People cut down a Christmas tree at the Country Mouse Farm last year. There is one more weekend to come the U-Cut Experience in 2020.--FILE PHOTO
Christmas tree cutters have just this weekend left to take in the U-Cut Experience at Country Mouse Farm in Cypress County.
The annual Experience runs for the first two weekends in December.
“When you come out to the farm, we’re still able to serve hot chocolate and Auntie’s famous ginger snap cookies. You get to ride on a hay wagon to the tree field, then you get to select your Christmas tree and cut one yourself,” said Gerald Bodnaruk, co-owner of the farm along with wife Erika.
Hay rides will only be allowing two groups of a maximum of 10 people, depending on the size of the people.
“Four adults – it doesn’t take up the same amount of room as an adult and two young children,” Bodnaruk. “Our wagon is big enough that there will be two metres distance between each group.”
The U-Cut Experience can only be booked online at countrymousefarm.ca and goes from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
“We have set up an appointed system that you can book online on our website and that’ll help keep the number of people at one time controllable,” said Bodnaruk.
In the past, people would come in and pay at the tree shack and where hot chocolate and cookies could be picked up.
“What we have now is just one person goes into pay while the rest of their group waits in an area where they can distance from other groups,” he said. “Then it’s not self serve hot chocolate and cookies. It’s by somebody following AHS protocols.”
Bodnaruk says the Farm has had very good response for the online appointment bookings for Dec. 5-6.
“We anticipate that to continue for the 12th and 13th,” he said.
People can make an appointment directly to come out and get a tree without the Experience by calling 403-529-5684.
Country Mouse Farm is located 11415 Range Road 61 in the county.
“It means a lot to us,” said Bodnaruk on providing something positive for people during these times. “We’ve always been pretty happy that we can provide a very uplifting experience to people and especially so this year with the limited personal engagement that we’ve come to. We’re very excited that we’re going to be able to give some families some smiles.”
