Alberta's fields, ranches and markets are shaped by the people who work them.
Spend a day picking saskatoon berries at a family farm, sip Alberta whisky and carve into a locally raised steak, or share a table at a farm café where the menu is written by the harvest. From the Foothills to the Prairies, agritourism here is hands-on and personal—a chance to meet the farmers, ranchers and makers behind Alberta beef, heritage grains, artisan cheese and just about everything in between.
Agricultural experiences in Alberta
Tour a farm at Alberta Open Farm Days in August
Every August, farms and ranches across the province throw open their gates for Alberta Open Farm Days—two days of behind-the-scenes access to the places that grow, raise and make our food.
Meet the family behind your favourite cheese, walk the fields where your Saturday-market berries were picked, and sit down to farm-to-fork dinners hosted by local chefs. It's a rare chance to see Alberta agriculture up close, ask questions, and taste the difference growing food nearby makes.
Alberta's 10 Most Iconic Foods
Ask a chef what makes Alberta taste like Alberta, and the same foods come up: bison, beef, canola, honey, saskatoon berries, Red Fife wheat, root vegetables, barley, mustard and pulses.
Each food traces back to the generations of farmers and immigrants who've shaped the province's kitchens, Indigenous traditions or what tastes exceptional here. Follow the flavours, and you'll learn the story of Alberta one bite at a time.
Hungry for the where and how?
Frequently asked questions
Alberta beef is famous for its rich flavour, buttery marbling and world-class consistency — and it all starts on the land.
Cattle are raised on the vast Alberta foothills, where the Rocky Mountains meet rolling prairie. What sets Alberta beef apart from most international competitors is what happens next: rather than the corn-finishing common elsewhere, Alberta cattle are finished on locally grown barley. That high-energy grain builds the ideal fat marbling that gives every steak its signature juicy, nutty, buttery character.
Alberta grows and raises an impressive spread of iconic ingredients, including, most notably: bison, beef, canola, honey, saskatoon berries, Red Fife wheat, root vegetables, barley, mustard and pulses.
Beyond that top 10, our farms and ranches also produce heritage pork, Alberta lamb and game meats like elk.
Some working farms and ranches welcome visitors across Alberta on select days year-round. The Hartell Homestead in the Foothills has a farm store where you can buy food raised on the farm, plus you can meet the Highland cows who live here.
A great time to plan a visit to an Alberta farm is during Alberta Open Farm Days every August, when producers province-wide throw open their gates for two days of tours, tastings, demonstrations and farm-to-fork dinners.
Pick a region, string together a few stops, and see Alberta agriculture up close. Learn more at albertaopenfarmdays.ca.
U-pick season typically starts in July and may stretch into early October, with strawberries, raspberries, saskatoons, apples, haskaps and vegetables ripening across central and southern Alberta. Seasons for picking each fruit can be short, so check individual farm websites for current picking conditions before you head out.
Two standouts to start with: Saskatoon Farm south of Calgary, known for its namesake saskatoon berries and Prairie-inspired café, and The Jungle Farm near Red Deer, a family-friendly favourite for strawberries and seasonal family activities. Check out Prairie Gardens north of Edmonton for strawberries, apples, vegetables and pumpkins, plus lots of family fun.
Other farms offer u-picks too, including Broxburn Vegetables (strawberries and raspberries), Rosy Farms, Solstice Berry Farm (saskatoons), and Eagle Creek Farms (vegetables and flowers).
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