The Bike-a-thon Tour
Columbus Day Weekend Sunday October 11th 2009

Tour de Farms consists of three routes throughout Historic Ulster County’s scenic farmland – a five-mile ride, 25-mile ride, and a 68-mile ride. Start by riding over the New Hudson River Pedestrian Bridge in Poughkeepsie. Visit the first farm in Highland – Wiklow Farm and end at Phillies Bridge Farm in Gardiner. You can also make your own route and even join by automobile. All proceeds raised will go towards fighting hunger in the Hudson Valley.

•    The 5-mile family ride extends via the rail trail before returning to Phillies Bridge Farm.

•    The 25-mile will go through Highland, New Paltz, and Gardiner with one of the highlights _ The Hurds Family Farm Corn maze.

•    The 68-mile ride extends thru High Falls into Stone Ridge and continues along the famous serpentine over the Shawangunk Mountain with spectacular views of New Paltz Valley and then ends in beautiful Gardiner.  As an added feature, riders are encouraged to stop at the farms along their route, meet our local growers and purchase fresh foods and learn various skill shares.

Putting Farms on the Map!
Each rider will receive a route map of Southern Ulster County and all of our farms, CSA’s, Farm Stands, as well the local businesses that patronize our local growers.

Community Skill-Share Celebration
Sharing the day with the Bike Tour will be a local foods related skill-share event put on by Eat Local Food, Hudson Valley Slow Foods, Dancing Meadow Farm, Liberty View Farm and Hudson Valley Seed Library. Under the pavilion at Phillies Bridge Farm local farms and community members will be sharing their skills from gardening to cooking and long-term food storage techniques, making preserves, seed saving, dehydrating and solar wind energy. Local caterers and restaurants will also be offering local food creations for purchase.  All farm purchases made during the bike tour will be delivered to the location of your choice.

Tour de Farms will cultivate a sustainable, locally-conscious food community in the Hudson Valley. This annual event will broaden and deepen the connections between community members, our local growers and our natural environment.

Organized by Liberty View Farm, Phillies Bridge and Dancing Meadow Farms, The Bike Club of New Paltz, Slow Food Hudson Valley, Eat Local Food, Hudson Valley Seed Library, and Wallkill Valley Land Trust, the Tour de Farms celebrates the many social, economic, environmental, skill shares and health benefits of cycling and eating locally-produced foods!

Join us!  Registration fees for the Tour are $25 prior to August 1, or a $35 registration fee thereafter for adults. Children (under age 13) are $10 prior to August 1st and $15 thereafter; an adult must accompany all children under the age of 13.  For a wonderful stay-cation make reservations to pitch a tent at a participating farm on the route or stay at a beautiful B & B.  For further information or to register please visit www.tourdefarms.org, Email: Tourdefarms@gmail.com. All proceeds raised will go towards fighting hunger in the Hudson Valley.