Fresh from the Farm @ Springridge

The Year in Review, Part Two

2012-01-01T21:26:00.001-05:00

We made some wonderful memories at the farm in 2011 and we’re happy we could share so many of them with you. From our Royal Wedding Marmalade campaign to rubbing elbows with celebrity cookbook authors to whizzing down the new 40 ft pipe slide, we enjoyed every minute of life on the farm! Even our resident rooster Rocky had fun this year shaking his tail feathers in the barnyard!

Without further adieu, here’s our end of year ‘round up of our favourite farm moments!

Best use of a Chuck Wagon
Randy & Sandy at Harvest Festival

Favourite Literary Work Available at the Farm
How to Survive a Gnome Attack by Chuck Sambuchino

Hottest Jar on the Shelf
Royal Wedding Marmalade

Favourite Twilight Shopping Night
Town & Country Christmas House Tour

Most Photographed Farm Guest
David Rocco

Best Early Morning
6am with Lori De Angelis from CHCH

Best Farm Word Coined by Springridge
Jampaign, noun: a series of organized actions done for a purpose (with jam)

Most Likely to be your Best Friend
Tie between Hudson and Rocky

Favourite Local Foodies
Tourism Burlington

Best Kept Secret in Town
The Gift Loft

Best Twitter Connection
@VGonzee for taking our Royal Wedding Marmalade to London!

Fan Favourites
@HeartofOntario loves the food, the staff, the book evenings, the Easter & Harvest Festival!
@jesselauzon loves the cover of YFM magazine, December 2011!

A Post About Parties

2011-12-01T18:22:00.003-05:00

It's December 1st and the invitations are already rolling in. You're invited to a plethora of holiday parties with work colleagues, neighbours, family, friends - wow, you're popular! With a tight social calendar you might need some help from the Springridge elves!

Glitz and Glam from the Gift Loft
Adorn yourself with faux diamonds from our Gift Loft! Our modestly priced costume jewellery will add sparkle to any little black dress. The crystal beaded cuff bracelet is our top pick for the season - perfect for taking you from daytime Christmas shopping to holiday-happy hour crantinis! Looking for a practical party accessory? We have a stylish selection of purses and handbags with a little somethin'-somethin' like colourful satin materials, beads and bling! We also have a dazzling collection of necklaces, earrings and brooches in winter designs.

Holiday Host
The invites are piling up but you're hosting a Christmas party of your own too! We are a one-stop-shop for everything appetizer to dessert. One of our easiest and most delicious appetizers is Raincoast crackers with brie cheese and roasted garlic red pepper jelly. For another palate pleasing hors d'oeuvre you can bake our frozen sausage rolls (cut into 1 inch pieces) and drizzle raspberry honey mustard over them before serving. For a main course, we have gourmet quiches, lasagna and savory meat pies in our frozen section. And for dessert, a platter of freshly baked gingerbread cookies. Voila, dinner a la Springridge Farm!

Don't be a Grinch Guest
We all know it's etiquette to bring something to the host or hostess of a party. Our staff is ready to help you select the perfect hostess gift! We can add some holiday cheer to a bottle of wine with a glass elf wine stopper - or pair your regular paper napkins with a Spode cheese knife set in their traditional Christmas tree pattern. For a host: we recommend our beer can chicken roasting set (sure to score you an invitation again next year!).

Party on!

Springridge closes for the season December 24 at noon.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

2011-11-01T15:01:00.009-04:00

Save the date! Mr. Claus is making his first stop of the season, right here in Milton.

For one weekend only on November 12 & 13, Santa is helping us kick-off our Christmas activities. Bring your letter for Santa and your camera because he's here to visit and take some jolly old photos with families in our party room.

Christmas activities continue every weekend until December 10 & 11, 10am-4pm. Join us at the farm and make a Springridge memory painting a glass ball ornament or decorating a freshly baked gingerbread cookie.

Our barn is all decked out with holiday home décor, ornaments, gifts, gourmet foods and gift baskets. Fraser Fir Christmas trees are available mid-November.

Once you've selected the perfect tree to take home, we want you to decorate it in style! So, we present to you our top 5 tips for making your Christmas tree shine.

1. Immediately place your tree in water and remember to water it throughout the holiday season. Let the branches open up and settle before decorating. Your tree will look full and have a naturally healthy glow!

2. Use LED lights. Make your tree radiant with energy efficient lights that last longer and don’t burn out like regular incandescent bulbs.

3. Add a little sparkle – we have glittery ornaments, picks and decorative balls available in our gift shop. Dress up a traditional tree with several ornaments that stand out!

4. Adorn your tree with sinamay. We have a wonderful selection of colours so you can use this crafter's fabric to create a theme or go wild!

5. Keep your tree shining by using it as kindling when Christmas is over.

Visit us for ideas and inspiration for entertaining and gift-giving this holiday season.

Pumpkins Pumpkins Pumpkins Pumpkins

2011-10-01T07:25:00.003-04:00

Picture this: it’s an eerie Halloween night. The fog is rolling into Milton off the Niagara Escarpment. In the distance a coyote howls. You’re getting the kids ready to go out trick-or-treating. You gaze up at the dark October sky and the moon looks exactly like… a pumpkin you got at Springridge Farm!

For the first time ever, we are featuring Full Moon Pumpkins! These white pumpkins are as big and bright as the moon and will surely eclipse all other pumpkins on your neighbourhood block!

Now in stock:
Orange pumpkins – great for Jack-o-lanterns
Ghost
Knucklehead
Red warty thing
Tomato
Cinderella
Prize winner

One of our favourite ideas for carving pumpkins this fall is ‘the Twinkle Pumpkin’. This idea will add sparkle to your Thanksgiving décor or light the way along your porch stairs at Halloween. First select pie pumpkins or jack-o-lantern style pumpkins from Springridge Farm. Cut an opening around the top of the pumpkin. Scoop out the seeds and guts. Next, use a drill to make holes 1-2 inches apart around the entire pumpkin. Place candle inside and admire the Twinkle!

It’s no secret that Martha Stewart has some of the most creative ideas for celebrating holidays. Get inspired by her pumpkin carving photo gallery.

We are certainly passionate about pumpkins at the farm! This month, our bakery is featuring homemade pumpkin pies and tarts as well as our famous pumpkin face cookies! And the pumpkin doesn’t stop there…we have a delectable selection of pumpkin butters in our gourmet department.

In fact, we love pumpkins so much we’re celebrating this season’s crop at our annual Harvest Festival! Activities include wagon ride, 5-acre corn trail, Boo Barn, face painting, professional puppet show and access to the Fun Farm Yard including our new 40ft pipe slide. Harvest Festival takes place every weekend in October, including Thanksgiving Monday, 10am-4pm.

Springridge Farm is the ultimate destination for pumpkins this fall.

Drive by for a Pie

2011-09-01T14:05:00.014-04:00

What did one old apple pie say to the other?
You’re getting a little too crusty!

At Springridge, pies are no joking matter! We make our pastry from scratch, fill it with the most delicious fruit and carefully hand-flute the edges before baking a perfect golden brown crust. Many of our recipes have been passed along from generation to generation on the farm.

September is all about bridging the gap between summer and fall and we’re filling this month with homemade apple crumble! It has a traditional pie shell bottom with a sweet crumble top and it’s our very own version of the satisfying, comforting, old-fashioned dessert.

Oh me oh my, we love pie! We asked some of our staff what their favourite Springridge pie is and everyone had a different one in mind! Sarah chose peach raspberry, Palma selected our classic apple pie, Kathy thought no one could beat our cherry recipe, June loves the spring-like taste of strawberry-rhubarb and Sandy is anticipating pumpkin pie!

Our pumpkin pie is made with a special blend of spices and will be available in the bakery early this month. We recommend a dollop of whipped cream and several forks for sharing! This pie is a true symbol of the harvest season.

Freshly pressed apple cider and apples are already in store. Our barn is brimming with new fall merchandise. Soon enough we’ll have all shapes and sizes of pumpkins available in our barn market as well as potted garden Mums. This could only lead us to one thing: HARVEST FESTIVAL!

This year’s festival kicks off September 24/25 and continues every weekend in October, including Thanksgiving Monday. Join us for tractor-drawn wagon rides to a 5-acre corn trail, face painting, Boo Barn, professional puppet show and fall family activities in the Fun Farm Yard.

Come celebrate good food, good fun and good pumpkins with us!

Make Your STAYCATION Sizzle

2011-08-01T15:28:00.000-04:00

Does mid-summer leave you dreaming about that European vacation or relaxing week at a cottage rental you never booked?! While a ‘staycation’ fits any budget, the dog days of summer can be hot and long. Here’s a list of our best suggestions of how to make your staycation sizzle!

Entertain Your Brood

Let your kids rule the roost in the Fun Farm Yard! Rocky, our resident fowl, invites you to come and visit him! You can race on the pedal tractors or hike up to the lookout and see if you can spot the CN tower. Plus, Rocky will show you all around the Animal Barn and introduce you to his best goat friends!

Day Trip

Pick up a copy of Ron Brown’s book, ‘Top 100 Unusual Things to see in Ontario’ from our farm shoppe and choose your own adventure. The book outlines locations that are easy to get to from city centers as well as some for more serious explorers. Say goodbye to expensive plane tickets and visit Ontario’s Stonehenge, Ontario’s Taj Mahal or North America’s longest wooden bridge!

Backyard Beautification

Since you’ve had all the time in the world to hang out in your backyard during your staycation, you must have noticed that bare spot in the corner of your garden or the empty table on the patio. A summer at home is the perfect excuse to spruce up your backyard. We have a wonderful selection of garden statuary (for whimsical, rustic or modern gardens), lanterns to brighten your evening entertaining and trinkets that will add charm and character to your outdoor space.

Eat Local

We addressed the importance of eating local foods in our July blog, but August is a bountiful month for fresh fruits and veggies! Visit our barn market for peaches, corn, blueberries, everbearing strawberries and early apples (call ahead for availability). Farmers' markets are a great place to find fresh summer produce like sweet corn. Collect your harvest and try grilling corn on the BBQ. Pull away a few outer layers of the husk, grill for 20 minutes rotating the cob, peel the rest of the husk, butter up and enjoy!

Tour the Country (Roads)

Take a self-guided bike tour of the country roads in Milton! See the farms, landscape and wildlife as you wind around the back roads of the Escarpment. Make sure you put on the breaks as you whiz down the hill on Bell School Line and stop in for a refreshing drink and a seasonal fruit muffin!

From Our Own Backyard

2011-07-01T07:00:00.014-04:00

We are looking forward to all of the local, seasonal foods Ontario has to offer over the summer! At Springridge, we can’t get much more ‘local’ than enjoying the strawberries grown right in our own backyard on Bell School Line. Even though strawberry season is winding down for us in July, we hope our Springridge friends will continue to 'eat local'.

Over the next few months, Farmer John and Farmer Tom will keep our barn market stocked with the freshest produce, grown in Ontario, by some of their farming friends. The first sweet peas of the season are now available in our market and soon we will have sour cherries, sweet cherries, new potatoes, raspberries, blueberries, peaches and corn.

In celebration of local food, we are hosting an Evening with Lynn Ogryzlo, culinary expert and author of The Ontario Table. With a background in Niagara’s wine industry, Lynn has shared her knowledge as a food, wine and travel writer. She has developed more than 1400 recipes devoted to local and seasonal food. Her latest book, The Ontario Table is more than a cookbook; it is an agricultural journey designed to introduce you to the people, food and culture of Ontario’s local food.

Lynn Ogryzlo will also highlight her Buy, Eat, Drink and Think Local Challenge. She is rallying for consumers to adjust their shopping habits and make an effort to spend just $10 of their grocery budget on local food each week. This will lead to an influx of money staying in our own communities.

We invite you to join us on Wednesday, July 13 from 5:30pm-8:00pm for an evening of hors d’oeuvres featuring local, seasonal farm foods, special guest Elizabeth Baird - Food Editor Emeritus of Canadian Living, after hours shopping and an exclusive book talk and signing. RSVP to events@springridgefarm.com as space is limited.

We are also welcoming our friends from A Ta ste of Burlington at the event. This summer they are focusing on local food promotion and encouraging restaurants to include Ontario ingredients on their menus. This summer’s A Taste of Burlington is taking place from July 18 – August 1 and is a wonderful opportunity to sample some of Burlington’s finest restaurants that help make the city a growing culinary destination. Look for the ‘Eat Local’ logo on menus.

Click here for A Taste of Burlington event flyer.

Eat local all year ‘round! Try freezing or preserving your Springridge strawberries so you can enjoy them in the depths of winter. Just hull the berries, place whole on a cookie sheet and freeze. Package quickly and return to freezer. Or try Foodland Ontario’s recipe for Freezer Strawberry Jam.

Bon Appetit!

The Berry Blog II

2011-06-01T10:52:00.001-04:00

It’s the most wonderful time of the year and it’s not even time for the kids to go back to school yet! It’s BERRY SEASON! With all the cool, rainy weather we’ve been having, the strawberries are taking their time out in the field. We’re expecting this year’s crop to be ripe, juicy and ready for picking mid-late June.

Here’s a list of our best strawberry picking tips:

• Call ahead for Farmer John’s daily crop report! We’ll let you know the picking conditions and we’ll post updates on our website, Facebook and Twitter too.

• We’re sure hoping to see the sun a whole lot more in June! Sunscreen, water and a hat are must-have items for your day in the strawberry field.

• The fields are open 9am-4pm and the farm closes at 5pm daily. We suggest coming in the morning when both the temperature and the fruit are cooler.

• We have wooden baskets available for picking or you are welcome to bring your own container from home.

• Look for plump, firm, fully red berries to pick. They taste the best with whipped cream!

• The price of our pick-your-own berries is determined by weight at the end of your berry picking adventure! This year's price is set at $2.75/lb.

• If you’re not the strawberry pickin’ type – we will have a selection of ready-picked berries in our farm market. It can be just as much fun to pick your perfect berries from a fruit table!

• Keep your berries cool; enjoy or freeze.

Try something new in your summer kitchen! We’ve gathered a few of our favourite strawberry recipes from some of our farm friends!

1. Fresh off our special Evening with Lucy Waverman, we’re keen to try her Strawberry Salsa and Goat Cheese Bruschetta. This savory, sweet appetizer is a refreshing twist on traditional bruschetta and a perfect accompaniment for outdoor entertaining!

2. Elizabeth Baird’s recipe for Strawberry Melon Soup with Mint is sure to add coolness to a summer lunch. The soup can be prepared ahead of time and chilled for up to 24 hours.

3. Foodland Ontario has a wealth of delicious strawberry recipes on their website and they’ve merged two of our favourite things: strawberries and grilling! Serve Grilled Ontario Strawberries as a side dish with chicken or pork.

We’d also like to share with you the ultimate Springridge Strawberry Pavlova recipe! We served this delightful dessert at a special luncheon for local food connoisseurs last strawberry season and it received rave reviews!

See you in the fields.

The Shopping News

2011-05-01T14:46:00.000-04:00

We are in full swing at the farm and this season we are featuring many new and exciting product lines! Next time you visit us, look for these fabulous food and gift items in the barn.

Saigon Soul Food: You’ll definitely recognize their Spring Rolls from the Milton Market! Their tasty Vietnamese appetizers and stews are prepared locally in Hamilton using the freshest produce and legumes. Try the Curry Chicken Stew over a bed of rice or serve your guests their specialty Chicken Curry Delights. Saigon Soul Food also offers Gluten Free Spring Rolls and several sauces to accompany the Asian treats.

Pavlo Pottery: Located in Rockton, Pavlo creates his functional pieces using a traditional potter’s wheel. One of the most interesting items in his collection is the wine chiller with tumbler glasses that have indents to fit your finger grip! Sipping from the wine tumblers will have you feeling like you’re soaking up the sun in a rustic vineyard. Pavlo’s pottery collection also includes salad bowls, salsa dishes, pickle trays and mugs.

Trudeau Acrylic Tableware: Perfect for the patio or poolside entertaining, the high quality acrylic tableware is a seasonal must-have item. Available in wine, tumbler, rocks glass and pitcher, it’s easy to imagine enjoying a refreshing lemonade and outdoor summer living! For those people that stand by glassware, there is a new line of elegant water, champagne, martini and wine glasses available too.

Wicked Gourmet: With the philosophy ‘you don’t know how good our product is until you taste it’, Wicked Gourmet products are certainly worth trying in your kitchen! Their sauces, rubs, dips and spreads are prepared in Oakville with a focus on flavor and customer satisfaction. You may have sampled Wicked Gourmet at the One of a Kind Show in Toronto and now we are excited to be a Wicked retailer!

Books: Springridge has become a destination for culinary books and books of interest. New in the shop is The Canadian Living: Barbecue Collection. This book contains the best barbecue recipes from the Canadian Living kitchen. Recipes for shrimp to corn on the cob to pizza will surely shake up your summer grilling. Also new to Springridge is How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack. This is a fun gift for a green thumb or makes for perfect reading in your backyard gazebo!

In other news: Springridge Farm presents an Evening with Lucy Waverman. RSVP to info@springridgefarm.com to join us for an evening of gourmet food, book signing and shopping! Spaces are limited.

Spring into Springridge

2011-04-01T14:51:00.000-04:00

We are ready to open for the 2011 season! April is one of the most exciting months at the farm: nice weather is on its way, pansies are blooming and baby chicks are peeping.

Opening day is Friday, April 8 and the barn will be brimming with seasonal and garden décor. After a long winter’s nap, anticipation is building for the first pie of the season.

Join us for a hopping good time on Easter weekend! We are celebrating Easter at our annual Easter Festival taking place on Good Friday, Saturday and Sunday (April 22, 23, 24). Activities include a meet and greet with the Easter Bunny, egg hunt, face-painting, ‘Peter Rabbit’s Eggcellent Easter Show’ professional puppet show, bunny ears to colour and wear, wagon ride and farm tour and access to the Fun Farm Yard.

We are also delighted to announce our new limited edition preserve, Royal Wedding Marmalade. The traditional orange marmalade includes a celebratory splash of champagne to toast the Royal Couple! We know the GTA has lots of Royal observers and we’ve gathered a list of must-have Springridge items for hosting your own Royal Wedding Par-tea on the big day:

Scone mix – A freshly baked scone is the staple to every proper tea party. This traditional British bread is a key component in Cream Tea (scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream). We offer a variety of scone mixes fit for a Queen!

Loyal Royal Biscuits – We are featuring an exclusive, hand-decorated Union Jack cookie! We’re pretty sure they serve these at Buckingham Palace…

Royal Tea – Why not invite William, Kate, Harry, Charles and Camilla to your event? We have tea bags featuring the Royal Family and other British icons available in our gift shop!

Regal China – Serve your partygoers on the finest china with our collection of Royal Wedding inspired mugs, plates and teapots!

Princess Tiara – Channel your best Kate Middleton and feel like a princess in your very own tiara. This is the perfect accessory to wear to a Royal Wedding Party and we have a beautiful selection in our Gift Loft.

Coffee Table Book – While you’re watching the wedding live on television, your guests can flip through the romantic book, “William & Kate: A Royal Love Story”. It’s better than a harlequin romance…it’s the greatest love story of the century!

Par-tea Favours – A jar of Royal Wedding Marmalade makes a wonderful parting gift. Your guests can re-live the memories of the wedding on their toast every morning.

The Fun Farm Yard welcomes royalty and commoners. See you soon!

Happy Birthday

2011-03-01T17:09:00.003-05:00

If your little farmer or farmette has a birthday coming up you might want to consider joining us for a big barnyard bash! We’re already taking bookings for the upcoming season's farm birthday parties!

With all the different party choices out there, what makes Springridge an ideal place for your child’s celebration?

Spend the day outside without ruining your own lawn! Partygoers will play in and explore the Fun Farm Yard, which features corn trails, straw bale jumping, pipe slides, web climber and giant sandbox. Hike up to the Lookout and learn about local landmarks.

Have a blast mastering the pedal tractor track! This exciting activity has everyone smiling as they zoom around straw bales on mini-tractors!

We’ll take everyone on a farm tour wagon ride! Enjoy scenic views of the Niagara Escarpment while the children find out how we grow strawberries and pumpkins.

Save your own pet from being poked by a roomful of kids, as we will pay a visit to the Animal Barn! Everyone can observe the chickens, rabbits, pigeons, turkeys, peacocks and goats. Children even get to collect a real egg from the chicken coop.

The kids will get creative with decorating their own basket for collecting chicken eggs. They will also make a birthday mural for the birthday child.

Party hosts will lead the pack so you get to enjoy the party too! Each party is hosted by an enthusiastic and experienced high-school student who will make sure everything runs smoothly for you.

When you book a birthday at the farm your package includes a pizza party! Lunch is a personal size cheese pizza, apple juice and delicious birthday cupcake!

So what are you going to encounter at the farm that’s not listed in our birthday party rundown?

1. You could have the chance for a meet and greet with Farmer John! John is like a celebrity at Springridge and he'd love to chat with you about growing the perfect strawberry.

2. On a clear day you can Eye Spy the CN Tower from the Lookout!

3. Get the real farm experience by practicing milking Bessie the Plywood Cow!

Watch an overview of Springridge Farm Birthday Parties!

For more information or to book your farm birthday party call Kim (905) 878-4908 M-F, 8:30-4:30.

Winter Wonderment

2011-02-01T12:27:00.015-05:00

Do you ever wonder what is happening when we are closed for the winter? Here’s your inside look at what we’re up to from January-April!

While we have no customers visiting us right now, we have plenty of wildlife stopping by because it’s so quiet in the Fun Farm Yard. Almost like a page out of Matthew and the Midnight Turkeys, Farmer John spied 15 wild turkeys wandering the land last week! He has also seen coyotes catching mice, foxes with beautiful coats, deer nibbling on strawberry leaves and a variety of birds at the feeders.

All of our resident animals from the Animal Barn have moved away from the farm and into a warm winter barn. We just received a postcard from Rocky and he is under good care, enjoying his all-inclusive vacation!

Our bees are covered with insulation blankets for winter protection. They have a low level of activity over the winter but lots of honey from which they get their energy. With 100,000 bees in a hive, they are certainly keeping warm!

Even the strawberries get special attention in the winter! They are in their “senesce” stage (deep sleep) and covered with 6” of loosely packed straw to reduce temperature fluctuation. We will start to roll the straw off in early April.

Our buying team is off to the Spring 2011 CGTA Show in Toronto this week. They are searching for new home décor items in the latest trends! We’re looking forward to accenting in pink, expanding our Canadian-made products and emphasizing our nautical section!

The first spring merchandise has already arrived in our receiving department. We have wonderful garden items including cast iron hooks and acrylic patio dishes as well as some festive Easter treasures.

The Springridge kitchen is busy with traditional jam production. Our 3-person team makes jam the old fashioned way with no preservatives. They use a stainless steel kettle and a wooden jam paddle. At the end of the winter, the jam team autographs the paddle and we keep it as a memory of the labor that went into this year’s batch.

Our home-made jam is poured, lidded and labeled by hand. Springridge jam is truly a craft to create.

We have just announced our special, limited edition ROYAL WEDDING MARMALDE. This celebratory orange marmalade has a splash of champagne to salute the Royal couple and will be available when we reopen in April.

In the meantime, we are setting out on a mission to deliver the marmalade to Prince William and Kate Middleton in time for the wedding! We are rallying for our community to become involved and help us. If you know a friend of a friend of Prince Harry or can make sure Stephen Harper takes a jar on the big day, we need your help with sending along this token of Canadian well-wishes!

Our farm office is now taking bookings for School Tours and Birthday Parties. Call Kim (905) 878-4908 to get your first choice of dates!

The Year in Review

2011-01-01T14:46:00.010-05:00

2010 marked the celebration of 50 Years on the Farm for Springridge! Our special year was filled with wonderful memories. We became connected on social media, began a new author event series and rejoiced in every season with our visitors! Last spring, the weather had Farmer John harvesting one of our earliest crops of strawberries ever; yet the fields were still producing beautiful day-neutral berries into the wee hours of autumn.

We hope you enjoyed your year with us! Now let’s reminisce about our farm favourites from the past year!

Best Use of a Musical Instrument at the Farm:
Bagpiper at our first annual Halloween Parade during Harvest Festival

Favourite Addition to the Fun Farm Yard:
The ultra-cool double pipe slide

Most Fun with Local Moms:
Girls Night Out on the Farm with Kathy Buckworth

Best Introduction of a Canadian Product:
Wine Planks

Hottest Hostess Gift:
The Brie Baker by Wildly Delicious

Most Honorable Farm Guest:
Elizabeth Baird at Springridge Farm Presents: An Evening with Elizabeth Baird

Best Creation to come out of the Springridge Kitchen:
Limited Edition 50th Anniversary Jam

Favourite Farm Partnership on Twitter:
Our summer contest with @HerrlesMarket

Best Question Asked in the Strawberry Fields:
Are these Ontario grown strawberries?

Spookiest Specialty Pumpkin of the Year:
The Peanut

Most Likely to Rustle some Feathers in 2011:
Rocky the Rooster

Customer Favourites:
@rlr2 on Twitter votes for our granola!
@Kelly_Balance on Twitter votes for anything baked with our strawberries!
Melissa on Facebook loves our famous pumpkin-face cookies!

From the Springridge Family to yours, Happy New Year and all the best for 2011!

Making a List, Checking it Twice

2010-12-01T09:20:00.000-05:00

Who’s the most difficult person to shop for on your Christmas list? Everyone plays that guessing game with a friend who has everything or teenager that only wants a certain kind of clothing! For me, it’s Granny. With the best intentions, family members, friends and neighbours purchase her the same bath soaps annually. She has now entrusted me with getting the word out that she does not need more soaps this year! So, I’m faced with the dilemma of what will Granny like instead!?

At Springridge we have treasures that are sure to please anyone on your list! Here is our Holiday Gift Guide of the top 10 best kept secrets at the farm.

1. If you know a family that loves visiting our Fun Farm Yard, surprise them with a Springridge Farm 2011 Season Pass! We are happy to write-up a gift certificate for the amount of next year’s pass and we’ll indicate on the card what it’s for. We offer season passes for individuals, families of three and families of four. This gift will be a nice treat for when we re-open April 8, 2011.

2. We feature an extensive selection of gift baskets that are assembled on the farm and include many of our signature gourmet products. But did you know we will custom make you a gift basket too? Here’s how it works: come to the farm and choose your goodies and a stylish basket, fill out a gift basket request form and your personalized basket will be ready for pick-up in two weekdays!

3. Our Gift Loft will solve any shopping conundrums you have for your girlfriends! We are featuring the ultra-trendy rosette design on scarves, purses and wristlets. The feminine, flower style will make the recipient of this gift feel like they’ve just walked out of the pages of In Style Magazine!

4. Looking for an interesting hostess gift? Try the award-winning Brie Baker by Wildly Delicious! We offer this tasteful gift in a variety of colours including red, which is perfect for holiday entertaining. Pair with a Springridge Farm Red Pepper Jelly to create an extra-special gift.

5. The Ty Pluffies PJ BEAR is a great stocking stuffer for children! These bears like to snuggle up by the fire in their pajamas, while watching A Charlie Brown Christmas and drinking hot chocolate with extra marshmallows. This affordable plush bear has been rereleased in the Ty collection wearing pink or blue PJs!

6. During the holiday season you may just need to show someone a small token of appreciation and we suggest giving them one of our special Christmas tree ornaments. We have a variety of ornaments that will suit traditional or modern décor.

7. Hot on the heels of our recent Evening with Elizabeth Baird, we have signed copies of The Slow Cooker Collection, the Complete Canadian Living Baking Book and the Complete Christmas Book! These autographed cookbooks are a unique option for food lovers and hard-to-buy-for Grannies alike!

8. Men can be just as tough to shop for as women, so I asked Farmer Tom what his top Christmas gift would be from our shop and he chose a picture. We have wonderful wall-art in winter scenes that will capture the attention of any man in your life. In addition, we’re having a HOLIDAY SPECIAL on our small Group of Seven prints. Regularly priced at $99, these select prints are now on sale at 40% off!

9. Are you participating in a cookie exchange and have no time to bake? We have you covered! Our scratch bakery team is making traditional gingerbread cookies!

10. Stonewall Kitchen Italian Night is the perfect grab gift this season! The attractively packaged box includes everything you need for a homemade dinner: Traditional Marinara Sauce, Garlic Herb Bread Mix, Balsamic Fig Dressing and Angel Hair Pasta. Anyone on your Christmas list can sit back and enjoy this meal!

Thank you for celebrating our 50th year on the farm with us. Just a reminder that we are closing for the season on December 24 at noon. Save the date because Springridge is reopening April 8, 2011!

'Tis the Season

2010-11-01T18:55:00.000-04:00

We are busy making the switch from harvest to holiday season. Christmastime at the farm is all about romancing traditions with charming décor, festive baking and children’s activities.

Our outdoor décor expert, Anne, is getting ready to create fresh displays for the entrance to the barn. Visit us next week and get inspired by her designs. Feel free to ask her questions about putting together winter arrangements. Anne offers the following tips for sprucing up your own holiday urns:

1. Start with using the soil from your summer planter or sand from your local hardware store (approx. $5 a bag). Line a plastic container, like one from your fall mum plant, with a garbage bag and fill with soil or sand.

2. Begin with your greens. BC Cedar or Ontario Pine help create the nicest arrangements. Place all greens toward the centre of your urn (like a wheel).

3. Incorporate colour. Use ilex berries, magnolia, pine cones, bows or battery operated lights to add twinkle!

4. Accessorize with colourful picks, twigs and Christmas balls, which are all available at Springridge.

5. Remember to water your urn with warm water until the first freeze. Your outdoor arrangement will last longer.

With the cold November weather coming along, we’re warming up our kitchen with some seasonal baking! Complete your dinner party with Holiday Berry Pie, Cherry Mincemeat Tarts or home-made Gingerbread Cookies.

Food for thought: the tradition of gingerbread cookies dates back to the court of Elizabeth I of England. It is documented that she had gingerbread figures created that resembled some of her important guests. Consider the history of your cookie next time you’re securing jujube facial features with icing!

Our Children’s Activities kick-off November 13 & 14 with our Christmas Open House. Santa will be making a stopover at the farm for one weekend only! Join us in making holiday family memories with gingerbread cookie decorating and ornament painting! Activities continue every weekend until Dec. 12. For additional information please visit our website.

Christmas trees will be arriving by mid-November. Enjoy a stroll through our fresh-cut forest and find the perfect Fraser Fir!

The Great Pumpkin Preview

2010-09-30T11:06:00.033-04:00

Are you fed-up with waiting patiently in a local field, year after year, for the Great Pumpkin to arrive? Look no further because we have all of the greatest pumpkins for you to choose from. Farmer John and Farmer Tom have harvested some of the prettiest, weirdest and spookiest pumpkins of the season! Here’s a rundown of the specialty pumpkins at Springridge:

Peanut - The newest addition to our pumpkin family! This pumpkin looks like a raw peanut on the surface. While its appearance is creepy, it tastes good in soup or eating as a squash.

Cinderella - This magical pumpkin looks just as pretty as Cinderella's carriage. It's also delicious in soup and good for eating.

Tomato - This pumpkin has a bright red skin. It makes a hearty soup too...squash soup...not tomato!

Ghost - The perfect pumpkin for haunting season! This all white pumpkin is for decoration only. How does the pumpkin turn ghostly white?...it's just a special seed!

Knucklehead - The spookiest pumpkin of our crop is all bumpy and warty. This decorator pumpkin is sure to scare your trick-or-treaters!

Prize Winner - A large orange pumpkin in the 150lb range! Surely the best in show!

Swan Gourds - These gourds look like birds. They dry out well and you can keep them forever.

Come join us in celebration of this year’s pumpkin crop at our annual Harvest Festival! The event is every weekend in October, including Thanksgiving Monday. There’s fun for the whole family – wagon rides to a 5 acre corn trail, face painting, “The Great Pumpkin Mix-Up” professional puppet show, new and improved Boo Barn and entrance into the Fun Farm Yard. Visit our website for all the details.

We’re continuing our love of pumpkins in the bakery with home-made pumpkin pies, tarts and our famous pumpkin face cookies. Our gift shop is also brimming with décor items to enhance your seasonal displays at home.

In other news:

Springridge is honored to be hosting an Evening with Elizabeth Baird on November 10. Space for this event is now full. If you are unable to attend the event, we are accepting pre-orders for signed copies of the Slow Cooker Collection, the Complete Christmas Book and the Complete Canadian Living Baking Book. Please call our Gift Loft at (905) 878-4908 to place an order. Orders will be available for pick-up after Nov. 11.

The Way the Cookie Crumbles...

2010-09-01T14:07:00.015-04:00

At Springridge, we strive to support local partnerships that help make our farm shoppe a unique boutique. This year, we are excited to have formed a new relationship with the local cookie connoisseurs at Mary Macleod's Shortbread. In our bakery, we are featuring Mary's mouthwatering Chocolate Crunch Shortbreads and they’ve already become a favourite treat to indulge in amongst our customers!

Mary was the first entrepreneur in Canada to open a business devoted solely to handmade shortbread. She is currently located on Queen Street East in the Riverdale neighbourhood of Toronto. Mary’s Scottish roots have helped her master and reinvent the traditional shortbread cookie.

In fact, Mary developed the Chocolate Crunch Shortbread as her signature cookie in 1981 and her daughter-in-law, Sharon Macleod, says it’s still their most popular! “She was the first in Canada to mix chocolate into shortbread,” explains Sharon. “The unique ingredient formulation and gentle mixing technique we follow give the cookie a ‘crunch’ from the Belgian chocolate. This is difficult to duplicate with a machine-made cookie and believe me, there have been many who have tried.”

Their shortbreads are made using pure creamery butter and premium ingredients with no additives or preservatives. Sharon says, “We believe that making shortbread is an art, not a science. You have to be happy and relaxed when making the dough.”

Keeping their product fresh is a key component in keeping customer’s buying local. While Sharon believes the trend toward buying local means different things to different customers, there is no doubt Mary built her business with the support of her local community.

“Being a part of our community makes our business enjoyable for our family, our staff and our customers,” says Sharon. Mary Macleod’s Shortbreads have a significant following of long-time customers, often consisting of several generations of the same family.

Sharon encourages Springridge customers to just give them a taste and judge for themselves. Her family devotes their time to making top quality, pure ingredient shortbread that is as delicious as when Mary first began her business. Sharon thinks, “If customers like a melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookie, they’ll love our cookies!”

In other news: We have 2 new attractions in our Fun Farm Yard. Come by and enjoy the straw bale tractor and tube slide! And don’t forget to mark your calendars… Harvest Festival starts Saturday, September 25!

The Cookbook Blog

2010-07-30T11:43:00.037-04:00

Welcome to the Springridge Farm Cookbook Club! Our club is just as exclusive as Oprah’s Book Club only tastier! We now offer close to two dozen different cookbooks in our farm shoppe.

Springridge Top Sellers
This is a list of our best selling cookbooks that are definitely worth firing up the oven for.

Napoleon’s Everyday Gourmet Grilling
Ted Reader
This definitive book demonstrates how to create sumptuous hors d’oeuvres, mouthwatering main courses, and delectable desserts—using gas, charcoal, or Napoleon`s SIZZLE ZONE technology. Detailed, directions provide readers with tips and tricks for creating a picture-perfect meal. The book features more than 125 unique recipes.

Healthy Appetite
Gordon Ramsay
Geared around our daily lives, Ramsay gives ideas and recipes for healthy breakfasts, lunches, barbecues, suppers, desserts, kids and entertaining, demonstrates healthy cooking methods that guarantee optimum flavour, and tells us which are his favourite healthy ingredients. Recipes include Mango and Smoked Chicken Salad, Griddle Squid with Roasted Peppers and Cannellini Beans, Wild Mushroom Risotto with baked Courgettes and Roasted Peaches with Vanilla and Spices.

Joy of Cooking
Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, Ethan Becker
Selected by the New York Public Library as one of the 150 most influential books of the 20th century, the kitchen classic returns with 500 brand new dishes joining 4,000 best-loved recipes that have been retested and updated. Dishes range from elementary to elaborate, and new sections include 30-minute meals, slow-cooker recipes, and expanded vegetable and baking sections making this cookbook an essential for every kitchen.

Jesse’s Personal Picks
Our resident gourmet foods expert used his extensive knowledge to formulate the top three cookbooks from our shoppe that he’s most excited about.

Jamie Does…
Jamie Oliver
On a recent trip to the UK, we fell in love with Jamie’s new restaurant and this book! Jamie Does…is not available yet in Canada, so we brought it back for you! This cookbook celebrates the vibrant food of six very different regions: Marrakech, Athens, Venice, Andalucia, Stockholm and the Ardeche region of France. The food in each chapter is a mixture of classic dishes and new recipes inspired by the things Jamie learns on his travels.

Julia’s Kitchen Wisdom
Julia Child
What would you give to see the notes Julia Child keeps in her handwritten loose-leaf kitchen reference guide? Your wish is granted! This clever little volume was inspired by Child's notebook, compiled from her own "trials, remedies, and errors."

French Taste
Laura Calder
French Taste focuses on modern French home cooking. Over 100 recipes cover regional and traditional favourites, such as Tian of Provençal Vegetables and Poule au Pot, together with quick, modern meals like Tuna in a Black Poppyseed Crust, and dishes that reflect the multicultural influences in today’s France, such as Chicken Tagine.

What’s Ahead
We are looking forward to introducing new cookbooks into our collection this fall. Among the new titles, you will find:

How Easy Is That? Barefoot Contessa
Family Dinners Tyler Florence
Kitchen Nigella Lawson

Thanks to the publishers of these wonderful cookbooks for the synopses.

All About Outdoor Decor

2010-06-29T17:23:00.017-04:00

Summer is here and it’s the season of outdoor living! Whether you’re enjoying a quiet evening on your patio, throwing a BBQ or having your neighbours over, these outdoor décor essentials will get you through any occasion.

Topping our list are eye-catching serving pieces. We have a new line of glassware that captures the essence of a Mardi Gras party! The Murano-like glasses are available in a variety of cocktail styles. Complete your colourful set with a versatile serving tray.

When the sun goes down, enhance your guests’ visibility by illuminating your backyard with a garden lantern on a stake. The globe of the lantern holds a votive candle, which we now offer in 14 fresh scents by Bridgewater.

An option for lighting a gazebo is a cast or wrought iron chandelier. A chandelier can be the focal point of your outdoor living space and also provide you with soft candlelight for summer meals!

Change the ambiance with an interesting tablecloth. You don’t always have to go for the plastic red checker print when you’re setting an outdoor table. We have tablecloths in various sizes and bright patterns that will charm your visitors.

Wondering just how sizzlin’ your summer is getting? Keep track of the temperature with a stylish outdoor thermometer. This must-have item will add interest to cottage decks, backyard fences or apartment balconies.

In other news:

Springridge is hosting a summer event on July 14, 5:30pm-8pm. We're inviting you to Girls Night Out on the Farm with Kathy Buckworth – television personality and author of the hilarious Shut Up and Eat: Tales of Chicken, Children and Chardonnay. RSVP: info@springridgefarm.com

The Berry Blog

2010-06-01T17:58:00.008-04:00

You’ve stocked up on pectin, called every day for our crop report and now you’re anticipating getting the first seat on our tractor-drawn wagon ride. Even our farm dog Hudson is salivating for his daily Vitamin C intake. This could only mean one thing: it’s berry season!

Here are a few suggestions for including strawberries in your plans this month…

Strawberry Social
Create a special afternoon for your guests with these strawberry party essentials.
1. You may need several flats of ready-picked strawberries depending on the number of people attending your event. Fresh berries will be available daily in the barn market beginning early June.
2. Our Belgian Chocolate Sauce. Say no more...dip...dip...yum.
3. Springridge blends strawberries and custard to make the perfect summer treat. Impress your guests with our infamous strawberry-custard tarts.
4. Send home a classic strawberry recipe with each partygoer. Find some of our favourites on our website.

We also have an extensive selection of outdoor décor that will enhance your garden parties this summer. Come into the barn market to see our collection of lanterns, terracotta pots, serving trays and garden statuary.

Strawberry “Staycations”
The Springridge pick-your-own strawberry field is the ideal destination for families staying in town and taking day trips. Embark on a scenic wagon ride along the Niagara Escarpment, experience the Fun Farm Yard then go home and make strawberry jam with your harvest!

In fact, you can enjoy delicious jam all year ‘round with this recipe.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

2 cups crushed berries
4 cups sugar
¾ cups water
1 box powdered fruit pectin

Add sugar to fruit and stir well. In a saucepan, boil ¾ cup water and the fruit pectin for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the hot pectin and water to the fruit and continue stirring for 3 minutes. Put in containers, let stand for 24 hours and store in freezer.

Remember your sunscreen, hat and water. We'll see you in the fields!

May Gift Guide

2010-05-01T09:10:00.009-04:00

At Springridge, we recognize it can be difficult choosing the perfect gift. Our staff is eager to help you make the best decision. As a starting point, here’s a gift guide with some ideas for upcoming occasions!

Mother’s Day (May 9, 2010)

Impress your mom with a stunning new piece from the Marie Osmond jewelry collection. Inspired by her own personal possessions, this talented mom incorporates stylish designs with a little glitz and glamour! Visit Judy (modeling a Marie necklace in turquoise) in the Gift Loft.

Also in the Gift Loft, we’re featuring an exciting selection of spring scarves! Don’t keep your mom out of the loop – a scarf is a great way to add style to a basic outfit. She’ll love our new patterns and colours. Pick any two scarves for only $20!

April showers bring May flowers. Our first hanging baskets of the season are in! These spectacular flowers are a gift that will not only wow Mom but last all summer long too. Baskets are $60.

Wedding Gifts

Congratulate the new couple with a unique serving piece from Wine Planks. Each piece is handcrafted using recycled wine barrels from the Niagara region. Include a VQA wine with this gift!

The Maple Bowl by Bayshore is a truly Canadian gift. Each bowl is finished with a natural beeswax coating. Toss in a pair of salad servers too!

Let the bride and groom find their own treasure at Springridge. We have gift certificates available in the denomination of your choice!

Time to start thinking about Father’s Day and end-of-year Teacher gifts...

There’s no doubt dads are raring to fire up the BBQ. Our gourmet department is offering an extensive selection of grilling sauces as well as the award-winning BBQ Brie Baker. Dads will also like our cottage guest books featuring a bear or buck on the front cover.

Looking for a token of appreciation for a teacher? We have an inspiring selection of cookbooks, delicious flavours of locally made fudge (3 for $11.95) and a collection of jams made on-site. Pair with fun summer napkins to complete the gift. Surely an A+!

Opening Day Q & A

2010-04-01T07:43:00.008-04:00

Co-owners of Springridge Farm, John and Laura Hughes, are celebrating 50 years on the farm this season. Springridge features a fun farm yard, birthday parties, school tours, seasonal festivals, pick-your-own strawberries and a barn market with fresh produce, gourmet items and homemade baking. I sat down with Laura to chat about her savvy retail shop.

NIKI: Springridge is celebrating 50 years on the farm, how did your retail section begin?

LAURA: “Like so many other things on the farm, it started as a result of what customers were looking for. In the early 80’s we started to bring in a few bus tours from Toronto and many of the ladies were looking for something to buy. I listened to them and I got into small souvenirs around the $10 mark. When those sold, I tried some items worth $20 and $25 and it snowballed from there.”

NIKI: Are you personally excited about any new product lines, if so, which ones?

LAURA: “I’m very excited about the wall art and the paintings that we have. Art is something I’ve enjoyed all my life and that department has grown rapidly for us over the last few years. This year, we’ve introduced quite a few Canadian artists. They are wonderful prints, particularly those by the Group of Seven.”

NIKI: Do you think it’s important for Springridge to feature Canadian made products?

LAURA: “Yes, it has always been important for us to sell Canadian made products. This year we’ve searched at the Gift Show, the One of a Kind Show and the By Hand show. I’m particularly proud to say we’ve got several items that are made in Ontario like Hilborn Pottery, which has a very classic look to it.”

NIKI: What are the must-have items for garden-patio season?

LAURA: “If you’re setting up your garden and you come to Springridge, a must-have item is one of our garden statues. Many of our designs are classics like you would find in an English garden. We also have fun statues you might relate to like a dog or cat. They are beautifully made in Ontario and they will last outside all year round.”

NIKI: The Springridge Gift Loft features affordable jewelry, scarves and handbags. What trends are you seeing in this merchandise for spring?

LAURA: “A lot of designs are not too over the top. Crystal jewelry has always been popular for us. We offer some beautiful Swarovski Crystal pieces that are made right here in Toronto. The biggest trend in purses is the messenger style bag. Today, the busy lady can have a messenger style purse on at the mall, getting groceries, unloading children out of the car – it can just stay on comfortably. We’ve brought in messenger bags from great companies such as Lug, Espe and Quetzal. We also had fun with colour this spring!”

NIKI: In 2009 your family house was featured in the magazine Style at Home. What tips would you offer customers who are re-decorating their homes this year?

LAURA: “Keep the basics, like trim, fabric and furniture, in neutrals and have great fun accessorizing with colour. Use beautiful pots, bowls, trays, throws, and cushions to accessorize. If your basics are neutral you can change your decorating with the seasons.”

There’s one additional item that Laura’s looking forward to bringing home on opening day and that’s a strawberry rhubarb pie!

Springridge is now open daily, 9-5.

Merchandise in March

2010-03-02T09:47:00.022-05:00

Springridge is one month away from re-opening. We are excited about offering our customers new product lines as well as welcoming back some of our favourites. Here's an exclusive product preview for this spring.

Dean & DeLuca
We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the famous gourmet food emporium Dean & DeLuca. This NYC-based specialty food shop first opened its doors to the neighbourhood of SoHo in 1977. They have since expanded their cafes around the globe. Springridge Farm is proud to be the only retailer of Dean & DeLuca products in Ontario. We are featuring gourmet coffees, specialty teas, sauces, marinades and rubs. The Black Truffle Barbecue Sauce is a must for connoisseurs of the grill. We are also retailing the Dean & DeLuca vintage diner mugs - a great gift for under $10!

Kevin Robert Gray Glassblowing
Kevin's Witch Balls are a new, Canadian-made product for us. Kevin operates a glassblowing studio in Merrickville, Ontario. He uses precious metals and recycled crystal glass to create his art. Historically, witch balls were hung in the home to promote peace and harmony. Each glass ball is unique in colour and design. Look for this item, sparkling in the springtime sun, on the Deck at Springridge.

Bridgewater Candle Company
We are introducing a full line of natural soy blend candles by Bridgewater. These candles are clean burning and come in sophisticated scents. We are featuring four items in each scent including jar candles, votives, tea lites and sachets. Last season, our customers enjoyed the candles because they are in an attractive modern jar that can be reused. Springridge is eager for customers to peruse the new candles in fresh fragrances.

Janet Baskets
These eco-friendly baskets are a favourite at Springridge! We've ordered 2 new patterns for the spring. The baskets are fully collapsible and come in small and large sizes. If you're riding the reusable bag wave then this basket will come in handy at grocery stores, farm markets and picnics. The baskets are a great gift for any age.

See you in our store on April 1! No fooling.

February at the Farm

2010-02-09T18:32:00.018-05:00

Welcome to Springridge Farm's new retail blog! Even though we are closed to the public over the winter, our staff is busy preparing for the 2010 season.

Springridge staff recently scouted out new merchandise at the By Hand Show in Toronto. The show featured artisans from all over Canada, who specialized in handmade glass, jewelry, woodwork, pottery and home decor items. We have an increased interest in finding merchandise produced locally and the show provided us with lots of fresh ideas for our customers.

Last week, our buyers also attended the Canadian Gift & Tableware Association Gift Show. The show was host to over 1,000 exhibitors and we are excited to bring some innovative products into our store this year.

Springing ahead to what you can look forward to when we re-open on April 1:

We are celebrating 50 years on the farm and we would like you to join us in embracing classic items that will have longevity in your household.

We are expanding our popular Canadian-made collection. In addition to carved maple bowls, rock inukshuks and pottery, look for our new wine barrel platters and fused glass serving pieces.

Enjoy new items in our nautical section. If you can't make the trip to Cape Cod this summer, you can still get inspired by our seafaring merchandise.

You will find a pop of colour in our home decor displays. This season is all about incorporating bold colours and we are featuring accent pieces in turquoise and green.

Looking forward to sharing retail tidbits, tips and trends. Check back soon!