All the excitement of the Tour de France without the gelatinous protein bars and fifty bike pile-ups!
On Saturday, August 20th, Farm Aid and Urban AdvenTours will host the 5th annual Tour de Farms cycling event to raise awareness and appreciation for our local farms. About 60 to 80 riders will depart from Franklin Park and pedal through Brookline, Newton, Needham and the Blue Hills area, visiting Allandale Farm, Newton Community Farm, The Neighborhood Farm and Brookwood Community Farm. At each farm stop riders will learn about the farm and at the last stop everyone will be able to hop off their bikes to explore the farm before having a light lunch featuring fresh produce grown on-site. They’ll then have the opportunity to shop at the Roslindale Village Main Street Farmers’ Market for produce to take home.
Allandale Farm is Boston’s last working farm, and specializes in sustainably grown produce. They market a majority of their produce independently, but also supply some to Whole Foods markets in Brighton and Cambridge, and to local restaurants. Their field crops are Certified Naturally Grown using organic methods. Allandale’s specialties include seasonal cut flowers, hardy chrysanthemums, pumpkins, fresh native turkeys and Christmas trees.
Newton Community Farm is a non-profit community farm (and Newton’s last working farm) located on the historic Angino farmstead. They provide locally-grown produce to the community through their CSA, their farm stand, and Newton Farmers’ Markets. They also teach the public about the sustainable use of land and other natural resources through hands-on classes, workshops, and drop-in farm hours. A portion of the food grown on the farm is donated to people in need through the Newton Food Pantry.
The Neighborhood Farm is a collection of 9 gardens in and around Needham, totaling about ¾ of an acre. The lack of undeveloped, reasonably priced land in the Boston suburbs forced the farm’s founders to think about farming in a different way. Inspired by the victory gardens of WWII, they felt that many market gardens might be the most practical way to bring a new “farm” to the suburbs.
Brookwood Community Farm is a working organic farm and education center located in Milton and Canton. The farm is dedicated to preserving historic farmland through sustainable agricultural production that improves access to healthy, affordable fruits and vegetables in urban communities. The farm operates a CSA, sells produce at local farmers markets and provides on-farm employment, and educational and volunteer opportunities to members of the surrounding communities.
The Tour de Farms will be a great ride for local agriculture and sustainable farming. The pacing of the ride will be of a moderate road ride of about 10-15 miles per hour covering 35-40 miles. But have no fear—the thought of delicious local food and the scenic route will make the miles fly by! Urban AdvenTours guides will lead the ride and provide discounted bike rentals on the day of the tour. The ride will begin at 9a.m. and end between 12:15 and 12:30. Tickets are $35 and registration is available online at www.urbanadventours.com or over the phone at 617-670-0637.
We hope you’ll join us for an exploration of our local Boston-area farms and their bounty!
