This is part of a weekly series answering "Why is that?" questions about Salem and the Mid-Valley. The question: Why does the Oregon state nut have two names? We have the answer. But first, a little ...

Harry Lauder would be even more popular if he was nuttier. You've surely come across Harry Lauder, or, rather, Harry Lauder's Walking Stick, a head-high shrub with stems and leaves all twisted up like ...

Elena Valeriote is a writer of stories about food, farming, culture, and travel that explore the connection between people and place. Her work has appeared in publications including Gastro Obscura, ...