BY LORETTA MCGRATH, POLLINATOR PARTNERS PROGRAM

n spring, the trees are budding open, fruit tree blos-soms and pollinators have arisen from hibernationto create fertility across the region. For beekeepers, itis a time to open the hives to inspect them after winter

and to assess the vigor of the bee colony. It can be a very inspiringtime when a beekeeper sees that not only did the hive survive thewinter, but it is flourishing without disease and the queen is layingeggs. It can also be a time of despair, to see no bee activity and toopen the colony to see a small bundle of bees all gathered togetheraround the queen, never to awake again. For most beekeepers thesedays, it is a time of mixed emotion as some bees will have survivedand others will have passed on. Increasingly, beekeepers are findinghigher hive losses after winter and this year was particularly grimwith national losses up to 60%.

Policy Action on Behalf of Honey BeesIn March, leaders in the European Union made the significant andcrucial decision to place a two-year moratorium on the use of a classof pesticides, called neonicotinoids, which have been highly suspect asa main cause of Colony Collapse Disorder. A number of recent stud-ies implicate clothiandin, thiamethoxam and imidacloprid, the mainingredients that comprise neocicotinoids, as having detrimentaleffects on honey bees and other pollinators such as bumble bees.Beekeepers, environmental organizations and US consumers alike aredemanding that the US Environmental Protection Agency take imme-diate action to curtail use of those same pesticides in the US, but theEPA has ruled that there isn’t significant evidence yet and has post-poned a decision until 2018.

Concerned that the US food system and agriculture is in jeopardy dueto the decline of pollinating insects, and specifically honey bees, theCenter for Food Safety, Pesticide Action Network, Beyond Pesticides,beekeepers and others have filed a lawsuit against the EPA demand-ing more immediate action. The public can get involved in pressuringthe EPA by supporting the organizations that have filed the lawsuit,writing letters to the editor to increase awareness, ending use of pes-ticides in common household garden products by using natural meansto grow plants sustainably, sharing information with neighbors, fam-ily and friends, and signing petitions when necessary. Of course,planting chemical-free pollinator habitat, using wise water conserva-tion methods and getting children involved in the process are all greatsteps to move the situation in a new and vital direction.

Cultivating a Cadre of Pollinator Allies The cadre of pollinator allies in communities around New Mexicowho are taking steps to share information, protect pollinators andcreate pollinator habitat to nourish them continues to grow despitean ongoing drought which some say is the new “normal.” ThePollinator Partners Program finds that folks around New Mexicoare eager to support pollinators and get involved in any way theycan to support these beneficial and often invisible creatures whoenable entire plant communities and the web of life to exist.

When It’s Hopeless, Do It All the MoreAs a sustainability educator, I ask my students to hold in theirhearts, find a calling and take up a practice of caring for life. Havingfaith in humanity will turn the tide of our destructive ways and cre-ate a momentum on the planet toward viability and resiliency to

KNOWASTEat EarthDay!

POLLINATOR PARTNERSprogram

I

address the real issues of ourtimes, overcome the lack of willthat exists in our political system,stand up for the rights of nature(and pollinators) and take actionon behalf of cultivating viabilityand regeneration of life. It’s a formof caring in which one may notknow the consequences for severalgenerations from now, but wemust do it anyway.

Eliminate Pesticide Use A school garden educator in Truth or Consequences isknown for resisting the use of pesticides on her roseswhen aphids appear. During a workshop on PollinatorPlantings, she found out that Round-Up was toxic tobees, along with other lawn care and rose food products,which usually surprises home gardeners who assume her-bicides and fertilizers are safe for bees, ladybugs and theenvironment. Her son asked her why they don’t spray andshe told him, “We don’t spray because those aphids arelike chicken to a ladybug. The ladybugs love to eat them.If we poison the aphids, we’ll be poisoning the ladybugs.”

Training OpportunitiesFor the second year now, the Pollinator Partners Programoffers pollinator trainings in a variety of communities. Thisyear the program focuses trainings in the communities ofAbiquiu, Espanola, Taos, Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

Skarsgard Farms’ Urban Agriculture Education Centerrecently converted a concrete parking lot into a communi-ty garden. Home Grown New Mexico will be hosting aseries of gardening classes on the site and will launch thisyear with a pollinator training on June 29 in Albuquerque.Home Grown’s Third Annual Garden and Coop Tours willinclude a garden that has substantial pollinator habitat andhoney bee colonies. The Santa Fe touris on July 28 at Sangre de CristoBeekeepers Coordinator and MasterGardener, Kate Whealen’s, garden. TheCorrales tour on August 11 will alsofeature a pollinator garden and is a sitewith honey bee colonies. For moreinformation contact Amy Hetager:www.homegrownnewmexico.org or505-473-1403.

There are several Open Space Parks inAlbuquerque that have cultivatednative pollinator plantings; visit theHubbell House and the Open SpaceVisitor Center, check out their websitefor a list of workshops or contact ABQBEEKS. (See article on page 4.) InSanta Fe, the Railyard Park has a“scent” garden containing pollinatorplants and the Railyard Stewards offera pollinator plant training this year onJune 25. For directions and informa-tion contact Railyard Stewards at 505-316-3596 or www.railyardpark.org.

pounds, or about 19% we sent to the landfill as trash.What all of this means is, we kept out of the landfill about258 pounds or 81% of what we threw out at Earth Day.Nice work!

In case you’re not familiar with split-stream resourcerecovery, here’s a little Knowaste primer:

Split-Stream; the Resource Recovery StationGarbage is what happens when we gather all of our dispos-ables in one place. Yuk. Split the materials stream from thestart. No muss, no fuss. Just well-managed commodities…ready for re-entry, reuse, and recycling. Knowaste provides

Cultivating Pollinator Awareness&HABITAT

Support Local Nurseries There are a few very dedicated nursery operations in the RioGrande Corridor which continue to cultivate native plantsfor pollinators despite the challenges of growing in droughtconditions. Please support these businesses that provide veryvital services for the region. Visit your favorite nursery andask them what native pollinator plants they cultivate. Alsosee if they have local seeds available.

Create Pollinator Habitat! Tell us about the pollinator habitat you have created by send-ing your stories and photos to us. If you are interested in pro-moting pollinators in your organization, business, school,neighborhood or community, you can contact LorettaMcGrath at: loremcgrath@gmail.com. Donations to thePollinator Partners Program can be made to Farm toTable at www.farmtotablenm.org.

educational and easy to find Resource Recovery Stations atevents like Earth Day.

Hide and Seek; the Resource Recovery RangerLook for the Hand. And Wastebasket. Together theylight your way to the nearest collection point. Managingwaste is easier if you know where to put it. WhenKnowaste is on the scene, you can expect friendly andknowledgeable Resource Recovery Rangers to walk youthrough the process. For more information contactKnowaste at www.knowaste.net.

SUPPORT HONEYBEESA N D O T H E R P O L L I N A T O R S

pollinatorevents

June 1/Santa Fe from 9 to 11am. EarthCare Community Garden at Jaguar andCountry Club Drive. A Pollinator Garden Planning Class co-sponsored by Farmto Table, Homegrown New Mexico and Earthcare. Please RSVP at www.homegrownnewmexico.org. Information contact Amy Hetager at 505-473-1403.

June 25/Santa Fe from 9:30 to 11am. Railyard Stewards, the Santa Fe MasterGardeners and Farm to Table co-sponsoring a workshop, EncouragingPollinators, co-taught by Master Gardener Kate Whealen and Loretta McGrath.The event is free and open to the public. Meet at the Railyard Park CommunityRoom. Directions and information contact Railyard Stewards at 505-316-3596 orwww. railyardpark.org.

June 29/Albuquerque from 10 to 12pm. Homegrown New Mexico, SkarsgardFarms and Farm to Table co-sponsor a Planting for Pollinators workshop, thefirst class to be offered at the new Community Garden site at Skarsgard Farms’new Urban Agriculture Education Center at 3435 Stanford Drive NE. Informationcontact Jes Peterson, Education Coordinator at jes@skarsgardfarms.com.

LOOK IN YOUR MAILBOX FOR OUR ANNUALMEMBER SURVEYYour input is important to us. Please take a moment to fill out the survey and bring itback to your local Co-op before June 30th and receive a 15% discount Co-op shopping trip for your effort. For information contact Robin at 217-2027, call thetoll free number: 877-775-2667 or e-mail robins@lamontanita.coop.

Look for this BEE ICONin this issue to

participate in otherPOLLINATOR EVENTS

taking place aroundthe state.

BY SARAH WENTZEL-FISHER

This year at Earth Day, the Co-op stepped up its sustainability game bypartnering with composting rockstars Knowaste & the Resource RecoveryRangers to help manage waste produced at the event.

An important part of Knowaste is knowing your waste. This crew doesa great job of sorting garbage (split-streaming waste), but also of keep-ing track of how much is produced during an event. This year at EarthDay here’s how we did:

We created a total of 320 pounds of waste at Earth Day. Of that grandtotal, 132 pounds, or about 41% of what we threw away, was com-postable; 99 pounds, or about 31%, was recyclable plastic or alu-minum; 27 pounds, or about 8%, was recyclable cardboard; 62

the BREAKDOWNLet us knowwhat youthink!

JUNE is MEMBERSURVEYmonth!

Know your WASTEKnowaste knows what your refuse ismade of. We know where it belongs.We’ve got answers if you have questions. We’ve got waiting containersif you don’t. This means it’s easy to sortthe compost from the recycling, from the trash (ideally there’s next to none of this!)

D.I.Y. sustainably June 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• Perishables Coordinator/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: • Mark Lane/Nob Hill 265-4631markl@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: Roger Eldridge• Lisa Banwarth-Kuhn• Kristy Decker• Jake Garrity• Susan McAllister• 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

HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL:Mesteño Draw Ranch DayBY ANN ADAMS

You’re invited to Holistic Management International’sMesteño Draw Ranch Day near Mountainair, NM, on August9. This ranch day will focus on sustainable grazing practices tohelp manage land in drought. Learn about key sustainable grazingconsiderations, effective forage assessment, inventory manage-ment, and assessing land health. This will be an experiential, peer-to-peer learning event with short presentations and small group

exercises to help people

learn to apply these skillson their land and understand how to manage for land and animalhealth while maintaining a profitable business.

This ranch day is part of our Open Gate On-Farm Learning Series.Open Gate is an action-based approach to learning. Learn to iden-tify common problems and discuss common solutions in a friend-ly atmosphere with experienced facilitators and producers. Whenyou leave at the end of the day, you’ll take away practical ideas onhow you can increase profit, production and performance for asustainable ranch operation despite drought conditions.

At the Mesteño Draw Ranch Day you’ll…• See what fellow New Mexican land managers are doing to

maintain land health and profitability during drought;• Discuss practical stocking/destocking strategies;• Better understand critical monitoring criteria;• Evaluate herd management strategies;• Understand how best to maximize recovery;

• See how you can improve riparian health for increased forageproduction;

• Get tips on how to increase upland forage health;• Hear how Holistic Management enables producers to better manage

risk, make better decisions and enjoy the benefits of sustainable agriculture.

This ranch day is ideal for agricultural producers, wildlife managers,local agency representatives, and anyone interested in sustainability or

drought mitigation.

PRESENTERS INCLUDE: Joan Bybee, Mesteño Draw RanchOwner; Melvin Johnson, Ranney Ranch Manager; Brian Greene,Supervisor for the Claunch-Pinto Soil and Water ConservationDistrict (SWCD); Kenneth Lujan, District Conservationist for theClaunch-Pinto SWCD; and Ann Adams, HMI’s CommunityServices Director. Thanks to the Claunch-Pinto SWCD and LaMontanita for sponsoring this event.

Registration begins June 1. There are limited spots, and registra-tion is first come, first served. A $20 registration fee includes thewhole day’s program and lunch. For more information about thiseducational program or to register, go to www.holisticmanage-ment.org/mesteno. If you are interested in sponsoring this event,please contact Development Director Matt Parrack at mparrack@holisticmanagement.org.

On Wednesday, June 5 at 7pm, all are invited to a programfocused on the native plants of the Whitfield WildlifeConservation Area (near Belen), presented by Ted Hodoba,the WWCA Project Manager.

The Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area is a 100-acre wildliferefuge and nature center located near Belen. Consisting of 97acres of riparian habitat and three acres of upland habitat, thereis always something in bloom as the refuge has the ability to irri-gate year round. In addition to a wide variety of native plants,over half of the bird species native to New Mexico and otherwildlife, including prairie dogs and coyotes, are commonly seen.

Ted Hodoba, the WWCA Project Manager, has a Master’s degreein natural resources management and environmental planning.He has a keen interest in native plants and is the author ofGrowing Desert Plants from Windowsill to Garden about plantssuitable for our local environment. He is a past president of boththe Albuquerque chapter and the state organization of theNative Plant Society of New Mexico. One of his main areas ofpersonal study are hardy cacti and succulents, especially thosenative to the Chihuahuan Desert.

A short chapter meeting precedes the talk. More informa-tion about the organization and the June 5 talk is availableat www.npsnm.org.

SUSTAINABLE

GRAZINGPRACTICESMANAGE DROUGHT

SSOOCCIIEETTYYNATIVEPLANT

Get your tour book at the Nob Hill, North Valley and Santa FeCo-op locations! New Mexico Chapter and GreenBuilt TourCommittee are happy to announce the 14th Annual GreenBuilt TourJune 8-9, 2013, from 10-4 at 18 select sustainable homes inAlbuquerque, Santa Fe and northern New Mexico. The 2013GreenBuilt Tour will kick off with a reception and awards presenta-tion on Friday, June 7, at Southwest Green Building Center. Thereception and Green Leaf awards ceremony will be from 6-8:30pm.Tour visits are $2 per home or $15 for a tour pass.

Offering some of the finest examples in sustainable design, frommodel homes to apartments and multi-generational homes, the tourranges from Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Placitas, Sandia Park, SantaFe and Lamy to Abiquiu and Valdez. This year’s theme, Green Revue,brings together innovative homes new to the tour along with homesfrom previous tours that stand as notable green building precedentswithin our communities.

See great examples of homes that minimize energy and water use,while maximizing health and comfort. From renovations to new con-struction, attendees will see examples of passive solar design; strawbale, pumicecrete, and adobe construction; innovative heating andcooling systems, including geothermal, cooled slabs, and whole-houseventilation strategies; and sensitive site design focused on minimizingimpact to the landscape.

These homes go above and beyond green standards with com-posting, community gardens, plant/tree preservation and more.Some of the homes boast LEED, Build Green NM and ENERGYSTAR certifications.

To learn more about these homes and the others check out our guide-book coming soon online at http://usgbcnm.org/GBT2013. For reser-vations to the awards’ reception go to www.usgbcnm.org, click onchapter events, then on calendar view and select the June 7 date.

Free guidebooks will be available at La Montanita Co-op inAlbuquerque and Santa Fe. For more information about the touror to volunteer go to: www.usgbcnm.org/GBT2013 or emailgbtour@gmail.com.

Ampersand Sustainable Living Center's off-grid site demonstratessustainable systems including permaculture, land restoration, organ-ic gardening, passive solar design, and wise water techniques.Located in Cerrillos, NM, Ampersand hosts workshops, internships,and volunteer opportunities.

June workshops include:JUNE 2, 10am to 4pm High Desert GardeningJUNE 15, 10am to 2pm Arid Land RestorationJUNE 22, 10am to 4pm Introduction to PermacultureJUNE 30, 10am to 4pm Wise Water Techniques—Simple Graywater

and Rainwater Systems

TO REGISTER go to www.ampersandproject.org, or 505-780-0535or at ampersandproject@yahoo.com

AMPERSAND SUSTAINABLE LIVING CENTER JUNE WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

AUGUST99

14TH ANNUALGREENBUILT TOURJUNE 8/9

WWHHIITTFFIIEELLDDCONSERVATION AREA

growing new mexico June 2013 3

late frosts delaying or reducing flower production in many wild andcultivated plants. At New Mexico State University’s AgriculturalScience Center in Los Lunas, an unusual number and diversity of wildbee species were observed in the fruit orchards in April (especially onapples and plums). Normally the flowers of these trees are dominatedby domesticated honeybees, but this year many native bees were alsoobserved feeding at the flowers, including at least three species notseen at the site before.

The effects of a lack of wild forage on thebees was also evident in the severe compe-tition observed for access to the early-flowering plants in the Center’s pollinatorplanting, an experimental site establishedin 2010 to test a range of native and cul-tivated plants for their ability to attractand sustain both domesticated honeybeesand wild bees. The cold spring delayed theflowering of some normally early-bloom-ing species such as stiff greenthread(Thelesperma filifolium) and showy gold-eneye (Heliomeris multiflora), and the

first available flowers of the red dome blanket flower (Gaillardia pin-natifida) were covered in a mass of hungry bees. This plant attracts awide diversity of wild bees, but it is normally rare to see more than onebee on any individual flower; this year, as many as five different specieswere observed crowding onto a single bloom.

As the availability of wild flowers continues to decrease due to habitatloss and the ongoing drought, home gardeners can help by establishing

pollinator plantings and providing nest-ing habitat for our native bees. Evensmall areas will be found and appreciatedby the bees, and a network of such plant-ings is very valuable. A list of recom-mended pollinator plants for NewMexico, as well as a guide to our maingroups of native bees and their habitatrequirements, has been prepared by NewMexico State University and the NaturalResources Conservation Service and areavailable at www.aces.nmsu.edu/ipm/pollinator-project.html.

BY DR. TESSA R. GRASSWITZ, NMSU

New Mexico is currently entering its third con-secutive year of below-average rainfall. At thetime of writing, nearly 98% of the state is classified

by the US Department of Agriculture as suffering severedrought, or worse. As farmers struggle with adiminishing supply of irrigation water for theircrops, the effects of the prolonged drought aremaking themselves felt on other elements of ourlandscape, including long-lived perennial plantssuch as trees and shrubs, as well as wildflowersand weeds. While most growers are only toopleased if weeds fail to germinate, it’s worthremembering that wildflowers and floweringweeds constitute an important source of nectar andpollen for domesticated honeybees, wild nativebees, predatory wasps and other beneficial insects.

Many local beekeepers have reported reduced sur-vival of their colonies over the winter, which some attrib-ute to the lack of floral resources at the end of last sum-mer, reducing bees’ ability to store enough food to sustainthem. The same is likely true for many of our wild nativebees. This year’s difficult spring hasn’t helped, either, with

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.

Think New Mexico is a results-oriented think tankwhose mission is to improve the quality of life forall New Mexicans, especially those who lack a strongvoice in the political process, by educating the public,the media, and policymakers about some of the mostserious challenges facing New Mexico and by devel-oping and advocating for effective, comprehensive,sustainable solutions.

Their approach is to perform and publish sound,nonpartisan, independent research. Think NewMexico does not subscribe to any particular ideolo-gy. Instead, because New Mexico is at or near the bottomof so many national rankings, their focus is on promotingworkable solutions.

As a results-oriented think tank, Think New Mexicomeasures its success based on changes in law or policy thatthey help to achieve and that improve the quality of life inNew Mexico. They are best known for winning passage oflandmark laws and constitutional amendments that have:• repealed the state’s regressive tax on food;• made full-day kindergarten accessible to every child inNew Mexico;• created a Strategic Water Reserve to protect and restoreNew Mexico’s rivers;

• established New Mexico’s first state-supported IndividualDevelopment Accounts;

• redirected millions of dollars out of thestate lottery’s operating costs and into full-tuition college scholarships;• reformed title insurance to lower closingcosts for homebuyers and homeownerswho refinance their mortgages; • increased the qualifications of PublicRegulation Commission (PRC) commis-sioners, transferred insurance regulationfrom the PRC to a separate department andconsolidated the PRC’s corporate reporting

unit for all business filings at the Secretary of State’s Office; and • modernized the state’s regulation of taxis, limos, shuttles, andmoving companies to promote job creation, small business forma-tion, and lower prices for consumers.

Their work would not be possible without the help of NewMexicans across the state, including over 900 financial supportersand thousands of email activists. In 2010, this network of sup-porters sent over 15,000 emails to Governor Richardson, success-fully convincing him to line-item veto the reimposition of the foodtax. To find out about Think New Mexico’s initiatives and tobecome involved, visit www.thinknewmexico.org and signup for email alerts, and follow them on Facebook or Twitteror contact them at 505-992-1315, info@thinknewmexico.org.

NEWMEXICOBAG CREDITDONATIONORGANIZATIONOF THE MONTH:OF THE MONTH:

THINK

THIS MONTH BAG CREDIT DONATIONS GO TO:Think New Mexico: Developing and advocatingfor effective, comprehensive, sustainable solutions,especially for those who lack a strong voice in thepolitical process.

In APRIL your bag credit donations totaling$2,118.52 went to the New Mexico WildernessAlliance. Thank you!!!!

DONATEEyour BAG CCRREEDDIITT!donate

THEDIME!

feedingPOLL INATORS

POLLINATORS, PESTS AND

DROUGHT

Anyone keen to learn more about native bees and plantingfor pollinators may be interested in attending a half-dayworkshop to be held at the Los Lunas Agricultural ScienceCenter on Saturday, 15th June (details available by calling 505-865-7340), which includes a visit to the pollinator plantingwhich should be in full bloom at that time.

Some native plants may be harder to find or raise than ourfamiliar garden flowers, and the latter can help, too – but try tostay away from the highly ornamental “double” varieties (e.g.,of sunflowers), as they often provide less nectar and pollenthan single-flowered varieties and are more difficult for theinsects to access.

PLANTING FOR POLLINATORS AND

NATIVE BEES

KEEN TOLEARNJUNE 15

BY LES CROWDER, NM BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION

Ihave had this reoccurring “daymare!” We think we arereally the epitome of evolution, such big brains and oppos-ing thumbs, and yet we are just like overpopulated lem-

mings running to the edge of the cliff. With all our intelligencewe can’t seem to stop and turn around. Beekeepers were thefirst ones to get to the cliff because we raise insects in a worldfull of insecticides. I began to wonder how much anybody elsereally cared. Then I went to a conference in Albuquerque puton by Beyond Pesticides and La Montanita Co-op. I realizedthat lawyers were suing EPA and companies on behalf of hon-eybees, and that we now have ample evidence that we are allgetting too close to that cliff and together we all see the prob-lem and are calling for a change of direction. Yeah! I am nothappy that we are all in danger but I am glad to have friends in our hourof need. Many hands make light(er) work.

I have had the wonderful fortune to see how I connected to the rest of theliving creatures through an encounter with honeybees when I was a teen.Not to get too “truffula tree” but in those days (the ’70s) honeybeesthrived and it rained regularly in July and August. Honeybees made honeyand most (90%+) survived the winter. I have witnessed the gradual slidefrom those days to the present when honeybees struggle and a 70% win-ter survival is a great relief. (I remember the year when only two out of100 of my hives survived the winter.) It is harder to keep bees now. Andstrangely enough more people are helping than ever before. (We do needyour help if you’re curious, contact me at the info below.)

Also at the Beyond Pesticides conference we heard Joel Forman, a pedia-trician from New York, talk about his research showing that pesticides inagriculture are increasing autism and ADD rates in our rapidly developingbabies. We heard Tyronne Hayes, PhD, researcher from Berkeley, CA, talkabout pesticide-induced sterilization of male frogs. I began to feel thatbeekeepers are not alone on the edge of the cliff. The defenders of kids andfrogs are shouting with us!

Still in the ForefrontBeekeepers are still at the forefront. Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) hascaused some beekeepers huge losses, put some out of business and threat-ened to make much of our food scarce. It has spurred research into thecauses and this research has revealed new truths about how bees, cropsand pesticides interact. All the players in the game of growing food areinvolved. We all need to make a living. I have had a theory of late that weneed to rise together; that beekeepers, almond and apple growers, agricul-tural supply companies, food eaters and even bees, butterflies, earthwormsare all in this life together and we all need to help each other survive and

celebrating pollinators June 2013 4

thrive. If we leave any creature behind, everybodyeventually gets held back. We ALL need to risetogether. Pollinators, and by extension beekeepers,are being left behind and everybody will get miredwith us eventually. Beekeepers deserve considera-tion, our needs are everybody's needs because weall need bees and trees and food. We all need ahealthy vibrant environment to live and thrive in.Thanks to CCD we are learning something thatwill make an improvement in the world.

Survival SynergyWe have watched the scientific community strug-gle to figure out what causes CCD for a goodmany years. The investigations have led us intonew territory; the sub-lethal and synergistic effectsof pesticides.

FOOD AND FLOWERS, A BEAUTIFUL SOLUTION!

Sublethal effects weaken and disable our bees withoutactually killing them. A study done at UC at San Diegofed bees low doses of a neonicotinoid insecticide and itmade them less inclined to forage on all but the verysweetest of syrups. “In other words, the bees preferred toonly feed on sweeter nectar and refused nectars of lowersweetness that they would normally feed on that wouldhave provided important sustenance for the colony,” saysresearcher Daren Eiri. “In addition, bees typically recruittheir nest mates to good food with waggle dances, and wediscovered that the treated bees also danced less.” Theneonicotinoids have been shown to slow learning in bees.The hive becomes slow witted, and less able to respondto the floral landscape. That’s like a basketball playerslowing down and losing track of the ball. Hives of hon-eybees owe their lives to the floral landscape and have tobe quick and efficient.

Synergistic effects are only beginning to be untangled froma very complicated soup of compounds used in the farmlandscapes that beekeepers and our hives pollinate. A com-mon farmland mix of fungicides and neonicotinoids mag-nifies the toxicity of the insecticides. We are mixing newpotions without even realizing the terrible consequences.

In spite of the bad news everywhere I have begun to feelmore hope than ever. Women are getting involved in bee-keeping in a big way and they are bringing a new power tothe scene. There are groups in Albuquerque, (ABQBeeks,see article below), Santa Fe, (Sangre de Cristo Beekeepers)Alamogordo, the bay area of CA, Paris, France, andworldwide, helping people learn to keep bees. People whodo not want to keep bees ask all the time what they can doas spectators. I say grow flowers, NEVER use poi-sons/pesticides, and buy organic food. Flowers anddelicious food! What a beautiful solution!

NOT OVER THECCCCLLLLIIIIFFFFFFFF YYYYEEEETTTT !!!!

BY ALISHA M. FORRESTER SCOTT

T he Pollinator Support Movement(PSM) is a collective of action-ori-ented humans that possess the per-

sonal interest, expertise, experience, andcompassionate nature necessary to changethe trajectory of the current conditions inthe food supply chain. PSM is launching itswork on behalf of bees and other pollina-tors in New Mexico on June 3-4 with aseries of educational and action orientedevents at UNM.

PSM is changing the culture of how humanity workstogether in the midst of declining global bee populations.Declines due to mites, disease, chemicals, and ColonyCollapse Disorder (CCD) put the food supply and the con-tinued existence of a wide variety of planet life at risk. PSMis working to create what can be described as a global col-lective network guided by peaceful standards of conductand functional behavioral practices.

"BeeSWeek 2013: Scientific and CommunityPanel Forums"Produced by Pollinator Support Movement (PSM), BeeS-Week is sponsored by the Albuquerque Film and Media

Experience (AFME) (see article on page 15). BeeSWeek runsthe first two days, June 3-4 of the 7-day film fest thatextends along Rt. 66 (Central Ave.) from downtown Albu-querque to Nob Hill at a variety of locations.

Held on campus at UNM, inside the Science and MathLearning Center Auditorium, the two days provide an indepth look at related bee and food issues.

Four panel discussions with expert-profession-als, and presentations by keynote speakers willcommunicate the current North American beesituation, and discuss the design and imple-mentation of a more robust and sustainableindustrial pollination solution set.

Monday’s keynote address will be delivered byDr. Valerie Solheim. Workshops with expertsboth local and national will include: the cur-rent state of bees, an analysis of four bee indus-

tries, today's practices from the perspectives of the farmerand the pollination contractor, usage of chemicals andknown and potential sustainable alternatives, BeeGAP(Gardeners Adding Pollinators) as a keystone home gardensolution documenting efforts to create healthy yards, natu-ral bee habitats, raising solitary bees to assist the farmer incrop pollination and in wholesome food production inhome settings.

For more information or to register for the confer-ence go to www.pollinatorsupportmovement.com orcontact Alisha at doyoulikefood@gmail.com or call978-254-7428.

The Pollinator Support

MOVEMENTBEESWEEK

The New Mexico Beekeepers Associationwill be having a gathering to hear thecharismatic researcher Dr. James Nieh, PhDUniversity of CA, San Diego, and beekeep-ers in Albuquerque, NM, June 22 from 9amto 3pm at the First Presbyterian Church,215 Locust St. NE, corner of Dr. MartinLuther King Blvd. and I-25. Hear how wecan all help bees, butterflies, birds, beetlesand people rise out of this dark shadow. Ihope to see you there! SHALL WE ALL RISETOGETHER?!

LES CROWDER and his partner HeatherHarrell wrote Top-Bar Beekeeping pub-lished by Chelsea Greene in 2012. For theLove of Bees is a small certified organicfarm that produces vegetables and straw-berries in Penasco, NM. Les is teachingbeekeeping classes in Albuquerque,Santa Fe, and Taos, NM, this summerand fall. For more information go towww.fortheloveofbees.com

RISING TOGETHER June 22

Abq Beeks is a social group that focuses onhoney bee education and building a polli-nator friendly community. Abqbeeks.org is

where you can find beekeeping events, post questions, finda swarm catcher and meet beekeepers. The group meetsmonthly to discuss seasonal hive maintenance for bothLangstroth and Top Bar equipment.

• Abq Beeks Mentoring at Open Space Group Bee Yard,every two weeks throughout the year. FREE. Space is limit-ed so kindly login and RSVP at abqbeeks.org

• June 6, 6:30-8:30pm, Abq Beeks Meeting focusing onqueen rearing. Bernalillo County Extension Office, 1510Menaul Blvd. NW, FREE

ABQBEEKS co-chair Jessie Brown is just back fromJamaica where she provided training in treatment-free top-bar beekeeping, hive construction, and making wax-basedproducts to beekeeping associations in several parishes. Tolearn more about her Jamaica stay, the Farmer toFarmer project or ABQ Beeks, contact her at 710-3277or email: brownsdowntownbees@hotmail.com.

HONEY BEE EDUCATION: ABQ BEEKS

GE foods to be marketed without labeling, claimingthat these foods were not “materially” different fromother foods because the genetic differences could notbe recognized by taste, smell or other senses.

Unfortunately, the FDA’s antiquated labeling policy hasnot kept pace with 21st century food technologies thatallow for a wide array of genetic and molecular changesto food that can’t be detected by human senses.Common sense would indicate that GE corn that pro-duces its own insecticide—or is engineered to survivebeing doused by herbicides—is materially different fromtraditional corn that does not. Even the US Patent andTrademark Office has recognized that these foods arematerially different and novel for patent purposes.

Consumers—used to reading labels to see if foods con-tain MSG, gluten, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup oraspartame—clearly want more information. More thanone and a half million Americans have filed commentswith the FDA urging the agency to label GE foods.

The bipartisan legislation introduced in late April wouldrequire clear labels for genetically engineered wholefoods and processed foods, including fish and seafood.

food policy news June 2013 5

Kudos Martin! Senator Heinrich Co-Sponsors

On April 24 US Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA)and Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-OR)introduced the Genetically Engineered Food

Right-to-Know Act, bipartisan legislation that wouldrequire the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) toclearly label genetically engineered (GE) foods so thatconsumers can make informed choices about what theyeat. Kudos to our Senator Martin Heinrich for his co-sponsorship of the bill.

Other sponsors of the Senate bill include; SenatorsLisa Murkowski (R-AK), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY),Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mark Begich (D-AK), JonTester (D-MT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Brian Schatz (D-HI).

Representatives Jared Polis (D-CO), Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Donna Christensen (D-Virgin Islands), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Peter Welch (D-VT), James Moran (D-VA), Louise Slaughter (D-NY),Don Young (R-AK), Jim McDermott (D-WA), RaulGrijalva (D-AZ), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), JaredHuffman (D-CA), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Jerrold Nadler(D-NY), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), George Miller (D-CA),David Cicilline (D-RI), Barbara Lee (D-CA), GraceNapolitano (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) andAnn Kuster (D-NH) are cosponsors of the House bill.

Senator Martin Heinrich says, “Americans deserve tohave accurate information when making choices aboutwhat they eat. As a parent, the safety and quality of ourfood is important to me and to families across NewMexico. I am pleased to join my colleagues in introducingthe Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act toensure consumers are able to make informed and healthydecisions about the products they purchase."

According to surveys, more than 90% of Americans sup-port the labeling of genetically engineered foods. In fact,many consumers are surprised to learn that GE foods arenot already labeled. Currently, the FDA requires thelabeling of over 3,000 ingredients, additives and process-es, but the agency has resisted labels for genetically mod-ified foods. In a 1992 policy statement, the FDA allowed

SUPPORT FOOD CHOICE

The measure would direct the FDA to write new labeling standards that areconsistent with US labeling standards and international standards.

Sixty-four countries around the world already require the labeling of GEfoods, including all the member nations of the European Union, Russia,

Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand. This legislationfollows last year’s letter from Senator Boxer, RepresentativeDeFazio and 54 Senate and House lawmakers urging theFDA to require the labeling of GE foods.

The Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act hasbroad support from organizations and businesses,including the Center for Food Safety, Consumers Union,Environmental Working Group, Just Label It, Organic ValleyCo-op, the National Farmers Union, Stonyfield Farms,Consumer Federation of America, AllergyKids Foundation,National Cooperative Grocers Association, New EnglandFarmers Union, Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance, Centerfor Environmental Health, Chefs Collaborative, LabelGMOs, Alaska Trollers Association, Ben & Jerry’s, Clif Bar& Company, Lundberg Family Farms, Nature’s Path, Annie’sInc., and many others.

BY SARAH WENTZEL-FISHER

This year represents a significant page in the history of food andfarming in America. Congress will grapple with the 11th omnibusFarm Bill, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act

of 2012. In 2008, Congress passed the Food, Conservation, and Energy Actappropriating $289 billion dollars to nutrition, conservation, commodity,agricultural research, rural development and other food and farm relatedissues. The current Farm Bill was passed at the end of September 2012 by theSenate, but failed to win approval in the House. The House approved anextension of the 2008 Farm Bill and is currently tackling the 600 pages ofpolicy that will legislate nutrition programs, commodities, rural develop-ment, agricultural research, conservation and many other food and farmrelated topics for the next five years.

Since Abe Lincoln established the US Department of Agriculture in 1862, ourgovernment has recognized the connections between farmland, farmers,food, community, and economic development by passing legislation intend-ed to keep these connections strong and working for US citizens. The Foodand Agriculture Act of 1965 marked the first multi-year Farm Bill, establish-ing more long-term commodity programs. In 1973 Congress passed theAgriculture and Consumer Protection Act, the first omnibus farm bill, incor-porting legislation for nutrition programs, conservation, and crop insurance.

This year’s Farm Bill has several important pieces which represent a call forserious restructuring of our food systems for resiliency and to better supportconnecting small and medium farms to consumers at a regional level. Since1965, the Farm Bill has tended to favor subsidization of commodity cropslike soy and corn that have become unsustainable at every level. While theyrepresent small financial inroads, two significant pieces of the new Farm Billcall for a resilience planning in our food systems.

The Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Act focuses on getting local food to con-sumers more effectively, boosting income for small and medium size farmsand ranches, improving local and regional food system infrastructure, andfacilitating extension agencies to provide services more geared towards smalland medium sized farms. New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich signed ontothis legislation as an original co-sponsor, and more recently NMRepresentative Michelle Lujan Grisham, a member of the House AgriculturalCommittee, has joined the growing number of elected officials supportingsignificant food system change.

According to the most recent US Agricultural Census, the average age of farm-ers and ranchers is 60 years. The census also shows that the number of farm-ers and ranchers over the age of 65 is the fastest growing group in this demo-graphic. As a nation and a state, we face an incredible deficit of farmers as

GRAPPLING WITH THE

NATIONAL GE FOODRIGHT-TO-KNOWACT

older farmers and ranchers begin toretire and farm and ranch professionscontinue to be hard choices for youngpeople. With inaccessible land prices,high levels of student loan debt, a lackof mentorship and information, falsely-low food prices,and other significant hurdles, farming is not the mostattractive line of work.

The new Farm Bill also features the Young Farmer andRancher Opportunity Act, designed to encourageyoung people to enter the farming and ranching pro-fessions. More specifically, the program will providesupport in the form of loans for down payments onland, funds for new farmer training programs, grantsfor value-added products from farm produce, and anumber of agricultural opportunities for veterans. NM

Senator Tom Udall is an original co-spon-sor of this bill, and Senator Heinrich hassigned on as co-sponsor of this act as well.

Few people fully understand what a signif-icant impact the Farm Bill has on our dayto day lives. These policies will change theprices of food. They will determine whohas access to supplemental nutrition pro-grams and how much families who needthis support will receive each month. They

will set the tone for our priorities in food production, whatkinds of farms and crops get subsidies and support. Thesedecisions have a direct impact on the sorts of food we haveaccess to as consumers.

If you’d like to know more about the Farm Bill, read about iton the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s website, www.sustainableagriculture.net; on the Farm Bill Primer site, www.farmbillprimer.org; or on the Food and Water Watch site,www.foodandwaterwatch.org. More importantly, call oremail your elected officials and let them know access tolocally and sustainably produced food is important toYOU!

ACTION ALERTW H A T Y O U C A N D O !

actionalert !

Let’s get the whole New Mexico Delegation signed on as co-sponsors of theGenetically Engineered Food Right-To- Know Act. Please contact:

Tom Udall: 219 Central Ave NW, Suite 210, Albuquerque, NM 87102

Ph: 505-346-6791, 120 South Federal Place, Suite 302, Santa Fe, NM 87501Ph: 505-988-6511, DC phone: 202-224-6621

www.tomudall.senate.gov/

Michelle Lujan Grisham:505 Marquette Ave. NW, Suite 1605, Albuquerque, NM 87102 Ph: 505-346-6781, DC Ph: 202 225-6316, Fax: 505-346-6723

www.lujangrisham.house.gov/contact/email-me

Ben Ray Lujan: 1611 Calle Lorca, Suite A, Santa Fe, NM 87505

Ph: 505-984-8950, 3200 Civic Center NE, Suite 330, Rio Rancho, NM 87144 Ph: 505-994-0499, 110 West Aztec Ave, Gallup, NM 87301

Ph: 505-863-0582, www.benrlujan.com

To comment on line go to: www.justlabelit.org

More than 90% of Americans support the RIGHT TO KNOW what is in theFOODS we FEED our families.

TakeActionforlabeling!

Resilience Planning in Our Food System

FARM BILL

look in your MAILBOXfor our annualMEMBER SURVEY!Please take a moment to fill out thesurvey and bring it back to your localCo-op before June 30th andreceive a 15% discount Co-op shopping trip. Info: contact Robinat 217-2027.

JUNE is

MMEEMMBBEERRSSUURRVVEEYYMONTH

compensated with an annual stipend of $1,800. The sec-retary receives $2,700 and the president receives $3,600.Board members are expected to serve the full three-yearterm to which they are elected.

While it is customary for boards to seek prospectivemembers with management-related skills, our approachis different. Our comprehensive policies and the man-

agement reporting that is required for them allow theboard to simultaneously ensure successful Co-op per-formance and still focus on the bigger picture we men-tioned earlier. To help keep the board on this path, here’swhat 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 systems andcontext. • Be honest and have independent judgment, courage,and good faith.• Be able and eager to deal with values, vision and thelong term. • Be willing and able to participate assertively in discus-sions and abide by board decisions and the intent ofestablished policies.• Be comfortable operating in a group decision makingenvironment, sharing power in a group process, and del-egating areas of decision making to others.

Our focus on the long term, on clear definitions of roles,and on respectful and productive dialogue has clearlypaid off. Here’s what Board Member Roger Eldridgesays about his work on the board: “I had never been on a board of directors before, so serv-ing on La Montanita’s has been a new experience. Myfirst challenge was to shed preconceptions about what aboard does; La Montanita’s Board does not decide whatbrand of yogurt to stock, nor does it deal with the mem-

ber who (correctly) wants to change the express check-out sign from “15 items or less” to “15 items or fewer.”It took me close to a year to really understand that alloperational matters are handled by the GeneralManager and his/her superb staff. The Board, mean-while, keeps watch on the bigger picture, tries to dis-cern trends, attempts to look into the future in order tosteer the Co-op on the course desired by its

member/owners (and figuring that out is anotherchallenge). It’s not easy, and sometimes makes mybrain hurt. BUT… when I recently sat in onanother board, I realized how incredibly well-organized, forward thinking, and, well, coopera-tive the La Montanita Board is. Most membersdon’t realize how fortunate they are to have suchdedicated and capable directors. It has been anhonor to serve with them.”

We encourage prospective candidates to attendmonthly board meetings so they may betterunderstand how the board governs. Meetings arealways on the third Tuesday of each month, start-ing at 5:30pm. Location is the ImmanuelPresbyterian Church, directly across the street

from the Nob Hill store. Dinner is served to all attend-ing, starting a little before 5:30pm.

Nominations start July 20, 2013, and end on August20. Candidate applications will be available startingJuly 20, as paper copies from the information desk andelectronically from the Co-op’s website. TO QUALIFYAS A CANDIDATE, YOU MUST HAVE BEEN AMEMBER FOR AT LEAST 4 MONTHS PRIOR TOTHE START OF ELECTIONS, (THAT MEANSBEING A MEMBER SINCE JULY 1, FOR THISYEAR), AND YOU MUST RETURN YOUR COM-PLETED APPLICATION BY AUGUST 20.

Board elections will be held from November 1st throughNovember 14th. Our annual meeting and celebrationwill be held on Saturday, October 12, at our newWestside 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 Marshall Kovitz,Chairperson of the Nominations and ElectionsCommittee, at 256-1241.

BY MARSHALL KOVITZ, FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Your Co-op needs you! The nominations process for LaMontanita’s Board of Directors will be starting soon, andwe want to let you know how you can participate. Each year the

Co-op holds elections for three of its nine directors, with terms runningfor three years. As elected representatives of the 12,000 plus mem-ber/owners, the board’s job is to provide strategic vision and ensure theCo-op’s long-term stability and success. The work is exciting, challeng-ing, and rewarding. Or, you can VOTE.

The Co-op is a 30 million dollar a year operation with five stores: threein Albuquerque, one in Gallup and one in Santa Fe. Albuquerque is alsothe site of the Cooperative Distribution Center (CDC), which is ourFoodshed warehouse, serving producers, processors and retailersthroughout our region. In July of this year under the board’s direction,we will be opening a new store on the west side. We are pleased to saythat all of the Co-op’s units continue to grow and improve in perform-ance. Finally, our many public outreach programs bring people together andstrengthen our communities.

For the second year we will be utilizing electronic voting instead of mailingout paper ballots. Primary members who are interested in voting electroni-cally should submit an email address to the information desk at any of ourstores in order to receive election login information. Email addresses willremain confidential and will be used only for election purposes. Primarymembers who wish to fill out paper ballots may obtain them from the infor-mation desk at our store locations between November 1 and November 14.Very important: blank ballots will not be mailed out, so if you want to votewith a 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 boardreviews management’s work by examining performance reports and compar-ing them to policy standards we have established. The board governs bydeclaring, through its policies, the results it wants and the actions it wants thegeneral manager to avoid while achieving those results. Only by reviewingand adjusting these boundaries do we adjust the direction of the Co-op.

We leave day-to-day operational details to the general manager and his team(those are the people you see every day as a shopper); we keep tabs on thestores on a monthly basis through formal reporting. Very importantly, wespend almost half our meeting time studying our world, learning about ourowners’ needs, and imagining the future.

Overall, board members are expected to spend the equivalent of about threehours a week on board duties, including committee work, trainings, work-shops and other meetings and activities. In exchange, board members are

DIRECTORS PROVIDE VISION,, STABILITY,, SUCCESSco-op news June 2013 6

membership isOOWWNNEERRSSHHIIPP!!

runfor theBoard

BY MARTHA WHITMAN

Every month at our meetingthe Board engages in a studyhour. We prepare in a variety of

ways, usually reading articles orbooks, and then we spend our hourdiscussing how the materials pertainto the Board’s visioning work. Everynow and then we find a particularlyinteresting book, and we offer the fol-lowing reviews for your considerationas you build your summer reading list. And if you have abook you think we should know about, please drop us anote at bod@lamontanita.coop.

America Beyond Capitalism by Gar Alperovitz America Beyond Capitalism provides an incisive analysisof our political, social, and economic problems. He goesbeyond the usual list of miseries to offer proven ways thatpeople at the state and local levels are increasing demo-cratic control, keeping wealth in our communities, democ-ratizing workplaces and making our public institutionsresponsive to citizens. Alperovitz also offers a way for-ward at the national level. A readable book about theoryand practical solutions.

Brains on Fire by Robbin Phillips, Greg Cordell, GenoChurch and Spike JonesBrains on Fire reveals how to ignite powerful, sustainable,word of mouth movements. How not to market at yourcustomers; but spark passion in them and bring greatervalue to their lives. This book shares examples of compa-nies that inspire excitement and form connections with acommunity.

EcoMind by Frances Moore LappeEcoMind depicts a planet in peril, but Lappe arguesthese problems are not the real challenge to our survival.

At root is our faulty way of thinking thatblinds us to solutions, and leaves citizens feel-ing paralyzed and powerless. With brisk proseand startling examples, Lappe demonstrateshow developing an eco-mind will allow us tocreate new possibilities in our lives, our com-munities, and our world.

Humanizing the Economy: Cooperatives inthe Age of Capital by John RestakisHumanizing the Economy provides a globaloverview of cooperatives in today’s economy.

Beginning with a brief examination of the ideas thatsparked the modern cooperative movement, Restakis goeson to flesh out how those ideas are realized today. FromEmilia-Romagna, Italy, where cooperatives of all typesmake up 30% of the economy, to Japan’s giant consumercooperatives, to worker cooperatives in emergingeconomies, Restakis’ 15 years of research enables him totell these stories with great authority and passion.

World Café, by Juanita Brown with David IsaacsWorld Café is a flexible, easy-to-use process for fosteringcollaborative dialogue, sharing mutual knowledge anddiscovering new opportunities for action.

Through storytelling and explanation of its seven coredesign principles, World Café offers practical tips forhosting “conversations that matter” in groups of any size.Yet it isn’t a technique. It’s an invitation into a way ofbeing with one another that is already part of our nature.Particularly enticing is the notion that if you change theconversation, you can change the future.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTIONS!

YOUR CO-OPCO-OP

NEEDSYOU!

SUMMER READINGSuggestions

CANDIDATE PACKETS AVAILABLE: July 1stNOMINATIONS OPEN: July 20thNOMINATIONS CLOSE: August 20thANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING: October 12th:Candidates introduce themselves to attendees.BOARD ELECTIONS: November 1-November 14Watch for information on the NEW electronic vot-ing process in upcoming Co-op Connection issues.

BOARDELECTIONS

CCAALLEENNDDAARR

JUNE IS MEMBER SURVEY MONTH

co-op news

If you drive by our new Westside Co-op locationyou might think not much is happening there. Weare actually in the most important part ofthe project. We have been working with ourarchitect and construction contractoralmost daily to make sure our plan fordesign and layout is solid. There are thou-sands of working parts in a store like ours;we have to account for every drain, everycut in the floor for those drains to makesure they all will flow appropriately. Eachday is filled with questions: such as, if wemove one of our coolers or freezers threeinches how much does this add to the cost of the finalproject? Every item down to the broom to sweep thefloor has to be accounted for. The failure to do thisnow can cost many of thousands of dollars later. Sowatching every detail is key in making sure we meetour budget and timeline. As carpenters say, “measure

twice. cut once.” We want to make sure that all ourdetails are carefully vetted to save time and money

later on.

But I will admit this process is takinglonger that I had anticipated. Thosewho know me best know thatpatience is not my best quality.However, I know by experience whenyou are developing a new store yourpatience is tested almost every day. Ifully expect by the time the Westsidestore opens, patience will become a

virtue that I have embraced.

I will keep you all updated as we move forward.Thanks for your support of our Co-op. Please con-tact me anytime by e-mail at terryb@lamontani-ta.coop or by phone at 505-217-2020. -TERRY B.

NEW WESTSIDE CO-OP LOCATION THE INSIDE SCOOP

Following two successful seasons, the nonprofitcollaboration known as Local Organic Meals on aBudget announces a third sea-

son of lively cooking classes, startingJune 19, 2013, and running the thirdWednesday of each month throughDecember. The classes this year willtake place at the Santa Fe School ofCooking. The new venue will allowthe program to accommodate 60 ormore people in a more relaxed setting.

As in the past, classes are designedusing ingredients available duringeach growing season. Each class is led by local, experiencedchefs. Class participants not only learn how to create greatdishes using seasonal selections, they learn strategies on howto stretch food from local gardens, CSAs and the Santa FeFarmers’ Market. Each class is also filled with tips, tricksand techniques to enhance the at-home cooking experience.

Representatives from local organizations Kitchen Angels,the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute and Home Grown

New Mexico have pooled their resources and expertiseto offer the classes, which teach participants how to

create a filling meal for four people under $20.

Classes start at 5:30 and run for 90 minutes; par-ticipants will enjoy tastings of the meal beingprepared and will be provided with the recipes.Classes are free for WIC and EBT recipients.Participants need to register in advance on theLOMB website (www.localorganicmeals.com).

Local Organic Meals on a Budget 2013Summer Schedule of Classes6/19 Tracy Ritter – Santa Fe School of Cooking

7/17 Roland & Sheila Richter – Joe's Dining8/21 Ryan Gambel – The Palace Restaurant

More Information contact: Kitchen Angels: 505-471-7780; Home Grown New Mexico: 505-473-1403; or the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute:505-983-7726

SANTSANTA FE’SA FE’S LOCAL ORGANIC MEALS ON A BUDGETLOCAL ORGANIC MEALS ON A BUDGET::

THIRD SEASON OF COOKING CLASSES

6/18 BOD Meeting, Immanuel Church, 5:30pm

6/24 BOD Member EngagementMeeting, Admin. offices, 5:30pm

VETERAN FARMER PROJECT:Tuesday and Thursday from 3:30-5pmat the Alvarado Urban Farm, at 2nd and Silver, downtown

JuneCalendarof Events

CO-OP NEWS CORRECTIONIn the May issue of the Co-op Connection News, we featured an essay written byYasmeen Najmi titled “Muddy Water Still Carries the Sky.” In her essay, the last sen-tence printed as “The question is, will we have a river” should have said “The ques-tion is, will we be a river.” La Montanita Co-op editorial staff acknowledges that thissentence, as printed, was not the language or intention of the author and apologizesto Ms. Najmi for the error.

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

Please take a moment to let us know how we are doing and what you would like to see in the future. Bring it to the Co-op before JUNE 30th and receive your 15% DISCOUNT. This survey helps us understand how to best serve YOU! our Member/ Owners.

Also, PLEASE VOTE! in upcoming BOARD elections

Please be sure to give us your email address! Subscribe to our electronic news feed and get weekly and monthly sales info and the Co-op Connection Newsletter delivered to your in-box. To register your email for elections, subscribe to the newsletter or for more info go to www.lamontanita.coop or call 217-2027.

Let us know what you think. Your input is important to us!

elections

One

Shop

ping Trip

Discount! Respond by June 30th•••••••• 3

15%OFF!

Look for it in your Mail box!

co |op membership survey

Your input is important to us!

LOCALLOCALLOCALARCA ORGANICSCorrales, New MexicoLOCAL

R IO GRANDE VALLEY, CORRALES , NM

Since 1957, ARCA has provided services to people with developmental disabilities, assisting them to lead a great life. ARCA ORGANICS employs individuals whose very special talents enhance all stages of the growing and distribution process. Seeing people grow from dependant individuals to healthy and organic food providers continues to be a highlight of ARCA’s work.

ARCA ORGANICS grows certified organic vegetables and fruit including wheat grass, garlic, lettuce, tomatoes, asparagus, black-berries, a wide assortment of culinary herbs and other more exotic varieties, including dragon tongue beans and pestou basil. Wheat grass is a main focus of the farm, supplying ABQ juices stores; Keva Juice with 12 stores, Robeck and Squeeze Juice bars as well as the Co-op delis! Also, GRAZERS, wheatgrass for pets, is available at many of your local pet store boutiques.

Four ARCA associate employees assist Farm Manager Sean Ludden. Formerly from Los Poblanos Farms, Sean was tasked with growing everything that could not be grown by other farmers. Passionate about farming, saving seeds and commu-nity, Sean, talks about the importance of support for local growers. Saving seeds from drought resistant plants will insure the future of growing food in this area for the years to come. More local growers means more regional seeds can be collected to assure food production compatible with our climate of wind, intense sun and decreased water supplies.

Inset photos from top to bottom: wheat grass production, the farm stand, ARCA Staff member Erica Cheshire; background photo: Farm Manager Sean Ludden

LOCALLOCALLOCALLOCALLOCALLOCALLOCALLOCALLOCALLOCALLOCALLOCALLOCALCORNELIUS CANDELARIA ORGANIC FARMSouth Valley, Albuquerque

$1OFF! Alive & RadiantKale Krunch or Veggie Krunch

LOCALLOCALLOCALLOCAL

Valid thru June 30, 2013 and while supplies last • available at all stores: GALLUP | SANTA FE | ABQ

Alive & Radiant only sprouts, mixes and dehydrates their ingredients at low temperatures so that they remain RAW. Never baked or fried, any fat comes from heart-healthy nuts and seeds.

Kale Krunchs & Veggies Krunches CheezyChipotle•PerfectlyPlain•QuiteCheezy•SouthwestRanch TerragonDijon•ArugulaCabbage•SweetOnion•TeriyakiGreens

raw • gluten free • nut free • yeast free

SEVEN GENERAT IONS OF ORGANIC FARMING

Lorenzo Candelaria is a farmer, retired jockey and the mayo domo of nine South Valley acequias. He considers farming, not as a job, but a sacred duty. Using ideas carried from his indigenous and Spanish roots, he says that he grows a “living energy that when consumed becomes part of our consciousness. The energy and graciousness of the earth and the potency of the seed creates an atmosphere where life can abound.”

In the family for 300 years—seven gen-erations, Cornelius Candelaria Organic Farm grows biodynamic chard, kale, beets, tomatoes, beans and asparagus. This combination was chosen to maintain optimal balance for the plants. With the understanding that “seeds carry memo-ries,” Lorenzo uses native seeds when possible; like blue corn collected from the local pueblos.

Using the farming practices of the American Friends Service Committee, Lorenzo works to protcet the land, water rights and traditional cultural practices. This AFSC hands-on model creates systematic change in the food system to support small farmers, increase access to healthy, local food for the whole community.

Onecouponpershop•Valid6/1/13-6/30/13

CORNELIUS CANDELARIA ORGANIC farmer Lorezo Candelaria and Amanda Dobron, Nob Hill Produce Manager

early summer flavors June 2013 10

(Or, a Cocktail Party at Your House)BY GURUAMRIT KHALSA AND JULIA

MANDEVILLE, HARWOOD ART CENTER

We love two things above all others (sorry,significant others, though we suspect youfeel the same way): Food and Art. Theyshare the extraordinary potential to bring peo-ple together, and they require, to be good, acertain precision and patience—they take onstunning new identities when presented to agroup or enjoyed with an audience. So, we’dlike to offer a menu of passable delicaciesadapted and invented with an Artists’Reception in mind. We hope you’re inspired toinvite your favorite friends for a midsummernight of food and celebration.

Join us—certainly for exquisite art, potentiallyfor the following menu—at Harwood ArtCenter (1114 7th Street NW) on Friday, June 7,from 6-8pm for the opening reception of SUR-FACE: Emerging Artists of New Mexico juriedexhibition, professional development andendowed cash awards program. SURFACE fea-tures fifteen New Mexico artists working indiverse media and at different stages of emer-gence. Check out the digital exhibition catalogat bit.ly/surface-in-turn-catalog.

Chilled Zucchini Mint SoupADAPTED FROM BON APPÉTIT

Yields 16+ 4 ounce servings, depending onbroth quantity

NOTES: Soup should be made 1 day aheadand stored in the refrigerator in an airtightcontainer until ready to serve.

3 tablespoons butter (may substitute with oil)

1/3 cup olive oil5 cups leeks, chopped3 pounds zucchini, trimmed and chopped7 cups vegetable stock (Better Than

Bouillon brand)3 tablespoons mint, mincedSalt & pepper to taste

Leeks can be deceivingly dirty. After youremove the ends, slice lengthwise and thencut into 1/4-inch slices; clean them thor-oughly under cold water by fanning the lay-ers out to remove grit or dirt.

Melt butter and oil in a large heavy-bottompot over medium heat. Add leeks and sautéuntil soft, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini,cover and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.Add 5 1/2 cups vegetable stock and bring toa boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover par-tially and cook for about 20 minutes. Saltand pepper to taste. Working in batches orusing an immersion blender, puree soup.Return soup to pot and let cool. Stir inmint. To adjust thickness, add reservedbroth. Cover and store in the refrigeratoruntil ready to serve.

Roasted Poblano Blinis withCrème Fraiche and ParsleyYields about 4 dozen

Crème Fraiche (make a couple days ahead)In bowl, combine 1 cup heavy whippingcream with 2 tablespoons buttermilk.Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let sitin a warm place until the cream is thick-ened, about 12 to 16 hours. Stir and refrig-erate until ready to use. Can be kept for upto one week in the refrigerator.

Roasted Poblanos (can be made ahead)Pre-heat oven to 400° F. Place 5 whole,large poblano peppers on a baking sheet.

a midsummer

NIGHT’SARTISTS’reception

Roast for about 30 minutes, flipping overevery 10 minutes. Once blistered, removefrom oven and promptly seal in Ziplockfreezer bag(s) for 15 minutes. Peel pep-pers (skin will slide right off), removestems and seeds, and slice in long, thinvertical strips. DO NOT wash the pep-pers once roasted, or you’ll remove thebeautiful flavor.

Blinis (can be made ahead)ADAPTED FROM MARTHA STEWART

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one 1/4ounce envelope)

1/2 cup warm water (about 110° F)1 cup all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon coarse salt1/2 cup buttermilk 1 tablespoon salted butter, melted plus

more for the pan1/2 teaspoon sugar2 large eggs, separated

In a small bowl mix yeast with warmwater. Let stand for 5 minutes. In anothersmall bowl, stir together flour and salt. Ina third, stir together buttermilk, meltedbutter, sugar, and egg yolks. Whisk inyeast mixture and flour. Cover and letstand in a warm place for 30 minutes sobatter can rise.

Beat remaining egg whites until stiff peaksform. Gently fold egg whites into batteruntil incorporated, and let stand for 10minutes.

Lightly butter and heat a non-stick skilletover medium heat, until pan is hot. Droptablespoon-sized dollops of batter (about5 or 6 at a time) onto hot pan. Flip blinisonce their tops bubble and the edgesbegin to brown, cooking for about 2 min-utes per side. Cook in batches until all thebatter has been used. Let cool to roomtemperature.

Assemble when ready to serve. Coil strip(s)of poblano peppers on the blini to create aspiral pattern, dollop with crème fraiche,and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.Repeat until all blinis are garnished. Platterand serve immediately.

Endive Boats with Grapefruit,Almond and ChevreYields about 30, depending on endives

5 Belgian endives, separated into spears5 large grapefruit, triangled8 ounces chevre1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Using a sharp paring knife, cut peel andwhite from the meat of the grapefruit. Cutinto 1/2 inch wheels, then into triangles fol-lowing the sections of the fruit. Refrigerateafter cutting. Remove and discard the outerleaves of each endive. Remove base, about1/4 inch. Separate leaves, rinse, and set outon serving platter like canoes. Place chevrein freezer 5 to 10 minutes before you’reready to use, for easier crumbling. Place 4to 5 grapefruit triangles on each endivespear. Top with crumbled chevre and toast-ed sliced almonds and serve!

TinyBBTS: Bacon, Basil andTomato Open Faced SandwichesYields: 24 3-bite sandwiches

1 baguette cut into 1/2-inch slices5 ripe tomatoes cut into 1/4-inch slices

(we recommend heirlooms for best flavor)

1 large bunch basil, washed and separated (24 large leaves)

Red chile sugar-cured bacon (see on next page)

Red Chile Brown Sugar BaconADAPTED FROM CAFÉ PASQUAL’S

12 slices Applewood smoked bacon3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed2 tablespoons red chile powder

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Mix chile powder andbrown sugar in a shallow bowl. Line bakingsheet with parchment paper and top with coolingrack (it allows for grease to drop off and makesfor cleaner, more flavorful bacon). Submergeeach piece of bacon in the chile-sugar mixture.Lay bacon strips on baking rack, twisting two orthree times lengthwise to create long, loose spi-rals. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Once cool, useculinary scissors to cut each slice into two orthree pieces, based on length of baguette slices.

Spread thin layer of mayonnaise on eachbaguette slice. Top with large basil leaf, thentomato slice, then bacon piece. Arrange on plat-ter and serve.

Rhubarb Puff Pastry Tartletts Yields 12 muffin-sized tarts or 24 mini-muffinsized tartlets, depending on what type of panyou use

1 package of frozen puff pastry dough (we recommend Dufour brand)

1 pound rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/2-inch segments (to make 3 cups)

Lemon juice to taste2/3 cup sugar

In a covered medium saucepan combine sugar andrhubarb, cook for 15 minutes over medium lowheat. Taste mixture, add a splash of lemon juice ifnecessary. Increase heat to medium, remove cover,and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 15 to30 minutes, until rhubarb is broken down andmixture is thick. Remove from heat and let cool.

The day before cooking, move puff pastry doughto refrigerator to thaw. Pre-heat oven to 400° F.Unfold pastry dough onto a lightly floured, cleanwork surface. Using a sharp knife, pizza or pastrywheel, cut dough into squares that fit the openingsof either a regular size muffin tin (12) or a mini-muffin tin (24). Set squares of dough into a non-

stick muffin pan, as you would muffin liners. Dollopa spoonful of rhubarb into each piece of dough.

Bake for 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfwaythrough. Edges of pastry should be puffy and gold-en. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before removingpastry. Let cool completely before serving.

Mint Mule (mock- or cock-tail)Yields 1; multiply for as many guests as you expectand serve in pitchers. This is delicious and refresh-ing with or without vodka.

1 1/2 ounces vodka (Summum brand), optional1 1/2 ounces ginger beer (Reed’s brand)1/2 ounce simple syrup (use lavender syrup for

extra depth of flavor)3/4 ounce lime juice4 to 5 large mint leaves1 lime wheel (for garnish)

Add mint, lime juice and simple syrup to glass,and muddle to release flavors. Fill glass halfwaywith ice. Pour ginger beer and vodka (if desired)over ice and stir. Top off with ice, stir and garnishwith lime wheel. If serving in pitchers, set out limewheels on plate.

GURUAMRIT KHALSA AND JULIA MANDEVILLE work atHarwood Art Center, where GuruAmrit is Directorof Administrative Services and Julia is Director ofPrograms and Community Relations. Together theymanage Harwood’s Galleries and Exhibitions, curat-ing four annual shows, including SURFACE:Emerging Artists of New Mexico, and programmingthe additional months by application. For moreinformation email gallery@harwoodartcenter.org orvisit www.harwoodartcenter.org

early summer flavors June 2013 11

themightyMINT!

24 CarrotsField to Food “A gem of an event”

June 22, 2013 7pm

Mary Alice Cooper,MD

summer reading June 2013 12

agua es vida June 2013 13

BY MICHAEL JENSEN, AMIGOS BRAVOS

At the end of last year, there was talk of a possible shortfallin deliveries of San Juan Chama (SJC) water, which Santa Fe,Albuquerque, the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy

District (MRGCD) and others rely on for part of their annu-al water supply (www.tinyurl.lzm8uo5). If this happens, itwould be the first time since the project began operations inthe late 1960s.

Since the beginning of April there has been a steadyflow of warnings of what to expect this season:• The US Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)/US Army Corps ofEngineers (USACE) “Annual Operating Plan” (AOP) issuedon April 1 said that their modeling indicated the Rio Grandemay run dry at the Central Bridge several times in the secondhalf of July absent supplemental water. (www.tinyurl.com/kzcw5yo)• Elephant Butte Irrigation District (EBID) “Water SupplyOutlook” warned irrigators that there would be no allocation available atthe start of irrigation season, with the possibility of only about 3.5” ofdelivery starting in June and lasting just a month or so. (www.tinyurl.com/l78pgh2)• The MRGCD announced in mid-April that it was immediately cutting offWater Bank users (those without water rights) and likely would have a muchshorter irrigation season than 2012, which ended in August, not October asin a “normal” year. (www.tinyurl.com/nbkhbro; www.tinyurl.com/Lo3kpg)

In May, New Mexico became the state most severely impacted byextreme dry weather (www.tinyurl,com/n7tdm8q).

Looking AheadThe USBR held a meeting in mid-April with contractors to alert them to theBureau’s understanding of long-term supplies from the SJC project. Theirresults (not published yet) indicate that there will be a steady decline indeliveries of SJC water. The modeling shows a steady decrease in deliveriesfrom the historic average of about 90,000 acre feet per year (afy) to 70-80,000 afy during the second half of the century. The SJC Project is sup-posed to supply about 96,000 afy, of which the Albuquerque BernalilloCounty Water Utility Authority (WUA) is supposed to get about 48,000 afy.

The decline in San Juan tributary flow into the Chama is part of a largerpicture of declining flows in the entire Colorado Basin (the San Juan is aColorado River tributary). In December 2012, the USBR released the finaldraft “Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study”(www.tinyurl.com/d72ff2d). This study contains a graph showing the

long-term historic water supply in the Colorado andthe growing demands placed on that supply. Thedemand line touched the supply line in about 1995 andthen crossed it in about 2003. Projected demand willincreasingly exceed supply through the end of the plan-ning period in 2060 (and beyond). Without significant

measures to conserve water and look for new supply,the entire Colorado Basin will be in serious trouble.

Finally, an April 10 meeting of the Upper Rio GrandeWater Operations Model (URGWOM) AdvisoryCommittee discussed the West Wide Climate RiskAssessment simulations of Rio Grande deliveries fromColorado across the border with New Mexico. Thelong-term simulation indicates a 50% reduction in deliv-eries of water from Colorado to New Mexico. While theRio Grande historically has picked up large amounts ofwater from snowmelt in the Sangre de Cristo and othermountains in northern New Mexico, these will also havereduced precipitation and runoff. In the case of theWUA, diminished SJC flows will be further limited bythe projected steep decline in native Rio Grande water,since the SJC Drinking Water Project depends on divert-ing equal amounts of SJC and native Rio Grande waterat the Alameda Bridge diversion works.

Grand(e) PlanningThe WUA provides its Board andCustomer Advisory Committee(CAC) an annual update on theWater Resources Management Strat-egy (WRMS). Basically, this is a

report on the long-term (through 2060) water supply anddemand balance for the Utility.

What the report says is that it will get an increasinglylarger amount of supply from the SJC Drinking WaterProject (DWP), which went online in late 2008. By 2050or so, the WUA expects to use its entire 96,000 afy ofDWP water (50% or 48,000 from the SJC and 50% fromnative Rio Grande water). Those expectations don’t seemjustified given the long-term perspective on the ColoradoBasin, the SJC project, or the Rio Grande.

By 2060 the San Juan tributary flow into the Chama couldbe reduced by approximately 20,000 afy. The Rio Grande,which supplies the other half of the SJC DWP water, couldbe even more impacted. That means that the San Juan-Chama supply should be greatly reduced. Unless thingslike “Conservation,” “Reuse & Recycling,” and “NewSources” are increased, the “Recharged Groundwater”supply will have to increase dramatically. However, thiscannot be done, both because the aquifer needs to actual-ly “recharge” in order to serve as a sustainable supply andbecause the WUA is responsible for depletions to the rivercaused by the aquifer level being too low.

What Can Be Done?Rather than basing its water budget and long-term plan-ning on unsupported assumptions, the Water Utility—and all of us—need to focus efforts on actions that canmake us more resilient in the face of long-term declines inwater supply. Some things that can be done include:

• Conservation & efficiency• Reuse & recycling • Rainwater & stormwater harvesting• Restoration and conservation of headwater

streams, wetlands, and wet meadows• Connecting land use planning with water supply

More on all these in the next article. For more infor-mation, contact Michael Jensen at mjensen@amigosbravos.org.

The Future of theRRRRiiiioooo GGGGrrrraaaannnnddddeeee

BY DAVE MCCOY, CITIZEN ACTION

Over 22,500 residents drink water from fivecommunity water wells at Kirtland AFB. Thequality of the water is regulated by the New

Mexico Environment Department’s Drinking Water Bureau(DWB). A November 20, 2012, DWB sanitary surveyreport of the supply wells was obtained byCitizen Action through a public recordsrequest. The report was the result of aDWB site and documents inspection ofKirtland’s water system.

Seven “significant deficiencies” thatthreaten public health were identified forthe Kirtland water supply system. DWBfound the possibility of contaminatedgroundwater reaching Well #3 and beingpumped into the potable water system.The report does not identify what con-taminants may arrive or be at Well #3, but it is no secretthat Kirtland leaked 24,000,000 gallons of aviation gas,JP4 and JP8 jet fuel into the ground and aquifer from 1953to 1999 from its Bulk Fuels Facility. A large plume of high-ly toxic ethylene dibromide (EDB) is moving northeasttoward Kirtland drinking water Well #3. EDB does notnaturally biodegrade.

Kirtland has no plan in place to remove EDB before it hitsWell #3 or Albuquerque’s Ridgecrest municipal supplywells. Kirtland has not removed a single gallon of jet fueldissolved in the aquifer since its discovery in 1997. DWBdemanded spill containment and clean up procedures beput in place at Well #14 and also ordered Kirtland to haltthe use of the herbicide Hexazonone, that can contami-nate the groundwater and surface water as it was beingused too close to the water system. DWB did not statewhether Hexazonone may be in the supply wells.

In an email exchange on May 13, 2010, VA administratorAlbert Martinez stated, “I believe it is KAFB’s responsi-bility to provide the community and us (the VA) anyhealth effects and/or associated hazards consuming fuelmay have on our community, staff and patients.” Kirtlandreplied, “Health effects concerning drinking water aren’tcurrently being evaluated.”

Testing of the well at the Veteran’s Hospital showed:• 2011 identifed the presence of flourene and gasoline

organic compounds at low levels. Benzo-a-Pyrene wasfound above the EPA maximum contaminant level. • May 2012 Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthlate detected.• June 2012 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene was detected. • September 2012 Pentachloroethane (PCE), also known asPerc, was detected. PCE is very difficult to treat once it

reaches groundwater. Data collected in2004 showed PCE contamination inKirtland drinking water supply Well #17.Very little data is available for PCE indrinking water on and around Kirtland.(NMED Curry 11/26/08)

Kirtland asserts that the VA drinkingwater is still safe and there is monthlysampling. However, Kirtland’s contrac-tor, Shaw Environmental, has repeatedlybeen criticized by the Environment De-partment for poor sampling of volatile

organics in the jet fuel plume. The June 2012 VA samplesarrived at the laboratory five days too late for accuratetesting, despite the fact that the sampling turnaround timewas ordered to be reduced starting in October 2011.Samples with air bubbles have destroyed evidence ofvolatile chemicals.

THE EPA has a goal of zero exposure to many chemicalsbut still has allowable levels that can be present in drink-ing water. People vary in sensitivity depending on factorssuch as age, sex and pregnancy. Military personnel oftenare already carrying high body burdens of toxic chemi-cals. The military is often the last to admit to the healtheffects of toxic exposures. Such was the case with theAtomic Veterans; Vietnam Veteran exposure to AgentOrange; burning oil wells in Kuwait; exposure to deplet-ed uranium and other radionuclides; and Camp Lejeune’sPCE and TCE exposure causing breast cancer in males;birth defects and miscarriages. (www.tftptf.com) The AirForce has 42 Superfund sites that have contaminatedcommunity water resources across the nation. (www.veteransinfo.org/epa.html).

Former NMED resource protection director Jim Davis saidKirtland officials still believe no contamination will reachcity wells for at least five years. (www.tinyurl.com/ jvos8b7).

For more information contact: David B. McCoy, Esq.,POB 4276, Albuquerque, NM, 87196-4276, 505-262-1862, dave@radfreenm.org.

WHAT ARE TROOPS, VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES DRINKING?

KIRTLAND’’S WATER SUPPLYADDING TO BODY BURDENS

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

WATER R E A L I T Y

BY AMYLEE UDELL

Though I don't have my own chickens, nothing makesme feel wealthier than an abundance of fresh eggs!I know that if I forget to defrost something or don't plan

ahead, I can grab some eggs and whip up a quick and nutri-tious meal.

Eggs are perfectly sized powerhouses of nutrition, naturallyprepackaged and preserved. Unwashed, fresh eggs are coveredby a protein covering called the bloom. This bloom seals theegg, protecting it from pathogens and helping it retain mois-ture, keeping the egg fresh for months. Once washed, though,eggs must remain chilled below 45 degrees. Commercial producers mayreplace the bloom with mineral oil, giving some eggs a shiny look.

Food Dollar ValueEggs contain a truly awesome amount of nutrition at a wonderful price. Ifyou pay for high quality eggs, you're still getting a lot for your money. Sayyou get extra fresh, pastured eggs at $6 a dozen, a price at which most peo-ple would gasp. You are paying .50 for a serving of excellent protein. Maybeyou double up and pay $1 for this protein source. That isn't so bad comparedto other sources.

What do you get for that price? One egg contains about 5.5 g of protein, fat, most vitamins (including USE-ABLE vitamin D, but no C), all necessary minerals, iron, folate, choline and,if you get farm fresh eggs, more DHA and EPA and 2 to 10 times as muchOmega-3 fat than from non pastured (industrially raised) chickens. VitaminD and choline, lacking in so many of our diets and so important for our bod-ies, are found in only a few other foods. And much of this nutritional treas-ure is found in the yolk. Eating the white without the yolk, while just feelinginherently incomplete to me, also leaves behind so much of what is right andgood about the amazing egg.

What makes a nutritious egg starts with a nourished chicken. What shouldchickens eat? Like cows and pigs, chickens are not meant to be confined totiny cages, unable to move and eating only grains. Chickens love grass, butthey are not vegetarians. They love their greens, but they love discoveringworms and bugs among the green. Chickens that get to roam in the sunshinewith access to grass and bugs produce the healthiest, yummiest eggs. Whatdo these high quality eggs look like?

This is a great experiment to do for yourself or with kids! Take eggs from dif-ferent sources (conventional grocery, vegetarian fed, neighbor, farmers’ mar-ket, etc.) and crack them near or next to each other. The first thing you'll

food & farming June 2013 14

Backyardnutrition

EEEEGGGGGGGGSSSS:: QUICK, EASY AND NUTRITIOUS

Even if none of the visible, physical differences in eggsimpress you, the flavor will! And while a scrambled eggis easy and fast to cook, there are many other very easyways to add to your egg repertoire.

USING EGGS1. Add an egg yolk, a dash of nutmeg and stevia (orhoney or maple syrup) to your milk or cream. With atouch of vanilla, you've got a nutritious eggnog for ameal on the go. Not recommended for conventionallyraised eggs!OPTION: Great with coconut milk if you're dairy-free.Blend until frothy2. Crack one egg per muffin cup. Add green chile, greenonions, mushrooms, spinach or any vegetable on top.Bake at 350° F for 20 minutes or so until yolk is to yourdesired consistency. OPTION: Line muffin cup with bacon first.OPTION: Top with any cheese; consider feta!3. Hard boiled eggs are a great snack or on-the-go option.Make several at a time and refrigerate so they're ready tograb. Make Tea Eggs! Tap cracks into the shell of a hardboiled egg and then soak the eggs in a blend of tea, soysauce and Chinese 5 Spice. This is also called marble eggs,as they will take on a beautiful marbled design once thesauce seeps through the cracks in the shell. 4. Do you make soup broth? Drop in a few eggs nexttime your broth is simmering and enjoy broth flavoredhard boiled eggs.

If you have a favorite quick-and-easy egg recipe, I'd loveto hear it. Not sure about the quality of your eggs?More and more families are keeping chickens in theirbackyards. And if you just want to pick them up onyour next grocery shopping trip, check out PeculiarFarms eggs at the Co-op to see just how bright and firman egg yolk can be!

www.InspiredABQ.comwww.facebook.com/inspiredbirth

probably notice is the bright, jewel-toned yolk of theegg coming from a chicken that ate lots of greens.Chickens eating a mix of grass and grains (and likelyfewer bugs and worms) will produce less brightly col-ored egg yolks. Grain-fed chicken eggs will havemuch lighter yolks. It is the cartenoids in the grass(also found in abundance in carrots) that produce thebright orange color in the egg yolks, as well as a yel-low fat on meat chickens and the yellow of grass fedcow’s butter.

You may also see that grass-fed chickens’ egg yolksare firmer and thicker. After yolk color and consis-tency, pay attention to the egg whites. You maynotice there are two different egg white sections. Afirmer egg white surrounds the yolk and a thinnerwhite is closer to the shell and on the perimeter of theentire cracked egg. This outer thin egg white repelsbacteria, as it is more alkaline and does not containany nutrients needed for bacterial growth. The thick-er egg white surrounding the yolk cushions the yolk.It also contains some protection against bacteria.The older an egg gets, the more thin white and theless thick white it has. So compare your eggs for ageusing that tidbit.

BY BRETT BAKKER

Get ready. For higher food prices, more red tape,more high tech fixes to what should be a lowtech problem. The Food Safety Modernization Act

(a huge overhaul of food safety regulations) is meant to pre-vent “food crisis” issues like salmonella outbreaks and otherfood-borne illnesses.

Food crisis…what an odd concept. Theonly real food crisis is hunger and starva-tion. In our technological wisdom, we’vemanaged to make eating (one of the mostnatural acts alongside breathing, sleepingand reproducing) a dangerous affair.

Yes, food contaminated with salmonella isand always has been an issue for humans.Unlike GMOs or nutrition-less processedfood, we humanoids didn’t create thesemicroorganisms. What we have managed to do is fosterenvironments that not only encourage but nurture thesenatural micro-enemies.

Centuries ago, if a farmer or food processor didn’t keepthings sanitary, they could easily contaminate the entirecommunity with their carelessness. I know we like localfood but a claim of “local salmonella” on your label is nota selling point.

Now, in the name of cheap food and “feeding the world”we wash all our spinach in four or five sinks nationwideand grind hamburger in two or three grinders across thecountry. What would’ve been a tiny outbreak is multiplieda hundredfold. An average hamburger could contain bits ofhundreds or a thousand individual cows. Spinach from ahundred farms may be shipped to one central facility andpacked in tens of thousands of plastic bags. It’s easy to seehow one iota of contamination (especially microorganismsthat reproduce) can spread to many thousands of people.

Solutions like irradiation and high levels of chlorine aretrotted out to fix the exponential problem created byinappropriate scale. Salmonella in burgers is killing peo-ple? Instead of reverting to a locally-based food supply—

which effectively contains an out-break—it’s high tech to the rescue tocure a problem created or made worseby—you guessed it—high tech. Theproblem was nurtured by a high techsystem but exponential contamination isa simple, elementary issue.

A high tech solution to low farm yieldsis chemical fertilization which feeds theplant but not the soil (and only a fewnutrients at that). A food can’t be morenutritious than the soil it is grown in so

we end up with empty calories. The high tech solution iseven more synthetic fertilizer or GMOs but the issueitself is low tech: the crop is not getting balanced nutri-tion. Healthy, rich natural soil provides balanced plantnutrition so why not go with natural soil building andmaintenance?

The argument against this is “you can’t feed the world”that way. I say, the world can feed itself naturally (exceptin severe drought, plague, etc.) but we can’t feed theworld with naturally produced Vitamin D enriched pas-teurized milk and luxuries (yes, luxuries) like importedbananas 365 days a year this way. If factory-like produc-tion is what we demand, then don’t expect our food tobe 100% clean, nutritious and healthy. We expect facto-ry-like production because we no longer know what it’slike to eat based on seasonal and geographic limitations.No amount of food safety modernization legislation willsuccessfully protect us from the problems caused andexacerbated by food modernization itself.

GREATFOOD$

value!

FOODCRISIS:food modernization act

itchygreen tthhuummbb

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, for dis-counted copies of America Beyond Capitalism.Be

COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP

5 0 5 - 4 2 8 - 0 4 5 1 F O R I N F O R M AT I O NR 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

community forum June 2013 15

EDITED BY ROBIN SEYDEL

The group UltraViolet has urged itssupporters to contact Eden Foodsand express their grievances with

the organic food company’s view onbirth control. “Because Eden Foods’s CEOMichael Potter, is ideologically opposed tobirth control, the company thinks they havethe right to dictate to all their employeeswhat health care they will have access to,”the group wrote in an email to its members. “That doesn’t just affect theiremployees. It’s a dangerous precedent that they are asking the court to setfor all workers going forward. But progressive-minded people make up ahuge portion of Eden’s customers—people who are likely to think that aboss shouldn’t be dictating their employees’ private health care decisions.”

The company filed a lawsuit against the Obama administration over theso-called contraception mandate in March. Potter, a Catholic, alleged thatproviding his employees with health insurance plans that covered contra-ceptives violated his religious freedom.

Earlier this month, Potter addressed criticism of his lawsuit and refused toback down. “Eden Foods’ health care provider is required by the HHS tocomply with all details of the Affordable Care Act. Parts of the mandateviolate the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment of the United

States Constitution, the Religious Freedom RestorationAct, and the Administrative Procedure Act. This over-reach of the federal government infringes on religiousfreedoms,” he explained in a statement. UltraViolet hasset up a petition on its website that urges Eden Foods to

stop its “ideological attacks on birth control.”www.weareultraviolet.org.

Who is UltraViolet As posted by Laura Bassett on the HuffingtonPost, “Online activists Nita Chaudhary ofMoveon.org and Shaunna Thomas had an ideafor a new kind of women's rights group: onethat uses cutting-edge online advertising tech-niques to engage more people in the fight toend sexism in politics, media and pop culture.”

Using plugged-in technology to create aground swell of action for women’s rights,

Chaudhary and Thomas launched their website,www.ultraviolet.org to bring together feminists of allgenders on a variety of issues of importance in the fightto end sexism in all aspects of society, both nationallyand internationally.

Although not yet ready to launch their project whenKomen for the Cure announced the end of funding forcancer screening tests for low income women usingPlanned Parenthood due to their position on abortion,the two took action. In just a few hours they gathered60,000 signatures and two days later Komen reversedits decision and executive director Karen Handelresigned. Chaudhary and Thomas were suddenly at thewheel of a women’s rights organization that grew to400,000 supporters in just a few months.

Chaudhary told the Huffington Post, "The right wingdecided to escalate a bubbling war on women, and hun-dreds of thousands of people came out of the woodworkto fight back with UltraViolet."

Funded by the progressive nonprofit Citizen Engange-ment Lab, UltraViolet makes it clear to the women'srights community that while they support importantwomen’s advocacy groups, their use of social media innew and unique ways reaches more people in moreimmediate ways and adds a power packed punch to thestruggle for women’s rights.

Their on-line clearinghouse is a place for sharing stories,views and questions. It’s a place for exploration, opinionand information (not necessarily in that order). UltraViolet does not represent any school, wave, organization,institution or categorization. Their website says, “We donot belong in a box. We do not huddle together in a tank.We do not fly in formation like a flock of geese. We areall free people, approaching feminism from differentlocations, backgrounds and personalities.”

People are welcome to leave thoughtful comments.UV is a safe space for feminists and women wheredivergent, respectful viewpoints are welcome. Allposts at UltraViolet belong to the individual authors.www.weareultraviolet.org

FILMS AND EVENT ALONG HISTORIC ROUTE 66 JUNE 3-9

The hottest movies and documentaries, celebri-ties and major events make Albuquerque theplace to be June 3-9, 2013, at

the Albuquerque Film & MediaExperience at Nob Hill (AFME). Theweek kicks off with musician and ’80ssuperstar Thomas Dolby presenting hisdocumentary The Invisible Lighthousewith a concert to follow at the LoboTheater. For camps, students, kids andfamilies, AFME presents a “free bee”screening of the hit Bee Movie at theKiMo Theatre on June 5 at noon.AFME is honored to present “An Evening with RobertRedford,” A Taste of Film at the Indian Pueblo CulturalCenter, lectures on bees and pollination at UNM and thecoolest parties at lounges with actors and industry leadersall hanging out on Route 66.

“There has been global media attention with the partic-ipation of Robert Redford, artist Sibylle Szaggars-Redford, director Joshua Michael Stern (jOBS), UnitedKingdom sleep-artist Lee Hadwin, Americans for theArts CEO Robert Lynch, and famed composers MortenLauridsen and David Thor Jonsson,” said executive pro-ducers Lainie S. Quirk and Ivan Wiener. “The Mayor,the City of Albuquerque, ACVB, Nob Hill Neigh-borhood Association and Nob Hill Main Street arethrilled about AFME’s economic impact and the numberof out of town travelers already confirmed to attend.”

Many socially conscious movies take center stage asAFME presents Road To Peace, Ancient Wisdom of the

A L B U Q U E R Q U E F I L M A N D M E D I AA L B U Q U E R Q U E F I L M A N D M E D I A

EXPERIENCE

U LT R AV I O L E T: E Q U A L I T Y AT H I G H E R F R E Q U E N C Y

14th Dalai Lama of Tibet; Vanishing of the Bees, a docu-mentary examining the alarming disappearance of honey-bees and the greater meaning it holds about the relation-ship between mankind and mother earth; and GeneticRoulette: The Gamble of Our Lives, about the US gov-ernment ignoring warnings and allowing untested geneti-cally modified crops into our food supply—a gamble of

unprecedented proportions.

Five world premieres will screen at AFME, in-cluding Justice Denied; Circle the Wagen; ChasingMoonflowers; a documentary by Alex Cox aboutDennis Hopper’s The Last Movie titled SceneMissing; and Moses on the Mesa. Actors ElizabethPena, Jeremiah Bitsui, Veronica Diaz, JeremyValdez, Mark Adair-Rios and Raoul Trujillo willbe in attendance for the screening of the Lionsgatefeature, Blaze You Out. Actor/director Federico

Castelluccio from The Sopranos will be at AFME all week,screening Keep Your Enemies Closer, Checkmate. EmilyKatz, head makeup and special effects supervisor for AngerManagement will be doing an “Intimate Conversation” atGreat Face and Body, and director Joshua Michael Stern(jOBS, Swingvote) will be doing a highly anticipated con-versation at Tech Love in Nob Hill. New Mexico residentand Hurt Locker producer Tony Mark, actor Wes Studi andBreaking Bad’s Steven Michael Quezada will also be par-ticipating in events at AFME.

Finally, AFME and SAG-AFTRA are proud to present TheLone Ranger Panel with the four actors who played theRangers in Disney’s July 3 release, starring Johnny Deppand Armie Hammer, Chad Brummett, Lou Temple(Walking Dead), Damon Carney, Robert Baker and KevinWiggins. For additional information about the AFMEvisit www.abqfilmexperience.com.

EDEN FOODSAND WOMEN’S HEALTH

CARE

30TH ANNIVERSARYCELEBRATION

ALBUQUERQUECENTER FOR

PEACE AND JUSTICEJUNE 22

Support community groups working forregional and global justice and helplaunch the next 30 years.

Bosque School, 4000 Learning Rd. NW.Enjoy dinner from the Olympia Café. Hearthe Raging Grannies and Dance toWagogo!

FOR MORE INFO, to register or make adonation contact the ACP&J at 505-268-9557 or email:abqpeaceandjusticecenter@ gmail.com.

ADDINGPUNCH

to the struggle for

women’s rights!

Come check usout and see what

we’re about!