(Photo: Gov't. of Alberta)

By Troy Gillard

Aug. 15-16

Open Farm Days returns next weekend across Alberta

Aug 6, 2020 | 8:16 AM

Albertans have more opportunities to support local farmers and explore their own backyard this summer with Open Farm Days events taking place across the province.

Open Farm Days will take place on Aug. 15 and 16, with about 80 host farms across the province opening their doors to offer open houses, great local food experiences, tours and an opportunity to buy locally Alberta-grown and produced products.

Open Farm Days will also feature a sparkling sour cherry black current juice this year. The Open Farm Days craft juice was made in collaboration with local partners using Alberta-grown ingredients and can be purchased at DNA Gardens and during Open Farm Days at Annex Ale Project in Calgary and select host farms.

“Albertans want to buy and eat local and Open Farm Days connects them with local farmers. Albertans can now buy direct everything from beer and whiskey, steak and potatoes, fruits and vegetables and everything in between,” says Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry. “I encourage everyone to go for a drive and meet local producers to discover the great-tasting food Alberta has to offer. Happy Open Farm Days!”

“Alberta’s Open Farm Days is truly a celebration of Alberta’s bounty and those who create it,” says Tim Carson, CEO, Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies. “It is an opportunity for people to experience first-hand the innovations in agriculture and the care and stewardship these amazing farmers have to feed the world. Open Farm Days is also the perfect excuse to travel throughout Alberta’s rural communities and experience the beautiful landscape and unique local culture that is Alberta.”

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Participating organizers and host farms are working together to ensure Open Farm Days follow all current public health orders and guidance. This year, new measures are being introduced to provide an even safer environment for visitors, with:

• Enhanced cleaning protocols, including access to hand sanitizer and handwashing stations.

• An online booking system to help host farms schedule and manage the number of visitors at their venue.

• Virtual tours and instructional videos, allowing Albertans to experience Open Farm Days from the comfort of their home.

Due to event gathering restrictions and space limitations, Albertans who plan to visit a host farm are required to book their spot online ahead of time. Farmzy, an online platform created by past Open Farm Days participants and fifth generation Alberta farming brothers Matt and Graham Graff, aims to make real farm adventures easy, and is this year’s official online booking partner for Open Farm Days. Visitors can visit albertafarmdays.ca to browse this year’s offerings and book the experiences best-suited to them.

Admission to farms is free, but there may be costs for some activities and many are cash only. It is recommended that visitors bring a cooler to store produce and other products.

Since 2013, Open Farm Days has seen almost 125,000 person visits, injecting almost $900,000 into the rural economy through on-farm sales.

(With file from Government of Alberta media release)