Olive’s Keep Calm & Carry On Christmas Survival Guide: Christmas at Springridge Farm

I love Springridge Farms any time of year but my favourite time of year at Springridge is Christmas. What better way to get into the spirit than to take a country drive to a beautiful farm to pick up a fresh Fraser Fir Christmas tree?

Kids can decorate a freshly baked gingerbread man cookie, paint a glass ball ornament, and visit with Santa. I will never forget how awe-struck we felt when my young son and I bumped into Santa at Springridge. Santa suddenly appeared through the snowflakes, walking regally in his high leather boots, as if he had left his sleigh hidden atop the forested escarpment. He wasn’t just any Santa – he had an air about him that convinced us he was the real McCoy.  We were speechless; Santa gave us a quiet nod and a wink, and then went inside the barn to prepare for his visit with kids. It was magical.

Be sure to wander through the barn market filled with festive decorations, ornaments, giftware, and gourmet goodies. I think I’ll make another trip back to Springridge to try the Gingerbread Truffles that Springridge is now retailing: small-batch, hand-stirred chocolates made with cream, puréed gingerroot, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves by Walker’s Chocolates in Burlington.

Springridge sells a small but impressive assortment of cookbooks such as Rose Murray’s Canadian Christmas Cooking, which includes the recipe for Springridge Farm Christmas Marmalade (Springridge Farm has a line of their own small-batch, artisanal preserves, chutneys, sauces, and pickles). On Sunday December 8th from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Springridge will hold another in a series of cookbook events, when you can meet the author, Rose Murray, and if you purchase her cookbook, she’ll sign your copy. If you plan on attending, please click here to RSVP and find out more information.

Warm up with a bowl of soup (my favourite is the heavenly Curried Chicken Coconut Soup) and a freshly baked biscuit or a freshly prepared sandwich (like Holiday Turkey) or salad with homemade dressing. Lunch is served daily from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Bring home some freshly baked gingerbread cookies and Holiday Berry pies, all made from scratch on the farm – better yet, call ahead to pre-order so you won’t be disappointed. Springridge also handcrafts a really interesting variety of frozen savoury pies, available in 9-inch and individual sizes, and brimming with yummy fillings like: Shepherd’s Pie, Turkey Sage, Pulled Pork, and Old Fashioned Tourtière. Curried Chicken pot pies are available in 9-inch-sizes only. All flavours are special enough for entertaining (you could offer a variety of savoury pies for your guests to choose from) and easy enough for hurried weeknight dinners – just pop them out of your freezer and bake as instructed. Serve them with my Sweet-Sour Purple Cabbage with Apples and a nice salad. We enjoyed our individual pies while trimming our tree. Look how high they pile the delicious filling in the Tourtière and Pulled Pork pot pies.

Pulled Pork Pot Pie and Old Fashioned Tourtiere

Christmas at Springridge happens every weekend from November 23rd to December 15, 2013, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There is a small charge of $5 each to paint a glass ornament or decorate a gingerbread man cookie. The farm is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., until noon December 24, 2013 when Springridge closes for the season. Re-opening April 10, 2014.

Springridge Farms
7256 Bell School Line
Milton, Ontario L9T 2Y1

Telephone: (905) 878-4908

For map, check my Farmers’ Market Directory or visit www.springridgefarm.com

Speaking of tree trimming……three Christmas trees decorated…CHECK!!!:

1. Gumdrops and Lollipops themed tree, designed by Cobi Ladner for Toronto’s Gardiner Museum’s 12 Trees of Christmas Charity Gala. Purchased by Frank Bowman and Aaron Milrad and donated to Princess Margaret Hospital Cancer Centre.
2. Magic Pennies Mitten Tree on behalf of Streetsville United Church Magic Pennies Kids Community Outreach for Village of Streetsville.
3. Our own family tree mishmash of sentimental ornaments.