some years back (registered organic means the growersells less than $5000 of product a year) and went forfull organic certification two years ago as the orchardscame into full maturity. Before they planted theirorchard they spent several years growing cover crops toprepare the soil. Now beneath the trees there is a gor-geous clover carpet that both keeps the weeds downand feeds the soil. They use a variety or organic meth-ods to keep their crops healthy, and insect free; nosmall feat as some other orchards in the valley use con-ventional chemicals. And their borderlands are careful-ly planted with natural barriers that also providewildlife habitat.

“It’s been a tough year for fruit,” says Betty. “We hadto use our under tree sprinklers and the wind machine13 different times to protect the trees from frost thisspring. Then we had a bad hail storm in early June.”This month, Co-op shoppers can enjoy a variety ofcherries including Queen Anns (sweet yellows) Vans,Hedelfenger, Bings and Raniers thanks to their partici-pation in our Co-op Food–shed project.

The Co-op Food-shed truck will be stopping byCottonwood Lane Orchards and bringing their freshpicked fruit to all Co-op locations. And with a littleluck, good weather and the fine stewardship of theLea’s hopefully we’ll have some peaches and apples alittle later in the season. Look for Cottonwood LaneOrchard cherries at all Co-op locations during July.

I t began in late May and early June; our Food-shed’sseason of abundance. First we saw early springgreens, green garlic and if you were really lucky

you got a big bagful of South Valley farmer RonBreen’s fabulous spinach. Now summer is in full swingall around our eco-region and our farming Food-shedpartners are sharing their abundance.

Over the next two months you’ll be seeing a diversityof fruit and vegetables including: apricots, cherries,peaches, apples, melons, summer squash, parsley,green onions, carrots, salad mix, garlic, peas, leeks,green beans, tomatoes and more, from lots of greatgrowers. You’ve already been eating spring greens andsalad mix from Fred and Chris’s Livity Farm in Tijerasand we hope you will enjoy their bunched greens asthe summer continues. We are looking forward tomore salad greens and bunched greens from GeminiFarms in Las Trampas and a wide variety of vegetablesfrom Paula Lugara, Joe Lipus and Becky Javernick,and also the Hobbs Family Farm, all from the head-waters of the Rio Grande, southern Colorado area.Heading south into New Mexico, Daniel Carmonaand the Taos Community Farm will have greens androots, Salavadore Corona will have an assortment ofveggies and even further south Luz Hernandez in theLas Cruses area and B.J. Feeney will be bringing us ourfirst of the season local tomatoes.

Also coming into season and through our Food-shedproject to a Co-op near you, will be New Mexico fruit.Beginning with cherries from Walt and Betty Lea’sCottonwood Lane Orchard in Lyden (see story this

page) and Paula Lugara in Palisade Colorado onthrough the berry, peach, melon and apple seasonin August and early September.

With each week gastronomic excitement builds asthis season of abundance unfolds.

Watch for the “Co-op Local” signs or our own“Beneficial Farms” eco-label signs on produce atall our Co-ops. And as always remember the deli-cious local goat cheeses, bread, milk and meat found inmany cases only at your favorite Co-op location willround out your nutritional needs.

KNOW YOUR Farmer Walt and Betty Lea: Cottonwood Lane OrchardsBY ROBYN SEYDEL

With the Rio Grande river flowing past on theeast side and the mountain bounding it on thewest, Walt and Betty Lea’s Cottonwood Lane

Orchard, in Lyden, three miles down the canyon fromVelarde, has to be one of the most beautiful places onearth. I had the great good luck of having CraigMapel, New Mexico Department of AgricultureDevelopment Specialist, take me up for a visit thisspring just as all the fruit trees were coming near fullbloom. I was definitely enchanted and can see whyBetty says, “We just sit here and admire it.”

Walt and Betty bought the place back in ’86 “lookingfor a new adventure” as Betty puts it and to havesomething to do when they retired. After they bothretired in ‘93 they turned their 4 acres into a little pieceof heaven. Using high density planting techniques they

have about 370 peach trees, about the samenumber of apple trees and some thirty maturecherry trees with some new cherry tree plant-ings that won’t be producing for another twoyears. “It’s hard work but it’s tremendously sat-isfying,” says Betty. “We can grow a qualityproduct that’s certified organic. When peopleget fruit off Cottonwood Lane they know theyare getting a good product.”

While Walt and Betty have never used chemi-cals on the land, they got registered organic

Food-ShedUpdate:

BY JONATHAN SEIGEL, BOARD OF DIRECTORS,NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE

Each year the Co-op holds elections for 3 seats (of thenine total) for the Board of Directors. The positionis time consuming, profoundly important, and

challenging. We discuss and articulate policy, and mon-itor the overall health of the Co-op as a social and eco-nomic organization; we most emphatically do not keeptabs on the price of asparagus or which brand of soapis selling best.

The Co-op is a $20 million a year operation; we cur-rently operate four stores: two in Albuquerque, one inGallup, and one in Santa Fe. In the past year, we haveopened a significant warehouse which is part of a larg-er initiative intended to develop and maintain a sustain-able web of local suppliers – a part of what we’re call-ing our “food-shed.”

As elected representatives of the 12,000 member/own-ers, the Board especially focuses on a vision and astrategic plan for the Co-op’s long term stability andsuccess. The board’s work is both demanding andrewarding. We govern by means of a conceptual frame-work called “policy governance.” At our monthly meet-ing, the board reviews management’s work by examin-ing performance reports and comparing them to policystandards we have established. When an initiative isdesired by management, or if a problem exists, weexamine the situation through the lens of these stan-dards. We call them “ends” (goals) and limitations, andonly by adjusting these boundaries do we adjust thedirection of the Co-op. We leave day-to-day operationaldetails to the General Manager and his team (that’s the

people you see every day as a shopper); we keep tabs onthe stores on a monthly basis through formal reporting.

We attend to many details through committee work aswell – smaller sub-groups of the board develop specificproposals for consideration by the board as a whole. Wealso engage in training workshops in order to betterunderstand ourselves and our role in the organization andthe organization’s role in the community.

The board also tries to maintain at least anhour per month for long range visionary dis-cussion on a broad range of topics; of latewe have been focusing on “sustainability” asit relates to our continuity in the retail foodbusiness, and our ever-evolving role in ourcommunity. We invite guest speakers andprepare by reading material targeted at themonth’s discussion topic.

In addition, board members attend variouspublic functions (Earth Day; Garden Party)and intermittently develop other public/member involvement; last year we held afascinating dinner/roundtable discussiondubbed the “World Café.”

Overall, board members are expected tospend the equivalent of about three hours aweek on board duties, including committeework, community work, trainings, andworkshops, and other meetings and activi-ties. In exchange, board members’ house-holds are entitled to an 18% discount on

purchases (the same as workers receive). Board membersare expected to serve a three-year term.

We seek board members from diverse backgrounds andage groups, with a variety of skills including business,grass-roots community, environmental, or social, involve-ment, agriculture or production, or other areas related tothe Co-op’s current (and future!) direction. Prospectivecandidates are encouraged to visit our (always open)monthly board meetings (check newsletter or website forspecific dates) and location.

If you’re interested in running for a position, you may pickup materials at any store, starting mid-July. Or you maycontact us at bod@lamontanita.com.

Run for the CO-OP BoardFeel Visionary? Up for a Challenge?

Candidate Packets available atall co-op locations in mid-JulyCandidate Nomination SubmissionsDeadline: Sept. 24thBOARD ELECTIONS: NOV. 1-14 2007

Each month in the pages of this Co-op Connection News weare honored to be able to feature articles on the above men-tioned farmers and other local growers in our new Know YourFarmer Special Series. BY ROBYN SEYDEL

SUMMER: the Season ofABUNDANCE

yourCO-OP...

wantsYOUYOU

across the country, where workers don’t fare much better than on con-ventional farms. True, workers on organic farms are spared exposureto harmful chemicals. But a recent survey of organic farmers inCalifornia found that two-thirds of growers do not offer any benefitsto their workers. Another California study found that organic farmerswidely oppose any requirement to pay benefits or to allow farmwork-ers to organize.

The recent victory won by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, inwhich McDonald’s committed to dramatically improved wages andrights for pickers of its tomatoes (see Co-op Connection, May 2007),

provides more visibility and leverage to put humanand labor rights into the sustainability equation.The work of that Florida-based farmworkerorganization will soon be strengthened by a newnational initiative with a base in Albuquerque.Launched just last month, Just Harvest from Fieldto Fork is hell-bent on engaging the food and agri-

cultural movement to ensure that sus-tainability includes rights for thosewho plant and harvest. Just Harvestwill use education, media, and coali-tion-building to raise U.S. conscious-ness about the injustice experiencedby farmworkers. In conjunction withthe Coalition for Immokalee Work-ers, Just Harvest will work to trans-late that consciousness into sustainedpolitical activity to win higher wages,better benefits, and expanded rightsfor farmworkers.

“We dream of receiving the respect that human beings merit. We dreamof maintaining our families with dignity, of offering them the futurethat has been denied us for so long. Let’s plant that dream like a seedand make it grow.” So says Gerardo Reyes Chávez, farmworker andorganizer with the Immokalee Coalition.

That is the dream and intent of Just Harvest, too. We know that it isfor many a Co-op shopper, too. If you want more to learn more,become involved, and/or make a donation to this effort, please contactjustharvest@gmail.com.

Beverly Bell is coordinator of the Other Worlds collaborative, and co-founder and adviser to Just Harvest from Field to Fork.

fair foodA Community - Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store

La Montanita CooperativeAlbuquerque/ 7am-10pm M-S, 8am-10pm Sun.3500 Central SEAlbuq., NM 87106 265-4631

Albuquerque/ 7am-10pm M-S, 8am-10pm Sun.2400 Rio Grande Blvd.Albuq., NM 87104 242-8800

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

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

Cooperative Distribution Center 3361 Columbia NE, Albuq., NM 87107217-2010

Administrative Staff: 505-217-2001TOLL FREE: 877-775-2667 (COOP)• General Manager/C.E. Pugh 217-2020ce@lamontanita.coop• Controller/John Heckes 217-2026johnh@lamontanita.coop• Computers/Info Technology/David Varela 217-2011 computers@lamontanita.coop• Food Service/Bob Tero 217-2028bobt@lamontanita.coop• Human Resources/Sharret Rose 217-2023hr@lamontanita.coop• Marketing/Edite Cates 217-2024editec@lamontanita.coop• Membership/Robyn Seydel 217-2027robins@lamontanita.coop

Store Team Leaders: • Mark Lane/Nob Hill 265-4631markl@lamontanita.coop• John Mulle/Valley 242-8800jm@lamontanita.coop• William Prokopiack/Santa Fe 984-2852willpro@lamontanita.coop• Tracy Thomasson/Gallup 863-5383tracyt@lamontanita.coop

Co-op Board of Directors:email: bod@lamontanitacoop.comPresident: Martha WhitmanVice President: Marshall KovitzTreasurer: Ken O’BrienSecretary: Roger Eldridge Lonn CalancaTom HammerTamara SaimonsJonathan SiegelAndrew Stone

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

Co-op Connection Staff:Managing Editor: Robyn Seydelrobins@lamontanita.coopLayout and Design: foxyrock incCovers and Centerfold: Edite CatesAdvertising: Robyn Seydel Editorial Assistant: Stephanie Claytonstephaniec@lamontanita.coop 217-2016Printing: Vanguard Press

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

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

Copyright © 2007La Montanita Co-op SupermarketReprints by prior permission.

The Co-op Connection is printed on 65% postconsumer recycled paper. It is recyclable.

BY BEVERLY BELL

What single thing could change the US foodsystem, practically overnight?

Widespread public awareness – of how this sys-tem operates and whom it benefits, how itharms consumers, how it mistreats animals

and pollutes the land, how it corrupts public officials andintimidates the press, and most of all, how its power ulti-mately depends on a series of cheerful and ingeniouslies.” - Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation

Eric Schlosser has his finger on a pulsethat is critical to the lifeline of people andthe planet. However, there is an addition-al component that is so obscured frompublic view that even Schlosser leaves itout: the rights of those who plant and har-vest our food. This is an army of invisiblemigrant farmworkers who pick almost allof domestically grown produce. They arealmost invariably Latin American andCaribbean immigrants who may beunable to demand their rights becausethey are undocumented or because they don’t knowwhat rights they have. And those rights are not many.Farm labor is not covered under the National LaborRelations Act, and therefore the workers cannot formunions or bargain collectively. They did not even havethe right to minimum wage until a couple of decadesago, long after other professions in the U.S. were cov-ered. And to make minimum wage, the typical tomatoharvester must pick the weight of an elephant each day.

While farmworkers may be invisible, the food they pickis increasingly on people’s minds. The movementtoward local, organic, non-corporate food is rapidlyburgeoning across the U.S. It takes many forms, such asLa Montañita Co-op’s ground-breaking efforts to cre-ate a sustainable regional food-shed.

Sustainable agriculture is sometimes called a three-legged stool standing on three Es: economy, environ-ment, and equity. Yet equity is often left out of theequation. This is true even on most large organic farms

2 July 2007

JUST HARVESTfocus on food

CO-OPYOU OWN IT

BY ?

Acloser connection between people and the farmers we all relyon was the vision that the three Equal Exchange founders —Rink Dickinson, Jonathan Rosenthal, and Michael Rozyne

held as they began meeting in 1986 to discuss how best to changethe way food is grown, bought, and sold around the world. Thethree, who had met each other as managers at a New England foodco-op, were part of a movement to transform the relationshipbetween the public and food producers.

After meeting once a week forthree years they had a plan for anew organization called EqualExchange that would be a socialchange organization helpingfarmers and their families gainmore control over their econom-ic futures, educate consumersabout trade issues, provide ofhigh-quality fairly traded foodsand was controlled by the peoplewho did the actual work.

Café Nica: “The Forbidden Coffee” For their first fair-trade product they chose Nicaraguan coffee —which they called Café Nica — as the first Equal Exchange productfor a few reasons. In 1986, the Reagan administration imposed anembargo on all products from Nicaragua’s Sandinista government.Importing coffee beans from Nicaragua would demonstrate soli-darity with the fledgling people's movement and would challengeU.S. trade policies.

Equal Exchange brought Nicaraguan coffee into the U.S. through aloophole in the law. If the coffee were roasted in another country, itcould be regarded as a product from that country, and thereforelegally imported into the U.S. A friendly Dutch alternative tradeorganization stepped forward to offer assistance with the brokeringand roasting.

Alerted to this symbolic action, the Reagan administrationtried to stop the tiny organization. Officials seized EqualExchange’s Nicaraguan coffee as soon as it arrived in theport of Boston. During their first two years of business, thefounders spent many days, with trade lawyers at their side,doing battle with customs officials. Each time the coffeecargo was released it was a small victory.

Cocoa and Chocolate Jointhe Mix Over the years Equal Exchangeadded a variety of products to themix including tea, cocoa, choco-late and nuts. Their worker own-ed cooperative is nearly 80 work-er/owners strong, with a broadernetwork that includes 400 loyalinvestors, more than 300 foodcooperatives, hundreds of cafésand other stores, and more than amillion consumers.

But the growth of Fair Trade has not come without pro-found challenges. The acceptance of large plantations andcorporations such as Nestlé into the Fair Trade labeling sys-tem calls into question the very underpinnings of the fairtrade certification. Like the organic movement and the sus-tainability movement, over the next few decades, EqualExchange needs to engage and collaborate with like-mindedpartners and stakeholders throughout the Fair Trade systemto continue to transform how business is done.

Look for Equal Exchange, cocoa, chocolate bars, and coffeein bulk and vacuum packs at all Co-op locations. Try newEqual Exchange snacks. These “Domestic Fair Trade” prod-ucts, including Organic Dried Cranberries, Roasted Pecans,and Organic Tamari-Roasted Almonds, are sourced fromfamily farmers and farmer co-operatives right here in the US.

A VISION OF FAIRNESS TO FARMERSEQUAL EXCHANGE FAIRTRADE

Photo credit: Bobby and Diann Johson, pecan farmers with Southern AlternativesPhoto by Erbin Crowell

EEQQUUIITTYY

agua es vida

3

Co-op ValuesCooperatives are based on the values of self-help,self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity andsolidarity. In the tradition of their founders, coop-erative members believe in the ethical values ofhonesty, openness, social responsibility and car-ing 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 LaMontanita Co-op Supermarket to provide informa-tion on La Montanita Co-op Supermarket, thecooperative movement, and the links betweenfood, health, environment and community issues.Opinions expressed herein are of the authors andare not necessarily those of the Co-op.

CO-OPYOU OWN IT

Valley

Gallup

Santa Fe

Part 5 in the seriesBY MICHAEL JENSEN, AMIGOS BRAVOS

In order to get new water, Albuquerque – or any other municipality ordeveloper or farmer in the state – has to get rights to water and havetransfer of those rights approved by the Office of the State Engineer

(OSE). In the 1990s, based on the developments already platted (per-mitted), Albuquerque developers would have had to have gotten everysingle water right in existence in the Middle Río Grande (MRG). Thatmeans that every current holder of a water right in the MRG – withthe exception of the Pueblo nations - would have had to give up theirwater to support permitted future development.

Agriculture – including small family farms such as those in the SouthValley – would disappear. So likely would large sections of the RíoGrande Bosque and probably much of the river itself.

This scenario doesn’t include new developments like Mesa del Sol(90,000 people) or the proposed “Rio West” on the Atrisco land grantwest of Rio Rancho, or scores of smaller develop-ments scattered across the area that are in variousstages of planning.

The situation isn’t peculiar to Albuquerque. A fewyears ago, a former State Engineer said that the statehad promised four times more water rights (“paperwater”) for housing, businesses, and agriculture thanthere was real water (“wet water”) to meet the needs.Meanwhile, the OSE continues to grant water transferpermits despite the fact that only about 20% of thestate’s water rights have been settled in court, and theOSE doesn’t fully know who legally owns water rights.

Albuquerque believes it has a card up its sleeve: the San Juan-Chama(SJC) “drinking water project.” Never mind that the original agree-ment allowing New Mexico to get just over 100,000 acre feet per year(afy) of San Juan River water was so Albuquerque’s share (just over48,000afy) could offset over-pumping of the underground aquifer.

Since Albuquerque decided that it wanted to use its SJC water fordrinking, the Office of the State Engineer agreed to let the city take anadditional 47,000afy of “native” Río Grande water to use for recharg-ing the aquifer.

The catch: the City has to get its per capita daily consumption downto 150 gallons per day (gpd), and has to replace the native water itdiverts with an equal amount of treated city wastewater 16 milesdownstream. The actual amount of native Río Grande water diverteddepends on how much water is flowing in the river (which may not bemuch in a prolonged drought or the impact of climate change).

Meeting the conservation targetAlbuquerque has come a long way from the days when it used over250 gpd. Since implementing its conservation program in 1995,Albuquerque’s water use is down to 165 gpd, according to theBernalillo County Water Utility Authority (WUA).

However, people in the city still haven’t completely gotten the messageon conserving water. During Albuquerque’s driest winter in over a cen-tury, 2005-6, residents actually increased water consumption by 12%over the previous winter. On a more positive note, Albuquerque usedropped 4.2% from the previous year over the course of the first 9months of 2006 – due almost entirely to the wettest summer on record.

Still, in 2006 the WUA authority said that they planned on reducingcity water use by 10% over the next 10 years. This means thatAlbuquerque wouldn’t meet its mandated 150gpd until 2016. Whatwill have been point of the “drinking water project” – recharging theaquifer and building the basis for a sustainable water future?

The happiest mayor in the worldIn December 2006, Albuquerque won a World Leadership Award, aninternational prize that honors cities showing “exceptional imagina-tion, foresight or resilience in dealing with major challenges.” Citiesnominated themselves; Albuquerque won for its efforts “to ensure awater future.”

Mayor Martin Chávez told the local media thathe was “the happiest mayor in the world” andthat the prize represented “an entire people seeinga problem and addressing it successfully.”

Water use comparisonDespite the tremendous strides Albuquerque hasmade in reducing its per capita water use, wheredoes the City stand in comparison with otherwater users? As a state, New Mexico does not dotoo badly among other arid Southwestern states.(SEE THE CHART BELOW)

But Albuquerque still has a long way to go. Bycomparison, while the city uses 165 gpd, SantaFe’s per capita water use is 108 gpd.

In Albuquerque, about 90 gpd is for home use, according to the Water Utility Authority. InEurope, the average home andsmall business consumption ofwater is 47 gpd (1995 figures;http://reports.eea.europa.eu/binaryeenviasses01pdf/en/enviasses01.pdf).

What does Albuquerquereally need?If Albuquerque reduced its use to

something closer to Santa Fe’s use – say to just 125gpd – the city could reduce its annual water budg-et by over 22,000 afy, which is almost half the SanJuan Chama water or half the native Río Grandewater it wants to divert to recharge the aquifer.

Of course, this target isn’t on any policymaker’sagenda. It is also clear that even achieving thissubstantial conservation goal would not satisfythe city’s current water deficit, let alone meet thefuture deficit from continued growth.

So, what does Albuquerque reallyNEED?First, Albuquerque needs, as the Mayor proudlydeclared last year, “an entire people seeing a prob-lem and addressing it successfully.” Albuquerqueneeds political leaders from across the spectrumwho aren’t afraid to talk about growth limits.

Most of all, Albuquerque – like cities and statesacross the arid Southwest and West – needs tocomprehend the profound significance for the cityand the region of a message from the 2007Colorado River Basin Water Management study(http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11857.html; discuss-ed in part 2 of this series):

“Technological and conservation options for aug-menting or extending water supplies – althoughuseful and necessary – in the long run will not con-stitute a panacea for coping with the reality thatwater supplies in the [Rio Grande] River basin arelimited, and that demand is inexorably rising.”

Next: What can be done?More info contact Amigos Bravos at www.amigosbravos.org

THINK GLOBALDRINK LOCAL

July 2007

State 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 AverageAZ 145 147 207 213 230 200 208 206 195CA 198 231 182 186 184 218 228 184 201NE 346 285 306 316 323 326 344 325 321NM 163 126 205 236 240 226 226 225 206UT 301 290 296 334 — 285 308 269 298

In gallons per day. Dashes indicate no data. Averages calculated separately.http://cals.arizona.edu/AZWATER/awr/julyaugust04/USGS.Supplement2.web.pdf

PPeerr--CCaappiittaa UUssee in Arizona, California, Nevada,New Mexico, and Utah 11996600--22000000

PART 55

BY STEPHANIE CLAYTON

Grab your favorite meat and veggies and take your summercooking outside for flavorful, healthy, summer grilling. A fewtips will get you on the right track, and remember practice

makes perfect. Get creative! Make your own marinades and saucesfor a truly special taste you can’t get anywhere but your own back-yard. Here’s how to get started.

Prepare and PRE-HEAT YOUR GRILL

Simple, but effective! If your grill isn’t clean – whatever you cookmight have flavors left-over from your last grilling adventure. Youwouldn’t cook in a dirty pan, so scrub off your grate and wipedown with some vegetable oil for a clean slick cooking surface.Also meat, veggies, fruit – in short anything you put on the grill-will have a shorter cooking time, less moisture loss for a juicer, tasti-er finish, and those lovely clean grill marks if you preheat. The small-est steps in preparation yield huge results, so once your grill is clean,oiled, and hot, you can really get the most from your soon to begrilled meal.

Prepare YOUR FOOD

Just like your grill, your food will only benefit from some preparation.Use fresh ingredients, or completely defrost frozen ingredients toroom temperature before seasoning. Wash fruits and vegetables, cut

meat to desired thickness and size and you’realmost ready. Salt, pepper and oil veggies, marinatemeats, and leave fruits alone. Kebabs are the best ofboth worlds so long as you use metal skewers orsoak wood skewersso they don’t burn

like matchsticks.The sugars in

fruit will caramelize in the heat and veggies willsoften and their flavors will peak. If you’re cookingfor a crowd, make note of preferences regardingdone-ness. Rare and well done might not be verydifferent in terms of time on the grill, but on yourplate it makes all the difference in the world.

Get it ON THE GRILL

Well what are you waiting for? After all that prepa-ration, you get to relax for a little bit. Once youplace everything and hear that tell-tale sizzle, leaveit alone. The desire to flip and poke and “justcheck” is hard to resist, but the less you fiddle with

it, the better. Thick cuts of meat need several minuteson each side, while even thickly sliced vegetables canbe ready in literally two minutes. The more you flipand move your grilling subjects, the more moistureyou will force out of them. Always use a spatula ortongs instead of grilling utensils that pierce. If you

puncture your meat, you again will make iteasier for juices to escape and you might alsocontaminate the inside of the meat with bac-teria if you use a grilling fork that was insert-ed into a raw piece of meat again after it hascooked. Give enough space around eachpiece, keep the lid on, and flip only when it’stime. Grilling is certainly a “less is more”activity.

Let it SIT

Don’t cut into meat right away. Let the juicessettle and remember that fruit has a high

water content and gets very hot on the grill. Allowyour grilled goodies to cool, which gives you plentyof time to get a refreshing drink and start servingyourself some accompaniments.

Lastly, KEEP YOUR FOOD SAFE

Grilling is laid back and certainly a lot of fun, but besmart about how long your food is kept out andstore it correctly. Refrigerate promptly after twohours at room temperature and avoid mixing meatsand vegetables when storing. Grilled leftovers gogreat tossed in pasta, in a salad, and even a pastasalad. Be creative and remember just keeping a fewsimple things in mind when grilling will really makea good thing even better. Happy grilling!

For the past 12 years Pollo Real has been New Mexico’spremier pastured producer, featuring Chicken, HeritageTurkeys, Ducks, and Farm Fresh Eggs. Pollo Real is cur-

rently farming the famous French Label Rouge breeds of chick-ens: Red Ranger and Gourmet Black.

Label Rouge is a procedure and pro-tocol used for the production ofgourmet chicken used in France since1960. Both the sanctioned breedsand the procedures produce a superi-or tasting bird that is vividly distin-guishable from conventionally raisedchicken. Label Rouge requirementsinclude: approved genetics, non-med-icated feed, no animal by-products,no growth stimulants, no de-beaking,fed organic grains, raised outdoors on organic pastures,minimum life span of 12 -14 weeks, on-farm processing andrigorous testing standards for viruses and diseases

Perhaps the most important of these requirements is genet-ics. The Label Rouge process uses slow-growing birds thattake at least three months to reach maturity in contrast to

the six weeks allotted for industrial hy-brids.These hearty and active birds tend torange far and thrive as they graze in the freshpastures at Pollo Real. Living longer and grow-

ing outdoors, the chicken not onlyhas an improved flavor but a firmand pleasing texture as well.

Pollo Real’s French Label RougeChicken are exclusively available atLa Montanita Food Co-ops, at theSanta Fe Farmers Market, and atSanta Fe’s finest restaurants. PolloReal now has created a C.S.A. (Con-sumer Supported Agriculture) inSanta Fe. A CSA fosters a healthyrelationship between farmer and con-

sumer with many benefits to both.

For more information either on French LabelRouge or the Pollo Real CSA contact them at: polloreal@zianet.com or call 505-838-0345.

Get ’em at your CO-OP!

Local Product SpotlightPOLLO REAL French Label Rouge

It’s a Family Affair

The Black family started making BBQ saucein the late 1970's, when Mike Black exper-imented with a basic BBQ sauce

recipe he learned from his father-in-law.Mike was only in his late twenties, buthe already had a knack for BBQ.Growing up just outside of Kansas City,there were always plenty of occasions tobreak out the grill or the smoker forlarge family gatherings at his parentshome in Independence, Missouri. Whenhe found the right combination of fla-vors, everyone agreed that he had madesomething special. Friends and family alike toldhim for years he should bottle it and sell it.

While Grandpa Black never did, son Michael,who also had the BBQ knack and “loved thesauce,” began to show a strong interest whileat UT/Austin. Surrounded as he was in those

Grocery SpotlightThick and Sticky: BLACK’S BBQ SAUCE

days by Texas BBQ - pit style, where the smoke is thickwith mesquite, and the sauce is thin and runny with loadsof vinegar — he just knew he had to share some of his fam-

ily’s thick and sticky sauce. And therest, as they say, is history. Now,Conrad Black, third generation, atthe ripe old age of 18 months isalready looking to take over the stirhandle.

This family business, run byMichael and his wife Karen, bottleswhat’s got to be the finest sauce thisside of Grandpa Black’s kitchen,

right here in Albuquerque. They try to source their chileand other ingredients locally whenever possible. Right nowboth the Nob Hill and Valley locations carry their Black’sThick and Sticky BBQ Sauce and their spicy Meat Rub.Now all of New Mexico can enjoy that famous old familyrecipe. Perfect for this grilling season, give this delicioussauce a try!

TIPS FOR GRILLINGlike aPRO

summer sizzle July 2007 4

summer sizzle July 2007 5

Local Product Spotlight: Canyon River Beef

department adopted a "sustainable seafood" policy and their listevolved into the Seafood Watch pocket guide for consumers.

The choices we make as consumers drive the seafoodmarket place. Our purchasing power can make a dif-ference by supporting those fisheries and fish farmsthat are better for the environment, while at thesame time relieving pressure on others that are notdoing as well.

Some of the key issues in the evaluation of a fishery’ssustainability quotient include the level of by-catchobserved, the fishing methods and their impact, if it isfarmed—how it is farmed, and how well the fishery oraquaculture operation is managed. With nearly 75%of the world's fisheries either fully fished or overfished,these issues are more important than ever. SeafoodWatch believes that seafood from sources, either fishedor farmed, that can exist over the long-term withoutcompromising species' survival or the health of the sur-

rounding ecosystem is sustainable. They favor conservation of theresource in the face of scientific uncertainty.

La Montanita Co-op is honored to be a member of Seafood Watch.All fish and seafood sold at the Co-op meets Seafood Watch’s guide-lines for sustainability. Their Consumer’s Pocket Guides are avail-able at Co-op meat counters. For more info go to www.mbayag.org

Can’t get to the beach this year? Set up yourumbrella, fill the kiddie pool, light up the grilland let the aroma of fresh grilled fish transport

you to your dream beach as our desert skies put on alight show at sunset. To make sure you are keepingour seas sustainable use the Seafood WatchSustainable Seafood Consumer’s Guides availableat all our Co-op locations to pick fish or seafoodthat has been harvested or farmed in a sustainablemanner.

Seafood Watch is a program of Monterey BayAquarium designed to raise consumer awarenessabout the importance of buying seafood from sus-tainable sources. They recommend which seafood tobuy or avoid, helping consumers become advocatesfor environmentally friendly seafood. They alsopartner with the Seafood Choices Alliance where,along with other seafood awareness campaigns,they provide seafood purveyors with recommenda-tions on seafood choices.

The Seafood Watch project began a decade agowhen Monterey Bay Aquarium developed a list ofsustainable seafood as part of their 1997-1999"Fishing for Solutions" exhibit anticipating visitorquestions about making better seafood choices.Their Portola Cafe restaurant and husbandry

SUSTAINABLE Seafood

As a member of Seafood Watch, the

Co-op only sells SUSTAINABLY

harvested seafood and fish

SEAFOOD WATCH

a true fish tale

Upon moving to New Mexico from the glorious coastlines of SouthFlorida and Maine, I was mourning a great loss. With beautifulmountains and desert landscapes, I was not at a loss for

breath-taking scenery, but instead the fresh fish I had gotten so accus-tomed to. Lucky for me, I was promptly educated on the huge vari-ety of fresh fish available at the Co-op. I was reminded that thesalmon I enjoyed on the coast (unless I had been on the coast ofAlaska) would be just as fresh, healthy, and flavorful when purchasedhere. It made sense, but I still clung to the romantic idea of eating fishby the sea. Ken, owner of Nantucket Shoals New Mexico WholesaleSeafood had a big job ahead of him in convincing me otherwise.“Sure a few years ago that might have been true, but since then a lothas changed and the high quality fish we bring in is top notch,” Keninformed me.

At one of their tastings at our Nob Hill location, I started seeingthings their way. With a sampling of freshly prepared bite-sizemorsels coming my way, I was in no position to argue, but it waswhen I tasted the undeniably light fresh flavor of good qualityseafood that my mind was made up. I asked them how it was possi-ble to have such a variety of fresh, sustainably farmed, high qualityseafood available at such reasonable prices and was very pleased withtheir response. Having been in the seafood business here in NewMexico for over 23 years, establishing lasting relationships with localrestaurant chefs and making a commitment to being a small high-quality wholesale provider, the folks at Nantucket Shoals New

Mexico Wholesale Seafood (not to be confusedwith Nantucket Shoals Seafood Market) knowtheir trout. And salmon, grouper, mahi-mahi,crab, to list only a few of their 150 seafood prod-ucts. And because most everyone in the companyis a native New Mexican, they’re committed tomaking great fish available here.

A smooth operation that prides itself onhigh quality, fresh product, and workswith its providers to ensure sustainableand responsible fishing practices, Nan-tucket Shoals New Mexico is really whatfresh and fair food is all about. Ken picksup shipments at the Albuquerque airportearly in the morning, which then getpackaged and delivered same day, so therestaurant owners and Co-op locationsthat Nantucket Shoals New Mexico serv-ices can always be sure that they are get-ting the freshest ingredients possible. Andthat’s what good food and good health isall about.

Fish is a great source for protein, healthy fats andoils, and “is eaten by so many people all over theworld in so many ways, there’s not really a way togo wrong,” reminds Ken. He sites one of the great-est advantages of cooking with fish is experiment-ing. He also says that “fish is great fast food.” Inminutes you can have a quick and deliciousrefreshingly light summer meal. Check our recipesfor Grilled Fish with Tropical Fruit Salad or go the

simple route and season with some salt and pepper,fresh lemon or lime, and olive oil and bake until fullycooked, but still moist. A treat that has been shownto improve health if used to replace red meat evenjust once a week, fresh high-quality fish brings lots ofgoodness to your table. Serve your freshly prepared

fish with a summer saladand some whole grains

like quinoa and you’ll have a balanced, scrumptioussummer meal that’s hard to beat.

You can have your mountain views and eat your fishand seafood too! For more tips on how to prepareand serve fish check out www.nantucketshoalsnmw-holesaleseafood.com. In their recipe section you willfind a variety of flavors and preparations tailor madeto suit the different kinds of fish and how they arebest prepared. Try your hand and your taste budswill thank you. BY STEPHANIE CLAYTON

T he Canadian River’s head-waters form in the moun-tains and classic western

landscape around Raton. Locatedjust 90 miles to the southeast is theCanadian River Ranch, home ofCanyon River Beef. Everyone whotries this local, pasture fed, certifiedorganic beef raves about its textureand flavor. Ranch Manger Alan Lackey says, “Webelieve the key to high quality meat, in addition to thevery best nutrition, is a non-stress environment. We tryto do everything we can to do it right for our animals;to make the most delicious, healthy meat possible.”

Winters can be tough up there in north eastern NewMexico, so Alan supplements their graze during thatseason with some alfalfa hay and certified organic corn,soy and wheat. To make sure the cows are never con-

fined and “completely range raised,” hetakes feed out to the cows. First certifiedorganic in 2003 Canyon River Beef own-ers Ted and Shirley Boucher are dedi-cated to raising cattle in a sustainablemanner. Their 10,000 acre CanadianRiver Ranch is managed both for envi-ronmental stewardship and for the wellbeing of their 220 head of cattle.

Canyon River Beef—it’s fresh, it’s pasture fed, it’scertified organic, it’s local!

Get Canyon River Beef at La Montanita Co-op loca-tions and at select area Farmers’ Markets. For moreinformation or to special order larger quantities orselect cuts call Gino at 505-265-4631 in Nob Hill,Nick in the Valley at 242-8800, Grace in Santa Fe at505-984-2852 or Tracy in Gallup at 863-5383.Please give our staff at least one week (7 days)notice for special orders for your summer events.

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co-op news July 2007 6

BY ROBYN SEYDEL

B .J. Feeney retired to New Mexico a few years ago and sincethen he’s been a very busy man. Growing food had been ahobby, while he was working, now it’s a full time passion.

Inspired by his son’s interest and degree in horticulture (his sonwent on to get a Masters and is now an army chaplain) B.J hasbeen building greenhouses and experimenting with a variety ofveggies. This year we avid tomato lovers are going to be able toenjoy the benefits of all that effort, as he begins to harvest his hydroponictomatoes. And in the future, only time will tell what “bounty” his green-houses will produce.

A big believer in hydroponic methods, B.J. points out that hydroponics can“grow equal amounts of food on 1/10th the land with 1/6 the water as reg-ular dirt farming methods.” He says, “This method is not new. The hang-

ing gardens ofBabylon were really the first experiment with hydro-ponics. But the technology has improved a bit sincethen,” he says with a chuckle in his voice. “Back in1945 the Air Force built the first hydroponic farmout on one of the small coral islands in the Pacific toget fresh vegetables to their troops and NASA scien-tists are experimenting with it for fresh food forastronauts. In the last ten years the technology hasreally bloomed.”

While he is still doing research to find the best vari-eties and crops for seasonal production, this yearwe will see an abundance of 6-9 ounce tomato fruitfrom his greenhouses. He uses a reverse osmosis

water system with 3,000 gallon holding tanks andregularly recycles the water through his RO systemand out to the plants. “ It’s really extremely effi-

cient in terms of resource use,” says B.J.

The bumblebee hives he keeps in the green-houses pollinate the flowers. He is impressedwith how hard the bees work pointing outthat one bumble bee can pollinate 10,000flowers a day and can fly as much as 12 milesa day. “They just keep their eye on those yel-low tomato flowers and don’t get distractedthe way honey bees do.”

Right now he’s got five rows of 63 bucketswith two tomato plants in each bucket andis hoping to produce lots of great tastingfresh tomatoes. He picks them at all stages,

green, first blush and fully ripe for area’s growersmarkets and the Co-op. “There is a great marketfor green tomatoes,” he says. And I agree thinkingback to some delicious fried green tomato dishesI’ve made. At one point he grew 1100 heads of let-tuce in a 65 by 15 foot space, with a lettuce har-vest every 30 days; that could make winter saladeaters pretty happy.

Our Food-shed trucks will be stopping at DesertBounty Farm greenhouses during our weeklysouthern New Mexico route. Look for Desert Bountytomatoes at your favorite Co-op location.

During a recent board retreat, we played agame that we thought would be simple.We lined up in 2 rows facing each other with

about one foot between us so that our hands touched.The facilitator then gave us a long, light tent pole andwe all had to work together to lower the pole to theground. Some of us smirked. Clearly, this would be easymush. We’re used to working together and really, howhard could it possibly be in our little group to lower thetent pole to the ground in less than a minute? As itturned out, we were flummoxed and humbled. Whatwe thought would be an effortless directive turned outto be an exercise in controlling our consternationas we repeatedly tried and failed to perform thisseemingly simple group task. The game of coop-eration is not so simple after all, even with a com-patible group tasked to do a child-level activity tocomplete an objective in which we’re all interest-ed and invested.

As a board directing the future trajectory of LaMontanita, we want to learn about how we candevelop the tools to practice and manifest thevalues that are intrinsic to our mission as a foodCo-op. To that end, we’ve allocated an hour ofthe monthly board meeting to dialogue about topicswe feel are relevant to the Co-op’s continued health,and because they are inseparable, the health of thecommunities we live in.

The movement toward sustainability is a little like theeffort to lower the tent pole. On the board and in thecommunity of Co-op members, sustainability is a valuethat arises again and again as a desirable process andoutcome. But how do we get there? How do wemeasure what that looks like and what specific toolscan we use to achieve it?

At the May board meeting, we discussed a chapter fromthe book Limits to Growth, the 30-year Update, titled,“Tools For the Transition to Sustainability” by DonellaMeadows, Dennis Meadows and Jorgen Randers.

The authors frame the article by reviewing the manyways in which humankind has had to adapt to previ-ous massive changes like the Agricultural andIndustrial revolutions. They say we are now in thebeginning of a third revolution, the Sustainability revo-lution. The five tools for transition they refer to areVisioning, Networking, Truth-Telling, Learning andLoving. Admittedly to some, including the authors, thismay appear to be a feeble sounding list- a collection ofsoft fluff that is impossible to quantify and hopelesslyvague. As the authors themselves say,

“Many of us feel uneasy about relying on such ‘soft’tools when the future of our civilization is at stake,

particularly since we do not know how to summonthem up in ourselves or in others. So we dismiss themand turn the conversation to recycling or emissiontrading or wildlife preserve or some other necessarybut insufficient part of the sustainability revolution--but at least a part we know how to handle.”

With the article as a prompt, we questioned how rea-sonable it is to use the tools the authors describe tohelp manifest a sustainable way of life. It seems we arethe current global witnesses to the end of certainmodels that have been based on what were thought

to be stable resources. As agroup, the Co-op board isin agreement of the needto acknowledge that, “wedon’t know what we don’tknow.” Fifty years ago, noone would have been ableto predict the invention ofthe internet and how it hasrevolutionized informationtransmission and the build-ing of powerful community.To use an outlandish sce-

nario, what if it turns out that organics are bad foryou? Or, what if Whole Foods or Wal-Mart makes anoffer to buy out every member of the Co-op for$10,000? What could we encounter down the roadthat we haven’t even had the glimmer of a thoughtabout? How can we challenge the assumptions thatwe make as a group that may seem beyond argumentor even discussion?

Giving time to this article helped the board tosee the value in questioning our own assump-tions. Vision needs to be balanced by skepti-

cism. We don’t all think the same way, which webelieve is representative of the diverse membership inthe Co-op. One thing we do agree on is that we are ina resource crisis whether there is broad generalacknowledgement of that or not. Right now, we havethe flexible vehicle of the Co-op to address thechanges that appear to be imminent and we need toexplore and make decisions about what kind future wewant, which may be in opposition to what marketforces say. In the analysis over time of paradigm shiftsthat have had profound impacts on life on Earth, it’swhat we’ve never thought of, the “out-of bounds”scenarios that have not been considered, that createconditions for great innovations and great destruction.

We encourage you to read the article on “Tools for theTransition to Sustainability” in the book Limits ToGrowth. You can e-mail the co-op board at bod@lam-ontanitacoop.com for information or for comments.

board brief

KnowYourFarmer

DESERT BOUNTY FARM: More Food From Less Land and Water

The CO-OP Food-shed Project: Bringing local farmers together with Co-op shoppers for the best in fresh, fair and local food.

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co-op news July 2007 7

CO-OP’S: A Solution Based System A co-operative is an autonomous association of persons unit-ed voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cul-tural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and demo-

cratically-controlled enterprise.

Calendarof Events

7/17 Board of Directors Meeting, Immanuel Church 5:30pm7/23 Member Engagement Committee, CDC 3361 Columbia

NE (formerly called Member Linkage)TBA Finance Committee, location and date to be announced

C.E. PUGH, GENERAL MANAGER

T he annual, Consumer Coop Management Association (CCMA) Conference is sponsoredby the National Cooperative Business

Association and organized by the University ofWisconsin, Center for Cooperatives. Three LaMontanita staff members and five Board membersjoined over 400 participants at the 51st annualevent in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Keynote speakerswere Jim Blaine, President of the State Employees’Credit Union and Martin Lowery, Executive VicePresident of the National Rural Electric Co-operative Association. There were over 30 work-shops offered covering a wide variety of manage-ment and governance topics. At this year’s CCMAour Board President Martha Whitman, VicePresident Marshall Kovitz and MembershipCoordinator Robyn Seydel, all either gave presen-tations or participated on panels.

national CO-OP conference REPORTthe inside SCOOP

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JulySpecials

This conference is held in a different part of thecountry each year and you may recall that LaMontanita hosted CCMA in Albuquerque in2005. The stated goals of the gathering are to pro-vide high quality training on timely topics chosenby participants, focus on the unique demands ofcooperative management and governance, expandawareness of issues facing co-ops and their impor-tance in our world, provide opportunities for net-working among people in the cooperative move-ment, and both inspire and entertain.

In addition to the educational opportunities provid-ed, gathering with our peers once a year may offerthe conference’s greatest value. What we learn fromone another at these events is often more enlighten-ing than the structured workshops It is always apleasure to step away from our day-to-day activitiesat La Montanita and join other cooperators nation-wide for a more objective look at our Co-op and thecooperative movement as a whole.

LOCAL SALE ITEMS

These policies crafted by the Board of Directors are,along with the Cooperative values and principles,the concepts and beliefs that guide our Co-operative’s activities.

Global Ends A thriving member ownedcooperative that results in anincreasing number of peoplehaving and making moreinformed and sustainablechoices at costs that do notexceed the revenues of thecooperative.

1. Growth of Business:Business growth that benefitsthe community at large, based on communityneeds, financial viability, cooperative principles,and environmental stewardship. 2. Community: Within cooperative values, an ever-

widening circle of community members withhealthier and more environmentally restorativelives.3. Products: A selection of least harmful, qualityfood and products that is responsive to shoppers

and producers.4. Financial Health: A transparent andethical enterprise, with equity growth,patronage refund and communityinvestment. 5. Education: A community increasinglyinformed regarding the cooperativemodel as well as producer/consumerimpacts on local and global health andenvironment.6. Staff Environment: A respectful andresponsive work environment in which

a fairly compensated staff has a strong sense ofownership in the success of the Co-op.7. Services: Service relationships with fairnessand value for all.

LA MONTANITA CO-OP’S ENDS POLICIES

Available now at yourlocal La Montanita Co-op

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For Advertiser information, e-mail us atchildandfamily@qwest.net

The Co-op Connection News is looking for an expe-rienced proofreader to help once a month. Earn18% discount shopping credit and get a jump on allthe great information contained in the Co-op’snewsletter. If interested contact Robyn at 217-2027or toll free at 877-775-2667.

Many of you have noticed that there are few gram-matical and spelling errors in the Co-op ConnectionNews. That is thanks to the excellent proofreadingwork of Venetia Pimley. A Ph.D in English, she is along time Co-op member. We must sadly bid Venetiaa fond farewell and wish her and her family, hus-band Maarten, sons Willem and Rowan great goodluck in their move to Boulder, Colorado.

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Warm up the grill and cool down witha healthy fruit smoothie this summer.Try a marinade or a barbeque sauce toadd a tasty zing to meats, fish, and veg-etables and pair with a cool salad for acomplete satisfying outdoor meal, sunsetand all. On the run? Blend up a smoothieand you’ve got a refreshingly satisfyingvitamin packed meal in a cup. Add someprotein, fiber, or flax seeds to juice for themost benefits out of this convenient andcool summer treat. Substitute soy milk formilk or fruits and vegetables to taste andmake your own unique frozen creation.

(Key: C = cup, T = tablespoon, t = teaspoon, lb. = pound, oz. = ounce)

Jerk Marinade

1/2 C chopped fresh thyme leaves 1 C chopped green onions 1/2 C chopped parsley leaves 1/2 C minced onion 2 T brown sugar 2 crushed bay leaves 2 t ground allspice 1 t ground nutmeg 1/2 t ground cinnamon 1/2 t coriander seeds 2 roasted chiles, seeded 1 1/2 T minced garlic 1 T minced fresh ginger 1 t salt 1 t freshly ground black pepper 1/4 C plus 2 T vegetable oil 1/4 C soy sauce 3 T lime juice 2 T vinegar

In the bowl of a food processor combinethe thyme, green onions, parsley, onion,brown sugar, bay leaves, allspice, nut-

grilling & chilling July 2007 10

meg, cinnamon, coriander seeds, chiles,garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, and vegetableoil and process to a smooth paste.Transfer to a glass bowl and stir in thesoy sauce, lime juice, and vinegar.

Refrigerate, in a covered glass bowl, untilready to use. Any unused marinade willkeep for up to 1 month. (Yields approx. 11/2 C).

Artic Forest Smoothie

1 peach, frozen 1 handful blueberries, frozen 1/2 C light vanilla yogurt1/2 C milk 1/2 tablespoons crushed pecan1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place fruit and milk in a blender. Afterincorporating, add yogurt, nuts, andvanilla extract. Blend until smooth. Addmore liquid or yogurt until desired con-sistency is achieved.

Gingered BBQ Drizzle

6 T ketchup 1 T Worcestershire sauce 1/4 C pineapple juice 1 T butter 2 T fresh lime juice 2 T vinegar 1/4 C firmly packed brown sugar 2 T minced fresh ginger 1 T honey 1 t salt 1 t dry mustard 1 t minced garlic

Combine all ingredients in a smallsaucepan and cook over medium heatuntil reduced enough to coat the back ofa spoon, about 10 minutes. Serve thesauce either warm or at room tempera-ture, drizzled over freshly grilled meat.(Yields approx. 1 C).

Cocoa Berry Smoothie

3/4 C apple juice 1 C vanilla yogurt 2 C mixed frozen berries 2 T powdered cocoa 2 t honey

Place juice, yogurt, and berries in ablender. After incorporating, add cocoapowder and honey. Blend until smooth.Add more liquid or yogurt until desiredconsistency is achieved.

Mojito Marinade

2 T garlic powder 1 T onion powder 1/4 t ground cumin 1 T dried oregano 2 T kosher salt 1 T freshly ground black pepper 1 t paprika 4 T extra-virgin olive oil1 C orange juice 2 limes, juiced 1/4 C white wine vinegar 1/4 C extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 C dark rum

Wisk together all ingredients in a glassbowl. Place marinade and desired meat ortofu (chicken works exceptionally well) ina sealed zip-top bag for an hour in therefrigerator before grilling.

Citrus Tea Smoothie

1 C orange segments, chilled 1/2 C grapefruit segments, chilled 1/2 C strong-brewed earl grey tea,chilled 3/4 C orange sherbet 1/4 C ice cubes

Combine the orange segments, grapefruitsegments, and tea in a blender. Add thesherbet and ice. Blend until smooth.

Grilled Eggplant Teriyaki

2 medium eggplants Kosher salt 1/4 C soy sauce 3 T light brown sugar 2 T olive oil 2 T rice vinegar or white wine vinegar 1 t dark sesame oil 1 t grated fresh ginger 3 cloves garlic, mincedSesame seeds, garnish

Slice eggplant into 1/2-inch-thick slices.Sprinkle with salt and let stand in acolander set over a bowl or the sink for20 minutes. Rinse briefly and pat dry.

Whisk together all marinade ingredientsin a small bowl. Pour marinade over egg-plant and let stand for at least 10 minutesor up to overnight in the refrigerator.

Remove from marinade, reserving left-over marinade. Place eggplant on grill,cook until eggplant is cooked throughand lightly browned on all sides, about10 to 15 minutes. Remove from grill.

Place reserved marinade in a pan andcook down until it coats the back of aspoon. Serve with reduced marinade andsprinkle with sesame seeds. (Serves 6).

Cucumber Mint Smoothie

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped3 T mint leaves & mint sprigs,finely chopped 1 1/2 C apple juice 1 C lemon sorbet 1/2 C ice cubes

Place cucumber, mint, apple juice andsorbet in a blender. After incorporating,add ice and blend to desired consistency.

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Grilled Marinated Fish with Tropical Salsa

1/2 C sliced yellow onions 1/4 C olive oil 2 T orange juice 2 T lime juice 2 T fresh cilantro 5 cloves garlic, smashed 1 t salt 1 t cumin Pinch cayenne 4 (6 to 8-ounce) fish fillets, skin on

Tropical salsa:1 ripe mango, peeled, seeded, and diced 1 ripe avocado, peeled, seeded, and diced 1/2 C diced fresh pineapple 1/4 C minced red onions 1/4 C minced red bell peppers 3 t chopped fresh cilantro 1 T fresh lime juice 2 T minced bell pepper1 teaspoon minced garlic Pinch salt

Combine the mango, avocado, pineapple,onions, bell peppers, cilantro, lime juice, bell pep-per, garlic, and salt in a bowl and gently fold tocombine. Adjust seasoning to taste. Let sit for 30minutes before serving for the flavors to blend.

In a bowl, combine the onions, oil, orange andlime juices, cilantro, garlic, salt, cumin, andcayenne. Place the fish in a large, glass bakingdish. Pour the marinade over the fish, cover andrefrigerate for up to 1 hour.

Preheat a grill, and lightly oil the grill rack withvegetable oil. Remove the fish from the mari-nade. Place on the oiled grill and cook, skin sideup, until marked, 45 seconds to 1 minute. Turncarefully with a spatula and cook, skin sidedown, until the fish is just cooked through,about 4 minutes, depending upon thickness.Remove from the grill. Top with tropical salsaand serve. (Serves 4).

Silken Smoothie

1/2 C apple juice 1/2 C citrus sorbet 1/2 C silken tofu, drained 1/2 C frozen strawberries 1/2 C frozen peaches 1 banana, peeled and broken into chunks 1 t honey 1/2 C ice cubes

Place juice, sorbet, tofu, and fruit in a blender.After incorporating, add honey and ice cubes.Blend until smooth. Add more juice untildesired consistency is achieved.

Chilean Marinade

1 cups vegetable oil 1 1/2 cups dry white wine1 1/2 cups chopped onions or scallions 1/4 cup minced fresh Italian parsley leaves 1 teaspoons chopped garlic 2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 teaspoons dried oregano 1 teaspoons black pepper 1 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons salt

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. This mari-nade can be prepared a day in advance. Allow cho-sen meat to marinade for at least an hour, then topwith Chimichurri (following recipe) to serve.

Chimichurri

1 C red wine vinegar 1/2 C vegetable oil 1/2 C peeled, seeded, and diced tomatoes 1/2 C diced red bell pepper 1/2 C warm water 4 t finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves 2 t salt 2 t finely chopped garlic 1 t sweet paprika 1/2 t ground cumin 1/2 t dried thyme 1/2 t dried oregano 1/2 t chili flakes 1/2 t ground black pepper 1 scallion, chopped 1 large bay leaf, broken into small pieces

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, mixtogether, and cover. Prepare well before the meal isto be served in order to allow flavors to blend.

Peanut Butter Jelly Smoothie

2 C milk 2 T blackberry jelly 2 T peanut butter 1 banana, frozen and chunked 2 T honey 2 t wheat germ

In a blender combine milk, jelly, peanut butter,banana, honey and wheat germ. Blend untilsmooth.

The recipes above have been adapted and reprintedfrom the following sources:www.food.comwww.smoothierecipies.netwww.allrecipes.comLa Montanita Co-op Deli Staff

grilling & chilling July 2007 11

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farming & gardening July 2007 12

BY BRETT BAKKER

Organic Certification is based not only on the farmer’s practices butan on-site inspection during which every aspect of the operationis scrutinized: crops, seed, equipment, records & logs, fertiliza-

tion, pest control and more. The logistics of coordinatingon-site visits can get complicated with inspectors tryingto locate out of the way places. I’ve driven in circles, forexample, around eastern New Mexico where landmarksare few and the boundary between us and Texas can getmighty fluid at times. Cell phone service is spotty androads aren’t always clearly marked for us city folk.Eventually through the grace of neighbors (who may befive or ten miles distant), a hard-traveling postman or theinfrequent grocery/feed store, directions are given, evento a “government man” whose presence is always suspectin rural areas.

That in mind, picture this: remote coffee or sugar canefields, orchards of mango or bananas in a so-called“developing” country. Roads may be little more thanburro trails. Spanish could be the farmer’s second lan-guage (his first language being a native dialect different from the oneten miles away) and English rarely heard. The farm doesn’t fit ourWestern outlook of clean cultivated orderly rows. It’s like the botanicexplorers of old asking the “natives” where their fields were, whilestanding in their midst. Although we pay top dollar for their exportedspecialties, the campesino’s return could be less than $1000 U.S. annu-ally, an income not even close to covering organic application fees, the

inspector’s expense and travel costs to say nothingof investing in the farm’s needs, not to mention sup-porting the family.

What has developed then (in place of the vast for-eign-owned conglomerate farms of the not too dis-tant past) is a collective that works each plot indi-vidually but farms using the same methods & inputs

under a manager who oversees the group for uni-formity and compliance with USDA/NationalOrganic Program rules.

The problem is that each group could be comprisedof a dozen or a hundred farmers spread over manyhectares and kilometers, often with jungle, banditsand poisonous creepy crawlers in between. Formany years, an actual on-site inspection of on aver-age 20% of the collective per year has been thenorm. As I write, this practice is being revisited bythe USDA/NOP in an attempt to prevent misrepre-sentation and fraud within organics.

Many folks react in horror over the fact that a mere20% of an organic crop might be actually inspectedeach year, but this is really no different than the per-

centage of testing for, say, packaged hamburger orinternational shipping containers feeding the gapingWal-Mart maw. But for those of us who value“organic” as more than a commodity, observationof less than each farm seems unthinkable. Indeed,this is not the organic practice within the U.S. Thegrower group exception was created for a very spe-cific geo-cultural framework.

Unfortunately, this exception has been used to certifya very large U.S. organic retailer where only a smallportion of hundreds of locations receive an on-siteinspection. In an even more chilling example, asgrower-group oriented China steps up its productionto meet the demand for cheap organic food fromWal-Mart, Target and other mega-stores, circumven-tion of the rules (to put it nicely) has been identified.As well, the recent specter of toxins present in non-organic pet foods and toothpaste from China hasraised fears that, without closer scrutiny, this care-lessness might carry over into the organic sector.

Taking input from dozens of worldwide certifica-tion agencies, hundreds of organic food processorsand suppliers as well as individuals, the USDA/NOPis tackling how best to deal with this situation. Theestablishment of one exception within a set of rulesleads to justifying how and why not to extend thatexception to others. Like your mom said, If I giveyou some ice cream before supper, I’ll have to givesome to your brothers and sisters too.

Rest assured some good minds and conscientiouspeople are involved in this issue. A tightening up ofthe group exception (which is clearly needed) willhave the eventual effect of raising the price you payfor organic commodities such as bananas, sugar,coffee and chocolate. Keep in mind that these prod-ucts were once considered luxuries for the very samereasons that inspecting them is problematic: remotelocales and a different cultural context.

Keeping Tabs on INDUSTRIAL ORGANIC

COMMODITY

itchy green

thumb

After a seven-year-long battle betweenorganic farmers and consumers and theUSDA, the first of a handful of industrial-

scale dairies, producing what they claimed was organic milk, has been shut down by regulato-ry authorities. In early June the Vander Eyk Jr.Dairy, a 10,000-cow feedlot dairy, near Fresno incentral California, was found to be operating out-side of the organic lawand has had their certifi-cate to produce organicmilk suspended.

In early 2005, The Cornu-copia Institute, an organ-ic watchdog non-profitorganication, filed thefirst of a series of formallegal complaints with theUSDA against large factory-farm operators,including Vander Eyk, alleging that the mam-moth "factory farms" were violating the spirit and let-ter of the organic law by confining their animals topens and sheds rather than grazing them.

According to governmental regulators the dairy lostits ability to ship organic milk in May, after receivinga notice of suspension from its USDA-accreditedcertifier, Quality Assurance International (QAI), forserious questions surrounding the record-keepingsuch as assuring that cows are actually managedorganically (without antibiotics and hormones), fedorganically produced feed (without toxic pesticidesand herbicides), and are allowed to graze rather thanbeing confined in a feedlot.

The Vander Eyk dairy is an aberration not only in sizebut because it is also a "split" operation milking bothorganic and conventional cattle in the same facility.Although not specifically banned by law, mostorganic milk marketers prohibit split operations andrequire their farms to be 100% organic. Split opera-tions leave too much opportunity for error or poten-tial fraud.

QAI has been widely criticized in the organic indus-try for certifying Vander Eyk and a number of other

large industrial-scale dairies in the desertlike condi-tions of the West, where cattle have little if any accessto pasture. The Cornucopia Institute has also filed legalcomplaints against dairies owned by Dean Foods(Horizon Organics), which owns an 8000-head dairy in

Idaho, and Aurora Organic Dairy, milking thousandsof cows in Texas and Colorado, which produces

private-label milk for grocerychains including Wild Oats,Trader Joe's, Safeway, andWal-Mart. Until recently DeanFoods, the industry leader,was purchasing some of itsorganic milk from Vander Eyk.

“It's excellent to see QAI ful-filling their responsibilityunder the organic law and

protecting the interest of farmers and consumers,”said Lisa McCrory, a certification expert with 13 yearsof experience for Northeast Organic FarmingAssociation of Vermont. “This is an example of thesystem working as it was designed—organic inspec-tors uncovering problems and protecting the publicby shutting down farmers or processors if problemsare discovered.”

In addition to concerns about animal welfare, VanderEyk also paid out $360,000 in January 2005 as part ofa court-supervised settlement with their mostlyHispanic employees who had accused the dairy ofexploitive employment practices.

The Cornucopia Institute says that the good newsabout organic dairy products is that the vast majorityare produced with high integrity and meet the spiritand letter of the organic law. In 2006 they published acomprehensive report and scorecard (to see thereport go to http://cornucopia.org/pasture/?page_id=106) that rated the 70 organic dairy brands, over90% of which received an excellent score. For moreinformation go to www.cornucopia.org.

Watchdog Coalition Demanding ORGANIC INTEGRITY Prevails

KEEPING ORGANICORGANIC

MORE THAN A

farming & gardening July 2007 13

Nine: Once the job begins, make frequent inspections of the workin progress. This is critical. And ASK questions.

Ten: It’s your money, your responsibility to maintain, and yourview. And the right contractor should make it their priority to seethat it all works together to your satisfaction.

Disclaimer: Only landscape architects must be licensed in this state.Landscape contractors may or may not carry insurance or be bonded. Notall licensed and bonded companies perform better than individuals nor areall individuals without training, expertise and experience. REFERRALS fromtrusted sources are your best source of service providers.

State of New Mexico, Regulation and Licensing department, ConstructionIndustries Division, Santa Fe: (505)-827-7030 • Board of LandscapeArchitects: (505)-827-7095 • Better Business Bureau of the Southwest(505) 346-0110 • Website: http://www.bbbsw.org

Yvonne Scott has danced all around the industry in various capaci-ties and learned from her own mistakes. She is a consultant on land-scape restoration for TerrawoRx, LLC, a distributor for Soil Secretsorganic soil restoration products manufactured in New Mexico. Shecan be reached at 907-9070.

BY YVONNE SCOTT

The ads and business cards seem to propagatehourly with the same enticing titles: “Xeric”Landscaping Services; “Sustainable” Garden

Design; or “We do ‘Permaculture’ design AND Xericinstallation.” Wow! It all sounds so, so organic andGREEN. And that can sometimes be the hook to pullyour greenbacks into a big black spending hole.

Anyone can list the words“xeric,” “sustainable” or “permaculture” on abrochure, business card or website. So how do you,the unsuspecting or newly transplanted homeowner,decide to trust someone to transform all that rock andplastic into something aesthetically pleasing?

Finding an ethical and competent landscape contrac-tor may be as simple as asking your neighbors or co-workers. Referrals are the very best way to locateanything. If referrals are lacking, let me offer a fewpoints to help you sort out the more reliable gardenand landscaping companies from the weekend weed-whackers.

One: Do they know the seven principles of perma-culture? Or the seven principles of xeric design andthe five components of sustainability in the land-scape? Better yet can you? Many landscape contrac-tors learn on the job and through continuing educa-tion. Ask about their training and the longevity oftheir company. But if you don’t know what theseterms mean, how can you tell if they are doing whatthey advertise?

Two: Decide what you want to accomplish withyour landscape. Define your budget knowing you cando more later on. Stick to it and the company you hireshould work WITH you not throw larger and largernumbers at you to brow beat you into agreeing totheir price... and their design.

Three: Design it yourself first. Make a simple roughdraft. Note what is already there that you like andwhat you want changed. What is the overall feelingyou need when you’re outside? Need to block outunsightly house next door? Too much rock? (ALWAYSa problem in new development.) No irrigation or inap-propriate system? Make lists of plants, trees, veggies,herbs. And don’t be in a hurry. Often it’s better to do alittle at a time rather than all of it at once.

Four: Get at least three written,detailed estimates before you committo one. The estimate should list allthe plant materials to be installedincluding number and size and wherethe material will be purchased. Itshould list the time to completion.The estimate should also note anysoil amendments they recommend orother products they will use duringthe installation. Compare prices onplants and supplies on your own.Know what these items cost beforeyou contract.

Five: Ask about a contractor’s license, liability andworkman’s comp insurance. Check their license tomake sure it’s in good standing and the BetterBusiness Bureau for outstanding complaints or suits.(According to the BBB, landscape contractors wereNOT in the list of top five complaints for 2005, sothat’s good news.)

Six: Ask to visit some of the projects they have doneand speak to the owners if possible.

Seven: Review the contract which should include allitems proposed in the estimate along with changesagreed on. Visit the nurseries with the contractor toview plant choices. Ask if the plants are warranted.Some are, some aren’t. Does the contract provideinformation on the type of irrigation work to bedone, a full disclosure of how to operate it or howoften the company will service it, how frequently theemitters/bubblers or drippers need to be checked,repaired or moved as the plant grows? GOOD com-panies will do this for you. Insist on understandingthe watering system and the plant’s requirementsbefore you write the check.

Eight: Agree on a deposit. This provides for the pur-chase of materials, supplies and renting equipment ifnecessary. The remainder should be paid at the satis-factory completion of the contract.

Looking for a good

Landscape

Finding an ETHICAL ANDCOMPETENTlandscape contractor may be as simple as asking your neighbors or co-workers.

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I t’s hot! You’re thirsty! And with the "USDA Organic" seal stampedon its label, you figure it’s fine to reach for an ice cold brewski togo with your grass fed-organic burger that smells so good on the

grill. So you reach for a “Wild Hop Lager” fromAnheuser-Busch.

But Anheuser-Busch got the organic blessingeven though Wild Hop Lager uses hopsgrown with chemical fertilizers and sprayedwith pesticides. And they are just one of thenumerous big companies that have jumpedon the $16.9 billion-a-year in sales organicbandwagon as increasingly aware consumerscall for healthier and more environmentallysustainable choices.

What’s in OrganicAs noted by the Los Angeles Times in early June “with big compa-nies entering what was formerly a mom-and-pop industry, newquestions have been raised about what exactly goes into organicfood. The USDA has proposed a sweeping rule change that wouldallow 38 non-organic ingredients to be used in organic foods.Because of the broad uses of these ingredients — as spices, coloringsand flavorings, for example — almost any type of manufacturedfood could be affected.”

The Organic Consumers Association among others is fighting tokeep organic standards strong. "This proposal is blatant catering topowerful industry players who want the benefits of labeling theirproducts 'USDA organic' without doing the work to source organ-ic materials," said Ronnie Cummins, executive director of theOrganic Consumers Association of Finland, Minn.

Many non-organic ingredients, including hops, are already being used in organic products, thanks to a USDA interpretation

of the Organic Foods Protection Act of 1990.This spring the USDA released a proposed listof 38 ingredients to be allowed in processedorganic foods. In addition to hops, the listincludes 19 food colorings, two starches,sausage and hot-dog casings and a host of

obscure ingredients, including a sweet-ener with the tongue-twisting name offructooligosaccharides.

The proposed rule would allow up to 5 percentof a food product to be made with these ingredi-ents and still get the "USDA Organic" seal. Evenhops, although a major component of beer's fla-vor, is less than 5 percent of the final product,because the beverage is mostly water. TheAnheuser-Bush company is being allowed by theUSDA to use the chemically grown hops as theysay they can’t source enough organic hops tomake their beer to use the “USDA Organic”label. But other brewing companies say there areplenty of organic hops on the market if you arewilling to pay the price. For more info go towww.organicconsumers.org

Organic Beeris it really?

The problem of cancer causing-benzene turning upin sodas seems to pop up in the U.S. with alarmingregularity. In late May, theFDA reported that it tested100 sodas and found un-acceptable levels of theknown carcinogen in five ofthe drinks. Some of thesedrinks had benzene levelsnearly 100 times that whichis considered safe by theEPA for drinking water.The toxin is formed when a soda manufactureruses two ingredients that can react to form ben-zene: ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate orpotassium benzoate.

Soda companies found to have dangerous levels ofbenzene have vowed to reformulate their drinks.

In the meantime, boycott the beverages listedhere and consider avoiding any soda with the"toxic two" ingredients, found in an astound-ingly high number of popular drinks. (As a note,

beverages labeled as "organic" cannotcontain these ingredients.)

Cancer Causing Benzene in Soda Drinks

Sodas Found to ContainCarcinogenic Benzene:

• Safeway Select Diet Orange • AquaCalStrawberry Flavored Water Beverage• Crystal Light Sunrise Classic Orange • Giant Light Cranberry Juice Cocktail

• Crush PineappleLearn more:

www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_5422.cfm

wwhhaatt’’ssiinn iitt?

deadlydrinks??

community forum July 2007 15

Regional

LISA HUMMON, DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE

A l Gore is on the mission of a lifetime to edu-cate the world about the climate crisis. Firstthere was his slideshow, given one city at a

time. Then the documentary, AnInconvenient Truth, that took themessage from the slideshow far andwide. Now he has teamed up withKevin Wall, producer of Live 8, anevent to combat poverty, to put onanother massive event, this time toinspire individuals, corporations, andgovernments all over the world to actnow to solve the climate crisis.

Live Earth is a 24-hour series of concerts, one on eachof the world’s seven continents, all on 7/7/07. The con-certs will feature over 150 of the world’s top musicians,including The Police, Dave Matthews Band, Genesis,Kelly Clarkson, Jack Johnson, Madonna, Kanye West,

Bon Jovi, Ludacris, Melissa Ethridge, Alicia Keys,Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, and more.

On the North American continent, the concert will takeplace in New York City. But even though wehere in New Mexico don’t have a concert tak-ing place close to us, we can still take part inLive Earth. The concerts will be streamed viasatellite feed, shown on MSN’s website, andthe NYC concert will be aired on NBC.

Several events are taking place in Al-buquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, and else-where. You may have the opportunity toattend a viewing at a neighbor’s house, your

local theater, sports bar, or possibly even a casino.

To find an event in your area, and to learn more aboutthe concerts, visit: www.LiveEarth.org. Or contactlhummon@defenders.org, or (505) 248-0118 x5.

BY RICHARD KUJAWSKI

T he 3rd Annual NM Bioneers SatelliteConference takes place this year October19-21 at the College of Santa Fe. With

more than 600 attendees expected each day, this isthe largest conference in New Mexicothat addresses local environmental andsocial justice issues. The conferencecombines a live satellite downlink ofspeeches by 15 nationally and interna-tionally renowned leaders from thenational Bioneers Conference inCalifornia with more than 30 excitinglocal workshops and demonstrations.

The conference organizer is the NewMexico Bioneers Conference, a NewMexico non-profit independent of, but working inassociation with, the national Bioneers organiza-tion. The conference is designed to bring togetherNM citizens to inspire and educate them, and toalso create a place for New Mexico communitiesand organizations to connect, collaborate, and cre-ate cross-community support for the pressing issueswe face in the state.

The Bioneers, headquartered in Lamy, NM, is anorganization that promotes practical environmen-tal solutions and innovative social strategies forrestoring the Earth and communities, catalyzing

and connecting networks of restoration in theareas of environment, health, social justice andspirit. Bioneers plenary speakers offer solutionsand hope, demonstrating how one person canmake a difference. (To find out about the

Bioneers: www.bioneers.org.)

More than 30 local workshopsare planned during the confer-ence. This local programmingis generated through a series ofcommunity outreach meetingsheld throughout the state.These public meetings are cur-rently being scheduled for Julyin Albuquerque and Santa Fe,as well as in Taos, Espanola,

Los Alamos, Las Cruces, and Farmington.Please visit www.nmconference. org/bioneers fordetails about the community outreach meetings.

The co-organizers, Amy Pilling and RichardKujawski, are also seeking many other types ofinvolvement, including sponsors, nonprofitpartners, and a variety of volunteers to helpwith graphic design, website support, publicrelations, and other services. Call 505-428-1227 to discuss how you would like to beinvolved in this year's exciting conference.

CONNECT, COLLABORATE, CO-CREATE

The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center will be offering two programs in July. On July7th from 1-2 pm learn to identify some of the unique species of plants and suc-culents indigenous to the area. Then on July 21 join Native Seed/SEARCH, anon-profit organization dedicated to preserving the crop seeds that connectNative American cultures to the land for a workshop on Preserving Seeds andCrops for Future Generations. Both workshops are free with admission to theCultural Center. For more information call 843-7270 or www.indianpueblo.org

Bio Dynamics: Life Force EnergyThe Pueblo of Tesuque is bringing Steve Storch, of Water Mill, N.Y. to give atwo day workshop on the art and science of bio-dymanics. For more informa-tion contact the Pueblo of Tesuque Agricultural Resources at 505-955-7723.

Community Connection NNaattiivvee FFooooddss && WWeellllnneessss

Live Earth Concertsto Reach Billions World Wide

Bioneers Conference OrganizersWantYour Input

PEACE PAL—Member Initiative for World peaceLongtime La Montanita Co-op member Sarah Constantin is going global. She has created an international pen-pal organizationfor kids and young adults, called PeacePal. "PeacePal was created to provide an avenue for ongoing dialogue on how we eachcan create peace in our daily lives." Kids and young adults in the US are connected with someone their age in another country.They write to each other about their lives and how they are learning to create peace at home, at school and at work.

"The aim of PeacePal is to create a world of connected, service-oriented leaders committed to and experienced in the art ofpeace." Older kids and young adults also have the option to apply for international service field trips organized by PeacePal todeveloping countries. If you would like to find out more, go to the website www.peacepal.org, or give Sarah a call at 255-2042. Letters can be sent to P.O. Box 6691, Albuquerque, NM 87197.

SSeerriieess

www.peacepal.org