Experience the Delightful Sugarhouse Latte at Finding Home Farms

The Ride

My GS got a lot of miles last year with the BMW MOA rally and the Mid Atlantic Backcountry Discover Route, so I had been using the other bikes for coffee rides. I wanted to get it back into the rotation, so today’s ride to Finding Home Farms, part of our Upstate Coffee Crawl series, was the perfect destination for me to take the GS on.

Finding Home Farms is within the city limits of Middletown, NY, in Orange County, but it’s not in the downtown; instead, it is located in the farmlands surrounding the city.  Leaving Cross River, NY, the Beeline Moto compass indicated 49.5 miles as the crow flies.  But I pointed myself to cross at the Bear Mountain Bridge as that was almost perfectly in line with the straight line.  See our article on discovering new roads with Beeline.

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I started late, so I took 35 straight through Yorktown to the Bear Mountain Parkway.  The construction on the causeway leading up 6/202 to the bridge is still underway, so I was delayed by a one-way light just past Camp Smith.  Ironically, some construction was also on the Bear Mountain Bridge, so I was delayed again.

Once across the Bear Mountain Bridge, I embarked on a journey through Harriman State Park on Seven Lakes Drive. At Tiorati Circle, I got onto Arden Valley Road, the best motorcycle road in the park. It terminates at Route 17, where I turned left and headed south before getting onto Route 17A. As I traveled over the ridge to Greenwood Lake, I passed the Renaissance Fairgrounds.   

I continued on 17A over the next ridge, descending into Warwick, NY.  Here, I grabbed some farm roads leading toward Pine Island, seeing some of the black dirt farms in the area.   Finding a road perfectly aligned with the compass became more challenging as I drew closer, so I hit a few T-intersections and picked a road not heading 90 degrees from my intended direction.  The roads I went on were terrific, passing around various farms.  I got onto Route 6, a major road here, but only briefly before I turned onto Eatontown Rd, where Finding Home Farms is located.

Pulling into the winding gravel driveway to the farmhouse, Rever reported that I had completed 75.1 miles on my route. See the route below.

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The Coffee Shop

While the sugarhouse’s address is listed in Middletown, it is at least 15-20 minutes from downtown. It’s closer to the villages of Millsburg and Bushville in the heart of farmland.

The farmhouse is a modern aluminum wall-style building.  The front has wood timber posts supporting a roof, creating an outdoor seating area in a wrap-around porch.  To the right is a tall barn-like portion of the building in stained wood with a large double door below the sign for Finding Home Farms.

The parking lot has plenty of space and is flat, so motorcycles will have no issues finding an excellent spot to lay the bike on the kickstand.  Don’t let the gravel driveway put you off.  While I was on an adventure bike today, the gravel driveway isn’t very long, and I would be very comfortable on any bike, including the big R18.

This is a working sugar farm with some maple trees used for sugaring visible from the building.  Entering through the front door under the porch, I found a warm farm interior with a counter to order near the entrance.  Several tables were inside, and a couch next to a coffee table was looking at the fireplace.  The stairs lead up to a second level, with an office.  The walls and roof had exposed beams with a light wood stain and small windows up high, giving the space an excellent natural light ambiance.

I was pleasantly greeted by one of the two staff behind the counter running the register while the other colleague worked the espresso machine.  The menu behind them offered Americano, Cappucino, drip coffee, espresso, and a Sugarhouse latte for coffee.  For food, waffles, croffles (croissants pressed in a waffle iron) and other treats were available, plus some cold beverages.

I placed my order and asked if it was OK for me to sit outside. They said they would bring out my order. As it was one of the first warm days of spring, an outside table felt perfect for the day. I had a good view of the sugar trees toward the right.

The Refreshments

Visiting a working sugarhouse, I felt obliged to order the Sugarhouse Latte.  It was served in a wide ceramic mug.  The wide mouth highlighted the beautiful brown top, and the milk mark was still evident.  The first sip showed the maple sugar, making for an excellent flavor.  It had a nice, smooth texture with a sweet finish at a perfect temperature.  I highly recommend trying it when you visit.

When I arrived around lunchtime, I indulged in the Sugarhouse Waffle plate. It was a feast for the eyes, served with sugared whipped cream in a beige tone that perfectly complemented the waffles. The waffles perfectly balanced crispiness and fluffiness, and the whipped cream added a delightful sweetness. The combination of the coffee and the meal was outstanding, and the sugar buzz from the maple syrup was a perfect mood lifter for the long ride back home.

With beautiful roads leading to the charming farmhouse, Finding Home Farms is an easy recommendation for a Moto coffee destination.  Adding a meal to your coffee truly makes for a beautiful day trip.