The region’s small farms will be celebrated with an all-day Adirondack Harvest Festival at the Essex County Fairgrounds from 11 am to 5 pm on Saturday, September 16th, including Champlain Area Trails’ Farm-To-Fest Hike.

The Adirondack Harvest Festival will display the valley’s harvest with over 30 regional agricultural vendors, including cheese-makers, meat and sausage producers, vegetable growers, brewers and vintners. Exhibits and films and farm presentations will be shown in Floral Hall throughout the day. There will be demonstrations including cider pressing, bee keeping, growing gourmet mushrooms, harvesting and storing seeds, flax processing, baking with ancient grains and soap making. Festivities include food trucks and brewers as well as an organic pig roast and live music.

Participants of the Farm-To-Fest Hike will meet at the Essex County Fairgrounds at 9 am to ride the shuttle bus two miles to the DaCy Meadow Trailhead. The hike will traverse through lush farm fields with views of Toll Gate Hill, Lake Champlain, and the forested West Champlain Hills. After entering DaCy Meadow’s forests, the hike will pass by some old trees and arrive on Ledge Hill Road for a gentle downhill walk to the Harvest Festival at the Fairgrounds.

Suggested donation for the hike is $5/person; under 18 and students free. You can pre-register for the hike here, or when the hike begins.

Admission is free to the Adirondack Harvest Festival. For further information about that event click here.