Manitoba farmers invite urbanites through barn doors on Open Farm Day

Dozens of Manitoba farmers threw open their barn doors Sunday so urbanites could get a closer look at what goes into feeding millions of people ever year.

The Jochum family grain farm and 45 other sites participated in Open Farm Day this year, which gives city-slickers a chance to learn more about the agriculture industry.

"Agriculture is our passion and farming is our passion," said Fiona Jochum, one of four sisters who grew up on the farmin St.FranoisXavier, about 30 kilometres west of Winnipeg.

"We know now that not everybody has a connection to agriculture anymore with urbanization. So, this is just a great opportunity to give people a chance to see what's going on beyond the farm gate."

The Jochum famiy has been churning out grain from their farm since the 1980s, when Fiona's parents moved from Germany and settled on the Prairies.

"They moved from Germany because they knew their ...children were really interested in agriculture, and they just knew that there was more opportunity for them for farming in Canada," said Jochum.

Jochumstudied agriculture at the University of Manitoba and plans to stick it out in the family business. She said she's encouraged to see more young women and girls in the profession.

"Every year there's more and more women involved and it's pretty exciting, whether it be women who are planning to go back to the farm and take over their family farms, or women who are planning on working in the agriculture industry."

The family hastractors and tools on display for visitors in what Jochumplayfully referred to as an "equipment petting zoo," as well as samples of the crops they produce on site.

The Jochumfarmis open to the public between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. CT Sunday, although other farms arescheduled to be open at different times.

A list of other farms participating this year is available on the Open Farm Day website.