Our Stories

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

This has been updated to reflect the changes to COVID-19 regulations, summer 2021 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.   Scheduling your farm

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

In 2020 we embarked on a small incubator program for Open Farm Days as an extension of the Open Farm Days collaborative beer program launched in 2019.  The group decided to explore a juice option utilizing fruit from a local U-Pick Farm. DNA Gardens, a fruit tree nursery orchard in Elnora, was selected given the abundance of juice from the

How we move about our days has been challenged by COVID-19 and, it’s also impacted how Open Farm Days may be experienced this year. Many of the things that we have grown to love such as donning bee suits and packing onto a wagon ride will look different. What won’t be different will be the thrill of visiting a farm

If you’re heading on the road for Open Farm Days this year there are many culinary adventures you can embark on from food trucks selling local food to BBQs at the farms. One culinary tradition we’re excited is continuing into 2020 is the picnic at the farm. There are two farm created picnics you can order for your Open Farm

Planning to plant and planting trees and shrubs with Paulette Sparks with Wild Country Gardens   Planting trees and shrubs is a big deal.  They last a long time and each tree and shrub has its own life style.  Make sure the trees and shrubs you plan to plant are what you really want in your yard before you plant.  

We often think of food as single entities and not as part of a bigger regional story, thus we wanted to showcase food that is grown in Alberta with a regional twist with Wheatland County. Wheatland County is a municipal district in south-central Alberta, Canada, east of Calgary. To make this pie we used the following: Ingredients: One pound of

Welcome to Chef Inspired Open Farm Days! In collaboration with our farmers, The Organic Box, and chefs from around the province, we bring you a series of meals and videos that bring together Albertan farm-fresh food, inspiration from local chefs, groceries delivered to your home, and delicious meals. For 8 weeks in the spring of 2020 we curated bi-weekly meals

If there is a silver lining that can be seen through the pandemic currently sweeping the globe, it is that many people are looking towards trying their hand at gardening. While I will admit I am somewhat biased to the subject, I couldn’t be more thrilled to see the greater population looking towards local food sources. Gardening is a wonderful

Open Farm Days creates a unique farm box in partnership with The Organic Box  We are excited to announce a pilot program with The Organic Box. Starting April 24, customers will be able to purchase one of three curated boxes filled with products from the farms you’ve visited over the last 7 years. There are a limited number of boxes

Eh Farms is a family-owned farm in Strathmore, Alberta that specializes in raising pure Red Mangalitsa (Woolly) pigs for breeding and for culinary use. If you’ve not hears of Red Mangalitsa pigs before, you’re not alone. Red Mangalitsa (or red woolies as farmer, Christina calls them) are a Hungarian heritage breed and are one of the last hairy breeds with

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

    Love Alberta Open Farm Days? How would you like a winter version? Experience life on the farm in winter! See how the animals keep warm and how farmers job is never (ever) done.   December 14-15  Alberta Open Farm Days is piloting a winter program in Strathmore and Wheatland County in south-central Alberta. A select number of farms

For true food lovers, especially gardeners, the appreciation for food, be it a beautifully composed dish from a top restaurant or a simple and comforting homemade pie, not only comes from the tastes and smells of the dish, but also how its ingredients came to be and how it brings people together.  Likewise, for beer geeks, wine lovers and spirits

Melissa Schur wants you to know where your food comes from.  Schur, a fourth-generation farmer at the Glen Park Holstein dairy farm in Leduc, along with her husband Matt, have been coming up with different ways to connect Albertans to the family farm. Schur’s parents Rudy and Karen Gengler own the family farm.  The most popular (and delicious) way they’ve

“We have a perfect climate for growing gorgeous and tasty varieties of hardneck garlic” – Garlic Goodness Are you a big fan of garlic?  Lorraine and Kevin at Garlic Goodness farm in Red Deer is the perfect location for you to visit during Open Farm Days. Lorraine and Kevin traded their corporate life for family farm life and haven’t looked back

EH Farms is one of the host farms participating in Alberta Open Farm Days. Visit Eh Farms on Saturday, Aug. 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.   Also at EH Farms, the Mangalitsa Heaven “Snout to Tail” Long Table Dinner will take place Aug. 17 from 6:30 to 10 p.m.. Go to albertaopenfarmdays.ca for details, including tickets to the

Alberta has an abundance of local ingredients that are used to brew beer, and after the laws changed around small craft breweries, Albertans started to take notice. Since then, craft breweries have been popping up all around the province to help bring this small but awesome industry to the forefront, all while using the most local ingredients they can find.

Join the Prairie Farm Project on Aug. 17 for a one-of-a-kind dining experience  It doesn’t get any fresher than dinner right in the middle of the farm field, where the food on your plate was harvested just hours before. That’s the idea behind the farm-to-plate dinner at Lazy T Farm on Aug. 17, in partnership with two other nearby farms,

    This year will mark seven years of Alberta Open Farm Days, and for two days in August, farms across the province are opening their doors so we can meet the farmers and learn more about what they do, and where our food comes from. It’s a fun weekend, a little educational, and usually very tasty too. But when

  Lori and Vince Toker operate Rocky Meadows Country Getaway on their farm near Bonnyville. They started a saskatoon U-pick several years ago, and now farm several kinds of berries, offer fruit pies at the café and operate a campsite and mini golf course created from vintage farm equipment. It’s a relaxed country paradise off the highway, two and half

Drive with your windows open in mid-summer along Highway 49 east and you can’t miss the sweet aromas of blooming clover. The area around Falher is prime honey country. It’s here that Charles Paradis found a new home in Girouxville for his bees, transporting them by train from St. Hughes, Quebec in the 1950’s. Now, Danny, a seventh-generation beekeeper, and

George Briggs grew up on a mixed farm near Olds. The family raised cattle and had milking cows, chickens, sheep, pigs, and huge vegetable gardens. It was pitchfork after pitchfork of hard work and when he turned 18, George hit the road to Calgary to get an education and build a career in oil and gas.    You can take

The land east of Elnora and west of the Red Deer River rolls from parkland to prairie in long, sweeping valleys and verdant hills. It’s a beautiful part of Alberta and in among those hills and valleys, just south of Highway 590, sits one of the more unique agricultural operations in the province – DNA Gardens. It’s home to Arden

Tom Petruniak and Mary Thiessen had a dream. A dream that came true in the form of the farm they purchased together in 2014.  When the couple first toured the property, located 1 hour west of Edmonton, the vision they shared was ignited into reality. “The location was perfect – it’s right off the highway,” said Tom. “It’s 100% asphalt,

Drive East of the QEII in between Innisfail and Airdrie and chances are you’ll stop somewhere in Kneehill County. Set amongst the rolling prairie hills, Kneehill County is rich in agricultural diversity, creative ingenuity, and natural wonder. Within one hour’s drive from Calgary or Red Deer you’ll find a host of things to eat, drink, and experience. During Alberta Open

  It’s springtime in Alberta and that means the first of our “post-snow” crops are ready for harvest! Asparagus is a hardy member of the lily family and is one of the first Alberta fresh vegetables available to purchase from the garden in the spring. Edgar Farms in Innisfail has the largest crops of asparagus in the province with 28

The Tri-Region has so many engaging experiences that it can be hard to decide on your next adventure. Sometimes keeping up to date with calendar events, like Alberta Open Farm Days, makes the decision-making process easier. Alberta Open Farm Days is an event held on the third week of August that concentrates on farming and ranching. It encourages urban and

Open Farm Days is a two-day agricultural celebration in August where farms and businesses across Alberta open their doors to the public. A commonality throughout Open Farm Days host locations is passion, and this farm did not disappoint. The Jungle Farm is filled with authentic family fun that has old and new farm favorites waiting around each corner. We were amazed

Visiting Barr Estate Winery has been high on my list of local businesses to visit ever since I read an article on them last summer. So, when I had the chance to visit this property, I jumped on it! Husband-and-wife team, Rick and Amy Barr, own Barr Estate Winery. They purchased the property in 2002 and have been producing wines