La Montanita Coop Connection Sept, 2012

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

s e p t e m b e r 2 012

˜ Co-op Join La Montanita Your community-owned natural foods grocery store

Why Join?

• You Care!

-about good food and how it is produced

• You’re Empowered!

-to help support the local/regional food-shed

• You Support!

-Co-op principles & values & community ownership

• You Vote!

-with your dollars for a strong local economy

• You Participate!

-providing direction and energy to the Co-op

• You Receive!

-member discounts, weekly specials & a patronage refund

• You Own It!

-an economic alternative for a sustainable future

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

Great Reasons to be a Co-op Member

invest in a great idea!

Become a Co-op member and join our 35 year effort creating a new economy.

Membership in La Montañita Co-op not only brings fresh food to your table, it benefits everyone! Our local producers work hard with great care and love for their land, eco-system and community to grow and create the most beautiful and healthy food. Take the quantum leap to stand with our “here at home” producers!

Peculiar Farms & Freanna Yoghurt • details inside

• Pick up our monthly newsletter full of information on food, health, environment and your Co-op.

• Member refund program: at the end of each fiscal year, if earnings are sufficient, refunds are returned to members based on purchases.

• Weekly member-only coupon specials as featured in our weekly sales flyer. Pick it up every week at any location to save more than your annual membership fee each week.

• Banking membership at the New Mexico Educators Federal Credit Union.

• Member only discount days: take advantage of our special discount events throughout the year-for members only.

• Special Orders: order large quantities of hard-to-find items at a 10% discount for members.

• General membership meetings, Board positions and voting.

Co-ops are democratic organizations. Your participation is encouraged.

connection

free

Annual Membership Gathering IT’S A CELEBRATION! October 27th Save the Date!

BY SUSAN MCALLISTER s your Board of Directors, we talk a lot about coops as an important alternative economic system. For me, almost nowhere is the distinction between co-ops and corporations more clear than in the structure, tone and atmosphere of the annual meeting.

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This year, on Saturday, October 27th, La Montañita is holding our annual meeting in Santa Fe, at Warehouse 21.

And, you, our member/owners, are encouraged and invited to attend! Here’s why we ENCOURAGE you: • IT’S FUN. You get to mingle with our great community of Co-op members.

• IT’S DELICIOUS. There’s food prepared by the amazing staff of the Co-op made with the most wonderful food provided by our family of producers.

• IT’S CREATIVE. We’ll be highlighting the artistic works of the young artists of Warehouse 21, including music, visual art and poetry.

• IT’S INFORMATIVE, AND INTERESTING. The board of directors is putting together an activity to highlight the work of co-ops around the world in honor of 2012 as International Year of the Co-op.

Here’s why we INVITE you: • It’s your opportunity to meet the current board members, ask questions and share your thoughts about your Co-op.

• In November, you’ll be voting on board members up for election and re-election and this is a chance to meet them, and hear how they’ll represent your interests on the board.

• This is the board’s opportunity to present to our member/owners the current financial state of the Co-op, and a chance to really highlight the remarkable work that the Co-op staff does in the community.

Oct. 27th

It’s your

I know, a “meeting.” Who wants to attend yet another one? But La Montañita’s annual meeting is so much more than a meeting; it’s a celebration of our Co-op. It’s a celebration of our community, and it’s definitely a celebration of all of our commitments to healthy, wholesome food and positive benefit for our community.

CO-OP! IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS please don’t hesitate to contact THE BOARD at bod@lamontanita.coop, and don’t forget to RSVP TO ROBIN AFTER OCTOBER 1ST at robins@lamontanita.coop or 217-2027 or toll free at 877-775-2667.

Friends, Food, Farming and FUNDs:

year the Co-op Distribution Center will be bringing these onions to all our stores and other co-ops and groceries around the state.

BY ROBIN SEYDEL olina and her “heavenly farm” have been an integral part of the local farming community for 10 years and she has been a certified organic producer for eight years. Building her farm “on pristine land, a quarter acre at a time... using raised beds, drip irrigation and all organic, no-till methods, it was probably the smallest farm ever certified organic,” notes Nolina.

Although she now farms about an acre in full on vegetable production, her spread includes many acres in the Lemitar bosque and her commitment to conservation- based agriculture runs deep and wide.

When Nolina was interested in a La Montanita Fund (LaM FUND) loan we were thrilled to be able help her expand her operations, with everyone on the loan committee agreeing that this was exactly what the LaM FUND was set up to do.

The LaM FUND loan is helping Nolina bring electricity to the center of her farm, prepare the soil in another 1/4 acre and install a 30’ x 96’ high tunnel hoop house for year round production. Nolina tells us that one of her regular customers at the Downtown Growers’ market (and an investor in the LaM FUND), was thrilled to know that Nolina was one of the recipients of the funds from this grassroots pool of investors, of which she is a part. It was the completion of a circle of friends, farming, food and FUNDs that is building a strong local food system and a thriving cooperative economy.

NOLINA’S Heavenly Organics N Her field is surrounded by wild acreage, some grassland, old growth bosque and a wetland. “A conservation and restoration program is in progress. We’ve removed salt cedar and planted groves of native trees, including Desert Hackberry, Arizona Walnut, False Indigo, Goodings Willow and new cottonwoods. Wildlife is prolific, some to our delight, others not—like gophers and skunks,” says Nolina. “We’ve even had a mama mountain lion with her two cubs, who wasn’t supposed to be living in the neighborhood and had to be removed by the Game and Fish folks.” (To see the listing and some images of all the wildlife Nolina and friends have experienced go to her website www.myheavenlyorganics.com)

For years she has brought her exceptionally beautiful produce to Co-op locations, sold through the CDC, and been a mainstay at the Downtown and Nob Hill Growers’ Markets as well as providing a modified CSA type service in Socorro.

“We spoil the soil and it spoils us back,” says Nolina with a smile. A winner of the NMDA Organic Program’s GOOD EARTH Award—Nolina‘s Heavenly Organics produces a wide variety of produce, really just about everything you can think of that you would want to grace your plate, and some unique and heritage foods you might not have, as yet, had the opportunity to taste; including her Rose Bianca, pale lavender eggplant and rainbow beets.

This year, products generating the greatest excitement are her specialty onions; of Italian descent, these Cippolinis and Red Tropeas are the sweetest most delicious onions you will ever eat. This

Look for Nolina’s Heavenly Organic Red Tropeas and Cippolini onions and other veggies at Co-op locations. Co-op members interested in investing in the LaM FUND to help more of our local food producers and farmers interested in expanding their production with a LaM FUND loan please contact Robin Seydel at robins@lam ontanita.coop or 505-217-2027 or toll free at 877-775-2667.

ROOTS in the Garden and FUN... INFORMATIVE... TASTY • FREE TO ALL CO-OP MEMBERS C O - O P A N N U A L M E M B E R S H I P G AT H E R I N G

BOOTS on the Ground Veteran Farmer Project

UPDATE!

BY ROBIN SEYDEL he Veteran Farmer Project (VFP) has had a busy summer!

The gardens both on the VA Campus behind Building 11 that we helped put in and our main gardens at the Downtown Action Team’s Alvarado Urban Farm on Silver and Second Street are having a wonderfully productive season.

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On August 1st, veterans involved with the project began selling their produce on Wednesday mornings at the Farmers’ Market on the VA Campus with good success and much support from customers and members of the VA community. VFP participants were happy to go home with dollars in their pocket; the result of their good work in the gardens all spring.

Celebrate with YOUR LOCAL CO-OP at Warehouse 21, 1614 Paseo de Peralta, (across the street from Santa Fe’s Railyard Farmers’ Market Pavilion)

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27TH, 5PM CELEBRATE WITH WAREHOUSE 21’S YOUTH ARTISTS, MUSICIANS AND POETS.

Probably the biggest hit from our gardens are the delicious Sun Gold Cherry tomatoes which generally sell out during our first hour. Other produce from the VFP gardens include: chard, kale, collards, lettuce, onions, beets, peppers, other tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, cantaloupe and watermelon. During late spring and early summer before the market began, VFP participants brought home delicious snap peas and armloads of red onions, beets and spring greens.

Fall Actions This month to further inspire VFP participants we will be visiting two farms. On September 13th Lanny Tonning of Old Town Farm, a veteran himself, has invited us to his farm in Albuquerque. On September 26, we will visit Green Tractor Farm, near Santa Fe, to participate in the NMSU/NMDA’s Intergrated Pest Management workshop. All veterans and active service personnel are welcome to join us for these adventures. Pre-registration is required; to register for these field trips please contact Robin Seydel at La Montanita Co-op or John Shields at the VA; contact information listed below.

Also this month we will be building cold frames to fit over our beds so we can garden all winter long; I can almost taste that sweet winter kale now! Funds for the construction of the cold frames comes to the project thanks to the generous support of a New Mexico Department of Agriculture grant.

Exact dates and times for our VFP cold frame construction brigade have, at the time of this writing, not been set. Please contact either Robin or John to participate; Robin at 505-217-2027 or e-mail her at robins@lamontanita.coop or call John Shields at the VA at 505-256-6499 or e-mail him at John.

Shields@va.gov if you would like a ride from the VA Campus.

celebrate

fall!

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.

CO-OP

YOU OWN IT 2

HARVESTHAPPENINGS! TIME

fresh roasted

ORGANIC CHILE! at your favorite CO-OP location!

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our Co-op once again has delicious certified organic green chile! Seco Spice fresh organic green chile comes to us through our foodshed Co-op Distribution Center project.

Seco Spice is a rapidly growing chile farm and dehydration company, owned by Edward D. Ogaz, which has been operating since 1996. There are two processing facilities which are located in Artesia and Berino, New Mexico. These two facilities process over three million pounds of red and green peppers, rosemary, and carrots annually. Seco Spice currently distributes to various companies nationally as well as in Europe and Asia. All of the Seco Brand products are certified kosher safe and compliant, many are certified by the International Chile Society and are USDA Certified Organic.

WE LOVE FOOD COOKING

CLASSES LOCAL ORGANIC MEALS ON A BUDGET! FUN, EDUCATIONAL $18 CLASSES Kitchen Angels, the Santa Fe Farmers Market Institute and Home Grown New Mexico are presenting a series of cooking classes to help you create healthy, filling meals on a budget.

Our passionate guest chefs demonstrate how to prepare simple, fast and easy meals made with local and organic foods. Packed with tips, ways to save money and easy to follow recipes and ideas, these classes are meant to educate and inspire. You, too, can create a delicious, affordable, locally sourced dinner in just 30 minutes.

Plus, each class has a raffle where you might win a cookbook, a gift card, cooking utensils or other great prizes! Classes are held at the Kitchen Angels, 1222 Siler Road in Santa Fe, on Wednesdays from 5:45-7:15pm.

Roasted Fresh for YOU! At all La Montanita locations we will have fresh Seco Spice certified organic green chile that we roast on site on specific days (except at Gallup, where you can buy fresh green chile in the produce case and fresh pre-roasted in the cooler). Go to your favorite Co-op information desk or produce department to sign up for your bushel of Seco Spice organic chile. Contact the Co-op produce department nearest you for their ongoing roasting schedule, or to sign up to have your fresh chile roasted and ready to pick up at your convenience.

September classes: 9/12, Healthy New Mexican Food: Lois Ellen Frank/Red Mesa Catering. Santa Fe, New Mexico-based chef, author, Native foods historian and photographer Lois Ellen Frank is an instructor at the Santa Fe School of Cooking and head of her Native American catering and food company, Red Mesa. She continues to research food, medicinal and spiritual plants, and works with Native American and non-Native chefs to combine traditional ingredients with contemporary techniques.

9/26, Salsa, Jams, Chutneys, Pesto: Local Organic Meals on a Budget, SFFMI staff.

The Co-op will be roasting CERTIFIED ORGANIC southern New Mexico green chile THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, or for as long as chile supplies last!

For more information or to register go to www.localorganic meals.com or call 471-7780.

LEARN TO

SEPTEMBER

26th

URBAN FARM AND HARVEST

FESTIVAL

KENT SWANSON, ASSOCIATE PLANNER, OPEN SPACE Join us on Wednesday for a community celebration of Urban Agriculture and Open Space!

BY

Highlights for this year’s festival include: Sales of local produce and art, live music on a shaded patio overlooking a 24-acre working farm/wildlife preserve, hay bale rides, live raptor display, kids’ activities, food, and much more! Attend workshops and presentations on: beekeeping, water harvesting, beneficial insects, the history of food in New Mexico, urban raptors and their role in the environment and more.

Don’t forget to bring a shopping bag and purchase local food and produce while you visit booths of farmers, artisans, businesses, and non-profits working to protect agriculture and Open Space!

See you on Wednesday, September 26, from 10am4pm at the Open Space Visitor Center, 6500 Coors Blvd. NW, between Montaño and Paseo del Norte at the end of Bosque Meadows Rd. FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! For workshop and music schedules go to www.cabq.gov/openspace. For more information about the event, call the Open Space Visitor Center at 897-8831, or see www.cabq. gov/openspace.

FARMSCAPE USING NATURE’S PEST MANAGEMENT SERVICES! Join farming and gardening educators Dr. Tess Grasswitz and Joanie Quinn and fellow growers in learning about habitat enhancement and other techniques that can help beneficial insects and reduce pest problems on organic farms and gardens.

These on-farm workshops will introduce the concept of “Farmscaping”: a whole-farm, ecological approach to habitat management aimed at increasing the numbers of beneficial organisms.

Farmscaping methods include the use of “insectary” plants, hedgerows, cover crops, nest boxes or roosting sites, etc., that can attract and support beneficial organisms such as predatory and parasitic insects, spiders, birds, and bats, all of which can help suppress insect pests and/or problem vertebrates such as mice and gophers.

Each workshop will consist of a farm walk and discussion during which participants will be encouraged to think about how to improve the habitat on their own farms and gardens. The events will be led by Dr. Tess Grasswitz (Urban/Small Farm IPM Specialist with NMSU) and Joanie Quinn (Organic Advisor with the NMDA Organic Program).

TO

REGISTER CALL 575-646-0329 or 505-889-9921 OR E-MAIL: jquinn@nmda.nmsu.edu.

farmscape WORKSHOP SCHEDULE 9/9,1-4pm • This event will be hosted by certified organic growers Kevin and Linda Wrigley, on their 20acre farm, located near Cochiti, which produces mixed fruit, vegetables, culinary herbs and alfalfa hay.

9/26, 1-4 pm • This event will be hosted by Thomas and Mary Dixon at their organically certified farm near Santa Fe. The Dixons have 3 acres of crops, including grapes, mixed vegetables, hay and flowers.

September 2012

harvest time

happenings

RIO GRANDE AGRICULTURAL

LAND TRUST

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io Grande Agricultural Land Trust’s (RGALT) goal is to protect New Mexico’s natural resources and rural quality of life for the five New Mexico counties of Bernalillo, Sandoval, Sierra, Socorro and Valencia. Its mission is to preserve open space, agricultural lands and wildlife habitat through the use of voluntary conservation easements to be “held in trust” by RGALT. RGALT's vision of the Middle Rio Grande Valley is a landscape rich in vegetation and wildlife with water in the river and ditches, thriving farms and rural communities, and farmers' markets that link rural and urban interests.

RGALT was incorporated as the Socorro Agricultural Land Trust (SALT) in 1997. SALT expanded in 2000 and changed its name to the Rio Grande Agricultural Land Trust (RGALT) to include the counties with the fastest population growth in New Mexico: Sandoval, Bernalillo, Valencia, Socorro and Sierra Counties. This decision to include four more counties was made for three main reasons:

County); The Village of Los Lunas (Valencia County); The City of Rio Rancho and the Village of Corrales (Sandoval County); 2. Land trust organizations throughout New Mexico encouraged SALT to cover a larger territory than just Socorro County; and 3. Since the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) provides irrigation for farmland in these counties, this area is already a welldefined geographic focus for farmland preservation activities.

RGALT is made up of people who live in the Middle Rio Grande Valley and are dedicated to the preservation of working farms, ranches, wildlife habitat and open space. They understand that “we cannot afford to lose our farms, ranches, forests, and open space. What happens to our land directly affects our water supply, wildlife habitats, fresh food supplies, and the vitality and heritage of our rural communities.” For more information, to make a donation, learn about conservation easements, or to find out how to put your agricultural land into a RGALT trust and what it means for you and future generations, GO TO: www.rgalt.org or contact them at PO Box 40043, Albuquerque, NM 87196-0043, Phone 505-270-4421.

1. There was no local land trust covering the fastest growing urban areas in the state: The City of Albuquerque (Bernalillo

PROTECTING THE VITALITY AND HERITAGE OF

RURAL COMMUNITIES

RIO GRANDE AGRICULTURAL LAND TRUST HARVEST

DINNER

BY BILL HUME unique blend of gourmet food, a historic setting, great company – and all for the good cause of preserving agriculture in the Middle Rio Grande Valley – comes together again September 16 in the annual Harvest Dinner of the Rio Grande Agricultural Land Trust.

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The keynote fundraiser for RGALT, the Harvest Dinner will return to La Quinta, the John Gaw Meem-designed social center at the Albuquerque North Valley Los Poblanos Inn and Organic Farm. A broad cross-section of the water, farming and environmental communities in New Mexico will be in attendance for the socializing and the gourmet repast.

The Harvest Dinner is without parallel anywhere as a culinary experience.

RGALT gathers organic meats and vegetables from growers and stockmen right here in the Rio Grande Valley, then hands them over to a cadre of chefs from several of Albuquerque’s finest restaurants. They plan the courses and prepare the banquet. Among those collaborating on this year’s menu are Bob Peterson of Savoy, Jonathan Perno of Los Poblanos, Chris Pope of Zinc Wine Bar & Bistro, and Paul Mandigo of Seasons. The food is prepared on site in the spacious and well-equipped kitchen of La Quinta.

The Harvest Dinner has become an annual tradition among many connected with agriculture in central New Mexico. In addition to raising money for the critical work of RGALT, it provides a time to contemplate the accomplishments of the preceding year. And this year we have much to celebrate, including: • We completed two conservation easements on working family farms in the historic agricultural community of San Ysidro in Sandoval County.

• We—RGALT and our partners—recently learned that our proposal for a North Amerian Wetland Conservation Act grant was selected for $1 million funding. This will allow us to preserve more than 600 acres of privately owned wetland riparian land in the Socorro reach of the Rio Grande, just three miles north of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. We also have been the recipient of the donation of a number of properties in the middle Rio Grande area of New Mexico. Proceeds from these land donations will help to sustain and grow our organization.

The Harvest Dinner returns year after year to Los Poblanos because the facility, with its historic buildings, agricultural infrastructure, towering cottonwood trees and general valley ambience is a visual and sensual experience that epitomizes the agrarian heritage of New Mexico. Los Poblanos is located at 4803 Rio Grande Blvd. NW in the Village of Los Ranchos.

Tickets and information may be found on the RGALT website at www.rgalt.org.

“The amount of work that goes into staging this is astounding – but every year when we gather again in the shade in that incredibly peaceful and pleasant place, it is all worth it,” said Cecilia Rosacker-McCord, RGALT executive director. “This is the one time of the year that the many people who share our goal of preserving the agrarian lifestyle in our valley have a chance to get together and reinforce our shared resolve.”

The event begins at 3pm on Sunday, September 16, and continues until about dusk. A social mixer in La Quinta and the grassed courtyard out back, punctuated by exotic appetizers from the blue-ribbon kitchen staff, will start the event. A silent auction of treasures and trivia – plus a live auction during dinner – will further accent the afternoon.

september

16th, 3pm

THIS MONTH BAG CREDIT DONATIONS GO TO: Rio Grande Agricultural Land Trust: Preserving agricultural land for future generations.

IN JULY your bag credit donations totaling $1,911.00 were given to Interfaith Power and Light. Thank you!!!!

CO-OP PROGRAM

DONATE YOUR BAG CREDIT! BRING A BAG... DONATE THE DIME!

September 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 Principles 1 Voluntary and Open Membership 2 Democratic Member Control 3 Member Economic Participation 4 Autonomy and Independence 5 Education, Training and Information 6 Cooperation among Cooperatives 7 Concern for Community The Co-op Connection is published by La Montanita 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

fall

farming

September 2012 4

SOIL APPRECIATION

GAINS GROUND THE WORLD AT OUR FEET

BY IGINIA BOCCALANDRO, CARBON ECONOMY SERIES hen we talk about soil, we have to open our imaginations and eyes to a universe so dense with life, so diverse, that it truly takes a childlike mind to grasp it.With this openness we can begin to look at the soil/food web, where organisms of all different sizes — some visible to the naked eye, others only through microscopes — have different roles and levels of complexity depending on their size and location underground.

spread of deserts. It also fails to remove carbon from the atmosphere, which is crucial to climate stabilization. A healthy balance of microorganisms in soil is essential to life. It is the active biology in the soil that

Support for ALL

LI F E!

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The top layer is known, naturally enough, as topsoil. It is teeming with life — tiny, mighty organisms that churn solid rock into minerals that can be absorbed by the roots of plants. Without these organisms, we would not have the vegetation on earth that we take for granted. This “vegetative skin,” the phrase coined by Dr. Paolo Lugari, creator of the Colombian sustainable village of Gaviotas, is one of the key elements that support life on earth.

Although science has identified only 3 percent of the living organisms in soil, their work and impact on life is huge. They are classified into three groups: bacteria, fungi and microorganisms (such as nematodes — small worms that comprise more than 28,000 species!). These three groups of organisms exist in different sizes and have very specific functions, which we are just beginning to understand, but one thing is clear: being able to grow anything depends on the presence and health of these organisms.

Although plants are not able to run after their food, they do move somewhat. Phototropism is the movement of plants’ above-ground parts towards light, and geotropism is the movement of the roots towards the center of the earth. Through micro-hairs in their roots, plants exude simple sugars that act like cookies, candy and cake in attracting bacteria, fungi and microorganisms. These organisms synthesize specific nutrients right next to the root hair, making them more easily absorbed by the plant.

To paraphrase Dr. Elaine Ingham, chief scientist of Rodale Institute, we are not farmers or gardeners but soil managers. The more skilled we are at maintaining biodynamic soil, the more variety, quality and quantity of plants we can grow. When we look at totally bare ground, we are looking at dead soil. Holistic Land Manager Kirk Gadzia, of Bernalillo, declared bare ground as Public Enemy #1 because of how it deteriorates our environment, leading to soil erosion, water and topsoil loss, and the

GARDEN LIKE IT’S COOL:

cold frames MAKE IT LAST

BY ROB MOORE t’s been a grand summer in New Mexico. We could have used more rain, to be sure. Those of us who garden have been especially excited: the growing season has been wonderful, and it has been an especially fine fruit year.

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But the last of the summer crops does not have to mean the end of good growing and great gardening. Some folks have greenhouses to help them grow year ’round, some have hot beds, and many get by using cold frames.

All three have particular advantages, but cold frames are the easiest of the bunch for most people, simple to make, inexpensive, and sturdy enough to

CO-OP annual

MEMBERSHIP

GATHERING

saturday, OCT.27

@5pm FREE to all Co-op members!

be

there!

CELEBRATE COOPERATION and the International Year of the Cooperative with YOUR LOCAL CO-OP at Warehouse 21, 1614 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe.

Save the date!

breaks down rock and raw minerals into chelated minerals along with organic matter to make humus that holds water and transports nutrients to all plant life. Plants, in turn, create oxygen with other atmospheric gases that keep life happening on our planet.

The microorganisms in soil outnumber all species

above ground by the billions. In one cup of living soil, there are more living organisms than what we can see on the land and the ocean and what has already gone extinct! Even the ratio of these underground organisms to each other is significant. The proportion of bacteria to fungi in the soil will determine what kind of plants will grow well on a particular site.

The amount of humus will determine the health, vitality and vigor of the plants. In addition, the humus will reduce the amount of water required, stimulate greater root growth and reduce soil compaction. Ultimately, production is increased greatly by all these factors, which are natural and biological. By understanding how the soil/food web works and how to use it to prepare soil, we are able to create the conditions to grow virtually anything.

IGINIA BOCCALANDRO is the founder of Carbon Economy Series, a monthly series of workshops on soil, food systems, and regenerative agriculture at the Santa Fe Community College. You’ll find a schedule at www.carboneconomyseries.com/calendar.

EARTHLY ACTIVITIES SOIL/Sense it. Look at soil. Smell it and (yes!) taste it.

Particles with sharp edges that you can see are sand. Smaller particles, looking like small rocks, that you can see with magnification, are loam, and the smallest particles, in which you can no longer see a resemblance to rock, are clay.

• Shake it. Fill a quart bottle with water and put half a cup of soil in it. Shake it up and wait for it to settle. See if you can identify the different kinds of particles. What do you notice in the organic matter that floats to the top?

ORGANISMS/Attract them. Dissolve a quarter-cup of molasses in a gallon of water. Find a place outside, away from any houses or structures, and pour a little path of sweet water along an area of what might look like just dirt. Come back in a little while and observe who shows up to have some dessert!

• Observe them. Fungi grows in strands — string-like structures that are often white and feed on wood chips, cardboard or paper. Find a conifer or pine tree and dig around the base looking for strands of fungi. Wet a piece of cardboard and put the strand underneath the cardboard. Keep watering the card-

protect your plants through most of the weather we get in New Mexico.

Cold frames can be made from any number of materials, but the traditional method usually involves some untreated lumber to make a square or rectangular box frame, along with a repurposed window on a hinge as the top.

Ideally the frame has a slight rise or angle to it, which allows more exposure to sunlight.

This design is not universal, however, and many gardeners make a variation on cold frames by mounting hoops on existing raised beds and covering the hoops with sheets of thick plastic to make a shelter for their plants. If you have an established garden this might be the way to go.

Jumping Through Hoops There’s no need to go fancy with the hoops. PVC tubing works well and if you have access to bending tools you can use electrical conduit. You can even try bent wooden slats for hoops, but be advised they may not weather as well and need to be strong enough to support your covering.

You’ll want to situate your cold frame to receive the best amount of sunlight. Clear southern exposures are best, but if that orientation does not allow enough light for your plants, your next best choice is a westwardfacing orientation. If that doesn’t work either, try the eastern and lastly northern points. You can keep your top open during daytime for the most part, but once it begins to frost you will want to keep your cold frame or hoop covering closed at night. Once it gets cold even during daylight hours you should open your cold frame on sunnier days to make sure your plants get sufficient sunlight and to ensure respiration.

The CO-OP Foodshed Project: Bringing local farmers together with Co-op shoppers for the best in fresh, fair and local food.

board each day for a week and see how much the fungi grows feeding on the cardboard. Remember, these organisms live underground so they must be protected from wind and direct sunlight.

DECOMPOSITION/Enzymes in action. Decomposition happens best with fresh, unprocessed or uncooked organic matter. The enzymes present in living things make a yummy snack for bacteria, fungi, insects and microorganisms breaking down food and ridding us of “waste.” Put a piece of apple outside and a piece of a fast-food hamburger and see what disappears first. !

WIGGLERS IN ACTION/ Worms are great decomposers. Red wigglers in particular. Create a bed of straw and soil on top of the bare ground with some borders around it (rocks or walls). Put some red wigglers on top (available at the Farmers’ Market or several of our local nurseries), cover them up with any mulch (straw works well), and make sure the soil is moist. Count how many worms you put in. Each day, uncover the layer of mulch, put in kitchen leftovers and food scraps, put the mulch back and add water. After three weeks, dig around in your pile and see how many more worms there are.

Hooray, you’ve made a cold frame! But what should you plant? Northern New Mexico can get pretty chilly, but you should be able to plant lettuce, spinach, kale, carrots, onions, broccoli, or cauliflower in your protected space. Root vegetables like carrots, turnips, radishes and the mighty beet are also good candidates for your cold-frame sheltered crops. Avid cold-frame users emphasize the importance of starting any seedlings indoors, and giving them a chance to sturdy-up before taking them outdoors for planting, so keep that advice in mind as you prepare your cold-season garden. Reports abound of delighted fall growers enjoying salad greens well into December, with the added bonus of being able to get head starts on spring crops, often weeks ahead of schedule.

Even if you don’t go heavy on growing through the colder months, a cold frame can come in handy by helping to protect treasured dormant plants through into spring. If you have your cold frame in place ahead of the spring thaw, you can also make use of it as a place to start and harden seedlings, again giving you an advantage when the weather changes and it’s time to plant in the spring.

However you choose to do it, cold frames are a terrific way to keep your hard work and garden alive through the New Mexico fall and into winter.

There are some terrific online resources to help you make the most of your planting, and you can check out vegetablegardener.com and mothere arthnews.com for some excellent instructions and advice.

SHOP

CO-OP!

harvest

season

September 2012 5

Keeping them Honest on the

ORGANIC FRONT LINES!

BRETT BAKKER his past April, Harold Chase of Springfield, Oregon, was sentenced to twenty-seven months in federal prison in connection with falsely representing 4.2 million pounds of non-organic corn as organic. In all, Chase netted about $190,000 above the non-organic price during 2009 and 2010. Chase was not, however, sentenced for breaking the USDA/National Organic Program rule. He was in fact convicted of wire fraud because he sent falsified documents by fax.

Wire fraud is a federal offense, hence, his stint in federal prison.

BY

T

One of my first reactions is—childish I’ll admit— laughing as I think of Chase explaining to his cell mates (such as kidnappers, counterfeiters, presidential assassins) why he’s doing federal time.

But really I’d prefer to see Chase pay (1) massive fines to the NOP and the certifiers affected; (2) restitution to the farms, ranches and processors that put their own organic certifications on the line by using his corn; and, of course, (3) refunds to the consumers who paid top organic dollar for nonorganic products.

The implications of this case (and many others like it) are deep. People who made the choice to buy and eat organic products for health and environmental reasons unwittingly supported the non-organic system they chose not to support as well as consumed products that were not only non-organic but possibly of GMO origins.

The Importance of Systemic Honesty The honest certified organic farmers whose organic certificates were altered have had their reputations

Organic Systems: NOT PERFECT... but getting BETTER! questioned and expensive organic certification threatened. The certified organic processors that cleaned, milled and used the non-organic corn in organic products may have unintentionally contaminated many other legitimately organic products processed in their facilities because of non-organic residues in their equipment, production lines and storage silos.

Most problematic, the ranchers and dairymen who fed their certified organic livestock non-organic feed unintentionally “contaminated” their herds and flocks. Should those animals now be removed from organic production? Per NOP rule, organic meat animals given non-organic feed lose their organic status forever. Organic dairy stock must be removed from organic milk production for at least one year.

Who pays the ranches and dairies that may lose

INSPECTOR’S NIGHTMARE their entire organic herd for that heavy loss? Or if the NOP decides that since it was not intentional, that livestock is still okay for organic production. What does that say to organic consumers who expect the organic rules to be strictly followed to protect their costly food dollar?

As a consumer, I say nope, I don’t want those animals still in organic production. As a certifier, however, I say well, the processors, ranches and dairies followed the rules by obtaining all the certification documentation. How were they to know the documents had been falsified?

Inspections and Inspectors Maybe certificates and sales documents should be more closely scrutinized to follow the chain of custody of seed to final destination of the crop. Certifiers already spend many hours doing this. For example, in a typical sale to a dairy, here’s what we look for: current organic certification documents of the farm; invoices, receipts and purchase orders of the sale; bills of lading and transportation documents; receiving and inventory logs of the buyer.

Believe it or not, this could take an entire day for a small portion of a dairy’s annual feed purchases. And then we still have the herd, its health and medical history, pastures and hay fields, feed storage, the milking facility, the bottling line, the coolers, the tanker trucks, sanitation and pest control records and sales and shipping records to look at.

The cost of organic certification is paid by the certified operator.

Added time equals added costs which equals increased cost on the end product. You’re already paying a premium. How much more are you willing to pay? How much more is the producer willing to pay out of his profits? Keep in mind that even multi-million dollar farm operations might net the farmer a wage no better than yours since the dollars are tied up in capital: land, bank loans, mortgages, seed, labor, fertilizer, pest control, equipment, insurance and so on.

Please bear in mind that every organic inspection is like any other type of inspection: Not every single plate of food you buy in a restaurant is checked for pathogens. Not every single automobile is extensively driven for safety checks before it is sold. All any inspector can do is see a snapshot of the operation and check its policies and standard operating procedures. The system is not perfect, but it’s getting better, as evidenced by the fact that routine checking caught Chase in the act.

co-op news

September 2012 6

COST

IT IS NOT

MORE EXPENSIVE TO SHOP THE CO-OP!

COMPARISON! Get TRUE VALUE for YOUR

FOOD DOLLAR

BY AMYLEE UDALL n writing an article analyzing if it really “costs more" to shop at La Montanita, I thought I would be preaching to the choir. If you've picked this newsletter up, you support your local Coop. But I realize that you, too, may find yourself defending your choice to shop here. Our friends may say it's too expensive and you spend your energy convincing them you are “not rich” and that it does NOT “cost more." I gently try to point out that the "more" supports much more!

I

What I have always loved about La Montanita is TRANSPARENCY! It is clear how LOCAL the Co-op is on all levels. It is clear where the food is produced. It is clear that its economics stay RIGHT HERE, not moving on up the line, ultimately ending with a big corporation elsewhere. It is clear that the employees, many of whom have been here for YEARS, are happy and paid fairly. It is clear that the food producers are paid fairly. It is clear that the food quality is above par.

But despite all these good intentions, most people say, "Show me the money—I gotta keep an eye on my wallet, lady." My family too, has gone through periods of full-time schooling and job layoffs that have required us to prioritize spending. Once I thought I would try to reduce grocery spending by shopping elsewhere—the Sunflower Market for instance. I found that while bulk items cost about the SAME and produce often did, quality was not nearly as good. If my produce goes bad and I end up throwing it away, that is NOT a cost savings. I also found adding another store to my weekly trip increased the time I spend shopping dramatically.

save

YOUR $$$

Everyone's time vs money threshold will be different, but that IS another consideration. And if you truly do not have any extra money to spend on better food, I would be the last one to second guess you. But most people who say they can't afford to shop at the Co-op do go out to eat, buy high priced lattes, DO have some flexibility!

THE WHAT AND THE HOW So we need to look at WHAT you're buying. If you're buying items in jars, processed into boxes or from the frozen section, yep, your Co-op trip could cost more than if you bought the exact items elsewhere. And if you do not shop sales, you would spend more, too.

That falls under HOW you are buying. Most people wanting to maximize savings will stock up on sale items (think bulk items, grains, butter, cheese, baking staples). So I took pen in hand and compared bulk and produce items at Sunflower Market and La Montanita.

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

First, I must say the comparisons aren’t exact.

Sunflower might price produce by packs of 2, 3 or 4, where the Co-op prices by the pound. Next, I looked at ORGANIC products. Everyone knows non-organic costs less and if cost is truly an issue for a family, they are likely not even looking at organic. Finally, I compared what I was buying that week, so this list will of course be different than what YOU buy! And I make items like bread, yogurt, and cereal that are often staples, so of course that greatly increases my savings and keeps those items off this list.

For ease of comparison, I counted just one pound or unit of each item. That's why the total is low for a family's expenditure. I never buy just one pound of anything, usually!

Peaches were on sale for $2.29/lb at the Co-op but I didn’t include the peaches in this comparison. At Sunflower, they were priced by sets of 4, but the peaches just weren't as good! They were all too hard.

But beyond that, they weren't shown to be local.

Again, these are value judgements I make. If I can get fantastic, local, organic fruit and it costs a little more, it's worth it! Maybe I'll buy a little less than if they were cheaper; we all play those games with our groceries.

I'm sure if I tried, I could have spent less at Sunflower, shopping ONLY their sales. But I rather put that energy into shopping at the Co-op. And I feel if I spend ABOUT the same at each store, it's worth it to invest in the Co-op for all they do for local producers and the larger community.

The Co-op IS my primary grocery store. But I also make use of the following strategies for grocery savings: • GROWERS’ MARKETS: Actually I don't find this saves me THAT much. Because of the Co-op’s transparency and labeling, I see that I DO support many of these same local growers because they also sell through the Co-op.

• BUYING CLUBS: I belong to a few bulk buying groups. We go in together to get better pricing on various items. The upfront investment is large, but for specialty or often used items, the savings can be great.

• COUPONS: OK, I actually don't use coupons much. For the occasional convenience item, the Coop mails out quarterly coupon books and you can sign up for coupons from the companies whose products you use.

• LOCAL RANCHERS: Buy meat in bulk directly from a local rancher. Again, large investment, but great savings.

• FRIENDS: I try very hard not to buy eggs at the store! And I take advantage of others' garden abundance, as well.

• GARDEN: I'm not a pro gardener, but I try. If I only get some lettuce, tomatoes and squash, still I’ve saved. And you can't get any more local than your backyard.

• VOLUNTEER DISCOUNT CARDS: Contact the Coop about volunteering and earn an 18% discount on your purchases; it helps considerably in reducing your grocery bill while further supporting the co-op model.

Maybe now you can see that shopping at the Co-op is NOT as expensive as you thought. And your dollars can stay local and support a transparent business that as a member you own and that works for YOU. Contact Amylee at www.InspiredABQ.com or www.facebook.com/inspired.

PRICE COMPARISON CHART rice sour cream oats organic frozen fruit whole wheat flour canned tomatoes 2lbs. organic carrots strawberries celery broccoli avocado onions cheddar cheese sweet potatoes

Board of Directors’

for one week in August. Prices may vary seasonaly.

CO-OP

SUNFLOWER

$1.99/lb. $2.69 $1.29 $2.59/10oz. bag $.99 $2.69 $3.38 $1.99 $1.99 $1.99/lb. $1.29 each $1.99 $2.99/lb. $1.99/lb.

$1.99/lb. SAME $2.19 $1.29 SAME $4.59/bag (non/org. $2.99/bag) $1.49 $2.99 (both on sale) $2.49 $2.99 $1.99 SAME $1.69/lb. $.99 $.99 $4.99/lb. $2.49/lb.

Co-op TOTAL: $29.85

Sunflower TOTAL: $33.16

Elections Calender

Important Dates to

REMEMBER! MEMBERS be sure to give your email address to your local Co-op Information Desk IN ORDER TO RECEIVE YOUR ELECTRONIC BALLOT. Watch for more info on the Board’s first electronic election in the October issue of the Co-op Connection.

October 27th: Annual Membership Meeting. Candidates have an opportunity to introduce themselves to the membership.

November 1-14: ANNUAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTIONS.

Your Co-op goes

ELECTRONIC!

YO U R

CO-wO P ants YOU!

wants YOU!

co-op news GO GALLUP GO!

T

here has been much activity at our Gallup store. A brief history of the Gallup location includes a few people from La Montanita helping Gallup morph from a buying club into a storefront around 2000. The storefront was run by volunteers and a Board of Directors until they realized that they would never be really successful until they could pay their staff, pay off their debts and purchase better coolers and other equipment. In 2004 the Gallup Board asked our La Montanita Board if they could merge with us and negotiations began to figure out how to merge the two Co-ops.

Issues of membership, equity, their debt, how the Boards of Directors would work, and a variety of other details all had to be worked out to both Co-ops’ satisfaction. Then in 2005, Gallup’s Wild Sage Co-op became part of the La Montanita family. With only 1,000 square feet, this location struggled for years.

After I came to La Montanita in 2008 I made the decision to step up our efforts in Gallup. I quickly saw the difficulties we faced there and why we had struggled since 2005. However, it also strengthened our determination to keep our commitments to the Gallup store and the Gallup community.

September 2012 7

THE INSIDE

SCOOP

After many changes (especially getting the right staff in place), the Gallup store slowly began to increase sales and make a small net profit most months. We now enjoy a sales increase of 1225% a week, and although still not profitable, we do enjoy more good months.

We have recently completely changed the grocery department, added new products, new signage, window screens and generally refreshed the store. All these efforts have resulted in a more vibrant look and feel for Gallup. The Gallup location now has the best of the best items, all our top sellers both in the Gallup community and Co-op wide, available to their community. We will continue our efforts to serve Gallup and look forward to being a part of this community for years to come. If you are ever in Gallup, stop in and see what this big little store has to offer!

Please let me know if you ever have a comment or suggestion, my email is terryb@lamontanita. coop, or phone: 505-217-2020. Thanks for your continued support of La Montanita!

-TERRY

august Calendar

of Events 9/18 BOD Meeting, Immanuel Church, 5:30pm 9/22 Santa Fe Co-op Fall Festival, food, music and fun for all!

9/24 Member Engagement Meeting

October 27! SAVE THE DATE! Annual Membership Gathering, Warehouse 21, 5pm. See page 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.

Fall Foodshed Abundance:

Look for apples, veggies, goat cheese and other local foods AT ALL CO-OP LOCATIONS!

GENERAL MANAGER’S COLUMN

Keeping Kids IMMUNE SYSTEMS

HUMMING ROB MOORE ack to school and the shift to fall are exciting times for our kids, but the exposure to other young people and cooler weather can open the door for germs, viruses, and sticky persistent colds.

BY

B

Keep your small fry in the best possible health by ensuring they are eating well, drinking plenty of water (not juice, not milk, not soda: water), exercising, getting enough rest and sleep, and by keeping an eye on their nutrition.

Specifically, we can make sure that our kids are getting the best amounts of vitamins and minerals for their age, their gender, and their activity level.

Kids need vitamins to maintain the best of their health, just like adults do. Ideally they (and we) get all of the vitamins and minerals we need from our diet of good whole food, heavy on fresh fruits and vegetables.

Reality doesn’t always reflect the ideal, however, and modern children often eat the modern diet, rife with processed foods and heavy with sugars and salt.

Likewise if your child is particularly active, or has certain types of food allergies or sensitivities, supplemental nutrition might be a good idea.

Your Co-op HBA departments are happy to offer great tips and recommendations on ways to keep kids in the pink of health. As always, if you have special concerns about your child’s health, consult with your pediatrician.

Here is a list of some vitamins along with a few clues as to how they can help as we move into autumn. Skinned knees and hurt feelings, though, you’re on your own‌

• Vitamin A promotes normal growth and development; tissue and bone repair; and healthy skin, eyes, and immune responses, including warding off infection. Good sources include milk, cheddar cheese, eggs, and yellow-to-orange vegetables like sweet potatoes, squash, and especially carrots: half a cup of carrots provides all of the vitamin A your child needs in a day.

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â&#x20AC;˘ Vitamin Bs. The family of B vitaminsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;B2, B3, B6, and B12â&#x20AC;&#x201D;aid metabolism, energy production, healthy circulatory and nervous systems, and help ward off anemia by aiding in overall vitamin and mineral absorption. Good sources include fish, nuts, eggs, milk, cheese, beans, and soybeans. â&#x20AC;˘ Vitamin C promotes development of healthy muscles, connective tissues, and skin. Peppers, citrus fruits, strawberries, tomatoes, mangoes, and broccoli are all high in vitamin C. As we move into flu season, vitamin C can help by keeping the immune system strong by lessening the severity of colds that do get caught. â&#x20AC;˘ Vitamin D promotes bone and tooth formation and helps the body absorb calcium. Good sources include milk, egg yolks, and fish oil. The best source of vitamin D doesn't come from our diet â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sunlight. The American Academy of Pediatrics has noted a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and increased severity of illness in children.

All children should avoid processed foods, along with heavy intakes of sweets and sodas. And all kids (of all ages) need to drink water to make sure that the body makes best use of vitamins and minerals. Sunshine, eating mindfully, and fresh fruits and vegetables are the foundation, along with supplements, if needed.

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ABQSlams presents (rescheduled from August 3) The Roost / Outpost Creative Soundspace Festival 2012 The Roost / Outpost Creative Soundspace Festival 2012

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Son Como Son: Salsa Dance Party Outpost & ISEA ABQ present @ Albuquerque Museum Amphitheater

Moss: Hyperglyphyx 21 David Outpost & ISEA ABQ present @ The Planetarium / NM Museum of Natural History

23 29

Rich Halley Quartet The Roost / Outpost Creative Soundspace Festival 2012

Chris Smither Outpost Fall Season 2012 opener FALL HIGHLIGHTS :: :AKIR (USSAIN 2AKESH #HAURASIA s $ANILO 0EREZ "USTER 7ILLIAMS s 'REGOIRE -ARET s "RANFORD -ARSALIS s 4OM (ARRELL s *ASON -ORAN %LIZA 'ILKYSON s *ANE "UNNETT (ILARIO $URAN W .%! *AZZ -ASTER #ANDIDO 2ON -ILES 4RIO W "ILL &RISELL "RIAN "LADE s 2UDRESH -AHANTHAPPA s %RIC 4AYLOR -ONTEREY *AZZ /N 4OUR s 0ARKINGTON 3ISTERS

IN APPRECIATION:

LA MONTANITA FUND LOAN

HELPS LOCAL

DAIRY

DEAR EDITOR We want to tell your Board and the larger Co-op community how much we appreciate the generous help that you have given us. The loan from the La Montanita Fund has been a huge help as we grow our dairy. The new delivery van is working VERY well.

Having this van has helped out in many ways.

We can transport our product in a safer environment, protecting it from the elements. We also now deliver cheese to the Co-op on pallets; this limits lifting on our part as well as for the guys at the CDC; saving all of our backs.

We think the biggest payback has been from the logos on the side of the van. We have had people pull up next to us at stop lights asking where to buy our

product... of course the Co-op is the first place we tell them about. Our sales are up year after year, and while we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have absolute proof, we feel a portion of this is due to the van and the advertising that it provides us.

The financial impact of this loan has also been huge! It was a great help that we were able to have a payment plan that fit our budget; something that was not available through any of the traditional lending channels.

We want to thank all of you for your support. Anytime we have a chance, we tell this story of how the Co-op supports small local agriculture. I have had several people either say they were going to join the Co-op, or they would make sure to renew their membership as your support of us made them a believer in what the Co-op does. Thank you, thank you, thank you... for the great support!

MICHAEL AND ED LOBAUGH The Old Windmill Dairy, MacIntosh, New Mexico

These fine businesses purchase products from the Co-op Distribution Center: Hyatt Tamaya Resort and Spa Joeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Diner ABQ Vegan LLC Los Poblanos Inn and Cultural Andiamo Center Artichoke CafĂŠ Love Apple Back Road Pizza Marioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pizzeria Better Day Coffee Peace Meal LLC Bon Appetit Pizza Etc. IAIA Campus Revolution Bakery Teahouse Intel Rio Chama Steakhouse CafĂŠ Lush Santa Fe Opera Chocolate Maven Bakery Taos Cow Farina Pizza Train Natural Enterprises Farm and Table Tree House/Maira Bernal Flying Star Whooâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Donuts Grove CafĂŠ and Market World Cup Happy Hearts Company Harryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Road House Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town Hyatt Regency Albuquerque

Thank YOU

for supporting the

CO- OP

Distribution Center!

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

NOW AVAILABLE! __________________________

a new yoghurt hits the shelves!

Only fresh, pure milk— from our family of cows, is used to create the smooth and delicious Freanna Original Yoghurt® A premium quality stir yoghurt, Freanna is full of probiotics, packed with live and active cultures and is a rich and balanced source of calcium, protein, fats and minerals.

A “grow food” Freanna helps you to easily digest proteins and increases your absorption of minerals. Even the most picky eaters will eat Freanna Yoghurt.

Pure Yoghurt.

From down the road,

a fresh-a-licious New Mexico Yoghurt. ‘cause you want it local.

Freanna has been made for generations in Friesen, the Dutch province famous for its Holstein-Friesian dairy cows. Back then, yoghurt was a staple, always made at home— from the milking barn straight to the kitchen.

Owners, Andle and Sjierkje van der Ploeg, are proud to carry on that tradition on the sunny plains of Clovis, New Mexico.

This original recipe is made with pure, whole, fresh milk and live, active cultures—period.

No preservatives, no artificial ingredients or corn syrup. It’s so pure it retains the sweetness of fresh milk. Your first taste proves it.

A traditional stir yoghurt, no gelatin, no pectin, no additives are ever used.

Freanna uses traditional Bulgarian-style active cultures for an exceptionally smooth consistency and delicate flavor. It is never separated or blended.

These special qualities make Freanna not only a treat by itself, but perfect as the first ingredient in all kinds of recipes, from sauces to smoothies!

Fresh-a-licious!

made with love.

“Freanna is named for Anna, our original Mother Cow. Several generations of our family, and several generations of Annas, have made Freanna a true homestead yoghurt.”

—Andle and Sjierkje

“Healthy food is delicious, beautiful and unique; not merely chemical free.”

PECULIAR FARMS! Our newest LOCAL Grower from Los Lunas, New Mexico.

Local is Amazingly Fresh!

Sustainable Produce for Connoisseurs Purple Vienna Kohlrabi White Tokyo Turnips Bright Lights Chard Curly Vates Kale Red Chinese Hard Neck Garlic Baby Purple Carrots

Golden Red Beets Baby Leeks Yellow & Red Candy Onions Watermelon Radish Sweet Italian Fennel Broccoli Crowns

“After touring Peculiar Farms it’s very clear that there is a direct correlation between the passion that Adam and Thomas have for farming and the quality of their produce. Their dedication and hard work really shows.”

—Alyssa Bodewaldt, Valley Co-op

abundant

harvest

holiday fall savor

U VORS FLA Pickled Collard Greens with Pineapple 1/2 cup white-wine vinegar 1/2 cup cider vinegar 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 tablespoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf 4 1/2 pounds collard greens (about 3 bunches), stems discarded and leaves cut crosswise into 1-inch-wide strips 1 cup chopped (1/3 inch) fresh pineapple

2 (15-oz) cans small whole beets, drained and quartered (or halved if very small) 3 oz crumbled feta (1/2 cup) 1/4 cup pine nuts (1 oz), toasted and coarsely chopped Whisk together vinegar, mustard, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, then add 3 tablespoons oil in a slow stream, whisking until combined well.

Cook onions with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Add onions to dressing, then add beets and cheese, stirring gently to combine. Serve sprinkled with pine nuts.

Chile Vinegar Dipping Sauce

Bring vinegars, onion, garlic, sugar, cayenne, bay leaf, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to a simmer in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and let steep 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Meanwhile, cook collard greens in a large pot of well-salted boiling water until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well in a colander, pressing to squeeze out excess water. Transfer greens to a large bowl, then add pineapple and vinegar mixture and toss to coat.

Cool to room temperature, tossing occasionally, about 1 hour.

Beets and Caramelized Onions with Feta 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (preferably whole-grain or coarse-grain) 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 3/4 teaspoon salt 5 tablespoons olive oil 1 lb onions (2 medium), quartered lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1inch pieces

For chile vinegar 5 ounces small (2- to 3-inch) fresh hot red or green chiles such as Serrano or Thai (about 20), rinsed and patted dry 1 1/3 cups distilled white vinegar To make dipping sauce 6 tablespoons water 4 teaspoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes (optional) Special equipment: a 1-pint canning jar with lid and screw band; an instant-read thermometer. Sterilize jar and lid: Wash jar, lid, and screw band in hot soapy water, then rinse well. Dry screw band.

Put empty jar on a rack in a boiling-water canner or a deep 5- to 6-quart pot and add enough hot water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, covered, then boil 10 minutes. Remove canner from heat, leaving jar in water. Heat lid in water to cover by 2 inches in a small saucepan until ther-

September 2012 10

mometer registers 180°F (do not let boil).

Remove from heat. Keep jar and lid submerged in hot water, covered, until ready to use.

Make chile vinegar: Carefully remove jar and lid with tongs, then drain jar upside down on a clean kitchen towel and dry lid.

Pack chiles into jar. Bring vinegar to a boil in small saucepan, then remove from heat and pour over chiles. Cool to room temperature. Wipe off rim of jar with a dampened clean kitchen towel, then top with lid and firmly screw on screw band.

Chill sealed jar 2 weeks.

Make dipping sauce: Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then stir in red-pepper flakes (if using), 2 tablespoons chile vinegar, and salt to taste. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg 1 teaspoon fresh oregano plus more for garnish Fresh lemon juice 1/4 pound pappardelle, cooked al dente, or 1 pound boiled new potatoes Melt 3 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over mediumhigh heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, 4–5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in wine and cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add remaining 3 tablespoons butter, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and mushrooms.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add cream and nutmeg and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.

Stir in 1 teaspoon oregano. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

Toss in a skillet with cooked pasta, or serve over smashed boiled potatoes.

Garnish with more oregano.

Tomato and Tomatillo Gazpacho

Cooks' notes: Chile vinegar keeps, chilled, 6 months.

Instead of making your own chile vinegar, you can use the vinegar from bottled pickled jalapeños.

Fricassee of Chanterelle Mushrooms 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, divided 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup) Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1/4 cup dry white wine 1 pound chanterelles, brushed clean (halved if large) 1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 pound fresh tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and quartered 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, chopped, divided in half 1/2 cup chopped white onion, divided 1 fresh Serrano chile, coarsely chopped, including seeds

shop

co-op!

abundant

harvest

1 garlic clove, quartered 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar 1 cup water 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup chopped cilantro Puree tomatillos, half of tomatoes, and half of onion with chile, garlic, vinegar, and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt in a blender until smooth. Force through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids. Stir in remaining tomatoes and onion, water, oil, and cilantro. Chill until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. Serve.

Baked Risotto with Roasted Vegetables 2 lbs. carrots and parsnips 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 onion, finely chopped 3/4 cup Arborio rice 1/4 cup dry white wine 2 to 2 1/4 cups hot water, homemade or packaged organic chicken broth, or a mix 3/4 tsp kosher salt Pinch of freshly ground black pepper 1 to 2 tbsp unsalted butter 1/4 cup freshly grated ParmigianoReggiano cheese, plus more for garnish Preheat the oven to 400°F. Roast the vegetables on a single baking sheet/tray on the top rack of the oven (the risotto will bake on the bottom rack). Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in an ovenproof saucepan or Dutch oven over mediumhigh heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until it is soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil. Stir in the wine and cook until the wine has evaporated, 1 minute more. Stir in 2 cups of the hot water, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil.

Cover and transfer to the oven. Bake on the bottom rack during the last 25 minutes of roasting time for the vegetables. After 25 minutes, check the risotto. Most of the liquid should be absorbed and the rice just cooked.

dle, cut kernels from cobs and transfer to a large bowl. DO AHEAD: Corn can be made 3 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Place onion in a strainer and rinse with cold water to mellow its flavor. Drain well. Mix onion, remaining 5 tablespoons oil, tomatoes, basil, 1/3 cup lime juice, and thyme into corn. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and more lime juice, if desired.

DO AHEAD: Salad can be assembled 1 hour ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Calabacitas Tortas 5 tablespoons butter 1 large onion, chopped 2 teaspoons ground cumin 3 large zucchini (about 1 1/4 pounds), trimmed, grated 3 large garlic cloves, minced 3 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeños 3 11-inch flour tortillas 12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 4 cups) Melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cumin and sauté until tender, about 9 minutes. Add zucchini and garlic to skillet. Sauté until mixture is dry and zucchini is tender, about 14 minutes. Season with salt.

Add jalapeños and cook 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl; cool.

Charred Corn Salad with Basil and Tomatoes 12 ears of corn, husked 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 cup thinly sliced red onion 2 large tomatoes, chopped 1 cup (loosely packed) fresh basil leaves, large leaves torn 1/3 cup (or more) fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Mary Alice Cooper, MD Classical Homeopathy in Albuquerque since 1992.

Specializing in Visceral Manipulation & Lab Analysis.

204 Carlisle Blvd. NE Albuquerque NM 87106 (505)266-6522 info@drmaryalicecooper.com

Place 1 tortilla on oiled flat plate. Sprinkle 1/4 of cheese over evenly. Sprinkle 1/2 zucchini mixture over cheese. Sprinkle 1/4 of cheese over. Top with last tortilla and press firmly to compact torta.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in heavy 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Slide torta into skillet. Cover and cook until bottom is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Using spatula, slide torta onto plate. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to skillet. Invert torta into skillet. Cook until bottom is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to platter. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

THIS

Remove the risotto from the oven and stir in another 1/2 cup of water, and the butter and cheese. Serve topped with roasted vegetables and thin shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

September 2012 11

MONTH’S RECIPES ADAPTED FROM

EPICURIOUS.COM.

FRESH FAIR LOCAL

Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high. Rub corn with 1 tablespoon oil. Grill, turning frequently, until corn is charred and heated through, 10-12 minutes.

Remove from grill; when cool enough to han-

N e w M e x i co ’ s

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CELEBRATING SEEDS

OF GOOD W O R K S E P T. 2 3 , 3 - 5 P M

Congregation Albert, 3800 Louisiana NE. Hear Judith Henry and V. B. Price.

More information at NM Interfaith, Power and Light at info@nm-ipl.org or crfoote@aol.com.

1037theoasis.com L o c a l l y P ro g ra m m e d a n d Wo m a n - O w n e d .

agua es

vida

10-YEAR water CONSERVATION

PLAN

MICHAEL JENSEN, AMIGOS BRAVOS n March this year, the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (WUA) announced that it had reached its per capita water usage goal of 150 gallons per capita (person) per day (gpcd) three years early. The WUA provides water and sewer services to most of the urban area of Bernalillo County.

PART

1

Conservation As these facts were coming to light, the WUA was approved by voters in 1994. This was a controversial measure to create a water and sewer provider for most of the non-Pueblo county of Bernalillo, with the exception of some already existing private water suppliers.

BY

I

watering the

future

Despite warnings from as early as the 1930s, public officials and the building industry advertised the entire region as sitting on an underground water supply the size of Lake Superior.

There was just one problem. There was no “Lake Superior” of easily accessible water and there were already signs that the available water was rapidly disappearing.

The geology of the Albuquerque Basin is one of the most complex in the world. The Rio Grande is actually running through a rift valley formed by two sections of earth pulling away from each other.

Sediment from the river and from mountain and mesa runoff filled the basin. However, numerous fault lines from tectonic activity fractured and shifted the underlying stratigraphy. Instead of a giant sediment basin saturated with clean water, there is a highly disconnected system that doesn’t allow easy flow of water and the sediment has contributed chemical compounds to the water from the ancient volcanic activity – things like arsenic and uranium along with a wide variety of mineral salts in deeper layers.

In the early 1990s, the US Geologic Survey carried out several studies of the region’s hydrogeology (the way water moves in the system) and concluded – as some initial studies from the 1930s had concluded – that there was only a relatively small amount of drinkable (“potable”) water near the surface and that water had been seriously depleted.

The reports indicated that, if nothing were done, the levels would soon have dropped so much that there would almost surely be irreversible land subsidence in large areas of the metropolitan area.

showerheads, and faucets and provided water audits and classes on conservation and penalties for overusage were increased.

However, even the WUA admits – frequently – that its approach, which has relied almost exclusively on volunteer efforts of its customers, has succeeded only in getting the “low-hanging fruit”. In other words, if the WUA is going to go beyond the 150gpcd level its customers have achieved, it will take a much more focused effort, one that will almost surely have to involve more rules with stronger penalties.

Getting to 150gpcd is a really impressive achievement. But the Albuquerque metropolitan region still has serious water issues.

Now that this goal has been met, the WUA is beginning a months-long process to develop a new Ten-Year Water Conservation Plan. Public input into the plan will be very important.

Unsustainable Water Use The WUA was formed in 1994, when water usage in the City of Albuquerque was at 252gpcd and clearly unsustainable. All the water for the City came from pumping the aquifer.

September 2012 12

The WUA began the first of many campaigns to implement conservation measures among its customers.

Water use began to drop after 1995 (251gpcd), but was still at about 225gpcd in 2000. Almost half that improvement came from 1995-96, so the rest of the decade showed little improvement from year-to-year. The 1990s saw the beginnings of the cycle of droughts residents have experienced over the last two decades and that appear to represent what many climate scientists are terming “the new normal” for New Mexico and the Southwest (and beyond).

Really stunning conservation came from 2000 – 2007, when customers of the WUA lowered their gpcd from 225 to 167 or an average of 8-9 gallons per day less per person every year, even as the population as a whole was still growing.

“Low-Hanging Fruit” The improvements came from a number of sources. For example, rules for new construction place a strict limit on the amount and types of landscaping; time-of-day watering restrictions were put into place; the WUA offered rebates for water efficient plumbing fixtures like toilets,

In 2009, the WUA began using water from the Rio Grande and the San Juan-Chama water from a tributary of the Colorado, which has taken pressure off the over-pumping that threatened the aquifer (levels appear to have risen the last two years).

However, the river itself may not be a sustainable source of sufficient water if “the new normal” continues to keep river flows low.

Furthermore, the WUA – like water providers across the country and the globe – has a tremendous problem with infrastructure in critical need of repair or replacement. The WUA director told the WUA Board that if this situation were not resolved within 20 years, there would be “system collapse”.

The issue is largely one of funding. To avoid raising rates, the WUA has dramatically increased its debt ratio through bonding, which has led two credit rating agencies to lower the WUA’s bond rating, making additional bonding much less likely in the shortto medium-term. The WUA has put into place a long-term plan to pay down its debt and simultaneously deal with the infrastructure problem.

It is a very ambitious plan, one that will be complicated by the campaign to set a new conservation target for the next ten years. In October: Part Two, Water Rates and the 10-Year Water Conservation Plan.

THE PLAN to avoid system

collapse!

BURQUE BIONEERS RAFFLE HELP FUND

LOCAL BIONEERS CONFERENCE

WIN

2 PASSES!

TO THE National Bioneers CONFERENCE! an $800 value! $5 each or 4 for $15.

Email: burquebioneers@gmail.com Call 280-9879 or go to burquebioneers.org.

SUST 334 - Sustainability Practicum to Benefit the Campus or Community

“AN EXPLORATION OF CO-OPS AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE LOCAL ECONOMY” • Become familiar with New Mexico and world-wide co-ops.

• Understand the philosophy and principles of co-ops.

• Distinguish the four types of co-ops • Know the fundamentals of governance/ownership structure, business activity, etc.

• Distinguish co-ops from corporations as a business model.

• Become aware of co-ops in the larger international context of economy, ecology,and social justice.

• Learn a but the operations of La Montanita Co-op and the local producers they support.

• Research La Montanita’s Board structure and attend their committee and/or Board meetings.

• Conduct a Localization Campaign (on campus and/or in the community).

• Create public service announcements (PSA’s) for local goods, local purchasing and local products.

CRN# 28368, SUST 334, Section 001 Tues. and Thurs. 11am-12:15pm • Mitchell Hall, Room 104 Pre-requisite: SUST 134 • Instructor: Maggie Seeley, msseeley@unm.edu

goes electronic!

BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTIONS

Please give us your e-mail address to get your Board of Directors Ballot online. Go to the Info Desk at any Coop location and we will input your email address. We will not share your e-mail address or spam you! Ballots will also be available at the Info Desk at all Co-op locations. Your Vote is your Voice!

future of

food

Plant Allies: MEMBER TO MEMBER

September 2012 13

WILD FOOD

FOR A HEALTHY LIFE

Purslane

Cucumber Purslane Salad

BY JESSE EMERSON he monsoons have come again this year and summer greens will follow their life-giving healthy rains. Look around you and you will see shiny dark &delicious: green mats covering the ground. Look closer and you will see cooked or tiny tear shaped, smooth and fleshy, dark green leaves raw! attached to vibrant rich red stems that radiate from the center of the plant, forking off in different directions. Small dainty yellow flowers nestle in the forks and are so shy that they open only briefly before noon. They mature into tiny pillbox pods whose lids pop off when the seeds are ripe. It’s purslane (Portulaca grandiflora) and it’s growing wild in my garden from last year’s seed. It is one of my favorite summer vegetables with its plants help us. They are the RECEIVERS, HOLDERS, mild sweet-sour flavor and can be used cooked or raw. and GIVERS of a healthy life. A healthy life is a creative and joyful space in which to fulfill our destiny.

The purslane family can be found growing wild all over the planet and is widely cultivated in Europe and Mexico. In ancient times in Europe it was Purslane is a wonderful addition to your diet and can strewn around people’s beds to prevent nightmares and ward off evil spirbe prepared many ways. Wash and drain; then add to its. Worn in a pouch around the neck, it was said to bring true love. salads, sautés or your favorite casseroles.

Sautéed Purslane

T

Purslane was one of the most important of the wild plant foods for the native peoples of the Southwest. The seed, ground and added to breads and stews, provided valuable protein to the diet. The leaves were added to beans, soups and stews. One cup of the leaves (100 grams) contains iron, vitamin A, calcium, vitamin C and E, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, manganese and silica. In the New England Journal of Medicine in 1986, Dr. Artemis P. Simopoulas wrote that it has high levels of alphalinolenic acid, an omega-3 essential fatty acid. Omega 3s are essential for the optimal function of every cell in our bodies, most importantly the brain and the heart. Documented studies show that omega 3s play a role in preventing heart disease, improving major depression and bipolar disorder and diabetes. Their anti-inflammatory effects help relieve arthritis. Research has verified the importance of unsaturated fatty acids in the prevention and control of diabetes. A healthy cell membrane is fluid and slippery. When the diet contains trans-fatty acids, the cell membranes become stiff and sticky and inhibit the glucose transport mechanism. Thus, the cell biochemistry is changed and glucose levels remain elevated in the blood stream, unable to go into the cells.

In some people their cells have become resistant to insulin and do not take up glucose. Purslane has significant amounts of magnesium. Magnesium has electric charges that pass nutrients into cells. It transports glucose through the cell membranes and improves insulin sensitivity; cells are nourished and the body has energy. As we learn how various nutrients affect our bodies and minds, we are able to understand how and why

Unprecedented bee die-offs are an EMERGENCY requiring IMMEDIATE action.

Congress is starting to look into EPA’s failure to protect honey bees from pesticides. A few senators recently sent a letter to Lisa Jackson urging the Agency to take swift action, asking for a “more finite and expedited timeline” than 2018. The bad news is that EPA is still stalling.

Last March Pesticide Action Network of North America, alongside partners and beekeepers, filed an “emergency citizen petition” on behalf of bees. In June, they submitted tens of thousands of signatures in support of that petition and urged the EPA to take seriously the unprecedented decline of pollinators, and the contribution of neonicotinoid pesticides to that decline, by declaring that these losses constitute an “imminent hazard.”

ACTION

Red onion, chopped into small pieces Cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cut into quarters Purslane leaves, remove large stems Garlic, minced Basil, fresh minced Apple cider vinegar Yogurt, plain Sea salt and ground pepper to taste Mix and serve cold.

Wash 2 cups purslane, discard the older thick stems Saute in olive oil Add 1 chopped onion Add 4-6 pressed garlic cloves Saute all until soft.

This stands alone as a vegetable dish mixed with rice or quinoa or can be added to your favorite bean dish.

Now the EPA wants to know WHAT WE THINK! We have until SEPTEMBER 25TH to respond to EPA’s recent decision that pollinator declines don’t present an imminent hazard.

JOIN US IN TELLING EPA THAT, IN FACT: • Bee die-offs are an emergency requiring immediate action — and 2018 is much too late to pull the beetoxic pesticide (clothianidin) off the market. Keeping it on the market despite the absence of valid science supporting its registration — is unacceptable.

Send a clear message to EPA: stop stalling, protect bees and other pollinators immediately and pull clothianidin off the market today! For more info contact: panna@panna.org. Go to the PANNA website to sign a letter to the EPA; www.panna.org.

alert TELL THE EPA TO QUIT STALLING!

for the bees I

thought flash in the

food for

PAN

GONE TO S E E D boring monoculture. Disease and pest problems may increase. As your plants fill out and crowd together, they won't be able to grow as large as they would if they

BY ARI LEVAUX he expression "gone to seed" usually has a negative connotation, meaning disheveled, declining, or otherwise post-prime.

When garden plants go to seed, or "bolt," they become gangly towers looming over the garden. While this can understandably look like a bad end for your endive patch, crops that are going or have gone to seed can still play an important role in the garden.

T

A garden plant that has run its course and produced seeds is, naturally, a source of seed. Depending on the plant's propensity to crossbreed, the seeds it produces might be true to the parent, or a mix of parent and some similar plant. Or the seed might be sterile and not sprout at all.

Seed saving is a discussion, full of complexity and art, and it's more commitment than I care to take on. Instead, when the greens bolt I simply let the seeds fall where they may. If any of them happen to sprout next month, or next spring, great; any time a yummy plant wants to grow up between my garlic or tomato plants is fine with me.

I'd much rather have edible crops volunteering themselves than many of the weeds I know.

The first plants to bolt are generally the leafy cold-weather plants like spinach, lettuce, escarole and cilantro, and they make their moves when spring turns to summer, crowding the garden with their blossomed stalks, providing cooler, moist shade that allows the newly sprouted and later blooming plants to maintain their tender youth a little longer.

Perhaps most importantly, the flowers attract pollinators. The nation's bee population is currently plagued by mites, viruses and neonicotinoid-based pesticides, all of which have been implicated in die-offs, and may play roles in colony collapse disorder. My bolted garden is practically a gridlock of bee traffic, which helps the garden become a place of interaction between interdependent segments of the greater ecosystem.

A garden gone to seed, with young plants growing in the shade of old-growth annuals, is a diverse ecosystem, but diversity has its drawbacks. Bees aren't the only critters that prefer dense polyculture to

September 2012 14

I take care throughout the season to create this kind of luck, by casting handfuls of seeds every which way, in both spring and summer. Mostly I toss seeds for greens, herbs and carrots, all of which can be planted throughout the summer for a fall crop, and all of which do well in partial shade. But as you'd expect, hurling seeds randomly at the garden won't result in orderly rows. Those who like their garden linear and neat should probably avoid this tactic.

There's a fine line between letting your garden go to seed and simply abandoning it. I call it managed chaos. You may need to pull some plants that are crowding or shading certain other plants or you may choose to let only a select few bolted plants stick around, like islands in an otherwise orderly garden.

MANAGED

CHAOS!

had more room. If your singular goal is to pull as many pounds of food from the garden as possible, then letting plants bolt might not be the game for you.

Few gardens, however, are about production alone. Gardens feed more than just your belly. A diverse garden, with different types and ages of plants, is interesting. A garden gone feral can blur the line between growing food and gathering it. A trip to the garden starts to feel like entering the forest with your basket to see what you can find.

When you push the bolted radicchio aside to find a young head of hidden lettuce, it feels like a gift.

Managed chaos probably doesn't fit most people's idea of what a well cared for garden should look like. And to be honest, while it looks good to me, I often find myself slightly embarrassed when I show my garden to others, and feel compelled to blurt out why I actually, intentionally chose to let the garden go to seed.

Gardening, especially bolted garden gardening, may not pay for itself in the cold economic calculus of input versus return. But as entertainment it's a lot cheaper, and more enlightening, than a trip to Disneyland.

WOMEN, WINE AND

CHOCOLATE

to the knowledge and resources needed to win. With a nearly 70% win rate, our track record speaks for itself.

September 14th

BY REENA SZCZEPANSKI merge New Mexico has been recruiting, training and inspiring women to run for office and win for seven years. Women make up 50% of the population yet we make up only 17% of Congress.

E

A pool of highly qualified women candidates is being left untapped. Too often, women do not see themselves running for office—they assume they aren’t experienced enough or they don’t know where to begin. Emerge New Mexico is changing that with our intensive, cohort-based seven-month training program.

Emerge is dedicated to getting more women into elected office by offering comprehensive, top notch training to women of all ages from communities across the state. Emerge is proud of our diversity: over 50% of our alumnae are women of color and graduates represent a variety of personal and professional backgrounds, but they all have one thing in common: the desire to serve their community.

Emerge breaks down barriers by demystifying the process of running for office, and connecting women

We are pleased to invite you to our annual signature event, Women, Wine and Chocolate, on Friday, September 14! Women, Wine and Chocolate is Emerge's annual celebration of women leaders, both established and emerging, and our celebration of you, our community of supporters. We're celebrating again at the Hotel Andaluz in Albuquerque.

Thanks to widespread community support we have trained 125 women in New Mexico to run for office and win. YOUR SUPPORT launched the 14 Emerge women who have stepped up to run in 2012. YOU are the reason we have so much to celebrate.

We will have food, fun, a silent auction, and our annual "Bake Sale!" For years women have hosted bake sales for important causes, but at our Gala the men do the baking! Elected men from around the state don aprons and whip up sweet treats and then promote them at our live auction!

Don’t miss it! Friday, September 14, at Hotel Andaluz, 125 2nd St. NW, Albuquerque, NM. Tickets at www.emergenm.org/2012gala.

Peace Center Office

CO-OP FOODSHED

PROJECT FRESH FAIR LOCAL

Bringing together local farmers and Co-op shoppers for the best in FRESH, FAIR AND LOCAL FOOD!

GO GREEN!

FOR RENT Small office for rent at the Albuquerque Peace & Justice Center, at 202 Harvard SE, Albuquerque.

Conveniently located office near UNM! Only $300/month including utilities, CenturyLink internet service, plus two free uses of the Peace Hall per month.

Info call co-coordinators Sue Schuurman or Zach Kluckman at

505-268-9557.

community

forum

September 2012 15

dedicated to renewable energy and a clean environment

ACTION ALERT! CLEAR THE HAZE!

End Dirty COAL! EDITED

BY

a New Mexico Department of Health survey, nearly 1 in 5 public middle school students and 1 in 4 public high school students in the state report a doctor diagnosis of asthma.

ROBIN SEYDEL

P

NM and the NM Environment Department are holding hearings regarding the haze rule on the San Juan coalfired power plant in the Four Corners area. A variety of local, regional and national organizations are collaborating on a campaign that is targeting coal fired power plants which are the single largest cause of greenhouse gas emissions affecting climate change. In NM we have a small window of opportunity to make a difference because a 90-day hearing process is looking at the future of the San Juan generating plant.

dirty air costs u s millions!

Pollution at the San Juan Generating Station is so bad the EPA has ordered PNM, the operator of the plant, to install the most effective pollution controls available. Since the ruling PNM has argued that it needs more time to come up with their own alternative plan to address the pollution problems.

PNM has been granted 90 days to come up with a real transition plan for the San Juan Generating Station. We need to hold PNM accountable to make sure its proposal is not a step backwards but rather a real plan to make sure PNM does the most to move New Mexico off coal by investing in solar, wind, geothermal, and energy efficiency. Investments in clean energy will save lives and money, and grow jobs and New Mexico's economy.

COAL HARD FACTS PNM's San Juan Generating Station consumes between 8-9 billion gallons of clean water every year, or roughly 16,000-18,000 gallons per minute. A 2012 analysis by Dr. George D. Thurston, a Professor of Environmental Health at the New York University School of Medicine, finds that over the last five years adverse health impacts from pollution at the San Juan coal plant have cost the public up to $240 million. This is due to the coal-fired power plant operating without the pollution controls necessary to significantly cut nitrogen oxide emissions as required by EPA. But even Thurston himself believes this is underestimated and according to

1 0 T H A N N U A L F O L K A RT F E S T:

PEOPLE

FREE, FUN FOR EVERYONE ALBUQUERQUE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 10AM-4PM

IN

KIDS, BIKES

AND CARS FALL

MEANS LOTS OF PEOPLE, ESPECIAL-

LY CHILDREN, ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE COOLER WEATHER BY RIDING THEIR BIKES MORE OFTEN.

DRIVERS:

PLEASE

REMEMBER TO TAKE CARE AND BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR BICYCLES.

RIDE SAFELY,

DRESS TO BE SEEN, AND OBEY THE RULES OF THE ROAD.

BE

CAREFUL OUT THERE;

LIVES DEPEND ON IT!

WEARING a HELMET is an absolute

NECESSITY

ACTION ALERT CLEAR THE AIR!

TAKE ACTION NOW! On September 11th, let your voice be heard!

The consumer public hearing will be Tuesday, September 11, 2012, at the NM State Capitol Building, 490 Old Santa Fe Trail, in Santa Fe. This is a great opportunity to call for a meaningful transition for this coal plant.

Talking Points Coal is a dangerous, dirty source of energy that is making New Mexicans sick. The San Juan

WE ART THE

DOWNTOWN

The 10th Annual "We ART the People!" Folk Art Festival will be held at Robinson Park in downtown Albuquerque at 9th and Central.

Spontaneous fun for the whole family including the 10th annual giant puppet parade, over 100 arts and craft vendors with local, handmade creations, group and individual art making activities for kids of ALL ages, two stages with musical

HELMETS

Other illnesses linked to the fine particulate matter from San Juan smokestack emissions are: increased risk of heart attacks, asthma attacks, pneumonia, bronchitis, hospital admissions, and premature death. Infants, children, elderly, and people with respiratory and cardiac disease suffer most.

and dance performances, theater, local food vendors, and the OFFCenter bake sale & white elephant yard sale tent.

We ART the People Folk Fest entertainment includes: The Lost Tribes of Mardi Gras, Samba Dance-n-Drum Group; Con Razon, a hip Barelas area group singing original songs in English and Spanish; Joannie Cere of Cadillac Bob fame; Zoltan Gypsy Orkestar; Rogue Bindis, Tribal Belly Dancing; and the Ollin Xochipili Aztec Dancers. For more information please contact: OFFCenter Community Arts Project, 808 Park Avenue SW, 247-1172. http://www.off centerarts.org/

Generating Station has operated without controls for nitrogen oxide pollution resulting in thousands of cases of exacerbated asthma symptoms and respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses, particularly in those communities that live in the vicinity of and work at the San Juan coal plant.

New Mexico's Governor Martinez just declared an official statewide drought. Meanwhile, San Juan Generating Station uses twice the amount of water the entire city of Santa Fe consumes each year.

The plant has degraded air quality at more than 16 national parks and wilderness areas in the region, including Bandelier National Monument and Mesa Verde National Park. These national treasures sustain more than 18,000 jobs and bring more than $721 million in annual tourist dollars.

The Three â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Râ&#x20AC;?s of the San Juan Generating Station 1. Retire the San Juan Generating Station with firm dates for phasing out the four coal-burning units.

2. Repower New Mexico and the Southwest with energy efficiency as well as our vast renewable energy resources like solar, wind, and geothermal.

3. Regenerate the Four Corners and New Mexico's economy through a viable economic development plan addressing health, employment, training and education, water security, and future generations.

Written public comments can also be submitted to morgan.nelson@state.nm.us before October 15, 2012. For more information go to www.newenergyeconomy.org or www.nmsierra club.org. Faith communities working on climate change, please contact joankansas@swcp.com for more information and petitions.