Open Farms comes together for in-person event

Jeff Green | Aug 25, 2021

When the second Open Farms event took place at 10 farms in South Frontenac and Rural Kingston in 2019, it seemed like the event had found a formula. As many as 1300 people visited some of the locations. It had quickly become a great outreach event for small-scale, alternative agriculture in the region and a sales opportunity for the farmers.

In 2020 that all changed, and Open Farms went virtual, just like everything else did because of COVID. A series of panels, on Zoom, took place over a 3 week period, including a major component targeted at local students.

In 2021, however, virtual zoom events seem 'so 2020' but a return to the pre-COVID gatherings is not in the cards either, so Open Farms has pivoted again, this time to a farm and market-based event centred around Centennial Park in Harrowsmith.

Alison Vandevelde, Community Development Officer in the Frontenac County Economic Development department, has been the key organiser of Open Farms since the start.

“It's a lot different now, not only because of the way protocols have changed, but also because of the partnerships that have developed,” she said.

Open Farms is not just a Frontenac County event anymore. South Frontenac has always been at the centre of the events during Open Farms, but now the township is involved as a partner, as is Tourism Kingston.

The farm component of Open Farms includes 3 diverse farms this year, both in location and the kinds of experiences they offer.

Fat Chance Farmstead on Road 38 is located at the Kingston/South Frontenac boundary. They are a strawberry and vegetable farm, offering weekly food boxes, farm gate sales and you-pick strawberries (when possible) in late June. (Open Saturday, Sept. 11 – pay what you can admission fee/deposit on purchases.)

Loughborough Orchards, located north of Inverary, is a heritage apple orchard that has been restored and modernised. A dozen Heritage varieties of apples are available, as is fresh cider, and other farm products, all on a unique property. (Open Sunday September 12, free admission.)

And up in Arden, the Fireweed Learning Community and Forest Farm, which is new to the region and to Open Farms, after relocating from the London area. (Open Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 11 and 12, free admission)

Pre-registration is necessary to visit the farms, Registration is available at Openfarms.ca.

Farmers markets are playing a major role at Open Farms this year. The Kingston Farmers Market on Saturday and the Memorial Centre Market on Sunday are both participating, as is the Wolfe Island Commons Market on Saturday.

And the hub of Open Farms will be the enhanced Frontenac Farmers Market at Centennial Park, which will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 10-4. Some of the farms who participated in Open Farms in 2018 and 2019, including Maple Ridge Farm (Sydenham) and Sonset Farm (Inverary) will have information and sales booths at the market this year. Gilmour's Food Truck and the Harrowsmith Brewing Company will be on hand as well. And there will be live music throughout the weekend, including performances by: Chris Murphy (Inverary), the King of Swingers (Westport) and Teilhard Frost (Wolfe Island) on Saturday – The Good Night Irenes (Jon McLurg, Chris Morris, and Al Duquette) and the country stalwarts, Jeff Code and the Silver Wings on Sunday.

Two restaurants, Aquaterra (in the Delta Hotel in Kingston) and the Hotel on Wolfe Island, will be offering farm to table menus, featuring local ingredients, on the weekend as well.

The Verona Free Methodist Church is bringing back their popular summer Drive-In on Saturday night with a free screening of the movie 'Babe'.

And finally, the South Frontenac Museum will be open both days, with an exhibit focussing on the rich agricultural history of South Frontenac.

Details have changed continually in the planning stages of Open Farms 2021 and they could change again.

Check Openfarms.ca for all things Open Farms.

Other than the farm visits, no pre-registration is required for any of the other events. Aside from COVID distancing, anyone can jump in their car, or hop on their bike, and come to enjoy food and music and local colour, just like in the carefree pre COVID days.