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Macrobiotic Community of

Chico-Oroville, CA

Community Description
Area Description	Two small communities about 150 miles north of San Francisco, but significant to the macrobiotic movement because of the summer camp operated by the George Ohsawa Macrobiotic Foundation.
Municipalities With Macrobiotic Services Or Activities	Chico, Oroville
Summary and Impressions of the Community	Chico is home of the George Ohsawa Macrobiotic Foundation, and nearby Oroville is the site of the Vega Study Center and French Meadows Summer Camp. Oroville is the location of the Vega Study Center, a principal school in the past for studying macrobiotics during the course of Herman Aihara's life. The Vega Study Center has closed following the illness and passing of Cornelia Aihara. There are few community functions in the area. Counseling and cooking services are available, however, from resident teachers. Chico, the home of the George Ohsawa Macrobiotic Foundation (GOMF), is operated by Carl Ferre. The foundation publishes books and a bi-monthly magazine entitled "Macrobiotics Today". Julia Ferre and Bob Carr of Cleveland, also operate the macrobiotic summer camp near Oroville every July. David Briscoe and his wife Cynthia maintain an active counseling in Chico and run online macrobiotic courses.
Macrobiotic Community Assessment	Moderate Activities: 1 resident counselor and 1 part time cooking teacher. Dormant Activities: Annual pot luck dinner at Macro Foundation in Chico only; many practicing macros, but no activities. Vega center started in 1974.

Professional Services
Resident Counselors	David Briscoe. David is planning to expand into an apprentice counselor-training program where the counselor shares his diagnosis and recommendations with David and gets feedback.
Resident Cooking Teachers	Dr Robert Ruggles
Visiting Counselors and Cooking Teachers	Only at the French Meadows summer camp.
Professional Cooks or Caterers	None

Interviewed Macrobiotic Practitioners
Carl Ferre
Length of Macrobiotic Practice	32 Years
Community Functions	Publishes the Macrobiotics Today magazine from the George Ohsawa Macrobiotic Foundation (GOMF)
Macrobiotic Study	Studied by himself for 3-years then with Herman Aihara for 23 years.
Alternative Healing Modes	Herbs and Acupuncture.
Dr Robert Ruggles
Length of Macrobiotic Practice	23 years
Community Functions	Began Vega Center together with Herman Aihara; he worked with him in a hospital.
Macrobiotic Study	With Herman Aihara. Robert was his right hand man.
Alternative Healing Modes	Pycnogenol - pine bark free radical scavenger to dissolve cancer and blood clots; hydrogen peroxide; IP6l; COEQ1O; MSM silver compound; Flax seed oil for ADD; and Macrobiotics.

Support System
Paid or Potluck Dinners	There is a macrobiotic dinner at the GOMF annual meeting. Otherwise there are no organized activities in the area.
Education Centers	Vega Study Center, one of the foremost macrobiotic education centers in its day,is no longer operating, following the passing of Cornelia Aihara recently.
Seminars	Internet courses given by David Briscoe on www.macroamerica.com
Newsletter	None
Support Groups	None now but used to be many.
Work Study Program	None
Publications, Books, Cassettes	The GOMF publishes books and the Macrobiotics Today Magazine bi-monthly.
Web Sites	http://www.macroamerica.com/ http://www.natural connection.com/ http://gomf.macrobiotic.net/

Natural Food Sources
Macrobiotic Restaurants	French Meadows summer camp; 1 restaurant with vegan option.
Natural Food Chain Stores	None
Independent Natural Food Stores	Chico Natural Foods, Evergreen Markets Inc, Quincy Natural Foods, Sunflower Natural Food Market.
Natural Food Coops	Briarpatch Community Co-Op.
Mail Order Buying Clubs	Julia Ferre organizes a buying group from "Mountain People's Warehouse" from Auburn, CA.
Cottage Industries	None