Spend a day in the country and breathe in the fresh farm air during Alberta Open Farm Days on August 14 and 15. There’s lots to see and do with over 100 farms participating across the province.
Take a sip on the wild side at the DNA Gardens Delidais Estate Winery near Red Deer. The fruit orchards were first planted in 1975, and the winery is the first in Red Deer County. The wine and liquors are created using Alberta-grown fruit such as cherries, Saskatoon berries, strawberries and apples.
“People are just amazed that you can do a wine tasting tour in an orchard in Alberta,” says Arden Delidais, who owns DNA Gardens with her husband, Dave. “It’s relaxing, and you don’t have to be a wine drinker or connoisseur. It’s a lovely experience.”
This year marks the fourth year that DNA Gardens Delidais Estate Winery welcomes guests for Alberta Open Farm Days, and there are many activities planned, from a pancake breakfast to wine tastings, wagon tours and a Bootlegger Beer and Brisket patio dinner.
If you want to stay closer to home, check out the Old Red Barn in Leduc for farm-to-table dinners. The barn was formerly a milking barn for dairy cows, but was repurposed in 2017 for events such as Alberta Open Farm Days.
“It gives guests a hands-on experience and teaches them where their food comes from, because a lot of consumers don’t know or are pretty removed from the farm,” says Melissa Schur, who owns the farm with her husband.
The Old Red Barn is presenting “A Dairy Dream” provided by Chartier. Each course of the four-course meal will feature a Canadian dairy product. There will be a butler cheese service upon arrival for guests and an interactive mozzarella stretching demonstration from Aditya Raghavan, a cheese maker from Meuwly’s. Tickets are available online, and the Old Red Barn hosts farm-to-table dinners monthly if you can’t make it out for Alberta Open Farm Days.
Visit one of the many animal farms participating in Alberta Open Farm Days to see where your food comes from. There are plenty of animal farms providing hands-on experiences and informational sessions about Alberta-made food. See the stables at 16 Hands Stables Ltd in Parkland County or check out the chicks at Chatsworth Farm. Browse the listings online to see what farms, wineries, distilleries and greenhouses are participating in Alberta Open Farm Days and book your visit in advance.
