For a year, I’ve been reading social media posts about dog-friendly Erin Hill Acres – a fun farm visit located in Erin, Ontario that welcomes our furry family members.

Apparently, this former Christmas tree farm is a multi-generational family venture owned by a family with seven generations of farming in their DNA. 

Purchased in 2021, the task of turning this farm into a 21^st century agri-tourism attraction complete with several instagram-able photo stations – and that seems to be the highlight, at least according to social media posts.  

Rural Dog Photo Opportunities 

Photo opportunities dot the 90-acre farm and change seasonally, so I was looking forward to seeing what would be set up on ‘Family Day’ in February when I finally visited with my half-Cocker Spaniel/half-Spring Spaniel. Will it be vintage sofas? Antique red pickup truck? A baby grand piano?  All are included with the price of admission. Are there butterfly wings? You bet. 

But it can’t be all about cute pics in a rural setting, right? People are driving one or two hours to get here to spend the afternoon or longer. Yes, there’s a cafe with a firepit, Muskoka chairs, and an outdoor Italian wood-fired oven, so that’s a big draw. 

Family Day at Dog-friendly Erin Hill Acres Farm 

Here’s what we found on a snow-covered winter holiday (a holiday made up by the province because Ontarians needed a February holiday) at Erin Acres Farm:  

• A deeper snow covering than home a 1.5-hour drive away, which my dog loved to roll in 
• Outdoor pizza oven and fire pits near the picnic tables and Muskoka chairs 
• Children’s play area with tunnels and climbers 
• Hay climbers for kids (and my dog) 
• Walking trails through the lavender fields and forest (past the unicorn crossing) 
• Two goats named Cookie and Milk 
• Henhouse, which my Spaniel was far too interested in 
• Seasonal photo sites including Christmas 
• Lookout platform with purple couch – surrounded by lavender late summer 
• In the summer, the trout pond is hoppy with fish that jump to catch the fish food available to toss 
• Other farm animals on site including Highland cows 

Wood Fired Pizza 

Real wood-fired pizza isn’t easy to find, perhaps because the wood-fired oven is an outdoor appliance and requires some space – space that a rural setting has more of. Irregularly shaped, crispy, and crunchy, this type of pizza is all about the dough that retains a smokey flavour thanks to flames, real flames in an extremely hot stone oven. 

I opted for the cheese, which was amazing, so it was obvious why the farm is open for takeout at times. However, wood oven pizzas are best eaten immediately while the crust is still a combo of crispy, charred, and doughy. No sharing – these are personal size, but of course my pup got a few bites. Sandwiches, soup, and homemade cookies are also available. 

Cut your own lavender, sunflowers, pumpkins, and Christmas trees 

Seasonally, Erin Hill Acres offers new experiences depending on what’s growing at the time. Sunflowers, for example, are kind to the camera and attract crowds in July and August. Erin Hill Acres has a pick-your-own program – register for the privilege then borrow a pair of sanitized scissors and cut to your heart’s content … for $2 per stem.  

Prefer purple and fragrant? Lavender fills the fields June to July and the process is the same. Check-in, borrow special scissors, and cut a bundle for $12. The shop will wrap your bouquets to take home.  (Check out another dog-friendly lavender farm in Ontario).

Pumpkins are available for the picking from late September to October, but you’ll have to hunt for the size, shape, and even colour you want. Prices depend on size. And in December, if you haven’t had enough of cutting your own yet, you can cut your own Christmas tree. But if lumber jacking is too much, the farm has cut trees available for purchase at the front gate – no admission required.  

Want pics with Santa? Erin Mill Acres has that too every year from mid-November to December 23. You can book up to ten family members, and dogs count as family members – friendly, leashed dogs can meet Santa too. 

Dog-friendly Erin Hill Acres Farm

Leashed, friendly dogs are welcome at all Erin Mill Acres events including the ‘cut your own’ options, and – even better – you’ll get a lot of good photos of your pup, especially if they’re willing to sit still on a tandem bicycle … if you can find it. Looking for all the photo sites is a bit of a scavenger hunt, and most are easier to find after the snow melts.  

Writer bio: Sherri Telenko has been a professional writer for decades and a travel writer for the last two. She’s a member of TMAC (Travel Media Association of Canada) and Dog Writers Association of America and travels almost weekly with her canine companion, Victoria. Contact Sherri at dogtrotting.net here. All written content is original, written by a person, and based on experience and research. Please subscribe!