Flashback: Apple Picking At South Mountain Apple Orchard

by Natasha

Apple season is upon us - do you go apple picking?  What's your favourite place?

You can tell that fall is just around the corner when the Apple Orchards are open and buzzing with people.  Whether you are out to pick the delicious fruit to make the perfect pie, apple crisp or just simply enjoy an apple as is, the apple orchard is the perfect outing.

We recently visited Mountain Orchard with our family and friends. It is located just 10 minutes outside of Kemptville.  Our family and friends had a great time picking delicious, juicy LOBO and Macintosh apples.

When you arrive, there is wagon ride to take you out into the orchard to pick your apples.  Mountain Orchard has Lobo, Macintosh, Spartan, Cortland, Eden, Empire, Honey Gold, Silkin, and Honeycrisp.   Depending on when you go to pick apples each type may not be available based on the growing season.

Mountain Orchard has a ton of great activities to offer families.

There is a cute little park beside the store that parents can sit and relax, sip their apple cider and watch their kids play on the swings.

The whole family can explore the giant corn maze.  It’s a barrel of laughs running around trying to find your way out.  Kids can also roll and jump around in the stack of straw.

They have the most delicious apple donuts I have ever eaten, called Apple Cider Dougnuts - YUM! Mountain Orchard is open daily from 9am to 5pm starting at the end of August and the season concludes Thanksgiving weekend.

Make sure to call ahead to avoid disappointment!

Flash Back: It's Maple Syrup Time

by Natasha

Spring is just around the corner, I can almost see the sunshine at the end of this icy winter.

One of my favourite things to do when the snow begins to melt is visit a sugar bush.  Maple syrup season “officially” starts in late February, and I’m just going to wait a little bit before heading out with my family.

We love visiting Stanley’s Olde Maple Lane Farm.  It is a wonderful way to spend a beautiful day, and is short distance from Ottawa. Parking is free too!

If you head down early, you can enjoy a delicious all-you-can-eat-pancake brunch before you start exploring the farm.  The brunch is nothing short of a feast that includes pancakes, french toast, beans and sausages served. They have a few other items on their menu as well for those looking for some variety.

My favourite part about Stanley’s Olde Farm - besides brunch- is the number of activities available to help pass the day and enjoy the outing.

For example, you can ride in a horse-drawn sleigh through the farm to see all of the maple trees. This is an especially enjoyable activity around the last few days of snow, as you get to see the trees and hills covered in white. The ride will set you back $4.75 per person.

Stanley’s farm is of course, still a farm. So it’s natural that they have animals around for little children to visit and see. The barns are filled with horses, pigs, cow and sheep and is free to visitors.

And of course the point of visiting a sugar bush is to see how the sap turns into syrup, and eventually ends up on your pancakes. Stanley’s not only let’s you see the the process, but also has some delicious taffy in snow for you to try at $2.50 per serving.

Don’t sit too long on the idea of visiting the sugar bush, as maple syrup season ends in early April. You have just over a month to get your fill of winter-fresh maple!

Details: Stanley’s Olde Maple Lane Farm 2452 Yorks Corners Road Edwards, Ontario K0A 1V0 613-821-2751

It’s open on weekends from 9am to 3pm and they are open most of March Break (closed Monday) from 10am to 2pm.

Alight at night festival – Upper Canada Village

by Natasha I love Christmas lights, and one of the best places to visit during the holiday season is Upper Canada Village, during their Alight at night festival.  It takes about two hours to get there, but it is well worth the drive.

The festival starts on December 2, and is open Thursday to Sunday, December 2 to 18^th and nightly starting on December 19 to January 7.  The Village is open from 4:30 to 9pm.    I recommend arriving early or purchasing your tickets in advance online because the line-ups can get quite big.

Festival admission which includes, admission, wagon ride, the train and parking is $13 for adults, $10 for seniors and kids 6 to 12 and kids 5 and under are free.

If you have never been to the "Alight at night" festival before, you are in for a treat.  The village is beautifully decorated with half-a-million lights.  On select evening you can join the sing-along carollers in the Christ Church.  It is magical to hear the music and walk through the snow and enjoy the lights, it really gets you in the holiday spirit.

One of my favourite things about Upper Canada Village this time of year, is watching the sounds and lights show that happens multiple times a night.  This is not to be missed, make sure you bring your video camera.

If you need a break from walking, you can hop on the Toy Train and take a ride through Crysler Park, or you can grab a hot chocolate and jump on an old fashioned horse-drawn wagon ride.  These are great ways to enjoy the multitude of lights.

On your way out you can visit the gift shop that is filled with a variety of festive Christmas decorations and décor that are available to buy.  Last year we purchased the cutest Santa cookie plate for Baby H.

They also have a beautiful Santa display, the kids can visit with Santa and get their photos taken.

Another little tip – make sure you bundle up, it can get very cold on a windy night by the water.

If you get a chance to visit the Alight At Night Festival, tell me what you loved most.

Natasha is a new mommy to her first born, Baby H. She runs ShopHaven, a blog that reviews products and profiles local businesses and individuals from the Ottawa area. Natasha is also the creative force behind ShopHaven Baskets; a highly customized gift baskets service.

Halloween Fun with Foam

by Natasha Halloween is just around the corner and I have been doing a variety of Halloween crafts with my son.  His favourite so far is decorating foam pumpkin stickers.

I picked up a large container of Halloween themed foam stickers from Michaels.  It contains a variety of sparkly and non-sparkly foam pumpkins, masks, hats and grass.

To get started I took out a pack of construction paper and let my son choose what colour he would like for the background.  I laid out all of the different mask, pumpkin and hat choices to make it easy for my son to pick out.

My son chose a red background then immediately began placing his collection of sparkly pumpkins all over the page. He absolutely loved decorating the pumpkins with masks.  His favourite coloured masks were the white ones.

These foam stickers are my new favourite craft to do with my son because it requires no glue or scissors, you simply peel back the paper and stick.  This allows your child to create his own masterpiece without the messy clean up.

What is your favourite Halloween craft?

Natasha is a new mommy to her first born, Baby H. She runs ShopHaven, a blog that reviews products and profiles local businesses and individuals from the Ottawa area. Natasha is also the creative force behind ShopHaven Baskets; a highly customized gift baskets service.

Halloween Activities for Families

by Natasha There are so many great Halloween activities that you can do with your whole family in Ottawa.  Here are the ones that our family loves to partake in.

Saunders Farm has a variety of activities for children of all ages.  You can go through the corn maze, visit the Big Sky Ranch animal display and explore their giant play structures.  For the younger kids, Saunders Farm has an interactive discovery barn.  Take the kids on the wagon ride and see what spooky things await for you in the forest.  The daytime cost is $18; you can save $2 if you purchase your advance tickets at Independent Grocer in Stittsville, Ross' Your Independent Grocer in Barrhaven and all three CD Warehouse locations.  Kids 2 and under are free.

Cannamore Orchard is a great place to bring your family and enjoy a wagon ride, the fog maze, the spooky village and they have a special kid’s spooky house.  Visit the Cannamore store to try an assortment of baked goods, apples and candy.  The have a special section for younger kids that has a special kiddie maze, play structures and an animal farm.  You can purchase a package deal or individual activities.

The Agriculture Museum is having a Barnyard Halloween party (for members only) from 10am to 2pm on October 29 and 30^th.  Get the kids dressed up in their costumes and enjoy a scavenger hunt through the barn and learn how to make candy apples and other delicious fall treats.  Kids can also decorate their own pumpkins to take home.  Admission is $2.00 and children under 3 are free.   You must pre-register for this event.

Gymboree is having their annual Pumpkin Patch Party on October 21, 22, 23 and 28. Get the kids dressed up and join the costume parade.  Enjoy some delicious Halloween treats and create a fun Halloween craft that the kids can take home.  You will need to call and reserve your spot.  If your child is enrolled in Gymboree classes the cost is $12, if you are not enrolled the cost is $15.

Miller’s Farm and Market has a great selection of fall fruits and veggies in their market.  Jump on the wagon ride and take the kids to pick their own pumpkin. It is also a great place to take some fall family photos.

Do you have any additional Halloween activities that you do with your family?

Natasha is a new mommy to her first born, Baby H. She runs ShopHaven, a blog that reviews products and profiles local businesses and individuals from the Ottawa area. Natasha is also the creative force behind ShopHaven Baskets; a highly customized gift baskets service.