Tour de Farm Bike Ride

ASA and Saratoga PLAN Host Tour de Farm Bike Event This Sunday

What:              3rd Annual Tour de Farm Bike Ride to Benefit Farmland Conservation

When:             Sunday, August 22, 2010 from 9:00 am – 12:00 noon

Where:            Hand Melon Farm pick your own, 533 Wilbur Ave., Greenwich

Contact:          Meegan Finnegan, Agricultural Stewardship Association 518-692-7285 meegan@agstewardship.org

Tour de Farm Rolls Out This Sunday

Big turnout expected for the bike tour to benefit farmland conservation in the Upper Hudson River Valley

 On Sunday morning, August 22, 2010 at least 200 cyclists and volunteers will gather at the Hand Melon Farm in Easton for the start of the third annual Tour de Farm. Cyclists will ride either 15 or 35 miles, stopping at farms and historic sites along the way.

 The tour was designed to draw attention to the importance of farmland conservation in the area surrounding the Saratoga Battlefield. This area is critical to our local agricultural economy, and provides abundant fresh food to the region as well as scenic and historical context for visitors to the Battlefield.

 At the end of the ride (approximately 12:00 pm), participants will enjoy a delicious picnic of local foods donated and prepared by dozens of farms, businesses, and individual volunteers.  Senator Roy Mc Donald and Assembly Tony Jordan will join the crowd at the picnic, and the Dairy Princesses from all three surrounding counties will be on hand to help serve the food.  A special new ice cream flavor called “Forever Farmland” will debut at the event.

 Tour de Farm is a joint project of Agricultural Stewardship Association (ASA) and Saratoga PLAN, in partnership with Saratoga National Historical Park and Open Space Institute (OSI).  It was funded by a grant from Historic Saratoga-Washington on the Hudson Partnership.  For more information, call 518-692-7285 or visit www.agstewardship.org