Artisans at work in Western Canada: Alberta

Whether you are a craft enthusiast, a history buff or simply someone looking for something new to discover, the Artisans at work network promises you an incomparable adventure in Western Canada!

Meet passionate artisans and discover their know-how.

ALBERTA

Alberta is known for its varied landscapes, from majestic mountains to prairies, from vast coniferous forests to desert plains. Take a two-day gourmet tour of its Artisans at work network.

Old School Cheesery LTD.
River Ranch
Twisted Fork
Healing à la Source
Paradis Valley honey
Bridgeland Distillery

Driving time : 7 hours, excluding Bridgeland Distillery in Calgary

Old School Cheesery [Vermilion]

Discover Alberta’s first economuseum, the Old School Cheesery! Located in the north-east of the province in the town of Vermilion, the Cheese making ÉCONOMUSÉE® sources cow’s milk from local producers. Follow the milk’s journey to its transformation into cheese. The owners, Patrick Dupuis and his daughter Valerie Roberts, pasteurise the milk on site. Succumb to the charm of the distinctive flavours emanating from the regular cheddars (curd or block), with chipotle, dill, garlic, black pepper, BBQ, cold smoked and local beer. The company also offers bries and a hard cheese matured in honey. Happiness in every bite.

River Ranch [Saint-Paul]

Welcome to Western Canada’s very first HERITAGE SPACE, River Ranch, where you can meet ranchers Adam and Crystal Charbonneau. These hard-working artisans will introduce you to the pleasures of adventure on horseback and the tradition of cattle rearing using grass-fed cattle to regenerate the land. The ranch has 100 cows and a stable of 10 horses. Whether you choose an introduction to horseback riding, a guided horseback tour, an overnight horseback expedition, a lasso workshop or a country trail ride, you will be immersed in the River Ranch experience.

Twisted Fork [Saint-Paul]

Stop for lunch or dinner at the Twisted Fork Cannery ÉCONOMUSÉE®. This boutique restaurant focuses on local, seasonal Canadian ingredients. You can discuss the company’s social commitment, as it works with dozens of local farmers, producers and businesses. Almost everything here is made from scratch, and what is not is sourced from other artisanal businesses in the area. With complete control over the food on offer, Twisted Fork can better cater to special diets. Enjoy the region’s traditional culinary traditions through a varied selection of delicious dishes and leave with a product prepared by Twisted Fork.

Healing à la Source [Lac La Biche]

Come and meet Noëlla Somerville at her Stained glass ÉCONOMUSÉE®, Healing at the Source, a place for contemplation and creation. If you are interested in this form of craft, you have come to the right place to learn its techniques! Explore the age-old practice of stained glass by visiting the Healing à la Source workshop and accompanying the artisan at work in her creative process. Book in advance to take part in one of her workshops. Take the opportunity to chat with Noëlla Somerville, who has made her dream of making a living from her art come true, while sharing her passion for stained glass.

Paradis Valley Honey [Watino]

The owners of the Paradis Valley Honey’s Beekeeping ÉCONOMUSÉE®, Ginette and Danny Paradis, have been practising their passion for beekeeping since 2003, with 3,500 active hives in their apiary. Danny is the descendant of seven generations of beekeepers who practised their trade first in Quebec and then in Alberta from the 1950s onwards. An interpretation trail will take you to the heart of the company’s activities and its collaborators, the bees. A living beehive, historical and scientific anecdotes, virtual reality learning and product tasting await you. Activities for children are also available. Discover unfiltered, heated or pasteurised honey, bursting with incomparable aromas and virtues.

CALGARY

Bridgeland Distillery [Calgary]

Stop by the Distiller ÉCONOMUSÉE®, Bridgeland Distillery, located just a few steps from downtown Calgary. Nestled in the heart of the Bridgeland-Riverside community, the distillery specialises in the production of brandy, whisky and eau-de-vie, and is rooted in its community by using local ingredients and showcasing the terroir of southern Alberta. Visit owners Jacques and Daniel, who met in a distillation workshop in the Okanagan. Let them tell you about their passion for the art of spirit making, their dedication to craft and their ambition to reinvent spirit traditions.

This publication is part of a series of three articles on the Artisans at work network in Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.

Let the adventure begin!

Photo © Sergey Pesterev / Wikimedia Commons