Three Farms in Alberta: Featured in Depth of Field: Films About Farming

Three Alberta farms are featured in the short film documentary series Depth of Field: Films About Farming presented by the National Farmers Union and March Forth Creative.

The series captures the stories of 40 diverse farms employing sustainable practices across Canada. Albertan farms featured are: Davey Creek Ranch, The Gathering Place Coop, and Backwoods Buffalo.

“The unique natural landscape of Alberta made for a memorable filming experience. From buffaloes to cattle to a unique farming cooperative, each farm captured showed how they are contributing to the sustainability of farming in their own distinctive ways,” report filmmakers Sarah Douglas and Tamer Soliman, of March Forth Creative.

Davey Creek Ranch

Davey Creek Ranch is a cattle ranch in South Central Alberta owned and operated by Glenn and Patricia Norman. It was originally a cow/calf operation that grew all of its own feed but, faced with decades of low cattle prices and aging operators, things needed to change.

So about 10 years ago they remade the ranch as a direct marketing operation. They reduced their cow numbers and elected to market finished farm raised beef directly to consumers. They also produce and market quality hay and honey.

The Gathering Place Coop

The Gathering Place Coop is a co-operative and food hub of producers based in northern Alberta who grow food and direct sell to eaters. Additionally, they prepare the ingredients into meals that are sold online or served at their restaurant.

Backwoods Buffalo

Chad and Laurie Trigg are young farmers from rural Alberta. Starting the ranch from the soil up at 22 and 23 years old, they were excited to start a new venture in the bison world and deemed their ranch “The Backwoods Buffalo Ranch” after their metis heritage and the bluff of beautiful spruce in the “backwoods”. \

The couple now pride themselves on being a community based around food by offering solace to individuals from around the world through various volunteer and apprenticeship programs. The ranch is not only home to the Bison but pastured pork, freerange chickens, horses and milking animals.

Stay tuned as we launch each short film over the coming months. Films will be released online and shown via local screenings by community members and other farm organizations during the winter of 2024.

To organize a local screening - use the free Community Screening Guide available at www.nfu.ca/filmsaboutfarming/, or email Nasseem at hakimian@nfu.ca to inquire.

Depth of Field: Films About Farming

Depth of Field is a series of 40 short documentaries produced and presented by the National Farmers Union and March Forth Creative.

The films showcase Canadian farmers and farm workers, and their sustainable farming practices on and off the land. Rotational grazing, seed saving, building healthy soils, and working for social justice– different farmers highlight their own priorities and, together, these films tell the story of farming practices that would create the food system we all want.

The National Farmers Union wants Canadian food consumers to learn more about the work of farming and the thoughtful commitment farmers in communities all across Canada , like the ones featured in Depth of Field, contributes to building a thriving food system that benefits people and the land.

National Farmers Union

The National Farmers Union is a farmer-led, democratically-directed farm organization representing Canadian farmers and farm workers, and advocating on issues of importance to us. NFU members believe that the problems facing farmers are common problems, and that farmers producing diverse products must work together to advance effective solutions.

The NFU works toward economic, social, and environmental policies that promote economically-and environmentally-sustainable farms and strong farming communities.