Alberta Open Farm Days

In the hilarious Hollywood movie, City Slickers (you should see it), a trio of stressed-out city boys embark on a comical cattle drive to find themselves. And, you guessed it, in the end, through much adversity - including nasty storms, stampedes, and trailside calf birthing emergencies – the main characters (Billy Crystal and Daniel Stern steal the show) have an amazing, life-changing experience. Everything that is truly important is put into proper perspective. The catalyst? The great outdoors and ranching ways, of course!

In many ways, Alberta Open Farm Days - a late-summer, weekend-long opportunity for city slickers to visit farms and connect with various agricultural enterprises - strives for something similar. True, you may not have an opportunity to help a calf enter the world during your experience (although, you never know!), you are guaranteed to have a ton of fun and learn plenty of things about stuff you really should know. Stuff that, whether you realize it or not, you are deeply connected to. These farms, ranches, and ag-tourism operators are the places, and the people that truly sustain our society.

The milk you dumped on your cereal this morning...Yes, indeed that came from a dairy cow. The butter you put on your toast? Quite possibly the same farm! That beer you had at the brewpub yesterday evening? You get the idea.

And, with over 100 farms and various businesses participating, the opportunities and the variety of these “connections” are substantial. From dude ranches to fruit wineries - and everything in between - the experiences are going to be interesting and eye opening. And they can have a dramatic and positive impact on how you live. What do you choose to buy.

Sadly, many people – especially city slickers, will never pull a carrot out of the dirt, wipe it clean, and crunch the goodness of the ground from where it came. It puts a different spin on food; to see it, taste it, pure and completely unprocessed. And it’s the simple experiences like this that make the Alberta Open Farm Days an event you want to mark on your calendar.

Since its inception in 2009, the Alberta Open Farm Days has grown substantially. In the first year only a few participated. Province-wide, over 100 farms and ag-tourism operators will open their doors to the public. And it’s grown to include not just farms and ranches, but restaurants, craft breweries, wineries, distilleries, tour operators, and culinary events.

Of course, not every event or attraction is “conventional” either. Take, for example, the Farmer Golf that’s part of the festivities at the Four Sister’s Farm just north of Strathmore. Played with a clog on a stick on a crazy course that winds through the pasture (watch out for cow patties!) and careens along the barns, Farmer Golf definitely takes the game to a whole new level…of fun.

Many locations - such as the Calgary Stampede’s historic OH Ranch near Longview - offer many attractions and activities depending on your age and interest. The OH Ranch has a variety of activities, including rope making, livestock viewing, and various riding games, all geared for kids. Adults (and kids!) can enjoy a guided tour of the ranch, learn about sustainable ranching practices, and visit the historic Northwest Mounted Police cabin, and much more.

Like many of the venues on Alberta Open Farm Days, the most powerful memory can be leaving the city behind and simply immersing yourself in idyllic Alberta countryside.

Unquestionably, planning your weekend and your route is not likely going to be an easy task. And, try as you might, visiting more than a handful of spots (they are all worthy!) in one day is unlikely. Thankfully, if you visit the albertafarmdays.ca, you can do some research on the locations and make a plan. The interactive trip-planning map allows you to choose your host farms, review your trip, and get directions to every location. And participation, thanks to the parent organization - Ag for Life and many corporate sponsors, it is free. The exception would be some of the more popular culinary events where early registration is highly recommended.

Wherever the road takes you on Alberta Open Farm Days, know this: you are going to meet plenty of friendly folk who have a passion for what they do. You’re going to have fun. And, even if you don’t help bring a cute little calf into the world, you’re going to gain a wealth of knowledge on the rural ways that truly sustain our society. Photos and Story By: Andrew Penner

Courtesy of OH Ranch