Province awards region thousands of dollars

Miriam Ostermann
Times Associate Editor

 

In the wake of last year’s Open Farm Days success, the Alberta Government is awarding thousands of dollars worth of coaching to nearly a dozen local producers and ag-tourism operators, to inflate the region’s economic development and ensure another successful event this summer.
Strathmore hosted the event for the first time last August with the involvement of five local farms and one culinary event to educate residents on the operations of their establishment and showcase a local food component. As a result of having attracted nearly 300 residents to each farm in their first year, Alberta Culture and Tourism recently announced a $50,000 investment in providing Open Farm Days Coaching Program to nine farms in the region – spanning from Chestermere to Hussar and from Trochu to Gleichen.
“It’s the year to participate in tourism, the government is pushing it, and we need to capitalize on it to get people out to our region,” said Wendy Gerbrandt, community economic development (CED) coordinator with Community Futures Wildrose.
“Based on the success of these guys last year… what Alberta Culture noticed, was the work that the region had all put into it and the uptake it had, they said we need to put some development into that region.”
Clearthink Group, a management consulting practice in Alberta for over 24 years, will provide one-on-one coaching from June to October, with the aim of preparing farm operators to develop their product and develop agricultural tours. The coaching program will address increasing the quality of quantity and ag-tourism operators, increasing on-farm sales during Open Farm Days weekend, provide experiential tourism opportunities, and promote local foods and create awareness of where food originated from.
“The idea of Open Farm Days is still to showcase local food, getting those experiences and tastes of what’s out here, and showing the educational component of where food comes from,” said Gerbrandt. “The coaching program is just going to help them develop their business product. This is where the farms that are participating and want to be a part of this coaching program really want to be dedicated and it has to be a part of their business plan of where they want their farming business to go.”
Those interested in applying for the opportunity are required to operate in Strathmore, Wheatland County, Bassano, Carseland, Dalemead, Langdon, Chestermere, Irricana, Beiseker, Acme, Linden, Torrington, Trochu, Three Hills and Carbon. Gerbrandt hopes to attract up to 30 farms this year to participate in Open Farm Days. A committee will also be established to select the nine farms to receive the coaching experience.
Open Farm Days will return to the region on Aug. 20-21, which last year included participation by Country Lane Farms, Field Stone Fruit Wines, Four Sisters Farms, Poplar Bluff Organics, Riqueza Riding Academy and a farm-to-table culinary experience with Rocking R Guest Ranch.
“I think it’s going to be better than last year, because it’s more of a regional approach,” Gerbrandt said. “We now have connections made. They’re now using and promoting each other’s food and it’s absolutely exploding.”
Clearthink Group will work with those selected over the phone, before Open Farm Days, and be present during this years event to follow up with farms and provide feedback and guidance for future success.
Open Farm Days will run Aug. 20-21. The application deadline for those farm operators or culinary events interested in the free coaching program is May 31. For further information contact Community Futures Wildrose at 403-934-8888.