Tony and Janice Zaremba have developed a tag-team approach so they can blend their priority for quality produce with a passion for peddling. They leave their Calgary home together to make the journey to The Jungle Farm each week, with Janice in the car and Tony on his bike.
“We started this in 2014 as a way for me to incorporate a long ride into the week,” said Tony. “I just love biking and usually put in at least 10,000 km each year. At first I honestly thought I’d be able to pack the vegetable box onto my bike and get it back to Calgary on my own – but they give you too much stuff! So it became a ritual from June to October each year. We would meet for pickup at the Jungle Farm, enjoy dinner in the area and the evening drive back to Calgary together.”
Like any biking enthusiast, Tony loves the perspective the long quiet ride provides. Relishing the beautiful terrain, encountering wildlife, finding remote cook houses in campgrounds to wait out thunderstorms. In fact, they came to appreciate the area so much that when they discovered Gleniffer Lake, they bought a place there.
“You just collect such interesting stories, because you really see the world differently. But I’d be so hungry after riding up to The Jungle Farm, I’d live for the treats they had behind the counter! I got to know a lot of the patrons who go to The Jungle Farm and they seem amazed when I ride up on my bike.
“We appreciate the fresh produce and buy extra things in season. We love the variety as the seasons flip through and sometimes we’ll do u-pick while we’re there. Blaine and Leona are first class folks running a first class business, and it’s like they’ve been longtime friends.”
