Opening the farm gate and inviting consumers to see where their food comes from sounds simple, but Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan says it makes a measurable difference in how people understand agriculture.
Clinton Monchuk, executive director of Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan, says Saskatchewan Open Farm Days gives farmers and ranchers an opportunity to talk directly with consumers and show what modern food production looks like.
The annual event takes place during the second weekend of August, and 2026 marks its third year. More than 5,000 visitors attended 37 venues across Saskatchewan, making it the largest Open Farm Days yet.
“The big reason and the push behind this is to kind of open up farmers’ doors, gates, if you will, to the general public,” Monchuk said.
For farmers across Western Canada, that direct connection with consumers becomes increasingly important. Fewer Canadians have close family ties to farming, and many people get much of their information about food production from social media, advertising, and other sources.

Monchuk says nothing replaces actually visiting a farm.
Visitors see a wide range of Saskatchewan agriculture, from the southwest around Val Marie to Birch Hills in the north and numerous farms around Saskatoon.
Activities include tours explaining farm equipment and crops, robotic dairy milking, fruit picking and honey extraction. Three bus tours also take visitors into the countryside. Two sell out completely, while the third reaches about 75 percent capacity.
Monchuk says those numbers demonstrate a strong interest among consumers in learning more about food production.
The most encouraging results, however, come from a voluntary survey of visitors.
Monchuk says 97 percent of respondents indicate the experience increases both their understanding and positive perception of agriculture.
“That’s huge,” he said. “The more we talk about agriculture to consumers and make sure we have open, transparent conversations with them, the better their understanding is.
He says that improved understanding contributes to better food literacy.
Farm hosts also respond positively. About four out of five participating hosts describe their experience as excellent and express interest in participating again. Some farms in areas with lower visitor traffic report less positive experiences, giving organizers information they can use to improve the event for 2027.

For farmers, opening the gate to strangers can require time and effort, especially during a busy growing season. However, Monchuk sees value in allowing consumers to ask questions directly rather than leaving others to explain farming on their behalf.
That is an important point for Western Canadian agriculture.
Farmers deal with questions about pesticides, fertilizer, livestock care, environmental practices, food prices and technology. Those conversations become much easier when consumers can stand in a field, walk through a barn or watch a farmer demonstrate equipment.

Open Farm Days does not require visitors to become agricultural experts. It simply gives them an opportunity to see farming firsthand and ask questions of the people who produce their food.
Monchuk says Saskatchewan remains a major agricultural producer, making it particularly valuable for people within the province to understand what happens beyond city limits.

As consumers become further removed from primary agriculture, farmers face a choice: allow someone else to tell their story or invite people in and tell it themselves.
Saskatchewan Open Farm Days shows that many consumers are willing to come through the gate and listen. •
— By Harry Siemens