It’s not every day that you get the chance to see the behind-the-scenes of how farm-fresh veggies are grown or how a well-known brand makes its products.
Alberta Open Farm Days are one of the only opportunities you can get.
Jacco Beyer, the part-owner of Crystal Spring Cheese, said with purchasing foods at grocery stores becoming so easy, it’s nice to see people interested in the process.
“There’s a big disconnect with that nowadays. People have no idea where their food comes from or how it’s made, or what’s in the food. I think it’s just nice for people to see that it really is this simple –food can be this simple, and food can be this fresh,” said Beyer.
The Beyer family bought their dairy farm in 2000. Now they have taken over the Bles-Wold yogurt brand that is seen on grocery store shelves across the province.
Beyer said these events are great to get people involved in the community.
Paul De Jonge, the owner of Broxburn Vegetables and Café, said his farm participates in the event every year and he loves to take visitors on tours of his greenhouses.
“There’s more and more people that are looking for local produced foods and want to know how it was grown and who grew it,” said De Jonge.
First-time Open Farm Days visitors Jane and Tom Wolsey were at a family reunion when they heard about the event. After seeing the Beyer cheese facility, it’s opened their eyes to local goods.
“You appreciate something more when you see it’s handmade and the care that they take in making it,” said Jane.
“So many people are just not aware of how important agriculture is in this area. I mean, it’s the lifeblood of southern Alberta,” said Tom.
Now that they’ve taken part in the event, they’re hoping to make open farm days part of their summer plans next year.