The Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA) and Bike Adirondacks (BikeADK) have announced the route and farm stops for this year’s Bike the Barns, a half-day bicycle tour that engages participants with North Country farms and the region’s local food movement.
The scenic route will take cyclists to farms and other agricultural points of interest in New York’s Champlain Valley.
Set for Sept. 21, the morning ride will begin at Camp Dudley in Westport, where riders will have the opportunity to tour the historic camp’s property and composting system. Stops along the route, which spans 25 to 35 miles of rural roads, include Essex Food Hub, DaCy Meadow Farm, Echo Farm and Barred Owl Brook Farm. The ride will end back at Camp Dudley with a finish-line celebration featuring a local food lunch by ADK Food Hub of Tupper Lake, craft beverages by Ausable Brewing Company of Keeseville and live music.
“Bike the Barns is a fantastic way for folks to explore the Champlain Valley while also connecting with local food producers and businesses,” said Jon Ignatowski, ANCA’s manager of food systems business. “Our region has so much to offer in terms of local food products, farmland conservation and rural livelihoods. We are excited for people to experience it up close and in person.”
ANCA, a regional economic development nonprofit based in Saranac Lake, established Bike the Barns in 2016 to increase awareness about local food issues and engagement with the small farms and businesses that are instrumental to the health and vitality of local economies and rural communities.
“There is simply no better way to experience the rich landscape of the Champlain Valley than by bike,” said Doug Haney, owner of BikeADK, a Saranac Lake-based company that coordinates local cycling events. “Every rolling hill, every smell and every farm vista is a story that’s best enjoyed on two wheels.”
For over 140 years, Camp Dudley and Camp Kiniya have provided boys and girls ages 10 – 15 with summer camp experiences with a focus on arts, athletics, outdoor exploration and spirituality. Camp Dudley was founded in 1885 and landed at its current site in Westport in 1908. Camp leaders have engaged with ANCA programs including the Adirondack Diversity Initiative and Compost for Good to create welcoming and sustainable spaces for their campers and others who visit the lakeside property.
ANCA Organics Recycling Coordinator Jennifer Perry said the Bike the Barns team aims to make this ANCA’s first zero waste event. Perry, who is also co-founder of Compost for Good, a community composting initiative administered by ANCA, added, “In keeping with our commitment to circular economies, we are working with Camp Dudley and our local food providers at ADK Food Hub to offer an event with minimal to no waste. This is an exciting chance to raise awareness about neighborhood-scale composting and empower participants to adopt simple waste reduction practices in their own homes and communities.”
Four stops along the ride will provide additional tours and opportunities to purchase local food products. Essex Food Hub in Westport provides infrastructure and support services that enable small-scale farmers and food producers to reach wider markets. EFH also houses a market where riders can purchase locally produced dairy, meat, vegetables, fruit, baked goods and value-added products.
DaCy Meadow Farm is a scenic farm stay located on over 150 acres outside Westport. In addition to on-farm lodging and dining, DaCy Meadow offers over three miles of hiking trails and a gallery that features artwork and memorabilia celebrating agricultural and rural lifestyles.
Located on about 170 acres of tillable and forested farmland in Essex, Echo Farm is a diversified farmstead that raises a variety of livestock and crops using organic and regenerative farming practices. The farm’s culinary arm, Farmstead Catering, offers unique farm-to-table experiences for events both on and off the historic farm.
Barred Owl Brook Farm is a small farm in Westport committed to the expansion of temperate agroforestry practices. The farm propagates cold-hardy, regionally adapted tree crops including fruit and nut species, ornamentals and trees grown for fodder, hedgerows, riparian protection, climate mitigation and more.
This is the eighth year ANCA has hosted Bike the Barns. Event proceeds support ANCA’s Local Food System Program which works closely with North Country farmers, regional institutions and nonprofit partners on projects that strengthen farms and food businesses and increase local food access. ANCA connects food producers with low- and no-interest funding, grant support and a range of business and technical assistance to help them expand their capacity and markets.
Bike the Barns will take place on the heels of the annual Adirondack Harvest Festival, set for Sept. 20 at the Essex County Fairgrounds in Westport. Event organizers encourage riders to participate in both events to engage with a variety of local food producers and regional groups that support them.
The $114 registration fee for Bike the Barns includes a clearly marked route, mechanical support, farm stops and a finish line celebration with local food, beverages and live music.
Learn more and register at adirondack.org/btb.
