New Mexico Organic
FARMING CONFERENCE FEBRUARY 20-21 BY JOANIE QUINN, NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, ORGANIC PROGRAM he Executive Director of the Rodale Institute, “Coach” Mark Smallwood, will headline this year’s New Mexico Organic Farming Conference to be held February 20-21 at the Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid.
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In his talk entitled “From America’s Oldest Organic Research Farm: Intriguing Questions & Lessons Learned,” Smallwood will review research carried out at Rodale on everything from no-till to carbon sequestration in organic production. Coach has been dedicated to promoting organic agriculture, environmental stewardship, efficiency and conservation for over thirty years. He is a long-time organic farmer and biodynamic gardener, raising chickens, goats, sheep and pigs, and driving his own team of oxen. As Executive Director of Rodale Institute, Coach has focused his efforts on training a new generation of organic farmers. In partnership with Delaware Valley College, the Institute hosts a one-year organic farming certification program designed for military veterans. In addition, Coach began the Agriculture Supported Communities (ASC) program at Rodale Institute which brings fresh, high-quality organic food to underserved communities and provides an intensive training program for new or established farmers.
FEB.
Following the keynote, 36 breakout sessions taking place over two days will take up production issues ranging from soil building to permaculture concepts, tree care, farm maintenance, pest problem solving techniques, creating a sustainable farm energy infrastructure, fruit tree propagation, natural ruminant healthcare, water harvesting, pollinators, understanding the biology and ecology of common New Mexico weeds, seed saving, and farming for the wild. Local organic producers will present intensives on various crops including wild/native food plants, grapes, greens, herbs and cut flowers, bulbs, roots and tubers.
20-21
Forty five exhibitors will present information on programs to assist farmers and ranchers as well as products and services ranging from greenhouse supplies and irrigation equipment to local ladybug houses and herbal products. Friday evening from 6-8pm conference participants can enjoy cider, snacks, conversation and live music at the Winter Farm Social presented by Rio Grande Farmers’ Coalition and sponsored by the National Young Farmers’ Coalition. On Saturday, participants will feast on local and organic food at a luncheon recognizing the New Mexico Organic Farmer of the Year. Farm to Table, the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, and New Mexico State University
Cooperative Extension Service are organizing the conference. La Montanita Co-op, Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute, Skarsgard Farms, New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau, Rocky Mountain Farmer’s Union and the Silver City Food Co-op are sponsoring the gathering. This February 20-21, join organic farmers, ranchers, market gardeners and researchers from around the southwest for the New Mexico Organic Farming Conference at the Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid. Registration for the conference, including Saturday’s luncheon, is $100. Conference registration is available online at www.bit.ly/2015NMOFC. If you have questions call 505-473-1004 x 10 (Santa Fe) or 505841-9427 (Albuquerque). For hotel reservations, call 877622-3056 by January 30. Say you are part of the Organic Conference to get the special room rate.
Carbon Economy Series: The Clean Economy
SUMMIT
JANUARY 31-FEBRUARY 1, 9AM-5PM BY IGINIA BROCCALANDRO, CARBON ECONOMY SERIES t the end of January, the Carbon Economy Series is pleased to offer the Clean Economy Summit, located in Albuquerque and hosted by Sandia Preparatory School (532 Osuna Rd NE, Albuquerque). This is the second annual conference offered by the Carbon Economy Series. Last year’s outing with eclectic farmer and educator Joel Salatin provided much food system insight. This year’s conference addresses the many integrated issues of climate change, sustainable living and how to shrink our carbon footprint.
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It is a response to the comment we get the most often regarding our Carbon Economy Series programming which is: “I missed it!” In this one place, on one weekend you can get a condensed version of our
series all at once. Our conference is geared towards individuals, property owners, businesses, non-profit groups, government and educational facilities that want to become more sustainable. The content of the summit can empower communities and individuals to be true to the triple bottom line: that which is good for people, good for profit and good for the planet. Local experts will teach regenerative agriculture, the benefits of cooperatives, bee keeping, using food as medicine, greening of the desert, Permaculture Design, ZERO Waste, soil food web, water stewardship and much more. This is a don’t miss opportunity to catch up on cutting edge info on all we can do to restore and sustain our precious planet. For more information or to register visit www.carboneconomyseries.com or call 505-819-3828.
MAKE A CHILD SMILE
giving TREE THANKS
!
THANK YOU!
Co-op Community!
Once again, you, our fabulous CO-OP COMMUNITY, have come forward to show just how GREAT you are! THANKS TO YOU, 600 children in need in our communities had their holiday gift wishes come true. From the bottom of our hearts we thank you again this year for your support of this program. We are proud and honored to be able to serve a community with such a generous heart. You’re the best! YOUR CO-OP MEMBERSHIP DEPARTMENT
THE LA
MONTANITA
FUND
LOCAL INVESTING PROVIDES CAPITAL FOR FOOD SYSTEM GROWTH BY ROBIN SEYDEL n 2015 the La Montanita Fund marks its fourth year of operation. Over the years we have climbed up a steep learning curve and what an exciting hike it’s been! Starting out we had no idea what it would take to manifest our concept of a grassroots, local investing and microloan cooperative. I often think that had we known what it would take we might have been far more trepidacious! As it was, we dove in the deep end so to speak and now four years later we are glad we did.
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Over the past three years we have loaned just over $147,000 to a variety of food producers around the state. We have nearly 70 Co-op investors with a total investment of $142,000 and over the past years we have paid an average of 1.8% return on investment. The LaM FUND has loaned funds to food producers around the state for everything ranging from a few hundred dollars for seed to the purchase of a delivery truck, hoop houses, greenhouses, irrigation supplies and bringing a value added product to the marketplace. We are especially pleased to have partnered with local producers to provide the capital they needed to do the work approved as part of a Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) grant. NRCS grants reimburse producers for conservation work and hoop house construction after the work has been
done and inspected by NRCS local agents. Often farmers and ranchers need the funds at the outset to do the work. The LaM FUND provides that capital, arranging suitable repayment terms, often with a balloon payment at the end when the inspection is done and farmers have NRCS grant money in hand. Another exciting development for the FUND is its use in the most traditional of agricultural ways. That is, when we have several farmers who come to us at the beginning of each year’s growing season for “seed” money, we arrange repayment terms that are timed with their harvest, they pay off their loan at harvest time, and then we provide start of season capital the following year, in many cases for expanded production. These are the kind of long term community relationships we believe are the core of the renewal of a vibrant local food system and we are most pleased to be able to foster them. We also believe it is this community relationship building that has created the environment in which we have had only one default (for $3,600) in our four years of operation and we are still in the process of working with that producer to recoup those funds. One of the most exciting aspects of this relationship building is the fact that investors and Co-op member/owners know what farms, ranches and value added producers we invested in through the LaM FUND. Then investors can complete their circle of
LOCAL INVESTING PROVIDES CAPITAL for Food System Growth support for the local food system by purchasing products from those farms and ranches when they see them on Co-op shelves, at growers markets and at other retail locations throughout the state, thanks to our Co-op Distribution Center that provides transport of local products around the state. MONEY FOR FOOD PRODUCERS: Grow your Food Business Want to expand on your farm income, try a new crop, or put up a hoop house for four season production? This year we once again have our approval from the New Mexico State Securities Division to continue our program. Our loan application process is quick and easy and we are happy to walk prospective food producers though the process. The loans are affordable and repayment terms can be tailored to the needs of the producer, their harvest and products. If you are a food producer in New Mexico and want more information or an investor interested in enrolling during our enrollment period that ends March 30, please contact me at robins@lam ontanita.coop or call 505-217-2027 or toll free at 877-775-2667.
new year happenings La Montañita Cooperative A Community-Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store Nob Hill 7am – 10pm M – Sa, 8am – 10pm Su 3500 Central SE, ABQ, NM 87106 505-265-4631 Valley 7am – 10pm M – Su 2400 Rio Grande NW, ABQ, NM 87104 505-242-8800 Gallup 8am – 8pm M – Sa, 11am – 8pm Su 105 E Coal, Gallup, NM 87301 505-863-5383 Santa Fe 7am – 10pm M – Sa, 8am – 10pm Su 913 West Alameda, Santa Fe, NM 87501 505-984-2852 Grab n’ Go 8am – 6pm M – F, 11am – 4pm Sa UNM Bookstore, 2301 Central SW, ABQ, NM 87131 505-277-9586 Westside 7am – 9pm M – Su 3601 Old Airport Ave, ABQ, NM 87114 505-503-2550 Cooperative Distribution Center 9am – 5pm, M – F 901 Menaul NE, ABQ, NM 87107 505-217-2010 Administration Offices 9am – 5pm, M – F 901 Menaul NE, ABQ, NM 87107 505-217-2001 Administrative Staff: 217-2001 TOLL FREE: 877-775-2667 (COOP) • General Manager/Terry Bowling 217-2020 terryb@lamontanita.coop • Controller/John Heckes 217-2029 johnh@lamontanita.coop • Computers/Info Technology David Varela 217-2011 tech@lamontanita.coop • Operations Manager/Bob Tero 217-2028 bobt@lamontanita.coop • Human Resources/Sharret Rose 217-2023 hr@lamontanita.coop • Marketing/Karolyn Cannata-Winge 217-2024 kcwinge@lamontanita.coop • Membership/Robin Seydel 217-2027 robins@lamontanita.coop • CDC/MichelleFranklin 217-2010 mf@lamontanita.coop Store Team Leaders: • Valerie Smith/Nob Hill 265-4631 valeries@lamontanita.coop • John Mulle/Valley 242-8800 jm@lamontanita.coop • William Prokopiak/Santa Fe 984-2852 willpro@lamontanita.coop • Sydney Null/Gallup 575-863-5383 sydneyn@lamontanita.coop • Joe Phy/Westside 505-503-2550 josephp@lamontanita.coop Co-op Board of Directors: email: bod@lamontanita.coop • President: Ariana Marchello • Vice President: Martha Whitman • Secretary: Marshall Kovitz • Lisa Banwarth-Kuhn • Jeff Ethan au Green • Leah Roco • Jessica Rowland • Rosemary Romero • Tracy Sprouls Membership Costs: $15 for 1 year/ $200 Lifetime Membership Co-op Connection Staff: • Managing Editor: Robin Seydel robins@lamontanita.coop 217-2027 • Layout and Design: foxyrock inc • Cover/Centerfold: Co-op Marketing Dept. • Advertising: JR Riegel • Editorial Assistant: JR Riegel j.reigel@lamontanita.coop 217-2016 • Editorial Intern: Katherine Mulle • Printing: Vanguard Press Membership information is available at all four Co-op locations, or call 217-2027 or 877-775-2667 email: robins@lamontanita.coop website: www.lamontanita.coop Membership response to the newsletter is appreciated. Email the Managing Editor, robins@lamontanita.coop Copyright ©2015 La Montañita Co-op Supermarket Reprints by prior permission. The Co-op Connection is printed on 65% post-consumer recycled paper. It is recyclable.
January 2015 2
VETERAN FARMER
PROJECT UPDATE MOVING THE FARM 2015 CLASSES
informative and fun topics to help you grow great food. These classes are geared for Veterans but are open to the general public if not filled by Veterans.
BY ROBIN SEYDEL s many of you have noted, we have packed up and are in the process of moving our farm. We had three wonderful years downtown between Gold and Silver and 1st and 2nd Streets thanks to our good friends, Rick Renne and all the staff at the Downtown Action Team. In large part, the success of this project is thanks to their ongoing support and I know I speak for all our participants when I express my deepest heartfelt thanks.
They are FREE and will be held Thursday afternoons from 3-5pm at the Bernalillo County Extension Service office at 1510 Menual Blvd. NW (west of 12th St.), in Albuquerque. Classes can be taken as a series or singularly. Please RSVP to Robin at robins@lamontanita.coop or call 505217-2027 to reserve your place.
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2015 CLASS SCHEDULE: 1/22: Recognition and Organic Management of Common Vegetable Pests. This class will include flea beetles, squash bug, aphids, cabbage caterpillars, Bagrada bug, etc. INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Tess As soon as we have a new location we will let Grasswitz, NMSU Agricultural Science Center everyone know. We have several irons in the fire 2/5: Starting and Maintaining a Successful as they say, and hope to be able to announce Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Farm and Business. Dory where we will be until our rooftop gardens, on the building you and Casey will share lessons learned in their small CSA and provide will see going up across the street from our former location, are some resources for the formation of a CSA. INSTRUCTORS: Dory ready for occupancy in 2016. Wegrzyn and Casey Holland of Red Tractor Farm 2/12: Special Valentine’s Day Celebration: “Bug Love”. A light2015 Classes: Food Production Education Continues hearted but informative presentation on the weird and wonderful Although our cold frames are in storage for this season, learning world of insect courtship and mating behavior (Adult content!). about food production and farm business continues. We are most INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Tess Grasswitz, NMSU Agricultural Science Center pleased to once again be offering a series of classes on a variety of 2/19: Basics of Soil Remediation. Basic techniques that grow your soil to benefit plant production. INSTRUCTOR: Dr. John Idowu, New Mexico State University 2/26: Good Bugs: Attracting and Sustaining Native Pollinators and Other Beneficial Insects. An overview of ways to create or enhance garden habitat for beneficial insects such as honeybees, native bees, and the predatory and parasitic insects that can help keep pests under TRAINING SESSION control. INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Tess Grasswitz, NMSU APRIL 10-11, 9AM-5PM, FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH Agricultural Science Center 3/5: The Importance of and How to—Grow Join us for a Transition Training. Two days of Organic. Organic processes are important in that innovation, local solutions, and possibilities for living they link our health with the health of the planet. and working in a healthy, upbeat environment. If Learn basic organic theory and how to get startyou are interested in planning, designing or attended growing all things organic. INSTRUCTOR: Joan ing “Breaking Good” please contact Maggie at Quinn, New Mexico Department of Agriculture, MaggieSeeley44@gmail.com or Maria at cmjau Organic Program Educator
BREAKING GOOD A RESILIENT ALBUQUERQUE
nak@gmail.com.
INTERACTIVE MAPS IMPROVE FOOD SYSTEM KNOWLEDGE
THE
FOOD ENVIRONMENT
DIGITAL
DATA WAREHOUSE
BY SARAH HAYNES AND JR RIEGEL ver the fall, La Montanita Co-op (LMC) partnered with the New Mexico Community Data Collaborative (NMCDC) to develop a local foodshed assessment that includes La Montanita Co-op wholesale customers and vendors. Through an interactive Geographic Information Systems (GIS) format, NMCDC develops and shares neighborhood data in New Mexico with local organizations that promote community assessment, child health and participatory decision making for community health and well-being. The staff of NMCDC has been developing a socioecological atlas for food, nutrition, physical activity and related health issues in New Mexico, and the collaboration with LMC introduces a valuable agricultural and economic component.
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improve the NM food system. By using interactive maps and approaches that enable farmers, distributors, and end markets to make informed decisions, this joint effort will help in the development of sustainable food hubs in New Mexico. Establishing a comprehensive foodshed is essential for public health because it positively impacts issues relating to healthy food access, availability, affordability, economic growth, and obesity. In addition to contributing to the entire community, this project will help the Co-op work more effectively with local food producers. The completed maps will aid in improving farm to table distribution efficiency, saving both time and energy. Using these tools, the Co-op will also be better able to advise members of the community on optimal locations for new farms and markets. Ultimately, La Montanita’s partnership with the NMCDC should lead to more fresh, fair, and local produce in New Mexico at better prices and delivered using less energy. Needless to say, we’re excited for the map tool’s public availability beginning early this year. We’re planning on holding a training session open to anyone in late February, so keep an eye out on La Montanita’s website and next month’s Co-op Connection if you’re interested! For more information about New Mexico Community Data Collaborative and the current food environment map, visit http://nmcdc.maps.arcgis.com/home/
The partnership objectives include building capacity among food systems in New Mexico and developing strategies to
TAX
HELP NEW MEXICO Tax preparation training sessions are held in January. Visit www.cnm.edu/taxhelp or call Jeffrey Ledbetter at the United Way of Central New Mexico at 505-247-3671 for more information.
volunteers needed! Tax Help New Mexico served more than 22,000 low-income New Mexicans last year and they are looking for volunteers to prepare tax returns in the spring of 2015. Tax preparation services are free for New Mexicans whose annual income is less than $53,000 (or for those who are 65 and older regardless of income) through the program. Last season, 32,904 returns were prepared and $4,713,077 was saved in preparation fees by Tax Help New Mexico.Tax Help New Mexico is provided through a partnership with the United Way of Central New Mexico and the Central New Mexico Community College. There are more than 30 sites around the state, staffed by volunteers who have passed an IRS certification exam.
CO-OP
YOU OWN IT
INFO: www.cnm.edu/taxhelp
CALL 505-247-3671
JUNE
arts!
January 2015 3
CHRONICLING THE COMMUNITY
BEAUTIFUL LOCAL
CALENDARS
BENEFIT WORTHY ORGANIZATIONS
2013 and 2014 calendars were a big hit thanks to Miriam’s tireless work to produce a high quality, beautiful calendar and distribute them. All profits from calendar sales go to charity; this year they will go to Assistance Dogs of the West.
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or North Valley resident Miriam Hall, photographing the people, animals and scenes around Albuquerque is a joy in service to her community and the place she calls home. Miriam writes in the introduction to her 2015 Enchanting Views calendar that is filled with exquisite photos of Albuquerque’s North Valley, “I am grateful to be living in the heart of Albuquerque. The north valley is idyllically set in a rural neighborhood, yet is ten minutes from the city center… I hope the images in this calendar capture the beauty of this place I call home.”
Miriam also donates hundreds of calendars to help members of the community through their own sales of the calendars, including: Community Renovation Empowering Women (www.abqcrew.org), military families at Kirkland AFB with special needs and a dog training program for prisoners at a Gallup facility. Additionally, Deb Wozniak, DOM, uses 100% of the calendar’s sales at her north valley clinic help offset treatment costs for cancer patients with limited means.
Miriam has put together two calendars for 2015: Enchanting Views... from the North Valley and Life’s a Ditch, which features 108 local dogs, photographed enjoying life along the North Valley acequias.
If you haven’t gotten your 2015 calendar yet or even if you have, this is one calendar that will brighten every day. Look for them at your favorite Co-op location. For more information contact Miriam: 505-345-6743 or by email: ebhall8@msn.com.
La Montanita Co-op is pleased to carry both calendars in support of Miriam’s efforts to assist non-profit organizations in our community that help to make life better for us all. The
INDOOR FUN
New Mexico Art League. There is a terrific lineup of instructors, classes and workshops.
EXPLORE THE VISUAL ARTS NEW MEXICO ART LEAGUE
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he New Mexico Art League is a nonprofit organization whose school mission is to provide opportunities in a wide variety of the visual arts while maintaining core courses in traditional teaching methods. Adult classes and workshops are designed to offer opportunities for personal enrichment as well as serious study for professionals and aspiring professionals. Their Children's Program provides opportunities for self-expression while providing a solid foundation in the fundamentals of artistic methods to develop a lifelong appreciation for the visual arts. New Year Resolution: MORE TIME TO CREATE ART Take time this winter to sign up for a class or workshop at the
Open Studio Life Drawing Sessions are scheduled weekly, with adjustments to the schedule to accommodate workshops or special events. The New Mexico Art League is pleased to have an outstanding group of instructors teaching classes and workshops. To learn more about their upcoming winter schedule, to register or for more information visit www.newmexicoart league.org or call them at 505-293-5034 from 10am-4pm Tuesday through Saturday.
DANCE INSTITUTE
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NDI-NM delivers arts and healthy lifestyle programs to underserved children throughout New Mexico. Our programs combine dance with fun and encouraging instruction that builds children’s character, promotes their positive behavioral change, and inspires them to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Our curriculum is based on our “Core Four”—work hard, do your best, never give up, and be healthy. In every class, our instructors set high standards that teach children how to achieve their goals. Using the power of dance, we provide children with tools for a lifetime of success in school and in life. We offer our services through a RANGE OF PROGRAMS: Our In-School Program is part of the weekly school curriculum, providing dance-based educational enrichment to school children in 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade. The In-School Program is
DONATE E your BAG CREDIT! donate
THEDIME!
free to children and their families with schools paying a small stipend of 3-7% of the overall cost. Statewide, we reach over 9,100 children annually in 92 predominately low-income public elementary schools. We also offer our Advanced Training Program for children in the In-School Program that want even more in-depth participation in NDI-NM. The Super Wonderful Advanced Team (SWAT) for elementary school students and the Celebration Team for middle school students are fully scholarshipped programs. Classes take place on our campuses at The Hiland Theater in Albuquerque and at The Dance Barns in Santa Fe. Our After-School Program offers a range of classes for children aged 3 to 8. Available at both campuses, classes range from ballet to hip-hop to musical theater—we also offer adult classes, too! Tuition is based on a sliding scale, ensuring the program is inclusive and affordable for all. Our Residency Program takes NDI-NM’s In-School Program to rural areas throughout New Mexico, offering a special 1 to 3 week program across 33 schools. At NDI-NM, we strive to reach children who need our programs the most regardless of language, culture or physical challenges. We teach that teamwork, tenacity, discipline and joyful effort can equal success— that hard work and an uncompromising standard of excellence result in a genuine sense of achievement and self-respect that can change the life of a child, any child. To learn more about us, please visit us online at: www.ndi-nm.org. If you would like to make a donation and support our programs, go to: www.SupportNDINM.com or call 505-340-0205.
THIS MONTH BAG CREDIT DONATIONS
GO TO
The National Dance Institute: Changing lives through Dance. In November your bag credit donations totaling $2,318.80 went to Veteran Integration Center of New Mexico.
THANK YOU!
WESTSIDE 3601 Old Airport Ave. NW 505-503-2550
Alamed a Blvd. Coors Blvd.
BY MIYA KING-FLAHERTY, NDI DI New Mexico’s (NDI-NM) mission is focused on education, health, and wellness through dance. We believe that in everything we do, we want to be excellent and have lots of energy! NDI New Mexico was founded with the knowledge that the arts have a unique power to engage and motivate children. The purpose of our distinctive programs is to help children develop discipline, a standard of excellence and a belief in themselves that will carry over into all aspects of their lives.
OF NEW MEXICO: DANCE TEACHES CHILDREN EXCELLENCE
COOP
NATIONAL
Classes at the League’s school on 3409 Juan Tabo NE are usually weekly classes; some are scheduled for a specific number of weeks while others may be ongoing. Workshops vary in length from one or two to five days or more. Most are held in the studio spaces at NMAL.
Old A irport Ave.
support the
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 is published by La Montanita Co-op Supermarket to provide information on La Montanita Co-op Supermarket, the cooperative movement, and the links between food, health, environment and community issues. Opinions expressed herein are of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Co-op.
basics THE MANY BENEFITS OF BUYING BULK
back to
January 2015 4
GOOD FOR YOU
cook slowly. Remember not to stir, as stirring breaks the molecular-like structure the grain sets up as it cooks, causing the grain to become pasty. To make sure all the water
BY ROBIN SEYDEL f anything symbolizes the various benefits of the Co-op shopping experience, it’s the bulk department. While most chain stores now sell a few things in bulk, it was the wave of coops formed in the late 1960’s and 1970’s that brought buying in bulk to consumers. La Montanita carries over 250 bulk items! This month, following the holidays, saving money and eating healthier are two very good reasons to shop the bulk department.
GET HEALTHY
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BENEFIT I: Saving Money A quick perusal of the prices in the bulk department give you an idea of how much money you can save! It’s clear that with packaged products you are paying for just that—the packaging. Often you get only 12 ounces of food for more than the price of a whole pound of the same item in the Co-op’s bulk department. Breakfast cereal is a good example. Products that are similar to boxed cereals, both hot and cold, can all be found in the Co-op bulk bins. When you compare prices, ounce for ounce the Co-op’s bulk products win hands down. And you can often get more of the organic variety for the same price you pay for the conventional brand name package. Benefit II: Good for your Waistline, Good for your Health Another great bulk department saving is those inches around your waistline. Much of what is contained in the bulk bins are the healthiest, low fat, high fiber foods you can find. Probably the quickest way to lose those extra pounds picked up during the holiday season is to cut out processed foods with their high sugar, salt and fat content. From heart experts to cancer survivorship, from the USDA’s food pyramid to concerns about endocrine disrupting chemicals, a healthy diet (just add exercise!) largely depends on the grains, beans, nuts and seeds that are the foundation of this department. One of the keys to perfect brown rice, fluffy millet or ideal quinoa is to refrain from stirring grains while they are cooking. The easiest way to cook grains is to put one cup of grain and two cups of water into a pot. Stir once or twice to evenly distribute in the pan, then cover and bring to a boil. When boiling, reduce the flame to a low simmer and allow to
GOOD FOR THE EARTH
G E T S AV I N G S !
has been taken up by the grain, tilt the pot; when no water runs down the side it is done. Let it sit for a moment or two before fluffing with a fork. Benefit III: Saving the Environment Less packaging means less waste going in your garbage and less going to the landfill. It means fewer trees cut down for that cardboard/paper box and less dioxin produced when wood pulp is bleached with chlorine and the dioxin laced waste from the process is released into the environment. Also, less plastic manufactured and used leads to yet another reduction in dioxons (produced during the manufacture of all plastics) released into the environment. Bring in your own bags, jars, bottles, shampoo bottles, hand crème bottles, tamari bottles, and refill them in the bulk liquids section, again reducing waste and saving money as you do.
Benefit IV: Feeding a Family Organic for the Price of Conventional Using bulk foods rather than processed foods allows you to really stretch your family’s food dollar. Penny for penny and dollar for dollar, you get more value and greater nutrition in the bulk department. Not only are you getting more for your money—what you are getting is higher quality with a reduced amount of chemical residues, additives and preservatives. Another plus is that in the bulk department you can try a new food without a huge investment in a whole package. You can purchase just what you need to give it a try. Because our bulk departments are so popular, the bins are refilled daily, so you can count on all the items being wonderfully fresh. Benefit V: Shopping the Bulk Department Shopping the bulk department is fun and easy. Please remember to weigh your container before you fill it so you don’t have to pay for the weight of the container. Also, please write the bulk bin code on the labels and twist ties you will find handily located all around the bulk bins. This new year, give yourself a head start on a healthier one. Check out the enormous selection of grains, beans, pasta, nuts, seeds, baking supplies, snacks, cereals, trail mixes and more. Try something new for the new year and let the bulk department help you with your resolution to eat healthier. To use the items you find in the bulk department check out www.lamontanita.coop for a variety of great recipes drawn from each month’s Co-op Connection. This new year SHOP BULK. You’ll be glad you did!
Don’t have your own containers to refill? Never fear! You will find a wide variety of re-useable, affordable containers at the Co-op to meet all your bulk department needs.
HOW TO KEEP THOSE
“EAT
BETTER”
RESOLUTIONS BY KATHERINE MULLE ew Year’s is a time of new resolutions and new goals. Whether you simply feel a little sluggish from all the extra indulgences over the holidays, or you want to make positive and lasting changes to your diet, eating wholesome food can help you cultivate a healthy lifestyle. As a senior at UNM, my ongoing goal is to resist much of the junk food I’m surrounded with, and thankfully having the Nob Hill Co-op right down the road helps encourage me to eat better. But of course, any goal big enough to set as our New Year’s resolution is easier said than done! Here are some tips to cultivating a healthy lifestyle for this New Year (and many more!).
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Start small. Don’t quit anything cold turkey, and don’t take on too much right away. Set realistic goals for yourself that present small, not large, challenges to start off. As you see yourself accomplishing your smaller goals, your confidence and determination will build and you’ll likely be excited to stretch your goals further! Focus on your additions rather than your limitations. Rather than focusing on the foods that you can’t have or want to avoid, focus on what you want to eat more of. Simply drinking more water, jogging for an extra few minutes, eating a few more servings of fruits and veggies, or investing in a few more local and organic items can do wonders for your body. You’ll find that as you start to eat more of the foods that are healthy for you, by default you’ll stop eating the foods that aren’t as healthy (or at least not have as much of them if you eat your veggies first!).
NEW YEAR’S
Plan and prepare your food. Having precut fruits and veggies in your fridge or freezer will allow you to reach for a healthy snack rather than something quick, prepackaged and likely unhealthy. In the same way, having a rough idea of what your meals will be for the week will allow you to prepare ahead of time to make sure you have everything you need. Live in the moment. Don’t berate yourself if you give into temptation at work and eat that donut in the morning or a vending machine snack at lunch, and don’t think it means your whole day is ruined and you’ll have to start again tomorrow. Treat your very next snack or meal as a fresh start. The same concept applies to the year as a whole—if your resolutions aren’t going so well a few months into 2015, don’t give up! You don’t need a new year, month, week, or day to start fresh—you only need a new moment. Be kind to yourself. Realize that your body is your home. You want to treat it well and feed it the right foods out of love and respect for it. If there’s something about yourself that you would like to change, recognize that you will change (both physically and mentally!) as you start to eat healthier, and that you can truly have the health and lifestyle that you crave! Now that’s a craving worth satisfying. For more information, tips, recipes, and tools to help you cultivate a healthy lifestyle, visit www.lamontanita.coop. Happy New Year and happy eating!
GRASSROOTS INVESTING AND
LA MONTANITA
FUND
GROW the REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM
MICRO-LOAN PROGRAM
• Investor enrollment period now open through March 30, 2015 • Investment options begin at $250 • Loan repayment terms tailored to the needs of our community of food producers • Loan applications taken on an ongoing basis To set up a meeting to learn more or for a Prospectus, Investor Agreement, Loan Criteria and Applications, call or e-mail Robin at: 505-217-2027, toll free at 877-775-2667 or e-mail her at robins@lamontanita.coop or go to www.lamontanita.coop.
back to
basics
January 2015 5 quantities in rancid fats. Rancid fats, which can be poisonous, are worth avoiding, which is why they taste bad. By contrast, the form of fat that is so pleasing in our mouths (and more subtly, our noses) is a type of fat in which the fatty acids are bound into molecules called triglycerides, which comprise most of the fats we eat.
F L A S H I N T H E PA N
FAT AND FLAVOR SHIFTING OUR
UNDERSTANDING ARI LEVAUX he dark, cold days are here and fat is in season. The recent holidays with their accompanying onslaught of rich feasts present an opportunity to think about fat, and there is much to consider these days. I used to assume that we ate more fat in winter because our bodies wanted to pack on some extra insulation against the cold, but the evidence in support of this seemingly obvious notion—that dietary fat leads to weight gain—is being challenged. And beyond the relationship between fat and health, it's beginning to look like other deeply-held beliefs about fat might be wrong as well. BY
T
Thus, it appears we're programmed to be attracted to the triglyceride form of fat, while being repulsed by free fatty acids. But there's yet another rub: when we chew those yummy, non-toxic triglycerides, enzymes in our saliva break them down and release the dreaded free fatty acids.
Rethinking
FAT
Long considered a threat to public health, some recent books, such as Big Fat Surprise by Nina Teicholz, and before that Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes, have challenged the idea that dietary fat is the cause of obesity, heart disease and other associated ailments. Big Fat Surprise was lauded by the Economist (among other media), which called it 2014's "most surprising diet book." Both Teicholz and Taubes argue that low-fat and non-fat diets, rather than fat, are behind the rise in obesity and related diseases. And Teicholz makes a strong case that fat, especially saturated fat, is actually good for you. As we speak, many government agencies, like USDA, which have long championed low-fat diets, are tip-toeing away from their anti-fat stances. Other shifts in our understanding of fat are underway as well. One such aspect, much less discussed, is the science of how fat is perceived by the body. A friend of mine who went to cooking school was fond of saying, "fat is flavor." This idea has infiltrated the restaurant industry to the point where recipes for many dishes might as well be written as, "Heat edible materials, add butter, and serve." This isn't the most nuanced of culinary strategies, but it works. According to traditional scientific understanding of flavor perception, however, fat doesn't have any flavor. This isn't to say that anyone ever claimed fatty foods aren't delicious—that is beyond debate. But it was thought that other qualities of fat made this so. It's long been understood that the texture of fat, and the creamy, viscous, lubricating qualities that it imparts to food, are what makes the food to which it is added taste better and easier to chew and swallow.
But flavor is a specific metric, a combination of taste—what is perceived by the tongue—and smell. And fat, until recently, was thought to contain neither taste nor smell. But thanks to some new research, it looks like the cooks might have been right all along. Earlier this year, researchers at the Monell Center, a non-profit institute dedicated to research on taste and smell, reported evidence that humans can smell fat. And in the last few years, fat receptors on the human tongue have been discovered and confirmed by other research teams, which indicates humans can taste fat. If we can taste it and smell it, then it has flavor. Whether by taste, smell, or texture, our attraction to fats has been widely assumed to stem from the fact that fat is the most calorie-dense type of food we eat. Our hunting, gathering, and often hungry ancestors were programmed to eat as much fat as they could find, goes the logic, and this genetic disposition remains to this day. Fat is also crucially important to brain development in children, and according to Teicholz's research, a lot of other bodily functions too. In this context, the existence of fat taste receptors makes a lot of sense. But in a surprising twist, the fats to which these receptors are tuned taste bad, not good. They detect free fatty acids, which are found in large
Richard Mattes, a professor of nutrition science at Purdue University, has researched and published extensively on fat perception. He told me he believes there is a delicate balance at work here. A small quantity of free fatty acids, coupled with the glorious mouthfeel (and subtle smell) of triglycerides, tells the body that this is good stuff to eat. But too many free fatty acids triggers a rejection of the food in question. To a certain extent, Mattes said, we can be trained to tolerate higher levels of fatty acids. Stinky cheeses, he pointed out, have a characteristic foul element to their flavors due to high levels of free fatty acids. But we're able to learn to accept those free fatty acids in this context because we know that stinky cheese won't kill us, and actually tastes pretty good if one can get over the fatty acid taste (not to mention the stink). But the same amount of fatty acids in, say, a glass of milk would be a red flag. These fatty acid taste receptors aren't just present in the mouth, but in other parts of the body as well, including muscle, skin, blood, spleen, intestine, and brain cells. Free fatty acids are the breakdown products of triglycerides, and it is thought that these receptors are widely dispersed in the body so the various tissues can detect and appropriately deal with the free fatty acids that result from fat consumption. One thing that all of these new developments hasn't changed: eating fat makes us happy! On that note, could you please pass the mayo?
VETERAN FARMER
PROJECT WINTER
HOW AND WHY TO SHOP THE CO-OP GETTING THE BEST
VALUE FOR YOUR FOOD
DOLLARS
BY ROBIN SEYDEL y Mother always said, “you get what you pay for!” Passing decades have seen an erosion of that understanding and a fascination with all things “cheap.” Not only “cheap” food but cheap oil, cheap clothes, cheap everything. The resulting economic (rural decline and outsourcing of jobs), environmental ( pollution from particulate to pesticidal ) and public health problems (cancer, diabetes, obesity and heart disease) are making the true cost of “cheap” ever so clear. Despite societal attitudes and slick corporate marketing that in many cases would have us believe the opposite, it’s clear that Mom was and is still right.
M
PAYING TRUE COSTS There are a couple of basic concepts that need careful consideration. The first is paying the true cost of an item. That so called “cheap” food, over the last decade, actually cost us all over $200 billion (yes that’s billion with a “B”), in taxpayer handouts, in what many call “corporate welfare”, because most of it goes to subsidize the largest of the nation’s industrial agriculture factory farms. And basically all we get for that large amount of money is corn, soy, sugar and feedlot, hormone-laden beef. These are the basic building blocks of all that “cheap” food we buy because we think we’re getting a bargain. But are we really? You can fill your belly on “cheap”, fast, highly processed food but you can’t fool your body. Full of binders, fillers, fats, processed genetically engineered soy, canola, corn (corn syrup), preservatives, artificial
flavors, colors and aromas etc., you might feel immediately gratified, but because that food is devoid of most of the nutrition you need, the empty, sugar laden calories you have ingested will soon have you wanting to eat again, and that again will be sooner rather than later. Embedded in this syndrome is the link to our pandemic obesity, diabetes, and other public health concerns and well as the inherent economic burdens. The true costs of these and other health and environmental issues, both to individuals and the larger society far outweigh the costs of eating good, whole food. Changing Our Thinking Especially with local products, but with a good deal of the food you find at the Co-op you are paying the true cost of producing that food. It’s not subsidized with corporate welfare, it doesn’t put more GMOs, pesticides and herbicides into the environment and it doesn’t travel the average of 1,500 to 3,000 food miles (both of which help reduce fossil fuel use) to name but a few of the things it doesn’t do. What it does do is provide good, fresh food, support local and rural economies—keeping family farmers farming, bring a level of integrity to food production that goes beyond bottom line economics, provide stewardship of lands and resources as well as maintain a green belt areas in and near our urban centers. And what’s more (herein lies another important consideration)—if you shop the Co-op wisely you can feed yourself and your family fresh, local, in many cases organically grown, food at about the same price as that “cheap” stuff. The only major difference being—you’ll have to take the time to cook it at home. Shop wisely at the Co-op to get more value for your food dollar!
CLASSES Learn Pest Management, Soil Building, CSA Management and all things ORGANIC! See page 2! GEARED TO VETERANS, OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY. RSVP to robins@lamontanita.coop.
Get the MOST VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY AT THE CO-OP FRESH FAIR
LOCAL
ORGANIC
SHOP CO-OP GET THE BEST VA L U E F O R Y O U R FOOD DOLLARS
Plan ahead—bring a shopping list • Buy in season foods • Avoid processed foods—ounce for ounce they are more expensive • Buy in Bulk—to cook from scratch—grains, beans, cereals, fruit and nuts are all cheaper when bought in bulk • Buy staples and case lots in larger quantities when on sale—Special orders get another 10% discount. Become a Co-op Member Owner—Buy from the promotional items on Owner Deals flyers—Stock up during Member Appreciation Discount Events. Use the coupons in the quarterly Co-op Advantage Coupon Book.
CO-OP news PILLARS OF GOOD
GOVERNANCE BY MARSHALL KOVITZ, BOARD SECRETARY embers who read the board’s Coop news articles know that I’ve periodically written about Policy Governance, the system that our board uses to organize our work. Having been a director before and after the implementation of Policy Governance, I can attest to its usefulness. Lately, however, our national co-op leadership has been adding to our wisdom about the board’s role by explaining how Policy Governance fits into the bigger picture of co-op governance. We will be looking at the details of this new thinking during the board’s February retreat and we will be reporting on the retreat’s outcome in the future. For now, we would like to present four concepts that will be central to our re-examining the board’s job. Most of these ideas are acknowledged by the Policy Governance model but co-op boards have begun to raise them to a new level of importance.
M
Democracy is central to the organization of co-ops. In fact it is one of the Seven Principles of Co-operatives that are recognized by the International
January 2015 6
MEMBERSHIP IS OWNERSHIP Co-operative Alliance, the organization that represents cooperatives worldwide. One member, one vote is integral to cooperative ownership. Democratic member control permeates the board’s thinking and its governance activities. A second concept we will be examining is teaming. At first glance, this idea is associated with Policy Governance. Board holism and the notion that the board debates in many voices but speaks (after voting) in one voice is consistent with the Policy Governance model. But beyond that, co-op boards believe in developing a process for learning together. This learning is accompanied by the respectful, open exchange of ideas. The culture of teaming and collaboration is essential to effective board function. Accountable empowerment is another concept embraced by the Policy Governance model. The board empowers the general manager by clearly defining her/his role and explaining the limits to his/her actions. To be effective, empowerment must be accompanied by accountability. The board must
have a means of monitoring the general manager’s work to verify she/he is meeting member needs and operating the co-op in a prudent manner. Finally, strategic leadership is the heart of the board’s work. The board’s strategic decisions include hiring the general manager, monitoring her/his work and creating the co-op’s broad direction. In all cases, the board’s action is derived from its empowerment by the members. The board directs the co-op on the members’ behalf, ensuring its success. In future articles, we will explain these concepts in more detail and discuss how we incorporate them into our work. In the meantime, if you would like to see these concepts in action, please join us at a monthly board meeting. Meetings are always the third Tuesday of the month, starting at 5:30pm. Location is the Immanuel Presbyterian Church, across the street from the Nob Hill store. Enter from the northern-more of the two doors facing Carlisle Boulevard. We serve dinner to all those who attend.
Notes from the GALLUP the
TEAM
and healthy products they otherwise wouldn’t be able to buy.
INTEGRITY IN ALL WE DO
BY MARQUEL FORSTER; GALLUP STAFF ere we are at the end of another wonderful year! This year has given us much to be grateful for, and we are looking forward to new opportunities and blessings in the New Year. Now is our time to reminiscence and be happy for the good things that we have enjoyed. It’s also time to plan for our future.
H
First of all, we would like to thank the plucky volunteers who started Wild Sage Food Co-op. We would not be here if it wasn’t for them. We also appreciate Tim, Tracy, and Alicia - the previous managers who helped give this store a great start. I also can’t go on without thanking the rest of the staff of La Montanita: everyone at headquarters, folks at the CDC, and the employees of the other stores. We may be far apart, but we still work as a team. GET AND STAY HEALTHY!
T I P S T O E AT I N G M O R E
FRUIT AND V E G E TA B L E S 1 Try to start each day off with a piece of fresh fruit. Juice often is high in sugar and low in Vitamin C.
2 Make your own trail mix with seeds, nuts and dried fruits for snacking. Keep some of this mix at work or carry it with you. Check out the bulk department for a variety of pre-mixed trail mixes or make your own seed, nut and fruit choices.
3 Always have a simple green salad with dinner. Dress with some olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon and a bit of pepper.
4 Keep your kitchen stocked with fresh vegetables and fruits. Utilize additiveand sodium-free frozen products to supplement when needed.
5
Our store is frequently referred to as ‘one of the best parts about life in Gallup’ by our customers. Personally, it’s my favorite place in town. Michael, with great enthusiasm and love, nurtured this little oasis, where people feel welcome to ask for help or to simply buy healthy food and products. We are grateful that Sydney stepped up to take the role of Store Team Leader. Her idea to put us each in charge of a section of the store has allowed us to work more efficiently. We are appreciative that the Co-op allows us to not only find solutions to challenges but to implement them as we see fit. John added liquids to our bulk section, so now when a customer buys Bragg’s vinegar, I am super excited to say they can buy it for less! Loreal brought in Colombia Gorge’s organic juices and manages our candy section expertly. My main project of this past year was to increase our community outreach efforts, especially by teaming up with three partner organizations. We’ve also participated in various Arts Crawl nights, The 93rd Intertribal Ceremonial, the Festival of Trees, and other community fund raisers. Thanks go to Miles, formerly of Gallup, for giving us so many good suggestions after working at Nob Hill for awhile. Thanks to Tom who has been our CDC shipment driver for several years and to Greg who is filling in for him. Josh, a regular customer and the founder of Crumby Bread Co., started La Montanita Gallup’s homebound delivery program. It gives homebound people a chance to shop for good food
We are very thankful that both the Gallup Journey and the Gallup Independent have written stories about our Co-op – what fantastic PR for us! The efforts of this group of people, some of whom don’t even work for the Co-op, have benefited us greatly. Case in point: our meat sales have skyrocketed due to some brainstorming by administrative staff and the CDC. Last year at this time, we might have sold 10lbs. of ground beef per week – now we sell about 45lb.s of the best-quality ground beef in New Mexico every week! So the biggest thank-you goes to the customers who choose to patronize our store and add to its success. We are very proud to work for La Montanita and of the multi-departmental knowledge and great attitudes of our team. But our work will never be done! Our New Year’s goal is, of course, to increase sales and memberships. We resolve to participate in Arts Crawl every month this year and to further develop our volunteer program. We hope to participate in more community events to get the word out about this little gem of a store. Aside from the numbers game, though, we endeavor to maintain a balance when it comes to working for our customers and working with our customers. For example, we work for our customers by making sure everything is always stocked and keeping the store clean. We work with our customers by greeting them, answering all their questions and making sure we are providing them with the best customer service. At times, we can get too focused on working for our customers, which is when we forget to work with them. Michael calls this the dreaded “tunnel vision” or going on “robot”. Balance is the key to greatness, and we would love to be great for the people who shop at our store. To achieve balance, we have to remain truly present and attentive to the needs of our customers – that’s “integrity in all we do.”
Every time you shop for groceries, pick one type or variety of fruit or vegetable you've never tried before.
6 Use as your entrée stir-fries, stews and soups that are rich in vegetables.
7 Learn more about cooking seasonal fruits and vegetables. See recipes in this issue.
8 Try mixed fresh fruit salads for desserts. Puree some frozen berries and serve over other fresh fruit for a colorful ending to a meal.
9 Try to limit other sweets in your diet. This will help you appreciate the natural sweetness found in fresh fruit and veggies.
10 Bring a fruit or vegetable salad to potlucks and parties so you'll always have something healthy to munch on.
EAT HEALTHY
2015
M E M B E R S H I P D E PA RT M E N T
MEET JR!
U P D AT E
I
moved here from Virginia’s rural Rockbridge County in September, and it was quite a big change for me. If someone didn’t have a little vegetable patch out where I lived in the county, they would have an even larger hay or cattle operation. We didn’t have to drive the 20 minutes to reach a farmer’s market – we could trade our eggs or tomatoes for other produce from our neighbors. My mother is an avid gardener of both flowers and vegetables, and I couldn’t possibly overstate how grateful I am that she instilled in me a strong appreciation for healthy, homegrown food. I took this abundance of natural, clean, and tasty food for granted though, and I didn’t realize how important it was
to me until I moved to Albuquerque. Growing and distributing healthy food is much more complicated in a city with more than 15 times the population than my entire county had, so I am ecstatic to have this opportunity to contribute to La Montanita’s mission. Access to organic, unadulterated foods is a foundation of healthy communities, and I am very excited to start working with all of you as you engage, enrich, and bring together the entire New Mexico community. Please don’t hesitate to give me a ring at 505-217-2016 or send me an email (j.riegel @lamontanita.coop) and let me know how I can be of service. IN COOPERATION, JR (JONATHAN ROBERT) RIEGEL
co-op news
January 2015 7
FINDING SOLUTIONS IN A COMPLEX MARKET It is with sincere gratitude that we enter our 39th year of service this month. Your steadfast support of our cooperative during our many ups and downs over the years is a remarkable testament to your commitment to this wonderful organization and the alternative business model it represents. We look forward to serving you during this New Year, and with your support, another thirty-nine years!
All of our competitors, including some conventional, corporate supermarket chains are selling organic and natural products. Several have become competent with their presentation and as is increasingly clear, over the past years, natural and organic food has become mainstream.
La Montanita was the first and is still the best supplier of organic, natural foods in New Mexico. Every year the business of natural None of our competition goes to and organic food becomes more diffithe extent that we do to ensure that cult and complex. The ongoing issues your food is safe, nutritious and THE INSIDE SCOOP of GMO labeling has gained some provides you with the best value momentum and lost some momentum, but with possible. And none of our competition are our continued shared efforts GMO labeling will owned by you, our Co-op owners. be the norm someday and not the exception. The economy in New Mexico is still fairly difficult I thank you on behalf of all staff at La Montanita and gains still need to be made overall. For us, for your support and patronage of our stores. retaining market share has become increasing Please don’t hesitate to let us know if we fail to challenging with so many options to access simiexceed your expectations in any way. As always, lar products. Thanks to the dedication of our staff I can be reached at 217-2020 or terryb@lamon and your support, we have been able to remain tanita.coop. -TERRY B. competitive in the marketplace and provide our members and the larger community with the good, local food they deserve.
GENERAL MANAGER’S COLUMN terryb@lamontanita.coop
WINTER PRODUCE FROM VERITABLE VEGETABLE!
January Calendar
of Events 1/20 BOD Meeting, Immanuel Church, 5:30pm 1/22 Veteran Farmer Classes, see the schedule on page 2 1/26 Board Member Engagement Meeting
HAPPY NEW YEAR from your Co-op!
CO-OPS: A Solution-Based System A co-operative is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs, and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise.
Winter Foodshed Abundance: Look for apples, veggies, goat cheese and other local foods AT ALL CO-OP LOCATIONS!
P R O D U C E S P O T L I G H T:
BY RO D’ATILLO, NOB HILL/ VALLEY PRODUCE TEAM LEADER ne thing that makes La Montanita’s produce department and its wide variety of organic produce different from the natural foods and corporate chain supermarkets is the distributor we use, Veritable Vegetable (VV). La Montanita is proud of its twenty plus year partnership with VV, a women-owned and operated company based in San Francisco. VV buys and sells produce from more than two hundred small to mid-sized organic farms in California and beyond.
O
Support of smaller family farms is not the only value shared by VV and the Co-op. Veritable Vegetable began in the early 1970’s as part of a movement that sought to bring low-cost, nutritious food to neighborhood co-ops and community storefronts. The early collective, (a cooperative business model) called The People’s Food System, provided a large-scale alternative to the existing corporate food system. Veritable Vegetable focused on promoting
sustainable agriculture and extending knowledge about organic food and agricultural issues. In the 1980’s when La Montanita recognized that we had to grow or die, our successful expansion was in large part due to our association with VV. This decades old, and treasured, partnership helped make the Co-op famous throughout Albuquerque for having the finest, organic and family-farmed produce in the area.
array of fresh produce from growers they have built relationships with since 1974, as they say on their website: “We honor our farmers as artists, scientists, and advocates for the Earth. Our existence depends on the success of our growers.” The original Collective’s principle of "food for people, not for profit" still resonates for both our businesses and we both continue to work to serve the greater community: offering fair prices when buying, selling, and hauling, and providing good wages and generous benefits to staff. We are both committed to utilizing our success to support projects and causes we believe in, thus translating our values into action.
fresh produce!
Maintaining our Roots While their history aligns with our own early development, their current business practices also resonate with the Co-op. Veritable Vegetable continues to represent each farm label to emphasize unique farm quality and to build grower recognition into the marketplace. They deliver our produce via a sustainable, green fleet of trucks and trailers. They recently became a certified B Corporation, which recognizes their transparency and accountability on economic, social and environmental responsibility. Offering a remarkable
This winter season when local produce is scarce, we are pleased to bring you certified organic produce delivered fresh twice a week to all our Co-op stores by Veritable Vegetable, a vendor we’re proud to do business with.
QUICK REFERENCE FOR COLD AND FLU
REMEDIES Your Co-op Health and Wellness department has everything you need to keep winter bugs at bay or lessen their severity. Here are some ideas for herbs and homeopathics. Please ask our knowledgeable staff at any Co-op location. ACUTE, SUDDEN ONSET COLDS • Zinc lozenges 15-25 mg. Every 2 hours until symtpms subside • Vitamin C 5000 mg. Every 2 hours to bowel tolerance • Echinacea tincture 30 drops or 1 teaspoon every 2-4 hours until bedtime • Herbs: Osha, Mullein, Slippery Elm, Wild Cherry Bark, in capsules, tinctures or syrups • Herbal combinations, Zand “Decongest”, Herbs Etc, “Decongestonic”, Vitality Works “Respiratonic”. • Enzymatica: MucoStop and Virastop are both enzyme based products which destroy the viruses by use of proteolytic enzymes and work very well. • Ohco Cold Snap: A Chinese medicine remedy • Homeopathics including Cold Calm.
BOARD
ELECTION
RESULTS!
Here are the results for the 2014 Board of Directors election. Rosemary Romero Lisa Banwarth- Kuhn Tracy Sprouls Jeff Ethan Au Green Tammy Parker
FLU WITH FEVER • Vitamin C 500 mg. Every 2 hours to bowel tolerance • Echinacea tincture 30 drops or 1/2-1 teaspoon every 2-4 hours until bedtime • Boriron Ocillococcinum-homepathic flu remedy. Taken at outset of first symptoms can help both prevent a full blown flu or reduce symptoms significantly. Follow instructions on box • Elderberry syrup or tincture. Follow instructions on bottle • Olive Leaf tincture: follow directions on bottle CHRONIC OR LINGERING COLDS AND FLU • Herbs—Astragalus, Reishi Shitake, Ligustrum, Poria, Schizandra, • Herbs Etc’s Deep Health or Phytocillin, Vitality Works’ Immunotonic, Take all season long • Red Root ( herbal) is an excellent lymph tonic that helps clear up lingering congestion and malaise especially when mixed with Cleavers. • Garlic both in food and as a supplement. • Quantum: Super Immune + Lysine, Astragalus and Olive Leaf.
A total of 707 valid ballots were submitted. Lisa Banwarth-Kuhn, Rosemary Romero and Tracy Sprouls are elected to three-year terms on the Board. Jeff Ethan Au Green is elected to a oneVotes year term on the board. 523 486 483 459 448
Mary Alice Cooper, MD
LA MONTANITA FUND GROW THE REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM GRASSROOTS INVESTING AND
MICRO-LOAN PROGRAM
LaM
FUND! • Investor enrollment period now open • Investment options begin at $250 • Loan repayment terms tailored to the needs of our community of food producers • Loan applications taken on an ongoing basis To set up a meeting to learn more or for a Prospectus, Investor Agreement and Loan Criteria, and Applications, call or e-mail Robin at: 505-217-2027, toll free at 877-775-2667 or e-mail her at robins@lamontanita.coop.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! We embrace 2015 with hope, happiness and warm wishes. While the weather outside might not be reflective of these cheery sentiments, luckily our food can be. Soups, stews and roasted roots are a great way to raise some thermal heat this winter and take care of your immune system. Root veggies, in abundance during the winter season, provide a delicious, healthy and easy way to take advantage of their many restorative nutrients and warming nature. Try chopping some into your next meal to help your body get off to a healthy and happy start in this New Year.
Getting to the Root LOCAL FARMS FOR WINTER FARE Enjoy the harvest that makes life in our region delicious. ROMERO FARMS Dixon, NM carrots Gemini Farm Chimayo, NM sun chokes Khalsa Greenhouse Espanola, NM radishes Cornelius Candelaria FARM ABQ, NM white turnips, carrot bunches with greens Vida Verde FARM ABQ, NM sun chokes Nolina’s Organics Lemitar, NM garlic, chard, spinach, collards, kale, baby bok choy, Napa cabbage, mustard greens Schewbach Farm Moriarty, NM loose carrots, onions White Mountain Alamosa, CO potatoes
Groundwork for the New Year Carrots LOCAL!
Your mother was right again! Carrots are known to help improve vision due to their high Beta-carotene content. But, that’s not all. They also prevent infection and are linked to preventing heart disease and cancer. Their tasty crunch helps keep teeth and gums healthy. Carrots are high in fiber, cleansing the body’s system and vitamin A assists the liver in flushing out toxins. Keep this winter staple in your healing bag of tricks. Sauté, mash
or roast with parsnips and turnips to conjure a super-hero trio. Season with rosemary, parsley or dill. —Grandma’s recipe
TURNIPS LOCAL!
Along with family members broccoli and kale, turnips carry a large amount of nutrients with very few calories — calcium, magnesium and potassium, vitamins C and B. Often desired for their bulbous root, their rich leaves and sprouts are highly nutritious as well; a great source of fiber, vitamins A and K. Vitamin K keeps bones strong and arteries free of calcification. Mash with milk, butter, cloves, nutmeg. Or, boil with potatoes, mash; add scallions, egg and a little flour. Mold into patties and fry in oil. — simplyrecipes.com
PARSNIPS
While parsnips are closely related to carrots, this sweet and tender root is in a category of its own. Delicious and versatile, they’re packed with healthy vitamin C, B, E and K, as well as a variety of minerals including iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. They’re also a great source of fiber and are known to help boost your immune system, assist with weight loss and overall growth and development. Puree with bay leaves, a little cream, onions and corned beef (trim fat). Cook as a soup. Add strips of cabbage leaves (remove center vein) and toss until wilted. — epicurious.com
SHALLOTS
Sweeter than the onion, with a milder flavor; shallots are rich in vitamins A, B and E and a great source of iron and potassium. They contain Quercetin, an antioxidant, which helps to cleanse the body of harmful toxins. They’re shown to lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, prevent cancer, support heart health, prevent diabetes and encourage a healthy immune system. Consume them daily to prevent and cure colds, flu and other illnesses. Slow cooking helps break down their unique sugars, yielding an intensely sweet and caramelized result that adds complexity and contrast to savory dishes. Add them to any pasta dish or chop and combine with salads and salsas. — motherearthnews.com
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GARLIC LOCAL!
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Roast, Stew, Soup, Steam, Sauté
Who doesn’t use it! Delicious and savory, eating the little cloves does much more than simply give your taste buds a burst of flavor. It’s a super food for the immune system, a powerhouse of nutrients and antioxidants, including vitamins A and B. Perfect to prevent colds this winter and boost your system. It’s also shown to reduce inflammation, has antifungal properties, acts as a natural antibiotic that fights harmful bacteria and can help to fight cancer. Raw garlic is best for healing as it releases the beneficial compound Allicin. Chop it fine and add it to salsas or buttered toast. Sprinkle on popcorn! Warning: high doses can be irritating to skin and stomach. — Family recipe
SUN CHOKES LOCAL! GINGER Unique and zesty in flavor, ginger Sun chokes, of the sunflower family, are native to North America where native people called them “sun roots.” These tubers look like small, knobbly potatoes but are crunchier, sweeter and have a slight taste of artichoke. The humble sun choke is considered gourmet fare by many. Raw, it’s an excellent substitute for water chestnuts in a hot and spicy stir-fry, or cooked in cream soups, broiled with sweet potatoes, or simply scrubbed and baked. — localharvest.org Add them to your salsa. Peel, chop, oil and roast 450°, 25-30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Mix anchovies, garlic, parsley, capers, vinegar, red pepper flakes, and ¼ cup oil in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. — bonappetit.com
BEETS
True to the nature of our winter harvest, earthy and sweet, beets are high in fiber and nutrients. Foliate, potassium, manganese and vitamin C make them a great vegetable for detoxification. Also, beets are shown to help decrease inflammation, boost stamina, lower blood pressure and fight diseases. Make your own beet chips. Slice super thin, toss with olive oil and bake. Or roast with sweet potatoes for a color fiesta; add feta cheese, a yogurt mint sauce or bacon for the carnivores. A hint of cumin brings out this root’s earthiness. — martastewart.com
is a calmative, aiding digestion and also contains vitamin C, potassium and magnesium to support a healthy immune system. Ginger manages the body’s glucose levels to absorb more nutrients, provide pain relief, relieve tired muscles, fight cancer and inflammation, relieve stomach ache and nausea and can help with motion sickness and frostbite. It can prevent and treat common colds, clear sinuses and improve circulation. Use it fresh for the best flavor. Simmer chopped roots, add lemon and sip daily as a healing tonic. Its culinary virtues are nearly endless. Add to pancakes, any stir-fry, soups, side dishes, entrées… Check out some unusual recipes at — gingerpeople.com
SWEET POTATOES
This is one sweet treat you can feel good about eating. Their natural sugars are slowly released into the bloodstream, unlike other sweet foods that cause blood sugar spikes associated with weight gain and fatigue. This slow release helps the body to maintain a balanced energy level, while soaking up great nutrients. They are rich in vitamins, particularly vitamin A, which helps provide the body with powerful antioxidants and increases immunity to disease. Mash them up with ginger to create a dynamic healing duo. Or, wedge and add garlic salt, olive oil, rosemary and a pinch of dry mustard. Toss and roast in oven (30 min, 450º) — health.com
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brrrr... winter & the
COLD & FLU Season
Don’t get caught! Start this new year off
strong by taking extra care of your immune system. Natural, homeopathic and herbal remedies from our Wellness Department will help you beat the grippe in this chilly winter season. Immuno Well Rx LOCAL!
La Montañita’s immediate support for healthy immunity. Helps decrease chances of getting colds/flu. Astragalus root, maitake mushrooms, shitake mushrooms, fresh echinacea angustifolia root, forsythia fruit, honeysuckle flower, isatis root, licorice root, colloidal silver, garlic bulb, beta glucan, eucalyptus oil, menthol crystals. Made in Albuquerque
Cold and Sinus Blaster LOCAL!
La Montañita’s fast relief for cold symptoms. Comes in both a dropper and a spray. Fresh horseradish root, echinacea angustifolia root, fresh spilanthes herb, elderberry fruit, garlic, cayenne fruit, olive leaf, horehound herb, licorice root, peppermint oil, boneset herb, goldenseal root, wild cherry bark, fresh osha root, andrographis herb, onion, yarrow herb. In deionized water, grain alcohol, vegetable glycerine, organic honey. Locally made.
Hyland’s Defend Severe Cold and Flu
A hot cup of Hyland’s DEFEND Severe Cold & Flu tastes like honey and lemon and fights the symptoms of cold and flu naturally. This safe, natural homeopathic medicine is formulated for severe cold and flu symptoms, including congestion, runny nose, fever, chills and body ache. So stay warm, get cozy and sip your symptoms away. — hylands.com
Quick Defense by Gaia
Made with supercritical extracts of two species of echinacea root, this formula contains high levels of Alkylamides – constituents effective in supporting a quick immune response. With elderberry, ginger and andrographis included, this is a complete immune support formula. — www.gaiaherbs.com
Host Defense MycoShield Spray
Host Defense® MycoShield spray combines five powerful polypore mushroom species: agarikon, red reishi, chaga, birch polypore and turkey tail. These five mushrooms provide a unique “shield” of immune support, available in a perfect traveler’s size. Flavored with certified organic cinnamon or peppermint oil. — www.hostdefense.com
Natural Factors Echinamide Quick-Blast
Quick-Blast brings soothing relief to sore throats and clears sinus congestion. It shortens the duration of upper respiratory tract infections while also relieving the symptoms. ECHINAMIDE Quick-Blast provides an instant burst of relief from sinus congestion and throat irritation, as well as supporting your immune system. — www.naturalfactors.com
Artemesia Herbs Osha Cough Syrup LOCAL!
Organically grown or wildcrafted balsam root, lomatium root, osha root,marshmallow root, wild cherry bark, pinon needles, wild oregano, lavender flowers, local honey*, organic grain alcohol. — *from beehives in Dixon, NM
Boiron Coldcalm
A homeopathic formula that temporarily relieves cold symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion and minor sore throat. Boiron is a world leader in homeopathic medicines. — www.boironusa.com
back to
basics
January 2015 10 HEALTHY PECAN and PUMPKIN FUDGE BY ADRIENNE WEISS
fresh FOODS for a
NEW year
CANDLE CAFE GRANOLA TWEAKED BY ADRIENNE WEISS I never liked store bought granola and I've searched for years for a good recipe. This is my favorite granola recipe! It is great in many ways—serve it with rice, almond or soy milk. Stir in yogurt, or eat as a snack. Add dried fruit of choice—even chocolate chips. The possibilities are endless! Serves: 8 Time: 20 minutes 1 cup rolled oats 1/2 cup steel oats 1/4 cup slivered almonds 3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds 1/3 cup agave or maple syrup 1/4 cup coconut or grape seed oil 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1 Tablespoon cinnamon 1/2 cup raisins 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 1 Tablespoon hemp or chia seeds
Preheat the oven to 350O F. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Combine the rolled and steel cut oats, the almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, agave or maple syrup, oil, vanilla and salt. Spread out on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown, stirring every 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the raisins and shredded coconut. The granola will keep in an airtight container for up to one month.
These clean eating Pumpkin and Pecan Fudge squares will literally melt in your mouth. They have the smooth texture of traditional fudge but are packed with crunchy bits of pumpkin seeds and pecans. You couldn't ask for an easier recipe to make... all you have to do is add everything to a mixing bowl and stir. There is no boiling of sugar and no candy thermometer! Serves: Up to 18 Time: 35 Minutes 1/2 cup cashew butter 1 cup pumpkin puree 1 cup coconut oil (melted) 3/4 cup agave or maple syrup 1/2 cup cocoa powder 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds 1/2 cup pecan pieces Add all the ingredients to a medium sized bowl and stir until well combined. Spread evenly in an 8 x 8 baking dish. Place in freezer 60 minutes or until hard. Set on counter for a few minutes prior to serving to make cutting easier. Always keep in freezer! If not kept in freezer, they will get soft and lose shape. DO NOT LEAVE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE! TOFU EGG-FOO YOUNG ADAPTED BY ADRIENNE WEISS This is a vegan twist for this Cantonese favorite. This recipe is so awesome, I defy any Asian food "affection ado" to notice the egg substitutes. Egg foo young is an omelet dish found in Chinese, Indonesian, British, and Chinese American cuisine. The name comes from the Cantonese language. Serves: 4 Time: 45 Minutes 1/4 cup fresh bean sprouts, rinsed, drained and chopped 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and drained according to package directions, knobby stems removed, caps sliced 1 egg equivalent, such as "ENER-G" brand Egg Replacer (1 1/2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons of warm water) 8 ounces firm tofu, drained well, crumbled 1/2 cup chopped green onions 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari 1 pinch sea salt Vegetable oil of choice
back to
basics
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except oil; mix well. Lightly coat the bottom of a large skillet with oil; place over medium heat. Using 1/4 cup measure, scoop batter into skillet to form 3 to 4 patties. Cook until golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip patties with a spatula; cook other side about 3 to 5 minutes until golden; remove to paper towel lined platter. Keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with warm kuzu sauce. Kuzu Sauce 1 tablespoon kuzu (Arrowroot Powder may be substituted) 1 cup vegetable stock 1 tablespoon soy sauce or Tamari 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder Dissolve the kuzu or arrowroot powder in vegetable stock in a medium saucepan; stir in soy sauce. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce to low. Stir in ginger and garlic powder; simmer about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. SLOW COOKED WINTER ROOT VEGETABLES ADAPTED BY JR RIEGEL I love root vegetables all year round, but they’re especially enjoyable to have in their seasonal winter months. Oven-roasted root veggies always make me feel cozy when it’s cold outside, but sometimes it’s nice to have dinner ready as soon as you get home. Slow cookers are perfect for those busy days when you still want something nice and healthy for dinner, and root vegetables take to slow cookers wonderfully! Serves: 4-6 Time: 20 minute prep + 8 hours in the slow cooker 1 pound carrots 1 pound rutabagas 1 pound parsnips 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon chopped parsley 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon basil 1 pinch rosemary Peel all vegetables and cut into 2-inch pieces. Put all ingredients into slow cooker and toss until everything is covered thoroughly. Cover and leave on low for 8 hours or until cooked to your desired texture.
January 2015 11 BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP BARBARA THOMAS
BY
My family just loves soups in winter, and I’m partial to butternut squash soup in particular. One thing that’s nice about it is that you can spice it up in all sorts of ways. I like the fruity twist of this recipe, and I hope you’ll like it too! Serves: 4 Time: 30 minutes 2 onions 3 tablespoons butter 1 large butternut squash 1 apple 3 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon curry powder (I use medium) 1 pinch nutmeg 3 1/4 cups vegetable or chicken stock 1 1/2 cups milk Optional: 1 pinch sugar Optional: juice and zest of 1 orange Optional: cream and chopped parsley for decoration Chop onions and soften in a frying pan with the butter. Peel, seed, and dice butternut squash. Core and chop apple. Add squash and apple to onions and fry for a few minutes. Remove from the heat and add flour, curry powder and nutmeg. Stir thoroughly. Slowly add the soup stock, milk, and orange. Return to heat and bring to a boil. Gently simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Blend with an immersion blender or in a food processor until smooth. Season to taste, adding the pinch of sugar if desired. For a nice presentation, serve with a swirl of cream and chopped parsley.
nutritious delicious root veggies
food &
health
January 2015 12
FOOD IS
GARLIC’S
MEDICINE IS MAGIC G BY AMYLEE UDELL arlic is magic. OK, maybe not magic. But it's pretty amazing stuff. This member of the onion family is a natural antioxidant, preserving cell integrity. Garlic is also antibiotic, antifungal and antiviral, making it helpful in preventing many ailments and infections. And a great friend in the face of winter's (and any season's) colds, flu, coughs and blahs.
Another way to eat garlic is to ferment it. After a nice long ferment, much of it's spicy "kick" has subsided and it's much easier to eat a few cloves raw. My kids fight over the garlic floating in the pickle jar. I always toss a few in there, but we also make jars of fermented garlic cloves.
THE MANY USES OF
GARLIC
Most of us cook with garlic regularly. To maximize its health benefits, especially if you're fighting off an illness, you likely need to consume more of it. So the first step would be to just add more of it to your cooking. However, raw garlic produces the most benefits. The compounds that fight infection are released when garlic is crushed or chopped, and are strongest 7-14 minutes after chopping or crushing. So if you're REALLY trying to get the absolute most out of your garlic, you could time your consumption accordingly. Does crushing garlic and then consuming seven minutes later sound like a burning pill of fire? Yes, its hard to eat 3 raw cloves of garlic a day, as suggested by garlic fans for overall health maintenance. There are, of course, garlic supplements you can take to make this a little easier. Fans like the fact that they prevent garlic odor on your breath and body, as well as some stomach sensitivity some people have when consuming raw garlic. Others say that the benefits of garlic are in the allicin, which gives garlic it's distinctive smell, and that if you can't smell it, you won't get those wonderful properties. Loving Garlic: Let Me Count the Ways While we can cut and take the cloves themselves as pills, how else can we get those properties of raw garlic into us? First, we can include them in recipes we already love. If you feel a cold coming on, how about whipping up a batch of delicious guacamole? Add lots of garlic and serve with various vegetables. Or make up some of your favorite salsa. Lots of garlic and some chile are a great immune boosting combination. Add raw garlic to almost any homemade salad dressing. Plenty of raw garlic gives hummus a delicious zing.
SAFE AND SIMPLE REMEDIES FOR FIRST AID AND MINOR AILMENTS BY JESSIE EMERSON, R.N. MEDICAL HERBALIST ave you or someone you know ever had an emergency and didn’t know what to do? Visualize living rural, a blizzard is raging, the nearest ER is 30 mile away, and your young child is crying and has a temperature of 103.6o You have no medicine. What do you do? Do you risk a drive, call 911?
This takes time, but then you have raw, preserved garlic that you can eat whole OR add to your guacamole, salsa, or hummus. The fermentation process also gives you the benefits of probiotics to help boost your immunity. Honeyed garlic is a different way to get garlic into young and old. You can approach this in two different ways. You can chop a clove and place it on a spoon of honey and take them together. Many people like how quick and easy this is to take. You can also make a big batch of garlic honey by infusing the honey with the raw garlic. Take whole cloves OR chop them and place them in a jar. Add honey to cover and let sit for several days. Like garlic, honey is also anti-microbial, so you get a double dose of goodness here. Plus, if you're dealing with a sore throat, honey is a nice remedy to help coat and soothe the inflammation. You can consume the cloves, which will now be sweetened and mild. You can also just take the honey and help tame a cough. Next we have a variation on the garlic-honey theme: Garlic Tea. In a large saucepan, bring 3
MEDICINE FROM THE
KITCHEN
MEDICINE
helpful
herbs!
H
Knowing what to do before an emergency prevents suffering and can save a life! Prevention, knowledge and staying calm during a crisis
cups of water and 3 cloves of garlic (cut in half to release the beneficial compounds) to a boil. Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup of honey and 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice. Strain. Sip 1/2 cup, warm, three times a day. Refrigerate extra to use the next day. All three ingredients help un-stuff a troubled respiratory system, as well as fight viruses and bacteria. Staying hydrated and having a steamy cup under your nose doesn’t hurt either. Infusing oil with garlic is another remedy with internal and external benefits. It's most famous for helping with ear infections. Crush or chop garlic and cover with olive oil. Let sit for at least 15 minutes and then gently warm. Use a dropper to place 5-10 drops of oil only, into the infected ear and then place a cotton ball over the ear. You can top it with a warm layer of some kind. Many people swear by this remedy. Others aren't fans, so if it doesn't work for you, make enough oil to make salad dressing and get garlic's benefits internally. Also consider applying garlic oil topically. Many people try this with other oils, such as coconut oil, and then rub it into the skin for immediate absorption into the bloodstream. Try the feet, chest, or throat, but do a small patch test first to check for reactions. DO expect to smell like salad dressing after application. Finally, try garlic milk. This Ayurvedic remedy is less spicy and smelly, yet still effective in fighting colds and infections. It's also known to relieve abdominal gas and bloating, constipation, abcesses and unhealed wounds and as a sleep remedy. Another benefit of this method is garlic breath won't be an issue. Add sugar or honey to taste, to make it more appealing to a picky kid. Barely crush a clove of garlic into one cup of milk. Simmer to soften garlic, stirring to keep milk from sticking. Add sugar or honey to taste, or 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder when boiling. Garlic Breath? Add a little baking soda to a cup of water and rinse, rinse, rinse, chew on fresh parsley, cardamom or fennel seeds, or eat yogurt. And then there's my favorite solution: FEED GARLIC TO EVERYONE AROUND YOU!
situation are 3 keys for a safe and fun life. There are many herbal remedies that can help in a pinch. Here I am pleased to share what has worked for me. They are based on Western medicine and can be found in most kitchens.
Let’s return to our scenario. High fever is dangerous, especially in infants, small children and the elderly. It can cause seizures, brain damage and death. Aspirin is the concentrated form of salicylic acid. If given in high doses to children can cause Reyes syndrome and irreversable brain damage. Use these alternatives. Give a tepid water sponge bath. Place the wash cloth or towel on the neck, chest and groin. Drink plenty of fluids. Infants need to nurse or take a bottle more often. Dark or scanty urine means “drink more flu-
ids.” Add lemon juice to the water. Drink teas like peppermint, ginger and chamomile. Mint is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and can calm an upset digestive tract. It also has nutrients that support the immune system, like vitamin C. A cooling drink high in vitamin C is mint and lemonade. Make a strong mint tea. Juice 6 lemons, add 2 quarts water and the tea. Add sweetener if necessary. Chamomile calms the restlessness that accompanies fever and is antibacterial against staphylococcus and streptococcus. Adding honey increases the antibiotic effect. Remember, no honey for a child under 1 year old. Their underdeveloped digestive systems cannot handle the natural presence of botulism spores. Ginger can bring down a fever by causing the body to sweat. Pour a strong tea into a tepid bath or dip a wash cloth into the solution and apply. If a high fever continues for two days seek professional help.
M O R E E N E R G Y, V I TA L I T Y A N D C L A R I T Y:
LIVER CLEANSE Join a 10-day liver cleanse group January 12-21, with the guidance of naturopathic doctor, Rasa Lila, ND. This cleanse changed her life years ago when she was struggling with sugar addiction, fatigue, allergies, acne, joint pain, digestive problems and emotional swings. She has used it as a foundation with most of her patients over the years because it clears so many problems related to our modern-day, stressful, toxic world. Feel more energy, vitality, and clarity • Improve your digestion and lose weight • Clear your skin • Balance your hormones • Decrease inflammation, toxicity, food addictions, and allergies. This is a comprehensive approach, doable during your regular busy life. It is a journey of self-love through awareness, discipline, and relationship. Receive complete
1 0 - D AY
instructions including diet, herbs, supplements, and therapies. Group coaching includes daily motivational e-mail, 3 conference calls per week, and involvement in a facebook and email group. You will also have access to Dr. Lila for questions. To register go to: www.celeb ratemyself.org/2-week-liver-cleanse/. Call or e-mail for more information. celebrate myself.org@gmail.com, 505-363-9748. "I found Dr. Rasa Lila’s Cleanse program to be very helpful in setting me on a new path physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Her regular teleconference sessions with all the participants were especially supportive, as were her daily affirmations, updates, and suggestions. I recommend this program to all who are interested in breaking through health barriers of all sorts." -CHRISTINE KENT
January 2015 13
farming and
gardening
January 2015 14
DEFENDING Beef:
it’s one of the easiest foods to obtain locally as a whole food that can be raised to improve land health.
the case for SUSTAINABLE
MEATproduction BOOK REVIEW BY ANN ADAMS
The Manifesto of an Environmental Lawyer and Vegetarian Turned Cattle Rancher • BY NICOLETTE HAHN NIMAN
F
EAT GRASSFED
BEEF FROM SWEETGRASS
CO-OP
or those of you who have made a conscious decision to eat sustainably produced grassfed beef (such as the beef raised by Sweet Grass Cooperative that La Montanita carries), Defending Beef is a book that you can use to help educate others as to why that decision is good for the planet. I’ve read numerous articles and books about the impact of raising beef on the planet or on human health, but this book brings all the critical information into one place. Additionally, this book explains how the negative attitudes towards beef as a food and on cattle as a livestock came to pass. In turn, those stories make you realize just how much journalism, pseudo-science, political agendas, and corporate lobbying can influence critical areas of our lives, like our food system. The book is filled with surprising statistics that refute just about every negative statistic you have heard about the cattle industry at large.
For me, the interesting part of Niman’s story is how she served as senior attorney for the Waterkeeper Alliance, running their campaign to reform concentrated production of livestock and poultry, so she’s done some due diligence on the negative impact that kind of production can cause. She then married Bill Niman, a rancher, and began to explore the value and importance of grassfed livestock. While this may seem like old news to some of us, there are still lots of people out there arguing that concentrated livestock production is the better route to go to make the most of agricultural lands and therefore we should be eating more pork and chicken. Niman takes this argument to task and she points out how cattle can be used to improve soil health, sequestering carbon and methane so that more
N E W M E X I C O A C E Q U I A A S S O C I AT I O N :
ACEQUIA
While reading Defending Beef can be frustrating at times because the focus is only on cattle, the benefits of all grassfed livestock for both the planet and human health are transferable. Perhaps one of the most interesting statistics for me was how little beef is actually imported into the US from other countries (16%). This was good news for me in that we are actually raising most of our own beef. That means there is more opportunity to create change within this system domestically. As always, the key to that change is an informed consumer base that is actually choosing healthy beef instead of heavily processed foods being sold as healthy because they are vegetable-based.
FARMERS
AND RANCHERS
BY PAULA GARCIA, NEW MEXICO ACEQUIA ASSOCIATION SDA has several programs intended to support agricultural producers, but there are some programs that are particularly useful to acequia parciantes who are engaged in farming and ranching. The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) administers what is probably one of the more well-suited programs for acequias. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a cost share program intended to encourage farmers and ranchers to implement conservation practices that also improve their ability to produce for market. Some of these conservation practices include irrigation system improvements, erosion control, pasture management, fencing and stockwater projects, and many others. One of the important initiatives funded through EQIP is the availability of funding for high tunnels, or greenhouses, for extending the length of the growing season.
U
To be eligible for EQIP, you must meet the following qualifications: • Have planted the land 2 of the last 5 years. • Have produced $1000 worth in crops or livestock. • Have a deed or a five year lease. Our staff can help you prepare your application beginning with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) sign up process, a requirement for any
SHOP
climate changing gases are stored in the soil. Likewise, grassfed beef can improve the land base that could not be farmed/cropped and can increase biodiversity, wildlife habitat, and restore grasslands that have been taken over by invasive weeds and shrubs. Here in New Mexico, we see that happening with juniper, pinon, and mesquite trees, as well as a host of weeds including snakeweed and tumbleweed. Niman, who was a longtime vegetarian, also looks at how we came to believe that beef was bad for human health and she consolidates the information about how animal fat actually isn’t bad for you. As one researcher notes, the foods we have been eating for millions of years should be the least suspicious when it comes to figuring out all the human health issues we are currently facing. Time and again, Niman shows that the hypothesis that a low-fat diet is healthier just doesn’t add up. If animal fat actually is healthy, then
If we ultimately want our food choices to help us be healthy, regenerate the landscape, and provide economic opportunity for producers, then we need to know the truth about that food and the difference that management can make. Defending Beef gives you the full story behind sustainably raised beef and allows the reader to not be pulled off course by the sound bites we are surrounded with in the mainstream media. Luckily, La Montanita has made it easy for you to shop your values and get good grassfed beef from the Sweet Grass Cooperative. The grazing practices used by these cattle producers are what Niman talks about in her book. When you sit down with a Sweet Grass burger, you are supporting people who are improving the land they are managing in New Mexico and Colorado. I don’t know of a more direct way to impact the environment in a positive way short of raising the animals yourself.
HELP FOR
• Acequia headgates on individual farms and ranches to improve irrigation efficiency.
USDA programs. The sign up process takes about 45 minutes and can be completed at your local FSA office. A map of local offices is available at www.nmaa.org
And, of course, there is the Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative. This very popular FUNDING for program has been used by numerous Once your are signed up, you can producers to expand their farming opersubmit an application for the EQIP ation by extending the growing season program. Applications should be and their options for crop production. submitted by January 16, 2015 for NRCS will reimburse a significant perthe next round of funding. If your application is centage of the cost of a high tunnel (aka hoop house). approved, it will take NRCS two to three months to process your application before you can begin your The NMAA strongly encourages acequia farmers and project. ranchers to apply for this program by January 16, 2015. The NMAA Farm and Ranch Team is available to meet Several members of the New Mexico Acequia with individual producers to assist with your application. Association (NMAA) have been successful in imple- Call Serafina or Juliet at the NMAA office (505-995menting EQIP projects. Some examples include the fol- 9644) with questions about the application process. They lowing: can also connect you with your local USDA Field Office • Cross fencing on long lot irrigated properties to sup- to process your application. These are often co-located port rotation of livestock. with the local office of the Soil and Water Conservation • Pond liners to conserve water. Districts. For more information on all things acequia • Subsurface drip irrigation in alfalfa fields to improve visit the New Mexico Acequia Association at www. lasacequias.org. irrigation efficiency.
FARMERS
GMOS IN THE NEWS: EPA APPROVES DOW’S
ENLIST DUOTM AGAIN! BY STEPHANIE DAVIO, BEYOND PESTICIDES espite overwhelming opposition, this fall EPA gave Dow AgroSciences the green light to release Enlist Duo™ on a new wave of geneticallyengineered (GE) crops in six states (IL, IN, IA, OH, SD, WI). At the same time, EPA announced that it was accepting comments on the expansion of Enlist Duo’s registration to 10 additional states (AR, KS, LA, MN, MO, MS, NE, OK, TN, ND).
D
Dow’s new formulation is a combination of the herbicides 2,4-D (a legacy chemical that was one-half of Agent Orange) and glyphosate (commonly known as Roundup), the herbicide responsible for widespread "superweed" resistance. Enlist Duo™ poses significant health and environmental threats. 2,4-D is associated with increased cancer risks, especially for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It is also a potent neurotoxin and hormone-disruptor. Studies show that exposure to 2,4D is associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, reduced sperm count, and birth defects.
2,4-D also has a tendency to drift, and despite claims by Dow that the version of 2,4-D used in Enlist Duo™ is less prone to move off-site, the risk from increased 2,4-D use threatens non-GE and organic crops, endangered species, and increased drift and runoff will contaminate water and non-target sites. Though environmental and human health groups like Beyond Pesticides have joined together and filed legal challenges to the registration of this toxic chemical in the first six states, the EPA continues to move forward without adequate assessment of Enlist Duo’s™ human health and environmental impacts. An unprecedented increase in 2,4-D would inevitably pose risks to public health, farmers, and the environment. Comments were taken by the EPA through mid-December. Contact Beyond Pesticides at www.beyondpesticides.org for more information and next steps to protect our farmlands and future generations from this toxic “duo”.
GOat GREEN ! your Get your locally grown GREEN VEGGIES CO-OP
at any Co-op location. Fresh, fair, organic...
community
forum
January 2015 15
THEY HOPE YOU
drinking nuclear WASTE MEMBER TO MEMBER
STAY SILENT
about Lockheed Martin/Sandia and the Department of Energy saving and making money.
IN ABQ
BY DAVE MCCOY, CITIZEN ACTION andia National Laboratory (SNL) and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) are trying to pull off what some people would call an environmental crime. SNL wants to leave high-level nuclear mixed waste in unlined pits and trenches in a dump that is above our drinking water aquifer. The NM Environment Department has expressed willingness to grant a certificate that no cleanup of the Mixed Waste Landfill is necessary. The high level wastes will remain dangerous for hundreds of thousands of years, contaminating soil, air and water. These are among the most dangerous wastes on the planet—plutonium, americium, depleted uranium, uranium-235, mercury, tritium, beryllium, sodium, TCE, PCBs and hundreds of other radionuclides, solvents and heavy metals.
S
High-level waste that comes from irradiating nuclear fuel in a reactor is supposed to be contained in a deep geologic repository where it will remain safe for at least 10,000 years. The Department of Energy, Sandia and the Environment Department know that they are breaking environmental laws and regulations by not keeping these wastes contained and safe for human health and the environment. It’s all
For decades, Sandia and the Environment Department told the public that only low-level radioactive mixed waste was put into the Mixed Waste Landfill (MWL). It was a big lie. Radioactive waste in the dump includes material from the Nevada Test Site, the 1979 Three Mile Island meltdown, Kwajalein atomic bomb tests, Kirtland AFB and commercial nuclear reactor meltdown tests performed at Sandia. During the 1970s and 80s, dozens of commercial nuclear fuel meltdown experiments were conducted in Sandia’s ACRR nuclear reactor. The meltdown experiments were conducted under various acronyms such as STAR, TRAN, EEOS, DF, FD and Debris Bed. The public was never informed of the names of these experiments and that highlevel radioactive waste from the experiments was disposed of in the MWL dump. Sandia claimed that only low-level mixed waste was in the MWL and the Environment Department gave permission to leave the waste under a dirt cover. The fresh and irradiated fuel for the meltdown experiments came from around the world. The fuel
was put into steel canisters and subjected to extreme temperatures that melted and puddled inside the canisters placed in the core of the ACRR reactor. Some fuel was so hot that it vaporized and plated the inside of the canisters. Some of the extremely radioactive canisters also contained highly corrosive metallic sodium and were placed into pits in the classified area of the MWL. Some canisters were put into small diameter holes drilled into the bottom of the MWL trenches. The canisters containing spent fuel and sodium can explode from corrosion that would allow moisture to enter the canister. Wastes were dumped into trenches and pits in cardboard boxes, plastic bags, and drums that are breaking up and corroding in the dump. Recent soil gas surveys show that volatile organic compounds such as TCE and PCE have reached the groundwater. Sandia was required by law to perform a 5-year review in 2010 for the feasibility of excavating these dangerous wastes. However Sandia and the Environment Department cut a secret, closed door deal to postpone any excavation review for 14 years. While a lawsuit is pending about the delay, Sandia filed a Certification Request, so that they will never have to do any cleanup of the waste. The Environment Department knows that the groundwater monitoring network at the dump has been and is defective, so that contamination isn’t detected. (EPA Region 6 2007, EPA Inspector General 2012). The dirt cover is not protective for the millennia that the dump’s wastes will remain lethal (TechLaw, Inc. 2006).
ACTION ALERT
NEW ENERGY ECONOMY CALLS FOR
CLEAN ENERGY
J A N.
5t h
BY MARIEL NANASI New Energy Economy (NEE) and a growing coalition of over 30 organizations are calling for a day of action on January 5—the first day of the scheduled PRC Hearing on Replacement Power. NEE was established in 2004 to create economic opportunity in New Mexico with less carbon pollution and more clean energy. They work in partnership with diverse allies on policies that encourage job growth, investment and innovation in a more efficient, sustainable and equitable energy sector. Grounded in the research and findings of the world’s leading scientific and technological authorities, NEE prioritizes work with underserved communities on tribal lands and in rural New Mexico. They have led the development of New Mexico’s carbon pollution reduction program – the most advanced policy of its kind in the United States. Sol Not Coal Campaign Sol Not Coal is a campaign to bring brighter possibilities for health, prosperity, and sustainability to the people of New Mexico, in line with longstanding community values.
Partnering with diverse allies to create energy transformation, their solar installations demonstrate the tangible economic, environmental, and health benefits of solar, and prove that the shift to renewable energy is not only necessary but possible today. When installing solar electric systems, they prioritize communities in need or with less likelihood of access to solar power. So far, they have solarized seven Santa Fe community centers and fire stations, and thanks to the generosity and widespread support from people all over the nation, the next community organizations to join the clean energy ranks are: Tewa Women United, Monte Vista Farm, and the Nancy Rodriguez Community Center. The January 5 gathering at the PRC public hearing is an important event that is part of the overall Sol Not Coal campaign. See you at the Pera Building at 9:00am on January 5. For more information or to make a donation to help solarize more community organizations go to: www.newenergyeconomy.org, or 343 East Alameda, Santa Fe, NM, 87501, 505-989-7262.
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atershed Health is everyone’s concern. Our watersheds are in great need of FEB. 18-20 resuscitation and this year the Land and Water Summit presented by the Xeriscape Council of New Mexico, will concentrate on learning about ways to improve watershed health. Just as we have learned to recognize signs of illness in our community and provide aid when necessary, so we must learn to recognize the signs of distressed environments and how to cure those ills. This year’s Summit will explore options for enhancing watershed management, reducing human impact through the efficient use of water, and illustrating the connections between the watershed and ALL of its inhabitants. Living in a watershed means not only recognizing its limits and assisting in keeping it clean and healthy—it means teaching others to do the same. Join us to discuss ways we can revive our watersheds.
DEMAND NUCLEAR CLEAN UP Contact New Mexico Environment Department’s (NMED) John Kieling at email john.kieling@state.nm.us 1. Demand a public hearing on the Mixed Waste Landfill. 2. Demand that NMED order denial of the Certificate of Completion and 3. Demand that NMED order Sandia to clean up and safely store the MWL waste. For more information contact Dave McCoy with Citizen Action at www.radfreenm.org, or call 505-262-1862.
CLEAN IT UP! FRESH
FAIR
LOCAL LA MONTANITA
CO-OP
THE LAND AND WATER SUMMIT: RESTORING
ENVIRONMENTS
PROTECT OUR AQUIFER!
The 2015 keynote address will be given by Pete McBride, who has spent almost two decades studying the world with his camera. Raised on a Colorado cattle ranch, Pete is passionate about storytelling and unique, gripping ways to communicate them, whether it involves vantages from 20,000 feet, or swimming below icebergs. His perspective on capturing water-related stories led American Photo Magazine to list Pete as “one of the top five water photographers” in the nation. After a decade working mostly abroad, he spent over two years documenting his local river—the Colorado. This journey culminated in the acclaimed coffee table book: The Colorado River: Flowing Through Conflict, an award-winning short film, Chasing Water and a traveling museum exhibit/lecture currently touring the US. To register for the conference or the pre-conference workshop, Flood Control for Watershed Health go to www.xeriscapenm.com.