LAKELAND - A number of farms, along with some businesses are getting ready to open their doors to the public as part of Alberta Open Farm Days, set to take place Aug. 14 and 15.
The opportunity offers residents across the region the chance to get up close and personal with local producers and agricultural proponents.
A handful of hosts from Lac La Biche, St. Paul, Bonnyville and the Cold Lake regions are set to take part in this year's initiative. The weekend is aimed at giving Albertans the chance to see where their food comes from and is described as a backstage pass to meet the farmer, experience ag-tourism in Alberta and taste local foods direct from producers.
In the Bonnyville-Cold Lake region, the majority of participants will only be taking part in Open Farm Days on Aug. 14. Hosts include Charlotte Lake Farms, 350 Farms, Landry Lake Ranch, Rocky Meadow Country Getaway, and Ye Olde MacLean Hobby Farm.
In the Lac La Biche region, participants range from Christy Creek Honey and Marsh Farms. To the south in the Smoky Lake area there is Métis Crossing.
The St. Paul and Elk Point regions will have a handful of participants also, including Lakeland Brewing Company, the St. Paul Museum, and K-Cow Ranch.
At the St. Paul Museum there will be various demonstrations taking place on Saturday and Sunday, such as cream separation, homemade butter, log sawing, seed cleaning, according to Thomasina Hatch. Saturday will feature a petting zoo, and on Sunday there will be a homemade ice cream demonstration.
More information, including directions to get to the farms, can be found online at the Alberta Open Farm Days website.
Plan your trip
In July, Nicola Doherty, marketing coordinated with Alberta Open Farm Days, said this year's event was expected to include over 100 producers from across the province.
“There is such a variety of producers in the province," she says, admitting that as someone who doesn't have a specific background in agriculture herself, it can be an eye-opening experience to take part in Open Farm Days.
While many public health measures and restrictions have lifted across the province, one piece that organizers did carry over from 2020 is the ability for people to book a specific time to visit host farms and organizations, and plan their entire Open Farm Days trip online - ahead of time. This planning allows for farmers to be better prepared and know how many people to expect each day.
People don't have to dedicate the entire weekend to Alberta Open Farm Days, and Doherty encourages people to visit even just one location if they are able to.
