INSPIRING A LOVE OF

HEALTHY FOODA CO-OP COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP

BY LYNN WALTERS, PHD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Thanks La Montañita Co-op for nine years of support! Cookingwith Kids is proud to partner with La Montañita Co-op towardsa healthy future for our community. We are grateful for the Co-

op’s generous support of Cooking with Kid’s food and nutrition educationprogram at Gonzales Community School over the past nine years. Duringthis time, the Co-op has donated food valued at $11,250, providing high-quality ingredients for hands-on cooking classes inspired by cuisines of theworld. An average of 300 Gonzales students participate in Cooking withKids classes every year. Cooking classes are led by beloved CWK EducatorDeborah Barbe, along with teachers and parent volunteers, and fruit andvegetable tastings are taught by classroom teachers. When children helpprepare healthy foods, they enjoy eating them!

Deborah is “thrilled to bring Gonzales kids the lovely, organic, mostly-localproduce and dry goods from La Montanita Co-op, which has the freshest,most beautiful food in town!” She has observed that after several years in

the program, children easily recognize all types of veg-etables: zucchini, cucumbers, kale, green onions, gar-lic, ginger, and even purple potatoes.

Last year, 122 parents and grandparents volunteered inCWK cooking classes in the beautiful Gonzales culinaryarts classroom. The vibrant Northern New Mexico foodcommunity is also vital to our efforts. In addition to LaMontañita’s generous support, local farmers and chefsvisit cooking classes, sharing their skills and passion fordelicious, healthy food. During 2014–2015, studentsprepared Cuban black beans with yellow rice, potatopancakes with homemade applesauce, minestrone withbreadsticks, Ethiopian lentils with injera bread, andJapanese rice bowls. In addition, fruit and vegetabletastings encourage children to use their senses to learnabout their own food preferences, and to discover thatfresh fruits and vegetables make delicious snacks.

We hear wonderful stories from families:“My son’s favorite dish was the minestrone soup.After he had it in class he kept asking me to pleasemake it at home for everyone. So we went outtogether and bought all the ingredients. Then thenext day my 2 1/2, 4, and 6 year-old kids all helpedmake the soup. They all loved it!”

“We learn new recipes and are exposed to other cul-ture's foods. It also helps me to know what my kids canhelp and/or do as far as cooking/preparing food.”

“We get to try new recipes and our son gets to takethe lead with putting it together. The recipes arehealthy, easy, and yummy!”

One teacher observed that “kids are making health-ier choices when they eat.” Another noted, “CWKhas encouraged my students to try new foods andto be respectful to others about their food choices.The program has reinforced the behavior we prac-tice in the classroom such as cooperation, sharingand taking turns, using good manners, and being agood listener and following directions. Our CWKteacher has helped make the program fun with herengaging personality and great patience.”

CWK works with children in public schools through-out Santa Fe and provides resources to families andeducators across the globe. This past year, 5,000pre-kindergarten through sixth grade students and1,453 family volunteers participated in CWK’sunique, hands-on food and nutrition education pro-grams. As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, weare proud of our work with these thousands ofSanta Fe children and community members whohave enjoyed and benefited from CWK program-ming. At the same time, as our funding landscape ischanging dramatically, we are seeking greater sup-port from individuals and the business community.We are incredibly appreciative of La Montañita’sleadership as a substantial community supporter.On behalf of the students, staff, and parents ofGonzales Community School, we thank you LaMontañita Co-op!

We are most pleased to announce that Cookingwith Kids Executive Director Lynn Walters willbe one of the guest speakers at our AnnualMembership Gathering on Saturday, October24th at the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Pavilion.She will be speaking on trends in children’s foodand health issues.

“Today is your day! You’re off to Great Places! You’re off andaway!” -OH THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! by Dr. Seuss

BY LISA BANWURTH-KUHN, FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Once upon a time the local co-operative market wasthe clear choice, and sometimes the only choice, forshopping for organic and natural foods. Times have

changed. Our world has changed. It seems like “natural andorganic” food is available everywhere, but Co-op markets con-tinue throughout the country because some things haven’tchanged. Cooperative shoppers and member-owners supportsmall local producers and infuse local economy through localpurchases. Co-ops are set apart from other stores because theirprograms benefit their community ownership and support thecooperative economy.

To continue to provide the re-sources here in New Mexico todo what we do so well in thecommunity, we want to worktogether to create a clear visionof who we are and how thatidentity will shape our continuedcommittment to our communi-ty’s future.

So we are going to do it again! La Montañita Board ofDirectors and Member Outreach are hosting get-togeth-ers to invite member-owners, community members, staffand board members to brainstorm a shared strategicvision for the future. Individuals selected from targetgroups (members, volunteers, staff, food producers etc.)will be personally invited to attend one of three (maybefour) Co-op Focus Cafés.

But don’t you worry because all members are invit-ed to share ideas at the largest Co-op Focus Café—

CREATING A SHARED VISION:COMING TOGETHER TO PLAN OUR

COOPERATIVEFUTURE

our Annual Membership Meetingon October 24th at the Santa FeFarmers’ Market Pavilion in theRailyard. Everyone can have theopportunity to contribute andbrainstorm.

“…And then things start to hap-pen. Don’t worry! Don’t Stew! Justgo right along. You’ll start happen-ing too!”

La Montañita wants all game players to speak to who weare and where we can go in the future, and exert influ-ence on direction of the Co-op to guide us and our com-munity into the future.

“…You have brains in your head. You have feet in yourshoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose!”

Members interested in participating, contact RobinSeydel, at 217-2027 or robins@lamontanita.coop.

AUGUST 14, 11:30AM-2PMBurgers and Veggie Options!

ALL PROFITS FROM THE BBQ GO TO HELP THE

SANTA FE HORSE SHELTER

The Santa Fe Horse Shelter serves as a sanctuary for NewMexico’s abandoned, abused and neglected horses.Rescued horses are rehabilitated and adopted out when-ever possible to environments that support their well-being and future long-term care.

First and foremost, they are dedicated to providing a safe,healthy environment for rescued horses. They follow upon each and every report of horse abuse or neglect theyreceive, disseminate information on proper horse care andmake every attempt to assist individuals in the care oftheir horses.

BBQSANTA FE CO-OP SAVE THE DATE

SATURDAYOCT. 24

SANTAFE FARMERS’

MARKET PAVILION

La Montanita Co-op AnnualMEMBER-OWNERGATHERINGSANTA FE FARMERS’ MARKET PAVILION AT THE RAILYARD Enjoy a delicious local natural foods dinner with your Co-opfriends and fellow owners. Participate in an exciting discussionled by Santa Fe community leaders on 21st Century trends infood, farming, health and community-owned economics and aCo-op Focus Cafe.

CO-OP TURNS 40 YEARS OLD IN 2016!Over the next year, we invite you to participate in a series of com-munity discussions to think about cooperative economics in thenext 40 years. Celebrate our Co-op! WE OWN IT!

COOKINGWITHKIDS

AT THE

INSPIRING A LOVE OF

HEALTHY FOODA

CO

-OP

CO

MM

UN

ITY

PA

RTN

ER

SHIP

DON’T MISS ITFRI. AUG.14SANTA FE CO-OP

FOOD JUSTICE August 2015 2

La Montañita CooperativeA Community-Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Administrative Staff: 217-2001TOLL FREE: 877-775-2667 (COOP)• Interim General Manager/Bob Tero 217-2028bobt@lamontanita.coop• Controller/John Heckes 217-2029johnh@lamontanita.coop• Computers/Info TechnologyDavid Varela 217-2011 tech@lamontanita.coop• Special Projects Manager/Mark Lane 259-4396markl@lamontanita.coop• Human Resources/Sharret Rose 217-2023hr@lamontanita.coop• Marketing/Karolyn Cannata-Winge 217-2024kcwinge@lamontanita.coop• Membership/Robin Seydel 217-2027robins@lamontanita.coop• CDC/MichelleFranklin 217-2010mf@lamontanita.coop

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

Co-op Board of Directors:email: bod@lamontanita.coop• President: Ariana Marchello• Secretary: Marshall Kovitz• Lisa Banwarth-Kuhn• James Esqueda• Jessica Rowland• Rosemary Romero• Tracy Sprouls• Tammy Parker

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

Co-op Connection Staff:• Managing Editor: Robin Seydelrobins@lamontanita.coop 217-2027• Layout and Design: foxyrock inc• Cover/Centerfold: Co-op Marketing Dept.• Advertising: JR Riegel• Editorial Assistant: JR Riegel j.riegel@lamontanita.coop 217-2016• Editorial Intern: Katherine Mullé• Printing: Vanguard Press

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

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

Copyright ©2015La Montañita Co-op SupermarketReprints by prior permission.The Co-op Connection is printed on 65% post-consumer recycledpaper. It is recyclable.

From July 2014 through June 2015, the Santa Fe Art Institute (SFAI)encouraged creative minds to come together and examine the ter-ritory of food justice. In their inaugural theme, they asked artists: how

can we use diverse creative practices to confront inherent social, cultural andeconomic problems in our food system; bring together insights from creativefields, environmental sciences, sustainable agriculture, critical theory, andfood studies to have local, national, and international impact? HakimBellamy Inaugural Poet Laureate of Albuquerque, New Mexico(2012–2014), Founder & CEO of Beyond Poetry LLC and Co-op member-owner is an alumnus of SFAI’s Food Justice Residency Program. Over thepast year, SFAI has hosted 36 artists, developing artistic solutions to some ofthe most pressing social issues of our time.

Bellamy's project is a mosaic of interviews, photographs, video, and origi-nally written poetry designed to drive an authentic cross-community con-versation around our personal food histories and our collective food securi-ty. SFAI is a growing hub for social change. You can see some of the workof other residents, and find out how to support SFAI's work atwww.SFAI.org. During the coming months, the Co-op Connection will pub-lish some of Hakim’s poems from this body of work.

Inspired by Ricardo Sarto

“I had been cooking since I was seven years old, and I’ve often thoughtabout all the different things we entertain in life as being mainstays or alter-natives. And I felt that the cooking would always be one of my mainstays,because it allows you creative flexibility. You have an opportunity to expandyour knowledge of good food as opposed to something that shouldn’t becalled food, technically. “

SANTA FE ART INSTITUTE:

EXAMINING FOOD JUSTICE THROUGH A CREATIVE LENS

AREYOU

BY GREGORY GOULD

Professor Bruce Milne, through the auspices of the UNMSustainability Studies Program, seeks to change theNew Mexico landscape by co-creating “Abundance”

with like-minded people. To that end, the SustainabilityStudies Program is hosting Vandana Shiva’s visit toAlbuquerque, October 13th, in the UNM Student UnionBallroom C, from 4:30pm to 8:30pm.

Dr. Shiva is a prominent global figure in the realm of food sov-ereignty, bio-diversity, seed preservation, democracy and therights of women and all people. She is the author of over 20books whose titles alone demonstrate her interests in the fateof the planet, its people and its resources. They include: WaterWars: privatization, pollution and profit; Biopiracy: the plun-der of nature and knowledge; Sacred Seed; Earth Democracy:justice, sustainability and peace; Monocultures of the Mind:perspectives on biodiversity and biotechnology; Soil Not Oil:environmental justice in an age of climate crisis.

Dr. Shiva has been called an eco-saint. For those who arefamiliar with her work, that is a fine description.Unfortunately for the uninitiated, she might be confused withspiritual teachers like Amma, also a strong woman from India.Dr. Shiva’s power however doesn’t originate from a divinesource. Rather, Dr. Shiva’s outspoken outrage at the conditionsof the disenfranchised farmers, the poor, and the second classwomen of the world is deeply rooted in investigative researchand meticulous fact checking. She speaks truth to power. Shetakes on the multi-national corporations like Monsanto, offer-ing her rigorous intellectual prowess to critique what could becharacterized as crimes against humanity.

Bromatology

I. Used to be underwater, too. Used to be dirt. Used to be soil. Used to be ocean Floor before climate change. Used to be bacteria. Used to be cell division. Used to be Eden, all veggie, no ribs. Used to be apples before Adam. Used to be apples, metaphor “Atom.” Used to be religion, not “diet.” Used to be vessel, temple, pyramid before food pyramids. Used to be holy. Used to be prey, Used to be food, used to be foodtoo.Used to be grace. Used to be sacred. Used to be sacrament, sensual, savory. Used to be slavery. Used to be farmers. Used to be evolving. Used to the sunlight Used to the product.

II. Still under watered. Still under armor. Still putting food on the table. Still putting tables in the projects. Still pretending plants are people. Still pretending plants aren’t people. Still pretending life hasn’t outlived us, turning paleo plants in to dishes so we are literally having “time” for dinner. Still pretending We weren’t one cell at one time too.

Still saliva. Still stomach. Still sattvic. Still soul food. Still communion juice Still science. Still eating right. Still eating light Still drinking ‘shine Still drinking time Still...

just out here trying to turn this sunlight into food. Still...

just out there trying to turn this future into fuel.

BY HAKIM BELLAMY

Her visit to New Mexico presents an opportunity to intro-duce her to people who might never have heard of her.Wendell Berry is the closest analog I can think of as a pub-lic intellectual and leader so deeply interested in food asthe very essence of our survival as a species.

One of the values of her presentation rests in her powerfuloratory, by which she inspires people to action. It is a ral-lying cry. She’s talking about the food on our tables,shipped from tropical countries at the expense of theircommunities and cultures. Some of the food on our tablescomes at the hidden cost of exploitation of poor farmers.Often, these fruits and vegetables are grown monoculturestyle with chemical pesticides and herbicides outlawed inthe US. Land is stolen, forests clearcut in our name andrural populations forced to relocate into cities without alivelihood. Ms. Shiva’s analysis also offers remedies andresponses to the profit motives of those who control theworld food supply. For more information on Ms. Shiva'svisit to Albuquerque, New Mexico, please inquirewith Terry Horger at www.sust.unm.edu

VANDANASHIVA COMES TOALBUQUERQUE OCT.13

SAVE THE DATE

CO-OPYOU OWN IT

THE POETRY OFHAKIM BELLAMY

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:We are looking for volun-teers to help us do the glean-ing. August is our busiest month. If you have some sparetime please call Anna Marie Maez at 505-349-8921. It isa very quick turnaround, so be ready to go glean whenyou get the call!

At this time we are not booking any new gleaning jobs. Weare just looking for volunteers to help with the many glean-ing projects already on the books. These gleaning opportu-nities are time well spent doing something beneficial forthose less fortunate than ourselves. To help glean call AnnaMarie at 349-8921. For more information aboutRoadRunner Food Bank go to www.rrfb.org or email:Julie@rrfb.org. For more information on Seed2Needplease go to: www.seed2need.org.

BY JULIE ANDERSON, ROADRUNNER FOOD BANK

Harvest time in New Mexico is upon us. It is thattime of year when fruits and vegetables, from smallgrowers to backyard growers, can go to waste, because

they have no one to pick the produce. Roadrunner FoodBank and Seed2Need have come to together in a joint part-nership to reduce this waste and get it to those in need.

One out of every six New Mexicans faces food insecurity.This gleaned produce is a “special treat” for people thatreceive it. RoadRunner Food Bank is providing food to over40,000 people per week around the state. It is the largestnon-profit dedicated to reducing and ending hunger in NewMexico.

Seed2Need is a non-profit that grows and gleans produceand then donates it to hunger relief organizations in the stateincluding Roadrunner Food Bank. With community support,they have donated 246,306 pounds of produce to 17 foodpantries in Bernalillo and Sandoval counties over the last 5years. Last year they gleaned approximately 26,000 lbs. ofassorted fruits and vegetables.

BRING A BAG... DONATE THE DIME,IT ALL ADDS UPAUGUST BAG CREDIT DONATIONSwill be shared between Girls on the Run Santa Fe andGirls on the Run Rio Grande: Empowering Girls to staytrue to themselves and activate their limitless potential.

In June your bag credit donations totaling $2,594.20were given to: Friends of Bandelier. Thank YOU!

CCOO--OOPPPPRROOGGRRAAMM

AUGUST BAG CREDIT DONATIONS GO TO

WESTSIDE3601 Old Airport Ave. NW

505-503-2550

Alameda Blvd.

Old Airport Ave.

Coors

Blv

d.

Old

Airport

Ave

.CO

-OP

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.

To participate or for more information for GOTR inSanta Fe or Rio Arriba counties please contact AliceTemple at Alice Temple abtemple@hotmail.com or callher at 505-660-2972.

Girls on the Run Rio Grande (GOTRRG) offers a 10-week after school curriculum for 3rd–5th grade girls thatinnovatively weaves training for a 5k run with lessonsthat empower girls to celebrate their bodies, honor theirvoices and embrace their gifts. At each season's conclu-sion, the girls and their running buddies complete a 5krunning event. This culminating celebratory event is themoment when the girls realize that the seemingly impos-sible is possible. Girls on the Run inspires girls to staytrue to themselves and live free from societal stereotypes.

Girls on the Run Rio Grande has been servingBernalillo and Valencia Counties for four years. Lastseason we had programs at three schools in Belen andone school in Albuquerque. We hope to expand tosomeday serve every elementary school in our counties.

We fundraise year-round to give girls scholarships toparticipate in our program. GOTRRG also sponsors anadult running program, Solemates, to help withfundraising efforts. We strive never to turn any girlaway due to inability to pay.

We can always use donations or volunteers, coaches,board members, and event staff. If you'd like moreinformation please visit our website:girlsontherunriogrande.org or contact Dana Beyalat 916-9073; email: volunteers@girlsontherun.orgor danabeyal@gmail.com.

GLEANERS NEEDED!Help REDUCE

FOOD WASTE and get it to those in NEED!

EMPOWERINGGIRLSTO ACTIVATE THEIRLIMITLESS POTENTIAL

BAG DONATION ORGANIZATIONOF THE MONTH

GIRLS ON THE RUNBY ALICE TEMPLE AND DANA BEYAL

Girls on the Run (GOTR) is a national non-profitwith affiliates in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Weinspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using

a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively inte-grates running. We envision a New Mexico where every girlknows and activates her limitless potential and is free toboldly pursue her dreams.

Academic assessments of Girls on the Run participants indi-cate a significant positive impact. Evaluations have found thatour curricula improve girls' self-esteem, body size satisfaction,and physical activity behaviors.

Girls on the Run Santa Fe (GOTRSF) is entering our 10thyear with a recent expansion to Rio Arriba County! We hadour biggest season ever with more than 185 girls showing upat the Santa Fe Plaza on May 16th to run their first 5 kilo-meter race, despite a rainy and cold day. A locally-operatednon-profit, GOTRSF serves girls in 3rd through 8th grade.Over the years over 1,400 girls have participated in this vol-unteer organization. We believe that every girl can embracewho she is, can define who she wants to be, can rise to anychallenge, and can change the world.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE August 2015 3

GLEANINGSEED2NEED AND ROADRUNNER FOOD BANK

PARTNER TO PREVENTFOOD WASTE

GIRLS ON THE RUN

Donate yourBAG CCRREEDDIITT!

BY SUSAN CLAIR

Your kids are back in school, and you’re wonderingwhether they’re eating the lunches carefully prepared athome, trading with friends for less-nutritious lunches, or eat-

ing cafeteria-prepared foods, which, at times, may be less nutritiousthan you’d like.

Are these foods benefiting them beyond staving off hunger pangs?Sure, they need a wide array of nutrients to build strong bodies andhealthy immune systems to resist colds, flu, and other germs makingthe rounds. But do you consider that the foods they eat will alsodirectly affect their ability to remain attentive, absorb new informa-tion, and solve problems?

The brain requires adequate nourishment, or it can’t provide thechild with the neural activity needed to focus in classes and, over thelong term, mature into healthy adults. According to Alan Greene, apediatrician at Packard Children’s Hospital, Stanford UniversityMedical Center, “What you feed your child has profound effects onbehavior and academic performance. If your child needs help withfocus and concentration, examine his or her diet and consider mak-ing some changes.”

Although they may be eating foods with plenty of calories—as evi-denced by the rising rate of childhood obesity—many children areactually malnourished, that is, falling short of the necessary nutrientsto benefit their growing bodies and brains. Various studies haveshown that malnourished kids have abnormal EEGs and impairedattention spans, and that body chemistry affects brain chemistry,especially in early-development years.

Fast foods, snacks with refined sugars, and other highly processedfoods are often considered as simply “empty calories;” however,excessive nonnutrients can actually become toxic to the body, result-ing in many adverse health conditions, as noted by Professor ofNutrition Stanley Omaye, University of Nevada–Reno, in his bookFood and Nutritional Toxicology (2007).

BACK TO SCHOOL August 2015 4

As a society, we are becoming seriously overcalo-ried and, at the same time, malnourished andexperiencing degenerative diseases at increasinglyyounger ages. Sadly, this includes our children.For example, type 2 diabetes was once calledadult-onset diabetes, but an alarming number ofchildren are being diagnosed with diabetes atever-younger ages. The childhood-obesity rate,often a precursor to diabetes, is recognized to bein the ranges of one child in three to one child insix. Whichever, it’s too high, and they are suffer-ing the consequences: inability to perform mentalor physical activities appropriate to their ages,mood swings, inability to focus, and social-behav-ior problems.

The good news is, you can help your children toprevent most of the issues I’ve noted—and all atthe same time. How? Improved daily nutrition!Teach your children, as you learn more about thebenefits of eating nutrient-dense foods and avoid-ing “nonnutrients.” Start with the basics: eat awide array of organic vegetables and fruits—alldifferent colors—as the primary source of dailycalories; eat sprouted grains, beans, rice, andquinoa; eat nuts and seeds but in smaller amountsthan we are accustomed to eating them; avoidhighly processed foods that are stripped of theiressential nutrients and instead contain dyes,hydrogenated fats, hidden sugars, and excessive

traditional wisdom says, us too! Research alsoshows that apples may help reduce the risk ofcancer and the risk of neurodegenerative disor-ders. Be sure to choose organic, unwaxed applesto avoid carcinogenic chemicals.

Eggs for Breakfast—Eggs have to be the per-fect breakfast food; theycook quickly and providea healthy dose of proteinthat serves a body wellthroughout the morning,reducing that 10am droopthat kids of all ages whoeat high sugar cereals forbreakfast often experience. And while eggs have gottenbad press in the past due to their cholesterol-rich yoke,that yellow orb contains choline, one of the mostimportant nutrients for building better brains. Gettingenough choline, especially during fetal developmentand early childhood may help learning and retentionand keep our memory intact as we age. No wondermanufacturers add synthetic versions of choline toinfant formula.

SOURCES OF CHOLINE INCLUDE: eggs, beans,brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, yogurt, tofu,buckwheat, and lean beef.

Always Omegas—Budget-friendly sardines andother “fatty” fish contain omega-3 fatty acids and arelinked to healthy brain functioning in early childhood

BY ROBIN SEYDEL

At the risk of being trite, I must repeat the often said phrase,“You are what you eat.” That is especially true for children,whose bodies and systems are more sensitive, in the process of

coming to full development and need good nutrition to grow strong andsmart. Here are a few tips.

It’s the Berries—Beneficial anti-oxidative compounds like vitamins C, E,beta-carotene and other nutrients can neutralize free radicals that can dam-age cells, and these compounds are found in plentiful quantities in berries.Berries and the brain’s memory center, the hippocampus, both contain ben-eficial chemicals called ellagatannins, so eat berries to feed your memory;and blueberries additionally contain proanthocyanins, which gravitatetoward the striatum, the part of the brain related to spatial memory.

An Apple a Day—Apples contain a flavonoid called quercetin that hasbeen shown to protect the brain from oxidative injury in animal studies.Phytonutrients such as phenolic acids and different flavonoids protectthe apple itself against damage by bacteria, viruses and fungi—and as

development and throughout life. Omegasplay an important role in how the neuronsin the brain communicate with one another,and have a positive effect throughout life on

learning and memory. One omega-3, DHA(another industrial additive in both organic andconventional infant formulas), is present in thebrain so the benefits of adding it to the body’savailable nutrient stores is a no-brainer.

SOURCES OF OMEGAS INCLUDE: Salmon,shrimp, scallops, walnuts, flaxseed, and omega-3 enriched eggs and yogurt.

Complex Carbs for Steady Fuel—Fiber-rich whole grains, a.k.a., complex carbohy-drates, are the brain’s main source of fuel. Theglucose that our bodies break them down into inorder to absorb them is the fuel—the source ofenergy—for all our cells. But don’t be fooled;not all glucose is the same. Candy, soda andother sugary sweets don’t make the grade,because they are simple carbohydrates whichlack fiber. When they’re broken down by thebody into glucose, they are absorbed very quick-ly, causing fast energy highs and even fasterlows. The fiber in complex carbohydrates, onthe other hand, slows the body’s absorption,which ensures that the brain gets a slow andsteady supply of fuel.

SOURCES OF COMPLEX CARBS—Whole-grains including wheat, rye, millet, oats, brownrice, quinoa, spelt, teff, in breads, pastas, crack-ers, cereals, pancakes, waffles.

SCHOOL MEALS:

NOURISHING BODYAND BRAIN

GOOD NUTRITION TO GROW STRONG AND SMART

BRAIN FOOD

EATINGFOR YOURHEALTH

• Elements of a healthy lifestyle• Plant-based and animal proteins• Organic and conventional foods• Antioxidants and systemic alkalinity• Health benefits of herbs & spices• Fats and sweeteners• 30 easy, delicious recipes

Workshop Facilitator: Susan Clair, MCRP/MPACertificate in Whole-Foods Plant-Based NutritionDonation: Up to you, from $1 up to $10Advance registration is required For more information and to register:505.281.9888, clair@nmia.com

ImportantNUTRIENTSto build better BRAINS!

AU

GU

ST 2

9, 1

0:30

AM

-12:

30PM

COMMUNITY-BASEDNUTRITIONWORKSHOP

sodium; avoid refined sugars, fast foods, sodasand other caffeinated drinks; minimize animal-based proteins (an adequate amount of proteincan be obtained from plant-based foods).

It’s important, too, that you—as parent orguardian—decide which foods your child willeat. If you regularly allow your child to decide,

you are giving authority to the child to make choicesthat are beyond his or her knowledge or experienceand likely will cater to a sweet tooth and reinforceaddictions to the low-value ingredients found in high-ly processed foods.

Many resources are available in the library system toguide you, as you strive to improve your own healthand ensure the health of your children. A few books Irecommend are Food as Medicine, by Dharma SinghKhalsa, M.D. (2003), The China Study (2006) andWhole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition (2013),both by T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., The Cure: Heal YourBody, Save Your Life, by Timothy Brantley, N.D.,Ph.D. (2007), and Power Foods for the Brain, by NealD. Barnard, M.D. (2013). The cover wrapper of theDVD Forks Over Knives states, “WARNING, THISMOVIE COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE.” Let’s save ourlives and the lives of our children!

SUSAN CLAIR has been leading “Eating for YourHealth” workshops since 2010, teaching how toimprove nutritional intake to boost immune sys-tem functionality, increase energy, and preventand reverse chronic degenerative diseases.

“If your child needs help withFOCUS AND CONCENTRATION

examine their DIETand CONSIDER MAKING

CHANGES.”

ADHD diagnoses and prescriptions for childrenincreasing so rapidly in the US? In 1997 the FDAignored its own agency’s recommendations andbroke the 1971 UN Convention on PsychotropicSubstances which prohibited the public advertising ofcontrolled substances. This opened the door to “BigPharma” to promote the existence of ADHD and theuse of medication to unknowing, frightened parentsand over-burdened teachers. Direct-to-consumer(DTC) advertising budgets for big pharmaceuticalcompanies skyrocketed to $2.7–$5 billion per year.

DTC advertising and other factors have drivenADHD diagnoses in the US from 3% in 1987 toover 11% in 2014, with a little more than twice asmany boys labeled ADHD than girls. That meansone out of every nine children in a US classroom isnow on ADHD medication.

This quick-fix drug solution for challenging behav-ior in children is a huge money maker. Large phar-maceutical companies pay millions of dollars toresearchers, doctors, and parent organizations toendorse ADHD drugs and even promote ADHD

THE ADHD OFFENSIVE, PART 1BY MARCIA LEE, KIDS FOCUS

A recent article “Fighting to Focus” in theAlbuquerque Journal (6/8/15) cited infor-mation that I believe was false and poten-

tially dangerous in regard to ADHD and ADHDmedication for children. The article was heavilyslanted toward Big Pharma’s agenda to turn asmany children as it can into patients for life. Basedon a diagnosis for a non-existent illness, doctorsand mental health professionals are trying to turnchildhood into a disease. Unknowingly, Americanparents are playing Russian roulette with their chil-dren’s brains, health, and development.

Profits from the sale of ADHD medications from2008–2013 were $40 billion and the figure increas-es daily. In 1990, three million ADHD medicationswere dispensed for children in the US By 2012, thenumber exploded to 21 million prescriptions. Achild in the US is 6 times more likely to be medicat-ed for ADHD than a child in France, and 60 timesmore likely than a child in Finland.

Finland ranks #1 in worldwide educational rank-ings. The US now ranks #17, slipping lower andlower every year (#15 in 2013). Why are Finland’skids doing a better job of learning and achieving inschool than ours, without the so-called “help” ofADHD medication?

The 1996 ADD/ADHD Statement from the US DrugEnforcement Administration clearly laid out the dan-gers of ADHD medication: “Ritalin is potent, addic-tive and abusable; prescriptions for methylphenidate(the active ingredient in Ritalin) and amphetamineslike Adderall are over-prescribed, over-marketed andoversold. Ritalin and other stimulants which sharethe same properties as cocaine are being used as aquick-fix, bogus medical practice which is producinglarge profits; and this constitutes a potential healththreat to many children.”

The DEA report should have put a stop to what hasnow become a major ADHD offensive, so why are

medications in schools. Big Pharma is providing more and morefunding for research studies that will back their products. Unbiasedresearch is becoming harder to find than the Loch Ness monster.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM),its most current version DSM V, continues to expand the definitionof ADHD opening the door to more and more diagnoses and pre-scriptions for children at ever younger ages. Used by doctors, phar-macies, mental health professionals, and insurance companies, theDSM classifies mental disorders, and ADHD falls under thatumbrella. More than half the doctors who authored DSM IV had

financial connections to pharmaceutical com-panies. Medication is the first line of actionand healthy, effective, non-medication strate-gies for ADHD behavior such as movementand parental training techniques are down-played or virtually ignored.

Thankfully the tide is beginning to turn toprotect our children. In an article entitled“The Selling of Attention Deficit Disorder”by Alan Schwarz in the NY Times(12/14/13), Dr. Keith Connors (Duke Uni-versity), an early advocate of the ADHDdiagnosis in children, called the increasing

number of ADHD diagnoses “a national disaster of dangerous pro-portions.” He says the so-called ADHD epidemic is a “concoctionto justify the giving out of medication at unprecedented and unjus-tifiable levels.”

Other famous doctors and researchers agree with Connors. FormerDSM Task Force leaders are now exposing the lies that have beenpromoting ADHD medication for children as young as four. Dr.Robert Spitzer (DSM III) admits there are no biological causes forany of the mental disorders in DSM III including ADHD. Dr. AllenFrances (DSM IV) admitted the DSM cast too wide a net forADHD allowing too many children to be diagnosed with a diseasethey did not have. Regarding the DSM, Frances says, “It is not welldone. It is not safe. Don’t buy it. Don’t use it. Don’t teach it.” Mostkids simply grow out of the behaviors that pediatricians and psy-chiatrists call ADHD.

Behaviors labeled ADHD such as hyperactivity, distractibility,impulsivity, and difficulty focusing are some of the most universalchildhood behaviors all over the world. Basically, kids are kids.Many psychosocial factors affect children’s brain and behavioraldevelopment. However, the DSM only looks at symptoms, andignores the causes, which can include trauma, poor educationalenvironments, lack of movement, poor nutrition, lack of sleep, etc.In-depth solutions for ADHD type behavior are simply pushedaside in favor of the medication quick-fix.

LOOK FOR PART II NEXT MONTHCo-op member-owner Marcia Lee is the founder of Kids Focus, aninnovative movement program that helps kids focus and self-regu-late in minutes. For more information go to www.kidsfocususa.com, emailmarcia.lee@kidsfocususa.com or call 949-468-9841.

THE FINDINGS INCLUDE:• MANGANESE is associated withdiminished intellectual functionand impaired motor skills.• SOLVENTS are linked to hyperac-tivity and aggressive behavior.• Certain types of PESTICIDES maycause cognitive delays.

Also as reported in the HarvardGazette, “Grandjean and co-author Philip Landrigan, dean forglobal health at Mount Sinai,also forecast that many morechemicals than the known dozenor so identified as neurotoxicants contribute to a “silentpandemic” of neurobehavioral deficits that is erodingintelligence, disrupting behaviors, and damaging societies.

The authors say it’s crucial to control the use of thesechemicals to protect children’s brain development world-wide. They propose mandatory testing of industrial chem-icals and the formation of a new international clearing-house to evaluate industrial chemicals for potential devel-opmental neurotoxicity.”

Funding for the study came from the NationalInstitutes of Health, National Institute for Envir-onmental Health Sciences.

EDITED BY ROBIN SEYDEL

Over the past years the body of research onthe links between toxic chemicals and cog-nitive disabilities has increased substantial-

ly. Recently the Harvard School of Public Health(HSPH) has chimed in with a new study completed inconjunction with the School of Medicine at Mount SinaiHospital. The conclusion as reported in the HarvardGazette by Karen Feldscher of HSPH is that “a newglobal prevention strategy to control the use of thesesubstances is urgently needed.”

The report published in Lancet Neurology says, “Toxicchemicals may be triggering recent increases in neu-rodevelopmental disabilities among children—such asautism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anddyslexia.”

As reported in the Harvard Gazette, “The greatest con-cern is the large numbers of children who are affectedby toxic damage to brain development in the absence ofa formal diagnosis,” said study co-author, PhilippeGrandjean, adjunct professor of environmental healthat HSPH. “They suffer reduced attention span, delayeddevelopment, and poor school performance. Industrialchemicals are now emerging as likely causes.”

In 2006 five industrial chemicals were identified as“developmental neurotoxicants,” or chemicals that cancause brain deficits. This 2015 study offers updatedfindings about those chemicals and adds information onsix newly-recognized risks, including manganese, fluo-ride, chlorpyrifos and DDT (pesticides), tetrachloroeth-ylene (a solvent), and the polybrominated diphenylethers (flame retardants).”

YOUR CO-OP HASA WIDE VARIETY OF

A+ OPTIONSFOR HEALTHYBACK-TOSCHOOLLUNCHES!

ONE out of everyNINE CHILDRENin a United States classroomis now onADHD MEDICATION

“PHARMATIZING” OUR CHILDREN

PATIENTSFOR LIFE?

T H E H A R VA R D S C H O O L O F P U B L I C H E A LT H R E P O RT:CHEMICAL EXPOSURES LINKED TODEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

BACK TO SCHOOL August 2015 5

CO-OP NEWS August 2015 6

cool nights and just the right amount of precipita-tion make their farm one of the best sites in a val-ley famous for its peaches.

Rancho Durazno means “peach farm” in Spanishand as a mature orchardist, the importance of sus-tainability is not lost on Thomas. He has beenbuilding his orchards on his 40 acres for 33 yearswith care and dedication and the joy of passingthat labor of love on to his daughter is evident inhis voice as he says, “it just keeps growing andgrowing and getting better and better each year. It’sreally wonderful!”

Just as each field is passing onto the next generation oftrees, so too is this sustainable family farm, with daugh-ters involved and a skilled staff, who, as Thomas says“are the next wave of farm leaders.”

The Co-op Distribution Center (CDC) has been pur-chasing pallet loads of Rancho Durazno peaches since2007. This year and for many years to come theDistribution Center is looking forward to having some60,000 pounds of Rancho Durazno peaches passthrough the warehouse and out into the community.

The CDC will be purchasing all the varieties as theyripen from earliest to latest, including Redhaven, a his-torically predominant variety; the earliest-ripening peachworth putting up, Newhaven, a variant of Redhaven that

BY ROBIN SEYDEL

A gain this year we are pleased to be working with RanchoDurazno Farm to bring you the very best certified organicpeaches. Last year, Thomas Cameron was happy to announce

that his daughter Gwen was coming back to help run the farm. In lateJune, Gwen said, “I’ve only been here full time for three months andevery day I am learning new things—like how not to drive over thesprinkler system! I immerse myself in the new work. It’s different; I hadbeen working on a computer everyday—now I get to work with myhands, outside, on a variety of interesting projects.”

Over the years the Co-op has grown its sales of Rancho Durazno peach-es. The Cameron father and daughter team agree this is another greatpeach year and their trees are on track for a full crop of the tastiestpeaches you will ever eat.

Located in Palisade, Colorado, Rancho Durazno’s orchards are sur-rounded by wild lands, desert cliffs and slopes. The warm sunny days,

ripens three days later; Regina with its outstand-ing flavor and eating qualities; the classic Elberta;Cresthaven, a great eating, canning and freezingpeach; and close to a dozen other varieties thatensure the longest and tastiest harvest.

Gwen says: “I am learning what the farm is doingnow—learning what to expect next year and fiveyears down the road. It was really great to visitLa Montañita as part of the Wallace Center FoodHub educational day. I had heard about LaMontañita but really didn’t know that muchabout all you are doing. I was pleasantly sur-prised that you are doing such wonderful workon a lot of levels. I am so glad we have beenworking with you and I look forward to workingtogether for a long time.”

SHARE IN A CELEBRATION OF SUSTAINABLEREGIONAL FARMING AND FOOD. Look forRancho Durazno peaches throughout Augustand hopefully well into September at all Co-op locations.

BY ROBIN SEYDEL

The harvest from the Veteran Farmer Project is infull swing. For our first year at our new locationwe think we are doing pretty well. The garden is

looking beautiful, the potatoes ready for harvest andchile, jalapeños and yellow hots popping out all over. InJune and July we harvested lots of lettuce (maybe youwere lucky enough to grab one of our mixed lettucebouquets at the Rio Grande produce department),kohlrabi, fennel, kale, chard, beets, atomic red carrotsand more. Now deep into our summer season harvestthe tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and cucumbers arecoming on strong.

Also this month we are beginning to prep our 30’x70foot hoop house for late fall/early winter cold crop pro-duction. We will be planting varieties of lettuce, kale,collards, chard, beets and carrots.

We want to thank our partners at Rio GrandeCommunity Farm for all their help and support and abig shout out to all the veterans and Co-op communi-ty members who come every week to help keep ourfarm productive, weeded and looking so lovely.

Look for the Veteran Farmer Project produce at the VAGrowers’ Market on Wednesday mornings, and atAlbuquerque Co-op locations.

FOODSHED HARVEST:

Just as each field is passing on to theNEXT GENERATION OF TREES,so too is this SUSTAINABLE

FAMILY FARM.

I T ’ST H ESEASON

BY NICOLE WHITE, CHHC, AADP,RYT, REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF

THE AUTHOR.

Nourishing snacks, in combi-nation with breakfast, keepyour blood sugar stable.

Snacks also give you consistent ener-gy throughout the day. If you get themid-day slumps, then remember tosnack. If you know your slump is at

3:30pm every day, set a timer for 3pm and eat yoursnack at 3pm (or sooner). Experiment with eating a mealor snack every 2–3 hours, especially if you have anyblood sugar or mood related issues.

Blood sugar issues seem to be the norm these days.They do not just affect diabetics or people with hypo-glycemia. Certain foods, and stimulants such as caf-feine, go through your blood stream quicker. Caffeinecan give you a huge rise (why so many people feel thatthey MUST have coffee to get going in the morning).For those hooked on caffeine, it also acts as an appetitesuppressant which disrupts your blood sugar balance.

When blood sugars get too low, you become cranky,easily frustrated, shaky, lightheaded, and don’t make thewisest decisions. Remember this: don’t make any impor-tant decisions on an empty stomach. Why? Becauseyour brain does not have the proper balancing fuel itneeds when your blood sugar drops too low.

1. STABLE blood sugar. Starting the day with a nour-ishing breakfast and then having snacks and mealsthroughout the day. Drinking purified water and incor-porating the “Magic Trio” combination into meals andsnacks (visualize a calm up and down ebb and flow).

2. UNSTABLE blood sugar. Starting the day withoutbreakfast or beginning with coffee and a refined sweetor processed food or cereal will give you that initialBOOST of energy you are looking for and then DROPyou down low. Once you realize it, you may go for thequickest energy source available, more caffeine andrefined sugars/processed foods. You have highs andlows of energy throughout the day (visualize a stormyup and down roller-coaster).

Once you are able to upgrade the items you love, incor-porate the “Magic Trio” combinations and eat at moreconsistent times. You will notice a natural rise in yourenergy. This is the energy you have sought through caf-feinated drinks and refined foods. The easier and quick-

STABILIZATIONSNACKSSNACKS ANDAND BLOODBLOOD SUGARSUGAR

er route to sustained energy and stable blood sugar isthrough nourishing foods, snacks and “Magic Trio”combinations.

The Magic TrioCombining certain foods together is an importantstep in the upgrade process. The “Magic Trio”combination is a combination of: 1. Fiber, 2.Protein, 3. Fat

When you combine fiber, protein, and fat (with spiceand/or sauce) your food cravings stabilize. Apply end-less curiosity… try out different food combos and seeif they work for you. If they don’t, tweak, adjust, ormodify the “Magic Trio” combinations until you findthe most satisfying fit.

For example, notice what you crave after eating a pieceof fruit. Then notice what you crave after eating a pieceof fruit with some nut butter, nuts/seeds or full fatyogurt or raw cheese. Then create your ritual accord-ingly. Yes, there is the old saying “fruit alone.”However, with blood sugar issues it’s important toslow down fruit (natural sugar) absorption with fatand protein (i.e. nuts/seeds etc.). This will take the fruitfrom acting like a fast carb to behaving more like aslow carb (which is what you want).

Want to learn more? Visit www.upgradeology.comor pick up your copy of Upgradeology at yourfavorite local bookstore or through Amazon.com.

R A N C H O D U R A Z N O

PEACHES

V E T E R A N FA R M E R

PROJECT

UPD

ATEPick up your candidate nominations pack-

et at any Co-op location’s InformationDesk, or download it at www.lamontanita.coop/board

Have questions or need more information?Contact: bod@lamontanita.coop or call505-217-2027. Please send your filledout candidate packets torobins@lamontanita.coop or mail to LaMontañita Co-op, Attention: MembershipDepartment, 901 Menual Blvd. NE,Albuquerque, NM 87107.

BOARD ELECTION DATES TOREMEMBER:August 20: Co-op Board CandidateNominations DeadlineOctober 24: Annual MembershipGatheringNovember 1–14: Annual Board ofDirectors Elections

BBOOAARRDDEELLEECCTTIIOONNSSCCAALLEENNDDAARR

CO-OP NEWS August 2015 7

Each summer the General Manager reports tothe Board of Directors on our Co-op’s compli-ance with the policy known as “the Spirit ofVolunteering.” This is part of our commitmentto the Co-op principle of concern for our sharedcommunity.

Our volunteer program not only encourages ourmembers to participate in cooperative activities, italso encourages their action in a variety of non-prof-it organizations, a number of partner public schoolsand in a one-of-a-kind wellness program that sup-ports our staff. This program provides an 18% dis-count shopping in our stores for our members’ vol-unteer efforts. This discount helps to provide accessto the healthy, organic and local products for whichwe are known, to all members of our community.

This year I was pleased to report to the Board thatwe had 307 active volunteers; this is the highestnumber of volunteers ever recorded in the history ofthis program. Additionally, the total number of

OUR CO-OP COMMUNITYCOMMITMENT

SPIRIT OFVOLUNTEERING

BY JESSIE EMERSON

Everyone gets a headache now and again. About 90% arecaused by tension. The other 10% are migraines, cluster andcaffeine withdrawal. If you suffer from migraines, be aware

of the foods you ate the day before and what chemicals you mayhave ingested or inhaled. A sugar overload is often the culprit.

There are chemicals in our food and water that can cause aller-gic reactions; MSG and sodium are common in many foods andcan cause severe headaches. Pharmaceuticals in our drinkingwater can interact with other chemicals and cause headaches.Read labels, buy organics and avoid products that don’t say“non-GMO.”

If headaches become chronic or severe, seek professional advice.For the occasional simple headache try relaxation techniques,deep breathing and visualization.

Headaches are often a sign your body needs water. In the dry airof the southwest, 8–10 glasses a day is essential. Garlic, onions,and cayenne daily help clear the body of free radicals and prevent

FROM THE

headaches. At first sign of migraine, drinksome ginger tea (without sweetener ormilk) and head for the bathtub. A relaxinghot bath with ginger tea may be all youneed. Apply hot compresses of thyme, sage,lavender, or peppermint to neck and shoulder muscles.

Even before a headache comes on, think, “What iscausing me to be tense?” Then alter your response oreliminate the situation from your life. Can’t eliminateyour job, or a certain person? Remember, we do havechoices in what we think and how we respond.

Often at the onset of a migraine strong coffee or blacktea will help. This is most effective if you do not drinklarge amounts of caffeine daily. In New Mexico, thereis a remedy that has been used for centuries. A ban-dana is soaked in apple cider vinegar and wrappedaround the forehead. Often thin slices of white pota-toes are soaked in vinegar and placed on the bandanaand then wrapped around the forehead.

A combination of juices of carrot,spinach, celery and parsley has beenfound helpful in migraines andheadaches caused by hangovers. Pepper-mint, lavender, thyme and especiallyrosemary oil applied to the templesrelaxes and can eliminate the pain ofheadaches. Essential oil of rosemary isextremely powerful in this regard. Placefew drops on a clean cloth and hold

beneath your nostrils, and breath deeply at the first sign ofheadache or migraine. This can often help stop theheadache from progressing to full blown.

If you are interested in the booklet, Medicine From theKitchen, contact Jessie at:osoherbalsjessie@gmail.com, call 505-470-1363 ororder directly from medicinefromthekitchen.com.

HEADACHES: CHECK YOUR SUGAR AND HYDRATION LEVELS

MEDICINE

hours volunteered to better our community cameto 6,527, also the highest number of volunteerhours ever recorded. The number of hours thatvolunteers worked specifically in Co-op-relatedoutreach projects was 2,956; many of these hourswere logged at our 25th Annual Earth Fest, wherea majority of the work on the day of the festival isdone by volunteers.

I believe this is an exceptional program that doesmuch good work to enhance the quality of life forour members, all our organizational partners andthe larger community. This program is one of themost innovative co-op volunteer programs in thecountry and has been a model for other co-ops. Notonly is our community served locally, but ourmodel program is helping to serve other co-op com-munities around the nation.

As always, I am honored to serve the La Montañitacommunity as Interim General Manager. I wouldlike to say a special thank you to all our Co-op vol-unteers. I am inspired by your commitment to theCo-op and our community.

I am always available and appreciate dialogue,suggestions and feedback from our ownersand shoppers. I can be reached at 505-217-2028or at bobt@lamontanita.coop. -Bob Tero

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.

AugustCalendarof Events

La Montañita Co-op is pleased to sponsor theSanta Fe premier showing of Symphony of theSoil. In Symphony of the Soil Director DeborahKoons Garcia draws from ancient wisdom andcutting-edge science to explore soil, which isboth central to our existence and under greatstrain. With visits to experts around the globe,and fantastic graphics, this poetic explorationgives a sense of both the crisis and of ways toheal our planet’s precious skin. Join DirectorDeborah Koons Garcia after the Friday nightscreening of Symphony of the Soil for a com-munity discussion.

KITCHEN

Your investment will provide the seed money to expand tosouthwestern regional distribution, provide capital for

expanded production costs,relocate production to a privatecommercial kitchen and createjobs to support the expansion.

In appreciation for all invest-ments, there are a variety of fun

and tasty perks to enjoy. They include a variety ValleyGurlz Goodz promotional gifts, specialty pickled prod-ucts, t-shirts and gift baskets!

Looking for a way to support an expanded local/ region-al food system? Join the fun by investing in your localValley Gurlz Goodz campaign through their Indiegogolink and share with others who support small local busi-nesses! Go to www.indiegogo.com/projects/valley-gurlz-go-regional.

BY ANGIE RODRIGUEZ

Two cousins, two valleys andlots of love for pickling!Valley Gurlz Goodz LLC was

established in 2012 and has been pro-viding customers with hand-packed, preservative-free, spe-cialty pickled products for all to enjoy!

Valley Gurlz Goodz continues to grow through hard workand dedication. As a result, the company now has theopportunity to expand regionally and is rallying friends,family and the business community to support their effortsthrough their Valley Gurlz Goodz Indiegogo campaign!

VALLEY GURLZGOODZTAKING PICKLING TO THE NEXT LEVEL

REMEMBER: if you are ever in a

PICKLE, call VALLEY GURLZGOODZ!

Watch for more information in the September Co-opConnection and go to www.ccasantafe.org for showtimes and tickets.

CCA SANTA FESEPT. 25 7:30PM

PRACTICAL SOLUTIONSFOR THE SAFE USE OF

WIRELESS TECHNOLOGYSanta Fe Co-op Community Room:Learn about the health issues associated with wire-less pollution. Info: Jennifer at 505-780-8283 orcall the Co-op Info desk at:

SANTA FE CO-OPAUGUST 25, 6-7:30PM

8/14 BBQ at the Santa Fe Co-op! See page 1

8/18 BOD Meeting, Immanuel Church, 5:30pm

8/20 Board Elections Candidate NominationsDeadline! See page 6

8/24 Member Engagement Meeting Co-op Administrative Offices

SYMPHONYOF THESOIL

Let’s face it: Students are notorious for swapping and sharing items from their lunches. What will your kids eat while they are away from your watchful eye? Apples and carrots are no fun, or are they? Shape, skewer, layer

and wrap it up for a different take on some nourishing staples. Even plain old PB & J will be hard to resist. Try these lunch box tips to pack a tasty yet healthy mid-day meal that you know they’ll love.

LOAD UP ON LAYERS

The more the better. Each bite is a new taste. Parfaits are fun to make and fun to eat. Add granola, cereal or nuts/seeds for extra protein. Top with frozen fruit, which helps keep the yogurt cold until lunch. Or, freeze the whole parfait the night before to keep everything cool in time for the big break of the day.

BREAD IS BORING!

Maybe not to you, but to a youngster, looking at the same whole wheat day after day, he or she might just give it away. Make breakfast for lunch with waffles or pancakes instead of bread, with apples, turkey, honey or orange slices with lettuce and ham. Or slice apples for a triple-decker treat. Spread any kind of nut butter with raisins, dates, coconut, granola or chopped nuts sprinkled on. Not boring anymore!

SWEET SHAPES AND STICKS

Not only are lunch kebobs fun to make (for you and the kids!), but they’re also delicious—especially for picky eaters. Making the same old sandwich with a new presentation—a kebob using a skewer or a few toothpicks—can make all the difference. Turn lunch into a kaleidoscope of colors. Use cookie cutters to cut bread and cheeses into fun shapes, add some rolled up slices of meat and for that final touch, add a few folds of lettuce or cherry tomatoes in between. Your kids just might eat them this way! Throw in an olive or two, pickles or green beans.

Add fruit—maybe kiwi pieces or grapes—for an extra sweet touch or dried fruit, like mango or apples slices. See how creative you can be. Kids love surprises.

And another added bonus: They won’t get soggy after a few hours like regular sandwiches.

BUYING POWER

Buy in bulk to save some cash and cook ahead to plan out the week. Pack as much of the lunch as you can the night before. It’ll take some stress out of an already busy morning routine and may even allow for a few extra minutes of sleep! Just watch for little fingers raiding the fridge and stealing your stash.

CRUSTLESS BROCCOLI CHEDDAR QUICHE MUFFINS Serves 3

1 1/2 cups cooked broccoli florets, chopped small (from frozen or fresh) 6 large eggs 1/2 cup milk or non-dairy milk 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 3/4 cup shredded cheese, cheddar or Gouda make great options.

Preheat the oven to 350º F.Cook broccoli florets for 1 minute. Drain, blot dry and chop.Butter or grease 6 to 8 muffin cups. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Stir in the cheese and broccoli. Ladle the egg mixture evenly into the muffin cups. Leave at least 1/4 inch of space at the tops.

Bake at 350º F for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown.

Also, try chopped grilled or sauteed onion, chives and or other veggies.

— http://www.momables.com

\

CHIA SEED ENERGY BARS [6 large Medjool dates1/2 cup Chia Seeds2 tablespoons Coconut Oil1/2 teaspoon natural vanilla extract or a pinch of cinnamon powderOptional: 2 tablespoons dark chocolate or shredded coconut or dried fruit.

Remove the pits from the dates and pulse the dates in a food processor or blender until it forms a paste. In a medium bowl, mix the date paste with the chia seeds and coconut oil. It will form a thick dough.

Roll this dough into balls or press into the bottom of a glass or silicon baking dish and cut into squares. It can be eaten immediately in dough form. We prefer to put it in the fridge or freezer to give it more of a chewy texture. These can be wrapped in wax paper or parchment paper and sent in lunches as a special snack treat.

—http://wellnessmama.com

WRAP IT! [Lunch wraps make it easy to add a twist to your standard sandwich. With tortillas, the possibilities are endless! Whether your child is a fan of the classic cold cuts or wants to try something more adventurous—a “banana dog” with peanut butter and cinnamon—there’s something for everybody. You can simply cut the tortilla in half, or cut it into sushi-size bites, making little pinwheels and bouquets as excellent finger food for a lunchbox. Now that’s a wrap!

All Ingredients are available as ORGANIC and/or LOCAL.

Busy day with no time to spare? Pick up these wholesome snacks and drinks that are fun for kids, too. Keep them guessing; every time your kiddos open that lunch box, surprise them with something different.

FYI: You don’t have to mention that those fun and tasty treats are good for them.

All Ingredients are available as ORGANIC and/or LOCAL. Not all items are available at all Co-op locations. Check for availability.

Just as environmentally-friendly lunch boxes are replacing the old standby of brown paper bags, nifty reusable sandwich and snack bags are beginning to replace the plastic ones. They’re environmentally-friendly, non-toxic and easy to clean (most are top-rack dishwasher safe), not to mention they’ll help you save money in the long run. They come in lots of fun patterns and designs to add a fun pop of color to any lunch box, which kids are sure to love.

All photos by Austin Mye/La Montañita Co-op except Crustless Quiche Muffins and the Veggie Tortilla Wraps

Items are listed clockwise from bottom center.

JUSTIN’S ALMOND BUTTER These handy squeezable packs are small, fun and a great way to introduce alternative nut butters to your child. Spread it on just about anything. 1.15 oz squeeze packs

STRETCH ISLAND FRUIT CO. ALL NATURAL FRUIT STRIPSVerified non-GMO, these fruits strips and chews are real fruit, pure and simple. Six flavors with a 1/4 cup of fruit in each.

CLIF KIDS FRUIT ROPETwist together a few smiles with this totally grape, totally twisted treat.Gluten-free, no high fructose corn syrup, no artificial flavors, no synthetic preservatives and USDA organic. Choose from six flavors.

SANTA CRUZ APPLESAUCE A smooth, saucy blend of USDA organic apples full of Vitamin C and pectin for healthy brains with no sugar added. Also available in sealed individual 4 oz cups.

BLUE DIAMOND NUT•THINSNut Thins are a nutritious, crunchy, baked cracker loaded with almonds. Ideal for snacking, with 2 grams of protein per serving, they’re a great afternoon pick-me-up.

SIGGI’S YOGURT TUBESLow-fat squeezable yogurt tubes are fun and delicious. Freeze and throw into a lunch box. Real fruit, simple ingredients and 40% less sugar than other yogurts. No artificial sweeteners and no growth hormones.

ANNIE’S CHEDDAR BUNNIESBaked with organic wheat flour and 100% real aged cheddar, Cheddar Bunnies are tasty AND wholesome. Their crispy crunch and real cheesy flavor will tempt snackers of all ages to eat them by the handful.

NATURE’S PATH GRANOLA BARSWith more than a dozen varieties, you are sure to surprise with these special treats. USDA certified organic, non-GMO and vegetarian.

PROBUGS WHOLE MILK KEFIRMade just for kids, Lifeway ProBugs Organic Whole Milk Kefir is an amus-ing and delicious yogurt-like smoothie. High in protein and calcium, it contains 10 live and active probiotic cultures for healthy bellies and strong immune systems.

ELLA’S KITCHEN LUNCH BOX DRINKS & NUTRITIONAL SHAKESElla’s Kitchen Organic juice blend drinks are yummy drinks that are made from real fruit juice and purees—not from concentrates. No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. No GMOs. Unsalted and unsweetened.

STONYFIELD YO KIDS SQUEEZE!Organic low-fat yogurt and smoothies for kids without the bad stuff. Pouches and tubes made for squeezing keep lunchtime fun.

TAOS MOUNTAIN ENERGY BARSLOCAL and artisan-crafted, these bars are like no other. Using local organic pecans and other fruit/nut/seed combinations, these will add a healthy boost to your youngster’s afternoon.

PACK IT FREEZABLE LUNCH BAGThese bags work just like a refrigerator on the go, chilling food and drinks for up to 10 hours. The secret is the cooler’s freezable gel liner. Once the bag is frozen, its walls generate waves of cold air that chill your food and drinks from all sides.

GREAT SUMMER EATS August 2015 10

SOLTERO de QUESO VEGANVegan Peruvian "Bachelor's Salad"From Adrienne WeissServes: 8 / Time: 1 hour (after chilling Queso)

Soltero de Queso, a specialty of the Andean city of Arequipa,is loosely translated as "Bachelor's Salad," but would indeedbe a healthy, one-dish meal for any summer day or specialoccasion.

Quick and Easy Tofu Queso Fresco:6 ounces extra-firm silken tofu (half a 12.3 ounce tetrapack

box such as Mori Nu)6 ounces firm regular tofu2 teaspoons agar powder (not flakes)3/4 cup water2 tablespoons olive oil1 teaspoon sugar1 1/2 teaspoons salt3 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Spicy Vinaigrette:2/3 cup olive oil1/4 cup red wine vinegar1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed 2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce or hot sauce of choice1 tablespoon garlic, crushed 1 1/2 teaspoons salt1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Salad:2 cups sweet corn kernels, fresh or frozen 2 cups thin green beans, trimmed2 cups cooked or canned green shelled fava beans, large

lima beans or cooked/shelled edamames–my personal favorite (I use EDA-zen, available at the Co-op.)

1 large red onion, finely chopped1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced1 1/2 cups diced fresh red tomato or halved red grape

tomatoes1 cup black Peruvian Alfonso olives or Kalamata

olives, drained1 recipe prepared Tofu Queso Fresco, cut into small

squares and crumbled a bit1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Optional Addition:3 medium thin-skinned yellow potatoes, steamed, peeled

and cut into small cubes

Garnish:Large romaine lettuce leaves for lining serving platter or bowl

For Tofu Queso Fresco: Start a few hours before serving salad.In food processor, combine tofu, agar powder, water, oil, sugarand salt and blend until very smooth. On stovetop, scoop mix-ture into 1-quart heavy saucepan and cook over medium heat,stirring constantly until bubbles and thickens. Whisk lemonjuice into cooked mixture last (whisking it in sooner interfereswith agar jelling process). Pour mixture into flat storage con-tainer, about 6" square, cover and refrigerate until firms up. Ifthere's extra cheese, store cut up in squares, covered with neu-tral-tasting oil and tightly covered in the refrigerator for a cou-ple of weeks.

For vinaigrette, blend, whisk or shake ingredients together welland set aside.

To assemble salad, cook green beans and corn in boiling waterabout 3 to 4 minutes, or until just tender. Shock in ice water forminute or two. Drain well. In a large bowl, mix cooked greenbeans and corn with remaining ingredients, being gentle withtomatoes. Pour in 1/4 to 1/2 cup vinaigrette and toss to coat.Add cheese, additional vinaigrette to liking and toss gently.Serve salad heaped on platter or in bowl lined with largeromaine lettuce leaves. Remaining dressing, if any, can be usedon many different kinds of salads or vegetables. If prefer not tomake Tofu Queso Fresco, simply substitute any vegan feta ormozzarella-type cheese.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING

Calories 365; Calories from fat 258; Total fat 29g; Saturated fat0g; Trans Fat 0g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 1190mg; Total car-bohydrate 20g; Dietary Fiber 4g; Sugars 7g; Protein 9g

ROASTED SUMMER VEGETABLE SALADFrom Kate Sherwood, NutritionAction.com / serves: 4

With summer in full force, it’s great to have healthy recipes forpreparing salads that use seasonal items such as summer veg-etables. Here is a roasted summer salad recipe that is easy tomake, delicious, nutritious, and absolutely beautiful whenserved!

For an easy variation on this summer salad, change the arugu-la to baby spinach and swap the bell peppers for a pint of yel-low or red cherry tomatoes. Or you can enjoy this delicioussummer salad any time of year — just swap any seasonal veg-etables for the summer veggies in the recipe and adjust thecooking times.

3 bell peppers, quartered lengthwise1/2 lb. small zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch rounds1/2 lb. baby eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds1 bunch scallions3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped4 cups baby arugula, chopped2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar1/4 teaspoon kosher saltFreshly-ground black pepper

Put the peppers on a baking sheet, skin side up. Roast under thebroiler until charred, about 12 minutes. Put the zucchini, egg-plant, and scallions on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil.Roast under the broiler until browned and tender.

Remove the vegetables as they are done and allow to cool.Scallions will brown in 3-5 minutes. Zucchini and eggplant willbrown in 8-10 minutes. Once the vegetables are cool, chop

HARVESTOF FLAVOR

them into bite-size pieces. Toss with the basil and arugula.Arrange the salad on a platter and sprinkle with balsamicvinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING:Calories 147; Calories from fat 92; Total fat 10g; Saturatedfat 0g; Trans Fat 0g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 161mg; Totalcarbohydrate 19g; Dietary Fiber 4g; Sugars 7g; Protein 3g

GRILLED EGGPLANT OPEN SANDWICH WITHTOMATOESFrom Barbara Thomas / serves: 4

1 cup plain yogurt1 teaspoon lemon juice1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 teaspoon chopped garlic,

plus extra for seasoning1 medium eggplant, sliced into 1/4 inch slices4 pieces whole wheat bread2 tablespoon olive oil for brushing (more or less depending

on preference)2 medium tomatoes, sliced4 slices whole wheat breadSmall handful of fresh mint leaves for garnishSalt to taste

Combine yogurt, lemon juice, and garlic powder and mixtogether to make dressing. Place eggplant slices in a colan-der and sprinkle with salt. Rinse and drain well. Brush bothsides with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and garlicpowder. Sear in a medium-hot skillet until both sides arebrowned and eggplant is soft. Or grill over medium-hotcoals for about three minutes on each side. Keep warm.

Brush one side of sliced bread with olive oil and toast in 400degree oven for about 5 minutes (lightly browned). Can usepita rounds or other bread of your choice. Divide eggplantslices among four pieces of toast and top with sliced, freshtomatoes (or oven-cured tomatoes), add dressing and gar-nish with fresh mint leaves.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING:Calories 169; Calories from fat 49; Total fat 6g; Saturated fat2g; Trans fat 0g; Cholesterol 8mg; Sodium 178mg; Total car-bohydrate 25g; Dietary Fiber 5g; Sugars 9g; Protein 7g

OVEN-CURED TOMATOESFrom Barbara ThomasServes: 8 / Time: 10 minutes prep, overnight curing

These tomatoes can be added to sandwiches, salads, orpasta. While they have little hands-on prep time, they need12 hours to dry out in the oven. They can be prepared aheadand kept in the fridge for several days.

8 beefsteak tomatoes or 12 plum tomatoes2 tablespoons olive oil1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon sugar2 teaspoons thyme leaves (or basil, oregano, lemon

basil, etc.)

Heat oven to 250 degrees. Trim off ends of tomatoes and cuteach into three thick slices. Cut plum tomatoes in half length-wise. Arrange cut side up on a baking dish lined with parch-ment paper or silicone sheet. Brush tomatoes with olive oil.Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder and herb of choice.

Place in oven—for gas ovens with a pilot light, turn off aftertwo hours and leave overnight. For electric ovens, bake for twohours, then turn to "warm" setting and leave overnight. Whendone, the tomatoes should be somewhat wrinkled and shrunk-en, but still juicy. Refrigerate in lidded container on layers ofparchment paper.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING:Calories 26; Calories from fat 3; Total fat 0g; Saturated fat 0g;Trans fat 0g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 297mg; Total carbohy-drate 5g; Dietary Fiber 2g; Sugars 4g; Protein 1g

TOMATO-ZUCCHINI BAKEFrom Barbara Thomas / serves: 3

1 medium zucchini, sliced as thinly as possible4 plum tomatoes, sliced as thinly as possible6 cloves garlic, minced2 tablespoons fresh oregano, dill, or basil (or a combination

of your choice)2 teaspoons olive oilSalt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a medium sized bak-ing dish. Arrange zucchini and tomato slices in overlappingrows. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of water. In a small bowl,combine the garlic, fresh herbs, salt, pepper and olive oil.Spoon the mixture over the veggies as evenly as possible.Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 to 40minutes, or until the veggies are tender. Quantities can beadjusted to feed many people. Optional: add onion slices orsliced olives.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING:Calories 64; Calories from fat 32; Total fat 4g; Saturated fat 0g;Trans fat 0g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 204mg; Total carbohy-drate 8g; Dietary Fiber 2g; Sugars 4g; Protein 2g

GREAT SUMMER EATS August 2015 11

M A K E T H E M O S T O F Y O U RH A R V E S T A N D L E N D A H E L P I N G H A N D

BY KATHERINE MULLÉ

Harvest season is in full swing! And if you’re like most greenthumbs, you have bowls of tomatoes lining your countertop, fruitfalling from your trees, and more fresh herbs than you know what

to do with. While we usually don’t think much of it when we let a littleharvest go to waste, according to the United Nations Food and AgricultureOrganization (UNFAO), fruits and vegetables have the highest wastagerates of all the food groups, with almost half of all harvest ending up inthe dump.

That means that of the 33 percent of food grown worldwide that goes towaste, once-delicious fruits and veggies make up a significant contribution.It would take a farm the size of a large country—more specifically, a farmthe size of Mexico, according to the World Resources Institute—to pro-duce the amount of food that humans waste each year—750 billion dol-lars’ worth. If food waste actually was its own country, it would be thethird largest emitter of greenhouse gases—accounting for 6-10% as it rots in the landfill, theUNFAO estimates—only just behind China andthe US.

As our population continues to skyrocket, therehas been much interest in producing more foodfaster, usually via conventional agriculture. Thismay feed more mouths, but a more straightfor-ward solution to helping feed the world’s sky-rocketing population while also reducing wasteand lowering greenhouse gases is this: don’twaste your food.

Sure, this answer is simpler, less sophisticated, andperhaps less thrilling and profitable to those engi-neering new and increasingly more powerfulchemical pest controls and weed killers, but wemust not underestimate our power. When GeneralSmuts asked Gandhi how, exactly, he planned toovercome apartheid, he simply replied, “With yourhelp.” If we all do our part to help by working a little harder to reduce foodwaste, the problem will become smaller and smaller. Hungry stomachs willbe a little fuller, landfills a little less full, and our atmosphere a little cleaner.

Thankfully, there are lots of ways to preserve your harvest—canning, fer-menting, drying, and freezing. And before you think “That sounds like alot of work” or “That’s too complicated and time-consuming,” thinkagain, because it doesn’t have to be. In fact, preserving is great for savingtime in the long-run, but more importantly, it’s delicious—it lets us enjoythe delicious tastes of summer year-round. Whether it’s biting into a sweet,juicy peach in your oatmeal on a cold morning, or being able to taste fresh,flavorful herbs in your stir-fry of late-harvest veggies, there’s nothing bet-ter than the fresh taste of summer to brighten cold winter days.

Even if you’re not a grower yourself, you can still participate. There’s agreat website, FallingFruit.org, which continually expands its database ofworldwide urban edibles, allowing you to see fruit nearby in your neigh-borhood—fruit that could potentially be going to waste. Of course, beforeyou go out scavenging, make sure that you use up what you have athome—the average kitchen has between 4 to 6 pounds of fruit at any time.No matter the means through which you acquire your produce, it will stillpreserve beautifully. Here are the main methods of preservation, and a fewsimple recipes to get you started!

FREEZINGProbably the most common and well-known on our list, freezing is one ofthe best preservation methods for maintaining nutritional value. It worksbest with foods with little water content to avoid ruptured cell walls,which lead to a softer texture when thawed. It’s a great way to not onlypreserve your fresh harvest, but to save time cooking future meals, sinceyou can just toss a pre-cut bag of veggies into a soup or stir-fry, or fruitinto your morning pancakes. You can also freeze fresh herbs to get thatawesome fresh taste in winter (see instructions on this page).

CANNINGThere’s no better gift to give or to receive around the cold winter holidaysthan a jar of homemade jam, jelly, or sauce made with homegrown ingre-dients—something to bring back summer during cold winter months.While almost all fruits and vegetables can be canned, using produce witha higher acidity leaves less room for food poisoning. To use up all thosegarden tomatoes (and enjoy them all winter long!), check out the tastycanned tomato recipe on this page.

FERMENTINGIt’s really a shame that fermenting isn’t more popular, given how healthyfermented foods are! The good bacteria that is formed in the fermentationprocess (via submerging produce in brine) helps preserve nutrients andaids digestion. Even if the idea of fermenting seems a little strange, someseriously tasty foods are made via fermentation (whether directly or fromfermented ingredients), including tempeh, miso, sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir,kombucha, kimchi, and more. Check out the delicious peach chutneyrecipe on this page to get started!

DRYINGWhile some may prefer fresh fruit, dried fruit is prettyterrific, even in the summer as it has more energy whencomparing calorie-per-pound, making it an awesomesnack for camping, swimming, biking, and all yourother favorite pastimes. You can add dried fruit to yourcereal in the winter, and dried vegetables to your soupsand casseroles. While there’s lots of special equipmentyou can buy for drying, all you really need to is a sunnyclimate (which us New Mexicans can certainly checkoff the list!), or just a basic oven for faster drying.Check out the instructions for dried fruit below!

FOR FREEZING: HERBS AND OLIVE OILWhether you have lots of leftovers from your herb gar-den or just a few leftover sprigs from a recipe you did-n’t use, don’t let them wilt away in the fridge—makethem into herb ice cubes, and you’ll have fresh herbs allwinter long. Freezing herbs in oil is a great preservationtechnique, and when you’re making that stir-fry of win-ter veggies, there’s no need to resort to dried, less-fla-vorful herbs—just toss one or two herb cubes into thefrying pan, and you’ll be good to go!

8 STEPS FOR FREEZING HERBS IN OIL

from TheKitchn.com

1. Choose firm, fresh herbs, ideally from the market oryour own garden. 2. If you wish, you can chop them fine. Or leave themin larger sprigs and leaves. I used a combination of fine-ly-chopped and whole herbs such as rosemary, fennelstalk, sage, and oregano. 3. Pack the wells of ice cube trays about 2/3 full of herbs.4. You can mix up the herbs, too; think about freezinga bouquet garni of sage, thyme, and rosemary to add towinter roast chickens and potatoes! 5. Pour extra-virgin olive oil or melted, unsalted butterover the herbs. 6. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and freeze overnight. 7. Remove the frozen cubes and store in freezer con-tainers or small bags. 8. Don't forget to label each container or bag with thetype of herb (and oil) inside!

FOR FERMENTING: PEACH CHUTNEYWhen we think of lacto-fermentation, we often think ofvegetables being fermented, but fruits are also a greatchoice and some very interesting combinations can beprepared this way. A condiment that brings back sum-mertime, peach chutney pairs beautifully with grilledmeats, spread on a piece of sourdough toast, or addedto a fresh salad. Not to mention, if you don’t have apeach tree in your backyard, you’re in luck—stop bythe Co-op and pick up some of the delicious RanchoDurazno peaches everyone’s raving about!

LACTO-FERMENTED PEACH CHUTNEY

from PaleoLeap.com

16 peaches, chopped coarsely2 cups raisins2 cups pecans, chopped2 1/2 tablespoons sea saltJuice of 5 lemons4 onions, finely chopped4 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated 4 hot peppers, fresh or dried, chopped

Combine the chopped peaches with the raisins, pecans,sea salt, lemon juice, onions, ginger and hot peppers.Place the mixture little by little in your fermentation jar,pounding it vigorously to release the juices. Make surethe mixture fills the jar up to no more than 1 inch belowthe top (because of the expansion) and that the extractedwater covers the mixture. If not, create a brine of 2 table-spoons sea salt to 4 cups water and add it to the mixture.

Press the ingredients down and keep them under the brineby placing a plate or a lid on top weighted down by a rockor a jug of water. Cover with a clean towel if needed tokeep out fruit flies. Place the fermentation jar in a warmspot in your kitchen and allow the chutney to ferment for2 to 4 days. Check on it from time to time to be sure thatthe brine covers the fruit and to remove any mold that mayform on the surface. A good way to know when it’s readyis to taste it during the fermentation process and move itto the refrigerator when you’re satisfied with the taste.

FOR CANNING: TOMATO HERB SAUCE

HOMEMADE CANNED SPAGHETTI SAUCE

from TasteOfHome.com

This savory sauce is a tomato-grower’s dream come true!Use up your garden bounty and enjoy it later in the year.

25 pounds tomatoes4 large green peppers, seeded4 large onions, cut into wedges4 cans (6 ounces each) tomato paste1 cup canola oil2/3 cup sugar1/4 cup salt8 garlic cloves, minced4 teaspoons oregano2 teaspoons parsley flakes2 teaspoons basil2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce2 bay leaves1 cup plus 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice

In a Dutch oven, bring 8 cups water to a boil. Using aslotted spoon, place tomatoes, one at a time, in boilingwater for 30–60 seconds. Remove each tomato andimmediately plunge in ice water. Peel and quarter toma-toes. In a food processor, cover and process green pep-pers and onions in batches until finely chopped.

In a stockpot, combine the tomatoes, green pepper mix-ture, tomato paste, oil, sugar, salt, garlic, oregano, parsley,basil, pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves.Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 4–5hours, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaves. Add 2tablespoons lemon juice to each of nine hot 1-quart jars.Ladle hot mixture into jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.Remove air bubbles; wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for40 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Yield: 9 quarts.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The processing time listed is for altitudesof 1,000 feet or less. For altitudes up to 3,000 feet, add 5minutes; 6,000 feet, add 10 minutes; 8,000 feet, add 15minutes; 10,000 feet, add 20 minutes.

FOR DRYING: ASSORTED FRUIT

HOMEMADE DRIED FRUIT

from TasteOfHome.com

Dried fruit is a delicious and healthy addition to granola,cereal, muffins, yogurt and so much more. And rumorhas it that it tastes even better when you've made it your-self! All you need is an electric or convection oven with acontrollable temperature starting at 170 degrees.

Oven drying is the simplest way to dry food, because itrequires little to no special equipment. The averagekitchen oven holds approximately 4 to 6 pounds of fruitat one time. For best quality, prepare produce for dryingas soon as possible after harvesting.

Step 1: Select fruit that is ripe—but not overripe—andfree of bruises. Fresh apples, pears, peaches, berries, cher-ries, bananas and apricots are all good choices. Wash andpeel the fruit (blueberries, apricots and cherries work bestif dried whole). Remove pits or cores, then slice the fruitto desired thickness. Keep the slice thickness uniform.

Step 2: Arrange the slices of fruit in a single layer on non-stick baking sheets—and make sure the pieces aren'ttouching each other. Preheat the oven to 170°F. Put onesheet on each oven rack. Allow 1-1/2 inches on all sidesof the tray so air can circulate around the sheets whilefruit is drying. Keep the oven door open slightly duringdrying and stir fruit every 30 minutes. Properly driedfruit should be chewy, not squishy or crispy.

Step 3: Once the fruit is thoroughly dried (it can takeanywhere from 4 to 8 hours depending on thickness ofslices and the fruit's water content), remove the traysfrom the oven and let stand overnight (at least 12 hours)before placing in storage containers.

SEASON OF ABUNDANCE August 2015 12

A HEARTFELT HARVEST

PRESERVATIONMETHODS

A most straightforwardSOLUTIONto feed the world’spopulation ANDlower greenhousegases isDON’T WASTE FOOD!

BY ARI LEVAUX

According to a new report, many scientificstudies about nutrition, as well as the trust-ed experts who disseminate this information to

the public, are being funded by the very entities thatshould be scrutinized. The report, Nutrition Scientistson the Take from Big Food, details the ways that theworld's largest food corporations—aka Big Food—exert their influence on nutrition research and thepeople who conduct it. The report's author, attorneyand food advocate Michele Simon, has previouslystudied the influence of Big Food on the nation'slargest organization of Registered Dietitians (RD).Together, these reports paint a disturbing picture ofhow food corporations collude to manipulate howinformation on nutrition is researched and dissemi-nated. The coyote isn't just guarding the chicken coophere; it built the thing, and is holding onto the key.

The new report focuses on the American Society ofNutrition (ASN), which Simon characterized as atrade organization for nutrition scientists when wespoke by phone. But the ASN's true mission may notbe obvious to the casual reader who reads the ASN'smission statement:

"The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing together theworld's top researchers, clinical nutritionists andindustry to advance our knowledge and applicationof nutrition for the sake of humans and animals."

The researchers, nutritionists and industries in ques-tion are brought together twice a year for the ASN'sconventions, where industry sponsors like Coca Cola,Nestle, Hershey's, Monsanto, Cargill, and manyother food giants pay big money for access to nutri-tion researchers, and even host their own sessions atthe conference. While most of the sponsored sessionsdisclose the corporate funder, Simon's report notes,the industry ties are not always obvious. A recent ses-sion, for example, called "Sweeteners and Health:Current Understandings, Recent Research Findingsand Directions for the Future," was sponsored by theRippe Lifestyle Institute. The Institute's founderJames Rippe, according to the report, has been paid a$41,000-a-month retainer by the Corn RefinersAssociation, which represents the makers of highfructose corn syrup.

One of the session's “learning objectives” was to"Understand whether or not there is a linkagebetween sugar consumption and obesity, diabetes and

The AJCN has repeatedly propagated the notion that processedfoods are being unfairly vilified, and that nearly all foods areprocessed foods. Any time a piece of food is cut, frozen or cooked,it's by definition processed, according to a recent AJCN paper.

Of course, many processed foods contain added sugars, which havebeen in the news lately since the FDA recommended they be noted onthe nutrition label as distinct from naturally occurring sugars. Notsurprisingly, the American Sugar Association, an ASN sponsor, hascome out strongly against the FDA's recommendation. The ASN hastoo, couching its true motives behind wording that inaccurately sug-gests the organization's true concern is for consumers' health.

"This topic is controversial and a lack of consensus remains in the sci-entific evidence on the health effects of added sugars alone versus sug-ars as a whole. There is also lack of evidence on the usefulness of adeclaration of added sugars on the label to improve food choices andthe health of consumers."

But the topic is only "controver-sial," Simon's report notes,"...because the food industry isworried that consumers arebecoming more aware of thehealth effects of too much addedsugar, and differentiating natural-ly occurring sugars from addedones may negatively impact salesof some of their products."

"The food industry is all aboutconfusing American consumers,making sure they don't reallyunderstand how to eat right,"

Simon told WBEZ in Chicago. "Nutrition science is not that com-plicated. We've known for decades that we should be eating morewhole foods, staying away from junk food and processed food, andmaking plant-based foods the center of your plate."

A prior report by Simon, in 2013, focused on Big Food's influenceon the Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), which repre-sents thousands of RDs nationwide. The AND annual convention"...looks like a junk food expo," Simon told WBEZ.

In order to ensure that RDs retain control of Big Food's messaging,the organization has helped put laws on the books in 47 states thatmake it illegal for unlicensed individuals to give dietary advice formedical conditions. Memos that were leaked to Forbes in 2012 byconcerned RDs show that AND members were encouraged to filelegal complaints against any incidence of unlicensed individuals giv-ing nutritional advice.

By managing which nutritional research is funded and published,and how nutritional advice is disseminated, and by whom, Big Foodcorporations are trying their best to keep consumers eating theirproducts. But this propaganda machine can't completely stopinformed consumers from gathering information from truly inde-pendent journals and media outlets, and sharing this informationamong themselves. Or from calling the notion that a sliced apple isa processed food comparable to an apple Pop-Tart, BS!

cardiovascular disease as well as other metabolicdiseases." The sugar lobby "...has more than apassing interest" in this matter, Simon notes. Rippehas consulted for many other members of the junkfood industry as well, including Coca-Cola, Dr.Pepper, McDonald's, Kraft Foods, General Mills,and Kellogg."

Meanwhile, the ASN publishes one of the mostrespected scientific journals dedicated to nutrition,

the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition(AJCN).Several ASN executives with close ties to industrysit on the AJCN's editorial board, where they helpdecide what gets published, and what doesn't.

“It's hard for good nutrition researchers to getfunding and published,” Simon told me. "That'swhy people turn to industry sources. But the oneswith too much integrity to take money from indus-try are facing difficulty and hostility in getting pub-lished, because the gatekeepers are on the take fromindustry. So a lot of good science isn't getting pub-lished. That puts a chill on the research climate ingeneral."

"People need to understand when they see the lat-est nutrition science story being reported, it'salways good to question where the funding comesfrom."

And when the evidence against a mainstay of BigFood grows to the point where it can't be con-tained, the food industry uses platforms like theAJCN to confuse the issue, or kick the can downthe road a little further with claims that "moreresearch is needed."

WISE CONSUMER August 2015 13

BIG FOOD’S PROFITBIG FOOD’S PROFITPROCESS

People need tounderstand whenthey see thelatest NUTRITION SCIENCE STORYbeing reported, it’salways good toQUESTION wherethe FUNDING comes from.

Regardless of what stage the GE chile is in, thefact remains that GMO contamination willeradicate all native New Mexico chiles, foodsecurity and biodiversity. The location of testtrial plots of GE crops are not public knowl-edge and contamination can occur in nearbytraditionally cultivated fields. This fact hascaused other states around the nation to pass legislationcreating GE-free areas.

Consumers throughout the state continue to be con-cerned. This has prompted biotech advocates including:the NM Chile Association (NMCA), Farm Bureau,NMSU and legislators to intensify their attempts to passlegislation that controls what you and I can plant andeat, and prohibits us from voting to create GE-free zonesor labeling.

One of their pushback methods is to create confusion. TheNMCA registered a website with a name similar to ours(www.savenmseeds.org—changed “seeds” to “chile”)prominently posted on a billboard. Most recently, theyadopted our observation that “chile is a staple food” onboth their website and in a recent promotional piece in theAlbuquerque Journal (March 2015).

The NMCA’s ongoing “justification” for a GE chileis the decline in chile acres harvested from a peak of34,500 (1992) to 7,700 (2014). Yet, chile harvesttonnage per acre has increased in traditional fieldsfrom 3.3 tons/acre in 1992 to 7.6 tons/acre in 2014.The drop in commercial acreage can be attributed tolow prices paid for chile, water issues and poorindustrial farming practices resulting in rampant dis-eases in southern NM.

Chile is not unique to NM. What is unique are thenative varieties acclimated for over 400 years—ensur-ing food security—through careful seed selection,replanting, and passing on to successive generations.As consumers, we must be proactive. Purchase organicproducts from true organic farmers and companies(https://msu.edu/~howardp/organicindustry.html)and buy chile from local family farmers.

BY ISAURA ANDALUZ, SAVE NM SEEDS

The development of genetically engineered (GE)chile is still underway. So is the confusion regardingthe definition of genetic engineering and the need for

this chile. New Mexico State University (NMSU) recentlycited the use of “cisgenics” as a more “consumer-friendly”method in a grant awarded by USDA in 2014. Cisgenics isa form of genetic engineering that moves genes from withinthe same plant family instead of outside the family (i.e.“transgenics,” which is the case in most GE products).

The NMSU grant goes on to say: “Introducing an engi-neered chile gene...into chile with no other foreign genes...tomake them herbicide and/or disease resistant will make itmore readily acceptable by the general public than an engi-neered plant with bacterial genes.”

NMSU’s press release continues by stating the GE chilecould be used by organic farmers:“because this approach changes the chile peppers’ ownDNA and does not introduce foreign DNA…, the cultivarsare not … GMOs (Chile Genome Sequenced).”

The reality is that cisgenics does not occur in nature and sois not allowed under the organic law in organic practices.But their propaganda machine is working to convince usotherwise.

G E N E T I C E N G I N E E R I N G B Y A N Y O T H E R N A M E . . .G E N E T I C E N G I N E E R I N G B Y A N Y O T H E R N A M E . . .

GE CHILE: CISGENICS

F L A S H I N T H E PA N

but it's a really neat feeling to know that your land has helpedshape the plants on it, even if just the tiniest bit.

It's not just the land shaping the plants that is noteworthy inthis approach. If you experiment with naturalizing plants,

you'll find that they start to shapehow you use the land as well. Nextyear's seedlings might pop up some-where entirely unexpected, and evenif you might not like them there atfirst, give them a chance to let youknow what they like. After all, theyknow what they need far better than

we do. Once-discrete planting beds might bleed into oneanother, but that's part of the beauty of the process.

Everyone's garden is different, and so the best advice I couldoffer to those looking to start naturalizing their plants is tojust try things out. I've heard from some growers inAlbuquerque that arugula, chard and kale do pretty wellhere, so that's one place to start. If you'd like to learn more,ask your friendly neighborhood urban homesteader (face-book.com/ ABQUrbanHomesteaders) or take a class likethose offered at the Old School (ABQoldschool.com).

BY JR RIEGEL

This is such a lovely time of year! Harvesting theveggies you planted and nurtured from little seeds isa special sort of experience that really helps me feel

connected to the land we live on. Even if it's just one lit-tle tomato plant, growing food is so valuable an activitybecause it renews our ties to the earth. For a lot of peo-ple, this connection to the soil is enough, and that's won-derful. Some folks like to go further though, working with(rather than on) the land and responding to it in an ongo-ing conversation. This is the step from horticulture to per-maculture.

Though it sometimes seem like a big step, whenapproached gradually, it can be an easy transition thatincreases the depth of our connection to the land. Much ofit is a matter of mindset. Permaculture acknowledges thatnature handles itself beautifully, and that human interven-tion is often an uphill battle. Working with the land ratherthan just working on it makes a big difference, and with theright approach you can improve the land's abundancewhile putting less effort into it. One great way you can getyour feet wet is to start that conversation with your land—let some things go wild, and see how they respond!

Our most common food plants are annuals, so the practiceof starting fresh each year by picking out which seeds toplant is familiar to everyone who's ever grown food. Thereis a great variety of perennial plants that can be harvestedfor food, but lots of them are unfamiliar to the average per-son. Fortunately, the line between annuals and perennialscan sometimes be blurred. Given the right conditions,annual plants will re-seed themselves and grow back thefollowing year. This process, known as naturalization, is aparticularly happy medium between annual and perennial

PERMACULTURE:ANNUAL, PERENNIAL ANDNATURALIZED

plants. Technically the plantsare still annuals of course, asthey die and are born entirelyanew each year. However, theyhave the enduring quality ofperennials because they'll keepcoming up once spring comes around. Naturalizing plants addsa different, new quality to the garden though, and I think it'sone of the most compelling things about the whole process. Byletting plants go to seed and by encouraging their growth gen-eration after generation, you eventually will be left with a plantborn from and unique to the land you live on. This is how lan-drace plant varieties came to be—by letting plants react to thesoil and climate they find themselves in over many generations,regionally-adapted descendants have taken on unique qualitiesin response to their environment. It's unlikely that you'd see thisdegree of adaptation in just a handful of generations of course,

PERMACULTURE acknowledges thatNATURE HANDLES ITSELF

BEAUTIFULLY, and that human intervention is often an uphill battle.

FARMING AND GARDENING August 2015 14

Ranney Ranch, Corona, New Mexico

Holistic Management International’s Ranney RanchDay is part of HMI's Open Gate Learning Series.Open Gates are peer-to-peer action-based learningdays with short presentations and small group exer-cises geared for participants to share discoveries andmanagement techniques with guidance from experi-enced facilitators and producers. Whether you are anagricultural producer, wildlife manager, local agencyrepresentative, or just interested in ranching, landstewardship, and grass-fed beef, this is a day for you.

• See what fellow land managers are doing to maintainland health and profitability in a changing environment

AU

GU

ST

4

HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT AND GRAZING PRACTICES IN A

CHANGING ENVIRONMENT• Learn how to mitigate the effects of drought with goodranching practices and infrastructure• Develop skills to identify indicators of good soil healthand effective means to monitor soil health• Explore profitable grass-fed beef marketing practices• Discuss practical grazing strategies to improve wateruse and land productivity• Understand how ranch infrastructure developmentcan pay for itself with increased productivity• Hear how Holistic Management enables producers tobetter manage risk, make better decisions and enjoy thebenefits of sustainable carbon ranching agriculture

SPACE IS LIMITED, so be sure to register in advance.Advance Registration at www.hmi.org

AWAKENING THE DREAMERSYMPOSIUMRIO RANCHO SATURDAY, AUGUST 22Pachamama Alliance is a global community thatoffers people the chance to learn, connect, engage,travel and cherish life for the purpose of creating asustainable future that works for all. The mission ofthe Pachamama Alliance is to empower indigenouspeople of the Amazon Rainforest to preserve theirlands and culture and, using insights gained fromthis work, to educate and inspire individuals every-

where to bring forth a thriv-ing and sustainable world.

The Awakening the DreamerSymposium is a half-daytransformative journey that educates people on thechallenges and possibilities of this moment in timeand the role they can plan in a new future. ThePachamama Alliance believes that we can create aworld that works for everyone: an environmentallysustainable, spiritually fulfilling, socially just

PA C H A M A M A ALLIANCE

AUGUST 15, 6–9PM NATIONAL HISPANICCULTURAL CENTER Enlace Comunitario is a very unique organiza-tion whose mission is to eliminate domesticviolence in the Spanish-speaking Latino immigrantcommunity. Each year, they serve approximately500 mothers and their children who have been victimsof or witnesses to domestic violence. We provide coun-seling for the mothers and children, parenting and lifeskills classes, and legal services and case management.Our organization has been nationally recognized forour special community outreach prevention programwhich touches hundreds of persons in the Spanish-speaking community every year.

For the first time in Enlace’s history, we will be hav-ing a fundraising event in honor of our 15th anniver-sary. This celebration, the Enlace ComunitarioQuinceañera, will be held on August 15th at theNational Hispanic Cultural Center from 6pm–9pm. Itwill be a wonderful program with festive mariachis, aperformance by Baila! Baila!, delicious Mexican food,dancing for all, and a silent auction with very specialitems to bid on.

To reserve your table of eight or for an individualticket contact us at 505.246.8972 ext.12, or emailme at: anormann@enlacenm.org

AUGUST 1–2, 9AM–5PM, SANTA FE PLAZA For 60 years, Girls Inc. of Santa Fe has inspired girls to be“Strong, Smart and Bold.” We provide girls throughout Santa Fewith life-changing experiences and real solutions to the uniqueissues girls face. Girls Inc. gives girls the tools and support they needto succeed, including trained professionals who mentor and guidethem in a safe, girls-only environment; peers who share their driveand aspirations; and research-based programming. At Girls Inc.,girls learn to set and achieve goals, boldly confront challenges, resistpeer pressure, and see college as attainable.

This year Girls Inc. is pleased to present its 43rd Annual Arts andCrafts show on the Santa Fe Plaza on August 1 and 2. The show fea-tures the work of over 150 national and local professional artists.This show is the third-largest market on the Santa Fe Plaza eachyear. Visitors will find a wide range of work: fiber art, jewelry, paint-ing, pottery, sculpture, metal work, wood work, photography, spe-cialty foods, and much more. Proceeds from artists' booth fees ben-efit Girls Inc. of Santa Fe, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization thatinspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. No commission iscollected from artists’ sales.

Girls Inc. learning programs are experiential, fun and are supportedby field trips, community projects, arts and crafts, special mentoringin which girls experience the heritage, culture and diversity thatmake Santa Fe unique. Girls Inc. of Santa Fe workswith girls ages 5–18 from across Santa Fe County.These girls are reflective of the Santa Fe communitywith some interesting demographics including: 4%speak a language other than English at home, 69%come from a home considered to be low income forthe City of Santa Fe, 56% live in a single-parenthousehold, 96% receive a scholarship to attend. Noone is turned away due to lack of ability to pay.

For more information about Girls Inc. or their 43Annual Arts and Crafts show on the Santa FePlaza go to: www.girlsincofsantafe.org.

AUGUST 22, 5–10PMThis year, don’t miss George Clinton andParliament Funkadelic headlining a greatevening of music and fun. George Clinton rev-olutionized R&B during the '70s, twisting soulmusic into funk by adding influences from sever-al late-'60s heroes.

Summerfest is a family-friendly event includingfree kids' activities, a variety of food trucks, amarket with local artisans and neighborhoodbusinesses, and more. Folding chairs will beonsite, but you are welcome to bring your ownlawn chairs. Pets must be on a leash per the Cityof Albuquerque HEART Ordinance. TheWestside Summerfest is free to all!

The Westside Summerfest is right around the cor-ner from our Westside Co-op Store! Stop by tostock up on healthy drinks and snacks or visitour deli for a great dinner before the concert.Want to know what’s cooking? Call the Westsidestore at 503-2550.

For more info on Summerfest go to:www.visitalbuquerque.org/abq365/Westside-Summerfest/25725/

human presence on this planet—this is the New Dreamfor Humanity. At this symposium like-minded people willcome together to chart a course to manifest this dream.

The Rio Rancho Pachamama Alliance Awakening theDreamer Symposium will be held on August 22 from11:30am to 4pm at the High Desert Center for SpiritualLiving, 5621 Paradise Boulevard NW. The Symposiumwill be facilitated by Gordon Eagleheart and AlorahLavender.

To register or for more information call 505-243-6451 or go to www.pachamama.org/community/137/albuquerque-community.

43RD ANNUAL GIRLS INC. OF SANTA FE

ARTS AND CRAFTSSHOW

ENLACECOMMUNITARIO’S QUINCEANERA

WESTSIDESUMMERFESTC O O L S O U N D SO N A H O T S U M M E R N I G H T

Pick up your candidate nominations packet atany Co-op location’s Information Desk, ordownload it at www.lamontanita.coop/board

Have questions or need more information?Contact: bod@lamontanita.coop or call 505-217-2027. Please send your filled out candidatepackets to robins@lamontanita.coop or mail toLa Montañita Co-op, Attention: MembershipDepartment, 901 Menual Blvd. NE, Albuquerque,NM 87107.

BOARD ELECTION DATES TOREMEMBER:August 20: Co-op Board CandidateNominations DeadlineOctober 24: Annual Membership GatheringNovember 1-14: Annual Board of DirectorsElections

BOARD ELECTIONSCALENDAR

WEWANT

YOU!

RANCHO DURAZNOPEACHES

brought to you by the CO-OP DISTRIBUTION

CENTER. Find them in theCo-op Produce Dept.

THE BESTPEACHES

YOU’LL EVEREAT!

E L I M I N AT ED O M E S T I CVIOLENCE

COMMUNITY FORUM August 2015 15