36 Central Alberta farms, breweries and museums open their gates Aug. 17 & 18

Thirty-six Central Alberta farms, breweries and museums will open their gates to visitors Aug. 17 and 18 for Alberta Open Farm Days.

The 12th annual weekend will celebrate the agriculture experience in a variety of ways throughout the province. There will be free entry to a wide array of farms and agricultural operations.

Visitors can interact with animals, see where food is grown, and enjoy a brief escape into the country.

Some farms produce garlic and vegetables, others dairy, egg and grain. Some will have flowers for sale, others specialize in brewing, horses, agri-tourism, bison or goat products.

Many will offer markets, carry-off sales, wagon rides and more. The goal is also to provide hands-on experiences for farm visitors, “to give Albertans a glimpse what life on the farm looks and feels like.”

Alpacas are the featured animal this year, highlighting Alberta’s fibre industry. Alpaca, llama, sheep and goat farms, along with boutique fibre mills will give visitors a good idea of the wide range of fibre products.

White Treasure Farm in Red Deer County is one of the fibre producers. DnaGardens, an orchard near Elnora, is among the participants, as is the multi-animal Majak Meadows Ranch, and Gull Lake Honey in Lacombe County, Steel Pony vegetable farm, the Jungle Farm, Beck Farms, and the Farm with the Good Food/Holmehus Antiques in Red Deer County are also part of Open Farm Days.

Non-farm participants include Blindman Brewing in Lacombe, the Trochu Museum and Arboretum and the Trochu Flower Show and Fair, among others. For many other Central Alberta listings, please visit albertaopenfarmdays.ca/farms.

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