Posts by spirittreecider
Why do we Wassail?
Wassailing is an English tradition dating back hundreds of years.
“Waes hael” is Anglo Saxon for “good health”. This was more than just a salutation. Centuries ago, on the ancestral island of Britain, hard-working farm workers needed refreshment, but water was often not safe to drink! Cider did indeed mean good health!
A good apple crop and good cider meant good workers.
And how did the farmer achieve this? By appealing to the spirits in the trees!
Villagers would dress up in colourful hats and cloaks decorated with feathers and noise makers. They would lead a procession into the orchard to hang cider-soaked bread on the branches of the apple trees as an offer for a good harvest. The tattered band of colourful merrymakers would make noise and sing songs to scare off any malevolent spirits.
These moving and musical displays, they believed would awaken the blossoms, bless the trees, and guarantee a fine and plentiful crop, for everyone to enjoy!
Of course, they would finish the parade with a delicious mug of cider and shout “wassil” or “good health!”
A common toast was...
“Health to thee, good apple-tree,
Well to bear, pocket-fulls, hat-fulls,
Peck-fulls, bushel-bag-fulls.”
We Wassail as a way to give thanks to the orchard in hopes it blesses us with a bountiful crop in the coming year.
Join us on Sunday, March 23 for a free family-friendly event.
The Orange Peel Morris Dancers will be performing the traditional Wassail songs and dances. They will be leading a procession into the orchard at 11AM and 1PM.
Blossom Watch – the buds have popped!
After a few sunny days and warmer temperatures, the buds in the orchard have popped and started to bloom.
The flowers are blossoming in clusters. There are usually 3-4 blossoms on each branch. The center bud is called the "king blossom" and will open first. It will most likely become the larger apple on the branch.
People will often ask us if our apples are organic. We use a system called IPM or Integrated Pest Management. It is a "soft" chemical control to help keep the pests away. IPM is far superior method to keep the apples healthy compared to other organic sprays. It significantly reduces the amount of spraying required and leads to a much lower emission of diesel fuel into the environment.
Now that the blooms are out, it's time for the bees to get to work! The blossoms require cross pollination from a variety of trees in order to grow apples, and this happens with the help of honey bees. In our orchard, we have a huge variety of wild pollinators.
In fact in 2019, we participated in a University of Toronto study that recorded 300% more wild pollinators in our orchard than the average orchard. Other than honey bees, they observed a total of 38 bee species, including two bumble bee species that is thought to be in serious decline, the yellow-banded bumble bee Bombus terricola and the golden northern bumble bee Bombus fervidus.
We ensure that our fields are full of clover and other bee-friendly plants to help the bees stay safe and bless us with a fruitful harvest!
Blossom Watch 2022
Well, it is the official kick-off to Blossom Watch 2022. A huge snow fall in the middle of April is not how we expected the blossom season to start!
On April 19, Southern Ontario was hit with a blast of snow. Here is Caledon, about 8cm accumulated on the ground. Fortunately the temperatures did not fall to low. It was only -1 degree C overnight, so the small buds were nicely insulated. If the temperatures fell below -6 degrees C, then we would have worries about the survival of the buds.
Ciderhouse Bistro closed
Dear Spirit Tree patrons,
The last two years have been a challenging time for small businesses, especially those in the restaurant industry. At Spirit Tree, we have pivoted our business several times, opening and closing as the provincial guidelines required.
Between reduced capacities and employee shortages; as well as the ongoing opening and closing of the Bistro, we have decided we will not be opening the Ciderhouse Bistro on January 31, 2022 when restrictions lift.
This by no means the end of delicious, gourmet food at Spirit Tree. Going forward, we will continue to offer:
- Our full take-out menu from Wednesday to Sunday
- Our Pizza Night take-out on Friday and Saturday evenings
- Special take-out events, including Valentines Dinner, Cider Masters Dinner, Mother’s Day Brunch, etc.
- In-house special events for private parties (More details coming soon)
- Our outdoor bar and take-out menu in the picnic area in the Summer and Fall months
This decision to close our Ciderhouse Bistro does not come lightly and we thank everyone who has supported us throughout the last two years.
Sincerely,
Thomas Wilson
Proprietor + Cider Maker
Spirit Tree Estate Cidery
Thomas recently spoke on CBC Morning explaining more about the decision to close. Listen here.
Show your support and vote in the Reader’s Choice Awards
It’s an honour just to be nominated!! No really, we are very grateful to be nominated for the Caledon Enterprise Reader’s Choice Awards.
Spirit Tree was nominated in 9 categories and we would be so grateful if you would cast your vote!
Voting is open until June 30. Thank you so much for your support!!
May Virtual Cider and Cheese Tasting SOLD OUT
Join us for an interactive virtual Cider and Cheese Tasting, hosted by Thomas Wilson, Cider Master, and Gurth Pretty, the Master of the Cheese.The evening will include three specialty Spirit Tree Ciders, paired with three delicious cheeses for two!
Your ticket includes:
Ciders for two:
- Pear Cider – Finally back in stock, this cider is made from a blend of sun ripened fresh Ontario pears carefully sourced from local orchards.
- Pear Lavender Cider – This is one of our most popular seasonal ciders and is lightly infused with lavender flowers for a unique floral aroma and smooth flavour.
- Sidra – our take on a traditional Spanish cider.
Cheese for two:
- Lemon-Lime Chèvre goat cheese
- Stonetown Cheese’s InCider cheese
- Thornloe Cheese’s Devil’s Rock Creamy Blue Cheese
Also included in your package:
- A Spirit Tree preserve and Pasquale’s Crackers
- A zoom meeting with Thomas Wilson and Gurth Pretty
Ticket sales close April 23 by noon. You package will be ready for pick up at Spirit Tree or a Mississauga location (address will be provided) on April 29, 30 or May 1.
Blossom Watch 2021 – Dealing with frosty mornings
It’s the official launch of Blossom Watch 2021! We have had warmer spring so the buds are starting to pop a little sooner then normal. This means we expect the blossoms will also come a bit sooner in May.
We have been watching the weather reports closely. They were calling for below zero temps and snow overnight. Frost can be devastating to apple tree during the budding season, so last night our owner, Tom Wilson, sprayed the trees with molasses to help protect them from the cold temperatures.
This is a technique we have used for a few years. The thinking being that the molasses would prevent ice crystals from forming on the blossoms. Some of the solution is taken into the vines & increases the concentration of solids, thus acts as a type of antifreeze as well. Spraying the solution is believed to provide about a 2 degrees C span of protection. The protection last for 2-3 days after which the molasses degrades to act as a nutrient for the tree.
Crossing our fingers!
12 Days of Christmas Give-Away
Over the last few weeks, we have been celebrating our 12 Days of Christmas! Spirit Tree has always been known for great cider and our wood-fired oven, but we also have a large variety of Christmas gifts for everyone on your list. Check them out:
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me…A cider sampler from Spirit Tree! Our Cider Sampler is a gift box of three of our most popular ciders and a Spirit Tree glass to sip it on.
On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…An assortment of soaps from @bridlewoodsoaps. Check out our selection of all-natural handmade soaps from Bridlewood. They are the perfect stocking stuffer and made locally!!
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me…A Spirit Tree Estate line gift box. Our Estate line is our small batch exclusive ciders made from apples from our orchard. Our Estate Reserve and Apple Cranberry Spritzer are the perfect gift for any cider lover!!
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me… A hot cider and gingerbread cookies. Who doesn’t love curling up with a hot cider a cookie? Well, we have something special for you!!Try our LIMITED EDITION Sleigh Driver cider (non-alcoholic) and our Christmas gingerbread cookies. A perfect gift or a special treat on a cold windy weekend!!
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me… Spirit Tree’s classic Christmas cake. We have 2 types of traditional Christmas cakes – our Apple and Candied Ginger & Apricot and Fig. These are a great gift or to enjoy as a little Christmas treat!
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…a Home for the Holidays gift basket. If we have to stay home for the holidays, why not surprise them with a gift basket FULL of treats to eat and drink while they couch surf and catch up on Netflix!!
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me…Cider Cheese & Crackers As we head into the last weekend before Christmas, it’s time to stock up on your charcuterie essentials. We just love Stonetown’s In-Cider cheese because it’s soaked in cider and has a creamy taste. Or Le Guillaume Tell cheese that is macerated in ice cider. These cheeses pair perfectly with our house-made crostini and Pasquale’s flatbread
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me… a 6-pack of Winter Bliss. Winter Bliss is our seasonal cider and has a caramel orange flavor. It will warm you and your true love up this winter.
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…a toque from Spirit Tree. Hot of the press and brand new to the Shoppe is our Spirit Tree gear! For the cider fan, surprise them this Christmas with a ST stylish toque or baseball hat.
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…a sip of 10th Anniversary & Ice Cider. Our limited edition 10th Anniversary & Ice Cider are back in the store. Our 10th Anniversary cider is blended like a French champagne and has an off-dry smooth finish. Our Ice Cider is made from late harvest apples. It’s sweet and perfect to pair with cheese or dessert by the fire.
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me…the Ultimate Thanks Gift Basket. With only a few days to Xmas and no where to shop, we have you covered with the perfect gift baskets. This gift basket is ideal for the helpful neighbour, your frontline worker friend, or the family member who has everything.
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…a Sparkling cider gift box. A perfect gift is a gift box of our three non alcoholic Sparkling Ciders – Apple, Pear and Cranapple.
Our Farm Shoppe is open until Christmas Eve at 4pm to help with any last minute shopping needs.
Also check out our IG page for a special “12 Days of Christmas” Give-away!!
Peachy Pear Design Contest
UPDATED June 15. We have selected the winner!
The submissions are in! Check out the incredible artwork!
When we decided to do a contest to design the label for our new Peachy Pear Cider, we were only expecting a few entries. We were absolutely blown away by what came in! This is such a creative community with incredible talent!
It was VERY hard to choose but we narrowed it down to our top four choices (in no particular order). Let us know what you think!
We will be making the final selection on June 15 and will notify the winner.
If your artwork wasn't selected, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your time and creativity. Thank you so much for sending us your beautiful creations!
WINNER
Congrats to Julia Do Alamo!
Her work was selected as the label for our new Peach Pear Cider.
Julia is a 19 year old graphic design student from George Brown College.
You can check out more of Julia's work on Instagram at @thedesignfeminine.
Our Peach Pear Cider will be available with is swanky new label this July!
FINIALISTS
Cassandra Chu
FINALIST
Julia Doalamo
FINALIST
Michela Kochanski
FINALIST
Hailey Seabrooke
FINALIST
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Abigail Siu
Alessandra Crupi
Annie De Guzman
Edgar Alvarado
Evva Reaume
Jemima Swenor
Lucy Cifoni Hughes
Kristian Abate
Sheri Fowler
ALL ENTRIES
Alana Pirraglia
Albazini Van Wyk
Alyson Small
Amanda Busby
Amanda Charlton
Andrew Piotto
Carole Ocampo
Carina and James Marcogliese
Charlotte Lake
Darlene Hartun
Emily Lane
Joanne Marchionna
Jose Rosales
Kiersten Tietz
Kayla Eagleson
Kyle Hensler
Laura Giovannucci
Lyndsay Stuart
Mandy Irvine
Marica Ceperkovic
Michael Chisholm
Ninway Aziz
Sally Jane Ross
Rafayel Hovsepyan
Stephan MacEachern
Stephanie Smith
Steven Kooy
Susan Scarro
Blossom Watch 2020 – That’s a wrap!
And that's a wrap folks! The blossom season was very short this year. The trees were budding for about 2 weeks but with the warm weather, the blossoms only lasted about 5 days.
There were lots of blossoms this year, which means lots of apples this fall for picking and cider!
Thanks to everyone who followed along and enjoyed the photos. Until next year!
