Naramata joins Cittaslow International

Discover Naramata is proud to announce that Naramata has been accepted as a member community of Cittaslow International.

Cittaslow (www.cittaslow.net) is an international organization formed in Orvieto, Italy in 1999 with the mandate to improve the quality of life in towns while resisting the fast lane, homogenized world seen in larger cities.  Celebrating and supporting diversity of culture and the specialties of a town are core Cittaslow values.  Born from the Slow Food movement (www.slowfood.com), Cittaslow’s main goal is to promote the philosophy of Slow Food to local communities and governments, applying the concepts of eco-gastronomy to everyday life.

In February of 2009, the Discover Naramata Board agreed, in principle, to pursue the accreditation of Naramata as a Cittaslow.  After a lengthy application and assessment process, Naramata was recognized as a member of Cittaslow Canada, after the first and only other North American member town, Cowichan Bay, BC, was accredited in July of this year.  The official declaration will take place in Orvieto, Italy on November 28, 2009.

Discover Naramata (www.discovernaramata.com) was formed in 1999 by Naramata area businesses with the mandate “to encourage visitors to experience the existing charm and character of Naramata, while encouraging and supporting local business initiatives.”  Discover Naramata represents the business community of Naramata and the surrounding area including wineries, farms and retail/hospitality/tourism related businesses.

For further information, contact:

Norm Davies, Director, Discover Naramata
Box 164, Naramata, BC, Canada, V0H 1N0
http://www.discovernaramata.com
slow@discovernaramata.com

Cowichan Bay slows down

From Tourism BC

Vancouver Island Village Joins International Cittaslow Community

In the seaside town of Cowichan Bay on Vancouver Island, taking it slow is a way of life – a dedication to the local landscape that has garnered the quaint community worldwide praise. Recently heralded as the first Cittaslow (pronounced Cheetah-slow) member in North America, Cowichan Bay joins 120 towns in 16 countries committed to putting quality of life first; Cittaslow towns, founded in Italy in 1999 and rooted in the Slow Food movement, aim to improve the quality of life for their residents, support local specialties and cultural diversity while preserving their rural lifestyle. Seems a natural fit for the village of less than 3,000, situated 45 minutes north of Victoria, where acres of greenspace give way to small and medium-scale agricultural operations and wineries, all within traditional First Nations land. In simple terms, you won’t find fast food or big box boys in Cowichan Bay. And with a bounty of some of the province’s hottest chefs, growers, winemakers, artisans and the like settled within a community loyal to local produce and their producers, a Cittaslow designation seemed the next logical step. Assessed and certified under six potential areas of excellence, including environmental policy, encouragement of local food and artisanal products and businesses, and hospitality and friendliness, the village sored a whopping 93 per cent, one of the highest rankings of all towns to apply for the honour.

We are very proud to have become the first Cittaslow in Canada and in North America,” says Mara Jernigan, Chef of Fairburn Farm Culinary Retreat and Guesthouse and current President of Slow Food Canada. “It shows a genuine commitment towards the rural and environmental nature of the area and the local production of high quality artisanal and organic food.” www.cittaslow.net

To read more story ideas from the Vancouver Island region, visit www.hellobc.com/vancouverislandmedia.

The Good Life August 19

This week on The Good Life we continue with burger month with White Spot’s Executive Chef Chuck Currie.  Today, all proceeds from the sale of Pirate Paks on August 19 will go towards White Spot Week at Zajac Ranch.  We’ll sip some some Piraat Beer in honour of the special and suggest some ways to make the most of the remainder of the summer.

Listen live at 4:15 pm on Wednesdays on the Joe Leary show at Buzz 1410 or listen to the podcast on the link above.

Events

Ricard Cocktail Tasting at Bistro Pastis (August 20, 2009)
Opus and Grey Goose (August 20, 2009)
Third Annual Slow Food Cycle Tour (August 22, 2009)
Okanagan Feast of Fields (August 23, 2009)
Blue Mountain Wine Dinner at DB Bistro (August 24, 2009)
Sylvia’s Dining Room Presents:Crowsnest Vineyards (August 25, 2009)

Industry News

Chef Quang Dang does tip to tail sablefish menu until September at C
Mt. Pleasant Cheese’s August newsletter
When is it ok to play with your food? When you are studying the art of food styling!
Gastown’s Social announces new Chef – Harman Gill

Local Youth Farmer Nominated for Terra Madre 2010!

Local farming is essential to our food future and encouraging young farmers to learn and practice sustainable farming is key. Slow Food Vancouver is excited to announce Devan Toop, from Toop Dairy Farm, as a local nominee for Terra Madre 2010!

Terra Madre is an international conference held every two years in Torino, Italy. In 2008, over 7,000 farmers from 153 countries came together to discuss sustainable farming, biodiversity, and food production.

Terra Madre has inspired a new framework for discourse on food and sustainability, one where ideas, strategies, partnerships and alliances prosper. Over five days, there are opportunities to hear from notable speakers and participate in Earth-related workshops on themes such as climate change, native breeds, and Participative Development Models. The Salone del Gusto – the world’s largest artisanal food marketplace – is held concurrently, in part for delegates to gain a deeper sense of how small-scale sustainable producers can market their products effectively.

Debra Amrein-Boyes, from Farmhouse Natural Cheeses (one of the featured farms on the Agassiz Cycle Tour – August 22), was able to attend Terra Madre in 2008 and had this to say about the conference:

“Because of the industrialized food system, smaller farmers are getting pushed to the periphery. Terra Madre encouraged all small farmers not to give up and stressed the importance of our efforts. The experience was truly inspirational!” Devan Toop is a 26 year-old, 6th generation dairy farmer. Devan studied agriculture at the University of Manitoba and came back to the farm to co-run it with his dad and grandfather. He says:

“People always ask me why I farm and I say because I take great pride in my work; because there is nothing like the satisfaction you get from investing yourself in a truly living, breathing business and seeing the results of your labour first-hand.

I farm because every day brings new challenges to overcome, new oppurtunities to learn. I am blessed to be able to work alongside my family in one of the most beautiful places on Earth, and like the five generations before me, I know that the greatest rewards in life come through dedication and hard work.”

You can meet Devan on the Chilliwack Cycle Tour – August 23. He will be giving tours of his dairy farm at 9:30am, 10:30am and 11:30am (…and by the way, one of his cows just gave birth to a calf over the weekend!)

Devan Toop, 26 year-old farmer nominee

We need to encourage more youth to adopt farming as a career. You can help by donating online to the Slow Food Vancouver Adopt-a-Farmer campaign, nominating a youth farmer, and participating in the Slow Food Cycle Tours and in other upcoming Slow Food events.

Please email infosfv@slowfoodvancouver.com with your nominees or to get involved.

Thank you from Slow Food Vancouver!

COWICHAN BAY, NORTH AMERICA’S FIRST CITTASLOW

Cowichan Bay, located 45 minutes north of Victoria, BC has been named North America’s first certified Cittaslow (slow town). Joining towns in Italy, Germany, Norway, Poland, Portugal and the UK among other countries, Cowichan Bay was assessed and certified under six potential areas of excellence with 52 assessment points, including environmental policy, infrastructure, hospitality and community and quality of urban fabric. Cittaslow towns, a movement founded in Italy in 1999 and rooted in the Slow Food movement, aim to improve the quality of life for their residents, support local specialties and cultural diversity while preserving their rural lifestyle. Cowichan Bay, a picturesque seaside village nestled in the Cowichan Valley is a blend of sail and fishing boats, piers and floating homes and home to high quality, niche food products. Visitors to Cowichan Bay can taste delectable artisan cheese made from local milk, visit award-winning wineries, and enjoy delectable breads made from Red Fife wheat that is milled and grown in the area, speaking to why this special area is becoming known as Canada’s Provence. The official ceremony and ribbon cutting will take place in Cowichan Bay on September 18, 2009. For more information on Cittaslow visit www.cittaslow.net.

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