A PhD student is cycling over 1,200 miles across England to speak with women in farming about their hopes and ideas for the future of food production.
Veronica White's route, which commenced from Land's End on 12 April, will take her through a wide range of rural landscapes, ending at the Scottish border in July
Along the way, she’ll meet and interview women who live or work on farms, asking how they envision the future of agriculture—an industry often imagined in high-tech terms.
Explaining her reasons for her “PhD by bike”, White, who is doing her PhD at Exeter, said: “I was born in the US but I grew up in the Netherlands, where my family travelled by bike or public transport.
“I don’t drive, so cycling is still my main mode of transport – and of course it’s also a low-carbon, sustainable way to travel, which is important to me.
“By cycling, I will see and experience the farming landscapes I ride through – I will feel the hills in my legs, and experience the seasons as they shift.”
She added: “Women in the UK cycle a lot less than men, and farming is male-dominated – so I aim to highlight the role of women in both these areas.”
White plans to make multiple stops along her route, spending several days in farming communities to connect with people and hear their stories.
Reflecting on the physical and mental demands of long-distance cycling and camping, she admitted: “I know that this cycle tour is not going to be easy. It will, most likely, be the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
“But isn’t that what they say about doing a PhD, too? Nobody starts a PhD thinking it’s going to be easy – so why not throw a 1,200-mile cycle ride into the mix?"
White is also raising money for the Farming Community Network, with donations being accepted on JustGiving.
