Tour de Farms Advance Registration is Open | Rural Vermont

Bike Ride Offers Farm Visits, Great Food, & Family Fun

Shoreham, VT ? July 29, 2011 ? Get ready to oil up the gears, strap on the helmet and stretch those legs (and stomach!), because the 4th Annual Tour de Farms is right around the corner, and advance registration has just opened! Rural Vermont, Addison County Relocalization Network and the Vermont Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition again partner to host this scenic bike tour through the Champlain Valley on Sunday, September 18th 2011, starting and ending at the Shoreham Green in Addison County, VT. Staggered starts begin at 10:30 am. This year?s event is sponsored by Earl?s Cyclery & Fitness, Vermont Fresh Network, Long Trail Brewery, and American Flatbread of Middlebury, and is expected to draw close to 600 participants from all over Vermont and beyond.

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Advance registration is open through September 12th at 5 pm at http://www.ruralvermont.org/events/tdf/, or registration materials can be obtained by calling Rural Vermont at (802) 223-7222. Those who register in advance will pay $25 for adults and $10 for kids 12 & under, which is a 50% savings over on-site registration fees on the day of the event! Kids in trailers and bike seats ride free and don?t need to be registered.

Riders will choose from routes of 10, 25 and 30 miles, all of which will pass a variety of family farms offering riders samples of their finest food and drink. Previous years? samples have included quiche, salads, wine, turkey, yogurt, cookies, apple cider, and much more. Thanks to a new partnership with the Vermont Fresh Network, 2011 cyclists can expect to see a few local chefs cooking up samples that will feature additional Addison County producers. And for those cyclists on the 30 mile route who are hungry for lunch, the Northeast Organic Farming Association will be selling local pizza at the Orwell Green!

The 2011 Tour de Farms? seventeen participating farms include Doolittle Farm, Golden Russet Farm, B Vineyard & Shoreham Winery, VT Trade Winds, North Branch Farm & Gardens, Millbourne Farm, Champlain Orchards, Stonewood Farms, Lemon Fair Honey Works, Benjamin Brown, Neshobe Farm, Solar Haven Farm, Singing Cedars Farmstead, Danzahn Farm, Stoney Lonesome Farm, Metta Earth Institute, and Windfall Orchard.

Cyclists are encouraged to stick around after the Tour to enjoy Apple Fest on the Shoreham Green. Apple Fest will feature hot food for sale, live music, and a farmers? market. Many of the Tour de Farms participating farmers will be selling their goods, and the Apple Fest will provide the perfect opportunity to stock up on winter meats, vegetables, and canned goods. Bring the checkbook and a bag!

If you?re not interested in riding, but want to be involved, consider volunteering! Volunteers are needed to assist with various aspects of the Tour de Farms, including registration, parking, farmer?s helpers, photography, crowd control, and ride marshalling. In return for a three-hour time commitment, volunteers will receive a free Tour de Farms t-shirt. Those who get in touch early are more likely to secure assignments of personal interest.

There will be a limited number of vendor spots available on the Shoreham Green during Tour de Farms registration, 8 am ? noon. Vendor space is $50 for nonprofits, and $150 for businesses.

To volunteer or inquire about vendor space, contact shelby@ruralvermont.org or call (802) 223-7222.

Rural Vermont is a non-profit advocacy group founded by Vermont farmers in 1985. For more than 25 years, Rural Vermont has been advancing economic justice for Vermont farmers through advocacy and education. For more info, call (802) 223-7222 or visit www.ruralvermont.org.

ACORN (Addison County Relocalization Network) is a community response to an energy-constrained future. The mission is to revitalize our local food economy and to build the prosperity and sustainability of our farms. For more info, visit www.acornvt.org.

The nonprofit Vermont Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition promotes bicycling and walking safety via education and advocacy to make Vermont bicycle- and pedestrian friendly for residents and visitors alike. For more info, call (802) 225-8904 or visit www.vtbikeped.org.

Source: http://www.ruralvermont.org/press-releases/tour-de-farms-advance-registration-is-open/

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