AnnualFarm &GardenIssue

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March isCo-opMemberAppreciationVolumeDiscountMonthsee details inside

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Cover:JimmyPettit,erdaGardens

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coopconnectionMarch 2004 / FREE Nourishing New Mexico Since 1976

It’s hard to believe that this is actually the 15thyear of the Coop’s Celebrate the EarthFestival. From its humble beginnings withjust a few organizations and crafts peopleset up around our little Coop, this belovedcommunity event has mushroomed into oneof the finest Earth Day celebrations in theregion. Well over 100 environmental, socialand economic justice organizations, farm-ers, gardeners, agricultural educators,artists, crafts people, performing artists andmusicians from all over New Mexico fill thelittle block behind the Coop with the coop-erative energy needed to manifest a sharedvision of a better, environmentally and eco-nomically sustainable world.

Already we have numerous organizationsreserving their space, including Rio GrandeCommunity Farms, Master Gardeners ofNew Mexico, erda Gardens, AmigosBravos, New Mexico Wilderness Alliance,Hawkwatch, New Mexico Solar EnergyAssociation, The Vegetarian Society, TheVeggie Car — Bio-diesel for the Future, TheNew Mexico Organic Livestock Coop-erative, The Sierra Club, Cuidandos LosNinos, the New Mexico Organic Com-modities Commission, Citizens for Al-ternatives To Radioactive Dumping, Plantsof the Southwest and many, many more.

The entertainment schedule is also shapingup nicely, Look for great local bandsincluding the country blues of Alpha Blue,Jasper (a reincarnation of Stove with oldand new friends), Dancing Horse DrumGroup, the inspired dancing of Eva

Farmscape Biodiversity:

Agriculture’s 21st CenturyChallenge

by Dan ImhoffAs this new century begins, the sustainable agricul-ture movement finds itself engaged in a thoroughre-evaluation. A number of salient factors andinfluences are contributing to this. First is theburgeoning success of the organic movement,which, in its resistance to industrial systems andgenetically modified crops, is heightening con-sumer awareness of the importance of on-farmdiversity and closer partnerships between agri-culture and nature. Another is the growingrecognition of the roles that 20th century farm-ing and ranching have played in the endanger-ment, not just of species, but of entire water-sheds and ecosystems.

Land trust initiatives, landscape-scale conserva-tion efforts (such as Y2Y), and site-specifichabitat restoration programs are making itclear that our farms and ranches—which trans-form and domesticate vast amounts of nativehabitat and consume enormous quantities ofwater and resources—represent critical bufferzones and corridors that can interconnectwilderness areas. If the past century, then, hasbeen focused on producing as much food andfiber as possible to accommodate an explodinghuman population, the next century’s focusmust be on reconciling the extent to which agri-culture can exist within healthy ecosystems.

Even for the organic farmer, this concept can bechallenging, if not disturbing. Although thegains the organic movement has made in thepast thirty years demonstrate that a farm is a

living organism beginning with healthy unpollutedsoil, it is now clear that “purifying” operations with-in farm boundaries is not enough. And with its suc-cess, organic agriculture has evolved away from itsback-to-the-land roots, becoming increasingly domi-nated by large-scale farming and distribution opera-tions rather than local, community orientations. Foragriculture to be truly sustainable, local ecosystemsmust be integrated farm-by-farm, creek-by-creek,prairie-by-prairie, maintaining habitat for the widerange of native species that have evolved there.Healthy farms within decaying landscapes can offeronly minimal value to local biodiversity. For that rea-son the sustainable agriculture movement has begunto look beyond farm boundaries to their respectivebio-regions for road maps of the work to come.

River systems that once pulsed with the yearly migra-tions of salmon, for example, among the moreimmaculate manifestations of nature’s bounty, havebeen all but eradicated in farming regions throughoutthe country. “We must learn to treat this river assacred,” a farmer recently said to me of his nativeMerced River, which connects coho and steelheadpopulations via the snowmelt of the California Sierrawith the Pacific Ocean.

Such work can begin simply. A roadside or irrigationditch revegetated with natives. Barn owl, bat, blue-bird, and kestrel houses that compensate for lostroosting habitat. A tailwater or hill pond, which col-lects and filters agricultural irrigation and runoff, andat the same time creates a refuge for wetland species.

Encinias-Sandoval’s Alma Flamenca, and some excitingperforming artists still to be confirmed. As always therewill be fine local artists and crafts people and greatCoop food.

A Festival First This year it is with great pleasure that we welcome theparticipation of our neighbors and good friends atImmanuel Presbyterian Church. Located just acrossCarlisle from the Coop, for years they have allowedus to use their meeting space for our Board meetings,annual membership gatherings and been wonderfulsupportive neighbors in every way. Now we arepleased to be able to partner with them and expandour festival across the street to include this importantneighborhood organization. We are pleased toannounce that in conjunction with the Celebrate theEarth Fest, the Church will be offering a free classicalconcert by the Symphony Orchestra of Albuquerque,at 2pm and a variety of children’s activities in front ofthe main Carlisle Street entrance.

For the past 15 years, in keeping with the cooperativephilosophy of continuous education and concern forcommunity, we have been pleased to offer this freestreet festival. It is a great opportunity for us to edu-cate one another on a variety of important issues andsupport each other’s work, as together we cooperateto manifest a shared vision of a sustainable world,and a strong local community. Mark your calendar soyou’re sure not to miss this beloved community event,La Montanita Coop’s 15th Annual Celebrate theEarth Festival. And remember parking is tight soplease bike or hike to the site

If you are a non-profit environmental social or economicjustice organization, New Mexican farmer, gardener oragricultural organization and want to reserve your freespace please contact Robyn at 217-0107.

15th AnnualCelebrate the Earth!

CCoommiinnggSSoooonn!!

continued on page 4

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Permacultureby Adam TrujilloNew Mexico is at the heart of a revolution. The new green rev-olution has begun with a common view and practices that willprovide food and fiber that are economically sound, environ-mentally wise and socially and culturally appropriate now andinto the future. Sustainability of natural resources and ourown connection with the Earth improve with the practice ofPermaculture. “Permanent Agriculture” is the consciousdesign and maintenance of cultivated ecosystems, whichhave the diversity, stability and resilience of natural ecosys-tems. It is the harmonious integration of landscape, peopleand appropriate technologies, providing goods, shelter, ener-gy and other needs in a sustainable way. Permaculture is aphilosophy and an approach to land use which works withnatural rhythms and patterns, weaving together the elementsof microclimate, annual and perennial plants, animals,water, soil management, and human needs into intricatelyconnected and productive communities.

All living systems are centered around energy flow. Theexisting energetic forces in the high desert of New Mexico,sun, rain, wind, humans, and money act through systems;whether that system is a garden, a family or a business. In apermaculture system, position interconnects elements in thesystem into beneficial relationships. When designed correct-ly, such a system will become, like a natural ecosystem,increasingly diverse and self-sustaining. Permaculture isbased on three ethics: Care of the Earth, Care of the Peopleand Setting limits to population and consumption. By gov-erning our own needs, we can set resources aside to furtherthe first two principles.

SS uccessful permaculture systems have three guidingprinciples that have proven successful. The first prin-ciple is that each element must perform multiple

functions within the system. An example would be the cher-ry tree outside a home in the valley. The small tree bears fruitor a cash crop, the rotten cherries fall or get eaten by birds,spreading the fruit and also fertilizing the ground for theberries that grow in the shade. The twigs are used for kin-dling in the winter and the leaves act as mulch in the com-post pile. The second principle is that each desired functionis supported by multiple elements (shade is provided). Lastly,interconnectivity is vital. The susceptibility and output of aNew Mexican permaculture system is not dependent on thenumber of elements, but rather the number of variedexchanges. Think about the diversity and richness of an oldgrowth forest versus that of a monoculture tree farm.

Water is the dominant energy theme in dryland permacul-ture design. New Mexico and the Colorado Plateau havewater resources that are being diminished at astonishingrates and the “ownership” of that water is being disputedwith ever increasing fervor. When we take a step back fromthe water crisis and evaluate the sources of water and thelasting climatic and geographic patterns of our state, adrought should be no surprise. Water system quantity fluc-tuates dramatically in the high altitude deserts of the world,

being subject to varying inland climatic patterns due to dra-matic mountain ranges and complicated geomorphology.The pattern that many hydrologists and climatologists sug-gest is governance of our consumption. This can be done byvarious means: “gray water” systems, rainwater catchmentsor drought tolerant plant species. Two other sources of ener-gy in New Mexico are sun and wind. By taking advantage ofthese forces, we can harvest and store amazing amounts ofenergy and build our communities with a more “earth cul-tural” mindset.

Traditions ConvergeIn New Mexico there is a rich legacy of profound humaninterconnection with the land and its blessings of foodplants. The native peoples of this region hold an intimateconnection with the land and plant life. When the Spanisharrived in the 15th century they brought with them theirown plants and practices, and when the Anglos arrived later

they transported many botanical allies as well as foes. Thesetraditions converged to form a rich and unique legacy, whichserves as a primary source of health and healing.

At the heart of is the profound reservoir of indigenousknowledge, gleaned from millennia of living in intimaterelationship with the natural world. Throughout the yearceremonial dances and rituals celebrate the gifts of theearth, giving thanks for corn, beans, seeds, rain and themysterious tapestry of sacred relationships that sustainhuman beings and all life. Modern agribusiness built anindustry based on the use of packaged hybrid seeds andtoxic chemicals. The restoration of Native food plant andcultural heritage will be a difficult task, and is necessary forthe evolution of permaculture design. We must use innova-tive, viable models for environmental restoration andimplement them at the same level of importance as otherpolitical endeavors.

P ermaculture is about understanding our humanrelationship to place; it is about being attached,connected, and belonging to the essence of these

natural places and the delicate environmental balance. Thecycles of energy to matter and matter to energy, and of birth,death and rebirth are ongoing. A slender thread binds theweave tight in the intricate, mysterious fabric of life, and yetwe have been blindly unraveling the tapestry of creation. Aswe strain to find the limits of the natural world, we can nolonger escape the knowledge that we are inseparable fromour surroundings and that our fates are the same.Permaculture principles are being used on every continentexcept for Antarctica. Design solutions exist worldwide forevery environment and technological, social and economicneeds can be modeled on natural systems.

Adam Trujillo is the owner of New Mexico Roots Down Permaculture,a family-owned business that does permaculture design landscaping.Meet Adam and discuss permaculture at the 15th Annual Celebrate theEarth Festival, April 18 at your Co-op!

farming & gardening

A Community - Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store

La Montanita CooperativeNob Hill3500 Central S.E.Albuq., NM 87106265-4631

Valley2400 Rio Grande Blvd.Albuq., NM 87104242.8800

Administrative Staff:General Manager: C.E. Pugh ce@lamontanita.com/265-4631Store Team Leaders: Michelle Franklin/Nob Hill 265-4631John Mulle/Valley 242-8800Accounting/Toni Fragua 217-0108Computers/Info Technology/Ahmed Elmaghlawi 232-8202Human Resources/Sharrett Rose 217-0105Marketing/Edite Cates 217-0106Membership/Robyn Seydel 217-0107Co-op fax line: 217-0104 or 265-6470

Co-op Board of Directors:President: Pat JanneyVice President: Marshall KovitzTreasurer: Ken O’BrienSecretary: Julie Hicks Lon CalancaEric ChrispJohn KwaitTrout RogersMartha Whitman

Store Hours:Nob HIllMon. thru Sat.: 7a.m. to 10p.m.Sunday: 8a.m. to 10p.m.

ValleyMon. thru Sat.: 7a.m. to 10p.m.Sunday: 8a.m. to 10p.m.

Membership Costs:$12 for 1 year$200 Lifetime Membership

Co-op Connection Staff:Managing Editor: Robyn SeydelLayout and Design: foxyrock incAdvertising: Robyn Seydel Printing: Vanguard Press

Membership information is available at the Co-op, 3500 Central S.E. (Nob Hill location), or 2400 Rio grande Blvd. N.W. (Valley location)

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

Copyright © 2004La Montanita Co-op SupermarketReprints by prior permission.

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

The Co-op Connection is published by LaMontanita Co-op Supermarket to provide informa-tion on La Montanita Co-op Supermarket, thecooperative movement, food, nutrition, and com-munity issues. Opinions expressed herein are ofthe authors and are not necessarily those of thenewletters or the Co-op.

cover photos by Edite Cates

CO-OPYOU OWN IT

2 march 2004

Permaculture is a philosophy and an approach to land use which works with natural

rhythms and patterns.

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farming & gardening

proper watering and mulching. Cutting edgetreatments such as growth regulators and bios-timulants may also provide some hope if usedappropriately.• Consider the needs of your established trees inthe planning process, prior to re-landscaping—especially if your goal is to reduce water use.Remove turf grass in the winter months takingcare not to desiccate exposed tree roots duringsummer heat. Use composted organic mulch as analternative to rock for landscape dressings. • Provide adequate irrigation. Water should bedelivered so that as much surface area as possiblewithin the tree’s drip line and beyond can receiveperiodic deep soaking. Soaker hoses and in linedrip tubing facilitates this nicely, especially if cov-ered by mulch to control evaporation. Allowingsome shallow drying of the soil will help drawmuch needed oxygen to tree roots.• Consider root treatments such as thosedescribed above for damage control, betweenprunings, as part of your trees regular careregime. Periodic vertical mulching can be a good

way to break up compacted root zone, aerate soil,and apply fertilizer to tree roots.• Use chemical control of insects sparingly. Knowthat insects are more often attracted to stressedtrees, and often predate on trees whose vigor hassuccumbed to accumulated stresses to the pointwhere death may be imminent regardless. A holis-tic approach to insect control may be viable ifdecline is not too severe. Healthy trees are capa-ble of employing numerous defense mechanismsto protect against insects. • Know your limitations. Declining/decayingtrees may become hazardous to life and propertyand may be beyond saving — deal with them

by Eric BishopWhy do trees often fail in our landscapes? Are we loosing our matureshade trees to old age? Do boring insects prefer older trees? As anarborist I’m called to answer these questions hundreds of times ayear. Most often tree care providers are called out to provide a serv-ice to a tree’s canopy, such as pruning to improve structure, pruningto remove deadwood, etc. A great deal of time and attention is givento caring for our trees’ canopy, yet their subsurface portion, consti-tuting about 25% of a tree’s entire dry mass, is often overlooked.The health of the canopy’s counterpart, the tree’s root system, is cru-cial so that it may provide the tree with water and nutrients for pho-tosynthesis above. Knowing how tree roots grow and where theyclaim residence in your landscape is an important first step to prop-er tree care. Watering, fertilization, and soil improvements are opti-mized with a working knowledge of tree roots.

M ore than a few times now, I’ve been called out to lookat someone’s tree that “the borers are killing.” A quickinspection of the tree and general site and several com-

mon, tell-tale flags go up. Ends of tree limbs, dead, protrude froma ‘fuzzy’ looking interior canopy. Remnants of a discontinuedlawn, a recently xeriscaped yard, evidence of excavating, trenching,and other disturbances to the tree’s root zone tell a more com-

pelling story. Contrary to myth, tree roots don’t often seek greatdepth, nor do they simply stop at the edge of the canopy. Theygrow out to gain surface area and may claim an area three timesthe diameter of the tree’s canopy. In fact, feeder roots, comprising75% or more of the root system, lay twelve inches or shallowerwithin the soil profile. Trees have evolved this root structure overmillennia to best acquire water, oxygen, and the mineral andorganic constituents needed in the chemistry of photosynthesis, themiracle by which plants produce energy from sunlight. Many of thefirst home owners in the Univesity, Nob Hill and Ridgecrest areasbegan their landscapes when water usage was mostly a non-issue,so trees and lawn got plenty. Years go by and trees within thisregime grow reasonably well. A decade or two later ownership ofthe property may change. The care the lawn receives often dictateshow the tree will fare, since its roots co-mingle with grass roots,occupying the same area. Unknown to most of us, they endurenumerous assaults to their roots. Tree roots that initially grewwhere water was relatively plentiful, over a large area that turfoccupied, die back as watering habits change or lawns are discon-tinued. Roots are further damaged as new sewer or gas lines aretrenched in, sidewalks and driveways are mended and replaced,and as changing water concerns demand water conservation with-in our landscapes. The stresses that trees endure tend to be cumu-lative over time, predisposing the tree to other ailments, pests, andan early demise.

So how can we enhance the health of our trees in aseemingly hostile urban forest? Here are some considerations:

• Avoid damaging tree roots! This may seem to restate the obvious,but considering the frequency in which root damage initiates treedecline, it’s worth a second mention. No trenching, roto-tilling,extensive excavation, removal or addition of soil to the originalgrade should be performed within a trees drip line if at all possible.• If damage has occurred, consider treatments that may remediateroot damage. Options include; vertical mulching, radial trenching,

Getting Back to Our Roots...Caring for Our Elder Trees

march 2004 3

Knowing how tree roots grow and where theyclaim residence in your landscape is an important first step to proper tree care.

eeeennnnhhhhaaaannnncccceeee tttthhhheeeehhhheeeeaaaalllltttthhhh of your trees

appropriately. Consider the site as well. Thereare many large shade trees around town growingin spaces too small to sustain them. Match thesite with an appropriate specimen — and lookup! Overhead utility lines may dictate heightrestrictions.• Plant Sustainably. Continuation of our urbanforest depends on keeping trees alive and healthythrough their maturity. Under the worst circum-stances, improper planting can doom a tree to liv-ing less than 10% of its genetic potential. Planttrees at proper depth — not too deep — the trunkas it flares to form the roots should be visibleabove ground. Remove burlap, wire baskets andcut girdling roots, so that your tree may extendnew roots into the surrounding soil easily. Again,irrigate properly. Those little flag emitters every-one uses at the tree’s stem are inadequate to pro-vide water beyond the first and second years afterplanting. Consider spreading drip irrigation outaway from the trunk progressively as the treegrows, anticipating the size of the canopy atmaturity, while coaxing roots to extend outwardthere by, more effectively mining the soil.

AA s a final note, remember, most treeshave the potential to live longer livesthan our own. Unlike ourselves, they

are unable to move about to acquire the resourcesneeded for survival. Hence, they have evolvedstrategies to store energy and water reserves toweather hard times. This accounts for the subtleexpression of decline that may go unnoticed formany years. Human life by contrast tends to behighly transitory. We could surmise that in ourfaster paced lifestyle, we tend toward a narrowerperspective of life. Much of what stands in theway of a sustainable urban forest is our inabilityto view trees in their entirety — their roots,trunk, limbs, and leaves as they comprise anentire organism — our lack of understanding thattree success depends on numerous relationshipswith its surrounding environment and the web oflife intermingled with its own, and perhaps, ourinsistence that trees serve and function within theconfines of the human lifespan.

Eric Bishop is a member of the International Societyof Arboriculture, a certified arborist and owner ofEric’s Tree Care in Albuquerque.

5th Annual Valley Garden Party

Sat. May 1

BEDDING PLANTS, ORGANIC & LOCALLY GROWN NATIVE PLANTS, HERBS, GARDENING INFO & EDUCATION,

MUSIC BY TERRA PLENA & OTHER LOCAL MUSICIANS, FOOD & MORE

ALL AT YOUR FRIENDLY NORTH VALLEY COOP!ON RIO GRANDE AT MATTHEW

Healing not Hacking:Proper Pruning

march 2004

farming & gardening

by Corva RoseCorrect pruning of trees and shrubs has a significantimpact on their future growth, and is one of the mainfactors that influence a plant’s longevity. We mayhear this fact over and over, however, and still nothave a clear idea what “correct pruning” truly is.Like many ancient skills, pruning is part scienceand part art. Quality pruning incorporates plantbiology, growth habits, and tree development intothe aesthetic principles of pruning and training. Aswe know, one doesn’t need to be either elf or treespecialist to notice that there are many examples ofbad hair in the trees and shrubs of our fair city. I dobelieve that raising the collective consciousness sur-rounding both the art and the science of pruningwill greatly increase the health of our urban forest.Here are some consciousness-raising tips:

Some brief and basic biology: Incorrectpruning cuts can injure trees permanently, mak-ing them vulnerable to stressors such as insectdamage and disease. This fact alone can motivateus to understand how trees function and whatthey need to thrive. Starting at the roots, we canbecome appreciative of the part of the tree whichwe do not see. The roots produce some of thegrowth regulators (hormones) needed by the tree,and send these, along with water and nutrients,upward through cellular structures called xylem.Up in the leaves, photosynthesis occurs, trans-forming light energy into chemical energy. Thesugars that are formed (energy), along with hor-mones and proteins, are moved around the plantin a series of living cells called phloem tubes,located just inside the cambium layer, near thebark. Thanks to these phloem tubes, energy canbe stored all over the plant, including the roots,in the form of starch. This is important to know,because when any amount of a tree or shrub isremoved, the plant is losing both stored energy(in the form of starch) and photosynthesizingpotential (in the form of leaves). Thus, it isimportant to remove only what is necessary toinvigorate a plant and help create a good struc-

ture. Injury to trees and plants, removing toomuch mass at once, and “topping” trees canseverely disrupt the essential process of creatingand storing energy, making much-neededreserves unavailable to the plant.

How plants heal: When a tree or shrub losesa branch, or is injured, it doesn’t truly “heal” theway we normally think, but rather compartmen-talizes, creating boundaries around the wound.This cellular process halts the loss of normal woodfunction, and resists the spread of discolorationand decay. Thus, the healthy tissue is separatedfrom decayed tissue. Trees and shrubs will alwaysstrive to compartmentalize around a wound,whether the wound is a correctly-made cut, orsimply an injury. The difference is that a propercut compartmentalizes more efficiently. At thebase of a branch, where it joins to the trunk orlarger branch, there often appears a distinctswelling, called the branch collar. The collar con-tains trunk tissue as well as branch tissue, com-bined in a more-or-less overlapping fashion. At thebase of the branch, hidden within the collar, is athin zone of starch-rich tissue (called the branchprotection zone) whose job it is to slow the spreadof discoloration and decay. This bit of science is soimportant because it is vital that when branchesare pruned, the collar must not be damaged orremoved, as in a “flush cut.” If cuts do not com-partmentalize well, decay can often make its wayto the heartwood and then to the roots, creatinginstability. In addition, the tree becomes vulnera-ble to disease, insect infestation, and drought.

As we can see, trees and shrubs have specializedtissues that are adapted to particular functions.The vascular system transports nutritive fluidthroughout the body of the plant. The compart-mentalizing tissue halts decay from spreading,when a branch is removed. With increased under-standing, we will better care for the plants in ourlandscapes, which will translate as a healthierecosystem for all of us.

4

Continued from page 1Livestock that are fenced out or intensely man-aged near streams. Other efforts can comprise alarger sweep of a landscape: restoring the naturalcycles of flood and channel migration to a riversystem; creating a functional buffer that connectsan interstitial farming region to larger wildernessareas; returning an entire area to its previous self-willed state; or reintroducing threatened species.

While the costs of these efforts cannot be mini-mized—and in fact must be addressed by us as aculture dependent upon food, fiber, and healthyecosystems and communities—the benefits tomore integrated farming and ranching systemsmust also begin to be both qualified and quanti-fied. The agricultural services of pollinating andpredatory insects harbored in shelterbelts,hedgerows, and riparian set-asides is being docu-mented. The facts that hundreds of rodent skullscan be cleaned from a single owl box during theeight-week brooding season, or that the averagebrown-eared bat consumes some 600 insects perhour, should pique our curiosity toward workingwith, rather than against natural forces. Theresponse of fish populations or the recovery of thewater table or the halt of streambank erosioncould act as functional milestones to riparianrestoration efforts.

Beyond monetary and efficiency benefits, largerissues are at play, and these are themes that wehuman cultures will perpetually struggle with.Questions such as what it means to have a sus-tainable society, what our ultimate responsibilityas stewards entails, whether vital communitieswithin healthy bioregions can coexist in the faceof global, industrial, corporate dominance. Urgentchoices need to be made between farming and the

wild, between communities and commodities,between minimalist monocultures and evolution-ary biodiversity. These concepts are fodder forreinventing agriculture in the 21st century. Noteveryone will agree on methodology, scale, ortechnique. But if one looks toward the possibili-ties, a new vision unfolds, one that offers enor-mous challenges but also immeasurable gains.

In response to these challenges, The Wild FarmAlliance (WFA) was established in 2000 to create acomprehensive approach to biodiversity and eco-logical recovery by working within and beyondagriculturally managed lands to connect and bufferfragmented wildlands. We are serving as a clear-inghouse, building upon current knowledge, forg-ing new alliances, promoting market-based incen-tives, educating consumers, and initiating workingmodels for farming with the wild. The WFA wel-comes the opportunity to collaborate and dialogwith organizations and individuals working toreconnect our food systems with natural ecosys-tems, and believes this represents one of the great-est challenges and opportunities before us.

Dan Imhoff is a co-founder of the Wild Farm Allianceand of Watershed Media, which has publishedFarming with Wild.

For more information, contact:Jo Ann Baumgartner, Wild Farm Alliance406 Main Street, Suite 213 Watsonville, CA 950761.831.761.8408wildfarms@earthlink.net

Reprinted with permission from EnvironmentalGrantmakers Association, Fall 2001.

Farmscape Biodiversity

Robust, productive soil is made up of about 50% airand water, 45% inorganic materials from rock frag-ments, and 5% organic matter, or ‘humus’. Longago, before mankind’s extensive manifestationsupon the earth, virgin soil contained an average of4-5% humus. The average now in this country isabout 1.5% or less. Without organic matter, thesoil is hard and compacted and cannot hold airand water. In compacted soil the water contentnears 30%, and the inorganic mineral contentincreases to 68%.

As much as half this mineral content is due tochemical fertilizer residues that have built up inharmful quantities. Chemicals from fertilizers andpesticide sprays (which are washed into the soil byrain etc. and make their way into the plants thatgrow in it) thus disrupt soil balance more andmore over the long term.

Fertile soil is a living, breathing medium. Poor soilcan be made into a healthy growing medium byadding lots of humus – compost, animal manure,cover crops (such as clover, alfalfa, buckwheat)turned under, heavy mulches, and the properamount of organic minerals, such as rock phosphate,blood meal, etc. (a soil test can help determine theproper amount and type of minerals needed).

Humus could be seen as the fiber and nutrients ofthe soil diet. The fiber provides a structuralstrength, by forming aggregates of soil particlesthat cling together and give each other strength toresist compacting, and provide space for air andwater. Humus feeds the beneficial soil bacteria andfungi which create a nurturing environment forplant growth. Earthworms tunnel through thehumus, digesting it and aerating the soil.

Humus stores nutrients such as nitrogen (N)(sources of this include manure, green wastes,etc.); phosphate (P) (sources include phosphaterock powder, bone meal, etc.); and potassium (K)(sources include granite dust, kelp meal, woodashes). Nitrogen stimulates plant growth above

the ground (leaves, etc.); phosphorous provides forstrong roots, fruit development, resistance to dis-ease; potassium helps develop strong plants that canadapt to changing conditions. These need to be incertain proportions in order to support the growthof particular plants. Growth of beets can beenhanced with a higher proportion of phosphate,whereas beet greens will grow better with a higherproportion of nitrogen. Too much of any can be aproblem, such as very green (fresh) manure, whichcontains so much nitrogen that it would burn youngplants (instead, use old manure broken up in water,or turn under green manure/cover crops in late fallor late winter to give them time to break down).

In nature, the cycle of the seasons contributes tothe formation of humus: while the growing energyof plants rests in winter, the leaves and twigswhich have fallen in autumn begin to break downand combine with animal droppings, receiving asoaking with snow and rain, in time creating a richcarpet of humus.

To create your own humus, start with compost.Save weeds, grass clippings, leaves, kitchen scraps(nothing greasy). Layer this with manure, kelp,organic minerals (manure helps it break downfaster). Situate the compost pile in a sunny spot,keep it moist, turn it now and then, and cover it.The compost needs to reach hot enough tempera-tures (131-170 F. for 3 days) to kill weed seeds andpathogens; the heat also helps it to decompose.There should be no odor if the heat is adequate,the materials are correct (no fats, enough greenwastes—about 60%), the pile is large enough (atleast 4x4x4 ft), the moisture is appropriate (ahandful squeezed yields a few drops), and aerationfrom turning is adequate. The compost is finishedwhen it is dark and crumbly and you don’t recog-nize what you put in. Once a healthy soil processis established, there will be much less maintenanceneeded in succeeding years. by Mary Grube

Sources: Grow Your Own by Jean Darlington, NM OrganicFarming and Gardening Expo, Dr. Ron Godin, CSU

viding good gardening information to the public,and that means you!

More volunteers are always needed, and if you havesome time and interest we encourage you to consid-er joining the Albuquerque Area Extension MasterGardeners. To become a Master Gardener, you willneed to take the training course. Call Joran Viers,Extension Horticulture Agent with BernalilloCounty Cooperative Extension, at 243-1386, to findout more. If you or your organization would like tohave a speaker on a horticultural topic, or have aplant clinic at an event, please contact Joran at thenumber above.

In addition, the Cooperative Extension Service hasall types of information and programs for countyresidents. These include horticultural and agricultur-al topics, home economics, youth programs, nutri-tion programs, and much more. Check out our webpage at http://cahe.nmsu. edu/bernalillo/ for moreinformation.

Master Gardener Classes: 3/2/04: Vegetables • Drip Irrigation • Composting & Mulches3/9/04: Trees & Shrubs • Fruits • Nuts & Grapes • OrganicFruit Production 3/16/04: Conifers • Tree Pest Management •

farming & gardening

Master Gardeners: Here to Help You!

Humus: the Lifeblood of the Soil

march 2004 5

by Joran ViersThirty-some years ago, in Washington state, the Master Gardenerprogram was born. This volunteer service grew out of publicdemand for good gardening advice, a demand that outstrippedthe supply of people able to give such advice. Since its incep-tion, the program has spread across the country and around the world!

The Albuquerque Area Extension Master Gardeners are a groupof volunteers who provide horticultural information and recom-mendations to the public, free of charge. The Master Gardenersprovide this service as volunteers to the Bernalillo CountyCooperative Extension Service, a branch of New Mexico StateUniversity. Master Gardeners receive an intensive short-course onhorticulture, from basic sciences that relate to gardening (soils,botany, entomology, etc.) through specific topics like xeriscaping,selection of trees appropriate to the area, container gardening,permaculture and many more. This information comes from NewMexico State University, our state's Land Grant college; as well asother local experts. For this year's training program see the classschedule at the end of this article. To sign up for individual class-es on a day-by-day basis, come to the Albuquerque GardenCenter (10120 Lomas NE) at 8am on that Tuesday, and pay tendollars. There are two morning sessions and one afternoon ses-sion each Tuesday.

The Master Gardener's volunteer service takes many forms. Themost visible is the Master Gardener hotline (292-7144), set up totake phone calls from residents with gardening questions. This hot-line is staffed from February 1 through October 31, 9:30 a.m. until2:30 p.m. Call us if you're stumped!

Just a few of the other volunteer projects that Master Gardenerswork on include: staffing tables at public libraries on Saturdaymornings to answer gardening questions; maintaining an educa-tional organic demonstration garden in conjunction with RioGrande Farms; helping plan, plant and care for raised-bed gar-dens for residents of Los Palomas Nursing Home; and workingwith youth at Sunflower Camp, a garden and plant-relatedcamp. Call 243-1386 and ask for Joran if you want more infor-mation on these and other volunteer projects. The list goes on,but you get the point! Master Gardeners are dedicated to pro-

Container Gardening 3/23/04: Xeriscape Principles &Plants • Landscape Irrigation • Permaculture 3/30/04:Perennials • Annuals • Herbs & Bulbs • Growing Herbs4/6/04: Turfgrass Establishment & Maintenance •Ornamental Grasses • New Plants and Plants for Hard-to-Plant Places

For More Information Contact Joran Viers, ExtensionHorticulture Agent, Bernalillo County CooperativeExtension Service 1510 Menaul St. NW Albuquerque, NM87107 (505) 243-1386

Rio Grande Community FarmsConnecting people, food and public land by:• demonstrating sustainable urban agriculture and community security• creating education and training opportunities• celebrating the traditions and culture of agriculture and• providing urban widlife habitatCommunity Garden plots 5 ft. by 80 ft. are available for an annual rental fee of $75. Call 345-4580. Water, some seeds and educational support provided.

The Board’s next general meeting attracteddozens of members, non-members, local activists,union representatives, and employees—someagreed with unionization, some disagreed, otherswere unsure. Rarely has the member commentperiod portion of our meetings been so lively,informative, and well-attended. It was the type ofevent that could only occur at a co-operatively-owned entity, like ours.

Some meeting participants expressed concernabout the General Manager’s hiring of a consult-ant, and use of the consultant’s printed materials.

Several spoke in support ofthe staff’s request of manage-ment to provide equal timefor the union’s side. Man-agement subsequently held ameeting allowing the unionto speak to employees whilethey were on the clock,something unheard of in anycorporate setting. Anotherissue raised at the meetingwas the salary scale. Man-agement had already begun

to analyze salary levels before the union petitionhad been filed. However, they were unable to bringup this issue during the campaign because it couldhave been perceived as a “promise,” which is pro-hibited under Federal guidelines. In continuing toevaluate the process, the Board’s agenda includesthe following:• Grievance policies will be examined and improved.• The Board will play a role in ensuring salaries areregularly examined.• The Board will examine ways to improve GM / Boardcommunication.

Some members voiced concern that La Montanitaappeared to no longer be a co-op. This concerncan only be addressed by considering what itmeans to be a cooperative. The La MontanitaBoard of Directors operates on the philosophythat a cooperative is an organization that abidesby the seven, internationally recognized princi-ples of co-operation. These principles are:

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 the community.

La Montanita has dedicated itself to meeting notonly the letter but also the spirit of these coopera-tive principles. Voluntary and open membershipmeans we cannot exclude anyone, regardless ofrace, religion, politics or number of members.Inevitably, our co-op has grown to serve thousandsmore people in our community than ever before.With that growth have come changes and chal-lenges. What hasn’t changed is our dedication tothe cooperative principles. We have expressed ourconcern for the community by supporting local andorganic producers. We consistently contribute tonumerous community organizations to enhance thequality of life for others; and we continue to seeknew ways to educate our members and the com-munity on important and pertinent issues. We arealso very involved in regional and national cooper-ative programs and associations, providing impor-tant leadership for them. The staff of La Montanitahas made us what we are today and they deservethe best we can give them. We believe that by liv-ing in accordance with the cooperative principlesand being a viable example of the cooperative,alternative economic model, we will do just that.

We hope that interest in the Co-op extends farbeyond the recent union issue, and extend a warminvitation to all members who would like tobecome more involved in their co-op. Our Boardmeetings have always been open to the member-ship. We meet on the third Tuesday of every monthat 5:30 p.m. at the Immanuel Presbyterian Church.We also have regularly scheduled committee meet-ings and their dates are also listed in our newslet-ter’s Calendar of Events. Two committees thatmight be of particular interest these days are ourSocial Responsibility Committee and MemberLinkage Committee. Please join us!The members of the Board of Directors

co-op news march 2004 6

Cooperative Principals PrevailAs you may have heard recently, a group of Co-op employees initiated acampaign to unionize with the International Association of Machinistsand Aerospace Workers (IAM). But on February 2, the union withdrew itspetition for representation with the National Labor Relations Board dueto a lack of employee support.

Now that the legal constraints of the campaign have been lifted, wehave the opportunity to analyze the campaign, learn from what hasoccurred, and speak freely with one another about it so that we canall benefit from the experience.

On December 16, the General Manager informed the Board ofDirectors that an effort to establish a union was under way. Thisnews was a surprise because a recent staffsurvey had indicated general job satisfactionat the Co-op, and no recent grievances hadbeen filed under the existing written griev-ance procedures. In addition, the Co-op wasexperiencing renewed financial successunder the new leadership of the GeneralManager, after increased corporate competi-tion proved financially challenging for sever-al quarters. Nevertheless, reports about theunion effort indicated that some staff feltthey didn’t have a voice, and that their onlyrecourse was to unionize.

The Board and Management knew that the IAM would try to con-vince the employees to join the union, which is their right. TheBoard could not reasonably expect the IAM to tell the employeesabout the potential drawbacks to unionization (such as the possibil-ity that unionization could bring us into conflict with cooperativeprinciple #4, Autonomy and Independence). The Board stronglybelieved that the employees should have the opportunity to chooseto unionize or not unionize. But, if the employees were to make thisimportant decision, then they had the right to be fully informed.Therefore, the Board directed the General Manager to offer infor-mation to the employees that must be “based on education andinformation; not ideology, fear or distortion.”

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This is to describe just one of many inspiring andhorizon-extending experiences at the NM OrganicFarming and Gardening Expo. At lunch, a group ofNavajos told about how, with a grant adminis-tered under the Navajo Agricultural TechnologyEmpowerment Center, they started an organiccommunity farm near Winslow, AZ. They areusing dryland farming methods — some fields relysolely on rain and snowmelt for water, others havea drip system (for which they haul water from astream). Part of the way this works is throughusing adapted seeds — seeds from plants grown indrylands (seeds from other environments will not

grow with this method). Families can also haveplots of land and grow their food and learn dry-land farming. All the food is distributed to thecommunity and/or surplus is sold at farmers’ mar-kets. They have had programs where adolescentscan be in charge of caring for farm animals, andcan learn about roping cattle, etc. This comes fromthe original practices of indigenous agriculture,which is more about sustainability and sharingwithin families. Farm operational data will be pro-vided to Navajo communities via their internet site(www.dineinc.org/community_foods.htm).

Mary Grube

Letter to the Editor:

WATCH YOUR MAIL BOX FOR YOUR VOLUMEDISCOUNT SHOPPING POSTCARD!Bring it in and at your convenience receive a MemberAppreciation Volume Discount Any Day in March

Purchases from $00.00- $29.99 5% Discount • Purchases from$30.00- $79.99 10% Discount • Purchases from $$80.00 and over 15% Discount

Good on all Co-op products at either location. MembershipAppreciation Volume Discount cannot be added to any otherMembership Participation (18%) Discount, Special Order Discount, or any other Discount.

To receive and use the postcard your membership must be current. Join or renew today and get your Volume DiscountPostcard with your new member cards

MARCH ISMMEEMMBBEERRAPPRECIATION

VOLUMEDDIISSCCOOUUNNTTMONTH!

SSPPEENNDDMORE&SAVE$$$$

board beat

CCCCoooommmmiiiinnnngggg SSSSoooooooonnnn!!!!15th Annual Celebrate the Earth Day!

April 18th10:30-6pm

at the Nob Hill CCCCOOOO----OOOOPPPP!!!!

Calendar of Events3/2 Finance Committee Meeting, 5pm Co-op Annex3/2 Social Responsibility Research Committee 5:30pm Annex

3/10 Member Linkage Committee Meeting 5:30pm Annex

3/16 Board of Directors Meeting 5:30pmImmanuel Presbyterian Church

3/23 Finance Committee Meeting, 5pm AnnexUse your Member Appreciation postcard any day this monthto receive your discount!

co-op news march 2004 7

General Manager’s ColumnThe Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union with-drew their petition for representation of La Montanita’sstaff on Monday, 2/02/04 due to lack of support from thestaff. As a result no election was held. For severaldays prior, Union representatives and supportershad gone door-to-door at staff member’s homessoliciting signatures to indi-cate a yes vote and wereunable to get the numberneeded for the union to pro-ceed with the election. Weare now soliciting input fromour staff on what changesthey would like to see madeand have scheduled a seriesof meetings with the staff tobegin this work.

Our wage grid was adjustedon March 1st to reflect changes in the Albuquerquemarket. We made these adjustments based on theNew Mexico Department of Labor’s annual wagesurvey. These adjustments were previously sched-uled to take place in January, but legal constraintsdue to the union’s campaign prevented us frommaking any changes during that time. We are alsolooking at a staff gain-sharing program where staffparticipates more directly in the financial improve-ments we are able to generate. Several co-ops areusing this program as is Whole Foods and I believeit has great merit. This concept will be exploredwith staff in our meetings to see what, if any, inter-est staff has in such a program.

I am sure we will make changes to our grievancepolicies, as what we currently have did not work.We will see what suggestions the staff may have forthis and set it up to work for them. It is their griev-ance policy, not management’s. I also anticipatechanges in our meeting practices. Inviting staff to

join us at the monthly lead-ership team meetings wasnot effective as no one evercame. We also asked staff tosubmit any concerns in writ-ing for these meetings if theydid not feel comfortableattending, but we had nonesubmitted. I think requiringregular department meetingswill help the communicationflow — we have had these,but very sporadically. Again,

we will see what suggestions come out of the staffmeetings we have scheduled.

Our business continues to enjoy strong growthand we greatly appreciate this support from thecommunities we serve. Watch for our MemberAppreciation Volume Discount postcard andCooperative Grocers Associations’ Coupon bookin your mailboxes this month. We continue towork to improve our service and value to you andwe hope you will share with us any ideas you mayhave to help us accomplish this.Sincerely, C.E. Pugh (505) 265-4631 ce@lamontanita.com

The Guayakí Difference!

Guayakí Yerba Maté is a nutritious beverage fromSouth America that has been revered for centuries forproviding sustained energy and health. Guayakíoffers 100% organic, rainforest and shade-grownpremium quality yerba maté.

Yerba maté is renowned for its staggering list ofhealth benefits with 196 active compounds: A, C,E and B vitamins; the minerals calcium, magne-sium, iron, potassium and selenium; 11 polyphe-nols – powerful antioxidants that are currentlyundergoing exciting studies for anti-cancer effects.Maté is high in chlorophyll giving additionalantioxidant power to this amazing herb. Yerbamaté can boast higher polyphenol and antioxidantcounts than either green or black teas, alreadypopular with the health-conscious consumers.

Guayakí uses the whole plant, hand picking onlythe healthiest yerba maté leaves (for strength) andstems (for energy and sweetness). The bundles arethen passed over an open fire to fire-cure or flash-heat the leaves and stop oxidation. ALL yerbamaté must be dried to protect the plant frominsects and fermentation. Guayakí uses only natu-rally-fallen rainforest hardwoods during the 24-hour drying process. The yerba maté is then cedar-wood aged for 12 months to ensure optimumquality and flavor.

Guayakí’s project has been singled out by theUnited Nations and environmental organizationsas one of the best examples of medium-scale sus-tainable agriculture use in all of South Americaand is the second highest priority site for conser-vation. The 20,000-acre Guayakí RainforestReserve is a subtropical area of the lower Amazon,one of 10 tracts of rainforest left. In the 70’s and80’s, the rainforest was deforested because of thedemand for tropical woods. 95% of Paraguay wasdeforested. That is the size of California.

Thirty four indigenous families live on 2,500 pro-tected acres, in addition to the 20,000-acre reserve,where they continue their traditional farming tech-niques and hunting and gathering. They are proudthat Guayakí promotes their national drink and cul-ture in the US market, especially because GuayakíYerba Maté is from their forest and processed in theancient traditional methods.

Guayakí’s mission is for yerba maté to be an eco-nomic driver for many different reserves creatingbiological corridors of forested maté plantationsto connect reserves. This will create a naturalpathway where animals can travel freely.

Guayakí is offering a sustainable and profitableway to change the direction of global business andits consequences. Look for Guayaki on sale inMarch at both Co-op locations.

Guayakí Yerba Maté: The Liquid Vegetable

the inside scoop

IN MARCH WATCH YOUR MAILBOX FOR ANOTHER COOPERATIVE ADVANTAGE

COUPON BOOKThanks to the Regional Cooperative Grocers Associations of the

Southwest, Northwest and Pacific Coast you’ll be getting anothergreat Coop Advantage Coupon Booklet.

Watch your mailbox for these money saving coupons. Good only at participating Cooperatives.

come together at the Coop!join us on March 19, 5-7pm

The Co-op is honored to be a participant in this year’s CentralCorridor Arts Crawl! Come enjoy the food art of Coop membersand staff hung throughout the Nob Hill store. Sample tastytreats with enjoy great jazz by Terra Plena. For more info callEdite Cates at 217-0106.

FEED YOUR SOUL

FOOD &

ART

COOPERATIVESWORKING TOGETHER TO DO IT BETTER

BACK BY POPULARDDEEMMAANNDD

They’re green, gorgeous andthey are popping up all over.From dandelions to mustard, fromspinach to arugula, here are some re-cipes to help them keep appearing onyour plate in delicious and unusual ways.Enjoy the taste of spring greens!

www.epicurious.comwww.recipesource.comwww.napastyle.comwww.seasonalchef.comwww.producepete.com

Baby Lima Bean Soup,Mustard Greens, Peas and Onions

1 (1-lb) bag frozen baby lima beans,thawed (3 cups)2 1/2 cups water1 medium onion, finely chopped1 large garlic clove, minced3 tablespoons unsalted butter3/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon black pepper1 cup frozen baby peas2 cups coarsely chopped trimmedmustard greens2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Purée 1 cup lima beans with water in ablender until smooth, about 1 minute.Cook onion and garlic in butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderatelylow heat, stirring, until softened, about6 minutes. Add purée, remaining limabeans, salt, and pepper and simmer,

green & gorgeous march 2004 10

covered, stirring occasionally, 3 min-utes. Stir in peas and mustard greensand simmer, covered, 3 minutes. Stir inchives and season with salt and pepper.

Sauteed Mustard Greens with Garlic

3 large garlic cloves, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 cup olive oil1 1/2 lb mustard greens (2 bunches),stems and center ribs discarded andleaves halved1/2 cup water

Mash garlic to a paste with 1/2 teaspoonsalt. Heat oil in a 5-quart pot over mod-erately high heat until hot and sauté gar-lic paste until fragrant. Add half ofgreens and toss with tongs to coat withoil, adding remaining half as greens wilt.Add water and cook, covered, stirringoccasionally, 5 minutes. Continue tocook, uncovered, until greens are justtender and most of liquid is evaporated.Season with additional salt.

Grapefruit, Mustard Green,and Date Salad

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil1/4 teaspoon sugar1/4 teaspoon salt1 small pink or red grapefruit1/4 lb young mustard greens, trimmedand cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2 cups) 1/4 cup dried dates, pitted and choppedGarnish: pomegranate seeds

Stir together shallot and lime juice in asmall bowl and let stand 5 minutes.Whisk in oil, sugar, and salt.

Cut, peel and remove any white pithfrom grapefruit with a knife, then cutsections free from membranes. Tossmustard greens with dates in a bowl.

Just before serving, toss greens withdressing and salt to taste. Divide saladbetween 2 plates and top with grape-fruit sections.

Cooks' note: Dressing, grapefruit sec-tions, and greens can be prepared sepa-rately 4 hours ahead and chilled, cov-ered. (Cover greens with a dampenedpaper towel and plastic wrap.)

Frittata with Mustard Greensand Fontina

2 tablespoons olive oil1 small bunch mustard greens, stemstrimmed, leaves cut into 1-inch-widestrips1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic4 large eggs, beaten to blend1/2 cup diced Fontina cheese

Preheat broiler. Heat oil in mediumbroilerproof skillet over medium-highheat. Add greens; stir until wilted andtender, about 2 minutes. Add garlic; stir1 minute. Sprinkle generously with saltand pepper. Pour eggs over greens; stirto blend. Sprinkle with cheese. Coverskillet; cook until frittata is almost setbut top is still runny, about 2 minutes.Place skillet under broiler. Broil untiltop is set and cheese bubbles, about 1minute. Cut around frittata to loosen.Slide out onto plate.

Hot Wilted Greens

1 thick slice smoky bacon (optional)1⁄2 T olive oil

greatggrreeeennss

1 large clove garlic, minced1 medium sweet red onion3 T chicken stock2 T balsamic vinegar1 quart mixed piquant leafy greens(such as arugula, endive or mustardgreens)1⁄4 cup toasted pecans

In a large, deep skillet or wok overmedium heat, cook bacon until crispy.Remove and drain on paper towels.Crumble and reserve.

Add olive oil to bacon drippings inskillet, heat and add garlic and onions.Sauté for 3-4 minutes, until onions andgarlic are softened. Stir in chickenstock and vinegar.

Add greens and mix. Stir-fry for 2-3minutes, until leaves are coated. Coverand cook several minutes more, untilleaves are wilted and cooked tender-crisp. Top with bacon and choppedpecans. Serve hot. Serves 4.

Mess o’ Greens Salad

6 cups fresh mustard, turnip, and/orcollard greens (about 1 pound)2 T balsamic vinegar2 tsp. honey1 T Dijon mustard2 tsp. vegetable oil1⁄2 cup pecans, roughly chopped orbroken

Wash greens well, dry thoroughly, thenremove and discard the long stems.Tear the greens into salad-size piecesand place in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar,honey and mustard. Set aside.

Friday, March 19th beginning at 5pm

Art - Food for the SoulJoin 16 galleries from Nob Hill to Downtown

for an evening of Food for the Soul.Festivities include a special Food Art

Exhibition at La Montanita Co-op

PARTICIPATING GALLERIES:516 Magnifico Artspace, 516 Central SWAcquiring Taste Art Galleries, 300 13th St. NWAlbuquerque Artistic Frames, 130 Quincy NEConcetta D. Gallery, 20 First Plaza NWDartmouth Street Gallery, 3011 Monte Vista NEHarwood Art Center, 1114 7th St. NWHernandez Fine Art & Studio, 207 Dartmouth NELa Montanita Co-op, 3500 Central SEMariposa Gallery, 3500 Central SENew Fisher Gallery, 1620 Central SENob Hill Gallery, 3015 MonteVista NEPatrician Design, 216A Gold Ave SWPeggy Neuman Fine Art, 20 First Plaza NWPlaza Escalante Artists Group, 418 Central SERincon Plaza Galeria, 521 Central NESpecial Collections Library, 423 Central NE

for more informationcall 244-0364

or go towww.ArtscrawlAbq.org

Blue Eyes by Brad Stoddard“Gang of Five” digital showHernandez Fine Art & Studio.

Heat the oil in a small skillet until hot but notsmoking. Add the vinegar mixture and pecansand cook, stirring regularly, for 2 to 3 minutes.Pour over the greens and serve at once.

Pasta with Dark Greens

2 pounds broccoli raab, turnip, mustard or dandelion greensKosher salt 1 pound orechiette, penne or other pasta 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 4 cloves garlic, chopped 4 anchovy filets in oil, drained and finelychopped (optional)Pinch dried red pepper flakes, or to taste Freshly ground pepper and salt

In a large pot, bring 2 to 3 quarts of water toa boil. While the water heats, trim the greensand wash them well. Cut the greens crosswiseinto 1-inch pieces or strips.

When the water comes to a boil, add 1 table-spoon of salt. Toss the greens into the boilingwater; cook until they are almost tender butstill bright green, 8 to 10 minutes. (The timewill vary somewhat depending on what kindof greens you use. Testing them is the bestway to know when they are done.) With aslotted spoon, remove greens from the potand toss into a large bowl of cold water.

Add the pasta to the pot of water in whichthe greens were cooked. While the pastacooks, squeeze the greens to remove as muchwater as possible. Fluff the greens to separatethem, then set aside.

In a large, heavy skillet or a wok, heat theolive oil over medium-high heat. Add the gar-lic and cook, stirring constantly with a wood-en spoon, just until the garlic begins to color.(Take care not to let it burn or the dish willtaste bitter.) Add the anchovies, pressingthem so they "melt" into the oil. Add thepepper flakes. When the pasta is almost done,10 to 12 minutes, add the drained greens tothe pan and cook together for 2 minutes, stir-ring constantly. Remove pan from the heat.

Drain the pasta, leaving a bit of water cling-ing to it. Add the pasta to the cooked greens;toss well. Season to taste with pepper andsalt. Serve immediately with a loaf of thethick-crusted, whole-grain bread.

Arugula Salad

1 bunches arugula, washed and trimmed1/2 head radicchio, washed and sliced1 Belgian endive, washed and sliced1 small onion, sliced1/4 cup olive oil1/4 cup balsamic vinegarsalt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Tear the arugula into bite-sized pieces and com-bine in a large salad bowl with the radicchio,endive, and onion. In a small bowl, combine theolive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Pourover salad and toss well.

Dandelion Salad

2 ea Red serrano or anaheim chiles1/3 lb Sunflower sprouts20 ea Ears baby corn12 ea Radishes2 lb Dandelion greens, washed & stemmed

Mustard Greens Vinaigrette1 ea Bunch nustard greens, washed & stemmed1 c Sunflower oil2 tb Herb-flavored vinegar1/2 ts Salt1/4 ts Black pepper

Slice the chiles diagonally, remove seeds andveins, and stick small bunches of sprouts throughthe pieces. Remove the husks and silk from thecorn. Bring a small pot of water to boil and cookthe corn in it 1 minute. Drain, rinse in cold water,and cool. (If using canned corn, simply drain andrinse) Wash and slice radishes. To make vinai-grette, place mustard greens in a blender and addthe remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth.Toss with salad greens and serve.

green & gorgeous march 2004 11

Eagle Ranch Pistachio GrovesMidway between Alamogordo and Tularosa youwill find Eagle Ranch Pistachio Groves, ownedand operated by George and MarianneSchweers. The ranch contains New Mexico’sfirst pistachio trees which were planted in 1972.Today, Eagle Ranch is home to over 12,000 pis-tachio trees. The trees are cultivated, harvested,and the crop processed enirely on the premises.For many visitors to our community, a tour ofthe operation is a “must see” attraction.

The original recipes for red chile and greenchile-flavored pistachios were developed by theSchweers’ son, Gordon. Some recent favoritesinclude the extra hot red chile as well as theLemon-Lime flavored in addition to the stan-dard Salted and Roasted. Those popular flavorswere joined by a line of candies and cookiesmade with the pistachios, as well as a special,handmade pistachio ice cream. A vineyard wasplanted last year to support the production ofthe line of Heart of the Desert wines. PistachioBlush wine has become a favorite!

The FREE farm tours offer the visitor an in-depth look at how pistachios are grown andprocessed. Tours are offered Monday thru’Friday at 1:30 PM during September thru May.June thru’ August tours are offered Mondaythru’ Friday, twice a day at 10:00 AM and 1:30PM. Groups of 10 or more are accommodatedat other times by prearrangement.

Eagle Ranch employs about 32 people yearround, with that number increasing to over 40during the busy Christmas season. Eagle Ranchwas also the proud recipient of the 2003 NewMexico VIVA Award. Shipping worldwide,Alamogordo is becoming known as the homefor “premium pistachios.” The gift shop is open7 days a week, closing just two days a year onThanksgiving and Christmas. Come visit thisdelightful, homegrown business!

Look for Heart of the Desert pistachios at both Co-op locations in the Bulk Dept. and pre-packaged inthe Grocert Dept. for easy gift-giving!

dandelion mustardspinachaarruugguullaa......

UU sed to be, lean times meant lean folks and fat times meant fat-ter folks but at least there was some kind of ebb & flow.However, no agriculturally-based civilization ever lacked

some way to store food from fat years for the lean years. Today withmodern economics and fuzzy math--while our farms' topsoil erodesaway at ever faster rates, while farmlands are turned to Sprawl-Martswith increasing swiftness, while the farmer makes less money for pro-ducing more food than ever — there are more & more calories avail-able to more & more Americans… and I’dalso add "more girth & bulk."

Its no accident that an alarming rise inalready alarming American obesity & relat-ed disease correlates with super-sizing two-for-one McBurgers and liters or Mega-Gulpsof Cola where there used to be only 8 or 10ounce bottles.

What's the key ingredient here? Corn.Native America's gift to the world has beenobscenely turned into Modern America'shealth downfall. I'm not talking about cornin the form of chips or tortillas which we New Mexicans consumein heroic proportions.

No, I'm talking about corn in the form of corn syrup which longago surpassed sugar as a sweetener whether in colas or "DoubleStuf" Oreos. Or corn in the form of cheap (cheap!) livestock feedwhich is still the number one feedstuff for cattle including those

farming & gardening march 2004 12

by Monte SkarssgardIn the past, I have been afraid for sustainability. Itseemed that too often sustainability was painted with asense of sacrifice. That a person must actually make“sacrifices” in order to be sustainable. A labor oflove, in a sense. Well, my friends, I am here to tellthat this is quite simply not true. Sometimes the eas-iest and most enjoyable things in life can be sustain-able. Yes, you can have it both ways

This is the philosophy that has guided my wife,Amy, and me as we run Los Poblanos Organics.Our business model is pretty simple, I must admit.We grow a lot of produce on our fields in the Valley;and the produce that we are not able to grow, wecontract with other Organic growers to buy theirproduce at wholesale. This ensures that our CSAmembers get the highest quality produce at the best

value around. Sometimes I almost wish that it wasmore complex than that, but I like to keep it as sim-ple as possible.

This last October we launched our program tohelp “weed out” excuses that were prohibitingpeople from eating healthy produce. It has been afun several months at Los Poblanos and our “VegVan” continues to make its weekly missions.

Albuquerque is just starting to realize its organicpotential. With the help of new growers and thesupport of your local Co-op, green pastures layahead for us all, and I am optimistic and excited tobe a part of it. For more information or to becomea member of Los Poblanos CSA contact Monte at681-4060 or check them out at www.LosPoblanosOrganics.com

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Integrated Counseling,Therapeutic Bodywork

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other stalwarts like soybeans, chicken litter(manure & straw!), cement dust (to increaseslaughter weight!) and other cows (only one of thesources of madcow disease; cannibalism is taboofor practical reasons whether human or bovine).

Back since the New Deal of the 30s, the Fedskept over-production down with a strategy of

guarantees and loans tofarmers to keep cash flow-ing until surpluses droppedand their stored grain wasagain marketable. Even theuniquely American notionof paying farmers not togrow crops (take land outof production) until thedemand increases had somekind of conservation strate-gy, if convoluted logic.

In the 70s however due to(1) bad weather (2) a damaging corn blight thatswept through hundreds of thousands of acres ofgenetically identical corn plants and (3) a hugegrain export to the Soviets, supplies dropped andgrain prices climbed.

So Nixon's Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz(please no jokes about his name here; he was butlet it pass) tore apart every program designed tostop overproduction. Farmers made full price fortheir crop (that's a good thing) with the help ofFed payments but instead of being required tostockpile, were free to sell at any price (a badthing) since their money was already made, noloans to repay as before. High production on thefarm and inexpensive grain for the industry isnow the status quo (bolstered by $19 billion sub-sidies annually and, relative to the rest of theworld, cheap oil.

But cheap raw material doesn't translate to cheapproducts (I hate to even dignify the stuff with the

word 'food'). No, that would mean lower profitsfor the industry. But since there's billions of tonsof cheap grain to be converted to sugars & meat,the strategy is to increase sales by increasing por-tions and only minimally increasing the retailprice of a new triple-whopper. Volume sales, neverhigh prices, is the key in fast food.

The fast-food-portion mentality has crept intoubiquity in American restaurants: we feel cheat-ed if we don't walk away stuffed. We feel slight-ed if we can't choose to leave food on the plate.We equate waste with value for our dollar.

Ever-mounting stockpiles of cheap grain inspiresnew ways to deal with it, at a profit of course(which the farmer never sees by the way; "fullprice" for the farmers' bushel remains abysmal).How many ways can we figure out to (over)process corn into a marketable product? Thisthen spurs retooling of factories to make and touse the stuff, usually at increased environmentalcosts. In turn, we get more "bigger & better"packaging (which ends up in the landfill) andincreased ad campaigns (which ends up in thelandfill of our information-age-overloadedminds) to convince us to eat more of this junk(which ends up in the landfill of our over-extend-ed gut).

Besides infecting the rest of the world with ourhunger for empty calories, we turn a handsomeprofit (at the expense of our topsoil and thefarmer) by dumping "free trade" grain that evenwe can't use on developing countries. In turn, thisdrives down their local markets, hurts their farmsand devastates local irreplaceable seed varietiesthat are viewed as old-fashioned because theydon't easily process in to chips or puffs.

Add to all this our miserable public-healthcaresystem and you can easily see how we are beingled to slaughter like the fatted calf. What can wepossibly get in return for this public sacrificebesides increased heart disease? Wider airlineseats?

by Brett Bakker

Fatted Calves: Fatted People

visit our website—www.outpostspace.org

O U T P O S TPerformance Space

210 Yale SEfor more info call 268-0044

Dave Phillips: Freedance

Songwriters Open Mic

Kids Variety Show

Jessica Williams

Roust the House

How Outpost Works

Mariana Sadovska & Kwartet Jorgi

Oliver Lake Steel Quartet

Mary Gauthier

Jon Gagan’s Transit

Inpost Artspace: David Bach & Lauri Dickinson

Roswell Rudd-Duck Baker

Alda Oliviera & Cristina Capparelli

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MARCH

MARYGAUTHIER

Saturday, 8pmMarch 20

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Looking forHerbal

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HERBALISM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

itchy green thumb

A New Day for Sustainability

5th Annual Valley Garden PartySat. May 1

at your friendly North ValleyCo-op

at Rio Grande and Matthew

farming & gardening march 2004 13

by Robyn SeydelRooting for more rain and snow this Feb. day, I’malready daydreaming about digging in the dirt in my lit-tle organic herb garden. Providing food, medicine,soil building, earth busting, nitrogen fixing, benefi-cial insect attraction, habitat creation and the sheerjoy of great beauty; little patches of herbs and otherdrought tolerant plants can change a barren hardpack clay landscape into one that welcomes, birds,bees, toads even a garden snake or two.

T he great thing about many herbs is thatbasically they are weeds; weeds that willgrow in a variety of environments, the

trick being choosing the right plant for the rightspot in your garden. They also can serve a widevariety of functions. Take the often misunderstooddandelion for example. Though its bright yellowflowers have induced many a misguided suburbanhomeowner to douse the environment in toxic her-bicides, for me they have a free, joyful quality thatI love, not to mention that I have been wishing ontheir seed heads since I was a wee tot. Every partof the plant has a use. One of my favorite, veryearly spring greens, dandelions are extraordinarilytasty when lightly wilted in a sauté with toastedsesame oil, garlic and a dash of tamari. Their claybusting taproots make them a great pioneer plantwhen you need to break up your hard pack soil.They don’t require much water or attention oncethey get going, make a great border in a bed,attract lacewings, lady beetles and other insectpredators, as well as are a repellent for theColorado Potato Beetle. And come fall you can digand dry the roots for a fine tea that is highly effi-cient in restoring liver function, especially whenmixed with burdock root, another edible/medici-nal (whose large leaves do a great job of shadingsoil) and red clover (another taproot plant thathelps fix nitrogen).

Then too, there is creating that right spot by inte-grating concepts like the water saving waffle bedsfrom the book “Buffalo Bird Woman’s Garden”with bio-intensive double digging and permacul-ture’s plant guilds. Try out a mounded herb spiral,for its space saving, water saving, microclimate cre-ating benefits. Check out the book Gaia’s Garden, AGuide to Home Scale Permaculture by TobyHemenway for easy to follow directions on how tobuild one. Plants of the Southwest has two beautifulones if you want to see the spiral in action.

Planting perennial weeds/ herbs can be as healingfor the planet as they are good for us. Yellowdock’s eye catching red brown stalk is as beautifulin the winter as it is in late summer bloom; itsroots are an excellent alterative that improves theoverall functioning of the liver and in old fash-ioned folk language was considered a “bloodpurifer”. Stinging nettles grows beautifully undertrees helping to hold moisture, is a great earlyspring bitter green power packed with importantminerals, and the stings (although they hurt likethe dickens with the itchy-burn response theycause) help reduce arthritic and other muscle andskeletal aches and pains. Nettles attract numerousinsect predators, parasites and is an alternativehost of aphid predators. Although yarrow comes

in a variety of hybridized colors, the wild white isa lovely addition to any garden patch and itswound healing abilities were documented as earlyas the ancient Greeks. It is known to attract bene-ficial hover flies, lady beetles and parasitic wasps.Then of course there are the classic three arid landherbs, the ever wonderful rosemary, lavender andsage; low water use once established and each sosuperbly useful in myriad ways.

How about the trees. Don’t be fooled, even in ourdrought conditions carefully chosen trees providebenefits that more than balance out the water thatit takes to establish and maintain them. The cool-ness and shade they bring lowers ground and soiltemperatures, the cooling and heating that occursin their canopy in the course of a usual hot sum-mer day and cool desert night creates moisturetranspiration and their roots mine minerals fromdeep in the earth that when mulched as leaves fur-nish rich soil building material. Finally trees andshrubs can provide not only a nursery environmentprotecting other plants and allowing them protec-tion from the elements (sun, heat etc) while theyget established they offer the benefits of their ownfruits as well. Try desert willow in bosque areas(pain relieving bark), elderberry (choose thedrought tolerant southwestern variety sometimescalled “Mexican Elder” or Sambucus niger),whose creamy white flowers are intoxicatinglyaromatic or Vitex whose lovely purple flowersattract all kinds of beneficials and seeds have along history of use for women’s health issues.

Herbs for Our Dry Climate

BEEKEEPINGWWOORRKKSSHHOOPPSS!!

If you would like to learn the art of Natural Beekeeping, or if you already are a beekeeper and need toexpand your skills, spend one day with Les and Beth Crowder at Sparrow Hawk Farm. Les and Beth havetaught beekeeping here in New Mexico for 19 years. Folks who attend their workshops leave with enthusi-asm, and the confidence they need to keep bees successfully. Les and Beth work in a calm, peaceful man-ner, and keep their bees naturally without chemicals, antibiotics, contraptions, or expense. The workshopsare taught at their home and beeyard, about an hour drive south of Albuquerque.

Topics include: hive-building, basic bee biology, beginning beekeeping, dividing hives, dealing with swarms,natural disease- and mite- control methods, raising queens, honey and beeswax harvest and handling.

For more information on fees and schedules, call them at 505-864-0520 or write Sparrow Hawk Farm, P.O.Box 88 SABINAL, NM 87006

Stone River Massage

Located at Uptown Acupuncture7111 Prospect Pl. NEAlbuquerque, NM 87110Call 269 0194 for an appointmentLinda Sue Strange, RN

Hot Stone Massage, SwedishMyo, fascial release andHealing Touch

ddaannddeelliioonnss:: ssoo mmaannyy uusseess!!

Spring is Here!Free Workshops!

March 6 fruit tree pruning

March 13 rain water harvesting

March 20spring festival

March 27grow a salad (for kids)

all at 12pm

Mon-Sat 8am-5:30pm Sun 10am-5pm6680 4th St. NW 344-8830

www.plantsofthesouthwest.com

Offering a free of charge counseling, psychotherapy consultation to anyone in the community,especially isolated and lonely persons, not just prospective clients. Help with life directions, decision making, or whatever concerns you.

Confidential, no-obligation single sessions with a professional psychotherapist withtwenty five years experience in private practice.

To make an appointment call 268-7477Hania Stromberg MA, LISW

health & environment march 2004 14

Office SpaceAvailable

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Lots of windows, shaded by mature treesIdeal for those working in complementary healing and

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Call 766-7663 for information

FREE COMMUNITY

Counseling Service

Tell EPA to enact a strong mercury rule that reducesmercury emissions from coal-fired power plants andprotects the health of our nation's children!!

In late January the EPA showed total disregard forover a decade of research and progress towardeffective regulation of mercury from coal-firedpower plants-the only major source of unregulatedmercury emissions. In a move comparable to its2001 delay of protective regulations to removearsenic from drinking water, the EPA proposed aweaker, polluter-friendly mercury rule that willresult in more mercury in the environment, in thefood chain, and in our bodies for years longer. EPAis seeking public comments on its proposed ruleuntil March 30 and needs to hear your opinion!

Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that can result inimpaired brain development in fetuses and youngchildren. Affected children may suffer deficits infine motor skills, learning capacity, and memory.According to the National Academy of Sciences,more than 60,000 children born each year maysuffer from learning disabilities due to mercuryexposure before birth

Mercury released into the air falls into lakes andrivers and eventually enters our food supplythrough contaminated fish. It has so far contami-nated 10.2 million acres of lakes, estuaries, andwetlands and 415,000 miles of stream, rivers, andcoastline. 45 states have issued specific fish advi-sories due to mercury contamination, and 19 stateshave issued statewide fish advisories for mercury infreshwater lakes or rivers.

Instead of requiring all power plants to installMaximum Achievable Control Technologies(MACT) — the most health-protective standardsavailable — to reduce mercury air emissions, theagency has indicated that it supports a cap-and-trade system strikingly similar to the Admini-stration's 'Clear Skies' pollution legislation that hasstalled in Congress. According to the EPA's ownestimates, a strong MACT rule would reduce mer-

cury emissions by nearly 90 percent, to approxi-mately five tons by 2008. Yet EPA's weaker cap-and-trade rule will reduce coal-fired power plant emis-sions to only 34 tons by 2010 and 15 tons by 2018— three times higher than a strong MACT standard,with no further reductions planned.

Moreover, the cap and trade plan would most likelydisproportionately impact vulnerable communitieswith already high levels of toxic mercury pollution.EPA's trading scheme will allow some power plantsto keep emitting high levels of mercury by buyingpollution credits from other facilities. Even EPA'shighly respected Children's Health ProtectionAdvisory Committee (CHPAC) has warned EPAAdministrator Leavitt of the public health threat thatmercury trading represents and has asked the EPA tostrengthen the rule.

Currently, coal-fired power plants emit approxi-mately 48 tons of hazardous mercury every year.Using state-of-the-art pollution control technology,some utilities are already cost-effectively reducingmercury emissions by as much as 91 percent overuncontrolled levels. The medical and municipalwaste industries have already demonstrated the fea-sibility and success of strong regulations by cost-effectively reducing mercury emissions from wasteincinerators by 90 percent.

Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) is work-ing hard to force EPA to abandon its weak mercu-ry rule, and to adopt aggressive regulations to pro-tect public health and urges you to make your voic-es heard in this important debate.

Visit www.MercuryActionNow.org to learn morein-depth information on the health effects andsources of mercury, as well as the latest develop-ments on EPA's rulemaking. Send your comments toEnvironmental Protection Agency, Docket OAR-2002-0056 Mercury comments, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave N.WWashington D.C. 20460. Or go to http://www.mercuryaction.org/getactive.html for help in filing your com-ments electronically.

EPA Moves to WeakenMercury Protections!

isis sophia

WALK FOR FOODDDEEMMOOCCRRAACCYY

Tierra Azul Projects invites everyone to join in a weeklong walk for Food Democracy beginning on March13 and ending on March 20. The walk will travel through the Rio Grande Valley north of Santa Fe. We willmeet with farmers and community members to raise awareness about food democracy and communityconnection. We are walking:

• to support farmers and to raise community awareness about the planting season that will begin soon• to ask landowners to donate small parcels of land to allow sharecroppers to grow food (Land Share)• to talk about creating food buying groups and food cooperatives• to promote a moratorium on genetically modified agriculture and to talk about nutrition for children

Persons interested must be comfortable with walking approximately 10 miles a day and camping in NewMexico during this season. (lows around 32, highs around 60) If a week is too long you can join in along theway for a day, or a few days as you are able. We are asking that each person either raise or donate $100 ormore for the walk. The money will go to the Tierra Azul Community Trust which holds money for communityservice cooperative efforts. Contact Information: www.tierraazul.20m.com, call Layne Hartsell or Ann Petersat 505.501.3233.

Coming Soon!15th Annual Celebrate the Earth Day!

April 18th10:30-6pm

at the Nob HillCo-op!

H A R W O O D

ARTCENTER

1114 7th Street NW at Mountain Road

for more info call505-242-6367

Open Studio Night at Harw o o dMarch 19 Friday evening 5 PM to 8:30 PM

health & environment march 2004 15

by Nalini Goordial, Gonalini@yahoo.comWell, here it is. Spring fever, that is. It happens everyyear. We’re ready to open the windows, breathe inthe fresh air, start cleaning up and tossing thingsout. Yes, we have the urge to get rid of the clutter.Well, your body wants to sing its own song tospring too! Somehow nature knows what’s best forus and provides us with just the foods and herbsthat we need to do some internal spring cleaning.This is the time to cleanse and clear, the time to getrid of any of the stagnant influences of winter withits more sedentary lifestyle and richer, heavierfoods. Now’s the time to review your existing diet.Take stock. Ditch the junk food if you've gotteninto that trap over the winter. Get rid of what does-n’t serve you and your health.

The liver is the target of spring tonics, as well asthe heart, kidneys, blood and digestive systems.You might want to start with a simple fast. Just tryone day for a start. For one day take no solidfoods, just drink plenty of water and maybe somebroth or tea; or do a fresh fruit and vegetable juicefast. You should check with a health care profes-sional if you’re diabetic or have heart disease orany other special medical considerations. Followup your fast with lots of spring greens, those mag-ical beauties that work wonders; dandelion, chick-weed, sorrel, and nettles. Spring mustards, water-cress and early spinach are also great additions tothe early spring diet.

Some other spring tonic herbs include: yellowdock, sarsaparilla, licorice root, chicory root, andginger root all can be brewed as a simple tea. Usehoney or stevia to sweeten and drink one to threecups of your tonic tea per day for a week or two.Another good spring tonic tea is equal parts alfal-fa leaf, red clover, peppermint, sage, cleavers, net-tle leaf (all dried) and dried crushed rose hips. Thisis a good choice if you can't get fresh herbs. Justmake sure the dried herbs you use are as fresh aspossible at the source.

If you’re in the country, soon you’ll be seeing therhubarb sprout. Never eat the stalks, but cook therhubarb in water and add some honey or stevia. Ifyou don’t have access to fresh growing rhubarb,watch for it at your local coop market. As earlyherbs start to come up in the garden, just cutsome, chop them up and put on salads, on top ofsoups, grains, vegetables or fish. These include:parsley, chives, mints, lemon balm and tarragon.

You’ll have a natural desire to eat lighter if you lis-ten to your body. To help with the discharge ofmucus from allergies or spring colds, lay off meat,dairy and breads as much as possible and begin toeat more fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. Trya daily drink of fresh carrot juice with spring herbsadded like dandelion, parsley, chive (others mightbe fresh garlic, salad burnet, cilantro, young

lovage leaf, red clover blossoms, marjoram ororegano or thyme).

Yet another herb associated with spring is horse-radish root. It's a circulatory and digestive stimu-late, just what you need to get the energy flowingagain. Use it in dressings and sauces for a littleextra punch. And, as always, garlic is in season.Garlic and onions are cleansers and blood puri-fiers, so feel free to indulge.

A LITTLE PAMPERINGLet’s talk about shedding that winter skin and get-ting a warm spring glow. One of my all timefavorite things to do is a salt scrub. It’s quite sim-ple really, get some olive oil, mix in some sea saltand a little essential oil, (try orange, coconut orvanilla), then just step into the shower and use thismixture to scrub your entire body, rinse, then havea nice long soak in an herbal bath( try Epsom saltand chamomile).

Pay special attention to your face. Exfoliate with thisrecipe, equal parts of steel cut oats, powdered milkand dried lavender or rosebuds. Grind them to apowder and store in a glass container. To apply, sim-ply wet your face, put a bit of the mix into yourhand, add enough water to make into a paste andapply to face. Scrub and rinse thoroughly. Follow upwith a witch hazel and essential oil splash (orange ismy favorite) and your favorite moisturizer.

You may also want to try detoxifying baths. Addone cup of Epsom salts, one cup of baking soda, plus5 to 8 drops of your favorite detoxifying essentialoils such as juniper berry, yarrow and grapefruit. Ortry an herbal infusion of red clover, nettle, pepper-mint and yarrow. Now soak, relax and enjoy!

Tonics for Your Spring Fever

AT HOME FOLK HOUSECONCERTSEnjoy some of our country’s finest singer/songwriters in an at homeenvironment. Call (505)842-5073 or e-mail abqmusic@att.net forreservations and directions.

June 24: A Thirsty Ear preview featuring The Red Stick Ramblers (6-

AT HOME FOLK HOUSECONCERTSEnjoy some of our country’s finest singer/songwriters in an at homeenvironment. Call (505)842-5073 or e-mail abqmusic@att.net forreservations and directions.

June 24: A Thirsty Ear preview featuring The Red Stick Ramblers (6-

HawkWatch International (HWI) and the CibolaNational Forest are working to learn more aboutraptors and their migration through New Mexico.HWI began standardized, annual migrationcounts in the Sandia Mountains in 1985, fol-lowed by a banding project in 1990. Last sea-son's tally included 5,533 migrant raptors of18 species. Observation at the Sandia site runsfrom February 24 through May 5. Observersare at the site daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,weather permitting. The peak of the seasonruns from March 15 to April 15.

In addition to gathering important scientificdata, the Sandia project provides opportunitiesfor the public to learn about the ecology andconservation needs of raptors through on-siteenvironmental education and interpretationconducted by a volunteer field educator.Visitors are always welcome at the site. Thiseducational effort is the key to long-term suc-cess in securing public understanding and

action on behalf of raptors and the ecosystemsupon which we all rely. Guided field trips maybe scheduled by calling the local HawkWatchoffice at 255-7622. To improve your raptor IDskills, plan to attend the Central New MexicoAudubon Society Birding Academy on March18 at St. Timothy's Lutheran Church atCopper and Jefferson. The program "Hawks,Falcons, and Eagles" will start at 7:15 p.m.Call 255-7622 for more information.

Financial support for this project in 2003 wasprovided by the USDA Forest Service, CibolaNational Forest, Region 3; New MexicoDepartment of Game and Fish, Share WithWildlife; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region2; Intel Corporation; New Belgium BrewingCompany; Central New Mexico AudubonSociety; and HWI members. For more informa-tion contact Bobbie Posey, N.M. OfficeAdministrator HawkWatch International at255-7622 or hwabq@netzero.net.

Hawkwatch: Annual Migration

ggoottsspprriinngg ffeevveerr??

AMP House Concert #58

The Dolly Ranchers, Sunday, March 27, 6:30 pm $10 suggested donationReservations Required (Contact Jeff at 842-5073 or abqmusic@att.net)The Ranchers are four women who mix mix alt-country twang with punkyenergy and killer harmonies. It's catchy, quirky and fun - and very highenergy. See http://www.thedollyranchers.com for more info.

March and Rally Against War

A Mass March and Rally Against War and Occupation will take place inAlbuquerque on March 20th, 2004. Local organizers will protest in soli-darity with organizations around the world to commemorate the one-yearanniversary of the US invasion of Iraq.

The event will begin at 12:30 PM in Robinson Park, Central and 8th Street.The March steps off at approximately 1PM, destined for the Old TownMissile and Tiguex Park. A rally there begins at approximately 3PM. Formore information please visit www.stopthewarmachine.org, www.unitedforpeace.org, www.InternationalANSWER.org or call the Peace andJustice Center at 505-268-9557.

AT HOME FOLK HOUSECONCERTSEnjoy some of our country’s finest singer/songwriters in an at homeenvironment. Call (505)842-5073 or e-mail abqmusic@att.net forreservations and directions.

June 24: A Thirsty Ear preview featuring The Red Stick Ramblers (6-piece band that infuses Cajun fiddling with western swing and 20's