BOARD DECLARES A 24TH
PATRONGAGE DIVIDEND DEAR MEMBER, our La Montañita Co-op Board of Directors is pleased to announce a patronage refund in the total amount of $235,000. This represents 0.9% of member sales for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2015. Of that total, the Board has approved a cash refund to members of $110,000. This is 0.42% of total sales, and is also equal to last year’s refund of $110,000. The balance will be retained in member equity. The patronage refund is one of the main economic links between the Co-op and its members; the refund allows members to share in the financial health of the Co-op in proportion to their patronage.
Y
Each Co-op member will receive a refund equaling 0.42% of her or his purchases from the Co-op during the past fiscal year in cash or store credit. Members can claim their cash or credit at the register at any La Monañita store. Members who live outside of New Mexico will receive a check. If you would like to further support your community by donating your refund, please stop by the Information Desk for details. Please be aware that simply not claiming your refund is not the same as donating it, because the Co-op has to pay tax on unclaimed refunds. The remaining balancre of the patronage refund, $125,000, will be retained in the Co-op’s member equity account. This is the members’ portion of the Co-op’s profits that remain in the business, and represents your direct contribution to our abilities to replace expensive
21ST
ANNUAL
MAKE A CHILD
SMILE
GIVING TREE
Look for the ANNUAL HOLIDAY GIVING TREES at all Co-op locations beginning DEC. 1
equipment, make improvements to existing stores, expand our foodshed project, support various community endeavors, and stay fiscally sound. By claiming your cash or credit, you will also be accepting the retained equity portion of the refund. Shortly, the Co-op will send you a letter or email that will list your portion of this year’s refund, your cash refund, amount and your equity retainage, as well as the cumulative amount of equity retained over the years in your name. You may claim the cash portion of your refund at the register at any Co-op location or use it to purchase food. You will be asked to show identification to claim your patronage refund. This is our 25th annual patronage refund in the past 26 years, and it is your support of our Co-op that makes this possible. Your patronage refund is a tangible result of your ownership and participation in our viable alternative economic model. As is obvious to long time members, this year’s refund is not as large as those of previous years. The decrease is indicative of the relatively new challenges the Co-op faces with vastly increased competition from large supermarket chains selling many of the same products. Remember, we are more than a grocery; we actively support local producers and the larger community. Your Co-op Board of Directores and Staff are sincerely grateful for your support, and we thank you for another great year at La Monañita. We wish you a safe and joyous holiday season, and look forward to serving you in the year ahead. IN CO-OPERATION, LA MONTAÑITA BOARD
OF
DIRECTORS:
Ariana Marcello, President Tracy Sprouls, Vice-President Lisa Banwarth-Kuhn Secretary Marshall Kovitz, Treasurer James Esqueda Tammy Parker Jessica Rowland
OWNERS MAKE IT
HAPPEN
PATRONAGE DIVIDEND :
JUST ONE OF MANY OWNER
BENEFITS
Patronage is only one of the many ways your membership benefits you the individual owner as well as the local community. • INDIVIDUAL Benefits—As an owner you get three 1520% discount shopping months, special order pricing, everyday reduced pricing on Owner Deals, weekly and biweekly sales and more! Many owners recoup their annual member fee on just one volume discount shopping trip during the year. • COMMUNITY Benefits—No other grocery store does as much to benefit the local economy by keeping dollars circulating here or invests so much in growing and strengthening the regional food system and the local community.
PATRONAGE EXPLAINED: READING YOUR PATRONAGE CERTIFICATE
GIFT RETURN DEADLINE: DEC.14
The Patronage Certificate is your notification that the Co-op Board has declared a patronage dividend and what you as an owner will receive. • PURCHASE TOTAL: Your total purchases during the September 1, 2014 thru August 31, 2015 fiscal yea.r • ALLOCATION PAID: This year’s cash portion amount of your total patronage refund is redeemable at any register. • ALLOCATION RETAINED: The portion that you are reinvesting in this community owned business this year. • CUMULATIVE ALLOCATION PAID: The amount that you as an owner have received in the cash portion of
OWNER PATRONAGE REFUND:
GET YOURS
AT ANY CO-OP CASH REGISTER
your return over the duration of your ownership. If this amount equals the Allocation Paid column it means you are a new owner this fiscal year. • CUMULATIVE ALLOCATION RETAINED: The amount that you as an owner have reinvested in our community owned cooperative over the lifetime of your ownership. If you have more questions please contact your membership team at memb@lamontanita.coop or call 217-2027.
PATRONAGE DIVIDEND CERTIFCATE REDEMPTION: ID Required! All members will be asked to show proper and current identification when redeeming their patronage. This will ensure to the best of our ability that only the member who is entitled to the refund redeems that refund.
BY ROBIN SEYDEL ast year thanks to you, our wonderful owners, our first electronic patronage refund went as smooth as Thanksgiving’s delicious pumpkin pie! Owners easily picked up their refunds at the register during one of their shopping trips. This year in our continuing efforts to save environmental resources our annual patronage dividend will again be available to owners at the cash register of their favorite La Montañita Co-op location.
L
All Co-op owners who were current members and made purchases during the fiscal year that ran from September 1, 2014 through August 31, 2015, will get a Patronage Dividend Certificate.
ber’s account to see the member’s refund amount as well as if they have already cashed their refund or used it on food at the register.
This year every member who has an email address on file with us will get their Dividend Certificate emailed to their home. Those owners for whom we do not have an email on file will receive a hard copy mailed through the post office. Only those owners who have moved out of state will receive a printed check.
Member patronage refund information will be available in an ongoing basis at any register and will show how much the member received and how much they have redeemed and how much they still can use for food or redeem for cash.
This Certificate will include the owner’s patronage dividend history both for this year and aggregate totals for all preceding membership years. Members, at their convenience, will be able to redeem the cash portion of their refund for food or cash at any register. Additionally, cashiers will be able to pull up the mem-
Giving members the cash portion of their refund at the register will save lots of Co-op and environmental resources, including paper (read trees!), and the costs of printing and mailing thousands of checks, which have to be mailed first class.
Primary Co-op members, please be sure to have valid identification with you, as cashiers will only redeem patronage credits with proper ID that matches the name on your membership. Primary members who wish to allow secondary household members to utilize the refund, please be sure secondary members bring in a printed copy of your certificate with signed approval by the primary member and valid identification for the secondary member. Want your secondary member to redeem your patronage certificate but have lost your mailing? Cashiers will be able to reprint barcoded patronage refund certificates to be signed by the primary member for use by a secondary member. This is a most exciting and more environmentally sustainable way to return our profits to our community of owners. If you have questions or input please do not hesitate to contact me at 505-217-2027 or email me at robins@lamontanita.coop.
GET THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT
December 2015 2
21ST
La Montañita Cooperative A Community-Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store
ANNUAL MAKE A CHILD SMILE
HOLIDAY GIVING TREE
Nob Hill 7am – 10pm M – Sa, 8am – 10pm Su 3500 Central SE, ABQ, NM 87106 505-265-4631 Rio Grande 7am – 10pm M – Su 2400 Rio Grande NW, ABQ, NM 87104 505-242-8800
This year we are once again asking for your help in letting some very special children and families know that we, as a community, will continue to be there for one another. Last year alone we made the holiday wishes of approximately 600 children in protective custody and foster care a reality. Over the years, you, our loyal Co-op members and shoppers, our staff and child advocates from participating agencies have provided for the needs of thousands of children through this program.
Gallup 8am – 8pm M – Sa, 10am – 6pm Su 105 E Coal, Gallup, NM 87301 505-863-5383 Santa Fe 7am – 10pm M – Su 913 West Alameda, Santa Fe, NM 87501 505-984-2852 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) • Interim General Manager/John Mullé 242-8800 jm@lamontanita.coop • Controller/John Heckes 217-2029 johnh@lamontanita.coop • Computers/Info Technology David Varela 217-2011 tech@lamontanita.coop • Special Projects Manager/Mark Lane 259-4396 markl@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 Mullé/Rio Grande 242-8800 jm@lamontanita.coop • William Prokopiak/Santa Fe 984-2852 willpro@lamontanita.coop • John Philpott/Gallup 575-863-5383 john.philpott@lamontanita.coop • Joe Phy/Westside 505-503-2550 josephp@lamontanita.coop Co-op Board of Directors: email: bod@lamontanita.coop • President: Ariana Marchello • Secretary: Marshall Kovitz • Lisa Banwarth-Kuhn • James Esqueda • Jessica Rowland • Rosemary Romero • Tracy Sprouls • Tammy Parker Membership Costs: $15 for 1 year/ $200 Lifetime Membership + tax 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.riegel@lamontanita.coop 217-2016 • Editorial Intern: Katherine Mullé • Printing: Santa Fe New Mexican Membership information is available at all six 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.
CELEBRATING TWO DECADES OF SHARING AND CARING ROBIN SEYDEL am astounded by the realization that for over two decades, together we have been meeting the needs and bringing a bit of joy to children in need around our state. During these twenty-one years, we have positively impacted the lives of thousands of children, making them smile by providing a gift or gifts that they want or need. I am deeply aware of how blessed I am to be able to work in service as part of our amazing cooperative community and grateful for the support that this, one of my most favorite projects, has received over the years. Through good times and hard times we have come together in the understanding of how, when we pool our resources, we can make the world a better, more joyous place for us all. BY
I
You, our Co-op community, have acted on this understanding through our annual Giving Tree Program. During each holiday season you have shared your resources and helped fulfill the holiday needs and wishes of children in our communities experiencing hardships. Each year when I see the piles of gifts under the trees at our locations and work on separating them for each agency and social worker, my heart is filled with wonder at the caring concern and generosity of our Co-op owners and shoppers.
CO-OP
To all of you who have participated: the social workers at the agencies, many of whom have been with this project since its inception; Co-op staff; and each and every one of you, who throughout the years has taken an ornament off the tree, found the time during this busy season to share your resources and find that special gift that will “Make a Child Smile,” from the bottom of my heart I thank you all. I hope you will find the time and resources to do so again this year. If this is your first Co-op holiday season we hope you will help “Make a Child Smile” by participating in our 21st annual Giving Tree Program. When I think about what we have done together it restores my faith in humanity, reminds me of the power of cooperation and gives me hope for the future. We sincerely hope you will help us again this year.
MAKE A CHILD SMILE
PARTICIPATING
AGENCIES
PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY DAY SCHOOL For well over 40 years, PB&J Family Services, Inc. has worked to keep children safe and help families survive. PB&J continues to pioneer innovative approaches to the prevention of child abuse and neglect, and the preservation of the family through interactive parenting and bonding programs in its Peanut Butter & Jelly Therapeutic Preschools, in home-based programs and in its TEENS program at the Cuba, NM High School—focusing on breaking the often-generational cycle of family dysfunction. In a program that serves children with an incarcerated parent at one of four New Mexico prisons, PB&J works to break the cycle of crime. Often angry and feeling abandoned, these children are six to eight times more likely to be imprisoned than other youngsters. Other programs work with middle and high school youth in the South Valley through the KidPACT program. More than 80% of the families PB&J works with make progress toward meeting their goals. PB&J’s programs are so successful that with governmental support they are in the process of expanding to serve new communities. Your gift helps their participants have a holiday season to remember. Mil gracias! For further information you may contact Donna Brew at 505-877-7060. ENLACE COMUNITARIO Enlace Comunitario (EC) works with Latino immigrants to eliminate domestic violence and strengthen community. For over 15 years EC has created a dynamic continuum of services for both victims of domestic violence and their children including: safety planning; assessment; individual and group counseling; referrals to services (housing, health, financial, etc.); parenting and lifeskills classes; legal advocacy; economic development; crisis intervention and community education. EC’s innovative approach goes beyond providing services to include advocacy, leadership development and community organizing projects to make long-term systemic changes and strengthen community. Domestic violence affects families from all backgrounds. Unfortunately, women from immigrant communities are often at greater risk and are less likely to access needed services. They face cultural and language barriers to police and social services, increased threats of becoming separated from their children through deportation or international child abduction, less access to public benefits and less awareness of their plight by churches, schools and the community at large.
YOU OWN IT
Once again this year the Co-op is honored to be working with some of our communities’ most dedicated organizations: New Mexico Department of Children, Youth and Families in conjunction with Kids Matter; Peanut Butter and Jelly Day School and Enlace Communitario. Again this year sustainably grown and harvested trees (purchased from Delancy Street’s addiction recovery program) filled with ornaments, each bearing the name, age and holiday wish of a child from these organizations, will go up at each Co-op location around December 1st.
If you have questions or would like to support Enlace, please call 505-246-8972.
NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES Bernalillo County Child Protective Services (CPS) is a division of the New Mexico’s Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD). CYFD receives hundreds of reports every month regarding abuse or neglect of children. And while the mainstream media reports problems now and again, the thousands of children helped by CYFD generally go unreported. Social workers investigate allegations and when needed intervene with families to ensure the safety of children. This intervention may consist of crisis counseling, referrals to community resources, or other community supports, or in worst-case scenarios the Department requests custody of the children. Children in CYFD custody are placed in a licensed foster home. Foster parents give temporary care to children while they are in CYFD custody, providing a protective and safe home, structure, nurturing, and assistance in preparing the child to return to his/her home or to be adopted. In New Mexico everyone is mandated by law to report child abuse, neglect or exploitation. To report child abuse or neglect please call: Metro Area, 841-6100 or Statewide 1-800-797-3260. Bernalillo County has a group of dedicated foster families, but the need is greater than the number of available families. If you feel you could provide a safe home for children in CYFD custody, please call Foster a Future, at 1-800-432-2075. Working together we can make a difference in a child's life. New Mexico Kids Matter—nobody deserves or longs for a happy holiday more than a child in foster care. There are close to one thousand children in foster care in Albuquerque alone. These are children who are in the state’s custody through no fault of their own. This year New Mexico Kids Matter (CASA), a non-profit organization that trains community volunteers to advocate for children who are in foster care, are working with CYFD and are providing support to this agency. All you need to do to be an elf is come into the Co-op, pick an ornament, gather your family and have fun picking a present that will truly be appreciated. PLEASE RETURN YOUR GIFT BY DEC. 14TH. Every child is a profound responsibility to us all and we thank you for your generosity.
MAKE A CHILD SMILE Giving Tree Gift Return Deadline is MONDAY, DECEMBER 14
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
December 2015 3
DONATE YOUR PATRONAGE REFUND TO A
WORTHY ORGANIZATION
Some of these donation funds are allocated in our annual organizational budget as part of our commitment to the co-op principle of “concern for community.” Some of these funds come from the patronage dividend checks that are not cashed by our members.
BY ROBIN SEYDEL The current state of the economy has been especially difficult for non-profit organizations in our community. In this environment every little bit helps to maintain the good and important work of these organizations, so critical to our community’s well being. Every year the Co-op supports a variety of excellent non-profit organizations. This year alone Co-op members have volunteered well over 6,100 hours in a wide variety of worthy non-profit and educational organizations as part of our Community Capacity Building program. Additionally, the Co-op donates thousands of dollars in food for fundraising events to hundreds of groups throughout the year. Our SCRIP program is another fundraising avenue that gives schools and organizations ten cents on every dollar spent on food at the Co-op. In 2015 your Co-op donated over 30,000 pounds of food to homeless feeding programs in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
Additionally, thanks to your generosity in the Donate-a-Dime program, together we have donated over $110,000 to groups that are working to make our communities a better place. Donate your Patronage Dividend Check to a worthy non-profit organization! This year as part of our electronic patronage refund process you can let the cashier know that you would like to donate rather than use your patronage refund. They will enter your request into our system and we will use your refund to continue our support of all the important organizations in our midst. If you just refrain from utilizing your patronage refund, the Co-op must report the unclaimed patronage as income to the IRS who will take their cut. If you let us know that you would like us to donate the funds, the full amount of your refund will be used in non-profits in our communities. All unclaimed patronage monies are donated by La Montañita Co-op to the wide variety of organizations that request our support throughout the year.
B A G G R E D I T D O N AT I O N O R G A N I Z AT I O N :
NEW MEXICO CHILD ADVOCACY
NETWORKS
NMCAN believes in the resiliency, individuality, and strengths of children, youth, and families. Young people should have a respected voice and full participation in the development of programs and policies designed to serve and support them. Applying evidencebased strategies in pursuit of our mission, NMCAN’s programs leverage community partnerships to promote volunteerism and support a culture of effective, well-trained volunteers who are appreciated and leaders in our communities.
A HEALTHY AND SAFE
COMMUNITY for every child and young person! BY LORILYNN VIOLANTA, DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AT NMCAN ew Mexico Child Advocacy Networks (NMCAN) is a visionary champion for New Mexico’s most vulnerable children and youth that provides innovative programming and effective advocacy. Originally founded in 1990, our vision is to ensure that all children and young people live in a community where they are happy, healthy, and safe.
N
On a given day in New Mexico, almost 2,000 children are in the foster care system and approximately 200 youth are likely to “age out” of foster care annually. NMCAN programs provide a multitude of services to benefit these children and youth, including mentorship, education, and life skills development. We also facilitate and support meaningful advocacy for their safety, permanency, and well-being.
New Mexico Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) provides resources, networking, training, technical assistance, and public outreach to local CASA programs across the state. CASA programs train community volunteers to speak up in court for the best interests of children that have been abused or neglected. We support 16 programs in 21 New Mexico communities that provide individual volunteer advocacy to over 1,800 children in foster care. The Building Futures & Foundations (BFF) initiative uses authentic youth engagement to improve the path for young people transitioning from foster care to adulthood. At age 18, many leave the system without having the experiences and opportunities necessary to develop self-advocacy skills, build positive peer networks, and access the family and community supports all young people need to become successful adults. We work directly with young people in order to help them achieve their dreams and goals related to education, employment, health, housing, permanency, financial capability, and social capital. NMCAN believes that we live in a world in which the health and well-being of a community is measured by the health and wellbeing of our most vulnerable children. Please join NMCAN as we work to improve the lives of future generations. Learn how to get involved, volunteer, or make a donation by contacting 505-217-0220 or visiting www.nmcan.org.
In December your DONATE-A-DIME bag credits go to NEW MEXICO CHILD ADVOCACY NETWORKS: Creating a community in which every child and young person lives happy, healthy and safe life. In October your bag credit donations totaling $2,592.32 went to the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center.
WESTSIDE
• TREES WILL GO UP AT ALL CO-OP LOCATIONS AROUND DECEMBER 1. • The ornaments have wish lists for each child, allowing you to choose a gift you will enjoy giving and they will enjoy receiving. Please put your name and ornament number on the sheets attached to the giving tree at each store in case you lose the ornament, so we can track it down and replace it. • Please return the gifts to the Co-op by Monday, December 14, so we can get them back to the agencies and to the children in time. Please, please do honor this deadline. • Some families and foster families have more than one child in the program. When one child gets a gift and another does not (because an ornament is taken but a gift is not returned to the Co-op in time) it can be devastating for that child. • Please tape the “ornament” with the child’s name and agency on the gift. To protect the confidentiality and the identities of the children, each ornament has a code number on it. Taping the colored ornaments that have the agency name and an ornament code number to the top of the gift will help us get your gift to the right child.
RETURN GIFTS TO THE
CO-OP BY
MONDAY, DECEMBER 14
FOR MORE INFORMATION contact Robin at 505-217-2027, toll free at 877-775-2667 or email her at robins@lamontanita.coop
Coors Blvd.
OP
Ave.
a Blvd.
CO-
irport
GIVING TREE WORKS
Alamed
Old A
HOW THE
3601 Old Airport Ave. NW 505-503-2550
Old Airport Ave. Co-op Values Cooperatives are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. In the tradition of their founders, cooperative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others. Co-op Principles 1 Voluntary and Open Membership 2 Democratic Member Control 3 Member Economic Participation 4 Autonomy and Independence 5 Education, Training and Information 6 Cooperation among Cooperatives 7 Concern for Community The Co-op Connection News is published by La Montañita Co-op Supermarket to provide information on La Montañita Co-op Supermarket, the cooperative movement, and the links between food, health, environment and community issues. Opinions expressed herein are of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Co-op.
A BRIGHTER SEASON
December 2015 4
VERY MERRY TRADITIONAL AND
NON-CONSUMER CELEBRATIONS
BY JACKIE DE LAVEAGA n late October of this year, winter holiday goods began to creep onto store shelves. It seems that every year, the sensory overload of holiday stuff to buy appears earlier and earlier. While getting gifts is fun, most of us desire a holiday experience that offers a meaningful connection with humankind. While the tide of commercialism is strong, we can take steps to make the holidays a time of focusing on nurturing the human spirit through relational activities which focus on blessing others and expressing gratitude.
I
One tradition our family has used to foster holiday joy and avoid the focus on commercialism is through a tradition we fashioned after the original Twelve Days of Christmas. We began by creating an event or activity for a run of twelve days that would lead us toward togetherness and a focus on others. We usually start our twelve day run during December, but it’s best to start when you know you can devote time to a twelve-day focus! Here are some of our traditions from over the years. Adopt them as your own, or use them as an inspiration. While celebrating your own twelve days, keep a personal journal or a family list on the wall where you compile a gratitude list. Expressing our gratitude stifles the tendency toward “not-enough-ness.” The Twelve Days of Holiday Blessings Day 1: Boxing Day. Named for the legendary Boxing Day in Great Britain. According to snopes.com, “Its origins are found in a long-ago practice of giving cash or durable goods to those of lower classes.” We took the idea and tagged one of our days as a day to fill boxes with goods to donate to local charities, both used and new items. Day 2: Invite people to our home for a meal. Seems commonplace, but with jobs, school, and taking care of business, we often neglect hospitality. It is a great joy to offer a beautiful meal and warm conversation. Day 3: Operation Secret Santa. This event is named for the efforts of St. Nicholas, who secretly put forth money in the third century for the dowries of several poor young women. For this activity, gather your family or small community and exchange names in secret. Then, each participant endeavors to do secret acts of service or give small gifts to the person that they have drawn. Keep your secret work going throughout the holidays and finish with a party where everyone tries to guess the identity of their secret benefactor.
Day 4: Read an endearing book aloud. There are a multitude of holiday stories to read aloud with others, and reading aloud is almost a lost art. Steam up some hot tea or cocoa, and gather around for a special read-aloud evening. Day 5: Tour the holiday lights. Designate one evening to buckling up in the car and touring the holiday lights around your area. You could start with The River of Lights at the Albuquerque BioPark Botanic Garden, and then finish with a car tour. Day 6: Movie Night. Old movies are the best. Try “It’s a Wonderful Life” or “Miracle on 34th Street.” One of our favorites is Scrooge,” a 1970 musical version of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” Or pick another movie that speaks to your social, cultural or religious persuasion. Make a big bowl of popcorn and spend an evening at home with loved ones. Day 7: Dazzle your senses. Get your family and/or friends together and create something beautiful that dazzles the senses. Some ideas include candles, homemade greeting cards, potpourri, baked clay sculptures, candy, cookies or jams and jellies. Play beautiful music and make sure to send guests home with some of the goods. Day 8: Get outside together. Whether you frolic in the snow, walk, bike, hike or drive to a hot spring in the Jemez Mountains, breathe in the winter air and have fun. Day 9: Games, games, games. Host a tournament (chess, cards, Goblet), play a game that literally takes all night (Risk, Monopoly), or learn a crazy new game (King Mao Card game). Game-playing is slipping away from our culture. Let’s bring it back!
SHARE THE SPIRIT
Day 10: Perform an act of kindness. All of us know someone who could use a helping with 12 days of hand. Offer to clean, transport, HOLIDAY babysit, or cook for someone who is struggling to get the basic BLESSINGS! life essentials done each week. This could be a single parent, an elderly person, a family with a new baby, or someone facing financial hardship or the loss of a loved one. Day 11: Take time for silence. Choose one day to turn off the noise—phones, devices, televisions, computers, screens of all types. Bask in the quiet and focus on your spirit. Focus on listening to people and the sounds of nature. Day 12: Letter writing. Have you noticed that handwritten communication is rare? We’ve gone from letters, to emails, to social media posts of 140 characters or less. Write one personal letter, or write a family letter to send out with cards. Everyone is blessed by personal communication! Let this list inspire you to make your own tradition of “Days of Holiday Blessings.” Designate a starting day during the holiday season that is special for you, and keep the focus on nurturing relationships.
SHOPPING, WRAPPING AND GIVING
CO-OP
GIFT
CERTIFICATES!
shop
CO-OP
FROM $10 AND UP,
GIVE THE GIFT OF GREAT TASTING, HEALTHY
FOOD
AS IF THE PLANET MATTERED
H
oliday time can be a celebration of abundance, or a time of extreme excess and waste. This year as you celebrate look for ways to reduce your budget and waste, reuse creatively to dress up your gifts and events, and recycle old stuff into clever decorations or presents. According to the Use Less Stuff report, edited by Bob Lilienfeld, between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day Americans generate 25% more waste per week than during the rest of the year. This creates an additional 1.2 million tons per week, or an extra 6 million tons, for the holiday season. SOME
OTHER INTERESTING STATISTICS FROM THIS
REPORT ARE:
• According to the USDA, Americans throw away 25% of food purchased—52 billion pounds each year, or 170 pounds per person! • If American households reduced their holiday ribbon usage by just 2 feet, the result would be a savings of 50,000 miles, enough ribbon to circle the Earth twice. • Thousands of paper and plastic shopping bags end up in landfills every year. Reduce the number of bags thrown out by bringing reusable cloth bags for holiday gift shopping. Tell store clerks you don't need a bag for small or oversized purchases.
• Wrap gifts in recycled or reused wrapping paper or funny papers. Give gifts that don't require much packaging, such as concert tickets or gift certificates. Send recycled-content greeting cards to reduce the amount of virgin paper used during the holidays. • About 40 percent of all battery sales occur during the holiday season. Buy rechargeable batteries to accompany your electronic gifts, and consider giving a battery charger as well. Rechargeable batteries reduce the amount of potentially harmful materials thrown away, and can save money in the long run. • Turn off or unplug holiday lights during the day. Doing so will not only save energy, but will also help your lights last longer. • Approximately 33 million live Christmas trees are sold in North America every year. After the holidays, look for ways to recycle your tree instead of sending it to a landfill. Better yet get a live tree that you can plant during the spring planting season. • When buying gifts, check product labels to determine an item's recyclability and whether it is made from recycled materials. Buying recycled encourages manufacturers to make more recycled-content products available. Holidays should be about quality, not quantity. Celebrate the abundance of good company, intangible blessings, what you can do for others and what you already have. —HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
HOLIDAY GIFTING
WHERE THE
PLANET MATTERS
A MERRY FOOD SEASON
December 2015 5
GIFTS FROM THE
POMEGRANATE VINAIGRETTE A delight to give AND receive, this salad lover's vinaigrette is colorful, mouthwatering, and simple to make!
KITCHEN BY KATHERINE DE LAVEAGA now the season for giving to others, and for savoring the treasures given! Gifts tell a unique holiday story, especially homemade ones from the kitchen. Some relay a simple “Thank you.” Others say “I sure wish you were here.” But from kitchens both near and far away, all gifts speak of love, appreciation, and timelessness. At our house, this season was, among other things, a season for trotting happily to the mailbox with the hope of finding packages. Opening the colorful holiday letters, along with jams, chutneys, and finding baked treats was a delight all its own. I remember the table in the kitchen, decorated with pinecones and greens, arranged with caramels, shortbreads, and macadamia nuts from afar, and once, even a Stollen from Germany whose wrappings twinkled with the reflected light of the Christmas tree.
Whisk in a small mixing bowl: 1/2 cup pomegranate juice 3 T red wine vinegar 1 1/2 T honey Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Drizzle oil in a steady stream while whisking: 1/4 cup olive oil (alternatively, grapeseed, flax, or other omega 3 oils are deliciously substituted)
Tis
I took for granted then the deliciousness of those gifts from the kitchen. I sat under the tree on on a small hill of unwrapped paper and tinsel, unknowingly basking in the rich aroma of coffee cake from the oven. My parents laughed by candlelight, telling stories of their parents and grandparents, as we nibbled crackers graced with the Lilikoi (Passionfruit) Butter Aunty Maybelle made. I didn't realize then that those simple memories of food and togetherness, imprinted by my most basic senses, would form the foundations of my holiday anticipation. As an adult, I stop to remind myself that purchased gifts satisfy different needs than those born of care and time spent in the kitchen. If you hanker for a bit of kitchen time this giving season, what follows are ideas for creating lasting sensory impressions for those you love and appreciate, with surprisingly little effort.
DARK CHOCOLATE BARK WITH HAZELNUTS, ALMONDS, AND CRANBERRIES
Beat together until fluffy: 1/2 cup coconut oil (soften by placing in a ceramic dish on the stovetop while the oven preheats) 1 1/2 cup sugar (it is possible to get away with less; raw sugar lends a nice consistency) Beating on low, add: 2 large eggs 1/2 cup dark molasses 2 tsp fresh lemon juice 1/4 tsp finely grated lemon or orange zest Combine flour and molasses mixtures, mixing until smooth. Form 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls or form into desired shapes. Space well apart on cookie sheet and flatten to thickness of 1/2 inch or less. Bake approximately 11 minutes; overbake or underbake slightly for more tender or crispier results. Transfer and cool on a baker's rack.
GRANDMA'S GINGER SNAPS This gluten free version features a traditional sensory delight! Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 350 F. Whisk together: 2 3/4 cups gluten-free flour (we love 1 to 1 Baking Flour from Bob's Red Mill) 1 cup almond flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 4 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground cloves 1/4 tsp finely ground sea salt
Melt, stirring over low heat in a 9 inch casserole until smooth: 8 ounces dark chocolate (good quality) 2 T coconut oil Sprinkle over the chocolate: 1/3 cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) 1/3 cup sliced almonds 1/4 cup diced roasted hazelnuts 1/3 cup sliced dried cranberries Refrigerate for 1 hour before breaking into large pieces and serving. ALBUQUERQUE TURKEY SOUP Soup, a gift? Who could turn down a hot bowl of soup on a cold winter's night? In a medium-sized skillet, sauté over med-low heat while stirring: 2 T olive oil 1/2 tsp ground cumin 2 cloves garlic, diced 1/2 cup onion or shallots 1/2 cup carrots, cubed 1 medium tomato, diced 1/2 tsp sea salt After 5 min, the saute should be aromatic and iridescent. Add 4–6 cups turkey stock (for best results, boil bones from Thanksgiving dinner) 1/2 cup celery 1/2 cup butternut squash Simmer on med-low heat for 15 minutes. Add: 1/2 cup turkey, diced or shredded 4 ounces roasted green chiles 1/4 tsp cayenne (optional) Garnish with cilantro and serve with corn tortillas or fresh cornbread.
PRODUCE SPOTLIGHT:
HOLIDAY CITRUS AND OTHER WINTER
DELIGHTS
ROBIN SEYDEL f you are like me, you wait all year for the start of the citrus season. Sweet or tart, fabulously juicy and just what the doctor ordered to keep the sniffles away so you can enjoy all the holiday festivities.
16 ounces of fresh cranberries 4 navels or 6-7 satsumas 8-10 ounces of Monukka raisins 8-10 ounces of walnut halves 16 ounces of cranberry nectar 2 ounces of agar
BY
I
And what better gift to give or take to a party than a Satsuma gift box or a basket of assorted fresh fruit. Not only is a wide variety of West Texas organic and delicious citrus coming to the Co-op by way of our Distribution Center but look for an amazing selection of apples to add to your basket too. Want to take a delicious and healthy salad to that holiday party and offset tables full of sweets? Try the festive Lentil Apple Walnut Cider Salad recipe below. And finally, no holiday celebration would be complete if the joyous red of delectable cranberries were not to be found either in chutneys, a cranberry pear bread, stuffed with almonds and wild rice in your turkey or any of the other many tasty ways cranberries add to the celebration. GRANDMA RIKKI’S CRANBERRY ORANGE WALNUT RELISH This sugarless version will delight all who share your table, and filled containers make great gifts or pot luck party treats.
Wash and clean the cranberries. Simmer cranberries in cranberry juice with raisins and walnuts until cranberries begin to pop. Peel and chunk oranges while this mixture cooks. When cranberries start to pop, add agar and stir well. Let bubble at near boiling for 2–3 minutes. Add oranges and simmer one more minute. Spoon into containers and let cool slightly. Cover and store in refrigerator to thicken until party time. Can be made ahead and stored in fridge for several days before serving. RECIPE
FROM
RIKKI SEYDEL.
LENTIL APPLE WALNUT CIDER SALAD A colorful and delicious salad for healthy holiday eating 1 1/2 cups French lentils 3 cloves garlic 2 sprigs thyme 1 bay leaf 2 cups apple cider 2 T whole-grain Dijon mustard 2 T cider vinegar 2 shallots, minced 3 T canola oil Freshly ground black pepper 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1 apple, diced 8 cups baby spinach 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
In a medium pot, cover the lentils, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook until tender but not mushy—start checking at 15 minutes—then drain, rinse under cold water, and discard the garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Make the dressing: In a sauté pan, boil the cider until reduced to 1/3 cup. Allow the cider to cool, then whisk with the mustard, vinegar, shallots, and oil. Season the dressing with pepper and up to 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Toss the apples, lentils, and spinach in the dressing. Arrange on a platter and garnish with the walnuts. RECIPE
FROM
KATE SHERWOOD
OF
NUTRITION ACTION.
CO-OP NEWS
December 2015 7
IN MEMORIUM
BOB TERO
AN EXCELLENT MANAGER, HUMBLE LEADER
AND FRIEND TO US ALL
December Calendar
of Events 12/6 12/12 12/12 12/15 12/19 12/25
GENERAL MANAGER’S COLUMN BY JOHN
MULLÉ t is with great sadness that I report that La Montañita Co-op Interim General Manager Bob Tero passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on October 28th. All of us in the Co-op community who knew and worked with him are grieving the loss of a uniquely talented individual, a devoted family man, an excellent manager, a humble leader, and a dear and sincere friend.
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Holiday Party, Nob Hill Co-op Holiday Party, Valley Co-op Holiday Party, Santa Fe Co-op BOD Meeting, Immanuel Church, 5:30pm Holiday Party, Westside Co-op All Co-op Locations are CLOSED
SEE CENTERFOLD FOR DETAILS ON CO-OP PARTIES
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.
Bob was hired in 2006 as the Co-op’s Deli Coordinator. His extensive experience in fresh foods and food service was instrumental in improving Deli operations. In 2009 he was promoted to Perishables Department Coordinator, working with the Meat, Cheese, and Produce Departments in addition to his Deli responsibilities. In 2013 Bob was again promoted, this time to the position of Operations Manager, and in that capacity he also served as the Project Manager to open the new Westside Co-op location.
one of three finalists for the Co-op’s permanent GM position. He passed away just days before his interview.
Bob was a strong, guiding force in the growth and success of the Co-op Distribution Center, and he was very successful in securing grants to further the Co-op’s efforts to grow and strengthen the local and regional food movement. He was passionate about the concept and the formation of the Sweet Grass Beef Cooperative, and he frequently traveled to other co-ops to assist them with their operations. Most recently Bob was thriving in and embracing his new position as Interim General Manager, and he was
The impact of Bob’s work will be felt for years to come at La Montañita and in the local and regional food movements. The impact of his wise counsel and guidance to those who knew him well is immeasurable. Bob’s insightful nature, quiet humor, and unfailing kindness touched our hearts. Our thoughts and best wishes are with his family during this difficult time. I will be serving as Interim General Manager until a replacement for Bob is hired. You may know me from my years working as the Store Team Leader of La Montañita’s Rio Grande location. As Bob wrote at the end of his last newsletter article: “As always, my door is open and I truly enjoy our dialogues.” PLEASE CONTACT ME AT: jm@lamontanita.coop or call 217-0920
Bob’s insightful nature, quiet humor, and unfailing kindness
TOUCHED OUR HEARTS
MUJERES EN ACCIÓN CO-OP TAMALES
SPOTLIGHT
ON HOLIDAY
MEATS
somewhat uncertain. The women in the program already knew how to make tamales and Mujeres en Acción as we know it was born.
IT’S
THE
SEASON YOUR CO-OP HAS A WIDE VARIETY OF SPECIALTY MEATS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR
HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS
Come to your favorite Co-op Meat counter to find a wide variety of high quality specialty meats. This includes Sweet Grass Co-op’s local, grass-fed, grass-finished beef, Shepards Lamb and Tierra del Sol lamb as well as local, GMOfree Kyzer Pork. Other specialty meats available may include: duck, quail, goose, yak, goat, bison and elk. And as always we have local organic Embudo turkeys, as well as Mary’s organic and free range turkeys and chickens. In addition to whole turkeys we will happily do a custom cut to meet your needs. Give your favorite Co-op Meat Department a call for help deciding what best meets your holiday feasting needs. Please get in touch in advance for specialty items.
Co-op Distribution Center: CO-OP TO CO-OP SUPPORT
BY ROBIN SEYDEL othing says winter holidays like tamales and Mujeres en Acción has been making their tamales in Albuquerque for nearly two decades. Mujeres en Accion is an economic development cooperative made up of immigrant Spanish-speaking women who reside in or near Albuquerque’s South Broadway community. In February 1996 a group of eight women from the South Broadway neighborhood, trained in domestic violence prevention at UNM Family Development program, formed Mujeres en Acción (MEA).
N
Realizing that many women are forced to remain in violent relationships due to a lack of economic self-sufficiency, they wanted to address the problem with an income-generating component. Mujeres’ first incarnation was as a ceramics studio, but the making, marketing and selling of pottery proved
need the perfect
GIFT?
MEA is a kitchen cooperative with hands-on training projects that teach new job skills while generating income through sales of Mexican and New Mexican food. Mujeres Co-op members learn how to run their own business, bookkeeping, computer use, English as a second language, time management, quality control, sales, marketing problem-solving, cooperative decision making and many take their GED while involved with the Mujeres en Acción cooperative. As participants in the foodshed project their tamales are distributed by the Cooperative Distribution Center and now can be found at fine food markets around the state as well as at all five full service La Montañita locations. You are welcome to special order large quantities (dozens) of tamales for your holiday gatherings. For frozen tamales call the frozen department at your closest Co-op location or for ready-to-eat tamales contact your favorite Co-op Deli.
co-op
gift certificates
From $10 and up, give the gift OF GREAT TASTING HEALTHY FOOD!
FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS, WE INVITE YOU TO GIVE GIFTS FOR BODY, MIND & SPIRIT. La Montañita Co-op has you covered this holiday with gift ideas from health & wellness to fashion & handcrafted local/organic products — something for everyone on your list.
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10 Light Up Fingers & Toes This Holiday Season 10. Create a gift package with a color spectrum of Mineral Fusion Nail Care with more than 20 shades of polish that are good for you! (100% vegan. Formaldehyde Free. Camphor Free. DBP Free. Toluene Free.) WS, RG
‘tis the season for giving
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Body Love Stress Free Inside & Out Down time goes perfect with 4. Spoonk Relaxation Mat creating deep mental and physical relaxation for increased energy, reduced inflammation and pain, with an improved and deeper sleep at RG 5. Badger Balm Set is a blend of organic plant extracts, exotic oils and butters to make healing personal care products that work and feel remarkably good at WS
.....................................
SUNDAY, DEC 6
fresh • local • organic holiday food & music
NOB HILL ABQ • 2-5pm
2:00pm • Dean Gibson - Ecletic tin hand drums 2:30pm • The Loren Kahn Puppet Theater (for children of all ages) 3:00pm • Emily E. Erb and Friends Classic and season clarinet & oboe duets 3:30pm • The Loren Kahn Puppet Theater (for children of all ages) 4:00pm • Temporary Tattoos – Folk acoustic
SATURDAY, DEC 12
6
SANTA FE • 12:30-3:30pm
1:30 - 3:30pm • Brian Bennett & Catherine Donovan
SATURDAY, DEC 12
7
12
RIO GRANDE ABQ • 2-5pm
2:30pm • Dean Gibson - Ecletic tin hand drums 3:30pm • Mosaic Woodwind Trio - Classic & seasonal
SATURDAY, DEC 19
2 8
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A Gift That’s Skin Deep 1. Evanhealy Rose treatment skincare, universally balancing formula for all skin 2. Laughing Turtle Soap Co. Bathe in mineral rich salt from the Himalayas combined with all natural essential oils and botanicals 3. Zumbar Frankincense and Myrrh goat’s milk soap will leave skin naturally ultra-moisturized and energized for the holidays. All at NH
WESTSIDE ABQ •11am-4pm
Show Off with Color, Shape and Style! 11. Sweet Marcel Socks globally inspired, uniquely designed and colored socks at NH 12. Earth Henna Tattoo Kit Paint the body beautiful with henna powder from the fields of Morocco, RG 13. Boody – Organic Bamboo ECOwear for men and women who want undergarments that satisfy their desire for seam-free and form fitting wear for that next to nothing feeling of freedom at NH
11:30am • Mosaic Woodwind Trio - Classic, seasonal 1:00pm • Zia Consevatory - Folk, seasonal acoustic 2:30pm • Jazz Brasileiro - Bossa Nova
NOB HILL
Scents for the Senses Bring Good Vibes Fill your loved one’s spaces with positive energy and relaxing aromas with 6. Big Dipper Wax Works holiday inspired, handcrafted intricately sculpted candles that burn for over 50 hours, SF 7. NOW Solutions Oil Diffuser (BPA Free) using vibrations to create aroma mist to maintain essential oil integrity and 8. Nectar Aromatherapy for body, mind & spirit, both at WS
December 24: 7am - 6pm • December 25: Closed New Year’s Eve: 7am - 9pm • New Year’s Day: 8am - 8pm
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RIO GRANDE
December 24: 7am - 6pm • December 25: Closed New Year’s Eve: 7am - 9pm • New Year’s Day: 9am - 8pm
WESTSIDE
December 24: 7am - 6pm • December 25: Closed New Year’s Eve: 7am - 8pm • New Year’s Day: 9am - 8pm
SANTA FE
December 24: 7am - 6pm • December 25: Closed New Year’s Eve: 7am - 9pm • New Year’s Day: 8am - 8pm
GALLUP
December 24: 8am - 6pm • December 25: Closed New Year’s Eve: 8am - 7pm • New Year’s Day: 9am - 7pm
3 15 14
18 9 For Furry Friends: Fill Fido’s Stocking with 9. Calming Lavender for Dogs in this all-natural gift by Environmentails. Or choose from the many other local, organic and fair-trade toys and special treats from our Pet Departments. Find it at NH WS, Westside • RG, Rio Grande • SF, Santa Fe • NH, Nob Hill • Many products can be found at multiple locations. Please ask one of our staff for more information.
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Make Liquid Libations a Little Sweeter. 14. Lifefactory BPA free healthy and responsible wine glassware with non-slip surface, WS 15. Enjoy the best cup of Joe with Aerobie, aeropress for an espresso-like coffee; best on darker roasts, RG 16. Villa Myriam Coffee LOCAL and single origin, hand-picked, organic coffee available in bulk 17. Omni Houseware Teapot for one or two with mesh basket 18. Pukka Tea in a variety of flavors using only the highest quality of organic herbs, all at RG
Photos by Austin Mye, La Montañita Co-op
FUN HOLIDAY FOODS
December 2015 10
SEASONAL FAVORITES AND NEW TASTE TREATS GLUTEN-FREE COOKIE CUTTER COOKIES From Heidi Anderson Makes 5-7 dozen / Prep time: 2 hours 1 cup butter, softened 1 1/2 cups sugar 3 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 tsp cream of tartar 3 1/4 cups rice flour 1/4 cup arrowroot powder 1 heaping tsp psyllium husk powder 2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and add sugar gradually until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each one. Stir in vanilla extract. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining dry ingredients. Then add to the butter mixture and stir until all is incorporated. Chill the dough tightly covered overnight in the refrigerator. When you are ready to bake the cookies, heat oven to 350°F. Dust a clean, flat work space with rice flour. Work with a fist sized piece of dough at a time, leaving the unused portion of dough in the refrigerator (or even the freezer while you’re cutting the cookies). Dust both sides of the working dough with some flour and, using a rolling pin, roll it out to roughly 1/4 inch thick. Cut out the cookies. If necessary, use a sharp edged spatula to lift the cookies onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Decorate. Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies have just barely begun to color. Remove the cookies to a cooling rack. Continue until all the dough has been used.
NUTRITION INFORMATION (1 cookie): Calories 86; Total fat 3g; Saturated fat 2g; Cholesterol 17mg; Sodium 89mg; Total carbohydrate 8g; Dietary Fiber 0g; Sugars 5g; Protein 1g OLD FASHIONED FROZEN CRANBERRY ‘SALAD’ From Heidi Anderson Serves 10-12 / Prep time: 30 minutes / Freeze time: 3 hours One 8-oz. bag frozen cranberries 3/4 cup sugar One 8-oz. carton heavy whipping cream 1 cup walnuts, chopped One 14-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained well In a saucepan on low, stir cranberries and 1/4 cup of sugar until the sugar is well dissolved and the cranberries begin to soften. Remove from heat and cool completely. Meanwhile, add the heavy whipping cream to a clean jar. Add the lid tightly and shake until there is no more liquid and the cream is fully whipped, about 8 minutes. In a bowl, mix the cooled cranberries, the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, chopped walnuts, and pineapple. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Pour into an 8x8 inch casserole dish. Cover and place into the freezer for a minimum of 3 hours or until the salad is completely frozen. To serve, remove the dish from the freezer, cut servings with a sharp knife and serve immediately. NUTRITION INFORMATION: Calories 370; Total fat 16g; Saturated fat 6g; Cholesterol 27mg; Sodium 7mg; Total carbohydrate 17g; Dietary Fiber 2g; Sugars 13g; Protein 3g
FUN HOLIDAY FOODS HOLIDAY CHUTNEY From Heidi Anderson Serves 12 / Prep time: 20 minutes / Cooking time: 1-2 hours 1 can orange juice concentrate 1 bag frozen cranberries 2 apples, peeled and chopped 2 cinnamon sticks 1 T ground allspice 1 T ground cardamom 1 tsp salt 1 dried chile, minced or 1 T chile powder (optional) 1/2 onion, diced 5 dried apricots, minced 5 dried figs, minced 1/4 cup raisins 2 T brown sugar 1 T molasses About 1-2 cups water Add all the ingredients to a soup pot and simmer on low for a 1–2 hours (can also be done in a crock pot). Remove cinnamon sticks before serving. It is best to prepare the chutney at least a day before serving. Goes well with meat, rice, soups, oatmeal, etc. The flavors will meld and deepen with age. Can be frozen in ice cube trays and then placed in a freezer container for easily thawed single servings. NUTRITION INFORMATION: Calories 109; Total fat 0g; Saturated fat 0g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 199mg; Total carbohydrate 27g; Dietary Fiber 2g; Sugars 989g; Protein 1g BETTER THAN HOT COCOA From Cheryl Travers Serves: 2 / Time: 20 minutes 16 oz. coconut milk 2 inches fresh ginger, sliced 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp cardamon 1/4 tsp ashwaganda powder 1/2 tsp turmeric 1 T coconut oil Simmer all ingredients for approximately 15–20 minutes, then serve immediately. If desired, sweeten with stevia. A warm, yummy and fantastic treat!
CO-OP
HOLIDAY PA RT I E S
SEE YOU
THERE December 6 NOB HILL CO-OP December 12 SANTA FE CO-OP December 12 VALLEY CO-OP December 19 WESTSIDE CO-OP See centerfold for details!
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Calories 150; Total fat 12g; Saturated fat 10g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 31mg; Total carbohydrate 10g; Dietary Fiber 1g; Sugars 6.2g; Protein 1g APPLE PIE SUPERFOOOD SMOOTHIE From Cheryl Travers Serves: 2 / Time: 5–10 minutes plus refrigeration 1 cup of coconut milk 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp cardamom 1 tsp lucuma powder 1/2 tsp mesquite powder 1 1/2 tsp ginger powder 1/3 cup maple syrup or agave 2 T flax seeds, ground 2 T chopped pecans 2 apples, seeds removed Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for a cooler smoothie, or serve immediately. NUTRITION INFORMATION: Calories 358; Total fat 10g; Saturated fat 3g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 311mg; Total carbohydrate 66g; Dietary Fiber 7g; Sugars 49g; Protein 3g
December 2015 11
HEALTHY HOLIDAYS
December 2015 12
FOR A BUSY TIME OF YEAR :
FEED YOUR
BODY AND
FAST FOOD AT
SOUL
HOME
AMYLEE UDELL t's the most wonderful time of the year, and usually the most overbooked! It can be difficult to find time for families to eat, let alone eat a wholesome meal together. Even when you're at home these busy days, you're probably not able to put together that healthy menu and work plan. That's when take-out or a meal out can sabotage budgets, diets and overall mood. Here are a few easy and nourishing meals that you can put together with little time, minimal effort and basic ingredients. Some of these are not completely balanced by most standards, but for that one crazy night, they'll feed your bodies and souls without stripping your wallet and schedules.
WITHOUT
STRIPPING
YOUR WALLET
BY
I
BONUS: almost all of these are kid-friendly! Young kids can help with some of the preparation, but supervision will be required for many. These are great opportunities to help children build their kitchen skills and cooking confidence. Pasta and sauce. A classic. If I don't have an "emergency" jar of pre-made sauce stashed in the back of the pantry, I grab a big can of diced tomatoes or other tomato variation and toss in some spices. I usually have some parmesan on hand and voilà, dinner is served. Miso soup. Don't have any broth on hand? Use miso! It stores well long term, so I always have a jar in the back of my refrigerator. Sometimes I mix it with broth for extra flavor and bone building benefits. La Montañita has a variety of wonderful misos. They vary in price and ingredients, so you can find one flavor that works for you. Making miso is as simple as adding a scoop to hot water. Mix to blend. To that I add whatever I find in the refrigerator, especially leftovers: noodles, rice or grains, vegetables, fish or meat. Canned tuna or salmon. It's ready to go when you are, so keep a few cans on hand. In a real pinch, you can eat it straight from the can. But here are a few other easy variations. Add the fish to cooked pasta. Mix in an egg and fry
kasha (buckwheat) and bulgur wheat are very quick. Boil water or broth, add the grain and let sit for a few minutes. Fluff up and serve. up some patties, with or without buns or top a salad with the patties. Make a quick tuna salad by adding mayonnaise and chopped veggies. You can eat this straight or make tuna melts by spreading it on bread or toast and then melting cheese on top. Or, return to a classic tuna salad sandwich. If you have lettuce, tomatoes and other fixings, great. If not, plain tuna salad sandwich has its charms. Another childhood classic, the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Oh the joy of the simple PB&J. Keep it simple and add a glass of milk. Use bananas for an Elvis favorite. Substitute the jelly with some seasonal applesauce or apple butter, pear butter or mash up whatever other fruit you can find in the house. Finger food picnic dinner. This is a no-cook meal. Have the kids set out these various items and let everyone dive in and make their own picnic platter. • Fruit (any fruit). Grapes are easy, apple slices work well, anything that's finger food. • Cheese • Bread and crackers. Or pitas. This is a great way to use up odds and ends. • Nuts • Hummus. Or any sort of dip. • Pickles of any kind. • Carrots, celery, tomatoes. • Hard-boiled eggs. Again, anything grabbable. Mini pizzas. Use a base of regular bread, bagels, tortillas or English muffins. We've also used eggplant slices with much success. Top with pizza sauce (or tomato sauce with spices) and mozzarella cheese and bake until toasty and melty. Add other toppings if desired including frozen spinach for an easy increase in nutrition. The old standby. Do you have some leftovers but just not enough to satisfy everyone? Bulk up your meals with a quick cooking grain. Couscous,
Baked potato bar. A standard for us, even in non-emergency meal situations. While they take awhile to bake (try a pressure cooker for fast cooking), they take no oversight or work while they're baking. Serve the potatoes with classic accompaniments like sour cream, cheese, bacon bits, chives, butter, chili or leftover vegetables, canned or leftover mushrooms, salsa, and whatever else strikes you. Try this with sweet potatoes, too! Nachos. Grab some tortilla chips, spread on a baking sheet. Top with cheese, beans (canned or leftover) and/or available meat, and your favorite spices. Put into a warm oven and while the meal heats, scour the kitchen for toppings. Green chile, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, red onions, cilantro, jalapeños, olives and my personal favorite, sprouts! The last few items are breakfasts that also make excellent and convenient dinners! Smoothies. These can be fruity, creamy, green, icy or even savory. Children can help by chopping or tearing ingredients and then get help running the blender. Fruits, milks, avocado, coconut, and greens are typical favorites. You can add whatever you have on hand and add your own favorite nutritional boosts: protein powder, nuts or nut butters, yogurt, probiotics, green powders, vitamins, or whatever your family finds that works. "Leftover" omelets. Most families have eggs available, so to those add your leftovers or pantry items and make omelets or hash. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, root veggies, cheeses, meats, greens, and onions are all great additions. For extra oomph, top with some of those nacho toppings listed above. Parfaits. Yogurt, granola, and berries or fruit can be layered for a fancy effect or just mixed together for a filling dessert-like dinner. I wish you as low-stress a holiday season as possible with good health to carry you through. I hope these easy meal ideas help you achieve your holiday happiness. Many Blessings!
COONRIDGE
GOAT CHEESE
THE GIFT OF GREAT LOCAL
TASTE
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ancy Coonridge has been making world-class goat cheese since 1981, full of superior local flavor and power-packed with nutrition in environmentally sound reusable packaging. Nancy says “We are proving that wonderful taste and nutritional superiority doesn't have to come at the expense of the environment, our goats’ well-being or our health. Besides promoting sustainable, non-chemical, non-factory farmed animal husbandry and cheese making, we strive to always live in harmony with the natural world that supports us all.”
Nancy, her interns and her herd of Alpine, Nubian, La Mancha and Oberhasli dairy goats all live in the wilderness at 8,000 feet not far from the Continental Divide. The goats have a barn and barnyard to sleep in at night. Each morning after milking, the goats and their Maremma guardian dogs go off to enjoy their day free ranging in the rim rock country of western New Mexico. “When we say our goats are “not” free range we do not mean they have a pasture, however large. We mean there are no fences and no human neighbors for miles and miles. Our goats go where they please with their Maremma guardian dogs as escorts. These fearless shepherd dogs pro-
tect the goats from many predators including mountain lion, bear, coyote and reintroduced wolves.” Going a step beyond grass fed, Coonridge goats never receive hormones, antibiotics or chemical wormers, are GMO-free, grain-free and wild-fed on unpolluted rangeland. If there is too much rain or snow for them to go out, Nancy and staff give them certified organic hay in their barn. This unique gourmet cheese has been certified organic since 1998 has won numerous awards including Farmer of the year from the New Mexico Department of Agriculture’s Organic Program. A Gift that Keeps on Giving Coonridge Goat Cheese is a soft spreading cheese that comes in a 7.5 oz. glass jar and is covered with certified organic sunflower seed oil, certified organic extra virgin olive oil and certified organic herbs. Covering their cheeses with oil and herbs seals it from the air and allows the flavors to mingle. This is a traditional Mediterranean way of preserving cheese. Coonridge cheese can be stored in the refrigerator for months and months, even up to a year! You can also freeze and thaw, freeze and thaw without breaking the jar or changing the texture or flavor of the cheese. Serve at room temperature for full flavor! The lovely jars of Coonridge goat cheese make the perfect holiday gift paired with some crackers and olives or fruit. It comes in a wide variety of flavors including herbs and garlic, dried tomato, basil and garlic, black pepper and herbs, raw milk feta in garlic oil, flame roasted green chile, and NM raspberry made with Heidi’s local organic raspberry jam, and many more. Look for Coonridge Goat cheese in the cheese case of your favorite Co-op location.
HEALTHY HOLIDAYS
December 2015 13
S TAY I N G H E A LT H Y D U R I N G H O L I D AY F E S T I V I T I E S
DIGESTIVE
AIDS
BY ROBIN SEYDEL t’s holiday party season and with it come all those delectable holiday foods that are so hard to resist. Should that holiday bloat or indigestion occur, or if you just want to stave it off before it happens, the Co-op Wellness Department has got you covered. There are a wide variety of effective herbs that can help indigestion, upset stomach and heartburn. They come in three distinct groups of herbal remedies: bitters, which stimulate digestion; carminatives, which relieve gas; and demulcents, which have a soothing quality.
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BITTERS It is believed that the bitter quality of these herbs have a capacity for stimulating digestion through enhancing production of saliva and helping support both digestive enzymes and stomach acid. Bitter herbs are therefore effective when stomach acid is low. They are not recommended if the patient suffers from heartburn. In that case increasing already excessive stomach acid would aggrevate the heartburn condition. Many people will take a bit of bitters before indulging to help stave off any discomfort. In Europe and South America there is a tradition of drinking digestive bitters as an alcoholic drink at the end of meals. Wormwood is sometimes combined with carminative herbs for people who suffer from indigestion. A double-blind research trial reported that combining wormwood with caraway, fennel and peppermint helped lessen gas and cramping. Horehound contains flavonoids, alkaloids, diterpenes (marrubiin from resins) and traces of volatile oils. The primary active ingredient, marrubiin, and perhaps its precursor, premarrubiin, have the effect of increasing saliva flow and creation of gastric juices, and thus stimulate both the appetite and the digestive process. Bitters used in American traditional herbal medicine include yellow dock, yarrow, vervain, dandelion, gentian and Oregon grape.
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is very well known traditionally as an aid for many gastrointestinal complaints including indigestion, gas, and cramping. It reduces inflammation and nausea and helps with intestinal functioning.
HERBS CAN HELP QUIET
DIGESTIVE DISTRESS and keep you merry during and after holiday parties!
CARMINATIVES Carminatives, known as aromatic bitters, are helpful in relieving indigestion when the symptoms are belching and gas because they help reduce spasms in the intestinal system. Peppermint (Mentha piperita), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) and Caraway (Carum carvi) are probably the most well-studied carminatives and the best known and used. Double-blind trials demonstrate that combining peppermint with caraway oil, or peppermint, fennel, caraway and wormwood reduces indigestion symptoms by reduceing cramping and gas. Make a tea of the herbs by grinding 2–3 teaspoons of fennel and/or caraway and simmer for 10 minutes in a cup of water. Pour over peppermint leaves and drink. An alternative method is to add a teaspoon of each to a quart jar, poor in boiling water let it sit for at least 15 minutes, then sip it gradually throughout the day. Note: peppermint may not be helpful if you have heartburn because it apparently relaxes the muscular ring at the top of the stomach.
KEEPING INDIGESTION AT BAY BY JESSIE EMERSON o not let indigestion, heartburn or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) spoil the holidays for you and your family. Indigestion is generally caused by unhealthy eating habits and our reaction to stress. Looking deeper into the inflammation and burning sensations, you may want to ask yourself: “What is it I can’t stomach? What am I angry about? What life lessons am I not learning and assimilating?”
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The little purple pill is for severe cases and short term use. Chronic use of Proton Pump Inhibitors (pills that stop production of stomach acid) can cause serious problems: low magnesium and calcium levels. Low calcium can lead to osteoporosis and bone fractures. Magnesium is necessary for muscle strength. If major body valves (which are made of muscle material) are deficient in magnesium they become weak and do not function efficiently. When the valve between the stomach and esophagus does not close completely the contents of the stomach escape causing burning and scarring of the delicate mucus membranes. This can lead to cancer. Acid in the stomach serves a vital function. Food is torn apart and the nutritional contents are assimilated into the body, creating new cells. No acid means incomplete digestion. All body organs and systems are affected. The acid also helps to keep the bacterial in balance. An alkaline environment allows Hpylori (causes ulcers) and C-Diff bacteria to take over causing diseases which could be fatal. Foods high in magnesium include fresh green vegetables, chard, spinach, lambs quarters, kale, wheat germ, whole grains, seafoods (be careful here, as our oceans are contaminated with radiation and other
toxic materials) corn, apples, peaches, apricots, figs, nuts and seeds (especially almonds), garlic, lima beans and milk. Here are some basic rules for healthy digestion: 1. Eat slowly, take small bites and chew thoroughly. 2. Remain sitting after meals for at least 30 minutes. 3. Make your main meal earlier in the day and have a light meal in the evening. 4. Avoid excessive consumption of spicy, fried and processed foods, alcohol and coffee. 5. Do include more raw fruits and veggies, especially dark green leaves, in your diet. 6. This may be the most important tip of all. Avoid negative thoughts, conversation and people during meals. 7. For immediate relief, think water. Water extinguishes fire; it will also dilute the stomach acid, making it less concentrated. My father drank apple cider vinegar (1 tsp) in 8 ounces water every day of his life. He never got the flu or had digestive problems. This combination of water and apple cider vinegar aids digestion and provides the necessary magnesium. What plant needs to ALWAYS be in or near the kitchen? Aloe vera. Use the pure juice without any additives or preservatives. Drink one ounce daily to soothe and heal mucus membranes.
Linden (Tilia spp.) also has been traditionally used for indigestion due to its antispasmodic action. Research has demonstrated that linden flower tea benefits those who suffer from indigestion, upset stomach or excessive gas. Linden is not only a carminative but it has relaxing qualities. You can make linden tea by steeping 2–3 teaspoons of the flowers for 15 minutes, drinking several cups daily to relieve symptoms. Other carminative herbs include the well-known Tumeric (Curcuma longa) which reduces inflammation as well as relieving indigestion and Chamomile (German chamomile or Matricaria recutita) which reduces inflammation and irritation and eases the digestive tract. Chamomile enhances proper digestion through its inflammation and irritation-reducing qualities and may be helpful for the irritation caused by heartburn. Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is another carminative herb used traditionally for indigestion. Sage (Salvia officinalis) is approved in Germany for indigestion, but is not recommended for breastfeeding women. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is sometimes used to treat indigestion in the elderly by European herbal practitioners. DEMULCENT HERBS Demulcent herbs have soothing qualities reducing inflammation and creating a barrier against stomach acid or other abdominal irritants. Licorice protects the lining of the digestive tract by producing mucin, a gel-like compound that inhibits the effects of excessive stomach acid and other harmful irritants. Slippery Elm contains mucilage which may help heartburn by acting as a barrier to acid’s effects on the esophagus. It sooths inflammation but is not anti-inflammatory. It is also an antioxidant and helps protect the digestive system from free radical damage. You can make tea by boiling 1/2-2 grams slippery elm bark in about 3/4 cup water for 10 to 15 minutes and cool it before drinking up to 3–4 cups a day. Tinctures can also be taken but are considered to be less helpful. Other demulcents including bladderwrack and marshmallow are used like slippery elm. Ask the knowledgeable Co-op Wellness staff at your favorite location for a wide variety of herbal, homeopathic and other digestive aids for to keep you feeling good at all your holiday doings.
COMMUNITY FORUM
HEARTAND
SOIL
NURTURING OURSELVES AND
OUR PLANET
BY KATHERINE MULLÉ his past October, I was most happy to be among some of our Co-op staff who were fortunate enough to attend Vandana Shiva’s talk at UNM. We had a lovely evening meeting new friends, catching up with old ones, eating a delicious vegetarian dinner, and of course, hearing Vandana’s wise and insightful words. Many of her ideas struck a chord with me, but this one in particular stood out: “What’s happening in the soil is happening in our hearts.”
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It’s a simple sentiment, but an incredibly meaningful one. If the soil is healthy, nourished, and cared for, then so are we. On the flipside, if it is less so, then so too are we. The politics of the agricultural industry have allowed for much of our soil to suffer, and the negative connotations of this are easy to get lost in. But during this holiday season, I feel especially blessed to be surrounded by people passionate about creating good soil
December 2015 14 which the Co-op publically screened in Santa Fe this past September, observes that soil is “the link between geology and biology.” On a world of rock, it is soil that allows life to plant strong roots—to grow and flourish in the world above. Our New Mexican soil needs lots TLC, but it makes the dreams of New Mexico’s passionate farmers possible, and allows the Co-op to support well over 400 of them, bringing their bountiful harvest to over 17,000 Co-op owners. Working the soil at the Veteran Farmer Project allows us to grow hundreds of pounds of produce each week— produce that not only goes back to the community through the VA Farmers’ Market and the Co-op, but to our passionate and hard-working families who volunteer at the farm, most of whom are veterans. Even on a small scale, our soil is flourishing; our own personal backyard gardens allow us to feed our families and our neighbors with the fruits of our labor. Sharing bowls of produce and scrumptious recipes is one of my favorite parts about gardening season! Without a doubt, the Co-op is a community of kind and supportive people who are passionate about creating good soil—soil that nurtures our food the good old-fashioned, organic way, the way: it’s meant to be. But the Coop is also a community that knows this nourishment
Here in New Mexico, our soils are often hard-packed clay or just plain sand. As organic farmers and gardeners, we are gentle in our care for the soil. We use centuries-old techniques like crop rotation to sustain nutrients, and add in organic fertilizer to replenish soil that needs a little extra love. But Mother Nature, in her amazing and awesome entirety, does much to take care of the soil on her own. Her creatures pass by and leave their droppings; her stray flower petals and leaves fall to the ground. And as these bits of nature return to where they first came, they break down, feed the soil, nourish it, and add to its fertility. And fertile soil is incredibly important. Without it, there would be no life. The film Symphony of the Soil,
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needs to extend beyond the soil on our farms and in gardens that fosters our food. It must extend to the soil on which we build our lives—the places and people precious to us that help us grow strong roots: healthy and happy lives. That soil also needs nourishment, and that soil, so to speak, is our community. And so, as Vandana might say, “What’s happening in the community is happening in our hearts.” The more good we put into the community, the more it comes back to our hearts, filling us with strength, fulfillment, and inspiration. We know that our roots are at their strongest when nourished with the goodwill, support, and companionship that we find in and contribute to our community. The Co-op nourishes our community soil through giving back to its owners, supporting vets in the Veteran Farmer Project, helping farmers through the Co-op Distribution Center and La Montañita FUND, supporting non-profits through the Donate-a-Dime program, assisting homebound shoppers with the homebound delivery program, helping food shelters by donating fruits and veggies, and helping make children’s holiday wishes comes true through the holiday giving trees, to name just a few ways. And this illuminates why the Co-op is unique among health food stores: at its heart, it’s made up of the community, and it supports the community. And that is the Co-op difference. Here’s to another year of creating and sustaining our precious soil, with good heart.
DAYS OF
FUTURE PAST A CO-OP BY BRETT BAKKER s touches of gray creep into my hair and bones get a little (ok, a lot) creakier, I sometimes open my dim and dimmer memories to take stock of how the heck I got here. Back in 1976 I “ran away from home” after high school graduation to work at Omega Natural Food Store & Café in Delaware Water Gap, PA, a town through which the fabled Appalachian Trail runs. You literally have to cross the main street as you hike it. It was the first bulk food store I had ever seen and our whole wheat veggie pizza was well known along the Trail from Maine to Georgia, as was the Goat’s Milk Ice Cream we dipped by the gallons each week. I had just turned eighteen, had my own apartment (well actually a crummy room over a crummier bar), great food at my fingertips, a national forest just a five minute walk from the door and a bunch of older hippie freaks to look up to. What else could a young societal dropout want? Yeah, a giant garden would’ve been cool too, but few local longhairs were that advanced yet except for the legendary Vermont communes.
It’s a long story, but a year later that Omega experience led me to the East Mountains outside of Albuquerque and free rent in a log cabin on 1/4 square mile. I hitch-hiked in and out of town weekly to bake bread for two bucks an hour at the longdefunct Bakery Café near UNM. The place was, shall we say, loose. I first saw a flyer for it on a lamp post when I “landed” in town. Tellingly, there was no address given. It was kind of like the ol’ Merry Prankster thing: if you were (figuratively) “on the bus,” you would find them. Which I eventually did and begged for a job which was quickly given... as I say, loose. For example, there was the Soup, Salad and Bread deal which, as one customer finally pointed out to us, cost less if you ordered each item separately. Oops. Making money was not our specialty; neither was paying taxes, an issue that the IRS would, you know, get technical about a couple of years later, but that’s another story. It was through the Bakery that I heard about La Montañita Co-op, a small storefront on the corner
THE
ORIGINAL
of Girard and Central which also supplied bulk goods to hippie businesses. It was unusual to see any packaged products, unless you bought in fifty pound or five-gallon units. Most of us did just that for home use back then. Fifty pounds of popcorn and five pounds of nutritional yeast was the basis of many a meal. At the Co-op, a case of limp, organic lettuce was cause for celebration when little if anything was certified. In any case, you pretty much had to bring your own bags and containers and pack your own groceries. Across the hallway (the Co-op was housed in the Girard Street Alternative Community Center) was a glorified broom closet that housed the budding Herb Store. Our bakery was a few blocks away as well as the similar Sundance Café (they were even looser than us Bakery folk in ways that might not yet be past the statute of limitations). A few more blocks and there was Baba’s Community Food Store which sort of acted like a co-op, although it was a private enterprise. And on the other side of the world (to us carless UNM-area denizens anyway) was Osha Food Co-op in the North Valley. Not far from there was the fabled McIlhaney Dairy where whole raw milk could be had by the glass gallon jug. Okay, okay, you’re thinking, why are you telling us all this, you old geezer? Why, dear reader, to tell you about another old geezer. 2016 is the fortieth anniversary of La Montañita Co-op. Forty years ago, at this very moment people were sitting around someone’s kitchen table (maybe with a bowl of popcorn n’ nutritional yeast..?) figuring out exactly how to open the Co-op doors. I’m certain there’s all kinds of celebratory stuff up your Co-op’s collective sleeve and I want you to be ready to join the celebration, but mainly I wanted bragging rights as the first one to say it here: ¡Feliz cumpleaños, La Montañita!
COMMUNITY FORUM
December 2015 15
WINTER
BOSQUE BASH
MEDITATION
RETREAT
FUNDRAISER FOR BOSQUE PROTECTION ural qualities sought by visitors and wildlife alike, and harm the Bosque’s delicate ecosystem.
DECEMBER
13
BY CAMILLA FEIBELMAN he Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club has been working to protect a treasure in our midst, one of the world’s largest remaining cottonwood forests that lines the Rio Grande. Again this year everyone is invited to the “Bosque Bash” fundraiser held at Tortuga Gallery on Sunday, December 13 from 4 to 7pm. This lovely holiday event is our annual celebration of the work we do to protect our treasured urban forest. As always we'll raise funds to continue this work with donations at the door and a silent auction.
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In 2012, Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry introduced a development plan, called the Rio Grande Vision, that triggered a wave of dissent within the community. Community members anticipated that development of the Bosque would damage the nat-
As a response to the development plan, the Sierra Club’s Rio Grande Chapter, community members and other local organizations came together to form the Bosque Action Team to formulate a better vision for the Bosque. Our healthier vision includes opposing development between the levees and encouraging alternatives, such as improving access points to the Bosque and funding programs that provide education for students about the Bosque. The Bosque Action Team believes any efforts within the levees should be restorative, strengthening the Bosque as a natural habitat, and preserving its appeal as an "environmental gem."
A one to seven day silent retreat, “Clarifying Meditative Work—An Extended Retreat” will be held from Jan. 2 to Jan. 9 in a lodge in the National Forest in Tijeras, just outside of Albuquerque. Fees range from $60 to $290. Participants are welcome to come for one day or more. Advance registration is required.
Join us for a festive event that celebrates this natural treasure in our midst on December 13th from 4–7pm at the Tortuga Gallery. The Tortuga Gallery is located at 901 Edith Blvd. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87102.
The retreat will bring together people interested in meditation from any tradition, as well as people meditating without any traditional context. Introductory workshop on Dec. 12 from 2 to 5pm in Albuquerque. For more information contact Jay at 505281-0684 or visit: www.meditationNM.wordpress.com, 505.281.9888, or clair@nmia.com.
For more information about the Bash contact Camilla at camilla.feibelman@SIERRACLUB.ORG. or go to www.sierraclub or call 505-243-7767.
THINKING TECH GIFTS?
Shorter Calls Limit the length of your cell phone conversations. This one is simple math. Less time talking equals less radiation going into your body. Use a corded landline phone for long conversations.
THINK SAFETY EDITED FROM DIGITAL SOURCES t’s holiday time and many people, especially young folks, are asking for electronic gifts, e.g. smart phones. Exposure to cell phone radiation is a constant for most of us and while there is no getting away from the background levels of radio frequency (RF) waves, limiting or reducing our exposures is important, especially so for young people and children. When you hold your cell phone next to your head or wear it on your body, you can absorb over 50% of the transmitted RF energy. While cell phones bring enormous convenience to our lives, the possible health consequences of exposure to cell phone radiation have aroused considerable public attention and scientific debate.
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In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified cell phone radiation as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” The classification was mainly based on two lines of evidence at that time. The first was from a 13-country international study coordinated by the IARC known as the Interphone Study, which found a 40% increased risk of brain tumor called glioma for “heavy” cell phone users, which the study defined as an accumulated 1,640 hours or more life-time cell phone use— equivalent to about half-an-hour daily use for 10 years. The Debate: Possible or Probable? However, a 2015 mobile phone radiation study published in the International Journal of Oncology disagreed with the current IARC classification and believed that cell phone radiation should be reclassified as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” This study was not the first to argue that the IARC classification of cell phone
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radiation as a “possible carcinogen” should be raised to a “probable carcinogen” level. It is important to take precautionRADIO ary steps to protect yourself and FREQUENCY minimize your exposure while cell phone radiation studies continue to gather data. Below are some common sense tips to help lower your exposures to radiation.
SAFETY
Avoid Body Contact Follow the phone manufacturer’s warnings found in your owner’s manual and avoid using or carrying your cell phone against your head or body at all times. Most recommend having at least 10mm of space between you and your phone. That means you shouldn’t keep it in your pocket and women shouldn’t keep it in their bra. Text More Whenever possible, text rather than talk. This distance creates a much larger buffer between you and the powerful near field radiation from the phone. Use Speaker Mode or a Wired Headset If a call must be made, use the speakerphone or a wired headset. When holding the phone against your head for a call you are increasing the amount of radiation your head will be absorbing. Near field radiation from the phone is most concerning when the phone is against your body.
CO-OP
!
HOLIDAY FESTIVITIES
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, SANTA FE CO-OP 12:30–3:30PM 1:30-3:30pm: Brian Bennett and Catherine Donavan SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12, VALLEY CO-OP 2–5PM 2:30pm: Dean Gibson, tin hand drums 3:30pm: Mosaic Woodwind Trio SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, WESTSIDE CO-OP 11AM–4PM 11:30pm: Mosaic Woodwind Trio 1pm: Zia Conservatory 2:30pm: Jazz Brasileiro, Bossa Nova
Switch Sides of Head When Talking Switch sides regularly during a cell phone call to reduce radiation. Most of us use the same hand all the time to hold the phone when we talk. Avoid Use When Low Signal Avoid using your cell phone when the signal is weak or when moving at high speed, such as in a car or train. These scenarios cause mobile phones to increase their transmitting power in an attempt to connect to the nearest cell tower. You get more radiation and your battery drains faster under these conditions. Wait For Call Connection When making a call, wait for the call to connect before placing the phone next to the ear. The phone emits the most intense radiation during the initial connection, then lowers its power once a connection is established. Be Careful About “Shielding” Products Follow FTC advice to avoid using products on your cell phone that claim to “shield” cell phone emissions, because they may interfere with the phone’s signal. This may cause it to draw even more power and possibly emit more radiation as it is working harder to communicate. Do not use a cell phone case unless it has been proven not to increase SAR or weaken your cell phone signal. Use Airplane Mode Turn your cell phone off or put it in airplane mode when not in use. If you must leave your cell phone on at night, keep your cell phone away from your head and body while you are sleeping. Your phone continues to emit radiation even when you are not making a call.
Join us at all our Co-op locations for holiday festivities, natural foods samplings, music, friends and fun. And don’t forget to take an ornament off our Make a Child Smile Holiday Giving Trees, up at all locations around December 1. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6, NOB HILL CO-OP 2–5PM 2pm: Dean Gibson, tin hand drums 2:30pm: The Loren Kahn Puppet and Object Theater 3pm: Emily E. Erb and Friends seasonal clarinet and French horn 3:30pm: The Loren Kahn Puppet and Object Theater 4pm: Temporary Tattoos, Folk acoustic
Limit Kids’ Cell Phone Use Time Children should only use cell phones for emergencies or strictly in speaker mode at a safe distance. A child’s body is still developing and cell phone radiation penetrates a child’s brain more deeply than an adult brain. Very few studies have been completed on the effect of this radiation on children’s development.
Go to pongcase.com for more information.
ZIA FAMILY FOCUS CENTER
WINTER
TALENT SHOW AND SILENT AUCTION
DEC. 11 Enjoy performances that range from ballet to karate, flamenco, theater, fine arts and fiber displays and so much more. The primary goal of the Zia Family Focus Center is to provide quality affordable after school enrichment to Albuquerque’s children. For more information contact ziafamilyfocuscenter@ gmail.com or go to www.ziafamilyfocuscenter.org.