Our Stories

The Artist Behind the 2025 Open Farm Days Logo: Wendy Johnsen Behind every great event is a collection of stories — stories of the land, the people, and the creative forces that help bring it all to life. For Alberta Open Farm Days, one such story begins not in a city gallery or studio, but on a quiet prairie farm

Rooted in Water: How NextGen Aqua Farms Grows the Future of Food   When you walk into NextGen Aqua Farms, you won’t find dusty boots or soil-covered rows of vegetables. Instead, you’ll hear the gentle trickle of water circulating through tanks and troughs, see leafy greens floating on rafts, and spot schools of tilapia gliding through pristine tanks. This is

Behind the Buzz: All About Christy Creek Honey Nestled in the picturesque landscapes of Alberta, Christy Creek Honey isn’t just a farm—it’s a haven for bees, nature, and the community it serves. “Tours, Honey, and All Things Bees” is more than a motto for Christy Creek Honey; it encapsulates their mission to educate, inspire, and delight. When we reached out

The Flow of Life: Medieval Manor Gardens’ Water Story Water is more than just a resource at Medieval Manor Gardens—it is the foundation of their farm, their business, and their way of life. Nestled in a region where water conservation and stewardship are crucial, Medieval Manor Gardens has woven sustainability into every aspect of their daily operations. As Dawn Watts

Protecting Alberta’s Water: The Mighty Peace Watershed Alliance’s Commitment to Sustainable Agriculture Water is the foundation of life, shaping our landscapes, ecosystems, and communities. For the Mighty Peace Watershed Alliance (MPWA), water is also at the heart of their mission—to protect and manage Alberta’s watersheds while working hand-in-hand with farmers, landowners, and conservation groups to create sustainable agricultural practices. The

A Dugout for the Future: DNA Gardens’ Water Story Since 1975, DNA Gardens has grown into a cherished family-run orchard and berry farm nestled in the dry, arid heart of east-central Alberta. But, one element has remained a constant challenge throughout their nearly 50-year journey: water. The arid environment of the east-central part of the province has posed a persistent

Re-wilding Alberta’s Waterways: A Conservation Journey at Coyote Lake Lodge An hour west of Leduc and Edmonton International Airport (YEG), Coyote Lake Lodge stands as a tranquil retreat with a mission that extends far beyond its picturesque setting. Owned by the Alberta Abilities Lodges Society, the Lodge is at the forefront of a bold initiative to restore Alberta’s creeks through

The Eastern Irrigation District – A Lifeline Through Water The Eastern Irrigation District (EID) serves as an agricultural and environmental cornerstone in southern Alberta, where water management shapes not only the land but also the lives of farmers, industries, and wildlife. Located along the Bow River and spanning more than 1.5 million acres, the EID manages a complex network of

Farm to Front Page: How Alberta Open Farm Days Made Headlines in 2024 We are thrilled to share that Alberta Open Farm Days received an incredible amount of media attention this year, with coverage spanning across the province! From local newspapers and radio stations to major TV broadcasts, the enthusiasm and support from our Alberta news outlets have been overwhelming.

Thank You for Making 2024 Alberta Open Farm Days a Remarkable Success! We wanted to issue a heart-felt thank you to every single visitor, Host farm, or supporting member for making the 2024 Alberta Open Farm Days an unforgettable experience. Whether you visited one farm or many, your enthusiasm and curiosity helped bring Alberta agriculture to life. This year, we

Tasting Tradition and Innovation in Lethbridge’s Food Corridor Nestled in the heart of Southern Alberta, the Lethbridge area is renowned as the “breadbasket of Canada.” It’s not just a hub of agricultural productivity; it’s a vibrant community where tradition meets innovation.  From sugar beets to beans, and cattle to pork, the region is a cornerstone of Canada’s food production. Lethbridge

Celebrating Kneehill County & Area at Trochu Arboretum & Gardens As we gear up for this year’s Alberta Open Farm Days, we are especially excited to talk about the cluster region of Kneehill County, and the special festival that will be taking place there on August 17th.  This event will run throughout the town of Trochu, with hotspots being the

Discover the Flavours of the Lakeland with our Specialty Curated Local Food Boxes! This year, Open Farm Days is highlighting Cluster Regions that are hotspots for agriculture and activity as we prepare for the 2024 O pen Farm Days, starting with the stunning Lakeland Region. Lakeland boasts a rich farming and cultural history that has flourished over generations. Spanning a

Discover the Wooly Wonders of Custom Woolen Mills at Alberta Open Farm Days Nestled between the Alberta towns of Carstairs and Linden, Custom Woolen Mills Ltd. is a living testament to the rich history and enduring craftsmanship of wool processing. As we prepare for Alberta Open Farm Days, we invite you to explore this unique mill that has been a

Unravel the Charm of Sunnyhill Alpacas and Twisted Sisters Mill at Alberta Open Farm Days Nestled in the picturesque landscapes of Leduc County, Alberta, Sunnyhill Alpacas and the Twisted Sisters Mill is a testament to the dedication and passion of its owners. As we gear up for Alberta Open Farm Days, we invite you to explore this unique farm that

Alberta Open Farm Days AGLC Training Session 2024   Toni Hazelwood from the Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) joins us to discuss liquor licensing required for Open Farm Days participants who are interested in serving alcohol at the event. Toni, a supervisor with the compliance branch in Edmonton, shared essential information on special event licensing and artisan markets,

This year we are shining a spotlight on one of agricultures fluffiest animals and an important part of Albertas fibre industry – the alpaca.   Did you know? Alpacas are a relatively new species to Alberta farms, and while there were alpacas in Alberta in the 1980’s the largest importation of alpacas into Canada happened in 1992. At this time

This year our featured artist, Kaylee Wray, created a colouring sheet for us to use as we to continue to celebrate the year of the alpaca! Please feel free to download and colour your own alpaca rainbow! How to download: Click on the alpaca image below. This will open a new screen on your mobile or a new tab on

This year, Alberta Open Farm Days is excited to announce our partnership with  artist Kaylee Wray to celebrate our agricultural theme this year, Alpacas! This fun and whimsical image was created to celebrate the alpacas prized soft durable wool and their gentle temperament and social personalities.   About Kaylee       Kaylee Wray is an Edmonton based artist and the

Open Farm Days is back in full gear for the 2025 season, including our training sessions for our host farms! Training sessions are FREE and are open for anyone that is interested for any farms or organizations interested in participating in an Open Farm Days event. Introduction to Open Farm Days for Ag Societies: On-Site Training and Ag Tourism Development

Did you know that MANY of your local farms are happy to take your used pumpkins after Halloween to feed to their animals? Lots of animals love to eat a delicious pumpkins even though they’ve been carved! If the pumpkin have paint, glitter, toothpicks or any other material that may be harmful to the animals, they will not be accepted.

We are excited for another year of Alberta Open Farm Days and to have you join us to celebrate agriculture in Alberta and rural tourism. Click the link below to register for Open Farm Days on August 16 & 17, 2025.  Please note the changes for farm gate signs post 2024: Open Farm Days provides road and farm gate signage

Open Farm Days is a great opportunity to get out of the city, or town and visit your neighbouring communities, eat delicious food and meet your farmers! Here are some things you should keep in mind while planning your Open Farm Days adventures. Planning your trip Step #1: Choose Your Host Farms Visit the host farms page to start adding

As an incubator for Ag Tourism, Open Farm Days provides an opportunity for farms to explore Agritourism.  Our food incubator program is designed to explore recipes and processing in an accessible format for our farms to encourage local food processing on a micro scale.  The program has created and nourished new product development from local craft sour Cherry juice to

This year our featured artist, Liz Buller Page,  has created two colouring sheets for us to use as we to continue to celebrate the year of the bison! Please feel free to download and colour as you like. As Liz says, as her buffalo is blue, please colour your buffalo as you like! How to download: Click on either the

Thank you for joining us for the 11th annual Alberta Open Farm Days Launch Event Speakers Lilly Rose, Métis Crossing Juanita Marois, CEO, Métis Crossing Dale Kirkland, Superintendent, Elk Island National Park Tim Carson, CEO, Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies Nizar Abouchami, Servus Credit Union Tannis Baker, Food Tourism Strategies Chef Liana Robberecht Liz Buller Page, artist Nicola Doherty, Marketing

This year we are shining a spotlight on one of Alberta’s keystone species, Bison, which has been a historically important part, not just of the eco-system in Alberta, but also a keystone ingredient for people that have lived on this land. The buffalo was an incredibly important part of Indigenous people of the plains. The buffalo hunt was a part

This year, Open Farm Days is excited to announce our partnership with artist Liz Buller Page to celebrate our agricultural theme this year, Bison. You’ll be able to see Liz’s image of a buffalo incorporating native plants within the body of this female buffalo including wild flowers, grasses, and berries. About Liz Liz is a member of the Treaty 6

Open Farm Days is back in full gear for the 2023 event, including our training sessions for our host farms! Training sessions are FREE and are open for anyone that is interested for any farms or organizations interested in participating in an Open Farm Days event. Early Registration Open Farm Days will be taking place August 19 & 20, 2023

There are many ways to shop farm fresh in Alberta, from a farmers market to subscription boxes, but did you know that many farms have a store onsite, will deliver or ship food to you? We’ve created a list of how to shop straight from a farm in Alberta! There are two ways to search this information, by food type

For Alberta Open Farm Days 10th anniversary this year, we wanted to recognize that farming is dependent on many things, such as community, family, and on other farm products. What better way to symbolize that than with one of our favourite pollinators, the honey bee. The bee and its hive demonstrates how much farming is interdependent. Bees pollinate the fruits,

Farming in Alberta, doesn’t happen insularly. It takes community, family, friends, colleagues, hard work, research, early mornings but also, farmers helping farmers. It takes working together, supporting each other (farmers, producers and consumers) and realizing we’re all part of a complex interconnected system. What better way to symbolize that than with one of our favourite pollinators, the honey bee, to

Did you know that Alberta is the largest honey producer in Canada and the third largest in North America? Alberta’s commercial beekeepers manage 25 billion bees; around 300,000 colonies and produce 40 million pounds of honey every year! Beekeeping in our province is a substantial contributor to the agricultural industry. Honey bees pollinate crops which increase yields and production. One third of the food

There are plenty of opportunities to participate in “Christmas on the Farm” events around Alberta this December. From hayrides, smores, and eating locally made products, it’s a whole different experience than farm visits in the summer, and something you’ll definitely want to check out! We’ve compiled a list of farm events around the province for you to attend. Hartell Homestead

There are few things more quintessential when you think of fall than the pumpkin, and its versatility has made it into our lattes, pancakes, and decor. If you’re planning on using your pumpkins as decor this fall, here are some tips on preserving them (before you carve them) for the perfect porch display or for storing them for cooking throughout

Alberta’s brewery, distillery, and winery industry is a growing industry in Alberta. From 7 in 2016 to 47 in 2021, the license for liquor has grown. Alongside the craft scene which in the last five years has seen a growth from 33 E licensed breweries and this year there are 133 in the province. Brewers Journal You can experience the

The Open Farm Days Incubator Program started in 2020 in collaboration with Alberta Open Farm Days and Open Farm Days participating farm. The program gives local farms the opportunity to develop their own product from scratch. While using home-grown ingredients, participants then have the opportunity to sell that product as an addition to their business.  The Incubator Program’s goal is

As the weather warms we’re thinking about cleaning up our own yards and perhaps growing our own gardens for the summer. Many of our farmers are starting their registration for CSA’s or Community Supported Agriculture. For those new to CSA’s, it’s a way for consumers farmers to connect with in-season locally grown products. The consumer buys a share of the

Did you shop from a farm this year? Whether it was direct from a farm, through local business, the Open Farm Days and Organic Box collaboration during the lockdown in the spring of 2020, or during the Open Farm Days event there are always lots of opportunities to shop from a farm. This holiday season is no different, and we’re