WETASKIWIN, Alta.- Listening to an Ontario family’s story of the transformation of their pumpkin farm into a haunted Halloween entertainment venue was the push many farmers needed to proceed with their own on-farm ventures.
“It’s knowing you’re on the right track that yes, I have the same creative ideas and it’s working,” said Tam Anderson of Bon Accord, Alta., who has added a Halloween theme to her farm and greenhouse operation.
Like the Saunders Farm in Ontario, Anderson is adding a farm experience for visitors to expand her season. She has a puppet show and a cannon that fires pumpkins at a scarecrow.
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“That creates tremendous excitement for everyone,” said Anderson.
At the workshop were small town tourism co-ordinators searching for ideas, a woman who grows lilies on her farm and wants to develop tours of her lily fields, a family that wants to capture interest in cattle drives, and a community that has a live nativity scene at Christmas and is looking to expand.
Halfway through the day-long workshop on on-farm events and festivals, Elaine Regnier of Winfield, Alta., and Sharon Caswell of Bluffton, Alta., had already changed their minds about what they were going to do to highlight agriculture on their farm.
Originally the pair had planned to invite their city customers for a homemade meal and a look at their pasture poultry, pigs and turkeys. Now the pair are considering hayrides, chicken feeding and a greased pig race.
“I like the idea of a hayride and let them actually see the farm,” said Regnier, who also raises horses.
“I want to make it an experience,” said Caswell.
Bonita Brennan of Pumpkin Patch Greenhouse in Bonnyville, Alta., had her ideas confirmed that she should hold a one-day pumpkin festival to create interest in her business.
“I’m totally doing this for promotion. I want to promote my business,” she said.
Angela Saunders said for many people, hearing how they turned their farm into a viable agriculture entertainment venture is the push they need.
“After our talks, people say ‘this is just what I needed and it happened just at the right time.’ They need to feel a bit of encouragement,” said Saunders, who operates an entertainment farm near Munster, Ont.
Pondering a pumpkin toss or a haunted house made from old bits of machinery may sound odd when neighbours are doing things the traditional way, she said.
“It’s good to get together and know you’re not alone.”
