I’ve lived in Ontario all my life, and even still, I continue to be endlessly inspired by all of the amazing things this province has to offer. During the COVID-19 pandemic, while people were lamenting travel restrictions and the inability to leave the country, I honestly felt lucky. Don’t get me wrong: there were many times when I was sad or frustrated that I couldn’t travel, and I was so excited to go on my first post-pandemic trip to Miami. But at the end of the day, being ‘stuck’ at home just gave me a greater appreciation for this incredible province we live in. International travel is a beautiful thing, but there are so many equally amazing experiences you can have right here in Ontario, without shelling out the big bucks for a plane ticket! Tobermory‘s dazzling blue waters rival something you might see in the Caribbean, the cobbled streets of Toronto’s Distillery District resemble those of a quaint European city, and Ontario’s plethora of lavender farms can transport you to the South of France for a day. The experience I’m writing about today is another local gem with a worldly vibe, and I can’t wait to share it with you!
You may have seen photos of the spectacular tulip fields that bring Holland alive with vibrant colours each spring. Experiencing tulip season in the Netherlands may even have a spot on your bucket list – it sure does on mine! Luckily for us Ontarians, you can have an equally magical experience right here at home. Located in the Niagara Region in the town of Pelham, TASC Tulip Pick Farm has been delighting visitors with fields of bountiful blooms since opening in 2021, and they’re now open for the 2023 season!
This year, TASC has planted two million (that’s right, two million) tulips across their 25-acre property for visitors to enjoy. I’d seen their stunning fields all over social media last year and had total FOMO over not getting the chance to go, so this was definitely on my spring bucket list for 2023! The farm opened for the season on April 29, and will remain open (weather permitting) until May 21. Tickets must be pre-booked online, and include admission to the farm plus 10 tulips to take home! We got the chance to visit this past weekend and had the best time!*
Upon arriving at the farm, we were greeted by the friendly staff, who demonstrated the proper method for picking tulips and gave us a bucket to fill with our own. Then we were off to the fields!
I’d seen lots of photos of TASC on Instagram and I knew the fields would be impressive, but nothing could have prepared me for how spectacular they are in person. There are tulips in every colour and variety you can imagine (108 different varieties, to be exact) and I was blown away by the vibrance and sheer beauty of it all. It’s truly a floral wonderland!
With so many varieties of tulips to choose from, it was tough to know where to start, but we began picking anything that caught our eye and filling up our bucket. Before long, we had our 20 tulips and were ready for a treat from the food trucks!
This Insta-worthy installation by the food truck area was a popular spot, where visitors stopped to take proud photos with the fruits of their labour.
Now onto the food! It’s only fitting that a tulip farm would have food trucks serving up Dutch delicacies. Lief Cafe makes delicious poffertjes: mini Dutch pancakes served with blueberry sauce and whipped cream. We got an order of those along with a hazelnut iced coffee, and enjoyed our treats at one of the 30 shaded picnic tables in the food area. There were also trucks serving heartier lunch fare like pizza.
As you exit the farm, there’s a tent where you can shop for additional plants and garden accessories, and get your flowers wrapped up to take home. I have to admit, I wasn’t sure our tulips would make it – it was a warm day, and we wouldn’t be home for another few hours. But even though they were looking a little worse for wear when we arrived home, after a couple of hours in some water, they perked right back up again!
If you’re interested in visiting TASC Tulip Pick Farm, be sure to reserve your tickets in advance, and don’t delay – they’re only open through May 21, and may close earlier if they’re all picked out. Keep an eye on their Instagram page for updates. Tickets are $17.50 on Mondays-Thursdays or $19.50 on Fridays-Sundays, and each ticket includes 10 tulips to take home (you can purchase additional tulips for $1 each.)
Have you ever been to a tulip farm, whether abroad or here in Canada? I’d love to hear about your experience!
*Our tickets were generously gifted by TASC Tulip Pick Farm. As always, all opinions and thoughts are entirely my own.
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