Monday, August 15, 2022

Bees, bunnies and bleats: Edmonton Urban Farm celebrates Alberta Open Farm Days

Hamdi Issawi - 
 Edmonton Journal


A herd of hungry, bleating goats kicked off the tenth annual Alberta Open Farm Days at Edmonton’s Urban Farm Saturday morning.

People watch as goats arrive at the Edmonton Urban Farm on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022. The goats were there to help eat up some of the weeds in a utility access area.

Near the northwest corner of 113 Avenue and 79 street, a couple dozen people stood along a wire-mesh fence on the west side of the farm to watch the ungulates charge out of their trailer and feed on an alley overgrown with weeds.

Established a year after the inaugural Alberta Open Farm Days in 2013, the two-acre urban farm celebrated it’s ninth year participating in the event, which aims to expose Albertans to the province’s agriculture industry by offering a “backstage pass” to more than 120 farms that have opened their doors to the public.

Caitlin Petit dropped in with her niece and three nephews to learn about plants and farming practices — but mainly to interact with the animals on site, including a few cuddly bunnies.

“The goats led me here,” she said over the sound of bleats blaring from the alley. “They had me convinced I was going to enjoy this experience.”

Edmonton Urban Farm’s diverse program for the event included talks about worms and fruit trees as well as a tour of the grounds, which hosts honeybees and about 120 different food plants, said organizers with Explore Edmonton, the group that manages the farm

Jessie Radies, Explore Edmonton’s director of strategic programs and initiatives, said the event helps Albertans connect or reconnect with an industry that plays an important part in the province.

“You can see the vegetables, you can see the fruits, you can see the bees that are making the honey,” she said. “It’s really important that we rebuild that connection, so that people have an understanding of where their food comes from, how it gets to their plate and what we grow and make here.”

The farm’s operations generally follow the growing season, giving about 300 farmers access to the space in late-April before hosting programs and events through to Thanksgiving, Radies said. The site sees about 6,000 to 7,000 people per year for field trips, day camps, seniors groups and the like.

While minding her young niece ambling about planters near the goats, Petit said the animals on site may have been the highlight for her younger relatives this year, but the exposure might spark an appreciation for agriculture that will blossom with time.

With her own interest in gardening, Petit added, the experience Saturday helped her realize that she wants to start growing her own food.

But more than that, she was just happy to see the greenery, forget about technology for a while and reconnect with the natural world.

“Sometimes we are so caught up in our phones,” she said. “Coming outside, soaking up the sun and seeing the plants is just a reminder to go outside and be with nature.”

Those who missed the event Saturday can still visit Edmonton Urban Farm on Saturdays during drop-in hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. until Oct. 8.

hissawi@postmedia.com
@hamdiissawi

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