ONE OWNER. ONE VOTE. A TRUE DEMOCRATIC MODEL. EVERY OWNER GETS A VOTE IN ANNUAL BOARD ELECTIONS.
NOVEMBER 2017 ELECTIONS VOTE! WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER
YOUR VOICE, YOUR VOTE Every year La Montañita Food Cooperative holds elections for its Board of Directors. The Board of Directors seats nine members, each with a three year term. Three seats are up for election every year and, if necessary, voting may include the seats for the remainder of the terms of directors who have left the board before their term expired. This year there are three three-year terms and three one-year term up for election. Members are invited and encouraged to exercise their democratic voice and vote. Candidate information is available on our website at www.lamontanita. coop/candidates, in the Co-op Connection News, and on the website at www.vote.lamontanita.coop
VOTE ONLINE OR ON PAPER Save your Co-op some paper & postage and help us get the election results sooner by voting online! Visit www.vote.lamontanita.coop, or for a paper ballot, ask your cashier when you next stop by. Election results will be reported online, and new Board members will be seated at the December Board meeting.
BYLAW AMENDMENTS This year, the Board has developed a number of revisions to our cooperative Bylaws for member-owners to consider and vote on. The Bylaws were last updated in 2013, and this year’s proposed changes are geared toward aligning them with NM State Statutes and modifying the processes under which La Montañita Cooperative functions.
PURPOSE The purpose of this proposal is to amend the Bylaws date 2013 to align with State Statutes 53-4-1 through 53-4-45 and modify processes under which the La Montañita Co-operative functions. The Board has approved these changes to be brought forward to the full La Montañita membership for Vote to accept or not accept each proposed change. These changes will be listed on the Ballot during the 2017 La Montañita Annual Election, and those passed, to be placed into effect immediately following the 2017 Annual Election.
BACKGROUND La Montañita Bylaws periodic review contributes to a vibrant Co-operative organization aligned with the changing needs of the organization and membership, as well as gaining compliance with governing applicable statutes. The 2017 La Montañita Policy Committee proposed Bylaws amendments below seek to: (1) Align La Montañita Bylaws with the applicable New Mexico State Statutes 534-1 thru 53-4-45. (2) Clarify or modify such processes documented in the La Montañita Bylaws, for those processes that have been questioned or had issues raised and brought forth to the Policy Committee on behalf of the membership.
PROPOSED CHANGES 1. Section 1.2 Current: “The “primary member” of the household is also the only member of the household who will have the right to vote in elections for the Board of Directors, cast mail ballots, and vote at membership meetings.” Change To: “Each household (membership number) shall have the right to cast one vote in elections for the Board of Directors, ballots, surveys, at membership meetings etc. A household is defined as names associated with the membership number.” Rationale: Often each membership number has an entire household associated. It is up to that household to determine who votes and no member of the household should be subjugated.
Democratic Member Control is the second of seven cooperative principles. Voting in our co-op election is an expression of this principle. Your Board of Directors should strive to represent and reflect the diversity that makes up the whole community of all the member-owners of the co-op. Board work includes a vision for the future while recognizing the many contributing factors that are needed to realize La Montañita’s ends including a continued contribution to a sustainable local economy.
2. Section 1.2.5 Current: “The lifetime membership fee paid before November 19, 2013 shall be refundable after a period of two years after payment of the fee. If the lifetime membership is refunded, the household’s membership will no longer be considered current. Lifetime membership fees paid after November 19, 2013 may be refundable in the discretion of management after consultation with the President of the Board of Directors… Change To: “Lifetime memberships may be refundable at the discretion of management after consultation with the President of the Board of Director…” Rationale: Any reference to November 19, 2013 is no longer applicable. The refund process is in the Bylaws. 3. Section 2.1 Remove: “Members will have a two week period of Voting”. Rationale: The Policy Committee does not endorse this as something that should be in the Bylaws. This will give La Montañita Co-operative the flexibility of timing and account for changes to use of electronic methods. The duration of the voting period will be addressed in the Elections and Nominations Committee in coordination with Community Development. Section 2.3 Current: “All candidates for Director shall be honest and caring people and shall have been members in good standing of the Co-operative for the four (4) months prior to Board elections.” Change To: “All candidates for Director shall be honest and caring people and shall have be members in good standing of the Co-operative for the twelve (12) months prior to Board elections.” Rationale: La Montañita Co-operative faces many unique challenges given its size, diverse range of locations, along with functioning as a Co-operative business in New Mexico. Active participation as an invested stakeholder in the New Mexico and La Montañita Community through attendance at membership events, Board or Committee meetings, engagement as a staff team member or volunteer exposes potential Board members as to the challenges and opportunities facing the organization. 5. Section 2.3 Current: “Up to two (2) of the nine (9) Board positions may be filled by part-time or full-time staff members.” Change To: “Up to three (3) of the nine (9) Board positions may be filled by part-time or full-time La Montañita Team members.” Rationale: The Bylaws are structured to allow for three 3-year Board terms elected each year. As stated “up to ….may be…” there is no guarantee that staff will run for a Board seat, and/or gain enough votes, and this may lead to inadequate representation from an organizational perspective on the Board. As a co-operative, it is vital that team members’ voice be heard, non-team member and team members jointly understand the opportunities and challenges facing the organization, as well as ensuring team members have input on any major decisions facing the Co-operative due to continuously changing economic conditions.
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VOTE ONLINE @ vote.lamontanita.coop Wednesday, November 1 thru Tuesday, November 14
BYLAW AMENDMENTS
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6. Section 2.3 Current: “There shall be only one Board member per household. The following are not eligible to serve on the Board: 1. The General Manager; 2. Anyone directly supervised by the General Manager; 3. Anyone supervised by the Board.” Change To: “There shall be only one Board member per household. The following are not eligible to serve on the Board: 1. Anyone directly supervised by the Board; 2. Anyone directly supervised by a person directly supervised by the Board.” Rationale: This enables changes in the organizational structure without requiring a rewrite of the Bylaws. It still maintains the intent of the original statement. 7. Section 2.7 Add: Section 2.7a and incorporate all currently in Section 2.7, items 1-12. Rationale: Need to add a Section 2.7b to establish Directors compensation 8. Section 2.7 Add: Section 2.7b to read: “ Non-Staff Directors shall receive any compensation in the form of the staff employee discount against the La Montañita Co-operative member number each time they shop at any of the La Montañita Co-operative stores for their service to the Co-operative. Staff Directors shall receive compensation in the form of $150/mo. All Directors may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their duties to the Co-operative, as approved by the Board. Rationale: If Non-Staff Directors are to receive compensation it should be aligned with the values of the Co-operative and for the benefit of the Co-operative. The Staff Directors already receive the staff employee discount and therefore monetary compensation is warranted. 9. Section 2.7 Add: 2.7.a.3.i: Provide quarterly financial updates to the Members at the Monthly Business Meeting. Rationale: It is important for the members to understand the financial status of La Montañita Co-operative throughout the year and be able to understand and/or make decisions as required. Waiting until the end of the year is ineffective and non-responsive to the challenges facing La Montañita Co-operative in the current economic environments. 10. Section 2.7 Current: Section 2.7.a.10 “Make an annual report to the State Corporation Commission within sixty (60) days of the end of the Association’s fiscal year and keep a copy on file at the principal office of the Association.” Change To: “Make an annual report to the New Mexico Secretary of State within sixty
(60) days of the end of the Association’s fiscal year and keep a copy on file at the principal office of the Association.” Rationale: The responsibility to maintain corporate reports has shifted from the State Corporation Commission to the New Mexico Secretary of State. All cooperative association annual reports must be submitted to the New Mexico Secretary of State. 11. Section 2.7 Current: Section 2.7.a.4 “Hire and fire managers and establish committees, make policies for their guidance, and approve their job descriptions.” Change To: “Hire and fire direct reports to the Board and establish committees, make policies for their guidance, and approve their job descriptions.” Rationale: The current language is not clear about whom the Board can hire and fire. The concern is the Board could fire employees who do not report directly to the Board without following the process defined in the employee manual. 12. Section 2.7 Current: 2.7.a.8: “Have the books of the Association reviewed at the end of each fiscal year by a CPA selected by the Board.” Change To: “Have the books of the Association audited at the end of each fiscal year by a CPA selected by the Board.” Rationale: La Montañita Co-operative Association must undergo an annual audit in compliance with NM State Statutes 53- 4, 33. Books; auditing. 13. Section 3.1 Current: “The Board of Directors shall elect the officers at a Board meeting immediately preceding the general election.” Change To: “The Board of Directors shall elect the officers at a monthly member attended La Montañita Co-operative Board meeting immediately following the general election.” Rationale: La Montañita Co-operative Officers and Directors should be elected openly in front of the membership. By electing the officers preceding the general election, newly elected Board Members are ineligible for a position as an officer. The change allows newly elected Board Members an opportunity to serve as an officer. 14. Section 5.4 Add: “The voting procedures will be those established in Section 5.1.” Rationale: La Montañita Co-operative has effective processes in place for voting. There is no need to create additional costs or processes. 15. Renumber Bylaws to incorporate membership approved changes to improve readability.
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2017 CANDIDATES
This year, we have 14 QUESTIONS FOR THE CANDIDATES candidates running to sit 1. Describe your involvement with La Montañita Co-op. Include amount of time spent and on our Board of Directors. specific activities, if appropriate. Six seats on the Board are 2. Describe any volunteer or paid experience relevant to serving as a co-op board member. open in this year’s election: 3 three-year positions and 3. What do you see as La Montañita’s role in the broader community? 3 one-year position 4. Personal statement, including anything you feel is relevant to your candidacy.
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MARK ABRAMSON
1. Describe Your Involvement When we first thought about moving to New Mexico from Ohio, we were introduced to the unique community that is the Co-Op. We were impressed with the diversity of product and the professionao and congenial staff. When we purchase our home in Albuquerque, the store on rio Grande was our neighborhood store, and we have used it as a base not only for food purchases, but for meetings over coffee.
environment. Leadership is influence built on trust that is earned. This is the hallmark of our business, and needs to be developed in all aspects of the Co-Op experience. There must be a clarity of purpose, and the leadership of the Co-Op must communicate that purpose throughout the organization. More imprtantly, I advocate that customers of the Co-Op also know and understand that purpose. Other than paying membership, every member ought to know and own the seven principles guiding membership, goverance, participation, independence, cooperation and concern within the Co-Op community and outside. I am committed to growing this role and driving evaluation of each of those principles as key performance indicatorsa and evaluating the delivery of goods in our stores. ---------------------------------------------------
2. Describe Your Experience Experience Indicated: Environmental Work, Farming, Other I have co-hosted a radio show on KSFR for 15 years, called “Living on the Edge.” We cover local political, environmental, and cultural issues. I ran for Governor of NM as the Green Party candidate in 2002. I have supported and worked with the Quivira Coalition, which promotes regenerative farming and ranching practices. I served on the State Land Trust advisory board for 13 years as a conservation representative. I helped Marian Naranjo at Santa Clara Pueblo build a traditional piki bread house. I have built greenhouses, anti-erosion sturctures, and participated in the seed sharing events put on by the eight Northern Pueblos and the Acequia Association. I’ve worked for years on watershed restoration.
DAVID BACON
3. La Montañita’s Community Roll An important part of La Montañita’s role is to support small, non-corporate regenerative farming and ranching in New Mexico and underserved communities. We need to let people know about the great advantages of our co-op and how we are an alternative to the hypercorporate model of most grocery stores.
2. Describe Your Experience Experience Indicated: Business, Retail 3. La Montañita’s Community Role La Montanita’s reach in our community is significant, with locations in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Gallup. It must continue its outreach promoting healthy food and lifestyle. It must enhance its role as a communication link both in the stores and through its online access. 4. Personal Statement I am a retailer focused on bringing new product ideas to our community, maintaining a focus on knowledge and skills in a friendly
1. Describe Your Involvement I’ve been a member of the co-op for over 20 years. I am currently on the membership engagement committee. I’ve volunteered at several Earth Days.
*All candidate statements have been published as they were provided.
4. Personal Statement New Mexico is the ancestral home of two of the oldest and most succesful agricultural communities in our nation: the Pueblo people and the Acequia people. There is a renaissance occuring right now within these two communities to return to traditional ways of agriculture, which honor the earth, the water, and the people. I think our co-op can play a supportive role in this renaissance
in a respectful and reciprocal manner. Our co-op has a great deal to offer and a great deal to learn. ---------------------------------------------------
EMILY CONWAY
1. Describe Your Involvement I have been a regular shopper at the co-op since moving to Albuquerque in 2009. As a licensed massage therapist, I volunteered my time giving free chair massage to the employees of our North Valley store several times last year. 2. Describe Your Experience Experience Indicated: Business, Strategic Planning, Other I am a business owner and community activist. I received a degree in Supply Chain Management from TCU in 2007, and I have been studying natural healing modalities for the past 7 years. 3. La Montañita’s Community Role La Montañita plays an important educational role in our community. People shop for “good deals” — usually that means cheaper prices, but the co-op has (continued on next page)
the opportunity to educate our community on why it is a BETTER deal to sometimes pay higher prices. — When it means keeping our community farms alive and ensuring that employees receive a living wage, I am always willing to pay more. We are not a “wal-mart” model. Our bargains mean that we can be sustainable, ethical, and transparent. La Montañita is also a node for health in our community. We are a vital center for sharing and exchanging healthful information, community support, and food as medicine. We keep our community alive and thriving. I shop at the co-op, because I trust the produce is always organic and fair-trade, and the money I spend will have a positive impact in my community. 4. Personal Statement I understand what it means to be “competitive” in our capitalist economy. I also see how this competition is devastating our Earth –evermore rapidly. Our Co-op is a pioneer — confronting the challenges we face to creating a sustainable business. We need to ensure that all parts of our supply chain are healthy and being nourished with our business. I want to see La Montañita grow and thrive in the quickly changing environment we find ourselves in today. I am grateful to my peers in New Mexico, for showing me daily what it means to be in community — how to support and be supported with love and gratitude. My dream for the Co-op is to be one of the premier models for business in a truly sustainable economy. If you elect me, I will be honored to show up with support and hope for progress toward a stronger and healthier Co-op. -------------------------------------------------
VALERIE DOYLE
1. Describe Your Involvement I’ve been living in Albuquerque for 1 year now. Since arriving, I’ve shopped at the co-op what seems like every single day. More than the co-op model, which I enjoy in any place I live, I think its particular model is exemplary by its efficiency, sense of community, and quality of products sold. 2. Describe Your Experience Experience Indicated: Other 3. La Montañita’s Community Role I see that any co-op can be a desirable alternative to the corporate and commodified experience in shopping. The Montanita co-op is an example of how a co-op should be run. As far as the broader community goes, it should be able to cater to anyone regardless of socioeconomics by offering healthy, informed food choices that value local distributors. By being accessible to the community as a whole, it can help disseminate the information about healthy living that a busy, modern lifestyle does not always offer. 4. Personal Statement I’ve been interested in community sustainability and health for as long as I can remember. I worked as an editorial intern at Yes Magazine in Seattle before volunteering at free clinics in Portland, OR and realizing I wanted to be in healthare. Now, 8 years after a post-baccaleureate, medical school, and a residency, I find myself again seeking to connect with a community that also sees environmental and food sustainability as a primary goal. It goes without saying that current politics are actively trying to render communities less powerful and my aim is not to give into that pressure. ------------------------------------------------
JAMES GLOVER
1. Describe Your Involvement I began working for the Coop as a cashier in the Valley Store on Rio Grande shortly after arriving in New Mexico in 2011. I thoroughly enjoyed my 9 months working at the Store; I met many new friends, both employees and customers, and quickly felt part of the Coop community. I have been a member owner since 2011, and was appointed to the Board of Directors in February 2017. I was elected to the position of Treasurer in March 2017 and have overseen the turnaround in Co-op’s financial position over recent months. 2. Describe Your Experience Experience Indicated: Environmental Work, Finance, Business, Strategic Planning, Retail, Other After leaving the Coop as an employee, I continued my involvement with the La Montañita through volunteer work at the Nob Hill Store helping with the recycling program. Twice monthly I would remove the recycling collected by the store and drop off the material at one of Albuquerque’s recycling centers. I now own an environmental consultancy based in Albuquerque, serving many local, State, and Federal clients. I am passionate about working to protect water resources and the environment for current and future generations. While successfully growing my business, I have become knowledgeable of financial, employment, and all operational aspects of building and operating a company. 3. La Montañita’s Community Role La Montañita has a wonderful power and influence in the local community to educate and promote healthy eating, a healthy lifestyle, and a healthy environment for all. As a board member, I would work towards promoting these cultures in our local schools and the wider population. I believe empowering our children and NM citizens with the knowledge to make informed decisions on what we eat, and how our food is produced, is the key to a healthy and strong community. 4. Personal Statement I grew up, studied, and worked in the UK; moving to the US in 2011. I have a Master’s Degree in Water and Environmental Management and I now own an environmental consultancy, based in Albuquerque. Additionally, I teach Environmental Science at the University of Phoenix. I have a strong passion for our environment and healthy eating. I believe that my background in environmental science, and experience owning and managing my own small business, would enable me to enhance the core values for which the Coop stands. -------------------------------------------------
SUSAN MICHIE
I grew up on a small non-commercial farm in Oklahoma. My parents raised dairy cattle, chickens, goats and organic vegetables. I “volunteered” for many tasks related to those activities and that experience has shaped my fundamental beliefs about food and how it should be produced and consumed. Our family business for over 40 years is dredge manufacturing and leasing. Our company has been involved in many types of environmental clean-up and reclamation projects across the country. I have a PhD in business management from Oklahoma State University. I taught strategic management classes at the university level for over 10 years, including MBA and Executive MBA courses. I am familiar with most business information technology applications including email, excel spreadsheets, powerpoint, word processing, internet, but not social media sites like facebook, etc. 3. La Montañita’s Community Role The Co-op is the most important business anchor in the Nob Hill commercial district to the local community. It represents the type of retail interaction that people who want to live in walkable communities are seeking. Most importantly, it provides information about developing a more sustainable food industry and opportunities to support that effort. 4. Personal Statement In my professional career, I have volunteered for and served on several committees/boards; and I have experience conducting myself as a board director and officer in group decision-making situations. Although the bulk of my experience with the Co-op has been with a single location in my community, I realize that the Co-op’s success depends on the success of every store and each store has issues that are unique to its location. ---------------------------------------------------
JENNIFER PLAUT
1. Describe Your Involvement I have been a member-owner of the Co-op since shortly after my partner and I moved to Albuquerque in 2005 for graduate school. In those years of a very tight budget we shopped mostly at conventional grocery stores. Over several years, however, our mindset shifted from thinking we couldn’t afford to shop at La Montañita to realizing that it is the most responsible place yearround to buy groceries. I learned more about New Mexico and its farms, as well as other non-profit organizations that turn out to be supported by La Montañita. I have participated in the Co-op purely as a shopper but I have lived the experience of being educated by the Co-op and coming to see the Co-op values and priorities as vital to the communities it serves. 2. Describe Your Experience Experience Indicated: Farming, Other
1. Describe Your Involvement I have been a member of the Co-op for several years. I do 80-90% of all of my grocery shopping at the location in Nob Hill. 2. Describe Your Experience Experience Indicated: Environmental Work, Farming, Business, Strategic Planning, Information Technology
3. La Montañita’s Community Role La Montañita is the physical intersection of our personal/family values (such as reducing one’s carbon footprint, supporting just working conditions and responsible farming practices, and strengthening the local economy) with thepurchasing choices we have to make every week (food, toothpaste, and toilet paper). La Montañita serves the local farmers and suppliers it supports, but it also serves its customer base by providing access to the products and economic model that help uslive our values. Not every single item on the shelves at La Montañita meets my personal checklist but I know that thought goes into the stocking decisions and that local products are offered to the extent possible. Importantly, the profit from purchases is
staying in my foodshed/state, not going to out-of-state executives and administrative offices. Further, reinvesting profits into local organizations positions La Montañita to be a potent force for good in New Mexico but only if it remains financially healthy. The Co-op owes its beneficiaries due diligence to remain solvent and relevant. I realize that this can be a tough balancing act and I am willing to commit myself to the work. La Montañita also has the opportunity to advance progressive values through member education around legislation. City council meeting agendas and statewide legislative issues relevant to the local food economy could be included in email newsletters and in-store posters. The Co-op could encourage member participation in elections by simply making members aware of the issues at stake. For instance, the Co-op could further its goals of increasing access to healthy foods andsupporting the local regenerative agricultural sector by raising member awareness about the availability of raw milk within the City of Albuquerque. Sales of raw milk are legal in the rest of the state and opening up the Albuquerque market (where raw milk sales are currently not legal) would be beneficial for existing dairies and potentially encourage the development of more Grade A, inspected and licensed raw milk dairies in New Mexico. This is just an example of a legislative issue relevant to the Co-op’s ends, which members might appreciate learning about. 4. Personal Statement I have been a member-owner of the Co-op for 10+ years and feel that it is time to give back to an organization that has enriched my life during that period. I have two young children and it is dizzying to think of how the world has changed since I was their age, and how it will change before they have children. In a rapidly homogenizing world, how do we preserve local authenticity, our sense of unique place? What makes New Mexico different from the rest of the world, how much do we really value that, and how do we protect and strengthen it? How do we choose food and home products that minimize our carbon and toxin footprint? These questions lead me to the conclusion that we have to support the land and the people who are making things HERE: crops, value-added products and grocery items, radio, social assistance, etc. The Co-op was the starting point for me in developing these priorities and I would be honored to serve La MontañitaCo-op and its broader community as a member of the Board of Directors. ----------------------------------------------------
MAGGIE SEELEY
1. Describe Your Involvement I bought a lifetime Co-op membership in 1996. 70% of my food is purchased there. I have volunteered on many occasions and know some of the staff in several locations. In 2010-2012, as Adjunct Instructor of Sustainability Studies at UNM, I developed two curriculums: 1) “Co-ops Rock” in which students researched 13 NM Co-ops (Greenbriar, Sweetwater, La Montinita) and 7 international co-ops (REI, True Value, Mondragon). We read the book “Local Dollars, Local Sense” by Robert Shuman & used the University of Wisconsin workbook on Co-ops; and 2) “Co-ops as a Business Model” was targeted to understanding the governance, finances, organizational structure & purchasing arrangements in coops. La Montanita became the client of our class. Students worked in every Department, did customer surveys, attended Board meetings, were secret shoppers and really got the distinctions between co-ops and (continued on next page)
commercial grocers. Co-op staff & Board members gave presentations in our class and worked as mentors to several students. Our capstone was to put the Grab & Go Co-op on campus. 2. Describe Your Experience Experience Indicated: Environmental Work, Business, Strategic Planning I am the Managing Partner of Seeley & Associates, a management consulting firm of five strong professionals who have worked with a variety of business clients, government agencies and nonprofits. A few local clients are Affordable Solar, Anthony Anella Architects & Reid Design-Build. We were thrilled to work with UNICEF in Nigeria, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Uganda and China for 10 years. In 2015, I did a cost benefit analysis of seven (7) farm operations at Trill Farm in Devon, UK. (1) Sheep-Wool-Weaving; (2) Produce for 25 local restaurants; (3) Jams, honey & herbs; (4) Candles-Soaps-Oils; (5) Woodworking; (6) Cattle-hay-alfalfa and (7) Bed & Breakfast. Our dear Co-op needs to have a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats), one of the tools Seeley & Associates used at Trill Farm. Some of our contracts and work products are described at www.seeleyandassociates.com. 3. La Montañita’s Community Role 1) Education and advocacy $1 spent locally creates $6 of economy in NM. Take that $1 to Wal-Mart and it returns $2 at best (not accounting for the staff who live on Food Stamps and Medicaid). 16,000 members is admirable but we must grow our customer base. Why not 30,000? 2) Foodshed Development Food Security needs to be the #1priority of our community. Let’s envision 2030 with 30% of food grown and consumed in our 300 mile foodshed radius, a huge leap from 5%. Smarter home gardeners (water wisdom), small farmers, Co-op vendors, CSA’s and organic growers will help reach the tipping point – 15% of the ABQ population. 3) Financial Solvency Supporting the Grants & Westside Co-op is admirable. BUT, any enterprise has to be profitable in order to survive. The Co-op has to do what is necessary to create a healthy financial future now. Discover: 1) what has been done to cut losses; 2) who shops at the co-op and why; 3) how can the co-op stores compete with Whole Foods, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s; 4) how can Wallace and Kellogg support a management audit & visioning session; and 5) how to increase membership, especially among millenials. 4. Personal Statement I love our Co-op. Did you know that 5 years ago, 15% of the GM, Board and top management hours were spent in consulting to and developing other co-ops (Los Alamos, Durango, Silver City, many more). One of the hidden Co-op treasures is the CDC. Bring your food idea to the CDC and staff will help you launch it, market it and even help you get into Whole Foods (a Coop competitor). Growers receive micro credit loans from our Co-op. Think of Earth Day and Veteran Farmers! La Montanita is one of the best co-ops in the country. I want La Montañita to succeed, to continue to be a shining star, a great community asset and a financially sound enterprise, helping deliver 30% locally grown food by 2030 to 30,000 members. ----------------------------------------------------
MICHAEL SMITH
1. Describe Your Involvement My involvement with La Montañita Co-op as been that of a consumer and My wife and I spend 3-5 days during a 7 day week period shopping at the Co-op. Our biggest shopping day is usually on Sunday, also meal prep day for the week. 2. Describe Your Experience Experience Indicated: Finance, Business, Strategic Planning, Information Technology My experience aligns nicely with the checked boxes to the left in my current professional position. I currently serve as the Director of a research institute located at New Mexico Mining and Technology (NMIMT). The research division of NMIMT is the Institute for Complex Additive Systems Analysis (ICASA). I started as a research assistant while earning my Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering at NMIMT. After many years of hard work I have been promoted to Director, ICASA. I have been at ICASA for roughly 10 years. I commute from Abq daily but often have meetings in Abq and my job requires me to travel every 3-4 weeks. My job duties and responsibilities are strongly tied to finance and budgeting, business development, forward thinking in order to keep the institute on the bleeding edge of research. ICASA has a strong understanding for the demand on Information Technology (IT) and smart ways to take advantage of this highly dependent infrastructure. 3. La Montañita’s Community Role -To provide affordable options for healthy eating. -To provide education and training of their own workforce. -Utilize trained workforce to expand their network through word of mouth, local events and Information Technology (social media) 4. Personal Statement As an Engineer, Research Scientist and Director of a research institute I’ve worked with a diverse group of personnel to include students, graduate students, faculty, administrative staff and technical staff. As an engineer and research scientist I’ve learned it is important to have critical thinking skills when solving complex problems. I’ve learned it often takes a team of diverse folks with different opinions to find a unique and agreeable solution. As a director and leader I’ve learned how important it is to serve the administrative and technical staff at ICASA. These people keep the institute alive and are always thinking up new and innovative solutions to complex problems. In my leadership role I’ve also learned how the importance of personal relationships and in most cases these relationships plus our incredible research and development continue to keep the institute healthy. ---------------------------------------------------
JESSICA SWAN
EVERY OWNER GETS A VOTE IN ANNUAL BOARD ELECTIONS.
2. Describe Your Experience Experience Indicated: Environmental Work, Farming, Finance, Business, Retail I graduated from UNM with a degree in Mass Communications and Journalism. My focus was advertising. Specifically, I was focusing on the advertising of food to the general public. After graduating from UNM, I spent 4 years in the Cascade Mountain Range researching farms and food culture in the Pacific Northwest. I have been running a sustainable, local, fair-trade business in NM for 5 years. I work with regional and local farmers and ranchers to provide healthy, clean food to the students in Albuquerque. The majority of the children we feed are impoverished and at-risk. 3. La Montañita’s Community Role La Montañita has the responsibility to live up to the cooperative values that are in place. We must continue to honor cooperation among cooperatives as we all seek to better our communities. La Montañita has a responsibility to show concern for the community they serve in. Recognizing that we are a state where minoriies are the majority is a good place to start. Honoring our commitment to source locally and with fair-trade for all involved is another path that La Montanita can continue to stand strong on. Our local economy is the thriving and will continue to! Welcoming our community members to our cooperative is vital. We must represent the diversity that New Mexico offers in our stores! Bilingual publications, double up food stamp programs, affordable local food and marketing that reflects this diversity is imperative in showing concern for the community that LMC serves. 4. Personal Statement I, Jessica Swan want to serve you, our La Montañita Cooperative members on the Governing Board of Directors. Our people in New Mexico deserve the right to have access to clean, affordable food. Our farmers and coop employees deserve fair trade for their work too. My lifestyle is in sync with the cooperative values that La Montañita represents. My family of four shops at the Nob Hill store for the majority of our food. I am a local business owner, sourcing my food for my business through the CDC and La Montañita stores and our local and regional farmers. My catering business serves the marginalized and at-risk populations in our great state. In the past 4 years, Swan Kitchen LLC has contributed over $340,000 to our local food shed. We have served a quarter of a million meals to date. New Mexico and our people deserve access to clean, affordable food. LMC must stay competitive with national food grocers. We can feed our people and create jobs for future farmers and care-takers of the land. I am committed to helping the LMC Board continue to be a vibrant, active leader in the local food movement. In cooperation, Jessica ---------------------------------------------------
YOUR VOTE YOUR VOICE
ONE OWNER. ONE VOTE. TRUE DEMOCRACY IN ACTION.
in New Mexico goes hungry every day. Swan Kitchen works with the CDC and Nob Hill store to get clean, affordable food to our students. In the last four years my business has purchased over $250,000 with of food from the CDC. My relationship with the produce department in Nob Hill LMC is thriving. Our family of four does the majority of our shopping at La Montañita. We meal plan, buy in bulk and seasonally to afford the higher prices.
1. Describe Your Involvement In 2005, our family committed ourselves to supporting our local community by spending our money on local businesses. In 2013, I began working with local charter schools to serve farm to cafeteria foods at schools. I serve the south valley communities in Albuquerque. 1 in 4 children
ONLINE @ VOTE. LAMONTANITA.COOP WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER.
CO-OP TEAM MEMBER CANDIDATES ----------------------------------------------------
JERRY ANAYA
1. Describe Your Involvement I’ve been a worker and member-owner for 12 years. I started in the grocery department and within a year was promoted to Assistant Grocery Manager. I took a leave of absence and upon my return, was rehired to work in the Produce Department, where I’ve been for the last 10.5 years. I also do about 99% of my shopping at the Co-op because I believe in our values. As an employee, I’ve heard coworker and member-owner concerns, complaints and questions about where the Co-op is headed. Most of the comments I’ve received have been positive, with gratitutde for the amazing work we have accomplished in a short time. 2. Describe Your Experience Experience Indicated: Environmental Work, Farming, Business, Strategic Planning, Retail, Other I bring to the Co-op extensive experience in customer serivce, sales and business services. As a Division Manager for Dillards (NW US Territory), I developed sales criteria which my group used to achieve the highest sales among all territories. Consequently, I was asked to work with the other divisions to help increase their sales. The key to my success was attention to details and respect for employees. Prior to this, I was a top salesperson at Western Warehouse, where I was recruited by senior management to write a policy manual on salesmanship. Working hard, leading by example and supporting fellow employes has always been important to me. I’m passionate about volunteering my time to causes I believe in. At the Santa Fe Roundhouse, I spoke for gay rights as well as victims and survivors of violent crimes. Some of the most heartbreaking work I’ve ever done was riding along with police officers on domestic abuse calls for DART (Domestic Abuse Response Team), which I helped spearhead with the District Attorney’s office. I evaluated critical markers such as the conditon of the home for safety, the presence of food and actiive utilities and the health and safety of the child(ren). 3. La Montañita’s Community Role The Co-op is a huge contributor to our local economy. We stand behind our initiative to support local: farmers, businesses, distributors and schools. We need to support farming programs in our schools because when we teach children to grow their own vegetables, they eat and enjoy more of them. The Co-op also empowers the community by providing low-interest loans, which helps local businesses stay profitable. Addtionally, the Double Up Food Bucks progam allows us to support our lcoal farmers, which benefits our local economy, the Co-op and the community as a whole. 4. Personal Statement I am protector of the Earth, our water and our environment. It helps our local farmers and our pollinators. I feel the Coop should lead in these areas, supporting our commuinty, protecting our environment and helping other organizations. I changed careers and took a cut in pay to join the Co-op because I believed in it. I still do. By increasing member-owner and employee involvement, we can stand for healthy food, healthy community, healthy economy and a healthy environment. As a current board member, I am pleased that the Co-op has shown increased profitability, and built employee morale. The Co-op has been audited (HR and Financial) and we now (continued on next page)
know which direction we must go in order to continue to build our success. I ask for your support to continue making a difference. We still have a lot of work to do. Pease help re-elect me to the Board of Directors. ---------------------------------------------------
BENJAMIN BARTLEY
1. Describe Your Involvement I have been an employee and memberowner since January 2016. I am a regular attendee of the Co-op’s monthly Board meetings, and am part of the Board’s Policy Development Committee “Core Team.” I work at the Co-op at La Montañita’s Value Chain Specialist. This is a relatively new position that was born out of a Cooperative Agreement with the USDA. My job is to increase market opportunities for New Mexico farmers and ranchers. Among other things, this includes on-boarding new vendors, providing technical assistance to New Mexico producers, and strengthening La Montañita’s capacity to support our local economy. I also work to secure new revenue sources for the Co-op and local vendors. To date, I have brought in more than $100,000 in funding for La Montañita, and have secured more than $330,000 in grants for New Mexico food producers. We are in the final stages of likely receiving another grant that I authored, which would result in more than $490,000 in funding for the Co-op, its distribution center, and services our local vendors. 2. Describe Your Experience Experience Indicated: Environmental Work, Farming, Finance, Business, Strategic Planning, Retail I am a Board Member and Treasurer for a local non-profit. I have sixteen years of experience working in the food industry, ranging from organic farming, farm-to-school education, food access, program management at a sustainable agriculture non-profit, catering, cooking, butchery, baking, and food retail. I am currently enrolled in an MBA program, and have experience overseeing an annual budget of more than $400,000. I also serve as one of two La Montañita representatives for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC). In this capacity, I advocate for the interests of sustainable producers and family farmers in both New Mexico and nationally. This includes spearheading organizing efforts within the Co-op and locally, as well as contributing to NSAC’s lobbying efforts around the Farm Bill and other federal legislation. I participate in NSAC’s Food Systems Integrity, Marketing/Rural Development, and Diversity committees. 3. La Montañita’s Community Role I see La Montañita as the premier retailer of local, sustainably grown products in New Mexico. To this end, I have the great honor of helping to leverage the Co-op’s infrastructure, network, and 40+ years of communitybuilding to better serve our local vendors and member-owners. I also see La Montañita as a national example of what a cooperative economy can look like, and how it can increase community well-being. Thanks to the La Montañita’s wealth of experience and values, our Coop has the opportunity to make a difference both locally, as well as serving as a resource for cooperatives and regional food system advocates across the country. 4. Personal Statement I am very invested in the success of La Montañita, and would like to contribute my skills and experience to the Co-op’s mission and vision. As a 16,000+ strong organization, I believe that I am well suited
to represent and serve the interests of all our member-owners, and to help La Montañita grow and thrive. I appreciate your consideration as a candidate, and for the opportunity to serve as a Staff Member on your Board of Directors. ---------------------------------------------------
AARON WHITELY
MIKE HILDEBRAND
1. Describe Your Involvement I am currently working as the Wellness DTL at our Santa Fe location (4 years). My wife and I became members of La Montanita Coop shortly after moving to Santa Fe in 2008. I was appointed to our La Montanita Board in late June of this year. I have been attending several of our committees to make myself more aware of the BOD and La Montanita business, in general. I have attended the National Coop Convergence in MN three times. 2. Describe Your Experience Experience Indicated: Environmental Work, Farming, Finance, Business, Strategic Planning, Retail, Other • My family has an ever-growing home garden — I appreciate the challenge of growing food in NM! • I have been a member of NM Public Interest Research Group (NMPIRG) for several years. • I am a chair on the BOD’s Finance Committee. • Been working in the natural foods/ supplements sector for more than 25 years. Including 4 years at another Coop (People’s Coop in San Diego, CA) • Managed a supplement company in San Diego. • Retail experience includes deli, grocery, front end management, store management, and Wellness department management. • I hold degrees in Psychology and Counseling. 3. La Montañita’s Community Role To provide the community’s food needs in a more democratic, locally driven, and socially responsible model. The owner member’s vote and voice should be encouraged, empowered, and acknowledged whenever and wherever possible. We are a gatekeeper for which companies to support, how to manage our financial resources, and how to serve the needs of the community, while serving the betterment of coops in general. We should be a voice in the community for our local coop and why supporting this alternative economic model is better for the community, the planet, and the consumer.
1. Describe Your Involvement I have worked for La Montanita for almost 4 years, beginning as a Produce Clerk at the newly opened Westside location in October 2013. I worked in this capacity until December 2015, as I was offered the Front End Coordinator position. I continued in this role until May 2016, when I was promoted to Front End Department Team Leader, my current role. I have been a member-owner for two and a half years and was part of a family household membership for a year and a half prior to that. I am a regular shopper at the Westside location and have also been spotted shopping from time to time at our Rio Grande and Nob Hill stores. Throughout 2017 I have made a determined attempt to become more involved in the governance side of the Co-op, attending monthly Board of Directors meetings and participating in various Board Committees. 2. Describe Your Experience Experience Indicated: Retail, Other In addition to my retail experience as a La Montanita Co-op staff member, I have been actively attending Board Committee meetings for several months. I have been a regular participant in the Policy Development Committee since February and assisted with the review of and the proposed changes to the La Montanita Bylaws that will be up for a vote this November. As a member of the Member Engagement Committee, I am currently working with other staff members to implement a system to improve lines of communication and disseminate information between the Board and its Committees and staff members at the store level. I have learned that much of the important work the Board does occurs during these Committee meetings, and I believe my experience in this area will serve me well as a potential Board Member. Prior to working for La Montanita, I was a regular volunteer and driver for the Rio Grande Food Project, a local non-profit
4. Personal Statement I have been shopping and/or working at natural foods cooperatives for most of my adult life. Subsequently, I believe I have a sound sense of their potential and what contributes to their effectiveness. I am a firm believer in socially responsible, local, and more democratic models of business. I enjoy working with and serving others towards bettering their lives, empowering their voice, and creating more social bonds. I have a strong work ethic and strive to be a good model for others. I love Coops! ---------------------------------------------------
CO-OP PRINCIPLE #2 DEMOCRATIC MEMBER CONTROL CREATING A VISION FOR THE FUTURE. food pantry based in south Albuquerque.
This experience opened my eyes to the hunger crisis that permeates our state and the food insecurity that afflicts so many families and communities in New Mexico. 3. La Montañita’s Community Role La Montanita has been a leader in the local and organic food movements in New Mexico for 40 years. We are a retail grocer, but the scope and mission of the Co-op far exceeds such a basic definition. The Co-op plays a crucial role in supporting our local foodshed economy, not only through the products we source from farmers, ranchers, and producers throughout the state but also by providing vital resources such as education, training, and financial assistance to those producers. Our cooperative business model, our commitment to local sourcing, and the level of service we provide to customers, employees, and vendors is a positive, vital force in a marketplace that too often ignores health, workers, communities, and the environment in the name of the bottom line. We must remain committed to this progressive, positive ethos as we strive to shape and support the communities we serve. 4. Personal Statement I strongly believe that serving as a Board Member is just that: service. Our cooperative is comprised of thousands of New Mexicans that have chosen to organize and join the Co-op for what we stand for and promote: healthy and organic foods, investment in the local economy, responsible environmental practices, and a better way of conducting business. It would be my duty to listen to, understand, work with, and utilize feedback from our diverse membership base to shape policy and guide the Co-op into a profitable, productive future that continues to achieve our Global Ends Policy. As a Board Member, I would also strive to be the voice of and representative for the hardworking and talented staff throughout the organization. Our team members are the backbone of the Co-op, and their input must be communicated and heard to achieve our goals. My personal experience working for the Co-op has been extremely rewarding, helping me grow personally and professionally. La Montanita has become a major part of my life, and I consider it my home away from home. I wish to continue to grow with and serve the Co-op during what I believe is a crucial yet promising time for the organization, as we move forward and write the next years of our cooperative chapter. ---------------------------------------------------
THANKSGIVING FOOD DELIGHTS OVEN-LESS TURKEY
DONE
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 Santa Fe 7am – 10pm M – Su 913 West Alameda, Santa Fe, NM 87501 505-984-2852 Westside 7am – 10pm M – Su 3601 Old Airport Ave, ABQ, NM 87114 505-503-2550 GRABnGO 8am – 6pm M – F, 11am – 3pm Sa UNM Bookstore, 2301 Central SW, ABQ, NM 87131 505-277-9586 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 Mentillo/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 AMYLEE UDELL ince hosting Thanksgiving more regularly, I've discovered that I don't enjoy the stress of getting everything on the table at the same time and at the right serving temperature. It's stressful! There's a lot more to it than it looks like in holiday TV shows and in my memory's nostalgia-blurred playback! I have found if I cook the turkey anywhere else except the oven, it makes our Thanksgiving meal time much easier. First, it frees up the oven for all the other sides and dishes, and second, the oven-less cooking options are either quicker or allow for more flexibility at serving time. Combining these two elements omits much of the typical Thanksgiving meal stress, so consider these alternative options for your turkey!
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2. Crockpot it! I have a large crockpot and can fit a 13 lb. bird in it. This does NOT yield a browned, crispy skinned turkey; although you can achieve that by browning the outside briefly, before placing it in the cooker or finish it off in the oven and brown it there. It DOES yield a very juicy bird. So if you dislike turkey due to its dryness, this might be for you. I used this method once because we were expecting family to arrive after two days of driving and were going to eat upon their arrival. We could be flexible about arrival time and most other items could be kept warm in the oven (plenty of room) or quickly reheated upon our guests' arrival.
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
6. Piece it out! Cooking the parts of a turkey takes less time than cooking the whole bird. You can roast them ahead of time or day-of, crockpot them, grill them or pressure cook them. If you're only having a small meal, this can be just a sizeable breast purchased on its own, or cut your whole turkey into parts before cooking, or purchase all the various parts for serving to a larger crowd. 7. Spatchcock it! For juicy meat and perfectly browned skin in about an hour and a half, consider this method of "butterflying" the bird. You remove the backbone, flatten the bird and then cook it skin side up. Since its flat, you may be able to fit other items in the oven alongside it.
3. Grill it! I am no grill master but if you know one, he or she might enjoy taking charge of the turkey this year. A 10–16 lb. bird will take 2–3 hours. This isn't much less than an unstuffed turkey in the oven, but it does keep your oven available for other items and offers a different flavor.
8. Go turkey-less? Sacrilege! An alternative idea is to make a Cornish hen for each person at the table. Presented nicely, each person gets their own "mini" turkey, keeping things festive but easy to bake, and kids especially love having kid-sized foods. They'll remember it for years to come!
4. Fry it! So much oil, but so much flavor. I'm serious, it's delicious! It takes less than an hour for the same size bird as above, though there is some prep and safety research everyone should do beforehand. You need to prep the bird, prep the fryer, prep the oil, and have the right open space and more. I have a designated turkey fry master in my home and the results have been fantastic! I highly favor this method!
I readily admit most of these do leave something to be desired if walking out to the table with a whole, beautifully browned bird is a top priority; but if flavorful and easier are priorities, then you've got some great choices here. Enjoy and thank YOU for your readership! AMYLEE UDELL blogs about time and money saving ideas at: www.productivemama.com.
SEASONAL RECIPES CABBAGE LETTUCE WRAPS Serves 6 as a side dish / Prep time: 15 minutes
CORN CHOWDER
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
5. Pressure cook it! With today's electric pressure cookers, this option has become realistic for many families. In a 6 quart cooker, you can fit a 5–6 lb. bird while an 8 quart cooker fits an 11 lb. bird. Brown the bird as much as you can—if you want it browned at all—either before cooking or after. This method will take 20–45 minutes plus time to build pressure. It will be very juicy and tender!
1. Cook the turkey ahead of time. Cook it the day before, slice, store and just reheat the next day. Your house will still smell like turkey! And the next day the bird will just need to be heated a short while rather than roasted all day. This also allows for some "oops" room if you're not sure how long the bird needs to cook.
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 • Marissa Joe, Director Membership Costs: $15 for 1 year/ $200 Lifetime Membership + tax
RIGHT
La Montañita Cooperative A Community-Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store
November 2017 6
Serves 6 / Prep time: 15 minutes / Cook time: 20 minutes Loaded with healthy phytochemicals and fiber, this soup happens to also be easy, filling and satisfying. Dash of oil 1 onion, chopped 1 tsp turmeric powder 1 clove garlic, minced 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and minced 1 large sweet potato, diced small 1 cup water 1 cup broth 1 ten ounce bag frozen corn 1 cup almond milk In a large sauce pan, add the oil, onion, turmeric powder, garlic and ginger on medium-low and cook until the onion starts to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the sweet potato, water and broth. Cover and simmer on low until the sweet potato is just soft when pricked with the tip of a sharp knife, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the corn and almond milk and cook until the chowder is heated through, about 5 minutes. NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: CALORIES 85; CALORIES FROM FAT 15; TOTAL FAT 2G; SATURATED FAT 0G; TRANS FAT 0G; CHOLESTEROL 0MG; SODIUM 152MG; TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE 17G; DIETARY FIBER 2G; SUGARS 3G; PROTEIN 2G
The ginger and turmeric dress up the basic cabbage and carrot slaw and make for a very simple and satisfying lettuce wrap. Interestingly, this salad also makes a great veggie addition to fruit smoothies! 1 2 2 3 1 2 1 6
1/2 cups green cabbage, minced cups carrot, shredded T lemon juice tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated 1/2 T coconut oil tsp turmeric powder tsp white sugar or honey (optional) large lettuce leaves
In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, lemon juice and ginger. On medium heat, dissolve the turmeric and sugar in the coconut oil for about 30 seconds. Do not boil. Add the coconut oil mixture to the salad and combine well. Fill lettuce leaves with about a half of a cup of the salad. Serve at room temperature. NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: CALORIES 57; CALORIES FROM FAT 30; TOTAL FAT 3G; SATURATED FAT 3G; TRANS FAT 0G; CHOLESTEROL 0MG; SODIUM 29MG; TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE 6G; DIETARY FIBER 2G; SUGARS 3G; PROTEIN 1G
SPINACH SAUTEE Serves 4 as a side dish / Prep time: 5 minutes The orange juice adds a nice healthy sauce to this spinach while adding variety to your spinach repertoire. Using baby spinach eliminates the need for chopping, making this side dish super quick to prepare. CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
RECIPES
THANKSGIVING FOOD DELIGHTS
November 2017 7
VEGAN RECIPES
PACKED WITH FLAVOR FIG AND OLIVE TAPENADE Serves 2–4; Prep time: 30 minutes; Total time: 40 minutes 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, finely chopped 1 cup dried black mission figs, destemmed, quartered and finely chopped Juice of 1/2 lemon 1/4 cup olive oil Small handful basil, chopped 2 T freshly grated ginger 2 T capers Zest of 1 lemon 1/2 green apple, diced Freshly ground black pepper
ROASTED ACORN SQUASH WITH WILD RICE SALAD ROASTED ACORN SQUASH Serves 4; Prep time: 10 minutes; Total time: 40 minutes 2 acorn squash cut lengthwise, seeds removed 1 T Earth Balance, melted 1 T maple syrup Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Preheat oven 450 degrees. Place the 4 squash halves, cut side up on a baking sheet. Brush each half with melted earth balance—make sure the entire surface area has been coated. Then brush with maple syrup and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Roast in the oven until fork tender (approx. 30 minutes). NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: CALORIES 124; CALORIES FROM FAT 24; TOTAL FAT 3G; SATURATED FAT 1G; TRANS FAT 0G; CHOLESTEROL 0MG; SODIUM 172MG; TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE 26G; DIETARY FIBER 3G; SUGARS 7G; PROTEIN 2G
RIO GRANDE
2400 Rio Grande. Blvd. NW 505-242-8800
Mix all ingredients, season to taste and serve with bread, crackers, apples, pears and nuts! NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: CALORIES 325; CALORIES FAT 212; TOTAL FAT 24G; SATURATED FAT 2G; TRANS FAT 0G; CHOLESTEROL 0MG; SODIUM 532MG; TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE 29G; DIETARY FIBER 6G; SUGARS 20G; PROTEIN 1G
FROM
PUMPKIN SPICE RICE PUDDING
GRABnGO
UNM Bookstore 505-277-9586
Serves 4; Prep time: 40 minutes; Total time: 1 hour 1 cup Arborio rice 1.5 cups almond milk (or cashew milk, flax milk, etc.) 1 cinnamon stick 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/2 coconut sugar 1 cup pumpkin purée (or sweet potato) Pinch clove Pinch allspice 1 inch fresh ginger grated 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp orange zest
WILD RICE SALAD Serves 4; Prep time: 30 minutes; Total time: 40 minutes 1/2 cup wild rice, cooked 1 1/2 cups basmati rice, cooked 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped 1/4 cup toasted Brazil nuts, chopped Juice from 2 navel oranges Zest from 1 orange Zest from 1/2 lemon A couple sprigs of rosemary, chopped Small handful of Italian parsley, chopped 3 ribs of celery, cleaned and diced Sea salt Freshly ground black pepper In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm rices and everything else! Season to taste. You may add a little grapeseed oil or coconut oil. Mix well and if you like spice, add chipotle powder too! Divide the rice mixture among the squash halves, 1/2 cup each. There will be some leftover so save it. Return the squash to the oven and bake at 350 degrees for an additional 20 minutes or until squash are fork tender and golden brown around the edges.
In a 2 quart saucepan combine rice, almond milk (or milk of your choice), orange zest, sea salt and cinnamon stick. Over high heat, bring rice to a boil and then immediately reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 20 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed. Keep at low heat. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and cook about 5–7 more minutes. Refrigerate until cold. Serve with vegan whipped cream. NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: CALORIES 296; CALORIES FAT 10; TOTAL FAT 1G; SATURATED FAT 0G; TRANS FAT 0G; CHOLESTEROL 0MG; SODIUM 420MG; TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE 67G; DIETARY FIBER 1G; SUGARS 20G; PROTEIN 4G
FROM
NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: CALORIES 274; CALORIES FROM FAT 95; TOTAL FAT 11G; SATURATED FAT 2G; TRANS FAT 0G; CHOLESTEROL 0MG; SODIUM 169MG; TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE 42G; DIETARY FIBER 3G; SUGARS 17G; PROTEIN 4G
=
SEASONAL
RECIPES In a large skillet, add the oil and garlic on medium and cook until the garlic starts to become fragrant. Add the spinach and stir to coat with the orange juice. Cook the spinach until it just begins to wilt, about 1 minute. NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: CALORIES 49; CALORIES FAT 13; TOTAL FAT 2G; SATURATED FAT 0G; TRANS FAT 0G; CHOLESTEROL 0MG; SODIUM 36MG; TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE 8G; DIETARY FIBER 1G; SUGARS 4G; PROTEIN 2G FROM
BUCKWHEAT SALAD Serves 6 / Prep time: 15 minutes This is no ordinary salad. While the flavors go nicely together, they also retain their own individual zing. Because the flavors are intensified the next day, it can be made ahead for any occasion. 1/4 cup raw buckwheat groats 1/2 cup water
2 cups cucumber, diced 1/4 cup marinated black olives, chopped 1 cup cauliflower, diced 1 granny smith apple, diced 3 T apple cider vinegar 2 T maple syrup Dash of salt In a small sauce pan heated to medium, toast the buckwheat groats lightly for a minute or two. Add the water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover, cooking the buckwheat for 10 minutes, until the buckwheat is soft. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the cucumber, olives, cauliflower, and apple. In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, maple syrup and salt until the salt dissolves. Add the dressing to the salad. Add the cooked buckwheat and combine. Serve at room temperature. NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: CALORIES 84; CALORIES FROM FAT 19; TOTAL FAT 2G; SATURATED FAT 0G; TRANS FAT 0G; CHOLESTEROL 0MG; SODIUM 182MG; TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE 15G; DIETARY FIBER 2G; SUGARS 8G; PROTEIN 2G
COOP
Dash of oil 8 garlic cloves, chopped 3 T frozen orange juice concentrate 6 cups baby spinach, packed
Alamed a Blvd. Coors Blvd.
6
Old A irpor t Ave .
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WESTSIDE
3601 Old Airport Ave. NW 505-503-2550
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 The Co-op Connection News is published by La Montañita Co-op to provide information on La Montañita Co-op, 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
November 2017 8
LETTER TO THE
EDITOR
I get out in the sun all year round, and I eat only raw food. I do not use tobacco, alcohol, or drugs. (However, unlike Don, I do eat some dairy such as raw milk cheese and raw eggs). I love the Co-op's organic foods and local foods. Last month I received an email from a reader who shared his gratitude and excitement about Don Schrader’s letter and confirmed how he is living a thriving life well into his 70’s! -MONIQUE SALHAB DEAR MONIQUE, Amazing! There is actually someone out there with the same ideals that I have. Thank you for printing the Letter to the Editor. Just like Don Schrader, I am 71 years old, I exercise every day, I do not have a car, and I walk an average of 4 miles a day.
I have never liked cars or the gasoline engine; they make so much pollution and smell terrible. And there is such a freedom in not owning a car—no maintenance or payments to worry about and no liabilities. It is just so easy to step out the door and walk or take the bus. And walking feels so good! I was forced into eating raw foods 45 years ago due to declining health. I was always very sick. Raw foods have given me good health and strength. And this type of diet really makes natural sense; there is no other animal on this earth that cooks or processes food. It is really to our advantage to eat the food
fresh from the earth with no processing. It is delicious and nourishing and colorful, especially fruit. Food is a very complex alive substance. Heat causes chemical reactions which change it. Don Schrader explained it much better than I can. So, again thank you for the wonderful article. I will be saving this issue of the Co-op connection. -WILLIAM TOBIN
FOOD
LETTER TO THE EDITOR CORRECTION: In the October edition of the Co-op newsletter, Don Schrader submitted a Letter to the Editor. There was an error in the second paragraph, third sentence. It should have read: “Cooked food is DEAD—slow poison.” I apologise for this error and thank Don Schrader for calling me and letting me know.
$500,000 USDA GRANT
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More than 350 applicants submitted LFPP proposals this year; La Montañita was among the 14% of organizations who were ultimately chosen for funding. The Coop was selected for this competitive grant opportunity in large part because of our solid track record for sourcing locally—the USDA prioritizes applicants that are effective and proven actors within their local food economy, and in 2016 the Co-op sold more than $10 million in regional products. La Montañita’s proposal was also a compelling use of LFPP funds; this grant will greatly increase the Co-op’s capacity to continue developing our local food system. In short, this three-year grant will allow us to: • Conduct production planning with our New Mexico vendors, aligning local supply of fruits, vegetables, and proteins with local demand.
HEALTH AND STRENGTH.
There is NO other EDITOR’S RESPONSE: ANIMAL ON THIS DEAR MR. TOBIN, EARTH THAT Thank you for sharing how you are living your live as healthily as you can! Both you COOKS OR and Don Schrader are living proof of how PROCESSES food (and healthy habits) can shift our physical health and our emotional wellbeing. Additionally, thank you for being a Co-op member and purchasing your organic and local food at La Montañita. Continue living well and keep reading the newsletter!
LA MONTAÑITA TO RECEIVE BY BENJAMIN BARTLEY, VALUE CHAIN SPECIALIST he USDA’s Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) supports organizations across the country that help farmers and ranchers sell their product locally. The Co-op can now be counted as one of those organizations. La Montañita was recently awarded $500,000 to support our work in creating market opportunities for New Mexico growers.
RAW FOODS
have given me good
• Modernize La Montañita’s Cooperative Distribution Center, increasing our ability to serve more wholesale customers. • Launch a USDA-accredited GroupGAP program for local growers, lowering the cost and burden of securing food safety certifications and increasing market access for participating farmers. These three activities are mutually supportive; each effort strengthens our ability to achieve the others. They also build upon La Montañita’s current value chain work—as a result of this grant, the Co-op will be expanding its Value Chain Team through the hire of a new staff member, increasing the amount of time and labor that we can dedicate to supporting our local vendors. La Montañita will also be joining an innovative group of food hubs and cooperatives that have piloted similar GroupGAP programs. In the spirit of cooperation, GroupGAP makes it easier for growers of all sizes to join together and apply as a group to receive USDA Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification. By participating in the group, growers get to share resources and certifica-
tion costs, operate under a single, central quality management system, and develop a pool of diverse product offerings for buyers. It is because of our support, participation, and advancement of innovative initiatives like these that La Montañita is recognized as a local food system leader. And we become stronger as a Co-op by operating with these kinds of values, exemplified by our receiving grants like the USDA Local Food Promotion Program. But La Montañita is similarly defined by cooperation, and by giving back to our broader community of practice. Earlier this fall, for instance, the Co-op was asked to share its experience and best practices around social justice and value chain coordination with more than 200 of its food system peers—to learn more, you can watch the online recording of the Wallace Center webinar, “How Regional Food System Investment Creates More Equitable Communities.” As a member-owner of La Montañita, your regular patronage of local foods is what makes all of this possible. Thank you for supporting your local co-op, and for making La Montañita a leader in local food systems development!
LA MONTAÑITA
BANKING
SWITCH O
ver the past seven months La Montañita Co-op has been exploring new banking options, moving away from our current banking provider, Wells Fargo. Many memberowners and La Montañita team members have raised concerns over Wells Fargo’s unethical practices, including the opening of 3.1 million illegal bank accounts, and their part-funding of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
concluded that our preferred and recommended new banking provider to be We listened to Century Bank. Century Bank is a locally MEMBERowned and operated bank in Santa Fe, OWNER NM. Other banks that we met with were COMMENTS not locally owned and operated, and we REGARDING A rated this an important factor in our deciPREFERENCE sion process. Other factors include the FOR A LOCAL investments made by Century Bank in BANK local municipalities. A large percentage of the Bank’s investments remain within PROVIDER New Mexico. In addition, La Montañita stands to financially benefit from this banking switch, On behalf of the Finance Committee, I’d due to Century’s lower accounting fees. like to thank member-owners for their patience during the selection of a new banking Now in the final stages of switching from Wells Fargo provider. We had to do our homework to make to Century Bank, the Board and Finance Committee sure that the chosen provider would meet our high asks that member-owners and team members research ethical standards and values, while fulfilling our Century Bank. Please let us know if you have any issues operational banking needs. with the proposed banking switching. For further information or comments please email: We listened to member-owner comments regarding board-treasurer@lamontanita.coop.Comments are a preference for a local bank provider, and explored requested back by November 22, with the aim to comthe possibility of switching to Nusenda Credit plete the banking switch by the end of 2017. Union. Unfortunately, Nusenda’s banking systems are not set up to support our business operational THANK YOU, needs, but we do maintain some bank accounts and JAMES GLOVER, TREASURER, BOARD OF DIRECTORS loans with Nusenda. The Finance Committee subLA MONTAÑITA CO-OP FOOD MARKET sequently met with several other banks, and have
CO-OP NEWS
November 2017 9
A THANK YOU FROM THE ROCK AND RYTHM
FOUNDATION
In the month of August, your dimes from the Donate-aDime program generated 2,652.63$ for the Rock and Rhythm Foundation. Robb Janov—the director of the program—sent me an email discussing how the money raised is being used to further help school children in the Albuquerque community. BY ROBB JANOV/EDITED BY MONIQUE SALHAB he donation from La Montañita Co-op’s Donate-aDime program to the Rock and Rhythm Foundation (RRF) will be used to support the Foundation’s high school music program, the Rock and Rhythm Youth Orchestra (RRYO). Combined with other fundraising efforts, this donation means most RRYO students will pay only $25 for the 12week class each semester, and some students will participate at no charge. Keeping the cost of this high school program at a minimum is an important goal of RRF, which believes that no student should be excluded from learning music due to financial constraints.
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The Rock and Rhythm Youth Orchestra is not your typical music program! Now entering its fourth year, RRYO has received rave reviews from parents and students. Developed by Robb Janov during more than 20 years of teaching music at Jefferson Middle School, the award-winning Rock and Rhythm Band program encourages students who—for various reasons—may not otherwise choose to take music classes, while also providing a lowstress, non-competitive alternative for students from more traditional music programs. RRYO promotes cooperative learning in an all-inclusive, relaxed setting. Students have the opportunity to explore new instruments, including rock band instruments and electric orchestral strings. These are provided for use in class, and many students learn to play multiple instruments. RRYO musicians help and support each other, sharing musical interests and skills. Students choose the music that they will play, with a variety of styles included in each concert. Students also are able to independently work on music in small groups and in a large ensemble, all during one class period. The class provides a supportive environment for musical exploration and growth, while also providing students with a sense of belonging and empowerment to help them navigate the often-turbulent teen years.
LA MONTAÑITA’S
DONATION helps Rock and Rythm Orchestra students who will pay a LOW FEE or NO FEE for a 12-week class
NOVEMBER CALENDAR
OF
EVENTS
DONATE-A-DIME
HEART IS HOME COOPERATIVE CARE REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION AND EDITED BY MONIQUE SALHAB Heart Is Home Cooperative Care (HIHCC) is this month’s Donate-a-Dime organization. This cooperative provides compassionate and quality care to many individuals throughout the state of New Mexico. They are a wonderful reminder of how local cooperatives are positively impacting this state, in addition to how cooperatives come in all shapes and all forms!
Caregivers in New Mexico’s Sandoval County and Lea County formed Heart Is Home Cooperative Care in 2016 to provide better wages, training, and benefits for workers living in rural areas of the state. The cooperative also serves as an alternative to employment from for-profit home health agencies. HIHCC is a worker-owned cooperative, totaling over 150 years of collective caregiving experience and providing homemaker and personal care services to individuals in their homes. Worker-owners consistently go above and beyond for their clients to provide a quality of life for them through honest and compassionate care. HIHCC’s worker-owners reflect the diverse cultures and languages of New Mexico, and they help address the challenges of securing quality home care in rural communities within the state. Worker-owners have worked hard to develop a cooperative spirit and follow the cooperative principles. Heart Is Home workers participate in business operations, decisionmaking and elect members of the Board of Directors. As a cooperative, HIHCC operates essentially at cost, since any profits are distributed to the caregiver-owners.
11/13 NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS MEETING Co-op Support Office, 901 Menual Blvd. NE at 6pm 11/14 BOD MEMBER ENGAGEMENT MEETING Co-op Support Office, 901 Menual Blvd. NE at 5:30pm 11/21 BOD BUSINESS MEETING Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, 2401 12th St. NW, Albuquerque at 5:45pm 12/5 BOD POLICY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Co-op Support Office, 901 Menual Blvd. NE at 5:30pm
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.
This month your BAG CREDIT DONATIONS will be given to Heart Is Home Cooperative Care, a workerowned business providing homecare throughout NM. In September your bag credit donations totaling $2,662.31 were donated to Outcomes, Inc. which offers private, client-based mental health services to the community. Thank you for your generous donations! DONATE-A-DIME!
HEALTH AND HEALING
November 2017 10
COLD AND FLU
FIGHTERS PLUS
HERBAL HEALING HINTS BY ROBIN SEYDEL/EDITED BY MONIQUE SALHAB he healthier you are, the stronger your immune system and the less likely you will catch what’s going around this season. Using herbs, homeopathy, and vitamins will increase your health and reduce your susceptibility, but most importantly, a healthy lifestyle will give your body the resources it needs to fight off an attack. Here are some common sense tips on staying healthy:
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DIGESTION Some say the flu "begins in the gut and ends in the gut." This means that if you have good digestion, you will increase your resistance to this and other flu strains. Take a probiotic daily. Live probiotics are available in our stores, and probiotics are now more widely available in yogurt, kefir and even chocolate! Burdock root and other herbs with bitter principles improve digestion; add them to your favorite soup, stew or tea. VITAMINS 1. Vitamin A is one of the main components of the skin. To strengthen the skin's protective ability, take vitamin A daily. 2. Research has shown Vitamin C improves resistance to disease and
prevents flu symptoms when 1,000 mg doses are taken every six hours. 3. NAC is an amino acid that has been shown to raise immunity to the flu in clinical trials. 4. Probiotics—healthy flora in the gut supports immune function. HOMEOPATHY The homeopathic remedy Ferrum phos is effective in treating the early stages of the flu, when used in the first 24 hours. Also the remedy Influenzinum can be taken as a prophylaxis. This remedy is made from the same disease strain as the CDC uses to make each season's flu vaccine. Other remedies which work for influenza include: Baptisia tinctoria, Arsenicum album, Byronia and Gelsminium. Homeopathic remedies are extremely symptom specific, so be sure to choose the remedy that fits your particular symptoms. Peppermint, camphor and caffeine may interfere with the beneficial action of homoeopathic remedies. HERBS CAN HELP! 1. Echinacea should be taken at the first sign of cold/flu symptoms. Echinacea is considered to be an immune stimulant. Echinacea can help you get better faster and reduce your symptoms while you are sick. The dosage used is important for effectiveness. Echinacea can be taken every two hours (a dropper full) in acute stages or drink 3–5 cups strong tea. 2. Olive Leaf was first used by ancient Egyptians. It is an antioxidant which boosts immune function, an antibacterial, an antiviral, an antifungal, antiparasitic, antiseptic, and its tranquilizing effects can help you sleep! 3. Elderberries are used for their antioxidant activity to lower cholesterol, improve vision, boost the immune system, and improve heart health and for coughs, colds, flu, bacterial and viral infections and tonsillitis.
4. Goldenseal helps clear mucus from the throat. It also contains the natural antibiotic berberine, which can help prevent bacterial infections which often follow colds. Goldenseal is an endangered plant so use with discretion. Berberine also is found in the Mountain Grape (a.k.a. Oregon Grape) which is not endangered and grows well in central New Mexico. 5. Garlic (Allium sativum) is one of nature’s most famed antibiotic and anti-virals. It appears to shorten a cold's duration and severity. Any form seems to work: capsules or tablets, oil rubbed on the skin, or whole garlic eaten raw, roasted or cooked with other foods. If you elect capsules, take three of them three times daily, until the cold is over. Onion is close to garlic biologically and contains many similar antiviral chemicals. 6. Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) contains nearly a dozen antiviral compounds. Scientists have isolated several chemicals (sesquiterpenes) in ginger that have specific effects against the most common family of cold viruses—the rhinoviruses. Some of these chemicals are remarkably potent in their anti-rhinovirus effects. Other elements in ginger, gingerols and shogaols, help relieve cold symptoms because they reduce pain and fever, suppress coughing and have a mild sedative effect that encourages rest. To make a tea, add 1 heaping teaspoon of grated fresh gingerroot to 1 cup of boiled water. Allow it to steep for 10 minutes. If you use dried ginger powder use 1/3 to 1/2 teaspoon of powdered ginger per cup. 7. Mullein flowers and leaves soothe inflamed conditions of the mucous membrane lining the throat. It also relieves coughing. To make a pleasant tasting tea, put a small handful of the mullein flowers in 1 pint of boiling water. Allow it to steep 15 minutes; strain and sweeten with honey. 8. Adaptogens are plants which have the ability to resist chemical and biological stressors and to pass that ability on to humans. Shisandra has long been used in Chinese medicine to improve immune function through its healing action on the liver. Codonopsis is another adaptogen used in Chinese herbal medicine. It increases the red and white blood cell counts and strengthens the immune system. The above information is for educational purposes only. Please consult a health care professional if experiencing severe symptoms.
COMMUNITY FORUM
November 2017 11
NECK DEEP IN THE SWAMP
worked as a landscaper and although keeping things green is a priority, this means green by any means necessary including arsenals of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides—not the green manures, crop/pasture rotations, bio-remediation and other eco-friendly methods the NRCS touts. Too, NRCS works with people Replacing a system whose income if from is farming, not just worrying that isn’t working whether Mrs. Smith’s roses are gonna have bounfor you is BENEFICIAL teous blooms this year or not.
ITCHY GREEN THUMB
BY BRETT BAKKER ’ve more or less usually agreed with the old voter axiom Throw the rascals out! Which pretty much means that it’s always good to get new blood into the political system to break up the old entrenched bureaucracy. I guess this saying was the old version of Drain the Swamp. Sorta. As many of us know by now, although they may seem unattractive to human activity—what with all the bogs and mosquitoes and chompy gators—swamps and wetlands have multiple purposes. In nature, they are habitat for diverse flora and fauna that wouldn’t survive elsewhere, and for humans, they serve to drain excess water away from habitable and arable land. Humans however decided it was all mere wasteland and should be “reclaimed” to make way for more farms, buildings and development.
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Some seven or eight hundred years ago, Mexico City was built on filled-in swamp land—as was much of modern Houston. Of late, we’ve seen how well that works out when combined with severe seismic activity and thunderous hurricane deluges. But I digress. The original point I embarked on here a couple of hundred words ago is that replacing a system that isn’t working for you is beneficial only if the replacements are superior, wellplanned and long lasting. Otherwise, you’re just putting yet another patch on that already flat tire. Since this is a farm/garden/eco-monkeywrenching column, let’s take the US Department of Agriculture. Its current appointees would be comical if food and health wasn’t such a serious topic. Nick Brusky served as a field representative for the President’s campaign in Ohio. Now he works at the Foreign Agricultural Service which develops overseas agricultural markets. Brusky’s experience in this area is—in his own words—“hauling and shipping agricultural commodities.” Yup. The man was a truck driver. And, yeah, to give him his due, he also served a County Commissioner but still, that’s a far cry from international diplomatic policy and protocol. Or take Christopher O’Hagan, a confidential assistant at the Agricultural Marketing Service. AMS is the marketing development arm of NMDA including, among other divisions, the Specialty Crops Program (new and promising foods and fibers), the Dairy Program (“Got milk?” and more) and the National Organic Program (yes, the federal government views organic certification only as a marketing tool and label, not a health and safety issue). Before joining the president’s campaign in 2016, he was a student working at the Westchester Country Club as a cabana attendant. Well,
ONLY IF THE REPLACEMENTS
Counted among other new USDA appointees is a Republican National Committee intern, a scentedare superior, wellcandle company owner, a former clerk at AT&T planned and long lasting. Otherwise you and a rental property manager. Look, everyone has some unfortunate job in their past, maybe running are just putting yet the fry machine at Captain Ahab’s Family Fish another patch on that Shack or call-you-at-supper-time phone sales or already flat tire whatever, I get it. Hopefully, we all move on. But we’re not talking entry level, work-your-way-upthe-USDA-ladder jobs here. These are high level administrative appointments with yearly salaries ranging from $60,000 to $80,000. Maybe, just maybe I suppose suggesting a better grade of alcohol for your some of these guys can rise to the occasion—I’m not cocktail is a form of marketing. totally defeatist after all—but in my book, that’s a heck of a lot of on the job training for people with little to no Tim Page, yet another campaign worker, was appointed direct agricultural experience. People who will be making to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, which deep policy decisions that affect our food supply, global promotes and assists farms and ranches with eco-consermarkets and our dwindling farm population’s livelivation practices. Like O’Hagan, Page is also a recent hoods. Well, that’s okay I guess. Who needs farms grad. Apparently, his Ag experience is owning a landanyways? We can all just eat taco bowls… scaping service in North Carolina. Hmmm… I’ve
NOVEMBER
ACTIVITIES
Edited By Monique Salhab
ALBUQUERQUE, NM Return of the Sandhill Cranes Celebration November 11/Open Space Visitor Center, 6500 Coors Blvd NW. See https://www.cabq.gov/openspace for updates. 9am: Tai Chi/ Sifu Dug Corpolongo 10am: Introduction to Birds of the Middle Rio Grande Valley/Claude Vallieres 11am: The Crane in Asian Cultures/Joelle Collier 12pm: Sandhill Crane Ecology/Dan Collins 1pm: A crane dance performance/Maple Street Dance Space 2pm: New Mexico Storytellers
LAS CRUCES, NM
Home Grown: A New Mexico Food Show and Gift Market November 18, 9am–5pm, November 19, 10am–4 pm
New Mexico Farmand Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road. Call 575-522-4100 or go to www.frhm.org for more information.
SANTA FE, NM
2017 Recycle Santa Fe Art Festival, November 17, 5–9pm ($5), November 18, 9–5pm (free), November 19, 10–5pm (free). Santa Fe Community Convention Center, 201 W. Marcy Street The country’s largest and oldest recycled art market, Recycle Santa Fe Art Festival, is dedicated to showcasing art created from discarded materials. www.recyclesantafe.org/ for more information.
SAN ANTONIO, NM
Festival of the Cranes, November 14-19 Come celebrate the return of Sandhill cranes to Bosque del Apache during the 30th anniversary Festival of the Cranes! Go to www.friendsofthebosque.org for more information.