Saskatchewan Farms and Ranches Encouraged to Register for Saskatchewan Open Farm Days

The Executive Director of Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan says Saskatchewan Open Farm Days provides a great opportunity for Saskatchewan farmers to interact with and expand the public's understanding and trust of agriculture and to showcase the great agricultural products grown in the province. Saskatchewan Open Farm Days, launched last year to allow those not involved in agriculture to interact directly with farmers and ranchers, is scheduled for August 9th and 10th this year.

Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan Executive Director Clinton Monchuk says expanding the understanding of those who do not live on a farm of what farmers do to produce food is becoming increasingly important as we move years and generations into the future.

Clip-Clinton Monchuk-Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan:

We started it last year and we had a huge success. We had 36 different venues from all over Saskatchewan.There was a lot of interest in it.We had right around three thousand individuals that showed up on farms and ranches and some of the different food venues throughout the province so, as a result of that, Farm and food care Saskatchewan decided we're going to do this again in 2025.

We have one year under our belts. We're new to it and learning so there are some changes that we're doing for 2025 but all in all one of the biggest benefits that we're seeing is when you give the ability for consumers, mainly urbanites, the ability to go on farm and  talk to farmers and ranchers their level of interest, their level of knowledge and their level of appreciation for Saskatchewan agriculture increases.

One of the parting surveys we did with those who did go to farms and ranches, we asked them "did you learn any more" and 90 percent of them said that they had a deeper understanding of Saskatchewan agriculture after visiting farms.So, it's a great opportunity to expand not only the knowledge with people who are not from an agriculture background but also showcase what we have in this great province.

Any farm or ranch interested in hosting visitors as part of Saskatchewan Open Farm Days can get more information or register by visiting farmfoodcaresk.org and clicking the link to "Saskatchewan Open Farm Days".