The coffee pot’s on and everyone in Alberta is invited.
Alberta Open Farm Days is the perfect opportunity for rural and urban residents to learn more about food production in this province.
For Debbie and Ed Matters it’s a chance to show off Speckle Park cattle, a unique breed created on farms along the Highway 16 corridor between Alberta and Saskatchewan.
“We want to show consumers what the animals look like and what their temperaments are like,” said Debbie, who raises about 40 registered and commercial Speckle Park cattle at their Minburn farm.
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“I also see an opportunity to teach people in urban areas about our health and welfare practices, so they don’t get a skewed view of (farming) operations, and small operations, especially. I’d like them to see that we care about our animals and we treat them with dignity and respect.”
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The Matters will be taking guests on walking and driving tours to look at native pasture, and have created a display to explain the history of the Speckle Park breed, and beef and carcass quality.
Visitors will be able to interact with animals and pick saskatoon berries if the fruit is ready. There’s also a petting barn and antique machinery display.
While the Matters have had ranch visits, they have never opened their farm to the public before. But theirs is just one of more than 60 Alberta farms and ag operations hosting tours on Aug. 24. Participating farms will showcase the full range of Alberta farming, including grain operations, cattle ranches, dairies, market gardens, a llama farm, an apiary and a U-pick berry orchard.
Alberta Open Farm Days kicks off with ticketed culinary events on Aug. 23, featuring local producers and chefs co-operating to create farm-to-table events.
Open Farm Days has been held in Canada for more than 10 years, but this is just the second year in Alberta. For more information, visit the Alberta Open Farm Days website.
