Where do you live?

[Kristi]

I thought we could let people know where we live as we might be surprised that someone is close. Also we can discuss any pros and cons of being raw where we live. It might give someone some help to overcome a challenge.

I'll go first. I live in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Farm markets are great in the summer and early fall. The city has a very good co-op near downtown. The chain grocery stores are doing better on organic but it isn't embraced like it should be. I went to a farm market and asked about organic. He said, "what do you mean?" Now there's a big clue. He used as little as he could once I explained it to him.

Next?

[pam]

Hi Kristi,
Im very fortunate to live in southern CA where there is a LOT of raw stuff going on.
There are a bunch of raw food restaurants here and more to open within the year. There are also Mothers markets here and they have all organic fruits and veggies and everything else you can imagine. They carry loads of prepared raw foods, like the crackers, cookies, breads, etc.
They have a cafe inside also thatÂ’s serves a great deal of raw stuff.
So, i guess i am fortunate to live in a place thatÂ’s so abundant with raw foods.
The only challenge i have it at work, i work in a hospital! But its ok since i have the support of my raw boyfriend and this area is thriving with raw foods and people!

Next...

[Sweet lips]

I live in Southern Maryland - very little happening in my area - I suppose I could travel to DC or Balt, but it is not convient. Most people ask me 'what is raw'

[Kristi]

No one around here knows of raw except one person that I've found. I found her on living and raw foods board and she lives right here in Fort Wayne. We emailed for awhile then met at the co-op. We are fast friends now. She's not raw but is vegan. She has taught me so much.

[smasty]

Oh Pam! That sounds like heaven!!!
I moved from Seattle to Des Moines less than a year ago. Of course, Seattle would have been a great place to go raw, but it is what it is.

Des Moines, heartland of America...corn, beef, pork, corn are the major food groups. Y'all know the great Iowa State Fair is on right now? A 2-page spread on it in USA today Monday. The place for fried snickers bars, pork-chops-on-a-stick, fried everything! Fried meatballs on a stick, fried waffles coated in chocolate. Ugh...sounds just sick. Actually, sounds like good inspiration huh? Do some people watching and find inspiration for staying raw.

There's some organic coops around here but I haven't checked them out. There's a good farmers market every Saturday morning, really good. But.. the only health food store in town is really sad, I mean REALLY sad--very little organic food space, maybe 20x20 feet? Whole Foods would kick butt if they came! Des Moines is actually not a bad place, I'm really surprised how much I like it (having grown up in Colorado and lived in Seattle). It's pretty affluent with lots of banking and insurance jobs, so hopefully its a matter of time before WF comes to town. I get to Denver and Phoenix regularly, and get my WF fix there!

[marigold]

i live in buxton in the uk..where you can queue up to get free spring water..not bad for fruit and veg..organic bit harder but poss...good selection of stuff or i go to manchester the city for young coconuts ...actually know of a few raw people around..a raw group in manchester.. and a few others i know of from the yahoo group i am in..my parner is raw with me which is a help..though my other parner eats animal so thats a challenge..i have met lots of friends through raw so its become my daily reality...which is a big help...
helps witht he quips out there for sure

any others from uk on here..

[Dane]

Hi Everyone,
I live in Altoona, PA.
There are a few things here but not much.
I may be moving shortly though, and thoughts as to where a good raw place to live is?
I'm thinking about Arizona, anyone from there?
Much Love,
Dane

[smasty]

Ahhh, I love Arizona! Phoenix? I was just there, I was hoping to find a raw restaurant. There's one that serves at a raw coop but only Mon-Fri and I was there on a weekend.

[Fragola]

Hi all,
I am sure I am the only Italian here!
I live close to Venice, and I have been raw for 1 year. My boyfriend is British, and into raw from a longer time.
It is nice to be raw here, we have nice fruit, even if not so much tropical fruit, and because we are helping some friends that have an organic farm, we are able to eat most of the vegetables that we grow.
Anyway, the rawfood lifestyle is really unknown in Italy. I have my website (www.eco-centric.it) with my journals and photo, to try and promote the raw life, but I am receiving a lot of negativity from people, and sometimes this makes me feel like giving up the website and stopping my efforts about providing information. I also have to say that things are better with friends that know me, they are curious, and it is great to see that some of them have started to introduce more raw into their lifes! :-)

Love,
Sara

[Sadii]

Hi, everyone

I live in Mountain Home, Idaho, population under 12,000, and I'm sure I'm the only one raw here. Boise is about 50 miles away, and I work there. There is a wonderful co-op there that has a lot of good produce, raw crackers, breads, (but no young cocos). There is no raw community that I can discover, but someone has to be buying those raw crackers, right?

Anyway, I'm grateful especially to Alissa, for having written her cookbook when I was ready for it, and to all of you that went before me. Don't get discouraged, Sara!

Anyone have thoughts on starting a raw foods community? I thought I'd post something on the bulletin board at the co-op.

Love to all,
Kathy (Sadii)

[kirk]

Hi Everyone,
I'm from Vidor, Texas, 10 miles from the swamps of Loisianna, in the Piney woods of Southeast Texas. Not much here for raw foodist. The nearest good source of organic food is 80 miles away in Houston. I did manage to plant myself an orchard of 400 fruit trees though.

[smasty]

Cool Kirk! Are your trees organic? What kind of trees?

[kirk]

Hi Smasty,
Yes all my trees are organic. When they were planted I wouldn't let them put anything but mulch around them. I have over 70 fig trees (texas celeste and brown turkey),apricot, thick skin Georgia peach, thin skined peach, golden delicious apple, small red apple, japanese persimon, pear, plum, english walnut, and pecan. I also have over a mile of fenceline and am planning on putting blackberries, wild dewberries, and muskadimes (wild grape) all around my yard. When I first had my yard planted, someone told me that I couldn't possibly use that much and I told them that I had been so blessed that it was time for me to spread the blessing around. Whoever wanted or had need of any of it could come pick it for free.......Kirk

[Sadii]

That is a truly nice thing to do, Kirk. I hope someday I can do something like that. I'm just short of 50, so maybe I'll get there yet!

Kathy

[smasty]

Kirk, that is incredible. What a way to make a positive impact in the world...trees to support the environment, chemical-free food to support those in need. I'll bet that orchard of yours is a thing to behold!