The fourth annual Bike the Barns, hosted by the Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA), has been scheduled for Sunday, September 29th, and will begin and end at Tucker Farms, 64 Hobart Rd in Gabriels, NY.

Tucker Farms is a fifth generation family farm, which has been growing potatoes for over 100 years.

ANCA staff developed Bike the Barns in 2016 with a vision to promote North Country farm businesses and the local food movement. Past events, which have grown from about 100 riders and supporters in 2016 to over 250 participants in 2018, have taken place in the Champlain and Ausable River Valleys. This year, the Saranac Lake area presents organizers and participants with unique opportunities given the variety of farms and community groups that are involved in the local agriculture scene.

The event will offer different route options, ranging from about 10 miles to about 75 miles, to suit individual riders’ abilities and preferences. Each route will bring cyclists past mountain views and agricultural landscapes and include rest stops at a variety of farms including vegetable, dairy and livestock operations, where farmers will lead tours throughout the day.

The finish line celebration with feature a local food meal, local beverages and live music at Tucker Farms. The Great Adirondack Corn Maze, an annual offering at Tucker’s, will be open for participants to explore.

Proceeds from Bike the Barns go to ANCA’s FarmShare Fund, which helps support and promote a sustainable and equitable regional food system. Goals of the fund include building connections between farms and consumers by addressing food security; supporting ANCA’s existing local food initiatives like farm to school, food hub development and agritourism projects; and supporting local food efforts of regional partners.

In 2018, the FarmShare Fund mini grant program funded five projects that help connect low-income households with nutritious, locally produced food.

Registration for longer routes costs $60 and includes an event t-shirt, farm tours and a local-food lunch and dinner. The shorter family ride costs $40 and includes farm tours and dinner, and t-shirts can be purchased separately.

For more information about Bike the Barns and the FarmShare Fund or to register for the event, visit the event webpage.

For more information on ANCA, visit their website.

Photo of Bike the Barns participants in Essex provided by ANCA.