Jersey Shore Magazine

J e r s e y s h o r e • S p r i n g 2 0 1 8 64 JERSEY SHORE ACTIVITIES New Jersey by Bike Creative Winery and Farm Tours Combine Fun, Fitness, and Seasonal Fare by Christine Menapace T he breakfast had been amazing. A sausage, kale, and cheddar frittata; lemon blueberry scones; and sweet potato hash with caramelized onions, as well as bagels, fruit, yogurt, juices, and coffee. We sat at picnic tables in the rapidly warming morning and listened to a woman play the fiddle as we chatted with others. Normally, I would have eaten with abandon, but I knew I faced eighteen miles of cycling with several steep ascents and descents ahead of me. Not to mention the four farm stops along the way that included a variety of tasty samples like naturally smoked sausage from organically fed pigs at Hidden Woods Farm and fresh-pressed cider at the Community Supported Garden at Genesis Farm. It was a gorgeous late September day, perfect for touring this verdant countryside with my father, uncle, and three friends. But first we got a few photos with the baby cow, goat, and sheep before setting off. Sandy Chapman, Dave Fairweather, and Tour de Farm New Jersey founder Mitch Morrison enjoy a tasty breakfast before cycling. We were taking part in what is playfully named Tour de Farm New Jersey (www.tourdefarmnj.com), a daylong cycling and culinary adven- ture held on just two dates every autumn. The first date is usually over Labor Day weekend and takes place in Sussex County. The second date is approximately three weeks later and is held in Warren County. We were touring Warren County. I had heard about the tour from a partici- pant in my Women's Hiking Group, who raved about the experience, and decided it would be a perfect gift for my father, an avid cyclist and foodie. Though the price of the ride isn't inexpensive (anywhere from $75. to $150. per person, depending on when you register), and a farm- to-fork gourmet brown bag lunch afterwards is priced separately, Tour de Farm's founder, Mitch Morrison, generously offers free registration to the first thirty military veterans and their immediate families. As a former Marine, my Dad qualified! It should be noted that Tour de Farm New Jersey is not for the lazy. Though participants can choose from three different rides on each date (the 13.7 or 18-mile Weekend Warrior; the 25.6 or 42.2-mile Not- So-Extreme; or the 64.6 or 61.4-mile courtesy of Tour de Farm New Jersey

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