best places to live all raw

[1bigfamily]

I live in El Paso, TX and this has to be the worst place for me to live all raw. They just don't have things available here. even the farmer's markets have produce with stickers on it!!!! :mad: There is only one store here that is even remotely a "health food" store and they don't even have carob. :eek: We don't plan on living here forever so please give me some ideas of where to move to. It is a few years down the road but eventually. :p Thanks.:)

[MrsJohnnyG]

I am no raw expert yet, but I would think the major cities in CA would be the most obvious choices... also, I have lived in Boston/Cambridge Mass. and there is an abudance of whole food grocers, farmer's markets, and raw organic food in regular grocery stores there.

Metro Atlanta, GA also has quite a few whole food stores, but I don't know enough yet to know whether they are "raw-approved."

[Raw Yogini]

I just moved for Salt Lake City UT and there's a lot going on w/ raw food. There is Omar's Living Cuisine restaurant which is wonderful and in an area 30-45 minutes south of there (Utah County) there are also TONS of raw foodists. They have classes and potlucks, raw chef challenge, etc. There's a farmer's market (an awesome one) May-October in Salt Lake. Just a plug for my old stomping grounds.

[blizzful7]

I agree that California is a great place to live a completely raw life. I hear great things about Southern California and the vegan/raw options. I grew up down there. The smog is horrible, though. Talk about toxins entering the body. Now I'm in the Bay Area. There's an abundance of resources. I read about people ordering specialty foods online. I haven't had to yet. Most things are available here. I have everything I need to live a healthy life. Love it!

[JuneVarn]

The Bay area is great. I have three Whole Foods stores that I can visit. Today I bought raw hemp powder and spirulina for smoothies.There is a raw foods group that gets together each month as well.

There are raw food restaurants in Berkeley, San Francisco and Santa Cruz, all within 1 hour of where I live in San Jose. I hope to go to one soon.

Have a great day,
June:D

[chilove]

Hawaii is AMAZING! The fruits and vegetables are incredibley delicious and abundant and affordable. I've heard that Miami also has wonderful produce.

If you are looking for large raw communities and lots of raw restaurants and raw products in stores, etc... large cities are where you want to be. LA, New York and Austin come to mind. I think Atlanta has a good raw community as well.

Many blessings,

Audrey

[Zaphirah]

this is a subject close to my heart. we live an hour from any health food stores and altho we are in a rural area, there are no farmer's markets! It's mainly woods all around. Dh and I have talked about moving as soon as the dc are all grown. He's talked about really RESEARCHING our location before we moved. Wish we had done that before we moved here! :p

[Rawmommie]

NOT rural Missouri, that's for sure! I can't even get Kale out here. :rolleyes:

[BeadedGraces]

I live north of Dallas...and it is becoming more and more Raw friendly...I still have to go a little out of my way to get a few things...but if you want to stay in Texas I would imagine Austin or Dallas might be a good choice! Denton is alright too! ..you could also check out raw food meetups for different citys...that might help make your choice as well! :)

[RawSweetie]

this is a subject close to my heart. we live an hour from any health food stores and altho we are in a rural area, there are no farmer's markets! It's mainly woods all around. Dh and I have talked about moving as soon as the dc are all grown. He's talked about really RESEARCHING our location before we moved. Wish we had done that before we moved here! :p

Hey Zaphirah!

I moved recently from Easthampton, MA. :)

Just wanted to say that I hear ya on that..it was pretty, BUT.....:rolleyes:

[rawmonger]

Vilcabamba, Ecuador.

My dad retired there recently and says people pick all kinds of fruits and greens that grow wild ther in open fields and such. . .the growing season is year round and the food is free.

My dad says the poor people live on this food.

[Bananna]

Why Canada ofcourse.


....so long as you have a greenhouse, you're a free agent.

[DavidZaneMason]

It depends on if you are talking socially (you want to buy stuff and socialize) or climactically (like you intend to grow your own food...and need inexpensive land). If the former, I would go for Southern Cal. If the latter, I would go for South/Central Florida. I'm partial to Florida. The only natural disasters here can be predicted 3 days in advance, and are remedied by homeowners insurance. (for those that suffer REAL disasters...please bear with my small joke) ;) Miami is actually pretty good for weather, food and social.

-David Z. Mason

[Zaphirah]

RS-I'm near Ehamp-in blandford...BLANDford.:rolleyes: :D

[Eveleaf]

The Portland, Oregon area tends to run pretty hippe/health-conscious. Usually I complain about the way-o liberal bent (I like the open mindedness, but you can take even a good thing too far). But it *does* make living raw so much easier.

There are regular raw potlucks and meetups, classes, etc. Lots of health food stores, farmers markets, a few raw restaurants. Also, you can bike *anywhere* (bike lanes on the freeways, all the major streets), and in the summer we have absolutely hundreds of berry farms. Soooo wonderful.

[commoncents]

The San Francisco Bay Area. I started my RAW journey here and EVERYTHING I need to be a happy, healthy RAW Foodist is here. Great year round Farmer's markets and supermarkets such as Berkeley Bowl which is very reasonable, wonderful RAW restaurants, lots of pot lucks with great speakers, excellent classes. It is just a great place to live AND be a RAW Foodist. My church even offers RAW uncooking classes and a catering service.

So. Cal would be my second choice as I visit there often and find they are extremely RAW friendly as well.

Best of luck to you!

[StarFire]

Southern California is amazing and very raw Vegan friendly.... but... you gotta deal with the smog --- and over population!

and of course... Hawaii... very rawVegan friendly... lots of fruit .. lots of fresh organic veggies... clean air, lovely tradewinds...

how exciting! So many places to choose from!

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/liloandstitch.jpg

[1bigfamily]

Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions. I knew I was asking in the right place!! :)

[Sugar Snap Pea]

Come on down to central Florida! I'm 30 min's from 2 great raw restaurants, and the only thing I have not been able to find are kale and hempseeds! (I actually dont even know what kale looks like!)

[RawSweetie]

RS-I'm near Ehamp-in blandford...BLANDford.:rolleyes: :D

Oh, haha!

You have my sympathies...REALLY. :eek:

[RawSweetie]

/thread hijack/

So, how does a single, 40-something massage therapist with no kids make it in Cali? I dream of relocating there, but wonder how one affords it. The one thing I do know is that I'd be saving on food with all the farmer's markets, etc.

/end of hijack/ :)

[RawFoodRules]

Still living in El Paso TX?