Get an 'on-the-farm' experience this Saturday with Open Farms

One of Jason Goodfellow’s speckle park cattle won the top prize in the Canadian National speckle park show on Wednesday. (David Prisciak/CTV Regina)

A new event celebrating local farms and food producers is offering residents the chance to have an “on-the-farm experience” and get a behind the scenes look at how food ends up on the table.

Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island in partnership with the Essex County Federation of Agriculture are giving residents a taste of Windsor-Essex food culture with Open Farms Day on Saturday.

“Tourism Windsor Essex is excited to present this one-of-a-kind event to help educate locals and visitors about the importance of supporting local, and learning about the process that brings our favourites from the farm to your table” said Gordon Orr, CEO of Tourism Windsor Essex. “Each farm is offering a unique experience including tours, harvesting, oyster shucking and more to showcase the diversity of farms and culinary partners in our region.”

Curated experiences for residents to learn and taste will be available at:

• Essex County Federation of Agriculture at The Little Cider Company: Farm Safety activities 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• Hawksview Honey: Learn about the life cycle of a bee at 11am and 3pm / Bee hive box painting at 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Ortaliza Urban Farms: Microgreen blind tasting 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. / Learn to grow your own microgreens at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.
• Oxley Estate Winery: Grape Harvest 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., taste the fresh juice before fermentation starts
• Sauve’s Country Market: Dairy Educator from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with a life size artificial cow to milk
• Bally Bright Farms at Sauve’s Country Market: Get up close and personal with a heifer and calf from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• The Little Cider Company: Witness apple pressing 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and learn about the growing stages of apples and the making of apple cider
• Dockside Fisheries: Stop in for an Oyster Shucking Lesson from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

“Open Farms Day will be the perfect way to entertain the family before the holiday feasts begin on the long weekend. We encourage everyone to register for their free pass for a self-guided experience of our growers and producers and leave an economic footprint by making purchase for their family feasts, centrepieces and dessert tables as they explore,” said Orr.

Residents can register for a free digital pass at weheartlocal.ca which will guide you to the eight on the farms experience at different W.E. Heart Local program participants. If you check into least five of the experiences, you have a chance to win a $500 local prize package. All experiences will be free with a registered pass.