10 EXCELLENT REASONS TO GO!

#10 YOU CAN WRITE IT OFF AS A BUSINESS EXPENSE.

If you make your living from farming, you'll have little difficulty justifying this as a business expense!  The goal of the Project is to facilitate cooperation between farm communities. Canada has expertise in processing, packaging, labeling, marketing and sales. Cuba's farmers are world leaders in commercial organic cropping systems, have highly organized cooperatives, good farm extension, unparalleled soil and water resources and a tropical climate. We have a lot to learn from them. They have a lot to learn from us. Together, we're more competitive. Farmer's who travel to Cuba as part of this project are exposed to this potential "from the ground up".

 #9. YOU'LL BE IN GOOD HANDS.

With nineteen successful years, thirty-two farm tours, ten UBC student field study courses, six chefs delegations, one group of scientists and one group of Cubans to Canada - 862 delegates in all - we are professionals highly experienced in organizing and delivering unique Canadian farmer tours of Cuba. Our Cuban partner ANAP (the national farmer organization to which all Cuban farmers belong) works with us to deliver a high-quality, memorable and safe travel experience completely free of stress and filled with delightful memories of the real Cuba and her people. We promise.   All farmer tours fully escorted by Wendy R. Holm, P.Ag.

 #8. YOU'LL BE TRAVELING WITH A "GREAT BUNCH" --- OTHER FARMERS:

Dairy farmers, crop farmers, ranchers, orchardists, poultry farmers, greenhouse growers, bee keepers and the like - a relaxing and fun group to travel with.  So far, approximately two percent of our Delegates have been organic farmers, most are conventional farmers.  

 #7. YOU'LL SEE FIRST HAND INNOVATIVE PRACTICES THAT MAKE CUBAN FARMERS WORLD LEADERS IN SUSTAINABILITY.

In 1999, Cuba won the prestigious Right Livelihood Award of the Swedish Parliament for sustainable agricultural practices. This was due in no small measure to strong scientific capacity and good agricultural extension,. We will visit large scale worm composting facilities, CREE's (Centres for the Reproduction of Entomopathogens and Entomofagos) and plant protection laboratories to see how Cuba became an innovative world leader in the use of biopesticides and biofertilizers.

 #6. YOU'LL VISIT OUR AWARD-WINNING DAIRY PROJECT AND SEE THE RESULTS OF CANADIAN COOPERATION.

This project began with a small CIDA pilot grant in December 2004.  By its end in 2011, through the cooperative efforts of farmers in Canada and Cuba, we had tripled milk production and created a self sufficient rural milk production model that is attracting big attention in this tiny little country…  And you will get to see how we did it!

 #5. YOU'LL EXPERIENCE A CULTURE WHERE FARMERS ARE RESPECTED.

A majorly unique - dare we say empowering - experience for Canadian farmers. We will have the opportunity to meet with Cuban farmers to discuss how they run their cooperatives, how production decisions are made, how state contracts are negotiated and profits are shared, how crop insurance works, how they get access to farmers' markets and how ANAP (Cuba's national farmers' organization) speaks with one voice in the interests of the farm community.

 #4. YOU'LL BE "IN ON THE GROUND FLOOR" IN TERMS OF FUTURE PROJECT INITIATIVES.

The experience of Cuban agriculture - that large scale commercial organic production IS possible - is a lesson for the world. By partnering with Cuba, Canada can piggy-back on this expertise.  Farmers who participate in these Delegations will receive regular updates on the Project and are "in on the ground floor" in terms of any future initiatives.

 #3. YOU'LL ENJOY SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACHES AND HOTELS IN THE WORLD.

We begin with 3 nights at the beautiful 5 Star Hotel Melia Varadero and conclude with 2 nights in the Melia Santiago de Cuba followed by 3 nights at Havana's fabulous 5 Star Hotel Nacional.

 #2. YOU'LL SEE "THE REAL CUBA" THAT TOURISTS NEVER EXPERIENCE.

Cuba is a safe and gentle destination with a unique culture and warm and friendly people. During your 8 day tour of Cuba's farming communities, we leave the tourist zones and travel into the countryside, visiting the provinces of Artemesa, Cienfuegos, Camaguay, Ciego de Avila, Bayamo and Santiago de Cuba. There is ample time set aside for sightseeing, sampling Cuban culture and even horseback riding on the beach at pristine Cayo Coco if you're so inclined.

 #1. YOU'LL HAVE THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME. (AND ISN'T THAT ABOUT TIME?)

It's perhaps best expressed in the words of other farmers: "wonderfully unique... ...an opportunity to see places other tourists have never been... Thanks for the trip of a lifetime..."