Cycle to Farm returns for fourth annual event in July

From Cycle to Farm

Event announcement

Velo Girl Rides, organizer of the Cycle to Farm tour of local farms by bicycle, and Ingles Markets today announced that the 2015 event would be held on July 18, 2015, the third Saturday in July.

Like previous Cycle to Farm events, the ride will bring cyclists to beautiful local farms to enjoy stunning scenery, eat locally-grown and raised food, and buy products at local farms. The event starts and finishes in Black Mountain, NC, offering cyclists a challenging metric century distance (100 kilometers, or about 62 miles) including plenty of ascents to climb, and beautiful country roads in Black Mountain, Broad River, and Fairview.

This is the fourth year for the Cycle to Farm event, which in past years has sold out, and the first time that Ingles Markets have joined forces with Velo Girl Rides and the Black Mountain Parks & Greenways as the presenting sponsor.

“I am delighted that Ingles, a grocer that has long embraced local farms, took the leadership position in becoming the ‘Presenting Sponsor’ for this event,” said Jennifer Billstrom, owner of Velo Girl Rides, and creator and manager of the Cycle to Farm event.

“Ingles’ founder, Bob Ingle, had a deep commitment to local farms, and this event obviously supports that tradition by bringing cyclists right to the farms in our community to purchase their products and support their hard work,” said Tom Outlaw, vice president of marketing for Ingles. “We look forward to providing all of the food that is provided at each ‘Farm Stop’ for the cyclists and volunteers.”

Jennifer Billstrom further explained, “We especially like the connection between local farms and greenways, which enable travel within our community on foot and by bicycle. Most of the net proceeds of Cycle to Farm go to support Greenways, and now Ingles has joined in that effort.”

“Several of the farms that have participated in Cycle to Farm are already partners with Ingles, and we hope this opens the door to even more opportunities,” said Jennifer Billstrom.

Cycle to Farm events are strictly limited to only 300 cyclists, so that the smaller farms are not overwhelmed with customers, and to keep the Fabulous After Party small and a real opportunity for the farmers, volunteers and riders to gather as community. As a result, these events sell out well before the day of the ride.

Cycle to Farm events use a route of about 62 miles (62 miles is a “metric century” distance popular with many serious cyclists), visiting local farms about every 10-15 miles. The farmers offer samples of tasty food to the cyclists, as well as offering their products for sale.

Cycle to Farm staff collect the purchases and transport them by vehicle back to the Start/Finish, where riders return after 4 to 7 hours riding through beautiful rural countryside. For many, it is their first experience riding the route and discovering the area.

Once back at the Start/Finish, cyclists enjoy a delicious farm-to-table meal at the Fabulous After Party, sourced from the farmers they visited during their ride. The farmers and the many volunteers who work the event also join in the meal, along with wine and local musicians providing entertainment.

“We really enjoy connecting cyclists, who are often foodies, with the community of farmers, sponsors and volunteers that make all of this possible, and breaking bread together is a great way to do it” explains Jennifer Billstrom.

For more information, and to sign up as either a volunteer or rider, see CycleToFarm.org.