Alberta Open Farm Days is a once-a-year experience for farmers across the province to open their gates to outside folk. This year’s Aug. 16 and 17 dates had two farms in the Westlock County area open for all to see.
Albertans can use this opportunity to learn where their food comes from, taste local foods, meet the farmers and experience the farm industry in all its glory.
BFF Farms
The first stop was at BFF Farms located in Pickardville where crops, plants, trees and chickens all live in harmony. Lisa and Petar Barabas have lived on this farm together for over eight years with Petar owning it for 11.
The farm started with only a small section of land dedicated to field crops until Lisa began to expand it. Chicken coops became a season regular and a green house was built on the property to keep some plants growing all year long, including beautiful sunflowers.
For Barabas, she sees this experience as an educational reminder for all. “Seeing how Alberta Open Farm Days has set up their resources to help people and one of their focus is the educational component so a lot of the information I’m sharing with you is to educate people, to grow their own food, get food from good farms and locally sourced. That’s our passion and Alberta Farm Days fits with us.”
Triple Lyoness Farm
The last stop on the Open Farm Days trail takes us to the Hamlet of Dapp, just 20km north of the Town of Westlock.
This farm was founded by Rod and Janet Carlyon in 1989. Since then they have raised three daughters and a whole bunch of cattle. As the farm stands now, they raise cattle, poultry and hogs for their farm-direct meat business which were available to buy.
Attendees were able to buy barbecue right from the source with hamburgers, grilled cheese, and chicken sticks made right in front of them. Then you could take a walking tour and a wagon tour that took you all around the property.
The wagon tour gave people the opportunity to see the cattle being raised and the vast land that they use.
