Slow Food International • Joan Gussow, author, This Organic Life • Fred Kirschenmann, director, Leopold Center • Kristin Martinez, entrepreneur in residence, New Mexico Community Capital • George Siemon, CEO, Organic Valley Co-op • Greg Steltenpohl, founder, Odwalla • Woody Tasch, chairman/president, Slow Money • Judy Wicks, founder, White Dog Cafe Partnering Organizations Edible Santa Fe, La Montanita Co-op, Santa Fe Alliance, 1% for the Planet, Blue Moon Fund, Green Money Journal, Organic Valley Co-op, RSF Social Finance, Slow Food, The Organic Center. For more information and registration watch upcoming issues of the Co-op Connection News or go to www.slowmoneyalliance.org.
sustainable food systems A Community - Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store La Montanita Cooperative Nob Hill/ 7am-10pm M-S, 8am-10pm Sun. 3500 Central SE Albuq., NM 87106 265-4631 Valley/ 7am-10pm M-Sun. 2400 Rio Grande Blvd. NW Albuq., NM 87104 242-8800 Gallup/ 10am-7pm M-S, 11am-6pm Sun. 105 E. Coal Gallup, NM 87301 863-5383 Santa Fe/ 7am-10pm M-S, 8am-10pm Sun. 913 West Alameda Santa Fe, NM 87501 984-2852 Cooperative Distribution Center 3361 Columbia NE, Albuq., NM 87107 217-2010 Administrative Staff: 505-217-2001 TOLL FREE: 877-775-2667 (COOP) • General Manager/Terry Bowling 217-2020 terryb@lamontanita.coop • Controller/John Heckes 217-2026 johnh@lamontanita.coop • Computers/Info Technology/ David Varela 217-2011 tech@lamontanita.coop • Food Service/Bob Tero 217-2028 bobt@lamontanita.coop • Human Resources/Sharret Rose 217-2023 hr@lamontanita.coop • Marketing/Edite Cates 217-2024 editec@lamontanita.coop • Membership/Robin Seydel 217-2027 robins@lamontanita.coop • CDC/MichelleFranklin 217-2010 mf@lamontanita.coop Store Team Leaders: • Mark Lane/Nob Hill 265-4631 markl@lamontanita.coop • John Mulle/Valley 242-8800 jm@lamontanita.coop • William Prokopiack/Santa Fe 984-2852 willpro@lamontanita.coop • Alisha Olguin/Gallup 575-863-5383 alishao@lamontanita.coop Co-op Board of Directors: email: bod@lamontanita.coop President: Martha Whitman Vice President: Marshall Kovitz Secretary: Ariana Marchello Treasurer: Ken O’Brien William Bright Lonn Calanca Stephanie Dobbie Tamara Saimons Betsy Van Liet Membership Costs: $15 for 1 year/$200 Lifetime Membership Co-op Connection Staff: Managing Editor: Robin Seydel robins@lamontanita.coop Layout and Design: foxyrock inc Cover/Centerfold: Co-op Marketing Dept. Advertising: Robin Seydel Editorial Assistant: Kristin White kristinw@lamontanita.coop 217-2016 Printing: Vanguard Press 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
REBUILDING THE
FOOD SYSTEM
VALUE CHAIN WORK: DEVELOPING THE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM BY ILANA BLANKMAN, FARM TO TABLE ccording to privately funded research released in 2009 by the Food Service Industry, over half of the meals we eat are prepared outside the home—at restaurants, cafeterias, take-out, or prepared by La Montanita’s talented deli staff. This means that restaurants and other food service institutions have the potential to play an important role in developing the local food system. Not only do restaurants buy a lot of food, they also have the capacity to educate their customers and influence their tastes and preferences.
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a significant amount of local products, they will need an easy way to buy from a number of producers at once and for those products to be delivered to them on a consistent basis. To create this kind of aggregation and distribution system will entail overcoming many hurdles—such as finding enough supply, addressing distribution issues and balancing the value of a local product with the price a restaurant can afford to pay for it. Developing the farm to restaurant value chain (and any other value chain) will require a strategic and well-informed process, based in the following key steps:
Step One: Buyer Research A value chain is customer-centric: its end goal must be to meet the needs of the buyer, which in this case is the restaurant. To do this, we need to understand what those needs are—what products are restaurants interested in buying? At what volumes? Do they need them all year or do their menus adjust seasonally? How often do they need delivery? How much can a restaurant afford to pay for each product? What kinds of marketing VALUE CHAINS materials are needed to ensure that restaurant customers are strategic know that they’re getting locally grown food? collaborations
Recognizing the importance of this role, some restaurants are taking the initiative to seek out local ingredients. For example, Joe’s Diner in Santa Fe purchased $30,000 worth of dairy, meat and produce from local farmers and ranchers last year, and many other restaurants are making an effort to purchase locally when they can. To recognize these efforts and to educate consumers, the Santa Fe Independent Business Alliance has developed a “Do you know who grows your food?” advertising campaign. With existing success stories and dedicated partners, a great opportunity exists to develop a strong “value chain” based in sales to restaurants (see the sidebar for a definition). A number of groups including La Montanita, the Santa Fe Alliance, Farm to Table, the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market and others are working on an effort to help producers develop viable value chains that allow them to meet increasing restaurant and consumer demand for local foods. In some cases, the value chain may be as simple as a chef buying directly from a few farmers at the farmers’ market or through an ongoing relationship. However, we know from some preliminary research that for many restaurant chefs time is scarce and that in order to buy
VALUE CHAIN: a DEFINITION
Step Two: Bringing stakeholders together to develop a value chain plan The foundation of a value chain, like a co-op, is that through strategic collaboration, everybody wins. A value chain can only function when all the businesses and other entities that are involved understand and respect what each participant needs to participate in the value chain long-term. This will entail discussions among and between producers, restaurant buyers and key intermediaries such as La Montanita’s CDC and/or a local re-delivery service. Through these discussions a plan can be developed that outlines the roles and responsibilities of each participant in the value chain and identifies existing gaps that need to be filled. Step Three: Make it Happen Once a plan is in place and agreements developed among the participants, individually and collectively, the producers and other entities will have to develop operational systems and work out logistics. This could include developing a farmer-controlled marketing entity responsible for coordinating production, aggregating product, developing relationships with buyers and delivering. While much of the produce, meat and dairy for the Santa Fe restaurant value chain is likely to come from the many small and medium-sized producers in nearby areas of Northern New Mexico, La Montanita’s Co-op Trade Initiative may play a role in bringing in products from other parts of the state that can’t be grown at high elevations or as a way to extend the season. The process outlined above is in its infancy. Chefs are currently being interviewed and some work has been done to identify producers interested in participating in the process. We hope that a pilot project can be underway by the next growing season, allowing you to be a locavore and let someone else do the dishes.
A food value chain is a series of mutually beneficial relationships among producers, processors, distributors, retailers and other key stakeholders that are developed to meet a specific market demand. Unlike traditional “supply chains,” value chains depend on a recognition of the interdependency of the different businesses involved in getting a product from field to table, and thrive when operations are based on trust, transparency, collaboration and fair distribution of profits.
ABQ BACKYARD FARMS Launches Summer Workshop Series ZOE EDRINGTON arming wasn’t always hip. Growing up as an Illinois farm girl in an isolated location was lonely. It was only a small, older crowd that thought my 4-H involvement was cool. I loved being so close to nature, but when my teenage years arrived, I would have traded it all just to live near a friend. Twenty years later, I still farm, but now I grow food in the center of Albuquerque, allowing me to achieve my utopia: farm life but with friends! Learning to grow our own fruit, vegetables and protein saves us money, increases our health, and helps build community. Furthermore, each time we put our hands in the dirt, we heal old wounds and remember that through the earth, we are all connected.
BY
F
My colleague Melanie Rubin, a business coach and a community leader, is passionate about nutrition and health. Her current goal is to learn how to transform her backyard into an oasis of beauty, community and wonderful food, and help others do the same with their yards and small open spaces. Together we created “Albuquerque Backyard Farms,” a summer series of workshops that will publicly transform Melanie’s yard into a backyard farm complete with fruit production, vegetable beds, culinary and healing herbs, chickens and honeybees. One hundred and one people, 18 sponsors, and several instructors have participated in the first two workshops. Every workshop takes place in Melanie’s backyard, which started as exposed dirt and weeds. The content of each workshop does not assume any
previous knowledge, so that everyone who comes can “dig in” to the information at their current level of expertise. The next workshop in the Backyard Farming series, Sustainable Watering, will be held Saturday, July 11, from 9am to Noon and will be co-presented with Alberto Lopez, 505-304-0706, aelopez3.14@gmail.com, a rainwater harvesting and grey water systems expert. In this workshop learn active and passive rainwater harvesting, installation of safe, simple methods of grey water harvesting and introduction to drip irrigation systems. We will also be presenting a workshop on Urban Chicken Farming, Saturday, July 25, from 9am to Noon. This workshop encompasses all aspects of urban chicken care and backyard egg production. To register for either or both of these workshops—Sustainable Watering, Saturday, July 11, or Urban Chicken Farming, Saturday, July 25, both from 9am to Noon—please email melanie@melanierubincoaching.com or call 505-261-3214. There is a $5 donation for each workshop to cover the cost of materials. Once we receive your pre-registration, we will email you the workshop location, and what to bring. For more info go to, www.mothernaturegardens.com, or www.livingedgelandscaping.com. Zoe can be reached at zoe@mothernaturegardens.com. For more information contact Melanie Rubin at www. MelanieRubinCoaching.com, or at melanie@melanierubincoaching.com. Please visit us on our web site, www.abqbackyardfarms.com.
July 2009
regional food systems
R E G I O N A L S U S TA I N A B L E F O O D S Y S T E M S : T H E M E X I C O C O N N E C T I O N
THE ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION
AND VIA
ORGANICA
SHIFTING THE PARADIGM BY ROBIN SEYDEL n March I had the good fortune to be invited to help the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) set up their new organic food store in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. As an advisory board member of the OCA for over a decade, it was exciting to see this dedicated non-profit organization moving toward self-sufficiency, especially in these uncertain economic times when so many non-profits are struggling to survive. OCA Directors Ronnie Cummins and Rose Welch have been organizing with Mexican farmers for a number of years and created Via Organica, an OCA, non-profit sister organization to support their efforts there. Providing farmers in the region a stable daily market for their products in the busy town of San Miguel de Allende seemed the next logical step.
sheep, ducks, chickens and other farm animals and fields irrigated from the thermal, spring-fed swimming pool.
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The vibrant community of Mexican farmers and producers, healers and educators in the San Miguel/Guanajauto region that the OCA has been working with for years now has a center in which to promote organic and sustainable living. The OCA had already begun to offer sustainable farming tours to Cuba (from Mexico) and it was a short stretch to put together exciting and inspirational tours of the central Mexican highlands with the Via Organica community. Other Via Organica projects include a seed bank
food’s FUTURE
While originally the intention was merely to open an organic and natural products store, the week I was there, Luc Monzies, a Via Organica farmer and young entrepreneur brought the OCA an amazing opportunity. He had leased and refurbished a 120x40-foot greenhouse on a 20-acre farm to supply the OCA storefront and a lovely little tapas restaurant that he had recently opened with vegetables year round. Now the farm lands and resort/conference center on which the fields and greenhouse were located were available to lease. It didn’t take long for Ronnie, Rose, Luc and I to come to consensus that this beautiful place we were being offered would be the perfect sustainable food system education and development center. Just 5 miles from the historic town of San Miguel de Allende along the Rio Laja, the buildings, all built with traditional materials and the finest Mexican artistry, the gardens, the fields, farm animals and thermal waters would allow the OCA/Via Organica to enhance the larger work of building an organic and sustainable regional food system model. The grounds include the Luc’s fully functioning and highly productive greenhouse, a vegetable packing shed, a variety of barns with horses,
VIA ORGANICA:
Valley
that keeps traditional Mexican seeds and varieties safe in the face of Monsanto and other corporate bids to control the Mexican seed trade, a demonstration herb garden to support the strong Mexican homeopathic industry and classes, seminars and workshops to ensure that Mexican farming, food and healing traditions get passed from elder to future generations. The organic food store is open and doing well, Luc’s greenhouse project continues to provide produce to both the store and the tapas bar at prices affordable to the Mexican people of the area, and the tours of Mexico and Cuba continue as does the development of classes and community around the Via Organica Sustainable Living Center. I’m honored to be a small part of the process of building a regional sustainable life system with the people of Mexico.
A SUSTAINABLE
MEXICAN
FOOD SYSTEM MODEL
T
he Organic Consumers Association invites you to join other organic activists at the beautiful organic farm and eco-center of our sister organization, Via Organica, in the central highlands of Mexico. This idyllic region is home to a number of traditional farms and farmers, cooperative farms and community organizations all working to maintain and sustain the farming and food traditions of the region. Situated on twenty acres of organic farmland with natural thermal springs, dotted with palm trees, fruit trees, agave and mesquite, overlooking the beautiful Rio Laja River, just north of the World Heritage, Spanish colonial city of San Miguel de Allende, the Via Organica Farm was built in the early 1990s. A resort by design, Via Organica's buildings are made out of adobe and stone, with a number of the buildings featuring extra-thick, Huasteca-style palapa-thatched roofs.
Help build solidarity between the US and Mexican Organic Movements at Via Organica while enjoying one of the most beautiful and historic regions of Mexico. Seven-Day Tours Include: • Organic Farming and Green Building Workshops with OCA/Via Organica Staff and Mexican Organic Activists • Fresh Organic Meals, Beautiful Accommodations, Thermal Swimming Pool • Biking, Hiking and Horseback Riding on Nearby Trails • Visits to Organic Farms, Stores, Restaurants, Green Buildings and Community Organizing Projects • Visits to World Heritage sites and other attractions in nearby San Miguel de Allende and Atotonilco For OCA members and La Montanita Co-op members the $950 cost for the week includes transportation from the Leon airport, all meals and tours. Mention that you are a La Montanita Co-op member. Special tours for groups or schools can be arranged. For more information go to www.organicconsumers.org and click on the tours section of the home page.
La Montanita needs a few
Your CO-OP
Good People!
WantsYOU! Travel to various Co-op communities • meet interesting and interested people • help guide the growth of New Mexico’s Cooperative Economic Network. Run for your Co-op Board of Directors! Pick up a Board Candidate Packet at any of the four Co-op locations beginning August 7th.
More info: contact Ariana at bod@lamontanita.coop
Run for
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS July 2009
Gallup
Santa Fe
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 Food Market, 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
it’s barbeque season
FRESH, FAIR, LOCAL! BY KRISTIN WHITE ummertime means warmer weather, an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables and backyard grilling, a perfect recipe for adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet. Fruits and vegetables are ideal for delicious summer grilling. By cooking them quickly on a hot grill, you’ll sear in all the natural flavors and nutritional value of that fresh, colorful, locally-grown produce.
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SUMMER PRODUCE ON THE which will cause the fruit to become mushy. Softer fruit only needs to be heated, not cooked.
to cool slightly after removing it from the grill to avoid serious burns to the mouth.
Fruits are best grilled when the coals have begun to die out or when placed on the outer edges of the grate. If placing fruit directly on the grill rack,
Grilling Vegetables The flavor of a vegetable intensifies when it has been grilled. As it is grilled, moisture evaporates from the vegetable, concentrating the flavor and condensing the sugars, which increases its flavor and sweetness.
enhance the natural
flavors
Marinades, herbs and basting sauces complement and bring out the natural flavors of fresh produce. Whether you decide to marinate or not, the natural flavors of the produce are enhanced by grilling. You don’t need much seasoning. Use olive oil, salt and pepper for great vegetables, or a bit of brown sugar, cinnamon or lemon juice for fruit—or grill without any seasoning! The natural flavors of the fruits and vegetables will shine through! Here are some tips.
cut the fruit into pieces that are large enough so that they don’t fall through the grates.
Grilling Fruit With the coals already hot, why not grill fresh fruit for dessert? Almost any fruit can be cooked on the grill. Fruits are high in sugar and grilling brings out their wonderful sweet flavor.
Fruits can be grilled with skins on. Softer fruits, especially, benefit from retaining their skins because it helps maintain their shape and holds them together as they are being grilled.
Try to select fruits that are not overripe, as they become too soft when grilled. Hard fruits such as apples, pineapples and pears are easier to grill than softer fruits such as peaches, nectarines, plums and papayas. Softer fruits require more attention when being grilled to prevent overcooking,
A WORD OF CAUTION: Many fruits contain a high amount of water. This water content will make the fruit extremely hot when grilling. Allow the fruit
Pasture Raised Livestock:
HUMANE, HEALTHY BY KRISTIN WHITE aising animals on pasture is dramatically different from the existing standard factory farming. Virtually all meat, eggs and dairy products sold in the average supermarket come from animals raised in confinement in large facilities called “Confined Animal Feeding Operations,” or CAFOs. These largely automated operations provide year round food supply at a low price.
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Although the food is cheap and convenient, there is growing awareness that factory farming creates many problems, including: the unnecessary use of hormones, antibiotics and other drugs; animal stress and abuse; air, land and water pollution; low-paid stressful farm work; the loss of small family farms; and food with less nutritional value.
GRILL!
July 2009 4
When choosing vegetables for the grill, select firmer vegetables, such as asparagus, corn, bell peppers, new potatoes, zucchini or summer squash. Some vegetables can be cut into pieces and some can be grilled whole. Others vegetables, such as winter squash, should be precooked before they are grilled. Vegetables should be grilled over a medium heat. The length of cooking time will vary depending on the type of vegetable and how it has been prepared. Generally it takes about 10 minutes or less for most vegetables to cook. Prevent vegetables from drying out on the grill by soaking them in cold water before cooking. Before placing on the grill, brush butter or oil onto vegetables to prevent them from sticking to the grates. The vegetables must be dry before applying oil or the oil will not stick. Seasoning the vegetables with a coarse salt before grilling will draw out extra moisture from the vegetables, intensifying their sweetness and flavor. Turn the vegetables over frequently to avoid burning.
mental degradation, helping small-scale ranchers and farmers make a living from the land, helping to sustain rural communities and giving your family the healthiest possible food. Grass-Fed Products are Clean and Safe Ruminants (hoofed mammals that chews their cud, including cattle, sheep and antelope) that are raised one hundred percent on pasture have an extremely low risk of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), a degenerative brain disease, as their diets contain no animal byproducts or other unnatural ingredients. They eat what nature intended: grasses and other green plants. Research shows that choosing products from grass-fed animals may lower human risk of two other food borne illnesses, campylobacter and E. coli.
Since the late 1990s, a growing number of ranchers, like Alan Lackey of River Canyon Ranch, have made the choice to keep their cows home on the range, rather than sending them to feedlots to be fattened on grain, soy and other supplements. River Canyon Ranch allows their certified organic cattle to forage on pasture, their native diet, and does not treat their livestock with hormones or feed them growth promoting additives.
Pasture-Based Farming Enhances Animal Welfare Pasture raised livestock eat what they are designed to eat: fibrous grasses, plants and shrubs. In addition to being able to roam freely, this nutritious and natural diet allows these grass-fed animals to grow at a natural pace with limited stress.
When you choose to eat products from animals raised on pasture, you are improving the welfare of the animals, helping to reduce environ-
When allowed to range freely, cattle enjoy a twilight grazing session. They like to graze in the early evening
because the temperature is more moderate, the flies are less persistent and the grass tastes sweeter. On the other hand, most feedlot cattle are fed in the morning. This means they have nothing to eat in the evening when their instincts are telling them to graze. Grass Farming Benefits the Environment A diet of grazed grass requires much less fossil fuel than a feedlot diet of dried corn and soy. On pasture, grazing animals do their own fertilizing and harvesting. The ground is covered with greens all year round, so it holds on to top soil and moisture. Grazed pasture removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to slow global warming. Nutritional Superiority An animal's diet can have a profound influence on the nutrient content of its products. Compared with feedlot meat, meat from grass-fed beef, bison, lamb and goats have less total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and calories. It also has significantly higher amounts of vitamin E, beta-carotene, vitamin C and several other health-promoting fats, including omega-3 fatty acids and Conjugated Linoleic Act, or CLA. Look for locally grown and harvested, pasture raised, certified organic River Canyon Ranch beef at your favorite Co-op.
HEALTHIER FOR YOU AND THE
PLANET
SPECIAL SEASONINGS: Lusty Monk
Mustard
L
usty Monk Mustards are fresh-ground, hand-crafted, and full of flavor and fire. Lusty Monk is a familyowned, quality-conscious company, devoted to the idea that condiments should never be boring. Looking for the perfect flavor, Steve Monteith used to have a full shelf of mustards. Never having been quite satisfied, he and wife Kris talked to Kris’s sister, Kelley, a history major, researcher for Western University and food buff. Kelley’s research found that mustard dates back to the Romans but was especially popular during the 1400s and 1500s. In medieval Europe, there was a widespread belief that mustard was an aphrodisiac. As a result some monks were forbidden to eat mustard, lest they fall prey to carnal desires. Other monasteries embraced mustard making and turned it into an art form. Kelley found some old recipes, and the rest, as they say, “is Lusty Monk history.”
MUSTARD FOR THE PASSIONATE PALATE
The key to great mustard is cold processing. When you don’t heat the mustard seed, the essential oils are not destroyed and impart the fullness of their flavor to the mustard. Sister Kelley started making and selling Lusty Monk Mustard in her home state of North Carolina. Steve and Kris helped get the fledging family business going there, but in 1991 they moved to New Mexico. Busy with other things, they finally got Lusty Monk Mustard West going in 2008, using the same traditional cold processing technique. Lusty Monk Mustard is the perfect addition to any BBQ, delicious in potato salads, marinades, salad dressings and so much more. It makes any hot dog, bratwurst, turkey club or anything else a special treat. Owners Steve and Kris Monteith “salute the lusty monks" of days gone by and in that grand tradition offer up their Original Sin (original recipe) coarse-ground mustard. Also for the really daring try their “Burn in Hell—Chipotle Mustard” or their “Altar Boy Honey Mustard.” Look for Lusty Monk Mustard at all Co-op locations and have a great BBQ season.
agua es
vida
A PHARMACY RUNS
THROUGH IT MICHAEL JENSEN, AMIGOS BRAVOS s described in last month’s newsletter, Amigos Bravos is coordinating a water quality monitoring project in the drains and ditches that run along the Río Grande from the Angostura Diversion in Algodones to the I-25 Bridge. One of the items we are sampling for is pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), including endocrine disrupting compounds.
BY
A
The first round of sampling took place in March. We found a total of seven PPCPs at all three sites sampled. That any of these PPCPs are in our water is a cause for concern. The table below shows the results.
July 2009 5
NEW WATER STRATEGIES
NEEDED NOW!
2008, just before the San Juan-Chama Drinking Water Project was scheduled to go online, the WUA sampled twice. Río Grande water diverted for aquifer recharge in Bear Canyon was similarly sampled in late 2008. None of the data sets for these studies listed pharmaceuticals as something the WUA sampled for. As noted above, during the AP study in 2008, the WUA reported that there were no PPCPs in the drinking water. Comparisons Difficult It is important to stress that Amigos Bravos’ results are based on just one sampling event for each site. We will conduct sampling again in late June and late September and hope to continue the sampling project for another couple of years.
(surface water, groundwater, drinking water, drains and ditches), used different laboratories, and almost certainly used different sampling methods with different reporting limits. However, taken together, the national and New Mexico studies indicate that pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are present in our water. Here in the Middle Río Grande, they appear to be present in surface water, groundwater and the drains and ditches. Several questions remain: How can we get consistency in the sampling methods so we can reliably compare results? Why isn’t the Water Utility Authority sampling for PPCPs in the river, the groundwater and the treated drinking water? What are the known and suspected environmental and public health implications of PPCPs in our water and what should local, state and federal regulatory agencies be doing to address concerns?
Next month we will discuss the environmental and National Studies health implications of PPCPs in the water and make In 2001, the US Geological Survey (USGS) conducted the first national recommendations for addressing the issue. For It is also important to point out there is no study of PPCPs as wastewater contaminants in streams and found one information about this project, contact Michael way to reliably compare the results of the or more of these chemicals in 80 percent of the streams sampled. Jensen (mjensen@amigosbravos.org) different studies. Each study sampled for a About one-third of the streams contained 10 or more of these chemidifferent list of PPCPs, in different media cals. In 2008, the USGS found that 35% of wells and 86% of streams tested showed PPCPs. The most frequently detected chemicals were insect repellant, bisphenol A, fire retardant, sulfamethoxNOTES • ng/L means nanograms per liter and is the same as parts per trillion • MDL is the measure detection limit, the limit of reliable azole, detergent metabolite, caffeine metabolite and carbaanalysis for the method used mazepine. In 2008, the Associated Press conducted a five-month inquiry and discovered that drugs have been detected in the drinking water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas serving at least 41 million Americans. However, only 28 of 62 major water providers tested their drinking water for PPCPs. The AP study also revealed that 28 of 35 watersheds tested by water authorities had pharmaceuticals. The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (WUA) reported no PPCPs in its water. Middle Río Grande Studies In a 2002 report, the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) sampled wastewater facilities, surface water, groundwater and public drinking water at several sites across the state for PPCPs. Albuquerque wastewater discharge showed an antibiotic and the surface water downstream showed an estrogen hormone and caffeine. However, as part of its regular monitoring of water quality in New Mexico’s surface waters, the NMED sampled the Middle Río Grande in June 2002 for a large number of items, including 27 PPCPs. None of the PPCPs were detected. The US Fish and Wildlife Service analyzed surface-water samples in 2004 for 29 PPCPs and many other items at 14 sites within the Middle Río Grande. The only PPCP detected was cholesterol, which was found in 3 of the 35 water samples. Two UNM graduate students reported PPCPs in master theses. Kathryn Brown (2004) reported no antibiotics detected above the wastewater treatment facility and only one – sulfamethoxazole – found below the facility. Maceo Martinet (2005) sampled for PPCPs in the Río Grande and the shallow groundwater near the river, both upstream and downstream of the water treatment facility. His study found nine PPCPs in the shallow groundwater above and below the wastewater treatment plant, although generally in higher concentrations below the facility. Chemicals included DEET, caffeine, bisphenol-A, a nicotine metabolite, phenol (herbicides, antiseptics, analgesics, etc.), and several trisphosphates (flame retardants). A similar list of chemicals was found in the wastewater treatment discharge. Water Utility Authority The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (WUA) tested the Río Grande source water and the finished treated water from the pilot treatment plant from January 2007 – February 2008. In November
WORK in the CO-OP MEMBERSHIP DEPARTMENT La Montanita Food Co-op is accepting resumes for a MEMBERSHIP ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST. We are looking for someone who is detailed oriented, has excellent communication, written, and computer skills, must be a self-starter and able to multi-task. The position is based at the Administrative offices at the Co-op Distribution Center in Albuquerque. We offer great benefits and competitive wages. The Membership Specialist assists in the development and implementation of member related activities and programs. Submits articles and assists in the production of newsletter including community advertising program oversight. Assists in the organization of special events and volunteer programs. Helps coordinate volunteers. Some travel to other co-op locations. For more
info see the posting on Craigslist or call 217-2027.
PHARMACEUTICAL
UNIT
MDL
Angostura
NHCC
I-25 Bridge
ng/L
1
2.8
Non-Detect
27
ng/L
5
81
140
15
ng/L
1
2.3
1.7
21
ng/L
5
66
110
47
ng/L
5
Non-Detect
Non-Detect
6.5
ng/L
2
27
22
3.5
ng/L
1
10
7.8
21
Acetaminophen pain reliever and fever reducer (e.g. Tylenol & Anacin-3)
Caffeine stimulant
Carbamazepine anti-seizure and mood stabilizer
DEET insect repellant
Meprobamate tranquilizer (carbamate derivative)
Oxybenzone sunscreen & cosmetic ingredient
Sulfamethoxazole antibiotic (Bactrim & Septrin e.g.)
co-op news
July 2009 6
MEMBERSHIP is OWNERSHIP Calling ALL Candidates!
Overall, board members are expected to spend the equivalent of about three hours a week on board duties, including committee work, trainings, workshops and other meetings and activities. In exchange, board members' households are entitled to an 18% discount on purchases (the same as workers receive). Board members are expected to serve the full three-year term to which they are elected.
BY ARIANA MARCHELLO, BOARD MEMBER ach year the Co-op holds elections for 3 seats (of the 9 total) for the Board of Directors. 2009 is unusual in that there are actually 4 seats up for election. As elected representatives of the over 15,000 member/owners, the board especially focuses on a vision and a strategic plan for the Co-op's long-term stability and success. The position is profoundly important and challenging. We discuss and articulate policy, and monitor the overall health of the Co-op as a social and economic organization.
E
The Co-op is a complex $25+ million a year operation with four stores: two in Albuquerque, one in Gallup and one in Santa Fe. Albuquerque is also the site of the Cooperative Distribution Center (CDC), which is our Foodshed warehouse. In 2008, under the Board’s direction, the Co-op implemented a successful expansion of the Santa Fe store. The Board hired a new General Manager and, as always, carefully monitored the Co-op’s performance. The Board's work is both demanding and rewarding. We govern by means of a conceptual framework called Policy Governance. At our monthly meetings, the board reviews management's work by examining performance reports and comparing them to policy standards we have established. The Board governs by declaring, through its policies, the results it wants and the actions it wants the General Manager to avoid while achieving those results. Only by reviewing and adjusting these boundaries do we adjust the direction of the Co-op. We leave day-to-day
ure out what we need to know that we don’t know now to guide the Co-op in the future.
operational details to the General Manager and his team (those are the people you see every day as a shopper); we keep tabs on the stores on a monthly basis through formal reporting. We attend to many details through the work of committees—smaller sub-groups of the board and active members that develop specific proposals for consideration by the Board as a whole. Also, we participate in trainings, workshops and study to better understand ourselves, our role in the organization, our Co-op’s role in the community and fig-
We seek board members from diverse backgrounds and age groups, with a variety of skills, including business, grass-roots community, environmental and social involvement, agriculture or production or other areas related to the Coop's current (and future!) direction. Prospective candidates are encouraged to visit our always open monthly board meetings. Check our newsletter or website for specific dates and locations. If you're interested in running for a seat, you may pick up candidate materials at any store, starting August 7th. Or you may contact us at bod@lamontanita.coop.
YOU OWN IT! CO-OP Deli Chef COOKS AT THE THE SANTE FE FARMERS’ MARKET THE SANTA FE ALLIANCE’S COOK WITH THE CHEF SERIES
T Personal Growth Childhood Trauma • Illness Drugs/Alcohol • Loss Women’s Issues
Louise Miller, MA LPCC NCC Psychotherapy louise@louisemiller.org www.louisemiller.org
Phone (505) 385-0562 Albuquerque, NM
fresh, delicious organic...co-op LOCAL SALE ITEMS SHOP LOCAL & SAVE
El Pinto Albuquerque, NM Select Organic or Natural Salsa, 16 oz Reg. $4.49, Sale $3.29 Sandia Soap Albuquerque, NM Select Soaps, 6 oz Reg. $4.99, Sale $3.99 Santa Fe Olé Santa Fe, New Mexico Roasted New Mexico Green Chile, 16 oz Reg. $4.89, Sale $3.99 Even more
LOCAL PRODUCTS on sale in our stores!
he Farm to Restaurant project of the Santa Fe Alliance, brings area chefs that are committed to purchasing locally grown produce, meat, poultry, eggs and other food products together with local farmers. Sponsored by Edible Santa Fe magazine, the Santa Fe Farmers Market, La Montanita Co-op, Santa Fe School of Cooking and Santa Fe County, the collective goal is to strengthen the local food system, the farming economy and food security as we promote delicious dining and the celebration of the traditional food history and unique flavors of New Mexico. By supporting these fine food establishments, you, too, can participate in revitalizing and securing our local food economy. The Cook with the Chef series is a showcase of area chefs featuring their signature dishes that reflect the
season and ingredients that are available locally. Not all featured chefs are part of the Farm to Restaurant project but are committed to purchasing local ingredients. The Co-op’s Deli chef, Michelle Blodget, was a featured chef in June and will be a featured chef again on July 21 at the Railyard Farmers’ Market on Paseo de Peralta. Her cooking class will begin at 10am. If you missed her “Seared River Canyon Ranch Organic Beef with Blue Corn Polenta, Cilantro-Lime Goat Cheese Crema and fabulous Grilled Chipoltle-Peach and Pistachio Compote,” you missed a spectacular combination of local flavors. Don’t miss her upcoming foray into local gastronomical delights on July 21st at 10am at the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market (at the Railyard). The FREE Cook with the Chef series will continue through September. For more information on which chef is cooking on what Saturday, go to www.santafealliance.com.
Co-op Supports Tribal Youth Environmental
SUMMER CAMP PINU’U STOUT The Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council Environment Department is hosting the 2nd Annual Tribal Youth Environmental Summer Camp in beautiful Santa Clara Canyon June 15-19. This camp gives high-school age youth from New Mexico Pueblos and Tribes the opportunity to learn in a natural setting the cultural aspects, methodology and techniques involved in Environmental Protection from tribal environmental professionals. The hands-on courses include air and water quality, native plants, soil ecology, forestry and restoration. Students will also enjoy fishing, storytelling, astronomy and presentations by the Nature Center and Robert Mirabal. BY
The goal of the camp is to encourage students to pursue education and careers in environmental and natural resource protection then return home to work in their communities. This camp has received support from many communities, Tribal leadership, US EPA and local businesses, including La Montanita Coop. We greatly appreciate the ongoing support provided by the Co-op through the donation of healthy food and snacks for the campers. If you would like more information on the Tribal Youth Environmental Summer Camp or to make a tax-deductible donation, please contact Sage Deon, Planning Committee Chair, at 505-692-8181 or sdeon@ enipc.org.
VALID IN-STORE ONLY from 7/1-7/28, 2009:
Not all items available at all stores.
JULY SPECIALS WANT TO SEE YOUR LOCAL PRODUCT ADVERTISED HERE? Contact Eli at elib@lamontanita.coop
COMMUNITY OWNED CO-OPS A better way to do business:
Rooted in our community for a stable local economy!
co-op news
July 2009 7
CO-OP BEGINS BOX PROGRAM IN
GALLUP AREA
BY TIM MORRISON, CDC STAFF he Gallup store is about to begin a produce box program in an effort to better serve the community with affordable local and organic produce. The produce boxes will be composed of certified organic produce from Veritable Vegetable and local and sustainably grown, though not always certified organic, produce. The boxes cost $25 each and will be sold in advance in 4week blocks. The boxes will be available for pick up at the Gallup Co-op location on Sunday and Monday of every week.
Participating in the box program could help improve eating habits of any customer by inspiring the preparation of more fresh home-cooked meals and the use of fewer processed ingredients. The results are improved personal health, a healthier community and a lowered impact on the environment due to a reduction in packaging and processing.
We are hoping that the box program will benefit the community by providing local and organic produce at a lower cost while helping the Gallup store maintain a wider variety of fresher produce.
Lastly, it is our hope that in the months and years to come, the program will fulfill its potential to evolve into a broader service with more produce that is local to the Gallup area and more locations available at which participants in surrounding communities can pick up boxes.
T
It is well known that eating more fresh fruit and vegetables is crucial in maintaining or regaining good health. The Gallup store frequently serves customers sent by their doctors to address health and nutrition needs. The new Gallup box program would be an excellent step in that direction, as on a weekly basis it will provide the ingredi-
Calendar of Events
ents that allow meals to be organized around fresh fruit and vegetables at an affordable cost.
7/1 7/21 7/27 TBA
Santa Fe Transition Town Meeting, SF Co-op, 6pm BOD Meeting, Immanuel Church, 5:30pm 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.
For more information or to register to participate in the Co-op Gallup Area Box program, contact Alishia Olguin at 505-863-5383 or Tim at 505-217-2010.
THE GALLUP
GROOVE
HELP! I’M A VEGAN
in an ALL-Meat-Eating Household! BY TWO MOONS N.D. n numerous cultures, food has often been viewed as a form of communal interaction and the opportunity (especially around certain holidays) for a festive experience. But, it doesn’t have to be the type of food that brings such warm and memorable feelings around the dining room table. More important is the simple and yet profound act of giving thanks, for the sustenance of food, friendships and good conversation that grace each meal and every day of one’s life. Holiday and food traditions can still be cherished, but new recipes and food choices can replace the old.
swished in gravy or laid between two pieces of bread. Being realistic, unless you never go out to eat, you dine only at vegan establishments, or you refuse to work in any conventional restaurant/fast food environment, protecting yourself from such views may be impossible. You can, however, as with many things in life, just look at and take care of what’s on your own plate, because all that you can really change is yourself.
Whether you’re living at home with your immediate family members, are married, raising a family of your own, or living with a group of friends, breaking the news that you are switching to a vegan diet can sometimes be challenging. Long time meat eaters and the cooks in the family might now be at a loss as to what to cook, having based their culinary skills on fried chicken, roast beef and the traditional meat-based barbeques. Others can be offended that you now refuse those once favored tuna casseroles and desserts made with milk and eggs.
Sometimes, teenagers in particular can be viewed as just going through a phase, or following a fad, which won’t last. If you’re strong in your conviction and specific about your food preferences, the greater will be your chances of friends, family and restaurant attendants taking you seriously, and no amount of outside pressure or feelings of isolation will deter you. Parents generally just want to be sure that their child will be healthy.
I
If you’re a parent, share your reasons for choosing a vegan diet and lifestyle with your children. Children can usually relate quite easily to compassionate reasons for animal life, and for health and environmental concerns.
Therapeutic Environments™
You’ll have the advantage, if you’re the designated cook, in being able to choose the foods which get prepared and served at the dinner table. As well, there will be the opportunity to educate and introduce family and friends to a delicious and varied vegan diet. If you’re not the cook, and perhaps you’ve never cooked in your life, this might be the perfect time to put on an apron and test out your culinary skills. Most often, even a helping hand in the kitchen can present a positive aspect to the person(s) who are usually the ones to “slave over a hot stove” on a regular basis, or you may want to offer substitution ideas to make the cook’s job easier. It’s best not to beat around the bush when it comes to breaking the news. For instance, don’t just eat the bun and when no one’s looking, feed the beef patty to the dog, or fake a stomach ache when that once favorite cake is being served. Just be straightforward, preferably long before mealtime preparations begin, and definitely right when you receive a dinner invitation. It’s really much more comfortable for the host to know, and to have the time to make some changes in the menu planning. It’s also definitely best not to present a holier than thou image, or an attitude that looks like you’re a missionary, out to attempt to convert the masses, or dictate what others should eat or serve. If the main reason you have switched to a vegan diet has to do with your love and concern for animals, it may not be easy to watch pieces of cow or pig being
If eating at school cafeterias presents a problem, consider requesting vegan-friendly foods, or pack your own lunch. If friendly support or interaction might be helpful, consider joining or forming a vegan organization, or starting a weekly vegan potluck, where guests have the opportunity to experience a different and healthier way of eating. In the process, you’ll be creating an avenue to share other health and environmental issues. If you’re a single person, interested in connecting with other like-minded individuals, or starting a relationship with a person with similar life beliefs and food choices, contact your local vegan or vegetarian organization. Many compatible relationships have also been engendered through either responses to magazine or newspaper ads or Internet connections. Also, realize that love and interest in sharing a life together is often thicker than meat gravy or tofu pudding. Many relationships have survived quite well with varying food preferences. If your loved ones are slow to understand or show respect for your vegan diet, keep in mind the words of Albert Schweitzer, “example is not the main way to influence others, it is the only way.” UPCOMING IN VEGAN EDUCATION: “Help! I’m A Meat Eater and My Child, Spouse, Companion is Turning Vegan,” From the author of Peace In Every Bite, A Vegan Cookbook with Recipes for a Healthy Lifestyle.
www.bodymindspiritplace.com
505.343.0552 CONNIE HENRY PhD, ND, RN, CHF, CADS, Digby Henry MA, CHF, BBP, CADS
Offering: “Certified Health Facilitator Program” AND in Collaboration with NM Solutions,
Call 505.268.0701 Smoking Cessation Classes, Acudetox Consultation and Wellness classes
Save the
Date!
THE CO-OP’S ANNUAL
Membership Meeting Sat. October 24th, 5:30pm
at SITE Santa Fe, this event is free and open to the public! Enjoy a Local Foods Fiesta, local music and SITE Santa Fe’s current exhibition following Susan’s talk. WE ARE PLEASED TO WELCOME SUSAN WITT, Executive Director of the E.F. Shumaker Society. Their mission is the linking of people, land and community through local economies. For more information contact Robin at robins@ lamontanita.coop or call her at 505-217-2027, or toll free outside of Albuquerque at 877-775-2667. Watch upcoming Co-op Connection News issues for more information.
Space fills quickly so farmers, gardeners, artists and environmental and social justice organizations please reserve your FREE space early. To reserve your space contact Robyn at 217-2027. Or call toll free 877-775-2667
Oct. 24th 5:30pm
with Susan Witt
barbeque
time
COOKING
Grilled Halibut with Lemon Tarragon Mustard
There are lots of reasons to barbeque in July. Warm summer nights, events and celebrations, more free time for some, and the greater joy and vitality that summer inspires. The following recipes include a selection of meat, fish and vegetables that can be cooked on the grill.
1/2 C fresh lemon juice 1 T minced lemon, zest of 1/4 C dijon mustard 3 T fresh tarragon (preferred) finely chopped, or 1 T dried tarragon 2 T fresh chives finely chopped, or scallions (or a combination) 1/4 C olive oil 6 pacific halibut steaks (8oz) lemon slice, for garnish fresh tarragon, for garnish salt & freshly ground black pepper
on the grill
(Key: C= cup, T = tablespoon, t = teaspoon, lb = pound, oz = ounce, qt = quart) Red Curry Chicken Kebabs with Minty Yogurt Sauce 2 1/2 T Thai red curry paste 1/2 C vegetable oil 2 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch cubes 3/4 C plain low-fat yogurt 1/4 C low-fat mayonnaise 1 T honey 1 T fresh lime juice 1 T finely chopped mint kosher salt In a large bowl, mix the curry paste with the oil and 2 teaspoons of salt. Add the chicken cubes and toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature for up to 2 hours, or cover and refrigerate overnight. Light a grill. In a medium bowl, whisk the yogurt with the mayonnaise, honey, lime juice and mint and season with salt. Thread the chicken onto 10 skewers, leaving 1/4 inch between the cubes. Grill over moderately high heat, turning frequently, until lightly charred and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Serve the kebabs with the minty yogurt sauce on the side.
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, zest, mustard, tarragon and chives, or scallions, then gradually whisk in the olive oil until well incorporated to make the marinade; season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Place fish steaks in a ziplock bag, or use a large, shallow pyrex or glass dish with cover, then add the marinade, close the bag or cover the dish securely, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Prepare your barbeque or grill pan to medium temperature. Grill the fish about 3 inches from the coals, or in the grill pan, for 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until thoroughly cooked. Transfer steaks to a serving platter, garnish with lemon slices and tarragon, and serve immediately. Serves 6. Grilled Vegetable Antipasto 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil 1/4 C finely chopped fresh basil 6 to 8 small organic carrots, peeled 1 C organic snap peas (stems intact for cooking) 1 small organic zucchini, sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch thick pieces 6 to 8 mini peppers, cut in half
July 2009 10
lengthwise and seeded (or 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips) 4 roma tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise 6 to 8 fingerling potatoes, boiled for 15 minutes and cut in half other seasonal vegetables such as eggplant, fennel, sunburst squash, green beans, etc. squeeze of fresh lime or lemon sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste Combine the olive oil, basil, citrus juice and sea salt and pepper in a bowl. Toss the vegetables in this mixture to coat well. Add a little extra olive oil if desired. Preheat a gas grill to high, or build a bed of hot coals. Grill the vegetables, turning once or twice, until grill marks appear and the color pops. Don’t overcook them, as they will continue to cook slightly after you have removed them from the grill. Arrange the vegetables on a platter and serve with any of the additional items below. Garnish with wedges of lemon and whole sprigs of basil. Serves 6 to 8 appetizer portions. ADDITIONAL GARNISH: Mixed Mediterranean olives Hummus or garlic sauce Roasted garlic Your favorite local cheese Grilled Organic Apricots with Blue Cheese and Almonds Apricots, like little golden suns, are the first of the stone fruit to present themselves for tasty summer slurping. When grilling or broiling any stone fruit, look for fruit that is juicy and ripe but still firm-tender. You may easily substitute nectarines or plums for apricots as the season progresses.
8 ripe organic apricots 1 T olive oil 1 T honey 1 T lime juice 1 t fresh thyme leaves 8 slices baguette, 1/2 inch thick extra olive oil for brushing the bread 2 to 3 oz blue cheese, smoked (ideal) or regular 1/4 C roasted almonds, coarsely chopped pinch of cayenne Cut the apricots in half lengthwise, remove the pits and place the apricot halves in a bowl. Combine the olive oil, honey, lime juice, thyme leaves and cayenne, and gently toss with the apricots. Preheat an outdoor grill to high heat and grill the apricots about 2 minutes to a side, or until golden and sizzling. Make little crostini by brushing the bread slices with olive oil and cooking them on the grill until lightly toasted. (Grill the bread on only one side for softer bread, or for crispier bread, turn and toast the other side.) Arrange 2 apricot halves on each of the crostini, scatter with the blue cheese and chopped almonds and garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme. Makes 8 appetizers. Grilled Steak Salad 1 3/4 lbs local organic grass-fed beef sirloin 1 C of your favorite marinade 1/3 C olive oil 3 T red wine vinegar 2 T lemon juice 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 t salt 1/8 t ground black pepper 1 t Worcestershire sauce 3/4 C crumbled blue cheese 8 C romaine or mixed greens, washed and torn into bite-size pieces
barbeque
time
July 2009 11 about 8 minutes. Transfer the corn to plates, spread with the mango-habañero butter and serve.
OPTIONAL: 2 tomatoes, sliced 1 small green bell pepper, sliced 1 carrot, sliced 1/2 C sliced red onion 1/4 C sliced green olives
MAKE AHEAD The mango-habañero butter can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. Maple Grilled Tempeh
In a shallow pan, marinate beef for 1 hour, or overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat grill for high heat, and lightly oil grate. Place steak on grill and cook until desired doneness is reached. Remove from heat and let sit until cool enough to handle. Slice steak into thin strips. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Mix in the cheese. Cover and place finished dressing in the refrigerator. Arrange the lettuce and optional tomatoes, pepper, carrot, onions and olives on chilled plates. Top with steak and drizzle with refrigerated dressing. Serve with crusty grilled French bread. Serves 4 to 6. Grilled Corn with Mango-Habañero Butter The chef of this recipe likes to cook the corn on the cob with the husk tied up (like a ponytail, leaving a handle with which to grab the corn). He recommends soaking the bundle in cold water before it goes on the grill for two reasons: (1) It lightly steams the kernels, making them tender, and (2) it prevents the husks from burning. 1 mango, peeled and coarsely chopped 1/4 C mango nectar (found in the juice section of the Co-op) 1 T honey 1/2 habañero chile, seeded 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened 2 T packed cilantro leaves, chopped 1/2 t kosher salt 8 ears of corn In a small saucepan, combine the chopped mango with the mango nectar, honey and habañero chile. Bring to a simmer and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the mango is very soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth. Strain the mango puree into a small bowl and let cool, about 30 minutes.
8 oz tempeh (Turtle Island Five-Grain Tempeh is good) 3 T soy or shoyu sauce 3 T maple syrup 1 t rice vinegar 2 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed and chopped 1/2 t powdered chipotle (or a couple pinches of cayenne)
Classical Homeopathy Visceral Manipulation Craniosacral Therapy
MARY ALICE COOPER, MD St. Raphael Medical Center 204 Carlisle NE Albuquerque, NM 87106
505-266-6522
OPTIONAL 1 or 2 portobello mushrooms 2 1/2 C cooked quinoa or brown rice a handful of blanched green beans Cut the tempeh diagonally into 4 triangles. If possible, thin the 4 triangles out by slicing each in half horizontally, equaling 8 triangles. Set the tempeh aside. To make the maple marinade, combine the soy or shoyu sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, garlic and chipotle powder in a small bowl. Reserve a few tablespoons of the marinade to use later as a drizzle. Place the pieces of tempeh flat in a large baking dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the tempeh. Make sure the tops and bottoms are coated and marinate for anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 days, flipping occasionally. Grill the tempeh on a medium hot grill for a few minutes on each side, brushing all the while with the marinade remaining in the bottom of the baking dish. When the tempeh is a toasted, deep, maple-y, golden brown, remove and enjoy on a sandwich, over rice or quinoa, or however you like. Throw in some herbs from the garden for good measure. Serves 2 to 4.
MASTER OF DRIP IRRIGATION to satisfy every need from seedlings to mature trees and everything in between
345-9240
These recipes have been adapted and reprinted from the following sources: The Taste of Summer by Diane Rossen foodandwine.com pccnaturalmarkets.com 101cookbooks.com
Wipe out the food processor. Add the cooled mango puree along with the butter, cilantro leaves and salt and puree until smooth. Scrape the mango butter into a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes. Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Pull the corn husks down to the base of the stalks, leaving the husks attached. Discard the corn silk. Using butcher string, tie back the husks. Fill a large bowl with cold, salted water and submerge the corn for 10 minutes. Drain the corn, but don’t pat dry. Grill the corn over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until tender and browned in spots,
Two Locations! Nob Hill
local organic
MELON!
Th e No b Hi l l Growers’ Market
YOUR CO-OP HAS
ALL YOUR
BBQ FIXIN’S! featuring FRESH,
FAIR AND LOCAL Organic Beef!
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Your co-op carries ALL YOU NEED for a DELICIOUS and
Healthy Barbeque...
Every Thursday 3pm-6:30pm Morningside Park
staff of
life
10
SAY NO! G M W H E AT ADAPTED FROM CANADA’S NATIONAL FARMERS UNION 1. MARKET LOSS: Wheat is one of humanity’s most important and culturally-significant sources of food. Both national and international consumers are concerned about the health, safety and environmental issues related to genetically modified (GM) wheat. U.S. farmers could lose international markets in countries that will not purchase GM wheat and experience market shrink here at home due to higher levels of food health and safety consciousness. 2. THE END OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE: GM wheat threatens to destroy organic agriculture. In much of Canada Monsanto’s GM canola has made it nearly impossible for organic farmers to grow that crop. The same thing could happen to U.S. grain farmers. Seed supply contamination and pollen drift mean that organic farmers cannot be sure that their crop will be free of GM seeds. Organic wheat crop production will become nearly impossible. When you say yes to GM wheat, you are basically saying no to organic! 3. LOWER PRICES FOR FARMERS: In the U.S., GM wheat will dramatically decrease international demand for our nation’s wheat. Producing GM-free wheat will give our farmers a marketing advantage if other nations introduce GM wheat. High-quality, GM-free wheat could provide a competitive advantage to farmers nationwide. Stopping GM wheat means higher prices for farmers. 4. HEALTH CONCERNS: Citizens around the world, question the safety of GM foods. As recent food safety scares and the spate of newly introduced federal bills show, people already do not trust our food safety regulatory system a system based, not on independent testing in government labs, but on reviewing data from Monsanto and similar companies. Finally, it will further clarify that farmers and consumers cannot trust the government to regulate food safety no matter what law gets passed or what new agency is created because, despite President Obama’s best intentions, the Department of Agriculture and other government agencies are too busy promoting the GM food industry. 5. ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE: GM wheat, once released into the environment, cannot be recalled. Once this life form is in the environment, it is there forever. Not only can we not recall GM wheat, we cannot contain or control it. GM canola is now cross-pollinating with non-GM canola and with related wild species. In Mexico the ancestor grain to corn, even in remote and wild places, is now contaminated with GM genes. Monsanto’s wheat genes will similarly “flow” through the environment. Sufficient independent testing done on the long-term ecosystem effects of genetically-modifying the planet’s food crops has not been done, nor do we fully understand the effects on human health. This is a completely unnecessary threat to the environment. Utilization of the precautionary principle is necessary. 6. AGRONOMIC COSTS OF SUPER WEEDS: Farmers now grow GM Roundup Ready canola, soy, corn, cotton, beets and other crops.
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REASONS WHY
“Super Weeds” have appeared in canola fields in Canada and in corn and soy fields in the U.S. Farmers will need additional chemicals to control these “super weeds.” One Canadian agronomist estimated the additional weed control costs at up to $400 million annually. 7. SEGREGATION WON’T WORK: Monsanto says that segregation systems are the solution to market rejec-
tion: keep GM and non-GM wheat separate from field to customer. But segregation systems will fail because GM varieties will soon contaminate our wheat seed supply. Tests on canola show that most ‘non-GM’ certified seed contains GM varieties. The same will happen to wheat. With contaminated seed, it’s impossible to run a segregation system. Further, our bulk, high-throughput grain handling system is illdesigned to segregate: with thousands of points where grain could be misrepresented, mixed or mis-labeled. Finally, successful or not, segregation systems will cost farmers and consumers millions. Segregation is costly and will fail.
STOP
8. LABELING: U.S. consumers like most Canadians want GM food ingredients labeled. But governments, processors, retailers, and corporations such as Monsanto oppose labeling. They oppose your right to know if you are eating GM food. These companies claim that the fate of GM foods should be left to “the market,” and then simultaneously deny us the information with which we could make an informed decision at the grocery store. It is totally illegitimate, until we have mandatory labeling and an informed public, to introduce new GM foods. What are they afraid of? 9. CORPORATE CONTROL: Transnationals such as Monsanto, Cargill and ConAgra are increasing their control over our food supply. Worse, Monsanto and others are taking control, not only of our seeds, but of the genes—the building blocks of life. And they use patents, contracts and courts to enforce that control, often making farmers serfs on their own farms. The tremendous market power that agribusiness trans-nationals already have, and their attendant ability to suck the profits out of farmers’ pockets, is the real cause of the farm income crisis. GM wheat offers no net benefits to farmers or consumers, but it dramatically increases corporate control of the global food system. 10. WE DON’T NEED IT: Farmers are told, rightly or wrongly, that there is too much grain in the world: we don’t need GM wheat in order to grow more. Consumers will see no benefit from GM wheat: with or without it, bread prices will still go up. GM wheat brings no benefits. GM wheat is not a solution: it creates problems rather than solving them.
Monsanto and the biotech bullies are once again moving to tighten their grip on the world's food supply. Genetically engineered (GE) varieties now account for BY RONNIE CUMMINS, ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION 70-90% of all conventional (non-organic) corn, soybeans, cotton, and canola grown in the U.S. Joining the growing menu of unlabeled and untested gene-spliced Frankenfoods, genetically engineered sugar (derived from GE sugar beets) hit store shelves in 2008. Now it appears that the most controversial crop of them all, Monsanto's GE wheat, is not far behind. Given that wheat is such a major global crop and essential ingredient in bread, breakfast cereals, pasta and other everyday foods, the force-feeding of unlabeled GE wheat on the public would represent a major conquest for Monsanto and the biotech industry.
Monsanto's
GENETICALLY ENGINEERED Wheat!
Monsanto withdrew their applications to the U.S. and Canadian governments for approval of genetically engineered wheat in 2004 because of tremendous pressure from consumers , allied public interest groups and farmers as well as pressure from large food companies such as General Mills. Wheat industry groups in the United States, Canada and Australia announced on May 14, 2009, they would work toward the objective of "synchronized commercialization of biotech traits in the wheat crop." For the sake of the Earth and public health,
we must stop them.
ONE REASON YOU WOULD WANT MONSANTO’S
ACTION ALER T!
TELL CONGRESS: DON’T FORCE GE CROPS ON OTHER COUNTRIES!
S
enators Bob Casey (D-Penn.) and Dick Lugar (RInd.) have introduced the Global Food Security Act, which increases funding for agricultural research in the developing world, and a companion bill in the House of Representatives is expected soon. While the bill recognizes the desperate need to increase funding for agricultural development and food security, it also requires that foreign agricultural development aid include investment in genetically engineered (GE) crops. Most developing countries, especially in Africa, do not allow genetically engineered crops to be commercially grown, but that's changing with international pressure. Biotech companies have mounted a misinformation campaign to sell themselves and their products as “humanitarian.” To date, not a single GE crop released for commercial growing has increased yield potential or elevated nutritional levels. In reality, fully 85% of all GE crops globally are engineered to survive spraying with chemical weed-killers. These GE crops have increased overall use of pesticides and are best suited to large growers seeking to reduce labor needs for weed control, not poor farmers striving to produce more to feed their families. GE seeds are two to four-fold more expensive than conventional seeds. Not a single GE crop commercially available offers nutritional benefits, enhanced yield potential, drought-tolerance or other attractive sounding traits often touted in the media. Thus, it is
not surprising that many developing countries do not allow the commercial growing of GE crops, particularly in Africa, where only two countries allow them. A recent report by the Center for Food Safety and Friends of the Earth, released in February 2009, called “Who Benefits From GM Crops? Feeding the Biotech Giants, Not The World’s Poor,” found that agricultural biotechnology feeds the profits of biotech companies – not the poor. The report’s findings support the United Nations’ assessment of world agriculture which concluded that GE crops have little potential to alleviate poverty and hunger in the world, and instead recommend low-cost, low-input agro-ecological farming methods being promoted by the international community. ACTION ALERT: Oppose Global Food Security Act of 2009 (S. 384), Section 202, subsection number 4. Please tell our New Mexican Congressional delegation that food aid and development assistance should never be pre-conditioned on accepting unwanted and ineffective genetically engineered crops. Urge them to oppose any legislation that promotes genetic engineering or that mandates its development or use as a condition of food or agricultural development aid such as the Global Food Security Act of 2009 (S. 384), Section 202, subsection number 4. This provision would require that agricultural research include "research on biotechnological advances, including genetically modified technology."
GM WHEAT If you’re a Monsanto shareholder: Independent economists report that the financial benefits from GM wheat will go to Monsanto. Farmers’ costs will rise, their income from wheat crop will fall and consumers will not see lower bread prices. With GM wheat, the profits go to Monsanto and the risks and costs go to consumers and farmers. The 10 Reasons were adapted by Robin Seydel from the Canadian, National Farmers Union, 2717 Wentz Ave., Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 4B6.
C O N TA C T I N F O R M AT I O N
CALL OR WRITE MEMBERS OF OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION Senator Jeff Bingaman 703 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510-3102 • Phone: 202-224-5521, Fax: 202-224-2852 Senator Tom Udall B40D Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510 • Phone: 202-224-6621 Representative Martin T. Heinrich 1505 Longworth HOB, Washington, D.C. 20515 • Phone:202-225-6316, Fax: 202-225-4975 Representative Ben Ray Lujan 502 Cannon HOB, Washington, D.C. 20515 • Phone: 202-225-619, Fax: 202-226-1528 Representative Harry Teague 1007 Longworth HOB, Washington, D.C. 20515 • Phone: 202-225-2365, Fax: 202-225-9599 Go to www.centerforfoodsafety.org and e-mail your opposition to out of state supporters of the bill, Senator Harry Reid, Senator John Kerry, Senator Richard Lugar, as well.
action
alert!
farming &
gardening
GM = GENERAL MADNESS BRETT BAKKER ews about the Genetically Modified (GM) industry never fails to amaze in its outrageousness and audacity. It would be amusing if it wasn’t so scary. Like laughing yourself to death!
BY
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WOULD I LIE TO YOU? Agriculture schools have provided vital information for years on crop performance, yields, insect damage and much more. This information is vital for farmers who don’t have time or space to perform their own field trials but need the seeds best suited to their environs. All GM crops are planted by contract with the seed’s “owner” (Monsanto, Syngenta, Bayer, etc.) and all specifically prohibit research on these “patented products” unless authorized by the company. There have been few such authorizations granted. Every maker of GM crops will trot out their standard line that GM crops are the most tested crops ever and therefore safe. What they fail to mention: they are the ones doing all the testing. And the testing is in breeding, development of pesticide-resistance (that’s pesticide, not pests) and not health, safety, taste or anything everyone really wants to know. Those test results are not available to the public. Controlling informa-
tion and research on your own product is a pretty good way to ensure nothing negative can be said or substantiated. OOPS, SORRY! Speaking of feeding the world, 100,000 acres of corn—all Monsanto GM varieties—planted in South Africa failed to pollinate, leaving farmers with millions of cobs with no kernels. The GM giant has offered compensation to the farms, but money doesn’t help the hungry mouths that were supposed to eat this stuff. No word on if compensation means for the worth of the expected crop (not likely) or for seed and maybe planting costs (probable). Monsanto blames the problem on “under-fertilization in the laboratory.” Oh. That explains it! STIMULATE WHOSE ECONOMY? Backed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Chicago Council for Global Affairs, two Indiana senators have introduced a Senate Bill that proposes handing over $7 billion for the development of new GM crops. GM corporations and their parent companies are among some of the wealthiest outfits around and want their hands deeper in the taxpayer’s pocket since
CO-OP TRADE: FOODSHED WHEAT
Local, Fresh, NON-GMO
L
ast year as part of its Foodshed Project the Coop Distribution Center bought 200,000 pounds of wheat from local grower Vernon Young. Throughout the year we have been milling it at Jose Cordova refurbished Valenica Flour Mill and delivering fresh ground to our stores on a regular basis. Valencia Flour Mill has been milling flour for New Mexicans since 1914, when New Mexico was the breadbasket of the Southwest. The flour is ground in small batches and delivered on weekly routes by the Co-op Distribution Center’s trucks. Always fresh, the flour is delicious and nutritious. It is this commitment to locally sourced wheat and flour that makes the Co-op what it is.
The Santa Fe location will also be carrying Sangre de Christo Wheat from the Northern New Mexico Wheat Project. In the past this wheat was out of stock, but now this fine local certified organic wheat is back. Look for it in the coming months in the Santa Fe Co-op or special order a bag from your favorite Co-op bulk department. Also available at the Co-op is Mountain Mama Mill Flour. Milled from organic wheat grown in southern Colorado, this is yet another fine regionally produced flour brought to you by your Co-op CDC’s Foodshed Project.
July 2009 13
CORPORATIONS PICK TAXPAYER POCKETS the farmer’s pocket has already been picked clean. Umm... Why doesn’t this count as the new “socialism” everyone is in such a panic over? Somehow corporate welfare equals good but public welfare does not. SAY “OINK!” Brazil’s National Technical Commission on Biosecurity, backed by small farmers and “agribiz” alike, has rejected Bayer’s GM rice in their country. Germany, France, Austria, Hungary and Greece have banned a new Monsanto GM corn. As nation after nation fights to resist the itchy green importation of GM crops from the U.S., foreign markets have opened for organic and non-organic non-GM crops. So, Americans can expect to eat food grown here that the rest of the world won’t take. That’s sort of like the idea in rural areas for keeping a hog in your backyard: feed them the stuff that no one else will eat.
thumb
YIELD, STOP, DO NOT PASS GO After almost two decades of development and a little less of actual plantings, what has the development of GM crops gotten us? Not much except higher use of pesticides, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists that issued the report “Failure To Yield.” Among many other conclusions, the report “debunks widespread myths about the superiority of GM crop yields.” In other words, the usual rhetoric about needing a high-tech solution to feed the world doesn’t hold up. Download a free copy at http://ucsusa.org/ food_and_agriculture/ WILL THE REAL GREEN REVOLUTION PLEASE STAND UP? In the Third World, the infamous Green Revolution wiped out thousands of heirloom rice varieties, polluted pristine rural environments and put millions of farmers in debt to multinational seed, fertilizer and pesticide companies. The International Rice Research Institute is promoting the “Second Green Revolution” with GM rice as its foundation. Fourteen Asian countries (where rice of course is the staff of life) have signed onto their own program to combat this menace. For more information go to http://www.panap.net/281.0.html.
free
Bee
collaborative workshop
NATIVE HONEY BEE AND HABITAT
Workshop
LAURIE LANGE ave you ever seen a redbud tree in mid-summer whose leaves are becoming more and more lacy as days go by, with circular cut-outs appearing on the margins of the leaves? It happens to redbud trees all over town. BY
H
The creature wielding the “scissors” is a leaf cutter bee. Once I had the privilege of watching one at work on her cutting. She uses her jaws to do the snipping, and then the little circle of leaf she’s cut out is grasped between her legs and mouth parts. She rolls it into a tubular bundle in order to fly this object, that may be larger than she is, back to her nest. On arrival, she'll take the leaf piece into her nest where it will become part of a partition between egg chambers. Thus the leaf cutter bee goes about providing for the next generation of leaf cutters. In addition to redbud leaves, she also favors leaves of plants in the rose family for her partitions. The leaf cutter's relative, the orchard mason bee, partitions her nest in a similar manner, but the orchard mason uses mud instead of leaves to build partitions—hence her name, mason bee. Orchard masons are becoming economically important for fruit tree pollination and are now used in large orchards, brought in during the cocoon stage, to pollinate where honey bee populations have failed. These two native bees are docile; unlike the European honey or Africanized bees, the majority of native species are not inclined to sting. Watching
them go about their work is a delight. To invite their presence, and support them in times like these when there are so many environmental threats, is as important as it is joyful. In order to do so we need to become familiar with their nesting habits and needs as well as knowing which flowers each species will visit and pollinate. The Bee Collaborative, a local non-profit, is creating a pilot bee habitat to explore native bee needs through a series of workshops. We're learning how to encourage both natives and honeybees, with whom the natives co-exist. In the workshops we'll try various constructions and materials provisioning to find out what can best foster a thriving and diverse population of bees. Projects in the works include a cob earth cliff for mason and other earth-burrowing bees, a perpetual mud puddle, a bee bower, dew and pine pitch collectors and more. In the first workshop we’ll install a section of split rail fence drilled with holes for species who don’t make their own holes, such as the leaf cutters and orchard masons described above. The pilot project is being designed as an outdoor classroom, and is supported by a grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Our first workshop is free. Info about native bees will be presented over lunch and on a short hike to visit some native bee nests. Come prepared to work, and learn about how to invite the wide world of bees to your garden. More info at botanicarts@earth link.net
WHEN: Saturday, July 18, 9-6pm and Sunday, July 19, 10-4pm WHERE: The Native Bee Habitat Pilot Project Site, in a scenic canyon between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, NM For more information or to register, contact Laurie at botanicarts@earthlink.net. Please expect reply to take about a week. If more immediate contact is required, call 505-220-2726.
action CLEAN ENERGY & SECURITYACT environmental
The GOOD and the BAD BY JOHN FOGARTY, MARIEL NANASI, RYAN SHAENING POKRASSO he House Energy and Commerce Committee recently approved a “landmark” climate and energy bill, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACESA). The bill will now go to the House Ways and Means Committee and eight other committees and for a House vote probably by July. The bill is nearly a thousand pages long and covers everything from emissions to offsets to green building to renewable energy.
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The bill has caused mixed reactions. Al Gore, big business and major environmental groups are hailing the progress that is being made towards passing America’s first global warming bill. Yet, at the same time, perhaps trillions of dollars of revenue will be handed over to energy corporations in what the Office of Management and Budget is calling the “largest corporate welfare program” ever enacted. We all desperately want to see federal action on climate change, but at New Energy Economy we believe this bill – as it is currently written – won’t get the job done and will enrich big energy companies at the expense of low -income families. Unless it is dramatically improved, the bill is not worth supporting. The American Clean Energy and Security Act: a.k.a. the Waxman-Markey Bill: • Sets a target that won’t substantively reduce emissions for many decades, allowing for continued warming and triggering potentially dangerous positive feedback loops; • Allows for huge amounts of “offsets,” which would allow companies to continue polluting by purchasing cheap unregulated carbon allowances on the international and domestic market; • Gives away hundreds of billions of dollars every year for the next 20 years to polluting industries;
July 2009 14
THE CHANGES WE WANT
BEFORE THE JULY VOTE
• Disproportionally impacts low- and middleincome families with rising energy prices; • Fails to adequately invest in clean energy technologies and invests large sums in unproven and risky “clean coal technologies.” Some supporters of the bill have acknowledged its problems, and have said that we “just need to get something passed” and “we can go back in a few years and fix it.” Unfortunately, we think this strategy is misguided. In a few years we will have created a program that will be hugely unpopular with the public, and it is unlikely that we will have the political will to challenge the corporate interests that will be benefiting enormously from this legislation.
Real Life Examples There is a large-scale real-life example showing that free giveaways will be a boon to companies and a problem for consumers and future generations. The European Union enacted a climate program in 2005, and the majority of permits were given freely to corporations. As many in Congress are now claiming, these giveaways were to ensure that ratepayers wouldn’t be hurt by rising energy costs as fossil fuels were phased out and more expensive clean energy resources were brought on line. The results were predictable. The energy corporations pocketed the money, Europeans now pay more for their energy, and global warming pollution hasn’t been reduced.
ACTION ALERT: Organizing for
Energy Justice
N
ew Energy Economy has been organizing throughout New Mexico around the principles of auctioning all carbon permits and returning the revenues back to consumers. More than 350 New Mexico businesses across the state are supporting the goals outlined below. The Waxman-Markey Bill must be dramatically improved to include provisions that will protect low-income families and will ensure a meaningful reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. In particular New Energy Economy is calling for: 1. science-based targets to reduce emissions (e.g., the IPCC recommends more than a 25% reduction below 1990 levels by 2020); 2. an auction of 100% of carbon allowances (i.e., no free giveaways to carbon-intensive industries); and 3. provisions that return the revenues back to taxpayers
and to investments in clean energy – not to energy companies. You can learn more about this at www.CapAnd Dividend.org. These requests may seem bold, but President Obama made campaign pledges on all three of these points, and other politicians are now backing the ideas of a “cap and dividend” program. Gov. Schwarzenegger, in late May, endorsed a dividend program and asked that revenues from a California climate program be returned not to energy companies but to taxpayers. America can and must do better than what is proposed in the Waxman-Markey Bill. Please get involved in helping to improve this bill. Go to NewEnergyEconomy.org to sign the petition. Contact our federal legislators, Ben Ray Lujan, Martin Heinrich and Harry Teague, and ask them to make sure we get what the people, not the corporations need in our American Energy and Security Act. See their contact information on page 12.
community
forum
July 2009 15
JULY 7TH: WALDORF PRESENTATION
Tierra Madre School:
comprehend words, to follow a story line and to pronounce words. Later, the child will be taught the visual reading skills with the same careful attention and sensory detail. While this takes longer than traditional methods, the benefits are profound. Language comes alive for the child, and the full range of complex skills necessary for true literacy is mastered.
Waldorf-Inspired Learning Unfolds BY VERA CLYNE y daughter attends Tierra Madre Community School, a Waldorf-inspired school here in Albuquerque. When talking with another mom at a park recently, she asked, “Is it true that if your child goes there she can’t watch TV AT ALL?” Well, not quite. Waldorf does discourage TV, as do many non-Waldorf preschools and educators, with good reason. Recent neuroscience research shows that TV can have negative effects on developing brains. And while Waldorf education is not a new approach – it was developed almost 100 years ago – current research on early education and brain development shows strong support for Waldorf methods.
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Waldorf education is a comprehensive curriculum that communicates the values of rhythm, reverence and responsibility within the context of a child’s
development. While all Waldorf schools are different, reflecting the specific needs and values of the communities they serve, Waldorf education as a whole emphasizes careful attention to each child, allowing learning to unfold in step with each child’s developmental readiness. Just as not every child will walk and talk at the same time, not every child will be ready to read and write at the same time. Early Waldorf education focuses on preparing the foundation for later academic learning in harmony with a child’s natural development. Through play, movement, storytelling, gardening, walking and other physical experiences, a rich sensory environment is created for young children. Children experience verse, song and oral storytelling, which develop auditory literacy skills: the ability to sit, to listen, to
C E L E B R AT E 2 5 Y E A R S O F N AT U R A L R E S O U R C E
CONSER VATION ALBUQUERQUE’S OPEN SPACE DIVISION BY KENT SWANSON, CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE OPEN SPACE DIVISION ince its inception in 1984, the City of Albuquerque Open Space Division (OSD) has been working to preserve environmentally and culturally important lands throughout the Albuquerque area. Much of what defines Albuquerque and makes it unique is its “open” and undeveloped spaces, such as the cottonwood Bosque of the Rio Grande Valley, the Sandia Foothills and the volcanic escarpment and grasslands of the City’s West Side, all under management of the OSD.
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On August 8th from 9am-5pm join us for a celebration of 25 years of Open Space. This FREE event is a great way to learn more about the Division and the lands we manage, while taking in a festive environment of music, food, tours, workshops and more.
There will be activities in addition to educational displays about the Division and its history. Scheduled tours and activities include: • Self-guided Bosque tours • Piedras Marcadas Pueblo tour • Farm tours/hay bale rides • Art tables for the kids • Live birds presented by Hawks Aloft • Workshops on gardening and agriculture • Live music by the Rivet Gang and “Dogs on Leash” • Food vendors • Presentations by community members involved in Open Space preservation Please call 452-5200 or see www.cabq. gov/openspace to learn more about this unique event for the whole family. The celebration will take place at the Open Space Visitor Center, 6500 Coors Blvd NW, between Montaño and Paseo del Norte at the end of Bosque Meadows Rd. For more information contact Kent Swanson, 452-5200. Email: kswanson@cabq.gov
Yjastros: Flamenco Heat Lights Summer Nights BY CHRISTINE VIGIL Y BARRENECHEA Yjastros, The American Flamenco Repertory Company will begin their Summer Cabaret season, beginning July 8 and running through August 8! Cabaret performances will take place in Santa Fe at El Farol Restaurant on Wednesday through Saturday and in Albuquerque at The National Hispanic Cultural Center on Sundays.
WWW.NATIONALINSTITUTEOFFLAMENCO
505-265-2256 LMT Lic. 1074
232-2358 www.EricsTreeCare.com ericstreecare@yahoo.com
SUMMER TIME CARE
SERVICES
For more information on summer performances or class schedules, contact The National Conservatory of Flamenco Arts at 505-242-7600 or visit our website at: www.nationalinstituteofflamenco.org.
LPCC Lic. 0494
Member of International Society of Arboriculture and Society of Commercial Arboriculture ISA Certified, Licensed & Insured
• Fruit and Shade Tree Pruning • Technical Removal • Planting • Cabling & Bracing • Fertilization • Root Rehabilitation Services
The Conservatory of Flamenco Arts will offer a 5 week Summer Intensive program from July 6-August 8. The program focuses on traditional styles of dance, from beginning children and adults to advanced, seasoned dancers.
Penny Holland
Tierra Madre Community School will offer a Waldorf-based mixed preschool and kindergarten beginning in August, 2009, and will include ages 3 to 7. If you are interested in more information, please call the school at 250-7279.
Call for estimate on crown cleaning your trees.
REPERTORY C O M PA N Y
M . A . , L . P. C . C , L . M . T.
Stephanie Shantz has a Master’s in Waldorf Education and is a Tierra Madre board member. Robert Rowen-Herzog is a therapist, science geek and amateur mystic who writes and teaches on the nexus of science, spirituality and culture. They will offer a presentation on the relationship between neurological development and Waldorf education on Tuesday, July 7th, from 6:30-8pm at Tierra Madre Community School, 1700 Atrisco Rd. NW. Please come and join this lively and informative discussion.
Now is the time to deadwood your larger trees and assess your Elms and Cottonwoods for potential hazards.
AMERICAN FLAMENCO
Body-Centered Psychotherapy and Trauma Healing
These methods don’t fight the flow of childhood, but rather give it reverence. They take advantage of the way in which children naturally learn, and create endless opportunities for child-initiated discovery. Careful attention to sensory and motor experience is given, because these experiences are critical to neurological development. Children are free to be the active, energetic, curious and participative beings they naturally are. And there is nothing on TV that can foster this kind of development.
.ORG
Summer Art Camp Where creativity and self expression shine!
Register NOW for Session III, July 6 - 17 (505) 242-6367 www.harwoodartcenter.org