Ever want to see a cow being milked or wonder how potatoes grow? Well, Open Farm Day 2005 provides an opportunity to have those questions answered and a whole lot more. As part of an Atlantic- wide effort to raise the profile of the industry, 23 farms right across Prince Edward Island will be putting out the welcome mat September 25.
This will be the fourth year for the event, and funding provided through the PEI Adapt Council (which administers the Canadian Adaptation and Rural Development Funds in the province for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) helped make it an annual event. Sobey's is the title sponsor for the day throughout the region and a number of businesses and organizations throughout the province including the provincial and federal departments of agriculture have helped out with the effort.
The event is sponsored by the PEI Agricultural Awareness Committee and Sandee MacLean of Tyne Valley has been hired as co-ordinator. She has been spending the last several months lining up both farms and sponsors. Given the financial challenges facing the agricultural industry and the fact the day falls right in the middle of harvest, MacLean admits it is a bit of a challenge to convince farmers to take part. As well, there are biosecurity concerns which make it even more challenging for such commodities as hogs and poultry.
“It represents a great deal of work on the part of producers getting ready,” MacLean said. “The producers are really the key to the success of the event.”
Despite the challenges, there are a number of farms that have been part of the concept from the beginning. Barry Balsom runs an apple orchard in Arlington and Open Farm Day is a busy one on his farm. Balsom goes all out to make the day a family event, with everything from hay rides to games. He views the event as a chance to tell his neighbours what the business of farming is all about.
The Freetown dairy farm of Steve Reeves was one stop on the tour last year and he has signed on again. In 2004, close to 300 people stopped by his farm during the day, including visitors from England, France, Japan and the United States.
Reeves said he was surprised by the fact visitors took their time to ask questions and learn about the operation— often staying for hours at a time. He added, “there was one family from Arizona that I think was here pretty much all day.”
For MacLean, the planning is now almost completed and it is a matter of looking after those last minute details that always seem to crop up. As well, she has her fingers crossed for a picture perfect fall day, but the event will go rain or shine.
A brochure and map detailing and describing all of the stops on the tour will soon be available in Sobey's locations across the province, the Farm Centre in Charlottetown and at district agricultural offices. Information is also available on the Department of Agriculture's website by following the link to Open Farm Day.