THE MOGROA COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONFOR HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS

FROM THE MOGRO REPORT TO THE KELLOGG FOUNDATION

EDITED BY ROBIN SEYDEL

The MoGrow is a mobile grocery store that delivershealthy, affordable food to rural New Mexican commu-nities. La Montanita Co-op has been a supporter of the

MoGro (Mobile Grocery) in a variety of ways since its inception.Housed at the Co-op Distribution Center the MoGro has been anever evolving project in its efforts to supply healthy food at afford-able prices to rural Native American pueblos around the state.Collaborators in addition to the Native communities it works toserve, include: John Hopkins University, the Kellogg Foundation, LaMontanita Co-op and private individuals.

In June 2013 ownership of MoGro was transferred from privateownership to the Santa Fe Community Foundation (SFCF). SFCFwill operate the initiative under the auspices of their 501(c)(3), as atemporary fiscal agent or intermediary while plans are made for along-term sustainable transfer to an appropriate community-basedorganization.

A Management Board was developed to oversee overall operations ofthe MoGro Store and La Montanita General Manger Terry Bowlingserves as a member of this board. Also a MoGro Pueblo AdvisoryCommittee was established to oversee and provide guidance on thetransition throughout this year. The Co-op is pleased to be able to con-

tinue to serve as the distributor and homebase for the MoGro truck.

The Management Board will closelytrack financial, operational and impactmetrics for overall MoGro operations.Each pueblo assigned at least one mem-ber to serve on the MoGro PuebloAdvisory Committee. MoGro currentlyserves the pueblos of Santo Domingo,Jemez, Laguna, Cochiti, San Felipe andCochiti Lake.

Growth for HealthUnder the leadership of Thomas Swendson, who becameMoGro operations manager in January of 2013, the Initiativehas experienced tremendous growth. With his past experience inthe grocery industry, Thomas has dramatically improved opera-tions and services, putting in place a system of bulk orders forboth customers and community programs, increasing productvolume and sales. Customer levels have been steadily increasing.MoGro service and overall revenues have increased 75%between January and May 2013.

During this same time, in addition to selling healthy food, theMoGro Initiative organized several fitness events, held in con-junction with MoGro visits, including walking clubs, fun runs,

al audience. She learned first-hand the value of“Cooperatives: A Growing Revolution.” I sat in on sem-inars on values-based leadership, important to me as aboard member, but co-ops need to effectively lead youngpeople to a shared vision of a business model that meetseconomic, social and spiritual needs by creating a culturewithin our community for our mutual benefit.

The Wheatsville Co-op itself presented two days of semi-nars on successful business strategies. The most valuablewas its simple, concise statement of ends.

The Cooperative Consumer Management

ASSOCIATIONCONFERENCE

BUILDING THE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM

and MoGro FIT. Nutrition classes were also held, and foodsamples were offered during MoGro visits. Samples fea-tured hummus, whole wheat crackers, Greek yogurt andgranola, and beef bone stew with hominy and red chili.

The community collaboration for a healthier future thatthis project represents is an exciting development in thecreation of healthy food access in rural New Mexico anda model for other rural regions.

For more information visit www.mogro.net. Check usout on facebook, or call 505-216-8611.

BY SARAH WENTZEL-FISHER

In this second installment on the growth of La Montanita’s Co-op Distribution Center (CDC), we’ll look at how the CDC workswith local vendors to help them develop their products and their mar-kets. Unlike conventional distributors, the Co-op recognizes both thepotential and pitfalls of getting local products to grocery stores, andknows that it might take extra effort on the Co-op’s part for thoseproducts to be ready to put on our trucks.

Further, figuring out how much of a perishable product to make canbe complicated. A producer doesn’t want to make too much, andhave to take a loss because they can’t sell all they’ve made. On theother hand, if a producer doesn’t make enough, they may lose cus-tomers because they seem an unreliable source for that product. It’s afine balance, and the CDC works closely with producers to find and

keep this equilibrium; to help themdevelop solid, trust-based relation-ships with the retail venues whowill carry their products.

About two years ago, a dairy farmerin Clovis decided to develop ayogurt line. They worked up arecipe in their kitchen, did theresearch to scale up production, and designed packaging andmarketing materials. The next step was figuring out how toget the yogurt from Clovis to grocery store dairy cases.

Freanna Original Yoghurt is something new—a true old-world yogurt. Freanna has been made for generations inFriesen, a Dutch province famous for its Holstein-Friesiandairy cows. Now Andle and Sjierkje van der Ploeg havebrought their family’s business to the sunny eastern plainsof Clovis, New Mexico.

DEAR CO-OP MEMBERS,You may have noticed that over thepast six months, we’ve made a con-certed effort to encourage you toupdate your contact information andto share your email address. Thesetwo simple pieces of informationensure that we can properly get you allyour member benefits.

August marks our fiscal year end. This means we willbe calculating our member patronage in anticipation ofsending you a check reflecting your patronage of theCo-op you own. (thanks!) We want to make sure thatyou get your check, and we can’t do this unless wehave your current address. Every year hundreds ofchecks get sent back to us because members don’tupdate their addresses when they move. Please let usknow if you have moved and where.

August also marks a milestone in the board electioncycle. Elections happen every year in November for sev-eral board positions. Last year we moved to an onlineelection, using electronic ballots distributed through

email. Our goal is to ensure that all our members have theopportunity to vote if they choose. The easiest way for us toget you a ballot, and to make sure your vote is counted, is tohave your current email address. If you don’t have an email

address, you can get a paper ballot at any of ourinformation desks at election time.

We know no one likes spam, or likes to learn thattheir information has been distributed withouttheir consent. If you give us your email address,we’ll ask you to tell us what sort of Co-op infoyou’d like to receive. Currently you can opt in toreceive election notifications, sales receipts, yourmembership renewal reminder, weekly salesannouncements, and the Co-op Connection

news by email. You can pick and choose which kinds ofinfo you want to get from the Co-op, but we’ll NEVERgive your email or mailing address to anyone else.

Finally, we really appreciate your patience with our effortsto diversify the ways in which we communicate with ourmembers. The combination of developing these new servic-es and a new Point of Sales system means we will make mis-takes—but, we’re working hard to learn from them and tomake the transition as smooth as possible for you. We valueyour feedback and look forward to being in touch.

Your dedicated membership team,ROBIN AND SARAH

NOTES FROM THEMembershipdesk

CO-OP TRADE FOODSHED INITIATIVE: BUILDING THE

FOOD SYSTEMONE PRODUCT AT A TIME

Knowing the Co-op was a good venue to sell their newproduct, Freanna approached the CDC about buying theiryogurt. The van der Ploegs knew they needed a way to gettheir product out to many stores without having to take itthere themselves. Skilled in grocery logistics, the CDCworked with the van der Ploegs to develop a strategy toget Freanna not just into La Montanita Co-op stores, butnearly every retail grocery co-op and natural foods store inthe state.

More specifically, the CDC helped do market research to helpdetermine how much demand there would be for local NewMexico yogurt. They helped Freanna determine a productionschedule and volumes they should make to ensure that therewas enough yogurt to keep Freanna on the shelves, while notproducing too much. Now, after only a year of working withthe CDC, Freanna is looking to go regional. With the help ofthe CDC, there is enough demand for their product to look attaking their production to the next level and exporting theirdelicious yogurt to Colorado and Arizona, as well as enoughprofit to invest in growing their business.

THEFREANNA

STORYFind the Wheatsville Ends graphic and article at www. coop-erativegrocer.coop/articles/2013-06-03/wheatsvilles-big-direction.

The most important lesson I learned as a board member whosefocus is maintaining and nurturing member involvement is thatour members are involved, maybe not consciously as activeparticipants in the democratic ownership of our co-op, but soinvolved as shopping members that we can boast themyriad, effective community programs that are the sig-nature success of La Montanita Food Cooperative.

BY LISA BANWARTH-KUHN

The annual Consumer Cooperative Management AssociationConference was held June 6-8 in Austin, Texas. WheatsvilleCooperative Market of Austin hosted the conference. In my sec-

ond year as a board member I was eager to attend. I had never been toAustin and have never attended a conference out of town, but my enthu-siasm was fueled by the thought of meeting people from all over thecountry with shared commitment to Cooperative Principles in theirrespective communities.

The first evening I walked along the edge of Lady Bird Lake, though itlooked like a river to me, and continued into the downtown area wherethe original Whole Foods Market began in 1980. It was a nod to thenext two days of celebrating not only a much longer history of cooper-ative markets but the continuing success of existing co-ops and newones to come.

I’ve mulled over what I experienced a month ago, and time has distilledfor me the ideas and lessons that I took away from the gathering of 500+smart, involved and passionate “cooperators.” First and foremost is thepride I have for La Montanita. I attended a seminar led by ourMembership Coordinator Robin Seydel to get a current accounting of ourcommunity outreach. The programs La Montanita is involved with, thatwe helped develop and support, are the embodiment of so many ideas,suggestions and brainstorming that I heard from members of other co-opsand co-op start-ups. I attended seminars about food accessibility anddiversity in communities to glean ideas and strategies that address con-sumer concerns but underscore community awareness and involvementwithin a sustainable business model. Food accessibility is a commonthread, especially among younger people involved in cooperative markets.One idea that kept popping up was a future of cooperation with localfood banks.

The keynote address was delivered by Kristen Christian, the 27-year-oldyoung woman who created “Bank Transfer Day” through the use ofsocial media. Her success surprised not only herself but an internation-

A SHARED COMMITMENT TO

COOPERATIVEPRINCIPLES

in the news August 2013 2

La Montanita CooperativeA Community - Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store

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. NWAbq., 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 Sun., 2301 Central Ave. SE Abq., NM 87131 277-9586

Cooperative Distribution Center 901 Menual NE, Abq., NM 87107 217-2010

Administrative Staff: 217-2001TOLL FREE: 877-775-2667 (COOP)• General Manager/Terry Bowling 217-2020terryb@lamontanita.coop• Controller/John Heckes 217-2029johnh@lamontanita.coop• Computers/Info Technology/David Varela 217-2011 tech@lamontanita.coop• Operations Manager/Bob Tero 217-2028bobt@lamontanita.coop• Human Resources/Sharret Rose 217-2023hr@lamontanita.coop• Marketing/Edite Cates 217-2024editec@lamontanita.coop• Membership/Robin Seydel 217-2027robins@lamontanita.coop• CDC/MichelleFranklin 217-2010mf@lamontanita.coop

Store Team Leaders: • Valerie Smith/Nob Hill 265-4631valeries@lamontanita.coop• John Mulle/Valley 242-8800jm@lamontanita.coop• William Prokopiak/Santa Fe 984-2852willpro@lamontanita.coop• Michael Smith/Gallup 575-863-5383michaels@lamontanita.coop

Co-op Board of Directors:email: bod@lamontanita.coop• President: Martha Whitman• Vice President: Marshall Kovitz• Secretary: Ariana Marchello• Treasurer: Susan McAllister• Lisa Banwarth-Kuhn• Kristy Decker• Jake Garrity• Jessica Rowland• Betsy VanLeit

Membership Costs:$15 for 1 year/ $200 Lifetime Membership

Co-op Connection Staff:• Managing Editor: Robin Seydelrobins@lamontanita.coop 217-2027• Layout and Design: foxyrock inc• Cover/Centerfold: Co-op Marketing Dept.• Advertising: Sarah Wentzel-Fisher • Editorial Assistant: Sarah Wentzel-Fisher sarahwf@lamontanita.coop 217-2016• Printing: Vanguard Press

Membership information is available at all four Co-op locations, or call 217-2027 or 877-775-2667email: robins@lamontanita.coopwebsite: www.lamontanita.coop

Membership response to the newsletter is appreciated. Address typed, double-spaced copy to the Managing Editor, robins@lamontanita.coop

Copyright ©2013La Montanita Co-op SupermarketReprints by prior permission.The Co-op Connection is printed on 65% post-consumer recycled

BY SARAH WENTZEL-FISHER

Every September the Rio Grande Agricultural LandTrust holds an annual fundraising dinner inAlbuquerque’s North Valley; to bring awareness to

its work and generate the money needed for operating costs.This year the dinner will be moving from the Los PoblanosInn to Old Town Farm. You can expect the same amazinglocal spread conceptualized by chefsfrom Season, Zinc, Savoy, and Farmand Table, with ingredients freshfrom area farms. If you’re lookingfor a unique farm to fork diningexperience for a great cause, considerattending this year’s dinner.

Curious about how land trusts workand why the work of the Rio GrandeAgricultural Land Trust is so impor-tant? RGALT works with land own-ers to create Conservation Easements.A Conservation Easement (CE) is avoluntary, legally binding agreement between a landowner anda qualified land trust, created to protect the property fromlandowner-specified types of development (subdivision, indus-trial development, mining or other resource extraction, etc.)forever. The land trust works with a property owner to createdevelopment restrictions, then monitors the land to ensure thatthe agreement to keep the land undeveloped or in agricultureis upheld.

RGALT's goal is to protect New Mexico's natural resourcesand rural quality of life for the five New Mexico counties ofBernalillo, Sandoval, Sierra, Socorro and Valencia. RGALT ismade up of farmers who live in the Middle Rio Grande Valley

and are dedicated to the preservation of working farms, ranch-es, wildlife habitat and open space. Their work covers thefastest growing areas in the state: the City of Albuquerque(Bernalillo County); the Village of Los Lunas (ValenciaCounty); the City of Rio Rancho and the Village of Corrales(Sandoval County).

Why would landowners place a CONSERVATIONEASEMENT on their Land? A Conservation Easement allows the landowner to:• Keep the ranch or farm in the family and maintain

agricultural production.• Preserve the land for future generations and wildlife.• Take stewardship of the natural resources on

their land.• Preserve open space and the communities'

agricultural heritage.• Reduce estate taxes (and the IRS's influence

over your land!).• Receive an income tax deduction equal to

the appraised value of the development rights.

If you’re interested in learning more about conservation ease-ments for your property, or simply want to support work thathelps maintain agricultural heritage, riparian habitat, ruralquality of life and open space, consider attending this year’sRGALT dinner on September 15 at Old Town Farm.

For details write or call Cecilia McCord: PO Box 40043,Albuquerque, NM 87196-0043, 505-270-4421

RIO GRANDE AGRICULTURALLAND TRUST: ANNUAL FUNDRAISER DINNER

Don’t let them bug you!

BUGNIGHTS!at the Los Lunas AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE CENTER

Find out what’s “bugging” you at these on-farm eventsintended to provide local growers with an opportunity to learnabout both beneficial insects and common pests associated withvegetable and fruit crops: how to recognize them, the dam-age they cause, and different approaches to their control.

Free! Led by Dr. Tess Grasswitz, New Mexico State University’sUrban/Small Farm Integrated Pest Management Specialist.Where: Los Lunas Agricultural Science Center (1036 Miller Rd.),When: August 1, 22, September 12, 26. From 6-7:30pm. Pre-register by calling 505-865-7340.

Thursday, August 15: BOB THOMPSON of the cer-tified organic Thompson Farms, sells mixed vegeta-bles at three area farmers’ markets and has recentlyadded an apple orchard to the farm. Bob’s hens pro-duce certified organic eggs on this diverse farm inEdgewood, NM.

Sunday, August 18: VERONICA SERNA of the MoraGrowers’ Cooperative, Buena Vista, NM, will guide

you through her irrigated and dryland meadows of timothyand orchard grass which provide a biodiverse refuge for bene-ficial insects. Her hoophouse-based mixed vegetable produc-tion includes lettuce, tomatoes, basil, cucumbers and peppers.

Sunday, September 8: MONTE SKARSGARD will host a tourof the certified organic Skarsgard Farms, a 1,300-memberCSA, wholesale and famers’ market farm on 40 drip-irrigatedacres of greenhouse and field production in the South Valley ofAlbuquerque, NM. Mixed vegetables, including greens, toma-toes and squash.

Sunday, September 22: CHRISTOPHER BASSETT AND TAYLOR

DALE of the certified organic Freshies, in Lyden, NM, will guideyou through their three acres of apples, peaches and mixed veg-etables with a bonus peek at their oyster mushroom operation.Control of fruit pests will be emphasized on this walk.

BY JOANIE QUINN, NMDA ORGANIC PROGRAM

Old pests (squash bugs, flea bee-tles, aphids, borers, hornwormsand coddling moths) and new

invasive species (bagrada bugs and brownmarmorated stink bugs) will be front andcenter in a series of Integrated PestManagement Farmwalks presented byNew Mexico State University and theNew Mexico Department of AgricultureOrganic Program this August and Sep-tember. Building habitat for beneficialinsects and birds, and the use of pheromones, trap cropsand row covers will be among the approaches discussed.

The farmwalks will be hosted by certified organic or transi-tioning producers of a variety of crops throughout NewMexico. The walks will provide organic farmers and mar-ket gardeners (and those thinking about converting toorganic practices) with an informal overview of approachesto pest management in organic systems, and—perhaps moreimportantly—an opportunity to meet with other growersand share experiences. Each walk will be led by Dr. TessGrasswitz (Urban/Small Farm IPM Specialist at the NewMexico State University Agriculture Science Center at LosLunas) and Joanie Quinn (New Mexico Department ofAgriculture Organic Advisor). The walks are free, but youmust register at least one week in advance by calling 505-889-9921. The walks are funded by a grant from theUSDA/National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

BUGGED??ORGANIC FARM WALKSAREYOU

SSEEPPTTEEMMBBEERR

1155

ning; a mere trickle compared with theflood that’s sure to follow in time for amedia blitz for defeat, before the vote.

The Grocery Manufacturers Association isleading the way, with its first donation,$472.500k. Monsanto has plunked down$242.200k so far, a mere pittance com-pared to the nearly $8 million the biotechgiant forked out last year to defeatProposition 37, California’s GMO labeling

initiative. The other usual opponents might include DuPontPioneer, Bayer CropScience, Dow AgroSciences.

The biotech industry will pull out all the stops to defeat I-522,especially in light of the recent GMO labeling law wins inConnecticut and Maine. The opposition could spend the sameamount it spent in California, nearly $46 million, to try to defeatit; but you can only saturate a market so much before you put offvoters. TO HELP SUPPORT GE LABELING ACTIVISTS go towww.organicconsumers.org.

in the news August 2013 3

STATES PASSGMO Labeling Laws!BY RONNIE CUMMINS, ORGANIC CONSUMERS

ASSOCIATION

It’s Monsanto’s worst nightmare cometrue. One by one, states are passing GMOlabeling laws, despite Monsanto’s best

efforts—and deep pockets—to prevent them.The question now is whether or not the BiotechBully will follow through on its threats to sue.

Kudos to the hard-working activists in Con-necticut for scoring the first GMO labeling lawin the country. And a tip of the hat to Connecticut Gov.Dannel P. Malloy, who has promised to sign theConnecticut bill, despite biotech industry lawsuitthreats. The Connecticut bill received bipartisan sup-port, passing the Senate unanimously and winning a134-3 vote in the House. Maine followed Connecticut’slead, with the House passing LD 718 June 12, also byan overwhelming majority vote 141-4.

Neither bill is perfect. Connecticut’s requires four otherstates, including one that borders the Constitution State,to pass GMO labeling laws before it kicks in. Mainecontains a similar trigger, but requires five other states topass GMO labeling laws, before LD 718 can take effect.But it just could turn out that the trigger clauses promptother nearby states, including Vermont, whose billH.112 will be taken up in January 2014, to follow suit.

Washington State voters will cast their ballots for rightto know what’s in our food on Nov. 5. Their citizens’ballot initiative, I-522, will require mandatory GMOlabeling on the other side of the nation. In mid June,the money started flowing in to the campaign to defeatI-522, and if history is our guide, this is just the begin-

GELLAABBEELLIINNGG

DONATE THE DIME!

Services for adults with ASD are few, which is whythe Spectrum Project is such a valuable program toNew Mexico. The Spectrum Project’s retentionrate of students has been remarkable, due mostlyto the profound personal and artistic relationshipsthe students form via classes, but also because few

other arts opportunities exist that aremeant to accommodate the wide range ofbehaviors that are symptomatic of ASD.

Volunteers from the community can partic-ipate alongside students with ASD as peermentors. Peer mentors model participa-tion, offer additional support, and gainvaluable experience working with peoplewith ASD. Artists across the neurologicalspectrum work together to support eachother and recognize their common human-ity. This is the heart of what the Spectrum

Project hopes to achieve.

Together, the Spectrum Ensemble creates anentirely original play which is premiered annuallyin March at the VSA North 4th Art Center.Classes for the 2013-14 Spectrum Project begin inNovember.

FOR MORE INFORMATION about the SpectrumProject, any of Theatre-in-the-Making's otherexciting programs or to make a donation, con-tact Creative Director Brian Haney at brian.m.haney@gmail.com.

BY BRIAN HANEY, THEATER IN THE MAKING

Theatre-in-the-Making (TitM) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organ-ization which is dedicated to the idea that creative and joyfulartistry has the power to change the

lives of individuals and communities.Making art is an essential human activity. Tothat end, we extend artistic opportunities toyouth and adults who might not otherwisehave them. All of our classes focus on devel-oping acting skills while creating an ensem-ble based on trust and collaboration.Everyone participates and everyone has ashare in the creative process.

Continuing TitM's tradition of outreach tounder-served communities, the SpectrumProject is an innovative theatre arts program adapted for adults withAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The Spectrum Project uses the powerof ensemble theatre to give participants a format in which they can cre-ate, together, an original work of dramatic art. Spectrum Project partic-ipants are led through a process by which an ensemble of actors devel-ops a theme, creates a variety of material that talks about that themeand then performs their original work for the community. TitM hasdeveloped a series of pedagogic strategies which allow adults across thewide autism spectrum to speak in their own voice about their world.

Many people with ASD have difficulty in social situations and withreading social cues that many of us take for granted when interactingwith other people. Students in the Spectrum Project are provided astructure which lessens social anxiety and allows them to more easilyinteract with their cast mates. Also, the very act of rehearsing a per-formance piece creates a kind of laboratory in which students canexamine the ways in which people verbally and non-verbally commu-nicate with each other.

GAINING GROUND!

THE SPECTRUM PROJECT:CREATIVELY DEALING WITH

AUTISM

BRING A BAG... DONATE THE DIME,IT ALL ADDS UPAUGUST BAG CREDIT DONATIONSgo to Theater in the Making’s SpectrumProject: Providing creative opportunities for peoplewith Autism Spectrum Disorder to build interpersonal skills.

In June your bag credit donations totaling $2,036.40were given to: Think New Mexico. Thank YOU!

CCOO--OOPPPPRROOGGRRAAMM

donate yourBAG CCRREEDDIITT!AUGUST BAG CREDIT DONATIONS GO TO THE SPECTRUM PROJECT

CO

THANK YOU TOM!: At the end of June, an amendment whichwould require labeling of genetically engineered salmon, as partof the 2014 Agricultural Appropriations, passed through theSenate Appropriations Committee by a narrow margin of 15-14votes. Co-sponsored by Sen. Begich (D-AK) and Sen. Murkowski(R-AK), this important amendment is part of a bill that could bevoted on by the Senate in the coming weeks. Please give SenatorTom Udall a call or drop him a note and thank him for voting forthis amendment. Let Senator Heinrich know that we hope that hewill vote for it if when it comes to the whole Senate. For moreinformation go to www.justlabelit.org

GGEESSAALLMMOONNLLAABBEELLIINNGG FFOORR CCOONNSSUUMMEERRSS

Co-op ValuesCooperatives are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidar-ity. In the tradition of their founders, cooperative mem-bers believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness,social responsibility and caring for others.

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

The Co-op Connection is published by La Montanita Co-op Supermarket to provide information on La MontanitaCo-op Supermarket, the cooperative movement, and thelinks between food, health, environment and communi-ty issues. Opinions expressed herein are of the authorsand are not necessarily those of the Co-op.

BY AMYLEE UDELL

For many people, this time of year is one ofbeginnings. Kids return to school and schoolemployed parents do as well, so many of us are

gearing up to be much busier. And some of us are vowingto be more organized about our meals and school lunchesthis time around! Last year I offered many ideas on howto pack, and actually get your kids to eat, wholesomelunches while away from your watchful eyes. This time,let's look at how to do so without being overwhelmed!

First, you need a plan. If you already menu plan, add a line for lunch-es. You can use one dinner and plan for leftovers for packed lunches.If you don't menu plan, don't go crazy and try to plan all three dailymeals for a month. But do give some thought to what goes into eachlunch. Not just what food item, but the time and energy. If you pre-fer to have pre-packaged items because it's so much easier, great!Have your kids collect those as soon as they can. Gather the itemsthat don't need to be refrigerated the night before. Then add in thecold items in the morning.

If you are wanting more home prepared items or seeking more vari-ety. Have a lunch plan. It doesn't need to be super specific if thatoverwhelms you. Maybe assign each day a theme.

Monday - leftover soup (from weekend meals)Tuesday - nut butter (sandwich, wrap, crackers)Wednesday - pastaThursday - lunch meatFriday - burritos

back to school August 2013 4

These are random examples. Other themes couldbe sushi day, veggies and dip day, pita day, hardboiled egg day, ANY day that suits your family.The beauty of themed days is that your mentalenergy is preserved. There's no figuring out whatyou need. You get essentially the same grocerieseach week, with wiggle room for sales and spe-cials. If you're feeling creative, come up with atwo week guide to add more variety. Things likeeggs, frozen lunch meats, crackers, nut butters andfrozen tortillas can be pantry staples that you canstock up on when the opportunity arises.

Your lunch plan can and should also include theinvolvement of your children. Very small chil-dren can prepare their lunch bags or boxes forfood, by adding napkins, utensils or cups. Theycan add food, too, as long as it's accessible,which you should definitely make happen! Andeven if they can't prepare the food, they can putthe lunch together in whatever way is age appro-priate. Over time, they should take over more

HEALTHY LUNCHES ARE EASIER THAN YOU THINK!

crobial pesticide, triclosan, found in hundreds of per-sonal care and household products, toys, and tex-

tiles, still presents a serious hazard for humanand environmental health. Studies show thattriclosan is an endocrine disruptor, accumu-lates in human fatty tissue and can influencethe onset of bacterial resistance.

Beyond Pesticides and 15 other organizationsfiled a citizens petition to FDA in October2005, requesting the agency ban all non-medical uses of triclosan. In 2009, BeyondPesticides, in partnership with Food andWater Watch and 80 other groups, submitted

an amended petition to FDA and a new petition toEPA, citing violations of numerous federal statutes.

FDA is now finally planning to complete its reviewacknowledging that soaps containing triclosan offerno additional benefit over regular soap and water,expressing concern about the development of antibi-otic resistance from using antibacterial products andtriclosan’s potential long-term health effects.

Beyond Pesticides has provided extensive docu-mentation of the potential human and environ-mental health effects of triclosan and its cousin tri-clocarban. Triclosan is an endocrine disruptor andhas been shown to affect male and female repro-ductive hormones and possibly fetal development.It is also shown to alter thyroid function and otherstudies have found that due to its extensive use inconsumer goods, triclosan and its metabolites arepresent in umbilical cord blood and human milk.

BY ROBIN SEYDEL

Back to school days come with a sharing of many things,including germs. Back to school can also signal an increase in theuse of antimicrobials to reduce exposures

and keep kids cold and flu free. But researchshows that at least one commonly used antimi-crobial could do more harm than good.

As reported by the staff at Beyond Pesticides,The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)published a final rule in May 2013 to revise andupdate use patterns and data requirements forantimicrobial pesticides. The new rule is the firstrevision to EPA data requirements for antimicro-bial pesticide registrations since 1984 and is astep in the right direction when it comes to regulating antimicrobial pes-ticides, considering the proliferation of consumer products that containthese chemicals. However, even with these new rules in place, one antimi-

and more of their lunch preparation. From helpingassemble their bento box, to making a sandwich tocleaning out their bag or box, they will one day dothis themselves! And if you do go with the themeddays, they'll know exactly what to do each day.

If themed days don't suit you, writing down the planfor the week helps not just you, but the kids, too.First, everyone knows what to expect. Second, you doget a little flexibility if you find some good deals ORyou find the themes too restrictive for you. Maybethere was a steal on pickles—add pickles to the lunchplan so the kids know to add them. Or so that YOUdon't forget yourself. Maybe you're chicken sittingand you have lots of great eggs—add egg salad onMonday and Friday. Doing lunches this way takes alittle more time and thought, but can help save money,as you are planning around food items.

Now, once you're in a good place with just gettingthose lunches made, add some creative, loving touch-es. This doesn't have to be every day. But now andthen add a specially shaped cookie, a favorite pieceof exotic fruit, some homemade kettle corn or a lit-tle note. These gestures are much easier to add oncethe basics are covered. You'll find you have a littlemore time for thoughtfulness if you're not rushingaround each and every morning!

Coming up on August 9 and 10 is the Real Foodfor Real Families weekend. Come learn how realfamilies do their best to conquer typical challenges inorder to feed their families well. Classes range frommenu planning to getting picky kids to eat, creativelunch ideas to freezer meals.

Learn more and register at www.InspiredABQ.com.

The US Centers for Disease Control andPrevention (CDC) also found that triclosan ispresent in the urine of 75% of the US popula-tion, in concentrations that have increased by50% since 2004.

Last August, research from the University ofCalifornia, Davis, led by Dr. Issac Pessah,Ph.D., showed triclosan’s ability to impair mus-cle function, particularly in the heart. In thepresence of triclosan, the normal communica-tion between two proteins that function as cal-cium channels is impaired, causing skeletal andcardiac muscle failure. Last April Dr. Pessahspoke about the health effects of triclosan at theBeyond Pesticides 31st National Pesticide Forumat the University of New Mexico. His speech canbe viewed in part at www.lamontanita.coop.

Beyond Pesticides urges concerned consumersto join the Ban Triclosan Campaign and signthe pledge to stop using triclosan today. Readthe label of personal care products in order toavoid those containing triclosan. Encourageyour local schools, government agencies, andlocal businesses to use their buying power to gotriclosan-free. Urge your municipality, school,or company to adopt the model resolution thatcommits to not procuring or using productscontaining triclosan.

To learn more about triclosan, join the bantriclosan campaign and sign the pledge:Please visit Beyond Pesticides’ Antibacterialpage at www.beyondpesticides.org.

FOOD PLANNING for

HHHHEEEEAAAALLLLTTTTHHHHYYYYKKKKIIIIDDDDSSSS

STAYING HEALTHY AT SCHOOL:USING ANTIMICROBIALS?

BY ROBIN SEYDELWith obesity and diabetes at epidemic levels instillingbalanced food habits at a young age is of paramountimportance for good health throughout life. As par-ents or grandparents we have a lot of power in thecreation of healthy food habits. Modeling balance isprobably the most important aspect. What you chooseto bring into your home, what you choose to eat on adaily basis will have a long lasting effect. Create a pat-tern of good home cooked food as the daily expecta-tion. Model moderation, lowered fat, sugar and saltuse. This doesn’t mean that a pizza night, or occa-sionally using fast or processed food is unacceptable.

It’s important not to make junk food a reward or a spe-cial treat; just something you do now and again whenother options are not available. Make rewards realrewards, a favorite dish cooked at home, special timespent together in a favorite activity or other meaning-ful experiences.

It’s easier than you think. Making the commitment andgetting started are the hardest parts. Is it more costly?Not if you weigh in the costs of health care for cardio-vascular disease, obesity or diabetes or endless roundsof antibiotics for ear infections into the equation.

FOOD HABITS: GOOD FOR LIFE

believe it deserves hon-orary mayo status. Inany case, carrot mayonnaise is what they called itin Brazil, which happens to be a place where thepeople really understand mayonnaise.

Nothing more than garlic, carrots, oil and season-ings, carrot mayo is very simple, yet very satisfying.It can serve as a spread, dip, condiment, side dish ormain course. And while the flavor will changebetween summer and winter, it's always delicious.

To make carrot mayo, begin by slicing carrots intoquarter-inch rounds until you have four cups worth.Bake them at 350° F, stirring occasionally, untilthey're tender and lightly browned; about 30 to 45minutes. They can also be steamed instead of baked,for a milder, less complex flavor.

Allow the carrots to cool. Meanwhile, add a quar-ter cup of olive oil to a blender, along with one ormore cloves of garlic, depending on your taste. Ifyou wish, include some herbs like oregano or mar-joram. Blend until the garlic is fully pureed. As soonas the carrot chunks are cool enough to work with,add them to the blender and blend until smooth,adding another half-cup or so of olive oil so that itblends smoothly. If the carrot chunks are still a bithot when you add them to the blender they willmellow the raw garlic, which may or may not be agood thing depending on your taste. When the

healthy eating August 2013 5

BY ARI LEVAUX

Garlic loves carrots, carrots love them back,and I love them together, in the gardenand on the table. They're both root vegeta-

bles, which we tend to think more about in winterthan summer, but are in season right now. Here arethree simple recipes that document this friendship, insalad, soup, and the wonderful, intoxicating orangelove paste known as carrot mayonnaise.

Carrots and garlic are cultivated and enjoyed theworld over, and there are countless dishes contain-ing both. I'll never forget a simple salad of shreddedcarrots with garlic that was served alongside friedtrout in a cozy cabin in Siberia one February. Sweet,spicy and earthy, it was a welcome taste of freshvegetables in the dead of winter. It was served plain,but I like it with a dressing of soy sauce, sesame oil,olive oil, and cider vinegar.

Both garlic and carrots have long storage lives,making it possible to eat them from your own gar-den all year long. But their flavors vary, dependingon the time of year, which could, if you're the sensi-tive type, influence what you do with them.

Freshly harvested garlic has more zing than curedgarlic, but summer carrots are less sweet than whenthey are harvested in fall, after a few frosts. Thismakes the aforementioned salad less advisable insummer, especially given the many leafy saladoptions that are available. But in winter, when thecarrots are sweet and the fresh (local) greens arelong gone, shredded carrot and garlic salad is morelikely to hit the spot.

In Brazil, my life was changed with a single dollopof carrot mayonnaise. It was followed by anotherdollop. And another. As carrot mayo contains noeggs it's not true mayonnaise, which means thatsworn mayo-phobes might enjoy it. But since it canbe deliciously applied to almost any savory dish, I

DELICIOUS ANY TIME OF THE YEAR

mayo is blended, season with salt, and blend again. Your carrot mayois now ready.

In addition to its utility as either condiment or main dish,carrot mayo can also be used as an ingredient in morecomplex meals, such as this Indian-style recipe for garlic,ginger and carrot soup. Make carrot mayo as above, butwith no oregano or marjoram. Meanwhile, slowlycaramelize one sliced onion in oil, along with twochopped garlic cloves and a cubic inch of ginger, chopped.When the onions are browned and sweet, stir in a half-teaspoon of turmeric or curry powder, and kill the heat.Add the contents of the pan to the blender, along with acup of water and your carrot mayo, and blend untilsmooth. Milk or cream can also be substituted for someof the water if you wish.

Depending on the season or your personal preference,this soup can be served hot or cold. For hot soup, pour it back into apan and reheat, adding more liquid if necessary. If serving it cold,another cup of water will be necessary, because it will thicken as itcools into a variation of carrot mayo. Of course, ending up with gin-ger and onion carrot mayo is cool too!

Carrots and garlic get along in the garden as well as the kitchen.Every spring I scatter carrot seeds between the rows of the garlic Iplanted the previous fall. The leafy carrot foliage spreads out amongthe spindly garlic plants, crowding out the weeds and shading theground, which helps the soil retain moisture. The carrots stay on thesmall side until the garlic is harvested in early summer. After that,they take over and grow into honkers. To grow garlic and carrotstogether is a horticultural multi-task in time and space. Garlic andcarrot planting time will be here before we know it!

Carrots&GARLIC

simple foods,fabulous

FLAVORS

kicks with snacks on sticks!

eat your vegetables? color it FUN!

shape it up! cut it up!

bite-sized goodies! just for grins

For more fun ideas and specials: download our Mobile App. Go to www.lamontanita.coop

Fruit or Veggie KebabsYou can put most anything on a stick.

Cut up fruit. Arrange it by color. SKEWER IT!Blueberry, banana, raspberry, kiwi, watermelon,

pineapple, strawberry. It’s a rainbow!VEGGIES, TOO! Orange winter squash, green zuchini,

a dash of red tomatoes, whole or cut in quarters

Frozen Yogurt Fruit Pops Yum-a-licious! Thick Greek Yogurt works best. In a bowl combine

yogurt and honey (optional). Place bowl in freezer for 5 minutes to thinken up. Slice fruit in pieces to fit on a stick. Keep strawberries whole. Dip fruit into yogurt. Using a

spoon helps spread the yogurt over the fruit. Sprinkle a topping like chopped nuts. Place

the dipped fruit pops on a baking sheet covered with waxed paper and place in the freezer for

2 hours or until yogurt is frozen.

A single beet can deliver up to 22 percent of the RDA for folate, as well as lots of fiber, vitamins (including C), minerals, and antioxidants. This fuchsia tzatziki

is a fun and colorful way to encourage kids to EAT THEIR VEGGIES!

Fuchsia Tzatziki1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice2 cups steamed beets, shredded

2 cups thick Greek yogurt1 tsp lemon zest

2 TBs minced parsley (optional)1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

2 TBs sriracha (optional)2 lg cloves garlic, CRUSHED (optional)

To steam the beets, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash beets, and trim the

greens. Set in a small oven-proof dish, fill with 1/8” water, cover with foil, and bake for roughly 40 minutes, or until the beets

are easily pierced with a fork. Remove from oven, peel the skin under cold running water,

and trim ends. Shred, and set aside.

Combine the garlic and salt in a mortar, and mash with the pestle. Add the lemon

juice and set aside for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the beets, yogurt, zest, parsley, and ground pepper. Stir in the garlic mixture, and sriracha if using. Cover and refrigerate for a half hour.

Getting kids to try new foods is a huge challenge for many parents. Take sandwichesfrom square to a fun new shape. Oversized cookies cutters can turn any food into some thing fun. Did you ever try a sandwich that had been butterflied or cut into stars? Somehow it tastes better!

Combine peanut butter and yogurt, stirring until smooth. Drizzle 1 TB

orange juice over bananas; toss gently to coat. Spread about 3 tablespoons

peanut butter mixture over each tortilla, leaving a 1/2-inch border.

Arrange about 1/3 cup banana slices in a single layer over peanut butter mixture.

Combine wheat germ and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over banana slices. Roll

up. Slice each roll into 6 pieces.

Peanut Butter-Banana SpiralsGive the classic peanut butter sandwich

a twist by rolling up a whole wheat tortilla instead of serving on bread.

These bite-sized spirals are good for little hearts because they provide heart-healthy monounsaturated

fat from the peanut butter, potassium from the banana,

and fiber from the wheat germ.

What child wouldn’t LOVE a giant meatball!MEATBALL MUFFINS?!! Not a contradiction interms—sure to make kids of all ages giggle. Mold your favorite veggie or meatloaf mixture into

muffin tins for a perfectly proportioned main attraction.

Dinner “Meat” Loaf MuffinsLoad your meat, tofu or tempeh with finely chopped carrots and onions and other veggies from our local selection of produce to provide extra minerals

and antioxidants. Use our grass fed extra lean ground beef to keep the calories and fat low while providing high quality protein. Oil muffin tin.

Bake precooked meat & veggies until warm.

Pizza Muffins Try it with pizza fixings, too! Cut whole wheat tortillas to size.

Place down inside oiled muffin tin. Fill with favorite combination of tomato sauce, basil, cheese, veggies, ect...

Bake until warm and melted. YUM!

CO OPkids what do kids like to eat?!some healthy ideas for finicky eaters

reviews management’s work by examining performancereports and comparing them to policy standards we haveestablished. The board governs by declaring, through itspolicies, the results it wants and the actions it wants thegeneral manager to avoid while achieving those results.Only by reviewing and adjusting these boundaries do weadjust the direction of the Co-op.

We leave day-to-day operational details to the generalmanager and his team (those are the people you see everyday as a shopper); we keep tabs on the stores on amonthly basis through formal reporting. Very impor-tantly, we spend almost half our meeting time studyingour world, learning about our owners’ needs, and imag-ining the future.

Betsy Van Leit has served several terms as a Board mem-ber and does a fine job of elucidating the Board’s rolehere: “Serving on the Board of Directors is hard workand also very inspiring. Our job is to try to discern howbest to really live up to the Co-op's values and vision.This requires asking good questions, studying trends,engaging in respectful and thoughtful discussion, andsometimes making difficult decisions. I think that all ofus take our responsibility very seriously, and I'm hon-ored to be part of it all.”

Overall, board members are expected to spend the equiv-alent of about three hours a week on board duties,including committee work, trainings, workshops andother meetings and activities. In exchange, board mem-bers are compensated with an annual stipend of $1,800.The Secretary receives $2,700 and the President receives$3,600. Board members are expected to serve the fullthree-year term to which they are elected.

Consistent with our governance approach, the qualifica-tions we seek are somewhat different from those of otherboards. While it is customary for boards to attractprospective members with management-related skills,our approach is different. Our comprehensive policiesand the management reporting that is required for them

allow the board to simultaneously ensure successfulCo-op performance and still focus on the bigger picturewe mentioned earlier. To help keep the board on thispath, here’s what we are looking for in a candidate:

• First and foremost, be dedicated to the well-being ofthe Co-op and its owners.

• Have a propensity to think in terms of systemsand context.

• Be honest and have independent judgment, courage, and good faith.

• Be able and eager to deal with values, vision andthe long term.

• Be willing and able to participate assertively indiscussions and abide by board decisions and the intent of established policies.

• Be comfortable operating in a group decisionmaking environment, sharing power in a groupprocess, and delegating areas of decisionmaking to others.

To better understand how these characteristicsplay out, we encourage prospective candidates to

attend monthly board meetings. They are always on thethird Tuesday of each month, starting at 5:30pm.Location is the Immanuel Presbyterian Church, direct-ly across the street from the Nob Hill store. Dinner isserved to all attending, starting a little before 5:30pm.

Nominations started July 20, 2013, and end on August20. Candidate applications were available starting July20, as paper copies from the information desk and elec-tronically from the Co-op’s website.

TO QUALIFY AS A CANDIDATE, YOU MUST HAVEBEEN A MEMBER FOR AT LEAST 4 MONTHS PRIORTO THE START OF ELECTIONS, (THAT MEANS BEINGA MEMBER SINCE JULY 1, FOR THIS YEAR), ANDYOU MUST RETURN YOUR COMPLETED APPLICA-TION BY AUGUST 20.

Board elections will be held from November 1 throughNovember 14. Our annual meeting and celebration willbe held on Saturday, October 12, at a soon-to-be-an-nounced location. Candidates are encouraged to attendthis meeting to have the opportunity to address membersregarding their candidacy. As we have done in the lastfew years, the board will offer a list of candidates it feelsare qualified to serve. Full information about this processwill be included in the candidate packet.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, CONTACT US ATbod@lamontanita.coop, or contact MARSHALLKOVITZ, Chairperson of the Nominations andElections Committee, at 256-1241.

FROM YOUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

It’s almost time to file Board nomination applications and those of uswho work on new Board member recruitment have noticed a recurringtheme in our solicitations: La Montanita Board service is not what

you may think. Consider the observations of Board member JakeGarrity:

“Although I've been on a previous board, my year and a half on LaMontanita's board has been somewhat different. When I decided toparticipate in the election as a new board member I suffered under themisconception that La Montanita's board had something to do withthe nuts and bolts of the overall business operation. This impressionwas quickly cleared up. In my first year and a half I've come to realizethat as a member of the board our main purpose is to peer into thefuture in order to prepare the Co-op for the direction desired by itsmembers. In addition, I've also come to recognize the institutional his-tory of some of our board members and to take advantage of this asfar as perspective and direction. Finally, as the only board memberfrom Gallup, I believe it is important to give a voice on the board inrepresenting La Montanita's smallest community.”

Over the years, we’ve found that clarifying the Board’s role is crucial to iden-tifying nominees who can participate constructively in Co-op governance.Each year the Co-op holds elections for 3 of its 9 directors, with terms run-ning for 3 years. As elected representatives of the 12,000 plus member/own-ers, the Board’s job is to provide strategic vision and ensure the Co-op’s long-term stability and success.

The Co-op is a 30 million dollar a year operation with five stores: three inAlbuquerque, one in Gallup and one in Santa Fe. Albuquerque is also the siteof the Cooperative Distribution Center (CDC), which is our Foodshed ware-house, serving producers, processors and retailers throughout our region.Later this year, we will be opening a new store on the west side. We arepleased to say that all of the Co-op’s units continue to grow and improve inperformance. Finally, our many public outreach programs bring peopletogether and strengthen our communities.

For the second year we will be utilizing electronic voting instead of mailing outpaper ballots. Primary members who are interested in voting electronicallyshould submit an email address to the information desk at any of our stores inorder to receive election login information. Email addresses will remain confi-dential and will be used only for election purposes. Primary members whowish to fill out paper ballots may obtain them from the information desk atour store locations between November 1 and November 14. VERY IMPOR-TANT: blank ballots will not be mailed out, so if you want to vote witha paper ballot, you must get one from an information desk.

Why Run for the Board?The board’s work requires discipline and creativity. We govern by means of aframework called Policy Governance. At our monthly meetings, the board

CO-OP BOARD ELECTIONSco-op news August 2013 6

membership isOOWWNNEERRSSHHIIPP!!

free environment that is four times the size of the averagecommercial ranch. Because of cleaner living quarters, ahealthier and happier chicken is produced having a better

taste. When not out foraging on therange, Mary’s chickens are fed a Non-GMO Project Verified Vegetarian Diet;NO Genetically Modified Organismsor synthetic amino acids are used.

Mary’s chickens are cooled with astate of the art “Air Chill” system.Air Chill helps inhibit the spread ofbacteria by keeping all of the chick-ens independent, and saves 30,000gallons of chlorinated water everyday! The air chilled method produces

a better tasting chicken. With no water added, the airchilled method keeps the "real" chicken flavor and juices.No water is absorbed, so you get the natural flavor of chicken.

GREAT FOR GRILLING! Look for Mary’s Non-GMOProject Verified Free Range and Certified OrganicChickens in all Co-op Meat Departments.

MEAT DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT

La Montanita Co-op is pleased to offer Mary’sNon-GMO Verified Free Range, and CertifiedOrganic Chicken. Mary Pitman, having

studied nutrition for over 20 years, reads theingredients of every food product that she buysand wants to provide the very best chicken forher family and customers. She realized theimportance of finding foods that contain onlynatural ingredients when she became aware ofher own body's adverse reaction to foods con-taining sugars, preservatives and food additives.

Mary's Free Range Chickens are produced byPitman Farms, a family owned business that hasbeen raising poultry for three generations. DonPitman began raising free-range turkeys and chickens in1954. His son, Rick, continued to raise turkeys and namedthe business after his wife, Mary. Their son, David, con-tinued the family tradition of raising chickens. The Pitmanfamily is pleased to be the first free range chicken farm tobe certified GMO free by the Non-GMO Project Verified.

Mary's Free Range Chickens grow naturally with plenty ofopen space in a humane manner as they roam in a stress-

MARY’S CHICKENS!CHICKENS! Non-GMO Project Verified

Sante Fe Co-op members are planning a book clubrelated to community and worker-owned businessesin New Mexico. Meetings will be open to everyone!We're considering works like Gar Alperovitz'sAmerica Beyond Capitalism and Richard Wolff'sDemocracy At Work to start us off. Suggestions forfurther readings are needed!

We'll start sometime near the end of summer or earlyfall (August/September). We're hoping that the dis-cussion group will lead to further actions and organi-

zation efforts to build a community owned economyin the state and beyond.

The format isn't fixed yet (we're considering meetingfor an hour in the new Community Room at the SantaFe location, every other week, 2 chapters per meeting)and we're soliciting interest from folks who are willingto help organize and moderate the discussions.Contact Mark at markwayne1969@gmail.com, or call505-428-0451 for discounted copies of AmericaBeyond Capitalism.B

COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP

R E A D I N G A N D D I S C U S S I O N G R O U P F O R M I N G

RUN for the Co-opBOARD!BOARD!

BOARDelectionsCALENDARNOMINATIONS CLOSE: August 20ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING: October 12:Candidates introduce themselves to attendees.BOARD ELECTIONS: November 1 - November 14

Watch for information on the electronic votingprocess in upcoming Co-op Connection issues.

CCOO--OOPPYOU OWN IT

co-op news August 2013 7

Afew weeks ago I received notice that oneof my favorite restaurants in my home-town of Johnson City, Tennessee had been

sold. While my visits to my hometown have decreasedover the years, now usually just one time a year, Ialways enjoy my visits to this local eatery.

This small restaurant served south-ern barbeque and all the associatedfixings and the best sweet tea in thecity. This restaurant was owned byTom Carr. Tom was an interestingfellow who during his lifetime soldreal estate, owned a pizza restau-rant, a night club and was involvedwith local government and theUniversity of Tennessee.

However, Tom’s claim to fame was this small bar-beque restaurant. Tom was quick to admit that he wasnot a great cook, not a good kitchen manager and didnot ring up the sale; he hired staff for those tasks. Tomwas not personally in the restaurant business, he wasin the being nice business. Seven days a week duringthe lunch rush, his busiest time, Tom would greetevery customer that came in with a handshake and asmile, he would tell you it was good to see you, andask how you were. He was quick to help parents withsmall children and always had a pocket full of Toot-sie Rolls to give to the kids. It didn’t matter if youwere a professional business person, college professor

or just some guy who worked at a local grocery store.If you didn’t agree with the work he did in local gov-ernment or the university it didn’t matter, you alwaysfelt welcome.

My favorite memory of Tom was when he had a kneereplacement just before I moved to Albuquerque. He

and I were members of the same health club.Tom would go have his physical therapytreatments during the day and come to gymto do therapy himself at night just to get bet-ter sooner so he could go back to work.

The last time I saw Tom was last December. Itwas a snowy afternoon a few days afterChristmas but Tom was on the job as usualgreeting customers, I felt like I was seeing anold friend. Tom has earned the right to slow

down and I hope the new owners carry on the tradi-tion that Tom worked so hard to establish.

I’ve learned from Tom the power of a kind word andthat how we treat others can make a not so happyday much better. We strive for this type of serviceevery day at La Montanita. I’m sure we don’t succeedall the time, but the goal will never change.

Please contact me anytime at terryb@lamontanita.coop or at 505-217-2020. Thanks for your con-tinued support of our co-op. -TERRY B

THE INSIDE SCOOP

CO-OPS: A Solution-Based System A co-operative is an autonomous association of persons

united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social andcultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and

democratically-controlled enterprise.

8/20 Board Candidate NominationsDeadline!

8/20 BOD Meeting, Immanuel Church, 5:30pm

8/26 Member Engagement Committee

GET BACK to SCHOOL DEALS onHEALTHY BROWN BAG FOODS!

AugustCalendarof Events

Following in the footsteps of an age old NewMexican tradition, the Carrascos have dugmini acequias alongside each bed to utilizewater from their well. “That's how we've doneit in New Mexico since I was a kid,” Rhondareminisced. Rhonda explained that they havelaid down straw to avoid excessive watering.“But we didn't mulch the squash, because myhusband told me that the bugs would love tohide under there.” She laughed, narrating herhusband's declaration of war on the legions of

determined squash bugs. There is something redemp-tive about a farmer's labor, as if its toil imbues thetaste of food with extra satisfaction for the eater.

The Carrascos’ Belen community bears witness totheir hard work and dedication to their farm.Enlisting the help of their 14-year-old daughter,Savannah, who loves to be inside on the computer,the Carrascos have jumped on the Facebook band-wagon, welcoming a wider audience. Their photosand posts share the natural cycles of the farm's beau-ty with children planting seedlings in the field, thegreat promise of blossoms and even the wilting casu-alties of a squash beetle clash.

This is the Carrascos' fourth year selling to the Co-op and, “You could say that our passion became ourwork and our livelihood.” Years ago, they watchedtheir vegetables neatly placed into a basket with theirfamily's name on it, and they realized they weren'tselling to a “regular store.” As members of a com-munity fostered by La Montanita, the fruits of theirlabor are now available for all of us to enjoy.

Look for Carrasco Family Farm squash and othervegetables in the Nob Hill produce Departmentor on facebook at CarrascoFamilyFarm.

THE CARRASCO FAMILY: PRODUCE UPDATE

A FARMING TRADITIONBY LEAH VIENS-GORDON, NOB HILL

PRODUCE ASSISTANT TEAM LEADER

“Igrew up in Belen when itwas still like the Old West,”recounted farmer Rhonda

Carrasco. “I remember my grandmatelling me that there were no farmers’markets, so she and my grandpa wouldset up a little stand and sell their pro-duce on the side of the road.” Lucky forher, today La Montanita strives to sup-port and strengthen local, small to medium sized businesses.The Carrascos, who have turned a half acre of their backyardinto an edible landscape, are able to carry on many of theirrich, family traditions without the difficulties their grandpar-ents experienced in finding a venue that features their home-grown delights.

The Carrasco family makes a regular pilgrimage to the Co-op,most recently to unload two overflowing baskets of this year'sfirst local squash; with varieties ranging from bright Gold Barsand Patty Pans, to pale, speckled Eight Balls and the long,thin, pastel yellow Zephyrs with their precious green blossomends. Rhonda and Raymond are genuinely friendly, whichmakes them a delight to work with. On that day, they werejoined by one of their four children, Jessica who is six, whoseunique hair color is like the warm, bronze skin of a Pluot.

More than being excited about and grateful for this beautifulproduce, the Co-op supports the grounded family life and eco-logical balance achieved by farmers like the Carrascos. TheCarrascos children are home schooled and growing up on afarm with all the life experiences that go along with it. Rhondaexplained, “This is what we do as a family to live and the kidstotally understand that;” illuminating a gap in education par-ents and activists have been struggling to bridge for years. Icould hear a smile in her voice when she said, “The little oneslove to pick cherry tomatoes off the vine.”

10:30AM august 3BREAST FEEDING EVENT!Come together with other women tohelp educate the community about theimportance of breastfeeding. Locallysponsored by Inspired Birth andFamilies. For more informationwww.Inspired ABQ.com or look forthem on Face book.

TTHHEE BBIIGG

LLAATTCCHHOONN!!

Premium Compost • Our locally made Premium Compost is approved for use on Certified Organic Farms and Gardens.

Topsoil Blend• Ready for planting in raised beds or flower pots!Mulch • A variety of decorative and functional mulches.Foodwaste Recycling• Albuquerque’s only restaurant foodwaste recycling pick up service Greenwaste Recycling• Bring your Yardwaste to us and keep it out of the Dump!

9008 Bates Rd. SE Open Tues. through Sat. 8am to 4pmPlease come down and see us • www.soilutions.net

Looking for Land...The veteran Farmer Project

is looking to expand our operation.

1/2 to 4 acres w/ an agricultural wellin Albuquerque area

3-5 year land use agreement w/option to renew

Must be able to install a hoop house

If you have property to put into production,please contact Robin Seydel

robins@lamontanita.coop or 505-217-2027

yogurt dishes August 2013 10

Yoghurt is an amazing staple and can makealmost any dish more delicious. To celebratesuccess in helping local producers succeed, we’refocusing this month’s recipe column on recipesyou can make with Freanna Plain Yoghurt. Theserecipes span breakfast, lunch and dinner. Theyalso incorporate great summer seasonal ingredi-ents. Bon appétit!

Sjierkje’s Favorite

This simple and filling breakfast is a great way tostart your day.

1 cup Freanna Plain Yoghurt1/4 cup rolled oats1/4 cup warm water1 teaspoon chia seedsHandful raisins

For GarnishPinch cinnamon1/2 tablespoon agave syrup1 tablespoon maple syrup1/2 cup of your favorite fresh fruit, choppedLarge pinch coconut flakes

Combine rolled oats, chia seeds, raisins andwarm water, then allow to sit for 15 minutes.Add yoghurt, then garnish with spices, fresh fruitand coconut flakes.

The following three recipes offer great options fora weekend brunch. Serve with a large fruit salad,your favorite breakfast sausage or bacon, and a cupof fresh brewed coffee.

Peach French Toast Bake

1 1/2 cups Freanna Plain Yoghurt1 tablespoon butter1 large whole-wheat baguette 4 large eggs, 4 large egg whites1 cup nonfat milk1 teaspoon vanilla extract5 cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon3/4 cup pure maple syrup

Butter a 9- x 13-inch deep baking pan. Cut thebaguette into 1/2-inch-thick slices and arrangethem in a single layer in the pan. In a mediumbowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg whites,milk and vanilla. Pour the egg mixture over thebread in the pan. Scatter the peach slices evenlyover the bread, them sprinkle with brown sugarand cinnamon. Cover with plastic wrap and refrig-erate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Uncover the dish andbake until slightly puffed and golden brown—about 40 minutes. Top with yoghurt, drizzle withmaple syrup and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Fluffy Yoghurt Scrambled Eggs

1 1/2 cups Freanna Plain Yoghurt6 eggs1/2 teaspoon sea salt2 tablespoons butter

In a bowl stir together eggs, yoghurt and salt. In askillet over medium low heat melt butter. When thebutter begins to bubble, but before it browns, addthe egg mixture. As the eggs begin to bubble andthicken use a spatula to turn them over gently. Donot stir. Be careful not to overcook, usually 2 to 3minutes is long enough; eggs should still appearmoist. Garnish with fresh seasonal herbs likechives, cilantro, basil or parsley.

Turkish Eggs

1/4 cup Freanna Plain Yoghurt1 large garlic clove, finely chopped1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or apple

cider vinegar1 egg2 tablespoons unsalted butter1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley1/2 teaspoon paprikaPinch of red pepper flakes or red chile powderPinch of salt

Stir yoghurt and garlic together, spread on a plateand set aside.

Bon appétit!FreannaYoghurt

thedelectable

peach

Come check usout and see what

we’re about!

Fill a skillet or a small pot with 2 to 3 inches ofwater. Add vinegar and bring to a light simmer.Very gently slide the egg into the simmering water.Cook the egg undisturbed for 2 to 4 minutes untilthe egg white is cooked. If the egg has stuck to thebottom, first use a plastic spatula to loosen it, thenlift the egg from the water with a slotted spoon.Place the egg on top of the yoghurt.

Over medium heat, melt the butter and add pars-ley, paprika, red pepper flakes and salt. Turn offthe heat when the butter begins to sizzle andbrown. Drizzle the butter sauce over the egg andyoghurt. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

These two recipes make for a great lunch. Bothcan be made in anticipation of several meals forthe week.

Chunky Waldorf Chicken Salad

Salad2 1/2 pounds roasted chicken, diced1 large Granny Smith apple, diced2 celery stalks, cut diagonally1 small green pepper, diced1 cup seedless red grapes, halved1/2 cup walnuts, chopped1 cup seedless raisins

Dressing1/2 cup Freanna Plain Yoghurt1/4 cup orange juice3 tablespoons olive oilPinch of saltPinch of nutmeg

Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Ina separate small bowl beat together salad dress-ing ingredients. Pour the dressing over salad andtoss until well combined. Serve in Romaine boatsor on your favorite crusty bread.

Chicken Gyros

Gyros3 tablespoons Freanna Plain Yoghurt1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken4 cloves garlic, finely choppedJuice of one lemon2 teaspoons red wine vinegar2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely choppedSalt and pepper to taste4 pitasSliced tomatoesSliced onionsTzatziki

Tzatziki1 1/4 cup Freanna Plain Yoghurt2 cups large cucumbers, peeled, seeded

and shredded1 or 2 garlic cloves finely chopped1 teaspoon lemon juice1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped1 teaspoon olive oilSalt and pepper to taste

Whisk together garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, oil,yoghurt and oregano in a small bowl. Add thechicken and toss to completely coat in the mari-

nade, then cover and refrigerate for at least an hourand up to 24 hours.

To make the tzatziki, line a mesh strainer with adouble thickness of damp cheesecloth. Fill with theyoghurt and set the sieve over a bowl. Refrigeratefor 2 to 3 hours or until the yoghurt is about halfits original volume (this is how you make Greekstyle yoghurt.) Shred cucumbers into a colander,sprinkle generously with salt and allow to sweatover a bowl or the sink for about 30 minutes. Rinseand shake off excess water. In a medium bowl com-bine all ingredients and stir until incorporated.

To prepare the gyros, in a frying pan on mediumhigh heat with a tablespoon of olive oil, sauté thechicken until cooked through, adding salt and pep-per to taste. Set aside for about 10 minutes aftercooking to rest before cutting into strips.

Heat pitas, then fill with chicken, tomatoes, onionsand top with tzatziki. Garnish with fresh parsley orbasil and serve.

Finally, for dinner, this recipe will impress guests orplease a hungry family.

Spice-crusted Roast Pork Tenderloin

1/4 cup Freanna Plain Yoghurt4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil: more as needed

for baking usual2 cloves garlic, finely chopped1 tablespoon Dijon mustardTwo 1 to 1 1/2 pound pork tenderloins3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs1 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds1 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds1 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds1 1/2 teaspoon sesame seedsSalt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450° F. In a small bowl combine2 tablespoons olive oil, yoghurt, garlic, Dijon mus-tard and a pinch of salt and pepper. In a shallowbaking dish or a plate, combine breadcrumbs, mus-tard, coriander, cumin, sesame seeds and a pinch ofsalt and pepper. Coat each tenderloin with thesauce, then roll in the breadcrumb mixture. Placeboth in a lightly oiled, heavy-duty baking dish.Sprinkle the remaining breadcrumb mixture overthe pork, then drizzle with a few more tablespoonsof olive oil. Roast the tenderloins for 10 minutes at450° F, then reduce the oven temp to 325° F.Continue to roast for 25 to 30 minutes or until theinternal temp of the meat is 140° F. Transfer thepork to a carving board and let it rest for 10 min-utes before carving into 1/2-inch slices.

yogurt dishes August 2013 11

peachesyogurt&frenchtoast...

DDIIVVIINNEE

zunimtn@wildblue.netTeach and share your gifts; learn different healing modalities; connect with friends.

ZuniMountainSanctuary

Shamans’gathering

august 17-25

Mary Alice Cooper,MD

Closed to the public since 1932, the Upper Santa FeWatershed has undergone a dramatic transformation

during the last decade to protect the watershedand water supply. Using management toolssuch as mechanical thinning and prescribedburning, the City of Santa Fe and US ForestService along with the Santa Fe WatershedAssociation have been working over the lastseveral years to restore the forest.

THE HIKE: A 5-mile roundtrip hike throughthe Nature Conservancy Santa Fe CanyonPreserve and into the Upper Santa Fe Water-

shed led by experts from the Santa Fe WatershedAssociation, the City of Santa Fe, and US ForestService, will visit Nichols Reservoir, beaver lodges anddams, and cover topics such as the history of SantaFe’s drinking water supply, how the reservoir systems

work, forest thinning and healthy forest ecology, therole of beavers in our watershed, and other informa-tion about the ecology of the Santa Fe Watershed.

WHERE: Hike will begin and end at the Dale Balltrail parking lot between Cerro Gordo Road nearUpper Canyon Road.

Each hike is limited to 20 participants. Pre-registra-tion is required and please plan to stay for the entirehike. Due to the strict security of this area, no earlydepartures are allowed. First come, first served, soplease sign up early! To pre-register or make a dona-tion go to www.santafewatershed.org.

La Montanita Co-op is pleased to be a long termmember of the Santa Fe Watershed Assocation.

Established in 1999, the Santa Fe WatershedAssociation (SFWA) works to return theSanta Fe River to a living river, from Lake

Peak to the Rio Grande, balancing human uses with natural resource protection within the riverswatershed.

In an effort to create a sense of responsibility and common interestamong all residents of the watershed, the SFWA is pleased to offer aseries of monthly hikes through the Upper Santa Fe Watershed area. Thehikes are scheduled on Aug. 21, Sept. 20 and Oct. 19.

SANTA FE WATERSHED ASSOCIATION

HIKINGTHE ’SHED

Sandra Postel Speaks on Global Water Policy

Recognizing that women are vitalto the success of conservation inthe Southwest, Audubon New

Mexico is pleased to present SouthwestWomen in Conservation on September 27at the Randall Davey Audubon Centerand Sanctuary, 1800 Upper Canyon Rd.in Santa Fe.

This third annual event recognizes andhonors the diversity of work being done by womenengaged in conservation in our region and beyond.Inspired by on-the-ground efforts, “Women inConservation” provides the opportunity for womenand men to share their interests and establish rela-tionships and motivate all generations to value, pro-tect and restore the health of our environment.

The event features inspiring conversations, includinga talk by Sandra Postel, followed by a gourmet

lunch. Sandra Postel is the director of the GlobalWater Policy Project. As a National Geographic

Freshwater Hero, she promotes thepreservation and sustainable use ofthe world’s freshwater.

Amanda Cooper, campaign expert forprogressive leaders and daughter ofSenator Tom Udall, brings a personaland political perspective to conserva-tion in the region. Amanda will helpguide the conversation as we discovermore about Sandra and her work, her

personal motivations, and how we address today’scritical and timely water issues.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, to make a reservationto attend, or to make a donation, contactMaryam Miller at 505-983-4609, ext. 24, or emailher at mmiller@audubon.org, or you may go to www.nm.audubon.org.

SEPTEMBER 27 10AM-1PM

AUDUBON NEW MEXICOPRESENTS SOUTHWEST WOMEN IN CONSERVATION

agua es vida August 2013 12

BY MICHAEL JENSEN, AMIGOS BRAVOS

In June, I wrote about the growing consensus thatwater supplies in the Rio Grande and the ColoradoRiver (which supplies San Juan Chama Project water

into the Rio Grande) will continue to decline through the21st century. This declining water supply will imperileveryone who relies on the river and of course, the healthof the river and its riparian corridor.

The situation is serious, but it is possible to find ways toadapt to or mitigate the impacts of declining river flows.The first step is to fully acknowledge what is happening.

There is much talk about the fact that we are in the thirdyear of a drought. Technically, this is true, but condi-tions have been getting drier for longer than that. Forexample, Elephant Butte Reservoir has been declining for at leastten years and winters in central New Mexico started getting milderin the mid 1990s.

Stepping back even more, to encompass the Southwest across cen-turies, the evidence is clear that while the current drought is extremein terms of human memory—with comparisons to the drought of the1950s—what we are experiencing is actually quite similar to the cli-mate that existed in the southwest for long periods of time. In otherwords, what we are calling a drought—and which is undeniably hotand dry—is actually more like the average climate for the region.

The one thing that is really different is that there are a lot more peo-ple living here now, placing far greater burdens on limited water sup-plies. That means that the “problem” is not with the climate or therivers, it’s with us. We need to take responsibility for our impacts onthe land and water and find ways that allow people and rivers to livetogether in a hot, dry climate.

The first thing that needs to be done, then, is to stop talking about“drought,” which leads, inevitably, to talking about the monsoon

“ending the drought.” We need to start thinkingand talking—and acting—in terms of a warmerand drier climate over a long period. We need tostart thinking and acting in terms of drought as“the new normal.”

Right now, “rights” towater in the river are divided up—in order of sen-iority—among pueblo and tribal rights, acequiarights, other pre-1907 senior rights, and juniorrights generally held by urban areas as the date offirst use approaches present time. In times ofscarcity, all rights holders want to maintain theirrights, looking to those with less senior rights ashaving to give up their water use.

However, if we can recognize that the prospect of awarmer, drier climate and a drying river is the newnormal, then it should be clear that in order to havea living river and thriving communities, all of us aregoing to have to be prepared to give up some of“our” water so that the river can survive … whichwill mean that we can continue to live here, too.

Another way of looking at this is to point out theobvious: in the list of rights to river water nobodythought to give the River a “right” to its ownwater. Under the Endangered Species Act, mini-

mum flow targets have been set that are only sup-posed to ensure that there is enough water in theriver for the silvery minnow and the southwesternwillow flycatcher.

It should be clear by now that the river and the ripar-ian corridor, the Bosque, cannot survive with mini-mum flow targets. Not only are those levels not suf-ficient to maintain a healthy river and Bosque underwetter conditions, they leave the river without anyreserves for drier conditions, since all the other userson the river have already claimed everything abovethat minimum flow target.

We, all of us living along the Rio Grande, are goingto have to give up some of “our” water to ensurethat the Rio Grande and the Bosque are capable ofsurviving in the new normal. That means that all ofus are going to have to get by with less so the rivercan have more.

Of course, getting more water to the river, giving it aright to be a living river, is just the beginning.Because snowmelt and rain will likely happen out of“season” and be more erratic, we also have tochange the way water is managed along the river. Forexample, reservoirs will have to be managed differ-ently to keep water flowing in the river, irrigationdeliveries will need to adjust, and allowing water toflow in the river will have to be formally recognizedas a beneficial use of a water right.

This can be done. But nothing will happen as long aswe think we’re in a drought and that we can toughit out until the rains return. For more informationcontact michael at mjensen@amigosbravos.org.

the future of theRIO GRANDE

A C T I O NF O RR E S I L I E N C E

SURVIVAL IN THE

NEW WARMERDRIER NORMAL

BY MONA ANGEL AND ANNE CARPENTER

Have you ever heard of a food forest gar-den? A food forest garden creates an ecosys-tem that mimics the same environment that

would be found in a natural forest. A food forest isfilled with edible plants providing food and valuableproducts for people while expanding wildlife andpollinator habitat.

The food forest is structured to work with the landand native plants instead of against them. This is along term, largely perennial system that contains ver-tical layers of plants. These layers consist of a canopyof large trees, an under story of small trees and largeshrubs, herbaceous perennials and evergreen plants.The bottom layer is usually ground cover. Annuals,such as vegetables and herbs, can be added to thislayer. Plants are planted close together to supporteach other in what is called companion planting. Thiskind of planting yields a system that is interconnect-ed and self-supporting. Soil nutrients offered by dif-ferent plants and canopy shade are just a few impor-tant benefits this system offers in an arid climate.

New Mexico is known for unpredictable weather pat-terns and dry conditions. A food forest garden canhelp address some of the challenges of our high tem-perature extremes and low water conditions. Plantinga diversity of species helps promote soil health andattracts beneficial insects. Deep rooted perennialplants help stabilize the soil and improve access towater and nutrients for shallow-root plants. Mulchand leaf matter help to retain moisture in the soil and

us have lost a connection to our food because where foodis grown is removed from where we live. A food forest isbeneficial because it is designed around the needs andrequirements of the community and local environment. Itrevitalizes the idea of growing food in an arid climate byhelping people learn permaculture gardening skills they canuse anywhere, and especially in their own backyards.

The City of Albuquerque Open Space Visitor Center islaunching plans for a public food forest project. A publicfood forest has the power to reconnect the community tothe source of their food while offering opportunities tolearn how to create this system at home, at schools, or onfarms. A food forest can be created on any scale, from asmall backyard garden, to a field, or several acres. A self-

perpetuating food forest at the Open Space Visitor Center is aboutrethinking public space for daily needs.

The Center manages 18 acres of sustainably farmed agriculturalfields dedicated to growing food for wildlife, especially the sandhillcrane which winters in the middle Rio Grande. The project will beimplemented on a poorly performing 1.75-acre field. The FoodForest will break ground in 2013 and will include community mem-bers, local institutions and volunteers who will work together tobuild and grow the food forest. The Food Forest will have accessi-ble trails for observation of each phase of the project.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED: Community members can volunteer, make a donation, attend class-es or be a part of a community work day. Classes will be about foodforests, soil building, mulching, hands on planting of food forestplants, fruit tree care, seed saving as well as focusing on communi-ty stewardship of public land. To find out more contact MonaAngel at: monablu@hotmail.com.

SOURCESmith, Joseph Russell. Tree Crops: A Permanent Agriculture.Washington, D.C. U.a.: Island, 1977

INTERCONNECTED, SELF SUPPORTING

mitigate high temperatures. A food forest is perma-nent agriculture and unlike annual farming you donot have to plant it every year.

A food forest ecosystem takes less human energy tomaintain – it looks after itself. For example, treeslive 50-100 years compared to corn which is plant-ed yearly. According to J. Russel Smith, author ofTree Crops: a Permanent Agriculture, “The averageannual yield of corn is approximately 1,100 lbs peracre. The yield of chestnut orchards is approxi-mately the same. Chestnuts, however, yield year inand year out for centuries. Corn ‘burns out’ the soilso rapidly that either crops on most soils cannot beplanted every third year or the land must be retiredfrom cultivation after 11 years.” This example isone illustration of how a food forest can be lowmaintenance and highly efficient.

A food forest is an important public resourcebecause our food system is the connection betweenpeople, health and where we get our food. Many of

farming& gardening August 2013 13

RESOURCES for life

THE FOOD FOREST AT THEOPEN SPACE VISITORS

CENTER

W ith the success of farmers’/growers’ mar-kets (many of which seem to me to be mostlycraft fairs but never mind), it seems everyone

would like one in their “hood;”quality of life, convenience,good place to take the kids and all that. I get more than afew calls each year from folks that want to start their own.There’s a couple dozen in the state already and hey, themore the merrier, right?

I don’t wanna rain on anyone’s parade (or market booth)but there are lots of things to consider but most of all this:don’t assume there are legions of farmers just waiting foryou to open yours. Many of our most successful familyfarms already attend two or three a week. Don’t forgetthey need time to actually grow the stuff, too! And theymost certainly have no time to limp along with your strug-gling new market when they can already sell most every-thing they grow at a well-established one.

Middle of June may be when it occurs to you to drum upsupport and farmers but you should have planned for thismonths ago (like, maybe twelve months) ’cause everyone’spretty much booked by now and trying to keep up withweeds, succession planting and figuring out where the hecktheir water is coming from this year.

This leads to what may sound heartless but really is com-mon sense. What have you got to offer an already busyfarmer who can make more at one big market than threeor four weeks at your tiny endeavor in a hot crumbling oldparking lot attended by eight and a half customers? Whatwill make them want to come to you besides your enthusi-asm? A well-known and successful farmer coming to yourbaby market is doing you a favor.

ITCHY GREEN THUMB:

Then there is supply and demand! Most high-quality farms can already sell their in-demandharvest so there may not be enough produce togo around. If your area of the state is already sat-urated with markets and all your’s has to offer isconvenience for your neighbors, you may want toconsider becoming part of supply (i.e., a grower) rather thanjust a facilitator. Can’t have more growers’ markets withoutmore growers, right?

Demand for fresh produce is pretty good these days but doesyour “hood” actually want what’s available? What I mean tosay is, will your neighbors buy turnips, kale and daikon monthsbefore coveted tomatoes, corn and melons are in season? Doyour neighbors even care about anything besides tomatoes andchile? Know your potential clientele.

What else is going on at your market? Are youplanning on booths of coffee, croissants andbirdhouses? That may attract more people,but it will also mean fewer bucks to go into afarmer’s pocket. How are you marketing yourmarket? Once farmers get there, it’s their jobto market their stuff through displays, pricing,etc. but it’s your job to promo the marketitself. Your farmers are too busy crawling outof bed at 4am and trying to make a livingseven days a week to take on what is your partof the job.

Finally (actually this should be the first ques-tion), ask yourself why? Why are you doingthis? If you just want the accolades of yourpeers for starting something cool and hip, you

might be in it for the wrong reason. Ifyou want to connect market-less farmswith willing customers and give peoplethe opportunity to eat well and make aclean livelihood, you’re on the righttrack. Does your community need anew market? Can your community sup-port a new market? If you’re not goingto be 100% in this endeavor, don’t

bother. You’ll just discourage over-worked farmers and disappoint cus-

tomers. This is especially important with the folks—buyers and sellers—that are new at this.

Okay, okay, enough doom and gloom and discourage-ment. Starting markets is a good thing. Fresh food,happy farmers, satisfied customers… but go into it withyour eyes (and mind) open and be ready to work just ashard as a farmer to make it a success. And that meanspretty damn hard!

By Brett Bakker

MARKET MATTERS

CALL FORLOCAL FOOD

VENDORS ANDVOLUNTEERS!

Apply NOW to be part of the 2013LOCAL FOOD FESTIVAL

AND FIELD DAY, OCTOBER 13from 11am-4pm

The Gutierrez-Hubbell House, 6029 IsletaBlvd SW. This year brings NEW GUIDELINESfor vendor participation.

INFO AND APPLICATION atwww.localfoodnm.org. That goes to ourLocalFoodNM homepage. If the specific LFFpage makes more sense, you can usehttp://bit.ly/2013LocalFoodFest

community forum August 2013 14

BY ENGLISH BIRD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NEW

MEXICO RECYCLING COALITION

Many people associate recycling assomething that is good for theenvironment. But, not many realize

the number of jobs created and what a signifi-cant economic driver the recycling industryplays in our state and country. In fact, national-ly the recycling industry provides more jobsthan the car manufacturing industry. A generalrule of thumb is that for every landfill job therecould be ten recycling jobs for that same amount of material han-dled. The recycling industry is a $236 billion industry compared tothe $45 billion waste industry.

A report released by the New Mexico Recycling Coalition (NMRC)details the estimated number of jobs in the recycling industry andpredicts how many jobs could be gained through increased recyclingactivities. It is estimated that close to 5,000 new direct, indirect andinduced jobs will be created in New Mexico when the state recy-cling rate reaches 34%.

With recent investments and commitments made in both rural andurban areas, New Mexico is poised to meet this goal. Recyclingactivity is measured by the New Mexico Environment Department:Solid Waste Bureau, which calculates the state’s 2011 recycling rateat 21% of the municipal solid waste stream. That rate has witnesseda 16% average annual increase over the previous five years. If thistrend continues, reaching the national average of 34% could beattained by 2015.

Jobs in recycling are created in four different sec-tors: collection, processing, manufacturing andreuse. First, the material must be collected. Thenthe material is processed at a facility for sale to the

end-markets. The material thenbecomes part of the manufactur-ing sector, becoming a new prod-uct made from recycled-contentmaterial. The fourth sector is thereuse industry. The majority ofjobs in the collection and reusesectors remain in state. Jobs inthe processing sector occur bothin-state and out-of-state, andcurrently the manufacturing pri-marily takes place out-of-stateand even out-of-country.

The report uses established recycling industryjob calculator formulas based on the amount ofmaterial generated in our state. It advocates forthe use of solid waste rate structures using amodel called Pay-As-You-Throw and solid wastebans in order to increase recycling participationand reduce solid waste creation. The rate struc-ture adapts solid waste management fees so theyfunction like electricity or utility billing—youpay for what you use, or in this case, for whatyou throw away. More than 7,000 US communi-ties have adopted the Pay-As-You-Throw ratestructure across the country, many of which haveseen a 45% decrease in their overall solid waste

TRASH= JOBS!generation with significant leaps in recycling ton-nage. New Mexico currently has three communitieswith Pay-As-You-Throw models in place.

The report was conducted as part of NMRC’s multi-tiered Rural Recycling Development Project fundedby a Department of Energy grant. The report shedslight on the value of recycling activity as an econom-ic driver and provides case studies of how communi-ties can reach higher recycling rates. It also describessmall-scale economic development niche businessmodels suitable for New Mexico. To view the report,visit www.recyclenewmexico.com.

Go to the NM Recycling Directory to find outwhat and where to recycle in your community:www.recyclenewmexico.com.

DO YOUR PARTWHEN YOU SHOP THE CO-OP!REDUCE YOUR WASTE BY:• Buying less processed food• Buying in bulk • Bring your own re-usable container • Bring your own bag and donate the dime!

BY JULIANNA SILVA, WESST

The WESST Technology Toolkitis a program that will help NewMexico entrepreneurs effectivelyincorporate technology tools thatwill move their business to thenext level. Launched by the PNMJob Growth Initiative, the essen-tial elements of the Toolkit aretechnology training workshopsand access to streamlined loansto help entrepreneurs incorporate technology (likehardware, software or websites) into their business.

Trainings will focus on obtaining or enhancing anonline presence of small businesses as well as how toeffectively incorporate technology tools into your busi-ness. Sample classes include Web Marketing and SocialMedia, E-Commerce, Mobile Tools for Marketingand Productivity, Cyber Security, QuickBooks andFinancial Tools for small businesses.

TECH Trainings; LEARN IT!WESST trainings throughout the month of Augustwill be held at their Enterprise Center in Albu-querque at 609 Broadway NE, at the corner ofBroadway and Lomas. Website Marketing Trainingswill incorporate a variety of topics. Class scheduleincludes:• Session One 8/6/13: Web Development OptionsThis class will explore different web development

service offerings; explain what most tech-savvy people can do themselves and whatprobably should be handled by a professional.

• Session Two 8/13/13: SEO andContent Marketing – Because SEO andcontent marketing—using contentacross the Internet to drive website traf-fic—are now interlinked, this class willcover not just positive SEO practices,but discuss how to link social mediaand blog activity to a website for maxi-mum visibility in search engines likeGoogle, Yahoo and Bing.• Session Three 8/20/13:

E-Commerce and Monetization – This classwill cover basic e-commerce; tips for stream-lining web check-out processes; adding net-works and revenue-sharing opportunities; andseeking out prospects for link sharing, affiliateprograms and sponsored content.

Please call for fee schedule. Some scholarshipsare available for those who income qualify.Please visit www.wesst.org to register.

WESST TECH Loans: USE IT!$500 to $5,000 loans for technology purchases(hardware, software, web development) areavailable at a 5.5% interest rate with the abili-ty to lower the rate if entrepreneur attends tech-nology training classes. Short turn around;streamlined application. Please complete ourBusiness Loan Inquiry form on www.wesst.org and specify "Tech Loan" for thepurpose of the loan.

WESST T E C H N O L O G Y T O O L K I TT E C H N O L O G Y T O O L K I T ::L E S S O N S L E S S O N S A N D L O A N S A N D L O A N S L E A R N I T L E A R N I T U S E I TU S E I T

SUNDAY, Sept. 810-4PM

Folk ART Festival!

We ART the PEOPLERobinson Park (Central and 8th Street) DowntownAlbuquerque, FREE!!!

Festivities include a Giant Puppet Parade, over 100 arts andcrafts vendors selling affordable, locally-handmade, uniquecreations, free art making activities with an Art Making Tent.There will be two stages with different styles of music, folkdancing, magic, performance art and food provided by a vari-ety of local vendors.

For more information contact Off Center Arts at 505-247-1172 or email: adabelallen@gmail.com or go to www.offcenterarts.org.

FFoooollllkkkkAARRTTFFEESSTTIIVVAALL

NMRECYCLINGINDUSTRYPOISED TO ADD 5,000 JOBS!

community forum August 2013 15

BY ISAURA ANDALUZ AND MICHAEL REED, SAVE NMSEEDS

This summer, many growers selling at farmers markets andto La Montanita will only be able to refer to their chile andpeppers as “local.” A new labeling law taking effect in

September prohibits farmers from calling their chile and peppers byany name that references New Mexico, even if it is the name of thevariety, such as Sandia, unless the grower is registered with the NewMexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA).

Put forth by the NM Chile Association (NMCA), this labeling law isnot the same law that many Co-op members supported in the 2013legislative session that would have provided for labeling of genetical-ly engineered ingredients.

NMCA was created in 2006, as a non-profit membership organization, tolobby for government and public funds on behalf of the chile industry. Itworks closely with NM State University (NMSU), directing how NMSUuses funding received from the NM State Legislature. The NMCA is thesame group for whom NMSU is developing a genetically engineered chile,which potentially could include genes from chiles that have been adaptedto local weather and growing conditions by traditional chile farmers formany generations.

In 2011, a bill called “The NM Chile Advertising Act” was introducedand passed on behalf of the NMCA. This bill required that processors orgrowers of “New Mexico chile” register with the NMDA, if they refer totheir peppers or product as “New Mexico chile.” New Mexico chile wasdefined as all types of capsicum annuum, including bell peppers, shisitos,Serranos, etc.

In the 2013 legislative session, the NMCA returned with an amended ver-sion of the bill called “Expanding the Violations of the NM ChileAdvertising Act.” This bill expands registration to a processor or growerwho calls their chile by “…the name of any city, town, county, village,pueblo, mountain, river or other geographic feature or features located inNM in a misleading or deceptive manner that states or reasonably impliesthat the chile peppers are, or the product contains, NM chile, unless thechile peppers or chile peppers in the product were grown in NM.”

Save New Mexico Seeds believes the NM Chile Act and amendmentsshould be repealed for the following reasons:A) The NMCA, as an industry lobbying organization, should not be func-tioning as a governmental entity. It is an association for private businessand has no right to determine laws that affect non-member businesses. TheNMDA should not be functioning as an enforcement arm of the NMCA.

B) The law as written does not achieve its presumptivegoal of reducing fraud.• Under this act, a grower, after registration, can legal-ly call their chile by any place name in NM as long asit is grown in NM, regardless of whether it is actually

grown in the location after which it is named;• Chimayo chile, which has been trademarked,is a possible exception.

C) The law unnecessarily duplicates the work ofthe state's growers’ markets, where all producesold must be NM grown. $175,000 was bud-geted to enforce the Advertising Act last yearwith two employees.

D) The NMCA lobbied vigorously in opposi-tion to the GMO labeling bill in the 2013 leg-islative session, arguing that it was unnecessary.Yet they want to regulate and place burden-some paperwork and verification requirementson non-industry growers, tracking every sale.

E) It uses taxpayer money to prop up the export chileindustry at the expense of local viable economies.NMCA members have operations in Mexico, Texasand Arizona, but the law and monies are being used toregulate farmers who grow the NM chile eaten as astaple food here. For more information go towww.savenmseeds.org.

The net effect of this law is that lobbyists have movedinto the legislative and regulatory bodies of govern-ment, and are using taxpayer money to do so.• The bills were written by the NMCA, most of whosemembers are not growers;• Only about 5% of the NMCA market is fresh chile,whereas virtually all local chile/peppers are sold freshin NM;• Since the majority of NMCA members’ products areexported, they are largely not subject to the laws andregulations they have written, as they are only enforce-able in NM;• This law regulates all types of capsicum annuum,including many varieties not grown or used by NMCAmembers.

YOUR CO-OP WANTS YOU !NOMINATIONS CLOSE: August 20ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING: October 12:Candidates introduce themselves to attendees.BOARD ELECTIONS: November 1 - November 14

Watch for information on the electronic votingprocess in upcoming Co-op Connection issues.

GREEN CHILE:labeling location ofORIGIN

CCAALENDAR

CHILEby any other name would not taste asHOT!

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