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By Drew Stremick

Open Farm Days celebrates 10 years this weekend

Aug 11, 2022 | 7:28 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – If you’ve ever wondered where all the food in grocery stores come from, you’ll want to check out the 10th anniversary of Open Farm Days, taking place across Alberta this weekend.

Happening on August 13 and 14, 2022, participating farms across the Province are inviting rural, and urban Albertans alike to come experience a day in the life as an agricultural producer.

Tim Carson is the CEO of the Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies. He says visitors can expect something a little different at each farm they visit.

“We have nearly 120 host farms involved this year, each one with a unique experience,” explained Carson. “We also have nearly 70 culinary events out there as well. So not only can you go and visit those farms, but they will have food that has come directly from that location for you to try, sample and even take home.”

Carson continued, saying many of the farms hosting visitors over the weekend will have activities or demonstrations for people to try.

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“There’s everything from the corn maze and sunflower mazes that are available. There are ‘you picks’ and opportunities to get your hands in the dirt,” Carson said. “The opportunity for long table dinners, petting zoos, go and meet the producer, find out how the how they actually extract honey from the hives…. It’s such a diverse palate and the opportunities are immense.”

This year’s theme for Open Farm Days is “It takes a hive”. Carson explained the choice describes how agricultural producers a woven into almost every aspect of every day life here in Alberta.

“It takes so many people to create not only a wonderful event, but to produce the great food that we have here in Alberta,” said Carson. “This is really one of those great chances to go and learn where our food comes from, learn the impact of agriculture to Alberta, not only on on the grocery shelves, but to our economy as a whole. And learn how that hive, if you will, of people, of industry, help support all of Alberta.”

This year, Carson says there will be lots of new sites to experience.

“Nearly 40% of our host farms this year is their first opportunity to be involved,” said Carson. “So whether you’ve been coming to Open Farm Days over the last couple of years, there is always something new and interesting to see.”

Open Farm Days is free to attend, and to plan your weekend out on the farm you can head to the Open Farm Days website. There, you can see which farms are participating over the weekend and on what days, and most importantly, detailed directions on how to get to each farm.

Read more agricultural news at Lethbridge News Now.