Alberta Open Farm Days returns Aug. 16 and 17, offering visitors an up-close opportunity to check out all kinds of unique agricultural operations.
The event was launched in 2013 with the goal of offering farmers and ranchers an opportunity to tell their stories, and to help guests understand where their food comes from.
“We talk about Open Farm Days being a province-wide open house,” says Tannis Baker, a member of the executive planning committee.
“It creates a great understanding of our neighbours who are maybe just 100 kilometres from our door, but who also live entirely different lifestyles. It also connects urban residents with their food sources, and provides that understanding of what it’s like to grow things, too. It’s so interesting to have a program like this!”
Open Farm Days continues to grow as it taps further into the international agricultural tourism trend.
“From a global perspective, agri-tourism is huge. If we were to go to Italy or France, we’d be all over visiting local farms to see how cheese is made, or maybe visiting a vineyard. But we don’t always see the charm in our own backyard.
“So we are at the point now where we are really starting to build some amazing spots, which are absolutely worth the time and distance to go and learn about,” Baker says. “We have a lot of room to grow for sure, but it’s really exciting to see those (places).”
It’s a lot of fun for the hosts, too.
“I think one of the great things is you can go for free, or, on the flip side, there are farms that do have markets, and those extra experiences. So if you want to pay for a hayride, or do some extra things, that is possible as well.
Participating farms all have an educational component for visitors.
“Any farm that is on our map will be offering this…so it really allows people an opportunity to have this amazing, educational experience,” she says.“It brings people closer together.”
Head to albertaopenfarmdays.ca for a complete list of participating farms.
While some people like to take in several sites in a day, others prefer a more major event where they can spend the day experiencing all it has to offer, Baker says.
Several culinary events are aimed at celebrating local food and products.
“Some of Alberta’s most talented chefs and rural communities will be hosting a memorable series of farm-to-table culinary events that will be held around the province using Alberta farm products,” according to the website.
Choose your own adventure
Another key feature is the event’s striking sense of diversity, Baker says.
“We have somewhere between 150 to 160 farms, and there’s everything from breweries and distilleries, to events like at Millarville where they are having their annual fair. So there’s such a wide range of experiences people can have.
“You can build your own adventure, however you like it.”
This year’s theme is about water, so producers will be chatting about irrigation practices as well – a timely issue in a time of relative drought the province, too.
“We are working with Brooks and Bassano, talking about the original aqueducts that were built (from) 1912 to 1913. Then there is the Bassano Dam, where you can actually walk underneath it, and gain an understanding of how that works.
While the weekend is free, visitors are asked to register with each farm they plan to visit so operators have an idea of how many people may be dropping by. Please leave pets at home and refrain from smoking at the sites.
For more about Alberta Open Farm Days, lists of nearby farms to visit, and to register for the various visits, head to albertaopenfarmdays.ca.
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