september 2009
c onnec tion
free
BUILDING THE REGIONAL
FOOD-SHED BY ROBIN SEYDEL n a gorgeous early August morning, Michael Lobaugh met me at the Macintosh Post Office about 12 miles south of Moriarty. He led me on unmarked back roads, past “corn as high as an elephant’s eye” and a variety of small farms and ranches to Old Windmill Dairy. Puffy white clouds moved lazily in the unbelievably blue New Mexican sky. Marking the horizon, the Manzano Mountains glowed purple in the early morning light. I couldn’t help but be moved by the beauty of our central New Mexican grasslands.
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As we turned into the gate, our arrival was greeted by three friendly Great Pyrenees and Anatolians, Pooches, Zach and Edison, “our night watchmen,” Michael said with a smile. “You should see them take off across the pastures after any predators that might be threatening our goats.” Also wandering around the front yard were a flock of noisy geese, a few hens and a baby billy (to be trained as a pack goat for one of the neighbors), that with the dogs had free run of the place. “This place was originally going to be called ‘Huerfano,’ which in some translations means orphan. All our first animals were rescues—orphans, of one sort or another,” Michael explained as Wilber, a sweet faced donkey with the biggest ears I have ever seen walked over to nuzzle us. “No one wanted him so we just took him in, and soon we got Betty. We’re hoping they’ll mate some
OLD WINDMILL DAIRY
“TAILS” of CHEESE & COMMUNITY
The Art of Aging: NEW CHEESE CAVES Michael and Ed got their first goats in 2001. “After years in the corporate world I knew I wanted to do something more fulfilling,” quips Michael, opening the door to the cheese making room. “We made cheese in our home kitchen for years until we got our recipes down. We bought the land in 2004. It took a few years to find all the right-sized equipment and build this cheese room.” They received their USDA Grade A Dairy certification in 2007, about the time they connected with the Co-op’s FoodShed Project and distribution network. For the past two years Old Windmill Dairy has been an amazing Food-Shed partner. Working so closely with a local producer to expand both product line and markets has been mutually beneficial. The Co-op Distribution Center, Old Windmill Dairy and Flying Star worked together to utilize the spring glut of fresh chevre. Michael and Ed produced the 10-pound buckets, the Co-op brought them to many Flying Star locations in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, and Flying Star chefs created seasonal culinary delights highlighting their delicious fresh chevre.
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n an effort to expand their product line, maintain four-season sales and further utilize all their available goat milk, the Old Windmill guys, with a $5,000 mini loan from the Coop, extended the cheese making facility and built three aging caves. “We brought in a backhoe, dug the holes, poured the cement and built the building around the caves. I’m pleased to say we paid off the whole Co-op loan in cheese in early August. Each cave is 5 feet wide, 8 feet deep and 12 feet long. We think they’ll hold about 200-300 wheels each; that’s a pretty good Caves estimate, but we’re still working on it. Lights and shelves still need Bring NEW to go in, then we’ll know for OPPORTUNITIES sure,” says Michael. The next and PRODUCTS major investment: an 8x10 foot walk-in refrigerator was in the works that very morning. Now they‘re producing a wider variety of aged goat cheese, including goat cheddar, jalapeno cheddar, gouda and eventually blue cheese. Feta and chevre remain their fresh cheeses.
Cheese Aging
day. Our first goats were ‘orphans’ too.” Michael and partner Ed changed the name to Old Windmill Dairy for a number of reasons, not the least of which was the old windmill and little shack that were the only structures on this, their first 10 acres. Now just a few years later, there is a well, septic system, a spotlessly clean milking barn and attached cheese making facility, a barn-like little structure that serves as an animal husbandry and cheese making educational center for the community, a shade structure out in the middle of the goat pasture and a barn to keep the goats warm in winter. Michael and Ed currently milk about 65 goats morning and night and by next year hope to be milking close to 80 head. The loving care the goats get is evident from the very moment you walk in their direction. The youngest ones, born last winter, crowd the low fence begging for attention, and the older moms come running the minute Michael opens the milk barn door. A diversity of Nubian faces cry “mmaaa” at me, their coats shinning in the morning sun; velvet muzzles gently kiss my arms and legs and sniff my pockets, falling over one another to get closer.
It’s a Community Thing The love of place that Michael and Ed feel is evident in the names they’ve given their cheeses, including: Holy Chipotle Chevre, Sandia Sunrise Gouda and McIntosh Cheddar. Michael says “It’s as much about building community out here as it is making cheese and caring for our ‘kids.’ I grew up on a ranch in Texas and I remember my Grandmother calling all our ranch hands in for meals. We all sat together and shared food. We like to do that here too. One of our staff people, Sylvia, will often cook or I’ll grill and we’ll all share a meal after the evening milking is done. During kidding time friends come and camp out in the education barn. During that season it’s just crazy! Last year we had 20 kids born in a couple of hours. Everybody pitched in to wash the new babies and cuddle and bottle feed them.” Michael and Ed also see as part of their mission increasing the local economy by providing jobs to people in their village, helping local youth develop their self-respect as they learn agricul-
CELEBRATING THE FOOD-SHED’S HARVEST
IT’S APPLE SEASON! At ALL Co-op Locations Grown Sustainably and Organically just for you! Right here in New Mexico. Enjoy Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Jonathan, Honey Crisp, Galas and more! e all love our apples every day all year long — you know what they say about an apple a day… But this month is special for apple lovers! The harvest is coming in! Apples are at their peak of flavor and freshness. Thanks to the CDC and the Food-Shed Project, the Co-op will have a wide variety of locally grown apples.
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This year we will once again have certified organic apples from Kevin and Linda Wrigley’s Tip Top Farm in Sile, New Mexico. Another Food-Shed partner that will be supplying us with apples is Grant Morrison. His two orchards are in Albuquerque’s urban outskirts on both sides of the Rio Grande, in the far North Valley and across the river in Corrales. Grant will be bringing us his pesticide-free Gala apples for starters and other varieties as apple season deepens.
As of this writing we are still in negotiation with a diversity of other apple growers from around the state to keep the apples coming in your favorite colors and flavors. Celebrate this year’s apple season with your Co-op! • Sample a wide variety of locally grown apples every day, all month long at your favorite Co-op location. • Get great deals on cases and larger quantities — make apple butter, apple sauce, dried apples, apple pie, apple cobbler—need we say more! • Every day your Co-op Delis will feature a new delicious apple dish, sweet or savory. • Special sales on a Deli-delish take home homemade apple pie or other apple specialties. • Pick up FREE special apple recipes and fill your kitchen with the intoxicating aroma of baking apples (with cinnamon?) • Kids—get your “We Love Apples” coloring books. • All children get a free apple to munch while their parent(s) shop. For more on the Co-op Apple days and apple nutrition see page 7.
tural/animal husbandry skills and educating the community to bring back the lost arts of family farm food production. McIntosh and Moriarty locals work a variety of shifts to help with the milking, feeding, watering, cheese making and the endless cleaning that it takes to keep the dairy and cheese making facility spotless. The guys collaborate with a Torrance County program that works with at risk youth, who are mandated by the courts to do community service. Michael again, “At first I was a little worried, but all the young people who have come to us through the program have been great. They have grown tremendously, learned some skills, really bonded with the animals and helped keep everything going around here. Participating in this program, with these young people, has meant a lot to me. It’s about building community for the future; it’s a big part of why Ed and I do what we do.” NAME A CAVE CONTEST! o further community involvement at Old Windmill Dairy, Michael and Ed invite everyone to participate in the “Name A Cave” contest. During September and October, submit the name you think would be best for one of the three new cheese-aging caves and win $50 worth of Old Windmill Dairy cheese and a $50 Co-op gift certificate.
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To win this delicious $100 in prizes go to nameacave@gmail.com and submit your entry. No limit on entries. The winner will be announced at the Co-op’s Annual Membership meeting on October 24 at SITE Santa Fe. You do not need to be present to win, but if you’re not you’ll be missing an inspiring talk by Susan Witt of the E.F. Schumacher Society on linking land, people and community, a delicious FREE local foods fiesta and a chance to see the current SITE Santa Fe Exhibit. Don’t delay: submit your entry and “Name the Cave” at Old Windmill Dairy. Ask for all the fabulous flavors, both fresh and aged, of Old Windmill Dairy cheese at your favorite Co-op cheese department.
Health and Wellness
Celebration SATURDAY, SEPT. 19, 10-4PM AT THE VALLEY CO-OP 2400 Rio Grande Blvd NW
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OME CELEBRATE with us at our Family Wellness Fair. Sample delicious, nutritious Coop foods as you enjoy a wide variety of local health and wellness booths. Enter to win gift bags and get lots of information on how affordable good nutrition is. All new and renewing memberships purchased during the fair will receive an extra free gift at the special membership information table. There will be a number of people on hand to answers questions about food and supplements. Often “wellness fairs” are focused on vitamins and supplements, which is a little backwards. Good nutrition, healthy living and a healthy environment are our first wellness needs. In these areas, La Montanita has been a wellness leader since 1976. La Montanita was formed to meet the needs of its community and it has been providing the healthiest and highest quality food since our beginnings. Our commitment to nutritious food shows up in every department. Whether it’s whole grains and beans from our bulk department, or our abundant organic produce, good food is our way of life. Come and enjoy this FREE, fun, family event at the Valley Co-op, 2400 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, one mile north of I-40, one mile south of the Rio Grande Nature Center. BY VALERIE SMITH, VALLEY HBA TEAM
building the regional 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 Assistants: Rob Moore, Josh Center robm@lamontanita.coop 217-2016 joshc@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.
2
economy
LOCAL
NEW AGRARIANS:
INNOVATORS
SUSAN WITT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE E.F. SCHUMACHER SOCIETY. Thanks to Susan and the Society for allowing this excerpted reprint. BY
Come hear Susan Witt at SITE Santa Fe and dialogue with her at a LOCAL FOODS fiesta on October 24th.
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he twenty-fifth anniversary of the publishing of Wendell Berry's The Unsettling of America presented an opportunity to consider the nature and promise of Agrarianism in these changing times. The consequences of our dependence on the products of a relatively few international corporations are now more visible. Instead of addressing the conditions of poverty, the global economy has only exaggerated the intolerable discrepancies in income and distribution of goods around the world. The poor are even further impoverished when, following the promise of available jobs, they are enticed into the enclosed compounds of corporate factories with the accompanying loss of the social fabric that had nourished them.
become involved in the process. It requires looking beyond home economics to community economics and understanding that the health of the community is part and parcel of our own health and vibrancy—a vision Wendell Berry articulated so well in The Unsettling of America. Community Based Loans: SHARE the Grandmother Circle Broad-based democratic access to land is only one aspect of an agrarian economy. A credit system that favors small locally owned businesses is also essential. The Self-Help Association for a Regional Economy (SHARE) in my home region of the Berkshires provides a model for consumers to share the risk in the start-up costs of small businesses. The objective of SHARE is to make productive loans to people who are unable to secure normal bank financing but who have the kind of small, locally owned enterprises that produce quality goods and services for local consumption. SHARE members open savings accounts at a local participating bank, and these accounts are used by SHARE to collateralize loans. This kind of lending requires that the community separate the functions of banking: the bank makes the loans and handles the accounting, but the lending decisions—based on a set of social, ecological, and financial criteria established by SHARE—are made by the community of depositors. The Berkshires SHARE has collateralized loans to a goat-cheese producer for the stainless steel equipment in the milking room, to a home knitter for a bulk supply of yarn, to the owner of a working draft-horse team for materials for a barn, to a kite maker for a quantity of waterproof fabric, and to a music teacher for a piano. The payback record on SHARE-collateralized loans has been 100 percent, both because of their scale and because of community support for the loan recipients. SHARE members help maintain this perfect record by recommending these small businesses to their friends.
The SHARE loan-collateralization program is simple to operate and easily copied. Similar programs have started around the United States, using the model created in the Berkshires. It is the “grandmother principal” which has made Come hear SUSAN SHARE a success. When people withThe cultural life and traditional skills of the vil- WITT Oct. 24 at SITE out credit histories decide to go into lage are left behind—skills that if cultivated Santa Fe for FREE! business, they frequently turn to a could provide the basis for a richer local econCompliments of your family member, such as a grandmothomy in which the production of the basic necesCo-op! er, for help. Instead of lending directly, sities of food, clothing, energy, and shelter the grandmother might offer a savings could better be met. account as collateral for a bank loan. The SHARE program simply extends “the circle of grandmothers,” creating a family based on place. But quietly and surely around the world, new attention is being focused on the renewal of village economies. In village after village, leaders are appearing whose roots s we work in our own communities to bring about healthy regionrun deep in their local community. They do not need al economies, we are not working as isolationists, securing only outside consultants to show them the natural riches our own future and our families' futures, but rather we are workand human skills available to shape new patterns of ing in solidarity with villagers around the world who are seeking ways to local production and local trade. They are using their revitalize their own economies. It is important to share the stories of our imagination to craft new local institutions to support successes. A vigorous local economy for the Buryats in the Olkhon region this renewal. It is these villagers, both rural and urban, on the western shore of Lake Baikal in Siberia, for example, will certainwho are the new Agrarians. ly look different from a more self-sufficient Kentucky bluegrass economy, but it will grow out of the same love of place and community. Across North America, in region after region, citizens are banding together in their role as consumers to work The publication of The Unsettling of America awoke us to the crisis in with producers, sharing the risk of production costs in our rural communities. Wendell Berry described how the loss of a way order to help shape the kind of vital local economy that of life rooted in agricultural traditions led inevitably to cultural loss, incorporates social and ecological objectives. I believe multi-dimensional in its effect. The Unsettling of America leads us to that the future of Agrarianism lies with these regionalseek an authentic resettlement and re-inhabitation of the place we call ly based producer/consumer associations. home. Berry’s writing helped spark a new generation of writers who— instead of leaving their homes to find their literary voices as expatriates The Agrarian writers of the 1930s considered private in European capitals—returned to their roots, their birth cultures, to land ownership a cornerstone of their policies. I would explore the process of repatriation. argue that the community land trust model (see my article, Land: The Challenge and the Opportunity, in last In telling the story of each particular community, this new generation month’s Co-op Connection News at www.lamontanita. of writers is giving voice to those hundred thousand villagers around coop/) offers greater opportunity to achieve the Agrarian the world. It is these villagers who are defining a new Agrarianism. Let vision of small landholders beholden only to the soil and us celebrate them and join with them as responsible citizens working the community surrounding it. A community land trust is creatively with local producers to fashion the future of our own neigha non-governmental, citizen-based approach to achieving borhoods and regions. this vision. It uses the resources and good will of the local community to gather parcels of land held in private ownSUSAN WITT is executive director of the E. F. Schumacher Society, ership and transfer them into a public trust. Applying www.smallisbeautiful.org these village-based economic tools successfully will demand our finest skills as human beings. It will require imagination, local knowledge, entrepreneurship, a long-term Remember! commitment to place, and strong working relationships with others—all characteristics of new Agrarians.
RENEWING VILLAGE ECONOMIES
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In many ways it is easy for us to become passive consumers of the products of global corporations, in part because the manufacturing process is invisible. Creating vital local economies requires our active engagement and tests our convictions. A community land trust is not a government tool for reallocating land; it is a citizen-based tool. But it is only as effective as the will of residents of a region to
SLOW MONEY Inaugural Gathering SEPTEMBER 9-11 LAST CHANCE to register for this national gathering to be held in Santa Fe. To register go to www.slowmoneyalliance.org
September 2009
just say NO TO
GMOS
the WORLD ACCORDING TO MONSANTO
FILM REVIEW BY JEFFREY
M. SMITH, INSTITUTE FOR RESPONSIBLE TECHNOLOGY ow much outrage can a single multinational corporation inspire? How much damage can it inflict? The breathtaking film, The World According to Monsanto, features a company that sets a new standard. From Iowa to Paraguay, from England to India, Monsanto is uprooting our food supply and replacing it with their patented genetically engineered creations. And along the way, farmers, communities and nature become collateral damage.
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The film is the work of celebrated awardwinning French filmmaker Marie-Monique Robin, whose three years of work on four continents exposes why Monsanto has become the world’s poster child for malignant corporate influence in government and technology. Combining secret documents with accounts by victims, scientists and policy makers, she guides us through a web of misleading reports, pressure tactics, collusion and attempted corruption. We learn how the company systematically tricked governments into allowing dangerous genetically modified (GM) foods into our diet—with Monsanto in charge of determining if they’re safe. Deception, Deception, Deception The company’s history with some of the most toxic chemicals ever produced illustrates why it can’t be trusted. Ask the folks of Anniston, Alabama, where Monsanto’s PCB factory secretly poisoned the neighborhood for decades. The company produced Agent Orange, the cancer- and birth-defectcausing defoliant sprayed over Vietnam. According to William Sanjour, who led the Toxic Waste Division of the EPA, “thousands of veterans were disallowed benefits” because “Monsanto studies showed that dioxin [the main ingredient] was not a human carcinogen.” But his EPA colleague Cate Jenkins discovered that Monsanto had allegedly falsified data. Cancer was also implicated in research by Professor Robert Bellé on Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup. But his administration ordered him “not to communicate [his] findings due to the GMO question lurking in the background.” Monsanto has the patent for 90% of the GMOs (genetically modified organisms) grown on the planet, and most of them are genetically modified specifically to tolerate applications of Roundup.
LA MONTANITA CO-OP PRESENTS TWO EDUCATIONAL EVENINGS ON
WHAT WE ALL NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
GMOs
no GMOs!
Learn what celebrated author and filmmaker Jeffrey Smith is telling leaders around the world about the dangers of eating and living with GMOs. Come hear Jeffrey Smith, best-selling author and filmmaker (Seeds of Deception, Genetic Roulette, Your Milk on Drugs) and Executive Director of the Institute for Responsible Technology, whose talks have had a profound and lasting impact on consumer choices and public policy in over 30 countries. After hearing all the evidence, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine called on the government to implement an immediate moratorium on GM foods and in the meantime, for doctors to prescribe non-GMO diets for all patients.
Corporate Coup d’etat Monsanto’s past manipulations were warm ups compared to the virtual government takeover used to approve GM foods. The consensus by FDA scientists, according to 44,000 agency documents made public due to a lawsuit, was that GMOs are inherently unsafe. But the most important document, the FDA’s official policy, claimed that GMOs were not substantially different and that no safety testing was necessary. Former FDA biotech coordinator James Maryanski admits that this policy “was a political decision,” not a scientific one. In fact, FDA political appointee Michael Taylor was in charge of the policy. Taylor, who before his first stint as an FDA appointee was a Monsanto attorney and later a vice president, has recently been appointed by the Obama Administration as "senior advisor to the commissioner” of the FDA.
Replacing Nature The World According to Monsanto is aptly named. It is about Monsanto seeking to recreate the world in its own image. They intend to replace (and patent) the entire food supply. This powerful documentary might just inspire a global rejection of Monsanto’s plans for our world. If so, it will be the most important film in history.
Santa Fe
THURS. SEPT. 17, 6pm A FREE SCREENING OF THE FILM The World According to Monsanto directed by MAIRE-MONIQUE ROBIN. Immanuel Presbyterian Church, across from the Nob Hill Co-op (in the upstairs Sanctuary). Light refreshments served.
THURS. SEPT. 24, 6pm AN EVENING WITH JEFFREY SMITH in conjunction with Immanuel Presbyterian Church. Everything you should know about Genetically Modified Foods. Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Fellowship Hall. Non-GMO refreshments before the talk. Requested donation: $3. No one will be turned away due to lack of funds.
cotton (83%), canola (75%), corn (61%), Hawaiian papaya (more than 50%), alfalfa, zucchini and yellow squash (small amount), tobacco (Quest® brand).
To avoid genetically engineered (GE) and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in your food choose certified organic foods whenever possible. While due to pollen drift there may be some background level of GMOs in certified organic foods, organic regulations do not allow the use of GMOs.
Other Sources of GMOs in your food: • Dairy products from cows injected with rbGH. • Food additives, enzymes, flavorings, and processing agents, including the sweetener aspartame (NutraSweet®) and rennet used to make hard cheeses. • Meat, eggs and dairy products from animals that have eaten GE feed. • Honey and bee pollen that may have GE sources of pollen. • Contamination or pollination caused by GE seeds or pollen. • Vegetable oil, vegetable fat and margarines (made with soy, corn, cottonseed and/or canola). CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
Genetically Engineered Crops The estimated percent of the whole commercial crop that was genetically modified in 2007: soy (89%),
AVOIDING
September 2009
Gallup
JEFFREY M. SMITH is the international bestselling author of Seeds of Deception and Genetic Roulette, the executive director of the Institute for Responsible Technology, and director of The Campaign for Healthier Eating in America.
Eating GMOs: WHAT Foods? WHAT Health Concerns GMO plants have had foreign genes forced into their DNA. The inserted genes come from bacteria and viruses, which have never been in the human food supply. Genetic engineering transfers genes across natural species barriers using imprecise laboratory techniques that bear no resemblance to natural breeding. The altered cell is then cloned into a plant.
Valley
Devastating farmers Farmers worldwide suffer at the hands of Monsanto. US farmers are sued; South American farmers are driven off their land to make way for GM soybean fields, or they’re poisoned with Roundup; and tens of thousands of indebted farmers in India, whose investment in Monsanto’s GM cotton went bust, have committed suicide. Mexican farmers are discovering bizarrely shaped GM corn plants, suggesting that when GE corn cross-pollinates traditional varieties, it mutates offspring.
GMOs
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
holy harvest Rio Grande Community Garden yields caring, sharing, fellowship ...AND FOOD
September 2009 4 October 2nd and 3rd from 7 to 10pm. On Saturday, Oct 3, from 2-3:30pm, hear the enchanting sounds of the Kubatana Marimba Band. Then discover the magnificence of the stars by gazing through telescopes with the help of the Albuquerque Astronomy Society volunteers on Friday, October 23rd from 7-10pm.
BY MARKIA RAY Dress up in your Halloween costume and come to the maze for a scary good time on Friday and Saturday evenings, Oct. 30th and 31st. No matter what special event weekend you choose, you’ll have fun.
2009 has been a year of growth and transition for Rio Grande Community Farm’s community garden. The farm, which is certified organic, expanded the community garden this year and now has 103 rows. Each row is approximately 200 sq. ft. of growing space and covers a total of 1.5 acres of land…but it’s much more than just a place to grow food. It’s a place to grow personally by: • helping each other with organic garden information • sharing tips on how to sustainably keep up with weeds and diseases • finding out how to deal with garden pests using natural solutions • supporting all the abundant wildlife that naturally help control pests • getting involved in keeping common areas cleared • being responsible for using irrigation water wisely • making friends with people who love gardening
MAIZE maze
It truly has the community spirit as gardeners have been forming committees, volunteering for tasks, as well as sharing produce with each other and with other community members in need.
Outdoor fun with sustainability in mind
The Rio Grande Community Farm is a non-profit organization and is located on the Los Poblanos Open Space Fields at 1701 Montano Road NW in Albuquerque between Fourth Street and Coors Blvd. In addition to raising organic produce for APS and selling food to the Co-op, the farm also sets aside one-quarter of its 50-acre area to maintain and develop habitat for local and migrating wildlife.
BY MARIKA RAY io Grande Community Farm (RGCF), a non-profit organization which is located on 139-acres at Los Poblanos Open Space Fields in Albuquerque, has been associated with sustainable farming practices for over a decade. This urban farm not only raises certified organic produce but also maintains a quarter of the 50 acres they manage for wildlife habitat and foraging. It’s a unique publicly owned space that people can enjoy in many ways.
It’s a wonderful place to walk, stroll, ride a bike, walk your pets, take pictures, and enjoy nature. The community garden is located in the northwest quadrant of this working farm, which dates back over 1,700 years. Stop by and see it and also come to the Maize Maze, the farm’s annual fundraiser that helps the farm operate year round. Please visit www.riograndefarm.org for more information.
NOW THROUGH NOV. 1, 2009 TIMES: Fridays 6-9pm; Saturdays 10-9pm Sundays/Holidays 11-6pm Located at: Los Poblanos Open Space, Rio Grande Community Farm, 1701 Montano Road NW More info go to info@riogrande farm.org or call 505-345-4580 (for messages only)
themaize
MAZE
FALL weekends
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Every year in the fall, the farm puts on its annual fundraiser, the Maize Maze, to ensure that it can continue its community work. Going into its 12th year, the Maize Maze provides Albuquerque area residents with hours of fun as they explore a labyrinth cut into a cornfield. This year the theme of the maze is Monarch butterflies. Attendees will be given a map of the maze, which is cut by a tractor using GPS technology. The maze design will be in the form of a butterfly and its larval stage. Throughout the maze will be checkpoints and riddles that give clues as to how to successfully navigate the maze in 7 acres of corn through miles of pathways. Special Event WEEKENDS Connect with your ancient roots by exploring the maze in the light of the full moon on Friday and Saturday evenings, September 4th and 5th and
Groups welcome on WEEKDAYS During the week from 9-1pm, groups from public, private and charter schools plus home schoolers are invited to make reservations to explore the maze. Discounted bus transportation is available for APS. See the farm’s website at www. riograndefarm.org for more information. Clubs, scout groups, family reunions, company outings or team building groups can also participate. Visit the farm’s website and fill out a reservation form or e-mail: info@riograndefarm.org for the fastest service. You may also leave a message on the farm’s phone at (505) 345-4580. Reservations are required for weekday visits by groups.
Affordable ticket PRICES Knowing the state of the economy and how personal budgets are being squeezed this year, tickets to the Maize Maze are reasonably priced. Adult tickets (age 12 and up) are $7/each. Children (age 4 to 11) are $3/each. Those under age 4 are free. Rio Grande Community Farm provides programs and services throughout the year to the City of Albuquerque. Among its contributions: • Growing organic food for the Albuquerque Public Schools and local retail outlets reduces transportation costs and boosts the local economy. • Working to safeguard precious water resources by installing a new sub-surface drip system in our certified organic fields to conserve water year round. • Providing a source of food and habitat for wildlife by planting crops to ensure the health and return of many local and migrating species. • Inviting members to participate in our community garden and grow their own food. • Hosting events including the annual Maize Maze to provide fun outdoor activities for Albuquerque area residents.
FARM FOR FAMILIES AND FUN
4803 RIO GRANDE NW
Eating GMOs: What FOODS? What HEALTH CONCERNS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 Ingredients derived from soybeans: soy flour, soy protein, soy isolates, soy isoflavones, soy lecithin, vegetable proteins, textured vegetable protein (TVP), tofu, tamari, tempeh and soy protein supplements. Ingredients derived from corn: Corn flour, corn gluten, corn masa, corn starch, corn syrup, cornmeal and High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). Health Concerns The American Academy of Environmental Medicine states, “Several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food,” including infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, faulty insulin regulation, and changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system. They ask physicians to advise patients to avoid GM foods. • Soy allergies skyrocketed by 50% in the UK, soon after GE soy was introduced. • A skin prick allergy test shows that some people react to GE soy, but not to natural soy. • Cooked GE soy contains as much as 7-times the amount of a known soy allergen as non-soy. • GE soy also contains a new unexpected allergen, not found in natural soy. • GMOs may make you allergic to non-GMO foods • GE soy drastically reduces digestive enzymes in mice. • Mice fed experimental GE peas started reacting to a range of other foods.
• Rats fed GE potatoes had smaller, partially atrophied livers, and GE soy altered mouse liver cells in ways that suggest a toxic insult. The changes reversed after they switched to non-GE soy. • Male rats and mice fed GE soy had changed testicles, including altered young sperm cells. • The longer mice were fed GE corn, the fewer and smaller babies they had. • About two dozen US farmers report that GE corn using Bt caused widespread sterility in pigs and cows. Functioning GM Genes Remain Inside You The only published human feeding experiment revealed that the genetic material inserted into GE soy transfers into bacteria living inside our intestines and continues to function. This means that after we stop eating GE foods, we may still have their GE proteins produced continuously inside us. • If the antibiotic gene inserted into most GE crops were to transfer, it could create super diseases resistant to antibiotics. • If the gene that creates Bt-toxin in GE corn were to transfer, it might turn our intestinal bacteria into living pesticide factories. For more information and sources for the above information go to www.seedsofdeception.org.
WE DON’T WANT NO GMOS S P E C I A L O R D E R y o u r h i g h h o l i d ay C H A L L A H f o r R O S H H A S H A N A H a t t h e Va l l e y C o - o p ! C a l l Fr a n k a t 2 4 2 - 8 8 0 0 .
sustaining
agriculture
September 2009 5
RIO GRANDE COMMUNITY
LAND TRUST Protecting Land and Habitat BY CECILIA ROSACKER-MCCORD io Grande Agricultural Land Trust (RGALT) is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to preserving New Mexico’s family farms and ranches, open space, wildlife habitats and scenic vistas. RGALT works with private land owners who wish to protect their rich agricultural land and habitat- significant lands from urban development. These landowners can receive significant state and federal tax benefits by voluntarily executing a conservation easement on their property.
R
The land trust approach is based on the fact that ownership of a piece of property includes a bundle of "rights" for that property, such as water rights, mineral rights, oil and gas rights, logging rights and development rights. Any one of these rights can be separable from the other rights, and separable from the overall property ownership. It is well known in New Mexico that land owners often sell a property's water rights. Similarly, the right to develop a property for residential use can also be transferred via a legal deed restriction known as conservation easement (CE). The landowner retains title to the property; however, the conservation easement remains a deed restriction with the property and any future owners of the property are bound by the conservation easement. The role of the land trust is to monitor the property and insure that the conservation easement is not violated. One of RGALT’s priorities is to see productive agricultural land stay in the hands of farmers and ranchers and stay in agricultural production. The rich farmland and open space up and down the Rio Grande Valley is under intense pressure from urban
development and intense pressure to sever their water rights from the land. This makes it difficult for farmers to maintain their agricultural practice. CEs can provide interested farmers with a voluntary alternative to land/water speculators purchasing their farms. Landowners who convey a CE can realize some of their property’s assets through tax benefits such as federal tax deductions or NM’s transferable tax credit. (For more details on this program visit www.emnrd.state.nm.us/ FD/LandConserv ationTaxCredit.htm.) RGALT has worked with dozens of landowners to protect their lands from urban development. Together we have collaborated with both state and federal agencies and other non-profits to access funding for conservation easements for irrigated farm land and Rio Grande habitat conservation easements along the middle Rio Grande valley, preserving hundreds of acres of irrigated agricultural land and wildlife habitat. We cannot afford to lose our agricultural lands. What happens on our farms and ranches directly affects our access to a fresh food supply, our water supply, much of our wildlife habitat and the vitality of our rural communities. Loss of these lands not only impacts the agricultural economy and way of life, it also fragments migration corridors and threatens wildlife through the loss of riparian habitat. If you would like more information on RGALT or would like to support their efforts, visit www.rgalt.org. If you would like to support RGALT’s efforts while simultaneously enjoying a professionally prepared gourmet meal using all locally grown foods and served at one of New Mexico’s most beautiful settings, please try to attend the 10th annual RGALT fundraising harvest dinner, to be held at Los Poblanos Inn on Sunday, September 27. Registration information for the event can be found at the RGALT web site. Keeping FARMERS farming on the LAND
R I O G R A N D E A G R I C U LT U R A L L A N D T R U S T : A N N U A L
LOCAL FOOD FEAST FOR FARMLAND fundraising dinner has evolved into one of CONSER VATION Our NM’s largest and finest local food events; celeSEPTEMBER 27TH Rio Grande Agricultural Land Trust’s (RGALT) annual fundraising Harvest Dinner on September 27 will be held at the Los Poblanos Inn and Cultural Center. This year’s dinner will feature a keynote address by well-known writer Bill de Buys, whose books include River of Traps and Salt Dreams. Los Poblanos owners, the Rembe family, have remained our dedicated sponsors for numerous years. Also continuing dedicated sponsors are Albuquerque’s favorite chefs and supporter’s of local farms, Chris Pope of Zinc Bistro and Wine Bar, Mike von Blomberg of Seasons Rotisserie and Grill and Bob Petersen of Savoy, as well as McElvain Oil & Gas.
brating homegrown farm products. Dinner will feature all New Mexico-grown fruits, vegetables and meats. This year’s dinner will be served in courses, honoring each farmer with dishes featuring their special farm product. We are soliciting sponsorships for the event to maximize our fundraising efforts.
CANDIDATE PACKETS
AVAILABLE NOW!
RUN for the
ITSYOUR
CO-OP
BOARD of DIRECTORS 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
Early ticket prices $90 each or 2 for $160. After September 10, prices will be $100 each and 2 for $175. Tickets can be purchased at our website, www.rgalt.org. or by calling (505)884-6557. Come prepared for both our live and silent auctions. For more information or to purchase dinner tickets contact Cecilia Rosacker-McCord at ceciliam@rgalt.org or at 270-4421.
Member of International Society of Arboriculture and Society of Commercial Arboriculture ISA Certified, Licensed & Insured
232-2358
ABQ OPEN SPACE 2nd annual Urban Farm and Harvest
FESTIVAL Local farmers, gardeners, artists and community members working to protect local agriculture in the Albuquerque area are all invited to participate in the Albuquerque Open Space Division’s 2nd Annual Urban Farm and Harvest Festival. This unique family friendly event, held on September 19th, from 16pm will host a variety of free booths, educational events and fun for everyone. For more information go to www.cabq.gov/openspace/ UrbanFarmFestival.html or contact Kent Reed Swanson at 505-452-5216
FRESH, FAIR AND LOCAL FOOD GROWN JUST FOR YOU, SHOP SMART AT YOUR CO-OP
www.EricsTreeCare.com ericstreecare@earthlink.net
FALL
It’s time to mulch and get your order in for firewood
SERVICES • Fruit and Shade Tree Pruning • Technical Removal • Planting • Cabling & Bracing • Fertilization • Root Rehabilitation Services
!
co-op news
September 2009 6 of purchasing a conservation easement for another 100-acre farm.
MEMBERSHIP I S O W N E R S H I P
WHO BUYS THE FARM?
Whatever we in the La Montanita community do, we need to do something decisive to preserve farmland so that we have food from the regional foodshed to sell, which is why the board invited E.F. Schumacher Foundation Executive director Susan Witt to speak at the Co-op annual membership meeting this October. Her work around Community Land Trusts over many years offers us a glimpse into some alternative models to conventional private ownership that we may benefit from as we continue to explore how to hold land and retain its use-value for the benefit of the community.
BY TAMARA SAIMONS, BOARD OF DIRECTORS hose of us on the Board of Directors take the co-op model seriously and we take access to clean, healthy food seriously. Taking food seriously means taking farms and farmers seriously, and that has led to the creation and development of the Cooperative Distribution Center with significant investment toward understanding exactly who grows the food in our region and what they need to be successful. It has also led to the La Montanita Ends policy statement on regional agricultural integrity as part of the Co-op’s mission.
T
But farming is not only a “who” issue but also a “what” issue. Yes, we desperately need farmers, and their economic health and well-being is crucial. But we fundamentally need land, and the disappearance of farmland is one of the major food crises of the current moment, both in the Southwest and the broader United States. Some co-ops have approached this issue by buying farms and integrating them as major food production and educational assets for the organization. In 2008, Chequamegon Food Co-op in Ashland, Wisconsin, bought an abandoned 82-acre fruit farm. The co-op has annual sales just under 2 million dollars with one store that has 1,800 feet of retail space. The Ashland area has been widely known for outstanding fruit production, but in the last 50 years, orchard production has dropped from over 1,000 acres to around 200. Chequamegon Co-op went down the path of buying a farm, but it’s a risky venture. They didn’t have a business plan when they purchased the farm. Substantial amounts of capital will be required, probably from the membership. Management and the board of directors took the risk and the outcome of their decision is still unknown. What is known is that if they had chosen not to buy the farm, this piece of property, which was once the largest operating fruit farm in the area, would have been lost,
S H O P C O - O P ...
F R E S H , FA I R , L O C A L , O R G A N I C
FOOD-SHED VALUE
CHAIN
A FRESH Baguette made from Northern New Mexico grown wheat that was milled in Central New Mexico and crafted into bread by a small local bakery. This baguette represents a value chain of growers, processors, producers and distributors all over New Mexico
AT ALL CO-OP LOCATIONS
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
LOCAL SALE ITEMS SHOP LOCAL & SAVE
and another parcel of irreplaceable arable land would have become a private retreat center. The potential benefit for the Chequamegon Co-op is tremendous, but it’s not a sure thing. It will take a combination of skill and good fortune to bring this project to fruition. Other co-ops have gone down this route and made it work by forming separate educational foundations to support the farm. For example, Weaver’s Way in Philadelphia has a one-acre urban farm, and PCC Natural Market in Seattle operates a farmland trust to secure, preserve and steward threatened farmland in the northwest. PCC has saved three farms, for a total of 449 acres, and is in the process
MEMBERSHIP IS
an apple
TODAY... I
BY JOSH CENTER t’s apple season again, and it looks like it’s going to be an especially good one here in New Mexico. La Montanita Co-op is getting in an amazing crop from a variety of local and regional orchards and lucky for us we’ll soon be up to our ears in crisp, delicious, apples. Aside from being tasty and surprisingly versatile, apples are also incredibly nutritious, and even make the Mayo Clinic list of “10 Great Health Foods for Eating Well.” Apples are very high in pectin, a soluble fiber with many health benefits. Individuals with diets high in pectin generally show better heart health, better cholesterol levels and less gastrointestinal distress. There are even studies that show that regular pectin intake can help regulate blood glucose levels, benefiting diabetes sufferers. Pectin isn’t the only nutritional benefit. Apples are incredibly high in antioxidants, most of which come from flavonoids. Flavonoids are an active plant compound with a variety of uses for the apple and for us humans; they pack a big antioxidant punch. Testing has shown that apples can contain more flavonoids than almost all commonly eaten fruits, aside from cranberries. These flavonoids have been shown to help sufferers of allergies, as well as to help fight against viruses. This is probably where the old adage, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” came from. Possibly most exciting is the role antioxidants play as anti-cancer agents. Antioxidants work by neutralizing free radicals in the body. Free radicals can react with
There’s no food without farmland, and farmland in New Mexico is a dwindling resource. What is the appropriate response to the scenario of less and less farmland in New Mexico? Can/should La Montanita look at the formation of a community land trust? The board will continue to look at what the answers might be, but members of the Co-op at large should reflect on the question as well. What would you as a member be willing to do to support farmland preservation in New Mexico? The board would be interested to hear thoughts and comments from members about this issue. E-mail us at bod@lamontanita.coop.
OWNERSHIP DNA to form mutations, which are thought to be a cause of many of the most common forms of cancer. Not only that, but free radicals are associated with many other health problems, such as liver damage, emphysema, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s, even aging itself. Antioxidants from apples can potentially help defend you from these and many other ailments. It turns out that an apple a day may keep much more than just the doctor away. These are all great reasons to eat apples, but how about a simpler reason: the taste. Apples are delicious, and come in many varieties, with a large spectrum of flavor profiles, from the very sweet Fuji, to the very tart Granny Smith. Fresh apples are easy and convenient; a healthy snack you can carry with you in your pocket. The skin, especially, is full of nutrients. To make fresh apples even more interesting, slice and add peanut or almond butter, or low fat cream cheese for a satisfying snack that’s good for you too. Or just sprinkle slices with cinnamon. Each variety, due to size, flavor and firmness has a best use. Some like Gala’s, Braeburn’s and Fuji’s are best eaten out of hand. The larger, firmer and tarter apples are more commonly used for cooking. Granny Smith, Golden Delicious and Pink Ladies make excellent cooking apples. For a delicious apple pie use Granny Smith apples for their lovely tartness, but this kind of apple may become a little mushy when cooked. To prevent that, try using half Granny Smith and half Golden Delicious apples, which tend to hold their shape a little better in the oven. Look for a wide variety of local and regional apples at your favorite Co-op location. See some recipes on page 11.
Madhava Lyons, CO Agave Nectar, 11.75 oz. Select Varieties Reg. $3.79. Sale $2.99
Sadie’s Albuquerque, NM Green Chile Salsa Reg. $4.99. Sale 2 for $6.00
Mama Luigi’s Albuquerque, NM Marinara Sauce, 32 oz. Reg. $6.49. Sale $4.49
Even more
LOCAL PRODUCTS
on sale in our stores! VALID IN-STORE ONLY from 9/2-9/29, 2009
NOT ALL ITEMS AVAILABLE AT ALL STORES.
SEPTEMBER SPECIALS WANT TO SEE YOUR LOCAL PRODUCT ADVERTISED HERE? Contact Eli at elib@lamontanita.coop
N E W S M A R T B U Y P R O D U C E D E PA R T M E N T P R O G R A M
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
SMART BUYS for Great Value and Nutrition In case you haven’t noticed the produce departments are filled to the brim with GREAT DEALS ON THE HIGHEST QUALITY PRODUCE. This produce, both organic and sustainably grown, comes from all over our regional food-shed as well as from our traditional organic suppliers in California, the women-run company, Veritable Vegetable. During these tough economic times we all need to get the most value for our food dollar. In that spirit and to better serve our members and shoppers, we have been making special deals on 7-10 choice items each week. These items will give you substantial savings on the produce you love to buy.
These are not sale items. These are our regular SMART BUY deals. As these products are some of your favorite, most in-demand items, many of these SMART BUY deals will continue for several weeks, others will change from week to week depending on availability. These SMART BUY deals include items that take advantage of seasonal product supplies to bring you the very best at the most reasonable price. Look for the bright green and orange SMART BUY signs in all Co-op produce departments. Get your SMART BUY deals each week. Save a bundle and eat well. Got questions? Call your favorite Co-op produce department.
co-op news
September 2009 7
H.R. 2749 Food Safety Enhancement Act Passes
PROTECT SMALL FARMERS, THEIR ON-FARM PROCESSING, ANIMAL DIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION: PUBLIC INPUT NEEDED! BY JOANNE BAUMGARTER OF AND ROBIN SEYDEL
WILD FARM ALLIANCE
W
hile the Congressional move to ensure greater food safety is to be applauded, the particulars of H.R. 2749 and the currently proposed new FDA food safety guidelines on “Risky Foods” are both cause for consumer activism to protect the continued growth of the local/regional sustainable and organic foods movements. AS OUR FRIENDS AT THE WILD FARM ALLIANCE WRITE ABOUT THE PASSAGE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: “It was not a great day for conservation or small and medium-sized farmers when this bill passed the US House of Representatives at the end of July 2009. A list of amendments that would have spelled out important protections was not adopted, but the following language did make it into the final version of the bill: “SEC. 419A. SAFETY STANDARDS FOR PRODUCE AND CERTAIN OTHER RAW AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES. ‘‘(b) CONTENTS.—The regulations under subsection (a) ‘‘(7) shall take into consideration, consistent with ensuring enforceable public health protection, the impact on small-scale and diversified farms, and on wildlife habitat, conservation practices, watershed-protection efforts, and organic production methods...” While this language does provide some degree of protection for small/mid-sized family farmers, a number
of regional and national organizations that advocate for sustainable and family farms, including the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) and the National Organic Coalition (NOC), collaborated on a letter of concern to Representative Dingell, one of the bill’s front men. Representative Dingell answered noting that: “Farmers who sell a majority of their product direct to consumers are EXEMPT… Farmers that manufacture food for sale are also exempt as long as they sell the majority of their food to consumers; this includes sales by mail or over the internet.” The NSAC and NOC responded, noting that farmers who process their harvest into value-added products, including jams, cheeses, juice and beverages or other products, qualify as “facilities” under the terms of the bill. While H.R. 2749 exempts facilities that sell over 50.1% of their processed products directly to the consumer, it still imposes a $500 fee on those who primarily sell wholesale, the same amount a multinational agribusiness company would pay. This could directly affect a large number of the farmers and value added processors who participate in the Co-op’s Food-Shed Program. For the full Rep Dingell/NSAC/NOC letter of concerns and responses go to www.sustainableagriculture.net
Calendar of Events CELEBRATE APPLE DAYS ALL MONTH
9/8 BOD Meeting, Immanuel Church, 5:30pm 9/9-11 Slow Money Gathering in Santa Fe 9/17
The World According to Monsanto, FREE film screening Immanuel Church, see page 3
9/19
Valley Co-op’s Health and Wellness Fair, 10-4pm see page 1
9/21
Member Engagement Committee, CDC, 5:30pm
9/24
Jeffrey Smith, auther of Genetic Roulette Immanuel Church, see page 3
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.
Therapeutic Environments™ www.bodymindspiritplace.com
505.343.0552 FOOD SAFETY ACTION ALERTS! u p c o m i n g S E N AT E B I L L When Congress reconvenes in the fall, the Senate will be hearing and voting on a similar food safety bill. Public input to protect small and mid-sized family farmers who both grow and/or do on-farm processing is key if we want to continue to grow the local/regional food movement. Thanks to the work of many family farm advocates in New Mexico, when none of the amendments to clarify protections for family farmers were included in H.R. 2749 our full Congressional delegation broke ranks with their fellow Democrats and stood strong with New Mexico’s farmers by voting no on H.R. 2749. Our hats are off to Representatives Lujan, Heinrich and Teague for their dedication to our state’s family farmers. Hopefully, our Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall will also help ensure that the family farming economy of New Mexico is protected. Contact them today! PRESS FOR: 1. Clear language that protects family farms and farmbased, value-added processing, community kitchen pro-
cessing and facility size. The one size fits all fees for processing meant for large industrial facilities could damage our growing local/value-added foods economy.
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
2. Language in the bill that ensures organic regulations are protected. No bill should be approved without the inclusion of specific language that requires the FDA coordinate with the National Organic Program on the development and enforcement of standards with respect to organic farming. 3. The Senate's bill should not seek to control or eliminate the presence of all animals, as the House bill does. In general, wildlife, draft horses and farm dogs do not pose a significant food safety risk; cattle are the primary source of E. coli O157H: 7. Instead, the term "animals of significant risk" should be used and defined as cattle, sheep, goats and domestic and feral pigs. Additionally, biodiversity conservation, a principle of organic farming, should be encouraged in the bill. CONTACT: Jeff Bingaman at 202-224-5521 • Tom Udall at 202-224-6621
to FDA: on RISKY CROPS
A
fter the bill passes the Senate the FDA will write the actual rule and our public input will be of great importance. Watch for more information in the Coop Connection News and at your community Co-op to help you take action. However, now the FDA is currently taking public comment on proposed new regulations for what they are assuming are some of the riskier crops, tomatoes, melons and leafy greens. The FDA’s taking public comment until November 2, 2009. Please contact them via the link below and make sure to use the docket numbers. Or come to the public comment table at your favorite Co-op location and sign a postcard. http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/Product-Specific Information/FruitsVegetablesJuices/FDAProduceSafetyActiviti es/ucm174086.htm Docket No. FDA-2009-D-0347, CFSAN 200925. Draft Guidance for Industry: Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards of Melons Docket No. FDA-2009-D-0346, CFSAN 200924. Draft Guidance for Industry: Guide to Minimize Microbial Food
SAFETY HAZARDS OF TOMATOES; Docket No. FDA-2009-D-0348, CFSAN 200926. Draft Guidance for Industry: Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards of Leafy Greens FOR ALL THREE GUIDANCES, PLEASE ASK THE FDA TO: 1. Replace the terms "domestic animals" and "wildlife" with "animals of significant risk," using the definition of cattle, sheep, goats and domestic and feral pigs. By doing so, farmers can continue to conserve and restore wildlife habitat that supports pollinators and other beneficial insects, protects water quality and complies with National Organic Program rules. 2. The focus of each of the guidances should be narrowed from all leafy greens, melons and tomatoes to only those destined for processing, where most of the food safety problems occurs. Hand-harvested and field-packed head lettuce, bunched greens, melons and tomatoes should not be subject to these guidances. Once water is introduced into the picture, it spreads and encourages the growth of pathogens. Additionally, bagged leafy greens can become microincubators and must be treated with the utmost care.
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. Schumacher Society. She will speak on linking 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. See page 2 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 7pm
Susan Witt
It says something about Steven Johnson that he’d name his farm after his dog, Tucker. Somehow you know that the organic tomatoes, winter squash and watermelons he produces on Tucker Farm, outside of Taos, get a lot of affectionate attention. It certainly shows in the quality of his tomatoes, and in their abundance. Grown and ripened in a modest but effective hoop house, two hundred pounds of them reach the Co-op’s produce aisles every week. Steven is thinking about doubling that number with a second hoop house. Tucker Farm’s location is spectacular, bordering on BLM public lands and the Rio Grande. Being in this part of New Mexico, it doesn’t hurt that Steven is also an enthusiastic skier. But harvest time is his favorite time of year. “You plant in the spring, weed, water for weeks and weeks… and all at once there’s a bountiful harvest,” he says. Steven also grows hops, which he sells to small, local breweries, including the Abbey in Abiquiu and the Benedictine monks in Pecos. Some of his squash and other vegetables find their way to a local Chinese Buddhist monastery. As a provider for a thirty-one member CSA, Steven takes seriously the idea of farming as an activity that benefits the community he’s a part of. We’re lucky that the Co-op is an important part of Steven’s community, too.
In northern New Mexico, on a farm not far from Santo Domingo Pueblo, it’s almost apple-picking time. Tip Top Farm’s Kevin Wrigley likes this time of year, and so do Co-op shoppers, who have made Kevin’s Honeycrisp apples a seasonal favorite. With their distinct yellow-red skin and juicy, Macoun-like sweetness, Honeycrisps are decidedly an “eating apple.” But it’s their unusual crispness that really distinguishes them–biting into one is a particularly brisk pleasure. They also stay sweet and crisp longer than some apples. Shelf life is always a concern for small farmers. Kevin’s tasty organic blackberries are a treat Coop shoppers look forward to as eagerly as they do his apples, in part because of the care he takes to make sure they reach the shelves at exactly the right time. But it’s a challenge. Blackberries that are too ripe won’t do, and inevitably there are some that don’t quite make the grade. That’s where Ilana Blinkman of Farm to Table comes in. Farm to Table is partnering with La Montañita Co-op to work with producers like Kevin who find themselves with produce that is slightly below standard for selling to retailers like the Coop. Ilana takes on the role of matchmaker to fix up Tip Top Farm’s extra blackberries with High Desert Foods, a premier Colorado food processor in need of blackberries to process, so Kevin’s berries will be featured in several products this fall. “We use a value chain approach,” Ilana explains, “to identify potential markets for fruit that doesn’t quite meet retail standards, and create relationships with other enterprises to get the final product from farm to table. So we’re helping Tip Top Farm get the berries that are too ripe for retail into freezer buckets, and working with High Desert Foods to develop products that can show them off.”
late summer
abundance
SUMMER in the southwest
The month of September brings with it some of the best produce of the year. Squash, corn, chile and fruits of all kinds are in abundance. Here are some recipes to help you get the most out of what’s freshest right now. Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts and Goat Cheese 1/2 cup walnut halves 2 tsp olive oil 1/8 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper 6 medium beets, trimmed and washed 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onions 6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar 3/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp sugar fresh ground black pepper 1/2 lb fresh spinach leaves, de-stemmed and washed 3 oz. fresh goat cheese, crumbled Preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine the walnuts with the olive oil, salt and pepper, mixing well to coat the nuts. Spread on a baking sheet and bake until toasted, about 7-10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Wrap the beets individually in foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Let cool for 20 minutes, then peel the beets by holding them under cold running water and rubbing off the skins. Cut into 1/2-inch wedges, and place in a large mixing bowl with the walnuts and onion. Combine all the dressing ingredi-
ents, taste and adjust the seasonings. Pour dressing over the beets and toss well. Let sit at room temperature at least 1 hour. Just before serving, arrange the spinach leaves in individual bowls or on a large platter. Arrange the beets on top and crumble the goat cheese over the salad. Garlicky Summer Squash and Fresh Corn 2 Tbsp olive oil 1/2 yellow onion, sliced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup vegetable broth 1 ear corn, kernels cut from cob 2 cups sliced yellow squash 2 cups sliced zucchini 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley 2 Tbsp butter salt and pepper to taste Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onion and garlic until slightly tender. Mix in the vegetable broth and corn kernels and cook until heated through. Mix in the squash and zucchini. Cover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until squash and zucchini are tender, about 10 minutes Mix the parsley and butter into the skillet with the squash. Season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir until butter is melted, and serve hot. New Mexican Spaghetti Squash 1 medium spaghetti squash Sea salt and ground pepper A drizzle of fruity extra virgin olive oil, as needed A sprinkle of cumin and good chili powder, to taste (I added a sprinkle of minced garlic, as well) Extra virgin olive oil 1 medium sweet or red onion, diced
September 2009 10
4 cloves garlic, chopped 2 ears of fresh corn, kernels cut off [if you are allergic to corn, try a red bell pepper, diced] Cumin and chili powder, to taste 1 cup ripe and juicy grape or cherry tomatoes, halved 1 14-oz. can black beans, rinsed, drained well [omit if you are allergic to legumes] Two whole roasted green chiles, mild or spicy, seeded, chopped 1 lime - for zest, and juice For garnish: Toasted pine nuts or pumpkin seeds Fresh chopped cilantro Lime wedges
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large (12 X 20 inch) baking pan. In large bowl, combine apples, cucumbers, red onions, peppers and parsley.
Place squash, whole or halved in the oven at 350 degrees until soft. Heat a splash of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, garlic, corn kernels and spices; stir for five minutes until the onion has softened. When the squash is cool enough to handle, take a fork and scrape the squash, making spaghetti-like strands. Toss the squash strands into a large mixing bowl. Add a little olive oil to moisten. Season with more sea salt and pepper. Sprinkle in some added cumin or chili powder, if you like, to taste. Toss well. Add the skillet mixture, tomatoes, black beans and green chiles. Combine. Grate a lime and add the zest. Cut and squeeze the lime juice over the mixture and toss lightly. Pour the mixture into a casserole style baking dish. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven until heated through - about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro and some lime wedges. Fancy Apple Frittata 4 1/2 cups cored, peeled and diced
Checking. Changed. Three personalized checking accounts that match your exact needs – each with FinanceWorks, our new online tool for managing your finances in one place, even including accounts at other financial institutions. You can also receive cash rewards with our no-cost Community Rewards Program.
Granny Smith or Braeburn apples 3 cups seedless cucumber, diced 2 cups red onions, diced 2/3 cup jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced 1/4 cup parsley, chopped 10 large eggs, beaten 5 cups shredded cheddar cheese 2/3 cup fresh lime juice 1/2 cup olive oil 2 cups salsa 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper
In separate bowl, blend eggs, 2 cups of cheddar cheese, lime juice, oil, salsa, salt and pepper. Stir egg mixture into apple mixture. Pour mixture into prepared pan and top with remaining 3 cups cheese. Bake 3035 minutes until frittata is set and cheese is golden brown. Cool 5 minutes to set. Cut into sections and plate. Cantaloupe Popsicles 6 oz. can frozen fruit juice concentrate (I like pink lemonade) 3 cups cubed cantaloupe or other melon 3/4 cup water 10 paper drink cups 10 wooden popsicle sticks In blender or food processor, combine fruit juice concentrate and cantaloupe and process until smooth. Fill each drink cup with about 1/3 cup of this mixture, then freeze until partially frozen, about 1 hour. Insert wooden sticks and freeze until firm. To serve, peel away the paper cup. Makes 10 pops.
SPECIAL
ANNOUNCEMENT NEW SMART BUY PRODUCE PROGRAM
Enjoy free Internet, Mobile and Text Banking – and coming soon: making check deposits directly from your computer and scanner at home or the office. Call or stop by your neighborhood branch office today. As a Montañita Co-op member, you qualify for membership. See how we’ve changed checking...for you. 14 locations including Santa Fe Inside La Montañita Co-op Santa Fe Market, 913 West Alameda, west of St. Francis Drive www.nmefcu.org • 505-889-7755 • 800-347-2838 MeMber NCUA •YoUr Deposits iNsUreD
Up to At
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smart buy Look for the bright green and orange SMART BUY signs in all Co-op produce departments. Get your SMART BUY deals each week. Save a bundle and eat well. Got questions? Call your favorite Co-op produce department.
late summer
abundance
Southwestern-Style Watermelon Salad 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste 1/4 tsp chili powder 1/8 tsp cayenne, or to taste 2 pounds watermelon, seeds and rind discarded and the flesh cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 4 cups) 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice, or to taste 2 Tbsp shredded fresh coriander or basil leaves In a small bowl stir together the cumin, the salt, the chili powder and the cayenne. In a bowl toss the watermelon with the cumin mixture, the lime juice and the coriander or basil until the salad is combined well. Serve the salad immediately. Grandma Ople’s Apple Pie Ingredients for crust: 2 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 tsp salt 2/3 cup shortening 6 Tbsp cold water Directions for crust: In a bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in the shortening until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide dough in half so that one ball is slightly larger than the other. Roll out larger ball to fit a 9-in. or 10-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry even with edge. Roll out second ball. Cut into strips for lattice top of pie. Ingredients for filling: 1/2 cup unsalted butter 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced Directions for pie: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer. Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work of crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.
September 2009 11
Two Locations! Nob Hill
to satisfy every need from seedlings to mature trees and everything in between
345-9240
Let dry in a warm oven (125 degrees) overnight or on the counter uncovered, for 2-3 days. Check the apple leather for dryness. When you can touch it with your finger and it is not sticky it is dry enough. It should be flexible, not brittle. Cut in 1/2 inch strips. Wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Eat like a fruit roll. Store in tightly sealed containers; it can also be frozen and will keep well for months. Grilled Brie, Apple and Watercress Sandwiches 8 (6-inch) diagonal baguette slices 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 6 ounces firm-ripe Brie, cut into thin wedges 1/2 Gala apple, halved lengthwise, cored and cut into thin slices 1 cup tender watercress Spread 1 side of each baguette slice with butter. Turn over 4 slices and divide cheese and apple among them. Season apple with salt and pepper and top with remaining 4 baguette slices, buttered sides up. Heat a dry 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot, then cook sandwiches, pressing occasionally and turning over once, until bread is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes total. Tuck watercress into sandwiches. These recipes have been adapted and reprinted from the following sources: www.epicurean.com www.allrecipes.com www.glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com www.epicurious.com www.allaboutapples.com
Classical Homeopathy Visceral Manipulation Craniosacral Therapy
MARY ALICE COOPER, MD St. Raphael Medical Center 204 Carlisle NE Albuquerque, NM 87106
505-266-6522
co-op trade:
certified
Organic embudo
SHOP
CO-OP!
valley, NM
Now Available From the Cooperative Distribution Center, 3361 Columbia NE, Abq. NM 87107.
Orders must be placed by PHONE: 505-217-2010 OR EMAIL: orders@lamontanita.coop Organic Lay Mix-50 lb $32.50 plus tax • Organic Grower Mix-50 lb $32.50 plus tax • Organic Scratch-50 lb $22.50 plus tax. Pick up times: Fridays by appointment CASH OR CHECK ONLY
anapple ADAY...
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Most insurances accepted. 3415 Silver SE Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106 P: 505-265-5087 103 East Hill Gallup, New Mexico 87301 P: 505-863-8018
chicken feed
from
Apple Leather Now that school’s in, an apple in the lunchbox is a no brainer, but how about something a little different? This recipe is easy and fun, and these homemade apple leathers will disappear very quickly with kids in the house. 3-5 pounds apples 1/4-1/2 cup sugar, if desired 1/8 cup lemon juice, if desired 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp nutmeg
MASTER OF DRIP IRRIGATION
Peel, core and slice apples. Cook uncovered in a heavy 3-quart saucepan over low heat. If apples are dry, add a little water to prevent scorching. Cook until they have the appearance of applesauce. Continue cooking until apples are brown and look like apple butter. Add sugar if apples aren't sweet enough and add lemon juice if the apples aren't tart enough. Add the spices. Mix completely and let cook a little longer to allow the flavors to blend. When the apple mix clings to an upturned spoon, it is ready. Cool in an uncovered pot. Spread mix evenly and thinly on 2 waxed paper lined cookie sheets.
local organic
COOP !
good food
good health
September 2009 12
Desperately Seeking...
veyors, 4-ton scooper machines, and cranes used to hack out phosphates (for baking powder and baking soda)? All of this labor for the humble Twinkie! I doubt that $1.61 could cover the cost of the petroleum, much less the cost of the ingredients. Vanilla travels all the way from orchids in Madagascar, and synthetic vanillin comes from a petrochemical plant in China.
TWINKIES? TWINKIE DECONSTRUCTED: My Journey to Discover How the Ingredients Found in Processed Foods are Grown, Mined and Manipulated into What America Eats. BY STEVE ETTLINGER REVIEWED BY CHARLOTTE COOK he time has finally come. I am about to eat my first Twinkie: my cultural obligation as a true American. After two thwarted attempts to find them, there they sit, two gleaming little “golden sponge cakes with creamy filling” in a cheerful blue wrapper. I decide to wait to eat them until I arrive home, so I can ingest them slowly and consciously, as I have just finished reading Steve Ettlinger’s book Twinkie Deconstructed; My Journey to Discover How the Ingredients Found in Processed Foods are Grown, Mined (yes, mined), and Manipulated into What America Eats.
T
For the first time in my life I know almost everything about the product I am about to eat. I want to zero in on all of the attributes of Twinkies that I have learned about in Ettlinger’s book: the lightness of the crumb; the lovely yellow color of the cake; the gentle browning on the cake’s surface; the creaminess of the filling; the delicate flavors of vanilla and butter; the freshness of the whole ensemble. Most of all I want to taste the end product of American ingenuity, this emblem of American industrial “food” production, this apex of engineering, the all-American snack food. Perhaps I might enjoy it more if I were less aware of the worldwide ingredients and industrial processes which have created this snack. Just following the ingredients’ sources is enough to make my head spin! Don’t think for a second that Twinkies come from Iowa. After all, the B vitamins in the “enriched” flour come from elemental ores and petroleum from Switzerland and China. The chlorine bleach that whitens the flour comes from the Texas Gulf coast and Quebec. Cane sugar comes from Florida and the Dominican Republic, while the other sweeteners, corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup, are manufactured in Nebraska. Petro-Miles/Petro Dollars Monsanto’s infamous Round-up Ready soybeans are planted in Iowa and are processed to make shortening for Twinkies and many other
where’s Carmen? Carmen?
She’s in ABQ! Find her at OFFCenter’s
WE ART THE PEOPLE
Folk Art Fest ’09
Sunday, September 13 -- 10am-5pm Robinson Park, 8th & Central Ave, NW giant puppets. art. music. food. spontaneous fun. for more info: 505-247-1172 or www.offcenterarts.org
Twinkies need to have a buttery flavor, but rancidity is the enemy of shelf life so diacetyl, (derived from natural gas), is the chemical solution to Twinkies famous longevity, along with sorbic acid, another petroleum product. I could go on and on about the fascinating global ingredients in Twinkies, but the proof is in the pudding. I relished my last moments as a Twinkie virgin and then popped one into my mouth. Delicious? No. Sweet? Yes. Creamy? Yes, petroleum does the trick every time. Will I eat them again? Probably not.
the apex of manufactured
food
baked goods. As regulations change, soy in Twinkies may be replaced by cottonseed oil from the South, canola (genetically modified, from Canada), and beef fat or palm kernel oil from Malaysia or Indonesia. I would like to know how many petromiles are involved in manufacturing one plump little pair of Twinkies, which cost only $1.61. Then there is the petroleum used to fertilize the soy and wheat fields, spray them with pesticides, and to carry the soil’s bounty across the country and across oceans to the factories where Twinkies ingredients are produced. How many petrodollars are spent in running giant combines which harvest the grains and beans, rock smashers, cutting wheels, steel con-
I am absolutely recommending this book to those who want to know more about where and how our modern “food” is manufactured. If you like Stephen King’s books, you’ll love this! But this is non-fiction, making it even more scary! CHARLOTTE COOKE is a naturopath, gardener and beekeeper. She lectures about the politics of food.
HELP! I’M A MEAT EATER AND MY CHILD/SPOUSE/COMPANION IS TURNING
VEGAN BY TWO MOONS N.D. he first thing to do is to educate yourself on the benefits and concerns of such a life choice. Encourage open conversation in order to show interest and to better understand the particular reasons for their choice. Ask questions, but don’t belittle, discourage or accuse them of just going through a phase, or following a fad that won’t last, especially when you realize that their refusal to eat your once loved meals is not a rejection of you personally.
T
A great majority of young teens choose a vegan diet because of animal rights issues and a new found connection between their love of animals and what they have been eating, or they have developed environmental concerns. Often their new commitment and dedication to a different way of eating actually helps them to promote better health (as long as junk “food” doesn’t replace necessary nutrients), remedy any issues concerning the creation of an independent identity, and possibly help them to develop discipline in other areas of their lives. Worry about a teen having an eating disorder would only be a viable concern if he or she talked more about their weight and how they looked, rather than about animals or environmental issues. However, weight and bothersome skin problems can often be remedied when a vegan diet is followed, especially when foods with high fat, salt, and sugar content, or containing artificial and perhaps personally irritating ingredients are eliminated, and more veggies and fruits are added to the diet. For an older person, a vegan diet may be seen as a way to extend life or contribute to a healthier living situation, possibly connected to issues of high cholesterol, blood pressure, or heart ailments. By understanding the reasons you can become more accepting and tolerant of the decision. If a young child, not old enough to even understand the meaning of the word vegan, refuses to eat meat and dairy products, try to respect their intuitive nutritional urges. and educate yourself on how to prepare vegan meals that will provide all the nutrients they need to be healthy. The National Academy of Sciences vouched for the health of children eating meatless diets as far back as l974. The American Academy of
Pediatrics and The American Dietetic Association both issued papers in the mid-nineteen nineties asserting the nutritional adequacy of vegetarian and well planned vegan diets for children and pregnant and lactating mothers. The largest study done by the Center for Disease Control and reported in Pediatrics (Sept. l989), involving over 400 children at the Farm community in Summerton, Tennessee (97% of whom were vegetarian or vegan from birth), found that they grew in height and weight not unlike that of the general population. Certainly, if you’re the designated cook, there will be some additional work required in modifying recipes or accommodating a vegan diet, but don’t try to get away with slipping in a meat-based broth or a dairy-based sauce. Not only is it disrespectful of the person’s wishes, but it’s also totally unnecessary, considering all the alternative meat and dairy products that are now available, making the preparation of favorite family recipes easier than ever. You’ll also want to start reading labels very carefully for any animal or dairy byproducts. If the vegan is not the designated cook, perhaps you could encourage them to help out in the kitchen, contributing recipes and ideas for a vegan diet and preparing some of the meals. If you’re concerned that the arrival of tofu and refried beans portends the demise of your relationship, consider that many families with varying diets and food choices have lived long and happy lives together, especially when there is mutual respect and tolerance for one another’s choices. Although it certainly could be much simpler to have all people in one household, or relationship, eating on the same level of the food chain, it is only one aspect of a healthy compatible existence. You may end up quite surprised at the diversity of vegan cooking and pleased to find that your health also benefits from eating such food. But when we eat to live rather than live to eat, eating in itself becomes less of a focal point in one’s life, with creative endeavors and treasured activities moving up to first place. SIXTH in a series on Vegan Education: Health Concerns — Myths & Facts. From the author of Peace In Every Bite, A Vegan Cookbook
new
economics
The New Reality of
BUDGET LIVING BY AMYLEE UDELL or readers of the Co-op Connection, the idea that living more "naturally" and saving money go hand-in-hand is probably not a new one. Yet for many people, this is part of a new reality of living a more budget-conscious life. Whether a family is directly affected by the economic downturn, experiencing a decreased income, or indirectly affected by the threat of one due to all the media attention and gloomy predictions, families are changing their ways.
F
While the stress surrounding the potential loss of income is most definitely negative, many of the changes could ultimately be positive, especially if they last past this current dip in the economy. Families are staying home and eating at home— hopefully together. This affects health on so many levels. Children who eat family meals are emotionally and physically healthier, bonding with their families and eating less restaurant food. Our environment suffers less take-out waste from cups, utensils, napkins, styrofoam and more. Despite gas not being the same high cost as last summer, people are still aware of their energy spending. They are asking, "How can I combine all my errands into one trip?" or "Can I cut back on my swamp cooler usage an hour per day?" or thinking "Maybe it's time to get the water heater covered?" or "How can I fit line drying into my life?" If these questions are being considered only for personal financial reasons and not for altruistic environmental ones, let's still celebrate! When I show people how cloth diapers can save them about $2,000 per child, I emphasize the financial benefits, but I also show the environmental savings of one ton of landfill waste and hope they will feel great about that, too. Then, there's food - the food used to prepare those more frequent at-home meals. I won't lie. I could
September 2009 13
Less take-out more eating at home: A POSITIVE CHANGE ation and priorities, you have taken an important step in maximizing your family's time and finances. Budgeting BOTH is important in all aspects of life, including food.
Here are a very few practical tips in balancing both time and money, especially when it comes to meals: • LOVE YOUR LIBRARY. First, it's FREE. Second, you can find many books on eating whole foods, saving money and more. Two books I've enjoyed are Miserly Moms by Jonni McCoy and Raising Kids With Just a Little Cash by Lisa Reid. Take from any book what fits your life and use it. Both of the books I mention use recipe ingredients I would not feed my family. And many books are heavy on maximizing coupon savings. Those things may not help me, but practical the other information can. ECONOMY • DO YOU HAVE AN ICE CREAM MAKER? A clothes-line? A crock pot? A grain mill? A yogurt maker? Reacquaint yourself with these old friends probably go to a super and save money while realizing a better end product. center and spend much less on my monthly grocery • ASK "WHAT IS ONE THING I COULD MAKE INSTEAD OF bill. But I truly, wholeheartedly feel that in doing BUY?" Now, it does not have to be everything and it does not have that, the cost to my family's health would be far too to be an all-day affair. But you may have just enough time to make high (not to mention the environmental costs). This bread, laundry detergent, dried fruit, your own specialty coffee is not just in current health and well-being, but in drinks, household cleaner, start a tiny herb garden, sprout somefuture healthcare costs and quality of life. Local thing, or even make popcorn sans microwave. Who knows, you may foods and Co-op shopping don't have to cost exoreven enjoy it! bitantly more. If you buy lots of convenience foods, • MAKE A MENU AND STICK TO YOUR LIST. It sounds so simpackaged foods and processed foods, buying the ple but can be very difficult to implement. The time and money savequivalent of those with the organic label will cost ings, as well as health benefits, of consistently balanced, wellyou more. But if you buy mostly whole foods, you planned meals can be considerable. will find the cost of quality, organic food to be less than you thought AND well worth the cost. I confess that when a Co-op competitor recently opened up nearby, I thought I could save some money. So I started paying attention to prices on my purchases. A few times I traveled to said competitor. I found that I was NOT saving money AND the quality was not on par. So I smiled at the time and travel I would no longer be spending elsewhere and returned to my Co-op-only shopping days.
AMYLEE UDELL is a mother of three and co-owner of Inspired Birth and Families, which promotes life-long learning for parents and kids through pregnancy, birth, parenting, movement, nutrition and other lifestyle classes. You can learn more about their events at www.InspiredABQ.com.
In my family, we have gone through a layoff while expecting a baby and lived on school loans (also while expecting). These situations forced us to sit down and talk about where our money would be best spent. If you have evaluated your family's situ-
Join us Sept. 19 FOR MANY MORE IDEAS on living a more natural family lifestyle on a budget, come to Budget Living - Naturally, a full day of (mostly) free classes and seminars. FOR MORE INFORMATION see www. InspiredABQ.com.
budget
living naturally a F A M I LY FA I R
NEW ECONOMICS: Learning About Money
BY ROB MOORE ith back to school upon us, it may be a good time to introduce your kids to learning the value of money. We expect our children to learn about math, science and reading, but we often overlook something as important as teaching them to handle money wisely. With the world economy in flux, reminding ourselves about the virtues of saving and thrift could be a good idea as well.
W
Talk to your children about money. You can start when your kids are very young by helping them understand the difference between needs and wants, that money comes from working, what money looks like, and that everybody has a job (a kid's job is to learn things, to play and to participate in the family). One of the simplest steps in teaching young children about money is letting them count coins. Pennies may not go as far as they used to, but letting children learn the value of coins by learning how they can add up is a good measure. Getting kids an actual “piggy bank” to put their savings into may seem quaint, but the habit of saving (and of spending only after consideration) is a terrific way to teach them about value. Consider asking them to make a list of things they would like to do or to buy, and help them make a savings plan to reach those goals. The process of waiting to reach their saving level so they can buy their treat can help develop patience and resilience, both of which are terrific lifelong characteristics. Discuss the difference between wants and needs. When you take them shopping, discuss the financial reasons for the choices you do and don’t make. There is a remarkable amount of reluctance about discussing money matters, but the sooner children
have an understanding of how money works, the sooner they can be set on the road to financial responsibility. Part of a solid money education includes teaching your kids that, as a member of a community, as a responsible person, and as a world citizen, they have a responsibility to other people outside themselves and their family. That means sharing. We all live on a small planet together, and we are all linked. Teaching your kids a sense of social ethics includes a sense of charity or giving. Consider helping them find a charity or cause to make a donation to, based on your child’s interests or concerns. Understanding how charity works is crucial to understanding what basic needs really are.
Th e No b Hi l l Growers’ Market
Explain to your child about what a credit card is and how it works. Tell her it's a way to borrow money, and teach her that, unless you pay it back every month, everything you buy with a credit card is far more expensive than it would be if you paid cash. Teach her disciplined credit card use and you'll be doing her a very big financial favor. With the downturns in the national economy, teaching kids the savings of cooking at home instead of going out to eat can go a long way toward producing future self-sufficient and moneysmart adults. If you care enough about the food that you eat to shop for the freshest and healthiest choices possible at the Co-op, why not explain to your children that cooking for the family at home is not only less expensive and better for you than getting fast food or takeout, it helps bring the family closer together as well. Your child might seem too young to learn about economics, but it’s never too soon to learn (or re-learn) the value of a dollar.
Every Thursday 3pm-6:30pm Morningside Park
sustainable
futures
What YOU can do about the pharmaceuticals in our
Drinking WATER
MICHAEL JENSEN, AMIGOS BRAVOS migos Bravos has found seven different pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), including acetaminophen, DEET, sunscreen (oxybenzone), a sulfa antibiotic, anti-seizure medication (carbamazepine), a tranquilizer (meprobamate – related to carbamazepine), and caffeine in the drains and ditches running along the RĂo Grande in the Albuquerque-Bernalillo area.
A
September 2009 14
AGUA ES VIDA nation here and across the country to ensure that monitoring projects “talk� with each other and that their results are comparable. We also need transparency from water providers, like the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (WUA). The presence of PPCPs is a sensitive subject, but the public is becoming increasingly concerned about the presence of PPCPs and their possible impact, and they deserve an open discussion. It would make sense for the WUA and other water providers in the state to
SET SAFE WATER
STANDARDS... STANDARDS... THEN TEST WITH
CONSISTANCY
Our findings are in line with the results from national studies conducted by the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the Associated Press, documenting the presence of PPCPs in wastewater discharges and agricultural runoff into the nation’s rivers and streams, in wells, and in drinking water supplies. They also are similar to some studies of PPCPs in the RĂo Grande as it runs through the Albuquerque area. PPCPs are typically found in concentrations in the parts per trillion (nanograms) level. This may seem to be extremely insignificant and is often portrayed that way by the pharmaceutical and chemical industries and many water providers. However, it is indisputable that some PPCPs, especially Endocrine Disrupting Compounds (hormones and chemical compounds that mimic hormones) as well as caffeine and sunscreen–have an impact on aquatic life. The science on human health impacts is just emerging, but seems to indicate that PPCPs could be having an impact on human health as well, even at these low levels. There are no standards for PPCPs, which means that wastewater treatment facilities, agricultural operations and drinking water suppliers do not have to address these compounds in order to meet relevant regulatory requirements. Federal law requires that water providers meet Safe Drinking Water Act standards, but there are only approximately 100 chemicals with standards. WHAT CAN WE DO about these chemicals? It is undeniable that PPCPs exist in the environment. The very first priority needs to be expanded research on the environmental and public health effects of PPCPs. The EPA – as the federal regulator of surface water, groundwater and drinking water – and the scientific community need to accelerate their study of PPCPs and related chemicals with a view towards establishing standards, analytic methods and more effective treatment technologies. It is also important to conduct much more standardized monitoring to determine which PPCPs are in the water (surface, ground and drinking) and at what concentrations. Despite a great deal of national, state and local research, there is no consistency in which PPCPs are sampled for, what analytic methods and reporting limits are used, or what waters are monitored: surface water, groundwater, drinking water, treated drinking water, wastewater discharges, etc. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has begun to establish protocols here in the Middle RĂo Grande, but we still need more coordi-
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Santa Feâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Performing Arts Center
Monday 7pm
OCTOBER 5
Amigos Bravos RECOMMENDS THAT: â&#x20AC;˘ The Water Utility Authority (WUA) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and other water providers in the state â&#x20AC;&#x201C;monitor for PPCPs on a regular basis using analytic methods capable of detecting PPCPs at the parts per trillion level. â&#x20AC;˘ Water utilities should post and archive the results of all their water sampling â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not just PPCPs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; online, both source water (wells and river) and finished (treated) drinking water, and provide objective education to the public on what the results mean. If the providers do not have the resources for this, the NMED should archive this information.
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EXPERIENCE JAZZ IN NEW MEXICO LAND OF ENCHANTMENT Funded in part by the New Mexico Tourism Department
There are a number of things that individual consumers can do to help eliminate PPCPs from the environment: â&#x20AC;˘ Dispose of PPCPs in their container in the trash (unless specifically stated otherwise on the label), so they have a harder time getting into the water cycle. â&#x20AC;˘ Better yet, find out if your city or county has a take-back program and use it if available. â&#x20AC;˘ Ask local, state, and federal officials to enact rules to establish take-back programs and effective disposal methods. â&#x20AC;˘ Become a conscious consumer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; educate yourself about the issues with PPCPs; try to substitute products with known endocrine disruptors (like Bisphenol A and phthalates) and other PPCPs; when using PPCPs (over-the-counter or prescription), read and follow labels and warnings and dispose of them properly; contact government agencies and elected officials to get standards, disposal programs and treatment methods for PPCPs.
action alert! Contact New Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Senators and ask them to get involved with this issue. SENATOR JEFF BINGAMAN â&#x20AC;˘ http://bingaman.senate.gov/ Toll free in NM: (800) 443-8658/DC Office: 202-224-5521 â&#x20AC;˘ SENATOR TOM UDALL â&#x20AC;˘ http://tomudall.senate.gov/ DC Office: 202-224-6621, tomudall. senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm. For more information about PPCPs, contact MICHAEL JENSEN (mjensen@amigosbravos.org
C AT C H T H E B U Z Z A B O U T
beekeeping!
ZOE WILCOX-EDRINGTON AND MELANIE RUBIN rom the time of the earliest human civilizations, bees have been revered as role models of community and productivity, and often thought of as messengers to the gods. In ancient Aegean culture centuries before the birth of Christ, the bee was believed to be the sacred insect that bridged the natural world to the underworld. In our modern-day culture, we appreciate bees for their role in pollination to help create our fruits, vegetables and plants of all types and particularly admire honey bees for bringing us the golden liquid food which is an important staple. BY
PART4
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
conduct regular and transparent monitoring, with public release of the results, so that both the regulatory community and the public have a clearer understanding of the PPCP issue in New Mexico.
â&#x20AC;˘ Water utilities, environmental and public health agencies should develop public outreach programs, in cooperation with other stakeholders, to educate people and businesses about the safe disposal of PPCPs and to develop pharmaceutical return policies and practices: Rio Rancho had a one-day community resident take-back event earlier this year, but what is needed are on-going programs open to everyone, with one possibility being that pharmacies be the collection points for returns (with pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturers contributing to the effort). â&#x20AC;˘ Water utilities and other stakeholders should work together to encourage the NM Environment Department and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to speed up development of standardized analytic methods, standards for PPCPs, and effective treatment processes. â&#x20AC;˘ Water utilities should adopt treatment methods and best management practices (BMPs) that eliminate the release of PPCPs into the environment, both at the tap and in wastewater discharges.
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On Sunday, September 13th, from 9:30-noon, Albuquerque Backyard Farms welcomes you to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Catch the Buzz about Beekeepingâ&#x20AC;? at Melanie Rubinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home in Nob Hill, when local farmer and beekeeper Casey Paul presents a workshop on many aspects of this topic. A $10 donation is requested to cover costs. We expect this workshop to fill, so please pre-register early by emailing melanie@melanierubincoaching.com or calling Melanie at 505-261-3214. More information about this workshop series is available at www.abqbackyardfarms.com. Casey will give an introduction to everything you need to know to raise bees in your Albuquerque backyard, including the life cycle of a bee, where to get bees, what type of hive to provide for your bees, where the hive should be located, optimal conditions for honey production, how to care for your bees and encourage them to stay, and beekeeping safety questions. The presence or absence of healthy bees in our environment is often viewed as an indicator of the health
of our environment itself. When asked about hive collapse disorder, Casey cites all the aspects of commercial beekeeping that weaken the hive: spraying food and flower crops with pesticides, spraying the hives to prevent mites, and over-harvesting honey and replacing it with high fructose corn syrup. What is one solution to encouraging lots of healthy bees in the future on our planet? Having lots of caring, small-scale beekeepers. One way to help our planet and food supply is by keeping bees in your backyard. Hosting backyard bees adds an immense amount of life to your home. For your kitchen and household pharmacy, bees provide honey and propolis. Not only is honey delicious, but consuming local honey helps minimize allergies to local plants. Studies have shown eating propolis stimulates the immune system and the formation of antibodies to build resistance to many diseases. ZOE WILCOX EDRINGTON is co-organizer of the Albuquerque Backyard Farms workshop series. She coowns the demonstration urban farm and education center, Mother Nature Gardens, and the sustainable landscaping company, Living Edge Landscaping, with her husband, Bard Edrington. Learn more at www.mothernature gardens.com & www.livingedgelandscaping.com. MELANIE RUBIN is a business coach and creator of the Albuquerque Backyard Farms workshop series. Contact her through www.melanierubincoaching.com or read about Albuquerque Backyard Farms at www.abqback yardfarms.
community forum SUSTAINABLE SKILL
SHARING
Ampersand Sustainable Living Center
GREYWATER
DESIGN WORKSHOP September 5, 10-5pm At Ampersand Sustainable Living Center on September 5th, Cleo Woelfle-Erskine of the Greywater Guerrillas will present a workshop on how to use recycled bath and laundry water to irrigate home gardens and orchards. These simple, low-cost systems can increase your backyard harvest, protect the aquifer, and lower your water bill. This intensive class in home-water system design presents simple gravity fed "branched drain" systems
that use the washing machine’s internal pump to move greywater across flat sites. Also learn permaculture strategies for increasing food production and wildlife habitat by integrating greywater and rainwater harvesting earthworks using Ampersand's on-site examples as learning tools. You are invited to bring your pictures and details about your own sites for the class to practice site assessment and design. CLEO WOELFLE-ERSKINE co-founded the Greywater Guerrillas in 1999 and has led greywater design and installation workshops in California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Michigan, New York, Rhode Island and Chiapas, MX. For more info including directions to Ampersand, go to www.ampersand project.org or e-mail them at: ampersandpro jects@yahoo.com.
September 2009 15 Fall Workshops at HUMMINGBIRD COMMUNITY LIVING SCHOOL The Hummingbird Community’s Living School offers regular workshops that provide the skills needed for Sustainable Living. Hummingbird Community’s Living School is located in beautiful Chacon, New Mexico. September 12-13: Communicating Through Conflict – Experiential Conflict Resolution Workshop in Non Violent Communication (NVC) with CNVC Certified Trainers Jori and Jim Manske September 17-20: Evolutionary Spirituality with Barbara Marx Hubbard For more details, go to www.hummingbirdlivingschool.org and go to Programs Current Calendar or contact Robert at (575) 3875877 or email robert@globalfamily.net. Facilities available for your event.
GuitarVista fine acoustic instruments
TEWA WOMEN UNITED HOST 13th Annual Gathering for Mother Earth 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF TEWA WOMEN UNITED SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26-27 ewa Women United (TWU) is a grassroots nonprofit organization that specializes in developing and operating culturally-congruent programs that address violence and oppression in Northern New Mexico communities. Beginning in 1989 as a gathering of women from the Northern New Mexico Pueblos, TWU believes: “our true traditional past practiced no separation of intellect and intuition - the head from the heart, nor the separation of the people from their spirituality. In order to nurture the harmony of all life with oneness of spirit in the relationship of natural law, we must nurture the future generations through our traditional way of spiritual living.”
This year’s Gathering for Mother Earth has as its theme “the Color of Peace.” All people and communities are welcome to participate in this “Gathering for all Cultures of all Ages.” The Gathering grounds are located west of Pojoaque on Hwy 502. The two-day event features a Healing Earth Relay Run, Native Singers and dances, Danza Mexika, crafts and healing arts booths, talking circles, a water ceremony, workshops, delicious shared meals, youth activities, a children’s peace tent and national and international guests.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Tewa Women United at P.O. Box 397, Santa Cruz, NM, 87567, call (505) 747-3259 or go to www.tewawomenunited.org.
Their mission includes: providing peer support and networking with other Indigenous and Non-Indigenous women, reducing and preventing alcohol and drug abuse, negative codependency, sexual violence and
QUIVIRA COALITION’S
In this “practitioners” conference, Quivira will feature farmers, ranchers, scientists and conservationists who are "living Leopold" today — people who are implementing his vision on the back forty. The event will incorporate six themes: (1) Land Health; (2) Conservation; (3) Sustainable Agriculture; (4) Wildlife and Restoration; (5) Beauty; and (6) the Land Ethic. Each theme will be motivated by a Leopold quote and each speaker will discuss the land ethic in their lives and how a new agrarianism works. Register online - www.quiviracoalition.org
8TH ANNUAL
Conference
Save the
DATE! NOV.4-6
Living Leopold: THE LAND ETHIC AND A NEW AGRARIANISM, ALBUQUERQUE
Body-Centered Psychotherapy and Trauma Healing
DUENDE POETRYSERIES THE
SEPT. 13, 3PM The Anasazi Fields Winery, Placitas, NM • Duende Poetry Series presents the 19th reading, in its 5th year. Joanne Kyger & Donald Guravich: Voices from the American Land.
Penny Holland 505-265-2256 LPCC Lic. 0494
LMT Lic. 1074
Stan Burg
3005 Monte Vista NE Albuquerque, NM 87106 E-mail: gitmaven@yahoo.com
Ph 505-268-1133 Fax 505-268-0337
other social problems; reinforcing the teaching that traditional living means living spiritually attuned to the multiple dimensions of the Breath of Life; promoting support activities which nurture and care for the well being of our Mother Earth, including being free of all nuclear contamination.
T
M . A . , L . P. C . C , L . M . T.
buy • sell • trade
TO GET TO THE WINERY CONTACT: Jim Fish 867-3062 or Cirrelda Snider-Bryan 897-0285.
CALLING ALL
CANDIDATES Board of Directors’
Elections
Calender Important Dates to Remember All Candidates must have been Co-op members as of July 1, 2008. Packets available at all locations. September 17: Nominations for candidates close. Members should be sure to update their addresses at their local Co-op Information Desk if they have moved in order to receive ballots. October 24: Annual Membership Meeting. Candidates have an opportunity to introduce themselves to the membership. Susan Witt of the E.F. Schumacher Society will speak on Linking Land, People, Economics and Communities. November 1-14: Annual Board of Directors Elections. WATCH
YOUR MAILBOX FOR YOUR
BALLOT.
Don’t Miss Apple Days at the Co-op! Join La Montañita Co-op! Your community-owned natural foods grocery store
Why Join? -You Care! –about good food and how it is produced -You’re Empowered! –you help support the local/regional food-shed -You Support! –Co-op principles & values and community ownership -You Vote! –with your dollars for a strong local economy -You Participate! –providing direction and energy to the Co-op -You Receive! –member discounts, weekly specials and a patronage refund
You Own It!
–an economic alternative for a sustainable future
In so many ways it pays to be a La Montañita Co-op Member/Owner!
Great Reasons to be a Co-op Member • Pick up our monthly newsletter full of information on food, health, environment and your Co-op. • Member refund program: at the end of each fiscal year, if earnings are sufficient, refunds are returned to members based on purchases. • Weekly member-only coupon specials as featured in our weekly sales flyer. Pick it up every week at any location to save more than your annual membership fee each week. • Banking membership at the New Mexico Educators Federal Credit Union. • Member only discount days: take advantage of our special discount events throughout the year–for members only. • Special orders: on order large quantities or hard-to-find items at a 10% discount for members. • General membership meetings, Board positions and voting. Co-ops are democratic organizations. Your participation is encouraged.