A day trip for Open Farm Days is a great way to spend the day, but if you have the weekend open, consider making a case to slow down and soak it all in over a fun filled weekend. The Barrhead region with six host farms are opening their gates this August, with a cluster of unique places to sleep, and enough good food and markets to fill a whole weekend, this is a region built for an overnight stay. Head out Friday to get a jump start on your weekend or head out Saturday morning- but we think you will like what is in store for you here!
Here is how to do it as one loop, starting and ending in Barrhead, so you spend your time exploring instead of backtracking. Full details on all Barrhead area hosts are also available through the County of Barrhead.
Start in Town
Fuel up before you head out. Saturday morning, stop at Flower Shoppe Café for fresh coffee and just-baked muffins, cookies, and pastries, or grab something from Daily Bread Bakery for homemade breads and treats (both closed Sunday).
Head West: Glamping, Grazing, and Horses
Geodome Accommodation at Simply Glamping
From Barrhead, take Highway 18 west to Simply Glamping, where beautifully designed domes and a log cabin blend comfort with nature. If you are staying overnight on this side of the loop, this is the spot; amenities include showers, hammocks, a playground, a bucket golf course, and trails, and it sits just two kilometres from Thunder Lake Park for ice cream and rental kayaks later in the day.
Heading south from there, you will hit Meunier Livestock, open Saturday, August 15 only. This is one of Alberta’s largest regeneratively managed ranches, and the team is inviting visitors onto a guided pasture tour showing how thoughtful grazing management benefits both the cattle and the land. Between tour times, step into the calving barn for interactive displays. Meunier also runs Modern Pastures, a direct-to-consumer platform for farm-direct, regeneratively raised meat, so this is a rare chance to stand on the land where your beef is grown, meet the people raising it, and pick up a beef box on-site or arrange delivery. Tours run at scheduled times throughout the day, admission is free, and all ages are welcome.
Horses at Key 13 Horsemanship
Continue south and you will land almost on top of two more hosts, right next to each other. Ehrenholz Farms raises beef cattle and spends its days managing pastures and cows. There is no set schedule here; instead, several stations are set up around the farm, each staffed by someone ready to talk through what you are looking at. Watch a demonstration of an off-site watering system and temporary electric fencing, examine the cattle handling equipment, view an exhibit breaking down the different cuts of beef, and “be the cow” as you walk through a low-stress cattle handling system yourself. You can also learn rotational grazing and weed management strategies, see how solar power runs the movable watering and fencing setups, and hear stories from retired farmers along the way.
Right nearby is Key 13 Horsemanship, running a training program built on science-based horsemanship and positive reinforcement. The farm develops thoughtful, willing equine athletes and operates a small breeding program specializing in Quarter Horses and Paints. Visitors can observe the herd in their natural environment, learn about herd dynamics and behaviour, and watch a horsemanship demonstration.
Loop East: A River, a Lake, and a Place to Sleep
Horse and foal from Sacred Heart Gypsies
From the Ehrenholz and Key 13 area, head east toward Sacred Heart Gypsies, thirty acres of meadow pasture bordered by the Pembina River and home to Karen’s Gypsy Cob herd. Hear the history and characteristics of the Gypsy Cob horse, meet the herd’s foundation pair, Wild Rose Ramble and Wild Rose Lyric, and see the mare herd, babies, and up-and-coming stud colt Titan 10. Open 11:30am to 2:00pm and 2:30pm to 5:30pm; drive past the house and angle park along the fence by the field. Please leave pets at home.
Lakeview Lodge
Just down the road is Lakeview Lodge, your other option for staying the night. It offers a cozy lodge, all-season cabins, a glamping tent, a holiday trailer, or room to bring your own RV or tent for onsite camping. Guests get access to an outdoor sauna, hot tub, and fire pit, all surrounded by nature, plus onsite amenities including the Lakeview Café, Lakeview Spa, and equipment rentals.
Keep heading southeast and you will reach Lac La Nonne General Store, open seven days a week with great foothills ice cream and a little antique store to browse. It is a good stretch break before your last stay option, Country Comfort Cabins, just a few minutes further. This family-run campground works well for both small and large groups, and includes weekday escape promotions if you can swing a mid-week stay.
The Far Stop East: Permaculture at BFF Farm
Vegetables from BFF Farm
The furthest stop on the loop, BFF Farm, is worth the drive east. Centred on permaculture, soil health, and sustainable living, their Farm Walk & Talk invites visitors to stroll the land and hear the reasoning behind the practices the family has chosen, from building healthy soil to growing fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, and farm goods. There is a farm scavenger hunt for family fun, plus fresh vegetables, homemade jam, and sourdough bread available for purchase.
Back to Barrhead: Dinner, Drinks, and Local Markets
Loop back into town to close out the day. Rooted in Barrhead BBQ & Vendor Market brings the community and visitors together around local agriculture. Taste test local products, try your hand at grinding wheat into flour, and hear farming stories and adventures straight from the source. A few 4-H members will be on-site showcasing projects like riding demonstrations and canine skills, and two vendors will be BBQing locally grown chicken and beef burgers for purchase, so bring cash.
For dinner options, Crooked Iron Bar & Grill at the Barrhead Golf Club is a beloved spot with a view. If you have room for dessert, De Herdt Gardens & Elieneke’s Bake Shop is a garden centre and bake shop specializing in Belgian pastry and chocolates made with local ingredients (closed Sundays).
Carol’s Country Cottage Willow Creations
If your timing lines up, round out the trip with a stop at one of the local markets:
- Barrhead Farmers’ Market — Saturdays, 10am to 1pm
- Barrhead Community Market — Thursdays, 4pm to 8pm
- Happiness is Homemade — see Facebook for opening days
- Carol’s Country Cottage — Fridays and Saturdays
The Point of Staying Over
Open Farm Days has always been about connecting people to where their food comes from. Experience the off the beaten path adventure -proof that a farm visit and a getaway do not have to be two separate trips.
Plan your Barrhead weekend at albertaopenfarmdays.ca.