The first ever Farms Open in Renfrew County event is set for September of 2022. One of the organizers and President of the Ottawa Valley Food Cooperative, Marshall Buchanan, tells myFM it’s an opportunity to learn where your food comes from.
Buchanan talked about a rural and urban divide. He hopes the Farms Open event will bring people from urban centres like Ottawa out to discover what Renfrew County has to offer.
Buchanan says some local farms sell products directly to customers, others produce grain crops that you might find when you buy a pizza or loaf of bread.
The event is scheduled for Sunday, September 18th, 2022, but is still in the early planning stages. A letter of invitation and registration will likely go out to farmers in Renfrew County in May.
Training (either on Zoom or in-person) will be required for farms that are taking part to discuss how to safely accommodate visitors, parking, if washrooms will be offered and preventing any transmission of disease from one farm to another.
Another opportunity discussed was creating a cycling map to get around from farm to farm. The concept of a Farms Open day has been done around the world and Buchanon says they’re looking to make it an annual event.
(written by: Rudy Kadlec)
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