Alberta (Rural Roots Canada) – Alberta Open Farm Days continues to grow both in size and impact.

The province-wide initiative invites Albertans to step through farm gates and experience agriculture firsthand while learning where their food comes from.

The 2025 edition was a record-setter, according to Tim Carson, CEO of the Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies (AAAS),

“2025 was a record-setting year for Open Farm Days, in terms of both on-farm sales and attendance at farm visits and culinary events,” says Carson. “We welcomed 52,783 visitors this year, and several farms reported record attendance as well as record spending. As well, 23.5% of participating farms were new to Open Farm Days. It is exciting to see the number of new farms grow each year.”

On-farm sales reached over $330-thousand, pushing total sales since the program began 13 years ago past the $2-million mark.

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“The money generated from on-farm sales reflects visitors’ growing appreciation for agriculture and the products farms offer,” says Carson. “This level of spending shows a strong willingness to invest locally. Purchasing directly from producers allows the public to connect with the farm gate and gain a firsthand understanding of where their food comes from.”

For visitors, they described the weekend as eye-opening and educational, praising the farmers’ passion and the chance to experience life on the farm up close.

“It was my first time, so it was very memorable,” said one visitor. “What a wild experience! Never seen behind the scenes of a farm, so it was very educational.”

“Seeing the equipment used to get potatoes into storage, the feed rations at the feedlot, tasting raw sugar beet, and seeing that we grow cantaloupe in Southern Alberta,” added another.

Organizers and farmers are already looking ahead to August 15th and 16th, 2026, when Alberta Open Farm Days returns for its 14th year.