sidered supervisors, determining whether they will be inthe bargaining unit or not. We believe they should beconsidered supervisors based on the standard NLRBdefinition of daily supervisory tasks.

Westside Grand CelebrationThe Westside Grand Celebration launched on May 23and will continue for 12 weeks with wild promotionsas we work to get the Westside community to knowwho we are and what we are all about. Watch forinformation on the special events and sales unique tothis Co-op location in a variety of Co-op and commu-nity-wide media outlets, including print, TV, radio andsocial media.

As always my door is open and I enjoy talkingwith our members and shoppers. Contact me atDennis.Hanley@lamontanita.coop.

Double Up Food BucksThe Double Up Food Bucks initiative which waslaunched May 1 at La Montañita is off to a greatstart. We believe this program will get stronger as agreater selection of local farmers' crops will bearriving over the next 30 days. This is an excellentexample of our compliance with our Board ofDirectors Ends policies that direct us to work toincrease access to healthy, local foods at all socio-economic levels for the people of New Mexico.

Local farmers are being contacted as we need allthe local product we can get our hands on to support the DUFB program. Make no mistakeabout it, La Montañita supports local farmers withefforts to grow their sales, grow jobs and grow ourcommunities.

Our produce departments continue to expand quality, assort-ment and value. Our assortment of organic produce inDecember 2015 averaged 125 products at our four largest loca-tions. Now we are tracking over 280 organic offerings withmore to come. We are committed to improving price pointaccess for our customers who just want organic—you can besure we will continue to lead in organics!

Union ActivityOur Rio Grande site voted to be represented by the UnitedFood Commercial Workers (UFCW) in April and we havebegun the next steps in their process: the Union contract bar-gaining procedure. At the time of this writing we are waitingfor the local chapter of the National Labor Relations Board(NLRB) to rule on whether or not our Department TeamLeaders and Assistant Department Team Leaders will be con-

BY DENNIS HANLEY

This month marks my sixth month as part of the LaMontañita team. It has been an exciting time of manychanges, challenges, opportunities and successes. I am

tremendously heartened by our successes and the wonderful relation-ships that are developing between the staff and myself. AdditionallyI am inspired by the passion for the cooperative economic modelexhibited by our member owners and shoppers. Cooperatives, asmuch as anything, are about relationships and the bonds of commu-nity that are growing as a direct outgrowth of our commitment toone another. Below are some of the outcomes and upcoming initia-tives that I believe will continue to keep our Co-op strong.

Our Financial Picture:Our retail comparative sales for the second quarter of the year wereup +6.60%, and we are pleased to report that we lead our com-petitors on this measurement. Comparative sales, or "comp sales"as they are often called in the grocery business, are a retail meas-urement comparing this year to last year. Whole Foods reported-1.60%, Sprouts +4.80% and the Kroger Company +3.00%. Weare seeing progress in our Westside and Nob Hill locations withrespect to comp sales and operating income with more work to do.Much of these increased sales are due in large part to our initiativeto do our purchasing in grocery, meat and produce organization-wide; the reduction in cost of goods this provides means lowerprices that we can pass on to shoppers. Bravo to our Santa Fe loca-tion for excellent sales and operating income for this period.

New Initiatives ComingFour Daughters Beef program in our meat department, as reported inthe May Co-op Connection News, launched at the end of May/beginning of June in all locations. This local Albuquerque ranch fam-ily business will assist us in providing a grass-fed, grain-finished beefprogram that is of excellent quality and currently being served insome high-end restaurants in New Mexico. We are excited to launchthis quality program as it will enable better pricing and a different fla-vor profile requested by some of our member-owners.

Over the next 60 days look for updated signage at all our stores.This is part of our effort to expand awareness of the importantnature of the community ownership cooperative economic model.We are thrilled with what we have come up with! We hope you likeit as much as we do.

We are making great strides in the community's price perception ofour Co-op, especially in produce, grocery and our meat depart-ments. Look for this to continue in additional departments at eachstore including dairy and seafood. As an example, in December2015 we did a price check in produce and found we were 50%higher than one competitor and 35% higher than two other natu-ral food chains. Now we are now only about 10% higher than thediscount chain and we are better priced than the other competitorsby 7.8%. We are making progress, but have more work to do.

In our grocery department, we fully supported the roll out of FieldDay products, a program that National Cooperative Grocers(NCG) developed with our supplier UNFI for the 148 co-ops thatown NCG. This line of affordable organic products is basically aprivate label program for co-ops nationwide. I am pleased to sharethat we bought over 9,000 cases of a diversity of products and soldthem all by the end of May. This promotion provided a 35% reduc-tion in both cost of goods and shelf prices. We have seen greatmovement and amazing support from our stores, specifically ourgrocery team leaders with assistance from our MarketingDepartment. The objective of Field Day products is good value forshopper’s food dollar without compromising quality.

We have taken on both locations in the hopes thatmore veterans at the VA Growers Market will haveaccess to affordable local produce grown usingorganic processes. We are also working to have plen-ty of local produce to support La Montañita's com-mitment to providing the two for the price of onebenefit associated with the Double Up Food Bucksprogram, for people who use SNAP/EBT to help meetnutritional needs.

Thanks to our SupportersThe Veteran Farmer Project meets its mission of edu-cating and inspiring veterans to continue their serviceby producing food for us all, thanks to the ongoingsupport of many in our communities. First and fore-most thanks must go to all the Veterans present andpast who have participated in the program andhelped us get to where we are today. As mentionedearlier our deepest thanks to Dan Borneo for lettingus farm the Corrales site this year. Other supportersinclude the New Mexico Department of Agricultureand their Specialty Crop grant program, the DesertOasis Teaching Garden at Albuquerque Academy fortheir donation of plants and master gardener RonJobe, a veteran himself, for plants.

We also want to remember our dearfriend Tom Kuehn, of Bethany Or-ganic Farm who passed away sud-denly this spring. A veteran himself,he was a dedicated supporter of theproject, sharing his expertise as wellas donating a variety of plants yearafter year. Our deepest sympathygoes out to his family and friends.

Join in the FunWe welcome everyone who wants toparticipate, veterans, their familiesor co-op community folks to join usin the gardens. We work in bothgardens each week from 8am to10am on Tuesdays and Thursdayswith a rotating schedule depending on plant and wateringneeds between the two locations. We will also be at the VAGrowers Market on Wednesday mornings in July.

For details on each week's schedule email:robins@lamontanita.coop and we can put you on ourweekly email update. Check our facebook page or callRobin at 217-2027.

BY ROBIN SEYDEL

The growing season is in full swing and so is theVeteran Farmer Project. We have several new gung-ho veteran participants and this year will farm at two

locations. Our new Corrales site is going extremely well.Once again we want to thank Corrales site owner DanBorneo for his kind support of the project, allowing us tofarm this site rent-free and sharing his know-how in theplanning stage. In early April we cleared weeds on this halfacre (the site had not been used for several years previous)and tilled some rows. By mid to late April, we had seeds andcool weather seedling plugs in the ground.

By early May our lettuce, kale, chard and radishes werebeautiful; bright green and getting big and lush. The rows ofcarrots were feathering out and a variety of other crops werepoking their heads up. In mid-May we planted our toma-toes, eggplant, cukes, basil, peppers and a host of otherwarm weather crops, taking advantage of a few stray rainshowers. One of our newest participants, Kevin, has beenbusy building a special herb bed for both culinary andmedicinal herbs, two special interests of his. Perhaps yousaw the great cool season crops in the produce section of ourCo-op stores or at one of the veteran support events we par-ticipated in last month. In mid-May we began planting inour four Rio Grande Community Farm garden plots as well.

GENERAL MANAGER’S6 MONTH REPORT

THURSDAY, JUNE 23 AT 6:30PM Immanuel Presbyterian Church114 Carlisle Blvd. SW in Albuquerque

STRATEGIC THINKING FOR A

CO-OP FUTURECome join fellow Co-op owners, staff and La Montañita Board of Directors to brainstorm about what we want the Co-op to be and how it can better meet our community needs.

Be prepared to ponder and discuss the question: “Given the challenges of our changing world, how can the Co-op meet community needs in the coming decades?”

Snacks will be served so please RSVP: lisabk@lamontanita.coop or memb@lamontanita.coop or call 505-217-2027

CO-OP FOCUS CAFE

VETERAN FARMERPROJECT

La Montañita CooperativeA Community-Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Support Office9am – 5pm, M – F 901 Menaul NE, ABQ, NM 87107505-217-2001

Support Staff: 217-2001TOLL FREE: 877-775-2667 (COOP)• General Manager/Dennis Hanley 217-2028dennis.hanley@lamontanita.coop • Controller/John Heckes 217-2029johnh@lamontanita.coop• Computers/Info TechnologyDavid Varela 217-2011tech@lamontanita.coop• Special Projects Manager/Mark Lane 259-4396markl@lamontanita.coop• Human Resources/Sharret Rose 217-2023hr@lamontanita.coop• Marketing/Karolyn Cannata-Winge 217-2024kcwinge@lamontanita.coop• Membership/Robin Seydel 217-2027robins@lamontanita.coop• CDC/MichelleFranklin 217-2010mf@lamontanita.coop• Operations Director/Jason Trant 242-8800Jason.Trant@lamontanita.coop

Store Team Leaders: • Bob Veilleux/Nob Hill 265-4631bob.veilleux@lamontanita.coop• Martha Whitman/Rio Grande 242-8800martha.whitman@lamontanita.coop• William Prokopiak/Santa Fe 984-2852willpro@lamontanita.coop• Leaf Ashley/Gallup 575-863-5383leaf.ashley@lamontanita.coop• Joe Phy/Westside 505-503-2550josephp@lamontanita.coop

Co-op Board of Directors:email: bod@lamontanita.coop• President: Ariana Marchello• Treasurer: Tracy Sprouls• Lisa Banwarth-Kuhn• James Esqueda• Gregory Gould• Tammy Parker

• Courtney White

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

Co-op Connection Staff:• Managing Editor: Robin Seydelrobins@lamontanita.coop 217-2027• Layout and Design: foxyrock inc• Cover/Centerfold: Co-op Marketing Dept.• Advertising: JR Riegel• Editorial Assistant: JR Riegelj.riegel@lamontanita.coop 217-2016• Printing: Santa Fe New Mexican

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

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

Copyright ©2016La Montañita Food Co-op Reprints by prior permission.The Co-op Connection is printed on 65% post-consumer recycledpaper. It is recyclable.

BY AMANDA BRAMBLE

Ampersand is a living demonstration site for perma-culture, appropriate technologies, and sustainablepractices. Our off-grid site demonstrates sustainablesystems including land restoration, organic gardening,

passive solar design, and wise water techniques. We build withnatural and salvaged materials, cook with solar ovens, and relyon rain catchment.

Our whole approach to sustainability is about your relationshipwith your resources. We start with the basics: water, food, shelter,and energy. We are simply gathering, experimenting with, anddemonstrating sustainable solutions for living in harmony withour bioregion.

Ampersand hosts workshops and community events, retreats, res-idencies, and internships for everyday folks wanting to respondintelligently to the state of the Earth . People often come to learn aspecific skill, and discover they also build confidence and find inspi-ration for their next sustainable project at home. We offer a placewhere people connect, share resources and meet like-minded folksin order to encourage wise practices to grow roots everywhere.

June WorkshopsNatural Building and Earthen Plasters June 5, 10am–4pmLearn the properties of interior and exterior earthen plasters.Understand when to use local soils and when you need just theright combinations of clay and sand and other additives likewheat paste. Get hands-on with finish plasters and/or clay paintsthat we make together.

BY AMANDA DON

Last summer, I received an unusualgift. My brother sent me a personalgenome testing kit and I was absolutely

excited to learn about my ancestry. So, with justa little trepidation I spat into the test tube pro-vided and sent it off. A few weeks went by andthen I checked for the results. Lo and behold, Ilearned that on my father’s side I had a Mayanancestor. Very, very curious! It’s those unexpect-ed finds that I think are really the coolest. As aresult of this, and a deep desire to learn more ofthis aspect of my background, I found myselfbooking a guided tour to Guatemala to see thesights, vacation and have fun.

One of those sights was a stop at a coffee plan-tation by the name of La Azotea where I learneda great deal about coffee. There were threemuseums at the plantation, or finca, and one ofthem was devoted to the history of java along-side old equipment and mannequins in tradi-tional costumes for added interest. I was fasci-nated to learn that to eighteenth-century Jesuitscoffee was not a beverage, but that the plant

Rain Harvesting and Greywater Systems June 18, 10am–4pmLearn the basic elements of rain collection systems: siz-ing and siting your tank, keeping the water clean, NewMexico greywater code, appropriate soaps, and basicgravity fed greywater systems like mulch basins, infiltra-tion chambers, and pumice wicks. We'll tour Am-persand’s systems to observe these concepts in action.Come for just Rainwater or Greywater too.

Arid Land Restoration June 26, 10am–4pmDetermine storm water flow areas that nourish the landfrom ones that dehydrate and create erosion. Tour theecological restoration projects on Ampersand’s site.Discuss the reasons for each design and observe successrates. Heal degraded landscapes through mulching,seeding, and creating erosion control/water harvestingstructures.

For more information and to RSVP: ampersandproject.org or ampersandprojectblog.wordpress.com

was reserved for sacerdotal purposes. However, itwas (literally) the field trip that opened my eyes toexactly how labor intensive the production actual-ly is, as I saw workers digging into large mounds ofresidual pulp to use as fertilizer. Then add drying,roasting, and grinding and there is your brew.Family-owned, the current generation is practicingeco-friendly methods of pest control by reusingplastic Coke bottles and filling them with a naturalpesticide. At the conclusion of the tour, we weretreated to a very delicious traditional Guatemalanlunch, along with a hands-on demonstration of tor-tilla-making.

What started out as trip to learn more about myMayan heritage had the added benefit of the possi-ble resolution of another ancestral genome withGerman roots. In the 19th century phase ofGuatemalan coffee production, there was a highrate of German migration to Latin America; 85%of those who settled in Guatemala became coffeeplantation owners, dispersing to the country’s sixgrowing regions. Since all of the labor was indige-nous, there is a strong possibility that coffee runs inmy blood. However, I don’t do caffeine.

CO-OPYOU OWN IT

The Railyard Stewards are the non-profit conservancy organizationresponsible for the specialized horticul-

tural care of the gardens and landscapes,public programming, and temporary artinstallations at Santa Fe's largest, cultivatedpublic park—the Railyard Park.

The Railyard Stewards are pleased of offerthe following June workshops:

Trees to Plant in New Mexico withRobert Wood, Certified ArboristWHEN: Saturday, June 4thTIME: 10am to 12pmWHERE: The Railyard Park CommunityRoom located directly behind SITE SantaFe near the corner of Paseo de Peralta and Guadalupe Street and at the end ofCallejon.

Learn about regionally appropriate treesand how to plant them with Master Ar-

borist Bob Wood. Santa Fe is a dry, high ele-vation city where certain trees thrive betterthan others. Join us and find out which onesare best for your garden. Free.

National Pollinator Week CelebrationWHEN: Saturday, June 25thTIME: 10am to 12pmWHERE: Railyard Park Community Roomlocated directly behind SITE Santa Fe nearthe corner of Paseo de Peralta and GuadalupeStreet and at the end of Callejon.

Celebrate this yearly event dedicated toaddressing the urgent issue of declining pollinator habitat at the Railyard Park’s newlarge scale Native Bee House. Mayor JavierGonzales signed an official proclamation ded-icating June 20–26 as National PollinatorWeek in the City of Santa Fe in partnershipwith the Railyard Stewards. Learn about theplight of native bees and how you can helpcreate habitat for them to flourish. Free.

GROW YOURKNOWLEDGE

GROWING YOUR KNOWLEDGE June 2016 2

AMPERSAND SUSTAINABLE LIVING CENTER

UPCOMING WORKSHOPS

SANTA FE’S RAILYARD PARK

COFFEE IN MY BLOOD?

teachers, hydrologists, ranchers, climatologists, wildlifeadvocates, and policy makers to find equitable ways toshare our state’s water.

Council members are experts on water conservation, pro-moting the use of native and arid-adapted plants, rainwaterharvesting, utilizing low impact/recycled building materialsand landscaping/irrigation methods. The organization’s pri-mary goal is to educate the public about resource conserva-tion and best practices for improving local landscapes.

The Xeriscape Council of New Mexico is project- and edu-cation-oriented. Its primary project is an annual confer-ence focusing on water, people, and landscape. Everyspring, the Council brings globally recognized experts andlocal speakers together for a two-day conference.

This month you can support the work of theXeriscape Council by donating your bag credit at anyLa Montañita Co-op location.

Despite some decent rain and snow early lastwinter and in late spring, we have to rememberthat we live in a desert with very limited water sup-

plies. Using this precious resource for survival needs andto grow food for us and the wildlife with whom we shareour eco-system requires a conservation-based mindset.Doing away with conventional lawns to do the afore-mentioned activities takes some dedication, planning andknowledge. Enter the Xeriscape Council of New Mexico.

Back in 1986, green-industry professionals interested inwater conservation formed the Xeriscape Council of NewMexico, a non-profit 501(c)(3), to offer educational pro-grams, training sessions and conferences on resource effi-cient landscaping and related subjects.

Agua es VidaBecause water is life, the Xeriscape Council of NewMexico strives to bring together landscape professionalsinvolved in design, construction and management com-panies, homeowners, farmers, artists, business people,

WESTSIDE3601 Old Airport Ave. NW

505-503-2550

Alameda Blvd.

Old Airport Ave.

Coors

Blv

d.

Old

Airport

Ave

.CO

-OP

Co-op ValuesCooperatives are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility,democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. In the tradition of theirfounders, cooperative members believe in the ethical values of hon-esty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.

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

The Co-op Connection is published by La Montañita Co-op to provideinformation on La Montañita Co-op, the cooperative movement, andthe links between food, health, environment and community issues.Opinions expressed herein are of the authors and are not necessarilythose of the Co-op.

ingredients. You can see their labels on products fromfood companies who voluntarily agree to verify theiringredients. Twenty-six New Mexico retailers partici-pate in the program including La Montañita Co-op.

Large food companies are also starting to respond to con-sumer demand for transparency in their food. In fact,Campbell’s Soup announced this year that they will vol-untarily disclose the presence of GMO’s in their products.

While all of this is helpful, voluntary labeling by thirdparties simply doesn’t meet the needs of American fam-ilies. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requiresfood companies to label over 3,000 additives, processes,and ingredients, but they don’t require universal GMOpackage labeling.

I am a cosponsor of the Biotechnology Food LabelingUniformity Act to make sure consumers can find GMOingredient labels on food packaging. This legislationwould set a uniform federal standard to require clearand accurate labeling of genetically engineered ingredi-ents and offer food companies several practical and rea-sonable options for including this information on theirproducts. Under this federal standard, American con-sumers would finally be able to clearly see whether afood has been prepared with GMO ingredients.

More than 90 percent of Americans support clear label-ing of genetically engineered foods. And 64 countriesrequire GMO labeling, including Japan, South Korea,Australia, and all members of the European Union.

We already know to read labels to see if our foodscontain trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, oraspartame. We should absolutely be able to do thesame for GMO ingredients.

FAMILIES DESERVETO KNOW WHAT’S IN THEIR

FOOD

GUEST COLUMNBY US SENATOR MARTIN HEINRICH

As a parent, nothing is more important to me thanknowing what’s in the food my kids eat. That’s why Igarden and hunt, and it’s a big part of why my wife, Julie,

once served on the Co-op’s Board of Directors. I believe thatevery American should be able to make informed decisions abouttheir food before they buy it. And that is exactly why I believethat genetically engineered ingredients should be clearly labeled.

Genetically engineered foods and ingredients were first intro-duced in the mid-1990s. They are the result of scientific methodsthat go well beyond conventional crossbreeding among relatedspecies. While genetically modified organisms—or GMOs—canincrease crop yields and drought tolerance, food producers alsocommonly modify crops to increase their tolerance to pesticidesand herbicides. For Americans to be able to control their expo-sure to these substances, they need to be able to make decisionsabout products that include GMO ingredients.

In April, I voted against a Senate Agriculture Committee bill con-sumer advocates have referred to as the Deny Americans the Rightto Know or DARK Act. This bill, which failed to pass in the Senate,would prevent states from setting mandatory rules regarding label-ing of genetically engineered ingredients. The voluntary off-labelprovisions like bar codes and 1-800 numbers proposed by theDARK Act would be unfair to consumers who don’t own a smart-phone, can’t access the internet, or simply don’t have the time towait for a customer service representative on the phone.

The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization that labelsfood products that do not contain any genetically engineered

FOOD AND ENVIRONMENT June 2016 3

CONSERVATIONIS BEAUTIFULXERISCAPE COUNCIL OF NEW MEXICOBAG CREDIT DONATION ORGANIZATIONOF THE MONTH

CO-OP PROGRAM DONATE YOUR BAG CREDIT!

BRING A BAG... DONATE-A-DIME!

THIS MONTH BAG CREDIT DONATIONS GO TO:

Xeriscape Council of New Mexico: Bringing diverse communitiestogether to find equitable ways to share our state’s water.

In April your bag credit donations totaling $2,789.54 were given to:Wild Friends. THANK YOU!

RIO GRANDE2400 Rio Grande. Blvd. NW

505-242-8800

miles to reach stores. The co-opgreenhouse has received supportfrom many potential buyers,including two natural food co-opsin Western Massachusetts. “Itwas a mission fit from the begin-ning,” explains Fred. “[The foodco-ops] have really been very easyto work with, and I think whatwe’re doing meets their cus-tomers’ interest in healthy local food as well as their missionconnection around building co-ops.” LEAF worked closelywith WCC on this project as well, helping to develop theirbusiness plan, providing financial support, and facilitatingtheir access to sources of capital.

WCC has plans for several new businesses, which often growin response to the market needs of the local anchor institu-tions. For example, a local hospital recently expressed interestin a hospital bed repair business. WCC is also exploring therestoration and refurnishing of old windows, a potential busi-ness that would provide an environmentally friendly alterna-tive to filling up landfills or ordering new vinyl windows.

WCC’s goal is to help incubate ten worker co-ops that areowned by 100 low-income Springfield residents. 100 is a greatstart, but it may seem like a drop in the bucket. LEAF’s view isthat long-term, inclusive community development takes time,and so does fostering co-ops. As the success of its early proj-ects catches on, WCC’s work will accelerate, be improved, andbe replicated elsewhere. With so many communities searchingfor ways to promote broadly-based economic growth, WCCand its worker co-ops are well on their way to inspiring a newkind of cooperative economy.

CO-OP NEWS June 2016 4

the general manager to avoid while achieving thoseresults. Only by reviewing and adjusting these boundariesdo we affect the direction of the Co-op. We leave day-to-day operational details to the general manager and histeam (those are the people you see every day as a shop-per). Almost half our meeting time is allocated for theBoard Study Hour that has morphed in to the CommunityEducation Series where we study our world, learn aboutour owners’ needs, and imagine the future. While it is cus-tomary for boards to attract prospective members withmanagement-related skills, our approach is different. Ourcomprehensive policies and the management reportingthat is required for them allow the board to simultane-ously ensure successful Co-op performance and still focuson the bigger picture mentioned earlier.

To help keep the board on this path, HERE’SWHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR IN A CANDIDATE:• First and foremost, be dedicated to the well-being of theCo-op and its owners.• Have a propensity to think in terms of systems and con-text.• Be honest and have independent judgment, courage, andgood faith.• Be able and eager to deal with values, vision and thelong term.• Be willing and able to participate assertively in discus-sions and abide by board decisions and the intent of estab-lished policies.• Be comfortable operating in a group decision-makingenvironment, sharing power in a group process, and dele-gating areas of decision-making to others.

To better understand how these characteristics play out,we encourage prospective candidates to attend monthlyboard meetings. They are always on the third Tuesday ofeach month, starting at 5:30pm. Check the calendar, ourwebsite or the Board Bulletin Board for location.

BY LISA BANWURTH -KUHN, BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION AND NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE

The nominations process for La Montañita Board of Directorswill begin next month. Each year the Co-op holds elections forthree of its nine directors with terms running for three years. This

year includes election of a fourth seat for a two-year term. As elected rep-resentatives of our 16,000 plus member-owners, the board’s job is to pro-vide strategic vision for the future and to ensure the Co-op’s long-term sta-bility and success. The work is challenging and rewarding.

The Co-op is a multi-million dollar a year operation with six stores: fourin Albuquerque, one in Gallup and one in Santa Fe. Albuquerque is alsohome to our Cooperative Distribution Center, which is our foodshed ware-house serving producers, processors and retailers throughout our region.Finally, our many community outreach programs bring people togetherand strengthen our community.

The board’s work requires discipline and creativity. We govern by meansof a framework called Policy Governance. At our monthly meetings, theboard reviews management’s work by examining performance reports andcomparing them to established policy standards. The board governs bydeclaring, through its policies, the results it wants and the actions it wants

Nominations start July 20, 2016 and end onAugust 20, 2016. Candidate application packetswill be available soon, as paper copies from theinformation desk and online at the Co-op’s website:lamontanita.coop/run.

TO QUALIFY AS A CANDIDATE, YOU MUSTHAVE BEEN A MEMBER FOR AT LEAST FOURMONTHS PRIOR TO THE START OF ELEC-TIONS (THAT MEANS BEING A MEMBER SINCEJULY 1), AND YOU MUST RETURN YOUR COM-PLETED APPLICATION BY AUGUST 20.

Board elections will be held from November 1through 14. Our annual meeting and celebrationwill be held in October. Candidates are encouragedto attend this meeting to have the opportunity toaddress members regarding their candidacy.

The board will offer a list of candidates it feels arequalified to serve. Full information about this pro-cess is included in the candidate packet. For moreinformation contact bod@lamontanita.coop.

BY AMINE BENALI, LOCAL ENTERPRISE ASSISTANCE FUND (LEAF)

The city of Springfield in Western Massachusettshas been home to high unemployment rates,large numbers of low-income residents, and a lack

of meaningful job opportunities to meet the demands ofthe population. In order to address these problems, agroup of community leaders from local hospitals, busi-nesses, and universities came together in 2011 and even-tually formed the Wellspring Cooperative Corporation(WCC) in 2014.

The WCC seeks to revitalize Springfield through a net-work of worker co-ops that provide meaningful employ-ment and wealth creation to Springfield’s low-income res-idents. Fred Rose, Co-Director of the WCC, explainedhow breaking the poverty cycle requires more than justfinding a job: “Our mission is to create a network ofworker co-ops in Springfield, which is a high poverty citywith a real shortage of entry level jobs to meet the needsof the population. We’re building this network of work-er co-ops to meet that need in the city. We want to do itin a way where workers build wealth and not just

income—wealth is key for moving people out of poverty.By building these businesses as co-ops, people are sharingin the profits and gaining assets.”

WCC’s first co-op was an upholstery business, WellspringUpholstery Cooperative. The upholstery co-op had a readymarket locally as it solved a common problem forSpringfield institutions—reusing worn furniture andreducing unnecessary waste. WCC chose this businessboth to meet the market need and to build on the skills ofmany of its co-op worker-owners, some of whom learnedupholstery techniques while incarcerated. Working atWCC provides a crucial first step back into employmentfor many of these previously incarcerated individuals, whooften find it difficult to reenter the job market. LEAF pro-vided financing and technical assistance to the project andcontinues to work with WCC to think about ways it canexpand and create more jobs.

Now WCC is launching their second worker co-op—theWellspring Harvest Cooperative, a hydroponically rungreenhouse that will provide chemicals-free, natural pro-duce to local institutions and commercial businesses inWestern Massachusetts. The greenhouse is expected to use90% less water than traditional growing methods whileoccupying less space—perfect for crowded populous areaswhere food usually travels hundreds (if not thousands) of

RUN FOR THEBOARDBOARD

REVITALIZING A CITY, ONE CO-OP AT A TIMEC O O P E R AT I O N

AMONG CO-OPS

Rather than post for a new Store Team Leader now, we want togive ourselves some breathing room. We have some co-op nextgeneration team members who will be great candidates, shouldthey want to apply for the permanent position in the future, but arestill learning the ropes. To give them time to develop and honetheir skills, we have decided to hire an interim Store Team Leader.We are very fortunate that within our midst we have someone whohas been involved in the co-op movement for over 30 years, andspecifically with La Montañita.

Martha Whitman loves the business of co-ops and has participat-ed as a worker, manager and director of food cooperatives andcredit unions for over 30 years. She was honored to have theopportunity to grow La Montañita Food Co-op’s reserves thatmade possible its move to the flagship store in 1987. Later Marthaserved on its Board for ten years, nine as Board president. Duringthat time she worked with NCG creating and leading regional lead-ership trainings and writing for its quarterly LEADer newsletter. In2008 Martha received the Howard K. Bowers Fund Cooperative

Board Service Award. For the 2012 UN International Year ofCooperatives, she served as chair for NCBA’s Public PolicyCommittee. Between her background in co-ops as well asowning and managing private businesses, Martha is now uti-lizing those skills and experience as a consultant with CDSConsulting Co-op and is eager to help strengthen our co-opsin a healthy and sustainable way.

We have hired Martha through CDS to help in this transition.We know the Rio Grande team and the Support Office staff willhelp Martha continue working to make this store successful.

John Mullé, Rio Grande Store Team Leader,retires. Please welcome Martha Whitman asInterim Store Team Leader

Long time Rio Grande Store Team Leader John Mullé has decid-ed to start his much deserved retirement. John served as StoreTeam Leader at the Rio Grande location for over 17 years. He

joined the La Montañita team with approximately 20 years of Co-opmanagement under his belt, having served in a similar position at FoodConspiracy Co-op in Tucson. John helped build the Rio Grande locationbusiness almost since that store’s opening and is greatly responsiblefor our success in opening a second store. We extend our deepestthanks to John for all his years of dedicated service to La Montañita Co-op and wish him all the best (and great good fun!) in his retirement.

R I O G R A N D E C O - O P U P D AR I O G R A N D E C O - O P U P D A T E :T E :

GOODBYE AND HELLO

DEAR EDITOR,

While I was campaigning to be on the Co-op Board,I repeatedly asked friends and neighbors if they wereCo-op members. To my surprise, many told me thatthey once had been members but that the Co-op wastoo expensive.

It is said the Board deliberates in many voices, thenspeaks with one voice after a decision is made. Itcould be called consensus decision making. I am stillnew to this process. It's not usual for a director toshare personal opinions after a decision is madebecause the Board represents all the Co-op membersand it is in that spirit that decisions are made. This ispart of Policy Governance, especially as many of thedecisions that I'm faced with today have been yearsin the making.

For fresh, local produce, I prefer the Growers’Markets, buying directly from a grower. I knowmany of the growers and I am grateful for theirefforts. However, I'm also aware that less than 4% of

New Mexico food is grown locally. If I eat at any restaurant intown, it's likely to be supplied by Sysco or Ben E. Keith or anoth-er supplier. Their produce is from out of State. And probably notorganic. The upscale restaurants in the last few years are buyingfrom local farmers.

The Co-op produce is organic and often local. And expensive.However, most of the Co-op profits stays within the communi-ty, and are funneled into worthwhile projects that I supportwholeheartedly.

Enter Dennis, our new General Manager. Dennis has made boldinitiatives based on his understanding of the fiscal condition ofthe Co-op, the direction provided by Board strategic visioningand policy and the resources provided by National CooperativeGrocers (a service co-op comprised of 148 food co-ops allacross the US and Canada). The eagerness to implement the newinitiatives shortchanged communication in the initial roll-out. Iknow that when I want my kid to participate in any activitywith me, I let him know two weeks in advance. I prepare himfor whatever it is, so he has time to wrap his mind around it.The changes at the Co-op weren't handled that way and thechanges were shocking to some.

The Clean 15 which represents the core of the controversy at present,are not an issue for me as a shopper, since I mostly ignore them, as Ido the potato chips, sodas and canned goods. However, the outcryfrom disgruntled member owners was hurtful. I was personallyattacked. And it appears that every misstep and past grievance in theCoop's history has resurfaced. I sure wish the discourse and the dia-logue were more civil.

Dennis has also renegotiated purchasing agreements that havereduced the cost of many organic products, making the Co-op com-petitive in the new world of grocery options. This is good. The Co-op could now serve more people without being branded elitist.

I sought out Board Membership as an act of community engage-ment. I have my own agenda for community activism: backyard gar-dens and chickens, composting, tree planting, eating less meat butbetter quality meat, no GMOs and yes, organics.

I am by nature a peacemaker. I am not about being an apologist forthe Co-op. I do want to see a way forward for the values that I careabout and continue to build a community that will contribute to ourshared wellbeing.

-GREG GOULD

space for their produce limited, or perhaps elimi-nated, by incoming conventional products.

If we hope to continue as a co-op, we have to listento each other.

If there is no room for compromise from eitherside, we are facing hard choices. Does the Boardhave suggestions for how we can compromise? Oris it just: take it or leave it?

Will the Board answer our questions about salariesof newly hired employees, or not? We have asked,but haven’t been answered.

If there is no response from the Board, do we aban-don our memberships? Take our business else-where? That will hurt the co-op. There is a Boardelection coming up and we members have to par-ticipate, to elect board members who think that lis-tening to members is important. And who reflectthe points of view we hold dear. This is our onlychance to maintain principles many of us feeldeeply about.

I ask the Board to answer our questions with trans-parency and quiet the rumors that are flying. Thegoodwill of the co-op community is at risk.

Members: Please consider attending the next Boardmeeting. Date and location can be found on LaMontañita website.

-THANK YOU, LOREN KAHN

CO-OPS: A Solution-Based System A cooperative is an autonomous association of persons

united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs andaspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise.

JuneCalendarof Events

6/21 BOD Meeting Co-op ConferenceRoom, 901 Menual Blvd. NW, 6:30pm

6/23 CO-OP FOCUS CAFE!

6/27 Member Engagement Meeting Co-op SupportOffice, 5:30pm

JUNE IS OWNER SURVEY MONTH!Fill yours out today and get a 15% DISCOUNTSHOPPING TRIP!

DEAR EDITOR AND MEMBERS

OF LA MONTAÑITA CO-OP,

I am a decades-long member of the Co-op andhave always treasured the shared values of our co-op community. As of late, however, things seem tohave gone awry and it’s not clear to me what hashappened or why! Rumors are flying!

Members at the April Board meeting, which waswell attended, feel that the Board doesn’t careabout their concerns, (for example, many mem-bers object to the presence and selling of “clean fif-teen” produce which is reputed to have “less pes-ticides” but is, therefore, less expensive thanorganic) and from what I understand, the Boardfeels these members do not understand or appreci-ate what has been done, by them and by the newlyhired management, to ensure the welfare and con-tinuance of the co-op. (The Board says that sellingconventional produce will increase revenue andmembers, and make the co-op competitive withbusinesses such as Sprouts and Trader Joe’s. Whynot just shop at those stores and avoid the mem-bership fee?) Local organic farmers see marketing

CO-OP NEWS June 2016 5

DEAR CO-OP MEMBERS,

For the last 40 years, La Montañita Co-op has provided aunique service to the community by selling only conscientious-ly sourced local and organic produce. But recently, the Co-ophas begun also selling conventional (sprayed with pesticides)fruits and vegetables under the label “Clean 15.” This hascaused great concern among many of us. When members objectto or question this new addition, Co-op administration and theBoard are quick to reassure us by saying this is the “new nor-mal” in the retail world. But if you take a good look around, itis actually the exact opposite of the new normal.

Every year, consumers are becoming more informed about theconnection between their health and the food they eat. Aspeople learn about the health hazards associated with hor-mones, pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers as wellas GMO foods, the demand for organic and non-GMO foodsis increasing rapidly. Factory farmers who once grew onlyconventional crops are rushing to convert to organic methodsto supply the many big retail chains that now sell organic pro-duce. Hawaii just became the first state in the US to help localfarmers with up to a $50,000 tax credit for growing organicfood. Restaurants like Chipotle and brands like Dannon aredropping GMO ingredients. Under pressure from consumers,seven major retailers have refused to sell the GMO salmonthat was recently approved by the FDA. A national movement

to introduce organic-only school lunches is beginningto gain traction in a number of states.

The unmistakable trend is toward organic foods.Instead of trying to look more like other stores byadding in conventional produce, La Montañita needsto remember the integrity that has driven the Co-opcommunity through the years - do what we do and doit better. This does not include trying to entice newlower-income shoppers into the store with cheap con-ventional produce. If, because of the health risks offood that is sprayed with pesticides, we wouldn’t eatit ourselves or feed it to our own families, then mar-keting it as a “healthy choice” in our stores is wrong.Management needs to respect the values of the Co-op, heed the strong objections from members, andacknowledge that the Clean 15 was an unsuccessfulexperiment.

Newly introduced practices of combining the pur-chasing power of all the Co-op stores to get betterpricing on produce and of offering the Double UpFood Bucks program are examples of changes thatcan be implemented that will help La Montañitaretain its footing in the retail marketplace andincrease access to healthy food without going againstCo-op principles.

-CARLA BARON

GATOS Y GALLETAS/CENTRAL NEW MEXICOAddress: 414 Central Ave. SE, ABQ, NMPhone: 505-243-9955Website: gatosygalletas.commWhen Started: April 22, 2016Specialties: vegetarian, vegan and gluten freeWhat we buy from the CDC: local produce, eggs, dairy,Big B’s apple juice, pasta, local organic beans

They say: ALBUQUERQUE’S FIRST CAT CAFÉ. Pleasecome join us for vegetarian, gluten free, and vegandishes. Spend time with about eight adoptable rescuecats. Other activities offered at our location include catyoga, comedy and live music.

GROWING THE LOCAL ECONOMY ONE FARMER, ONE BUSINESS AT A TIME

SERVING LOCAL PRODUCERS AND BUSINESSES

CO-OP DISTRIBUTION CENTER

THIS BUSINESS IS A VALUED CUSTOMER OF THE

CO-OP DISTRIBUTION CENTER

LETTERS TO THEEDITOR

JUNE 23, 6:30PM

CO-OP FOCUSCAFÉSTRATEGIC THINKING FOR A CO-OP FUTURE

YOU OWN IT!

RSVP: lisabk@lamontanita.coop or memb@lamontanita.coop or call 505-217-2027

LOAN PROGRAM• Quick and easy application process• Loans from $250 to $15,000, or more in exceptional cases• Repayment terms tailored to the needs of our community offood producers• Applications taken in an ongoing basisTo set up a meeting to learn more or for a Loan Application or helpwith your application, call or e-mail Robin at: 505-217-2027, tollfree 877-775-2667 or e-mail: robins@lamontanita.coop.

LA MONTANITAFUND:GRASSROOTSINVESTING!Help GROW the LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM

BY ANITA AMSTUTZ, THINK LIKE A BEE

Bees have become popular little poster girls these days. Weare increasingly aware of their decline and the critical role theyplay in pollinating all things food. In effect, they are life itself.

We are enamored of them because they supply us with that sweetestelixir of all—honey. Perhaps you’ve heard of the new Kactus Breweryin Bernalillo. The owner, Dana Koller, believes in bee rescue, but healso loves beer. He has acquired a few beehives and soon he will beexperimenting with a new honey wheat beer. Stop by for a cold beebrew this summer!

A beehive can make 50–200 pounds of honey a year. But it takes over150 trips to a flower or tree to make just one teaspoon of honey. Beesare also master pollinators. They give us free service for a thankless taskof moving pollen from flower to flower. Without them, our grocerystores would be devoid of 70–80% of our favorite foods such as avo-cados, peaches, cherries, almonds and dairy. Our food system would bebankrupt if we paid bees for their work. It would be impossible for usto humanly replicate the service that all pollinators do for us—includ-ing bats, birds, bees and bugs. Albert Einstein once said that if bees dis-appeared, humans would have about 4 years of life on planet earth.

It is high time we celebrate them! Did you know that Pollinator Weekhappens annually, June 20–25? Thanks to the UNM Wild Friends, agroup of school children around the state, Governor Martinez has now

June 2016 6

also designated a Bee Awareness Day on June15. As part of their school project to learn aboutNew Mexico’s government, students worked onlegislation asking State agencies to protectdeclining bee populations. They requested edu-cation and research as to how this affects oureconomy and quality of life. It passed the 2016Senate as a Memorial. Wild Friends are workingon a new 2017 bill to bring to the Senate again.This time they hope to pass protection measuresfor pollinators. There will be collaboration withlocal bee groups and State agricultural agencies.

agency is saying that it allowed this highly toxic chem-ical (and other neonics) on the market without keypieces of information to determine the full extent of thedamage it could cause to pollinators!

Though preliminary, EPA’s assessment providesevidence for a boycott of all imidacloprid-con-taining products for five reasons: 1. The insecticide is highly toxic to honeybees, evenat extremely low levels. Reduced foraging, queen sur-vival rates, worker bee quantity and delayed develop-ment have all been observed.2. Wild and native bees, many more vulnerable thanhoneybees, continue to go overlooked and unprotected.3. Impacts from contaminated soil, water, and evendew also go underestimated.4. Contaminated dust from planting imidacloprid-coated seeds, which leads to residues on nearbyplants, soil and surface water, was not considered inthe assessment.5. Treated crops like cotton and citrus pose graverisks to bees.

No matter what the EPA decides nowthat their public comment period onbee-killing imidacloprid is over, we as

consumers can and must take matters into ourown hands to protect bees from this killer bynot purchasing any product that contains it.

It is found in many home and garden productsand used to grow flower and vegetable plantsthat are widely sold in garden centers. As asystemic neonicotinoid (neonic), imidaclopridpoisons the entire plant, contaminating pollenand nectar, exposing bees to the harmfulresidues. Products with this pesticide that are commonly sold to con-sumers include Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub Control and Ortho Roseand Flower Killer.

Earlier this year, EPA actually confirmed that imidacloprid is highly toxicto bees and contaminates nectar and pollen of crops to which bees areexposed. The agency, in a long awaited preliminary pollinator assessment,also acknowledges that bees come into contact with neonics through soil,surface water, and guttation (dew) droplets from plants, but indicates itlacks the information to understand the implications of these risks. So the

Some of the brand names of the most popu-lar imidacloprid-containing products include:Admire, Advantage (flea killer for pets),Confidor, Conguard, Gaucho, Hachikusan,Intercept, InVict, Kohinor, Mallet, MaxforceQuantum, Merit, Nuprid, Optrol, Premise,Prothor, Provado, Turfthor, Temprid (Bayer),Winner, and Xytect. For more information goto www.beyondpesticides.org

BEES AND BREW, WILD FRIENDS AND ALL THINGS

POLLINATORAnother exciting development is the Bee City USA res-olution (www.beecityusa.org) coming to our Albu-querque City Council this summer. A national move-ment, the groundwork has been laid this past year for the first Bee City here in the Southwest, thanks to Isaac Benton’s office. It has bipartisan support, and will go a long way to bring protection for ourhardworking bees at both a policy level and practicalapplication.

We are finally beginning to understand ways we cansupport pollinator health, allowing them to thrive.Check out these bee-friendly websites that support thegoals of a healthy pollinator world. As the bee goes,so go we humans.

NEW MEXICO BEEKEEPER ASSOCIATION: www.nmbeekeepers.orgBEE CITY USA: www.thinklikeabee.orgALBUQUERQUE BEEKEEPERS: http://abqbeeks.orgWILD FRIENDS: http://wildfriends.unm.eduALBUQUERQUE OPEN SPACE: www.cabq.gov/parksandrecreation/openspace/events

OUR POLLINATOR PARTNERSAvoid Neonic Imidacloprid in Home Garden Products

DON’T BEE TOXICBY STEPHANIE DAVIO, BEYOND PESTICIDES

EPA ACTUALLYCONFIRMED

that imidaclopridis highly toxic to beesand CONTAMINATESNECTAR and pollen

of crops to which beesare exposed

into the nectar or pollen, collected by honeybees.This food is brought back to the beehive and candamage the young, developing bees. 4. Support your local beekeepers andeconomy by buying local honey. Since bees cantravel up to 3–5 miles to collect nectar, when youeat local honey, you really are getting a taste ofNew Mexico flora.5. Encourage the planting of bee-friend-ly plants in open spaces, along roadways and inshared places.6. Become a beekeeper. Spend the rest of thisyear learning as much as possible about the fasci-nating social dynamics of the beehive, find amentor and prepare your equipment for nextyear’s beekeeping season.7. The spring is a time of reproduction inthe hive. If you see a swarm, or big bunch ofbees, or need honeybees removed from a struc-ture, call your local County Extension Office tofind a beekeeper.

For more information contact the New MexicoBeekeeper Association at: www.nmbeekeepers.org

BY JESSIE BROWN, NM BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION

Iteach at many public events throughoutthe year about the amazing world of hon-eybees through my role as President of the

NM Beekeepers Association. Many people askwhat they can do to support the bees that pollinatetheir backyard vegetable gardens and flowers.Here are a few quick tips on how anyone can helpsupport our buzzing friends.

1. Provide a water source. A colony of hon-eybees can consume almost a gallon of water everyday during the hottest part of the summer to cooltheir hive. Help the bees by putting out a largebowl of water, full of rocks or floating corks. Beesneed a landing pad, because they can’t hover whilethey drink water.2. Plant a garden of low water usageplants that bloom throughout the grow-ing season. Honey bees need nectar and pollenduring the spring, summer and fall to feed theiryoung. By planting a larger patch (think about asquare foot or more) of the same type of flower,bees don’t have to search as far for food.3. Read pesticide labels and use accord-ingly, or better yet reduce or stop the use of pes-ticides in the yard altogether. Pesticides can travel

BEE FRIENDLY

BEES ARE MASTER POLLINATORSThey give us free service for a thankless task of moving pollen from

FLOWER TO FLOWER

the tartness of the lemons, but I could see this being anice treat. Just add a little vanilla extract to yourlemonade. SPARKLING WATER - used instead of regular waterfor a fizzy treatMINT - add mint leaves to your simple syrup, or toprepared lemonade. Make mint tea and mix with yourlemonade. Give it a try with lemon balm as well.WITH KOMBUCHA - hippie Arnold Palmer?CUCUMBER - steep a few cucumbers in your lemon-ade. Extra refreshing.GINGER - steep grated ginger in your syrup. If skip-ping the syrup or using pre-made syrup, squeeze somejuice from fresh ginger and add it. A little goes a longway!PINEAPPLE - mix in pineapple juice for a tropicaltreatPLAY WITH YOUR SWEETENERS - try honey, ste-via, and natural sugars. Most of these will need tomixed into a syrup with hot water to dissolve.ROSEMARY OR BASIL - steep in syrup or add leavesand steep in the cold drink for just a touch of flavorRHUBARB - another pink lemonade. Cook down therhubarb with sugar and water and then strain. Addlemon juice and serve over ice.

AMYLEE UDELL is a mother of three who spends alot of time in the kitchen. She stays productive atwww.productivemama.com.

Ihave always loved lemonade. It is the ultimate inrefreshment for me. Sweet, tangy, cool—ahhhhhhh.REAL lemonade can be made several ways, but

most people agree the simple syrup is the secret. Butwhat if you want your lemonade RIGHT NOW and/ordon't want to bother with the syrup? I've got a fewgreat tips for you!

One is to make a batch of simple syrup and keep it inthe refrigerator for the next week's lemonade emergen-cies. Then your syrup is ready to go and you can justmix it with your water and lemon juice. The other is toget out your blender. Put in your sugar and then add anequal amount of hot water to dissolve the sugar. Blenda bit. Add cold water and lemon juice and blend again.Pour over ice.

Our family's newest lemonade discovery is to start asdescribed above. Then add lots of ice (if you're sure yourblender can handle crushing ice) and blend. The result isa frozen lemonade that cannot be beat.

My last lemonade tip is to add a pinch of salt. It reallymakes the citrus flavors pop. Since it's just a pinchthere's no saltiness. On the practical side, if you'vebeen doing anything outside in the summer heat, thesalt will help re-hydrate you more effectively.

While lemonade is the classic accompaniment to yoursummer picnics and barbecues, classic doesn't have tomean boring. Here are a few ideas that can be donesimply to give your lemonade punch.

BERRIES - cook into the syrup and strain OR blendberries, then strain the berry purée and add to lemonade.LAVENDER - infuse lavender buds in your syrup andthen strain before making your lemonadePOPSICLES - freeze your lemonade into molds ICE CUBES - see above then add to other beverages foradded zingADD OTHER CITRUS - limeade is actually myfavorite. Substitute some lime juice, grapefruit juice ororange juice for the lemon juice in your favorite recipe.Though if using sweeter citrus, reduce the sugar.WITH TEA - customize your own Arnold Palmer withyour favorite iced teaWITH HIBISCUS TEA - a variation on pink lemonadeWATERMELON - Freeze it in cubes and substitutethose for some of your ice cubes in the frozen lemon-ade recipe. Or blend up the watermelon, strain, andadd it to lemonade.VANILLA - not my favorite because I feel it counters

NEW PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

LEMONINTQUENCH YOUR THIRST!

Bringing you the perfect balance of lemon and mint.From the days of squeezing lemons and picking mint byhand for the Barlow Street Fair in Sebastopol, CA, the

mission of Lemonint was to bring this farmers’ market delicacy tothe bottle so it could be spread around for everyone to enjoy.Every bottle is made with organic mint leaves, real lemons, and atouch of unbleached organic cane sugar from South America. Noartificial flavors, no artificial colors, no high fructose cornsyrup—they are committed to bringing the flavors of homemadelemonade to the bottle while bringing the well-loved but under-used combination of lemon and mint pioneered in theMediterranean to a broader audience.

Lemonint is a growing, young and independent company focusedon the future. Lemonint creators are working to bring a highquality beverage that excites your taste buds and makes you feel good.

Check our all their flavors: ORIGINAL—a simple combination ofreal mint and lemon; STRAWBERRY—who doesn’t like the sweettaste of a fresh strawberry; BLACK TEA—perfect for a hot dayhitting the links. We thank Mr. Palmer for this one; PEACH—biteinto a ripe juicy peach, then wash it down with the good old com-bination of lemon and mint; and RASPBERRY—have you everhad a raspberry mint lemonade? We didn’t think so. Go aheadand give this decadence a try! Keep an eye out for Lemonint inyour favorite Co-op locations beverage cooler as we intro-duce them this month!

deep breathing, low blood pres-sure, fever, weakness, mental con-fusions, seizures and loss of con-sciousness. Heat exhaustion canquickly change to heat stroke. Aperson with heat exhaustion willbe pale, weak, have fast regularpulse, cool skin, profuse sweating,dizziness and confusion. A heatstroke has occurred if there is sud-den loss of consciousness, a rapidirregular pulse, and flushed dryhot skin. This requires urgentmedical care.

When you see or are with someone who is exhibiting these signshere are a few things you can do while waiting for medical helpto arrive. If you can’t move the person to the shade, providethem shade as best you can. Loosen clothing. If unconsciousplace in the rescue position (laying on their side, head turned toside). Begin cooling measures: tepid water sponge bath, fanning.Place the cooling compresses in arm pit, neck and groin areas,the large vessels there will quickly circulate the cooled blood. If conscious, have them sip on Rehydration Drink, 1/4 cupevery 15 minutes for an hour. I keep a jar of the prepared rehy-dration powder made up and ready. I also use a vitamin C pow-dered supplement.

Keep in mind when choosing your liquids that caffeine andalcohol are dehydrating. Lemonade was and still is a popularsummer drink. Lemons have many beneficial qualities besidesbeing a refreshing addition to teas, salads and fish. They containhigh levels of vitamin C, which helps make them powerfulantioxidants that can protect the body from cell damage thatcan lead to cancer. Their pectin is a soluble fiber that helps pro-tect from cholesterol plaques and slows absorption of the sug-ars into the the body, and its citrate protects against calciumstones in the kidney. Studies have shown that lemons bringdown a fever quickly.

HEAT EXHAUSTION, STROKEAND DEHYDRATION

BY JESSIE EMERSON

Father’s Day, picnics and BBQs. Summer is coming tothe high desert. Everyone wants to enjoy the summer.Don’t let your joy turn to disaster. There are some

preventive actions to avoid heat exhaustion, dehydrationand heat stroke.

Always, always wear a hat that covers the crown of yourhead and your face when you are outside. We regulateheat and cold at the crown of our heads. Infants, smallchildren, the elderly, and those with little or no hair ontheir head are especially vulnerable. Protect yourself bymowing, running or doing other physical activities in theearly morning of late afternoon/evening, not during thehottest part of the day; 10am to 3pm.

Wear a wet bandana around your neck to help keep thebody’s temperature at 98.6°F. Pour water over your headand neck, sit in the shade. Wait a few minutes to cool downbefore you drink. The sugary, caffeinated drinks on themarket only make the situation worse. Water is the drink ofchoice. Dehydration occurs when the body loses more liq-uid than it takes on. While working, playing or hiking,drink your water—carry it in you, not in your canteen.

A baby should nurse frequently during hot weather. Thereshould be at least 6–8 very saturated, light colored urinediapers from the younger baby and 8–10 from the olderbaby in a 24 hour period. There is no need to give thenursing infant water, as they will get enough liquid by fre-quent nursing. This means that moms must remember totake in more water and liquids as well.

In the summer in the Southwest, increase your water intakefrom 8 to 10 glasses, or more depending on your activity.Severe signs of dehydration include: weak rapid pulse, fast

REHYDRATIONDRINK1 qt. boiled water1/2 tsp salt1/2 tsp baking soda15 T organic non-processed sugar or add 3 T of honey to the drink

Do not use sugar substitutes. In this situa-tion, you want the real thing.

Remember to drink your liquids, wear yourhat, be mindful of the time of day you planyour activities, and remember to apply andreapply your sunscreen.

SUMMER HEALTH TIPSH E R EH E R E C O M E SC O M E S T H ET H E H E AH E ATT

KEEPING COOL

LEMONADE... NOT THE BEYONCE ALBUM

BY AMYLEE UDELL

June 2016 7

In heat stroke the core temperature may be 106° to110°F. Profuse sweating and activity may change elec-trolyte balance and lower the blood sugar. Lemons’ nat-ural sweetness and a teaspoon or more of honey in thelemondade give the person energy and prevent uncon-sciousness. Lemons have 80mg of potassium and canhelp restore electrolyte balance. They contain lots of B-complex vitamins that are depleted and needed duringtimes of stress. The body may become acidic during thistime and, once metabolized, lemons are an alkaline foodthat can help restore the body’s pH. Try a refreshing icedmint or Cota tea with lemon slices and honey.

SUMMER HEALTH TIPS

HOT WEATHER EATS June 2016 8

KOOLFOODSWHITE BEAN WRAPSMakes 10 wraps / Prep time: 15 minutes

This is a great recipe to involve the whole family in mak-ing. Family members can even make their own wrap right at the dinner table, making this an extremely quick, healthy family meal. These wraps can also make great do-ahead picnic fare. Just stack the finished wraps with waxed paper between them in a carrying container and keep cool until you’re ready to serve.

Filling2 15oz cans white beans, rinsed and drained well 1/2 red onion, diced1 carrot, diced1/2 cup cilantro chopped 3/4 tsp salt3/4 tsp sugar1 T olive oil3 T lime juice

Other optional ideas for the filling include: julienned cucumbers, shredded cabbage, and bean sprouts

For Assembling the Wraps2 ripe avocados, sliced10 rice wrapsLarge plate and about a cup of hot water

Ginger Dipping Sauce1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced1 T honey1 T nut butter1 T tamari sauce3–4 tsp water

In a large mixing bowl, smoosh the beans coarsely with the back of a fork or a potato masher. Combine the rest of the filling ingredients and set aside. In a separate small mixing bowl, combine all of the dip-ping sauce ingredients until smooth and set aside.

To prepare the rice wraps, dip one wrap in the plate of hotwater for about 15–20 seconds and remove to anotherplate or a cutting board. Place several avocado slices andabout 1/3 of a cup of the bean filling in the middle of thewrap. Carefully fold one end of the wrap over the fillingand, working clockwise, continue folding over the wrapuntil it is all rolled up. Set aside and repeat with theremaining wraps. Serve with the Ginger Dipping Sauce.

NUTRITION INFORMATION:Calories 410; Calories from fat 69; Total fat 8g; Saturatedfat 1g; Trans Fat 0g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 389mg;Total carbohydrate 83g; Dietary Fiber 9g; Sugars 4g;Protein 7g

BLACK BEAN SALADServes 6 / Prep time: 20 minutes

Share this festive, easy to make salad with friends andfamily. It’s perfect for a potluck or a quick summer meal.

2 cups cooked or canned black beans, well drained3 red, orange, or yellow sweet peppers, diced3 scallions, diced (including green parts)1/4 cup chopped cilantro1 tsp ground cumin1 tsp garlic powder1 tsp chile powder (optional)1/4 tsp salt1 T vegetable oil1 T lime juice1 tsp apple cider vinegar1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Combine all the ingredients. Serve chilled or at roomtemperature.

NUTRITION INFORMATION:Calories 114; Calories from fat 24; Total fat 3g; Saturatedfat 0g; Trans Fat 0g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 100mg;Total carbohydrate 17g; Dietary Fiber 6g; Sugars 3g;Protein 6g

CURRIED PASTA SALADServes 6 / Prep time: 15 minutes

Pasta salad is a quick, cool dish for a hot summer day.Other vegetables that work great include: peas, corn,green beans and broccoli.

Salad2 1/2 cups cooked pasta1 can red beans, rinsed2 carrots, diced1 cup red cabbage, diced1 cup cauliflower, diced

Sauce3 T mayonnaise1 1/2 T tamari soy sauce3 tsp honey1 T olive oil2 tsp water4 1/2 tsp garlic powder1 1/2 tsp salt1 T turmeric powder

into a sturdy bag and use a rolling pin to whack theminto small pieces. Mix all ingredients well. Place in aneven layer on a large pan lined with parchment paper.Bake 20–30 min, stirring a couple of times. If you wantyour mix a bit crunchy, bake 5–10 min longer. Mostimportantly, watch the mix for browning. Golden isgood; dark brown will taste burned. Pull it from theoven, and let it cool. Break up each batch into a storagecontainer, either by crumbling it to granola consistencyor breaking it into chunks for fingerfood consistency.

After you break it up, add up to 3 cups of dried fruitand/or chocolate. Some of our favorite add-ins includedried ginger, chocolate chips, dried cranberries andraisins.

Homemade Energy Bites (an alternative to expensive energy bars)

1 cup nut butter (or combination of nut butters)1 egg1/2 cup coconut sugar1/2 cup almond flour1/2 cup seeds (chia, flax, sunflower, hemp)1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix all ingredients. If the batterseems too wet to form into a ball, add a little morealmond flour (nut butters differ in oil content, so theamount of almond flour necessary might change withthe use of different nut butter products). Scoop a smallball of batter onto a baking stone or parchment-linedpan. Press each ball flat with a fork. Bake 13–15 min-utes. Cookies are done when the edges are golden andcrisp looking. Remove from oven and cool.

NOTE: When I use peanut butter, I use two eggs becausethe peanut butter I buy tends to be dry. I still have to addextra almond flour at times to get the right, glop-ableconsistency.

HOT WEATHER EATSIn a large bowl, gently mix the pasta, beans and veg-etables. In a small mixing bowl whisk all the sauce ingredients together, and then gently toss the sauce with the pasta salad. Best served at room temperature.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Calories 245; Calories from fat 72; Total fat 8g; Saturated fat 1g; Trans Fat 0g; Cholesterol 3mg; Sodium 955mg; Total carbohydrate 35g; Dietary Fiber7g; Sugars 5g; Protein 9g

GRAIN-LESSENERGY FOODSBY JACKIE DE LAVEAGA

Many of us are choosing to eat fewer grains. The reasons vary, but one good reason is offered by Katie, who blogs at www.wellnessmama.com, “While modern varieties [of grains] are easier and faster to grow, they don’t contain the same levels of nutrientsbut have the same levels of phytic acid, creating an imbalance that can lead to nutrient deficiencies.”

With an active family, fast, nutrient-dense and grain-less energy foods can be hard to keep in supply. I’ve come across a few favorites that are quick, economi-cal, and tasty. And, these recipes are simple and adaptable!

Grain-less Granola and Trail MixThis recipe can be cooked a little longer for a crunchy, chunky variety of granola that works great in a trail mix.

4 cups nuts and seeds, any combination (raw is best)

1 cup shredded coconut2 T coconut oil, briefly heated if solid3 T honey, briefly heated if solid3 T maple syrup1 T cinnamon1/4–1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 300°F. Pulse nuts and seeds in a food processor. If you don’t have one, you can put them

June 2016 9

ACCREDIDATION P R O M O T E SP U B L I C T R U S T, E N S U R E S P E R M A N A N C E

BY TIFFANY TERRY

The Rio Grande Agricultural Land Trust (RGALT), a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving working farms,wildlife habitat, open space and scenic vistas for New

Mexico’s future, is pleased to announce it has achieved accredita-tion—a mark of honor in land conservation. The Land TrustAccreditation Commission awarded accreditation, signifying itsconfidence that RGALT lands will be protected forever.

Accredited land trusts across the country have permanently con-served more than 15 million acres of farms, forests and naturalareas that are vital to healthy, vibrant communities.

“The recent RGALT accreditation by the Land Trust Alliance is anenormous step; as a small organization with relatively fewresources, RGALT has made outsized accomplishments on par withthose of much larger land trusts,” said John Leeper, RGALT boardtreasurer. Board secretary, Bill Hume, added, “I am elated at our

LOVE OUR LANDSCAPE June 2016 10

accreditation success. It is myhope that it will increase ourcapacity to preserve even more ofthe rich natural and agriculturalenvironment that makes ourstate such a great place to live.”

Since its inception in 1997,RGALT has protected over 5,400acres of New Mexico land.

“It is exciting to recognize RGALT with this distinc-tion,” said Tammara Van Ryn, executive director ofthe Commission. “Together, accredited land trustsstand united behind strong national standards ensur-ing the places people love will be conserved forever. Inall, over 75 percent of private lands conserved by landtrusts are now held by an accredited land trust.”

The Rio Grande Agricultural Land Trust looks for-ward to celebrating its 2016 successes with friendsand supporters at upcoming festivities. Be sure to savethe date for the Harvest Dinner on Sunday, September11th! Stay up to date on this and other RGALT eventsand news by signing up for the newsletter atwww.rgalt.org.

complete construction before nestingseason in the Spring, when it has tocease work in the Bosque. Althoughconstruction could have waited untilthe fall, the Mayor decided instead tojust scrap the agreement.

The Administration instead employed ahighly abbreviated public process. Itheld one public meeting, on January 7.At that meeting, a standing room only

crowd of about 175 people turned out, and otherswere seen searching for parking places and leavingwhen none could be found. The Administration endedthe meeting before everyone who signed up to speakhad the opportunity to do so.

The Administration's agreement on process required itto present alternative designs that included alternativetrail widths and materials out of which the trail wouldbe constructed. At the outset of the January 7 meeting,however, the Administration informed the audiencethat the trail design would be a six-foot wide, crusherfine trail, the same as the controversial first section ofthe trail. The Administration thus pre-decided thisissue without any public input. The Administrationonly presented alternatives on the route of the trail.

The comments at the meeting were overwhelminglycritical of the Administration's plans. Commentsfavored prioritizing environmental protection andkeeping the Bosque as natural and undeveloped aspossible.

After the meeting and disclosure of the alternatives, theAdministration allowed only very limited time forwritten comments, again contrary to its agreement.

BY RICHARD BARISH, RIO GRANDE CHAPTER OF THE SIERRA CLUB

A lbuquerque Mayor Richard Berryhas disregarded his agreementon a process for public involve-

ment in Bosque decisions in order to rushthrough plans to extend the developedBosque trail this winter for another 1.2 miles,from the I-40 bridge to Campbell Road.

The Administration created an uproar inFebruary 2015 when it began construction ofthe first phase of its Bosque development inthe middle of a promised public process,short-circuiting public involvement. In orderto avoid such an uproar in the future, theAdministration entered into an agreementwith the Sierra Club and the Bosque ActionTeam that established a good public processfor future Bosque projects. The agreementwas finalized in March, 2015 and presentedto City Council in April.

By the time the Administration decided to extend the trail this winter,there was not enough time to comply with the agreed procedures and

The option selected by the Administration doesmove the multiuse trail and the heavy traffic thatmay exist on that trail away from the sensitiveriver bank for a good portion of the length of thissection of the trail. The trail appears to incorporatemore curves than the section of the trail south of I-40, which may help to slow down those few of thebicyclists who may be inclined to travel faster thanthey should. In these respects, the Administrationwas responsive to the concerns that were expressedand our work did improve the trail.

However, the trail is another six foot wide, crush-er fine-surfaced trail that is an obvious developedfeature in the Bosque and that is thus not consis-tent with the natural character of the Bosque.The Administration could have met its accessobjectives with a trail design that was more inkeeping with the what makes the Bosque a spe-cial place, that it is a great natural space in themiddle of the City.

Urgent RestorationAlthough the Administration felt a great urgencyto extend its trail this winter, it has not felt thesame urgency about the restoration projects thatit has committed to doing as part of its Bosqueproject. At this point, little progress has beenmade on those projects, and it is appearing moreand more questionable whether those projectswill be completed before the end of the Mayor'sterm in December, 2017.

The Administration now moves on to furtherBosque development, including a proposed ten-foot wide bridge across the siphon outfall, halfwaybetween Central and I-40. The Open SpaceAdvisory Board voted against the bridge asdesigned, although this vote is advisory only. It canalso be anticipated that the City will extend its trailfrom Campbell to Montaño next fall and winter.

If you want to be kept advised of Bosquedevelopments and events, send an email torichard.barish@gmail.com.

RIO GRANDE LAND TRUST EARNSNATIONALRECOGNITION

About RGALTThe Rio Grande Agricultural Land Trust’s (RGALT)primary mission is to promote and assist in the imple-mentation of voluntary conservation easements onfarms and ranches in central New Mexico, bindingtheir land and water together and ensuring their con-tinued use as agricultural land and wildlife habitat inperpetuity. Learn more at www.rgalt.org.

About the Land Trust AllianceThe Accredidation Commission is an independent pro-gram of the Land Trust Alliance, a national land con-servation organization working to save the places peo-ple need and love by strengthening land conservationacross America. More information about the manybenefits of land conservation is available at:www.landtrustalliance.org.

Since it’s inception in1997, RGALT has

PROTECTEDOVER 5,400

ACRES OFNEW MEXICO

LAND

Comments favored prioritizingenvironmental protection andkeeping the Bosque asnatural and UNDEVELOPEDAS POSSIBLE

BOSQUE ACTION TEAM: KEEPING THE NATURAL NATIVE BOSQUE

LA MONTAÑITAFFUUNNDD::

GRASSROOTSINVESTING TO:

• Help GROW the LOCAL FOODSYSTEM.

• Help STRENGTHEN theLOCAL ECONOMY.

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

Sandia Basin. Nearly three de-cades ago the State Engineer con-sidered the Sandia Basin fullyappropriated and denied waterrights to the Paa-ko subdivision. Piped Estancia Basinwater now feeds Paa-ko as well as the Vista GrandeCommunity Center. In 2005, the State Engineer refusedto grant Bernalillo County’s application for only 30 acrefeet of water for Vista Grande Community Center.

The Deep Well Protest group is a local, grassroots organ-ization formed to ensure that thorough consideration isgiven to the impact of the Aquifer Science application onexisting users. The Deep Well Protest is largely made upof homeowners in Cedar Crest, Sandia Park, SandiaKnolls and San Pedro Creek Estates. It is sponsored by

Campbell Ranch is seeking to develop 8,000acres on the east side of Highway 14 in theEast Mountains in Bernalillo County across from

the Paa-ko subdivision. The development would have4,000 homes, an 18-hole green golf course, and com-mercial development; creating a city the size of Socorroor Raton.

To get water for the development, Campbell Ranchentered into a partnership with Vidler Water Co. ofCarson City, Nevada, called “Aquifer Science LLC.”Vidler Water Co. owns 95% of Aquifer Science LLCand Campbell Ranch owns 5%. Aquifer Science hasbeen working to acquire local water rights to supplyCampbell Ranch and/or distant municipalities. AquiferScience is arguing that the proposed development willnot significantly impact existing water supplies.However, their own groundwater hydrology modelpredicts impacts to hundreds of wells. San Pedro Creekis modeled to go dry almost immediately, but treatedeffluent will augment the stream flow.

Over the years, the New Mexico State Engineer hasrepeatedly denied applications for water rights in the

the North 14 Forum, Inc., a community non-profit 501(c)(3). In 2014 our communityspent $200,000 for attorneys and hydrolo-gists to argue that there is no un-appropriat-ed water in the Sandia Basin.

The Deep Well Protest opposes the applica-tion of Aquifer Science to pump 717 acrefeet of water from the Sandia Basin forCampbell Ranch. We oppose this applica-tion, because well levels in the EastMountains have been going steadily down,and we do not believe there are enoughunappropriated water rights in the basin to support Aquifer Science’s application.The Office of the State Engineer reached the same conclusion and denied Aquifer

Science’s application in 2014. Soon thereafter, Aquifer Scienceappealed the decision and now we must defend the State Engineer’sprior decision in District Court starting March 20, 2017, with a dif-ferent State Engineer at the helm.

Deep Well Protest is hosting Aguapalooza, a community fundraiserthat will include a motorcycle poker run and all-day raffles and livemusic. Aguapalooza will be held at the Lazy Lizard Grill in SandiaPark on July 16th from 1pm–8pm. All are welcome! Please join us toprotect our water.

To donate or learn more please visit www.deepwellprotest.org.We appreciate your support!

June 2016 11

BY RACHEL HART

In your May PNM bill, if you read your fine print carefully, there was a notice: "Proceeding and Hearing," about an AMI meter replacing your current electricity meter, even if a new one was

installed prior to today. PNM says the AMI meter will allow consumers to monitor our own power usage, that they will be able to read your meter without having to send someone out, and with the push of a but-ton, your power can be turned on immediately; you won't have to wait 1–3 business days.

Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) meters give off radio fre-quency radiation, "a class 2B potential carcinogen," as determined by World Health Organization in May 2011. Where these “Smart meters” have been installed, people have experienced their electricity bill increasing (sometimes doubling or tripling), fire hazards (in some cases they have burst into flames), health risks including insomnia, headaches, heart palpitations and possible effects on people with pacemakers. What is clear at this point is that we need more studies on how these new meters affect the health of the consumer and the costs to consumers before PNM is allowed to install any more.

The report Protect Your Family from EMF Pollution notes "that 3–5% of people are moderately affected and another 25%–30% are being sickened by microwave radiation and electrical pollution, but many have not yet connected the dots." In the award-winning docu-mentary Take Back Your Power: Investigating the ‘Smart’ Grid, two hives of bees suspiciously died shortly after a smart meter was installed nearby.

PNM is offering us an opt-out of AMI device installation for a one-time fee of $35.00 and a possible monthly recurring fee of $46.96. If you decide to opt-out after an AMI meter was installed, the one-time fee goes up to $60.00.

ACTION ALERTPUBLIC INPUT DEADLINE: JUNE 24There are some deadlines in the "Proceeding andHearing"—to "intervene" you have until June 24th tofile. After that, you can make oral and written commentsbut "all such comments shall not be considered as evidencein this case." This means the only way our voices can beheard is to file to "intervene" before June 24th.

In Virginia, Jan. 2012, Senator Garrett introduced SB 797,which gave customers the right to not have advanced metersinstalled. In Ashland, OR, "the City Council reaffirmed no-fee 'smart' meter opt-out." So, there are precedents wherecustomers who opt-out were not charged a fee.

If you wish to participate in the regulatory process, theback of the "Proceeding and Hearing" form provides

details on how to take part including referencing: Case No. 15-00312-UT.

Send in Your Letter!New Mexicans for Utility Safety (NMUS) has been accepted as an “intervenor” in the PRC proceedings. Send your letter saying “I oppose the installation of PNM’s AMI meters and equipment. If approved by the PRC I intend to opt-out.” Mail to NMUS, P.O. Box 6216, Santa Fe, NM 87502 or email to bearstar@fast mail.com. PNM customers in the greater ABQ or Santa Fe areas are encouraged to attend PRC hearings.

For more information, search for The Dark Side of 'Smart' Meters on YouTube, and also look for the award-winning documentary Take Back Your Power: Investigating the ‘Smart’ Grid.

To get involved or for more info: www.meetup.com/Albuquerque-Wellness-Meetup.

COMMUNITY FORUMAGUA ES VIDA

DEEP WELL PROTESTBY DARIELLE DEXHEIMER

AQUAPALOOZAJULY 16, 1–8PM

AQUIFER PROTECTIONFUNDRAISER

PNM’S NEW AMI “SMART“ METERS:MAYBE NOT SO

SMART

LET USKNOW

WHATYOU THINK!

Watch your mailbox, either post ordigital, for your survey. Fill it out,turn it in and get a one-time 15%OFF shopping trip! Let us knowyour thoughts!

La Montañita Co-op is alwaystrying to improve, and this surveyhelps us see where we should focusour efforts. You own the Co-op,and we're grateful that you take thetime to help us serve you and all ourother member-owners better

JUNE IS OWNERSURVEYMONTH

YOUOWN

IT!

FOR CONSUMERS