coop

Your Co-op Susta in ing Local and Organic farmers for 30 years

by Marion Nestle

TT he benefit of eating organic food is not so much whatit does for you, but what it does for the environment.Despite being a long-time analyst of the politics of nutri-

tion, I must confess to a rather late interest in organic foods.Ironically, my epiphany came as a result of an encounter withGeneral Mills, a Minneapolis-based leading global manufacturerand marketer of consumer foods products. In 2003, I was invitedto give a talk on my book, Food Politics, at a meeting of theOrganic Trade Association (OTA) in Texas. With “organic” in thetitle, I assumed I would be speaking to an audience of counter-culture farmers. Wrong. I was introduced by a vice-president ofGeneral Mills. At that moment, I understood that organic foodsare no mere fad; they are big business.

Just how big is a matter of debate. By some estimates organicsbrought in $20 billion in the United States alone in 2004.Corporations like General Mills know that organics constitute thefastest-growing segment of the food industry. Since 1990, saleshave gone up by about 20% a year – a gigantic rate by industrystandards. Organics may amount to just a tiny fraction of totalfood sales – estimates range from 1% to 8% – but that fraction isrising. Most important of all, Americans are willing to pay morefor organic foods. No wonder every big food company wants toget into this business.

To consider organics a passing fancy would be a serious error.Organic farming methods constitute a principled and fundamen-tal critique of the current system of industrial agriculture. Thissystem wastes resources, pollutes the environment, raises ani-mals in unsanitary and inhumane conditions, externalizes everypossible cost and is based on only one rationale — producingthe largest amount of food possible at the lowest possible cost,regardless of consequences for health or the environment. At a time when rising rates of obesity are a worldwide public health problem, the accumulation of vast quantities of inexpen-sive, high-calorie foods may no longer be in any country’s bestinterest.

Certified OrganicThe Certified Organic label on a food means that the producers ofthe food followed these rules: they did not use any synthetic pes-ticides, herbicides, or fertilizers to grow crops or feed for animals;they did not use crops or feed that had been genetically modified,fertilized with sewage sludge or irradiated; they did not feed ani-mals the by-products of other animals; they gave animals accessto the outdoors and treated them humanely; and they wereinspected to make sure they followed therules in letter and in spirit.

Opponents of organic methods – and there aremany – work hard to cast doubts on the relia-bility of organic certification, to weaken thestandards (so there really will be something todoubt), and to make consumers questionwhether organics are better than industriallygrown foods and worth a higher price.

I cannot count the number of times I havebeen asked whether the “organic seal” reallymeans anything. It does. Ask any organicinspector, produce manager, farmer, or meat,egg or strawberry producer, and you immedi-ately realize how hard they work to adhere tostandards. Trust is essential, and they earn it.As for attempts to weaken the organic stan-

dards, think relentless. My take: if organ-ic standards require eternal vigilance toprotect, they must be good and worthdefending.

Given the potential size of the organicmarket, it is easy to understand why crit-ics are enraged by the idea that produc-ing foods organically might be better foryou or the planet. They say that organicmethods reduce productivity, are elitist,threaten food security, are an environ-mental disaster and are unsafe. Becauseresearch on these charges is limited,they are easy to make but hard to refute.

Less is moreBut some questions about organics havebeen researched and do have clearanswers. One is productivity. As early as the mid-1970s, studies questioned the idea that agriculturalefficiency depends on inputs of fertilizers and pesti-cides. In 1981, a careful review of such studies con-cluded that farmers who converted from convention-al to organic methods experienced small declines inyields, but these losses were offset by lower fuelcosts and better conserved soils.

More recent studies confirm these results. Overall,investigations show that organic farms are nearly asproductive, leave the soils healthier and use energymore efficiently than conventional methods. Theproductivity issue seems settled. Organics do lesswell, but the difference is small.

If crops are grown without pesticides, you wouldexpect fewer pesticides to get into the environment,foods to contain less of them, and adults and childrenwho eat organic foods to have lower levels of pesti-

cides in their bodies. Research confirms theseconnections. Pesticides are demonstrablyharmful to farm workers and to “non-target”wildlife, and they accumulate in soils for ages.These are reasons enough to eat less of them. Critics question the safety of organic methodsthat use manure as fertilizer. But organic stan-dards require farmers to treat manure to makesure harmful microbes are destroyed, and theyare inspected to make sure they do so. Growersof conventional vegetables do not have to fol-low such rules, nor are they held to them. I amaware of only one study that compared levelsof microbial contaminants on foods grownorganically and not. This found evidence offecal contaminants on 2% of conventionallygrown produce, 4% of Certified Organic pro-duce and 11% of produce said to be organic,but not certified. The difference between the

first two was not significant. The higher levels on thethird suggest that certification means something. Iknow of no reason why Certified Organic foods shouldbe less safe, and several why they would be safer.

Better for you? Do organic methods confer special nutritional bene-fits? If organic foods are grown on better soils, you

National Organic Month

Celebrating the OrCelebrating the Organic Harganic Harvestvest

Overall, investigations show that organic farms are nearly asproductive, leave the soils healthier and use energy moreefficiently than conventional methods

In Praise of the Organic Environment

YOUR CO-OPWWANTSANTS YOU!YOU!La Montanita Co-op needs a few good people• Travel to various Co-op communities • meet interesting and interested people • help guide the growth of New Mexico’s Cooperative Economic Network.

Run for your Co-op Board of Directors! Pick up a Board Candidate Packet at any of the four Coop locations.More info: contact Marshall at 256-1241 or bod@lamontanitacoop.com

would expect them to be more nutritious, and you would be right.This is easily shown for minerals because plants take them updirectly from the soil. But plants make their own vitamins andphytonutrients, and those levels depend on genetic strain or treat-ment post-harvest. The idea that organic soils improve nutrition-al values has much appeal, and organic producers would dearlylove to prove it. I cannot think of any reason why organicallygrown foods would have fewer nutrients than conventionallygrown foods, and I have no trouble thinking of several reasonswhy they might have more, but it is hard to demonstrate that thedifference has any measurable effect on health.

NN evertheless, a few intrepid investigators have com-pared the nutrient content of foods grown organicallyand conventionally. These show, as expected, that

organic foods grown on good soils have more minerals thanfoods grown on poorer soils. They also show that organic peach-es and pears have somewhat higher levels of vitamins C and E,and organic berries and corn have higher levels of protectiveantioxidants. In general, the studies all point to slightly higher lev-els of nutrients in organically grown foods. This may be helpful formarketing purposes, but is not really the reason why organics areimportant.

Are foods better if they are organic? Of course they are, but not pri-marily because of nutrition. Their true value comes from what theydo for farm workers in lower pesticide exposure, for soils inenrichment and conservation, for water supplies in less fertilizerrunoff, for animals in protection against microbial diseases andmad cow disease, for fish in protection against contamination withorganic hydrocarbons, and for other such environmental factors.

My guess is that researchers will eventually be able to proveorganic foods marginally more nutritious than those grown con-ventionally, and such findings might make it easier to sell them. Inthe meantime, there are plenty of other good reasons to chooseorganic foods, and I do.

Marion NestleMarion Nestle is the Paulette Goddard Professor in the Departmentof Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health at New YorkUniversity, which she chaired from 1988-2003. She has been amember of the FDA Food Advisory Committee and Science Board,and American Cancer Society committee. Nestle is the author ofFood Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition andHealth (2002) and Safe Food: Bacteria, Biotechnology, andBioterrorism (2003), both from University of California Press.

Thanks to Global Agenda Magazine for reprint permission.Check out Global Agenda Magazine on the web at www.global-agenda.org

Co-op chileroast!pg 6

Deadline forSubmission ofCandidacyOctober 1,2005

ororganicsganicsare better!

increased farm energy use, allowed larger water withdrawals, and contributedto aquifer depletion worldwide. As water tables drop, ever more powerfulpumps must be used, perpetuating and increasing the oil requirements for irri-gation. More-efficient irrigation systems, such as low-pressure and drip irriga-tion, and precision soil moisture testing could reduce agricultural water andenergy needs. But in many countries, government subsidies keep water artifi-cially cheap and readily available.

Countering the historical trend toward more energy-intensive farm mechaniza-tion has been the adoption of conservation tillage methods—leaving cropresidues on the ground to minimize wind and water erosion and soil moistureloss. Soil quality is improved through this technique, while farm fuel use andirrigation needs are lowered. Zero-till farming is practiced on 90 millionhectares worldwide, over half of which are in the United States and Brazil.Reduced tillage is now used on 41 percent of U.S. cropland.

Although agriculture is finding ways to use less energy, the amount consumedbetween the farm gate and the kitchen table continues to rise. While 21 percentof overall food system energy is used in agricultural production, another 14percent goes to food transport, 16 percent to processing, 7 percent to packag-ing, 4 percent to food retailing, 7 percent to restaurants and caterers, and 32percent to home refrigeration and preparation.

Food today travels farther than ever, with fruits andvegetables in western industrial countries often log-ging 2,500–4,000 kilometers from farm to store.Increasingly open world markets combined withlow fuel prices allow the import of fresh produceyear-round, regardless of season or location. But asfood travels farther, energy use soars. Truckingaccounts for the majority of food transport, thoughit is nearly 10 times more energy-intensive thanmoving goods by rail or barge. Refrigerated jumbojets—60 times more energy-intensive than seatransport—constitute a small but growing sector offood transport, helping supply northern hemispheremarkets with fresh produce from places like Chile,South Africa, and New Zealand.

PP rocessed foods now make up three-fourths of total world food sales. Onepound (0.45 kilograms) of frozen fruits

or vegetables requires 825 kilocalories of energy for processing and 559 kilo-calories for packaging, plus energy for refrigeration during transport, at thestore, and in homes. Processing a one-pound can of fruits or vegetables takesan average 261 kilocalories, and packaging adds 1,006 kilocalories, thanks tothe high energy intensity of mining and manufacturing steel. Processing break-fast cereals requires 7,125 kilocalories per pound—easily five times as muchenergy as is contained in the cereal itself.

Most fresh produce and minimally processed grains, legumes, and sugarsrequire very little packaging, particularly if bought in bulk. Processed foods, onthe other hand, are often individually wrapped, bagged and boxed, or similarlyover-packaged. This flashy packaging requires large amounts of energy and rawmaterials to produce yet almost all of it ends up in our landfills. Food retail oper-ations, such as supermarkets and restaurants, require massive amounts ofenergy for refrigeration and food preparation. The replacement of neighborhoodshops by “super” stores means consumers must drive farther to buy their foodand rely more heavily on refrigeration to store food between shopping trips.Due to their preference for large contracts and homogenous supply, most gro-cery chains are reluctant to buy from local or small farms. Instead, food isshipped from distant large-scale farms and distributors—adding again to trans-port, packaging, and refrigeration energy needs.

Sustainable SolutionsRather than propping up fossil-fuel-intensive, long-distance food systemsthrough oil, irrigation, and transport subsidies, governments could promotesustainable agriculture, locally grown foods, and energy-efficient transporta-tion. Incentives to use environmentally friendly farming methods such as con-servation tillage, organic fertilizer application, and integrated pest managementcould reduce farm energy use significantly. Rebate programs for energy-effi-cient appliances and machinery for homes, retail establishments, processors,

by Danielle Murray

FF rom farm to plate, the modern food system reliesheavily on cheap oil. Threats to our oil supply arealso threats to our food supply. As food undergoes

more processing and travels farther, the food system con-sumes ever more energy each year.

The U.S. food system uses over 10 quadrillion Btu (10,551quadrillion Joules) of energy each year, as much as France’stotal annual energy consumption. Growing food accounts foronly one fifth of this. The other four fifths is used to move,process, package, sell, and store food after it leaves the farm.Some 28 percent of energy used in agriculture goes to fertil-izer manufacturing, 7 percent goes to irrigation, and 34 per-cent is consumed as diesel and gasoline by farm vehiclesused to plant, till, and harvest crops. The rest goes to pesti-cide production, grain drying, and facility operations.

The past half-century has witnessed a tripling in world grainproduction—from 631 million tons in 1950 to 2,029 milliontons in 2004. While 80 percent of the increase is due to pop-ulation growth raising demand, the remainder can be attrib-

uted to more people eating higher up the food chain, increas-ing per capita grain consumption by 24 percent. New graindemand has been met primarily by raising land productivitythrough higher-yielding crop varieties in conjunction withmore oil-intensive mechanization, irrigation, and fertilizer use,rather than by expanding cropland.

Crop production now relies on fertilizers to replace soil nutri-ents, and therefore on the oil needed to mine, manufacture, andtransport these fertilizers around the world. Rock deposits inthe United States, Morocco, China, and Russia meet two thirdsof world phosphate demand, while Canada, Russia, andBelarus account for half of potash mine production. Nitrogenfertilizer production, which relies heavily on natural gas to syn-thesize atmospheric nitrogen, is much more widely dispersed.

World fertilizer use has increased dramatically since the1950s. China is now the top consumer with use rising beyond40 million tons in 2004. Fertilizer use has leveled off in theUnited States, staying near 19 million tons per year since1984. India’s use also has stabilized at around 16 million tonsper year since 1998. More energy-efficient fertilizer produc-tion technology and precision monitoring of soil nutrientneeds have cut the amount of energy needed to fertilizecrops, but there is still more room for improvement. As oilprices increase and the price of fertilizer rises, there will be apremium on closing the nutrient cycle and replacing synthet-ic fertilizer with organic waste.

The use of mechanical pumps to irrigate crops has allowedfarms to prosper in the middle of the desert. It also has

national organic month

A Community - Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store

La Montanita CooperativeAlbuquerque/Nob Hill3500 Central S.E.Albuq., NM 87106 265-4631

Albuquerque/Valley2400 Rio Grande Blvd.Albuq., NM 87104 242-8800

Gallup105 E. Coal Gallup, NM 87301 863-5383

Santa Fe 913 West Alameda Santa Fe, NM 87501 984-2852

Administrative Staff: 505-217-2001General Manager/C.E. Pugh x113ce@lamontanitacoop.comAccounting/Toni Fragua x102tonif@lamontanitacoop.comBusiness Development/Steve Watts x114Computers/Info Technology/Mark Bieri x108 computers@lamontanitacoop.comHuman Resources/Sharret Rose x107hr@lamontanitacoop.comMarketing/Edite Cates x104editec@lamontanitacoop.comMembership/Robyn Seydel x105memb@lamontanitacoop.com

Store Team Leaders: Michelle Franklin/Nob Hill 265-4631mf@lamontanitacoop.comJohn Mulle/Valley 242-8800jm@lamontanitacoop.comWilliam Prokopiack/Santa Fe 984-2852willpro@lamontanitacoop.comTim Hankins/Gallup 863-5383th@lamontanitacoop.com

Co-op Board of Directors:email: bod@lamontanitacoop.comPresident: Martha WhitmanVice President: Marshall KovitzTreasurer: Ken O’BrienSecretary: Julie Hicks Roger Eldridge

John Kwait Tamara SaimonsAndrew StoneTom Hammer

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

Co-op Connection Staff:Managing Editor: Robyn Seydelmemb@lamontanitacoop.comLayout and Design: foxyrock incCovers and Centerfold: Edite CatesAdvertising: Robyn Seydel Printing: Vanguard Press

Membership information is available at all four Co-op locations, or call 217-2027email: memb@lamontanitacoop.com

Membership response to the newsletter is appreciated. Address typed, double-spaced copy to the Managing Editor, memb@lamontanitacoop.comwebsite: www.lamontanitacoop.org

Copyright © 2005La Montanita Co-op SupermarketReprints by prior permission.

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

CO-OPYOU OWN IT

Food,Food, OilOil andandSustainableSustainable SolutionsSolutions

2 september 2005

sustainable solutions forffoooodd sseeccuurriittyy

New Member Appreciation Special!

All new and renew members (Lifetime members too!) getthree $5 gift certificates to enjoy lunch or dinner at Scalo’s.One set of coupons per household membership, and onecoupon ($5) per outing to Scalos please. Check out their seasonally changing menus with lots of local, organic produceat www.scalonobhill.com.

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Continued on page 12

national organic month

by Brett Bakker, Chief Inspector, NM Organic Commodities Commission

II f you’ve followed my rants and raves herewith any regularity (poor you!) you mayhave noticed a fair amount of bashing of the

organic certification process and the organicindustry in general. Well, things aren’t as bad asall that, not really.

Any of us who’ve been involved withgrowing, buying, selling or certifyingorganic food for any length of time (overtwo decades sure makes me feel old!)never envisioned the organic industry as itexists today.

What were we thinking?! Idealists, weimagined there would be food co-ops ineach section of town supplied by nearbyfarms with plenty to go around. That de-centralization model certainly hasn’ttaken hold since no matter how dedicat-ed your local co-op is to supporting local producers,there just aren’t the farms here to supply, say, organ-ic garbanzo beans year round or dairies of organicmilk or even the infrastructure (or climate!) to sup-port grain silos, rice paddies or what have you. So ifyou want organic bananas and organic half-and-halfavailable year round (if sales are any indication, mostof you do), the “food industry” must be involved.

Which brings me back to that bashing thing. No mat-ter the irregularities, inanity and minutiae of theorganic regulations, it’s what we’ve got to work withand it works better than I might’ve led you to believe.Even the most die-hard keep-government-out-of-organic-certification people I know still buy certifiedorganic food.

I’ve gone on long enough about the system’s flaws(I’ll be back with more later on, believe me) but whatare its strengths?

First (don’t kid yourself) is the bottom line. Organicfarmers can make a better living than the non-organ-ic farmer—and besides the dollar aspect, you cancount clean land and not poisoning your farm work-ers, your kids, yourself and your community as abonus. But generally speaking, although farming is agreat way to make a true and clean living, it’s a mis-erable way to make a living wage. Never ask a farmer

TToo BashBash oror NotNot toto BashBash

september 2005 3

what they make per hour. They don’t want to know. I mean, you givethe cable guy more money than the farmer can expect to make.

Don’t forget too that farms pay to be certified organic with cold cashas well as time and effort spent on paperwork that they’d rather useweeding or fixing that broken spring tooth harrow. There are farmersand ranchers in New Mexico who’ve told me that without certifica-tion, they’d have to shut the operation down and maybe even sell thefarm. And yes, I’ve seen it happen.

Second is the GMO question. It’s atricky one but since most ofagribusiness is opposed to labelingfood products with geneticallymodified ingredients at all, anorganic certification is still the bestbet you have. Keep in mind thatcontrary to popular belief, organiccertification is process-based ratherthan a guarantee of purity. That is,the cert process verifies that thefarm in question has done every-

thing right, that no GMOs were used in the production of the foodwhether seed, fertilization or pest control.

CC ontamination by cross-pollination or accidental mixing at thesilo can and does occur. If certifiers are doing their job correct-ly, they make sure that testing occurs as needed. Since New

Mexico hasn’t any large corn or soy production, we have little to worryabout. But for instance, I’ve inspected an organic corn chip processorin TX that tests each and every truckload of corn for GMO content asit rolls in, a time consuming and costly process for all involved: first thetruck has to be stopped to take the sample that enters the lab and goesthrough tests while the truck and trucker wait to unload the corn. Anidle truck always loses money for somebody somewhere. In an hour ortwo, if the corn is clean, its dumped into the organic silo. If its not, itgoes into the non-organic bin where the organic price premium to thesupplier is lost. Or the load may be refused altogether and sent back.Then the tracking process begins to find out just where the GMO con-tamination took place: truck, railyard, silo, farm? Good thing we policywanks insisted on all that darn paperwork all along, eh? Again, some-body’s picking up the tab for all this which makes them in turn raisetheir prices to cover such unexpected costs.

I guess I’ve gone on about economic considerations here so long I’verun out of room. But a cleaner healthier environment is a given as thebasis for organic farming. But since the organic method runs counterto every bit of conventional wisdom in agribusiness, costs skyrocket.Maybe it shouldn’t be that way. Maybe farms should instead be certi-fied to allow the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers andGMOs… but I guess I’m just being idealistic again.

TT he real reason the majority of people in this country are still eating pes-ticides is not because the effects of pesticides on health have not beenclearly documented but because power has been wielded over mass

food production in the interests of corporate gain. The vast majority of conven-tionally grown food is produced by huge farm operations, many of which are underthe influence (and/or ownership) of large chemical corporations. These huge corpo-rations have considerable lobbying power, and the government heavily subsidizestheir operations. The cheap food you see in supermarkets is in fact artificially under-priced—food is actually more expensive to grow than most people are aware.

Yet the consequences of long term pesticide use are cumulative in their effects notonly on the health of mankind, but also, ironically, on the underpinnings of theprofits that pesticide use attempts to perpetuate. The current almond shortage isone example of how continued pesticide use year after year may eventually createmore problems than it ‘controls.’

The majority of the world’s almond supply is produced in California. Findings inrecent years that show that consumption of almonds may lower cholesterol levelshave led to greatly increased demand for almonds, making them California’s mostfinancially successful crop. As a result, the number of acres plantedin almonds has grown yearly in the past decade. Almond blossoms,to fruit, must be pollinated by bees during a brief window of time;thus many bees are needed. To meet the current demand for polli-nation of trees in California, almost half the bees must be trucked infrom other states. In the past year, the bee population available toCalifornia farmers has been significantly reduced due to various fac-tors: wild fires in California wiped out 30,000 colonies; high honeyprices have caused out-of-state beekeepers to keep their bees athome making honey; the increased number of acres in almonds hascaused increased need for bees; infestations of red fire ants haveaffected bees in other states. But most seriously, an explosion ofvaroa mites has left dead or severely weakened approximately 50%of California’s bee colonies.

Varoa mites, like other insects, overgrow to some extent cyclical-ly. However, at this time their exponential reproduction is due to

their having developed resistance to chemical treat-ments (i.e. pesticides) which beekeepers have used tocontrol them. This evolution of insects with highlydeveloped defenses has far-reaching impacts. What willhappen not only to commercial but also to organic cropsonce we have created super-bugs and super-weeds thatare resistant to more and more toxic chemicals? Whatwill happen to the health of people who ingest more andmore toxic chemicals in produce? And while scientistsare cooking up these more potent brews to combat thevaroa mite infestation, what will happen to the approxi-mately one third of the human diet that is derived direct-ly or indirectly from insect-pollinated plants (80% ofwhich is accomplished by honey bees)?

Pollination shortages will impact the quantity and quali-ty of many fruits, vegetables, berries, tree nuts, oil seedsand legumes. There will be less produce available and itwill cost more. This cost will be born by farmers as well

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.

itchy green thumb

Will Pesticide Use Implode?Implode?

What will happen not only to commercial but also to organic crops once we have created super-bugs and super-weeds that are resistant to more and more toxic chemicals?

What will happen to the health of people who ingest more and more toxic chemicals in produce?

Continued on page 4

CO-OPYOU OWN IT

Gallup

selves as well as in nature. They embrace the spir-itual qualities and sacredness of growing medici-nal plants for all fellow human beings.

According to Ms. Mason, “Everything we do ispredicated on the idea that everything is intercon-nected. The earth, planets, wind, water, seeds,even rocks, and human beings and all the crittersof the planet and therefore everything must berespected, prayed over and worked with the holyor holistic attitude of the Golden Rule. Treateverything the way you want to be treated becauseGod, Divine Consciousness, Spirit, exists withineverything and everyone.”

Together with Resting in the River’s masterherbalists, they have turned their harvest into anentire line of products including healing salves,herbal medicinal remedies, bath and body careproducts that rejuvenate, invigorate and heal.

Their Resting in the River Restoratives body carecollection is an earthy blend of organic herbs fromthe farm that bring skin care to a whole new level.This radical restoration for dry, irritated skinincludes body lotion, salve, body butter, bodywash, sugar salt scrub and Healing HighdrationMist ™. For inner health and wellbeing, Restingin the River has introduced Wellness Sprays, a

Local PrLocal Product Spotlightoduct SpotlightResting in the River: Spiritual Agriculture

september 2005

celebrating the local harvest

4

KEEP YOUR $$ AT HOME BUY LOCAL KEEP YOUR $$ AT HOME BUY LOCAL KEEP YOUR $$ AT HOME

Healing Herbal Products

TT hough most of us know four-time Oscar-nominated, two-time Golden Globe winner, Marsha Mason as an actress,she has moved far beyond cathartic effect to a deeper phys-

ical and spiritual healing. Ms. Mason is currently the Chairpersonof the New Mexico Organic Commodity Commission, our stateorganic certification agency and her farm and company are com-mitted to restoring the health of New Mexican land, rivers and thewild critters and people that live here.

Ms. Mason’s commitment to growing the most potent and vitalherbs has taken her farm, Resting in the River, beyond their organ-ic certification, beyond the biodynamic principles they employ, to alevel of farming she calls “Spiritual Agriculture”— where prayer,intention and ritual play a vital role in everything they do and every-thing they grow. The results are a bounty of plants that are burstingwith life force and energy.

The recent star of Broadway’s Steel Magnolias now brings her formof “Spiritual Agriculture” to our Coop locations with her line ofResting in the River® Herbal Wellness Sprays ™ and body and bathproducts. All her products contain only the most carefully chosencertified organic herbs and flowers grown at her farm in Abiquiu.Processed in Albuquerque, these unique formulations never containparabens, sodium lauryl, laureth sulfate, petrochemicals, artificialcolors or preservatives and are fragrance-free.

“Spiritual Agriculture” (SA) emphasizes the integrity of Nature andthe health of soil, water, air, and all living creatures. Farmers whopractice SA are connected to the land by recognizing spirit in them-

O R G A N I C P R O D U C T SF O R O R G A N I C L I F E

Creating natural prescriptions for healthier plant life

and a cleaner Earth.

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASECALL 505.907.9070 OR 505.321.3717

OR EMAIL US AT environmentalenhancers@hotmail.com

OR webehumus@hotmail.com

corporations (such as Monsanto), which are quietly grow-ing larger and larger each year, and are positioning tocome into more and more power over governing forces. Itwill involve directing funding toward studies that observeand document the long term consequences of the use of

pesticides, chemical fertilizers, antibiotics, etc. not only onisolated aspects of food production (as has been carriedout by scientists in the employ of agribusiness), but alsoon the holistic functioning of the entire ecosystem thatagriculture is part of, as well as on human health. It willinvolve monitoring of mineral levels in soils where food isgrown, of sediment contaminants in water used in agricul-ture, etc., because the nutritive value in food grown com-mercially has steadily decreased, unchecked. It will involveeducation to increase public awareness about what is real-ly happening to our food, and about the value and signifi-cance of organic and fresh food to our health. It will

Continued from page 3as consumers, with doubled prices for renting beehives, increased cost ofwater and gas, etc. Then if the price of, for example, almonds goes too high,demand could as much as disappear. Thus, one eventual effect of long-termpesticide use could be to dry up the markets for the very crops the pesticidesare used on.

The effects of chemical use in agriculture are not something that will remain onsome quasi- moderate level consistently. Increased lethality of chemical pesti-cides, increased potency of insects destructive to crops, and steadily decreas-ing nutrition in food grown in soils depleted and contaminated by chemicals,all point to the urgency of returning—worldwide—to ways of growing foodthat are in harmony with nature and the earth’s cycles. Only when we work co-operatively with all that nature offers will she be able to produce and sustainour children as she has in preceding generations.

Change on a large scale in support of the health of the earth and mankind willlikely involve intensive and committed efforts by those who care. It will involvegrassroots and political action to resist the domination of our culture by mega-

involve communities coming together to resistencroachment of what is detrimental to the environ-ment and the health of the people.

This is why, if you read in an article in this newsletter arequest that letters be sent to congressmen aboutissues which you believe are important, it is a significantcontribution on your part to write that letter. If you keepaware of what is happening in your community, if you

stay informed about how your food is grown, if you votefor what you believe in: those are significant contribu-tions. Agribusiness would have the American publicknow little and accept that what food looks like is basisenough on which to buy it. Individual awareness andinput are essential to the groundwork for ensuring thehealth of our food.

And of course, buying organic and locally grown foodconveys your economic support of organic principles,and sustains the source of the food that sustains us.

by Mary Grube

Change on a large scale in support of the health of theearth and mankind will likely involve intensive and committed efforts by those who care.

emphasizingthe integrityof nature

potent new way to get all the health benefits ofherbal extracts without the inconvenience orunpleasant taste. They are offered in four, pleas-ant-tasting herbal blends: Boost Juice, animmune system booster; Chill Factor, a naturalherbal stress reliever; Superior Support, animmunity defense spray; and Throat TherapySpray, a highly-effective throat remedy.

La Montanita Co-op is pleased to be able to offerthese locally grown, locally processed, totallypure products at Coop locations in Albuquerqueand Santa Fe. Gallup members can special orderany of these fine products.

Will Pesticide Use Implode?Implode?

www.LosPoblanosOrganics.com

Los Poblanos Organics

681-4060

celebrating the organic harvest

september 2005 5

Free-range eggs are more nutritious!

Rocky Mountain Pastures When Meg and Arden met in 1993, it was at a dairyscience conference. Love was in the air: "We hit it offright away, comparing notes on our research andexperiences with farming," Meg recalled. "We gotmarried in 1999, and started consulting together,formulating rations and preventative medicine pro-grams for dairy farms around the country. In 2000,we settled in Windsor." The dairy Meg and Ardenpurchased was a conventional farm, but they didn'twant to run an operation that used pesticides, herbi-cides or other chemicals. With a desire to go organ-ic and an interest in leveraging the Rocky Mountainriver valley's ideal farming environment, they begantransitioning the farm to organic and planting pas-tures of native perennial grasses.

The couple's 400 cows thrive by grazing 1,048acres of seasonal grass and crops which are care-fully tended by the two veterinarians who share alove of agriculture, science and organic living.Rotational grazing is one of many ways that thegood doctors have applied their scientific know-how to improve the production and health of theircows, which produce organic milk sold inColorado, Texas and New Mexico under the newOrganic Valley Rocky Mountain Pastures™ label.

The practice also is a symbol of Meg and Arden'seclectic combination of careers in farming and sci-ence, their commitment to sustainable agriculture,and their desire to feed their children, Fiona, four,and Sam, two—as well as other families—deliciousorganic food.

With careful management of their seasonal rota-tional grazing system their cows will have access topasture year-round and will only be confined tobuildings in extreme weather. In the summer, the

Cooperating for Regionally Produced Milk

OO rganic Valley (OV) began in 1988 with just seven farm-ers who shared a love of the land and a belief that anew, sustainable approach to agriculture was needed for

family farms and rural communities to survive. With more andmore family farms threatened with extinction, these farmers setout to create a solution.

That solution has grown into the largest, organic, farmer-ownedcooperative in North America and one of the largest organicbrands in the nation. Over the years, those first founding farm-ers have been joined by over six hundred others, in states fromCalifornia to Maine. Now farmers in Texas, New Mexico andsouthern Colorado have joined the OV “Family of Farmers” toproduce fresh milk for La Montanita’s New Mexican network ofconsumer-owned co-ops.

Like our Co-op, though growing at a rapid pace, Organic Valleyremains true to its roots. They are the only organic brand to besolely owned and operated by organic farmers. Much like LaMontanita Co-op pays workers a living wage, and for nearly 15yeas has returned patronage refunds to community owners, partof OV success is due to the fact that the farmer-owners paythemselves a stable, equitable and sustainable pay price. In anera of rising and falling agricultural prices, the family farmerswho produce Organic Valley organic milk, juice, eggs, meat, andproduce can rely on that stable, living wage to stay in businessin their home regions. Farmers from all over the world trek reg-ularly to their headquarters in rural La Farge, Wisconsin, tolearn what makes the OV cooperative model work.

Being farmer-owned and independent has also allowed them tostay true to their mission – keeping family farmers farming.Sharing the vision of a truly sustainable agriculture, OV farmersgo beyond organic standards with their stewardship of the earth.They are at the heart of the organic revolution. The mile high,Colorado farm of Dr. Meg Cattell and Dr. Arden Nelson's is nota typical dairy, yet it is a classic example of what makes the OVcooperative and products so special.

Regional Product SpotlightOrOrganicganic VValleyalley DairDairyy

herd will graze on sorghum and alfalfa and thenmove to native perennial grass in fall and spring,and to fields of wheat, rye or triticale in winter. "If we take care of cows and feed them correctly,they are healthier so are the consumers of theirdairy products," Meg explained.

Meg and Arden's choice to be organic farmers hasas much—if not more—to do with their passionatecommitment to caring for the environment andproducing nutritious food for their young family.“We never have used herbicides or pesticides orharsh chemicals around our children," Meg said."And we have the luxury of raising or trading foralmost all of our own organic food. Our childrenare robust, but sheltered from harmful exposures."

YY ou can taste the difference in OV RockyMountain Pastures’ milk. Less traveled,this organic milk is truly fresh with the

added bonus of knowing that it is part of a nationwide cooperative that provides an alternative to thecorporate model. But it’s the taste of true quality inOV Rocky Mountain Pastures Milk that leads Megand Arden’s four-year-old, Fiona, to exclaim, "Themilk is so good, you take one sip, and then youhave to take another sip... and another."

La Montanita Coop is pleased to carry Organic ValleyCo-op products at all our locations.

NN ew research by Mother Earth News mag-azine provides more evidence that indus-trial agriculture is producing inferior

food. Tests of eggs from four free-range flocks foundthat, compared to U.S. Department of Agriculture(USDA) nutrient data for eggs from confinement pro-duction systems, the eggs from chickens raised on freerange were much more nutritious — up to twice as richin vitamin E, up to six times richer in beta carotene (aform of vitamin A) and four times richer in essentialomega-3 fatty acids. And, the free-range eggs aver-aged only half as much cholesterol as the USDA dataindicates for confinement-system eggs.

Mother Earth News magazine, a leader of the “RealFood Revival,” initiated tests which were conducted bySkaggs Nutrition Laboratory at Utah State Universityand Food Products Laboratory in Portland, OR; data and

graphs are available in the August/September 2005issue of the magazine or at the Mother Earth NewsWeb site, www.MotherEarthNews.com/eggs. “Otherstudies also have shown similar results for some ofthese nutrients, but the industry actively denies thatfree-range systems produce better eggs,” says MotherEarth News editor-in-chief Cheryl Long.

The Mother Earth News article reports that theAmerican Egg Board Web site (www.aeb.org) claimsthat free-range conditions do not result in a better dietfor the hens and more nutritious eggs: “But we haveassembled evidence that this claim is untrue, andwe’ve asked the Egg Board to correct the statement ontheir Web site.”

“Inferior eggs are not the only problem that has devel-oped because the push for cheap food has gone too

far,” Long says. “A recent study published in theJournal of the American College of Nutrition hasrevealed that the nutrient content of conventionallygrown vegetables and fruits has declined over the past50 years. The study compared USDA data from 1950and 1999 for 13 nutrients in 43 crops. After rigorousstatistical analysis, the researchers found that, on aver-age, all three minerals evaluated have declined; two offive vitamins have declined; and protein content hasdropped by 6 percent.” Also, there is growing evi-dence that produce grown with synthetic fertilizers isless nutritious, mainly because it tends to contain morewater than produce grown with natural, organic fertil-izers. For more information see the June/July 2004 arti-

National Organic Month Special Report:

cle at www.MotherEarthNews.com/Whole_Foods_ and_Cooking/2004_June_July/Is_Agribusiness_Making_Food_Less_Nutritious_.

Meat and dairy products show nutrient differences similar to thosereported above for eggs. Products from animals raised on naturalpasture diets tend to be lower in saturated fat and higher in vitaminsand other essential nutrients than products from animals raised inconfinement on high-grain diets. For more information see theApril/May 2002 article at www.MotherEarthNews.com/Whole_Foods_and_Cooking/2002_April_May/Pasture_Perfect.

Both mad cow disease and E. Coli food poisoning problems are conse-quences of intensive confinement beef production systems. Mad cowdisease is the result of mixing infected animal “by-products” into feedgiven to feedlot cattle. And the emergence of highly toxic forms of e.coli bacteria has been linked to the practice of feeding cattle unnatu-ral high-grain diets. This accumulating evidence that intensive industri-al agriculture is delivering inferior food is pushing many consumers toseek local, organic, grass-fed and free-range products. The USDAreports farmers’ markets have increased more than 80 percent from1994. “There’s a Real Food Revival underway in the U.S. and it’s pro-viding safer, more nutritious and better tasting food to consumers andnew opportunities for small farmers,” Long says.

The August/September 2005 issue of Mother Earth News featuresthe cover story, “Join the Real Food Revival.” To read this article, goto www.MotherEarthNews.com/library/2005_August_September/Join_the_Real_Food_Revival.

Since 1970, Mother Earth News magazine, the original guide to liv-ing wisely, has inspired millions of consumers with ideas and infor-mation on real food and the lifestyle of green living. Mother EarthNews is owned by Ogden Publications, who publishes eight othermagazine titles in Topeka, Kansas.

Mother Earth News is available on magazine racks at your Coopin Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Contact them at 785-274-4319clong@MotherEarthNews.com, or 785-274-4320 unewbury@Mother EarthNews.com Mother Earth News: 1503 SW 42nd,Topeka, KS 66609 (866) 600-4588.

The eggs from chickens raised on free rangewere much more nutritious — up to twice as richin vitamin E, up to six times richer in beta carotene.

get local, free range eggs at your

CCOO--OOPP

GREEN CHILE FIELD REPORT

FF or many years traditional green chilegrowers Albert and Connie Bustamante ofRanchos de las Rosas near Socorro have,

with the help of Christina and Arnold Mazotti ofM Mountain Farm, been bringing the most deli-cious home-grown, certified organic chile to theCo-op for our Annual Chile Roasting Days. Anddespite a tough agricultural year both familiesstill hope they will be bringing some chile to theCo-op. But as I write this in mid-late August itsjust too early to tell.

This year’s story of what the Bustamentes havebeen though is a classic example of the manychallenges farmers face as they work to bring intheir crop. First, unusually cool weather late intothe spring delayed the planting of the fields. Thensome strange malady wiped out their whole firstplanting. Many farmers in the Socorro area whoirrigate off the Rio Grande had the same experi-ence. They feel their losses might have beencaused by unusually high levels of alkalinity in

Sunday October 23, 2005 3-6PM

TT his coming fiscal year marks the 30thanniversary of the formation of LaMontanita Co-op. Back in 1976 three

hundred families pooled their resources to bringnatural foods to their neighborhood. Today wehave nearly 12,000 member/owner households,centered around two communities in Albu-querque, one in Santa Fe and in one Gallup.

We are tremendously grateful to the many mem-bers who over the decades have supported andcontinue to support a consumer owned alterna-tive to conventional and in recent years naturalfood corporate chain stores. The economicdemocracy inherent in the cooperative princi-ples and values has been and remains our guid-ing light.

To celebrate the beginning of our 30th anniver-sary we wanted to do something special at thisyear’s Annual Membership meeting. This year’sgathering will be held at Los PoblanosConference Center at 4803 Rio Grande BlvdN.W. Listed on both the New Mexican andNational Register of Historic Places, the Centerand the 25 acres surrounding it are home to oneof the oldest continuously working farms in theAlbuquerque area. Famous for their lavenderfields and historic gardens as well as home toLos Poblanos Farms Community SupportedAgriculture (CSA) and erda Gardens (CSA), theCenter’s setting represents the kind of ongoingsustainable agricultural activity the Co-op holdsas one of its principles. Built in the 1930’s byfamous architect John Gaw Meem the Centerwith its art collection as well as the gardens willbe open for Co-op guests.

Tamale MollySanta Fe, NMGourmet Vegetarian Tamales, 3 pack, Assortedvarieties, Sale $3.49

Tijeras Organic AlchemyAlbuquerque, NMCrimson Clove Revitalizer, 4 oz, Sale $8.99 and 12 oz, Sale $16.99

505 OrganicsAlbuquerque, NMOrganic Green Chile Enchilada Sauce or Salsa16oz, Assorted varieties, Sale $2.99

Bite Size BakerySanta Fe, NMBite Sized Cookies, 6.5 oz, Assorted varieties, Sale 2/$6

VALID IN-STORE ONLY from 8/31-10/4, 2005: Notall items available at all stores.

co-op news september 2005 6

LOCAL SALE ITEMSSHOP LOCAL & SAVE

CO-OP SPECIALS BUY LOCAL SAVE $$$$WANT TO SEE YOUR LOCAL PRODUCT ADVERTISED HERE?

Contact Angela at angela@lamontanitacoop.com.

Interested in Social Change?Think Cooperative economics have a role to play?

As always our Board of Directors and ourGeneral Manager will both give their state of ourCo-op reports. We will give out several awards todedicated members of our cooperative communi-ty and members will get to hear from and havedialogue with the candidates for our upcomingBoard election.

To mark the beginning of this year with a littlemore celebration, the Co-op will be serving a NewMexican dinner to our guests. We ask that allmembers interested in joining us for this year’sAnnual Membership Meeting Celebration pleaseRSVP so we know how much food to prepare andalso because space is somewhat limited at the LosPoblanos Center.

Please call in your reservation to me, Robyn, at 505-217-2001 x105 or e-mail me at memb@lamontanitacoop.com.

Annual Membership MeetingKicking Off Our 30th Year!

LocalLocal PrProduct Spotightoduct SpotightCo-op Annual Organic Green Chile Roasting Days!

the water and are working with State water offi-cials to figure out if indeed it was some waterrelated issue.

Salt of the earth that they are, the Bustamantesreplanted their fields, and we are now waiting,hoping that crop will mature before the coldweather sets in. As of this writing we cannot sayexactly when our annual green chile roast will be.The Bustamantes and the Mazottis are bothhopeful (as are we) that our Annual Green ChileRoast will just happen a little later in the seasonthan usual.

Check with produce department staff at bothAlbuquerque locations, and as soon as they knowthey will let you know the dates of our GreenChile Roast. Watch for sign-up sheets at the infodesks as well. Christina Mazotti said in midAugust, “We are hopeful that it will come in lateSeptember or early October. But the chiles are justtoo small at this point to say for sure.”

by Robyn Seydel

New MemberAppreciation Special!

Beginning Aug. 15th all new and renew members (Lifetimemembers too!) get three $5 gift certificates to enjoy lunch ordinner at Scalo’s. One set of coupons per household member-ship, and one coupon per outing to Scalos please. Check outtheir seasonally changing menus with lots of local, organic pro-duce at www.scalonobhill.com.

annualmember

meeting

Want to share dialogue with other interested Co-op Members?

COOPERATIVE SOCIAL CHANGE READING andDISCUSSION GROUP FORMING

We have gotten a number of calls and comments onGar Aplerovitz’s article on Ecological Sustainabilityand the role of cooperatives in long term socialchange, published in the July 2005 issue of theCoop Connection.

In an effort to further dialogue on these issues, ifthere is sufficient interest, the Coop is willing tohost a reading/discussion/action group on relatedtopics. Using the book America Beyond Capitalismand other suggested readings to build a frameworkfor our social change discussions.

If you are interested please contact Robyn at 217-2001 x105 (or direct line at 217-2027)or e-mailher at memb@lamontanitacoop.com.

9/12 Social Responsibility Research Committee, 5:30pm Nob Hill Annex

9/14 Member Linkage, 5:30pm Valley Coop9/18 Coffee with the Board, 10am-12pm Valley location 9/20 Board of Directors Meeting, 5:30pm Immanuel Presbyterian

Church 114 Carlisle SETBA Finance Committee Meeting, 5pm 303 San Mateo NE

co-op news september 2005 7

General Manager’s ColumnWe received over 1,300 completed member sur-veys and we have finished processing yourresponses. About 40% of those responding indi-cated that most of their food is purchased at theCo-op and over 60% found the cleanliness ofour stores to be excellent. Our Produce, Bulk,and Cheese departments continue to be areas ofstrength and the feedback on the quality of ourmeat department enjoyed significant improve-ment this year. 30% of respondents believe ourpricing is competitive and 55% feel that ourprices are a little high. We received very positivefeedback on our staff with high percentagesfinding excellent in the areas of staff friendliness,knowledge, and professionalism. Product quali-ty, support of local products, and support ofcommunity business were the three most impor-tant reasons indicated for choosing the Co-op.In ranking your satisfaction with La Montanita,approximately 45% indicated delighted, 50%satisfied, and 5% not satisfied.

Several of our survey questions remain the sameeach year permitting us to compare our per-

formance in key areas over previous years. Yoursatisfaction with our staff and store cleanlinessimproved this year and our positive ratings oncompetitive pricing declined. If you would likea copy of the complete survey results, please letme know. We are now reviewing and sorting bytopic the many written comments we receivedand I will be sharing these with you over thenext few months.

Please pick up a Board member candidate pack-et at your store’s information desk if you haveany interest in serving in this capacity. Our elec-tions are in November and we hope you willconsider running for a Board seat. Your Boardmeets the third Tuesday of each month and weencourage everyone to attend anytime yourschedule permits.

La Montanita is your Co-op and we greatly appre-ciate your input and feedback. We are grateful foryour support and hope to see you soon.

C.E. Pugh

Build our local economy with like-minded peoplewho share your cooperative values and love oflocal organic food.

The 2005-2006 edition of the Co-op’s Member toMember Community Resource Guide will be printedas a special pullout section in the October 2005 CoopConnection News.

List your business and or professional skill, in theMember to Member Co-op Community ResourceGuide.• Keep your dollars circulating in the cooperative com-munity, enriching our local economy as you build yourpersonal one• Give and receive discounts and other special consid-erations to fellow Co-op members• Get your FREE, yes FREE listing in the Member toMember Co-op Guide and on our web site

Member to Member Community ResourceGuide: Who’Who’s List Ars List Are Ye You On?ou On?

• Share your skills, products or services with ournearly 12,000 member households in Albuquerque,Santa Fe, and Gallup

SIGN UP TodayMail or e-mail your name, Co-op membership num-ber (for verification purposes only) business name,address, contact information and what special dis-count or consideration you are willing to share withother members.

Deadline for inclusion is Mon. September 12th!

Send to the Membership Department c/o LaMontanita Co-op, 303 San Mateo NE, Albuquerque,New Mexico 87108. Attention Robyn. Or email tomemb@lamontanitacoop.com. Need more info callRobyn at 217- 2001 ext105. You must be a Co-opmember to participate.

The La Montanita Co-op Board of Directors voted toadd its name and support to a petition sponsored bythe Los Alamos Study Group, joining more than 175businesses, 29 nonprofit organizations, and roughly1,400 individual New Mexicans who are calling for:nuclear disarmament pursuant to existing treaties, aban to end nuclear weapons production, a stop tonuclear waste disposal at Los Alamos NationalLaboratory (LANL), and investment in people and fam-ilies — as opposed to preparations for nuclear war.

New Board member nominations and elections werediscussed. New ballot boxes will be created for mem-ber voting. Board members will lend carpentry skills.

The Board of Directors has begun using coffee ses-sions at stores to encourage outreach and invite dis-cussion on policy governance with members. The firstcoffee saw much discussion, but not discussion spe-cific to governance. Coffees will continue as a way toencourage board/member interaction.

The board also discussed the need to conduct quar-terly self evaluation of the board.

Board members also shared their impressions fromattendance at recent meetings in Tucson and the CCMAconference in Albuquerque. Ideas shared include: self-monitoring by the board of its adherence to the missionstatement and long-range plan, sponsoring farmers'markets, providing childcare to encourage parents tojoin the board, simpler forms of parliamentary proce-dure such as a "consent agenda," automatic member-ship for staff, requiring first-year board members to beon the finance committee, etc.

The General Manager reported on a recent anonymousyearly staff survey. He also reported that staff feed-back sessions would occur.

This represents a summary of what was discussed atthe monthly board meeting; the full minutes may befound at stores' info desks. Visitors are welcome toattend board meetings. They are held the 3rd Tuesdayof the month at 5:30pm at the Immanuel PresbyterianChurch at Carlisle and Silver Avenues, in Albuquerque.

by Julie Hicks, Board Secetaryjhicksnm@gmail.com

the inside scoop by C.E. PUGH

Well if you were paying attention, really paying attention you wouldhave noticed that in our September centerfold the Know your Co-opBoard of Directors Quiz had Board Secretary Julie Hicks’ husband, CityCouncilman Martin Heinrich, married to Coop Board MemberAndrew Stone. Well we’d like to set the record straight—Julie isindeed married to Martin and Martin to Julie, while Andrew ismarried to Katie, a past Co-op staff/Board member.

Board Brief: Meeting of June 21, 2005

YOUR CO-OPWANTSYOU!La Montanita Co-op needs a few goodpeople to travel to Co-op communities, meet interestingand interested people and help guide the growth of NewMexico’s Cooperative Economic Network.

Calendarof Events

OOOPS! Paying Attention??

Run for your Co-opBoard of Directors!Pick up a Board Candidate Packetat any of the four Coop locations.

More info: contact Marshall at 256-1241 or email:bod@lamontanitacoop.com

Deadline for Submission of Candidacy Oct. 1, 2005

Classical HomeopathyVisceral Manipulation

Craniosacral Therapy

MARY ALICE COOPER, MD

St. Raphael Medical Center204 Carlisle NE Albuquerque, NM 87106

505-266-6522

Photo: Julie Hicks and son Carter Hicks

organicOrganic agriculture isOrganic agriculture isan agricultural systeman agricultural systemthat promotesthat promotesenvironmentallyenvironmentally,,sociallysocially, and economically, and economicallysound production of food,sound production of food,fiberfiber, timber, timber, etc. In this, etc. In thissystem, soil fertility issystem, soil fertility isseen as the key toseen as the key tosuccessful production.successful production.WWorking with the naturalorking with the naturalproperties of plants,properties of plants,animals, and the landscape,animals, and the landscape,organic farmersorganic farmersaim to optimize quality inaim to optimize quality inall aspects of agricultureall aspects of agricultureand the environmentand the environment..

Acquisitions of primary interAcquisitions of primary inter--est occur when conventionalest occur when conventionalsector leaders gain significantsector leaders gain significantholdings in the organic brandsholdings in the organic brandsin the same sectorin the same sector. For exam. For exam--ple, French-based Groupeple, French-based GroupeDanone has purchased a 40%Danone has purchased a 40%share in Stoneyfield, theshare in Stoneyfield, thefourth largest yogurt maker infourth largest yogurt maker inthe United States with $85the United States with $85million in sales. Danone willmillion in sales. Danone willbuy up to 75% of the compabuy up to 75% of the compa--ny in 2004 and the remainderny in 2004 and the remainderin 2016. in 2016.

Is concentration and acquisiIs concentration and acquisi --tion a necessary cost oftion a necessary cost ofgrowth of the organic market? growth of the organic market? Concentration in the convenConcentration in the conven--tional food industry has creattional food industry has creat--ed a handful of giant corporaed a handful of giant corpora--tions with such enormoustions with such enormousbuying power that they arebuying power that they areable to set prices, limit farmable to set prices, limit farm--ers' return, and control marketers' return, and control marketaccess. access.

Our forks are powerful agents of change. The food we choose to put on them can positively transform us,

our local communities, and our planet.

The flashy annual growthThe flashy annual growthrates of organic food sales -rates of organic food sales -currently 15-20% or morecurrently 15-20% or morecompared to 4-5% growth incompared to 4-5% growth inthe food industry overall -the food industry overall -have attracted multinationalhave attracted multinationalfood corporations. food corporations. They haveThey haveacquired organic brand leadacquired organic brand lead--ers, established partnershipsers, established partnershipswith organic companies, andwith organic companies, anddeveloped their own organicdeveloped their own organicproduct lines.product lines.

If prices fall to conventionalIf prices fall to conventionallevels, production systemslevels, production systemswill have changed to excludewill have changed to excludethe small farmers who werethe small farmers who wereorganic pioneers. organic pioneers.

Organic agriculture wasOrganic agriculture wasdeveloped in a small-scale,developed in a small-scale,niche market with an openniche market with an openstructure. Markets were localstructure. Markets were localor regional, and farmers hador regional, and farmers hadaccess to a variety ofaccess to a variety ofwholesale and retail buyerswholesale and retail buyerswho were willing to pay a fairwho were willing to pay a fairprice for their products.price for their products.

“Who owns organic?” “Who owns organic?” WWe all do. Let us hold on e all do. Let us hold on to its potential to enhanceto its potential to enhanceenvironmental and socialenvironmental and socialsustainabilitysustainability..

- excerpt from - excerpt from Who Owns Organic?Who Owns Organic?The Global Status,The Global Status,Prospects, and Challenges ofProspects, and Challenges ofa Changing Organic Marketa Changing Organic MarketBy Michael Sligh andBy Michael Sligh andCarolyn Christman Carolyn Christman The RuralThe RuralAdvancement FoundationAdvancement FoundationInternational International - USA- USA is a nonprofit, nonis a nonprofit, non--governmental organizationgovernmental organizationwhich promotes sustainabiliwhich promotes sustainabili --tyty, equity, equity,and diversity in,and diversity inagriculture through policyagriculture through policychanges, practical assischanges, practical assis--tance, market opportunities,tance, market opportunities,and access to resources.and access to resources.

Such trends, if applied toSuch trends, if applied toorganic agriculture, wouldorganic agriculture, wouldsurely transform its charactersurely transform its characterand afand affect its future.fect its future.

It has also had several otherIt has also had several othernegative efnegative effects less oftenfects less oftendiscussed: an accelerateddiscussed: an acceleratedloss of genetic diversityloss of genetic diversity,,reduced innovationreduced innovation, , lesslessresponsiveness to consumerresponsiveness to consumerand social interests, andand social interests, andfewer decision-makers in thefewer decision-makers in theindustryindustry

local

La Montanita Co-opLa Montanita Co-opis the only consumeris the only consumerowned natural foodowned natural foodstore in store in Albuquerque,Albuquerque,Santa Fe and Gallup. Santa Fe and Gallup. WWe are governed bye are governed bya Board of Directorsa Board of Directorselected by our elected by our membership.membership.

Annual profits inAnnual profits inexcess of what isexcess of what isneeded for fiscal needed for fiscal stability are returnedstability are returnedto the membershipto the membershipbased on theirbased on theirpatronage of thepatronage of thebusiness they own.business they own.Close toClose to2 million dollar2 million dollarss

have been returnedhave been returnedto our owners overto our owners overthe past the past 15 y15 yearearss..

Our commitment toOur commitment tolocally produced foodslocally produced foodsis unparralled. Wis unparralled. We havee havetracked our local purtracked our local pur--chases over the pastchases over the pastfew years.few years.The following percentThe following percent--ages document theages document theincrease of food increase of food purchases frompurchases fromlocal producers:local producers:2002 - 16%2002 - 16%2003 - 18%2003 - 18%2004 - 20%2004 - 20%

This represents This represents Millions ofMillions of DollarDollarssof support for our localof support for our localeconomyeconomy..

The Co-op’The Co-op’s goal iss goal isto continuallyto continuallyincrease purchasesincrease purchasesof local products.of local products.

Moving this numberMoving this numberup continues to be aup continues to be achallenge.challenge.

Currently we purCurrently we pur--chase over chase over 1,5001,500items from items from 400400local prlocal produceroducerss..

The budget for thisThe budget for thiscoming year commitscoming year commitsa substantial amounta substantial amountof resources to thisof resources to thisefeffort. fort.

Many of our localMany of our localproducers are strugproducers are strug--gling and we havegling and we havelost some over pastlost some over pastfew years.few years.Co-op loans haveCo-op loans havebeen extended tobeen extended toseveral of our local several of our local producers.producers.

Our work with theOur work with theBeneficial FarmBeneficial Farmgroup in Santa Fegroup in Santa Fecontinues to be procontinues to be pro--ductive. Severalductive. Severalmeetings aremeetings areplanned with localplanned with localproducers to findproducers to findways to increaseways to increasethe value of the the value of the Co-opCo-opBuy Local Buy Local InitiaInitiatitivvee..

Co-op members/owners at the August Board Meeting at Cloud Cliff Bakery in Santa Fe.

it’s time for chili september 2005 10

September in New Mexico and the smell ofgreen chile roasting is wafting through theair. It’s chile time again and I can’t wait to tastethis year’s crop. Whether you like them so hotyou break out in a sweat or just enough tosavor the full flavor of the chile there is a batchof chile out there just waiting for you. There isnothing like the flavor of New Mexico.

Adapted and reprinted from the followingwebsites:www.villagegourmetrecipes.comwww.gourmetcookery.comwww.onriverstreet.comwww.gourmetgarden.comwww.allrecipes.comwww.pepprfool.com

Polenta Chile Triangles

3 c cold water 1/2 c whole kernel corn1 c coarse yellow cornmeal 1/2 c Red pepper, roasted and1 package onion soup mix 2-3 Finely chopped Mild green chilies, 2-4 1/2 c Sharp Cheddar cheese shredded

Bring the water to a boil in a 3-quartsaucepan. With a wire whisk, stir in the corn-meal and onion soup mix. Simmer uncov-ered, stirring constantly, for 25 minutes, oruntil thickened. Stir in the chilies, corn androasted red peppers.

Spread the mixture in a lightly greased 9-inch-square baking pan and sprinkle with thecheese. Let stand for 20 minutes, or untilfirm. Cut. Serves 8

Crustless Chili Quiche

4 Eggs 1 c Nonfat cottage cheese3 tb Flour 1 1/2 oz Shredded Monterey Jack cheese2 tb +2 ts Earth Balance spread or othernon-hydrogenated spread, 1/4 c Chopped green chilies roasted andpeeled1 tb Grated Parmesan cheese1 tb Dijon mustard 1/4 c Drained chopped roasted red1/4 ts Salt, pepper or to taste3 drops Red pepper sauce

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9" pie plate.In a medium bowl, lightly beat eggs. Whisk inflour, margarine, mustard, salt and peppersauce. Stir in cottage cheese, Monterey Jackcheese, chilies, and red pepper. Spoon mix-

ture into prepared pie plate; sprinkle withParmesan cheese. Bake 20-30 minutes, until fill-ing is set and top is golden. Let stand 10 minutesbefore cutting into quarters. Serves 4.

Avocado-Tomatillo Salsa

2 large avocados, peeled, pitted and cut intomedium dice 1 tsp diced red bell pepper 1 sp diced green bell pepper 1 Tbsp diced scallion 4 ea tomatillos husked, rinsed and diced 1 clove garlic, minced 2 Tbsp cilantro leaves 2 ea serrano or green chiles, seeded and diced 2 tsp fresh lime juice 3 Tbsp olive oil salt to taste

Combine the avocados, bell peppers, scallionand half of the tomatillos in a large mixingbowl. Place the garlic, cilantro, serranos, limejuice and remaining tomatillos into a blender,and purée until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the oil.Pour the purée into the mixing bowl, combinethoroughly, and season with salt. Let sit for 30minutes. Yield: 3 cups.

Marinated Bean Salad

3/4 Cup black turtle beans, soaked overnight and drained 3/4 Cup pinto beans, soaked overnight and drained 3/4 Cup white navy beans, soaked overnightand drained 2 Quarts Ham Hock broth or water with Braggs aminos 1 large sweet onion, (as thinly sliced as possible) 1/4 Cup cider vinegar 1-2 seeded roasted chopped green chile2 Tsp sugar (optional)1/2 Tsp salt, plus extra to taste 1 red bell pepper (roasted, peeled,seeded and diced)

1 yellow bell pepper (roasted, peeled, seeded and diced) 1 large ripe tomato (blanched, peeled, seeded and chopped) 1/2 Cup chopped pitted ripe black olives 3 Tbsp chopped cilantro 3/4 Cup favorite savory Vinaigrette dressing 1 1/2 Cups roasted garlic croutons 5 to 6 ounces) assorted young lettuce leaves,romaine or chicory (rinsed and dried)

Place the drained beans in separate pans andcover each with ham hock broth or water. Bringto a boil, then reduce heat and let the beanssimmer until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Drainthe beans completely in a large colander, reserv-ing the broth for further use.

Mix the beans together in a large bowl andrefrigerate until cool. In another bowl, toss theonion with the vinegar, sugar and 1/2 teaspoonsalt and reserve. When the beans are chilled, add

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the bell peppers, tomato, olives and cilantro.Drizzle with 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette, tosswell, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Remove fromthe refrigerator, add the croutons, seasonwith salt, and toss thoroughly. In anotherbowl, toss the lettuces with the remaining 1/4cup of vinaigrette. Arrange the lettucesaround the edge of a large platter and moundthe bean salad in the middle. Garnish withthe reserved sliced onions.

To make this a quick fix recipe used cannedbeans. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Southwestern Pasta

14 oz. bag Pasta2 T. olive oil3 c. grape or cherry tomatoes, halved3 c. cooked fresh or frozen corn1 yellow pepper, diced1/2 red onion, chopped1/2 c. real, light or vegan mayonnaise2 T. Dijon mustard2 T. fresh lime juice2-4 chopped seeded roasted green chiles1 1/4 t. ground cumin1/2 c. chopped cilantro1 t. salt 1/2 t. pepper

Cook pasta in gently boiling water for approx.6 minutes, until tender but firm. Drain andrinse with cold water. Lightly coat with oliveoil. Combine pasta, tomatoes, corn, yellowpepper, and onion in a bowl. For dressing, mixmayo, mustard, lime juice, jalapeno peppers,chili powder, and cumin in a small bowl. Tossdressing with pasta and veggies, add choppedcilantro and salt and pepper. Adjust seasoningto taste. Serve hot or cold.

Posole Verde

1/2 cup hulled, raw pumpkin seeds, toasted2 cups tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed,quartered10 large sorrel leaves, rinsed, stemmed2 serrano chile peppers, seeded, quartered or2 tablespoons oil3-1/2 cups cooked hominy/posole4 cups chicken broth1 large epazote stemSalt, to taste

Grind the pumpkin seeds in a food processorfinely; set aside. Place the chopped tomatillosin a saucepan covered with 1/2 cup water.cook until soft and mushy - about 15 minutes.Transfer tomatoes to a blender jar. Add thesorrel, serrano chiles, and 1 cup of water.Puree until smooth. Heat oil in a skillet. Addblended ingredients and fry over fairly highheat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.Stir in the ground seeds and cook 10 minuteslonger. Add the hominy, broth, and epazote.Simmer for 15 minutes, then season with salt.

Frijole Mole Chili

2 c Coarsely chopped onions3 Cloves garlic, minced2 Tb Vegetable oil1 can Dark red kidney beans rinsed anddrained1 can Black beans, rinsed and drained1 can Pinto beans, rinsed and drained1 pound fresh tomatoes coarsely chopped1 Large green pepper - cut into 1/2-in pieces1-1 1/2 cups of chopped green chile 2 Tb Unsweetened cocoa2 ts Ground cumin1 ts Oregano leaves, crushed1/2 ts Salt1/8 ts Ground nutmeg1/8 ts Ground allspiceDash of ground cloves (opt)OPTIONAL TOPPINGS: Sour cream,Chopped cilantro, Shredded monterey jack

Cook onion and garlic in oil in large saucepanor Dutch oven until onion is tender but notbrown. Add remaining ingredients exceptoptional toppings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat;cover and simmer 10 minutes. Uncover; contin-ue to simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.Ladle into bowls; garnish as desired and servewith additional picante sauce. Makes 6 servings,about 8 cups chili.

New Mexican Pasta Salad with RedChile Pesto

1 lb fusilli pasta, cooked, rinsed in cold waterand drained Red Chile Pesto (below)4 large leaves red leaf lettuce kalamata olives 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded, julienned

Mix the Red Chile Pesto and the cold pasta in amedium bowl. Serve the salad on top of the let-tuce leaf, garnish w/ the pepper and olives.

Red Chile Pesto

3 clove garlic 1/8 c pine nuts (or substitute almonds) 1/8 c parmesan cheese 1/4 bunch cilantro 1/4 bunch fresh basil 1/8 c red chile powder 1/8 c chile caribe (crushed red chiles) 1 tsp ground cumin salt to taste 1 c olive oil

Puree all the ingredients except the olive oil in afood processor. Slowly add the olive oil whilethe processor is still running. Serves about 4.

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not to convert to this abundant waste product. Iadmit that I am looking for immediate gratifica-tion in my efforts to alleviate my gas guzzlingguilt. Throwing the plastic container into the recy-cling doesn’t do it for me anymore, nor does farm-ing organically or building naturally. My organicfarm still feels like the right livelihood and mystraw bale house is as sacred to me as a church,but these things feel small in this time of globalconflict. I want to smell the fries in my exhaustand glide past gas stations for the rest of my life,

knowing that I am no longer contributing to thejustifications for war. Today I heard a newscasterpostulating that China might be the next foe onthe front of oil acquisition. I shook my head ingrief and felt sure that greasel would be my nextpersonal tool for peace.

I’m already cataloging good Asian restaurants inmy mind and am eager to get out there and findthe clearest amber fuel for my future car. I have yetto worry about the additional work it will take to

september 2005

environmental forum

12

KEEP YOUR $$ AT HOME BUY LOCAL KEEP YOUR $$ AT HOME

by Heather Gaudet

DD riving to work is painful these days, watching the fuel gaugedescend into the depths of empty… It is hard to think of driv-ing as a means to any sort of valuable end. Our world turns

on this dependency that I share for oil and all its products.

I’ve decided to buy a diesel and convert it to run on vegetable oil,otherwise known as greasel. Yes, converting to vegetable oilseems very simple; and in some ways it is, and in some ways itisn’t. First and foremost it means buying a diesel car. I’ve startedto surf the Thrifty Nickel in hopes of finding a wonderful olddiesel truck waiting to have a RUNNING ON GREASEL bumpersticker slathered to its bumper. Then it is up to me to buy the con-version kit, have it installed or try to install it myself (a task Iwould undoubtedly fail at miserably). The whole kit plus conver-sion costs anywhere from $2400 to $4000, a small price to paywhen I think about how much money is poured into my tankeach week with gas.

I am very happy to be pursuing this avenue of liberation from myparticipation in the politics and persuasions of oil. I feel verystrongly that I no longer wish to support the way of life that hasbuilt up around this commodity, and that there is no good reason

Food, Oil and SustainableSolutionsSolutions

Eco Versity: Going GrGoing Greasel!easel!

Continued from page 2and farms would cut energy use throughout the food sys-tem. Legislation to minimize unnecessary packaging andpromote recycling would decrease energy use and wastegoing to landfills.

Direct farmer-to-consumer marketing, such as farmers’markets, by-passes centralized distribution systems, cut-ting out unnecessary food travel and reducing packagingneeds while improving local food security. Farmers’ mar-kets are expanding across the United States, growingfrom 1,755 markets in 1993 to 3,100 in 2002, but still rep-resent only 0.3 percent of food sales.

The biggest political action individuals take each day isdeciding what to buy and eat. Preferentially buying localfoods that are in season can cut transport and farm ener-gy use and can improve food safety and security. Buyingfewer processed, heavily packaged, and frozen foods can

fill up my tank. I imagine myself charming thekitchens of my favorite restaurants to save the oilfor me in tidy buckets with easy access. I’ll bringgifts for veggie trash, and we will all be gracedwith love for the process of it. Naive? Perhaps. Ifit is dirtier or more difficult than I imagine, then Isay bring on the suffering, as it will be a happysacrifice for the sake of my earth-loving sanity.

If you feel like I do, or maybe you are just curiousand would like to save more than one buck, checkout greasel.com. Nice guys doing good things. It isa great website too with lots of testimonials fromhappy folks and business owners who havecrossed over to the other side. I hope it inspires

you as much as it did me. If you’d like to meetthem and hear more, you can find them in SantaFe at EcoVersity doing a conversion (hopefully onmy diesel car). Maybe we’ll see you there.

Greasel Conversion Clinic with Charles AndersonOctober 31-November 5, 8am-5pmAt EcoVersity, 2639 Agua Fria Street, Santa Fe 424-9797, info@ecoversity.org

Get your diesel vehicle converted to run on StraightVegetable Oil during a week-long ConversionClinic at EcoVersity – Instead of the fuel pump, visitthe waste oil bins of Santa Fe restaurants for fuel.EcoVersity has five slots available. Registration isdue on or before September 30. The cost for a con-version kit ranges from $600-$1900, depending onthe make of the vehicle. Installation cost is an addi-tional $1200. The Permaculture Credit Unionoffers financing options towards vehicles and con-versions. Call EcoVersity Today.

EcoVersity is a school offering community classes andcertificate programs in sustainability. Its focus islearning from the land with a hands-on curriculum pro-moting permaculture and its ethics. For more informa-tion call 505-424-9797 or info@ ecoversity.org. To seetheir campus and read more about their certificateprograms go to www.ecoversity.org.

I want to smell the fries in my exhaust and glide past gas stations for the rest of my life, knowing that I am no longercontributing to the justifications for war.

cut energy use and marketing costs, and using smallerrefrigerators can slash household electricity bills. Eatinglower on the food chain can reduce pressure on land,water, and energy supplies.

Fossil fuel reliance may prove to be the Achilles heel of themodern food system. Oil supply fluctuations and disruptionscould send food prices soaring overnight. Competition andconflict could quickly escalate. Decoupling the food systemfrom the oil industry is key to improving food security.

This article reprinted with permission of the Earth PolicyInstitute. The Earth Policy Institute was founded by LesterBrown in 2001 to provide a vision of a sustainable futurealong with a roadmap of how to get from here to there. EPIworks at the global level simply because no country can cre-ate an environmentally sustainable economy in isolation. Itspublications are available for free downloading from its web-site so that anyone anywhere in the world can access theinformation and the plan for building a sustainable economy.Contributions are welcome. www.earth-policy.org.

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september 2005 13

health and healing

mental, while others are proximate causes or“triggers.” With this understanding, it is then pos-sible to construct a therapy that systematicallyaddresses these causes in a manner that opens theway to a cure.

In their book Autism, The Journey Back home-opaths Patty Smith and Rudi Verspoor outline a

model of autism that is consistent with the tradi-tional homeopathic understanding of chronic dis-ease. This understanding then leads to a systematicand effective treatment for autism that addressesthe various levels of causation. According to thisview, a specific set of inherited disease factors notonly create a disposition toward autistic conditions,but also makes the child particularly susceptible tocertain types of shocks, vaccine shock in particular.It is then the interaction between the inherited pre-disposition, the heightened susceptibility to vaccineshock, and finally, the vaccine shock itself, whichfinally destabilizes the child sufficiently to createthe condition we call autism. Other factors will nec-essarily affect this process in theirturn, but this triad sits at the centerof the process.

The destabilized vital energy of theautistic child can create a complexcascade of disorders and symptomswhose relationship to these funda-mental causes is not always clear.However, the therapeutics to reverse

these causes are, in principle, fairly simple. The intel-ligence of the body will attempt to address each ofthese causative factors in turn and in a definiteorder. The role of homeopathy is simply to assist thebody as it goes toward resolving each. The historyof traumas, including vaccine trauma, must be sys-tematically addressed with appropriate remedies.Then the inherited factors themselves can be treated.

While this therapeutic process is simple in principle,it is not necessarily easy. Autism is a condition thatreaches into the very depths of the child’s soul. Theprocess of unwinding such a deep seated disorder islikely to be accompanied by some very challenginghealing and detoxification reactions. If we startfrom the premise that every disease is ultimately agift and a teacher, then we must conclude thatautism is the bearer of some of the most profoundlessons of our time. But for the parent the messageof homeopathy is that there is hope for this most dif-ficult of conditions when it is properly understoodand treated according to natural healing principles.For more info contact Ethan Miller at 884-3997.

by Ethan Miller, DHHP, HD, DMH

AA utism is now a full-blown epidemic. The prevalence ofautism far exceeds that of the polio epidemics that struckfear into the parents of the 1940’s and 1950’s. But while

it was eventually possible to devise fairly simple interventions forpolio, autism has largely frustrated the attempts of both the con-ventional and alternative health communities to come up withsatisfactory treatments. The difference in the outcomes betweenthese two epidemics is due to the nature of the underlying con-dition. Polio is a relatively well defined infectious disease whosecause is well understood. Autism, on the other hand, is a com-plex condition whose etiology and genesis are still a subject ofspeculation. In fact, it is not a disease at all, in the same sensethat polio is. Rather, it is a “spectrum” of disorders with rela-tively ill-defined diagnostic criteria.

Some of the causes that have been suggested for autism includeheavy metal toxicity, food sensitivities, vaccine shock, geneticfactors, nutrient deficiencies, and various immunological andautoimmune problems. Both the MMR and DPT vaccines havebeen implicated as causes of autism by researchers. While all ofthese factors (and more) can be definitively linked to autism, thechallenge is to sort out the role of each. Some are true causesand others are really effects or symptoms, some more funda-

ChildrChildren’en’s Health:s Health: Homeopathy and Autism

As reported in Food Production daily.com a study pub-lished by Environmental Health Perspectives showslow doses of Bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical widelyused in plastic food containers, baby bottles, cans, toysand dental sealants could be a contributing factor to thedevelopment of breast cancer in women, and damag-ing to the genital development of unborn baby boys.

Phthalates, including Bisphenol-A, are a chemicalgroup used in plastic packaging, such as bags, to makeproducts flexible and pliable. The BPA study reinforcesprevious studies on the chemical. Consumers andlawyers may conclude that the industry might havebeen negligent in ignoring the previous studies.

In the new BPA study, three US scientists conclude thateven low-level exposure to the chemical alters the mam-mary glands of female mice to grow in a way that makesthem more likely to develop breast cancer and also torespond in unusual ways to estrogen. The study goeson to say, "These alterations, were they to take place inhumans, could contribute to an increase in breast can-cer risk." The scientists state, "Most, if not all, humanshave relevant amounts of bisphenol-A in their bodies."Humans are exposed to BPA when it leaches from plas-tic food and beverage containers, dental materials andother products, they note. BPA is used in the produc-tion of epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics. Suchplastics are used in many food and drink packagingapplications, while the resins are commonly used aslacquers to coat metal products such as food cans, bot-tle tops and water supply pipes. Some polymers usedin dental treatment contain BPA.

BPA was first identified in the 1930s. In the 1950s,chemists linked BPA together to create polycarbonatesand companies began using the chemical in plasticsproduction. BPA is now one of the top 50 chemicalsbeing produced in the US. BPA was first shown to beestrogenic in 1938, in a study using rats. In a 1993study BPA was found to be estrogenic in the humanbreast cancer cell. Another 1995 study found that the

liquid in some cans of tinned vegetables have beenfound to contain both BPA and the related chemicaldimethyl bisphenol-A.

The highest levels of BPA were found in cans of peas.BPA was also found in the liquid from cans of artichokes,beans, mixed vegetables, corn and mushrooms. All liq-uids which contained BPA were found to be estrogenic tohuman breast cancer cells, the scientists reported.

The current study is being published in the journalEndocrinology. The lead scientist in the study, AnaSoto, is a professor of cell biology at Tufts UniversitySchool of Medicine. In 1997 researchers Fred Vom Saaland others at the University of Missouri-Columbia con-cluded that BPA was harmful to humans and that itsuse should be banned. They noted that BPA is also usedin the manufacture of bottles, including baby bottles,from which it leaches at an increasing rate as the bottleages. For the complete story go to www.organicconsumers.com or www.foodproductiondaily.com.

If we start from the premise that every disease is ultimately a giftand a teacher, then we must conclude that autism is the bearer

of some of the most profound lessons of our time.

Bisphenol-A Bisphenol-A used to makebaby bottlesand otherconsumer plastics linkedto cancer and developmentaldisorders

community forum september 2005 14

Meet Today’s Biological Pioneers!Beaming Bioneers Conference: Oct. 14-16th

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planned for the 3-day conference. Conferenceorganizers have met with environmental and socialjustice organizations as well as concerned citizens ina series of planning meetings this summer. Localprogramming brings together a wide array of localexpertise that addresses such topics as organic farm-ing, ecological design, youth leadership, wildlandprotection, ecological medicine, renewable energy,eco-literacy, indigenous knowledge, and more.

The New Mexico Bioneers Conference is hostedby Sustain Taos and the University of NewMexico-Taos. Amy Pilling and Richard Kujawski,co-directors of the local conference, are seekingsponsors to offset the costs of organizing a state-wide event. La Montanita Co-op has alreadystepped up to be a sponsor along with EcoVersityin Santa Fe, The Taos News, and KTAO solarradio in Taos.

How Can I Register and Participate?In order to encourage broad participation, the costhas been kept at the moderate price of $35.00 forone day, and only $65 for all three days. Youthand seniors receive a discount. Early registrationrates are available until September 30, and an esti-mated 400-500 people are expected each day.Register today by calling 505-758-2103, or visitthe Sustain Taos website at www.sustaintaos.organd click on Bioneers to register online.

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED for both pre-event coor-dination work and during the conference – offer-ing an opportunity for many to support the workof the Bioneers and earn admittance to theConference. To find out more, call 505-758-2103 orsend an email to info@sustaintaos.org.

FF or 15 years, there’s been an unusual and amazing gatheringeach October in California known as the Bioneers Conference.While mainstream media focus on the world’s fossil fuel

supply, a group of pioneers who work with nature to heal the earthand its inhabitants have been gathering annually to share theirbreakthroughs and discoveries. These globally recognized scientificand social innovators may not capture the headlines, but they carryon the work of developing visionary and practical solutions forrestoring the Earth and solving environmental and social chal-lenges.

Now, for the first time, this crucial environmental conference iscoming to New Mexico via satellite, and everyone who cares abouta healthy and just planet is invited to participate. In order to reach

the broadest local community possible, the NewMexico Beaming Bioneers Conference is beingheld in both Taos and Albuquerque.

On the first day, Fri., October 14th, attendeeswill gather in Taos at the Taos ConventionCenter. On Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 15-16, the

Conference convenes at the UNM Main Campusin the Student Union Building in Albuquerque.

Programming begins each morning at 9:00 a.m.with the plenary speakers’ presentationsbeamed live from California. After a lunchbreak, the afternoon offers three hours of pre-sentations and forums by local experts focusingon many of the issues most relevant to the envi-ronment, ecology and culture in New Mexico.Concurrent sessions will offer multiple optionson different interest tracks.

Who Are The Bioneers?Headquartered outside of Santa Fe and led byfounder Kenny Ausubel, the Bioneers organiza-tion is an important environmental voice in theU.S. Bioneers are an inspiring collection of“biological pioneers” with practical and vision-ary solutions for our environmental and socialchallenges, informed by nature's essential prin-ciples of interdependence, cooperation andcommunity. Bioneers represent a culture ofsolutions and hope. They show how great a dif-ference the actions of one person can make.

How Is This Conference Organized?More than 25 local concurrent sessions are

Statewide

During this year’s annual Bioneers Conference in California,talks by the following plenary speakers will be beamed bysatellite to New Mexico. (Visit www.bioneers.org for moredetails about the speakers.)

MICHAEL ABLEMAN, farmer, author and founder/ ExecutiveDirector of the Center for Urban Agriculture at FairviewGardens, CA. He encourages using their farms for social andecological change.

WIL BULLOCK, a 24-year old community leader, has workedfor 9 years with Boston’s famed Food Project, a ground-breaking non-profit organization that is a model for integrat-ing food and health, city and country, justice and access.

OHKI SIMINE FOREST, of Canadian Mohawk descent, beganher spiritual journey studying with Mongolian shamans. InMexico, she was initiated into the world of Mayan healers,and works to help Mayan indigenous communities.

OMAR FREILLA is former board chair of the NYCEnvironmental Justice Alliance. A dynamic, young leader, Omarlaunched the Green Worker Cooperatives to create worker-owned, environmentally friendly manufacturing co-ops.

RHA GODDESS is a hip-hop entrepreneur and social activistrenowned for her spoken-word dexterity and political con-sciousness that explores how this generation’s daughters arebranding their own movement of love, power and freedom.

THOM HARTMANN is the bestselling author of 14 books,including “The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight” and “WhatWould Jefferson Do?”

ANDY LIPKIS founded and is president of TreePeople andT.R.E.E.S. In 30 years, Andy’s pathfinding efforts have result-ed in the planting of two million trees and the education ofone million schoolchildren.

BILL MCKIBBEN is author of “The End of Nature” and “TheAge of Missing Information.” He writes about how globalwarming requires immediate technological and socialresponses on an unprecedented global scale.

JEREMY NARBY, Ph.D., a Swiss-based anthropologist, isthe author of “The Cosmic Serpent: DNA” and “Intelligencein Nature: an Inquiry Into Knowledge.” Jeremy meets withshamans and scientists to explore how humanity can learnfrom nature.

DAVID ORR is an award-winning scholar and leader, doingpioneering work on environmental literacy in higher educa-tion and ecological design.

CAROLYN RAFFENSPERGER is a leader in discussing thePrecautionary Principle and successfully applying it to gov-ernments, companies and communities.

VYACHESLAV TRIGUBOVICH is one of Russia’s best-knownanti-poaching rangers and protector of endangered species.He has led numerous field expeditions to identify the mostimportant snow leopard breeding areas.

DIANE WILSON is a 4-generation fisherman on the Texas GulfCoast who used civil disobedience and nonviolent approachesto stop corporate chemical giants from polluting, and won“zero discharge” agreements from major corporations.

Beaming Bioneers

A group of pioneers who work with nature toheal the earth and its inhabitants have been meetingannually to share their breakthroughs and discoveries.

bioneers inTTAAOOSS!!and albuquerque

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community forum september 2005 15

TEWTEWA WA Women Unitedomen United9th Annual Gathering for Mother EarthTewa Women United welcomes all communities tobring their families and friends to the 9th AnnualGathering for Mother Earth, on September 17 and 18at Pojoaque Ben’s Gathering Grounds. The focus ofthis year’s gathering is on giving love and thanksto the spirit of water and is dedicated in lovingmemory of the 25th anniversary of the passing ofGreat, Great, Grandmother Maria Martinez.

We encourage all cultures, all ages, schools, com-munities and families to bring intergenerationalthinking to this wholistic event that will include:youthful activities, healing arts, ecological safetyinformation, drumming circles, Tsankawi RelayRun, raffle prizes, solar cooking & produce, artsand crafts and off -grid energy demonstrations.

The call for Grandmothers’ wisdom is beingjoined by many community-based organizationsthat recognize the effects of living around nuclearproduction cycle sites and seek to take action forhealing. Afternoon workshops will allow thosewho come to the gathering to spend intimatetime with national leaders such as:

Corbin Harney, Western Shoshone SpiritualLeader, Wilbur Slockish , Klickitat traditionalleader, Myrna Pagan from Vieques, Puerto Rico,Bruce Elijah founder of Native Lifeways, Inc.(Canada) a community based organizer for over30 years. We will also be graced by the presenceof Indigenous Grandmothers healing wisdom.

The Gathering will bring together a wide varietyof natural healers and conventional and tradi-tional practitioners. Good vibrations will come-from many performing artists. Confirmed atpress time are: The San Juan Tewa Choir, TheJemez Walatowa Flowers Choir, The IceMountain Dancers from San Juan Pueblo, TheDanza Mexika Dancers, Native Spirits, and theYouthful Marimba Band.

Alcohol and drugs will NOT be allowed.

The 9th Annual Gathering for Mother Earthincludes a 6:00 am Sunrise Ceremony on bothSaturday and Sunday, and there will be a specialclosing on Sunday at 4:30pm.

The Gathering will be held at Pojoaque Ben’sGathering Grounds on Highway 502 W, towardsLos Alamos, NM (1.8 miles west of the inter-change with Highway 285/84. Community infor-mation and education booths are free. Arts andcrafts persons and food vendors are welcomedfor a extremely reasonable fees. Volunteers areneeded and donations are most gratefully appre-ciated.

For more information or to reserve your booth spacecontact Tewa Women United at 505- 747-7100 or at505-747-3259 or e-mail them at wanpovi@hotmail.com.

Albuquerque, NM: Solar Energy, Wind Energy,Hydrogen Fuel Cells, Biodiesel, Geothermal – allexcite a vision of the futuristic societies we experi-ence in the works of Asimov, Jules Verne and onscreen in Star Wars. But that vision is snowballingout of the future and into our world as wind gen-erators larger than the California redwoods dotthe landscape of New Mexico.

The 2005 Solar Fiesta, held by the New MexicoSolar Energy Association brings worlds ofnew possibilities to homeowners right herein Albuquerque. Over 100 exhibits, work-shops and demonstrations produced at theSolar Fiesta include green building methodsutilizing passive and active solar systems.

Classes cover how to make Bio-Fuels foryour car, solar cooking, wind energy sys-tems, solar financing, solar water pumping,water harvesting and producing solar elec-tricity that you can use to power yourhome or sell to the grid! Did you know thatthere are now federal and local solar rebateprograms in effect?

The kids will enjoy an area where they cando hands on demonstrations that exempli-

fy the practical – and fun – side of solar. You caneat food cooked using only sunlight, and seeexamples of many innovative products.

The Solar Fiesta is held on September 24 & 25from 10am to 5pm at the Indian Pueblo CulturalCenter. For more information, workshop listingsor to purchase tickets in advance contact theNMSEA office by calling 505-246-0400 or goingto www.nmsea.org.

Pearls of the Antilles Pan- African Artist collectiveSeptember/October 2005 Wanted: Artists, Crafters, & Vendors forTri-centennial

Pan-African Unity-day Fair. For more information contact:Ken Smith: 505-907-6927 or Emmanuelle Sainte: 505-315-5341

Tomorrow’s Energy Today!Solar Fiesta: Sept. 24-25

Thursday, September 15, 8pm AlbuquerqueHunger No More: An Interfaith Vigil. Gather infront of Tribute to Mother Earth Fountain (nearCastetter Hall, Northrop Hall & the Art Building)UNM Campus. Friday, September 16, 6:30pm AlbuquerqueInvolving Your Church in The ONE Campaign.La Mesa Presbyterian Church, 7401 Copper NEAlbuquerque.

Saturday, September 17, 2pm Santa FeInvolving Your Church in The ONE CampaignSanta Maria De La Paz Catholic Com-munity, 11 College Ave Santa Fe.

For more information or to get involved contactCarlos Navarro, State Coordinator, New MexicoBread for the World carlos@breadnm.org. Localwebsite: breadnm.org and national, bread.org.

The Corrales Astronomy Club, a new organization dedicated to Corraleños inter-ested in the sky and amateur astronomy, will hold its first public meetingSeptember 11th, at 7PM at the Corrales Montessori school at 3896 Corrales Rd.The club will cater to everyone from beginners who have basic questions or wantto interest their children in the sky, all the way to experienced amateurs, pluseveryone in between. Access the on-line discussion group at groups.yahoo.com/group/ Corrales_Astronomy/ This discussion group is already operating.Contact Ed Isenberg at 922-1072, email astronomy@isenberg-family.net or goto www.corrales-astronomy.org

Corrales Astronomy Club holds 1st Meeting

Central New Mexico

ONE Campaign Collects Food for Locals

Dragonfly Sanctuary is celebrating a day of peace on Sunday, September11th from 11am to 1pm. Express your piece of peace in this beautiful gardensetting at the foot of the Ortiz Mountains near Madrid. Great music, profoundsharing, fun and kind community! And it's free. Potliuck afterwards.Questions, call Sheila at 440-5589.

Be an Instrument of Peace

Stand in Silent VigilWith Women in Black

Thursdays 12:00 - 1:00300 Block of Lomas Blvd NW

One Hour per Weekfor Peace and Justice

contact 573-1275 or 281-9787

1122 GREAT REASONS TO BE A CO-OP MEMBER::zz1. YOUR CHANCE TO SUPPORT A STORE that is committed to bringing you the

highest quality organic produce, antibiotic and hormone -free meats, rBGH- free dairy products, imported and domestic chesses, healthiest grocery, bulk foods,fresh deli and juices, natural body care cosmetics, vitamins, herbs and more!

2. Member Refund Program: At the end of each fiscal year, if earnings are sufficient, refunds are returned to members based on purchases.

3. Pick-Up Our Monthly Newsletter full of information on food, health, environment and your Co-op.

4. Weekly Member-Only Coupon Specials as featured in our Weekly Sales Flyer. Pick it up every week at either location to save more than your annual membership fee each week.

5. Easy Check Writing AND CASH ($40) over purchase amount. We also accept ATM cards, VISA and MasterCard.

6. Banking Membership at New Mexico Educators Federal Credit Union, with many Albuquerque branches to serve you.

7. Insurance and Financial Counseling: Call Robin Chall 823-9537

8. Free delivery for seniors, housebound and differently-abled people.

9. MEMBER- ONLY DISCOUNT DAYS: Take advantage of our special

discount events for members only — throughout the year!

10. Special Orders: You can special order large quantities or hard-to-find

items, at a 10% discount for members.

11. General Membership Meetings, Board positions and voting. Co-ops are democratic organizations; your participation is encouraged.

12. Membership Participation Program:Members can earn discount credit through our community outreach committees or skilled member participation program. Please ask at the Info Desk for details.

Now More than Ever: Support Community, Support Cooperation

JOIN LA MONTANITA COOPERATIVEThe Only Community- Owned Natural Foods Grocery in the Albuquerque Area

MEMBERSHIP: ONLY$15 ANNUALLY, OR $200 LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP

Nob Hill: Central & Carlisle, 505-265-4631

Valley: Rio Grande & Matthew, 505-242-8800

Wild Sage: Gallup, 505-863-5383

Market Place: Santa Fe, 505-984-2852

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