Latest news with #OpenFarmDays
CTV News
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Ag producers inviting Albertans to experience farm life this weekend for Open Farm Days
Charlotte Wasylik, a member of the family-run Chatsworth Farm near Vermilion, Alta., pets a pig on Aug. 14, 2025. (Miriam Valdes-Carletti / CTV News Edmonton) Alberta's agriculture producers are preparing to welcome guests this weekend for the 13th annual Open Farm Days. 'It's really about getting all the items in place: moving all the pens around, setting up all the signage, moving bales around, … giving (the yard) that final polish,' said Charlotte Wasylik, a member of the second-generation Chatsworth Farm northeast of Vermilion, during an interview on Thursday. 'A lot of gardening, a lot of weeding, a lot of watering,' added her mom, Johanna Wasylik. 'I also make the condiments for our hot dog barbecue, so making lots and lots of hot dog relish and quick pickled red onions and sauerkraut and red water pickles.' 140 farms across the province welcoming guests on Saturday or Sunday. 5 Open to guests on Saturday, Chatsworth Farm is hosting farm tours, machinery and sheep shearing demonstrations, cooking lessons, live music by Edmonton-based duo the Western Thistles, and more. 'Everything that we add to our Open Farm Days, there's a connection. The rock painting we're doing for kids… the rocks are from our fields,' Charlotte told CTV News Edmonton. 'One of the food truck vendors, they're serving our hot dogs made with our beef. And the equine demos, the horse trainer, Megan, she's actually the trainer of my horses. The sheep shearer is actually our sheep shearer.' She said it's an exciting time to be a farmer and participating in Open Farm Days because of the rise in popularity of farming and homesteading on social media. 'Not a lot of people are connected with farms or where their food comes from. So this really gives people the chance to experience it.' The theme for this year's event is 'Water, the lifeblood of every farm.' Admission is free. More information is available online. Open Farm Days falls at the end of Local Food Week. With files from CTV News Edmonton's Miriam Valdes-Carletti
Calgary Herald
2 days ago
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Chorney-Booth: Kondattam is a pan-Indian dream come true
Article content While many Asian restaurants in Calgary are opting to go more regional these days, Thangavel and Senniappan decided to make Kondattam a pan-Indian affair or, as Sennaippan likes to say, 'from Kashmir to Kanyakumari' or 'K to K,' referencing a popular north-to-south Indian road trip route. The menu is quite large — though, Sennaippan notes, significantly more curated than a typical curry house menu — with selections representing the best of Indian cuisine. You've got snacks like pani puri ($10) balls stuffed with potatoes and green peas; a fried squid appetizer with house masala ($18); ultra-crisp dosas ($10) with plenty of filling options; and five flavours of naan ($3 to $7). Article content Everything on the menu is prepared with great skill and care, but there are some must-try standouts. While Senniappan did put the obligatory butter chicken on the menu, he's pleased that the most popular curry has been the fragrant Kondattam signature curry, made with a blend of 16 spices from the Karaikudi region of Tamil Nadu. The tandoor section of the menu also has some interesting choices, including fresh Atlantic salmon cooked in the charcoal tandoor ($24) and an Alberta sirloin steak ($26) prepared in the tandoor and served in a tomato butter curry. Article content Article content Thangavel and Senniappan aimed high, bringing their dream and spices from halfway around the world. Already almost constantly full of customers, it's turning out to be a dream come true for Calgarians, too. Article content Kondattam is located at 1006 1st St. S.E. in the Upten Apartments building. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner and can be reached at 403-453-0078 or through Article content In other food news, knowing where our food comes from is important, which is why agri-tourism is so popular. The annual Open Farm Days takes place this weekend (Aug. 16 and 17), with farms throughout the province welcoming the public to tour their properties and see how the food we enjoy is produced. Pay a visit to well-known operations like Edgar Farms near Innisfail or Spirit Hills flower winery in Millarville, or take a chance and try a new-to-you greenhouse, honey producer, cattle ranch or fresh flower grower. There's a lot to explore: the full list of participants can be found at
