Join La Montañita Co-op˜

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

these are three spring events you don't want tomiss. Watch for more information in our AprilCo-op Connection on the Co-op’s Annual springEARTH WEEK celebrations and Gardeningevents. FOR MORE INFORMATION or to re-serve your FREE space contact Robin at 505-217-2027 or toll free at 877-775-2667 or e-mail her at robins@lamontanita.coop.

Week will close with a lovely com-munity gathering at the Santa FeCo-op location with environmentaland farming, education and actionbooths, music, and local artists and,of course, great Co-op Food.

At both the Nob Hill Celebrate theEarth Fest (4/22) and Earth DaySanta Fe, this year held on Saturday,April 28, we do give first priority toenvironmental, social and economicjustice non-profit organizations andfarmers and farming organizations.Artists and crafts people must makeand sell their own art (no kits orimports allowed) and be Co-opmembers, be juried if they have not set up with us before, andat the Nob Hill Fest, be willing to participate in the "place-ment lottery."

At the North Valley Garden Party, on Saturday May 5th, dueto space considerations we must limit booth space to vendorswith seedlings, plants, seeds, and other farming and gardeningrelated products, supplies and education.

We're hoping for beautiful days, and with Mother Earth'sblessing we will once again take time to celebrate Her; reaf-firming our commitment to restoring and sustaining ourblue/green planetary gem and cultivating a sustainable future.

Join friends and neighbors as we educate and inform our-selves for the upcoming growing season and take action onbehalf of our precious Mother Earth. Mark your calendar;

BY DENISE MILLER, N.M. FARMERS’ MARKET ASSOCIATION

W inter with the goats at Old Windmill Dairy onthe flat plains of the Estancia Valley can be bit-terly cold, but more often than not, Ed and Michael

Lobaugh find themselves counting their blessings as they grab anextra cup of coffee while the truck warms up. Since about thefirst of the year, the truck that is warming up in their driveway isbetter than ever—a new Nissan NV2500 delivery van with cus-tom decals that serves as a moving billboard for their family-run,artisan dairy.

"We really had outgrown our old truck; it couldn't hold all ofour deliveries anymore, and trips to the mechanic were becominga problem. When the Co-op asked what our business needed, anew delivery truck was at the top of the list," says Ed. The LaMontanita Fund (LaM FUND) with its local grassroots investingand loan program was created for just this kind of situation: away to help local food producers expand their businesses withnon-collateralized, low-interest loans. Robin Seydel, Co-opCommunity Development Coordinator and La Montanita FUND

manager, says that while the van repre-sented a larger than usual loan for theLaM FUND, it only took 24 hours todecide to approve it.

"They are such solid local producers, andwe have a very close and trusting relation-ship," Robin says. Then, to be sure theywere within the LaM FUND’s legalparameters, they waited six weeks for theNew Mexico Securities Division toapprove changes to the LaM FUND’soperating agreement allowing them to make the larger loan.This is not the first loan the Lobaughs have received from LaMontanita to help grow their business. In 2009, they bor-rowed money to create cheese caves (almost like those inFrance!) where they age their hard cheeses below ground.

The Co-op sells Old Windmill Dairy's full line of goat andcow cheeses, including their award-winning chevre that gavethe dairy its solid start. The Co-op's Development Center(CDC) also delivers Old Windmill Dairy's cheese to about 25grocery stores and 13 restaurants.

"As Michael and I reflect back, we believe the Co-ophad a plan for us that we did not understand at the

time," says Ed. The Lobaughs first con-tacted the Co-op in spring 2007, thesame year they were approved to oper-ate as a USDA Grade A Dairy. They hadcome a long way since 2001 when theybought their land in the Estancia Valleyand their first two goats.

Initially the dairy's products were soldin just one store. Early challengesincluded figuring out case sizes, casepackaging for distribution and unit fla-vor mixes. Then came the need for bar-codes, label development and increasing

their product line."The Co-op guided us along by pro-viding education about marketing and introducing us todifferent dairy models. They have always been con-cerned about how we are doing and they ask us howthey can help."

If this sounds like an unusual relationship for a grocerto have with its suppliers, it is. But because La Mon-tanita believes in supporting its local food shed by part-nering with local producers like Old Windmill Dairy,"going above and beyond the call of duty is what theydo," says Ed.

Whether it was helping them find a buyer for 400pounds of chevre in the early days when they didn'thave any bulk buyers, or helping them scale up theirproduction capacity to deliver 40,000 units of chevrelast year (compared to 12,000 units their first year), theCo-op has been an invaluable partner.

"Over time, our relationship has become more of apartnership. We see La Montanita as part of the OldWindmill Dairy team. They are an essential piece of ouroperation as they provide product feedback whichimproves product development. They provide distribu-tion and sales. And now they are even warehousing ourbulk cheese which gives them more to sell," says Ed.

As they begin their sixth year of business, Ed andMichael continue to work through the many challengesof growth. But whether it's taking on debt for the newdelivery van or contemplating a tractor they will needsoon, product is still king for both Ed and Michael.Chocolate enthusiasts will appreciate "Heavenly Cloudsof White Chocolate Chevre" that is made with whitechocolate and Heidi's Raspberry Jam. Like dark choco-late? Try their "Sinfully Decadent Chocolate Chevre,"made with Illy coffee and rich dark chocolate providedby the Station Fine Coffee and Tea in Santa Fe; it’s likea chocolate mousse desert. These seasonal products willbe on the shelves from January until April.

Look for the full line of Old Windmill Dairy cheesesat your favorite Co-op location.

Yes it’s that time again! Time to come together, thinkabout how to restore and sustain our planet, planour gardens, get seeds, seedlings and just generally cele-

brate the season with friends and family in our Co-op neighbor-hoods! Each year it is our great pleasure to create community cel-ebrations that in keeping with the cooperative principle of com-munity education and concern for community, provide an oppor-tunity for us all to come together. The annual Co-op festivals area chance to get your bedding plants, talk to and learn from thefarming and gardening experts in our midst, get educated on theimportant environmental issues we face, get active and takeaction to make our neighborhoods and the world a better placefor all to share.

All the Co-op spring festivals are not-to-be-missed communitywide events. All are welcome to come, enjoy and participate inthese FREE community gatherings. At all the Co-op spring festi-vals you can expect a wonderfully inspiring time filled withinformation and education booths from dozens of environmen-tal, social and economic justice organizations, local farmers,seedlings, drought resistant plants, beautiful art from fine localartists and crafts people, inspiring performances from some ofour favorite local artists and, of course, great Co-op food.

EARTH WEEK • April 22 – April 28th This year we envision a week-long celebration of our communi-ties and our planet. At the Celebrate the Earth Fest in Nob Hill,this year held on Sunday, April 22th, our little street fills upquickly so please reserve your booth space early. This year Earth

January and February were exciting months for ourfledgling Veteran Farmer Project. Class–es began in January and continue through

June. In February, thanks to a grant fromMcCune Foundation, we were able to purchasethe materials to put frost protective row coverson the dozen or so beds that thanks to the gen-erosity of the Downtown Action Team we areusing as our learning and demonstration gar-den. By the time you read this, these beds, locat-ed at the Alvarado Urban Farm, will have beenplanted with cold weather greens, including let-tuce, spinach, kale and collards.

We still welcome all Veterans of all branches of service, includ-ing the National Guard, to participate. While classes build onthe knowledge of the class before, each class also providesstand alone information on farming and gardening. Veteranscan join at anytime, and our work in the gardens is ongoingand can always use extra hands. For more information or toparticipate please contact Robin at 217-2027 or toll free at877-775-2667 or by e-mail at robins@lamontanita.coop.

March Schedule of Classes3/10: The Blessing of Bees: Learning thebasics of pollination and honey production,Loretta McGrath, Coordinator, the NewMexico Pollinator Project. 3/16: Boots and Roots Down, more starts,more seeds and transplanting and seedingbeds, Martin Sanchez, NMDA, East Moun-tain Organics, Ron Job, Veteran MasterGardener.3/17: Growing Compost Part 1, at 1pm,

Omar Sadek, Master Composter Program.3/20: Holistic Orchard Strategies and Fruit Tree Grafting,learn to graft using scionwood and rootstock, Gordon andMargaret Tooley of Tooley’s Trees.3/22: Season Extension Continued, working with row cov-ers, Eli Berg.3/24: Growing Compost, Part 2, at 1pm, Omar Sadek,Master Composter Program.

EARTHweek springfestival

SCHEDULE

La Montanita Co-op’s Spring FestivalsHONORING our

PLANET

Old Windmill Dairy and the La Montanita FUND:COOPerative Partnership

✿ 22nd Annual Earth Fest, Nob Hill Co-op, Sun., April 22nd, 10am-6pm

✿ Earth Day Santa Fe, Sat., April 28th, 10am-3pm

✿ Valley Garden Party,Sat., May 5th, 10am-3pm

VETERAN FARMER PROJECTBOOTS on the ground!

boots & roots

BY ROBIN SEYDEL

studycircle!

food& community

A Community - Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store

La Montanita CooperativeNob Hill/ 7am-10pm M-S, 8am-10pm Sun.3500 Central SE Abq., NM 87106 265-4631

Valley/ 7am-10pm M-Sun.2400 Rio Grande Blvd. NWAbq., NM 87104 242-8800

Gallup/ 10am-7pm M-S, 11am-6pm Sun.105 E. Coal Gallup, NM 87301 863-5383

Santa Fe/ 7am-10pm M-S, 8am-10pm Sun.913 West Alameda Santa Fe, NM 87501 984-2852

UNM Co-op ’N Go/ 7am-6pm M-F, 10-4pm Sat.Closed Sunday, 2301 Central Ave. SE Abq, NM 87131 277-9586

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

Administrative Staff: 505-217-2001TOLL 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• Food Service/Bob Tero 217-2028bobt@lamontanita.coop• Human Resources/Sharret Rose 217-2023hr@lamontanita.coop• Marketing/Edite Cates 217-2024editec@lamontanita.coop• Membership/Robin Seydel 217-2027robins@lamontanita.coop• CDC/MichelleFranklin 217-2010mf@lamontanita.coop

Store Team Leaders: • Mark Lane/Nob Hill 265-4631markl@lamontanita.coop• John Mulle/Valley 242-8800jm@lamontanita.coop• William Prokopiak/Santa Fe 984-2852willpro@lamontanita.coop• Alisha Valtierra/Gallup 575-863-5383alishav@lamontanita.coop

Co-op Board of Directors:email: bod@lamontanita.coopPresident: Martha WhitmanVice President: Marshall KovitzSecretary: Ariana MarchelloTreasurer: Roger EldridgeKristy Decker, Lisa Banwarth-KuhnSusan McAllister, Jake GarrityBetsy VanLeit

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

Co-op Connection Staff:Managing Editor: Robin Seydelrobins@lamontanita.coopLayout and Design: foxyrock incCover/Centerfold: Co-op Marketing Dept.Advertising: Rob Moore Editorial Assistant: Rob Moorerobm@lamontanita.coop 217-2016Printing: Vanguard Press

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

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

Copyright © 2012La Montanita Co-op SupermarketReprints by prior permission.The Co-op Connection is printed on 65% post- consumer recycled paper. It is recyclable.

BY POKI PIOTTIN

An interesting experiment is taking place justa few blocks from the State Capitol. Aneclectic group of friends started a large food

producing garden in the back of a 1/2-acre private resi-dence on Don Gaspar Avenue last June. Their intention:to develop a new model for community gardening.

Beginning with a piece of land resembling most backyards in Santa Fe (the kind that everyone says you can’tgrow anything on!), volunteers have built twelve 4’ by16’ raised beds using the French double-digging method.With straw, horse manure, and seedlings donated by afriend, along with thenatural work of bene-

ficial weeds (amaranth and purslane), last year the gar-den yielded a crop ready to be eaten within a month.

For the creators of Dandelion Ranch the most impor-tant components of building the foundation of a regen-erative culture are—growing food in urban areas (incommunity), merging gardening with education, andusing the organic waste produced by the neighborhoodto make fertile soil.

Community gardens on public land can be subject toissues such as vandalism, poorly tended or neglectedplots, or inefficient cultivation techniques. In contrast,a community garden on private land like DandelionRanch benefits from the ongoing care of the property’slong-term residents and resident gardener, as well as alarge community of friends and neighbors dedicated tothe garden’s well being.

The most remarkable aspect of this community gardenexperiment is its fluidity and inclusiveness. Because thegarden is not bound by a limited number of plots, butinstead, tended as a whole by a collective, there’salways room to welcome new people. Rather thaninvesting in growing a high volume of food as a mainpurpose, the emphasis is on learning efficient organic

2 March 2012

growing techniques, fostering a wholesome community, and inspiringchildren to be curious about and to care for nature. In fact, the gardenis tended with such care that many participants view the food they takehome as medicine.

Joy, camaraderie, beauty, and community are some of the reasons forpeople gathering at Dandelion Ranch. The warm feeling present in thisproject is what makes it unique, fun, and easily accessible to parents withchildren, gardening neophytes, and experts alike. The Dandelion Ranchstewards are well aware that they are engaged in one of the most impor-tant challenges of this century; reclaiming food sovereignty, saving heir-loom seeds, and modeling to children that growing food, working in

community, and caring for naturecan be fun. They are engaged in thisprocess with joy and have a pro-found commitment to share theirspace, knowledge, resources, andalready vibrant community with asmany people as possible.

There are some child-attractingfeatures incorporated into the gar-den design—a trampoline, swing,and large chicken coop, makingDandelion Ranch a great afternoonvisit for volunteers with children.

As a community some of the skillstaught are soil-building, composting, collecting urban food waste,starting seeds in flats, transplanting seedlings, saving seeds, plant har-vesting, animal husbandry, building hoop or bird houses, repairingtools, building fences or sheds, making herb tinctures, and everythingthat comes with urban farming!

Many activities are currently under way at Dandelion Ranch: expandingthe plant growing areas of the garden to twice the current size, installingwater-saving drip irrigation and water catchment systems, building astorage shed and workshop, creating an outdoor kitchen for cooking,food-preserving demonstrations and science classes, and installing a com-posting toilet to accommodate the growing number of participants.

Check the Dandelion Ranch blog (thedandelionranch.blogspot.com)for information on "garden parties" taking place every Wednesday andSaturday from 1-4pm.

If you are interested in supporting this endeavor, a tax-deductible dona-tion can be sent to the New Mexico Community Foundation,Dandelion Ranch, 502 West Cordova Road, Suite 1, Santa Fe, NM87505. Donations of construction material, water catchment barrelsand cisterns, garden tools, wheelbarrows and fruit trees are also wel-come! For additional information, please visit the DandelionRanch blog, at thedandelionranch.blogspot.com or call Poki at505-796-6006.

CO-OPYOU OWN IT

growingfood&community

HOMESTEADING IN SSAANNTTAA FFEENEW COMMUNITY GARDEN MODEL

Garden’sEDGE!

urban

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL

EDUCATIONBY SARAH MONTGOMERY

Garden’s Edge was formed by a group of farmers andsocial activists concerned about environmentaldegradation, global climate change, disappearing small-

scale farmlands, and the erosion of indigenous cultural knowl-edge. Garden’s Edge is a non-profit organization that works inNew Mexico and Guatemala to revitalize local culture and econ-omy through projects in sustainable agriculture and environmen-tal education.

A strong desire to work towards creating a more sustainablefuture led founding members Sarah Montgomery and AaronLemmon to Guatemala in 2003 where they started a project tohelp indigenous farmers preserve their traditional seeds and agri-cultural practices. This project, called PPAS (Proyecto deProducción de Alimentos y Semillas) The Food and SeedProduction Project, was initiated as an alternative to the conven-tional international aid model.

GUATEMALA garden tour: June 13-23/2012Register by March 13This summer visit and volunteer in the small villages where theGarden's Edge works. Enjoy the unique opportunity to visitMaya family homes, work alongside families in their gardens,help plant trees, or work on a building project.

RANCHDANDELIONThere will be evening cultural activities, a tour of the Mayaarcheological site, Mixco Viejo, and a visit to the Chixoy Damthat displaced thousands of families during the civil war. Visitthe famous village of Rio Negro and see what survivors of thedevastating massacre of March 1983 are doing to rebuild theircommunity. Stay at their beautiful tourist center overlooking theriver. All Garden’s Edge tours offer a unique insight intoGuatemala and the Maya culture.

For more information go to www.gardensedge.org orwrite The Garden's Edge, PO Box 7758, Albuquerque, NM87194 or call Sarah at 505-948-8398 or e-mail her atsarah@gardensedge.org.

STUDY CIRCLES

BEGIN IN MARCH

For more info and to RSVP contact

bod@lamontanita.coop

Both programs supported and expanded gardens at the SantaBarbara/Martineztown Learning Center, the Martineztown Houseof Neighborly Service, Highland High School, and Kirtland

Elementary.

The project at Kirtland Elementary is infull swing and our partnerships continueto grow. Kirtland Elementary acquiredFood Corps member Kendal Chavez lastfall and she has taken the project there toanother level; successfully integratinggardening activities into the school cur-riculum as well as the APS after-schoolprogram. Additionally we have part-nered with UNM School of Archi-tecture to assist with the master design of

the new garden with students, faculty, and community members inthe neighborhood.

YFAP will move to Wilson Middle School this spring to support sci-ence teacher Mary Erwin’s gardening activities. Mary has extensiveexperience using gardening activities as a classroom tool and was adriving force behind the school garden at Bandelier Elementary.

Miguel Martinez (SVA alumni and co-founder of Dragon Farm)became a Service Corps member at UNM this semester. Miguelwill serve as the assistant farm manager at Dragon Farm and willhelp coordinate YFAP gardening activities. East Central Ministrieshas also been instrumental to the program.

Year one has been a tremendous success and we are well underway during this, our second gardening season. I would like tothank all partnering organizations for making the YFAP a success,and especially Dr. Janet Page Reeves for conceptualizing the proj-ect and bringing it to fruition.

YFAP will be selling starts and trees at the annual La MontanitaEarth Day event. You can also see our young leaders in action sell-ing produce at the Downtown Growers’ Market this summer. Formore info go to youthfoodactionproject.blogspot.com, e-mail:Rembrandtrocks@yahoo.com or call 505-363-3776.

sweet-smelling soil. Backyard composting is the intentional and man-aged decomposition of organic materials for the production of com-post, that anyone can effectively manage. In fact, if you have organicmatter, it’s virtually impossible to prevent decomposition. The trick isto maximize the process of decomposition, while avoiding the unpleas-

ant effects of the natural process of decaying matter.“Compost is good; sloppy garbage heaps and rottingfood are bad,” according to the Garden of Oz webpage, a great resource to get you started (www.thegardenofoz.org).

Compost is great for the garden but also an act ofenvironmental responsibility. It saves money, reducesthe waste stream into the landfill and helps sequestercarbon from the atmosphere. Compost is createdwhen you provide the right mixture of key ingredi-

ents to the millions of microorganisms that do the dirty work. The envi-ronment doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect, so you don’t need to bea microbiologist or chemist to have successful compost. You need toprovide: food, water, and air.

Compost ContestThe finished compost samples brought to Santa Fe CommunityCollege the weekend of April 13-15 will be inspected under a micro-scope to determine the winner. Dr. Ingham, sponsored by the Santa FeFarmers' Institute, will return to Santa Fe to teach her marvelouscourse on Soil Food Web and Compost Tea that weekend as well.

We look forward to your participation in the Compost Contest, in thecourse and in joining the effort to shrink our carbon footprint, buildsoil and mitigate climate change. VISIT www.carboneconomyseries.com or call 505-819-3828.

BY IGINIA BOCCALANDRO

W hy would the Carbon Economy Series have aCompost Contest in Santa Fe hosted by Santa FeCommunity College, judged by Rodale Institute

Chief Scientist Dr. Elaine Ingham and supported by LaMontanita Co-op and local businesses as sponsors? Becausegood compost is known as "brown gold" thanksto all its incredible properties!

High quality compost is crucial to soil amendmentand restoration. It is the way Mother Nature doesit; without additives, tilling, petrochemical fertiliz-ers and such. In addition, last year we learned inthe Soil Food Web workshop that there were NOsoils amongst over 60 local samples, examinedunder microscope, that had healthy, diverse,robust biological life. We can change all that withgood compost.

We want to encourage community participation to find thehighest quality compost, find out how it was made, give a sam-ple to as many people as possible and create more.

What is Compost?Compost is simply decomposed organic material. The organ-ic material can be plant material or animal matter. If you’veever walked in the woods, you’ve experienced compost in itsmost natural setting. Both living plants and annual plants thatdie at the end of the season are consumed by animals of allsizes, from larger mammals, birds, and rodents to worms,insects, and microscopic organisms. The result of this naturalcycle is compost, a combination of digested and undigestedfood that is left on the forest floor to create rich, usually soft,

food& community

March 2012 3

BY RICHARD BRANDT

The Youth Food Action Project (YFAP)is a three-year collaborative projectbetween Dragon Farm at South Valley

Academy (SVA) and multiple communityschools and organizations including: KirtlandElementary, Wilson Middle School, HighlandHigh, Santa Barbara/Martineztown LearningCenter, East Central Ministries and New Heart.The initiative was funded by a USDA Com-munity Food Projects grant.

The YFAP is connecting students at SVA with young peoplein two other Albuquerque neighborhoods, the InternationalDistrict and Santa Barbara/Martineztown, to build youthcapacity, improve the food environment at their schools andin their neighborhoods through civic engagement, and focuson food equity and community health.

YFAP’s first year, completed in September 2011, was anoverwhelming success! In the proposal we indicated wewould serve seventy youths during the first year. We sur-passed that by far, reaching out to over five hundred kids.Students from South Valley Academy worked with UNMResearch and Service Learning students under the direc-tion of Andrew Marcum (PhD candidate in AmericanStudies). UNM Research and Service Learning Program(RSLP) has been a driving force behind YFAP.

RSLP founder and director Dr. Dan Young made it possiblefor South Valley Academy juniors and seniors enrolled inthe class with a 3.0 GPA or better to earn an elective creditat UNM (Experiential Learning Seminar 175).

CARBON ECONOMY SERIES

CONNECTING YOUTH FOR FOOD, EQUITY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH

Youth Food Action

PROJECT

compost is COOL!

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

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

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

BRING A BAG... DONATE THE DIME!MARCH BAG CREDIT DONATIONS: In March your bag credit donations will go to Youth FoodAction Project: Connecting Youth for Food Equity andCommunity Health.

Your JANUARY bag credit donations, totaling $1,989.35,went to Keshet Dance Company’s Sawmill NeighborhoodPerforming Arts Center. Thanks to all who donated!

CCOO--OOPPPPRROOGGRRAAMM

DONATEyour BAG CCRREEDDIITT!

COMPOST: LIFE’S BROWN GOLD

thefuture of food

BY LAURIE LANGE

Agarden, though rooted in nature, is a man-aged space that organizes natural forces toproduce crops. We know now that if we discon-

nect elements in nature’s systems extensively a cascade ofproblems arises. Industrial agriculture, with its many artifi-cial inputs, is an example, with resulting explosions ofproblems and pests as a result of the disconnections.

Our relationship with pollinators is one aspect of the gar-den that is out of balance. We generally think of just oneinsect as our garden pollinator: the European honeybee. Half a decadeago, honeybees began experiencing colony collapse disorder (CCD).This followed decades of increasing pest and disease disturbance in thehive. While there is still no definitive answer regarding the cause ofCCD, it seems clear that the way hives have been managed is at leastpart of the reason for unhealthy hives and honeybee death.

Go Native!Honeybees are far from the only garden pollinators, and we can createpollinator diversity in our gardens by calling on the native bees. (Thereare also other insects and animals who provide pollination for cultivat-ed crops, but their role is not as extensive). Encouraging pollinatordiversity in the garden creates resilience.

Native bees are attracted to a variety of garden crops. Squash familyplants, sunflowers, and fruit trees are visited by some bees. The orchardmason bee is a hardworking spring bee who will pollinate apples, pears,and stone fruits. If tomatoes are buzz pollinated by bees, the fruit setmay be increased up to five times. Bumblebees are some of the buzz pol-linators on tomato family plants; they wrap their abdomens around thepollen structure and vibrate rapidly, releasing clouds of pollen. Westernbumblebee populations are declining, however, and need our support.

farming & gardening March 2012 4

Here are some things you can do to make yourgarden a pollinator garden: First, avoid pesticides.Garden organically, and urge your neighbors to goorganic, too.

Maintain wild spaces near the garden where nativebees can nest. The majority of bee species are soli-tary. Few of them have a significant sting; about70% nest in the ground. Some choose exposedground—leave some clean bare spots for thesebees. Others, like bumblebees, nest in or underclumps of wild grass. Grow native grasses forbumblebees.

For the orchard masons, it’s even possible to pro-vide man-made nests. These need to be construct-ed so the nest holes stay dry, and when the holesare lined, the mason bee cocoons can be removedand overwintered in the fridge to keep them fromdifficult winter exposures.

Many bee species visit sunflowers for pollen, fer-tilizing the seeds as they go. Pollen is the mainingredient in the "bee bread" the mother bee fash-

POLLINATOR NATION

nity to showcase your creative talents, test drive yourbest recipes, flaunt your green thumb, exercise yourentrepreneurial spirit, and earn some extra cash.

Registration for most markets begins in March,so now is the time to start planning. Daily mar-ket fees range from $50 for the entire summerto $25 for the day, depending on the market.Most markets require some permitting—forexample if you plan on selling food at a marketin the city limits, you need to have a permitthrough the City’s Department of Environ-mental Health. Getting these permits does notcost much, but takes time and some attention todetail, so planning ahead can ensure a success-

ful launch of your market stand. Compared to the startup costs for most small businesses, the initial invest-ment is relatively inexpensive.

The rewards of selling at a growers’ market go beyondextra personal income. By joining a market as a ven-dor, you bolster our local economy and generate pros-perity for your neighbors too. According to organiza-tions like the Business Alliance for Local LivingEconomies and Civic Economics, approximately 70%of every dollar you spend at a local business goesdirectly back into the community where it was spent.

SARAH WENTZEL-FISHER

Last night I woke up at 3am because I wastoo warm. As I lay awake, I imagined theseeds of my garden in similar tumult, aching

from the cold some nights, and perspiring on oth-ers. The discomfort in change also inspires boun-tiful visions of summer and all the possibilities acarefully planned spring might bring to fruition.

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine:tomorrow is the first day of the growers’ market. You have checked the airin your bike tires, washed out your canvas bags, and have set your alarmclock for an early Saturday morning.

Now, imagine that alarm goes off at 5am instead of 8. This Saturday youwill load a small pick-up with bunches of kale, radishes, beets, and turnipsyou have grown in the gigantic garden behind your house. You have pur-chased a canopy, folding tables, and table cloths, baskets, a cash box, andan A-frame chalkboard. This year, you are selling at the market.

Growers’ markets are growing. While many of us attend as shoppers, per-haps this is the year to consider signing up as a vendor. In the greaterAlbuquerque area, we have over a dozen growers’ markets ranging in sizefrom 5 to 100 vendors. Most growers’ markets in the Albuquerque areahost produce, prepared foods, and craft vendors. With the unprecedentedgrowth in these markets, selling at one of them represents a great opportu-

GROWGROW for the market!

oN GARDENS AND INCOME:SELLINGat theGROWERS’MARKET

ions for her young. She lays an egg on each loaf andthe larva of the next generation grow into their pupalforms on pollen protein. Double-flowered sunflowervarieties and pollen-less ones don’t provide this suste-nance. Grow old-fashioned and wild sunflowers forsunflower bees.

For bumblebees, grow some of the clovers that areused as cover crops. This is an excellent double-dutysustainable garden practice whether you have bumble-bees or not: the clovers fix nitrogen in the soil. Theyare thus an organic way to improve garden soil.

While sufficient study hasn't been done to definitivelyassess the health of most native bee populations, anec-dotal evidence indicates at least some native bees are indecline. Some species are thought to have gone extinctrecently. Decline has been particularly noted in bum-blebees. Parasites introduced into wild populations bycommercial greenhouse tomato operations are a likelycause of precipitous drops in bumblebee populations.

Planning your garden so that it offers nesting, pollenand nectar resources for native bees provides a meas-ure of balance and resilience for the pollination servic-es needed in gardens. Even in urban settings, manynative species are likely already living nearby.

In this time of planetary challenges it's essential tofocus on biodiversity in our engagement with naturalsystems. Fostering the presence of many bees in ourgardens is insurance that nature will be able to contin-ue helping us produce food.

LAURIE LANGE runs the Bee Collaborative andPollinator Nation, offering nests and seeds forpolllinator gardens for native bee habitat. Contacther at nativepollins@gmail.com for a download-able chart of further ways to support the bees.

Selling at the market also provides unique ways toget involved in your community and to meet newpeople. The ultimate exchange in the marketplace—one of ideas, opinions, trust, and camaraderie—ismuch richer than turnips for dollars. When youchoose to sell at the market, your participation helpsgrow a sense of place and community.

As much as your growers’ markets’ vendors need youas a shopper, the markets themselves also need moresocial entrepreneurs to sign up to sell. Growers’ mar-kets are experiencing their own spring—years of hardwork and dedication by small growers, food produc-ers, crafts people and market managers have created afertile environment with the right economic climatefor growing small businesses. Consider seeding yourown best business idea this spring in a growers’ mar-ket. To learn more about getting involved, find yourneighborhood market manager through the NewMexico Farmers’ Market Association website, farm-ersmarketsnm.org, or attend a class about selling at agrowers’ market offered by the Albuquerque GrowersMarket Alliance, www.abqmarkets.org.

GGRROOWWIINNGGccoommmmuunniittyy

Gardening for PollinatorDDDDIIIIVVVVEEEERRRRSSSSIIIITTTTYYYY

hhoonneeyy&&NATIVEbee balance

BY JEFF PARKS

You may be surprised to learnthat most automatic drip irri-gation systems as they are

currently used in Albuquerque actu-ally waste water. Because most dripsystems attempt to water all plants withone zone and one watering schedule,they ignore the different watering needsof plants.

An important characteristic of our high desert land-scape is diversity of plant types, incorporating xericplants, trees, shrubs and vegetables, all in differentstages of the life cycle. Because diverse plants havediverse watering needs, we need to be more precisewith our watering. To conserve precious water in ourhigh desert climate, plants should be watered as infre-quently as possible. At the same time, they need to bewatered deeply to encourage the deep rooting neededto better withstand drought conditions.

Installing drip systems that have three color codedtubes running through each planting bed is one

method that allows you to time yourwatering schedule for optimum plantgrowth. Each one of these tubes is on adifferent watering schedule, so you canchoose from three schedules to meet theneeds of plants in that zone. The threeschedules are: FREQUENT: New plants and seedlings,most annuals, vegetables, all need fre-

quent irrigation.MODERATE: Herbs, young trees and shrubs, andmost perennials, need a moderate frequency ofwatering.SELDOM: Mature trees and shrubs, and xericplants, need very infrequent deep watering.

As a plant matures from seedling to maturity, thetubing to that plant can easily be changed to onewith a less frequent watering schedule. Although thenumber of emitters may be the same on each sched-ule, vigilant observation of plants and their changingneeds as they grow is required to maintain the sys-tem at its highest level of efficiency. For more info onzoned drip watering call Jeff at 268-1315.

TAKING DRIP IRRIGATION TOTO THETHE NEXTNEXT LEVELLEVEL!!

ZONED WATERING

theBestPRODUCE!

fromour regional

foodshedSHOPCO-OP!

The Native Plant Society of NewMexico (NPSNM) is a non-profit or-ganization that strives to educate the

public about native plants by promotingknowledge of plant identification, ecology, anduses; fostering preservation of natural habitats;supporting botanical research; and encourag-ing the appropriate use of native plants to con-serve water, land, and wildlife.

The NPSNM currently has eight chapters in NewMexico, Texas and Colorado that work to promote theobjectives of the organization and educate the localpopulation for a better understanding of their regionalflora through field trips, lectures, plant sales and seedexchanges. They also have a variety of available publi-cations, posters and powerpoints for community edu-cational events. The talents, interests and skills ofchapter members greatly influence the activities andprograms offered.

March 7 at 7pm, ANNE BRADLEY, forest conservationmanager for the Nature Conservancy of New Mexico,will discuss how drought, fire, and climate change areimpacting southwestern forests, and especially theJemez Mountains in the state. She will also describe thework underway to help our forests adapt to thesechanging conditions.

April 4: Albuquerque Soils, HowThey Happened and What to DoWith ThemJUDY DAIN briefly tells us howgeology has shaped the soils ofAlbuquerque. Then four MasterGardeners, Barbara Shapiro, CherylMitchell, Margo Murdock andRobin Romero tell how they havemolded those geologic soil chal-

lenges into beautiful and sustainable gardens.

May 2: New Mexico’s Favorite Landscape Plantsover the Past 1,000 YearsDR. BAKER MORROW, Professor of LandscapeArchitecture and Founder of the Landscape Archi-tecture Program at UNM, shows us how landscapinghas evolved in New Mexico.

A short chapter meeting will precede the talk. Thesefree public programs are sponsored by the Albu-querque Chapter, Native Plant Society of NewMexico, and take place at the New Mexico Museumof Natural History, 1801 Mountain Rd. NW,Albuquerque. More information about the organi-zation is available at www.npsnm.unm.edu.

spring beckons! March 2012 5

BY JESSIE EMERSON, RN

The other day, I had the opportunity to"hang out" with my granddaughter, herfriend, and their babies. I listened to their

discussion about the Fukushima disaster and theirconcerns about radiation exposure to themselvesand their children. It is my hope that people read-ing this series will do their own research, eat pro-tective foods and share the information with family,friends and neighbors. We are not powerless and weare not alone. Together with the plants and foods ofEarth we stand strong.

Dr. Tatsuichiro Akizuki’s advice about eatinghealthy to stay healthy is based on his education andhis experience with radiation after the bombing ofhis city, Nagasaki. Dr. Akzuiki’s patients and staffate traditional Japanese food as well as sweet pota-toes and pumpkins. The other hospitals in the cityate a typical Western diet of white sugar, white rice,and refined white flour products. Sadly most ofthese patients didn’t survive.

For Calcium OPEN SESAME“Open sesame” were the magic words that Ali Babaused to enter the treasure cave of the forty thieves.The sesame plant, Sesamum indices, L. Pedaleaceae,is more valuable than all the treasures in that cave.Its tiny seeds are power packed with nutrients, espe-cially copper, magnesium, and calcium. In addition,

1/4 cup contains 6 gramsof protein, 4 grams dietaryfiber and 7 grams omega 6 fatty acids. Calcium pro-tects us from heavy metals such as aluminum, cad-mium, lead, and mercury as well as from radiation.It decreases absorption of strontium 90, calcium 45and other radioisotopes by our bones.

Sesame seeds contain sesamol, an antioxidant com-pound. In research at the Amala Cancer ResearchCenter, in Thissur Kerala, India, (Cancer Bio-therapy and Radiopharmacology 2010 (Dec. 25:629-35), G.G. Nair from the department of radiationbiology concluded: "Sesamol could act as a radioprotector for the biomembranes and cellular DNAagainst the deleterious effects of ionizing radiation."

PLANTS ARE OUR ALLIES!Sesame is an ancient oil seed first recorded as a crop in Babylon andAssyria. Its seeds are high in oil; 50% of the total seed weight. The oilcontains high amounts of antioxidants that prevent it from going ran-cid. Thomas Jefferson recognized the value of sesame when he grewit in test plots. Now 200 years later, the only place to obtain sesameseeds for planting is Seeds of Change.

A traditional Japanese condiment is Gomasio or sesamesalt. It can be bought ready made, but it is fresher and moreflavorful if made in your kitchen. I like this recipe becauseit uses nettles, which are high in chlorophyll, another radi-ation protector.

The recipe:1/2 cup sesame seeds1 tsp dulse flakes or kelp or kombu or nori1 tsp dried nettle leaf1/2 tsp sea salt, I like Celtic sea salt

Grind the dulse and nettles separately. Add to the coarseground sesame seeds and salt. Taste, add salt to your taste;

store in a covered jar. Add to a spice mill to grind fresh over food.

MallowThere is a plant that grows all around us and across the planet; you’veseen it by the roadsides and as a weed that comes up regularly in yourgarden. It is the cheese mallow, of the Malvacae family and it is one ofmy favorite plants. It contains 249 milligrams of calcium per 1/2 cup.Perhaps there is a reason that it can be found planet wide in elevationsup to 6,000 feet! It is a staple in my garden and yard. Combine mal-low, chamomile, and cinnamon to make nice calcium tea.

Starting March 24, JESSIE EMERSON, RN, will offer a series ofclasses on RADIOPROTECTION with our allies the plants. Call505-470-1362 or e-mail her for more information at osoherbalsjessie@gmail.com.

NATIVE PLANT Society:Adapting to Changing Conditions

Put plants to work in the garden!

BY JOE FRANKE

What constitutes a weed is a purelyhuman construction, and there aremany different definitions. The one I

find most useful came from the ecologist J.M.Torrell: "A plant that interferes with managementobjectives for a given area of land at a given point intime." This definition implies that some plants mightbe considered noxious in some contexts and useful inothers. Burdock is one such plant.

Especially in times of high heat and drought you canput these so called "weeds" to work in your garden.Burdock, a biennial (two-year life cycle) plant, hasextremely long tap roots, up to a meter in length, thatwhile troublesome to pull up are exceptionally goodat drawing nutrients up from deep in the ground.They also provide a large amount of biomass that canbe utilized to improve your soil; chop down the leavesthroughout the growing season to eventually incorpo-rate them into the soil.

The trick to controlling burdock is to notallow it to go to seed as then it can be-come a management problem. You cancut off tops during or shortly after flow-ering, or just use the opportunity to mowthem down to ground level. Either waythey’ll continue to produce a great dealmore plant matter before the onset ofwinter. If you choose to plant them, edi-ble Japanese versions of burdock, called"gobo" offer the added plus of having reasonablygood tasting roots to harvest and pickle. Even theserelatively "tame" varieties are still potentially invasiveif not managed carefully.

In order to keep the plant from becoming invasive andtaking over more space than desired, you can manageburdock by going out and diligently cutting the plantoff at the ground, or simply cutting off the seed headswell before they’re ripe. Make sure you "top" thewhole plant, leaving no terminal growing tips or flow-

WEED OR USEFULGARDEN PLANT?

BURDOCK:ering locations. Otherwise you’ll have a great deal more of the seedpods,which are covered in hooks that provided the original idea leading tothe invention of Velcro and which stick to your clothes or pets, aiding

in the distribution of the plant’s seeds. In order to get ridof the plants entirely you can either pull them up orpour a few tablespoons of vinegar down the lower stemon a hot day.

In my garden, I use this plant to control other, morenoxious weeds, many of which lose out in the competi-tion for light with the large leafed burdock. There isalso strong evidence that burdock secretes chemicalsfrom its roots that inhibit the growth of other plants, aprocess known as allelopathy. Burdock is reputed to

have medicinal properties and is rich in essential minerals, includingiron and potassium; and it contains polyacetylenes, a group of com-pounds that are being investigated for their antibacterial, antifungal andpossibly anti-cancer properties.

Burdock is related to artichoke and the roots have a similar, if slight-ly more bitter flavor. The traditional way to prepare them in Japan isas a pickle or braised with soy sauce, mirin or sake and sesame oil, butyou can also make teas and tinctures of the roots. All parts of theplant are at least mildly diuretic, and as is the case with any herbalremedy, be sure to clear its use with your doctor.

Getting Calcium forRADIOPROTECTION

ooppeennSSEESSAAMMEE

co-op news March 2012 6

BY ROB MOORE

Fans of edible mushrooms tendto be an understated but en-thusiastic lot, and I number

myself among that group. So it is withgiddy pride that I can share with younews about one of the suppliers of Co-op mushrooms, Exotic Edibles ofEdgewood. You may have seen theirterrific Wickedly Wonderful pates andoyster mushrooms in your Co-op stores, or better still enjoyed them at aCo-op sampling, and recently I had a chance to learn more about thehands and hearts behind Exotic Edibles, Gael Fishel and Scott Adams.

Scott and Gael came to mushrooming like many of us come to lots ofthings, largely via happenstance. "We were invited to attend the TellurideMushroom Conference by a friend, who was teaching a class aboutgrowing Oyster mushrooms on straw" Scott recalls. "We had a goodtime, and thought we would like to try it at home." This initial forayproved successful, and "the mushrooms were so attractive and tasty thatwe started growing more. It also looked as though the Oysters could bea source of income when income was needed." Since then, Exotic Edibleshas grown to supply their tasty Oyster variety to restaurants around the

prepare the mushrooms for market, there are alwaysa lot of small ones restaurants don't want. It seemedlike a waste to just put them in the compost. So wecame up with the paté which uses the smaller ones, sothe paté is really an outgrowth of the mushroomgrowing and we’re really enjoying doing both. Wehave received a lot of positive feedback about thepaté and the mushrooms; that feedback is what keepsus going in both ventures."

While Gael and Scott have brought in folks fromtime to time to help with the operation, for the mostpart it’s strictly a family affair. "In the past we havehad interns that came and helped out. Right now wehave my daughter also involved in the farm. Sheloves the mushrooms as much as we do!"

When I asked what plans Exotic Edibles has for thefuture, Scott was enthusiastic. "At the present time weare in the planning stages of expanding the growingarea and at the same time investigating other value-added products that will use more of the mushroomswe have. When I was young I grew up on a smallfarm," says Scott, "and when I left I swore I neverwanted to farm again. Gael had no experience ingrowing things. Amazing what time can lead you to."

Look for Exotic Edible fresh oyster mushroomsand pate at your favorite Co-op location.

rather tasty, with sort of a sweet and fruity tone.Roasting it made it mellow somewhat, but it was justfine raw, and would likely be great in a salad withspinach and mustard greens, where it could be leav-ened by a little sharpness from the greens.

OYSTER MUSHROOMS: I was very happy to have sometasty Oysters from the Exotic Edibles growers in near-by Edgewood (see above). As usual, the Oysters wererobust and full-flavored, and I like them just as muchraw as I do when they are roasted. Terrific flavor,something like the "classic" idea of mushroom taste. Iplan on making Oyster mushroom bisque soon!

PORTOBELLO: Portobello mushrooms are large and firm,which is part of their appeal as a meat-like filling forsandwiches or in recipes. Eaten raw they can have analmost rubbery texture, but cooking softens them atouch and brings their smoky note forward. I ambecoming a full on Portobello fan.

YELLOWFOOT MUSHROOMS: these were wild-harvested inOregon, and aside from the Maitake probably thestrangest-looking of the lot. They have curved andslender stems and flat, cartoon-like tops. Raw theYellowfoots had an almost mustard-flavored tone,though they seemed to taste richer once roasted. Arevisit is in order to see how they would stand in, say,salad or cooked with rice.

MY MUSHROOM ADVENTURE ENDED with alarge skillet of roasted fungus, seasoned with salt andpepper, eaten with much gusto by my missus and son.Beyond being exceptionally delicious, this was achance to move deeper into the diversity of a food-group and try some of its variety: IT’S WORTH IT!

human encroachment) more growers and chefs havesought to catalog our fungal friends and protect their

culinary and medicinal value.

Your Co-op is a great place to explore therange of tastes that mushrooms can offer. Tothis end, and with the highest goals of journal-istic endeavor in mind, I set out to find sometruth about our mushrooms by cooking a largeand delicious batch of various sorts from yourCo-op produce department. I wanted to trysome fresh mushrooms that I had not triedbefore, so after conferring with some of thefolks in the produce department I picked up anassortment that included the following types:

BLACK TRUMPETS: these mushrooms were small, withthin bodies and were, indeed, quite black and resem-bled trumpets. Their taste when raw was a little on theearthy and nutty side, while roasting brought out theirflavor nicely. They are also highly prized when driedand added to soups or broths.

CRIMINIS: reliable standbys of the produce depart-ment, Criminis are the mushrooms that look like theshape kids draw when asked to draw a mushroom.They are by far one of the more popular mushrooms,and that familiarity has made them seem less interest-ing than some of their more exotic counterparts. Thatsaid, Criminis are an excellent source for selenium, b-vitamins, and zinc, as well as being bright lights ofresearch into helping with heart disease and cancer-prevention, particularly for women. Their taste whenraw is bland to some, but they absorb flavors excel-lently and are wonderful to sauté or add to sauces orgravies.

MAITAKE: probably the strangest looking mushroom inmy pan, the Maitake resembles a sort of ridgedpinecone. Maitake are an Asian variety, known inJapan as the "dancing mushroom." These mushroomsare frequently used to boost the immune system andreduce nausea in cancer patients, and their extracts aresold as health-system boosters. The ’shroom itself is

BY ROB MOORE

Every lover of food has from time to timeencountered something, maybe a spice or asauce, cream or glaze that turns the taste buds

and reminds us that however jaded and seen-it-allwe might have considered ourselves, the magic offood can still have the power to surprise. Mush-rooms, the edible fruit of the fungus family, oftenfall into that category.

Visually, mushrooms don’t make much effort todraw us in. For those of us in the modern world, raised on food that isoften far removed from the way it appears at the time of harvest, mush-rooms look a little… strange. The last 30 years or so have seen a reemer-gence of mycological knowledge and culture in the U.S., and as morewild mushrooms have been identified (and their rarity furthered by

area as well as directly to shoppers via your Co-opproduce departments.

Scott continues, "One of the things we discoveredabout the Oyster mushroom early on is that it was

more nutritious than the buttonmushroom, and has severalhealth properties." Studies haveshown that mushrooms offergreat benefit to the immune sys-tem, and Oysters in particularhave demonstrated positiveimpact on lowering cholesterol.Asian medical traditions makeuse of mushrooms in a numberof settings, and in the Eastmushrooms are often prescribed

for patients undergoing chemotherapy regimes. Scottis keen to emphasize the health benefits as well as thetaste of mushrooms. "It was recently discovered thatexposure to ultraviolet light will increase the VitaminD content of mushrooms, from as little as none, tobetween 400 and 1600 percent of the daily require-ment. Oyster mushrooms especially are good for theenvironment as well, because they will eat petrole-um, crude oil, motor oil and the like, and still be edi-ble themselves. We try to promote those things aboutthe mushrooms as much as we can.”

Sharp-eyed food fans will have seen their WickedlyWonderful Pates on Co-op shelves, too. "When we

edible fungus and themushroomapalooza

WONDERFULLY DELICIOUS!

LOCAL PRODUCER PROFILEEXOTIC EDIBLESOFEDGEWOOD

VIVVIVAALAFUNGI!

NATALIA’SGARDENOn December 1, 2011, despite a cold and windy Annual Nob HillShop and Stroll evening, Co-op members, shoppers and strollers ofall sorts planted wishes for 2012 in Natalia’s magic box.

Their hope for the year included:

As you can see, theseeds have grown!Come to the 12th AnnualNorth Valley Garden Partyon May 5th and talk toNatalia about her MAGICBOX.

kindnessdelightrestcalminnovationlaughtertolerancewonderand wisdom

edible’SCHROOMS

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Early Childhood Music Education for Children Birth Through Age 5.Sign up for a FREE trial class today!

(505) 850-6950 www.creatingsomething.com

Celebrate theEARTHAT YOUR CO-OP!the 22nd annual Earth Fest at

the Nob Hill Co-opApril 22nd, 10-6pm

LOVE YOURmmootthheerr

co-op news March 2012 7

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.

CalendarofEvents

The National Cooperative Grocers Association(NCGA) will be conducting their spring meet-ing in Albuquerque April 16-18.

The National Cooperative GrocersAssociation (NCGA) is a business servic-es cooperative for retail food co-opslocated throughout the United States.NCGA helps unify retail food co-ops inorder to optimize operational and mar-keting resources, strengthen purchasingpower, and ultimately offer more valueto food co-op owners and shopperseverywhere.

MISSION: NCGA will provide the vision, leader-ship and systems to catapult a virtual chain offood co-ops to a position of prominence in thenatural foods industry.

There are 125 member and associate co-ops oper-ate with 160 storefronts in 35 states with com-bined annual sales of about $1.4 billion. LaMontanita is one of the founding members of

NCGA and has been and will continue to be aleader within this organization. We are thrilled tobe hosting the spring meeting. Each member co-op will be sending their designated repre-

sentative to Albuquerque. Therewill be a series of meetings andtours of our stores, offices andwarehouse.

NCGA will also be conducting itsquarterly Board of Directors meet-ing Sun., April 15, and Thurs.,April 19th. I am an elected memberof the board of directors and look

forward to showing off our Co-op and city.

This meeting will not only bring the best co-opminds in the country to Albuquerque but will pro-vide our local economy with increased revenues; anice benefit for all. As always, please contact meat terryb@lamontanita.coop or by phone at 505-217-2020 with any comments and/or suggestions.

-TERRY

3/20 BOD Meeting, Immanuel Church, 5:30pm3/26 Member Engagement Meeting, 5:30pm

See the Veteran Farmer ProjectClass Schedule on page 1.

TASTE LOCAL KYZER PORK! 3/10 Santa Fe, 2-4pm

3/11 North Valley, 12-2pm3/24 Nob Hill, 4-6pm

BY SUSAN MCALLISTER, BOARD OF DIRECTORS

On December 18, 2009, the General Assemblyof the United Nations adopted resolution64/136 declaring 2012 the In-

ternational Year of Cooperatives (IYC).International years are declared by the UNto "draw attention to major issues and en-courage action."

The statistics that describe the state ofcooperatives around the world areimpressive: 800 million members in over 100 coun-tries, 100 million jobs, and a study by the Universityof Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives estimates that inthe United States alone cooperatives account for near-ly $654 billion in revenue, 2 million jobs, $75 billionin wages and benefits paid, and a total of $133.5 bil-lion in value-added income. Despite this track record,there continues to be misconceptions and a lack ofunderstanding about co-ops.

Co-ops have an important story to tell and theInternational Year of Cooperatives gives us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do so. From our beginnings

in 1844 with the Rochdale Society of EquitablePioneers, who created the basic guidelines that governmodern co-ops today, to our focus on a triple bottom-line; from our dedication to our local economies to

our world-wide impact, and includ-ing all the other aspects of the coop-erative economic model and thecommunity connections that arecreated as a result. 2012 is our timeto share our story.

Cooperatives and their associa-tions worldwide are planning cele-brations and advocacy campaignsand the International Co-operative

Alliance has a great website that captures much ofwhat’s happening at www.2012.coop.

STUDY CIRCLES BEGINLa Montanita’s board is highlighting IYC by hostinga study circle beginning this month. For more infor-mation contact us at bod@lamontanita.coop. Andbe sure to stop by the board table at the Co-op’sspring Earth Day and Garden Party celebrations toshare your co-op stories and find out more about theInternational Year of Co-ops.

NATIONAL COOPERATIVE GROCERS ASSOCIATION

UU..NN.. INTERNAINTERNATIONALTIONAL YEARYEARof COOPERATIVES

A Y E A R L O N G C E L E B R A T I O N !

THE INSIDE SCOOP

It’s a great time to be a Co-opMember/OWNER!Care for your body and open your-self to better health, with HighDesert Yoga and your Co-op!

Your La Montanita Co-op is pleased toteam with High Desert Yoga inAlbuquerque to bring you a very special offer. All newand renewing members in the months of March, Apriland May will receive a coupon good for discount classesfrom our friends at High Desert Yoga. High Desert Yogaoffers a very wide range of classes from Vinyasa, Pilates,and Kundalini to Hatha, Restorative, even Therapeuticclasses. They have classes for kids, teens, and families.

New and Renewing Members of the Co-opand anyone new to High Desert Yoga:First class $5, and a 10-class package for$100, a savings of $40! Mention whereyou saw this, and come in to the Co-op tojoin or renew your Co-op Membershipbefore May 31, 2012.

YOGA IS FOR EVERYONE!

Ask for your Coupon when you join the Co-op orrenew your membership today! Thanks forOwning Your Co-op!

LA MONTANITAFFUUNNDD::GRASSROOTSINVESTING TO:• Help GROW the LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM • Help STRENGTHENthe LOCAL ECONOMY.

• Quick and easy loan application process• Loans from $250 to $15,000, or more inexceptional cases• Repayment terms tailored to the needs of ourcommunity of food producers• Applications taken in an ongoing basisTo set up a meeting to learn more or for a LoanApplication or help with your application, call or e-mail Robin at: 505-217-2027, toll free/877-775-2667 or e-mail: robins@lamontanita.coop.

LA MONTANITA FUNDGGRROOWW THE REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM

BBEE AAVVOOLLUUNNTTEEEERR

YOURCO-OPNNEEEEDDSSYOU!Are you interested in helping yourCo-op and Our Community?Would you like to EARN an

18% DISCOUNT on yourCo-op purchases? Your Co-op needsa strong VOLUNTEER pool to helpwith special events, community out-reach, and ongoing projects. CallROB at 505-217-2016 or emailrobm@lamontanita.coop.more!

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International Year of the Co-op: A MEMBERSHIP SPECIAL

savor spring flavor March 2012 10

SPECIAL THANKS to Deborah Madison,noted local chef, author and food activist,for these delicious recipes!

Sautéed Spinach withMushrooms

1 pound velvety oyster mushrooms ormatsutake

1 sweet onion (Maui or Vidalia onion,or 1 red onion, cut in 1/4-inch dice)

1 pound small spinach leaves3 to 4 tablespoons olive oilsea salt and freshly pepper

Leave the mushrooms whole, but snip offends of stems if they feel tough. Wash thespinach well and dry. Heat 2 tablespoonsolive oil in large skillet over medium heat.Add the onions and sauté until softened,about 3 minutes. Turn the heat to high,add the mushrooms and sauté until they’retender and most of liquid, if any, has evap-orated, about 5 minutes. Season to tastewith salt and plenty of fresh ground pep-per. Transfer to a serving bowl or platter.

Return the skillet to medium-high heat.Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, swirl the pan,and in batches, quickly sauté spinach justuntil wilted and a deep vibrant green.Season with salt and pepper, then tosswith the mushrooms and onions. Serves4. From Local Flavors.

Shredded Kale Salad with FetaCheese and Pine Nuts

This kale salad is based on the dark greenTuscan kale also known as dragon tongueor lacinato—the kale whose leaves have abubbly surface rather than a ruffled one.Look for leaves that are on the small sizeand tender in appearance rather thanthose that are overly large and bound tobe tough. The garlic and salt in the dress-ing should effectively soften smallerleaves and yet, unlike lettuce, the saladstays fresh and bouncy for hours and left-overs can actually be enjoyed a day later.

1 bunch of small Tuscan kale leaves, about 8 ounces, or four cups leaves

1 plump garlic clove1/4 teaspoon sea saltGrated zest of 1 lemon2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice or agedRed wine vinegar

2 tablespoons robust olive oil1 teaspoon Dijon style mustardTwo pinches Aleppo pepper flakesCrumbled feta cheese, 1 or 2 ounces2 tablespoons pan-roasted pine nuts

Slice the kale leaves off the ropy stems anddiscard the stems. Bundle the leaves androll them up as best you can, then slicethem crosswise into very narrow ribbons.You’ll need to make several bundles. Putthe ribbons in a salad bowl. Mash the gar-lic with the salt in a mortar with a pestle

until it is broken down into a puree. Addthe lemon zest, juice, and whisk in themustard and olive oil. Toss the greens withthe dressing until thoroughly coated, thenadd the feta cheese and pine nuts and tossonce more. Serves 4 to 6. From VegetableLiteracy, a book in progress.

Rutabaga and Potato Puree

When’s the last time you ate a rutabaga?People who pass these fall tubers by aremissing out on a treat. They’re delicious,they’re mild, and they’re a delicate butteryyellow color. You do have to peel themthickly though, just below the epidermis.You can use more rutabagas than pota-toes, and you can include some carrots aswell. Because rutabagas aren’t as starchyas potatoes, you may not need to add addi-tional milk, cream, or the cooking water. Ifyou do want to thin out the mixture, it’sbest if the liquid has been warmed first.

8 ounces russet or other potatoes1 1/2 pounds rutabagasSea salt and freshly ground pepperButter, to tasteFreshly grated nutmeg1 tablespoon chopped parsley and/or

snipped chives

Peel the potatoes and rutabagas, thenchop them into chunks, making therutabagas about half the size of the pota-toes as they take longer to cook. Putthem in a saucepan and cover with coldwater. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt andbring to a boil. Cook until soft enough tomash, about 25 minutes.

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Drain, reserving a cup of the cookingwater first, then return the vegetables tothe pot and mash them with a potatomasher, adding as much butter as youlike. If the puree is too thick, add some ofthe reserved liquid or warm milk to thinit. Scrape in a little nutmeg and taste forsalt. Serve with the parsley or chives scat-tered over the top. Serves 6 to 8. FromLocal Flavors.

Chard Soup with Cumin,Cilantro and Lime

If you have a choice, choose tender leaves,not too big. A mixture of color is fine.

8 cups packed chard leaves, stems removed, about 1 pound or 20 leaves

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil1 white onion, sliced1 small (about 4 ounces) potato1 carrot, scrubbed and sliced2 tablespoons tomato paste1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin1-teaspoon ground coriander1 cup slivered cilantro stems and leavesSea salt and freshly ground pepper1/2 cup sour cream or yogurtZest and juice of 1 lime, to taste

Rinse, then roughly chop the chard.Warm the oil in a soup pot. Add theonion, potato, and carrot and cook overmedium heat for about 5 minutes to wilt.Stir in the tomato paste, smashing it intothe vegetables, then add the cumin,coriander, cilantro stems and the chardleaves. Sprinkle over 1 1/2 teaspoons salt,cover the pan and allow the leaves tocook down substantially before adding 5cups of water. Bring to a boil then lowerthe heat to a simmer, partially covered,and cook until the potato has softened,about 15 minutes. Puree with the sourcream and return to the pot. Taste forsalt, season with pepper, stir in the limezest and juice and taste again.SHOP

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If you like some texture in your soup add rough,crisp breadcrumbs or skinny tortilla strips,crisped in a toaster oven, to each serving. Makesabout 6 cups. From Vegetable Literacy, a bookin progress.

Chard Stems with Olive Oil

There’s no reason not to eat the chard stems,which are actually considered a delicacy inother parts of the world. The cooking time real-ly depends on the tenderness of the stalks, sotest, with the point of a knife, as they cook.They could be done in as little time as 7 minutesor as long as 20.

1 pound chard stems, trimmed and peeled 2 tablespoons flour2 quarts waterJuice of 1 lemonSea salt and freshly milled pepperOlive oil to tasteChopped parsley

Cut the stems into 3-inch lengths. Whisk theflour into the water in a saucepan, bring to aboil, and add the lemon juice and 2 teaspoonssalt. (This is to keep them from discoloring. It’snot necessary with colored chard stems.) Addthe stems and simmer until tender, about 10minutes or longer, depending on their tender-ness. Drain, then toss with olive oil and parsley.Taste for salt and season with pepper.

Gratinéed Chard Stems: Transfer the cookedchard stems to a small gratin dish. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over the top, add a little gratedParmesan cheese, and bake at 400’F until thecheese is melted and lightly browned, about 20minutes. Serves 3 to 4. From VegetarianCooking for Everyone, by Deborah Madison.

Bitter Greens with a Walnut Oil andMustard Vinaigrette

This is not your mild salad of soft butter lettuces,but one in which slightly bitter chicories likeescarole hearts, radicchio, escarole, arugula anddandelion greens dominate. The tastes are asstrong as are the leaves themselves. They cantake—and need—a big, somewhat aggressivedressing in which mustard and walnut oil do thework of taming these big flavors. Serveunadorned, or with a toasted baguette slice cov-ered with fresh ricotta cheese or Gorgonzola.When using escarole in a salad, use just the paleinner leaves. Tear any extra long stems offarugula or dandelion leaves.

8 cups greens: escarole hearts, dandelion, arugula, radicchio, torn into pieces larger than bite sized

1/2 cup freshly cracked walnutsSea salt and freshly ground pepper

The Dressing1 plump garlic clove2 tablespoons strong red wine vinegar2 teaspoons Dijon mustard3 tablespoons walnut oil2 tablespoons olive oil1 tablespoon crème fraiche

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Heat a toaster oven to 350F. Toast the walnutsuntil fragrant, about 6 minutes or so. Remove andtoss them with a pinch of salt and some pepper.Wash and dry the greens and put them in a wide,spacious bowl. Pound the garlic with 1/4 teaspoonsalt, then stir in the vinegar and mustard. Add theoils and whisk them together, followed by thecrème fraiche. Taste the dressing on a leaf andadjust the seasonings if needed. You may wantmore salt. Toss the greens with the dressing, addthe walnuts, and toss again, then serve, the leavespiled high on each plate. Makes 4 substantial sal-ads. From Local Flavors.

Red Butter Lettuce Salad with LemonVinaigrette

A gorgeous head of lettuce is something seldomseen now that lettuce mixes have taken over. Thered butter lettuce at La Montanita is exceptional,truly buttery, beautiful to look at and delicious too.With a lemon-shallot vinaigrette, it is truly anuplifting salad. Handle this delicate lettuce gentlyat every stage.

1 head red butter lettuce1 heaping tablespoon diced shallot, about 1 shallot

Zest of 1 Meyer lemon plus 2 tablespoons juice1/4 teaspoon sea salt1/2 teaspoon mustard or more, to your taste4 tablespoons olive oil, to taste

Slice the lettuce at the root end to open the leaves.Discard the outer ones, which are likely to beragged, (they’re good in soup stock), then separatethe rest of the leaves. Tear them with your fingers,gently, into smaller pieces. You can leave the small-est ones whole. This lettuce is in my experiencevery clean, but wash it if you like, then dry it welland put it in a salad bowl.

Put the finely diced shallot in a bowl with thelemon zest, juice and salt. Let stand for ten minutesthen whisk in the mustard and oil. Taste andadjust, adding more oil or lemon if necessary. Pourthe dressing over the top and toss well. Serves 4 ormore. From Vegetable Literacy, a book in progress.

Look for Deborah Madison’s books at yourfavorite LOCAL bookstore and wherever finebooks are sold.

savor spring flavor March 2012 11

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environmental awareness March 2012 12

EIB GIVES INDUSTRY EVERY-THING: As usual IT'S THE PUBLICWHO PAYS

A s expected by proponents of thestatewide carbon pollution capand trade law (Rule 350), the

Environmental Improvement Board (EIB)unanimously voted in early February torepeal the controversial regulation. Indeliberations that lasted about threehours, EIB based its decision on the belief that “Rule350” would be too burdensome on the New Mexicoeconomy and that the costs outweigh the benefits.

"The hearing initiated by EIB and PNM et al. was avery expensive formality," says Bruce Frederick, NewMexico Environmental Law Center (NMELC) StaffAttorney. "They essentially already agreed to repeal theregulations long before the hearings began. By law, EIB

must be an impartial decision maker. In this case,however, it is not impartial."

The NMELC and its client New Energy Economy(NEE), has fought for the protection of Rule 350

since the New Mexico EnvironmentDepartment, the original champion forthe Rule, began advocating for its repealunder Governor Susana Martinez.

"It's a shame that this administration ispandering to the few monied voices andleaving the public out in the cold," saysFrederick. "The regulations we supportwould have been an important regionalsolution to climate change at very little

cost. What just occurred will cost tax payersmuch more - the public will pay higher rates fortheir energy and they will pay with their health."

The NMELC plans to file an appeal for NewEnergy Economy. For more information go towww.nmelc.org

NEWENERGYEECCOONNOOMMYY

BY MICHAEL JENSEN, AMIGOS BRAVOS

Two stories that came out in early Februarybrought attention to a disturbing trend in localpolitics: supporters of everything from bike lanes

to smart meters to assessment of carbon footprints havecome under attack as part of a global move to create a"one-world" government using the UN’s Agenda 21 as theblueprint (see the New York Times of Feb 2nd:http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/04/us/activists-fight-green-projects-seeing-un-plot.html and High CountryNews for February 6th: www.hcn.org/issues/44.2/fearful-of-Agenda-21-an-alleged-united-nations-plot-activists-derail-land-use-planning).

Agenda 21Agenda 21 is a UN "action plan" to achieve sustainable development thatcame as a result of the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Conference on EconomicDevelopment – the so-called "Earth Summit" (www.un.org/esa/dsd/agen-da21/). This was followed up by "Rio +5", which assessed the progressmade toward Agenda 21 goals, and the 2002 "World Summit onSustainable Development” held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Agenda 21 has a large number of recommendations, grouped intofour main categories:• Social and Economic Dimensions addressing issues of poverty, environ-mentally sustainable consumption, health, population, and sustainable set-tlement• Conservation and Management of Resources for Development dealingwith problems of deforestation, fragile environments and biological diver-sity, pollution, and biotechnology• Strengthening the Role of Major Groups dealing with the roles of chil-dren and youth, women, non-profit organizations, local political organiza-tions, the business community and workers, indigenous people, and farm-ers• Means of Implementation dealing with the roles of science and technol-ogy transfer, education, international institutions, and financing mecha-nisms for all the work

Since 2002, at least, there has been a growing voice among conspiracy the-orists and far-right activists attacking Agenda 21 as a grand conspiracy todeprive people of their private property and individual rights and enslavethem to a global government. However, it wasn’t until some of theseactivists plugged into the Tea Party movement that Agenda 21 became abroad-based rallying cry for opponents of all sorts of local ordinances andplanning efforts.

Of course, Agenda 21 has often been criticized fromthe Left as well, generally for being too general, toounder-financed, and too representative of the interests

of industrialized countries,

even though supposedly aimed at benefitting poorcountries. The idea that Agenda 21 is some sort ofhuge left-wing conspiracy to take over the worldstrikes these critics as laughable, given the almostcomplete inability of Agenda 21 to create any "sus-tainable" movement of its own.

Local PlanningIt is even more surprising that critics oppose the sortof local planning efforts that are supposedly driven byAgenda 21 because in many cases the planning isaimed at preserving agriculture and rural communi-ties against the impacts of urban sprawl and largelyurban-caused pollution. Of course, some people seeenormous dollar signs when thinking about selling offlarge amounts of land for tract homes and shoppingmalls, but most rural residents are more concernedwith keeping traffic, crime, and dense developmentout of their rural lives and landscapes.

However, these "smart growth" initiatives are thevery things under the most intense attack. It reallymakes no sense that people would attack urban plan-ning whose goal is to reduce urban impacts on thesurrounding rural communities as an instance ofurban elites presuming to impose their vision on ruralfolks, when the lack of these smart growth initiativeswould almost certainly mean the continued rapidabsorption of rural communities into urban orbits.

FearWhen people start seeing UN conspiracies in bikelanes and equate sustainability with communist big-brother government, then the rationality of thethought process must be questioned. People clearlyfeel that they've lost control over their lives – 9/11,mortgage crisis, financial crisis, unemployment, warsin Iraq and Afghanistan, a black man as President

(hey, it matters to a lot of people, unfortunately), andthe real sense in many rural and small town commu-nities that they may not survive.

In the US, we have had something like this a number oftimes. The first "Great Awakening" (late 1600s/early1700s) happened when the population began to spreadaway from the coast into the "wilderness," congrega-tions became more isolated and subject to the influenceof charismatic itinerant preachers and people werefaced with the difficulty of living up to the strict reli-gious tenets of the "founders," leading many to searchfor a path that was more under individual control. Inthe 1830s & ’40s the US experienced the first big shifttowards urbanization and manufacturing, causingsevere economic dislocation. It led to the so-called"Second Great Awakening," lots of conspiracy theo-ries, fads in health, and lots of new religious sects. Wesaw it in the South after the Civil War and with the dif-ficulties of imposed Reconstruction, when African-Americans began migrating north, in the 1910s whenthe first great wave of eastern and southern immigra-tion hit and again in the 1930s after the Crash of 1929.

In modern times, this sense of crisis and fear has ledpeople to coalesce around a simple dichotomy of "thePeople" vs "the Elite". It is not that they are wrongabout the basic problem, it's that those terms are soimprecise and fluid that they can be made to meananything. For example, the Nazis were "nationalsocialists" in name, but fascists in deed; they put for-ward a grossly distorted but highly attractive imageof what constituted "the (German) People" and "the(Jewish) Elite," a dichotomy that still attracts admir-ers 80 years later.

The problem is that these simple dichotomies can makepeople easier to manipulate. Just throw up one of theirconcerns, make it appear to be overwhelming in orderto create real fear, and then offer them both an easyscapegoat and a hero. Keep doing this long enough anddo it within the confined mainstream media spectrumwe have (which is made even more confined by peo-ple's tendency when scared to go where they feel com-fortable) and the "echo chamber" drives out any pos-sibility of actual public life, which is to say, political life("political" comes from the Greek "polis" or city - theplace where people had their public lives).

As FDR said, "we have nothing to fear, but fearitself." Unfortunately, many people have let fear gripthem and are now actively working against some ofthe very policies and practices that could help themthe most. The question that needs to be asked is: whois really benefitting from the confusion and fear thatnow reigns in local, state, and national politics. Formore information, contact Michael Jensen atmjensen@amigosbravos.org.

REPLACING FEARwith planning and action

TAKING BACK OUR COMMUNITIES

energize public life

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concerned consumer March 2012 13

BY ARI LEVAUX

Chinese researchers have found small pieces of rice ribonu-cleic acid (RNA) in the blood and organs of humans whoeat rice. The Nanjing University-based team showed that this

genetic material will bind to receptors in human liver cells and influencethe uptake of cholesterol from the blood.

The type of RNA in question is called microRNA (abbreviated tomiRNA) due to its small size. MiRNAs have been studied extensivelysince their discovery ten years ago, and have been implicated as playersin several human diseases including cancer, Alzheimer's, and diabetes.They usually function by turning down or shutting down certain genes.The Chinese research provides the first in vivo example of ingestedplant miRNA surviving digestion and influencing human cell functionin this way.

Should the research survive peer review—a serious hurdle—it couldprove a game changer in many fields. It would mean that we're eatingnot just vitamins, protein, and fuel, but gene regulators as well. Thatknowledge could deepen our understanding of many fields, illuminatenew mechanisms for some metabolic disorders and perhaps explainhow some herbal and modern medicines function. The work shows apathway by which new food products, such as GM foods, could influ-ence human health in previously unanticipated ways.

Central Dogma?Monsanto's website states, "There is no need for, or value in testing thesafety of GM foods in humans." This viewpoint, while good for busi-ness, is built on an understanding of genetics circa 1960. It followswhat's called the "Central Dogma” of genetics, which postulates a one-way chain of command between DNA and the cells DNA governs.

The Central Dogma resembles the process of ordering a pizza. TheDNA codes for the kind of pizza it wants, and orders it. The RNA isthe order slip, which communicates the specifics of that pizza to thecook. The finished and delivered pizza is analogous to the protein thatDNA codes for.

We've known for decades that the Central Dogma, though basicallycorrect, is overly simplistic. For example: miRNAs that don't code foranything travel within cells silencing genes that are being expressed. Sowhile one piece of DNA is ordering a pizza, it could also be bombard-ing the pizzeria with RNA signals that can cancel the delivery of otherpizzas ordered by other bits of DNA.

Researchers have been using this phenomena to their advantage in theform of small, engineered RNA strands that are virtually identical tomiRNA. In a technique called RNA interference, or RNA knockdown,these small bits of RNA are used to turn off, or “knock down,” cer-tain genes.

RNA knockdown was first used commercially in 1994 to create theFlavor Savr, a tomato with increased shelf life. In 2007, several researchteams began reporting success at engineering plant RNA to kill insectpredators, by knocking down certain genes. As reported in MIT’sTechnology Review on November 5, 2007, “Researchers at Monsanto

and Devgen, a Belgian company, made corn plantsthat silence a gene essential for energy production incorn rootworms; ingestion wipes out the wormswithin 12 days.”

Humans and insects have a lot in common, geneti-cally. If miRNA can in fact survive the gut then it'sentirely possible that miRNA intended to influenceinsect gene regulation could also affect humans.

Substantial Equivalence Monsanto's claim that human toxicology tests areunwarranted is based on the doctrine of "substantialequivalence." According to substantial equivalence,comparisons between GM and non-GM crops needonly investigate the end products of DNA expression.New DNA is not considered a threat in any otherway. "So long as the introduced protein is deter-mined to be safe, food from GM crops determined tobe substantially equivalent is not expected to poseany health risks,” reads Monsanto’s web page.

In other words, as long as the final product—thepizza, as it were—is non-toxic, the introduced DNAisn’t any different and doesn't pose a problem. Forwhat it’s worth, if that principle were applied to intel-lectual property law, many of Monsanto’s patentswould probably be null and void. Chen-Yu Zhang,the lead researcher on the Chinese RNA study, hasmade no comment regarding the implications of hiswork for the debate over the safety of GM food.Nonetheless, these discoveries help give shape to con-cerns about substantial equivalence that have beenraised for years from within the scientific community.

In 1999, a group of scientists wrote a letter titled"Beyond Substantial Equivalence" to the prestigiousjournal Nature. In the letter, Erik Millstone et. al.

called substantial equivalence, "a pseudo-scientificconcept" that is "inherently anti-scientific because itwas created primarily to provide an excuse for notrequiring biochemical or toxicological tests."

To these charges, Monsanto responded: "The conceptof substantial equivalence was elaborated by interna-tional scientific and regulatory experts convened by theOrganization for Economic Co-operation and De-velopment (OECD) in 1991, well before any biotech-nology products were ready for market.”

This response is less a rebuttal than a testi-monial to Monsanto's prowess at handlingregulatory affairs. Of course the term wasestablished before any products were readyfor the market. Doing so was a prerequisiteto the global commercialization of GMcrops. It created a legal framework for sell-ing GM foods anywhere in the world thatsubstantial equivalence was accepted. Bythe time substantial equivalence wasadopted, Monsanto had already developednumerous GM crops and was activelygrooming them for market.

Many GM fans will point out that if we dotoxicity tests on GM foods, we should also have to dotoxicity testing on every other kind of food in theworld. But we’ve already done the testing on existingplants the hard way; by eating strange things anddying, or becoming ill, over thousands of years. Atomato with fish genes? That, to me, is a new plantand it should be tested.

It’s time to re-write the rules to acknowledge howmuch more complicated genetic systems are than thelegal regulations—and the corporations that havewritten them—give them credit for being.

Monsanto isn’t doing itself any PR favors by claiming“no need for, or value in testing the safety of GMfoods in humans." Admittedly, such testing can be dif-ficult to construct – who really wants to volunteer toeat a bunch of GM corn just to see what happens? Atthe same time, if companies like Monsanto want to useprocesses like RNA interference to make plants thatcan kill insects via genetic pathways that might resem-ble our own, some kind of testing has to happen.

A good place to start would be the testing of intro-duced DNA for other effects—miRNA-mediated orotherwise— beyond the specific proteins they code for.But the status quo, according to Monsanto’s web page,is, "There is no need to test the safety of DNA intro-duced into GM crops. DNA (and resulting RNA) ispresent in almost all foods. DNA is non-toxic and thepresence of DNA, in and of itself, presents no hazard."

Given what we know, that stance is arrogant;time will tell if it’s reckless. Given its opposition tothe labeling of GM foods as well, it seems clearthat Monsanto wants you to close your eyes,open your mouth, and swallow.

“SUBSTANTIAL EQUIVALENCE” is apseudo-scientific concept manufactured primarily to create an excuse for notrequiring biochemical or toxicological tests.

Dow Chemical is currently requesting anunprecedented USDA ap-proval: a genetically engi-

neered (GE) version of corn that isresistant to 2,4-D, a major compo-nent of the highly toxic AgentOrange. Agent Orange was thechemical defoliant used by the USin Vietnam, and it caused lastingecological damage as well as manyserious medical conditions in bothVietnam veterans and the Vietnamese people.

ACTION ALERTTell USDA To Do Its Job And Reject 2,4-DResistant GE Corn!Exposure to 2,4-D has been linked to major healthproblems that include cancers (especially non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma), lowered sperm counts, liverdisease and Parkinson’s disease. A growing body ofevidence from laboratory studies show that 2,4-Dcauses endocrine disruption, reproductive problems,neurotoxicity and immune system suppression.Further, industry’s own tests show that 2,4-D is con-taminated with dioxins, a group of highly toxicchemical compounds that bio-accumulate, so even aminute amount can accumulate as it goes up the foodchain, causing dangerous levels of exposure.

Dioxins in Agent Orange have been linked tomany diseases, including birth defects in chil-dren of exposed parents; according to theEPA, 2,4-D is the seventh largest source of

dioxins in the US.

USDA approval of Dow’s GE cornwill trigger a big increase in 2,4-Duse – and exposure to this toxicherbicide. Yet USDA has notassessed how much, nor analyzedthe resulting impacts on publichealth, the environment or neigh-boring farmers (2,4-D is prone to

drift and cause damage to nearby crops).Instead, USDA has once again bowed to thepesticide industry, by giving preliminaryapproval to still another pesticide-promot-ing crop that will likely harm people andtheir children, including farmers, and theenvironment.

For more info and to sign on to the peti-tion that demands the USDA not approveAgent Orange Corn GO TO www.change.org/petitions or WRITE TO the USDA at:USDADocket # Aphis 2010-0103R.A.D., PPD. Aphis Station 3A-03.84700 River Road, Unit 118Riverdale, MD, 20737-1238

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