This 26th Annual EarthFest comes at a time when it is clearwe have much to do for planetary and personal healthand well-being. In February of this year we repeatedly broke,

matched or came close to some of the hottest daily temperatures everrecorded. Additionally this year has seen an uptick in awareness ofthe social and economic justice issues that need to be addressed fortrue democracy and justice for all.

Over the years we have watched EarthFest grow with much goodenvironmental and justice work done and connections and relation-ships grown. We are deeply moved by and thankful for how the NewMexican community has come together, to grow this festival intoone of the most beloved of spring events. The joyous nature of thefestival with its the coming together of friends new and old coupledwith the good work we can accomplish when we cooperate makesEarthFest an important part of how we positively impact lives in ourcommunity and restore and sustain our little planet.

COME TOGETHERThis year, recognizing that we are stronger when we come together,we are encouraging people to do just that and focus on collaborat-ing on climate chaos, renewable energy, water quality, conservation,food self-sufficiency, economic and social justice and so many relat-ed issues. Come meet and lend your energy in support of the effortsof the many dedicated people in our communities who are workingon these and other issues.

We firmly believe that with the same cooperative spirit that for 40years enabled the Co-op to thrive and become the community hubfor a sustainable future it has become, we can and will overcome thechallenges we face.

You can expect an inspiring day filled with information, educationand action booths from dozens of environmental, social and eco-nomic justice organizations from around the state. Meet local farm-ers, pet baby goats and get seedlings for a sustainable food supply,drought-resistant plants, and beautiful art from fine local artists and

craftspeople. And of course you’ll get to eat greatCo-op food and dance in the streets with friendsand neighbors new and old.

RIDE A BIKE!As the many of you who have attended the Co-opEarth Fest know due to the popularity of the event,and Nob Hill parking realities; it’s best to hike, bikeor carpool to the festival site. Given that, we areonce again honored to be working with ChuckMalagodi of the City of Albuquerque’s Bicycle pro-gram on the annual Kids' Bicycle Safety Rodeo andother bicycle education. Look for this part EarthFestat the west end of the festival grounds near Tulane.

A COMMUNITY OF ARTISTSAs always you can count on seeing some of ourcommunity’s fine local artists and craftspeople,hearing some of your favorite musicians andthrilling to performances from our gifted local per-formers. Some festival favorites, like the EhecatlAztec Dancers, National Institute of Flamenco’sAlama Flamenca, Baile Baile Folklorico and AdamaAfrician Dancers and Drummers are coming back,and we are once again honored to have them gracethe little stage under the big tent in the middle ofSilver Street. See the full entertainment schedule onthis page so you don’t miss any of this great, localand FREE music.

Space goes quickly so reserve yours today. We givefirst priority to non-profit environmental, socialand economic justice organizations, farmers, gar-deners and farming organizations. Due to spaceconsiderations and Fire Department regulationsNO POP-UP CANOPIES will be allowed.

We're hoping for a beautiful day, and with MotherEarth's blessing we will once again take time to cel-ebrate "Her" and reaffirm our commitment torestoring and sustaining our beautiful blue/greenplanetary gem.

BY ROBIN SEYDEL

Spring is in full swing and so is the VeteranFarmer Project. We have wonderful new peopleand energy coming into the project, a new farm

space in Corrales not far from the Co-op’s Westsidelocation and the inspiring sense of renewal that springalways brings.

More Hands on DeckWe are pleased to welcome two new Co-op staff peo-ple to the project, Lauren Haag and Kyle Johnson.Both work in other positions at the Co-op and willcontinue their work in the Nob Hill Deli and the RioGrande Front End respectively. But their love forfarming, gardening and people make them a perfect fitas champions and ambassadors for the VeteranFarmer Project. Additionally, there are several newVeterans joining this season and we look forward toserving them with the same spirit of dedication withwhich they served our nation.

A Moment of ThanksEverywhere we go it is touching to hear so many of youthank our participating veterans for their service; as wellwe should! There is another group of veterans in ourmidst, farm and gardening educators, who I would like tothank as well. Every year our winter Veteran FarmerProject class series is a success thanks to these good folks.This year we packed the classroom at the BernalilloCounty Extension Office every Thursday for six weeksfrom late January through early March with people andmuch good information.

To all our farming friends, veterans of arid lands agricul-ture, who shared their expertise during the 2016 classsessions: you have our deepest thanks.

Our Farm SitesThis year all is in place to continue our relationshipwith Rio Grande Community Farm. Last year wehad a good sized garden to the south of the com-munity garden area. We pulled over 1,650 poundsof food out of our ten eighty-foot rows. This yearwe have contracted for four 4'x36' plots. We havecontracted with Tom Kuehn of Bethany OrganicFarm in the South Valley, a Veteran himself, togrow some starts for us in addition to the seedlingswe are all starting in our home greenhouses andsunrooms. We should be working in our plots in

early to mid April on our usual Tuesday and Thursday afternoonsuntil the weather gets too hot, then move to early mornings. Allare welcome, veteran or not, to work our plots. See below to signup for our weekly emails about upcoming activities.

An Additional LocationIn February our core veteran team had the opportunity to attend theNew Mexico Organic Farm Conference. This was an amazing andinspiring event and our VFP members got to attend engaging educa-tional workshops and network with over 900 southwestern farmersof all sorts. One of our new VFP veteran recruits, Monique, alsoattended and connected with long-time farmer Dan Borneo fromCorrales. Monique was jazzed about getting into farming and Danhad a 1/2 acre available. The team went out to look at the site anddecided it is perfect for us and for Monique. This year the team isexcited to help Monique get started, develop some infrastructure onthe site, plant some fruit trees that have been donated to the project,share seeds and seedlings and do all that it takes to get a small farmup and running. Not only is Dan offering a site but his experienceand down to earth good nature make him a great mentor for us all.Thanks to Dan for this opportunity.

This is exactly this sort of teamwork to get veterans set up on theirown farms that is the mission of the Veteran Farmer Project. Andthanks to a richness of community support including but not lim-ited to: New Mexico Department of Agriculture, BernalilloCounty Extension, the Desert Oasis Teaching Garden, MasterGardener Ron Jobe, Tom Kuehn and Bethany Farms and oh somany others in our community, we can do it.

For the past 5 years it has been an honor to be able to serve ourveteran community and inspire them to grow and eat healthy, sus-tainably raised vegetables. We continue to watch this programgrow and look forward to a productive growing season in 2016.Watch for VFP produce at the VA Growers Market beginning inlate June and at some Co-op produce departments.

For more information, to get the weekly happenings and joinus in the fields on work days call 217-2027, sign up for ourweekly email at www.lamontanita.coop/vfp, or contact JRRiegel at j.riegel@lamontanita.coop.

L A M O N TA Ñ I TA’S 26T H A N N U A L

EARTHFESTSUNDAY, APRIL 2410am–6pm on Silver Street between Carlisle and Tulane, behind the Nob Hill Co-op, 3500 Central SE.

BY ROBIN SEYDEL

APRIL 22, 11:30AM–2PM

EARTH DAY CELEBRATIONAND BENEFITALL PROFITS GO TO ADALANTE FOR THEIR SUMMER KIDS FOOD PROGRAM

Enjoy music from The Shiners Club Jazz Band playingold American blues and swing. Bring your dancin’shoes! There will be store samples and a Co-op teammember art show.

DON'T MISS IT! Look for more details posted in thestore as the date approaches.

BBQSANTA FE CO-OPAT THE

VETERAN FARMER PROJECTBOOTS ON THEGROUND

COMETOGETHER

Join your friends and neighbors as we educate our-selves for paradigm shifting action and joyouslydance in the streets at Albuquerque's favoritespring gathering. Mark your calendar for Sunday,April 24; this is one event you don't want to miss!

For more information or to reserve your freebooth space contact Robin at 217-2027 or tollfree at 877-775-2667, robins@lamontanita.coop.

10:00am: Ehecatl Aztec Dancers11:00am: Eileen and the In-Betweens12:00pm: Alma Flamenca1:00pm: Zoltan and the Fortune Tellers2:00pm: Baile Baile Dance Company2:30pm: Adama African Dancers and Drummers3:00pm: Silver Strings Band4:00pm: Cowboys and Indian5:00pm: Blue Hornets

EARTHFESTENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE

2016 EARTHFESTIS DEDICATED IN LOVING

MEMORY TO

MARSHALLKOVITZ

La Montañita Co-op founder, long term Board member, Co-op leader

and good friend to us all.

FOR PEOPLE AND PLANET April 2016 2

La Montañita CooperativeA Community-Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store

Nob Hill 7am – 10pm M – Sa, 8am – 10pm Su3500 Central SE, ABQ, NM 87106505-265-4631

Rio Grande 7am – 10pm M – Su2400 Rio Grande NW, ABQ, NM 87104505-242-8800

Gallup 8am – 8pm M – Sa, 10am – 6pm Su105 E Coal, Gallup, NM 87301505-863-5383

Santa Fe 7am – 10pm M – Su913 West Alameda, Santa Fe, NM 87501505-984-2852

GRABnGO 8am – 6pm M – F, 11am – 4pm SaUNM Bookstore, 2301 Central SW, ABQ, NM 87131505-277-9586

Westside 7am – 9pm M – Su 3601 Old Airport Ave, ABQ, NM 87114505-503-2550

Cooperative Distribution Center9am – 5pm, M – F 901 Menaul NE, ABQ, NM 87107505-217-2010

Support Office9am – 5pm, M – F 901 Menaul NE, ABQ, NM 87107505-217-2001

Support Staff: 217-2001TOLL FREE: 877-775-2667 (COOP)• General Manager/Dennis Hanley 217-2028dennis.hanley@lamontanita.coop • Controller/John Heckes 217-2029johnh@lamontanita.coop• Computers/Info TechnologyDavid Varela 217-2011tech@lamontanita.coop• Special Projects Manager/Mark Lane 259-4396markl@lamontanita.coop• Human Resources/Sharret Rose 217-2023hr@lamontanita.coop• Marketing/Karolyn Cannata-Winge 217-2024kcwinge@lamontanita.coop• Membership/Robin Seydel 217-2027robins@lamontanita.coop• CDC/MichelleFranklin 217-2010mf@lamontanita.coop• Operations Director/Jason Trant 242-8800Jason.Trant@lamontanita.coop

Store Team Leaders: • Bob Veilleux/Nob Hill 265-4631bob.veilleux@lamontanita.coop• John Mullé/Rio Grande 242-8800jm@lamontanita.coop• William Prokopiak/Santa Fe 984-2852willpro@lamontanita.coop• Leaf Ashley/Gallup 575-863-5383leaf.ashley@lamontanita.coop• Joe Phy/Westside 505-503-2550josephp@lamontanita.coop

Co-op Board of Directors:email: bod@lamontanita.coop• President: Ariana Marchello• Secretary: Marshall Kovitz• Lisa Banwarth-Kuhn• James Esqueda• Gregory Gould• Tracy Sprouls• Tammy Parker• Courtney White

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

Co-op Connection Staff:• Managing Editor: Robin Seydelrobins@lamontanita.coop 217-2027• Layout and Design: foxyrock inc• Cover/Centerfold: Co-op Marketing Dept.• Advertising: JR Riegel• Editorial Assistant: JR Riegelj.riegel@lamontanita.coop 217-2016• Printing: Santa Fe New Mexican

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

Membership response to the newsletter is appreciated. Email the Managing Editor, robins@lamontanita.coop

Copyright ©2016La Montañita Co-op SupermarketReprints by prior permission.The Co-op Connection is printed on 65% post-consumer recycledpaper. It is recyclable. CO-OP

YOU OWN IT

The contaminants of concern in the Sandia releaseand some of their health impacts are as follows: • Trichloroethylene (TCE): liver problems,increased risk of cancer;• Tetrachloroethylene (PCE), liver problems,increased risk of cancer;• Nitrate: blue baby syndrome in infants.

The Water Groups are pushing for remediation ofthe over a billion gallons of contaminated wastewater that have leaked from the Tijeras Arroyo Area

of Concern at Sandia Labs into Albuquerque's aquifer. Since the amountof contaminants continues to increase, the Water Groups will also be ask-ing for corrective action concerning the source of the contaminants.

We need more voices, including your voice, to pressure Sandia NationalLabs, the New Mexico Environment Department and our governmentofficials to clean up our aquifer before the contamination reaches sourcewater wells that we use for drinking, bathing and irrigation.

This event is sponsored by the Water Groups, an alliance of non-profitsand individuals who are concerned about the quality and safety of ourdrinking water and aquifer. The Water Groups include: the AlbuquerqueCenter for Peace and Justice, Citizen Action, Citizens for Alternatives toRadioactive Dumping, Partnership for Earth Spirituality, and SouthwestResearch and Information Center. For more information call 505-242-5511, or contactus@cardnm.org.

APRIL 27, 6:30-8:30PMBY JANET GREENWALD, THE WATER GROUPS COORDINATOR

You may have heard about the Kirk-land Air Force Base spill in which asmuch as 24 million gallons of contami-

nants leaked into our aquifer. Now is your oppor-tunity to learn about the Sandia Labs spill ofmore than a billion gallons of contaminated waste waterinto our aquifer.

Meet with Sandia National Labs and the New MexicoEnvironment Department Wednesday, April 27, 6:30pm–8:30pm at the Los Griegos Health and Social Service Center,1231 Candelaria NW. Refreshments Provided. Becomeinformed and make your voice heard!

This meeting will include a report from the New MexicoEnvironment Department including progress, current statusand future plans with regard to soil vapor monitoring andgroundwater sampling at three of Sandia Labs' contaminat-ing sites, including the Tijeras Arroyo Area of Concern.There will be a time at the meeting for you to ask questionsand to speak up about this destruction of our most preciousresource, clean water.

REGIONAL FOODS ngaging andtasty way to enliven history and teach us to

STANDAGAINST THE RUSH TO RE-OPEN

UNSAFE WIPPare an e

ACTIONALERTBY DON HANCOCK, SOUTHWEST RESEARCH AND INFORMATION CENTER

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announcedthat it intends to re-open the Waste Isolation PilotPlant (WIPP) in December 2016. The nation’s only deep

geologic repository, located 26 miles east of Carlsbad, has beenshut down since February 2014 because of two events—anunderground fire and a radiation release.

DOE is in a rush to re-open WIPP even though the facility can-not meet the previous operational and safety standards, letalone more stringent requirements that are necessary to preventfuture accidents. The transuranic (plutonium-contaminated)waste from manufacturing nuclear bombs can be in safe storageat generator sites, so there’s no emergency requiring the rush tore-open.

DOE is rushing to re-open WIPP and also wants to expandWIPP to other missions that are prohibited by law. Currently,DOE has environmental impact statements that say that WIPPcan be used for Greater-Than-Class C waste from dozens ofcommercial power plants; high-level waste from Hanford, WA;commercial waste from West Valley, NY; and surplus weapons-grade plutonium from the Savannah River Site, SC.

DOE also is proceeding with finding a “volunteer” site for thenation’s high-level defense waste, and some officials in south-eastern New Mexico say that WIPP should be that repository!

The large majority of New Mexicans have opposed high-leveland commercial waste at WIPP for the past 45 years. Thatopposition is why federal laws and State-DOE agreements pro-hibit such wastes. Senators Udall and Heinrich have said thatthey oppose expanding WIPP, so they should take action to pre-vent re-opening an unsafe WIPP and obtain additional safe-guards against the proposed expansions.

Since WIPP opened in March 1999, the ventilation system couldoperate at 425,000 cubic feet per minute (cfm). Because of theradiation release, air has to be filtered so that radioactivity is notvented into the environment. The filtration system capacity is60,000 cfm. DOE planned to have an interim ventilation systemoperating by March 2015 to increase filtered air to 114,000

WATER ACTION ALERTSPEAK FOR REMEDIATION OF OUR AQUIFER!

cfm. Because of contractor incompetence, the interim system isstill not operational. Additionally, a supplemental ventilation sys-tem that would add 66,000 cfm of unfiltered air into uncontami-nated areas of the underground mine was to be operating byDecember 2015. It is now delayed until at least January 2017.

DOE’s Recovery Plan states that once both interim and supple-mental ventilation is installed, WIPP could re-open for “limitedwaste emplacement operations.” Now that the additional ven-tilation is so behind schedule, DOE wants to re-open withoutthe supplemental ventilation.

The Recovery Plan also states to return to the previous ventilationrate requires a new permanent ventilation system with an addi-tional exhaust shaft that goes from the surface to 2,150 feetunderground and new underground tunnels. That permanent sys-tem is not designed and its cost is unknown. Current estimates arethat it would not be operational until 2021.

DOE says that a chemical reaction in one drum caused the radiationrelease. There are at least 675 similar containers, all of which are inviolation of the state permit. Without changing procedures, there isno assurance that similar containers will not come in the future.

The chemical reaction that caused the radiation release was neversupposed to happen. But DOE has released no technical reportsthat show what the impacts on workers of a similar chemical reac-tion with workers present would be.

Numerous citizen watchdog groups oppose re-opening unsafeWIPP. The groups also believe that Senators Udall and Heinrichcan help prevent the expansion proposals, including any defensehigh-level waste.

WHAT YOU CAN DOCONTACT SENATORS UDALL AND HEINRICH AND URGETHEM TO:• TELL DOE to improve the ventilation and other safety require-ments before WIPP re-opens• INSIST that DOE drop the expansion proposals• REQUIRE DOE to affirm that WIPP will not be considered forthe defense high-level waste repository• OBTAIN additional congressional assurances that the WIPP lawis not going to be changed to allow the proposed expansions.

RESOURCESDOE WIPP Recovery website: www.wipp.energy.gov/Special/Senator Tom Udall website: www.tomudall.senate.gov/Senator Martin Heinrich website: www.heinrich.senate.gov/SRIC nuclear waste homepage: www.sric.org/nuclear/index.phpNuclear Watch New Mexico: www.nukewatch.org/Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety: http://nuclearactive.org/

BY SUSAN GEORGE

The Wild Friends Program is an award-winning,unique public service program serving students in grades 4–12 in communities throughout New

Mexico. The program provides hands-on civics educationintegrated with wildlife science to teach students about thedemocratic process, good citizenship skills and wildlifeconservation through involvement with the New MexicoState Legislature.

Each year, the students vote on a wildlife topic of concern,research the issues surrounding the winning topic, learnabout the democratic process, and help write legislation toaddress the issues of concern. The students then travel toSanta Fe during the legislative session to speak with legis-lators about their bill or memorial, testify at committeehearings, and provide expert witness testimony duringfloor votes. In addition to the field trips, students write let-ters, create visual displays and respond to legislativeinquiries throughout the session.

Since 1991, the Wild Friends students have written 22memorials and bills requesting state action on issues thataffect wildlife, with a success rate of over 70%. For exam-ple, in the recent legislative session, the students helped tosuccessfully pass a memorial to protect declining bee pop-ulations (SM 103). The program, a public service projectof the UNM School of Law, has served over 12,000 stu-dents primarily in low-income areas throughout NewMexico, from Farmington to Silver City, Lovington, JemezSprings, Rio Rancho, Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

The Wild Friends Program was designed to address a lackin civics education opportunities, using wildlife conserva-tion as the topic of engagement. Young people naturallyconnect with wildlife, and this natural connection leads togenuine interest in doing something to help wildlife. A 7thgrade student from Rio Rancho said that “Wild Friendshelped interest me in making laws and protectingwildlife…I might have a career in this.”

The lack of civics education opportunities in our schoolsand among our citizens has been well-documented. Arecent national assessment found that only one-third ofAmericans could name all three branches of government;less than one-third of eighth graders in this country could

identify the historical purpose ofthe Declaration of Independence(Guardians of Democracy: TheCivic Mission of Schools, 2011).

The Wild Friends Program offersstudents and their teachers apowerful opportunity to work on projects that make a difference inthe natural world while becoming active citizens in our state. Theprogram teaches students at a young age to see themselves as havinga voice in our democratic process. An 8th grade student from JemezSprings said that “Wild Friends helped me to better understand theprocess by actually having me experience something rather than justreading a textbook.” A 4th grade student from Albuquerque said,“to be honest, it was a little frightening, but it felt good and I feltproud to have the opportunity to stand up for animals.”

Teachers in the program consistently report that participation inWild Friends helps students improve academically, motivates stu-dents to read, write and speak on topics they are passionate about,builds self-confidence, helps develop leadership skills, and helpsstudents become life-long advocates for the environment and thewildlife that inhabit it. As one teacher commented, “Wild Friendsis an amazing program that allows students to interact and engagein the process of their own government, while helping wildlife atthe same time…The program provides experiences critical to edu-cation that schools can no longer provide.”

Demand for the program increases each year, yet funding cuts ofover 40% have reduced the number of schools and students beingserved, as well as the services offered. The need for the program iscritical in this world of crowded classrooms, high dropout rates, anddeclining morale amongst teachers and students. As a 7th grade stu-dent recently said, “Now I know that nothing is impossible.”

For more information, contact Susan George, Director at sgeorge2@unm.edu, 277-5089, go to www.wildfriends.unm,or find us on Facebook at Wild Friends New Mexico.

April 2016 3

CCOO--OOPPPPRROOGGRRAAMM

DONATEyour BAG CCRREEDDIITT!

THIS MONTH YOUR DONATE-A-DIMEDONATIONS GO TO:In April Your Donate-A-Dime donations will go toWild Friends: Combining environmental action andcivics education for New Mexico's youth.

In February your bag credit donations totaling$2,614.22 went to Los Alamos Study Group.

WESTSIDE3601 Old Airport Ave. NW

505-503-2550

Alameda Blvd.

Old Airport Ave.

Coors

Blv

d.

Old

Airport

Ave

.CO

-OP

YOUR DIMESADD UP!

FOR PEOPLE AND PLANET

APRIL’S DONATE-A-DIME ORGANIZATION:

YOUTH EDUCATION AND ACTION WILD FRIENDS

Co-op ValuesCooperatives are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility,democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. In the tradition of theirfounders, cooperative members believe in the ethical values of hon-esty, 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 Montañita Co-op Supermarketto provide information on La Montañita Co-op Supermarket, the coop-erative movement, and the links between food, health, environment andcommunity issues. Opinions expressed herein are of the authors andare not necessarily those of the Co-op.

BY SUSAN REED, LA ORILLA FARM

It promises to be a glorious Spring in New Mexico. Ofcourse, there will be some minor glitches—some cold, somerain, some wind. But most gardeners we know are itching

to get their hands in the dirt. Many assuage their garden yearn-ings by starting seedlings that will be planted out when it's con-sistently warm enough. Is that you?

If you are getting close to giving in to that urge to startseedlings, here is a request: Would you please start a few extrasof anything—lettuce, spinach, herbs, tomatoes, peppers, or anyother edible—for inclusion in the Roadrunner Food Bank con-tainer gardens? Many of you have done that in the past two

years. Bless your hearts!

For newcomers, a bit of explana-tion: La Orilla Farm in the SouthValley, with help from Soilutions,Dunkin' Donuts (containers), theSouth Valley Academy kids, andlots of other gardeners createsmall container gardens. Theseare given to people who come to

SHARING SEEDLINGSCONTAINER GARDENS FOR ROADRUNNER FOOD BANK

the Roadrunner Food Bank Mobile Pantry sites to get sup-plementary food. The containers provide people with real,fresh food to eat, and the satisfaction (you gardeners knowthis!) of tending a garden.

If you do start some extra seedlings, we at La Orilla Farmwould be delighted to take them when they are big enoughto transplant. Or, you could drop them off at theRoadrunner Food Bank's office, 5840 Office Blvd. NE.That's over by the Journal Center off of Jefferson. They willeven pick up donations if you call Jason Riggs, 307-6855.

If your extra seedlings are for larger plants or ones that liketo sprawl, like cucumbers or melons, we'd still like to takethem. These big guys would go to community or schoolgardens in the Albuquerque area.

Thank you ahead of time for any goodness you can share.You've read or heard the grim statistics regarding hunger inNew Mexico. It is through the kindness of friends andstrangers (angels?) that we work toward eliminating foodinsecurity in our community. For more information emailme Susan Reed at: skreed47@gmail.com.

BRINGINGWILDLIFE

SCIENCE AND

CIVICSTOGETHER

April 2016 4

by solar panels and battery systems must be convertedinto alternating current (AC) electricity. Inverterstransform the DC electricity produced by the PV mod-ules or from the batteries. Most Inverters condition thequality of the current to minimize stress on appliancemotors and compressors. This is often of higher quali-ty than the utility company can provide from hundredsof miles away.

Net Metered inverters synchronize the electricity theyproduce with the grid’s AC electricity, allowing the sys-tem to feed any unused solar-produced electricity tothe utility grid. This feed will be metered, allowing thehomeowner to receive credit or payment from the util-ity for electricity generated.

Getting AutonomyIn an autonomous or off-grid system, or a net meteredsystem with batteries, a charge controller distributesthe power between the batteries and the load (house-hold use). Most modern charge controllers incorporatemaximum power point tracking (MPPT), to optimizethe use of the solar panel's output. To maximize bat-tery life, the controller avoids overcharging or under-charging the batteries. Some charge controllers alsoinclude a low-voltage disconnect for the DC loads tohelp prevent over-discharging, which can permanentlydamage the battery bank.

A battery system will store the produced power forlater use. We have discussed previously the types ofbatteries typically used, and the merits and disadvan-tages of each type. The total capacity of the batteries is

ONE WORLD CO-OPBY TOM KUHN

In previous articles from One World Co-op, we have looked atreducing energy consumption, how to minimize fossil/nuclearfuels in your personal energy inventory, and how safe, reliable

batteries can provide autonomy from public utilities giving the home-owner sovereignty over their everyday electrical consumption. Herewe will look at what components make a solar energy system.

But first a word from our sponsor.You do not need a permit from La Montañita to grow backyard veg-etables. Why involve a public utility in your backyard energy pro-duction?

One World Co-op cautions homeowners entering into net meteredagreements. Public utilities require an onerous permitting process fora home solar installation. More importantly, utilities and the regula-tory agencies which oversee them across the nation are reneging ontheir original agreements. This results in these systems not providingthe benefits homeowners expected. The cost of systems are difficultto compare as most companies will not price, or even sell, individualcomponents. Additionally, net metered inverters are required to shutthe system down when the grid shuts down.

Here is a brief explanation of the workings of a solar energy system.The load is the usage from the home, distributed throughout thehouse by way of circuits through a circuit breaker panel. The powerfrom your solar array is connected directly to the breakers providingpower to your home, in the same way the grid powers the home.

Most homes do not run on direct current (DC) electricity, which thebattery and solar panels supply. This means the electricity produced

dependent on a given households use. With modestconservation/consumption, a 10KWh storage systemcould reduce a home’s grid use to near zero.

The most basic component of solar panels are solarcells. Typical Solar cells produce about 4 watts DC.When light strikes the cell, electrons move from neg-ative to positive poles. A typical solar panel contains60 cells, and produces 250-260 watts. When a panelcollects a full day of direct sunlight, they will produceapproximately 1200 watt-hours (1.2KWH) per day.

Become a member of the One World Solar Co-op andget great deals on solar components and memberprices on all workshops and educational events. OneWorld Co-op currently offers for cash and carry pur-chase or layaway the highest quality Glass/Glass solarpanels (30 year warranty) maintenance-free batteries,and other components. For more information gotowww.oneworld.coop.

The next One World Co-op Solar workshop willbe held on April 16, 11am–1pm or see us at theCo-op's EarthFest celebration. One World Co-op islocated at McCune Solar Works, 3500 Access RoadC, Albuquerque, NM, 87106 505-242-2384 or emailus at tom.kabq@gmail.com.

POWERING THE FUTURE

SOLAR SOVEREIGNTY:C O M P O N E N T S C O M E T O G E T H E R

Commend the BLM for covering existing oil and gasinfrastructure under these new standards, which is a critical component of comprehensive action toreduce methane pollution. As the administrationfinalizes these rules, urge it to ensure adequate en-forcement measures are included, and to eliminateexceptions and loopholes that could allow the indus-try to skirt these rules. Limits on flaring should alsobe strengthened, and all should encourage BLM toincrease the frequency of required leak detection andrepair inspections.

Please take a moment to support the Sierra Clubefforts to reduce fracking's methane productionwhile we work on growing our renewable ener-gy sector.

Go to www.sierra.force.com/actions to sign theirpetition or call President Obama directly at 202-456-1111 or 202-456-1414. Email him at www.whitehouse.gov/contact/write-or-call

BY LENA MOFFITT, SIERRA CLUB

The oil and gas industry is profiting from digging up andfracking our public lands. To add insult to injury, the industryis dumping huge amounts of climate-harming methane emis-

sions into our atmosphere, either by letting it pour out freely or byburning it (commonly referred to as "flaring") at drilling sites on ourpublic lands. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has proposedimportant new standards to crack down on this harmful gas flaringand venting.

Regulating methane is a key part of the president's Climate ActionPlan, because Methane from the oil and gas industry is the fastest-

growing source of greenhouse gases in the country,and it's projected to grow by a whopping 25 percentby 2025 unless action is taken to stop it.

One important part of this solution is to establishstrong standards to limit harmful emissions comingfrom oil and gas infrastructure already operating onour public lands today. This is what the BLM is seek-ing to do with this proposed set of rules to rein inmethane pollution from gas venting and flaring onour public lands.

It is important to support the BLM's proposed ruleswhich are a big step in the right direction; howeverregulating methane is not enough to make frackingsafe for our climate or communities. Ultimately, themost effective way to solve the climate crisis and toprotect our communities is to keep all fossil fuels inthe ground.

Recently climate change has become recog-nized as a growing threat to the people ofthe United States of America. The Environ-

mental Protection Agency (EPA) has said “Climatechange is one of the greatest environmental andpublic health challenges we face.” To combat cli-mate change the EPA has put forth the Clean PowerPlan. This plan addresses climate change by requir-ing each state to reduce their greenhouse gas emis-sions by a certain amount by the year 2030. Sincethis is a problem we all face, the EPA has encour-

aged the public to give theirfeedback on both the federalplan and the state plan. Thefederal plan was created withpublic input and now it is ourturn to let the state govern-ment know what we want inour NM state plan.

The New Mexico Environment Department(NMED) is writing the NM Clean Power Plan. Weneed to let them know that we have a great oppor-tunity to lead the country in renewable energy. NewMexico is one of the sunniest states in the country,so it makes sense for us to get our energy from thesun. New Mexico could also take advantage of other

P U T T I N G RENEWABLE ENERGYrenewable energies such as wind and geothermal. Thecurrent problem is that the EPA’s federal Clean PowerPlan does not require states to have renewable energy intheir plans, but they encourage it. This is why we allneed to let the NMED know that renewable energymust be a major part of NM Clean Power Plan.

You will have a great opportunity to sign the petition atour table during EarthFest on Sunday, April 24. TheNew Mexico Environmental Department also encour-ages the public to contact them directly to give feedback.Getting renewable energy does not just mean that we will

have clean energy while keeping fossil fuels in the ground, but it alsomeans that we are taking responsibility to have a healthier andcleaner environment for all the people in the world. So let’s all worktogether to make renewable energy a part of New Mexico’s future!

Look for the UNM Clean Power Plan table at EarthFest, signour petition and get involved in using and promoting cleanenergy. For more information email slama.cody@gmail.com.

YOUR VOICE IS NEEDED! CRACK DOWN ON FRACKING:NEW BLM STANDARDS WOULD OFFERPROTECTION

A C T I O NA L E R T

You do not need a permit from La Montañita to grow backyard vegetables.Why involve a public utility in yourBACKYARD ENERGY

PRODUCTION?

IN NEW MEXICO’SPOWER PLAN

OUR PLANET, OUR HOME April 2016 5

staff, and from there you can determine what positive impact thefarmer might be making.

Nolina’s Heavenly Organics is a terrific case showing all the envi-ronmental good a responsibly run business can do. Nolina plantsherbs and flowers to provide food for pollinators from the start ofspring through the end of fall, and she maintains natural habitat toincrease the biodiversity of the area instead of simply growing moreproduce for profit. When honeybees come out before flowers startblooming, she’ll even put honey out to help them survive intowarmer weather. These practices go well above and beyond what’snecessary to run an organic farm, and the resulting positive exter-nalities are a boon to neighbors, the surrounding ecosystem, andthe overall environmental health of New Mexico.

It’s near impossible to vet everything you buy so thoroughly, butfortunately there are already some regulated product labels tohelp out. The Certified Organic label indicates products with dra-matically reduced negative environmental externalities comparedto their conventional counterparts, the Fair Trade Certified labelindicates reduced labor-related negative externalities, and theNon-GMO Verified label indicates a bit of both.

A Just and Sustainable FutureBecause more true costs are accounted for to acquire these labels,these options do cost more, and that plays a big role in purchas-ing decisions. This actually illustrates the whole issue—just ascompanies can benefit from dodging costs in their production, sotoo can we save on our bills by going for less expensive options.It’s tempting, and from that perspective it’s easy to see why nega-tive externalities are taken advantage of. However, if we’re tohave a just, sustainable economy for the future, these patterns ofexternality exploitation need to be broken. Even if producerswon’t break them, we as consumers still can. Thank you to all ofyou already working to break these patterns and heal our econo-my and environment.

BY JR RIEGEL

A s I write this, the average price for a gallonof gas in the US sits at $1.81. This is near thelowest it’s been in ten years ($1.59 at the height

of the 2008 recession), and it’s fallen far from the heightsit reached just before the 2008 crash ($4.10). It’s hard toimagine gas being that cheap when considering every-thing that goes into producing it and the results of burn-ing it. When you fully account for its production andconsumption, it actually ends up costing much morethan $1.81, and that’s problematic.

Accounting as if the Planet MatteredSince it’s so cheap at the pump, we end up using a lotmore than we would if its true cost was reflected in itsprice. The difference between price and true cost still hasto be paid by someone, even if that someone neveragreed to it. This is called negative externality—a nega-tive economic impact that’s not accounted for in costcalculations but that still must be borne somehow.

These costs are borne by a great variety of parties: resi-dents around extraction areas, governments paying forenvironmental cleanup, individuals experiencing healthproblems stemming from air pollution, and more.Businesses are able to get away with externalizing costs(often doing so intentionally) in large part because it’s sodifficult to quantify. Analyses of externalities vary enor-mously, but they all agree that the true cost of gas is dra-matically higher than we pay. A 2015 analysis by Dr.Drew Shindell of Duke University estimated a true costof $6.25 per gallon, though he focused on healthimpacts and did not incorporate ecosystem damage.Other estimates differ greatly from that figure, someeven exceeding $15 per gallon.

EXTERNALITIESTRUE ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC

COSTSAnd Then There's PackagingNegative externalities like this crop up everywhereonce you start looking for them. Sometimes they’revery difficult to discover and quantify, but other timesthey’re impossible to miss. The Great Pacific GarbagePatch has been in the public eye more and more recent-ly as it continues to grow, and some of its bulk can cer-tainly be attributed to negative externalities of thepackaging industry. Recycling and waste managementpractices deserve partial blame for the garbage patch ofcourse, but plastic only became a waste managementissue because of its excessive use.

Using petrochemical plastics for clamshell packaging,microbeads and the like allows the producer to dodgethe cost of environmental damage and cleanup thatthey would be taking responsibility for if they’d used acompostable plastic or natural micro-abrasive alterna-tive. The same can be said for all the little plastic clips,ties, and tapes that all too often end up in a trash canwhen a new something-or-other is purchased—it’scheaper for the producer to include those than it is topay for better, more efficient packaging design thatdoesn’t require them. Unfortunately that ends up cost-ing the rest of us even more, not to mention the oceanwildlife that dies as a result.

Taking Positive ActionThis pattern of profiting from negative externalitiesand intentionally externalizing other costs can be seenall over, but fortunately it’s not hard to take stepsagainst it. Choosing products that are sold for theirtrue cost, or better yet, products that actually have anet positive externality, helps responsible producerssucceed and puts pressure on those less responsiblecompanies and industries to start changing. Positiveexternalities are similarly tough to identify and quanti-fy, so knowing as much as you can about the produceris key. Locally grown produce is a great example; learnabout farmer practices either by talking to the farmerdirectly or by asking our expert Distribution Center

CO-OP NEWS April 2016 6

By 2015, the co-op had only one fully functional checkoutlane, was low on cash, and needed exterior maintenance—the parking lot in particular. Through a grant from LEAF,NOFC received excellent assistance from the renownedfood co-op consultants at CDS Consulting. CDS workedwith the co-op and LEAF to craft and implement a plan toturn the store around.

At LEAF we knew a loan to NOFC would go a long way,but we also believed that leveraging the support of mem-ber-owners could multiply the impact of the loan and theoverall benefit to the co-op. We worked with NOFC andCDS to rally the co-op’s membership base and to structurea deal where LEAF would match the members’ loans tothe co-op dollar for dollar. “LEAF provided a very com-pelling story for owners to invest in the co-op, so we cando more great work in our community,” recalls Burge.The members responded with enthusiasm and urgency,investing a combined $70,000 in the co-op; matched with$70,000 from LEAF, NOFC had quickly amassed$140,000 to support its business. The effort additionallyinspired 200 generous members to contribute $7,000 inequity and donations.

Co-op to Co-op SupportLEAF and NOFC are currently engaged in still bigger plans.As a second round of financing begins—this time for exteri-or signage and interior improvements like shelving andminor remodeling—LEAF is matching its loan with a secondinterested group. This time, NOFC seeks support from fel-low food cooperatives to provide collateral for LEAF’s loan.Food co-ops will invest in LEAF, and LEAF will in turninvest 140% of that amount in NOFC. These pledgedinvestments from food co-ops are not only a significant ges-ture of financial support, but also a wonderful expression ofcooperative principle number six: cooperation among coop-eratives. The food co-ops that have already invested are

Though the New Orleans Food Co-op (NOFC) opened its doors inlate 2011, its journey began at the turn of the century. For NOFC,the idea started as a buying club: consumers pooling their purchas-

ing power to access high quality food at lower prices. Plans for opening astore in 2005 were well underway when Hurricane Katrina hit.

The devastating hurricane only added to the community’s need for a goodgrocery store, as the entire city of New Orleans became a food desert. Manygrocery stores in the area closed, and many of the co-op members relocated.Despite these added challenges, the co-op persevered and, in 2011, finallyachieved its dream of opening a physical store. “We were in an area that washeavily hit by Hurricane Katrina,” says NOFC’s General Manager, LoriBurge. “We’ve been a big part of the rebuilding efforts.” They currentlyoperate in Orleans Parish, providing essential access to healthy food in a dis-advantaged area. Orleans Parish is a designated Persistent Poverty County(PPC), a term created by the USDA for counties with poverty rates consis-tently over 20% for at least 30 years. In PPCs, the need for healthy, afford-able food is extremely high, yet many traditional grocery stores and othercommercial businesses choose not to expand to these areas.

Despite a successful opening, NOFC faced startup challenges. It beganundercapitalized and struggled to finance the co-op’s needed improvements.

proof that this is truly a unified movement and thatthe co-op community will work tirelessly andunselfishly to build successful food cooperativesthroughout the country.

Success stories like this highlights the importanceof Community Development Financial Institutions(CDFIs) like LEAF. CDFIs are mission-orientedlenders designed to help disadvantaged communi-ties, which often translates to less stringent require-ments than the personal guarantees or high collat-eral required at banks. Nonprofit CDFIs seek tomaximize social impact per dollar while maintain-ing appropriate investment standards.

The case of NOFC illustrates how co-ops canreceive the help they need through the close-knitnetwork of good people and impactful organiza-tions that contribute to cooperative thinkingaround the country.

To read the full interview with NOFC’s GeneralManager, Lori Burge go to:www.leaffund.org/new-orleans-food-co-op-loan-match.

BY GREGORY GOULD

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

It was with pleasure that Ilearned that Blunt Bros, thedrive-through coffee shop on Cen-

tral and Washington where I'd beenenjoying my daily cup of strong cof-fee, had received start-up capital fromLa Montañita Fund for its coffee beanroaster. This is an example of the localdollar multiplier when we invest andsupport local businesses.

One of La Montañita Co-op's ends, or goals, is growingregenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture typical-ly involves regional small-scale farms whose produce andproducts tends to be visible only at Farmer's Markets orin the coolers at Co-op stores. This would include organ-ic, pesticide- and herbicide-free produce and products.

Large food buying institutions like the AlbuquerquePublic Schools require more volume of produce than a sin-gle small farmer can deliver. The Cooperative DistributionCenter can aggregate crops from small farms, refrigeratethem and sell them to bigger customers.

The Co-op's Southwest Development Services (SDS) pro-vides a wide array of assistance to bolster our regionalfarmers success with financial strategies, food safety edu-cation, marketing, branding, business development, facil-ities management and capital access through the LaMontañita Fund.

The SDS has been able to leverage its support serviceswith grants from the McCune Foundation for $30,000.The Co-op Distribution Center a grant from USDA RuralDevelopment for $75,000 with a matching grant from theThornburg Foundation for $75,000 specifically to expandand enhance the work in value chain development to buildthe local/regional agriculture and consumer food systems.

One example of the kind of market expansion that LaMontañita offers to existing and new producers are thesales in 2015 of over 60,000 pounds of Rancho Duraznopeaches.

CO-OP COMMUNITYPOSITIVEPOSITIVE IMPIMPACTSACTS ININ OUROUR

Another example of successful partnering with local agri-cultural agencies is the sponsorship of the annualOrganic Farming Conference, which brings together theagricultural community for presentations on best prac-tices and innovations in all aspects of healthy food pro-duction including soil management, pest control andhow to get started as a novice farmer.

In addition to the work with agricultural producers, LaMontañita also uses sound environmental practices in-house. The larger stores provide recycle bins and LaMontañita donated over 22,000 pounds of food in 2015to homeless meal sites. What couldn't be used as foodwas offered to the community to feed chickens and forcomposting.

In the past few months, biodegradable ink and paperwere introduced at the cashier stands for receipts atall the stores.

• interact with the community and learn aboutsustainability • enjoy growers' market booths, food trucks• educational events• demonstrations• music• bicycle auction and clothing swap• zero waste training

FIND OUT at the University of New Mexico'sSustainability Expo organized by UNM Sustain-ability Studies Program students. For more infor-mation about the sustainable food and agricultureinitiative check out the class blog:www.abqstew.com or email Pamela Toni Quintanaat pquintana19@unm.edu.

April 21, 10:30am-2:30pm at Cornell Mall, eastof the Student Union Building at UNM

WHAT ISSUSTAINABILITY?

UNM SUSTAINABILITY

EXPO

RALLYING AROUND THE NEW ORLEANS FOOD CO-OP

COOPERATION AMONG COOPERATIVESPRINCIPLE 6BY BEN SELDEN, LOCAL ENTERPRISE ASSISTANCE FUND (LEAF)

early—waking up at 2am for their first milking and thenonce more just around lunch time. Then it’s time to walkaround grazing on organic alfalfa and socializing withtheir friends.

With just 10 employees, Rasband Dairy focuses on pro-ducing the finest milk with attention to cow health andhappiness. The farm has always been a family affair, dat-ing back to 1952 with Scott Rasband’s father who startedit all. Scott Rasband currently runs the farm with his wife,son and daughter by his side, but soon Rasband Dairywill be a third generation farm as Scott will be handingdown the family business to his son.

La Montañita Co-op is a proud supporter of RasbandDairy as it represents the local and organic businessmodel that is so important to our organization and to ourfaithful customers. The next time you’re buying milk,look to one of our favorite local vendors, Rasband Dairy.

La Montañita Co-op Food Market believes in support-ing our local community in a variety of ways, butproviding fresh and local foods and supporting local

farmers, ranchers and producers to get more of their prod-ucts to market are how we impact the community the most.

Rasband Dairy is one of our longest-standing local ven-dors. You’ll find 500 cows at Rasband Dairy farm, locatedjust 30 miles south of Albuquerque in Belen. What we loveabout Rasband Dairy is the care and attention each cowreceives. No hormones are used and these cows only eatthe best local and organic alfalfa that is grown on over 800acres right here in Albuquerque by the Rasbands.

Owning and operating a natural dairy farm has alwaysbeen their mindset, so the introduction of hormones toproduce more milk has never been considered by theRasband family. Currently 1,000 gallons of milk are pro-duced each day—it takes five hours to milk all 500 cows.So what’s a day like in the life of Rasband cows? It starts

RASBAND DAIRY LONGEST-STANDING LOCAL VENDORBY LEA MAE QUALE

A P R I L

21

GROWING RELATIONSHIPSTO POSITIVELY IMPACT THEFUTURE

INTEGRITYBY ROBIN SEYDEL

Since the early to mid 1990's La Mon-tañita Co-op has done its best to educateconsumers on healthy nutritional eating.

In the past few years providing access to healthyfood choices to a broad spectrum of consumers hasbecome of increasing importance, especially giveneconomic conditions here in New Mexico. To thatend, many of you have noticed and given positivefeedback on the reduction in prices of our organicand local produce and the great deals on organicField Day grocery items and local meat products.

Although our commitment to providing the verybest organic produce at affordable prices remains

a top priority, in early March the Co-opbegan experimenting with bringing in someconventional produce to provide accessibleprice points to support healthy eatingamong people with lower incomes. In orderto do this and retain our commitment tofood that is as clean as possible we turnedto Environmental Working Group (EWG) and their Clean15 and Dirty Dozen lists.

Environmental Working GroupOver 20 years ago the non-profit, non-partisan EWGformed with a mission of scientific research and education ina variety of areas including: toxics, consumer products,farming, food, water, energy and more. They use thisresearch to forward wise consumer choice and civic action.By 2014 when it was clear that the US EPA would not warn

consumers about the risks of pesticide EWG pub-lished its Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.

The Shoppers Guide guide ranks 48 popular fruitsand vegetables based on an analysis of 32,000 sam-ples tested by US Department of Agriculture andthe federal Food and Drug Administration. In theirreport, 65 percent of the samples analyzed testedpositive for pesticide residues.

Consumers can download the complete report.The two most utilized lists are the Dirty Dozen, those items withthe highest and most toxic concentrations of pesticide residuesand the Clean 15 list, those items with the least amount of pes-ticide residues.

To download these lists go to www.ewg.org. La Montañitais now carrying a few produce items off the Clean 15 list toprovide price point options to expand access to the Co-opfor people at all income levels.

IN OUR FIRST 12 WEEKS TOGETHER, WE:1. Expanded communication channels throughoutthe Co-op to facilitate staff, board and owner inputand knowledge2. In week 1 and 2, completed price checks and dis-covered non-competitive pricing in produce, dairyand grocery.3. Recognized we did not have a full assortment ofproducts at prices to fit every budget in all depart-ments, especially in produce and meat4. Began doing organization-wide purchasing to getbetter pricing on organic produce to reduce prices forshoppers. From these purchasing experiments welearned that quality, affordable produce is one of themost important areas for our shoppers. Started incor-porating the Clean 15 in our stores.5. Recognized the incredible opportunities inherentin La Montañita's position in the local food system,as well as the New Mexico and regional communi-ties. Developed stronger relationships with theNational Cooperative Grocers association.6. Began developing and deepening La Montañitateam relationships, finding great heart and enthusi-asm in the La Montañita team and a culture thatembraces positive change.7. Filled La Montañita Operations Director and NobHill Store Team Leader positions8. Reduced Support Office staff without layoffs tomake a leaner, lower cost management team9. Created merchandising departments to providebetter pricing in all department and more samplingevents10. Began a process to strengthen our communityadvocacy and development work

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

united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs andaspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise.

AprilCalendarof Events4/19 Community Education Series,

Food and Technology Immanuel Church, 5:30pm

4/19 BOD Meeting, Immanuel Church, 6:30pm

4/22 Santa Fe Co-op BBQ and Benefit11:30am, see page 1

4/24 EARTHFEST at the Nob Hill Co-op!

4/25 Member Engagement Meeting Co-op Support Office, 5:30pm

ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING GROUP:THE CLEAN FIFTEEN INCREASING FOOD ACCESS WITH

NEXT STEPS:• Increase assortment in all departments, especially produce and meat, andreaffirm our position as an organic and local/regional produce leader.• Improve operational efficiency in store operations with focus on excep-tional customer service, lower shrink, stronger purchasing practices, tight-ening expenses, and increasing operating income to support our commu-nity work.• Strengthen and expand our community advocacy and development ini-tiatives to greatly increase our impact in improving the quality of life in thecommunities we serve. Partner with our Board of Directors to furtherdevelop our educational programs.

Given all that we want to do, it is really important that we also take time tocelebrate all that we have accomplished, especially during our 40th year ofoperation. We hope you will come celebrate with us our 40 years of com-munity service and help us chart a course for another 40 years of a thrivingcommunity Co-op. As always my door is open and I look forward to hear-ing from you. dennis.hanley@lamontanita.coop/217-2028.

CENTRAL NEW MEXICOLos Poblanos Inn & Organic FarmAddress: 4803 Rio Grande Blve. NW, Los Ranchos, NMPhone: 505-344-9297Website: www.losPoblanos.comWhen Started: Designed in 1932 by John GawMeemSpecialties: Rio Grande Valley cuisineWhat we buy from the CDC: Local flour fromValencia and Sangre de Cristo, local beans fromEstancia, Tucumcari Cheese items and Kyzer Porkproducts. Regionally sourced beef from FrontiereNatural Meats and Organic Valley Dairy products.

They say: Our mission is to preserve the historicLos Poblanos Ranch by cultivating a dynamic busi-ness dedicated to sustainable agriculture, hospi-tality, historic preservation, and community.

NORTHERN NEW MEXICOFire & HopsAddress: 222 N. Guadalupe, Santa Fe, NMPhone: 505-954-1635Website: www.fireandhopsgastropub.comWhen Started: August 4, 2014Specialities: Brussels sprouts, poutine, rotatingfish specials, house made ice cream.What we buy from the CDC: Kyzer farms pork,sweet grass beef, Mary's organic chicken, flour,sugar and potatoes.

They say: We offer a warm, casual environmentwhere people can get high quality food, and avast selection of craft beer, cider and wine. Wefocus on using local, seasonal ingredients, and tryto be as sustainable as possible.

THESE BUSINESSES ARE VALUED CUSTOMERS OF THE CO-OP DISTRIBUTION CENTER Please support these local businesses and enjoy the best that our community has to offer. When you arethere, thank them for supporting the local food system by purchasing quality products from La MontañitaCo-op's Distribution Center.

GROWING THE LOCAL ECONOMY ONE FARMER, ONE BUSINESS AT A TIMESERVING LOCAL PRODUCERS AND BUSINESSES

CCCCOOOO----OOOOPPPP DDDDIIIISSSSTTTTRRRRIIIIBBBBUUUUTTTTIIIIOOOONNNN CCCCEEEENNNNTTTTEEEERRRR

FROM THEGENERALMANAGER

BY DENNIS HANLEY, GENERAL MANAGER

As I write this I am in my thirteenth weekas part of the La Montañita team. Thepast 12 weeks have been an exciting time for

us all and I remain inspired by the dedication andexpertise of our staff and the loyalty of our memberowners and shoppers. It is clear to me why LaMontañita has thrived for 40 years when so manyother co-ops around the nation have not. After work-ing in food retail for over 38 years, I feel that I amfinally in a place that reflects my world view.

My personal mission statement, values and lifeexpectations are all about making a difference indeveloping meaningful lifelong relationships, cele-brating life and achievement with family and career,while demonstrating an influencing style filled withenthusiasm and the very highest degree of integrity.To manifest this mission, my job is to inspire, enableand engage the La Montañita staff to positivelyimpact lives in our community.

We now have regular Town Hall Meetings at allstores to get staff input, feedback and the many cre-ative and innovative ideas they have to improveoperational results. Recently at a one of these meet-ings one of our fine team members asked for detailson our plan, what we have done so far and wherewe are headed. I thought that this informationwould benefit all our member-owners as well.

CO-OP NEWS April 2016 7

SPRING IN TO FLAVOR April 2016 10

I’VE BEEN KALED! or PINEAPPLE-AVOCADO-KALE SALSAServes 4 / Prep time: 30 minutes

Packed with flavor and nutrition, this salsa with a twist isalso a very versatile condiment. It’s even yummy enoughto eat on its own as a salad!

1 seven-ounce can crushed, unsweetened pineapple,drained

2 avocados, chopped5 kale leaves, diced3 green onions, diced4 T lime juice1/4 tsp ground chile powder1 tsp ground ginger1 tsp ground cumin1/4 cup fresh cilantro, diced

Combine all the ingredients into a medium sized bowl andserve as a dip for chips, crackers or vegetables or as acondiment for sandwiches, baked potatoes or meat dishes.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: CALORIES 143; TOTAL FAT 11G; SATURATED FAT 13G; CHOLESTEROL

0MG; SODIUM 6MG; TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE 13G; DIETARY FIBER 5G;SUGARS 7G; PROTEIN 2G

SEASONAL TRANSITION

FOODSNEW MEXICO MERINGUE COOKIESMakes approx. 24 cookies / Prep time: 30 minutes /Cook time: 40 minutes

A local and quick take on a traditional meringue cook-ie, these are a decadent way to use up some of spring’s bounty of eggs.

3/4 cup local, raw honey4 egg whites at room temperature1 T lemon juice1 cup pistachios, finely chopped1/2 tspchile powder (optional)

Preheat oven to 300°F. Simmer the honey on medium low until it reaches the “hard ball stage” (250°F to 268°F), about 10 minutes. You can test this without a thermometer by dropping a tiny amount of the honey into a glass of cold water. If you can remove the honey and form it into a ball that holds its shape but is still pli-able, it is at the right temperature. Let it cool slightly, but not too much because it needs to remain liquefied.

In a large bowl, add the room temperature egg whites and lemon juice and begin beating with an electric beat-er. It is very important that the eggs are no cooler than room temperature or the honey will harden on contact.

Slowly add the honey in a thin stream while beating the eggs to stiff peaks. Gently fold in the chopped pista-chios and the chile powder, if using. Drop the batter by spoonfuls onto two parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake at 300°F for 30 minutes. Drop the oven tempera-ture back to 250°F and bake for another 10–15 minutes. Let the cookies cool completely on the cookie sheet before removing.

NUTRITION INFORMATION (ONE COOKIE): CALORIES 64; TOTAL FAT 2G; SATURATED FAT 0G; CHOLESTEROL

0MG; SODIUM 10MG; TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE 10G; DIETARY FIBER

1G; SUGARS 9G; PROTEIN 2G

TURMERIC VEGETABLE SOUPServes 4 / Cook time: 2 hours / Prep time: 15 minutes

1 small head of cauliflower, coarsely chopped1 whole leek, rinsed and chopped1 yellow carrot, diced (optional)1 pint oyster mushrooms, chopped3 celery stalks with leaves, coarsely chopped1 bunch of turnips with leaves on, coarsely chopped

(or radishes and their tops)1 T turmeric powderSalt to taste4 T cilantro-walnut pesto (recipe on next page)2 cups vegetable broth (from simmering the

vegetables)About 1/4 cup of milk of choiceOptional garnish: chopped fresh cilantro and choppedwalnuts

Have you ever wondered what to do with those turnipgreens, radish greens, or the leek tops that other recipestell you not to use? This is a beautifully complex-tasting,healthy way to eat them. It’s even a bit addictive!

Coarsely chop all of the vegetables, and place them in alarge sauce pan (or slow cooker) and cover with water.Simmer on low for 1–2 hours until all the vegetablesare soft (about 4–6 hours, if using a slow cooker). Coolthe vegetables enough to put them into a blender orfood processor, reserving the cooking liquid as veg-etable broth.

Blend the cooled vegetables until smooth, slowlyadding about 2 cups of the reserved vegetable broth.Add the turmeric powder, pesto and milk. Add the soupback to the sauce pan and gently re-warm to serve. Donot boil it again. This soup can be made ahead of timeand frozen (before adding the pesto and milk) in orderto make a quick future dinner.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: CALORIES 168; TOTAL FAT 9G; SATURATED FAT 1G;CHOLESTEROL 2MG; SODIUM 462MG; TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE

19G; DIETARY FIBER 5G; SUGARS 9G; PROTEIN 6G

CILANTRO WALNUT PESTOMakes about 1 cup of pesto / Prep time: 15 minutes

This wonderfully flavored variation on the traditionalbasil pesto can be used in all the same ways: as a top-ping for crackers or pasta, as the “sauce” for pizza, andas a flavoring for soups.

1 cup raw walnutsPinch of salt to taste (optional)1/4 cup olive oil1 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

I always use the cilantro stems as well, but if you’d prefer,you can choose to use only the leaves. In a food proces-sor, combine all of the ingredients and blend until smooth.This pesto can be frozen in an ice cube tray and thenstored in a freezer container for later use.

NUTRITION INFORMATION (1 T): CALORIES 78; TOTAL FAT 8G; SATURATED FAT 1G; CHOLESTEROL

0MG; SODIUM 36MG; TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE 1G; DIETARY FIBER

1G; SUGARS 0G; PROTEIN 1G

SMASHED BEANS WITH ROASTED GARLICAND CILANTROServes 6 / Prep time: 30 minutes

Ready for a recipe that makes great use of the freshcrunch of Spring vegetables? These beans make a flavor-ful, hearty sandwich filling to which you can add many ofSpring’s vegetable stars.

Beans:8 garlic cloves, roasted and peeled3 cups cooked pinto beans, drainedJuice of 2 fresh lemons1/4 tsp of salt (or to taste)1/2 cup cilantro, minced

Sandwich Garnish Suggestions:thinly sliced radishes, turnips, carrots, onions, lettuce, cabbage or dark leafy greens

To roast the garlic cloves, place them unpeeled in a smallbaking dish. Drizzle with a little olive oil and roast in theoven at 300°F for 20–30 minutes until very soft. Peel theroasted garlic and smash well with a fork. Add the beansand smash with a fork or a potato masher. Add the lemonjuice, salt and cilantro and mix well. The result will be a fla-vorful paste that can be spread on bread for a sandwich. Itcan also be spread on crackers or used as a vegetable dip.

NUTRITION INFORMATION:(NOT INCLUDING OTHER SANDWICH TOPPINGS) CALORIES 168;TOTAL FAT 5G; SATURATED FAT 1G; CHOLESTEROL 0MG; SODIUM

2MG; TOTAL CARBOHYDRATE 24G; DIETARY FIBER 8G; SUGARS 1G;PROTEIN 8G

SPRING IN TO FLAVOR April 2016 11

FARMING FOR THE PLANET April 2016 12

BY BRETT BAKKER

Seed saving? I think you know the drill by now. Saving seedinvolves protecting purity by rigorously preventing unwantedcross pollination: corn must be grown 1/4 mile away from other

corn varieties for absolute seed purity; plant only one watermelon vari-ety each year; bell peppers crossing with chile is utter disaster anddespair! If you’re selling seed or sharing through seedbanks, you owe itsrecipients the assurance that your seed is true to type and not crossedwith unknown traits.

Got it? Good. Now forget it because what follows contradicts this. Ifyou’ve read my ranting here with any regularity, you know I have somevery strong opinions. Please note however that I don’t necessarily agreewith everything I say. And neither should you.

Seed “purity” was pretty much invented for the modern marketplace:Exclusivity = dollars. Heck, even the GMO guys don’t want genes fromother varieties to trespass into their seedlines which—it should go with-out saying—is completely contradictory to their nonchalance when theirgenes mess up our open-pollinated crops.

Cross-pollination occurs between plants which have matching flowerstructures that enable the reception of “foreign” pollen. This is fact.What is also fact is that western thought classifies plants with this com-patibility through Latin nomenclature. For example, cantaloupes areGenus and Species Cucumis melo and part of the wider Family ofCucurbitaceae that includes cucumbers, watermelons, squash andgourds. Note that what I mean here is that the nomenclature system isa fact only in the sense that it is agreed upon and used worldwide, notthat it is the only method of classification.

In the distant past, people had a different outlook. Someone growing agourd would not know that there was someone else growing an entire-ly different gourd species halfway around the globe. Their concept of

ITCHY GREEN THUMB:SAVE SEED SAVE THE PLANET

BY JESSIE EMERSON

Earth Day is everyday! We need to be aware ofHer and Her rapidly disappearing “resources.”She is not a commodity. The Earth and everything

upon Her is sacred, alive, sentient and vibrates in its ownenergy pattern. There is a special bond between humans andplants. We need and depend on each other. Many plants areon endangered or at risk watch lists, some even extinct local-ly where they once flourished. In 1973 when the EndangeredSpecies Act became law, there were already 15,000 medici-nal plant species threatened with extinction.

My first herbal medicine teachers Jared Gann and andMichael Moore were teaching ecological and sustainableharvesting in the 70s and 80s. I also learned the spiritualway of approaching plants from Native American teachers:give an offering to the clan chief, and then ask permissionto pick. Then I wait and listen. Together these approachesform a partnership with nature, with the plants. RollingThunder said, “if an herbalist doesn’t pick in this way, themedicine will be weak.”

One of the reasons for disappearing plants is humanexpansion in the name of progress or necessity. The World

plant families was different. It could beplants that were used in similar ways,like healing similar maladies. Or onesthat were farmed and eaten together(corn, bean and squash). Or plants thatnaturally grew together, like our piñon-juniper woodlands with manzanitas,mountain mahogany, sages, asters,prickly pear etc. This is not wrong, noris it unsound nor is it ignorant. It ismerely another way of viewing and classifying theworld around us.

The native view on seed purity is also different.Fields are planted wherever one has the space toplant. At the Pueblos here in NM, some corn fieldsare well isolated but that’s mainly due to the factthat fewer people farm than in times past. Somecorn fields are planted right next to each otherbecause two farmers may just happen to have rightsto neighboring fields. Cross pollination happens.So, you’re husking the blue corn and oops, here’s awhite ear, a result of cross pollination. What to do?!Well, you don’t fret but toss that ear onto the whitepile. And as you’re husking white corn and you findan ear of blue, throw it onto the blue pile.

Many native New Mexican melons and squashesare all mixed up; that is, skin, flesh and shape isvariable due to cross pollination. This is notviewed as a problem. Most of these have beengrown just this way for hundreds of years so amixed crop has actually become its own variety.

Health Organization has said that 80% of our planet’spopulation rely on plant-based medicine. Sara Oldfield,secretary General of Botanical Gardens ConservationInternational said, “Medicinal plants harvested fromthe wild remain of immense importance for the well-being of millions of people around the world.”

There are over 70,000 plant species thought to bemedicinal. Often a plant that has become popular withthe public becomes popular commercially and stimu-lates commercial harvesting, which can result in overharvesting and degradation of the environment.Goldenseal (Hydrastis condenses), American Ginseng(Panax quinquefolis), Lady Slipper (Cypripedium app.),and Northern New Mexico’s star healing plant Osha(Ligusticum porteri) are on an at risk list and have beenpicked to extinction locally in some areas.

There are other contributing factors to the demise ofplants around the world, they include but are not limit-ed to: overconsumption of beef, deforestation, contam-ination of habitat, climate change, changing weatherpatterns, fires, and of course, “They put up a parkinglot,” to quote singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell.

MEDICINE FROM THE KITCHENHERBAL WILDCRAFTINGHARVESTING WITH ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS

I spent so many years keeping seed collectionspure that one spring I got fed up and decided toplant every blue corn I could lay my hands onin one field to let them freely cross pollinate.There were three feet tall Hopi corns with sixinch ears and eight foot Kewa Pueblo cornswith twelve inch ears and everything inbetween. I later passed the resulting crop ontosome non-native people, fully disclosing themix. What did they do but start to select outspecific types rather than keep the mix! Anothertime, I planted some Peruvian black beans I’dbeen growing in isolation for a few years. Oneyear, out of seemingly nowhere, there wereblack, white and blue variations which werelater selected out as “new” varieties.

What’s the final lesson is to be taken fromall this? Keep an open mind. See, naturedoes as she pleases and the best we cando is kind of herd things along and hopewe don’t mess things up too bad.

CHILDREN’S SEEDFESTIVAL at theBOTANIC GARDENLearn how you can help the world's plants during theBotanic Garden's Earth Day Celebration.• Hands-on activities• Keeper talks• Special demonstrations

1. Pick only what you and your family will use in one year, plussome for sharing with friends.2. Know what plants are endangered or are on the protected plantlist in the state in which you pick.3. Disturb the plant population and the area as little as possible.4. Pick plants growing only in prime locations, plants with insectholes and in obvious poor health are to be avoided.5. Gather from abundant stands: check around after you havefound a needed plant, if there are only two or three plants in theentire area, don’t pick them.6. Gather from abundant stands starting at the bottom of a hill,leaving older more established plants at the top of the hill to seed.

ECOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS OF HARVESTING AND

WILDCRAFTING 7. Leave mature seed-bearing plants.8. Propagate and naturalize wild plants, particularly drought-resistant plants compatible with existing ecology.9. Time of year collecting may be critical to plant’s welfare, i.e.:iris not transplanted when in bloom.10. If a plant grows in large stands, never pick more than a third.Pick from the borders, leaving the younger to grow and re-seed.11. Digging roots: dig no more than half of the visible plants, takethe largest, leaving the younger to grow and re-seed, fill holes.12. Chemical awareness, cleanliness of area: always pick 100 feetfrom the road. Ask yourself if the area has ever been farmed, howlong ago, what was grown, were fertilizers, herbicides or pesti-cides ever used. Never pick where corn or cotton has been grown,as they are usually produced with heavy chemical use.

If you use herbal remedies, here are some suggestionsfor what you can do. Ask the company who makesthe product where they obtained the herbs. Are theyall organic? Have they been ecologically and sustain-ability harvested? Plant your own medicine garden.Create or help create a botanical sanctuary. Supportorganizations like Native Seeds/SEARCH and UnitedPlant Savers that are saving seeds and plants in botan-ical sanctuaries. Stay healthy and BUY LOCAL.

Anyone interested in creating a medicinal plant sanc-tuary can call or email Jessie at 505-470-1363/ osoherbalsjessie@gmail.com. Jessie Emerson is an RNand certified clinical herbalist. She gives workshopsand plant walks and has written Medicine From theKitchen, a first aid book using what can be found inthe kitchen.

APRIL 2310AM-2PM

WWW.VISITALBUQUERQUE.ORG/

At Holistic Management International we spend a lot oftime teaching ranchers and farmers how to managetheir grazing animals (cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, rab-

bits) better so that they get all the benefits of managing holistical-ly—improved land health, reduced stress on the animals, improvedprofitability, and a better quality of life. Does it seem hard to believethat so much can be accomplished with changing grazing practices?Read on and learn about the power of symbiotic relationships.

Let’s start with what happens in the grazing process. When an ani-mal takes a bite of grass, it prunes the plant at a given height andthe roots die back in mirror image below. The remaining leaf is thesolar panel of the plant to capture more solar energy and grow moreleaf. It is also pulling carbon out of the air and putting it into theground where the micro-organisms in the soil are having a feedingfrenzy on the carbon coming out around the roots. In turn, themicroorganisms' waste becomes the food for the plant. It’s a bigparty down there with lots of benefit for the land steward if theymanage it well and keep those microorganisms well fed.

The challenge is to not only graze and put some of the plant throughthe animal, but allow the grazing animal to push organic matter intothe soil, add their own fertilizer, break the surface of any bare soilto allow for good water infiltration and then allow the plant ade-quate time to recover. All this needs to be done while also workingto leave a good portion of the plant so it can be the conduit for theparty down below. That means a farmer or rancher needs to havecontrol of their animals.

The Tangible ResultsORGANIC MATTER: Gabe Brown, a rancher in ND, was able toincrease his soil organic matter from 1.8% to 5% with a host ofpractices. The organic matter really took off when he added plannedgrazing into the mix. More carbon in the soil equals more organicmatter to feed the plant and soak up the rainfall when it comes.

CARBON SEQUESTRATION: The more carbon inthe ground, the more carbon that comes out of theatmosphere. Dr. Richard Teague of Texas Agrilife hasdone studies that show planned grazing landsequesters an average of 20T/acre, more soil carbonthan continuously grazed land.

WILDLIFE: On the Clark-Birdwell Ranch nearHenrietta, TX, they increased their bobwhite quailpopulations by 452% due to improved wildlife habi-tat because of their planned grazing. Wildlife needsadequate food, shelter, and water for survival. If therancher plans the grazing to take into account thewildlife’s needs (such as making sure to avoid nestingareas when birds are nesting), the wildlife countsoften improve. This happens because there is often anincrease in the biodiversity of plants because of thedifferent grazing patterns employed.

EROSION: Soil erosion is the result of soil not held inplace by a plant and its roots. Right now the biggestagricultural export for the U.S. is topsoil. Gettingmore plants on to bare ground for more of the yearhelps to stop or reduce erosion. Ranchers who workto reduce the bare ground on their land throughplanned grazing have moved a landscape that was75% bare ground to having only 40% bare ground.They do this by growing more plants and puttingmore litter/mulch on the ground where microorgan-isms can utilize them and they can protect the soilfrom erosion.

WATER: Increased water in the soil is a result both ofthe decreased erosion (plants and litter helping thewater soak into the soil rather running off or evapo-rating from the hot surface of bare ground) and theincreased carbon in the soil acting as a sponge. Someestimates are that a 1% increase in soil carbon trans-

REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE April 2016 13

REGENERATING A HEALTHY ECOSYSTEM

PLANNEDGRAZINGBY DR. ANN ADAMS, HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL

nature to investigate innovative ideas for cultivatingdryland growing and we share this informationacross the middle Rio Grande region. The DOTGardens is a space where everyone is welcome tovolunteer their time and knowledge to inspire othersto fold sustainable living into their lives. We want tosupport all of Albuquerque becoming more adapt-able and resilient.

Let's grow some food! For information and classdates in June and July go to www.thedotgarden.org

BY KAREN BENTRUP, DOT GARDEN

The Desert Oasis Teaching (DOT) Garden isoffering WaterSmart Gardening Classes in con-junction with the Albuquerque Water UtilityAuthority . Everyone is welcome to attend andWUA customers can receive a rebate!

The DOT Gardens is hosting this 2-hour combi-nation class of lecture and discussion followedby a tour through the Gardens to see watersmartgardening and permaculture design in action.May class dates include 5/14 (Sat), 5/21 (Sat),5/23 (Mon), 5/ 24 (Tues). Classes will continuethroughout the summer as well.

The DOT Gardens is a community education andexperiential learning space at AlbuquerqueAcademy, 6400 Wyoming Blvd NE, where weexplore sustainability and growing food in thearid southwest. We take the classroom into

DESERT OASIS TEACHING

GARDENSWATER

SMARTFOOD

PRODUCTION

BY CIRRELDA SNIDER-BRYAN, GARDEN PROGRAMS COORDINATOR

NEW MEXICO MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY AND SCIENCE

Want to learn about gardening basics as well as plantbiology, native plants, permaculture, drought-tolerantplants and more, together with your child? Join us for our

new outdoor program, held in the Kiwanis Learning Garden locat-ed at the New Mexico Natural History Museum.

Garden Workshops for Families provide opportunities for familieswith children ages 4 to 12 to explore biology, garden practices, soilscience, water in the desert in an outdoor garden setting. Healthy,theme-based snacks. Take Home Packets. Hands-on, independentexploration, multi-media art including clay, poems, songs, storiesare included. Approval from Coordinator needed for childrenyounger or older.

Spring Classes include: Plant Anatomy and Life Cycle (Seeds) 4/8 or 4/9, Food Factory:Photosynthesis and Water (Growing) 4/22 or 4/23, and HowAnimals Help Plants by Pollination and Other Ways (Growing)5/13 or 5/14. Class times are Friday or Saturday mornings10am-noon, or Saturday afternoons from 1-3pm

PREREGISTRATION REQUIRED. Costs are reduced for Museummembers and there are scholarships available per class. Classes arelimited to 12 children plus adults. The New Mexico Museum ofNatural History and Science is located at 1801 Mountain Road,NW in Albuquerque. For more information go to:www.nmnaturalhistory.org/youth-and-family-programs/garden-workshops-families or email cirrelda.snider@state.nm.us

WORKSHOPS FOR FAMILIES:GARDENING BY THESEASONS

lates to an additional 14,000–40,000 gallons ofwater/acre. The more rain captured, the moreplants can grow.

FINANCES: The increase in soil health that GabeBrown experienced has resulted in a 20% increaseover his county's average corn bushel yield and asubstantial reduction of input costs which has leda 200% increase in gross profit per acre. So whilesoil health is an investment, it’s one that pays off.

ANIMAL PERFORMANCE: The more animalscan move to fresh ground, the more opportunitythey have for a varied diet with vigorous plantsthat can give them the nutrition they need.Imagine being at the same salad bar for a weekand no one replenishes it. The good stuff getstaken quickly, and the food no one wants gets oldand less appealing. The same thing happens onpasture. Moreover, as the soil grows healthier, thefood supported by that soil also contains moreminerals and nutrients to help animals grow andbe healthy.

QUALITY OF LIFE: A lot of people are drawn toranching, but they don’t like the idea of being tieddown by the constant pressure of taking care ofanimals. With planned grazing, ranch families areable to schedule in vacations or make sure thatanimals are on a certain part of the ranch thatallows for more ease of management at challeng-ing times of the year like winter. They also canplan the right number of animals depending onthe amount of forage they have so they are lesslikely to run out of feed.

LOCAL FOOD: As ranchers are able to carrymore animals who can gain more weight, they canearn more money and stay on the land to growmore local food for their communities. We knowthat when a rancher sells their animal to someplace like La Montañita versus at the sale barnwhere the animal goes into the commodity mar-ket, the local community benefits 10 times more.

Bottom Line:Support ranchers who take care of the land anddeliver a quality product!

To learn more, go to: www.holisticmanagement.organd sign up for our free newsletter to learn moreabout the HMI events in your area. Join the dia-logue and community of people working to createhealthy land and food.

IS YOUR CELL PHONE

MAKING YOU SICK?Santa Fe Co-op Community Room: FREEWi-Fi technology is here to stay. Learn aboutpatented products that help neutralize the effects ofelectromagnetic radiation and simple ways todecrease exposure. 913 West Alameda, Santa FeInfo: 505-780-8283

APRIL 266–7:30PM

REGENERATIVEAGRICULTUREFEEDS USANDHEALS THEPLANET

In mid-March the “Dark” Act that would denyconsumers the right to know if their food con-tained GMO’s was defeated in the Senate.

Two Easy GMO Right to Know ActionsPlease call Senators Heinrich and Udall and thank themfor their vote against the Dark Act and for co-sponsor-ing S.2621 that requires mandatory labeling of GMOfoods. Tell them we want mandatory on-package label-ing of GMOs not voluntary labeling, and certainly notsmartphone QR codes that limit access to the informa-tion to some demographic groups.

1. Call the Capitol Switchboard today: 202-224-3121and voice your support for S.2621.2. This election year let's make mandatory labeling ofGMO foods and consumer right to know an electionissue. Ask all candidates in all public forums if they sup-port consumer right to know about GMOs in our foodand what they will do about it.

THE QR CODE SCHEMEBY JOSH NELSON, CREDO

Monsanto and Big Food, along with long-time food industryally US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, are pushingCongress to adopt a so-called compromise: voluntary high-tech

QR code labels that require consumers to scan with their Smartphonesto know whether or not food products contain GMO ingredients.

These so-called “smart labels” will make it more difficult—or impos-sible—for many people to find out if GMO ingredients are in theirfoods. That’s because most Americans won’t take the time to scan alabel, don’t know what a QR code is, or don’t have the required tech-nology to access the labels in the first place.

It’s clear that Monsanto and the food industry are fighting to protecttheir bottom line by making it harder for consumers to know what’sin their food with this QR code scheme. What’s more, there’s current-ly no proposal for those without smartphones, typically low-income,disabled, or elderly consumers, to access this information.

As Scott Faber, the executive director of the pro-GMO labeling groupJust Label It, put it, “Consumers shouldn't have to have a high-techsmartphone and a 10-gigabyte data plan to know what's in their food.”

Public pressure on Big Food to label GMO food is working. Earlier inthe year, processed food giant Campbell Soup Company and GeneralMills both announced they would label GMO foodsnationwide and not increase prices, a common argumentagainst mandatory labels. With poll after poll showingnearly every American is in favor of mandatory GMOlabeling, the Obama Administration and Congress shouldmake it easier for us to know what’s contained in ourfoods, not harder.

Tell Congress and Secretary Vilsack: NO “smart code”labels for GMO food and demand simple mandatory, on-package GMO labels on our food. TO SIGN THE PETI-TION, GO TO:www.act.credoaction.com/sign/GMO_QR_codes?and contact our federal congressional delegation to letthem know that QR codes will not provide consumerright to know.

In 2013, while facing heated opposition froma growing grassroots movement across thecountry to label GMO foods, lobbyists from the

biotech industry and food manufacturers came upwith a plot to launder money through the GroceryManufacturers of America in order to hide theirmembers from public scrutiny. Monsanto and otherbio-tech giants donated to a GMA slush fund andthe GMA passed those contributions onto the NOon Washington State’s I-522 campaign illegally.

This is a clear violation of Washington state cam-paign laws and allowed Monsanto and other corpo-rate members of the GMA to donate a record $22million and ultimately defeat GMO labeling inWashington state.

The Seattle Times reported that the GMA’s plot todeceive Washington voters began at a January 2013board meeting. According to Washington StateAttorney General Bob Ferguson, “It was a detailedscheme over many months to purposely, in theirwords, shield their donors from public scrutiny... .”The state is recommending a $14 million fine—butthat could be tripled if a judge agrees GMA inten-tionally flouted the law! While this fine might seemlarge, it is a drop in the bucket for Monsanto andbio-tech friends and it will not change the results ofthe 2013 I-522 ballot initiative in Washington state.

MONSANTO’S LATEST GIMMICK

MANDATORY GMOLABELING

DARK ACT DEFEATED:PUSH FOR MANDATORY GMO

LABELINGFROM THE NATIONAL ORGANIC COALITION

DIRTYTRICKSM O N S A N T O A N D G R O C E RY M A N U FA C T U R E R S O F A M E R I C A

BREAKING THE LAWTO DEFEAT GMO LABELINGFROM FOOD DEMOCRACY NEWS

J U S T S AY

NOT O

GMOS

GMO NEWS BRIEFS April 2016 14

SPRING IN TO OPEN SPACE BY OPEN SPACE DIVISION STAFF

The bees are buzzing and the wildflowers are in bloom!Spring is in the air and the City of Albuquerque Open SpaceDivision and our non-profit partner the Open Space Alliance are

gearing up for an exciting season of outdoor recreation, educationalevents, and fun for the whole family. Below you’ll find just a sampleof what the Open Space Division has to offer in the coming months.For a full list of opportunities and events with City Open Space,please check out our website at www.cabq.gov/openspace.

UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS AT THE OPEN SPACE VISITOR CENTER• APRIL 9, 2–3PM: Meet Filmmaker Elke Duerr. Elke will screen hershort film Wolves and Humans: A Story of Coexistence and BisonNation and discuss how the coexistence of humans, wild animals andnature is possible and critical to the survival our planet.• APRIL 10, 10AM–NOON: Amphibians! with Dan Shaw from theBosque School. Mr. Shaw will discuss amphibian habitats in NewMexico and how to protect them.• APRIL 17, 10:30AM–11:30AM: Family-friendly craft workshop.Call 897-8831 for details.• MAY 7, 9AM–5PM: Planting for Pollinators Event. Celebrate thejoys of pollinators and help the Open Space Visitor Center expand ourpollinator gardens and habitat. Scheduled programs include: meadmaking, honey tasting, Learn how to plant a pollinator garden for your

COMMUNITY FORUM April 2016 15

home, Live butterfly displays,wildflower hike, apiary tours, andvolunteer planting projects.

REGISTER FOR THE DIRTYHANDS SUMMER CAMPGET DIRTY THIS SUMMER! The Dirty HandsSummer Camp is taking place at the MountainMahogany Community School and the OpenSpace Visitor Center. Dirty Hands is a summer daycamp sponsored by Rainmaker’s, Inc. Profits fromthe camp will benefit the Mountain MahoganyCommunity School Gardening Program and theOpen Space Alliance.

The Camp runs 9am–1pm daily, from June8–August 7 for grades one through nine. Regi-stration is $120 per week for every week paidbefore April 30, 2016 and $100 per week for sib-lings. ACCEPTING REGISTRATIONS NOW!For registration information go to:http://dirtyhandscamp.wix.com/home or call505-514-9210.

The Open Space Visitor Center is located at 6500Coors Blvd. NW at the end of Bosque Meadows

pouring a rich palette of shapes,details, and materials onto theirhouses. Due to serendipitous circum-stances, the vast majority of housesand commercial buildings in NobHill retain their historic character.

In 1917 only 2% of the nation’sroads were paved. In 1926 theAmerican Highway System was cre-ated by law. The most storied wasthe route from the corner of JacksonBlvd and Michigan Ave in Chicagoto Santa Monica Blvd in LosAngeles: Route 66.

Motorists needed fuel, food andservice and businesses built vibrant neon signs toattract passing motorists. Today, continental trafficflows on the interstate highways but people fromeverywhere tease out the sense of Route 66 from well-preserved buildings and neon signs of the Mother Roadin Nob Hill.

100 Years of CommunityGroups and individuals throughout the community areworking together to create events with meaning for peo-ple of all ages; especially families. This group includesNob Hill Neighborhood Association and Nob Hill MainStreet, together with our business community, our faithcommunity, our schools, and many individuals.

Thanks to a grant from Bernalillo County we’ve accom-plished a lot in the past year including the Nob Hill Oral

BY GARY EYSTER AND CAROLYN CHAVEZ

Throughout 2016 Nob Hill celebrates itsunique sense of place, its cultural her-itage, and its people. Until the turn of the

20th century, Albuquerque existed exclusively in thevalley of the Rio Grande where water and farmlandwere plentiful. In 1898 the city moved onto the eastmesa when the territorial legislature established theUniversity of New Mexico above the sand hills.

In 1903 Col. D.K.B. Sellers arrived from Eureka,California by way of the Klondike gold rush. Hesaw unlimited opportunity on the east mesa, plat-ting the neighborhood south of the university in1906. Sellers worked hard for statehood and wassworn in as mayor just three months after NewMexico became a state. He platted the University Heights east of GirardAvenue, the first portion of what we now call Nob Hill, in 1916.

Nob Hill and The Mother RoadSmall builders worked vigorously in Nob Hill, building 80% of thehomes by the start of WWII. Builders eagerly revived historic styles,

History Project, short films, public art like themural at Central and Carlisle, and getting theword out on the celebrations.

Nob Hill is 100 Festivities Festivities will take place all year long. Here area few of the upcoming highlights. For the full cal-endar of events please go to:www.nobhillmainstreetabq.org.

April 24: Co-op EarthFest—La MontañitaCo-op moved to Nob Hill Shopping Center in1989, when it took over the Nob Hill ShoppingCenter's historic grocery store; a location thathas continually served the Nob Hill neighbor-hood as a grocery store since 1947. The Co-op's26th Annual Earth Fest is the largest Earth Dayfestival in the state. Look for our Nob HillNeighborhood Association and Nob Hill MainStreet table. For more information go towww.lamontanita.coop.

April 30: Nob Hill is 100 Unleashed PetParade and Fair—benefitting area animal wel-fare groups. Create a costume for yourself andyour pet and join the parade. Prizes are offeredfor best owner/pet match, most unique pet, andmany more. Enjoy the fair, live music, and foodafter the parade.

May 22: Nob Hill Insider’s Tour—Its manywell-preserved historic buildings, many dating tothe early 20th century, give Nob Hill its uniquesense of place. Proceeds will benefit University ofNew Mexico School of Architecture and PlanningProgram in Historic Preservation and Region-alism. Tickets are necessary and can be obtainedat: www.nobhillabqmainstreet.eventbrite.com.

ALBUQUERQUE OPEN SPACE DIVISION AND ALLIANCE

RECREATIONAND EDUCATION

Rd. between Montaño and Paseo del Norte and is openTuesdays–Sundays from 9am–5pm. Call 505-897-8831or see www.cabq.gov/openspace for more info about theOpen Space Visitor Center or like us on Facebook!

VOLUNTEER WITH THE OPEN SPACE DIVISION!WE NEED GIFT SHOP VOLUNTEERS. The OpenSpace Alliance (OSA), the non-profit organization thatsupports the Open Space Division, manages the giftshop at the Open Space Visitor Center. Get involvedtoday! Contact Kristy Anderson at 358-8270 or openspacegiftshop@gmail.com or call her at to sign upand help the OSA make 2016 their best year ever!

TRAIL WATCH AND OPEN SPACE VISITORCENTER VOLUNTEER TRAININGSATURDAY, APRIL 30, 10AM–12PM at the Albuquer-que Open Space Visitor Center. Contact Jolynn Maestasat jmaestas@cabq.gov or call 452-5207 to sign up!

CELEBRATE COMMUNITY

NOB HILL TURNS 100

APRIL 30 PREPARATHON

New Mexico State University’s South-west Border Food Protection andEmergency Preparedness Center is

hosting its second annual Emergency Pre-paredness for the Home Expo on April 30—aNational Preparathon Day. It will again beheld at the Albuquerque Airport Sheratonfrom 9am to 3pm.

This is a FREE educational event to assist thepublic in their effort to be self-sustaining in adisaster. There will be display tables and edu-

FOOD, SHELTER, HEALTH AND COMMUNITY

HOME PREPAREDNESS EXPOcational seminars throughout the day including:How to Prepare a Go-Bag, How to Prepare forYour Pets, Food and Water Storage, Basic FirstAid, Backyard Chicken Care, Vegetable Gar-dening, beekeeping and food preservation andmore.

Held at the Sheraton Albuquerque Airport Hotelat 291 Yale Blvd. SE, this expo provides a wealthof information and is FREE and open to thepublic. For more information please contactCynthia at beiser@nmsu.edu or Cindy Daviesat 243-1386.