Those wanting to experience a taste of local agricultural life can do so as the Airdrie and District Ag Society’s annual “Art of the Harvest” fair once again comes into full bloom on Sept. 16.
“That majority of the people that come are still rural, but even so most rural people don’t do the farming practices that we showcase,” explained Art of the Harvest Committee Chair Phyllis McCallum-Hunter. “It’s just the down-home, country lifestyle kind of event– and it’s free.”
Besides traditional threshing machines and horse drawn plows and wagon rides, Art of the Harvest also features agriculture-themed games for the kids, live music, farm toys for digging in the dirt, on site food trucks, and an opportunity to harvest your own zucchinis, squash, pumpkins, potatoes, carrots and turnips for the cost of a donation to the Airdrie Food Bank.
“I think it is a great time to get back to the roots of what agriculture is,” said McCallum-Hunter, “and it is a great way of connecting with the earth and having some fun.”
According to McCallum-Hunter, Art of the Harvest added a tractor pull to the festivities for the first time last year, and it proved to be a big draw in its own right.
“The tractor pull was definitely a pull,” she confirmed. “We certainly were not anticipating the excitement that was going to bring. We were blown away.”
Because the tractor pull was such a huge success, McCallum-Hunter said they will be doing it again this year.
And since the fair takes place only a short distance away from Airdrie, (3 km west on Big Hill Springs Road), she also wanted to encourage all city dwellers, townsfolk and rural residents alike to come out and celebrate this joyous time of harvest with the local farm community.
“It’s a great day of fellowship and camaraderie in a safe environment,” said McCallum-Hunter. “And you don’t have to spend any money unless you want to.”
The Art of the Harvest fair takes place at the Airdrie and District Agricultural Society grounds on Sept. 16 starting at 10:30 a.m.
