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Agri Food Connector Recap
On November 3rd, I had the pleasure of attending the 2025 AgriFood Connector event in Strathcona County and honestly, it was one of those days that left you feeling a little more inspired, a little more connected, and a whole lot more hopeful about the future of food in Alberta.
The day kicked off with an energizing breakfast by Family Affair Catering and rolled right into a keynote presentation by Sanford Gleddie, EVP of Sales, Marketing, Product & Business Development at The Little Potato Company. Now, I didn’t go in expecting to be scribbling notes like a student again, but that’s exactly what happened. Sanford’s talk delivered more than just soundbites, it was a reminder of why clarity of purpose and focus in your business actually matters.
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One of the standout ideas he shared was about how companies with a clearly defined mission and values naturally attract the right people. When your team aligns with what you stand for, they’re more likely to go above and beyond. He also talked about the power of doing one thing exceptionally well. You don’t need to offer everything under the sun; instead, become the best at your "one thing." For The Little Potato Company, that "one thing" is, you guessed it, little potatoes. And they’ve built an entire brand around owning that word. From a smart rebrand with clear packaging and a warm, family-forward visual identity, to adorable potato mascots (Spuddies!), they’ve made "little" synonymous with quality, convenience, and joy.
The keynote set the tone for the rest of the day. The Connect for Food Showcase and Exchange was buzzing, a lot of real, grounded conversations with people doing amazing work in Alberta’s agrifood sector. I met representatives from companies I deeply respect and admire.
Over lunch, U-Turn Local Eatery & Kitchen gave us a sneak preview of their all-local menu, which felt more like a love letter to the land than a catered meal. Everything about the day emphasized connection between entrepreneurs, between policy and practice, and most importantly, between the people behind the food we eat.
The afternoon panel offered some diverse, grounded perspectives on building a stronger local food system. From government support to private innovation, the collective energy in the room was focused on resilience, collaboration, and the idea that agrifood is not just about economics, it’s about community.
Big thanks to Strathcona County for hosting such a powerful gathering. Events like these aren’t just networking opportunities; they’re catalysts. They remind us that the work we do in food, farming, and communication matters and that we’re not doing it alone.
And to Sanford Gleddie and The Little Potato Company: thank you for showing us how something small can be mighty, and how storytelling and values aren’t fluff, they’re strategy.
If you’re curious about the broader Agriculture and Food Sector Development Strategy driving some of this momentum, check out www.connectforfood.ca
Let’s keep building. Let’s keep connecting. And let’s keep doing our "one thing" well.
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Save the Date: March 13 & 14, 2026
Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association and Organic Alberta are coming together once again for a two-day conference and trade show on March 13th and 14th, 2026. This annual gathering brings producers, agritourism operators, and industry partners into the same room for practical learning, great conversations, and fresh ideas to take into the season ahead. We’ll be sharing more details in the coming weeks but for now, mark your calendar. It’s shaping up to be a strong, energizing event.
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Alberta’s farm-gate scene is not just buzzing, it’s blooming
Through a $1.7 million investment by Travel Alberta (with full backing from the provincial government), new and expanded agritourism experiences, from ranch stays and corn-mazes to farm-to-table dinners, are opening up across the province. Not only is this building rural economies and visitor-interest, it’s putting the spotlight squarely on farmers and producers as the storytellers of our land. Curious how it all ties into a target of a $25 billion visitor economy by 2035? Click through to get the full picture:
Read Full Article Here
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Have you received the latest edition of Food News?
This month’s roundup from Agriculture and Irrigation highlights some genuinely exciting developments across Alberta’s food and agri-processing sector, from immersive VR training programs to upcoming webinars, regional events, and new funding opportunities for employers. It’s a handy way to stay connected to the bigger landscape our producers and partners are working within.
Read the Full November Edition Here
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Curious about what winter 2025–26 might look like on the Prairies?
Alberta Farm Express recently shared a helpful breakdown of the long-range forecast, including expected temperature patterns, precipitation trends, and what producers might anticipate heading into the colder months. If you’re keeping an eye on weather impacts for planning, fieldwork, or agritourism operations, this is a worthwhile read.
Read the Full Forcast Breakdown Here
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A creative twist on agritourism in southern Alberta
CBC recently featured the family behind Saddle Ridge Ranch near Twin Butte, who transformed old grain bins into cozy guest cabins, blending prairie heritage with agri-tourism innovation. It’s a charming example of how Alberta producers are reimagining farm infrastructure to create new revenue streams and memorable visitor experiences.
Read the Full Story Here
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Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association made the news
Alberta Farm Express recently featured new provincial funding aimed at expanding agritourism across the province, support that directly strengthens the work producers and organizations like AFFPA are doing to grow farm-based visitor experiences. The article highlights how this investment can help farms diversify, innovate, and build resilience while drawing more people into Alberta’s rural communities.
Read the Full Story Here
| | | Graphic credit: Chase, L. C., Stewart, M., Schilling, B., Smith, B., & Walk, M. (2018). Agritourism: Toward a Conceptual Framework for Industry Analysis. JAFSCD, 8(1), 13-19. | Exploring the Agritourism Wheel: Hospitality | | Over the past several months, we’ve walked through the major pillars of agritourism: Education, Direct Sales, Entertainment, and Outdoor Recreation. Each represents a different way farms can welcome visitors, share their story, and build sustainable new revenue streams. This month, we arrive at the final section of the Agritourism Wheel: Hospitality. |
Why Hospitality Matters
Hospitality sits at the heart of what makes agritourism memorable. It’s about creating space for visitors to slow down, feel connected to the land, and experience farm life in a way that’s personal and welcoming. When done well, hospitality turns a simple visit into something people talk about, return to, and share with others.
Hospitality also tends to be one of the more stable and higher-value areas of agritourism. Guests are willing to pay for comfort, experience, and a feeling of belonging and farms already have the natural setting to make that possible.
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Examples of Hospitality on the Farm
Here are a few familiar formats from the wheel:
Farm Stays:
Cozy cabins, guest suites, or RV hookups where visitors can sleep on the farm and wake up to the smell of fresh air, animals, and open land.
Farm-to-Table Dinners & Tastings:
Meals prepared with ingredients grown steps away from the table, often paired with storytelling from the farmer. These events can be seasonal, ticketed, small-group, or part of a series.
Retreats & Workshops:
Think yoga weekends, photography retreats, cozy winter writing sessions, or wellness days hosted in a barn loft or greenhouse.
Hospitality Add-Ons:
Firepit bundles, picnic baskets, morning farm chores for kids, guided walks, or breakfast deliveries. Small touches that turn a stay into an experience.
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Easy Ways to Get Started
You don’t need a full guesthouse or year-round program to take your first step into hospitality. Start simple:
1. Offer a seasonal on-farm meal
A harvest dinner, brunch in the orchard, or a winter soup & bread night can be a low-risk entry point.
2. Create bookable “micro-experiences”
An hour-long farm tour, a tasting flight, or a picnic setup in a scenic spot.
3. Start with one overnight option
A refurbished grain bin, tiny cabin, glamping tent, or even a single RV pad can help test the waters.
4. Host a farm day for small groups
Families or friend groups can book a morning on the farm with a mix of chores, animals, tastings, and downtime.
5. Pair with local businesses
Work with nearby restaurants, bakeries, wellness studios, photographers, or guides to share the workload and create a new revenue stream for everyone.
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Closing the Wheel
With Hospitality, we’ve now explored all the major components of the Agritourism Wheel, a helpful reminder that agritourism is diverse, flexible, and full of possibilities. Whether your farm leans into education, sales, entertainment, recreation, hospitality, or a blend of them all, there’s room to experiment, grow, and build experiences that feel true to who you are.
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🍒 Dig Into Hort: New Management Recommendations for Prairie Fruit Growers
Calling all fruit producers! This fall, the Dig Into Horticulture series returns with a two-part webinar exploring the latest management practices for Saskatoon berry, haskap, raspberry, sour cherry, and strawberry production. Join Forrest Scharff, Fruit Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture, as he shares new insights on pruning, orchard renovation, and strawberry production, from improving harvest efficiency to maintaining long-term plant health.
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Session 1: Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025 – Pruning & Orchard Renovation (Saskatoon berry, haskap, raspberry, sour cherry)
Session 2: Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025 – Strawberry High Tunnel Production
🕖 Time: 7:00–8:30 p.m.
💻 Location: Online via Zoom
💰 Cost: Free – registration closes two days before each event
This collaborative series is brought to you by Parkland County, Sturgeon County, Woodlands County, and Leduc County.
For more info, contact Rebecca Nickurak at agriculture@parklandcounty.com or 780-968-8467, or Sharon Faye at sharon@leduc-county.com
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🍎 Food & Beverage Business Coaching Program. Limited Spaces!
Are you a food or beverage entrepreneur ready to grow, pivot, or explore new ideas? The Business Coaching & Mentoring Program, offered through Community Futures St. Paul, Smoky Lake Region in partnership with the ClearThink Group is designed to help you move forward with clarity and confidence.You’ll be matched with a Certified Management Consultant (CMC Coach) who will work with you one-on-one over 2–3 months to refine your goals, map out your next steps, and connect you with the right tools and resources.
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💰 Program fee: $350 ($250 refunded upon completion)
📞 Contact: 780-645-5782 | ✉️ admin@cfspsl.ca
| | Based in Picture Butte, Alberta, Prairie Hill Farms Ltd. is a dynamic agribusiness launched in 2020, specializing in the production and processing of nutritious haskap berries. Operating a CFIA‑licensed facility, PHF handles everything from sorting and freeze‑drying to packaging frozen berries, powders, juices, spreads, sauces, syrups, dressings and more. Sold via retail, wholesale, and co‑packing services. | |
Born in Alberta’s oil and gas sector, Spot Power set out to bring big-industry energy savings to everyday Albertans. Today, this family-owned retailer serves 450+ communities with low-cost electricity and natural gas — cutting out the middleman to pass savings directly to you. Wondering if they service your area? Reach out and find out. | |
Pacific Injection Molding Ltd. is based in British Columbia and specializes in innovative, field-ready plastic solutions tailored for the agriculture sector. Their products are designed with direct input from growers, ensuring practical, durable tools that meet real-world farming needs. We're excited to have them on board and look forward to the value they bring to Alberta's farm producers! | | NAFMA has long been a vibrant network of producers, processors, and agribusinesses stretching across Northeast Alberta. They are however in the middle of an exciting rebranding journey. While the new look is still “loading,” their commitment to Alberta’s farmers remains as strong as ever. Stay tuned, we’ll be sharing their refreshed brand and new resources with you very soon. | | |
Advertise with AFFPA!
We’ve got a prime spot open. Reach Alberta’s farm-fresh community. Email info@albertafarmfresh.com to see if we’re the right fit!
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Advertise with AFFPA!
We’ve got a prime spot open. Reach Alberta’s farm-fresh community. Email info@albertafarmfresh.com to see if we’re the right fit!
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