Alberta Open Farm Days...
More than 100 farms and ranches across the province opened their gates last weekend to guests who were out taking in fun ways to learn more about the many different areas of agriculture.
Farm tours, demonstrations, activities for children, and food samples are all part of the annual Open Farm Days, which is in its sixth year.
Brooks Corn Maze has been participating for three years and owner, Michelle Gietz said the event is a great opportunity for people to learn a bit about agriculture and how farms operate.
"It's a chance for people, many who have little knowledge of agriculture to come out and learn a bit about what we do," said Gietz.
Visitors who stopped by their farm over the weekend could meander through their corn maze, pick raspberries, watch the goats, and take a "train" ride through a barn and to the pens that housed chickens and sheep.
It is their sixth year having a corn maze with its pattern and theme changing annually. This year, the corn maze was in the shape of a rocket ship and people meandering through the maze were to find eight strategically placed planets along the way. The maze takes about an hour to complete and is a favourite for visitors.
Megan and Piper Silzer from Calgary, were camping with their family at Dinosaur Provincial Park over the weekend and decided to take the drive to the Brooks Corn Maze on Saturday afternoon.
The three-year-old twins had fun playing at some of the games set up for children before heading into the maze.
At one of the game stations, the children were to guess what the animal was based on the type of grain that was displayed. After guessing, they could raise the cover off a picture to find out the right answer. Other favourites for the young visitors was the Human Hamster Wheel and the magnetic fishing pond.
Pumpkins are growing in a nearby pumpkin patch and will be ready for sale in October.
The farm also has fresh farm produce including garden peas, sweet corn, carrots, potatoes, onions, herbs, and rhubarb.
The Brooks Corn Maze will be open Saturdays and Sundays from 1-5:30 pm until the end of October. Admission for adults (ages 13+) is $10, children (ages 5-12) is $6 and preschoolers are free. Family passes are also available. Visit their website at www.brookscornmaze.com for directions and further information.