Ellis Nature Centre

Farm / Ellis Nature Centre

Farm Type: educational centre with cattle, chickens, bees

Located in Lacombe County, ElliS Nature Centre keeps alive a tradition of caring for the land that’s all about sustainable farming, studying and helping native birds like Mountain Bluebirds and Tree Swallows, and promoting environmental education and conservation. Situated on the original 1906 farmstead of the Ellis Family, it’s a non-profit set up to carry on Charlie Ellis’s vision of conservation farming.

People of all ages get to connect with nature and learn about our research, which now includes partnerships with Alternative Land Use Services, Grey Wooded Forage Association, and Regenerative Agriculture Living Labs. Our farm team—made up of tenants, staff, and board members—works on creating and putting into action adaptive multi-paddock grazing plans. Our big goal is to implement AMP grazing on all grazing paddocks. As a demo farm, we want to raise awareness about conservation agriculture and show how it’s possible to raise cattle while also protecting biodiversity, water quality, and soil health.

At Open Farm days we will have demonstration of rotational grazing tools including solar water system, water infiltration demonstrations, a tour of our AMP grazing paddock set up, and rainwater storage/conservation. Activities for children include chicken and honey interactive workshops, rotational grazing activity and livestock low stress handling game.