"Bike to Barns" rolling through Missoula

MISSOULA — As COVID-19 drags on, it’s getting harder and harder to keep the family entertained. No longer can you grab the kids and pile into a movie theater or go to the ballpark to watch a game.

So if you’re on the hunt for a family friendly, COVID conscious activity, Bike to Barns might just be the perfect thing.

Bike to Barns is a fundraiser for the non-profit Community Food and Agriculture Coalition (CFAC) focused on farmland conservation, beginning farmer and rancher training and resources and providing local food access to all Montanans through administering the Double SNAP Dollars (DSD) program at farmers markets statewide.

On the tour you’ll explore local farms in Missoula’s Orchard Homes and Target Range neighborhoods. One of the stops along the route, Red Hen Farm and Orchard, is managed by Julie Engh Peters. She said Bike to Barns has been a rewarding experience for both her and her customers.

“People are actually seeing the farms. They're actually knowing what kind of people we are and how we farm, and then creating a relationship, and then eating probably the most nutritious and farm fresh food available on the planet,” said Peters.

Registration for Bike to Barns ends on Sept. 15. Once registered, you’ll receive a bike route map, special farm stand offers, goodies, BINGO challenge game and a delicious local meal from The Trough restaurant. Individual packages start at $35, and two-person and four-person packages are also available.

Event sponsors include The Trough restaurant, NorthWestern Energy, Adventure Cycling, Missoula Grain and Veg, and Blue Mountain Growers Coop.

To register, visit here.