Join us inside L'OCA Labs for an informative session with Trafford Farms, a family-run urban operation growing gourmet mushrooms and greens right here in Alberta.

Charlie Trafford, Sya Trafford, and Mike Yates will begin with a brief history of Trafford Farms and Deep Water Farms before diving into the details of their Didsbury facility, including the takeover, current operations, and future growth potential.

Learn about their unique mushroom cultivation process, the techniques they use, and stories straight from the production floor, then discover how different varieties stack up when it comes to flavour, texture, and best uses in the kitchen.

You’ll learn about the key differences between foraging and cultivation, compare indoor greenhouse versus outdoor growing methods, and understand why hyper-local farming matters for both industry trends and community impact. This type of farming is so local that mushrooms from Trafford Farms reach L'OCA Quality Market within 24 hours of harvest.

Throughout the class, Chef Fabricio will be cooking up light bites featuring fresh mushrooms from Trafford Farms, including:

• Piopino Mushroom Crostini with Jersey butter, goat brie, buckwheat honey on L'OCA sourdough
• Chestnut Rigatoni alla Boscaiola made with chestnut mushrooms, pancetta, San Marzano tomatoes, thyme, and Pecorino Romano
• Charcoal Grilled Lion's Mane mushrooms with a maple and soy glaze, served with Thai slaw and ponzu sauce
• Pink & Blue Oyster Mushroom Salad with baby Swiss chard, pine nuts, and Jerez vinaigrette

ABOUT TRAFFORD FARMS
Established in Calgary by siblings Charlie and Sya Trafford, is committed to providing fresh, high-quality produce year-round. What began as a specialty mushroom venture in November 2023, has blossomed into a mission driven company challenging the status quo of our produce industry. In 2024, Trafford Farms acquired Deepwater Farms, Western Canada’s pioneer in leafy green production using Controlled Environment Agriculture.

THINGS TO KNOW
Registration for in L’OCA Classes and Events are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, and require full payment.
We reserve the right to cancel any class that fails to meet a minimum enrollment, scheduling conflicts, chef availability, or other unforeseen circumstances.