CLIMATE RESILIENCE
RECONNECTING TO LOCAL FOOD
COCHRANE, ALBERTA, CANADA
For foodies visiting places like Cochrane, Alberta, there is more to do than sample local cuisine. Broaden your food expertise by participating in programs that teach hands-on lessons in food production. These lessons are souvenirs to take home and practice in your garden.
What's
changing
As urban areas expand, it is easy to feel disconnected from the origins of food and the nature that provides it. Rural communities that surround cities are good locations for agritourism that helps visitors better understand where food comes from and the importance of supporting local producers.
What's already
possible
In Cochrane, Alberta, not far from Calgary, Early Dawn Farm has evolved from its origins in homesteading and farmers markets to educating guests from all over the world eager to learn about food cultivation and self-sufficiency on their property.
Seizing
the opportunity
Workshops hosted on the Early Dawn property began in 2021 and focus on a variety of topics: cheesemaking, beginner beekeeping, foraging, rainwater harvesting, techniques for better soil health, medicinal plants and backyard composting. Industry leaders teach the sessions in an on-site classroom or around the farm, which facilitates knowledge sharing within the agricultural community.
Standout
tactic
As tourism expands in the region, Early Dawn Farm has started offering accommodation to travelers who register for select classes through partnerships with local bed-and-breakfasts and inns. This gives guests more time to experience the local area and interact with the farm’s LaMancha dairy goats, Katahdin sheep, a dairy cow, ducks and chickens.
How
it helps
The farm has 750 people on its membership list and guests travel from across the country and from overseas. Olds College, which is about an hour from Early Dawn, recently established a partnership with the farm to offer international students educational credits.
Diving
deeper
How can areas with developing agritourism ensure that farm practices do not shift to be more tourist-friendly and sacrifice local agricultural sustainability?
Increasing
impact
To expand its impact, Early Dawn Farm is adding regenerative agriculture courses for small farms, leadership development, trade programs that focus on sustainable sites, and small-scale business programs.
Traveling
better
Travel is inherently carbon intensive. Whether you are taking a mini-break or an annual vacation, consider ways to minimize your impact by staying longer in one place, reconsidering how you travel to the destination, and supporting businesses that are working to make their community and the world a better place.
