WAKAW — “To most people, agriculture is an idea, something that others take part in — a concept, but not a reality. … It doesn’t include the lifestyle, the time and energy and money put into feeding a growing population, but most of all, this urban idea of agriculture doesn’t include the process of turning plants and animals into the food we find on the grocery store shelves. This is the core cause of food disconnect. People are seeing the final product, abstractly connecting it to the impression of tractors and overalls, but not fully understanding what goes into the food they are eating.” (https://food4thought.opened.ca/food-disconnect/)
Approximately 1.6 per cent of the province’s population engages in primary agriculture and increasing urbanization has led to a decline in the general understanding of agriculture. Established in 2014, Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan aims to enhance connections between the community and agricultural producers. Saskatchewan Open Farm Days, established in 2024 by Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan with support from the Ministry of Agriculture and Tourism Saskatchewan, offer consumers insights into food production in the province.
This year again, 35 farms, ranches, breweries, orchards, restaurants, and dairies across the province will welcome visitors for a weekend to engage with rural life and learn about the variety of food produced in Saskatchewan. Visitors can tour fields, observe livestock, and explore modern farming technology. Interaction with farmers, culinary experts, and ranchers is encouraged, providing a platform for questions and discussions. Participating locations may offer on-site specials, samples, food trucks, or products for sale.
Locally, both Back Roads Ranch locations are again participating in the weekend event, and new participants this year include the Seager Wheeler Farm near Rosthern and Farm in the Dell near Aberdeen.
Farm in the Dell is opening its gates to welcome guests to the farm during Open Farm Days on August 8th. Farm in the Dell is a non-profit farm dedicated to creating a supportive, home-like community and meaningful vocational opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities. The public is invited to meet the resident farmers, explore the land, and learn about the farm’s offerings. Visitors can engage with recreational spaces and community services that support residents in an environment that promotes growth and connection and fosters a sense of contribution and belonging for all.
The Seager Wheeler Farm National Historic Site is the homestead of the five-time World Wheat Growing Champion, Dr. Seager Wheeler. Located six kilometres east of Rosthern on Highway #312, visitors can hear Wheeler’s story and experience prairie agricultural history. The adaptations that Seager Wheeler made in agriculture made him the “Wheat King”. His prize-winning Marquis, Kitchener and Red Bobs wheat and other oats and barley varieties made agriculture in the prairies practicable. Additionally, he developed several prairie-hardy fruit and shelterbelt varieties. Wheeler, his mother, brother and sister came with high hopes in 1885 to what was then Canada’s North West Territories but learned it was a vastly different space from the Isle of Wight home they had left.
Back Roads Ranch Middle Lake is situated at the family homestead, where a long history of farming intersects with a contemporary farm experience. At Middle Lake, visitors can engage with the countryside and explore various aspects of the family farm. This location features a greenhouse, seasonal flowers, strawberries, farm retail, SheCan Boutique sea can shopping, and elements typical of prairie life.
Back Roads Ranch Wakaw is located near Wakaw, just off Highway 41, offering local berries and fresh produce. The farm serves as a destination for families, visitors, and nearby lake communities. It features expanding strawberry fields, rows of cut flowers and sunflowers, and packaged fresh vegetables sourced from a local grower. Seasonal farm experiences are provided to inform visitors about the origins of their food.
