And the Academy Award goes to...

Yes, it’s true; we are closed for a long winter’s nap! But last Sunday we all stumbled out of the farmyard, dressed in our best, and set-out to a gala event at the Congress Centre in Toronto.

We are thrilled to announce we are the recipient of the 2012 Retailer of Distinction Award!

Every year the Canadian Gift and Tableware Association recognizes leading retailers in the Canadian giftware industry. Springridge Farm was awarded for our outstanding achievements including excellent merchandising, innovative marketing campaigns and top customer service.

This nation-wide award is assessed by a panel of expert judges whose criteria is vital to success in the retail industry: visual merchandising and store design, business achievements, advertising and public relations, community involvement, innovation and originality followed by a visit from a secret shopper.

The evening started with a cocktail reception, followed by a formal dinner in a ballroom with more than 500 guests. Farmer John, Famer Laura, Farmer Amy, Farmer Tom, Jesse, Niki, Ginny and Susan represented Springridge. After the awards were handed out for Sales Rep and Supplier of the Year, Farmer John and Farmer Laura were escorted on stage to receive the Retailer of Distinction crystal statue! After dessert, the party revved up with a Bee Gees tribute band and we all hit the dance floor to celebrate.

And we’re looking forward to celebrating with YOU! Save the date: our opening day is March 28, 2013. In the meantime, you can follow all the winter updates from our Jam Team on Facebook and Twitter.

The Twelve Days of Springridge

To the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas:

On the first day of Christmas Springridge gave to me a rooster in a fir tree.

On the second day of Christmas Springridge gave to me two sandbox lunches and a rooster in a fir tree.

On the third day of Christmas Springridge gave to me three fruit pies, two sandbox lunches and a rooster in a fir tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas Springridge gave to me four cherry jams, three fruit pies, two sandbox lunches and a rooster in a fir tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas Springridge gave to me five wagon rides, four cherry jams, three fruit pies, two sandbox lunches and a rooster in a fir tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas Springridge gave to me six chickens laying, five wagon rides, four cherry jams, three fruit pies, two sandbox lunches and a rooster in a fir tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas Springridge gave to me seven bees a buzzing, six chickens laying, five wagon rides, four cherry jams, three fruit pies, two sandbox lunches and a rooster in a fir tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas Springridge gave to me eight schools a touring, seven bees a buzzing, six chickens laying, five wagon rides, four cherry jams, three fruit pies, two sandbox lunches and a rooster in a fir tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas Springridge gave to me nine ladies shopping, eight schools a touring, seven bees a buzzing, six chickens laying, five wagon rides, four cherry jams, three fruit pies, two sandbox lunches and a rooster in a fir tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas Springridge gave to me ten lords a-quing, nine ladies shopping, eight schools a touring, seven bees a buzzing, six chickens laying, five wagon rides, four cherry jams, three fruit pies, two sandbox lunches and a rooster in a fir tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas Springridge gave to me eleven bakers baking, ten lords a-quing, nine ladies shopping, eight schools a touring, seven bees a buzzing, six chickens laying, five wagon rides, four cherry jams, three fruit pies, two sandbox lunches and a rooster in a fir tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas Springridge gave to me twelve farmers farming, eleven bakers baking, ten lords a-quing, nine ladies shopping, eight schools a touring, seven bees a buzzing, six chickens laying, five wagon rides, four cherry jams, three fruit pies, two sandbox lunches and a rooster in a fir tree.

Santa Can You Hear Me?

November 1st signifies the ultimate switch of seasons for us at the farm. As we’re packing away all things pumpkin, we’re preparing for parties and presents and everything North Pole!

It’s also the first day of gingerbread cookies in our bakery! Did you know the first recorded trade of gingerbread cookies dates back to monasteries, pharmacies and town square farmers’ markets in the 16th century? The tradition of baking gingerbread is simple, but adds a certain whimsy to the season.  We are honoured to bring Grandma Hughes’ recipe to our on-farm market every November.

This year, Santa Claus is taking time out of his hectic schedule to spend FOUR weekends with us at the farm! Mingle and jingle with the big man at our Christmas Open House with Santa on Saturday, November 17 and Sunday, November 18 from 10am-4pm. This is a wonderful photo opportunity as you can take photos with Santa in our party room.

Beginning the weekend of Christmas Open House and continuing every weekend until December 9, Mr. Claus will be at Springridge to spread his jolly holiday spirit!

Christmas activities during these weekends include:
Make a Springridge Farm memory painting a glass ornament - $5
Decorate a freshly baked gingerbread cookie - $5

Bring your Christmas shopping list too! Our fantastic and festive selection of ornaments, decorations, giftware, gourmet items, baking and gift baskets await you. This month we’re also introducing our brand new Springridge Farm gift card…just in time for gift-giving season!

Ho Ho Hope to see you soon.

Turkey Time

It’s just about time to snap the turkey wishbone and reflect on all the things you’re grateful for this year. At our farm table, we often give thanks to things like the weather, harvest, staff and all the visitors we’ve shared memories with.

As we move toward Thanksgiving weekend we hope that we can help you and your family celebrate in some small way. Here’s a list of Springridge Thanksgiving must-haves that will make your turkey dinner go down just a little more smoothly!

1. Cranberry Orange Sauce – This homemade sauce is the perfect accompaniment to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Equally sweet and tart, this sauce will make turkey time all the more tasty! Farmer John says it tastes just as good on a left-over turkey sandwich the next day.

2. Pumpkin Butter – Turn ordinary turnip and squash into a festive side dish. This spread has hints of warm, seasonal flavours like maple syrup, vanilla and brown sugar. Try it on toast, bagels, English muffins or ice cream too!

3. Cookbooks – Find a new recipe to indulge in this fall. Our cookbook selection is ever-expanding and we recommend hunkering down and learning the art of using a slow cooker or making pasta sauce from scratch.

4. Seasonal Décor – Romance the season with rich colours and unique decorative accents for your Thanksgiving table. Fill your cornucopia with vibrant gourds available in our Barn Market. Create your own centre piece by hollowing out a pie pumpkin and placing a bouquet of fresh flowers or a small mum plant inside. Bring all the scents of autumn inside your home with cranberry or pumpkin candles.

5. Homemade Pie - What makes the perfect pie? We think it’s using fresh, local ingredients, a golden crust, a little sugar and the love of baking. For some people, “making the perfect pie” involves a visit to our bakery!

We’re delighted to be a part of so many Thanksgiving dinners.

Gobble gobble.

Fallridge Farm

Give your front porch a blast of fall colour with Springridge Farm’s harvest season garden mums. When selecting the perfect pot of mums to take home, make sure you choose one with tiny buds so you can enjoy the explosion of colour in your garden…plus they’ll last longer too! Keep your mum plants watered and they’ll surely last right through the season.

Our hardy mums are a great size for filling a large outdoor urn, especially if you include some tall grasses for height. We also have purple fountain grass, corn stalks and straw bales available for turning your porch into an autumn oasis.

As the month of October approaches, it’s fun to start adding some gourds and pumpkins into your outdoor décor. Springridge harvests a wide variety of pumpkins including the ghost, tomato, goosebump, pie, Cinderella and the traditional orange jack-o-lantern.

Celebrate the pumpkin crop at our annual Harvest Festival taking place every weekend beginning September 22 through to October 28, including Thanksgiving Monday.

Harvest Festival provides fun for the whole family with wagon rides to a giant corn trail, professional puppet show, spooky Boo Barn and the Fun Farm Yard. Admission is $10 per person, ages 2-92.

This year’s festival is kicking off with a special event with Food Network Canada celebrity chef, Michael Smith. On Saturday, September 22 from 2-4pm Michael Smith will be at the farm for an exclusive book talk and signing and to celebrate the release of his brand new cookbook, Fast Flavours: 110 Simple Speedy Recipes. RSVP as space is limited.

Romance the season with rich colours and unique decorative accents for inside your home. Springridge Farm has a fantastic fall selection of new wall art, wreaths, candles, botanicals, lanterns, throws, pillows, giftware and more. You can always count on Springridge for ideas about dressing up your Thanksgiving table too!

Gobble Gobble...

Join the Springridge Farm Team

Springridge Farm is recruiting for the Fall Season!

We are searching for outstanding people to become a part of our dynamic team.

Have you always dreamed about working with us?

Do you know someone that’s a perfect fit for the farm?

Apply today to join the Springridge family!

We are now accepting applications in the following areas:

Harvest Festival Event Staff – you have a passion for pumpkins, excellent customer service skills and are available to work weekends

School Tour Guides – you are a natural leader, enjoy working with children and are available to work weekdays

Food Service – you are excited about local food, have excellent customer service skills and are available full time weekdays/weekends, part time weekdays/weekends or weekends

Retail Sales – you love the Springridge Farm brand and home décor, have excellent customer service skills and are available to work weekends

Wondering what it's like to work at the farm? Here are some words our staff use to describe their experience here:




If you think this sounds like an exciting opportunity, fill out an online application now!
Feel free to share our information with friends, family and neighbours.

Adult Application

Student Application

We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

School's Out for Summer

The end of a school year signals so many fun things: vacations, staycations, swimming pools, keeping cool, fresh fruit pies and wagon rides.

If you're planning on spending your summer days in the Springridge Fun Farm Yard...here are the top 5 reasons why a season pass is a great option:

-you visit the Fun Farm Yard more than 5 times a season (you will save $!)
-you live close by
-you have small children or a busy family that can only stay for short visits
-you love fresh air and exploring outside
-you are looking for a fun, educational, safe place to spend an afternoon

An individual season pass is $20 and a family pass for 4 is $70. See Judy, Donna or June at our admission booth for more information.

The month of July also means that summer fruit is in season! Freshly picked raspberries, blueberries and sweet peas are available in the Barn Market.

Did you know that 1.3 million pounds of raspberries are harvested in Ontario each year? According to our friends at Foodland Ontario, that's enough raspberries to make 1.7 million tarts! Both raspberries and blueberries are a good source of Vitamin C and fibre.

Sweet peas are best eaten as soon as they are picked! Grab a bag and shell them on your patio on a hot summer evening. Try them in our light, flavourful recipe for Summer Sweet Pea Quiche:

1 9-inch single crust pastry shell
3/4 cup Ontario sweet peas (shelled)
1 cup grated Ontario swiss cheese
2 tbsp Ontario chives or 1 green onion, chopped
4 Ontario eggs
1 ¼ cups milk
2 tbsp Springridge Farm Lemon Dill Mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a medium-sized pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add peas and cook for just 30 seconds. Drain immediately into a colander and transfer peas to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and set their colour. Once cool, drain peas thoroughly. Spread mustard over bottom of pie shell. Add grated swiss cheese, peas, and sprinkle with chives or green onions. In a medium bowl, lightly beat eggs and milk, season with salt and pepper. Pour over quiche (you may not need all of the egg mixture – don’t worry). Set quiche on a parchment-lined baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake in preheated 375F oven for about 40-50 minutes or until puffed and set in the centre. Enjoy!