TRANSITIONS BY MONIQUE SALHAB COMMUNITY OUTREACH
AND
MEMBERSHIP ASSISTANT
S WE ARE ABOUT
REACHING OUT
TO THE COMMUNITY TO EDUCATE, ADVOCATE AND
EMBRACE
all who recognize the importance of healthy food
AND FOOD SECURITY
ince Robin’s retirement from the Membership Department, things have been in transition. In the spirit and vision of La Montañita Co-op, the Membership Department has changed to the Community Outreach and Membership Department; this shift is to better capture the broad work and purpose of what we strive for at La Montañita Co-op. Yes, we are here to serve our member-owners and customers alike, but we are also about reaching out to the community—to educate, advocate and embrace all who recognize the importance of healthy food, food security and truly supporting our local farmers, producers and ranchers. Through our outreach, our goals are to connect with communities at risk of (and experiencing) food insecurity, to educate children on healthy food habits and to partner with individuals and organizations working on food issues throughout the state of New Mexico. Additionally, there have been changes to the monthly newsletter. A section called Vendor Spotlight—written by the vendors—has been added to begin weaving together the relationships the Co-op has with our farmers, producers and ranchers who sell their products in our stores. Through this effort, I hope our member-owners, team mem-
LETTER TO THE
EDITOR
This month we have a letter from a reader who is passionate about health and passionate about living. Edited by Monique Salhab The only material possession we each have from birth to death is our body. I saw my mother and my dad both suffer severe illnesses for decades, largely because of junk food, not enough exercise, not enough sunshine, not enough good sleep! I do NOT want to suffer the hell they endured. I took my mother to a nutrition doctor in Houston in 1975. He said to her, “Why have you done this to your body?” Since 42 years ago, I have studied health. I want the best nutrition for the least money.
The Max Planck Institute in Germany found that cooking food usually destroys half the protein, about 60–70% of the assimilable vitamins and minerals, up to 96% of Vitamin B12 and all of the enzymes (the life energy) and the phytonutrients. Raw plant foods have about 10,000 phytonutrients—natural plant chemicals necessary for health. Cooked food is DEAD—low poison. Enzymes begin to degenerate at 106 degrees° F and to die about 118° F. Best never to heat raw plant foods over 105° F. I consume no cigarettes, no booze, no soda, no coffee, no street drugs, no prescription drugs, no meat, no dairy, no processed crap, no restaurant meals and no cooked food. I largely stopped [eating] meat and junk food in the 1970s, dairy in the 1980s [and] cooked food in 1998. My main food every day is several blended
bers and shoppers will begin to know vendors from their own words. Another new addition starting this month is vegan recipes in the recipe section of the newsletter. If you would like to contribute an article to the newsletter related to food and the economy, food and the environment, food advocacy or food and health, please email the editor at monique.salhab@lamontanita.coop. Since deadlines and content vary, not all submitted articles may be published, and please keep in mind that articles may be edited for grammar, content and space. I also have been working on the Co-op volunteer database. This has been a slow process, but needed to ensure volunteer information is updated on a regular basis. In the past month, a handful of member-owners have signed up to volunteer, and I wish to thank you! My hope is to recruit on a regular basis for more memberowner volunteers to assist with Special Needs Shopping and Special Needs Delivery. I am considering additional future volunteer positions and opportunities, so please stay posted. Although there is a lot of transition afoot in the Community Outreach and Membership Department, it is my hope and desire that it all be positive. I look forward to expanding and moving forward the energy of this department, while anchoring it in new ideas and new partnerships with our communities throughout the state.
raw plant smoothies containing soaked kamut, flaxseed, garlic, jalapeno, fenugreek, puncture vine, apricot kernels, raw apple cider vinegar, ashwagandha, devil’s claw root, carrot, cacao bean, hawthorne berries, kelp, quelites, alfalfa, sweet potato, sweet potato leaves, mint and purified water. I also eat lots of fresh fruit. Now 71, I exercise 1 1/2 hours almost every day at home. I have ridden in no car for 16 years. Sometimes I ride the city bus, but I WALK mostly! I sun bathe most days all year round. We all will die, but I aim to live healthy until I die, whether tomorrow or 40 years from now. Life is hard enough even when our bodies feel good. I am deeply indebted to MANY people who have loved me, taught me and inspired me! DON SCHRADER
VENDOR SPOTLIGHT
October 2017 2
SWEET GRASS CO-OP
La Montañita Cooperative A Community-Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store
BALANCING A HEALTHY LAND WITH HEALTHY FOOD
Nob Hill 7am – 10pm M – Su 3500 Central SE, ABQ, NM 87106 505-265-4631 Rio Grande 7am – 10pm M – Su 2400 Rio Grande NW, ABQ, NM 87104 505-242-8800 Gallup 8am – 8pm M – Su 105 E Coal, Gallup, NM 87301 505-863-5383
OUR SWEET GRASS
COOPERATIVE
Santa Fe 7am – 10pm M – Su 913 West Alameda, Santa Fe, NM 87501 505-984-2852
RANCHERS
raise beef from
Westside 7am – 10pm M – Su 3601 Old Airport Ave, ABQ, NM 87114 505-503-2550
THE GROUND UP starting with our
SOILS
GRABnGO 8am – 6pm M – F, 11am – 3pm Sa UNM Bookstore, 2301 Central SW, ABQ, NM 87131 505-277-9586
This month, we continue with the story of Sweet Grass Co-op. In last month’s article, we learned of the history and the building of the relationship established between Sweet Grass and La Montañita. This month, we are reminded of the importance and balance of healthy soil.
Cooperative Distribution Center 9am – 5pm, M – F 901 Menaul NE, ABQ, NM 87107 505-217-2010 Support Office 9am – 5pm, M – F 901 Menaul NE, ABQ, NM 87107 505-217-2001 Support Staff: 217-2001 TOLL FREE: 877-775-2667 (COOP) • Co-op Retail Officer/William Prokopiak 984-2852 willpro@lamontanita.coop • Controller/John Heckes 217-2029 johnh@lamontanita.coop • Co-op Operations and Support Officer/Info Technology/Rob Dixon 217-2011 rob.dixon@lamontanita.coop • Human Resources/Donna Duran 217-2030 donnad@lamontanita.coop • Marketing Director/Lea Quale 217-2024 leaquale@lamontanita.coop • Distribution Center/James Esqueda 217-2010 jamese@lamontanita.coop Store Team Leaders: • Mark Lane/Nob Hill 265-4631 markl@lamontanita.coop • Ezekiel Metillo/Westside 505-503-2550 ezekielm@lamontanita.coop • Lynn Frost/Interim Santa Fe 984-2852 lynnf@lamontanita.coop • Leaf Ashley/Gallup 575-863-5383 leaf.ashley@lamontanita.coop • Joe Phy/Rio Grande 505-242-8800 josephp@lamontanita.coop
BY CALEIGH PAYNE t’s a cool, crisp morning. The air whips across the parts of your skin not quit tucked far enough under the covers. The thought of getting out of bed to be fully exposed to this cool air is disconcerting while nestled in the perfectly warmed cocoon you’ve made for yourself. As you lay there contemplating the consequences of just staying in bed all day, you slowly lift one eye open. Right outside the bedroom window is one of the most beautiful cows in the herd. Fabulous structure: small-framed, deep-bodied, calm nature. In the middle of these thoughts about how proud you are of how good the cows are looking, one thing occurs to you. While the view out the bedroom window is often laced with cows scattered throughout the field in the distance, usually the cows are just that: at a distance. You look again at the black beauty staring in your window at you in your warm, cozy bed and realize one thing. The cows are out.
I
I slip on my shoes and run out the door to discover that the rest of the herd is standing in our front yard. The cows have crashed through Trudi’s beautiful hoop house that had been busting at the seams with homegrown vegetables meant to carry us through the winter. These are the mornings that you think to yourself “maybe I should have picked a different occupation.”
Co-op Board of Directors: email: TalkWithTheBoard@lamontanita.coop • Elise Wheeler, President • Chad Jones, Vice President • Allena Satpathi, Secretary • James Glover, Treasurer • Jerry Anaya, Director • Gina Dennis, Director • Greg Gould, Director • Marissa Joe, Director
Membership information is available at all six Co-op locations, or call 217-2027 or 877-775-2667 email: monique.salhab@lamontanita.coop website: www.lamontanita.coop Membership response to the newsletter is appreciated. Email the Managing Editor, monique.salhab@lamontanita.coop Copyright ©2017 La Montañita Food Co-op Reprints by prior permission. The Co-op Connection is printed on 100% recycled paper with 100% soy inks. It is recyclable.
CO-OP
YOU OWN IT
At the end of the day, our cattle are why we do this—their unique ability to enhance our land and the environment and provide an abundantly nutritious product for ourselves, our family, and our community. Many people may not realize how close the relationship between the health of the land and the health of our food can be. Our Sweet Grass Cooperative ranchers raise beef from the ground up, starting with our soils. Unfortunately, much of the land in the United States has been depleted of nutrients. The health of the soil matters because a decrease in nutrient density of the soil translates to fewer nutrients plants are able to take up and therefore fewer nutrients in the products they produce like our fruits and vegetables. The decrease in nutrient density of plants also translates to fewer nutrients animals consume and are able to provide in meat. There are five basic principles of soil health: keep green growing cover or “soil armor” on the ground, minimize disturbance predominantly in the form of tillage or overgrazing to ensure plant diversity, continual live plant roots in the ground to feed carbon into the soil and exchange nutrients, and integrate happy, healthy livestock into the ecosystem. Healthy soils are not only good for efficient and superior production of food, but also for the environment. Healthy soil is able to store carbon efficiently. According to soil scientist Christine Jones, Ph.D., a one percent increase in soil organic matter can pull an additional 36 tons of carbon dioxide per acre from the atmosphere. Healthy soil can also conserve water and increase drought tolerance by increasing infiltration and water holding capacity, an issue very dear to our hearts out here in the West. A Natural Resource and Conservation Service article states that “one percent of organic matter in the top six inches of soil would hold approximately 27,000 gallons of water per acre.” Lastly, there are types of soil microbes present in healthy soils that can metabolize methane. So, healthy soil means a healthier environment, healthier food, and healthier people.
THE DECREASE IN
NUTRIENT DENSITY OF
plants also translates
TO FEWER NUTRIENTS
animals consume and are able to provide
Membership Costs: $15 for 1 year/ $200 Lifetime Membership + tax Co-op Connection Staff: • Managing Editor: Monique Salhab monique.salhab@lamontanita.coop 217-2027 • Advertising/Editorial Assistant: JR Riegel j.riegel@lamontanita.coop 217-2016 • Layout and Design: foxyrock inc • Cover/Centerfold: Co-op Marketing Dept. • Printing: Santa Fe New Mexican
When I start out onto the lawn to return the herd to their rightful place, they look up from chomping on the lush blue grama grass and high tail it back into the pasture right through the gate that had been left open. Indicating that they knew exactly where they were actually supposed to be, and furthermore that it was not their fault for wandering but ours for leaving the gate open. There’s nothing else to do, but laugh.
IN MEAT
ANNUAL
MEMBERSHIP
DINNER SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21
SANTA FE FARMERS‘ MARKET
SAVE THE DATE! 1607 Paseo de Peralta Suite A/Santa Fe Time: 5pm–9pm RSVP REQUIRED: VISIT www.lamontanita.coop/ AnnualMeeting.
ANNUAL CO-OP MEMBER-OWNER CELEBRATE OUR CO-OP! GATHERING! WE OWN IT! OCTOBER 21
The members of Sweet Grass are not only dedicated to utilizing the principles of soil health on each of their ranches, but are also dedicated advocates for teaching others the importance of soil health and how others can improve soil on their own land. Many of the Sweet Grass members are part of soil health groups and have spoken at workshops and conferences on this topic.
Sweet Grass members use cattle as partners in this quest to enhance soil. When cattle are managed properly, they can create nutrient rich topsoil, stimulate plant and root growth, and break up ground for seeds to germinate and water to infiltrate into the ground. According to Dr. Richard Teague, rotational grazing of livestock can sequester an average of 2 tons more carbon per acre than continuous grazing. Sweet Grass members practice rotational grazing on native pastures and also partner with farmers to graze cover crops. Grazing cover crops is mutually beneficial to farmers and ranchers. This helps farmers build soil on their own land and increases nutrients for their crops and our beef. Raising cattle to eat only grass and forages through its entire life gives us the ability to utilize these soil health practices as long as we can. Grass-fed beef is lower in total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories and higher in antioxidants and heart healthy Omega-3 fatty acids than grain-fed beef. We also believe the way we raise our beef has even more added nutrients. Raising truly grass-fed beef can be challenging in many ways, but we dedicate our lives to raising this product because we truly believe in it. Hopefully this article has given you a little bit of our hearts and our “why.” We hope you enjoy the beef that we produce using the best practices that we know how.
FOOD ADVOCACY
October 2017 3
HOW THE CO-OP
INFLUENCES
THE FARM BILL AND HOW
YOU CAN HELP
BY BENJAMIN BARTLEY, VALUE CHAIN SPECIALIST ewer things garner less enthusiasm than federal farm policy. And this is unfortunate; the Farm Bill only comes around once every five or so years, and this omnibus of a bill is what sets the direction and tone for crucial nutrition, conservation, and local food systems programs. Sustainable farmers and low-income consumers alike depend on these programs, and in our current political climate, we need to be vocal advocates for these programs more than ever.
F
In short, joining NSAC was a simple decision—the coalition’s many accomplishments are meaningful, and their mission mirrors the Co-op’s Ends. Over their 25 years of advocacy, NSAC has helped to create, grow, and protect programs like: • “Green payments” that support stewardship systems through the Conservation Stewardship Program; • Cost-share assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP); • Secured permanent funding for Agricultural Conservation Easement Program; • Created and steadily expanded the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program; • Established the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative as a first step toward a fair share of federal research dollars for organic systems; • Expanded assistance for beginning and minority farmers through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program; • Designed the legislation for direct marketing assistance for small family farms through the Farmers’ Market Promotion Program (FMPP); and • Crafted and secured legislative champions for the Local Farms, Food, and Jobs Act (LFFJA). All of these important programs are embedded in the Farm Bill, and negotiations for crafting the next Farm Bill (likely to be introduced and voted upon in 2018) are happening now. SO WHAT’S ACTUALLY IN THE FARM BILL AND HOW WILL IT AFFECT THE CO-OP? As you can see below, the vast majority of the omnibus bill is funding for food stamps and other federal nutrition programs. One of La Montañita’s Ends is to “increase access to, and purchase of healthy foods.” We do this by accepting many forms of payment, including food stamps (more than $768,000 annually). We also do this by participating in a Double-Up Food Bucks program, which doubles the purchasing power of food stamps when used to purchase New Mexico-grown pro-
RIO GRANDE 2400 Rio Grande. Blvd. NW 505-242-8800
duce. Both of these food assistance programs are part of the Farm Bill, and are integrally important to helping the Co-op increase access to healthy, affordable food. Without NSAC, the Farm Bill’s 6% allocation for conservation funding would not exist. And that funding is what supports many of the programs that La Montañita’s farmers and ranchers benefit from. For instance, many of the hoop houses that dot the New Mexican farm landscape were made possible by EQIP. Moreover, cost-sharing for cover crop seed is similarly supported under the numerous conservation programs within the Farm Bill. These programs are what help to incentivize these types of sustainable practices, and help to achieve the Co-op’s End of “growing [a] regenerative agriculture sector that uses sound environmental practices.” Even the smallest slice of funding for “Everything else”— comprising 1% of the Farm Bill—is what supports many of the local food systems programs in the Farm Bill. La Montañita has leveraged these programs to great effect; for example, we secured more than $330,000 in funding for New Mexico food producers through the ValueAdded Producer Grant. The Co-op has also directly benefited from these programs, securing Farm Bill funding to support our value chain development and technical assistance capacities, meeting La Montañita’s End of cultivating “a thriving and sustainable local economy that benefits members and community.” By being a member of NSAC, the Co-op is helping to advance these and other federal policies that are friendly to family farms. And as a membership-based cooperative, La Montañita is able to contribute its grassroots organizing capacities to NSAC initiatives. To this end, I ask that you considering enrolling in La Montañita’s weekly Scoop emails that go out every Friday. Through these emails, we will be keeping our 16,000+ member-owners and the wider community abreast of Farm Bill developments and Action Alerts for petitioning both your Members of Congress and local representatives alike. These legislators need to hear from their constituents about why these programs are important, and La Montañita’s community has the power to voice its support!
WESTSIDE 3601 Old Airport Ave. NW 505-503-2550
Alamed a Blvd. Coors Blvd.
So why join NSAC, and why now? These are valid questions, particularly since you are directly supporting La Montañita’s participation in the coalition; similar to the annual membership fees you pay to own and support the Co-op, La Montañita pays an annual fee to be a member of NSAC.
IS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO, AND PURCHASE OF HEALTHY FOODS
COOP
La Montañita Co-op officially became a member of NSAC in 2016, and has been actively involved in the coalition’s numerous issue committees to date. We were also the first consumer co-op to join the alliance, paving the way for our sister cooperatives to follow suit and add their collective voices to NSAC’s advocacy efforts.
ONE OF LA MONTAÑITA’S ENDS
Old A irport Ave.
Federal policy is notoriously influenced by lobbyists, and the Farm Bill is no exception. Fortunately, Big Ag doesn’t have a monopoly on lobbying the Farm Bill—fighting the Good Fight is the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), a membership-based alliance of grassroots organizations that advocates for federal policy reform to advance the sustainability of agriculture, food systems, natural resources, and rural communities.
Old Airport Ave. Co-op Values Cooperatives are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. In the tradition of their founders, cooperative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others. Co-op Principles 1 Voluntary and Open Membership 2 Democratic Member Control 3 Member Economic Participation 4 Autonomy and Independence 5 Education, Training and Information 6 Cooperation among Cooperatives 7 Concern for Community
Source: Plumer, Brad. “The $956 billion farm bill, in one graph.” Washington Post, January 28, 2014.
The Co-op Connection is published by La Montañita Co-op Supermarket to provide information on La Montañita Co-op Supermarket, the cooperative movement, and the links between food, health, environment and community issues. Opinions expressed herein are of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Co-op.
CO-OP NEWS
October 2017 4
AUTUMN HARVEST AND
NATIVE
BEES
NEW
MEXICAN
BY ANITA AMSTUTZ utumn harvest in New Mexico is colorful and abundant. The Growers Markets and our La Montañita Co-op are weighty with beautiful, healthy, locally grown food. As the earth twirls farther away from the sun in her axis, the light is buttery and thick, slowly receding each day. The chill creeps closer at night. The yellow flowered plants surge in our wild and manicured landscapes.
A
Unfortunately, even as humans reap the harvest of plenty, gratis of untold hours of unlogged time by pollinators, these pollinators may be going wanting. The summer rains have come and gone. This season is often a dearth of food habitat for our small but mighty bees. They must put away their final winter stores—but like humans in the final stretch of retirement, if enough hasn’t been put away early on in our young and strong working years (for bees this is the flush nectar flows of the Spring and early summer), then they will be miserably behind in making up the difference as the cold weather looms. What often blooms during this in between time are the Russian sages, goldenrods and those pesky, nasty goat heads, with sweet little gold flowers. Daisies and Chamisas are slowly ripening, but still not at their peak in town. The bees are hungry. And they are on the lookout for those
weedy flowers. Now is not the time to chop them down, spray those weedy blooms or fill the dirt up with chemicals. It will result in outright bee kills or lower their immune system resistance for the difficult months ahead. If the weeds must go, mechanically remove them or pull them by hand— or let them stay until the flowers have come and gone. As you work in your yard, enjoying the Autumn light and warmth, consider getting your pollinator friendly garden ready for next year, and make sure it will be abundant with native flowering plants and bushes that bloom for their Autumnal harvest. Provide a water source with stones for bees to perch and sip. For native bees, leave areas of your yard uncultivated, with brushy material, old branches, leaves and dirt so they can lay their eggs in and near the ground. I know it’s hard to believe, but native bees are in more trouble than honeybees. It’s the native bees that have been here on this continent pollinating and co-evolving with our native plants and food systems long before the European bees were introduced. Still, they mostly go unnoticed, these often invisible, perennial pollinators such as the Rusty Patched Bumblebee. Disappeared. Here are some good tips about native bees from Beth Skwarecki at Lifehacker.com, March 17, 2017: Colony collapse disorder was unfortunate but not devastating. Those bees are employees in big agribusiness, and they have jobs and caretakers all around the world. Entomologist Gwen Pearson points out that honeybees are “not remotely threatened with extinction” but thousands of lesser-known bee species are. You can see a list of
THIS SEASON IS OFTEN A DEARTH OF FOOD HABITAT FOR OUR
SMALL BUT MIGHTY BEES THEY MUST PUT AWAY THEIR FINAL
WINTER STORES
NEW MEXICO W ATER
COLLABORATIVE DONATE-A-DIME BY YVETTE TOVAR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR he New Mexico Water Collaborative provides resources for the people of New Mexico to facilitate the implementation of water conservation strategies, and to educate our communities about critical water issues. We are a nonprofit corporation dedicated to the reduction of water footprints for communities in New Mexico. Conserving water is crucial to ensure that water resources are available to sustain New Mexico communities presently, and in the future. Opportunities to conserve and reclaim water are often limited due to economic constraints, especially for underserved populations. We seek to impact the water crisis through the implementation of various water conservation and reclamation technologies.
T
Understanding that the water crisis will not be abated via the use of any one single technology, we offer communities appropriate options to maximize their water conservation opportunities. Education of all community members shall build a foundation of awareness and understanding regarding critical water issues. Education efforts shall acknowledge the varying levels of current understanding of the water crisis, and shall build upon that base knowledge. Mitigation acts to conserve and reclaim water are key
CO-OP PROGRAM
DONATE
YOUR BAG CREDIT
BRING A BAG DONATE-A-DIME!
our imperiled bees here; many are marked “PE” for “possibly extinct.” A lot of these native bees live on their own, not in colonies, and they lay their eggs in little tunnels in the ground. The mother gives each baby bee a loaf of “bee bread” made of pollen and nectar. Since they don’t have a colony to protect, these bees don’t even sting. Xerces publishes regional gardening guides to help you figure out the best plants to buy if you prefer a DIY approach. Meanwhile, if you want to check the status of a random plant you’ve brought home from a garden store, check out the USDA’s PLANTS database. If your state is green, that means the plant is native there. Click on the “legal status” tab to see if the plant is on any federal or state noxious weed lists. But there’s more to creating a bee-friendly habitat than just planting flowers. If you spray pesticides on or near the flowers, the bees are once again in danger, so you need to be aware of what you (or your lawn service) is spraying. Xerces would like you to sign a pollinator pledge swearing that you’ll lay off the insecticides, and that you’ll grow plants that nourish bees and other pollinators (like butterflies and their caterpillars) year-round. Remember that there is something life-giving you can do each day. Our food system depends upon pollinators. Nature is ever regenerating and life affirming, so find ways to connect with her daily! Think Like A Bee is a non-profit organization in the State of New Mexico. You can find out more at https://thinklikeabee.org and Burque Bee City at https://www.cabq.gov/parksand recreation/open-space/bee-city-usa.
components of a sustainable water plan. Long term sustainable water practices also necessitate education outreach to secure the goal of reducing a communities’ water footprint. We are a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization focused on solutions to the water crisis in New Mexico. We do this by supporting the implementation of water conservation and water reclamation technologies for communities in our state. We are in a water crisis and consuming water at a rate that is not sustainable.
LA MONTAÑITA
CO-OP BOARD
• New Mexicans use more than four million acre-feet of water per year for agriculture, industry and domestic use. That’s about one million gallons of water per person. • We are depleting our aquifer faster than it can be replenished. • Water is a finite natural resource. • Conserving water is crucial to ensure that water resources are available to sustain New Mexico communities presently, and in the future. We provide resources for the people of New Mexico to facilitate the implementation of water conservation strategies, and to educate a wide variety of communities about critical water issues. The water crisis affects us all regardless of socioeconomics. Our projects work with a variety of community organizations, for-profit businesses, schools, and other stakeholders to implement water conservation and reclamation systems. Our office is located at 1751 Bellamah NW, #1101, in Albuquerque. You can also call us directly at 505-5630615 or visit our website at: www.nmwatercollaborative.org for more information about what we do.
This month your BAG CREDIT DONATIONS will be given to the New Mexico Water Collaborative, which educates our communities about critical water issues. In August, your bag credit donations totaling $2,652.63, were donated to the Rock and Rhythm Foundation to help them continue to empower Albuquerque children through music. Thank you for your generous donations!
ELECTIONS
LA MONTAÑITA CO-OP BOARD ELECTIONS UPDATE BY
MONIQUE SALHAB
I want to thank and congratulate all the member-owners who have submitted their Board Candidate Packets for the upcoming board election in November which is just one month away! As I write this, fourteen member-owners have declared their candidacy for the six (6) Board of Director’s positions—three (3) threeyear seats and three (3) one-year seats. The following member-owners are running for the board: Jerry Anaya, David Bacon, Carla Baron, Benjamin Bartley, Emily Conway, Valerie Doyle, James Glover, Mike Hildebrand, Susan Machie-Maitlen, Jenn Plaut, Maggie Seeley, Michael Smith, Jessica Swan, and Aaron Whiteley. Because the candidate application deadline was extended to Oct. 3, the final lists of candidates may vary from those listed here. Campaigning will begin Sunday, October 15th and end on Tuesday, October 31st. Member-owner voting commences on Wednesday, November 1-14. ELECTION UPDATES WILL BE AVAILABLE VIA: www.lamontanita.coop, Co-op emails (the Scoop) and the Co-op newsletter. Remember, these member-owners and Co-op employees will be your voice, your ears and your vision as to how La Montañita Co-op is directed in the coming years, so get out and support them, and more importantly, VOTE!
ELECTION
UPDATE
CO-OP NEWS
October 2017 5
BUILDING ECONOMIES OF
PERMANENCE COMMUNITY LANDTRUSTS REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION BY SUSAN WITT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE E.F. SCHUMACHER SOCIETY EDITED BY MONIQUE SALHAB
H
Elements of Permanence The given elements of any economic system are land, labor, and capital. Land and other natural resources that are the basis of all production; labor that transforms the raw materials into products; and capital that organizes the labor and facilitates distribution of the goods. What would be the role of land in our new local economies—land that we all need to build our homes, maintain a healthy environment, and make those products needed by others in a common society? How do we go about de-commodifying land in our bold plans for new sustainable economies? Robert Swann, the founding President of the E. F. Schumacher Society, was inspired by Henry George and his intellectual descendants, Leo Tolstoy and the Gandhian Vinoba Bhave, to develop a new land tenure system for North
America, which he called Community Land Trusts. A Community Land Trust is a regional non-profit corporation with open membership and a democratically elected board of directors. It acquires land by gift or purchase, develops a land-use plan according to local need, and then leases out the sites. Individuals own the buildings on the land but not the land itself. At resale the buildings must be offered back to the land trust at no more than the replacement value of improvements, adjusted for deterioration. The owner is able to carry away the fruits of labor applied to natural resources, but not the land value itself, which is held for the community. And what about money? What is the role of money in our new and vital local economies? Money is simply a tool for issuing credit and tracking exchanges in a community. But by giving up control of monetary issue to a centralized coalition of for-profit banks and national governments, we are engaging in a system that favors the largest borrowers. The consequence
C O O P E R AT I V E S P I R I T
THROUGH SOFTBALL
game. They turned out wonderfully! You will most likely be seeing these t-shirts around our stores, worn by our amazing team players!
F
I began by asking my co-workers their opinion on the idea. After a couple of days of asking around, I came to the conclusion that we could most likely gather enough people to make a tremendous softball team. It was extremely advantageous that we had former city league players that were interested in playing on the team. I was lucky to have people like Kristy Decker to direct me on the right path regarding rules and requirements, practice techniques, and coaching pointers. We practiced every Sunday and Tuesday. The first practice went off like fireworks! Everyone was thrilled to be playing and engaging in an activity outside of work. Unfortunately, the second practice graced us with a prepractice downpour. Despite the infield being doused with rain puddles and mud holes, we still got out in the grass and got a great practice in! As time went by, we were able to focus on executing plays and engaging in excellent team building exercises, which aided in our exciting victory! I was lucky enough to work with our Marketing and Communications Director, Lea Quale, and Rianne Fox in the Accounting Department, to acquire team t-shirts for our players. Rianne contacted Zia Graphics and was able to get us a quote on prices in an extremely timely fashion. Lea agreed for the Co-op to pay up to $200 on the t-shirts for the employees. Both of these tasks were extremely uplifting to myself and my coworkers. The team came together and donated the rest of the balance and the shirts were picked up the day before the big
Let us again try to imagine our new local economies, where the goods consumed in the region are produced in the region in an ecoSUPPORT logically, socially, and culturally THESE WORKERappropriate way. To achieve this AND COMMUNITY vision, we would want to make sure that we placed our innovative skills in the creation of new regional products—new appropriately scaled technologies for onsite energy production, efficient and healthy homes, safe and efficient transportation, extension of growing methods for local foods, responsibly produced clothing. When workers have access to land to create their import-replacement businesses and access to affordable local capital for financing, they then have more of an opportunity to be owners of the means of production rather than wage hour employees. It is our responsibility as conscious consumers to seek the opportunity to support these worker- and community-owned businesses.
OWNED BUSINESSES
SCORE ONE FOR THE CO-OPS!
BY MOLLY GRAY (COACH), DAIRY DEPARTMENT, NOB HILL or as long as cooperatives have been around, we have struggled to stay competitive with bigger, corporate companies. So when the opportunity to go head to head with one of our biggest competitors in Albuquerque presented itself, I took the chance and began planning one of the most intense softball games I have played in my life. Unfortunately, the company that we decided to play against was not able to sponsor their employees, so they will remain nameless in this article.
And what of labor? How do we again dignify the role of labor in an economic system—how do we move from commodifying labor through hourly wages to ensuring that workers retain ownership of It is our responsibility resources?
as CONSCIOUS CONSUMERS to SEEK THE OPPORTUNITY TO
This talk was given on October 15, 2005 at The Bioneers by the Bay gathering convened in conjunction with the national Bioneers conference, by the Marion Institute (www.marioninstitute.org) ow can we remotely understand the crushing human suffering and loss? How can we comprehend the scope of community devastation? How can we envision such sweeping changes to entire landscapes—landscapes which were the ground of neighborhoods and villages, of collective memories and common dreams?
is an increasingly centralized manufacturing and distribution system that efficiently hides the ecological and social consequences of making the goods we use in our daily lives.
The day of the game, Tuesday, September 12, a few of us went to the field and raked the dirt so that it would be nice and fresh to play on. Once that was done, everyone began to show up. Players from our team and theirs were radiating with passion, this was the day we had prepped for weeks to see. Everyone's beautiful personalities were shining as the game started and progressed. At one point, the opposing team was ahead 7-4 in the fourth inning, but co-op employees came together and gave their 100% to end the game with an 11-9 victory! I would like to take this time to give appreciation to everyone on the team! The amount of effort that you put into this game gives me unimaginable faith in what co-op employees can carry out when we put our teamwork to the test. Also, I would like to give thanks to everyone who has approached me and gave me positive feedback on putting together a softball team. It really helped me to move forward each time that I hit a roadblock. As for the future of the La Montañita Co-op softball team, we have discussed joining city league in the spring. We have also been talking about challenging other corporate competitors to play against us. I guess we will see as opportunities present themselves. SHOUT OUT TO: 1st Base–Kristy Decker 2nd Base–Heather Henrickson Short Stop–Amber Gardner 3rd Base–Branden Helsel Right Field–Evangalina Anaya and Meg Creaturo Left Fielders–Daniel Poling and Andy Brooks Center Field–Rianne Fox and Daniel Poling Center Cut off–Christopher DiMaio Pitcher–Bob Heneghan and Ethan Kane Catcher–Josh Schroder Thanks again to everyone for all the hard work, dedication, and entertaining experiences! I don't expect this to be the last of the La Montañita Co-op Softball Team!
The task of building sustainable local economies is urgent, not only in this country but around the world in village after village. Our humanity is at stake, our landscapes are at stake, and our varied and rich cultures are at stake. At work together we will feel the excitement of engagement, and we will know that strange and wonderful alchemy at play when our full capacities as human beings are engaged in a process that links people, land, and community.
OCTOBER CALENDAR OF
EVENTS
10/3 BOD POLICY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Co-op Support Office, 901 Menual Blvd. NE at 5:45pm 10/10 BOD MEMBER ENGAGEMENT MEETING Co-op Support Office, 901 Menual Blvd. NE at 5:30pm 10/16 NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS MEETING Co-op Support Office, 901 Menual Blvd. NE at 6pm 10/17 BOD BUSINESS MEETING Co-op Support Office, 901 Menual Blvd. NE at 5:45pm
CO-OPS: A SOLUTION-BASED SYSTEM A cooperative 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.
3~ SATURDAY
OCT
21
5-9PM ----------------------------
SANTA FE
we navigate the course to success.
HEALTHY FOODS
October 2017 8
BOUNTI-FULL MEALS:
OR toss them in raw and cook in the sauce on the day of serving. Use this to top pasta, make a casserole or as a base for an Italian soup! You can make a tasty vegetarian meal or go ahead and add meat before freezing, as well.
HEARTY MEALS WITH
HEART BY AMYLEE UDELL
I
f you're lucky, you're still harvesting your bounty and reaping the rewards of your hard work. Or, if you're really lucky, you have a neighbor who works hard and shares! Tomatoes, peppers, summer squash, winter squash, herbs, eggplant, okra, carrots, fall greens and more are treasures on the table and on your palate. There are many ways to put up your harvest: can, dehydrate, freeze, pack in salt or oil, ferment. All are wonderful options and help you create nourishing meals down the line. How about creating those wholesome meals as you store your harvest? Put those delicious gems right into a meal so when you're ready to cook, you simply defrost, heat and eat. You already need to set aside time to process your excess food, so kill two birds with one stone. Process and build your meals simultaneously! Crustless Quiche - quiche works for a variety of garden vegetables and herbs. It's also great if you have an abundance of eggs. You can make your basic quiche mix with as much or as little as you have available, adding cheeses, if you like. You can probably use your favorite quiche recipe, but a general guideline is 5 eggs and a cup of milk, your favorite available herbs to taste, a cup of any combination of available vegetables and a cup and a half of cheese. Add the beaten eggs and all ingredients to a freezer bag or container and freeze for baking later. Try asparagus (usually available earlier, so make a note for next year), summer squash, onions, green onions, potato, bell peppers, Chile peppers, greens, basil, dill, rosemary and anything else you like!
THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO
PUT UP YOUR
HARVEST
CAN, DEHYDRATE, FREEZE, AND PACK IN SALT OR OIL, FERMENT Tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, eggplant, basil, oregano, thyme —all plants that grow well here locally, too. After chopping, salting and rinsing the eggplant, mix it with the other chopped veggies, onion, garlic, and spices. Cook together until the vegetables just start to soften. To freeze, do not overcook the mixture. Let it cool completely and then freeze into meal sized portions for your family and enjoy summer's bounty throughout the year. Use your favorite recipe as a guide, if you have one. Upon serving, add mozzarella and serve over rice, bread or however you like it. Gumbo veggie base - Everyone's got their own recipe, but okra is a staple for most, so if you grow this, chop it up and right into a freezer container. If you like corn in yours, that's another summer crop that can go right in. Onion, zucchini (or other summer squash), tomatoes, bell pepper, celery, carrots and more can be used. If you'd like to complete the entire meal, you can add your spices and sausage, chicken or shrimp to the freezer containers and you'll have everything all together when you want to make your gumbo; or add those later and label this "Gumbo Veggies" for when the time comes.
Stovetop Ratatouille - Ratatouille is the perfect use of summer's harvest!
Veggie Sauce - Use jarred or canned tomato sauce to make a quick and easy pasta sauce with some heft. Add the prepared sauce to the freezer container or bag. Into the bag add whatever chopped or shredded vegetables you want: summer squash, carrots, onions, peppers, eggplant, and any herbs. You can cook those
Winter Squash Soup - I hope you already have your favorite pumpkin, butternut, acorn or other winter squash soup recipe because everyone needs one! What I love about these squash is that they store well over time and can be available whenever you're ready for them, but if storage space is an issue, you can also process them, of course. You can cook your squash before creating a squash soup freezer meal or peel, chop and freeze the cubes of squash in a single layer. Take your cooked or frozen squash and add it to the freezer container, along with your preferred herbs and spices (try ginger!). Some folks add carrots, too, which can be added at this time. You will want to hold off on any cream, though coconut milk will be ok to add and freeze. You can add broth if there's room or wait and add that upon cooking. On cooking day, your raw squash will need more time to cook and your cooked squash less time. When you're ready, use an immersion blender to give you a smooth texture. Tomato sauce - a go-to, all-purpose friend to any home cook! You can add any of the vegetables mentioned above under Veggie Sauce, if you like. But in this case, you'll be using you own tomatoes as the base. You do need to cook your sauce before freezing and use your favorite recipe as a guide. A slow cooker is perfect for making a big batch. Sauté onions, garlic, and peppers in oil. Add all the chopped tomatoes and your herbs, salt and pepper. Cook on low for 2–3 hours, stirring frequently. Let cool completely and then store in meal-sized portions to freeze. If needed, thicken when you reheat by adding a can of tomato paste. Freezer meals are for everyone and are great for busy gardeners who like to use their own produce. So if your green thumb is paying off right now in a major way, go ahead and put your harvest right into a freezer meal. You'll be so thankful later! AMYLEE UDELL is a busy mom to three girls. She tries to keep up with them while blogging and writing and sharing about the amazingness of freezer meals for busy people. To learn more about freezer meals using high quality ingredients, safe storage containers and sharing the bounty, visit: http://productivemama.com/harvest-freezer-meal/
with garlic, and rehydrate the grain by soaking it in the resulting slurry. Bulgur that's rehydrated in fresh, garlicky tomato juice has more flavor than bulgur that was rehydrated in plain water, as well as a pleasing red color.
FLASH IN THE PAN:
TOMATO JUICE TABBOULEH MIDDLE EASTERN FOR: HOW TO EAT A LOT OF
PARSELY
NOBODY
BY ARI LEVAUX hen I used to frequent the IHOP and other such establishments with my homies, I would raise eyebrows by eating the parsley that garnished my sandwich or pancakes. Not the delicate flat-leafed parsley, mind you, but the curly kind that tastes like green steel wool. "Nobody eats the parsley," I was informed, erroneously.
W
I don't hang out with knuckle-draggers like that anymore, but garnishsized portions of parsley remain the rule, rather than the exception. But one noteworthy exception is tabbouleh (aka tabouli), the Mediterranean parsley salad. And I have a tactic for making tabbouleh that will blow the doors off of any other you've tried. If this doesn't get some parsley into your belly, then it's time to delete your mouth. My trick comes by way of a farmer friend, as many of my best tricks do. Farmers know how to prepare vegetables in simple, easy ways that make them shine brightly. In addition to being a way to eat parsley, tabbouleh is also a vehicle for many other ingredients that are in season as I write this, including cucumbers,
Currently, many tomatoes are sagging under their own weight on vines and windowsills near you. At the end of the farmers market, growers will often cut deals on the extra soft and juicy specimens that are too unstable to survive the trip home, or to unload to restaurateurs. Those fruits, the kind you can barely even EATS THE slice in half without flooding the kitchen, PARSLEY, are exactly the fruits you want to use in I WAS tomato juice tabbouleh.
INFORMED, ERRONEOUSLY
garlic, onions, and, most importantly for our purposes today, tomatoes. The making of a typical batch of tabbouleh begins by cooking the bulgur wheat, also known as chopped wheat grains, while gluten haters often use couscous or quinoa instead. Instead of cooking the grain, my farmer friend opts to puree a mess of the juiciest tomatoes available,
NATIONAL CO-OP
MONTH
BY MONIQUE SALHAB, COMMUNITY OUTREACH MEMBERSHIP ASSISTANT
AND
Since October is October is National Co-op month and La Montañita Co-op Volume Discount shopping month, it’s a great opportunity for our member-owners to reflect upon—and participate in—what La Montañita has to offer! Each staff member, Board of
The best alternative for the gluten-free makers of tomato juice tabbouleh is couscous. Quinoa, I'm sorry to report, refuses to absorb the tomato juice. Couscous absorbs the juice faster even than bulgur. The downside of tabbouleh made of couscous is you have to eat it sooner rather than later, because it will continue to soften. Another option, buckwheat, will absorb the juice if you soak it overnight, but I don't recommend it. The texture is chalky, and the flavor is wrong. Once you've decided on your grain, pick a recipe. There are countless recipes for tabbouleh from which to choose. Virtually any of them can be easily modified by soaking the grain in tomato and garlic puree.
Director’s member, member-owner and shopper are integral to the success of the co-op. How do we—as member-owners and shoppers—contribute to La Montañita’s success? We participate! Whether it’s through shopping, interacting with friends and familiar faces within the stores, participating in meetings or running for the Board of Directors, involvement is vital to La Montañita’s success and sustainability. If you are a shopper with the co-op but not yet a member, sign-up and become one! A one-year membership costs $15. To our member-owners, “THANK YOU” for your continued support and dedication to La Montañita Co-op.
COMMUNITY FORUM
October 2017 9
ITCHY GREEN THUMB
much as for the somewhat skimpy flesh. Here I planted Calabaza Mexicana, a catch-all term for this pear shaped green and white shaped pumpkin. Please note that, historically, “pumpkin” merely meant a winter squash and not exclusively Jack o’ Lanterns as everyone seems to think. I picked this seed up from a grower in Hatch, NM and one row of vines has spread out of control, ten to twelve feet in either direction: eliminating paths, crawling up the fence and threatening the bean patch. It is beginning of September as I write and it shows no sign of slowing down but continues to bear new fruit.
OH FOR THE LOVE OF SQUASH! BY BRETT BAKKER omewhere in the distant evolutionary past, vine crops—squash, gourds and melons—must have been a terrible scourge upon the land. Why else would nature/god/creator/whatever in her wisdom, create Anasa trsitis, the squash bug, the most diabolical garden pest ever, impervious to all organic and many synthetic pesticides! The bug lives up to its species name tristis which in Latin means sad or sorrowful.
S
Since the bugs’ first appearance this year, I’ve been dragging myself out of bed at daybreak each morning without fail to pick hundreds of stinking bugs and ubiquitous eggs. Crawling around under vines for up to three hours and—as all foes of the squash bug know—never managing to get them all. Admittedly, this was somewhat expected. To quote the old Saturday Morning cartoon hero Super Chicken, “You knew the job was dangerous when you took it.” Yeah, I signed up for this, seeding four species of squash totaling over one hundred plants plus another fifty or sixty plants of cantaloupe and watermelon plus twenty of gourds. All of this is for seed production. The melons and gourds are somewhat resistant although a few plants do succumb. In the end however I had to abandon picking their bugs as two species of squash are very susceptible and demanded my time. There are four species of squash commonly grown in North America, none of which readily cross with one
another. The one with which we are all most familiar is Cucurbita pepo, summer squashes like yellow, zucchini and pattypan as well as Acorn, Delicata, and Halloween pumpkins. I chose Tonde de Piancenza, an Italian stuffing zucchini. It attracted the bug much later in the season but now most of the vines I left for seed production have finally succumbed. I will harvest a few mature squash for seed but this will be a poor showing since to capture the genetic diversity inherent in any species you must harvest seed from as many different plants as possible. The next time I plant Piacenza, I will use mostly seed from the original source with some of my own to maintain diversity.
The saddest story is Calabaza Temporal, the Cucurbita maxima, the species with THE SQUASH BUG almost no squash bug resistance. Over five hunlives up to its dred square feet of healthy vines are now down SPECIES NAME to ten scraggly plants which have kept dying just before the pumpkins (and seed) are fully mature. I knew this would be a problem since which in Latin means maximas are native to the higher elevations SAD OR where there are few or no squash bugs. This SORROWFUL one was one of the first heirloom squashes I collected from the last dryland farmer in the East Mountains back in the late ‘70s. I will harvest For Cucurbita moschata (the species most wellonly five or six fully mature pumpkins while I store a dozen “almosts” known as Butternut) I planted Choctaw Sweet Potato in the barn to see if any seed therein will be worthwhile. Squash. It was incredibly slow growing and is only now setting a few fruit which should barely mature I’m still pondering why the squash bug exists. I try to think of it this before frost. I might’ve expected this since it is from the way: although mosquitoes spread disease and pestilence, they do have Southeast and used to a humid climate and richer soil. a place in food chain of certain birds and bats. But the squash bug? Most moschatas are long season, better suited to Nothing eats it and nothing organic can kill it. They laugh at Neem southern NM. Still, it is quite resistant to squash bugs. oil and continue to mate while covered with Diatomaceous Earth. For For that alone, it will be worth trying again. once my know-it-all smugness in this column is gone. What is their evolutionary purpose? I have no idea. But I will keep plantThe southwestern native Cucurbita mixta is also ing vine crops because that’s what farmers and gardeners do. resistant and but with a more nutty flavor better suited to savory dishes. It is a prolific seed producer, grown for that purpose by Puebloan ancestors just as
TRISTIS
VETERAN FARMER PROJECT
UPDATE:
FALL WORKDAYS ARE COMING UP!
I have given the property owner ten dozen ears of corn as payment for once again allowing VFP to grow on his land this year.
RONDA ZARAGOZA his summer, the VFP has dealt with various creatures from the countryside of New Mexico. As of this writing, while I was weeding the squash and corn area, three snake skins were found ranging in length from 24 inches to over 6 foot long. Luckily one of the snakes was found inside the chicken coop but of course, it had to be the six foot one. I took it out of the coop area and re-homed it to the property owners’ land since he has an infestation of mice. Hopefully it will stay there and leave our chickens alone!
Regarding the greenhouse, I have scheduled a fall workday for Saturday, October 28th from 9am–12pm, with a goal of taping the inside supports and uncovering the skin on the frame. The second workday is Saturday, November 4th from 9am-2pm to remove weeds in the area—hopefully with the skin on the greenhouse by then. I had hoped to have electricity running to the greenhouse, but the property owner had surgery and is recovering, so it looks like sometime in late December for the electricity.
Thanks to the rabbits and the heat killing the lettuce, spinach and kale, I finally had the first sale for the year several weeks ago. The tomato, cucumber and pepper plants are doing really well and appeared in stores in August. I also have belle radishes, black beauty eggplant, corn, winter squash and pumpkins in the field; all of which are growing bigger by the day! Additionally, I replanted winter lettuce and kale in hopes the rabbits will be too full to eat this crop! As a “thank you,”
As fall approaches, I am looking forward to what Co-op members would like to see in the stores from local produc-
BY
T
DO YOU HAVE EXTRA
ORGANIC SEED:
DONATE IT TO THE VETERAN FARMER PROJECT
EL DORADO HIGH SCHOOL
GARDEN BY COURTNEY KALTENBACH AND ALLISON DUNN, FOOD ADVOCACY EL DORADO WAY
THE
T
he Eldorado Garden Club was founded in the fall of 2016 by Seniors Courtney Kaltenbach and Zane Smith after a group of 45 Eldorado High School students spent a week of summer on a week-long service-learning trip to Denver, Colorado. The service-learning trip focused on environmental and food justice. The goal of the Garden Club is to promote food justice through education, community partnerships, servicelearning events, and creating local food sources. The Garden Club has established two gardens at Eldorado and has successfully grown a variety of produce. Some of the produce has been used in our school's Healthy Habits club, giving students an imme-
club diate opportunity to go from seed to plate. Students have held after school classes on soil composition with Master Gardeners and have held discussions on the connections between local food sources with other societal issues, such as poverty, environmental degradation and healthcare. To promote awareness of our school's Garden Club and to draw greater attention to the cause of food justice, the club sponsored a monthly "Bike to School" day which was held on Wednesday, September 27th. La Montañita Co-op graciously donated snacks for students who biked to school on this day to thank them for doing their part in creating a healthier environment. La Montañita Co-op also supported a discussion with our students examining some of the implications of the recent Amazon/Whole Foods merger, focusing on the impact of food access and the effects on local agriculture.
ers. I have already had a request for sweet potatoes from the Westside Coop location. If you would like to see something you love to eat in any of the Co-op locations, please email Ronda Zaragoza at vfpabq@yahoo.com or send a text message to 505-550-2621 with your requests of local produce and I will try to accommodate it. With produce requests, please also include the Co-op location you primarily shop at so I know where to deliver produce. To those who have attended VFPs education classes during the winter: if you would like to once again have classes on organic farming/gardening, please email Ronda Zaragoza at vfpabq@yahoo.com. If you have unplanted organic seeds or saved organic seeds and you would like to donate them to the program, mail them directly to the Veteran Farmer Project, 503 Riverside Dr. SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105.
RECIPES
October 2017 10
WARM FALL
FLAVORS ROASTED BEETS WITH NEW MEXICO REMOULADE Serves 4 as a side dish / Prep time: 15 minutes / Cook time: 30-40 min. Roasted beets 3 medium beets, diced into 1/4 inch cubes 1 T butter, crumbled Remoulade: 1 cup mayonnaise 3 T roasted green chiles, peeled, de-seeded and chopped 1/2 tsp salt 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 4 tsp lime juice
In a mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients except the flour and baking soda. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda and add to the wet mixture. Fill greased muffin tins about half full with the mixture. Bake at 375º F for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove the muffins to a cooling rack and enjoy! NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING: CALORIES 143; CALORIES 27; TOTAL FAT 3G; SATURATED FAT 0G; TRANS FAT 0G; CHOLESTEROL 16MG; SODIUM 129MG; TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE 26G; DIETARY FIBER 1G; SUGARS 10G; PROTEIN 3G
FROM FAT
Place the beets in a roasting pan, sprinkle with the crumbled butter. Roast them at 375º F for about 30-40 minutes or until a knife easily pierces the beets. Remove the beets from the oven and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the remoulade ingredients. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Serve the beets at room temperature, and spoon the remoulade on top. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING: CALORIES 426; CALORIES FROM FAT 391; TOTAL FAT 44G; SATURATED FAT 8G; TRANS FAT 0G; CHOLESTEROL 31MG; SODIUM 688MG; TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE 6G; DIETARY FIBER 2G; SUGARS 4G; PROTEIN 2G CHOCOLATE RED CHILE ZUCCHINI MUFFINS Makes 12 muffins / Prep time: 15 minutes / Cook time: 30 minutes 1 medium zucchini, finely grated, undrained (about 1–1/2 cups) 1/4 cup molasses 1 egg 2 T vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla 1/4 cup white sugar 3 T cocoa powder 2 T chile powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup almond milk 2 cups flour 3 tsp baking powder
CINNAMON-SUGAR TURNIP CHIPS Serves 3 / Prep time: 15 minutes / Cook time: 30-45 minutes. If you don’t have turnips, you can use radishes or rutabagas. 3 pounds turnips, very thinly sliced 2-3 T vegetable oil 2 T cinnamon 2 T white sugar In a small mixing bowl, gently whisk together the cinnamon and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, add the turnip slices and vegetable oil and toss. Add the cinnamon-sugar mixture and toss, coating the turnips well. Spread the turnip slices in one even layer onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350º F for 30-60 minutes, periodically turning the turnip slices. The length of time for crisping the chips will depend on how thinly you sliced the turnips. Remove crisped chips to a cooling rack and enjoy! If you happen to have any left-overs, once the chips have cooled completely, you can store them in an airtight container. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING: CALORIES 283; CALORIES FROM FAT 124; TOTAL FAT 14G; SATURATED FAT 1G; TRANS FAT 0G;
CHOLESTEROL 0MG; SODIUM 304MG; TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE 38G; DIETARY FIBER 8G; SUGARS 26G; PROTEIN 4G
CLASSIC GUACAMOLE Serves 4 / Prep time: 15 minutes Here is a classic and very simple guacamole recipe. Be sure to make it just prior to serving so that it is at its freshest. 3 medium avocados 3 cloves garlic, finely minced 2 T lime juice 1/4 tsp salt 1 large tomato, diced In a mixing bowl, smash the avocados with a fork and mix in the garlic, lime juice and salt. Gently fold in the diced tomatoes. Serve the guacamole with the traditional corn chips or as a dip for sliced veggies. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING: CALORIES 179; CALORIES FROM FAT 139; TOTAL FAT 16G; SATURATED FAT 2G; TRANS FAT 0G; CHOLESTEROL 0MG; SODIUM 154MG; TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE 11G; DIETARY FIBER 7G; SUGARS 2G; PROTEIN 2G STUFFED BAKED APPLES Serves: 4 / Prep time: 50 minutes / Cook time: 40 minutes Stuffing: 1/4 cup Thompson raisins 1/3 cup dried cranberries 1/3 cup almond butter 3 T chopped pecans Dash sea salt 2 T sunseeds—toasted is good too Infusion for baking: 1.5 cups apple juice ( you can use spiced juice if you like) 1/2 cup water 1 tsp caradamon pods 2 sticks cinnamon Simmer infusion ingredients together for 20–25 minutes, then set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel apples half way up and core, leaving a nice space inside. Mix stuffing ingredients together, then stuff into apples. Put stuffed apples into an 8” x 8” pan, or another baking pan that can also hold the infusion liquid. Add infusion liquid to pan, then bake 35–45 minutes until slightly tender. If desired, sprinkle cinnamon onto each apple prior to baking. Serve hot, warm or cold depending on how you’re feeling. NUTRITION INFORMATION: CALORIES 399; CALORIES FROM FAT 159; TOTAL FAT 18G; SATURATED FAT 2G; TRANS FAT 0G; CHOLESTEROL 0MG; SODIUM 120MG; TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE 60G; DIETARY FIBER 9G; SUGARS 45G; PROTEIN 6G
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
October 2017 11
OCTOBER
Salud y Sabor Thursday, October 19, 5:30pm Free! National Hispanic Cultural Center 1701 Fourth St. SW Phone: 505-246-2261
AUTUMN ACTIVITIES
Salud y Sabor—a partnership between the Agri-cultura Network, Street Food Institute, and the NHCC—is a free evening of food, art, and entertainment aimed at providing families with an opportunity to connect around nutrition, cooking, healthy lifestyles, and culture. Once a month, community members gather for cooking demonstrations using fresh, locally grown ingredients, as well as fun art activities for kids and adults, health screenings, and live entertainment. An emphasis is placed on exploring traditional Hispanic dishes, providing basic information/free screenings from local Western and alternative health practitioners, and creating a vibrant atmosphere with art activities and live music. In most months, free samples of local produce are available.
EDITED BY MONIQUE SALHAB Looking for some Autumn FUN in the Sun?! Been to the Balloon Fiesta one too many times and looking for something different? Check out these activities happening in October.
ALBUQUERQUE 5th Annual Albuquerque American Indian Arts Festival Saturday, October 7–Sunday, October 8, 9am–4pm Indian Pueblo Cultural Center 2401 12th St. NW/Phone: 505-843-7270 The IPCC’s Albuquerque American Indian Arts Festival is the only authentic, all–Native American art show in town during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. With its intensive application process and limit of 50 artists, the event is a premier showcase for indigenous artists who create high-quality, handcrafted works. Attend the festival for an unrivaled opportunity to meet, talk with, and shop directly from Native artists. The two-day festival also includes traditional Native dances and artist demonstrations. The festival is free with museum admission. 11th Annual Day of the Tread October 29, 7am Admission: $25-$105 Civic Plaza, 3rd Street between Marquette and Tijeras Reward yourself for all those long hot summer days in the sun with crisp air, a picturesque landscape, and lots of fun! Join in on family-oriented, Halloween-themed charitable bike rides (12 mi, 26 mi, 54 mi, 64 mi, 80 mi, and 100 mi). The 2017 Day of the Tread has a treat for everyone! Enjoy a Sunday pre-event motivation gathering, a post-ride celebration, courses full of music, entertainment, themed recharge zones and crazy contests. Costumes are encouraged but not required; prizes for the best costumes bike/human will be awarded. If you like dressing up in costume, putting on face paint or wearing fun wigs, join in as your favorite witch, ghost, goblin or monster. Participation ensures a ghoulish-good time! Come join the fun and show your support for Pegasus Legal Services for Children.
S A N TA F E LOOKING FOR SOME
AUTUMN FUN IN THE SUN? A Solar Fiesta and Community Fair Saturday, October 21, 9am–4pm Free! Sawmill Community Land Trust 997 18th St. NW Brought to you by New Mexico Solar Energy Association, this free-admission, family event will show you how the sun and other green options can work for you and be fun at the same time—with music, food trucks, vendors, children's activities, a solar cook-off, and so much more. For more Information: nmsolar.org/solar-fiesta-2017 Birding and Breakfast Saturday, October 21, 7am–10am Free! Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge 7851 2nd Street SW Phone: 505-933-3230 Join a group of enthusiastic bird watchers for breakfast and bird watching. Fun for the whole family! Binoculars and field guides provided. Space is limited. Please RSVP to Teresa Skiba at teresa_skiba@fws.gov
Historic Canyon Road Paint and Sculpt Out Presented by Canyon Road Merchants Association Saturday, October 21, 9am–4pm Myriad Galleries, Designer Jewelers and Studios All events are free and open to the public. Sculptors, potters, painters working in every media, designer jewelers, and photographers share their creative processes on Santa Fe’s historic Canyon Road at the tenth annual Paint and Sculpt Out. The Historic Canyon Road Paint and Sculpt Out is a fundraiser for the Santa Fe Public Schools. Students perform in a 12pm parade that will close the road to vehicular traffic from 11:30am–12:45pm. Young student musicians from the schools will be performing at many galleries in the early afternoon.