Wow, today is Day 7 of the Big 2010 Tour! So far, Wendi and KDcat have spent three days on a train and three more in Portland, Salem, and Corvallis. We still have plenty of content to post from those, including a good deal of video (once I'm able to edit that). For now, let's look at some pics and talk about their second stop, Salem!

Prior to leaving, Wendi & KDcat (let's just say "W&K" from here on out, okay ) stopped at People's Co-Op in Portland for supplies. As much as they loved Portland, they weren't very impressed with the co-op there, as compared to the one we have in Pittsburgh. However, in fairness, they were told that it's still a "young" co-op. Still, it's surprising to me that Portland wouldn't have an enormous one. However, it could very well be that there is not as much of a need there, in an area in which organics are much more accepted. Here in Pittsburgh, one could argue that our co-op thrives because organics are largely scoffed at by other retailers. Interesting, eh?

(By the way, are people on the west coast really as laid back as everyone says Wendi got into a bit of hot water for filming inside another co-op! Here in Pittsburgh, I doubt anyone would care if you set up a movie set in our co-op. No charges were filed, thankfully.)

Anyway, in Salem, W&K were hosted by Pure Jeevan family member, and fellow homeschooler, Kerry Matson and her family. Her husband, Gordon, and their children Colton, Sutter, and Makenna made them feel at home and showed them the wonders of Salem. KDcat enjoyed their dog, Sula (shown in the pics) as well as their cats! She also had a lot of fun roller-blading with Makenna. Here are a few snapshots:

For the first time, W&K got to experience Oregon in the rain during their drive down from Portland. Naturally, it rains a lot in such a verdant part of the country. However, in this temperate climate, that turns out to be a huge boon for any raw fooders (or, really, anyone who enjoys foraging). There are berries galore in Oregon -- and that's really exciting for us! Kerry said they're super cheap and super sweet because you can pick them fresh and eat them right away. Wendi sent me an email stating, "Blackberries are pretty much considered a *weed* around here! !?!"

Imagine that!? I suppose it's like that all over. When you have something in such abundance, you tend to take it for granted. (Reminds me of our experience last year with coconuts in southern Florida!) Although, as raw foodies, I can't imagine ever taking these precious gifts from nature for granted. Can you !

In Salem, W&K took note of MANY grocery stores that sold organic produce -- "LOTS of them," Wendi excitedly noted. On top of that, Kerry showed Wendi a map of the area for farms where you can pick your own produce ... and the prices are amazingly cheap.

You know, part of what we've talked about here on Pure Jeevan is the growing importance of becoming more involved in your food choices, and in fact in learning more about growing your own. As the world becomes more threatened by and saturated with GMO abominations and "conventional" pesticide-laden crops, it behooves us all to take an interest in organic agriculture. Wendi and I have a goal of nearly full self-sufficiency on a large plot of land. But, anyone can produce healthy food; people like our buddy Mike Lieberman, who lives in Brooklyn, are showing how even city dwellers can grow their own.

W&K saw many, many small farms around Salem. It's nice that the farms are right outside the city and it's easy to live a more rural life and still connect witht he city. Salem is nice -- not too small or big. It might not be hip enough for KDcat, though. We'll have to see how she rates it in comparison with all of the other places they'll visit. Wendi was mostly super excited about all the available organics in this town. They visited many different shops and markets, and took some video of the organic fruits ... and the cheap prices! Here's a super-short peek at that:

Their next stop was Corvallis, so stay tuned for that report!

Once again, we thank our trip snack sponsor, Natural Zing, for helping us to make this possible on our budget!