march 2013
connection
free
LIARN MORI ABOUT OUR CO-OP TRADI INITIATIVI
Beyond Pesticides: 31st NATIONAL
PESTICIDE FORUM COMES
ALBUQUERQUE! APRIL
5-6
RESILIENT COMMUNITIES THROUGH
ORGANIC PRACTICES
BY ROBIN SEYDEL e are tremendously excited to host Beyond Pesticides’ 31st National Pesticide Forum on April 5 and 6 in Albuquerque at the University of New Mexico main campus. Beyond Pesticides' 31st National Pesticide Forum brings together top national scientists with local and national activists and concerned citizens to share information on issues local communities are facing, craft solutions and catalyze networks to manifest health and environmental policy and change. The 2013 conference will focus on building resilience in our food system, bringing ecosystems back to balance by integrating regional issues such as water and food sovereignty in the Southwest.
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For nearly two decades the non-profit organization Beyond Pesticides has been active in educating people to reduce potentially harmful exposures to the approximately 80,000 chemicals with which consumers come in regular contact. They have also been devoted advocates for policies that protect public health and the environment. As a member of the USDA’s National Organic Standards Board—the citizen board that makes recommendations to the USDA National Organic Program—Beyond Pesticides’ Executive Director, Jay Feldman, has worked tirelessly to maintain the integrity of national organic standards. It is an honor to be able to bring their work to New Mexico to inform and inspire our community.
• JOEL FORMAN, MD: Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Community and Preventive Medicine at Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York City. He is one of the lead authors of the recent American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) report, "Organic Foods: Health and Environmental Advantages and Disadvantages" published in the journal Pediatrics. • TYRONE HAYES, PH.D: Professor and researcher at the University of California Berkeley. He has published more than 40 papers, over 150 abstracts on the role of environmental factors on growth and development in amphibians and has realized “the most important environmental factors affecting amphibian development are synthetic chemicals (such as pesticides) that interact with hormones in a variety of ways to alter developmental responses.” • ISAAC N. PESSAH, PH.D: Professor and Chair of the Department of Molecular Biosciences at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. He has published research linking pesticides and autism as well as research which finds that the antibacterial Triclosan impairs muscle function. • ANDREW KIMBRELL: A public interest attorney, activist, author and Executive Director of Center for Food Safety. He works on food issue policy including promoting organics and opposing destructive technologies and practices such as genetic engineering, factory farming, irradiation, sewage sludge and the patenting of seeds and other life forms. We are most pleased to have some of our leading local activists, including: • ANN ADAMS, PH.D: Director of Community Services at Holistic Management International. She designs and implements training programs and educational events for both trainers and practitioners. Ann owns a small farm in the Manzano Mountains where she raises goats and chickens. • KARA BOBROFF: Founding principal of the Native American Community Academy. She is a Danforth Scholar and received a 2005 Echoing Green fellowship for leadership and a 2010 Zia Award.
sustainable families,
farms& FOOD
TO
• CLAYTON BRASCOUPE: Of the Bear Clan, Mohawk and Tesuque Pueblo, he is a lifelong farmer, artist and founding member of the Traditional Native American Farmers Association (TNAFA) and Traditional Bow Makers Society. He farms the sustainable Four Sisters Farm with his family at the Pueblo of Tesuque. • DON BUSTOS: Program Director for the American Friends Service Committee, New Mexico, providing farmer to farmer training and working on issues of land and water rights. With more than twenty-five years of experience as a New Mexican farmer on a certified organic, vegan family farm in Espanola, he is a winner of a wide variety of farming awards. • COURTNEY WHITE: Founder and Creative Director at the Quivira Coalition. He is dedicated to building bridges between ranchers, conservationists, public land managers, scientists and others. His writing has appeared in numerous publications. AND OTHER LOCAL LEADERS INCLUDING: Dr. Bruce Milne, Arturo Sandoval, Richard Moore, Loretta Sandoval, Isaura Andaluz, Tawnya Laveta, Loretta McGrath, Janet Greenwald, Jon Olivas and more. The conference is convened by Beyond Pesticides, University of New Mexico Sustainability Studies Program and La Montanita Food Co-op. LOCAL CO-SPONSORS INCLUDE: Amigos Bravos, Agri-Cultura Network, Farm to Table, Food and Water Watch NM, Holistic Management International, Mid-Region Council of Governments Agriculture Collaborative, New Mexico Department of Agriculture's Organic Program, Our Endangered Aquifer Working Group, Santa Fe Farmers Market Institute, Skarsgard Farms, South Valley Economic Development Center, Traditional Native American Farmers Association and others. REGISTRATION PRICES include admission to all sessions and organic food and drink. Register online at www.beyondpesticides.org. Students $15; Grassroots activist/member $35; Non-member (includes 1year membership) $75; Business Rate $175.
a sense of WONDER To open the forum’s proceedings on the evening of April 5th we are most honored to have KAIULANI LEE performing her powerful and award winning onewomen play, A Sense of Wonder. Written, produced and performed by Kaiulani Lee, A Sense of Wonder is the story of Rachel Carson's love for the natural world and her fight to defend it. It is the story of the extremely private Ms. Carson thrust into the role of controversial public figure with the publication of Silent Spring and her passionate message on the adverse health and environmental effects of pesticides, just as these toxic chemicals were becoming an increasingly common part of modern life.
Cutting Edge Science and Inspired Regional Activism During the conference we will have the opportunity to hear from top national scientists, researchers and activists including: • JEFF MOYERS: Farm Director at Rodale Institute has worked for nearly three decades to perfect an organic no-till system that reduces and eliminates both tillage and herbicides. He is an expert in organic crop production systems including weed management, cover crops, crop rotations, equipment modification and facilities design.
KAIULANI LEE brings to the writing and acting of A Sense of Wonder more than 35 years of experience in theatre, film and television. Ms. Lee has starred in over a dozen plays on and off-Broadway. She has been nominated for the Drama Desk Award on Broadway and has won the OBIE Award for outstanding achievement off-Broadway.
APRIL 5
the URBAN FOOD HUB TOUR A
PESTICIDE FORUM ADVENTURE
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he adventure begins with visits to the farms of the Agri-Cultura Network, in the now semi-urban, traditionally agricultural South Valley of Albuquerque. The Network, consisting of three community partner groups—La Plazita Institute, emerging Communities and Valle Encantado—was created as a mechanism for small organic farmers to aggregate their produce for wholesale and institutional markets, including providing salad greens year-round to the Albuquerque Public School system. The tour’s next stop is at the South Valley Economic Development Center. This community kitchen provides the infrastructure for the aggregation of AgriCultura Network produce; its commercial kitchen is utilized by over 35 value added food producers whose products are sold at its La Tiendita. We will make a brief stop at Veteran Farmer Project (VFP) at the Alvarado Urban Farm downtown.
APRIL 5 Funded by the New Mexico Department culture and La Montanita Co-op, it works Veterans’ Administration to train veterans scale farming and gardening and income.
The Co-op’s 23rd annual Celebrate the
of Agriwith the in small for food
THE CO-OP DISTRIBUTION CENTER (CDC) is a key component of the La Montanita Co-op Trade Initiative that works with hundreds of local producers to bring more local/regional foods to consumers, connect local food producers to new markets and provide distribution and other services to build the local food system. Enjoy Agri-Cultura Network salad greens and vegetables from UNM Lobo Gardens and the Veteran Farmer Project as well as other local foods including beef, cheese, beans, potatoes, pecans, flour, honey and more, sourced by the Co-op Distribution Center and cooked by UNM Chef Shawn Weed, at meals during the conference.
Earth FEST Sunday, April 21 10am-6pm in Nob Hill
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t is our great pleasure to continue the wonderful community celebration that provides community education and an opportunity for us all to come together. The 23rd Annual Celebrate the Earth Festival in Nob Hill is a chance to get your bedding plants, talk to and learn from the farming and gardening experts in our midst, get educated on the important environmental issues we face and get active and take action to make our community and the world a better place for us all to share. YOU CAN EXPECT a wonderfully inspiring time filled with information and education booths from environmental, social and economic justice organizations, local farmers, seedlings, drought resistant plants, beautiful art and inspiring performances from some of our favorite local artists. Reserve your booth space early. We give first priority to environmental, social and economic justice non-profit organizations and farmers and farming organizations. Watch for more information in our April Co-op Connection news on the Co-op’s 23rd Annual Celebrate the Earth Fest. For more information or to reserve your FREE space contact Robin at 505-217-2027 or toll free at 877-775-2667 or e-mail her at robins@lamontanita.coop.
growing community La Montanita Cooperative A Community - Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store Nob Hill/ 7am-10pm M-S, 8am-10pm Sun. 3500 Central SE Abq., NM 87106 265-4631 Valley/ 7am-10pm M-Sun. 2400 Rio Grande Blvd. NW Abq., 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
March 2013 2
INSTANT CULTURE or
PERMACULTURE? CARBON ECONOMY SERIES BY IGINIA BOCCOLANDRO t is clear what culture we've chosen as an industrialist nation of the West. Instant, like now! Another demand is it HAS TO BE CHEAP. Such is cheapness, that it becomes disposable; but is it really? The other side of disposable is garbage, which was addressed in last month’s workshop on Zero Waste.
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An ETHICAL System Permaculture is not gardening. Permaculture design uses gardens as a demonstration of the design principles that govern this ethical based system. The ethics of permaculture design are simple: love people, love the planet and use all our skills and effort to do the first two well so that there is yield for future generations. In other words, a way of living that seamlessly integrates humans into the natural cycle of life in such a way that perpetuates life by mimicking nature. Each action is informed by long, sustained observation of what is there and shaped by an inventory of resources and needs that are at the core of design. Very different from the instant culture that we live in; where petroleum and dynamite have allowed us to move beyond time and space at such an accelerated rate that it has allowed us to believe that we do not have to follow natural laws or natural patterns. In the name of progress and science we have polluted waterways and oceans, changed the face of the planet, exploited natural mineral deposits, created a consumer-based society that cannot be sustained and put in peril, thousands of species, including our own.
UNM Co-op ’N Go/ 7am-6pm M-F, 10-4pm Sat. Closed Sun., 2301 Central Ave. SE Abq., NM 87131 277-9586 Cooperative Distribution Center 901 Menual NE, Abq., NM 87107 217-2010 Administrative Staff: 217-2001 TOLL FREE: 877-775-2667 (COOP) • General Manager/Terry Bowling 217-2020 terryb@lamontanita.coop • Controller/John Heckes 217-2029 johnh@lamontanita.coop • Computers/Info Technology/ David Varela 217-2011 tech@lamontanita.coop • Perishables Coordinator/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 Prokopiak/Santa Fe 984-2852 willpro@lamontanita.coop • Michael Smith/Gallup 575-863-5383 michaels@lamontanita.coop Co-op Board of Directors: email: bod@lamontanita.coop • President: Martha Whitman • Vice President: Marshall Kovitz • Secretary: Ariana Marchello • Treasurer: Roger Eldridge • Lisa Banwarth-Kuhn • Kristy Decker • Jake Garrity • Susan McAllister • Betsy VanLeit Membership Costs: $15 for 1 year/ $200 Lifetime Membership Co-op Connection Staff: • Managing Editor: Robin Seydel robins@lamontanita.coop 217-2027 • Layout and Design: foxyrock inc • Cover/Centerfold: Co-op Marketing Dept. • Advertising: Sarah Wentzel-Fisher • Editorial Assistant: Sarah Wentzel-Fisher sarahwf@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 website: www.lamontanita.coop Membership response to the newsletter is appreciated. Address typed, double-spaced copy to the Managing Editor, robins@lamontanita.coop Copyright ©2013 La Montanita Co-op Supermarket Reprints by prior permission. The Co-op Connection is printed on 65% post-consumer recycled paper. It is recyclable.
Petroleum and dynamite have corrupted our vision, our power of observation, our reflection and our interaction with nature and the web of life. We are blown out of scale when it comes to living sustainably on our earth today. This addiction to non-renewable energy has polluted our homes, exploited people and altered our climate. What would you rather have, INSTANT culture or PERMANENT culture? Permaculture is the contraction of these two words, coined by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren, who traveled the world looking at the relationship of humans with their environment. They noted the principles of those relationships that were most successful and sustainable through time and space.
Permaculture is a sustainable design science rooted in nature that provides solutions to some of our most pressing problems. The same branching pattern that's found in a tree is also found in a river, in your heart, and numerous other places. That pattern maximizes edge (surface area for exchanging information or nutrients), increases diversity and serves a whole range of other functions. The very concepts of diversity, increasing stability of natural living systems and increasing edge diversity are core permaculture teachings. Permaculture design has us look for multiple solutions to one problem and find elements that provide more than one function. Learn the basics of permaculture design’s core values, how to apply natural patterns and keep on track by looking at indicators of sustainability. The Permaculture Boot Camp will be held on March 15 from 7-9pm and Saturday and Sunday, March 16-17 from 9:30am4pm at the SFCC in the Jemez Room. FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER go to www.carboneconomyseries.com or call 505819-3828.
MARCH BAG CREDIT DONATION ORGANIZATION:
RIO GRANDE
COMMUNITY FARM MINOR MORGAN he Rio Grande Community Farm (RGCF) is a 50acre, non-profit urban farm located in the Los Poblanos Fields Open Space in Albuquerque’s beautiful North Valley. In addition to growing healthy, organic food for Albuquerque schools, restaurants and stores, the farm maintains a wildlife habitat, runs a maize maze every fall, offers educational programs for kids and manages a community garden.
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These programs are centered on an educational mission as the Rio Grande Community Farm aims to increase community awareness about food production and the importance of healthy, organic, local foods. Farm and Gardening Education For kids, the farm conducts seasonal tours for school groups and offers week-long day camps for kindergarten through 5th graders. These camps will take place during Spring Break (March 11-15) and each week in June from the hours of 9am to 3pm at the Los Ranchos de Albuquerque Agri-Nature Center. Campers increase awareness and enthusiasm for the environment, sustainability and gardening through fun-filled activities including cooking food, making crafts, playing games, singing songs, listening to stories and visiting farm animals. Additionally, campers have the opportunity to sow seeds, tend plants and harvest food in our greenhouse, hoop house and vegetable production fields to learn how food is grown. Each week-long camp is created around a theme such as “Cooking and Preserving,” “Lotions and Potions,” or “How Does Your Garden Grow?” Community Garden The Community Garden at Rio Grande Community Farm is two acres nestled in the NW corner of Los Poblanos Open Space. The garden adheres to organic practices and consists of 100 2' x 80' rows that are leased on an
individual or group basis. Upon signing the row agreements, gardeners are granted access to tools, weekly irrigation, seeds and monthly workshops. Alongside with the garden members, the Community Garden at RGCF hosts a group of Master Gardeners and their impressive Millennium Demonstration Garden. The garden provides food not only for individuals and families but also for weekly donations to local food banks. In accordance with our educational mission, gardeners of all backgrounds participate, from the seasoned vet to the intrigued novice. Through friendly neighbor interaction and workshop attendance, we educate individuals on gardening methods and techniques. In addition, Alvarado Elementary School provides a habitat for wildlife at the north end of the garden which yields numerous educational opportunities for the school and community. RIO GRANDE COMMUNITY FARM not only grows great food for Albuquerque residents, we aim to generate great soil, foster educational experiences, inspire future garden enthusiasts and build community!
BRING A BAG... DONATE THE DIME THIS MONTH BAG CREDIT DONATIONS GO TO RIO GRANDE COMMUNITY FARM: generating great soil, farm and garden education and growing a vibrant community. In JANUARY your bag credit donations of $1,901.22 went to Dismas House New Mexico. THANKS TO ALL WHO DONATED!
DONATE YOUR BAG CREDIT!
growing community
March 2013 3
A S U S TA I N A B L E C E L E B R A T I O N A N D
BIKE SCULPTURE PARADE:
JUNKADO!
3) amount of recycled materials used: and 4) their message. The parade will run the 2-mile length of Silver Avenue, designated as “Bicycle Boulevard,” from Tulane to Yale.
BY ARYON HOPKINS /WAY, formerly ABQ Sprout, is extending our meal-based micro granting dinners to a parade format, where the people of New Mexico can share their message and compete for a $1,000 micro grant. A/WAY is a micro-granting organization for creative projects that benefit New Mexico. Junkado is our inaugural people-powered performance parade. Held in conjunction with the 23rd Annual Celebrate the Earth Fest at La Montanita Co-op, this event will allow local organizations and individuals to celebrate their creativity and voice.
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For the enjoyment of all Celebrate the Earth Fest attendees, floats will be exhibited after the parade in a Curbside Gallery on Silver near Tulane at the west end of the Festival grounds. This will allow the parade participants to further expand their message and connect with a receptive audience committed to similar values.
There are two components to the parade: 1) This is a kinetic bike or human-powered sculpture derby only. No cars! Sculptures and costumes should be made with reusable or recycled materials. We invite all creative individuals and groups in the state to join in the challenge and fun. The parade is open to all community organizations and individuals of any age. 2) Prior to the event, A/WAY will choose 10 grant submissions that best benefit New Mexico to compete for the micro-grant in a performance at the end of the parade. This can include groups trying to raise funds for an organization that is not their own. Performances will be judged on four criteria: 1) five minute performance; 2) float, bike sculpture and costume;
Our parade theme is Celebrate Your Albuquerque Earth. This theme is not limited to environmental interpretation and we encourage economic, social justice and other activistbased presentations and performances. Contact our organization to discuss your participation. For the next two months we will be holding parade workshops to assist with bike sculpture and float construction, as well as performance and dance rehearsals. Learn more about the parade and apply for participation at Junkado.org. Learn more about A/WAY and our upcoming dinners at www.ThisIsAWay.com.
celebrate your ABQ
EARTH! JUNKADO PARADE AT THE NOB HILL EARTH FEST
11AM-1PM
APRIL 2 1
THE MOTHER OF ALL BACKYARD
GARDENING COURSES BY SUSAN REED hen we garden, we actively reconnect ourselves to the living processes of this earth, our home. This 12-part course is a thorough exploration of the theory and practice of the garden arts. It teaches principles derived from the observation of natural systems and incorporates them into practical techniques used to create healthy and abundant gardens. Although focused on applications specific to New Mexico's unique challenges, when you've finished this course you'll be able to grow anywhere below the timberline. Learning will be hands-on in a small class setting, so be sure to come prepared to take notes, ask questions, observe, interact, work up a sweat and get your hands in the ground.
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Instructor Michael Reed is an environmental philosopher and certified permaculture teacher and designer. He served three terms as president of the New Mexico Farmers Marketing Association and is a founding member of Save New Mexico Seeds. As a farmer, he is dedicated to growing native and regionally adapted food and medicinal plants. As a teacher, he is passionate about growing and reintroducing to the public forgotten or neglected sources of food and other useful plants. He works with the Arid Crop Seed Cache to grow out and save seed of heirloom vegetables, herbs and flowers. He is also part of a collaborative effort to collect and cultivate regionally appropriate heirloom fruits, nuts, berries and perennials that can adapt and thrive in our challenging environment. There are currently over 600 different varieties in the entire
collection, with over 400 found at La Orilla. A year-round grower for the past twenty years, he teaches the gardening section of the Permaculture Design Certification course offered by the Permaculture Institute, and offers workshops at La Orilla Farm (and anywhere else he is asked). Classes will be held twice a month from Spring Equinox to Autumnal Equinox, and will be offered twice each week, on Thursdays and Saturdays. Classes are from 9am to 1pm and include lecture, discussion, a 15-minute break, time in the garden to participate in projects and exemplary situations. This will give everyone an opportunity to see how these concepts actually work. Each class will build on the language and concepts introduced in the previous sessions, but the course is designed so that each class can serve as a stand-alone unit on its own. A complete listing of each class description with specific dates is available by email request from skreed@earthlink.net. Classes will be held at La Orilla Farm, located in the far South Valley, next to the Isleta Reservation, at 2401 Black Mesa Loop SW. Please call or email for course or single class rates and to register: email screed@earthlink.net or call 505-877-2877. Please register in advance as space is limited.
RECONNECTING TO THE
FOOD PRODUCER
WORKS SHOPS BY JOHN GARLISH, BERNALILLO COUNTY
E A RT H
The workshop agenda includes a “Local Buyers Panel” at which representatives from La Montanita’s Albuquerque and Santa Fe stores will be present; followed by a Q&A session and a presentation on “Growing High Value Crops” by New Mexico State University County Extension Services specialists. EXTENSION SERVICE
Join our New Mexico State University’s County Extension Service representatives at one of a series of workshops entitled ”Connecting Local Food Producers with Local Markets.” The workshops will be held in three counties of central New Mexico on March 4-6 and are designed to provide producers with information on market opportunities for locally produced food in the greater Albuquerque metro area. Registration: Contact your local County Extension Office for more info and registration for these FREE workshops.
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE: • ALBUQUERQUE, March 4, 6-8:30pm at Bernalillo County Extension Office (1510 Menaul) • MORIARTY, March 5, 6-8:30pm at Moriarty Civic Center (202 Broadway) • LOS LUNAS, March 6, 6-8:30pm at Valencia County Extension Office (404 Courthouse Blvd)
ALL FOOD PRODUCERS are
WELCOME!
Co-op Values Cooperatives are based on the values of self-help, selfresponsibility, 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 Coop Supermarket to provide information on La Montanita Co-op Supermarket, the cooperative movement, and the links between food, health, environment and community issues. Opinions expressed herein are of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Co-op.
farming & gardening GARDENING
March 2013 4
YOU LIVE IN A
DESERT! Fourth, water less often but longer and more deeply. Watering longer might sound contradictory if you’re trying to cut consumption but you want to train your plants to not hover around the surface waiting for a daily drink from the garden hose. After you water deeply and the topsoil dries out your plants will delve further for moisture, making for a stronger and sturdier plant in the end.
v s W AT E R
BRETT BAKKER t’s that time of year again. What already? Oh, yeah, you’re right, it is time to think about your summer garden. Planning ahead and all that. What I meant is, it’s that time of year when we see if there’s gonna be late winter snow that will provide runoff for our rivers and streams or put a little moisture into our parched soils. Many farms are facing a third—or less!—of their usual irrigation water from the Rio. BY
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itchy green
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What is your Of course, this topic does lead right into garden planning. You live in the desert. Every decision you make regarding water is an important one. This is especially important in a critical water year like 2013 is shaping up to be. First, plant what you want to eat. Sounds simple, right? It’s amazing how many gardens I’ve seen full of stuff that no one in the family wants to eat but looked fun or interesting to grow. Don’t waste water by growing crops that will go to waste. Second, plant appropriate crops. You might yearn for fresh artichokes but it’s unlikely to pay off big in the end in terms of yield and water use. Or what about rows of sweet corn? A nice treat an’ all but a small yield compared to the amount of space used… unless you raise corn for meal and flour which provide higher rates of calories, proteins and vitamins. If we’re talking water use, watermelons are out right? Wrong! Watermelons and cantaloupes are native to the African continent and the old varieties don’t really like large amounts of water. Nothing makes a more insipid dull tasting melon than overwatering, especially in the weeks before ripening.
TENDING
THE
garden
BY AMANDA RICH, ERDA GARDENS LEARNING CENTER t started with yellow pear tomatoes. Just one or two plants in a backyard at a house I rented with two other women. One wanted to plant corn so we dug and dug and dug a huge patch to plant. There were other things, too, a flowering tobacco that towered over everything in late summer, reaching to kiss the sky with her fragrant flowers. A rose that shriveled its petals into tart “hips” that we collected for tea. Other plants I forgot the names of but remember the shape. A hedge pruned to form a little two-person alcove, a small tree that held a roadrunner's nest; an enormous cottonwood I could climb up into and just sit quietly.
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It became clear soon after we planted the garden that I would be the one tending it. I didn't know this at the time, but gardens require maintenance, and the more attention they get, the happier they are. For me it was a pleasure to check the plants. Picking insects off their broad leaves, watching the green fruits swell then ripen, but the activity I loved most was watering.
water
footprint? A word about drought-tolerant crops: these use less water not because they don’t need it but because they are efficient users of what water they do receive. Their roots go deeper in to forage for moisture. Respiration rates are lower, which results in less moisture loss through leaves. Yields are higher in relation to water use than, say, your average tomato. This is long-term but, third, build your soil. Healthy, living soil is like a sponge that can hold tremendous amounts of moisture. Pair a low water crop with a rich spongy soil and your water bill drops ever lower. And by “water bill” I don’t mean only your utility fees but how much moisture you use in relation to real human need. Think of your carbon footprint but relate it to water use and you’ll get the idea. The more moisture your soil holds the farther the roots will spread, ensuring a stronger, sturdier plant.
People take too much credit for gardens. I didn’t grow those delicious yellow jewels. The plant did. And like a good mother she was protecting her kin under her leafy skirts to propagate future generations. I was just a thief and a student of nature. Lesson 101, she had been waiting to guide me. She was there all along. I was another cheeky stranger trolling a nursery looking for something good to eat—an ogre with clumsy hands and big teeth. Thank the sweet universe that plants don’t have human judgment or words to explain to us our own ignorance. They are silent teachers. Showing us each lesson, encouraging us like babies or puppies with bits of fruit as a reward.
NATURE
ings (dung) to your compost tea recipe has a particular benefit in disease prevention, although the exact mechanism is still somewhat of a mystery. If you have micronutrient deficiencies, you can add some liquid kelp to the tea in order to remedy problems associated with a lack of iodine, zinc and other nutrients of which plants need only small amounts but that are ultimately very important.
but this actually is of secondary importance to maintaining the soil’s biological diversity, including the organisms that directly feed your plants. It’s a subtle, but important distinction. There are quite a few ways to make compost tea, from inexpensive DIY setups (a 5 gallon bucket of compost and water, left in the sun and stirred) to high tech rigs that cost up to several thousand dollars that produce many gallons of high quality compost tea per day. All methods do one very important thing, and that’s areate your tea while it’s “brewing.” Oxygen is absolutely essential to making compost tea, as the beneficial bacteria involved are all “aerobic,” meaning they need oxygen to survive, vs. anerobic species, many of which are plant pathogens and/or what will turn your tea into a stinky mess that’s actually bad for your plants.
feed your
Just about any good quality, well-turned compost that smells nice and “earthy” rather than sour will do, but you can also add ingredients that will make it even more potent medicine for your plants. Recent research has indicated that the addition of worm cast-
SAVE THE DATE! Sunday, April 21 23rd Annual Celebrate the EARTH FEST at the Nob Hill Co-op
fragrant branches. I piled them into a pocket I made with the belly of my T-shirt and hauled them into the house screaming “The tomatoes! The tomatoes!”
a student of
Probiotics for your SOIL
In order to understand how compost tea works, it’s important to know that your soil is an ecosystem, and like all ecosystems diversity equals stability. When your garden features a well-fed soil ecosystem, you limit the amount of resources and provide homes for predators of pathogenic organisms. The aim here is to feed the good soil organisms that in turn feed your plants, rather than feeding the plants directly. A common misconception is that compost tea provides fertilizer directly for the plants,
Your choice doesn’t have to be so dramatic. Who knows, maybe you’ve already figured out how to efficiently grow those artichokes in the desert. From water parks to lawn sprinklers to washing the car, our collective choices here in the desert haven’t been all that great. MAKE YOURS COUNT!
The garden grew well with my love and attention and I was forever hooked. The first ripe yellow pear tomato that burst into sunshine in my mouth forever changed me. After I found the first, hanging like a golden bell at the base of the plant, I lifted up the branch to discover a whole city of ripe tomatoes, hiding in the depths of the
COMPOST TEA !
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I drenched those seedlings once a day for over a month. Side dressed with compost. Fed with seaweed. All those little tricks. They barely grew a few inches. They weren’t old or stunted seedlings, it was just a poor match of crop, soil and moisture need. As the drought intensified, I realized that I was wasting water—disrespecting the resource. I may have gotten a small crop if I had persisted but the returns would far outweigh the cost. It was the first time in my life I felt no remorse in turning off the water on a crop and leaving it off, leaving them to die. It was the right choice.
Our soil was sandy and the water absorbed quickly. I realized I could form culverts for the water to go with a hoe or shovel. This allowed me to set the hose down and complete some other garden task in the meantime. Gardeners know that there is always too much work to do and never enough time to do it. I loved cutting a curvy path around the roots of the plants and watching the water roll through it. It reminded me of being a child and after rainy days we would create dams and rivers from the mud puddles in the fields near my house. The control of guiding the water to new areas was exhilarating for some reason I still don’t fully understand today. I was learning the concepts of flood irrigation—that the subtle shifts in elevation require a deeper ditch to move water to its desired location.
We hand watered the beds, which means we stood, or I stood, with the hose, letting the space around the base of the plants get a good soaking.
BY JOE FRANKE f you’d like to “supercharge” the soil in your garden, and you already have good soil structure in terms of a balance of organic matter to other components, you should consider experimenting with compost teas. Compost tea might sound complicated or exotic, but it’s nothing more than a liquid suspension of microorganisms and nutrients made from biologically active compost that acts as a quick kickstart to the ecology of your soil. They can be sprayed directly onto foliage, which helps prevent diseases above ground or used to drench the roots and surrounding soil, and also as a root dip to give seedlings a head start.
And finally, think very carefully about the garden and its water overall. Is it worth it? Does the amount of water used justify the yield? In normal years I wouldn’t ponder this question so much (although drought is almost normal in the southwest.) It really hit me last year when I inherited a flat of vegetable seedlings that needed a home. It’s been years since I routinely planted my annual acre of crops in the valley. I never paid much attention to my tiny yard in my UNM area yard: poor soil, low clay content, low organic content. That’s where these seedlings ended up.
BE THERE!
SOIL
Give your garden’s beneficial bacteria some lovely Compost Tea!
For instruction on how to put together and use a well-functioning and inexpensive DIY setup, go to www.finegardening.com/how-to/articles/ brewing-compost-tea.aspx. • You’ll need an aquarium pump large enough to run three bubblers or air stones • Several feet of tubing • A gang valve • Three bubblers • A stick to stir the mixture • Unsulfured molasses (preferrably organic) • Something to strain the tea, like an old pillowcase, tea towel or a nylon stocking • A bucket A SIDE NOTE: A highly recommended compost tea article is available online, by gardening goddess Elaine Ingham: www.finegardening. com/how-to/articles/brewing-compost-tea.aspx. Please try this technique and let me know how you did for a follow-up article. Email your findings to sapogordoeco@comcast.net.
farming & gardening the DIRT on DIRT !
...
BY SARAH WENTZEL-FISHER he first mystery of gardening is soil—sometimes the dirt under a person’s fingernail is what makes for a green thumb. In other words, good dirt makes a beautiful garden easier. And, knowing your soil will help you choose the plants that will appreciate your particular patch of dirt.
T
In preparation for a garden spend a little time getting to know your dirt. If you have struggled to get a garden going, it may have everything to do with your dirt needing a little work. When learning about your soil, there are three important assessments to make: 1. pH, 2. Texture, and 3. Available nutrients. You can have your soil professionally tested by sending it to a lab. Unfortunately, New Mexico no longer has a testing facility in state, so to have soil samples tested they have to be sent to a neighboring state, and will run between $45 and $200 dollars depending on the detail and number of soil samples you send. While this may be necessary to troubleshoot for particularly complicated or contaminated soil, some basic observations will tell you most of what you need to know to get your garden growing. In New Mexico our soils tend to have a lot of clay or sand, to be very alkaline, and to have little organic matter. Making some basic observations in your garden about your dirt will tell you most of what you need to know to improve the soil quality. With a little digging and a couple of kitchen experiments, you can make some safe determinations about what sorts of materials to use to amend your soil. pH—Alkaline/Acid Balancing Most annuals like a soil with a neutral pH—somewhere between 6.4 and 7. In New Mexico, our soils tend to be very alkaline, meaning they usually have a pH of 7.4 or higher. Alkaline soils make basic nutrients, like iron, harder for plants to access and absorb. Here’s a basic kitchen experiment you can do to determine the approximate pH of your soil. You will need
March 2013 5
UNRAVELING THE MYSTERIES OF
a soil sample, a cookie sheet, baking soda, water and vinegar. To get a good soil sample, brush aside any surface debris from the dirt, then collect about 1 cup from just below the surface. In the kitchen, pour the dirt onto a cookie sheet,
get to KNOW
YOUR...
DIRT !
If you have STRUGGLED to get a garden going, it may have everything to do with YOUR DIRT NEEDING A LITTLE WORK. remove rocks and other large particles, and then divide it into two even piles. Let the dirt sit out over night to ensure that it is very dry. The next day mix about a tablespoon of baking soda into about 1 cup of water. Pour several tablespoons of the baking soda mixture over one of the piles of dirt, and pour several tablespoons of vinegar over the other. If the baking soda pile fizzes, this means you have acidic soil. If the vinegar pile fizzes, this means you have alkaline soil. The best way to reduce pH in alkaline soil without using chemicals is to add organic material, particularly finely chopped wood chips, coffee grounds, or compost. By adding organic material at the beginning of each growing season, you will improve both the texture and pH of your garden soil. Texture The texture of your soil will tell you how your dirt deals with water and air. Soil texture is typically
SOIL!
classified by three characteristics: clay, silt and sand. Clay soils tend to do a better job holding moisture, but also tend to be dense and alkaline, making nutrients hard for plants to access. Silty soils have a more granular quality than clay, but less than sand. Sandy soils tend to drain quickly, stressing plants during hot dry months. In New Mexico, our soils tend to be either very sandy or very clayey. To determine the texture of your soil, you’ll need to get your hands dirty. Get a small bucket or a large bowl, fill it with dirt from the garden, and get it slightly damp. Rub the mixture between your fingers to see how it feels. Is it sticky (clay), smooth (silt), or granular (sand)? Then, pick up a handful and squeeze it out between your thumb and forefinger. If the soil immediately breaks apart, you have sandy soil, if it creates a ribbon about an inch long before breaking off, you have silty soil, if it holds together in a ribbon two inches or more, your soil has a lot of clay. For more comprehensive tests you can do at home, check out the great Colorado Extension Service article on Estimating Soil Texture at www.cmg.colostate.edu. While it may seem like adding sand to clayey soil or clay to sandy soil might improve your soil, you may just be creating a potent concrete mix. Any texture of soil is most easily improved by adding organic material. Compost will help sandy soil retain more moisture, and it will bind with small clay particles, making more space for air and drainage in soil. Nutrient Levels Determining soil nutrient levels is perhaps the most nebulous part of assessing your soil. Without specific chemistry tests, you will only be able to vaguely estimate your soil nutrient levels. If you have clayey soil, or alkaline soil, your soil probably has retained nutrients, but they may not be readily available to your plants. A very high or very low pH will limit some of the nutrients that plants are able to absorb. The more organic matter you have in your soil, the more nutrients will be readily available to your plants—so when in doubt, add compost. The best way to determine nutrient levels in your garden soil is to pay attention to what your plants say—they will tell you if your soil is lacking something. For example, if your plants’ older leaves turn yellow or red, you may need more nitrogen. The website www.oakleafgardening.com has a number of easy to use and understand articles about how to assess plant condition to determine appropriate soil supplementation. Assessing nutrient levels in your garden might take a season or two of dedicated observation, so your best tools here are patience, documentation (consider taking some notes or some photos or both) and time in your garden. Happy planting!
co-op
news
March 2013 6
DELECTABLE AGED CHEESES
OLD WINDMILL DAIRY:
NEW AGED
CHEESES BY SARAH WENTZEL-FISHER or those of you who have come to love local chevre celebrity Old Windmill Dairy, with their wide selection of delicious fresh goat cheeses, you’ll be happy to learn that they’re rolling out a new line of aged and ripe cow’s milk cheeses. Named after some of New Mexico’s most scenic places; this month you can expect to find in Co-op Cheese Departments, Valles Caldera, a ripened, hand-crafted artisan cheese made from a blend of goat’s and cow’s milk, and Sangre de Cristo, a triple cream style Brie.
INSPIRED BY
The Valles Caldera, in the Jemez Mountains of Northern New Mexico, is a collapsed volcanic crater with lush grassland valleys; towering mountains; verdant forests and clear, sparkling streams. This crater, or caldera, was formed after a catastrophic volcanic eruption took place 1.2 million years ago. The Valles Caldera National Preserve, a 140-square-mile portion of the larger Valles Caldera, was created in 2000.
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Based on customer requests for more diverse offerings, dairymen Michael and Ed Lobaugh decided to venture into the world of cow milk cheeses to complement their chevre production. Old Windmill Dairy prides itself on keeping things local, and working with other food artisans, ranchers and farmers in New Mexico to help develop a richer food culture and local foodshed. Rather than complicate things at the ranch by trying to care for goats and cows, they have decided to partner with Micky’s Dairy in Albuquerque’s South Valley to tend their herd of happy milk cows. Valles Caldera Cheese Valles Caldera bloomy rind is a handcrafted artisan cheese made from a blend of goat’s and cow’s milk. OWD gives the ripening wheels at least an hour of love and special handling each day. It is especially exciting to see the velvety snow white coat of penicillium candidium as it grows on the outside of the cheese. This bacteria is responsible for ripening the cheese into its creamy texture and rich piquant flavor. They add a layer of vegetable ash to neutralize acidity and to aid the ripening process.
SCENIC NEW MEXICO!
fresh poblano peppers. Spoon the rice mixture into the peppers until full. Top with slices of Valles Caldera and bake for 25 minutes. Serve with a garnish of fresh cilantro or a wedge of tomato or both. Sangre de Cristo Brie Sangre de Cristo triple cream style Brie is a handcrafted artisan cheese made from the milk of their happy cows. In the style of a triple cream, OWD adds extra cream to the recipe enhancing the flavor and texture of the cheese. The deep flavor of Sangre de Cristo is enhanced by a touch of heat from chipotle. The Sangre de Cristo (Blood of Christ) Mountains are the southernmost range of the Rocky Mountains. Running from Southern Colorado through Northern New Mexico, they form a beautiful backdrop to both Taos and Santa Fe, turning a deep red color at sunset.
Valles Caldera Stuffed Peppers INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup chopped celery 1 clove minced garlic 3 cups veggie or chicken stock 1 cup rice 4 large fresh poblano peppers Valles Caldera cheese Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a large saucepan, sauté celery and garlic in butter. Add 3 cups veggie or chicken stock and one cup rice. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat until the moisture has been completely absorbed. Cut the stems off of, and clean the seeds from four large,
Sangre de Cristo Quesadilla INGREDIENTS One small onion Three minced garlic cloves Sun dried tomatoes soaked in water or olive oil One large chicken breast Sangre de Cristo brie Preheat the oven to 425° F. Sauté the chopped onion and garlic over medium heat until transparent. Layer thin slices of Sangre de Cristo, slices of cooked chicken breast, sun dried tomatoes and the sautéed ingredients between two tortillas. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. CARING FOR YOUR SOFT CHEESES These soft cheeses are best kept in the specially designed porous cellophane paper they come in. Made in France, this paper is derived from woodbased cellulose fibers and is 100% biodegradable. We suggest keeping the cheese refrigerated in the paper, as your cheese is alive and needs to breathe.
LOCALproduct
DELICIOUS NEW LOCAL CHEESES
SPOTLIGHT BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
THINKING ABOUT
LEADERSHIP Come check us out and see what we’re about!
BY ARIANA MARCHELLO f you look at the masthead of this newsletter or the “About Us” tab on the Co-op’s website, you’ll see a list of the Co-op’s leadership team. Starting with Terry Bowling, our general manager, on through the administrative and store team leaders. All these amazing people manage the operations of your Co-op, the “more than grocery” stores that strive to fulfill the needs that we, the members, formed the Co-op to meet.
I
Also listed on the masthead and in the About Us tab, in the Governance section, is the Board of Directors. The nine members of the Co-op who comprise the Board are legally responsible for the operation of the Co-op and for representing all of the owners as such. Yet under our policy model of governance, the Board does not manage the Co-op’s operations. We don’t choose the stock, balance the books or hire and fire anyone except the general manager. The Board monitors the operations of the organization and creates performance standards (policies) by which we hold the general manager accountable for the fiscal health and stability of the Co-op, and by which we hold ourselves accountable for how we work together to accomplish our goals.
Premium Compost • Our locally made Premium Compost is approved for use on Certified Organic Farms and Gardens.
Topsoil Blend
Our Ends policies articulate organizational goals to guide the General Manager. The answer to the strategic question, “where do we want our Co-op to go and how do we get there,” is the subject of an ongoing conversation and subject to co-operation between the Board and General Manager, each party having a unique role to play.
• Ready for planting in raised beds or flower pots!
Mulch
But, how should the Board members think about leadership? What kind of framework should we use? In January, three La Montañita board members attended a leadership workshop along with board members from five other western corridor co-ops to consider that very subject. Our lens was the idea of the Servant-Leader, a paradigm originated by Robert Greenleaf. From a traditional viewpoint the words servant and leader together make an oxymoron. Yet, ask most of the directors there why they volunteered to run for a position on the board, the answer was to serve the co-op, to support the economic model, facilitate its growth, amplify the impact in the community and maintain its health, now and into the future. So, we understood that our intention, as we aspire to lead our co-ops in facing challenges and grasping opportunities, is a bit different from the traditional leader’s intent. We then went on to examine the ten major characteristics of the servant-leader put forth by Greenleaf: listening, empathy, healing of relationships, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people and building community. In those characteristics can be found an apt description of how the Board can accomplish its work and of the Board’s role as part of the Coop’s top leadership, especially within the policy governance model. The best place to see this in action is at a board meeting during the study hour. You are welcome to attend our meetings, at 5:30 pm, the third Tuesday of the month at the Immanuel Presbyterian Church, on Carlisle at Silver near the Nob Hill store.
• A variety of decorative and functional mulches.
Foodwaste Recycling • Albuquerque’s only restaurant foodwaste recycling pick up service
MEMBERSHIP IS
OWNERSHIP!
Greenwaste Recycling • Bring your Yardwaste to us and keep it out of the Dump!
9008 Bates Rd. SE Open Tues. through Sat. 8am to 4pm Please come down and see us • www.soilutions.net
The CO-OP Foodshed Project: Bringing local farmers together with Co-op shoppers for the best in fresh, fair and local food.
SHOP
CO-OP!
co-op news THE INSIDE I have been working for a year to indentify and secure a location for a new La Montanita Co-op store. I am pleased to announce we will be opening a new store in West Albuquerque this summer. Our new location will be located at 3601 Old Airport Ave. NW, Albuquerque NM, 87114. This area is known as the Cottonwood Commons shopping center. This will be a good location for us, while there are several food stores in the area, our business model is unique. We will be the only local, community-owned natural food store in area. This section of the city is a natural progression for our Co-op. The West Side is growing and provides an opportunity to offer the Co-op experience to this community. We have been asked repeatedly over the past few years by numerous people, both members and non-members, for a store in this area. When this store opens we will have paid off the loan that was used for the purchase and remodel
SCOOP
of the Santa Fe store. We are financing this store with a loan from the New Mexico Educators Credit Union. I estimate it will cost 2.6 million to complete, including equipment and inventory. While this is a large sum of money; it is relatively inexpensive for a new store. This store not only represents a new location but the creation of new jobs and opportunities for advancement for current staff. We have a great deal of work ahead of us before this store opens, but we are looking forward to the challenge. I will keep you updated as we move forward and get closer to the opening day (which at this time has not yet been set.) As always, if you ever have a comment, suggestion or concern, please contact me at terryb@lamontanita.co-op or by phone at 505217-2020. Thanks for your continued support. -TERRY B. GENERAL MANAGER’S COLUMN
LOCAL PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: KINNA’S
PASTE
NEW VEGAN OFFERINGS BY SARAH WENTZEL-FISHER or several years, the Co-op has carried Kinna’s Laos Chile Paste, a delicious Asian style chile paste crafted with care in Espanola. This chile paste, or jaew bong, comes from a recipe passed down from generation to generation through Kinna’s family. Each jar of the chile paste is hand- crafted with care. Manuel and Kinna Perez take pride in their attention to quality ingredients and feedback from their customers.
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Last year they changed the sugar in their recipe to organic evaporated cane juice. This year, they are rolling out a whole new line of vegan products! In the next month, you can expect to find Kinna’s Vegan Chile Paste, Tamarind Chile Sauce, and Mango Salsa. Manuel says many customers said they loved the chile paste, but wanted something vegetarian. He and Kinna worked up a recipe using tamarind in place of the fish sauce in their original chile paste. After doing his homework, he realized he had created a product free of animal products, and decided to give it the more appropriate label, vegan. Development of an animal-product-free chile paste led to the development of the other two products. From other customer feedback, and sense of commitment to their community, Manuel and Kinna now source the primary ingredients—onions, jalapenos, tomatoes, and garlic—for their Mango Salsa from I NTERNATIONAL
FLAVOR GOES
CHILE
Espanola Valley Farms. Manuel says he currently uses an oriental chile for his chile paste, but would eventually like to transition to a chile de arbol or a chile cayenne, once he develops a recipe with these types of New Mexico grown chiles. Manuel and Kinna recommend using their Chile Pastes in the following delicious ways: • Serve with sticky rice and dried beef in the Laos tradition • Mix with olive oil for dipping with French bread • Stir-fry dishes like seafood, beef, pork, chicken or tofu • Mix with mayo or Vegenaise and spread on bread for sandwiches • Use in tamales • In a spicy cilantro dip • Mix with ketchup and serve with fries • As a table condiment! Spicy Cilantro Dip 3 4 2 4 2
tablespoons soy sauce tablespoons rice wine vinegar tablespoons sugar or evaporated cane juice cloves garlic tablespoons Kinna’s Laos Chile Paste or Vegan Chile Paste 1 inch ginger root 1 bundle cilantro 4 sticks green scallions Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend to a mostly smooth consistency. Serve as a dip, or use as a pasta sauce. For more recipes and to give Manuel and Kinna your input, visit www.kinnas.net.
LOCAL!
EMBUDO VALLEY ORGANIC CHICKEN FEED
I
f you have, or are considering getting some backyard chickens, did you know you can buy organic chicken feed through the Co-op Distribution Center? For most products the CDC is a wholesaler, but the demand for chicken feed is so great, we’ve decided to make Embudo Valley Organic Chicken Lay Mix and Chicken Scratch available to the public at our warehouse. You can buy both of these products on a will-call basis, and pick it up on Friday mornings. Embudo Valley Organic Feeds blend certified organic flax oil, roasted soy beans and corn, homegrown wheat, barley, rye, oats and alfalfa raised on Embudo’s certified organic fields, with sea salt, molasses, nutritional yeast, kelp meal and other healthful ingredients to make a complete, balanced diet for your animals. Their highest qual-
ity organic feeds are made with only whole grains and contain no by-products or fillers to ensure healthier and tastier meat and eggs. Conventional feeds are now usually made with genetically modified grains, which are heavily sprayed in the fields and again in the processing operations. Preservatives and often antibiotics are added since bulk manufacturing and marketing require storage for many months, or even years. Residues of chemical and medicinal substances concentrate in the animals eating them. Prices: • Embudo organic lay mix 50 lb $32.50 plus tax • Embudo organic scratch 50 lb $22.50 plus tax These items are available to the general public. Order by calling 505-217-2010 or email orders@lamontanita.coop, and pick up on Fridays between 8am and noon. We ask that folks call in advance in case there are any stock issues. A FOODSHED PROJECT
SHOP CO-OP AND SAVE BUY LOCAL SHOP CO-OP AND SAVE
March Calendar
of Events 3/7
Veteran Farming Class 4501 Indian School Rd. room G106, 3:30pm 3/14 Veteran Farming Class 4501 Indian School Rd. room G106, 3:30pm, see page 13 3/19 BOD Meeting, Immanuel Church, 5:30pm April 5-6 NATIONAL PESTICIDE FORUM! See page 1 for more information.
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.
SHOP
CO-OP!
Mary Alice Cooper, MD
your locally gro not just a grocery store! What could be better than a fresh locally grown Honeydew melon, tomatillo, or loaf of fresh-baked bread from up the road? Well...we know exactly where that Johnathan apple came from… who grew it and how. For over three decades, La Montañita has supported regional small farmers and growers in organizing a local foods movement. As a Co-op shopper, you are the foundation of this local food system and economy.
did you know?
The LA MONTAÑITA CO-OP TRADE INITIATIVE, started in 2007, created a food distribution system that facilitates access to market for local farmers, ranchers and food producers and vendors. The La Montañita CO-OP Distribution Center is the operational hub of this effort.
New Mexico's Premier Cooperative Wholesale Distributor Co-op Distribution provides access to market for local producers by selling to wholesale customers. These farms and producers offer the greatest opportunity for positive impact in the creation of a sustainable food system, a healthy rural economy and rural/ urban relationships. We have over 150 customers including: Retail grocery • Commissaries •Restaurants • Redistributors • Institutional Buyers • Regional and National Vendors
local food producers
We define “LOCAL” as any food product produced within a roughly 300-mile radius of Albuquerque. This concept of a foodshed, is a way of thinking about sustainable food systems—a triple bottom line business model in which social, economic and ecological outcomes matter.
Salvador Corona Española, NM
Frisco Fa r m
Schweback farms
Gosar Ranch
Sangre de Cristo AG Producers Cider
MILL Farm
TAMALE CONNECTION
1 Patchwork Farm
sShiraz Vineyards
own co-op community • • • • WHOLESALE ONLY for the FOOD INDUSTRY • • • •
wholesale
ONLY wholesale
taste of
spring
on the
road AGAIN! HASKO very experience I’ve had is directly related to food. My family often jokes that I can’t tell you who hosted the family picnic or where it was but I remember how amazing the deviled eggs were and the differences between all of the baked bean dishes.
gracious enough to let me borrow theirs. I’m sleeping on their floor when they tiptoe out for work in the morning and I know they sacrificed their coffee so as to not wake me. The least I can do is cook something I love in return. This, coincidentally, is also how you get invited back.
BY JESSE
E
Now, being in a touring band and on the road for long parts of the year, I can’t tell you the name of the club we played in Madison, but I can tell you it’s three doors down from a place that has amazing bacon blue cheese burgers for eight bucks until midnight. I’ve cooked for well over half my life now and food seems to be the most important thing on and off the road. I prepare in advance; before we leave there is usually a maniacal canning and baking and freezing session in anticipation of eating on the drives and when we return. This is all happening when I should be practicing and my brother/bandmate doesn’t let me forget it. I’ll research places and beg to just “swing by” Brownsville, Tennessee, to go to this little BBQ joint that I am SURE has the best BBQ in Tennessee. (They don’t.) But it makes life on the road that much better. And when eating from the pleasantly trashy holes-in-thewall wears thin, I am happy that I brought along that quinoa or oatmeal to make in motel rooms in a small rice cooker. These are the things that create some sort of normalcy. Without a kitchen you lose a sense of home. Luckily, I stay with a lot of new and old friends and most are
I love cooking in other people’s homes; the limitations of their space, the small dull knives, glass cutting boards, no mixing bowls, a butter-free household. These quirks present a welcome challenge. I don’t have to always use a microplane for my garlic and lemon zest, and if someone is cutting carrots into discs (which I can’t stand) I don’t say anything. I’m grateful for the collaboration, the cold beer, and subsequently, my new found love of disc shaped carrots. It’s always more fun to cook with people in their homes and trade tips and tricks. An epic meal was Italian lentils with poached eggs and lamb sausage at a friend’s house in the Berkley Hills. The show in Oakland was terrible but the soft shell crab and warm potato salad with eggs from their chickens and a little arugula and fennel from their front yard completely redeemed the night. Eating fresh grapefruit from a friend’s tree in New Orleans, the quince from Northern California and convincing Brooklynites that Italian parsley should be eaten with EVERYTHING are just some of the experiences I bring home with me. And when I do get home, I want to cook for days and smell the garlic in my own house. This is something I came up with this past summer in Brooklyn when my schedule became non-existent and I was awake at four in the morning, cleaning my friends’ kitchen, organizing their pantry, rearranging their fridge and creating this with everything they had. It was met with awe and should be followed by a nap.
March 2013 10
Big Awesome Breakfast 1 1 1 3 1
zucchini, halved and sliced squash, halved and sliced onion, diced cloves garlic, minced bunch kale, de-stemmed and roughly chopped 1 can whole tomatoes 2 tablespoons fennel seed 1 tablespoon oregano 1/2 cup chopped parsley A few tablespoons of some hard cheese on hand 8 basil leaves, torn Eggs–2 per person 2 tablespoons olive oil In a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil and sauté until translucent. Add garlic, zucchini, squash, fennel seed, oregano and season with salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Stew together on low for 20 minutes. Add chopped kale and cook until it wilts. Crack eggs on the surface, cover and cook on low until the eggs are how you like them. Top with grated Parmesan or whatever cheese you have in the fridge, the parsley and basil leaves. Serve with warm crunchy bread and lots of coffee. Though I wouldn’t necessarily suggest it, the Sriracha will probably just make its way to the table. I was driving the six hours from Montreal to Toronto after sleeping for two hours the night before. It was one of those shows where we are staying with someone and they invite all of their friends over to “hang out” and drink wine until the sun rises.
the
GREENS of spring
Which can be incredibly fun and equally exhausting. I realized I was starving when a woman on the radio was explaining how to make this sandwich. As the radio reception broke up, I banged the steering wheel in frustration. This “pan bagnat” became my topic of discussion for weeks, I think as a way to remember the ingredients. We made a few different versions a month later and brought it to the beach in New York with a bottle of Rosé. I’m pretty sure we ate it all before we even went in the ocean. Pan Bagnat 1 3 1 2
tablespoon red wine vinegar tablespoons olive oil teaspoon Dijon mustard anchovy fillets, minced (or anchovy paste) 1 small garlic clove, minced 1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, sliced 4 tablespoons sliced pitted green olives 1 large ripe tomato, sliced 1/2 small red onion, sliced 1 can tuna packed in olive oil 8 to 10 large basil leaves 2 hard-cooked local eggs, peeled and thinly sliced 1 medium-large sized Sage Bakehouse loaf (I prefer whole wheat) Mix the first five ingredients into a dressing until it emulsifies. In a small bowl, mix cucumber and olives and toss with dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Half the loaf of bread horizontally and dig out a little of the insides. Layer the tuna, tomato, onion, eggs, basil, and top with marinated cukes and olives. Cover with the top of the loaf and wrap the whole thing really well in plastic wrap. Maybe put it in a plastic bag as well, to be safe. We didn’t have a small child to sit on it so we took turns pressing down on it all the way to the beach. In Albuquerque, I would say the trip to Lake Abiquiu would be a perfect amount of time and quite possibly the perfect place to eat this. The other variation had a muffuletta vibe and consisted of capicolla and provolone instead of tuna. We never came to a conclusion about which one was better. I made this in Northern California in the fall when I thought I wasn’t into food anymore, wasn’t into the friend we were staying with and wasn’t into coconut oil. Turns out I’m deeply in love with all three. It’s simple but satisfying with a salad or chicken and if you stand next to the oven while it’s baking, the smell of coconut oil and the heat will make you forget it’s still cool.
taste of
spring
1 small butternut squash 2 small Delicata squash 2-inch fresh ginger 2 to 3 garlic cloves 1 onion 2 carrots 1 Rapunzel vegan bouillon cube 2 tablespoons coconut oil Wash everything well. Don’t peel it—who cares? Cut tops and bottoms off squash and cut lengthwise. Always make sure you create a level surface so you aren’t trying to stick a “butcher knife into a bowling ball.” Seed them and cut them roughly into the same size (1-inch thick pieces) Peel ginger and slice into thin rounds. Give garlic and onion a rough chop, cut carrots into 3-inch pieces, like your mom is making a stew (presuming your mother did such things.) Throw it all in a baking pan. Chop up the bouillon cube and add to the mix along with the coconut oil and 1 cup of water. Toss it around. Cover, let rip at 320° F for about 45 minutes. Uncover and let it brown up, about 15 minutes more. It’s done when your knife goes through everything easily. Keep your eye on it. When bands are touring through New Mexico and staying with me, I always try and give them a good dinner. I think it’s good road karma and also, people can look a little tired and peaked after spending the day on the road. Everyone needs to know how to make a good salad and this one will get you started if you find yourself salad challenged. The key is to cut everything pretty small so it’s easy to eat. One of the most disappointing salads comes from a pizza place where you know they went down the line and threw all of their raw pizza toppings onto iceberg and topped it with shredded mozzarella cheese. I can’t think of anything worse. The Best Salad Is a Feeling 1/2 pound kale, stem removed, leaves rolled up and sliced thin Bunch of arugula 1 romaine heart 1 red bell pepper, diced 1/2 pound peas 2 apples, quartered, cored, and sliced thin 1 cuke, cut lengthwise, deseeded and sliced thin 2 carrots, grated 8 Medjool dates, de-seeded and chopped 1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped 1 cup tamari roasted almonds, roughly chopped 1 package sunflower sprouts, chopped into 1-inch pieces 8 ounces Old Windmill goat cheese Combine the bell pepper, cukes, carrots and apples in a medium bowl. Chop the parsley on the cutting board and put the deseeded dates on top. Mix up with the parsley and roughly chop them. The parsley keeps them from sticking to your knife and each other. Throw that mixture in the bowl with the other vegetables. Usually I mix this with fresh lemon juice from one lemon and a few tablespoons of olive oil, some kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. There is just something about apples and pepper that I can’t get over. The vegetables and fruits can get acquainted while you chop the greens and toss them together in a large bowl. Before serving, lightly salt the greens and either toss together with the mixture or layer on a platter deliberately. Top with sprouts, chopped almonds, more chopped parsley, and small pieces of goat cheese. If you heat up a loaf of bread, your dinner could be done. This dressing works with this salad as well and has become a standby due to its simplicity and versatility.
go
GREEN !
March 2013 11 Fernando’s Mustard Dressing 1 whole clove garlic, microplaned or finely minced 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard 4 tablespoons olive oil Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste Combine all ingredients and whisk until emulsified. Thin with water to desired consistency. Works great to make right in the mustard jar when it gets low. Kale, Kale, Kale Everyone is kale crazy, thankfully. I just talked to a friend that went to a dinner party and was served a raw bowl of kale with lemon juice. They waited for the second course, it never came and they got pizza on the way to the bar. Just when you think you are sick of kale and its undercooked ways, try this Italian style kale. It goes well with fish and you might want to double this recipe. Tuscan kale, Italian kale, dinosaur kale, Cavolo Nero, black kale, flat back cabbage, palm tree kale, or Lacinato, it’s all the same thing, delicious! 1 pound Lacinato kale 1 chopped garlic clove 1 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs 4 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup grated pecorino cheese 1/2 Meyer lemon 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes Olive oil Toss breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons olive oil and kosher salt and black pepper. Bake on a tray for 5 to 7 minutes at 350° F, until golden brown. Sauté garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil until just turning color and immediately add kale. Using tongs, flip it around so it wilts quickly. Season with salt and pepper and spread out on platter. Squeeze the lemon over the top, add the cheese and breadcrumbs and sprinkle on red pepper flakes. When we get back from a tour we spend the last few hours from Flagstaff or Amarillo tossing out ideas for what to eat when we get home. After working up a huge appetite, it is always disappointing to find that we have oatmeal, a little peanut butter, stale tortilla chips and some things I canned that I no longer have the same enthusiasm for. We eat the chips and get serious the next day. This meal is satisfying because I get to cook at home again and use (almost) every tool I have. Grilled Tuna with Romesco Sauce 1 1/2 to 2 pounds tuna steaks (2 large or 4 small) to at least 1-inch thick, rinsed and patted dry 1 slice Sage Bakehouse bread, 1/2-inch thick 4 Roma tomatoes, roasted 1 red bell pepper, roasted 1/4 cup almonds, roasted 1/4 cup hazelnuts, roasted and peeled 3 garlic cloves 1 smallish dried New Mexican red chile 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves 1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika 1/4 cup sherry vinegar 1/2 cup olive oil plus more for frying Prepare a charcoal grill or heat a gas one. When hot, roast the red bell pepper and tomatoes until charred and emitting the best smell ever. Place pepper in a paper or plastic bag and let rest for about 10 minutes. Peel and remove seeds. In 325° F oven, roast almonds and hazelnuts on separate pans until fragrant and lightly browned. Be careful to not let them burn. Rub hazelnuts with a clean dishtowel to remove skins. Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil and quickly fry whole garlic cloves. Remove from pan and fry the chile pepper for a few moments on each side. Remove from pan and fry the bread until golden and crisp. In a food processor, grind the bread, garlic, nuts and chile pepper. Add the tomato, bell pepper, parsley and paprika and blend until smooth. With blade running, add the vinegar and then the olive oil. Taste for salt and balance. Brush tuna steaks with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on hot grill for 3 to 6 minutes, turn and grill for 3 to 5 minutes more, depending on your preference. Serve immediately with the Romesco sauce. I would serve this with creamy polenta and sautéed broccoli raab. Jesse will be preparing SPRING-INSPIRED HORS D’OEUVRE for an opening of artwork by Billy Joe Miller at the Center for Contemporary Arts in Santa Fe on March 9 from 6 to 8pm, www.ccasantafe.org.
Look for Family Farmer Seed Coop seeds at your favorite La Montanita Co-op location!
Get your Family Farmer Seed Coop seeds!
PERFECT FOR NEW MEXICO GROWING CONDITIONS
wild food WEARING OF THE
PLANTS ARE OUR ALLIES: It’s coming UP
CLOVER
GREEN
The whole of the above ground plant—stem, leaves, flowers and seeds—is edible. It does have a sour lemony taste that is refreshing when you are hot and tired. The plant is self-pollinating and therefore doesn’t have any smell to attract pollinators.
BY JESSE EMERSON arch is the month we honor Ireland, Saint Patrick and the shamrock. To proudly display this Irish symbol became the “wearing of the green.” Legend says Saint Patrick bent down and picked up a 3-leafed plant and used it to explain the Christian concept of the Holy Trinity. The ancient Celts valued it as a sacred plant and a medicinal plant. To the Druids it was the emblem of the Vernal Equinox. It is said to be a favorite of the little people and the faeries. When gathered a payment was given to appease them. Some say only a shamrock can undo a Leprechaun’s trickery.
M
Shamrock, or seamrog in Irish, means “little clover.” Some references say it means “summer plant.” Throughout the ages there has been controversy over which plant the seamrog is precisely. It is usually considered to be one of these: Trifolum dubiun (lesser clover), Trifolium repens (white clover), Trifolium pratense or Oxalis, wood sorrel. Since there is still no consensus, I have chosen to write about wood sorrel. Wood sorrel grew abundantly in the moist areas of Ireland, had three leaves and was food for livestock and people. Seeds from the shamrog or wood sorrel have been found in glacial beds near Edinburgh, Scotland, and in neolithic sites in England and Europe. You can find this “Lucky Charm” plant in the Arctic, Europe, North Africa, North and West Asia to the Himalayas and in North America. In New Mexico the yellow wood sorrel, Oxalis stricta, can be found where the soil is moist and there is shade. The leaves are only fully extended in the shade and loosen up when a storm is coming, something to remember when out on the trail. Its friends found nearby are blue bells, wood anemone and other woodland flowers. Another species is oxalis violacea, but it prefers rocky dry areas. People across the planet have included it in their diets since time immemorial. The Kiowa of Texas found it in moist canyons and ate it to reduce thirst. They also fed it to their horses to make them run faster. I grew up in the midwest and when out in the woods picked the leaves and chewed on them, wrinkling up my nose because of the sour taste.
March 2013 12
Like most wild foods it hasn’t been studied or researched a great deal. However, it is high in vitamin C. One of its historic uses was for scurvy, a vitamin C deficiency condition. It contains B complex and vitamin A. I’m sure its seeds contain protein and could be added to soups and baked breads. This little ally has been used for centuries as a medicinal herb. It is a diuretic (makes you pee), provides potassium, strengthens the immune system, lowers fever, is a blood cleanser, and aids digestion. I have not tried the recipe below but am eagerly waiting for my seed order to be delivered to grow it out and for spring to forage for it in the wild. If you have concerns about oxalic acid, eat no more than 15 leaves raw. Drop the whole plant into hot water. When color changes from bright green to olive green, the oxalic acid is neutralized.
People across the planet HAVE INCLUDED THIS PLANT IN THEIR DIET since time immemorial
There are some precautions when using this plant as food and medicine. Like most plants it has oxalic acid, and like spinach, one should not go overboard eating it. Oxalic acid inhibits the absorption of calcium. Those with gout and kidney stones are advised to enjoy its delicate beauty but not eat it. That being said, try it and enjoy. It is not so much a main dish as a complimentary addition to meals.
Wood Sorrel
When fishing look for it along stream banks; stuff your fish with its leaves. When you find your trout on ice in a store, stuff it and poach in wine for a gourmet treat. Add a few chopped leaves to your salad as its sour taste starts digestive juices flowing. Pour boiling water over the fresh or dried plant, 1 teaspoon plant to 1 cup water. Add honey to taste, let it cool and you have a woodland lemonade. The shamrog is a good luck symbol. I wish you good luck in foraging for this easy to find and identify plant. And remember, it also keeps you safe from Leprechaun tricks. JESSIE EMERSON is a herbalist and RN. Join her this spring for wild food identification walks. Call 505-470-1363.
PESTO a recipe 2 1 1 1
tablespoons roasted hazelnuts or pinons cup washed, dried and chopped sorrel leaves to 2 coarsely chopped garlic cloves to 3 tablespoons olive oil
Grind hazelnuts and leaves together. Mix in garlic and olive oil. Toss with your favorite pasta or potatoes.
food & culture
March 2013 13 an organic, rotational grazing system in which llamas are pastured on fallow fields, which helps stabilize the soil—and ensures llama meat on peasant tables. Reportedly, it's really good with quinoa.
IT’S OKAY... YOU CAN EAT
QUINOA!
This isn't to say there are no growing pains as the worldwide demand for quinoa continues to grow. There have been squabbles over land and water. Farmers have been screwed by middlemen.
ARI LEVAUX any quinoa-lovers have hit the existential skids recently, thanks to a story in England's Guardian about the supposedly negative effects of buying imported quinoa. "The appetite of countries such as ours for this grain has pushed up prices to such an extent that poorer people in Peru and Bolivia, for whom it was once a nourishing staple food, can no longer afford to eat it."
BY
M
This was one of several stories in the last few years published by the likes of NPR, Associated Press and the New York Times. Some, like the Guardian, went to the extreme of guilt-tripping readers against buying imported quinoa. The idea that worldwide demand for quinoa is causing undue harm where it's produced is an oversimplification at best. At worst, discouraging demand for quinoa could end up hurting producers rather than helping them. Most of the world's quinoa is grown on the altiplano, a vast, cold, windswept and barren 14,000-foot Andean plateau spanning parts of Peru and Bolivia. Quinoa is one of the few things that grows there, and its high price means more economic opportunities for the farmers in one of the poorest parts of South America. An analysis by Emma Banks for the Andean Information Network responds to many of these quinoa questions with nuance largely absent from the press reports. "The impact of rising food prices is complex and encompasses food security and sovereignty debates," Banks wrote. Food security means having enough to eat, while food sovereignty means having a voice in the food system. These are impacted differently in different places by increasing prices. But some generalizations can be made. "Quinoa fetches a guaranteed high price affording farmers economic stability. This economic power has also translated into political power through producers' associations and co-operatives. Since the 1970s, these organizations have worked toward greater producer control of the market, spurring other political actions such as blockades and protests for greater economic and environmental rights in quinoa-growing regions."
Concerns about imported
QUINOA
are overblown
Relevant to the food security discussion, though absent in all of the recent quinoa press coverage, is the fact that, as Banks notes, "Bolivian government nutrition programs have begun to incorporate quinoa into school breakfast and new mothers' subsidies." Similar programs are underway in Peru, New York Times reporter Andrea Zarate told me by phone from Lima. Edouard Rollet is co-founder of the fair trade import company Alter Eco, which deals in Bolivian quinoa. His company works with 1,500 families in about 200 Bolivian villages. "I've been going to the altiplano once or twice a year since 2004," Rollet told me by phone. "The farmers are still eating quinoa." He said that over the years he's watched how the extra income from rising prices has allowed the families he works with to diversify their diets dramatically, adding foods like fresh vegetables. Of course, not all quinoa growers are fortunate enough to sell their product to fair trade organizations, and many receive less for their product. Regardless of the price, Rollet says, an average small farmer with 2 or 3 hectares to work will set aside roughly a tenth of his harvest for personal use, and sell the rest. It's hard to see how rising prices could be considered anything but good for these people. Of greater concern to Rollet is the environmental degradation that could result from more aggressive quinoa cultivation. His and some other quinoa merchants require
VETERAN FARMER PROJECT BOOTS AND ROOTS
CLASSES CONTINUE The 2013 Veteran Farmer Project classes began in late January and go through March. All veterans, active service and National Guard people are welcome to come to these FREE farming and gardening skills classes. This year you don’t have to be a Veteran to join us at these classes; we are pleased to welcome community members interested in learning new farming and gardening skills as well. All classes will take place at the New Mexico State University, Albuquerque campus, at 4501 Indian School Road NE, Albuquerque, downstairs in room G106 from 3:30-5pm. The campus is west of San Mateo. The VA van will be offering rides to both the classes and garden site from the Albuquerque VA Campus. For more information contact Robin Seydel at 505-
BOOTS and
ROOTS
veteran FARMER CLASSES! PLEASE RSVP TO ROBIN at 505-217-2027 TOLL FREE at 877-775-2667.
Those hit hardest by the rising price of quinoa are probably quinoa eaters that live in urban areas, since they must pay higher prices for the grain, but don't reap the economic benefits. This is especially true for those who have moved to the city from the countryside and are used to having access to quinoa but can no longer afford it. But at the same time, rising quinoa prices are drawing many urban refugees back to the countryside, where it's now possible to make a living from farming. In her analysis, Emma Banks points out that while quinoa farming has for years received state support in Peru, in Bolivia it's largely been a grassroots effort, with producers organizing and collecting the necessary equipment to process seeds and bring back quinoa real, the most commercially viable variety of quinoa. "The quinoa boom greatly benefits farmers in spite of little state support," she wrote. The UN has declared 2013 the International Year of Quinoa, saying it has the potential to advance food security around the globe and prevent malnutrition. In fact, quinoa is so nutritionally complete that NASA is considering it as astronaut food for long space rides. It's a favorite of vegetarians because it's so high in protein, and because it's a rare plant-based food that contains a full complement of amino acids. Interestingly, the Guardian story seemed as much a hit-piece on vegetarians and vegans as on quinoa eaters. "Britain excels in producing meat and dairy foods. ...However, a rummage through the shopping baskets of vegetarians and vegans swiftly clocks up the food miles, a consequence of their higher dependency on products imported from faraway places." While attempts to grow quinoa haven't worked out in Britain, locovores in the US can take heart at the fact that farmers in Oregon and Colorado are figuring out how to grow it. That said, domestic quinoa sells out quickly after every harvest, so for the time being quinoa lovers will be importing most of theirs from the altiplano. And that's not a bad thing. Wherever it's grown, concerns about buying imported quinoa are overblown. The Guardian calls it "...a ghastly irony when the Andean peasant's staple grain becomes too expensive at home because it has acquired hero product status among affluent foreigners." There is, in fact, a ghastly irony here. It's when media stories discourage people from buying imported quinoa in the name of solidarity with the locals. But instead of helping, such reports threaten to kick the legs out from under one of the most promising industries in one of the world's poorest places. LA MONTANITA CO-OP carries regionally produced quinoa from White Mountain Farm in the San Luis Valley. Look for it in the bulk department.
217-2027, toll free at 877-775-2667 or e-mail her at robins@lamontanita.coop or contact John Shields at the VA at 505-256-6499 ext. 5638 or email him John.Shields2@va.gov. March 7 Succession Planting for Marketing Success, Sarah Wentzel-Fisher, La Montanita Co-op/edible Santa Fe March 14 Intro to Biodynamics and Wholistic Farming, Amanda Rich, Erda Gardens PLEASE RSVP TO ROBIN at 505-217-2027 toll free at 877-775-2667 OR email her at robins@lamontanita.coop info at www.lamontanita.coop
LOVE
YOUR
MOTHER
The 23rd annual Celebrate the Earth Fest at the Nob Hill Co-op
Celebrate the
EARTH H
April 21, 10am-6pm AT YOUR CO-OP! info @ lamontanita.coop
growing community FAIRFIELD FARM & MARKET A TURTLE W A L K S I N T O A C O - O P. . .
March 2013 14
the Open Space Visitor Center (OSVC), and to teach classes to community members who want to learn to grow their own food. We are really excited about opening a farm stand at the City's OSVC on Coors, as well as offering workshops and classes for community members. We are even working on a "farm camp" for kids for summer 2013! Working out of the Visitor Center is a great way to interact with the community, and it really is a nice place to work.
BY MONA ANGEL airfield Farm & Market is a start-up, farmerowned co-operative. We are very proud of our fledgling co-op. Our goal is to get fresh, local produce to people who might not normally have access. Our members include farmers from Albuquerque, Bosque Farms and Los Lunas. Most of us are new farmers; three of us are UNM students.
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Community involvement is one of the core principles of our co-op. We donate 10 percent of our profits and food, as well as our time, to community projects. We share tools, seeds and time with each other during planting and harvest. We also believe in mentoring new farmers starting out!
Farms include Laughing Turtle Farm, Blue Fly Farm and Thunderhead Farm. Laughing Turtle Farm came out of a successful LandLink connection between us, Mona Angel and Anne Carpenter, a couple of aspiring farmers without land; and a North Valley landowner with underutilized land. A lot has changed on that parcel—we actually have some plants growing out there! In addition to the North Valley land, we are farming in Grants, NM. LandLink is an amazing service provided by the Middle Rio Grande Council of Governments’ Agricultural Collaborative that links land owners and farm mentors with farmers and want-to-be farmers. The website offers a variety of listings in all farm and land related categories. For more information go to www.localfoodnm.org, scroll down to LandLink on the left side of the screen. Here at Laughing Turtle Farm, we use permaculture methods and good old fashioned farming skills. We have also learned some great skills by asking questions and working with local New Mexico farmers. Soon we will share our knowledge with UNM student interns, and welcome interns interested in learning to farm using permaculture!
NOURISH YOUR
MIND
For more information, a list of farm members, or to volunteer, visit www.fairfieldfarms.abqsprout.org. Look for Fairfield Farm produce at some La Montanita locations. Building the Co-operative Most recently our Fairfield Farm co-op aquired two new partner members; the Historic King Orchard and the Open Space Alliance (OSA). The Historic King Orchard is a 1950s/1960s apple orchard that once sold apples all over the US, and is in need of restoration. We are partnering with the OSA to have a farm stand at
MONA ANGEL is a candidate for the Master's of Community & Regional Planning at the University of New Mexico, has served as UNM Lobo Gardens Coordinator, and became certified in Permaculture in 2011.
CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE COMMUNITY
BIKE SHOP!
OPENS
The City of Albuquerque’s Esperanza Community Bike Shop is scheduled to open March 8 from 2-3pm and will be the new home of the City’s Bicycle Safety Education Program ( BSEP).
Through meditation we can train to eliminate negative and cultivate positive states of mind. Kadampa Buddhist centers offer simple and practical meditation methods for everyone. Find a class near you:
“Serving bicyclists in Albuquerque for more than 17 years the BSEP is best known for its Bike Rodeos, offering children ages 5-10 bicycling safety skills. The BSEP also educates future commuters about the joy and practicality of bicycling, and to be respectful of bicyclists when they become drivers of cars,” says Chuck Malagodi, Program Coordinator. “We hold over 150 classes and seminars each year and reach about 10,000 of our local youth!”
• Santa Fe: Sun. 11am to 12:30pm, Mon. 7 to 8:30pm, and Thurs. 7 to 8pm at 1583 Pacheco Street. 505-820-2226, info@meditateinsantafe.org. • Albuquerque: Sundays 10 to 11:30am, Thurs. 7 to 8:30pm, and Wed. and Fri. noon to 1pm at 8701 Comanche NE. 505-292-5293, info@meditationinnewmexico.org.
A new program is Earn-A-Bike, where kids 9-17 can learn to maintain and repair a bike, while earning a bike of their own. Donated bicycles and parts in any condition are welcomed. Public Open Shop Nights are on Tues. and Thurs. from 6 to 8pm, and Sun. from 12 to 7pm. Bicycles are available for check out. For more information call Chuck Malagodi at 768-Bike or visit Esperanza Community Bike Shop at 5600 Esperanza Drive NW 87105.
MEDITATION
MARCH 8
NEW PROGRAM! EARN-A-BIKE!
community forum XPRESSION SESSIONZ! OPEN STUDIO EMPOWERS LOCAL
March 2013 15
WAREHOUSE 508 themselves through art in a safe, inspiring and educational environment. Featured artists will act as mentors to youth by sharing a variety of styles, techniques, experiences and mediums. Through this process participants
YOUTH
BY NOAH KESSLER DE ST CROIX
W
arehouse 508 is a city-funded urban arts center for young people in downtown Albuquerque. Our mission is to offer young people a safe space for creative expression. With professional support and guidance from staff and instructors, youth are invited to explore their own potential and encouraged to create opportunities for themselves, take risks, and begin thinking and acting as creative entrepreneurs. Warehouse 508 programs include: Mural Arts, Capoeira, Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Photography, Filmmaking, Break Dancing, Screen Printing and Poetry. We have a Rockstar program, DJ classes, and a sound and lighting engineering training program. Our 508 Studio offers aspiring young artists the training needed to produce their own digital recordings.
will find and develop their own styles and techniques and can participate in a showing of their art. Our goal is community development. We are devoted to creating a space to support the cycle of educating youth and providing an opportunity for local artists to share their art and skills with the community. This not only generates local economy but connects our community in a unique and positive way.
In addition, we are home to New Mexico Xtreme Sports Association (NMX) and Albuquerque’s only indoor skate park. We offer opportunities for young people to explore the world through snowboarding, skateboarding, kayaking, BMX, rock climbing and rappelling. Warehouse 508 by NMX, in collaboration with the Community Project, is launching a new program this spring. Xpression Sessionz is a series of free open-studio labs and featured artist workshops. Albuquerque youth will be empowered to create, learn and express
PRESERVING OUTDOOR
COMMUNITY TREASURES NM VOLUNTEERS FOR THE OUTDOORS BY JIM WAGNER, NM VOLUNTEERS
FOR THE
Xpression Sessionz kicks off February 8 and runs through June. Once a month local artists will host open studio sessions and facilitate workshops.
At a project on the Continental Divide Trail, Crafton said, a VFO crew of 15 to 20 people cut almost two miles of new trail. "There is no way we would have gotten that much work done if it weren't for the VFO. We are grateful for the work they have done in the past and look forward to more projects in the future," he said in the email.
OUTDOORS
T
wenty-one trail improvement projects and similar activities are on the 2013 agenda for New Mexico Volunteers for the Outdoors. The first project is in February and the last in October. For more than 30 years, VFO volunteers have teamed up with federal, state and other agencies to build, repair and enhance trails, as well as work on erosion control and similar outdoor projects. Tim Crafton, who is with the federal Bureau of Land Management and has worked with the VFO, recalls one project where the volunteers reset about 30 steps and built water bars at the El Malpais Ranger Station. "Without the VFO's hard work and numbers, we would not have been able to finish repairing the trail," Crafton said in an email. About 20 volunteers showed up for that one.
Others are at such popular outdoor destinations as Chaco Canyon in northwestern New Mexico, the Gila Wilderness in the southwestern part of the state and the Pecos Wilderness. Some of the projects are one-day activities; others involve camping out at a worksite in tents or whatever sort of shelter each volunteer prefers. For the full schedule and other information about VFO, visit its website, www.nmvfo.org. This year, the VFO is collaborating with the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, City of Albuquerque Open Space, the Randall Davey Audubon Center, New Mexico State
13TH ANNUAL SANDIA FOOTHILLS
SPRING CLEANUP
BY KENT SWANSON, ASSOCIATE PLANNER, OPEN SPACE DIVISION
of a mile. Parking is just past the Believers Center of Albuquerque.
E
• April 6: Copper Trailhead. East of Tramway on Copper Ave. • April 13: Indian School Trailhead. East of Tramway on Indian School Road. • April 20: Menaul Trailhead. East of Tramway on Menaul Blvd. • April 27: Piedra Lisa Open Space at Candelaria. East of Tramway to Candelaria Road and then south on Camino de la Sierra.
arth Day is right around the corner. The City of Albuquerque Open Space Division’s 13th Annual Spring Cleanup event is a great way to celebrate this important day and give back to the environment! Starting on March 30th at the Route 66 Open Space near Four Hills and continuing each Saturday throughout the month of April in the Sandia Foothills, we invite you and your family to join us in protecting some of our City’s most important natural treasures. Volunteers will do general clean-up activities that protect the landscape of the Sandia Foothills, including: trash pickup, trail maintenance and graffiti removal. For groups larger than 10 people, please call 4525213 to sign up. Work days will be at the locations listed below. Volunteers meet to sign in at 8:30am and work finishes around noon. Parking is limited so please car pool! • March 30: The Route 66 Open Space. Directions: Take the Tramway/Central exit on I-40. Head south on Tramway and take NM 333 east about 0.6
BRING: A sack lunch, work gloves, water, appropriate clothing, sun protection and sturdy shoes (no sandals). Donated morning snacks and refreshments are provided. There will be prizes awarded for the most interesting trash found each Saturday. And on April 27 and 28, don’t forget to stop by the Open Space Visitor Center at 6500 Coors Rd. NW 87120 for the Recycled Art Fair. Call 505-897-8831 for details. For more information on trail days contact KENT SWANSON at 452-5261 or see www.cabq.gov/openspace for more information. SEE YOU ON THE TRAIL!
Featured artists include: James Black, Albert Rosales, Kailani, Al’ Nair, John Paul Gutierrez, Rey Melendez and Noah De St Croix. Xpression Sessionz workshops begin with a conceptualizing and visioning process. Short demo workshops will be offered at the beginning of the session in which techniques on drawing, painting, spray painting, photography, collage, stretching canvas and other three-dimensional art techniques will be introduced. Students will curate and host a first Friday gallery opening on June 7, 2013. Student artwork created throughout the program will be featured and displayed. Xpression Sessionz runs every 2nd and 4th Friday from 5 to 8pm at Warehouse 508. Currently this project is supported by The FUNd of Albuquerque Community Foundation, La Montanita Co-op, Artisans, Astro Zombie, Buffalo Exchange and DickBlick. To learn more about Warehouse 508 and NMX programming and how you can get involved, please visit our website. We’d really love to have you stop by. Invite your young friends to Xpression Sessionz. Warehouse 508 by NMX is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, 508 First Street NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102; 505-296-2738. DONATIONS ARE MOST WELCOME. Find us at www.nmxsports.org, or www.warehouse508.org
Parks, New Mexico State Monuments, US Fish & Wildlife Service and the National Park Service. Signing up to participate in a project is as easy as visiting the VFO website and contacting a project organizer. "I took part in two VFO projects last year, and I loved it," said Jim Scanlon. "Getting out in the boonies, sleeping in a tent, eating the great VFO breakfasts and dinners, and of course, making a difference in the outdoors by building and improving trails is lots of fun." In addition to Jim Scanlon, the VFO chairman for 2013, other officers are vice chair Deborah Radcliffe; secetary-treasurer Kate Hull; and members Judy FairSpaulding, Chris Fritzsche, Barbara Hoehne and Ben Lankasky. When the VFO was established in 1982, it was affiliated with the National Volunteer Project of the Appalachian Mountain Club. In 1984, the VFO was officially granted status by the state of New Mexico as a nonprofit organization. To fund its activities, VFO seeks contributions from individuals, organizations and others. For information, a schedule and to register to help with VFO projects go to www. nmvfo.org.
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La Monta ita Co-op Administrative Offices 901 Menaul Blvd. NE • Albuquerque, NM 87107 www.lamontanita.coop
Join La Montaiiita Co-op Your community-owned natural foods grocery store
Why Join? • You Care! -about good food and how it is produced
• You're Empowered! -to help support the local/regional food-shed
• You Support! -Co-op principles & values & community ownership
• You Vote! -with your dollars for a strong local economy
• You Participate! -providing d1rection and energy to the Co-op
• You Receive! -member discounts, weekly specials & a patronage refund
• You Own It!
-an economic alternative for a sustainable future
In so many ways it pays to be a La Montaiiita Co-op Member/Owner
• 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 Ayer. 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: order large quantities of 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.