On Saturday, September 27, Race Farm, at 87 Belcher Road, Blairstown, hosts the second annual Tour de Farm Race New Jersey, a cycling and tasting tour of Northern New Jersey’s farms to raise awareness of New Jersey’s agricultural richness, highlight the importance of eating local, farm-fresh food, and to share the farmers’ stories. Hundreds of passionate cyclists, farm enthusiasts and locavores will ride along the rolling hills of scenic farm country in Warren and Sussex counties and sample the local fareof more than a dozen farms, prepared by some of the area’s top chefs, along the way.

The Tour de Farm offers routes for riders of different ages and fitness levels. The 5-mile Family Friendly Ride takes parents and children through the beautiful Rails to Trails path, then on to the Blairstown Farmer’s Market for a Farm Treasure Hunt, and finally to a working vegetable farm, flower farm, and alpaca farm. The 35-mile Weekend Warrior Ride takes riders on a tasting tour of more than eight farms in Sussex County. The 78-mile Extreme NJ Farm Ride challenges even the most advanced rider with a 6,000-foot elevation change over some of the oldest and most historic roads in the nation. Riders will start off with a gourmet locavore breakfast and sample healthy hors d'oeuvres after their ride.

The tour culminates in a ten-course Farm-to-Fork Celebration, a gourmet outdoor feast prepared by eight of the Garden State’s top chefs using local, seasonal ingredients. Attendance is by ticket only and limited to 250 people. Early registration is $75 a person until July 31; $100 per person from August 1 to September 27. Proceeds help support the farmers and will be donated to the World Bicycle Relief Fund.

For more information on the Tour de Farm and Farm-to-Fork Celebration, visit Tourdefarmnj.com, contact RJ Donnelly at 973-380-9234 or email [email protected].