Between the months of April and December, you’ll most likely find Ed and Pauline (“Paulie”) Drexler somewhere on their expansive property located along the well-known Route 91 “S curve” in the Town of Pompey. The couple, who have been fixtures in the Pompey community for decades, own and operate Springside Farm — their family-run farm and agritourism enterprise.
Springside Farm gets its name from the seven prolific springs on the original property located just off the curve on Jerome Road that run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Ed Drexler is a fourth-generation farmer, and he and Paulie have been farming at Springside since 1992. Their property consists of about 250 acres on four parcels in the Town of Pompey. Their main agritourism operation is split between the “old farm” on Jerome Road just off one end of the S curve and their crops and commercial enterprise at the other end of the curve. As Paulie puts it, “If it has roots, it’s on Route 91, and if it poops, it’s at the other end.”
Sitting down with Paulie to talk about her farm is like sitting down with an old friend to chat about the weather… while surrounded by a cyclone. There are people buzzing all around, multi-tasking on several projects that are either just beginning or just ending or somewhere in the middle. And there is so much to look at that your mind can’t focus on just one thing. It was berry season — early July — when we visited, and so the kitchen was stacked with berries and butters and mixes and milk and implements and all the other necessary accoutrements for cooking and preserving and prepping for their weekly Sunday pancake breakfasts that run from July through August. And, in the midst of it all, sits Paulie — the 70-year-old youthful, petite, and perpetually smiling driving force behind this incredibly successful venture.
Through a lifetime of experience in not just agriculture, but in textiles, food service, education, production, marketing, and business management (among others), the Drexlers have learned that diversification is the key that helps balance the chaos of running a farm operation. If, at any given time, demand for one product or service is down, the market for other products and services is likely still very profitable. This philosophy has resulted in a living, breathing enterprise that continues to grow and transform in sometimes unexpected ways, but always with an attitude of “if it isn’t fun, we don’t do it.”
That seemingly carefree mindset belies the incredibly hard work that is evidenced by the surrounding operations. This family works extremely hard every day to bring their clients — who range from gift-shopping moms to day camp kids to newlyweds and pumpkin pickers — a farm culture experience they’re not likely to forget any time soon. In addition to sheep, lambs, alpacas, and cows, the farm also boasts one of the largest Christmas Tree farms in the area, as well as pumpkins, corn, hay, fruit, and berries. Of all these things, Paulie says it’s her sheep that ground her and provide the stress release she needs to stay balanced and keep the farm operating like a well-oiled machine.
A Year in the Life
We asked Paulie to give us a brief synopsis of what a typical year would look like at Springside Farm. And, while they are constantly growing and re-inventing according to the whims of the markets, there is a distinct and definable rhythm to life on the Farm:
In March and April, activity on the farm ramps up as the snow and cold reluctantly make their retreat for the season. Every April, the Drexler’s plant around 12,000 trees to keep up with the demand for live trees during the Christmas season. The Farm boasts over 100,000 trees on about 60 acres of land.
In alignment with the renewal that comes with springtime, Springside Farm also welcomes the birth of upwards of 120 lambs each year.
May and June are for hay and weddings. The Drexlers harvest and sell their hay to dairies, and they play host to what Paulie calls “DIY weddings” (they provide the venue only) nearly every weekend during the spring months of May and June. In addition, they plant 40 varieties of pumpkins and gourds and a cornfield in anticipation of their Fall Harvest Days that feature their popular corn maze and pumpkin patch.
July and August are spent shaping the Christmas trees so they’ll look their best at harvest, and the excitement of day camp begins. In 2019, the couple’s daughter-in-law Allie, who holds a Masters in Education, started a summer day camp at Springside. This year, 36 local campers had the opportunity to escape technology for a few weeks and participate in hands-on projects including tending the animals, arts and crafts, hiking, wildlife rehabilitation, and other forms of nature programming.
Days in July and August are also filled with tending to the pumpkins, berries, a second hay harvest, more weddings, and coordinating their popular pancake breakfasts.
Throughout September and October, the fall fun stuff takes place beginning on the second Saturday after Labor Day. That’s when the giant pumpkin patch opens, along with the gift shop and a lunch counter that offers pulled pork, chili, hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese, soup, and — our favorite — a dizzying array of specialty homemade fudge that you’re not likely to find anywhere else in the region. The Farm is inundated with pumpkin pickers and fall fun seekers all throughout September and October as visitors arrive to find the choicest, most perfect pumpkins for their fences and front porches.
In November, the much-anticipated Christmas Market returns the first weekend after Halloween. Local and regional artisans and purveyors of all manner of fine goods set up shop in the “big barn” and sell their products to the hundreds of shoppers looking to get a jump on their holiday gift buying. And throughout November and December, Springside offers Fraser and Canaan fir Christmas trees for sale, along with wreaths, kissing balls, swags, greens, and more. The gift shop also remains open through Christmas Eve, filled with items from local artisans, seasonal decorations, local honey and syrup, specialty soaps, and alpaca clothing, some of which is spun, woven, and knitted by Paulie herself. And the highlight of the holiday season is Springside’s Santa Expedition that takes the kids on a night-time illuminated wagon ride to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus at their Pompey Outpost!
All throughout their operating season, the Drexlers’ Springside Farm provides a welcoming, hands-on “fun on the farm” experience for all ages. Their facilities are available for birthday parties and other family-friendly events with amenities like their popular zipline, barrel train and wagon rides, petting zoo, and nature trails.
What the Future Holds
As for what’s next? Well, currently, there’s a new Kiddie Park in the works for children ages four and under, with age-appropriate games and activities like duck races and nature art. After that, who knows? If you ask Paulie, she’ll tell you she doesn’t know what old is, and that “people don’t realize how long they’re going to be old” — hinting that fully participating in life at whatever age you are is the only way to live at all.
Even so, Paulie says the next generation of Drexlers is her and Ed’s “ticket out” — their son and daughter-in-law have been taking on more responsibility for the daily operations at the farm, with Allie running the Day Camp and Travis working alongside Ed and Paulie to care for the animals and crops. Recently, she and Ed have taken to heading for warming climes during the winter months, leaving the younger generation in charge of things from the day after Christmas until the first week of April when the rhythm picks up again in the spring. But for now, it’s full speed ahead for Paulie and Ed, as neither appear to be ready to retire anytime soon.
To learn more about Springside Farm’s hours, events, and offerings, visit them at SpringsideFarm.net.
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By Nancy Furdock for Discover Pompey.
