co-op news ENDS REPORTING
August 2012 7
THE INSIDE
SCOOP
Every year I write a report to our Board of Directors outlining what we have done to achieve our Ends policy. The Ends are, in many ways, our mission statement; a bold announcement of what we hope to achieve by the result of our work. (See Ends Policy, this page.)
decisions. It is a great feeling to know that we as an organization are doing work that matters! We all should take a moment to celebrate our Ends accomplishments and celebrate the opportunity to work hard so we can make a difference in our communities and in the world.
As you can read, our Ends consist of worthy objectives that are focused not only on financial performance but clearly define our Co-op’s place in the world as well. It is easy to view La Montanita just as another organic/natural food retailer; we are in fact much more.
I will submit my completed Ends report to the Board of Directors in August. If anyone would like to read this end-of-the-fiscal-year report, I will have it available by the end of August. My e-mail address is terryb@lamontanita.coop. Please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your continued support of our Co-op! -TERRY
I have our Ends statement posted in my office so I can look at it every day to guide me as I make daily
ROBIN SEYDEL t the risk of being trite I must repeat the often said phrase, “you are what you eat.” That is especially true with our children, whose bodies and systems are more sensitive, in the process of coming to full development, and need good nutrition to grow strong and smart. Here are a few tips.
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IT’S THE BERRIES—Beneficial antioxidative compounds like vitamins C, E, beta-carotene and other nutrients can neutralize free radicals that can damage cells and are found in good quantity in berries. Berries and the brain’s memory center, the hippocampus, both contain beneficial chemicals called ellagatannins, so eat berries to feed your memory; and blueberries additionally contain proanthocyanins, which gravitate toward the striatum, the part of the brain related to spatial memory. AN APPLE A DAY—Apples contain a flavonoid called quercetin that has been shown to protect the brain from oxidative injury in animal studies. Phytonutrients such as phenolic acids and different flavonoids protect the apple itself against damage by bacteria, viruses and fungi—and as traditional wisdom holds, protects us too. Research also shows that apples may help reduce the risk of cancer and the risk of neurodegenerative disorders. Be sure to choose unwaxed apples to avoid carcinogenic chemicals. EGGS FOR BREAKFAST—Eggs have to be the perfect breakfast food; they cook fast and provide a healthy dose of protein that serves a body well throughout the morning, reducing that 10am droop that kids, of all ages, who eat high-sugar cereals for breakfast often experience. And while eggs had bad press in the past due to their cholesterol-rich yoke, that yellow orb contains choline, one of the most important nutrients for building better brains. Getting enough choline, especially during fetal development and early childhood, may help learning and retention and keep our memory intact as we age. No wonder manufacturers add synthetic versions of choline to infant formula.
Sources of choline include: eggs, beans, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, yogurt, tofu, buckwheat, and lean beef. ALWAYS OMEGAS—Budget-friendly sardines and other “fatty” fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, linked to healthy brain functioning in early childhood development and throughout life. Omegas play an important role in how the neurons in the brain communicate with one another, and have a positive effect throughout life on learning and memory. One omega-3, DHA, (another synthetic additive in both organic and conventional infant formulas) is present in the brain, so the benefits of adding it to the body’s available nutrient stores is a no brainer. Sources of omegas include: Salmon, shrimp, scallops, walnuts, flaxseed, and omega-3 enriched eggs and yogurt. COMPLEX CARBS FOR STEADY FUEL—Fiber-rich whole grains, a.k.a., complex carbohydrates, are the brain’s main source of fuel. The glucose that our bodies break them down into to absorb them is the fuel for all our cells; our source of energy. But don’t be fooled: not all glucose is the same. Candy, soda and other sugary sweets don’t make the grade, because they are simple carbohydrates which lack fiber. When they’re broken down by the body into glucose, they are absorbed very quickly, causing fast energy highs and even faster lows. The fiber in complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, slows the body’s absorption, which ensures that the brain gets a slow and steady supply of fuel. Sources of complex carbs: Whole-grains including wheat, rye, millet, oats, brown rice, quinoa, spelt, teff, in breads, pastas, crackers, cereals, pancakes, waffles.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: TEACHING THE COOPERATIVE WAY
CO-OP COMIX! This issue marks the one-year anniversary of Co-op Comix, which first appeared in these pages last August. This issue also marks the close of this Co-op Comix series. We hope that you have enjoyed reading them as much as we have enjoyed putting them together. The genesis of the Comix project came together when your Co-op staff and Board were discussing ways to explain what co-ops are to the younger members of our community. Every issue of the Co-op Connection includes a listing of the cooperative principles, (beneath the locations map on page 3). Cooperatives have a robust and vibrant history, but like any type of history much of the greatness of the story can be lost in a dry telling. So how do you tell the story of co-ops, their formation, their ideals, and what makes them different from other types of businesses, in a way that is easy to understand and fun to
of Events 8/18 Spend it Like Water: Liquid Currency 2012, FREE community dialogue and panel, 1-4pm South Broadway Cultural Center. See page 1 for details. 8/20 Board Nominations Close. 8/21 BOD Meeting,Immanuel Church, 5:30pm 8/28 Last Stop at the Oasis, Film Screening, p.1
CO-OPS: A Solution-Based System A co-operative is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise.
BRAINFOOD! BY
august Calendar
read about? We decided to try to do it in comic-book form. Now, thanks to the efforts of our terrific artists Ras Elijah Tafari and Chistoph Knerr, the first part of our project is done. And it’s turned out wonderfully! So what’s next? We have intended all along to compile the strips into a single comic book, and make that comic book available to schools and to other co-ops. To this end, we will be collecting all of the Co-op Comix to date in a single volume, in both English and Spanish, and offering them FREE of charge to schools in Co-op communities as well as interested parties beyond our state that want to share the co-op way with tomorrow’s member-owners. The future of co-ops and our future in general will be determined by the upcoming generations: so it’s a great time to teach them how the co-op way is truly a better way for us all. If you have an interest in obtaining the Co-op Comix for use in a school or with your organization, or any questions about the project, please contact Rob Moore at 505-217-2016 or via email at robm@lamontanita.coop. -By Rob Moore
LA MONTANITA
ENDS policy
A cooperative community based in the shared benefits of healthy food, sound environmental practices and a strengthened local economy with results that justify the resources used. Our Sub Ends are: 1. A thriving and sustainable local economy that benefits members and the community. 2. An environment that is conducive to the formation and success of coops. 3. A community based on trust and mutually beneficial relationships. 4. A community informed of the co-operative model, La Montanita’s values, and producer/consumer impacts on local and global health. 5. A growing, regenerative agricultural sector, able to meet local needs.
IN APPRECIATION: Thanks for Supporting the Co-op Distribution Center! BY BOB TERO Thanks to all our members and customers for your support of our Co-op Distribution Center. As you may remember, in December, we moved to a new larger warehouse space—as it was either grow the Foodshed project or quit—and we decided to grow. But the success of the CDC depends greatly on community purchases – and thanks to the fine businesses, whom we call our “external customers” listed below, that support has been forthcoming. A big thanks to these businesses! We hope you will patronize these fine eateries around our state. We also want all our Co-op members and shoppers to know that when you purchase local products, and some national products, including Organic Valley Co-op Dairy, (we have become its distributor) and others, you also support our Co-op Trade Initiative/Foodshed project and the development of our local food system. Thanks to you all for your support of the Cooperative YOU OWN! These fine businesses purchase products from the Co-op Distribution Center: ABQ Vegan LLC Andiamo Artichoke Café Back Road Pizza Better Day Coffee Bon Appetit IAIA Campus Intel Café Lush Chocolate Maven Bakery Farina Pizza Farm to Table Flying Star Grove Café and Market Happy Hearts Company
Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town Hyatt Regency Albuquerque Hyatt Tamaya Resort and Spa Joe’s Diner Los Poblanos Inn and Cultural Center Love Apple Mario’s Pizzeria Peace Meal LLC Pizza, Etc. Revolution Bakery Teahouse Rio Chama Steakhouse Santa Fe Opera Taos Cow Train Natural Enterprises Tree House/Maira Bernal Whoo’s Donuts World Cup
thank you for
supporting the
co-op
distribution center!