Bike the Barns

There is only one way to experience the rich agricultural story of the Adirondacks, and that is farm-by bike. But don't sleep on this one, Bike the Barns is always one of the first to sell out.  

You guessed it, this fall bicycling tour features farm stops, but what makes this event special is its ability to tell the rich agricultural story of the Lake Champlain Valley while experiencing the landscape by bike. You can see, smell and absorb so much more when moving by your own pedal power. Following the ride, we'll kick back with a fabulous locally sourced meal provided by ADK Food Hub, delicious craft beverages by Ausable Brewing Company and live music by Ploughman's Lunch.

Date: September 21
Start/Finish Location: Camp Dudley, Westport
Mileage: 27-32 miles 
Participation Cap: 200 riders
Benefits: Adirondack North Country Association

Best of all, your registration supports Adirondack North Country Association's important work to bolster local food systems in order to drive economic growth, reduce food insecurity and contribute to positive community and health outcomes. In coordination with Camp Dudley, ADK Food Hub and ANCA’s Compost for Good program, we aim to make this a zero-waste event.

Make it a Weekend
Bike the Barns will take place on the heels of the annual Adirondack Harvest Festival, set for Saturday, September 20 at the Essex County Fairgrounds in Westport. Both events feature a variety of local food producers and regional groups that support them.

Registration Includes

• Fully-supported routes
• Farm tours with fully stocked rest stops
• Finish line lunch featuring live music
• Copy of Adirondack Life Magazine
• Event goodie bag
   

The Route

Camp Dudley - Start/Finish Host
Founded in 1885 and landing at its current site in Westport in 1908, Camp Dudley is a strong ANCA partner and community leader. Camp staff 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 stunning Lake Champlain waterfront property. 

Essex Food Hub - Stop #1
Essex Food Hub advances local and regional food-system resilience through market coordination, services for small food businesses, food-sovereignty initiatives, and collaborations that drive systems-level change. The nonprofit continually creates adaptive solutions to food-system gaps in an ever-changing landscape, and uplifts rural communities by connecting small farms with their neighbors. In addition to playing a vital behind-the-scenes role in our local food system, it also features a self-serve market that carries some of the best locally-produced goods around, as well as seeds, plants, and other supplies to help community members grow their own food. 

DaCy Meadow Farm - Stop #2
DaCy Meadow Farm is a complete farmstay experience. They offer various on-farm lodging options, as well as farm to table dining and private dining experiences. Located on more than 150 acres near Westport, N.Y., DaCy Meadow Farm is also home to over three miles of hiking trails through the Champlain Area Trail System (CATS). The “Localvore Gallery” features artwork and memorabilia that celebrate agricultural and rural lifestyles. 

Echo Farm - Stop #3
Located in Essex, Echo Farm encompasses nearly 170 acres of tillable and forested land that was acquired through conservation partnerships and a 75-acre lease a historic family farm. Nestled between Sprig and Whipple Mountains, the farm originated as a diversified homestead and dairy operation that now provides catering services and local food and farm experiences for events. Producing a diversity of crops that vary year to year, their practices remain consistent with the philosophies and values of organic and sustainable small-scale farming. Many of Echo Farm’s livestock and crops are heritage and heirloom varieties, selected for optimum flavor and presentation. Farmstead Catering offers a culinary invitation to not only gather around the farm table, but also to explore the magic of Echo Farm.

Barred Owl Brook Farm - Stop #4
Barred Owl Brook Farm is a small farm in Westport, N.Y. committed to the expansion of temperate agroforestry and proud to be one of more than 30,000 farms nationwide that utilize agroforestry practices. Farmers Alex Caskey and Audrey Crocker believe that temperate agroforestry holds the potential to mitigate climate change, improve farm resiliency and farmer livelihoods, and fundamentally transform our society’s broken relationship with the natural world and the food we eat. In the farm’s nursery, Alex and Audrey propagate cold-hardy, regionally adapted tree crops including fruit and nut species, ornamentals, and trees grown for fodder, hedgerows, riparian protection and more.
 

Rider Experiences

"Absolutely amazing event! So well planned out and easy to follow route! Everything was great! I will definitely be back!"

"I don't consider myself to be an avid cyclist, but BikeADK made Bike the Barns accessible for folks of varying ability levels, and I was happy to ride along at my own pace and enjoy the magnificent autumn scenery. The event support was terrific."

"This was my first ride with BikeADK and I was impressed by the level of service. From fully stocked support stations to the friendliest crew imaginable everything was top notch."