Thousands flocked to the heart of Charlottetown recently, participating in an event called Farm Day.
Designed to bridge the widening gap between the urban populace and their agricultural origins, this event serves as an eye-opener for many about from where their food truly originates.
In modern-day Canada, a mere 2% are involved in farming -- a statistic that underlines the ever-growing distance between consumers and the source of their meals.
Farm Day hopes to shorten this distance. Maggie McCormick from the P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture emphasized the need for people to be familiar with farming practices, especially the push towards sustainable farming.
Many children, for the first time, got to see farm animals up close. Sara Arsenault, a local farm owner, pointed out that for some kids, this is their first real connection to food outside a grocery store.
One significant concern addressed during the event was the rapid conversion of agricultural land to residential areas on P.E.I.
The Federation warns that if the current trend persists, P.E.I. might lose half its farmland by 2050. Such a scenario is alarming for a province deeply connected to agriculture.
Farm Day is more than just an event; it's an educational experience aiming to bring urban dwellers a step closer to understanding the irreplaceable role farming holds in their lives and the life of the island.