Cate Havstad believes in signs. While a student at University of California-Santa Cruz, she was struggling with whether formal education was the right path for her. A friend, musician Willy Tea Taylor, invited her to join on a road trip and film project—and to sweeten the deal, he offered her a vintage cowboy hat. “That […]
Made in Central Oregon
Yee-haw!
Over the past five decades, the demographics in America have dramatically shifted from rural to urban. In 1950, some half of Americans lived in rural areas, with lifestyles closer to the sensibility and demands of land than their urban counterparts. But by 2000, that balance had shifted to only one out of five Americans still […]
The Micro Brew of Salsa
Six years ago, Perla and Bill Pearce packed up their life in Tuscon, Arizona, and moved north to Bend, Oregon. But they weren’t ready to leave the flavor of the southwest behind—and brought along with them their gourmet salsa company. With its now-somewhat geographically askew name, the Southwest Salsa Co. was created when the founders […]
Sorry Partner, No Chaps
More than a decade ago, brothers Damon and Nick Vracin were traveling down parallel paths in separate cities—Damon in San Diego, and Nick in Portland—gaining a foothold in their respective markets for their handcrafted leather accessories. But it wasn’t until the brothers moved to Central Oregon that Nomad Leather really started to take off. “We […]
The Cowboy’s Six-Pack
What’s the difference between a beer…and a cowboy beer? A sort of weather-beaten, leathery manliness, perhaps? Well, craft beer’s got you covered there—have you seen some of the beards people lining the Crux bar are sporting these days? Ignoring the fact that real cowboys would likely prefer cheap whiskey, a good cowboy beer should involve […]

