La Montanita Coop Connection Aug, 2012

La Montanita ˜ Co-op Administrative Offices 901 Menaul Blvd. NE • Albuquerque, NM 87107 www.lamontanita.coop

a u g u s t 2 012

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In so many ways it pays to be a La Montanita ˜ Co-op Member/Owner photo: David Ondrik

spend it like water

Panel discussion Ground & Surface Water Issues and an artists’ perspective

Saturday, August 18, 2012 1-4pm South Broadway Cultural Center

1025 Broadway SE • ABQ • www.cabq.gov See Details Inside for Panel Participants

Great Reasons to be a Co-op Member • Pick up our monthly newsletter full of information on food, health, environment and your Co-op.

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Spend It Like Water! liquid currency 2012 art exhibit &

The looming crisis in water quantity compounds a serious problem in water quality.

panel discussion

MICHAEL JENSEN, AMIGOS BRAVOS n August 18th there will be a public discussion on water issues in New Mexico, especially in the Rio Grande valley from Santa Fe to Albuquerque. The panel discussion is an integral part of an on-going art exhibition entitled, Spend it Like Water: Liquid Currency 2012, curated by artists Molly Geissman and Mary Lambert. Sponsors include Amigos Bravos and La Montañita Co-op.

BY

O

Limited water supplies are further stressed by growing urban and agricultural demands. Aggravating everything else, an accelerating trend toward weaker regulation by federal, state, and local government makes it more difficult to know where – and how much – pollution is occurring. New Mexico, as one of the poorest states in the country, is espeAmericans may not be cially threatened by this trend. As Art EXHBIT 6/28-8/24, 2012 starving, but WE ARE if the pollution of our communiThe invitational art exhibit contains ties is not bad enough, add the works from fifteen artists. Their THERE WAS A PRICE PLACED fact that the resource that offers pieces represent both individual and ON CLEAN WATER WE MIGHT START our rural low-income communicollective reflections on water and TREATING IT LIKE IT HAS VALUE. ties the promise of a sustainable our relationship with it. Some of the MAYBE WHEN IT’S GONE WE'LL future – water – is undergoing art is inspired by spiritual and emoREALIZE WE CAN’T DRINK OIL rapid commodification that is tional reactions to water; others are making the New Mexico saying more taken with representing physiOR MONEY.” -DAVE MATTHEWS “water flows upstream to cal aspects of water. Underlying money” a reality. everything, though, is a meditation on how our economic and political systems have All of these converging developments call for a comaltered the nature of water and our experience of it. munity-wide response that educates people about the impacts of environmental degradation and The artists include: engages the energy of the community-at-large.

Jane Abrams • Sally Condon • Barbara Grothus • Becky Holtzman • Joseph Lambert • Mary Lambert Art Inspired ACTION • Stephanie Lerma • Suzanne Marshall • David The problems we face are not just a matter of the Ondrik • Valerie Roybal • Carol Sanchez • Janet loss of biota, they are about the loss of imagination Shagam • Marilyn Stablein • Harriette Tsosie • in the face of overwhelming environmental degradaJennifer A. Zona tion and the effects of that degradation on public health and community economies.

Liquid Currency As an arid state, New Mexico has always had a preArtists have the potential to bring creative energy to carious water regime. The state’s natural aridity and issues that stymie the scientist. Land-based artists, for complex geography mean that 94% of our rivers and example, can link social issues with engineering constreams are non-perennial and 20% of the state’s cerns. Artists have the ability to inspire a public that land area is comprised of closed basins. Climate is alienated from the (degraded) natural world or in change appears likely to make that regime much denial about what is so plain to see around them. worse; some Southwest climate experts believe that Artists can also inspire people who are eager to find within a few years to a few decades the region will constructive channels for acting on behalf of their transition to a climate pattern in which what we conlocal environment and other special places. sider drought will become the “base” climate.

IF

L A S T S T O P AT T H E O A S I S :

art inspires

Less water means less “dilution” for existing contaminant discharges, while warming water temperature and more erratic and stronger storms create increased sediment loads and alter existing habitat conditions.

ACTION

La Montanita Co-op is pleased to be a sponsor of the Spend it Like Water: Liquid Currency 2012 art exhibit and community dialogue.

The catalog (print and digital versions) is available at: www. magcloud.com/browse/issue/390921. For more information, contact Michael Jensen at mjensen@amigosbravos.org or Mary Lambert at mary@ nmia.com.

LIQUIDcurrency COMMUNITY

DIALOGUE AND PANEL SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 1-4PM South Broadway Cultural Center, 1025 Broadway Blvd. SE ALBUQUERQUE 1pm: Introduction, Michael Jensen, Amigos Bravos 1:05pm: Art and the Environment, panel discussion 1:35pm: Surface Water, panel discussion/Q&A 2:45pm: Groundwater, US Geological Survey, Groundwater Pumping Impacts to the Rio Grande, Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment, Uranium Mining, panel discussion/Q&A 3:55pm: WRAP-UP

free!

AUGUST 28TH

CO-OP COMMUNITY COLLABORATION

MONTHLY FILM SCREENING SARAH WENTZEL-FISHER s part of its monthly screening series, Burque Bioneers is proud to present Last Call at the Oasis on Tuesday, August 28th, at 7pm at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in the Bank of America Theatre at 1701 4th Street SW. This screening is in collaboration and in conjunction with the Spend it Like Water: Liquid Currency 2012 art exhibit and dialogue.

BY

A

Less than 1 percent of the world’s water is fresh and potable—and no more will ever be available!

Thanks to pollution, global warming, and population growth, water access is poised to become today’s most explosive global issue. No resource on earth is more precious—or more endangered—than water. Last Call at the Oasis is a powerful tool for learning about the water challenges we face as well as the remarkable solutions available to us—if we have the will to use them.

Developed, financed by executive producer Participant Media—the company responsible for An Inconvenient Truth, Food, Inc. and Waiting For “Superman”—Last Call at the Oasis presents a powerful argument for why the global water crisis will be the central issue facing our world this century.

Illuminating the vital role water plays in our lives, exposing the defects in the current system and depicting communities already struggling with its ill-effects, the film features activist Erin Brockovich and such distinguished experts as Peter Gleick, Alex Prud’ homme, Jay Famiglietti and Robert Glennon.

Spend it Like Water: Liquid Currency 2012 art exhibit opened June 28th and runs through August 24 at the South Broadway Cultural Center. It features the

work of 15 artists and opens an artistic and activist dialogue about our most essential resource. The art exhibit features work by: Jane Abrams, Sally Condon, Barbara Grothus, Becky Holtzman, Joseph Lambert, Mary Lambert, Stephanie Lerma, Suzanne Marshall, David Ondrik, Valerie Roybal, Carol Sanchez, Janet Shagam, Marilyn Stablein, Harriette Tsosie and Jennifer A. Zona.

Liquid Currency On August 18th, a FREE community panel discussion led by Amigos Bravos, a statewide non-profit that works on both ground and surface water quality and quanity issues, and a diversity of water activists and experts will take place from 14pm at the South Broadway Cultural Center gallery. Gallery hours are 8am-5pm Tuesday through Saturday.

As part of this statewide community collaboration; Burque Bioneers is proud to present: Last Call at the Oasis on Tuesday, August 28th, 7pm, at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in the Bank of America Theatre, 1701 4th Street.

This August 28th film screening is sponsored by Burque Bioneers, the National Hispanic Cultural Center, La Montanita Co-op and people powered KUNM 89.9 FM. This screening is FREE and open to the public; donations for the Last Call at the Oasis and Burque Bioneers gratefully accepted. For more information visit burquebioneers.org or email burquebioneers@gmail.com.

DON’TMISS THE BURQUE BIONEERS CONFERENCE

OCT. 25-27

a COMMUNITY collaboration for a sustainable future!

CO-OP Board of Directors

ELECTIONS

DEADLINE: August 20th Board elections will be held from November 1st through November 14th. Our annual meeting & celebration will be held on Saturday, October 27, at Warehouse 21 in Santa Fe. Candidates are encouraged to attend this meeting to have the opportunity to address members regarding their candidacy. As we have done in the last few years, the board will offer a list of candidates it feels are qualified to serve. Full information about this process will be included in the candidate packet. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, CONTACT US at bod@lamontanita.coop, or contact Kristy Decker, Chairperson of the Nominations & Elections Committee, at 505-217-2025. Candidate packets at all Co-op Info desks and at www.lamontanita.coop.

YO U R

CO - O P wants YOU!

wants YOU!

GE in the

news

A Community - Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store La Montanita Cooperative Nob Hill/ 7am-10pm M-S, 8am-10pm Sun. 3500 Central SE Abq., NM 87106 265-4631 Valley/ 7am-10pm M-Sun. 2400 Rio Grande Blvd. NW Abq., NM 87104 242-8800 Gallup/ 10am-7pm M-S, 11am-6pm Sun. 105 E. Coal Gallup, NM 87301 863-5383 Santa Fe/ 7am-10pm M-S, 8am-10pm Sun. 913 West Alameda Santa Fe, NM 87501 984-2852 UNM Co-op ’N Go/ 7am-6pm M-F, 10-4pm Sat. Closed Sunday, 2301 Central Ave. SE Abq, NM 87131 277-9586 Cooperative Distribution Center 901 Menual NE, Abq., NM 87107 217-2010 Administrative Staff: 505-217-2001 TOLL FREE: 877-775-2667 (COOP) • General Manager/Terry Bowling 217-2020 terryb@lamontanita.coop • Controller/John Heckes 217-2029 johnh@lamontanita.coop • Computers/Info Technology/ David Varela 217-2011 tech@lamontanita.coop • Perishables Coordinator/Bob Tero 217-2028 bobt@lamontanita.coop • Human Resources/Sharret Rose 217-2023 hr@lamontanita.coop • Marketing/Edite Cates 217-2024 editec@lamontanita.coop • Membership/Robin Seydel 217-2027 robins@lamontanita.coop • CDC/MichelleFranklin 217-2010 mf@lamontanita.coop Store Team Leaders: • Mark Lane/Nob Hill 265-4631 markl@lamontanita.coop • John Mulle/Valley 242-8800 jm@lamontanita.coop • William Prokopiak/Santa Fe 984-2852 willpro@lamontanita.coop • Alisha Valtierra/Gallup 575-863-5383 alishav@lamontanita.coop Co-op Board of Directors: email: bod@lamontanita.coop President: Martha Whitman Vice President: Marshall Kovitz Secretary: Ariana Marchello Treasurer: Roger Eldridge Kristy Decker, Lisa Banwarth-Kuhn Susan McAllister, Jake Garrity Betsy VanLeit Membership Costs: $15 for 1 year/$200 Lifetime Membership Co-op Connection Staff: Managing Editor: Robin Seydel robins@lamontanita.coop Layout and Design: foxyrock inc Cover/Centerfold: Co-op Marketing Dept.

Advertising: Rob Moore Editorial Assistant: Rob Moore robm@lamontanita.coop 217-2016 Printing: Vanguard Press Membership information is available at all four Co-op locations, or call 217-2027 or 877-775-2667 email: robins@lamontanita.coop Membership response to the newsletter is appreciated.

Address typed, double-spaced copy to the Managing Editor, robins@lamontanita.coop website: www.lamontanita.coop Copyright © 2012 La Montanita Co-op Supermarket Reprints by prior permission.

The Co-op Connection is printed on 65% postconsumer recycled paper. It is recyclable.

2

GENETIC ENGINEERING NEWS: GE CHILE IN NEW MEXICO BEYOND the pretty RISTRAS

BY KOBY JESCHKEIT-HAGEN, SAVE NM SEEDS COALITION s the chile harvest season quickly approaches, it is thrilling to see the diversity of chile New Mexico (NM) offers. We can grow and purchase an array of local native chiles from seeds saved for centuries, while supporting farmers that protect our food heritage, our farming economies, and our land.

Given the abundance of chile at local farmers’ markets this fall, it would hardly seem that our chile economy in NM is in jeopardy. Yet we, farmers and consumers alike, are facing an assault on our rights to grow, consume and save our chile seeds by the impending introduction of genetically engineered (GE, also called genetically-modified, GMO) chile. Fortunately, we have community tools and purchasing power to collectively halt GE intrusion and contamination. And luckily, we can do it while enjoying fresh and roasted chile this season.

A

WHY GE CHILE? GE chile is being heralded as a crop that can be harvested mechanically and has resistance to particular bacterial pathogens.

Furthermore, it is a patented “invention,” and can be owned by one person or entity. The two primary proponents for the commercial introduction of GE chile are the New Mexico Chile Association (NMCA) and New Mexico State University (NMSU).

The former group represents the NM Chile Industry. It lobbied for NM tax dollars, and partnered with NMSU and biotech companies to research and develop GE chile. NMSU declared it would be the patent holder for the GE chile seed created (NM Legislature, Interim Rural and Economic Development Committee, September 2010).

Since GE chile is patented, it is illegal to save the seeds. Farmers can only grow GE chile with a contractual agreement. The real glitch enters into our dynamic landscape when we think of a chile seed: given that chile pollen and seeds can travel, any non-GE farm field or garden contaminated by GE seeds is considered having infringed on the patent owner’s rights. The grower can be sued for possession of the seed, even if it is unintentional.

2013 Final Push: Protect Our Chile!

Legislative and Consumer Action For the fourth year, the Save NM Seeds Coalition – a group dedicated to protecting seeds and sustainable farming – will seek to pass a farmer protection bill in the NM State Legislature. The bill seeks to protect farmers whose fields unknowingly become contaminated by GE pollen and seed from being sued by the GE patent holder. Monsanto, the NM Chile Association, and other biotech companies lobbied the hardest against this bill in 2011.

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is If there is one political and palatable issue to be active about this fall and winter, this is it! So roast some fresh chile, invite friends over, and support these 3 steps: 1. Buy local chile and chile products from farmers, restaurants and processors this season who pledge to only use GE-free chile. Remember to buy enough to preserve for later in the season. Talk to farmers, restaurant managers/owners and processors.

Tell them how important it is to keep our native chiles free of GE contamination.

2. Boycott GE Chile Proponents’ Products. Avoid buying products from GE chile proponents’ – those with and without chile. Even if you have used these products in the past, boycott the following companies and make your dollar count for a lot more than 100 cents. Let them know you are boycotting their products and why. Here are some of the pro-GE chile supporters (as listed on the New Mexico Chile Association website).

Processors who SUPPORT GE CHILE: • Biad Chili • Border Foods • Bueno Foods • Cervantes Food Products • Curry Seed and Chile • MBJ Packing • New Mexico Chile Products 575 • Olam International • Ramos Hermanos USA • Rezolex, Ltd. • Seco Spice • Southwest Spice

Farmers who SUPPORT GE CHILE: • Breshears Farms • Chile River Inc. • Gary Jackson Farms • Gillis Farms • Jurado Farms • O'Hare Serna Farms • Penn Farms • RJF Farms • Solar Farms • Viramontes Farms • Z-7 Farms 3. LEARN MORE! Stay up-to-date about community and legislative events by visiting Save New Mexico Seeds’ website (www.savenmseeds.org/) and their Facebook page (www.face book.com/pages/Save-New-Mexico-Seeds/187194457966445).

When GE chile is introduced into commercial production (most likely 2013), there is no true “protection” farmers can take to maintain non-GE chile varieties. Luckily, GE chile has not been introduced yet. We still have time to protect our farming communities. But we need everyone to be part of the final push.

PROTECTION FROM

SAVE

New Mexico chile seeds!

MONSANTO’S

ORGANIC SEED GROWERS CONTINUE LEGAL EFFORTS

O

n July 5th, seventy-five family farmers, seed businesses, and agricultural organizations representing over 300,000 individuals and 4,500 farms filed a brief with the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, DC. The brief asked the appellate court to reverse a lower court's February decision dismissing a protective legal action against agricultural giant Monsanto's patents on genetically engineered seed.

The plaintiffs brought the preemptive case against Monsanto in March 2011 to protect themselves from Monsanto's abusive lawsuits, fearing that if GMO seed contaminates their property despite their efforts to prevent such contamination, Monsanto will sue them for patent infringement.

"It's time to end Monsanto's scorched earth legal campaign of threats and intimidation against America's farmers. Family farmers should be protected by the courts against the unwanted genetic contamination of their crops," said Dave Murphy, founder and executive director of Food Democracy Now!, a grassroots community of more than 300,000 farmers and citizens dedicated to reforming food and agriculture, that is co-plaintiff in the suit.

In an attempt to sidestep the challenge, Monsanto moved to have the case dismissed, saying that the plaintiffs' concerns were unrealistic. In February 2012, the district court took Monsanto's side and dismissed the case, ridiculing the farmers in the process. Judge Naomi Buchwald

BULLYING protecting SEED

of the Southern District of New York dismissed the case because she didn't find a case worthy of adjudication, saying "it is clear that these circumstances do not amount to a substantial controversy and that there has been no injury traceable to defendants."

Every year Monsanto investigates over 500 farmers for patent infringement with their now notorious "seed police." To date, 144 farmers have had lawsuits brought against them by Monsanto without a binding contract with the multinational corporation, while another 700 farmers have been forced to settle out of court for undisclosed sums.

Nature has determined that seed and pollen can drift great distances, in some cases as far as 10-15 miles, increasing the likelihood of contamination of organic crops with genetics from Monsanto's laboratories. Some plaintiffs have simply stopped growing certain types of crops due to the threat of contamination. Bryce Stephens, a certified organic farmer from northwest Kansas, had to give up trying to grow organic corn and soy once his neighbors started using Monsanto's genetically modified seed.

In the brief plaintiffs point out numerous errors in the district court decision that warrant reversal. The Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association is a not for profit agricultural organization made up of organic farmers, seed growers, seed businesses and supporters and is committed to developing and protecting organic seed and its growers.

August 2012

our children our

future

WAREHOUSE 21: EDUCATING AND

INSPIRING YOUTH

Bag Credit Donation ORGANIZATION OF THE MONTH

W

arehouse 21 (W21) is a hub for youth development in the arts through mentorship and entrepreneurial opportunities. Since its inception in 1997, it has served thousands of Santa Fe’s and north central New Mexico’s youth (aged 12-21) and young adults (aged 20-30) in the performing, media and visual arts. W21 has consistently supported youth employment throughout its existence and has partnered and developed community service programs with schools and court systems. The unique approach of Warehouse 21 fosters a type of creative energy that is exemplified through project-based learning models, youth access to artistic resources and instruction, and a practical "do-it-yourself" ethic that fosters artistic independence and entrepreneurialism.

W21 has presented over 1,200 multidisciplinary events and over 1,000 after-school and summer programs involving over 48,000 people during its 12-year history. Youth at W21 are paid stipends for their work in graphics, public relations, design, silkscreen printing, mural art, administration, web design, curation, promotion, acting, radio, journalism, photography, video filmmaking and editing, advertising, music production, media literacy and technical work. They also have opportunities to sell their art at exhibitions and through special projects during the year. These opportunities allow emerging young artists to be authentic and active participants in art making and social change through contemporary, traditional and alternative art modalities. Their ideas, perceptions and views comprise the elements of what youth culture is today and create productive ways for the public to understand and benefit from their experiences and subcultures.

Warehouse 21's operations have always been collaborations that combine community resources. W21 is currently creating and maintaining strategic

Construction of W21's new facility was completed in June 2008 and W21 now has a digital media arts lab, two performance spaces for theater and concerts, films and other productions, a gallery for the creation and exhibition of art, an on-line internet radio system, an area in which to sell youth made products, a fashion design studio, a recording studio, a visual arts studio, a photographic darkroom, and a coffee bar facing the tracks. Warehouse 21 is poised to fully realize its mission as a hub for youth-directed development in the arts—a place where music, entertainment, arts, design, technology, entrepreneurialism and employment interact and merge in support of youth for a better future for us all.

To learn more about W21 or to make a donation contact them at 1614 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, 505-989-4423 or e-mail: info@warehouse21.org.

ACTION

ALERT

KID-SAFE CHEMICAL ACT LEGISLATION REQUIRES PROOF OF CHEMICAL SAFETY

F

inally last April members of Congress introduced legislation to make sure chemicals are safe before they are allowed on the market.

The Kid Safe Chemicals Act, by Sens.

Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA), and Reps. Hilda Solis (DCA) and Henry Waxman (D-CA), would place the burden of proof on the chemical industry to show that chemicals are safe for children before they are added to consumer products.

Now we just have to get it passed!

The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 grandfathered in some 62,000 chemicals already in commercial use despite evidence that some cause serious health risks. Another 20,000 chemicals, many untested, have come onto the market since, also with little or no information about their possible consequences for human health. Environmental Working Group’s (ww.ewg.org) bio-monitoring tests have detected up to 493 industrial chemicals, pesticides and pollutants in nearly 200 test volunteers. Even newborn babies routinely test positive for nearly 300 chemicals.

Chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA), a ubiquitous plastic component and synthetic estrogen, have recently come under intense scientific scrutiny with researchers amassing ample evidence linking BPA to serious disorders including breast cancer, prostate cancer, infertility, cognitive disorders and a host of oth-

DONATE

alliances with a wide variety of both emerging and established organizations. In January 2006, Warehouse 21's lease at its previous facility was terminated in order to make way for development of the Santa Fe Railyard. Even during its "homeless" capital campaign period, Warehouse 21 continued to support and employ young artists through over $200,000 in direct subsidies and employment. Youth created product sales totaled over $20,000 and production jobs for the community by the W21 printmaking and fashion programs generated over $18,000.

ers. It is well known that developing fetuses, newborns and young children are most affected, as their systems are not yet developed enough to deal with the toxins. Yet manufactures still use BPA in a variety of consumer products, including the lining of metal cans, some baby bottles, cash register receipts and more. Plastics containing BPA are classified with a “7”.

EWG has embarked on their Kid-Safe Chemicals Campaign to pass the Kid Safe Chemical bills now poised for Congressional action, based on common principles nearly everyone can support: • Industrial chemicals must be safe for infants, kids and other vulnerable groups; • New chemicals must be safety-tested before they are sold; • Chemical manufacturers must demonstrate that the 62,000 chemicals grandfathered in 1976 are safe in order to keep selling them; • EPA must conduct regular updates of health and safety data; • EPA will have clear authority to request additional information and tests; • Information about chemicals is made public.

Support EWG’s non-partisan campaign for the Kid-Safe Chemical Act. Go to www.kidsafechemicals.org and for more tools to help get this legislation passed go to www.ewg.org/kidsafe/takeaction.

DONATE THE DIME! Thank you!

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

your BAG CREDIT!

BRING A BAG... DONATE THE DIME,

IT ALL ADDS UP

AUGUST BAG CREDIT DONATIONS go to Warehouse 21: A community of youth artists, entrepreneurs and mentors coming together for youth directed development and social change.

In June your bag credit donations, totaling $1,950.20, were sent to: Friends of Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area. Thank YOU!

August 2012

Co-op Values Cooperatives are based on the values of self-help, selfresponsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. In the tradition of their founders, cooperative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.

CO-OP PROGRAM

The Co-op Connection is published by La Montanita Coop Supermarket to provide information on La Montanita Co-op Supermarket, the cooperative movement, and the links between food, health, environment and community issues. Opinions expressed herein are of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Co-op.

3

back to school the AUTISM

a common

DENOMINATOR?

EPIDEMIC

and DISAPPEARING

water we drink, the air we breathe and the consumer products we use. Pregnant women and their children are experiencing 100 times more chemical exposures today than people living 50 years ago. The average newborn has over 287 different chemicals and heavy metals contaminating its blood when it takes its first breath. One hundred and fifty-eight of them are known to be toxic to the brain. Little wonder that rates of autism, attention deficit and behavioral disorders are all on the rise.

BEES

BY DR. BRIAN MOENCH Thanks to Truth-Out.org for reprint permission. n a recent front page of The Salt Lake Tribune, a frightening, oversized headline read, "Highest rate in the nation, 1 in 32 Utah boys has autism." Less well publicized, another national story ran the same day: "New pesticides linked to bee population collapse." If you eat food and hope to do so a few years from now, this should be equally frightening. A common denominator may underlie both stories.

O

How does this relate to disappearing bees and your ability to put food on your table? Three new studies show that the rapid rise in the use of insecticides is likely responsible for the mass disappearance of bee populations. The world's entire food chain hangs in the balance because 90 percent of native plants require pollinators to survive.

A recent Stanford University study, examining 192 pairs of twins, where one twin was autistic and one was not, found that genetics account for 38 percent of the risk of autism and environmental factors account for 62 percent.

Suggesting an environmental and genetic tag team are other studies showing mothers of autistic children and autistic children themselves have a high rate of a genetic deficiency in the production of glutathione, an antioxidant and the body's primary means of detoxifying heavy metals. High levels of toxic metals in children are strongly correlated with the severity of autism. Low levels of glutathione, coupled with high production of another chemical, homocysteine, increase the chance of a mother having an autistic child to one in three, according to Dr. Jim Adams, director of Arizona State University's Autism/Asperger's Research Program. That autism is four times more common among boys than girls is likely related to a defect in the single male X chromosome contributing to antioxidant deficiency. There is no such thing as a genetic disease epidemic because genes don't change that quickly. So, the alarming rise in autism must be the result of increased environmental exposures that exploit these genetic defects.

During the critical first three months of gestation, a human embryo adds 250,000 brain cells per minute, reaching 200 billion by the fifth month, but thousands of toxic substances can cross the placenta and impair that process, leaving brain cells stressed, inflamed, less well

H E A LT H Y S N A C K I N G :

ON THE GO

FOODS

BY AMYLEE UDELL NACKS. They get us over a hump, perk us up, tide us over, are fun to share and can make us smile. And if you're packing a brown bag for your child's school day or your own workshift, they can sometimes present a challenge. It's easy to get into a snack rut.

As many of you look ahead to a new year of packing snacks, let's try to shake it up a little bit.

S

A snack is defined as a small amount of food eaten between meals. If you are at home, this can be a bite of leftovers, cold or reheated. It could be ANYTHING: soup, ice cream, something plucked from your garden, chips and salsa. But often we are NOT at home!

For many of us, snacking is an on-thego activity. Portability is a part of the definition of a snack for commuters, soccer moms, and those whose jobs take them out and about during the day. So I have divided up this list of ideas into Portable, Not-asPortable and Either (might require a little more thought to packaging). We can certainly BUY portable snacks. They are everywhere! But buying means more packaging, more trash, more money and often questionable ingredients. So let's look at items that are wholesome, that you can probably make yourself and that will still satisfy your family. As always, these are just a few ideas and I invite you to take them and piggyback on them to make them work for YOU. PORTABLE • FRUIT - many types travel really well.

• NUTS, dried fruit, or trail mix—buy premade or make your own. Watch for any oils that might be added or used in drying.

• FRUIT ROLLUPS - watch ingredients or you can make your own with a dehydrator • BEEF JERKY - again, watch for added ingredients or make your own •KALE/PLANTAIN/ZUCCHINI/SWEET POTATO CHIPS - you can buy these now! If you have a dehydrator (or even just an oven) you can make these, too.

• HARD-BOILED EGGS - A great grab'n' go snack, but remember you have to put those shells someplace if you try to eat them in the car!

• CHERRY TOMATOES

August 2012 4

developed, fewer in number and with fewer anatomic connections with each other, all of which diminish brain function. The opportunity to make up for the resulting deficits later on is limited.

The nervous system of insects is the intended target of these insecticides. They disrupt the bees’ homing behavior and their ability to return to the hive, kind of like "bee autism." Human and insect nerve cells share the same basic biologic infrastructure. Chemicals that interrupt electrical impulses in insect nerves will do the same to humans.

The list of autism's environmental suspects is long and comes from many different studies that show higher rates of autism with greater exposure to flame retardants, plasticizers like BPA, pesticides, endocrine disruptors in personal care products, heavy metals in air pollution, mercury and pharmaceuticals like antidepressants. (Utah's highest in the nation autism rates are matched by the highest rates of antidepressant use and the highest mercury levels in the country in the Great Salt Lake.)

During critical first trimester development, a human is no bigger than an insect, so there is every reason to believe that pesticides could wreak havoc with the developing brain of a human embryo.

Doctors have long advised women during pregnancy to avoid any unnecessary consumption of drugs or chemicals. But as participants in modern society, we are all now exposed to over 83,000 chemicals from the food we eat, the

Dr. Brian Moench is president of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment and a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Copyright, Truthout.org, reprinted by permission. For the full article including Dr. Moench’s footnotes go to: truth-out.org/news/item/8586-the-autism-epidemic-anddisappearing-bees-a-common-denominator.

• FEEZE DRIED CORN AND OTHER VEGGIES - no oils added, often sweet and surprisingly crunchy.

• FREEZE DRIED FRUIT PIECES - strawberries, blueberries, peaches, even grapes, when freeze dried, are like candy! A real treat. My kids fight over these!

• FREEZE DRIED YOGURT - OK, this IS candy. It's sold in sweetened yogurt flavors and is quite sweet. You can also dehydrate your own yogurt for a portable snack. It gets tangier.

• POPCORN - it's not just for movies. Make it the old fashioned way - on the stove. I use coconut oil and sea salt and I never even shake the pan.

• CARROT AND CELERY STICKS so simple, so crunchy. Add some peanut butter or cream cheese for a little more oomph.

• APPLE SANDWICHES - slice apples through (remove the core if you'd like) and use these like bread. Put bananas, nut butter or cheese between the slices for the crunchiest sandwich ever.

• ROASTED GARBANZOS - take cooked garbanzos and either bake them with your favorite spices or fry them up.

Super yummy.

• DATE BALLS/BARS (also granola bars) - You can buy Lara Bars and similar bars, but there are LOTS of recipes online showing you how to make these date-based bars. Freeze them for extra portability, especially in warm weather.

• PEMMICAN - an old fashioned energy booster that's making a comeback.

• PICKLES - a few in a baggie are quite the flavor burst. Try making your own from carrot or daikon radish sticks, as well as from the everpopular cucumber.

• SEAWEED SNACKS - The Co-op has a wide variety, including Annie Chun’s sheets, or pick up some nori and wave it over your stove at home to toast. It is a delicious snack filled with minerals.

snack well! stay healthy!

The autism epidemic and the disappearance of bees are just two of many self-imposed disasters from allowing our world, including Utah, to be overwhelmed by environmental toxins. Environmental protection—including for the smallest and most vulnerable among us—is human protection.

NOT AS PORTABLE • YOGURT - a very popular lunch box addition, but if you make your own, you have to package it up and add a spoon. Same for pudding.

They can definitely be portable, but are quite easy to make a big batch of and eat at home.

• FRUIT SALAD - use what's in season. Add some mint and lime juice.

Maybe honey. A great way to use up fruit passing its prime.

• HUMMUS OR BABAGANOUSH - add these to round out crackers, veggies, carrot or celery sticks, chips and more.

• SALSA AND DIPS - same as above • DOLMAS - my family LOVES the Co-op Deli's dolmas. Very filling snack.

• POPSICLES - while these ARE portable, if you've made your own, you might have a re-usable stick to contend with and if you have young kids, they can be messy on-the-go! We love popsicles and I often send the kids out to the porch with them.

• SMOOTHIES - again, these CAN be great to pour and go. But if you aren't using disposable cups, you have dishes to deal with after. And these can be quite staining, too, if you have a commuter incident.

A M Y L E E U D E L L is a mother of three snacking children. When she's not keeping up with their snacking, she also runs Inspired Birth and Families, a pregnancy and parenting resource center, where she often serves freeze-dried goodies and homemade snacks. For more info, see www.InspiredABQ.com.

PORTABLE or NOT! • Canned or smoked salmon or tuna just bring a fork.

• High quality lunch meats sliced sausage types are sturdy for travel.

• Hot dog pieces - a kid favorite.

• Olives - a little messy (be careful of oil stains!) but often worth it.

• Quesadillas - easy to premake for travel, quick to whip up at home.

• PB&J - A childhood staple for many of us.

You can modernize and make more convenient by using tortillas, crackers, or bread.

• Sushi rolls - as simple or as fancy as you'd like, you can make use of leftover rice or veggies. A touch of wasabi makes ANYTHING special.

• Nut butter balls - Roll in coconut, mix in raisins, cacao nibs, seeds or whatever you like. Add a bit of honey to satisfy any sweet tooth.

on the G O

FOODS

back to

school

August 2012 5

H E A LT H Y E A T I N G F O R

SCHOOL DAYS!

BY ROB MOORE oms and dads the world over may be rubbing hands in anticipation of school starting up again, but they might also be wringing them for the very same reason. Back to school means a whole host of new experiences; new friends, new teachers, new clothes, new subjects, new everythings!

M

Luckily, the excitement and promise outweighs the anxiety. Kids grow up so fast; often faster than we may want or like at times, but growing up is what we are fated to do and with some brown bag wonders, tasty wholesome snacks, and good nutritious eats they can go back to school and grow healthy, strong and smart.

Since school lunch takes place away from home, and often in the midst of sugary and processed temptations, breakfast and dinner are the easiest meals to make sure your student eats well. Make breakfast a time to enjoy lots of fresh fruits and energy-dense foods, whole grain cereals and nuts. Omnivorous families can enjoy favorites like breakfast links and eggs, while vegetarian-minded folks can still get calcium and protein from yogurt or make up some tasty tofu or tempeh breakfast burritos. And everybody likes a smoothie.

Sending your kid off to school with a bagged lunch is no guarantee that they will eat it (many a savvy trade

takes place in lunchrooms around the world), but it beats leaving them to the mercy of school cafeterias and snack bars with their often high levels of sodium, additives, and sugars. One key to helping your packed lunch carry the most appeal is to include your kids in the making of it. Yes, you may have to be ready for requests of M&Ms or pizza rolls, but if you steer your child to types of foods that are healthier but still tasty they may meet you half way, and certainly be more inclined to eat something they picked out or helped to prepare. There are countless brownbag lunch recipes and variations out there, but don’t fear evergreens like peanut butter and jelly, wraps and burritos.

A number of experts warn that while letting your child know what they eat and how much they eat is important, fixating on it can lead youth to develop neuroses around food and body issues.

Probably the very best thing you can do for your children as they go back to school is to let them know that they are good, smart, and safe. Our culture grabs and amplifies negativity so readily that it can be hard for people to feel secure and optimistic, and unfortunately kids have it worse than adults when it comes to buying into the hype. Let the children you come into contact with know that although there are some tough things in the world, those sharp edges are greatly outnumbered by things of joy and goodness. It might sound corny, but it is absolute truth. Hope for and enthusiasm about the future will make a better tomorrow than any amount of admonishment or warnings.

Help your child become a lifelong learner, and a great way to encourage them is with a good healthy diet.

Their future (and ours, too!) depends on it. For lunch and school-snack tips check out: http://anrcata log.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8371.pdf, http://recipes.familyeduca tion.com/school/lunch/ideas/64163.html and your favorite recipe site.

Come check us out and see what we’re about!

RIO+20 CLIMATE CHANGE SUMMIT OUT OF THE MOUTH OF... THE

NEXT GENERATION In this moment, I am all children, your children, the world's 3 billion children.

Think of me for these short minutes as half the world.

I stand here with fire in my heart.

I'm confused and angry at the state of the world, and I want us to work together now to change this.

All around us is the knowledge that offers us solutions.

Nature as a design tool offers insight into systems that are whole, complete, that give life, create value, allow progress, transformation, and change.

We, the next generation, demand change.

We demand action so that we have a future and have it guaranteed.

We trust that you will put our interests before of all other interests and boldly do the right thing.

Please, lead. I want leaders who lead.

Are you here to save face? Or are you here to save us?

By Brittany Trilford, a 17-year-old New Zealander who won the competition to address world leaders at the Rio+20 Earth Summit.

WATCH THE VIDEO AT : www.climatecentral.org/news/date-withthe-future-video/

CLIMATE CHANGE DENIAL CURRICULUM: THE NEXT BIG CLASSROOM

CONTROVERSY

W

hen someone grabbed emails and documents from the computers of climate scientists and leaked them to the media in 2009, few organizations were as mirthful as the Heartland Institute, an outfit that has worked for years to spread the gospel of climate-change denial. Although multiple investigations into the scientists' emails debunked accusations that the researchers had subverted science and distorted data, Heartland and its allies used the so-called "Climategate" memos to tar climate science and bully the media into covering their dubious claims.

Recently, when an anonymous source (we now know it to be MacArthur-award-winning scientist and climate activist Peter Gleick) released internal Heartland memos to the press, the group had something else to say entirely.

The Heartland documents included details about a plan to introduce climate denial into grade school curricula and a list of major donors that includes a rogues' gallery of corporate interests. One docu-

ment contained a summary of Heartland's work promoting fracking. Surprising? Hardly. Embarrassing? Apparently.

Will your kid be taught that climate change is a HOAX? One revelation from the recent Heartland Institute document leak is that the group is crafting a K-12 curriculum to teach kids that global warming is "controversial." Heartland officials have confirmed this. So is climate change set to join evolution as the next big classroom controversy?

According to internal documents from the Heartland Institute, the group is paying $100,000 for David Wojick, a coal-industry consultant, to develop "modules" for classroom discussion. An online poll by the National Science Teachers Association in 2011 found that 54 percent of teachers had encountered climate skepticism from parents - and many teachers said they now teach climate change as a he-said, she-said issue. For more information and to read the leaked documents go to www.

ClimateToday.org.

FOOD PRESERVATION classes

YOU CAN, FREEZE,

and DRY

Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Service is offering a series of classes on preserving your summer bounty.

Homemade Pickles, 8/2 from 9-12 Water Bath Canning, Tomatoes and Fruit, 8/8 and 8/28 from 9 to noon Pressure Canning, 8/9 and 8/29 from 9 to 1:30pm.

Pre-Registration is required as the fee for each class is only $10. To register please call Cindy Davies at 505-2431386.

co-op news

August 2012 6

ECONOMIC DEMOCRACY IN

COOPERATIVE

GOVERNANCE

BY MARSHALL KOVITZ his is another in a series of occasional articles that describes how the board uses written policies to govern the Co-op on behalf of the owners. The system we use, called Policy Governance, has been adopted by many co-op boards. This time, we’ll look at the policies we refer to as Board-General Manager (GM) Relations policies.

ACTION!

fault—not the custodian’s. To some extent, this is a matter of both capacity and convenience: the volunteer board would be quickly overwhelmed trying to supervise more than one person. But it’s also an issue of maintaining clear lines of authority and avoiding multiple supervisors giving potentially conflicting orders.

T

The single most important decision made by our board—or any board—is the hiring of its general manager. That’s because board members are volunteers with day jobs, and they have neither the time nor the expertise to manage, so our board relies on the general manager to make the numerous decisions about the running of our business. Given the importance of the Board-GM relationship, we want to be sure that it is positive and strong, and that our expectations for the Co-op’s success are understood and met.

And since the foundation of a strong relationship is clear communication, our policies spell out very succinctly how we as a board manage our general manager, what we expect of him/her and how we evaluate her/his performance.

Our top level Board-GM Relations policy declares a fundamental attitude about how the board governs: “As the Board’s sole official link to the Cooperative’s operating organization, the General Manager (GM) is accountable for the organization’s performance and for exercising the authority the Board delegated to him/her.”

This policy means that, even though the general manager will delegate much of the work to others, it’s the GM and only the GM the board holds responsible for the Co-op’s well-being. From the board’s governance perspective, if the floors aren’t swept, it’s the general manager’s

board’s significant expectations about the Co-op’s success are spelled out in written policies, so the general manager has little doubt about what needs to be done. Second, the board evaluates the general manager only on the basis of his/her compliance with those policies. Finally, since the general manager reports on some of these policies each month, completing the cycle by the year end, he/she knows in advance what her/his annual evaluation will look like.

Using the above policies to establish the board’s relationship with the general manager is satisfying and fair for both parties. The general manager has no doubt about what defines success, and what he/she must do to achieve it. The board, having written policies that comprehensively describe organizational success, knows that if the general manager is successful at satisfying those policies, she/he will have also met the needs of members and kept the Co-op financially strong.

The board speaks in one and only one voice, and directs the general manager through decisions that are voted upon by the entire board. We do not authorize a committee or individual board members to supervise our general manager.

You can find a copy of all board policies on the Co-op’s website, www.lamontanita.coop. Click on Board of Directors located on the left side of the home page. Then look near the bottom of the Board’s page for Governing Documents. Terry Bowling, our general manager, reports on board policies at the board’s monthly meetings, so if you would like to see our policies in action, please attend one! Meetings are the third Tuesday of each month at 5:30pm at the Immanuel Presbyterian Church, across Carlisle from the Nob Hill store.

We serve dinner to all those who attend.

There are three other very important principles embodied by our Board-GM policies. First, all the

If you have questions or comments, you can contact the board at bod@lamontanita.coop.

Another fundamental principle of Board-GM relations is how the board formally communicates with the general manager.

“Only decisions made by the Board acting as a body bind the GM.”

membership is

slowsprings farm

QUAIL EGGS! EDITED

ROBIN SEYDEL urango has long been a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts and Tonya Sakadinsky is no different. A former Dept. of Agriculture Bureau of Animal Protection agent and San Juan Basin Health Dept. employee, she now keeps quails at Slowsprings Farm.

Having been interested in and caring for poultry of all sorts since 1994, she has found her special niche in keeping quail and providing their eggs to the Co-op.

BY

D

Quail are beautiful birds that have been used worldwide as a staple and healing food and kept as pets, thanks to their lovely soothing song, since the dawn of civilization. At Slowsprings Farm they raise the Coturnix species, often called Japanese Quail, European Common Quail and Pharaoh or Nile Quail; Coturnix are an ancient breed that was domesticated, bred and widely traded long before they were imported into the US in the 1800s.

Tonya, who has done extensive research on the history of quail husbandry writes, “In ancient Egypt, entire hatching houses were built along the Nile river utilizing the waters to pour over hot coals, aiding in hatching thousands of Coturnix quail to feed people both meat and eggs. Egyptian hieroglyphics even contain a quail chick; an indicator of

water: COMMUNITY

CURRENCY

COLLABORATION PANEL DISCUSSION

2012 &FILM

SAT. 8/18, 1-4PM LIQUID CURRENCY 3 PANEL DISCUSSIONS

FREE dialogue about our most essential a

resource

how prevalent and important the Coturnix quail and her eggs were in Egyptian culture. They have been hailed by Chinese and Russian cultures since ancient times as a natural, nutritional healing method for asthma, ulcers, autoimmune issues and much more.

Spotted for natural camouflage, quail are a ground dwelling bird that feed on seeds and insects, nesting at the base of brush or dense grasses. Tonya feeds her quail a special high protein diet to ensure the highest quality, most nutritional eggs you can purchase. And they are delicious too, with some quail egg aficionados claiming they have a wonderful buttery taste.

While quail eggs are smaller than chicken eggs, they are a far superior nutrient source that many consider a “super food.” A few quail egg nutritional facts: • Quail egg nutritional value is three to four times greater than chicken eggs, containing 13 percent protein, compared to 11 percent in chicken eggs.

• Quail eggs contain 140 percent of the vitamin B1, (Thiamine) compared to only 50 percent in chicken eggs.

• Quail eggs provide five times as much iron and potassium as chicken eggs.

• Quail eggs have not been shown to cause allergies or diathesis and can actually help to fight allergy symptoms due to the ovomucoid protein they contain.

• Quail eggs contain twice as much vitamin A and B2 as chicken eggs.

• Quail eggs are richer in phosphorus and calcium than chicken eggs.

• Quail eggs are rich in HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol).

A small family operation, Slowsprings Farm combines a love of birds and all animals, a desire to contribute to the Southwest's sustainable food supply and a dedication to humane husbandry and organic principles. Look for Slowsprings Farm eggs at your favorite Co-op location in the dairy case!

Tips from the Santa Fe HBA Department

KEEPING KIDS HEALTHY

spend it like

LIQUID

O W N E R S H I P!

INFO: 505.848.1320 www.cabq.gov

FROM SANTA FE’S CYNTHIA BEHRENS, HBA PURCHASER Check out these staff picks to help keep your kids healthy, smart and strong.

Extreme Edge from Bluebonnet: These products include a Pre-workout Formula, a Carb Loading product and a Post Workout Protein. Great for all those Back-to School athletes! Extreme Edge® Pre-Workout provides the cleanest, most intense muscle-recharging formula available. Other formulas don't come close to matching the potency and quality of this triple-turbo, super-charged formula!

Nordic Children’s DHA: Kids everywhere love Nordic Naturals strawberry-flavored Children’s DHA™. Made entirely from Arctic cod liver oil, these products are rich in the omega-3 DHA. DHA is essential for the proper devel-

Healthy, smart, strong!

opment of the brain, eyes, and nervous and immune systems. Easily swallowed or chewed by children over three, Children’s DHA also contains healthy levels of 100% natural vitamins A and D. Rainbow Light Kids One Multistars: Vitamins and Minerals to Support Healthy Growth. Kids don't always get all the nutrients their growing bodies need from the foods they eat. Kids One™ MultiStars can help fill in the gaps. This complete multivitamin offers effective and bio-available forms of nutrients for optimal absorption and each chewable tablet contains a complete profile of vital nutrients.

CleanWell, All Natural Hand Sanitizing Wipes: Made with a patented formulation of thyme oil that kills germs, these convenient individual pop-up wipes make saying goodbye to germs and dirt as simple as 1, 2, 3 - pull a wipe from the canister, unfold and wipe over hands. We also have a pocket size spray and a foaming hand sanitizer pump.

co-op news ENDS REPORTING

August 2012 7

THE INSIDE

SCOOP

Every year I write a report to our Board of Directors outlining what we have done to achieve our Ends policy. The Ends are, in many ways, our mission statement; a bold announcement of what we hope to achieve by the result of our work. (See Ends Policy, this page.)

decisions. It is a great feeling to know that we as an organization are doing work that matters! We all should take a moment to celebrate our Ends accomplishments and celebrate the opportunity to work hard so we can make a difference in our communities and in the world.

As you can read, our Ends consist of worthy objectives that are focused not only on financial performance but clearly define our Co-op’s place in the world as well. It is easy to view La Montanita just as another organic/natural food retailer; we are in fact much more.

I will submit my completed Ends report to the Board of Directors in August. If anyone would like to read this end-of-the-fiscal-year report, I will have it available by the end of August. My e-mail address is terryb@lamontanita.coop. Please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your continued support of our Co-op!

-TERRY

I have our Ends statement posted in my office so I can look at it every day to guide me as I make daily

ROBIN SEYDEL t the risk of being trite I must repeat the often said phrase, “you are what you eat.” That is especially true with our children, whose bodies and systems are more sensitive, in the process of coming to full development, and need good nutrition to grow strong and smart.

Here are a few tips.

A

IT’S THE BERRIES—Beneficial antioxidative compounds like vitamins C, E, beta-carotene and other nutrients can neutralize free radicals that can damage cells and are found in good quantity in berries. Berries and the brain’s memory center, the hippocampus, both contain beneficial chemicals called ellagatannins, so eat berries to feed your memory; and blueberries additionally contain proanthocyanins, which gravitate toward the striatum, the part of the brain related to spatial memory.

AN APPLE A DAY—Apples contain a flavonoid called quercetin that has been shown to protect the brain from oxidative injury in animal studies.

Phytonutrients such as phenolic acids and different flavonoids protect the apple itself against damage by bacteria, viruses and fungi—and as traditional wisdom holds, protects us too. Research also shows that apples may help reduce the risk of cancer and the risk of neurodegenerative disorders. Be sure to choose unwaxed apples to avoid carcinogenic chemicals.

EGGS FOR BREAKFAST—Eggs have to be the perfect breakfast food; they cook fast and provide a healthy dose of protein that serves a body well throughout the morning, reducing that 10am droop that kids, of all ages, who eat high-sugar cereals for breakfast often experience. And while eggs had bad press in the past due to their cholesterol-rich yoke, that yellow orb contains choline, one of the most important nutrients for building better brains.

Getting enough choline, especially during fetal development and early childhood, may help learning and retention and keep our memory intact as we age. No wonder manufacturers add synthetic versions of choline to infant formula.

Sources of choline include: eggs, beans, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, yogurt, tofu, buckwheat, and lean beef.

ALWAYS OMEGAS—Budget-friendly sardines and other “fatty” fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, linked to healthy brain functioning in early childhood development and throughout life. Omegas play an important role in how the neurons in the brain communicate with one another, and have a positive effect throughout life on learning and memory. One omega-3, DHA, (another synthetic additive in both organic and conventional infant formulas) is present in the brain, so the benefits of adding it to the body’s available nutrient stores is a no brainer.

Sources of omegas include: Salmon, shrimp, scallops, walnuts, flaxseed, and omega-3 enriched eggs and yogurt.

COMPLEX CARBS FOR STEADY FUEL—Fiber-rich whole grains, a.k.a., complex carbohydrates, are the brain’s main source of fuel. The glucose that our bodies break them down into to absorb them is the fuel for all our cells; our source of energy. But don’t be fooled: not all glucose is the same. Candy, soda and other sugary sweets don’t make the grade, because they are simple carbohydrates which lack fiber. When they’re broken down by the body into glucose, they are absorbed very quickly, causing fast energy highs and even faster lows. The fiber in complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, slows the body’s absorption, which ensures that the brain gets a slow and steady supply of fuel.

Sources of complex carbs: Whole-grains including wheat, rye, millet, oats, brown rice, quinoa, spelt, teff, in breads, pastas, crackers, cereals, pancakes, waffles.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: TEACHING THE COOPERATIVE WAY

CO-OP COMIX! This issue marks the one-year anniversary of Co-op Comix, which first appeared in these pages last August. This issue also marks the close of this Co-op Comix series.

We hope that you have enjoyed reading them as much as we have enjoyed putting them together.

The genesis of the Comix project came together when your Co-op staff and Board were discussing ways to explain what co-ops are to the younger members of our community.

Every issue of the Co-op Connection includes a listing of the cooperative principles, (beneath the locations map on page 3). Cooperatives have a robust and vibrant history, but like any type of history much of the greatness of the story can be lost in a dry telling.

So how do you tell the story of co-ops, their formation, their ideals, and what makes them different from other types of businesses, in a way that is easy to understand and fun to

of Events 8/18 Spend it Like Water: Liquid Currency 2012, FREE community dialogue and panel, 1-4pm South Broadway Cultural Center. See page 1 for details.

8/20 Board Nominations Close.

8/21 BOD Meeting,Immanuel Church, 5:30pm 8/28 Last Stop at the Oasis, Film Screening, p.1

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.

BRAINFOOD! BY

august Calendar

read about? We decided to try to do it in comic-book form.

Now, thanks to the efforts of our terrific artists Ras Elijah Tafari and Chistoph Knerr, the first part of our project is done. And it’s turned out wonderfully!

So what’s next? We have intended all along to compile the strips into a single comic book, and make that comic book available to schools and to other co-ops.

To this end, we will be collecting all of the Co-op Comix to date in a single volume, in both English and Spanish, and offering them FREE of charge to schools in Co-op communities as well as interested parties beyond our state that want to share the co-op way with tomorrow’s member-owners. The future of co-ops and our future in general will be determined by the upcoming generations: so it’s a great time to teach them how the co-op way is truly a better way for us all.

If you have an interest in obtaining the Co-op Comix for use in a school or with your organization, or any questions about the project, please contact Rob Moore at 505-217-2016 or via email at robm@lamontanita.coop.

-By Rob Moore

LA MONTANITA

ENDS policy

A cooperative community based in the shared benefits of healthy food, sound environmental practices and a strengthened local economy with results that justify the resources used.

Our Sub Ends are: 1. A thriving and sustainable local economy that benefits members and the community.

2. An environment that is conducive to the formation and success of coops.

3. A community based on trust and mutually beneficial relationships.

4. A community informed of the co-operative model, La Montanita’s values, and producer/consumer impacts on local and global health.

5. A growing, regenerative agricultural sector, able to meet local needs.

IN APPRECIATION: Thanks for Supporting the Co-op Distribution Center!

BY BOB TERO Thanks to all our members and customers for your support of our Co-op Distribution Center. As you may remember, in December, we moved to a new larger warehouse space—as it was either grow the Foodshed project or quit—and we decided to grow.

But the success of the CDC depends greatly on community purchases – and thanks to the fine businesses, whom we call our “external customers” listed below, that support has been forthcoming. A big thanks to these businesses! We hope you will patronize these fine eateries around our state.

We also want all our Co-op members and shoppers to know that when you purchase local products, and some national products, including Organic Valley Co-op Dairy, (we have become its distributor) and others, you also support our Co-op Trade Initiative/Foodshed project and the development of our local food system. Thanks to you all for your support of the Cooperative YOU OWN! These fine businesses purchase products from the Co-op Distribution Center: ABQ Vegan LLC Andiamo Artichoke Café Back Road Pizza Better Day Coffee Bon Appetit IAIA Campus Intel Café Lush Chocolate Maven Bakery Farina Pizza Farm to Table Flying Star Grove Café and Market Happy Hearts Company

Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town Hyatt Regency Albuquerque Hyatt Tamaya Resort and Spa Joe’s Diner Los Poblanos Inn and Cultural Center Love Apple Mario’s Pizzeria Peace Meal LLC Pizza, Etc. Revolution Bakery Teahouse Rio Chama Steakhouse Santa Fe Opera Taos Cow Train Natural Enterprises Tree House/Maira Bernal Whoo’s Donuts World Cup

thank you for

supporting the

co-op

distribution center!

perfect lunch box additions for those busy non-stop days ahead. POWER UP! time to get energized!

• MAMACHIA Chia seeds, an ancient grain, were used by the Aztecs for their amazing energy and natural healing powers. Today, chia is the force behind the famous long distance runners, the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s Copper Canyon. • SAMBAZON Packed with superior nutrition with powerful antioxidants, healthy omegas, fiber and vegan whole food proteins–in recipes that are low-glycemic, gluten free, and verified non-GMO. • INNER-ECO inner-ēco™ Coconut Water Probiotic Kefir is hand crafted and made in small batches using freshly harvested coconut water from young green (less than six months old) coconuts at the peak of their nutritional life.

And yes, they crack the coconuts and harvest the water themselves. • KEVITA At the heart of KeVita is their own probiotic culture. They combine KeVita Culture with coconut water, tea or pure water and the finest organic fruit purees or plant extracts. Every bottle is filled with love and the highest quality certified organic ingredients.

• VUKA Made with all-natural ingredients and nutritional supplements, each Vuka flavor is specifically enhanced to provide energy for the activities that fill your life. Without syrups, Vuka offers intelligent energy that enables you to choose the kind of boost you need to achieve your goals.

• SYNERGY 100% raw and organic, Kombucha nourishes the body, delights your taste buds, bolsters your immunity, & makes your spirits fly. • GURU One serving has 125

refresh the back [ PACK ] to school lunch bag blues

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ get a kick that ‘s good for you!

milligrams of natural caffeine and loads of positive energy from great natural sources, like organic juices,ginkgo biloba and ginseng to name a few. • ginger ENER-gizer Wakening agni (inner fire), ginger improves digestion and body metabolism. Ginger’s natural heat is balanced with a splash of apple, a hint of lemon and naturally sweetened with honey. • COWBOY UP LOCAL! Not just a name but a way of life. Made by “real deal” cowboys! On a working ranch from FROM LEA COUNTY NEW MEXICO…These folks know about stamina and they have concocted their own Cowboy Up Energy products. • POM Super Juice.

100% Pure. 100% Natural. POM is the only company that grows, harvests, processes and ships their own pomegranates and is the only pomegranate juice guaranteed to come exclusively from fruit grown in the U.S.A. With superior polyphenol antioxidant health benefits and 100% pomegranate juice taste. • FUNCTION: Get up and keep going with the first time-release formula for long-lasting energy. The all-natural combo of catuaba, muira pauma, epimedium, and yerba mate provides stamina support for up to six to eight hours.

for Virgil’s or Reed’s 4 pack Sodas!

***************** Not all of the products featured are available in all of the stores.

BUY ONE. GET ONE! Buy One 4 Pack of Virgil’s or Reed’s Sodas and get one 4 pack FREE! Limited time offer-while they last!

summer

flavors

holiday sure to

U DELIGHT

BY DEBORAH MADISON AND FRIENDS

Blueberry-Lavender Compote I always find that lime or lemon juice does wonders for blueberries. That bit of acid makes their flavors, rather than their sweetness, come out. And lavender seems to be a natural, too. Here’s compote to spoon over vanilla ice cream or an oldfashioned lemon pudding cake.

2 pints blueberries 1/4 cup fresh lime or lemon juice 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1/2 cup organic sugar Pinch of sea salt 1 teaspoon lavender blossoms Pick over the berries, removing any stems, leaves, or rotting fruits. Give them a rinse. In a saucepan large enough to accommodate the berries, mix the juice with the cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Add the berries and lavender, and cook, over medium heat, until the fruit gives up its juice and the liquid thickens, a matter of a few minutes. Makes 3 cups. From Local Flavors, Cooking and Eating from America’s Farmers’ Markets, by Deborah Madison.

Raspberry Cream Tart The “crust” is really more like a cake— soft and buttery with just a little crispness at the edges. Other berries can be used here. Also figs!

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon organic sugar Pinch of sea salt 1 teaspoon vanilla, divided 3 medium sized eggs, at room temperature 7/8 cup flour (can be whole-wheat, white or spelt as well as all purpose) 3/4 cup creme fraiche, sour cream or Greek yogurt 1 heaping pint basket of raspberries, about 2 cups Powdered sugar Preheat the oven to 375 F. Lightly butter a 9- or 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Cream the butter with the sugar and salt until smooth and supple. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add 1/2teaspoon vanilla and two of the eggs plus the white of the third egg. Beat until smooth. With the speed on low, add the flour and mix just until combined.

Scrape the batter into the tart pan. Using an offset spatula, smooth the batter over the pan, then push up enough batter to make a slightly higher rim around the edge. Even a quarter-inch rise will be sufficient. Don’t worry about getting it absolutely even. Mix the egg yolk with the creme fraiche and remaining vanilla.

Pour this over the batter and spread it just to the raised edge.

Place the berries on the custard. Two cups will be enough to make a fairly close covering. You can do this randomly, or start by placing the largest berries around the outer edge of the tart, then using smaller and smaller berries as you work your way in. Leftovers can be tucked into any gaps.

Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the fruit. Bake in the oven until golden brown around the edges and the custard is set, about 40 minutes. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar and serve barely warm.

August 2012 10

utes, then add the remaining cilantro. Let cool to room temperature, then puree until smooth. Season with salt and lime juice, to taste.

Serves 8. From Local Flavors, by Deborah Madison.

Zucchini and Cilantro Soup with Chile and Mint

Cut the remaining tortilla into skinny strips and heat the remaining oil in a skillet. When hot, add the tortillas and cook until crisp. Set them on paper towels to drain. Serve the soup garnished with a dollop of sour cream, a little mound of tortilla strips in each bowl, and a sprig of the cilantro. Serves 6. From Local Flavors, by Deborah Madison.

August’s sweet onions, shiny green zucchini, and big bunches of buttery-leafed cilantro inspired this aromatic soup. A corn tortilla thickens it and gives it a briny, limed-corn taste. Serve chilled, or warm.

1 poblano or 2 New Mexican chiles, roasted and peeled 1 pound zucchini 1 large bunch cilantro, about 2 cups in all 1 big fresh white or red onion 3 tablespoons sunflower seed or olive oil 3 tablespoons chopped parsley 2 tablespoons chopped mint Salt 2 small corn tortillas 5 cups water or chicken stock Juice of 1 or 2 limes, to taste Sour cream, optional

Blueberry Cobbler Buckles and cobblers refer to fruits baked under a biscuit covering. It’s the dough, spooned closely over the top, that bakes to a cobbled or buckled appearance, giving the dish the look that the name suggests. Molasses or maple sugar impart to these fruits just the depth they want, yet they don’t taste like molasses. Serve warm with a pitcher of cold cream or a bowl of vanilla ice cream.

Roast the chiles, peel and remove the seeds, then chop them coarsely. Quarter the zucchini lengthwise, then chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Wash the cilantro very thoroughly, including the stems. Finely slice the stems and chop the leaves, setting aside a few pretty branches for garnishes. Thinly slice the onion.

For the fruit: 4 cups blueberries 6 tablespoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 cup molasses or maple syrup 2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a soup pot, then add the onions, zucchini, cilantro stems, parsley, and mint. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is limp and the zucchini is fairly soft, about 10 minutes. Tear the tortilla into pieces and add it to the vegetables.

freshest

Add 2 teaspoons salt, the liquid, and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, until the zucchini is completely soft, about 15 min-

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For the topping: 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 7 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces 1 egg 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk or light cream Preheat an oven to 350 F. Pick over the blueberries and remove any stems or bruised fruits, then rinse well. Stir together the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a bowl. Put the berries in a two-quart gratin dish, sprinkle all but 1 1/2 tablespoons of the sugar mixture over them, and then drizzle over the molasses and lemon juice. Stir gently with a rubber scraper, then shake the dish to even the fruit. Put the gratin dish in the oven for 5 minutes to release some of the berries’ juices. Remove from the oven and raise the heat to 425 degrees F. To make the topping, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Using 2 knives or your fingers, cut in the butter until the mixture forms coarse, uneven crumbs. In a separate bowl, beat the egg with the milk. Stir it into the flour mixture with a few swift strokes. Spoon the dough in small, even spoonfuls over the berries. Sprinkle the top with the remaining sugar mixture. Set the dish on a baking sheet and bake until bubbling and the topping is browned, about 30 minutes. Remove and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm. Serves 6 to 8. From The Vegetarian Table: America by Deborah Madison.

Cheryl’s Grilled Eggplant “Sandwiches” Eggplant rounds envelop a pleasantly sharp feta filling, sandwich style, topped with a vibrant red charred tomato vinaigrette. For additional pizzazz, decorate the plates with more crumbles of feta, a shower of minced fresh parsley, diced fresh tomato, or some toasted pine nuts.

2 medium to large eggplants Coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt For the Vinaigrette: 3 small plum tomatoes (about 2 ounces each) 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flavorful olive oil 1 tablespoon chopped onion 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, preferably, or balsamic vinegar

cool

off!

August 2012 11

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, either kosher or sea salt Flavorful olive oil, about 1/2 cup 3/4 pound feta cheese, at room temperature Fire up the grill, bringing the heat to medium. Cut stripes in each eggplant’s peel by running a vegetable peeler the length of the eggplant. Repeat at about 1 inch intervals so that the entire eggplant appears striped when you’ve completed the whole circumference. Slice the eggplants into rounds 1/3to 1/2–inch thick and sprinkle with salt. You’ll want at least 12 eggplant rounds. Let sit while you make the vinaigrette. Grill the tomatoes uncovered, turning a few times, until they soften and the skins blister and char in spots, about 5 minutes. Leave the grill on. Pop those tomatoes, charred skins and all, in a blender with the remaining vinaigrette ingredients. Purèe until smooth. Keep the vinaigrette warm.

Blot the eggplant slices with paper towels and then brush them thickly with oil. Mix 1 tablespoon of oil into the feta, mashing it with a fork. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of feta onto one-half of the eggplant rounds. Top each sandwich with a plain eggplant round of similar size. The first time you try these, you may want to run a toothpick through each sandwich to make certain the layers stay together, but that’s usually unnecessary.

Grill the eggplant sandwiches uncovered for a total of 10 to 12 minutes, until soft and juicy. Turn to face the fire twice on each side, rotating a half turn for crisscross grill marks. Use a spatula for turning because tongs begin to crush the eggplant rounds as they soften. Plate each sandwich, spoon vinaigrette over, scatter with any garnishes, and serve warm. Serves 6 as a main course or 8 as a side dish. ©Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison, from The Big Book of Outdoor Cooking & Entertaining (HarperCollins, 2006)

The CO-OP Foodshed

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Bringing local farmers together with Co-op shoppers for the best in fresh, fair and local food.

Tuna and Artichoke Cooler-Pressed Sandwiches 1 (7-ounce) can tuna in oil, undrained (or chunk light tuna in water, drained and mixed with 1 tablespoon olive oil) 1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, undrained Zest and juice of 1 lemon Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1/2 thin 18-inch baguette, sliced lengthwise, interior crumb removed 6 to 8 whole basil leaves In a medium bowl, combine the first four ingredients. Fill the baguette with the mixture, scatter the basil leaves on top. Close the baguette and wrap it tightly in waxed paper, then in aluminum foil. Place the sandwich at the bottom of the cooler so the weight of the other contents compresses the sandwich and allows the juices to soak into the bread.

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farming & AN

gardening

AMPHIBIAN FRIENDLY

YA R D !

PEST CONTROL

O

I like to eat bad

BUGS!

First, limit your use of pesticides. Atrazine in particular has been shown to make frogs more susceptible to the pathogenic chytrid fungus that’s decimating amphibian populations worldwide.

Amphibians absorb pollutants of all kinds readily through their porous skins, so there’s yet one more reason to utilize organic means of pest control.

Providing water in the form of ponds can be helpful. However, you should use clean rainwater where possible, as chlorinated city water is potentially fatal to tadpoles, or use a dechlorinator that also removes chloramines when changing or adding water. Make sure that the pond has gently sloping sides so that amphibians can leave water; believe it or not, some amphibians such as toads are prone to drowning in ponds with steep sides. If you’re using a commercial prefabbed pond, make sure that there are plenty of rock piles, stout branches and other ways for them to leave the water. Unfortunately, you might have to choose between having fish or amphibians in your pond, as most fish, even mosquitofish, will eat frog eggs, tadpoles, or even the frogs themselves.

B R O W N M A R M O R AT E D S T I N K B U G :

NEW INSECT THREAT TO

GROWERS

BY DR. TESS GRASSWITZ, NMSU n addition to the Bagrada bug (which was discussed in the June Coop Connection–and which has recently reappeared in Valencia County), another foreign stink bug may be poised to invade New Mexico and create new headaches for farmers, gardeners, and even non-gardening home-owners.

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In contrast to the Bagrada bug—which concentrates mainly on brassica plants—the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys) can feed on over 300 different plant species, including various fruits, vegetables and ornamentals. To make matters worse, it can invade homes and outbuildings in the fall when it seeks shelter for the winter: one Maryland homeowner stopped counting when he reached 24,000 in his attic! Like other stink bugs (family Pentatomidae), this species will release a powerful (and pungent!) defensive secretion when threatened, and since this is one of the “stinkier” stink bugs, attempts to sweep or vacuum-up large numbers can be a memorable experience.

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug originated in Asia, with the US population probably arising from a single female or egg mass accidentally imported from China or South Korea. It probably first reached the eastern US in the late 1990s, but was not correctly identified as a new invasive species until 2001, by which time it was on the brink of a population explosion. Since then, it has become a severe pest in the mid-Atlantic states, causing up to 50% losses in some fruit and vegetable crops. The bug is continually expanding its range, and has become known as “the Interstate pest” because of its

HELP

Another way you can make amphibians feel at home is to provide them with a cool place to retreat when the summer heat kicks in and a place to hibernate when fall arrives. In wetter parts of the U.S. this can be as simple as burying

BY JOE FRANKE ur native frogs, toads and spadefoot toads are all excellent partners in controlling garden pests and you can encourage them, and if you’re lucky enough to have them on your property, there are a few things you can do to help them out.

August 2012 12

drained soil that’s deep enough so that dirt remains wetter than the surface, usually 14 to 24 inches depending on your soil type.

Toads appreciate some composted leaves or other pH neutral organic material in the chamber. Cover the chamber with flat rocks with soil tamped over it, and bury lengths of ceramic drain pipe or drinking water grade 4 inch PVC at a gradual incline of about 30 degrees for entry and exit, leaving about 2 inches of the pipe above the surface. Fill the entry and exit pipe 1/3 to 1/2 with soil to lessen drying and to make it easy for the toads to get in and out. Make sure that the site is not in a place that would flood and trap the toads underground.

YOUR

a large ceramic flowerpot halfway into the ground sideways in the shadiest and coolest place in your yard. If placed in the sun, this can be a deathtrap for toads. The flowerpot toadhouse can work fine near a moist location such as a dripping faucet or a shaded rain garden, but as amphibians need to stay as moist as possible during the day, it’s often necessary in the desert Southwest to dig a chamber in loose, well

The great thing about this design is that it also works as a winter retreat in which toads can hibernate. Cover the chamber and entrance pipe with composted leaves for some added insulation, which you should remove in the spring to allow the hibernation chamber to warm up enough to bring your tenants out of hibernation.

As always, JOE FRANKE is happy to answer your questions about creating wildlife habitat. You can email him at sapogordoeco@comcast.net.

habit of hitching a ride in freight trucks, RVs and similar long-haul vehicles. It has now been found in more than 30 US states, as well as parts of Canada and Europe. It reached California and Oregon in 2005, and specimens were intercepted in Texas and New Mexico last year. So far, no breeding populations have been reported in this state, but it is probably only a matter of time before it becomes established here.

Reports from the eastern US indicate that the adults emerge from their overwintering sites in May, and at that time prefer to feed on various trees, including Golden Rain and Tree of Heaven, both of which occur in New Mexico. Later in the season, they will start to attack developing fruits and vegetables, including apples, peaches, various berry crops, corn, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, okra, beans and nut crops. As a “true bug” (order: Hemiptera), this insect has sucking mouthparts with which it pierces plant tissue, causing deformed patches that may appear cloudy or brown, depending on the crop. On berry crops, feeding by the bug can cause premature fruit drop, while on sweet corn, it can take out whole rows of developing kernels as it feeds through the sheathing leaves of the ear.

Control of this pest has proven very difficult, even with conventional pesticides: some insecticides don’t work at all, and in some cases, an initial “knock down” of the pest has been followed by full recovery in just a few days. The situation is worse for organic growers, as the insecticides permitted in organic production are shorter-lived and generally less potent

S O U T H VA L L E Y A C E Q U I A

than those used by conventional growers. Since few native natural enemies have been found to attack this species, government entomologists have imported several species of parasitic wasps from Asia that attack the bug’s egg stage. However, they are still in quarantine undergoing testing, and it may be a year or more before they are cleared for release.

In the meantime, keep a look-out for this potential new invader: in the summer, the adults are drawn to house or porch lights at night, and it is there that you are most likely to see them. They are large, brown shield-shaped bugs, approximately three-quarters of an inch long, with alternating bands of brown and white around the edge of the abdomen; we have similar-looking native stink bugs here, but the main distinguishing character of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug is the presence of a couple of white bands on the otherwise dark antennae.

The nymphs look rather different from the adults, but they, too, have these pale antennal bands. If you think you’ve found any, please contact Tess Grasswitz at tgrasswi@nmsu.edu, or at 505-8657340, as New Mexico State University is trying to track the occurrence of this insect in New Mexico.

Photo: David Lance/USDA/APHIS, www.bugwood.com.

A STINKIER stink bug!

PROTESTS WALMART

WATER TRANSFER

O

n July 5th Arenal Community Acequia Commissioner Brad Lagorio filed a protest with the Office of the State Engineer concerning the application for a permit to change the point of diversion and place and/or purpose of use of 21,750 acres of surface water rights that were severed from the land for construction of the Walmart store at Coors and Rio Bravo.

Permit applicants propose to discontinue the diversion of 65.22 acre feet annually from the South Valley’s Arenal Main Acequia Canal as well as transferring 46.66 acre feet annually to the City of Santa Fe’s Buckman Wells to provide water for Santa Fe residents and “other” water users within the City of Santa Fe water service area. Many read this as developers looking to secure water rights taken from the South Valley for increased development around Santa Fe. Commissioner Lagoria, who is a landowner with pre-1907 water rights on the Arenal Acequia, gives the following reasons for his protest:

1. “Impairment of Water Rights”—over 65 acre feet of water will no longer be available to provide a pressure head to the Arenal Main Canal and provide the Arenal community with water in their acequia; 2. Detrimental to Public Welfare—the transfer means that these water rights will no longer be available to farmers and neighbors for purchase or lease now or in the future to maintain the traditional agricultural nature of South Valley neighborhoods and economy; 3. Contrary to Conservation—the transfer will reduce the community’s “Green Belt” resulting in dusty, dry and desolate landscapes and a reduction in land values and economic base; 4. Violation of Article VI— this transfer is in violation of the Arenal Community Acequia Bylaws.

For more information or to help maintain the culture and character of the South Valley and protect its water rights, contact James Maestas, at 505877-8200.

farming &

gardening

ZUCCHINI’S 4 classic questions

BY ARI LEVAUX n my old neighborhood, doors were locked only during zucchini season. This forced would-be zucchini donors to leave their boxes on the porch, like abandoned babies. Growers feel a sense of responsibility not to let their food go to waste, but become so sick of zucchini they couldn't possibly eat them all.

I

outside is thicker." Natasha's mom Kim has tried growing several varieties of yellow zucchini and she says they all develop a thicker skin at a younger age than green ones, so she harvests them even earlier than she does the greens.

Fresh or Frozen?

Like most food, zucchini is better fresh. But before you allow a pile of zucchini to guilt-trip you into

To help you weather a sustained zucchini attack, here are four burning questions about zucchini, followed by my answers, that will help you appreciate, utilize, and understand this crop that, as we speak, is taking over gardens across the northern hemisphere.

Big or Small?

While any size zucchini is edible, the quality starts to decline practically as soon as they're big enough to see with the naked eye, and any zucchini larger than the average cucumber should be avoided. The seeds get bigger, the skin gets thicker, and the flesh starts to dry out. Many European shoppers won't buy a zucchini that doesn't still have a flower attached.

Embrace the zuke onslaught!

Speaking of zucchini blossoms, harvesting and eating them is a great way to keep your zucchini supply under control, as you're literally nipping future zucchini in the bud. Maxime Bouneou, a French chef in New Mexico, makes wonderful stuffed zucchini flowers. He prefers the blossoms that have a little pinky of new fruit growing from them, as if there is extra pleasure to be had in cradle-robbing.

A final note on the big vs small dichotomy: the difference between summer squash, of which the zucchini is a member, and winter squashes like acorn or butternut, is that summer squashes are eaten while young and tender during summer, and winter squash varieties are consumed after they harden in fall.

Yellow or Green?

Shoppers at farmers’ markets often gravitate to yellow zucchini because they look pretty on a plate. Conventional wisdom says they taste the same. I detect a mild, off-putting pungency in the aftertaste of yellows, though I have yet to find anyone who agrees with me on this, and some people find the yellow ones sweeter.

According to eleven-year-old Natasha Slotnick, currently growing up on a farm in the northern Rockies, "Yellow is weirder on the inside and the

eating more than your body is designed to appreciate, remember: it's quick and easy to put that zucchini in frozen storage for later.

The University of Missouri extension recommends steam-blanching unpeeled grated zucchini for 1 to 2 minutes until translucent. Drain well and pack in containers sized to fit your favorite recipes. Cool by placing the containers in cold water. Seal and freeze. If watery when thawed, drain the liquid before using the grated zucchini.

Frozen grated zucchini can be a commodity in winter, successfully assimilating in a surprising number of dishes, from tomato sauce to stuffing to chocolate zucchini mayonnaise cake. When added to most dishes, grated zucchini keeps a low profile, quietly adding body, moisture and nutrients to the dish.

So next time the zucchini logjam of summer turns into a pileup, calmly grate, blanch, and freeze your extra zucchini and get back to enjoying the summer.

August 2012 13

Sweet or Savory?

When you have more zucchini than neighbors to dump it on, you don't have to choose between sweet and savory recipes, because zucchini goes both ways.

Clotilde Dusoulier, Parisian foodie and author of the blog Chocolate and Zucchini, writes that she hadn't even tried the two together when she chose that name. She simply liked the contrast between earthy, healthy zucchini and decadent chocolate. It turns out, she says (and I agree), that chocolate and zucchini play well together in both sweet and savory applications.

On her blog, Dusoulier shares an adaptation of a family chocolate cake recipe that she's modified to include zucchini. It's very involved, but worth checking out. Alas, my family doesn't have its own chocolate cake recipe. But growing up we did usually have a jar of Hellmann's mayo in the fridge, and Hellmann's mayo always has recipes on the label, one of which was for chocolate mayonnaise cake. (You can find the recipe at Hellmanns.com.) This became the closest thing I had to a family chocolate cake recipe, and it opened the door to a realization I've lived by ever since: you can put mayo in practically anything and make it better.

And on the savory side, a great summertime zucchini option is to sauté zucchini chunks with chopped onions until soft, then add fresh cut corn, garlic, crushed green chiles, black pepper, salt or soy sauce and sprinkle with cheese before eating.

It's kind of like succotash, called calabacitas here in New Mexico, but there is no suffering involved.

Read more of Ari’s writings at www.flash inthepan.com.

Oh joy... it’s Calabacitas SEASON

!

forum Protect Land

community

&CULTURE RIO GRANDE DEL NORTE C E L E B R AT E D I N A N E W B O O K ARIEL PARRELLA AURELI ocated in Northern New Mexico, just south of the Colorado border and not very far from Taos, lies the Rio Grande del Norte. It is renowned for iconic landscapes that have shaped our nation’s vision of the West for centuries. Biologically diverse and full of abundant resources, it is the foundation of life for the region’s residents and communities. But if this beautiful area were to be harmed or destroyed the culture and historic importance of the area could be lost forever. That is why people from all over New Mexico are speaking out to protect these lands – because our survival depends on it.

BY

L

The coalition that supports permanent protection of the Rio Grande del Norte reflects the breadth and depth of support for preservation.

Amongst all ages and races, professions and politics, New Mexicans recognize that our lifestyle, traditions, livelihood and culture are tied to this land. Local businesses like New Mexico Healthy Home Builders, service organizations such as TEWA Women United, sportsmen, land grantees, ranchers, and conservationists are part of the coalition that recently created a book that speaks for this land, the Rio Grande del Norte: One Hundred New Mexicans Speak for a Legacy. The Taos County Commission, Taos Town Council, and Santa Fe City Council have recently passed resolutions in favor of permanent protection of the Rio Grande del Norte. This combined effort has gained impressive support from northern New Mexico and

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August 2012 14 also reached Washington DC with help from Representatives Ben Ray Lujan and Martin Heinrich and Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall, who introduced legislation to protect 236,000 acres of federal public lands in the Rio Grande del Norte as a National Conservation Area.

The Rio Grande del Norte has been part of New Mexico’s rich culture for many centuries and generations. It feeds the land and people – spiritually, environmentally and economically. This extraordinary land offers wildlife viewing opportunities including elk, deer, antelope, and other mammals. People are eager to spend their time off work exploring here: fishing, hunting and gathering wild mushrooms or asparagus. The Rio Grande del Norte also ensures protection of religious and cultural sites and provides access to tribal and pueblo members for traditional and customary uses, like gathering medicinal herbs.

“My grandma and grandpa met here. Their story ties us to the land, which is, literally, the lifeblood

FOUNDATION OF

LIFE

of our rich culture. For all the pueblos, the Rio Grande del Norte has been our place for time immemorial. This place has sustained our people forever, and we each play a role in sustaining the communities that rely on the land and the water here. Tributaries that run into and from the Rio Grande feed our medicinal herbs, our livestock, our corn. We cannot afford to allow any more desecration of the land and water here. We must preserve and protect this culture, our way of life, the soul of our people,” proudly states Marian Naranjo, Executive Director of H.O.P.E. (Honor Our Pueblo’s Existence), Espanola.

The book, Rio Grande del Norte: One Hundred New Mexicans Speak for a Legacy, was released at a Santa Fe event featuring Congressman Ben Ray Lujan. A number of the people depicted in the book were at the event. To look at the book, visit www.riograndedelnorte.org. If you are interested in purchasing a copy please call New Energy Economy at 505-989-7262.

Ariel Parrella Aureli is a summer intern with New Energy Economy, and will be a senior attending New Mexico School for the Arts in the fall, 2012.

MOVIMIENTO POR LA PAZ CON JUSTICIA Y DIGNIDAD

CARAVAN COMES TO ALBUQUERQUE

BY CECILIA CHAVEZ he Movimiento por la Paz con Justicia y Dignidad caravan is coming through Albuquerque on August 17th and 18th from San Diego on its way to Washington DC.

T

Mexican poet and activist Javier Sicilia, some Mexican civil society members and sympathizers are calling for engagement in a friendly but critical dialogue on Drug War policies, arms trafficking, money laundering, US foreign aid policy and immigration.

A broad and diverse group of organizations and individuals is working to welcome the messengers of a call for change in the bi-national policies that have exacerbated a six-year drug war that has annihilated the concept of human rights on both sides of the political border.

The caravanistas will be sharing their personal stories on how the current violent situation has affected them personally. More than 70,000 people killed, 10,000 disappeared and over 160,000 displaced during this “drug violence” in our neighbor country of Mexico. Those victims had brothers, wives, partners, daughters, and/or friends.

Last year, my friend Ilse and I went to Juarez to witness the arrival of the Movimiento’s second successful attempt to reach out to others. And witnesses we were, for sure. Witnesses of the myriad of stories recounted by relatives that came from all over the Mexican territory.

We heard of their loved ones having been killed with or without reason; not that there is justification for the

killings. We heard about these victims’ ordeals through the voices of those who joined the caravan traveling to their northern border. They belong to all social strata, live in cities and in rural areas, are children, are young, are old, have education, have a job, are illiterate, are religious, are still defining themselves: they were all laughing, walking, breathing the day before … the common denominator one finds is that they are dead, and their deaths have not been investigated.

A mother carried with her a blown up photograph of her son. This larger than life-size photo is printed on a canvas/banner that she carries under her arm at all times. When we sat to have a burrito offered by the organizers after a long day of workshops, presentations and networking, this mother asked us if we knew her son. Startled, I said “no, please tell me who is he.” She unfurled the large canvas and lovingly set it on the table. I stopped chewing; could barely swallow. This larger than life face of a happy jovial person, proud of his achievements, reclining against a wall holding a prize he had recently received, was looking at me. His eyes shined in this photograph. His mother starts recounting what had happened that morning when he was shot, killed “by accident” as he was on his way to work by those fighting the drug war. This canvas was all she had with her. And her memories.

There will be a dialogue, a public event for and with the Movimiento por la Paz in Albuquerque on Saturday, August 18th, at the Holy Family Parish at 562 Atrisco Dr. SW from noon to 2pm.

Call Renee for more details, at 505-234-2377 or go to www.cara van4peace.org.

QUIVIRA coalition

WAT E R S H E D R E S T O R AT I O N WORKSHOP

8/10-12 2012

August 10 through August 12. Work to restore a wet meadow on the upper reach of Springwagon Creek in Carson National Forest. Join Quivira Staff and our restoration specialists. To register: 505-820-2544 or www.quiviracoalition.org.

co-op

comix

August 2012 15

STORY AND PENCILS BY RAS ELIJAH TAFARI, INKS AND LETTERS BY CHRISTOPH KNERR