WISCASSET, Maine — Registration is now open for the 18th annual Midcoast Maine Tour de Farms, scheduled for Sept. 30. Enjoy an early fall bike ride while supporting local farmers and producers. The Morris Farm Trust of Wiscasset sponsors the cycling tour through the scenic farmland of Maine’s Midcoast, with stops at local farms, orchards and creameries.
This year’s Tour de Farms offers rides of 56 and 42 miles through Wiscasset, Dresden and Whitefield, as well as a 17-mile family ride. Participants can visit some of Maine’s most unique and beautiful farms, sample their products and gain a better appreciation for local agriculture. They’ll also be able to purchase fresh goods from the farms to take home. Volunteers will courier cyclists’ purchases back to the Morris Farm. Participating farms and producers include Goranson’s, a certified organic farm; Uncas Farm and Sheepscot General Store; Bailey’s Orchard; Fuzzy Udder Creamery, Chase Farm Bakery and Oxbow Brewery. Shepherd’s Craft Farm will hold a sheepdog demonstration along the route.
The event is intended for experienced and novice cyclists, as well as local food lovers. For parents with small children, The Morris Farm will offer an on-site Bicycle Camp, which kids can attend while their parents ride. The camp, which costs $20, will engage kids in farm chores such as milking goats and gathering eggs, a bicycle safety class and obstacle course and making bicycle-powered ice cream.
After the ride, participants are welcome to return to the Morris Farm for a barbecue featuring foods grown and made locally, including vegetarian options. The acoustic musical duo Well-Seasoned, who perform regularly throughout the Midcoast, will provide entertainment. Non-riders are welcome to attend the barbecue, too; simply register online at www.morrisfarm.org/tourdefarms2017. Fees for the Tour run from $25 to $75, depending upon length of ride. Families groups of three or more can take advantage of a flat fee of $75, which includes the barbecue.
The Midcoast Maine Tour de Farms is sponsored annually by The Morris Farm Trust. Located in Wiscasset, the Trust is both a working farm and an educational resource for the communities of Midcoast Maine. A nonprofit, educational membership organization, the Morris Farm Trust promotes the values of sustainable agriculture and stewardship of the earth through education, demonstration and community involvement. All proceeds from the ride benefit The Morris Farm Trust’s community programming.
To register for the 2017 Tour de Farms, please visit www.morrisfarm.org/tourdefarms2017. The rain date for the 2017 Tour de Farms will be Oct. 1.
— Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
