Registration is now open for the 16th Annual Tour de Farms!
Join us on Sunday, September 15, in Shoreham, VT!
Taste food from over 20 local vendors, delighting in the sights, sounds and tastes of the Champlain Valley.
All proceeds benefit ACORN's local food access programs including the ACORN Food Hub and Farmacy: Food is Medicine.
2024 Event Day Information
Weather
Everyone wants to know. The event is rain or shine. Please keep in mind that this event is a fundraiser for ACORN. If you are not able to make it to the event, please consider your registration fees as a donation to ACORN. We do not offer refunds for unattended events.
Start and Finish
The Tour starts and finishes at the Shoreham Green, near Platt Memorial Library. Please follow the signs to park near the Shoreham Fire Station.
The Tour finishes with Shoreham’s Apple Fest - save your appetite to enjoy pulled pork, apple cider and apple pie!
The Tour is rain or shine. Enjoy panoramic views and beautiful back roads while visiting local farms in Shoreham and Orwell, Vermont. Most farm stops along the way will have multiple food producers who will offer you a taste of something they are known for. You will want to bring cash in case you'd like to purchase products along the way. You won't have to carry it all on the bike; we'll have a farm van to pick up your purchases and deliver them to the finish for you!
Choose from a 10-mile ride (great for families with younger riders), or a 30-mile ride. Much of the course is along dirt and/or gravel roads, so grab your gravel grinder or your mountain bike. If you've got a road bike, you need to put wider tires on it for this ride.
Please plan and pack accordingly! This is a long, hilly ride. We advise training adequately on hills and gravel before attempting.
Riders can choose from two ride options:
10-mile ride
30-mile ride
Much of the course is along dirt and/or gravel roads, so grab your gravel grinder or your mountain bike. If you've got a road bike, you must put wider tires on it for this ride.
these two are the epitome of good safety! bright clothing, helmets, single file riding... two thumbs up, orange team!
Course Safety
Please listen to all flaggers, police and/or volunteers.
Make sure your bike is in good mechanical condition!
Please ride single file on paved roads.
Ride no more than two abreast on unpaved roads.
Please move to the right side of the road to make room for folks who are passing. If you are passing another rider, please make yourself known by announcing “passing on your left!” and pass on the left side.
Do not stop in the middle of the road for any reason unless it is an emergency. If you need to stop, please pull over the side of the road as soon as it is safe and possible to do so.
Pay close attention to all road markers and signs. Carry a printed map with you.
HELMETS ARE MANDATORY.
What to Bring:
A helmet is a mandatory requirement to ride the Tour.
Rear flashing light (strongly recommended).
Sunscreen.
Hand Sanitizer.
Please wear BRIGHT CLOTHING for higher visibility on the roads.
A mountain bike or road bike with wide tires is STRONGLY recommended. Several miles of the 30-mile route are on hard-packed dirt roads.
Cash and/or credit/debit card to purchase foods at farms to take home (there will be a food pick-up van so you won't have to carry items with you).
A couple of extra layers of clothing so you are ready for the (fabulous but unpredictable) weather.
A water bottle. There will be water available along the route at farm stops designated on the map.
A spoon and fork (or a spork), a napkin, a cup, and a bowl for sampling food. This will help us cut down on waste!
Coolers to bring home vegetables, meats, cheeses, and other perishable farm goods that will be on sale at each farm (a Farm Van will transport the goods back to the start so you don't have to worry about carrying them on your bike).
Camera.
Parking
Parking will be at a premium. Please pay close attention to the parking attendants.
Check-In and Ride Start Times
There will be a rolling start time for all ride distances. The 30-mile riders will begin between 9:00 - 9:45, so if you're riding that course, plan to check in between 8:30 and 9:40. Al will be sending off several different waves of riders, so don't feel like you have to be first in line. We will have to send you out in waves to prevent the farm stops from becoming overwhelmed.
The 10-mile route will also have a rolling start beginning at 10 am. With fewer riders, this group will go out a bit faster. Plan on checking in between 9:30 and 10:10.
After Party
After the ride, while you’re waiting for the farm van to arrive with the goods you purchased along the way, enjoy the Annual Shoreham Apple Fest to benefit the Platt Memorial Library! Apple Fest will be happening on the green where you checked in the morning for the Tour de Farms (where you will also end your ride). You can expect a farmer’s market, children’s activities, an apple pie contest, music, and delicious food. Enjoy lunch on the green, purchase local produce, and recover a little bit from your ride before heading home. It’s the icing on the cake after a wonderful day spent in the Vermont countryside with family and friends, or perhaps making new friends!
2022 Tour de Farms in Seven Days! (Click here to read the July 13, 2022 article)
Fundraiser
Did you know the Tour is ACORN's #1 fundraiser?
We set the registration prices to make the Tour as accessible as possible for everyone and to cover our costs of organizing the event.
Join us in promoting the value of local food throughout the year by making a donation in addition to the base price of the ticket.
It is part of ACORN's mission to encourage the growth of local food to build a stronger local economy and the health of our community, and we can't do it without you.
25% of all pre-registration proceeds go directly to the participating farms.
The 2024 Route:
We are excited to bring the Tour de Farms back to where it all began - Shoreham and Orwell, Vermont. We have a fantastic lineup of farms for you to visit along this year’s 30-mile course.
The course includes some hills along the way and a number of unpaved roads. Mountain bikes, gravel grinders or road bikes with wide tires are required. Participants will be sharing the road with vehicles. While we recommend the Tour for children 14 years old and up, any children under 14 should be experienced road riders and must be accompanied by an adult as we are sharing the roads with vehicles. A route map will be provided at registration/check-in.
Thanks to our 2023 Sponsors!
TOUR CHAMPS
SPIN MASTERS
High Wheelers
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