Our local Slow Food chapter, part of an international organization that has built a network of small-scale sustainable farmers, recently hosted a cycle tour of participating farms in Agassiz, BC. Slow Food (as opposed to fast food) is farm-to-table, supporting local growers.
We had spent the night at the Harrison Hot Springs Resort, about 90 minutes East of Vancouver, and we don’t own bikes so we headed over to the Glencoe Motel to rent some. They’re the only place in Harrison you’ll find a bike rental although it seems like a very popular activity — given the proximity to the farms in Agassiz as well.
The route we took, from hotel to start, and around a loop.
Meeting at the Agassiz Fair and Exhibition Grounds, cyclists could register and head our on their own tours between 9:00am and 4:00pm. We arrived around 11:00am to sign up, pick up our map, and plot our route. Many arrived by car or van, unloading their bikes and heading out for the day. Since we had come from Harrison, we already had 9km of cycling under our belt and were all warmed up and ready to go.
The Slow Food snail logo is placed all along the flat, winding route between farms and the locations are clearly laid out on the map. Hundreds of families with little ones in tow were out and about as the farms welcomed the mobs of cyclists with open arms, and plates full of treats. Riders were also given a ‘fresh sheet’ listing what the farms have specifically prepared for the cyclists that day.
A slice of pie at Blackberry Lane B&B was $2.50, a Ploughman’s Lunch at Farmhouse Natural Cheeses was $5.00, a hazelnut sweet roll at Poplar Grove Arbour was $3 and the declicious Minty Lime Juice at Tasty Chicken Farm was $2.00 — among other special menu offerings.
Aside from the free samples and fresh sheet menu items at each farm, you could also purchase their regular products, from garlic at Limbert Mountain Farm (home of the Garlic Festival August 18th) to the couple bags of cheese curds we picked up at Farmhouse Natural Cheeses. If cyclists made purchases along the tour, they could conveniently send their packages, bags, and parcels back to the registration area by shuttle, for pick-up when they’re done.
The route was relatively flat as it curved past corn fields and orchards; roosters crowed and bike bells rang out in the distance. The tour was such a great way to meet farmers, pick up the freshest ingredients, and support area producers. It was also the perfect family outing with fresh country air and picnic ingredients readily available at each stop. The farmers put out hay bales, picnic tables, chairs, and more to welcome the hungry group of cyclists.
The Slow Food Cycle Farm Tour continues today in Chilliwack (Sunday, July 29, 2012), starting from Tourism Chilliwack Visitor Centre off Highway 1 Exit #116, in front of Heritage Park (the big red barns) at 44150 Luckakuck Way. Show up and do your tour anytime between 9:00am and 4:00pm. If you didn’t do yesterday’s tour in Agassiz, the cost will be $15 (it was $20 for Agassiz, $15 for Chilliwack or $30 for both days) and children 12 and under are free.
Follow Slow Food Vancouver on Twitter for more information about events like this.
Some of the stops on the tour are also regularly a part of the self-guided Circle Farm Tour that you can do in Harrison Mills & Agassiz, Langley, Pitt Meadows & Maple Ridge, Chilliwack, and Abbotsford, with or without your bike. My posts from the Circle Farm Tours in Langley, Harrison, and Agassiz can be found under the “Circle-Farm-Tour” tag.
The Honda Celebration of Light fireworks in English Bay kick off their 2012 season this Saturday, July 28th with a display from Vietnam. I headed out on the annual media tour of the barges this morning, something I have been fortunate enough to experience for the last few years (2010, 2011), to learn more about the setup for an event of this magnitude.
2012 Barges from Seaspan:
Compared to the 2011 Barges:
One major difference, or should I say two major differences, this year are the barges. They’re all-new thanks to Seaspan and have much more room to navigate on deck. They are also attached to pilings that have been drilled down into the water as opposed to being anchored. “It’s a step up for us,” said Pyrotechnic Producer Patrick Brault who told our group that this allows them to more in place and offers a wider view of the show for the audience — without all that swaying and shifting with the waves.
“It’s a better sandbox to play in,” he added playing on the fact that we were surrounded by 350 tonnes of sand into which the pyrotechnics get loaded.
A lot of work goes into producing the world’s largest offshore fireworks competition and the team from Vietnam has been on the barges since Wednesday. When they’re all done, the “Night Crew” comes in and resets the entire barge for the next participating country. Patrick said the crew waits about 30 minutes after the fireworks have ended to make sure there are no sparks leftover. Then, they’ll check every mortar, clear everything out of the sand, and make a “clean slate” for the next crew.
This will be Vietnam’s first year competing in the Honda Celebration of Light in Vancouver and they’re first fireworks competition in North America. Organizers decided to go with 3 countries that represent 3 continents this year — with Brazil August 1st and Italy August 4th. We’ve seen a lot from Canada, Spain, and China over the years so producers thought they would branch out and Patrick said they hope to have 9 different countries participate over the next 3 years at least.
Download the Honda Celebration of Light iPhone and Android mobile app for schedules, accompanying music (no connection needed to sync up), and to vote for your favourite country. The fireworks start promptly at 10:00pm each night.
Remember to tag any photos you are posting (to Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or Flickr) with #Fireworks604 to enter my contest to win a $25 gift card from Cactus Club Cafe or the grand prize, Keg Lounge tickets for Italy on August 4th valued at $400.
Promoting the upcoming Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival, Jimmy D. Lane has been commissioned to #TweettheBlues this week and today is your last day to have your heartache and sorrow shared with the world through song, over Twitter.
Post an update on Twitter (even directly through the TweetTheBlues website) with your worries and troubles, and Jimmy will record and Tweet back a customized blues tune just for you that you can watch him perform online.
The 13th annual Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival will take place August 11, 2012 at Deer Lake Park and feature Indigo Girls, Jimmie Vaughan, Amadou & Mariam, Meshell Ndegeocello, Kelly Joe Phelps, The Deep Dark Woods, The Washboard Union, and No Sinner on the Lake and Garden stages. Advanced tickets are currently available for $70 for the whole day and children under 12 years old are free.
Be on the lookout for branded guitar cases around town and help yourself to a Burnaby Blues & Roots pick if you spot one. Send your message to Jimmy (@BurnabyBluesMan) today when you #TweettheBlues and help get the word out about this outdoor musical event.
To get you in the mood even more, I have a Fender Bullet Strat Squier (value $199) to give away thanks to Burnaby Blues & Roots. Here’s how you can enter to win this guitar:
- Post the comment naming your favourite blues song or artist (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 10:30am on Wednesday, August 1, 2012. Follow Burnaby Blues & Roots on Twitter and Facebook for more information.
Update The winner is Natalie!
International Bog Day began in Scotland in 1991 and is now celebrated every year throughout Northern Europe, Canada, and the USA on the 4th Sunday in July. Our very own Burns Bog has participated for several years and now they’re hosting Jog for the Bog as well.
What A 10km and 5km run through Burns Bog (chip-timed, register here) supporting the Burns Bog Conservation Society’s education programs, maintenance of the Delta Nature Reserve boardwalks and outreach campaign.
When Sunday, July 29, 2012 from with registration at 8:00am, staggered start times, a pancake breakfast at 10:00am and the run awards at 10:30am.
Where The run starts from 10388 Nordel Court (at Planet Ice).
Aside from Jog for the Bog, International Bog Day festivities will take place from 10:30am to 3:00pm with entertainment, activities, and environmental awareness campaigns. There will also be free yoga presented by Healing Movements.
Burns Bog, the “lungs of the Lower Mainland,” is a globally unique ecosystem. It filters fresh water, keeps mass amounts of carbon out of the atmosphere, and houses numerous rare and endangered plant and wildlife species. Despite this, Burns Bog is constantly under threat. The Burns Bog Conservation Society exists to help make sure the bog receives the protection it needs through education and advocacy.
Follow Burns Bog on Twitter and Facebook for more information about International Bog Day, the Conservation Society, educational programs, and more.
The opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics is tomorrow as the Games of the 30th Olympiad get underway. With Canada’s fantastic showing at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, including our first gold medal on home soil, hopes are high for the summer crowd. If you would like to cheer with hometown pride, the following is a list of athletes from British Columbia who will be competing – along with their linked Twitter handles if available.
Dylan Armstrong from Kamloops. Competing in the shot put.
Gabe Bergen from 100 Mile House. Competing in rowing Men’s 8+.
Michael Braithwaite from Duncan. Competing in rowing Men’s 2x.
Joshua Binstock. Competing in Beach Volleyball.
Jeremiah Brown from 100 Mile House. Competing in rowing Men’s 8+.
David Calder from Victoria. Competing in rowing Men’s 2-.
Hilary Caldwell from Surrey. Competing in swimming 200m backstroke.
Ryan Cochrane from Victoria. Competing in swimming.
William Dean Kelowna, B.C. Rowing Men’s 4-.
Scott Frandsen from Kelowna. Competing in rowing Men’s 2-.
Nikola Girke from West Vancouver. Competing in sailing.
Brent Hayden from Vancouver. Competing in swimming.
Ryder Hesjedal from Victoria. Competing in cycling, road.
Rebecca Howard. Competing in Equestrian.
Carol Huynh from Hazelton. Competing in wrestling.
Teresa Gabriele from Mission. Competing in women’s basketball
Jasmin Glaesser from Coquitlam. Competing in cycling (track).
Elizabeth Gleadle Vancouver. Competing in javelin.
Inaki Gomez from Vancouver. Competing in athletics (20km race walk).
Thomas Gossland from Vancouver. Competing in swimming 4x100m freestyle relay.
Krista Guloien from Port Moody. Competing in rowing women’s 8+.
Andre Ho from Richmond. Competing in table tennis men’s singles, team
Malcolm Howard from Victoria. Competing in rowing men’s 8+ .
Anthony Jacob from Vancouver. Competing in rowing men’s 4-.
Lindsay Jennerich from Victoria. Competing in rowing lightweight women’s 2x
Geoff Kabush from Comox. Competing in cycling (mountain bike).
Savanah King from Vancouver. Competing in swimming (400m freestyle, 800m freestyle).
Karina LeBlanc from Maple Ridge. Competing in women’s soccer.
Mike Leigh from Nanaimo. Competing in sailing 470.
Hunter Lowden from North Vancouver. Competing in sailing 49er.
Darcy Marquardt from Richmond. Competing in rowing (women’s 8+).
Michael Mason from Nanoose Bay. Competing in athletics (high jump).
Riley McCormick from Victoria. Competing in diving (men’s 10m).
Brent McMahon from Victoria. Competing in men’s triathlon.
Victoria Moors from Surrey. Competing in gymnastics (artistic).
Curtis Moss from Burnaby. Competing in javelin.
Tobias Ng from Vancouver. Competing in badminton (mixed doubles).
Tory Nyhaug from Coquitlam. Competing in BMX.
Patricia Obee from Victoria. Competing in rowing (lightweight Women’s 2x).
Alec Page from Victoria. Competing in swimming (400m individual medley).
Max Plaxton from Tofino. Competing in cycling (mountain bike).
Vasek Pospisil from Vancouver. Competing in tennis (men’s singles, men’s doubles).
Zachary Plavsic from Vancouver. Competing in sailing (men’s rs-x windsurfing).
Luke Ramsay from Vancouver. Competing in sailing 470.
Martin Reader. Competing in Beach Volleyball.
Justin Rodhe from Kamloops. Competing in shot put.
Brittany Rogers Coquitlam. Comepting in artistic gymnastics.
Sophie Schmidt from Abbotsford. Competing in women’s soccer.
Christine Sinclair from Burnaby. Competing in soccer.
Jessica Smith from North Vancouver. Competing in athletics (800m).
Kim Smith from Mission. Competing in women’s basketball.
Michelle Stilwell Winnipeg/Nanoose Bay. Comepting in wheelchair basketball.
Brittany Timko from Coquitlam. Competing in women’s soccer.
Tera Van Beilen training at UBC (from Ontario). Swimming.
Richard Weinberger from Victoria. Competing in swimming.
Simon Whitfield from Victoria. Competing in triathalon.
Lauren Wilkinson from North Vancouver. Competing in rowing (women’s 8+).
Michael Wilkinson from North Vancouver. Competing in rowing (men’s 4-).
Blake Worsley from Victoria. Competing in swimming (200m freestyle).
List of athletes’ Twitter accounts is courtesy of CHBC Okanagan / Global News. I have also made a list of these athletes on Twitter that you can follow. CTVOlympics also has an extensive set of Twitter lists with Olympians sorted by sport.
Some quick Canadian Olympic Team facts from the Canadian Sport Centre: Pacific:
- 277 athletes make up the Canadian Olympic Team.
- 40% of the athletes representing Canada in London are either born and/or train in BC.
- 96 coaches and technical staff lead the Canadian Olympic Team in London.
- 27% of Canadian Olympic coaches and technical staff are from BC.
- 36 medical staff are part of the team supporting the Canadian Olympic Team.
- 31% of Canadian Olympic medical support staff are from BC.
- 43 Canadians are working at the London Olympics as international competition officials.
- 19% of Canadian competition officials are from BC.
- The Canadian Paralympic Committee will name the Canadian Paralympic Team in August.
The London 2012 Olympics will run from July 27 to August 12, 2012 and will be followed by the Paralympics August 29th to September 9th, 2012.
