Slow Food Vancouver Cycle Tours

This summer, Slow Food Vancouver is looking forward to co-hosting two Slow Food Summer Cycle Tours in the Fraser Valley.  The 7th annual Cycle Tour Agassiz is planned for Saturday, July 27th and the 5th Cycle Tour Chilliwack will be held on Sunday, July 28th.

The leisurely self-guided Slow Food Cycle Tours provide an educational and culinary experience exploring many farms; some that are open to the public for this day only!  The tours give a rare chance to meet the farmers and learn about agriculture in the spectacular Fraser Valley.  Each cycle tour is approximately 25km on the flat along public roadways.  Start and finish your slow cycle any time between 9am-4pm.

Book soon! to stay with our sponsor, the Coast Chilliwack Hotel.  The hotel is also able to provide bike storage. Call in to central reservations at 1-800-663-1144 and quote “Slow Food Cycle Tour” OR book online with this special code “CCK-GFC1690” by going to coasthotels.ca

Support the Slow Food movement and our local Fraser Valley farmers.  Agassiz and Chilliwack will feature farms that are unique to their areas so be sure to sign up for both cycle tours and spend the weekend at one of the comfortable Valley accommodations. Both Slow Food Cycle Tours are perfect for families. The routes are around 25km and relatively flat. And best of all, youth and children 18 and under can take part free of charge for the cycle tour but must pay for food along the way.

We are asking you to join us in supporting local farmers to attend Terra Madre 2014 and here is why: 
      It is estimated that we will need to increase global food production by 50 - 70% to meet the needs of the planets growing population expected to reach 9 billion by 2050.  A recent United Nations study makes it clear that small-scale farmers can double food production in ten years using simple farming methods.  Slow Food Vancouver is committed to Terra Madre, a project launched by Slow Food International to give a voice and visibility to the small-scale farmers, breeders, fishers and food artisans around the world whose approach to food production protects the environment and communities. The network brings them together with academics, cooks, consumers and youth groups so that they can join forces in working to improve the food system. Terra Madre 2010 saw 5000 people join together in Italy. 

Slow Food Vancouver is committed to sending small scale farmers to this bi-annual event.  We are also looking forward to helping create a similar event in Canada.  Net proceeds from the Summer Cycle Tours are committed to this vision and will be used to sponsor local producers to attend Terra Madre 2014. Your participation in these cycle tours is helping to strengthen and defend our local food culture making the Slow Food concept of good, clean and fair a reality.

The shopping shuttle service returns again this year to help you collect your purchases from the farms and bring them back to the registration area for you to pick up.

Getting Involved . . . Volunteer in advance or on event day!

Volunteers are needed in advance to help distribute marketing materials throughout the Fraser Valley and in Greater Vancouver; and in addition require volunteers for three hour shifts on event day(s) to help with a number of tasks including registration, event set-up and clean-up, traffic marshalling, pick-up driving and assisting at farms. The benefits of being a volunteer include:

-  Opportunity to participate in a fun local event that supports local farmers
-  Free registration to the two cycle tour events plus free lunch at a participating farm.
-  Entry in a draw to win a Slow Food gift basket

It’s a wonderful way to still have time to take in the rest of the cycle tour day’s activities and flavours.

If you’d like to lend a hand, please send an email to Christina at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).