Victorian Christmas in the country with a little spice!

Christmas 2017

Store Hours

Tues to Friday 12 pm - 6 pm

Sat 10 am - 5 pm, Sun 12pm - 5 pm

closed Mondays, Statutory holidays, January and early February ( except for Jan 20, 27 & Feb 3 when we will be open 10-5)

Victorian Christmas in the country with a little spice!!!

Incredible as it might seem, with the recent lovely December weather, bees were bopping in and out of their hives. We can't remember a winter where we saw bees flying like this in December!! Have you noticed any yourself?

Assisted by our daughter, Jenny, this year we focused on a Victorian Christmas theme and dressed for the part at the recent Christmas show at the Tradex. Our Victorian theme was carried over into the country store, so we hope that you enjoy a bit of our Victorian Christmas with us!

Warm and spicy alcoholic drinks have always been a popular festive drink in winter. Mulled wine was a Victorian favourite and a non-alcoholic version, Negus, was even served to children.

We have 5 spiced wines this winter, and essentially the mulling is already done for you through our wine making processes. These beverages are a delight to serve anytime but particularly during the Christmas season. On Dec 16 from 12-4 pm we will be offering free spiced wine tastings with complimentary finger food. We invite you to stop by and try our seasonal honey wines, which have become very popular.

Winter Closure and Hours of Operation

We will be open normal hours up to and including December 31, 2018, except for Closures on Dec 25 & 26.

We close for the month of January and part of February except for the following Saturdays when we will open 10 am to 5 p.m

January 20
January 27
February 3

We resume normal store openings 6 days per week on Feb 13, 2018 with our annual week-long customer appreciation

Spiced Wine Releases!

New releases and great for the holiday or gift giving you can find a number of spiced wines in the country store:

Country Casual (2017) (sweet honey wine and apples with spice)
Pearadize (2017) (sweet honey wine and pears with spice)
Spice is Nice (2014) (dry honey wine with cranberries an spice)
Metheglin 2016 (sweet spiced Mead)
Metheglin 2014 (dry spiced Mead)

Join our Mead Club and enjoy discounts when you purchase our honey wines! For more information on the mead club and to print out a registration form check out our website.

Honey Spice Oatmeal cookies

(from the US National Honey Board)

YIELD: Makes 6 dozen

INGREDIENTS

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 tblsp ground ginger

2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. nutmeg 3/4 cup honey

1 1/2 cups oats (quick-cooking or old fashioned) uncooked

1/2lb. (2 sticks) butter softened (no substitutions)

1 large egg

DIRECTIONS

In large bowl, combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, cloves and nutmeg; mix well. Add oats; mix well.

To prepare cookies:

In a large bowl, beat butter and honey with electric mixer until creamy. Add egg; beat well. Add half of cookie mix; beat well. Add remaining cookie mix; beat well. Divide dough into thirds; place each on a piece of plastic wrap and flatten to 1/2-inch thickness. Wrap tightly; chill at least 4 hours. Heat oven to 350°F.

Remove one portion of dough from refrigerator. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten to 1/8-inch thickness with bottom of glass dipped in granulated sugar. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake 5 to 7 minutes, just until centers are set. (Cookies will feel soft. Do not overbake.) Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

TIP - Variations:

Decorated Cookies:

Decorate cooled cookies with melted dark or white chocolate, ready-to-spread frosting, decorator frosting in tubes, assorted small candies or candy sprinkles.

Thumbprint Cookies:

Use thumb to make a deep indentation in center of each cookie dough ball.

Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until very light golden brown.

Remove cookies from oven; press small dark or white chocolate candy into indentation or fill with 1/2 teaspoon preserves.

Cool and store as directed.

Gift Ideas & what's new?

We can create a gift basket with items of your choice and also have some gift ideas prepared in the store.

What's new in the store?

Divine Natural bars (gluten free, soy free, dairy free, and vegan)
Beeswax deoderant in unscented, lavender and mint
Toothpastes - coconut and charcoal
Cottonwood Bud Balm (contains wildcrafted cottonwood buds infused in olive oil and Campbell's Gold beeswax

2018 Bee Courses

Once again we are offering the following courses in 2018.

1. Beginner Beekeeping Course -(8 sessions) Feb 19 to April 21, 2018

Mike & Judy are certified instructors for the B.C Honey Producer's Association beginner beekeepers course. This course has a final examination and is a certified program. Registration now open.

2 . Fall/Winter Hive Management workshop (Late August)

This workshop is intended to serve as a reminder for beginner's who have taken the above course. There is no charge for participants who have taken a Beginner's course at the farm during the same year.

Holiday Season Kids' Corner

Sock Snowman

We are starting to feel festive as the business of Christmas is upon us. Here's an idea of a fun craft, for both young children, and older ones too! Here's a cute snowman that you won't have to freeze your fingertips to make. Line these up on the fireplace mantel or on a window pane to get yourself into the spirit of Winter! Please help young children with the cutting and gluing processes.

Materials:

⦁ Scissors
⦁ Super Glue
⦁ Socks that go halfway up your calf
⦁ Sewing Pins
⦁ Thread
⦁ Buttons
⦁ Scrap Fabric
⦁ Rice
Cut the sock a few inches lower than the heel. Flip in inside out and tie the heel side of it tight. Flip it back to the right side. Put about 1kg or 5 cups of rice inside the sock. Shape the body a little, and tie the head very tightly with the thread. Tie thread around the neck a few times to shape the head. You can use scrap fabric to make scarfs, superglue colourful buttons on, put two black pins and an orange pin for the eyes and nose, and fold the foot part of the sock 2 or 3 times onto itself to make the hat. Give it personality! You and your kids can be creative with this craft!
Idea, image and craft from:
http://www.handimania.com/diy/no-sew-sock-snowman-all-steps.html

Outside Meadery Picnic Area

We will be re-opening our wine picnic area for Mothers Day May 13th. (weather permitting). Look for information in our future newsletters. You are able to buy a glass of wine in the store and take it to the adjacent wine picnic area and relax from your very busy schedule. No food is available or permitted in this area as per government guidelines.

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook so you can keep up with all the fun, as well as get updates on all the events and markets Campbell's Gold will be attending!