to whether these chemicals affect human health in thesame ways. One can only wonder how long it will takefor public policy and government regulation to catch upwith common sense. It took well over two decades, awhole generation, and much suffering, for us to recognizethat the same chemicals that Rachel documents as harm-ing birds and their offspring were harming us, too!

It’s time to call the precautionary principle into play; withits definition that says when an action, policy or, in thiscase, chemical has a suspected risk of harm, the burden ofproof that it is NOT harmful falls on those who use andprofit from it.

We must recognize NOW that as go the bees and thebirds SO GO WE! Tell the EPA don’t wait until 2018 toban neonicotinoids. WE ARE EATING THEM TOO!

BY ROBIN SEYDEL

a Montanita Co-op was an early educator andvoice of concern about the effects of agriculturalchemicals on public health. Indeed the Co-op wasformed, in large measure, to access healthy, additive-

and chemical-free food products not widely available in the mid-seventies in New Mexico. Over the years the organic movementgrew and more and more, people recognized the benefits ofhealthy, organic food. In 1993, as part of our commitment tothe cooperative principle of education, on behalf of the Co-op,I was one of the lead organizers of the first public conference inthe nation, on chemicals then known as environmental estro-gens, including those used in conventional food production.

Hosted by La Montanita Co-op, the conference, held in con-junction with Greenpeace and the Womens’ Environment andDevelopment Organization (WEDO), brought top researchersfrom around the nation to share their expertise. In the twodecades since this conference, much important research hasbeen done that shows that these chemicals not only mimicestrogen, causing breast, prostate and other cancers, and affect-ing human fertility; but have now come to be known asendocrine disruptors due to their wide ranging effects, on avariety of anatomical systems, in numerous species.

In the spring of 2013 the Co-op hosted the national BeyondPesticides Annual conference that brought to New Mexicosome of the nation’s top experts and scientists to present theirrecent research and the current state of information onendocrine disrupting chemicals’ links to cancers, Parkinson’sDisease, the autism spectrum and a host of other endocrine sys-tem related, public health concerns.

JUNE 8/10am-2pmPollinator Party! on the Westside Westside Location, 3601 Old Airport Ave. NW

You’re Invited!• Join pollinator experts and beekeepers from around thestate for talks on the birds, bees and other pollinators whohelp provide one third of all the food we eat!• Enjoy a delicious BBQ, live music from Zoltan Orkestarand pollinator education.

• Learn about the importance of organic production inmaintaining a healthy ecosystem and pollinator popula-tions for a delicious future for us all.

NationalPOLLINATOR

WEEK isJune 8

L

For many of us, it is commonknowledge that the 70,000 pluscommercially used chemicals areless than well studied in terms ofpublic and ecosystem health. This istrue especially with regards to theirsynergistic effects. Due to moneyedinterests, powerful players in ourpolitical system—including a num-ber of revolving door governmentofficials, appointed to ostensiblyprotect the public, but who, it oftenseems, do more for corporate earn-ings than public good—the profitbefore public health treadmill con-tinues unabated.

Decades ago Rachel Carson’s research called upon us torecognize the links between the effects of industrialchemicals on the species with whom we share the plan-et and our own well-being. This year, National Polli-nator Week is a reminder for me of our hubris as aspecies; with pollinators the newest version of thecanary in the coal mine.

Neonicotinoids, much in the news these days withrespect to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), bee declineand death, attach to the nicotinic acetylcholine recep-tors in bee brains. We humans as well as all other mam-mals, have these same receptors, in both our centralnervous system and peripheral nervous system. Givenresearch which points to the negative effects of neoni-cotinoids on the neurological, cognitive and immunefunction in pollinators, the question naturally arises as

JUNE 21/11:30am-4pmSummer Solstice Celebration! Santa Fe location, 913 West Alameda

Come on Down!• 11:30am-2:30pm: Enjoy a delicious BBQ with proceeds to goto Felines and Friends of Santa Fe• Noon-2pm: Hear the fun tunes of 50 Watt Whale • 12:30pm-4pm: An Ice Cream Tasting Fair. Sample deliciousice creams, sorbets and non-dairy frozen treats from Alden’s,Coconut Bliss, Double Rainbow, Figo, Julie’s, McConnell’s,Straus, Talenti, 3 Twins, Van Rixel Brothers

POLLINATORS:AS GO THE BIRDS and BEES,SO GO WE?

BY SARAH WENTZEL-FISHER

Language is important. The words we choose todescribe and give meaning to our work have power.Words are signs, they give us a collective sense of direction,

intention and power—when we use the same language we feelsolidarity. Words hold meaning when we limit their use for spe-cial circumstances to indicate something very specific. Words canbe like using the family china for holiday meals. The plates holdtheir significance, in part because they are only used for thoseoccasions. But what happens if the family decides to use themevery day? Or decides to use them as Frisbees instead of plates?Does every day become a holiday? Do holidays become games?Or do the plates lose their holiday-ness?

Recently I was reading FarmFutures.com, an agribusiness websitefocused on issues from the perspective of industrial-scale farmersand related businesses. The headline of the April 30 post read,

“Roundtable Brings US Companies Together for Ag.Sustainability Discussion.” A number of companies attendingthe Walmart Sustainability Expo—Monsanto, Unilever,PepsiCo, General Mills, Cargill and others—made commit-ments to "drive more collaboration and efficiency across thecurrent food system," focusing on reducing greenhouse gasproduction and improving agricultural efficiency.

The article then went on to describe specifically how Monsantohas committed to nutrient efficiency and water efficiency. Theywill do this through development of seed technology (GMOs)and through building “prescriptions”(chemical fertilizers) forfields to build soil health.

I read this article twice to be sure I understood what it wassaying. My interpretation is that Monsanto and Walmart seeindustrial agricultural practices as sustainable because theyclaim that GMOs and chemical fertilizers create efficiencies inthe system that reduce the current rates of greenhouse gasemissions in large-scale conventional farming. After analyz-ing, I asked myself, what does sustainability mean to me?

Everything about the practices described in the story, bymy definition, are exactly the opposite of sustainable.Suddenly sustainability seemed powerless, distorted anddevoid of meaning from being so misused.

Another article on the same site and topic published onMarch 27 discussed millennial generation perceptions ofsustainability. A survey conducted by the Clinton GlobalInitiative and Microsoft indicated that adults between theages of 20 and 35 are willing to pay more for productsmade by sustainability-focused companies.

The same article said that, “millennials struggle to con-cretely define sustainability and identify what role ‘sus-tainable products’ play in their purchasing decisions.Summit panelists [Monsanto et al. mentioned above] willgrapple with the complex issues surrounding environmen-tal sustainability and discuss what the term means to eachof their organizations and corporations.”

Of course millenials are confused about what sustainabil-ity means. Corporations maniplulate the word to describeactivities that when examined in closer detail, are any-thing but sustainable. Further, how can the word meananything at all if large corporations, whose practices areby my definition fundamentally unsustainable, use it tobest suit their marketing?

Perusing FarmFutures.com reminded me how important itis to be vigilant and inquisitive, particularly when it comesto language—both in how I interpret it, and how I use it.Just because a product claims to be naturally grown or sus-tainably harvested or something else that makes me thinkthe company that made it must be conscientious about cli-mate change, aren’t necessarily safe assumptions.

The danger in not asking questions and paying attentionto language is that we are lulled into participating inprocesses we don’t necessarily want to support. WhenMonsanto labels its practices as sustainable, even thoughthey clearly continue to use huge quantities of non-renewable resources to produce products that make ussick, we run the risk of supporting exactly the oppositeof what the label makes us think we’re supporting. Inessence we risk inadvertently tossing the fine chinaaround the lawn, so to speak.

WHAT’S IN A WORD? CO-OPTING “SUSTAINABILITY”for PROFIT

CELEBRATE SUMMER at your CO-OP!

BANneonicotinoids

ANNUAL MEMBER/OWNER SURVEY ONLINE THIS YEAR!This year our Annual Member/Owner Survey can be filled out andsubmitted online or on paper. Member/Owners who have an emailaddress on file will receive a link to the survey on Monday, June 2.Member/Owners can also find a link to the survey on our website at www.lamontanita.coop/survey. If you prefer to fill the survey out by hand, you canrequest one at any info desk.

Complete the Member/Owner Survey, and receive a one time 15%discount. Bring in your online coupon after you submit electronically oryour paper copy of the survey to any Co-op cashier for the discount!

JUNE is MEMBERSURVEYmmoonntthh!!

Let us know what

youthink!

out and about June 2014 2

La Montanita CooperativeA Community-Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store

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

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

Gallup 8am – 8pm M – Sa, 11am – 8pm Su105 E Coal, Gallup, NM 87301505-863-5383

Santa Fe 7am – 10pm M – Sa, 8am – 10pm Su913 West Alameda, Santa Fe, NM 87501505-984-2852

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

Westside 7am – 10pm 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

Administration Offices9am – 5pm, M – F 901 Menaul NE, ABQ, NM 87107505-217-2001

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

Store Team Leaders: • Valerie Smith/Nob Hill 265-4631valeries@lamontanita.coop• John Mulle/Valley 242-8800jm@lamontanita.coop• William Prokopiak/Santa Fe 984-2852willpro@lamontanita.coop• Michael Smith/Gallup 575-863-5383michaels@lamontanita.coop• Joe Phy/Westside 505-503-2550josephp@lamontanita.coop

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

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

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

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

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

Copyright ©2014La Montanita Co-op SupermarketReprints by prior permission.The Co-op Connection is printed on 65% post-consumer recycledpaper. It is recyclable.

JUNE WORKSHOPS:June 8/High Desert Gardening, 10am to 4pmLearn to grow food successfully in our harsh climate. Thisclass covers methods to help your seedlings survive thespring winds, summer pests and blazing sun.

Rainwater harvesting and greywater use should be thefoundation of desert gardens whenever possible; observethese techniques in practice at Ampersand and discuss howto get the most out of small growing areas through stagedplantings, inter-cropping and perennial plants. Observeappropriate permaculture strategies and discuss details onhow to prepare soil, extend your growing season and har-vest rainwater with earthworks.

June 14/Arid Land Restoration, 10am to 4pmThink like a watershed! Learn to read the unique landscapeof the arid Southwest! With some attention to deposit pat-terns of soil and organic material and wild plant indicators,you can determine storm water flow areas that nourish theland, and ones that dehydrate it and create erosion. Tourthe ecological restoration projects on Ampersand’s site, dis-

cuss the reasons for each design, and observe success rates. Gethands- on experience constructing grade control rock structuresto harvest floodwaters, healing degraded landscapes throughmulching, seeding and creating erosion control that createmicrocimates for moisture and vegetative growth. We will tourAmpersand’s largest and most important land restoration projecton site. This is adjacent to an old mining railroad bed.

June 22/Passive Solar Design, 10am to 2pmThe fundamentals of passive solar design for heating andcooling of new structures or for retrofiting will be explained.Learn how much window you want, where to place them,and how to locate insulating materials so that they will makethe most difference in reducing heat loss. Thermal mass, solarwater heaters, greenhouses and trombe walls will be dis-cussed. Observe these different building techniques at workin different stages of completion at Ampersand.

TO REGISTER, inquire about sliding scale or for moreinformation go to www.ampersandproject.org or call505-780-0535.

BY SARITA STRENG, THE BOSQUE ACTION TEAM

The Bosquitos is the kids’ auxiliary of the BosqueAction Team, a coalition of organizations and indi-viduals working to keep the Bosque as a great place to

enjoy nature in the City. The Bosquitos meet about once amonth to learn about Albuquerque’s forested zone aroundthe River. The Bosquitos also learn ways to support natureand wildlife and practice environmental stewardship. TheBosquitos often participate in activities in conjunction withthe Kids’ Climate Campaign.

In the past Bosquitos have learned about insects in theBosque with staff from the Bosque Ecological MonitoringProgram (BEMP). They went bird (and porcupine) watch-ing at the Rio Grande Nature Center. They learned aboutsolar energy, including pumping water, powering toys withsolar panels and baking cookies in a solar oven, and theymet animals that were injured in the Bosque and rescued byNatural History Museum staff. The kids attended the“Climate Change” exhibit at the Natural History Museumand participated in the South Valley Día de los MuertosMarigold Parade, where their message of bosque preserva-tion won the award for "Most Significant PoliticalMessage." They participated in a land artproject, where they made transient art piecesout of sand, sticks and leaves in the Bosque.

Kids of all ages, their parents, friends andcommunity members are invited. All activi-ties are free. Our next outing is a picnic inthe Bosque on June 29 from 5-7pm. We willhave some storytelling about Bosque ani-mals, time for socializing and free play.

Call or email Sarita Streng, 505-288-8713or saritastreng@yahoo.com for moreinformation. If you need special accom-modations to join an activity, call aheadto make arrangements.

AM P E R S A N D SU S TA I N A B L E LI V I N G CE N T E R:

THRIVING IN A HIGHDESERTCLIMATE

BBBBOOOOSSSSQQQQUUUUEEEELEARN ABOUTTHE

NEVER leave your pet in the car, even for a "quick errand"! This is a dangerous practice, even on days that are mildlywarm and even with: • your windows “cracked” open or • your car running with the AC on

(This only works for a couple of minutes as the AC needs the airgenerated by a moving car to circulate cold air.)

Outside Temp In your car with 4 windows cracked

84 9890 10895 113

101 114115 132

If you see a pet locked in a car, please call Animal Controlimmediately. You may save a life!

IN SANTA FE: 505-428-3710/505-955-2700IN ALBUQUERQUE: 311 or 505-768-2000IN GALLUP: 505-726-1453

SANTA FE ORDINANCE 5-3 ANIMALS TRANSPORTED OR LEFT IN VEHICLESNo person shall leave an animal in a closed vehicle for anylength of time reasonably concluded to be dangerous to thehealth or safety of the animal.

During hot weather conditions, an A.C.O. or Sheriff’s Deputymay immediately remove an animal from a vehicle and take itinto protective custody, at the cost assessed to the owner.Violations will constitute an act of cruelty/neglect and willsubject the owner to the penalties.

HOW HOT IS YOUR CAR?PETS,CARSANDSUMMER HEAT

JOIN JESSIE BROWN, President of the NewMexico Beekeepers Association, as she talksabout the fascinating social dynamics of a beehive,current beekeeping trends, an update on ColonyCollapse Disorder and what you can do to help ourpollinators. June 8, 10:30am at the Westside Co-op’s Pollinator Party!

WANT TO KNOW MORE

ABOUTHONEYBEES????

10:30amJUNE 8

BBOOSSQQUUIITTOOSS::KIDS AND OTHERS

CO-OPYOU OWN IT

JUNEWORKSHOPS

father’s day special June 2014 3

In the majority of cases, fathers return to prison not because theycommit a new crime, but because they fail to secure housing oremployment, which translates to their Probation or Parole Officer asa violation of their Parole/Probation plan. Creating a business thatwill employ them as they leave prison was a solution to the tremen-dous barrier these fathers face: not being able to get hired, despitetheir talent and desire to work.

This is true social entrepreneurship. Youmay have seen some of the fathers’woodworking on display at the Co-op’sEarth Day Festival, at the SouthwestChocolate & Coffee Fest, or this year’sNational Fiery Foods Show. You’ll findthem on Etsy and Facebook. Perhaps youhave a relative who has had their prop-erty power washed for spring, or a friendwhose car or truck was detailed on loca-tion at Fathers Building Futures at 43014th Street NW.

Father’s Day Celebration! All Co-op members and shoppers areinvited to a Father’s Day Celebration, complete with special offersand service discounts, on Friday, June 13, from noon to 3pm atFathers Building Futures, 4301 4th Street NW.

La Montanita Co-op and its members have been “adopting” PB&Jchildren for the holidays for almost 20 years. We of PB&J are deeplygrateful for your support of the children we work with. WithFathers Building Futures as the bag donation organization of themonth for June, Co-op members acknowledge the importance ofbringing fathers back into the family circle. Thanks! If you missedFathers Building Futures at the Earth Fest in April, visit FathersBuilding Futures at 4301 4th Street NW (three blocks south ofGriegos). Hours are Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm, or shoponline at www.fathersbuildingfutures.org. Auto Detailing, MobileWashing and Graffiti Removal services are by appointment—call505-341-9034.

Thanks for shopping at the Co-op and thanks for donating yourbag credit dime to PB&J’s Fathers Building Futures in June.Every dime helps bring families together.

BY DEAN MA’AYAN, PB&J DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT &STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

On Father’s Day 2013, 106 men—all fathers—were locked up in jail and prison. Theycost New Mexico no less than $35,000

each. On Father’s Day 2014 these same men willbe celebrating with their children. Every one ofthem is working, clean, sober and involved withtheir children's education. Many of these men areemployed at PB&J's Fathers Building Futures, anAlbuquerque business that provides hands-on,service- and skills-oriented training in auto detail-ing, mobile power washing and customizedwoodworking.

Fathers Building Futures aims to connect former-ly incarcerated fathers with their professional andcivic promise while providing affordable, meaningful anduseful services to the community. In the process, recidi-vism is cut by close to 50% and children benefit from afather who isn’t role modeling from behind bars — asurefire way to reduce the chances of a child ending upbehind bars, too.

“I have always had a strong work ethic, but I spent mostof my life incarcerated because the jobs I worked at thatwere legal often treated me poorly, the wages never wereenough to provide for my family. PB&J gave me a chanceand I found they really cared and cared that we betteredourselves. I know I wouldn’t have gotten this far withoutthem. Now, my wife and kids come first, and I hope thatmy recent graduation from CNM will help me build abetter future for them as I continue to pursue a BA inASC Automotive Technology. I am so grateful to PB&Jfor giving me a chance, not just to work but for believingin me,” explains Eric, father of five. (Note: Eric was justhired at a full-time job.)

BY SUSAN REED

W hat if? What if people here in Albu-querque who don't have enough toeat could grow some of their own

food? That idea was the beginning of a project co-sponsored by Roadrunner Food Bank and La OrillaFarm in the South Valley, and lots and lots of neigh-bors and friends.

In March of this year, I contacted Roadrunner FoodBank and met with Jason Riggs, SNAP OutreachCoordinator, Programs Assistant Denise Sawyer, andAnn Sharpe from Christ United Methodist Church.My husband Michael and I offered to provide seedlings inpots that could be given to anyone who came to pick upsupplemental food at the distribution at the church. TheRoadrunner folks were super enthusiastic and receptive tomy idea. Denise and I decided to use plastic gallon milkjugs with the tops cut off and holes punched in the bot-tom. Not fancy but definitely freely available. So we putout the word to friends... and what a response! Not onlyfriends, but friends of friends donated gallon jugs andother pots to use. Seriously, hundreds of them! TheRoadrunner volunteers did the cutting and hole punching,and at last count we were at about 220.

As for seedlings, Michael and I seeded multiple four- andsix-packs of basil, parsley, chives and bush tomatoes.Again, friends and friends of friends called to donate

excess babies they'd started. We have all sorts of tomatoes, squash,pimientos, chiles, oregano, more chives,quelites, arugula. One friend brought overa pound of pinto beans to distribute.

We approached Jim Brooks at Soilutionswho gave us a special deal on potting soil.Also, the Roadrunner people created a bi-lingual how-to brochure that will be avail-able for anyone who might not be sure howto care for their seedlings.

The first distribution will be June 3. Willpeople want to take home containers of seedlings, especially if theylive in apartments with no yards? We hope so. We know the churchwill take some of the larger plants for their communal raised beds.If any Co-op gardeners who have extra seedlings would like todonate them, please call Jason at Roadrunner Food Bank (505-349-8833) or me, Susan Reed (877-2877). We'll make sure yourbabies get good homes, and do some good in the world. We wouldalso appreciate the donation of any extra seeds, such as beans orcucumbers or summer squash, as some of the recipients will haveaccess to yards or community gardens.

Roadrunner Food Bank assists 250 agencies in the state. We'llstart with one distribution, and see how that goes, thenexpand as we can. Any help is welcome. Contact me at 877-2877 or at screed@earthlink.com.

the PEOPLEFEED

FATHERS BUILDINGFUTURES

CO-OP PROGRAM DONATE YOUR BAG CREDIT!

BRING A BAG... DONATE THE DIME!

THIS MONTH BAG CREDIT DONATIONS GO TO:FATHERS BUILDING FUTURES: Connecting formerly incarceratedfathers with their professional and civic promise while growing positive familial experiences.

In April your Bag Credit Donations totaling $2,332.70 went to theNative Plant Society of New Mexico. THANK YOU!

FATHERSBBuuiillddiinngg FFuuttuurreess

BBAAGGCCRREEDDIITT

DDOONNAATTIIOONNOORRGGAANNIIZZAATTIIOONN

GROW IT! ANDSHARE IT!

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 Montanita Co-opSupermarket to provide information on La Montanita Co-opSupermarket, the cooperative movement, and the links between food,health, environment and community issues. Opinions expressed here-in are of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Co-op.

WESTSIDE3601 Old Airport Ave. NW

505-503-2550

Alameda Blvd.

Old Airport Ave.

Coors

Blv

d.

Old

Airport

Ave

.CO

-OP

june 33

BY AMYLEE UDELL

Summer camping is great for the entire fam-ily. Get out of the city and into the world ofNO cell phone coverage! Sleep under the stars

in the fresh air. Follow animal tracks on a hike andwatch the kids make toys out of sticks and rocks.Getting out for even just a night means three meals'worth of ingredients, serving ware, cooking tools,pots and cleaning supplies. Many people can getoverwhelmed right there. I'm no hard core backpacker, but years of carcamping with my family have taught me a few tricks to share.

members are compensated with an annual stipend of $1,800. The Secretary receives $2,700 and thePresident receives $3,600. Board members areexpected to serve the full term to which they areelected.

While it is customary for boards to seek prospectivemembers with management-related skills, ourapproach is different. Our comprehensive policiesand the management reporting that is required forthem allow the board to simultaneously ensure suc-cessful Co-op performance and still focus on the big-ger picture mentioned earlier. To help keep theboard on this path, here’s what we are looking for ina candidate:• First and foremost, be dedicated to the well-beingof the Co-op and its owners.• Have a propensity to think in terms of systems andcontext. • Be honest and have independent judgment,courage and good faith.• Be able and eager to deal with values, vision andthe long term. • Be willing and able to participate assertively in dis-cussions and abide by board decisions and the intentof established policies.• Be comfortable operating in a group decision mak-ing environment, sharing power in a group process,and delegating areas of decision making to others.

Our focus on the long term, on clear definitions ofroles, and on respectful and productive dialoguehas clearly paid off as the Co-op continues to thrivedespite economic conditions and a great deal ofcompetition.

We encourage prospective candidates toattend monthly board meetings so they maybetter understand how the board governs.Meetings are always held on the thirdTuesday of each month, starting at 5:30pm.The location is the Immanuel PresbyterianChurch, directly across the street from theNob Hill store. Dinner is served to all attend-ing, starting a little before 5:30pm.

Nominations start July 20 and end onAugust 20. The candidate applicationpacket will be available starting July 20,as paper copies from the Information

Desk and electronically from the Co-op’s web-site. TO QUALIFY AS A CANDIDATE, YOU MUSTBE A CURRENT MEMBER AND HAVE BEENSINCE JULY 1, 2014. YOUR COMPLETED APPLI-CATION MUST BE RETURNED BY AUGUST 20 TOBE VALID.

Board elections will be held from November 1stthrough November 14th. Our annual meeting andcelebration will be held on Saturday, October 18,at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. Candidatesare encouraged to attend this meeting to have theopportunity to address members regarding theircandidacy. As we have done in the last few years,the board will offer a list of candidates it feels arequalified to serve. Full information about thisprocess will be included in the candidate packet.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, CONTACT USAT bod@lamontanita.coop, or contact ArianaMarchello, Chairperson of the Nominationsand Elections Committee, at 505-570-0743 oramarchello@gmail.com.

FROM YOUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Your Co-op needs you! The nominations process for LaMontanita’s Board of Directors will be starting nextmonth, and we want to let you know how you can partic-

ipate. Each year the Co-op holds elections for three of its ninedirectors, with terms running for three years. This year, there willalso be an election to fill a one-year term, making four seats intotal. As elected representatives of the 17,000 plus member/own-ers, the board’s job is to provide strategic vision and ensure the Co-op’s long-term stability and success. The work is exciting, chal-lenging and rewarding.

The Co-op is a $32,000,000 a year operation with six stores: fourin Albuquerque, one in Gallup and one in Santa Fe. Albuquerqueis also the site of the Cooperative Distribution Center (CDC), which isour Foodshed warehouse, serving producers, processors and retailersthroughout our region. We are pleased to say that all of the Co-op’sunits continue to grow and improve in performance. Finally, our manypublic outreach programs bring people together and strengthen ourcommunities.

Why Run for the Board?The board’s work requires discipline and creativity. We govern bymeans of a framework called Policy Governance. At our monthly meet-ings, the board reviews management’s work by examining performancereports and comparing them to policy standards we have established.The board governs by declaring, through its policies, the results itwants and the actions it wants the general manager to avoid whileachieving those results. Only by reviewing and adjusting these bound-aries do we adjust the direction of the Co-op. We leave day-to-dayoperational details to the general manager and his team (those are thepeople you see every day as a shopper); we keep tabs on the stores ona monthly basis through formal reporting. Very importantly, we spendalmost half our meeting time studying our world, learning about ourowners’ needs, and imagining the future.

Overall, board members are expected to spend the equivalent of aboutthree hours a week on board duties, including committee work, train-ings, workshops, other meetings and activities. In exchange, board

BOARD SERVICE: EXCITING, CHALLENGING, REWARDING

co-op news June 2014 6

membership isOOWWNNEERRSSHHIIPP!!

First, decide what your family MUST haveand where you can compromise. Are you OKwith paper and plastic ware while camping?We have our own set of serving ware for pic-nics and camping, so we take that. But weDO seem to make more trash when we camp.We tend to use more paper towels, conven-ience foods and snacks that come with pack-aging. That's a second point of compromisefor us. For my kids, camping = boxed cereal.It's one of the reasons they get excited aboutcamping. Maybe you relax on food quality

by indulging in s'mores. We do!

Next, ARE you going to cook and HOW will youcook? Will you rely on the grill or campfire at the site?Be sure to check ahead of time to see if open fires areallowed. If not, a camp stove is a great option and canbe borrowed from a friend or rented from REI (whereyou can also rent tents and sleeping bags). We havetaken a small solar cooker with us, as well. We set din-ner in it and went for a hike and came back to our fullycooked meal. This won't be allowed at all campsites,depending on the wildlife situation. You could stickwith non-cook meals. We don't cook all our meals. Weusually have a picnic lunch of lunch meat, canned fish,cheese, chips and dip, nuts, etc. Middle of the day isoften hot so a cool lunch works well.

A few months ago I wrote about the convenience andpracticality of freezer meals. Freezer meals areGREAT for camping. Pull one out frozen and put it inthe cooler to help keep things cold and plan to have itthe second day or later. I suggest one meant for acrockpot that does not include a huge hunk of meat,but something with beans, pieces of meat, spaghettisauce, chili, etc. These are so easy to cook on a fire orcamp stove.

Many people make Meals-in-a-Jar for camping.Perhaps your neighbor once gave you a soup mix,the ingredients beautifully layered in a mason jar?You can take this concept to a baggie, as well.Basically, most to all of the meals' ingredients arein one container. Often you simply boil the ingre-dients together until done. I've done bean soups,macaroni and cheese, pasta dishes and ricecasseroles. Sometimes the ingredients will includepowdered milks or bouillions, so you'll need to seeif the recipe is "whole" enough for you. But boil-ing until done is usually simple enough for anycook to manage at the campsite.

Try cooking in foil, right above your fire or on topof your grill. Kids usually have fun with this.Baked potatoes, onions, fish or even cook beansright in the can. And, of course, bbq favorites aresure to please. Hamburgers and hotdogs are easyto pack and prepare. Most important is keep itFUN and not too labor intensive. It IS vacation,after all!

OTHER LITTLE TIPS:• Freeze some of your water or liquids (or evenwhole meals, as above!) to help keep your cooleritems cool.• Make a standard Camp Menu and bring thesame things each time. This will streamline yourpacking and the mental energy required to getready.• Bring plenty of water.• If you don't have a lightweight, nested cookingset for camping, try to bring as few pots as possi-ble. One frying pan and Dutch oven will usuallycover it. A cast iron skillet is great, too, but veryheavy.• Involve the kids as much as is safe and practical.They'll practice important cooking skills, whilehaving fun!

BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTIONS!

RUN FOR THEBOARD

CAMP FOOD MADE

EASY!

GRASS FED, GRASS FINISHEDSWEETGRASS BEEF OR LOCAL KYZERPORK TO GRILL!

FOR DAD! GET IT at your favorite CO-OP! Father’s Day,Sunday, June 15! CELEBRATE DAD!

YOURco-op...needs

YOU !

MAKE DADGLAD

co-op news June 2014 7

BY LISA BANWARTH-KUHN

During our March BOD meeting, we watchedthe first part of a film called, “The Economicsof Happiness” (www.theeconomicsofhappiness.

org), a documentary film that critiques globalization andinternational free trade. The film criticizes globalizationfor fracturing our world by creating a standardized worldmarket dominated by transnational companies that sellconsumerism through a blitz of marketing. The hiddencosts of the corporate model are systemic and far reach-ing. Though tough and somewhat gloomy, the analysishas a cheerful counter balance for a solution. The filmpromotes localization as a positive investment in astronger future with far greater returns than buying intothe promises of the corporate world model.

The film was a reminder that a strong local communityvalues people over profit and we need to be aware of how

WE can “go local.” As consumers we can critique thecorporate world through the power of our wallet. We canrefuse to buy at the big box stores. We can shop atLa Montanita where last year member ownersreturned to our community over four million dol-lars in sales of local products. When we shop wecan bring our own shopping bags and “Donate aDime” to local programs that will in turn circulatethe money through our community. We can banklocally at NM Educators Credit Union. As a com-munity member we can participate in programsthat strengthen the ties to what lifts everyone upand ensures a self-sustaining local future.

In the past the Board had a visit from “Project Feed theHood,” a food literacy and community gardening initia-tive of SWOP (SouthWest Organizing Project). ProjectFeed the Hood is “based in traditional methods of farm-ing and seed saving that are both sustainable and cultur-ally relevant. SWOP gardeners maintain a large seedlibrary and host many workshops to assist communitymembers, schools and other community groups seeking

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

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

democratically-controlled enterprise.

6/8 Pollinator Party at the Westsidelocation. See page 3

6/17 BOD Meeting, Immanuel Church, 5:30pm

6/21 Santa Fe Co-op Solstice Celebration at the Santa Fe location. See page 1

JUNE IS MEMBER SURVEY MONTH! Get yoursonline at www.lamontanita.coop or at any Co-op location.

JuneCalendarof Events

GO LOCAL...BEHAPPY

Look for our Annual member/ownersurvey in your mailbox, your emailinbox or online in early June. I hopeyou will take time to complete thisyear’s survey and turn it in at yourfavorite Co-op location by June 30.You will receive a 15% discount onyour purchase when you completethe survey. Your feedback is veryimportant to us. This is your com-munity owned business, so please tell us what youthink and how we can better serve you. How arewe doing and in what areas would you like to seeimprovement?

You may notice that several of the survey ques-tions remain the same from year to year and won-der why we keep asking the same questions. This

consistent set of questions enables usto measure our service to you overtime and helps us determine whichareas of your business need addition-al resources. We also change the mixof the questions from time to time asour business and needs change.

If you have more comments than thesurvey space permits, don’t hesitate to attachthem to the survey form. Please contact me withany need at terryb@lamontanita.coop or byphone at 505-217-2020. Thanks for your contin-ued support of our Co-op. -Terry B.

JUNE IS MEMBER SURVEY MONTH WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK

THE INSIDE SCOOP

GENERAL MANAGER’S COLUMNt e r r y b @ l a m o n t a n i t a . c o o p

to grow food and build healthy communities and lifestylesall over the state of NM.” (www.projectfeedthe hood.org)

Project Feed the Hood is a perfect exampleof how one small group is standing upagainst globalization. It may be small and local, but it is strong and communitybuilding. The importance of focusinglocally, prompted UNM to create a Sus-tainability Program where students learnabout and contribute to a sustainable localfuture. Dreaming New Mexico is astatewide program dedicated to visionary

and practical solutions to heal and shepherd the future of ourhome. It has a website with links to a long list of groups thatfocus on building our future, where we could meet our neigh-bors and strengthen the bonds within our local community.(www.dreamingnewmexico.org/food/the-network)

There are many little personal opportunities for us to actlocally and there are many groups we can work with tomagnify our little efforts and multiply the positive effect onour own “Economics of Happiness.”

ALL ABOUT BEESFor as long as humans have

known the honey bee, we have

been fascinated by and even

worshipped the small but elegant

Apis Mellifera. Their hives are

miracles of ingenuity, their

efficiency and industry surpass

that of even the most sophisticated

civilizations and of course, the

sweet nectar they alchemically

transform and preserve is enough

to deserve our undying admiration.

Wherever honeybees pollinate,

both flowers and food crops

become wildly more abundant and

successful, as if Demeter herself had

graced the Earth beneath them.

Honey boasts countless and

diverse healing properties and

is also one of the most nourishing

foods for the body, heart and

soul. It offers guidance and

support to people on their healing

paths, all the while celebrating and

embracing the sweetness of life.

—La Abeja Herbs

EVERYDAY ALCHEMYLa Abeja Herbs

A BODY OIL infused with cedar, ginger, lemongrass, rosemary

and fennel essential oils. Owner, Sophia Rose also offers classes on

the use of herbs for self care and beyond. Look to her website

for more information.laabejaherbs.com

BACK TO NATURE Honey Graham Sticks Made from wheat and graham

flours with a touch of pure, golden honey, these 100% natural treats

are absolutely delicious.

• No hydrogenated oils • No high fructose corn syrup • No artificial preservatives,

flavors or colors

LAVENDER HONEY & OSHA HONEYMedicinal honeys that are

delicious too! Osha is a medicinal plant for respiratory health and Lavender works on every level,

from healing burns to aiding sleep. Located in Dixon, NM, Artemisia Herbs is a family

enterprise. The herbs are all wildcrafted; havested and

processed by hand.

BEE CULTURE:The Magazine of

American BeekeepingFind a Beekeeper near you,

catch the latest buzz on a global scale and learn all about hive maintenance and health with

this monthly magazine available at store check out stands.

LOCAL

LOCAL

WESTSIDE POLLINATOR PARTY3601 Old Airport Avenue NW

JUN

E8sunday

10AM-2PM

Pollinator & bee expertsfrom around the statetalk about birds, beesand other pollinators

• BBQ• Live Music with Zoltan Orkestar• Education!• Family Fun!

FREE ! FOOD • MUSIC • EDUCATION

ALL ABOUT BEES

OLD PECOS PECAN Honey Mustard

Sweetened with only pure honey - no sugars, no corn syrup or artificial sweetners. A pure sweet & spicy delight. Old Pecos Foods products are made in Glorietta, NM

with love and care.

PORTLAND BEE BALMEvery tube of Portland Bee Balm

consists of local NW Oregon beeswax, raw cold-pressed

organic extra-virgin coconut oil, organic extra-virgin olive oil,

SE Portland honey from backyard hives and organic

peppermint essential oil.Yup, that’s it!

HONEY GARDENSElderberry Honey Syrup

From VERMONT with raw honey and bee propolis.

Propolis reduces inflammations of the mucous membranes

and is known to resist bacteria, fungus and mold. Find it at the

Rio Grande Valley Store.

B’S HONEYis a 100% pure, raw,

natural honey gathered from areas all over the state:

the mountains of Northern and Southern New Mexico to the valleys and plains of Central New Mexico. B’s New Mexico

Honey Farm has been providing natural New Mexico

honey since 1991.

HONEY LEMON THROAT

Comfort TeaAn all organic herbal blend, combining Slippery Elm Bark with Mullein, prized for their usefulness in soothing minor

throat irritation. Wild Cherry Bark is included for its soothing

effects, while Licorice root adds a comforting sweet flavor.

DECOMPOSITION BOOK with

Honeycomb CoverThe hive’s alive with busy bees.

100% post-consumer waste notebook with recycled pages;

printed with easy to recycle non-toxic soy inks.

Printed on orange board.80 Sheets, 7.5” x 9.75”

Made in USA

HEAVENLY ORGANICS Honey Pattie

Chocolate MintCombining healing wild honey

with the antioxidant dark chocolate • Dairy Free

• Gluten Free • USDA Organic • No Added Sugar • Only 3

Ingredients: 100% Organic Dark Chocolate, Organic Raw Honey & Peppermint Oil

LOCAL

LOCAL

LOCAL

MOSES BEE POLLENFrom Los Ranchos, ABQ,

Moses Bee Pollen is a pure bee pollen dried at a low temperature. It contains a

balance of vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, enzymes, and essential amino

acids. As a rejuvenator, it is used to assist in recovery from illness

and as a pollen and spore antidote during allergy season.

cool summer eats June 2014 10

keep it

SIMPLEFORsummer!KALE SALAD with MAPLE-MUSTARDDRESSINGFROM JULIEANNA HEVER

One of the best ways to enjoy a fresh green springsalad is with a rich and tasty dressing. This dress-ing is oil free, but flavorful and quick to prepare.Maple syrup and mustard provide real zest. Feelfree to vary the recipe by using any type of greensfrom the many available this time of year.

Serves: 4 to 6Time: 30 minutes

Dressing1 cup cannellini beans, cooked or canned2 tablespoons tahini2 tablespoons nutritional yeast2 tablespoons stone-ground or Dijon mustard2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari or soy sauce1 tablespoon pure maple syrup Zest and juice of 1 lemon1/4 cup water

Salad6 cups kale, ribs removed, shredded1 cup red cabbage, shredded1 cup carrots, shredded1 cup broccoli florets, finely chopped1 15-ounce can of garbanzo beans, drained

and rinsed

To prepare dressing, combine cannellini beans,tahini, mustard, nutritional yeast, tamari or soysauce, maple syrup, lemon zest, juice and 1/4 cupwater. Blend on high until smooth. Add morewater, as needed, to achieve desired consistency.

Place kale, cabbage, carrots, broccoli and garbanzobeans in a large bowl. Pour dressing over salad andtoss to combine. Serve and enjoy.

FARMER SALAD with CHIVE VINAIGRETTEFROM ISA MOSKOWITZ

Serves: 4Time: 30 minutes

Dressing1/2 cup fresh chives, chopped1 clove garlic, peeled2 tablespoons olive oil3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice3 tablespoons water1 tablespoon Dijon mustard1 teaspoon agave nectar1/2 teaspoon saltSeveral pinches freshly ground black pepper

To prepare dressing, place all ingredients in blenderor food processor and blend until smooth, scrapingdown sides when needed. Keep tightly sealed andrefrigerated until ready to use. Mixture will keepup to 5 days. This particular dressing is perfect overeverything from salad to grilled veggies to bakedpotatoes.

Salad1 pound baby potatoes, such as red, purple

or Yukon8 ounces crimini or trumpet mushrooms,

thinly sliced2 teaspoons olive oil1/4 teaspoon salt plus a pinch for cooking

potatoes6 cups arugula, rinsed and thoroughly dried2 cups trimmed and bias/cut snap peas

Place potatoes in 2-quart pot, add water to coverand sprinkle with pinch of salt. Bring to boil andlower heat. Simmer until potatoes are tender, about10 minutes. Place them in ice bath to cool com-pletely, or run under cold water.

Mary Alice Cooper,MD

In the meantime, preheat large pan (preferablycast iron) over medium-high heat. Sauté mush-rooms in olive oil with 1/4 teaspoon salt forabout 7 minutes, until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, toss together arugula, snap peasand potatoes. Add about half the vinaigrette andtoss to coat. Arrange in serving bowls withmushrooms scattered on top. Drizzle additionalvinaigrette over composed salad.

PAN FRIED SESAME TOFU withASPARAGUS AND QUINOAFROM ADRIENNE WEISS

This tasty dish, featuring seasonal, springasparagus and wholesome, protein-rich quinoa,is sure to please.

Serves: 4Time: 55 minutes

Quinoa1 cup quinoa, rinsed three times1 1/2 cups cool water1/2 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Sesame Tofu and Asparagus1 14-ounce package extra/super firm tofu2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil2 tablespoons vegetable oilPinch each of salt and black or chile pepper2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced1 dry chili, crushed 2 small carrots, thinly sliced1 pound asparagus, diced1 teaspoon salt1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar 3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce1 tablespoon rice vinegar1 teaspoon toasted sesame oilSesame seeds for garnish

Begin by pressing tofu. Wrap block in a singlepaper towel, then in a bar towel, and place under aheavy cast iron pan for at least 15 minutes. Thepaper towel prevents bar towel fuzz from adheringto the tofu, while the terry cloth towel absorbs aton of water.

While the tofu is pressing, prepare quinoa. Rinsethree times, rubbing grains in your hands. Addrinsed quinoa, cool water, salt and oil to a pot.Bring to boil. Once boiling, cover and turn heatdown to low and simmer 20 minutes. Turn off heatand let steam, covered, for another 10 minutes. Donot remove lid. Fluff before serving.

Remove tofu from wrap and cut into 8 equal-sizedrectangles or triangles. Heat large cast iron panover medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons toastedsesame oil. Once pan is very hot, add tofu andsprinkle with pinch of salt and pepper. If pan is sea-soned, tofu should not stick. Brown tofu on oneside, flip and brown on other side. Cook tofu for atleast 10 minutes, flipping as needed. It should benicely browned, but not burnt. Remove from panand let rest on plate or cutting board while finish-ing dish to firm the tofu.

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in the same pan.Add garlic, chili and veggies (using more oil ifneeded.) Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Stir ingre-dients together and cook until asparagus is brightgreen and vegetables are tender-crisp. Add tofu,tamari or soy sauce, sugar and vinegar. Gently tosswell to coat all ingredients. Drizzle sesame oil overtop. Arrange over quinoa and top with sesameseeds. Serve immediately to ensure vegetablesremain crisp.

cool summer eats June 2014 11

simple forSUMMER

BY DR. TESS GRASSWITZ, NMSU

The importance of insects as crop pollinators isoften underappreciated, although it has beenestimated that approximately 75% of the fruits

and vegetables grown in the US are pollinated bydomesticated honeybees and wild native bees. Thefamiliar honeybee (Apis mellifera) was introduced tothe US from Europe for its ability to produce honey andpollinate crops. However, in recent years, honeybeepopulations in many areas have declined due to thephenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder,stimulating interest in the ability of wild native bees tofill the “pollination gap” when honeybees are scarce.Research indicates that they are often able to do so,provided that their basic needs are met. Those needs include not onlyaccess to floral nectar and pollen, but also suitable nesting habitat – afactor that is often overlooked in attempts to conserve and help ournative bees.

While honeybees form large social colonies (making them ideally adaptedto hive rearing and to transportation to different crops for pollination pur-poses), most native bees behave rather differently. Most are either solitaryspecies that build individual nests and raise their brood alone, or, likebumblebees, form only relatively small colonies. Some wild bees showintermediate, gregarious nesting behavior, whereby each female forms herown nest, but in close proximity to the nests of other females of the samespecies. Different bees prefer different nesting sites: some nest in theground, excavating tunnels that may reach a foot or more below the soilsurface, while others use holes in dead wood or hollow plant stems, even-tually plugging the entrance with mud or finely chewed plant material.The bees typically provision each brood cell (chamber) in the nest with aball of nectar and pollen on which their larvae feed and develop. NewMexico has a rich diversity of native bees, although they often go unno-ticed and unremarked. An illustrated guide to the main groups of NewMexico native bees is available at (bit.ly/1lBtlbA).

Habitat Enhancements for Native Bees Any garden can be made more inviting for bees and other beneficialinsects. Remember that even organically-approved insecticides can betoxic to such species, so try to minimize their impact by practicing inte-grated pest management (IPM) and not spraying flowering plants whenpollinators are active. Keep in mind, too, that some systemic insecticides(e.g., imidacloprid) can move through the plant to reach damaging con-centrations in nectar, so try to avoid such products if possible.

gardening for pollinators June 2014 12

Both wild bees and honeybees respond well to theestablishment of pollinator gardens, the success ofwhich is largely determined by two key factors:plant diversity and time of flowering. Many of ournative and cultivated garden plants flower in mid-

summer, but fewer species bloom in early spring orearly fall, when honeybees and many native bees areactive. To help farmers and gardeners choose suitableplants, New Mexico State University’s AgriculturalScience Center and the Natural Resources Con-servation Service’s Plant Materials Center (bothbased at the same site in Los Lunas) have been test-ing a wide range of (mostly native) plants for theirability to attract and support pollinators; the result-ing list of recommended plants is available at(bit.ly/1lV8FOX).

Since different species of bees vary in the structureand length of their mouthparts, and the degree towhich they specialize on particular flowers, it isimportant to include as wide a diversity of plantspecies as possible. Some bees are generalists in theirforaging and will visit the flowers of many differentplants, while others specialize on a much more limit-ed range of species. Hence, when planting for polli-nators, the aim is to try to include a broad range offlower shapes, sizes, structures and colors in order tobenefit as many species as possible. Native plants areexcellent, as they are adapted to thrive under NewMexico conditions, and our wild bees, in turn, arealready adapted to them.

CREATING HABITATS AND HOMES

rriicchhDDIIVVEERRSSIITTYY

ooff NNAATTIIVVEESS

DONATE yyoouurr BBAAGGccrreeddiitt!!to a different worthy organization each month.See page 3. Donate the dime, it adds up!

NATIVE BEESHELP WILD POLLINATORS

SURVIVE ANDTHRIVE

BY JOE FRANKE

A s the spring planting season approaches here inAlbuquerque, you might give some thought to puttingin a few plants that benefit people and native bees

simultaneously.

Squash and pumpkins are extremely popular in this area, but manypeople are dismayed when their plants produce lots of vegetativegrowth and flowers, but these never develop into fruit. The problemhere is most likely not disease but a lack of services of the melon fam-ily’s main pollinator, the distinctively yellow “squash bee” of the genusPeponapis. Squash plants have both male and female flowers, and beesmust be present (or very patient and skilled humans) to move thepollen from one flower to another. These fascinating bees fly and for-age in the morning, just as the flowers are opening: these bees are onthe job while the flower is still viable; squash flowers only “last” a day.Squash bees are very interesting in that they have followed the spreadof squash cultivation, going back to Pre-Colombian times, from thesouthwestern US to well into the Northern Plains states, as we’vebrought squash cultivation northward.

However, squash bees are in decline in the US due to increased use ofneonicotinoid pesticides that are particularly toxic to these bees. If youare careful and quiet about it, you can usually find the male squashbees inhabiting squash flowers that are a bit past their prime by gentlyopening them up in the evening or just as the sun is coming up beforethey leave their temporary homes to look for the females.

Dill is an important part of many important summer foods, such asgrilled salmon and salad dressings, but few people know that it is alsoimmensely attractive to black swallowtail butterflies and small nativebees. The swallowtails’ caterpillars are obligates, meaning they eat

GARDENING FOR

nothing else but carrot family plantssuch as dill, carrots, Queen Anne’slace and parsley. The flowers are veryattractive to the adults. Before these non-nativeplants were brought to North America, these ele-gantly beautiful insects utilized native species suchas prairie parsley, and the inclusion of these plantsin our gardens allows these specialists to exist inurban areas. Please consider the idea of plantingsome extra dill and letting some of your plants go toflower as an attractant for these beautiful insects.

Borage is a very underappreciated gar-den annual that has many uses and isalso extremely attractive to a widevariety of native bees. It’s easily grownfrom seed once our daytime tempera-tures get into the 70s. The blue to pur-ple flowers are tasty in salads, and thestems can be cooked as a vegetable,somewhat reminiscent of asparagus.

Many herbs are highly attractive tonative bees. Mint family plants such as

oregano and the wide variety of peppermint, spear-mints, lemon verbena and others are all not only nice tohave around for seasoning and teas, but are also verybeneficial to our native pollinators.

JOE FRANKE is the owner/operator of Sapo GordoEcological Restoration Services. He can be reachedat sapogordoeco@comcast.net, and on Facebook.

Food for Bees, Food for Us

NATIVE BEES& PEOPLE

Nesting SitesWhen creating habitat for native pollinators, don’tneglect nesting sites. Ground-nesting bees need suit-able areas that remain undisturbed all year, as theyusually overwinter in their subterranean nests. Aswith floral resources, diversity is the key: some beeslike flat sites, while others prefer sloping sites; someprefer sandy soil, others prefer loam or clay soils.Similarly, some species need bare soils, while othersneed partially vegetated sites. Habitat for cavity-nesting species can be provided by drilling holes inold tree stumps, untreated logs, or scrap lumber.Holes should be 4-5 inches deep, with a variety ofdiameters from 3/32” to 3/8”.

For species that nest in dead plant stems, 4 to 5 inchlengths of bamboo or other pithy stems (e.g., fromwild, dead sunflowers) should be cut with one endopen and one closed (i.e., cut just below a node(joint) in the stem). Pack the cut stems (open endsoutwards) into suitable supports (e.g., the centralcardboard cylinders from rolls of toilet paper)before placing them in a larger box with other nest-ing materials (drilled wood blocks, etc.) Individualstems should not be perfectly aligned: it’s easier forindividual bees to find their nests if the stems areslightly offset from one another. The entire nest boxshould be installed approximately four feet aboveground, facing east (to protect it from the late after-noon sun).

Finally, bees appreciate a source of clean water.This can be provided by filling a shallow dish withpebbles and adding water until the latter are part-ly submerged; the pebbles provide landing sites forbees and other insects. To prevent mosquitoesbreeding in the dish, empty the container everyfew days and allow it to dry for an hour or twobefore refilling.

Further reading: Attracting Native Pollinators(2011) E. Mader, M. Shepherd, M. Vaughan, S.Hoffman Black and G. Le Buhn, 372 pp., StoreyPublishing.

CREATEA POLL INATOR

GARDEN

Hoppers are tough. Not much will do them in,even nasty chemicals. Microscopically-sharpdiatomaceous earth is supposed to dehydratethem but I have actually witnessed them matingin bins of the stuff! Row covers help by exclud-

ing them from your crop, but I have seen themeat through the fabric to get to my succulentseedlings.

Next, it’s all-out germ warfare. Nosema locustaeis a spore (usually available on bran flakes) thatif ingested, attacks the hopper gut and causes itto die. Grasshoppers are cannibals and eat theirfallen comrades and so can help spread the dis-ease. Brand names are Semaspore and Nolo Bait.But beware! It needs to be fresh and kept cool toremain effective. If it’s been on your garden sup-pliers’ shelf for long, its effectiveness may havedropped or disappeared altogether. Best to buyin bulk and have it shipped direct to you.However, it’s expensive either way: a hundredbucks for twenty-five pounds! That’s more thanyou’ll need for your backyard but know thateven if you get the disease established, new hop-pers will jump over your fence and gobble upsome plants before they get the disease. A coop-erative neighborhood approach is best withmany folks spreading the stuff and cost sharing.

farming & gardening June 2014 13

The Porridge Patch

We all know about heirloom tomatoesor beans. In the past decade, lots offolks have stepped up to the (dinner)

plate and now save their own seeds. Veteranseed savers, however, have always been a trifle dis-appointed that few people have taken the next stepwith more involved seed crops that are a bit difficultto keep pure, like carrots or mustards (the latter is abroad category that not only includes greens butbroccoli, cauliflower, kale, collards and others, manyof which freely cross-pollinate). But take it even fur-ther than that. Grains. Yeah it’s fashionable to slagon wheat these days but remember there are stilldozens of old wheat varieties that date back to the daysbefore high-gluten was prized. And what about oats,barley, rye, millet and buckwheat? Enter SustainableSeed Company; take a look at their heritage grain seedofferings and consider planting a little bit o’ grain.Thirty years ago, in the old seed saving days, we calledit a Pancake Patch because it wasn’t big enough to sup-ply you with bread year round but a few darn goodmeals of hotcakes or cream o’ wheat. Check it: sustainableseedco.com/grains.

Hip-Hop(pers)At the end of April, we received a considerable amountof calls about plagues of grasshoppers in “biblical pro-portions” on the Westside of ’Burque. Well, in today’spaper (May 8) it’s front page news. So far it doesn’tlook as bad as expected but be prepared. A dry springcan trigger a hopper explosion. Hmmm. Come to thinkof it, so can a damp spring. No telling what will bringthe little boogers out but they are indeed here so it’sbest to be prepared.

Dust Bowl old-timers will tell you about intentionallysetting fire to hundreds of prairie acres to combat themillions (yes, millions) of hoppers that threatened notonly their livelihood but their food supplies. Luckilywe don’t do that anymore, but the agri-biz scorchedearth policy of toxic sprays isn’t much better. So whatdoes this mean for you the home gardener?

ITCHY GREEN THUMBNote: you shouldn’t get the bait wet or it will lose effectiveness. Andfinally it will kill harmless crickets too. Geez, I’m making this stuffsound like it’s not worth it. Believe me, it is if you’re protecting a vitalfood supply. For a hobby backyard garden, well, maybe the hopperyear is the year nature gets a bigger share of your crop?

Poultry is an excellent grasshopper control if you can keep the birdsfrom eating your plants. My chickens are hearty meateaters and prefer bugs over almost any other food—withthe exception of mustard or collard type greens (they mustbe southern hens!) The best solution I ever saw was anenclosed poultry run encircling an entire field. It was wideenough that it took a grasshopper two or three jumps tomake it across. But the hens knew what was up and end-lessly patrolled, scooping up any hopper that dared enterbefore that second or third hop.

If all else fails, consider Prairie Shrimp—that’s roastedgrasshoppers to you. Yup, minus the gnarly legs that getstuck in your teeth, a crunchy roasted grasshopper turnsorange when it’s cooked (just like shrimp) and tastes, well,better than you might think. Pass the cocktail sauce, please.

BY BRETT BAKKER

RANDOM“Ag”NOTES

The hens knew what was up andendlessly patrolled, SCOOPING UP

any HOPPER that dared enter. OPEN SPACE VISITOR CENTER

P R E S E N T S A P O L L I N A T O R A W A R E N E S S D A Y

pollinatorAWARENESS DAY,JUNE 22

The Open Space Visitor Center is pleased to offer a Pollinator Awareness dayon June 22 with a variety of activities that include:

• Julie McIntyre on WHAT’S KILLING THE BEES? • Dr. Tess Grasswitz on GOOD BUGS, who they are and how we can supportthem in our gardens and yards.• Erin Nelson will offer tips on ADDING BUZZ TO YOUR EVERYDAY MEALS byusing honey as a natural sweetener and will tell us about its nutritional value.• You can also GET STARTED IN BEEKEEPING. Want to keep honeybees in yourAlbuquerque backyard? You can do it! Starter hives will be available for sale.• See the film QUEEN OF THE SUN and enjoy a variety of childrens’ activitiesincluding: making a native bee nest, a seed ball filled with beneficial pollinatorplants; see a live honeybee colony up close; or try on a beekeeper’s veil.

Information contact Jodi at jhedderig@cabq.gov or call 505-897-8831. The OpenSpace Visitor Center is located at 6500 Coors Blvd. NW.

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While I gave the example above ofgarden veggies, this is NOT the idealplace to run your laundry water. Betterserved are non-edible yard plants andfruit trees or shrubs. Laundry deter-gents tend to be mildly to severelyalkaline, so if you have plants that likeacidic soils, avoid using gray water onthose. Some common landscape plantshappier with acidity are: ash, foxglove, philodendron,hydrangea, camellia, azalea, gardenia, primrose, oxalis,xylosma, begonia, hibiscus, rhododendron, violet, fern,dicentra and impatiens.

If you use a landscape-safe detergent, you shouldn’t havean issue running the drain hose from the back of yourwashing machine directly onto your garden or yard.BEWARE: Just because the label says biodegradable orphosphate free does not necessarily make it so. Somedetergents may be labeled “environmentally-friendly”because they lack phosphates and thus won’t cause algalgrowth in lakes and rivers, however, because they arefriendly to waterways does not mean they are necessari-ly human- or garden-friendly. Low-phosphate detergentscan be more caustic than phosphate detergents so mustbe used with extreme caution. There are, however, a fewsoaps being made for use with gray-water systems.

More specifically, there are a number of ingredients toavoid in laundry detergent when considering use ingray water:

chlorine or bleach, peroxygen, sodium perbo-rate, sodium trypochlorite, boron, borax,petroleum distillate, alkylbenzene, whiteners,softeners, enzymatic components

Some great detergents that have low alkalini-ty and low sodium levels (and are sold at theCo-op) are: Ecos, Seventh Generation and Dr.Bronner’s. When choosing a detergent to usewith gray water on plants, be sure to avoidsodium, chlorine and boron (a major ingredi-ent in the handy cleanser Borax). Also, look

for neutral pH detergents as we have very alkaline soilshere, and many detergents tend to have high alkalinity,which could seriously damage plants and soils.

You could also consider using detergent alternatives likesoap berries or Soap Nuts. Use a handful of these fruitswith natural occurring saponins in a small, closed cottonsack and include it with your wash. Saponin is a naturalcleaner that works as a surfactant, breaking the surfacetension of the water to penetrate the fibers of your cloth-ing, lifting stains from the fabric, and leaving dirt sus-pended in the water that is rinsed away.

When it’s hot and dry this summer and you’re feeling unsureabout how often to water your plants, find ways to usewater from your house twice. This will keep your gardengreen, and your water use low. For more suggestions onhow to reduce your use visit www.harvestingrainwater.com.

PART 1BY MICHAEL JENSEN, AMIGOS BRAVOS

There is a problem at the core of water con-servation: when customers conserve a lotof water, the utility that serves them usu-ally has to raise rates. Where’s the rewardin that?

Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water UtilityAuthority (WUA) had a 10-year goal to getdown to 150 gallons per capita per day (gpcd)by 2015, but customers met that goal in 2011,so the WUA set a new goal of 135 gpcd by2024. Instead, customers pushed their gpcd in2013 down to 138.

The initial response from the WUA was to tell the Board that there had tobe an “unplanned” 5% rate increase effective June 2014 and to blame iton customers for conserving more water than the WUA had expected.However, in February 2013, three months before the FY14 budget wassubmitted to the Board for approval, staff said that implementing aDrought Watch conservation program would result in reduced water useof about 2.5 billion gallons (about 8%). Since most people would assumethat the budget accounted for this large decline in revenues, it is hard tounderstand why WUA staff were surprised.

Revenue/Expense GapIt is clear that fiscal problems at the WUA have been building for a decadesince it took over water and wastewater provision from the City ofAlbuquerque and significant parts of Bernalillo County in the metro region.

The cost of the San Juan Chama Drinking Water Project rose from $180million in 1997 to $500 million by 2009. Costs for critical infrastructurerepair, maintenance and replacement also rose. The total projected 10-year backlog in 2011 was projected at $975.5 million, which rose to over$1.1 billion in just two years. A couple of years ago, the WUA proposeda plan to close the gap between repair and maintenance needs (calculated

at $76 million per year) and what was budgeted ($41million) by 2026 by increasing capital spending everyyear until they caught up. However, for the last twoyears, some capital spending has been "deferred" toreduce costs.

Water and wastewater service provision isaffected by inflation; there is a Consumer PriceIndex (CPI) for these services. With the excep-tion of a 1% increase in FY07, the WUA failedto increase rates from the time it was created in2004 (that is, for the FY2005 budget) until2011 (the FY2012 budget), despite significantcost inflation.

The WUA responded by borrowing: debt wentfrom $260 million in 2004 to $761 million in 2009. The total declined to about $666 million recently, but the WUA announced inApril that it will borrow $71 million more by

2015. Current debt service represents 37% of annualexpenditures.

The WUA is required by FY15 (which ends May 1,2015) to have a reserve fund equal to 1/12 of annualexpenditures. Recent WUA budgets have projected atleast $10 million in the reserve fund, but this year’sactual reserve fund is projected to be $1 million. Bycontrast, the requirement would mean around $18 mil-lion dollars in this year’s budget. All the budget saysabout this huge gap is that the WUA will meet the 1/12requirement eventually.

Water Conservation and Water RatesThe connection between water conservation and rev-enue declines (and therefore rate increases) is a problemcommon to utilities in general, which make money byselling their services (energy or water and wastewater).If a normal business loses revenue because customersare buying less, it can cut the cost and hope to get cus-tomers to buy more. However, utilities that are eitherimplementing conservation measures or facing cus-

tomers that are doing it on their own can’t increase sales,so they have to charge more, along with implementingefficiency measures and tighter fiscal controls to mini-mize those losses.

Still, the WUA seems to have some serious problems itbrought on itself. It failed to maintain a rate structurethat kept pace with inflation and allowed it to makerepairs in a timely way. Costs of critical infrastructureprojects seem to have had large cost overruns. Welearned recently from an Albuquerque Journal articlethat the Chief Financial Officer keeps his own budgetthat is different from the public budget that the Boardvotes on.

All of this has dug a very large financial hole. This isreflected in water and wastewater infrastructure that hasan almost 100% chance of a break or partial failure onany given day, according to WUA engineers, and a lackof fiscal accountability that has attracted the attention ofbond rating agencies on several occasions.

The bottom line: the recently announced “unplanned”rate increase is absolutely necessary, as are the alreadyscheduled rate increases for 2016 and 2018 and likely con-tinued rate increases through the decade of the 2020s. Thisseems unfair to many people who have worked hard toconserve, but it is an absolutely necessary measure if weare going to maintain the system we have.

Rate increases are hard to accept, especially with the cur-rent economy and especially for people on limitedincomes. The rates could be better structured to lessentheir impact on the poor.

In exchange for these rate increases, customers shoulddemand much greater transparency in both the fiscal oper-ations of the WUA and its water and wastewater opera-tions. The WUA’s customers should congratulate them-selves on being so responsive to the drought we are in andthat by most accounts is likely to indicate the “new nor-mal” in the region. For more information, contactMichael Jensen at mjensen@amigosbravos.org.

BY SARAH WENTZEL-FISHER

The average top-loading washer uses about 40 gallons of waterper wash and a front-loading machine uses about 25. It takesapproximately 3.3 gallons of water to grow a single tomato, and 3.5

gallons to grow a head of lettuce. So, every time you wash your clothes,think about how much food you could produce by reusing that water. Yourwashing machine is the easiest method to recycle water at home because youhave very few contaminants to worry about, and good detergent and deter-gent-alternative options exist to ensure you’re not hurting your plants.

Your washing machine should have a drain hose off the back that you caneasily redirect to buckets or outside. The hose will be short, so you will haveto attach a longer one to get it to reach outdoors. You can buy basic adaptersto attach an industrial garden house to the drain hose on the machine atalmost any hardware store, just ask in the plumbing department. Thismethod works well and gives you the option of detaching the hose duringcold months and redirecting the washer hose to its conventional drain.

I T ’ S A L L A WI T ’ S A L L A W A S H ! A S H ! GRAY WATER SAFEDETERGENTS

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BY LEE GALLEGOS

The National Institute of Flamenco and theUniversity of New Mexico proudly presentHeritage Hotel’s 27th annual Festival Fla-

menco Internacional de Alburquerque, June 8-14,2014. Festival Flamenco Internacional is the largestgathering of flamenco dance and music in theUnited States.

This year’s festival holds special meaning for the Instituteand the Encinias family, as they celebrate the resilienceand support of the community, which surrounds them asthey work diligently to recover from the devastating firethat destroyed the Institute’s home of 15 years onDecember 18, 2013.

“This year’s festival promises to be one of the most star-studded, rivet-ing events of the year, but the fact that this festival will still happen isnothing short of a miracle, as well as a testament to the vibrant forcethat flamenco has in this community. Festival Flamenco 27 is landmarkevent for flamenco, for the state, and for the Institute as we step into anew and exciting future after the fire. We are so grateful to the hun-dreds of people who have reached out to us during this tragic time. Outof this fire, the Institute is poised to enter into one of its most promis-ing chapters. This year’s performers include an all-star line-up of

community forum June 2014 15

Spanish flamenco superstars that represent a wide display of talent and styles ranging from traditional flamenco to cutting edge performances.

These artists embodythe essence of 27 years

of Festival Flamenco Internacional,” says EvaEncinias Sandoval, Festival Flamenco Founder andArtistic Director.

Performances will be held nightly at the Universityof New Mexico’s Rodey Theatre and at theNational Hispanic Cultural Center. Ticket pricesrange from $30-$90, with ticket packages avail-

WORLD CLASS FLAMENCO IN ABQ!NNAATTIIOONNAALL IINNSSTTIITTUUTTEE OOFF

FLAMENCO

PASSIONFORCULTURE

able for the general public and Gold and PremiumNew Mexico Passes available to residents.Festival Flamenco Internacional headlinersinclude: Farruquito, La Lupi and Alfonso Losa.

Festival Flamenco also offers over 30 workshopsin flamenco dance, song, guitar, cajón and cas-tanets. Students of all skill and experience levelsare welcome. Festival Flamenco Internacionalworkshops will be held at Carlisle Gym on theUniversity of New Mexico campus. Registrationis open for more than 30 workshops. There are anumber of options for beginning, intermediateand advanced levels. Workshop prices range from$130-$300.

For more information about Festival FlamencoInternacional, June 8-14, or for workshop regis-tration and a complete schedule of performancesand workshops, visit the Festival Flamenco web-site at festivalflamen.co.

National Hispanic Cultural Center tickets may bepurchased at the box office by calling 505-724-4771. UNM Rodey Theatre tickets may be pur-chased at the box office by calling 505-925-5858.

THANK YOU to Heritage Hotel’s FestivalFlamenco Internacional de Alburquerque spon-sors and partners: the University of New Mexico,the City of Albuquerque, Bernallio County, theNational Hispanic Cultural Center, Spain Artsand Culture, Real Time Solutions, the Albu-querque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, theNew Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, theUrban Enhancement Trust Fund, and JohnNichols.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am-noon begin-ning June 10 and running through August 14,OFFCenter's studio will be open ONLY to kids to havefree reign of the studio all to themselves! (Kids under12 must have parents or adult guardians.

Sessions will be facilitated by Sahnta DiCesare-Pannutti and Trinity Treat who will also provide a fewmore structured project options for you to make withyour kids. Check Out OFFCenter Arts adult workshopsand open studio hours as well. Open Studio Hours:Tu-Th: 1-7pm, Fr: 1-5pm, Sa: 11am-3pm.

Ongoing Creativity Workgroups are FREE andINCLUDE:Writing Group with Mandy Gardner - Wed. 3-4pmDrawing with Dave Blecha - Thurs. 1-3pmCard Making with Karen Turner - Thurs. 3-5pmBasic Guitar with Kay Stillion - Fri. 2:30-3:30pmBasic Ukulele with Kay Stillion - Fri. 3:30-4:30pmKnitting and Crochet Circle - Sat. 11:30am-1:30pm

FOR INFORMATION GO TO: offcenterarts.org/calendar/ or call or email: studio808@qwestoffice.net, 505-247-1172. Donations of funds and supplies welcome.

COOL KIDS WITH CREATIVITY

5 0 5 - 2 4 7 - 1 1 7 2 F O R I N F O R M AT I O NO F F C E N T E R C O M M U N I T Y A R T

the LARGESTgathering of FLAMENCO

music and dance in theUnited States

festival flamencoINTERNACIONAL: