Join us for our second Tour de Farms in and around Middlebury, this year with a family-friendly route! Enjoy panoramic views and beautiful back roads as you visit local farms in Middlebury, Weybridge, Cornwall, and Salisbury, Vermont. This scenic ride features several relaxed farm stops with multiple food producers who will offer you a taste of all the Champlain Valley has to offer! All samples are included in the ride, but cash is handy in case you'd like to purchase products along the way. Don't worry about carrying all of your goodies on the bike; we'll have a farm van to pick up your purchases and deliver them to the finish for you!
Much of the course is along dirt and/or gravel roads, so grab your gravel grinder or your mountain bike. If you've got a road bike, consider putting wider tires on it for this ride. It'll be worth it! E-bikes are welcome and encouraged as a comfortable option. Many Vermont libraries offer free E-bike rentals, and our local bike shop and tour sponsor, Frog Hollow Bikes, has a great rental fleet.
Commemorative t-shirts and bike jerseys are available for pre-sale!
There will be a rolling start time for all ride distances. 37 Mile riders will begin between 9:00 and 9:30 am, plan to check in between 8:30 am and 9:30 am. 8 Mile riders will begin between 10:00 and 10:30 am, and plan to check in between 8:30 am and 9:30 am. Inexperienced and slower riders should plan to leave as close to 9 am as possible to ensure they complete the route, which is a little longer than in previous years. We will send off several different waves of riders, so don't feel like you have to be first in line. Waves prevent farm stops from becoming overwhelmed and ensure proper road safety.
100% of the proceeds from the Tour fund our work at ACORN and directly support our local foodshed. Given the importance of this ride to our work with farmers and food producers in the Champlain Valley, we invite riders to fundraise or make an additional donation. This is in an effort to lean on our committed local network of supporters during this time of uncertain funding.
No One Turned Away for Lack of Funds. Please get in touch with us if you’d like a scholarship or to purchase a ticket on a sliding scale: info@acornvt.org.