This project was a series of seven bike trips (one per month) to various organic farms in the greater Montreal area. Farms were accessible by bike within one day. Each trip had a maximum of 10 participants.

Prior to the first trip, this year the group leaders hosted a pannier-making (saddlebag) workshop where participants were instructed on how to build their own pannier bags, and were provided with the materials to do so. These panniers stayed in the possession of B2F (Bike to Farms, the organization responsible for the program). This enabled students financially to go on the bike trips. Furthermore, there was a meeting before every month’s trip to discuss bike safety, routes, food, and the details of the farm which was to be visited.

Towards the end of each trip, meetings were held to promote the sharing of individual experiences amongst the participants; to share the insights of the experience and make them known to everyone. Participants also filled out evaluation forms and surveys, which were implemented to attempt to measure the personal experiences brought on by nature through asking a series of questions on a likert point system scale. Recording results can provide a basis in the future for programs to head into nature for its intrinsic effects and also to expose the effects nature can have on persons.

Years funded: 2009-10

Amount allocated: $1,078.29

Project leader: Lennard Fruehling

E-mail: N/A