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Macrobiotic Community of

Asheville, NC

Community Description
Area Description	Asheville is the economic and cultural center of 18 counties in western North Carolina. It is located in the midst of recreational areas covering more than 1 million acres. The eastern end of Great Smoky Mountains National Park is nearby. The metropolitan area population is 191,800.
Municipalities With Macrobiotic Services Or Activities	Asheville, Bernardsville, Black Mountain, Hendersonville, Marshall, Rutherfordton.
Summary and Impressions of the Community	Tom and Debbie Athos started macrobiotics in Asheville. Since then they created a mail order house for natural products called "Natural Lifestyle Center". Michael Rossoff, Lino Stanchich, and Warren Wepman moved to Asheville in the mid 1990's. Asheville is a unique community considering its relatively small size, and its support by four senior macrobiotic counselors: Michael Rossoff, Lino Stanchich, Warren and Marquita Wepman. Jane Quincannon, Heather Webb, Warren & Marquita Wepman are the resident cooks in the area. Asheville is also blessed with three restaurants--Jae, Haiwa, and Laughing Seed--where a macrobiotic menu, organic vegetables, and / or a macro dish can be found. There is a strong attraction of macrobiotic people to the New Age atmosphere of Asheville, Black Mountain and other surrounding communities. Macrobiotic practitioners are likely to continue to find an ambience conducive to the macrobiotic lifestyle.
Macrobiotic Community Assessment	Abundant Services: 4 senior counselors & 4 cooking teachers. Healthy Activities: monthly potlucks; 3 macro restaurants; exceptional New Age population attracts disproportionate attraction to unconventional movements such as macrobiotics. Note that all the senior counselors came to Asheville in the past 10 years.

Professional Services
Resident Counselors	Lino Stanchich and Jane Quincannon; Michael Rossoff, Warren and Marquita Wepman.
Resident Cooking Teachers	Warren and Marquita Wepman; Jane Quincannon; Heather Webb
Visiting Counselors and Cooking Teachers	None
Professional Cooks or Caterers	Heather and Rodney Webb cater, and cook for sick people. They do one on one cooking classes in other people's homes.

Interviewed Macrobiotic Practitioners
Lino Stanchich & Jane Quincannon
Length of Macrobiotic Practice	Lino: 38 years; Jane: 26 years
Community Functions	Lino: Macrobiotic counselor; Jane: Macrobiotic cooking instructor. International macrobiotic educator and counselor; travels extensively for counseling and lecturing to at least ten other communities; has taught for one and a half years at the Kushi Institute (KI); 12 summer camps at the Vega Center in California, and at other European centers. Cooking teacher; consultant for the Ritz-Carlton Hotels macrobiotic cooking; teaches in colleges and represents Kushi Institute in Europe.
Macrobiotic Study	Lino: Studied 5 years with Michio Kushi, 3 years with Muramoto, 1 year in San Francisco. Jane: Completed Levels I, II, and III at the KI.
Alternative Healing Modes	None
Warren & Marquita Wepman
Length of Macrobiotic Practice	Warren and Marquita: 26 years
Community Functions	Ran a bed and breakfast until recently called The Dojo @ Stonycrest. Both conduct cooking classes and provide joint health consultations. Warren writes articles regularly and occasionally lectures. They conduct joint cooking classes twice a month; about 8-14 people attend each one and one-half to three hour class.
Macrobiotic Study	Warren and Marquita: Levels I, II and III at the Kushi Institute; attended seminars regularly; only missed three annual Macrobiotic Summer Conferences; each attended 7-day Macrobiotic Education Association programs at the Kushi Institute three years in a row (now given as Level IV).
Alternative Healing Modes	None
Rodney & Heather Webb
Length of Macrobiotic Practice	Heather: 10 years
Community Functions	Heather gives one-on-one cooking lessons, delivers cooked meals to sick people. She also works on macrobiotic catering jobs with Rodney.
Macrobiotic Study	Heather completed the Way of Health course at the Kushi Institute, and two week long Strengthening Health courses given by Denny Waxman in Philadelphia dealing with an introduction and advanced course in macrobiotic cooking. Heather and Rodney attended cooking classes given by the Wepmans for one and a half years.
Alternative Healing Modes	None

Support System
Paid or Potluck Dinners	No. There is a potluck meal on the last Sunday of each month attended by 15 to 50 people.
Education Centers	None
Seminars	None
Newsletter	Warren and Marquita Wepman produced a monthly newsletter until recently. There is no other newsletter of macrobiotic events in Asheville. Posted events may be found at Earthfare or at the food co-op.
Support Groups	The potluck is the only source of community support for macrobiotic people.
Work Study Program	None
Publications, Books, Cassettes	At Earthfare, and the French Broad Food Co-Op.
Web Sites	http://great-eastern-sun.com/; http://macrohealthmedicine.com/; www.earthfare.com; http://www.natural-lifestyle.com

Natural Food Sources
Macrobiotic Restaurants	Jae-Vegan; certified organic restaurant- expensive; Haiwa-Japanese; the owner is macrobiotic and there are good choices of macro food. Laughing Seed Cafe-a macrobiotic plate is always available. The China Palace, on the last Wednesday of each month, has good quality macrobiotic food. The Beauford House, a bed and breakfast, offers macrobiotic meals for those who order it in advance. Brenda Gignac studied cooking at the Kushi Institute (KI). 3 other restaurants, and 2 Earthfare whole foods supermarkets, with vegan options.
Natural Food Chain Stores	Earthfare (5 stores in SC, NC and GA) .
Independent Natural Food Stores	None
Natural Food Coops	French Broad Food Co-Op
Mail Order Buying Clubs	None
Cottage Industries	Great Eastern Sun; Grain and Salt Society- manufactures very strong salt imported from France.