Hey Everyone!
I apologize for not blogging in the past 2 weeks - it's been a little crazy here on the farm, but things look better now.

Fall is definitely in the air, can you feel it?  It's getting a little cooler in the evenings, and the days are still a nice temperature.

With all the photos of the hundreds of pumpkins in my barn, I think I might be sold out before Halloween! hahahaha  Seriously, Devan Greenhouses bought most of my field, and I'm selling some every day at the Stand as well, so if you want awesome looking pumpkins at a really great price this year, please don't wait.  A lot of the pumpkins I have left are a little green still, which is good, because they will definitely last until Halloween.  Large only $3.00, Medium Orange & Whites $2.00, Birdhouse Gourds $ 1.50, and minis are only 75cents!  It's the first official day of Fall today, so don't wait to decorate!

Everything is winding down here on the farm, but I still have lots of produce:  Buttercup, Green Kobacha, and Spagetti Squashes, Onions, Garlic, Potatoes, Cabbage and Daikon Radish.  Nearing the end of Beets and Carrots.

The Stand will remain open until at least the first week of November, so come stock up!

Also: 1 Gallon Perennial Plant Sale going on now.  It's a great time to plant perennials in your Garden for next Spring & Summer colour!  Echinacea, Alstromaria (orange), Shasta Daisy, Ornamental Grasses, Lily of the Valley (White), two different sizes of misc Maple Trees, Crocosmia (Lucifer) and more!  Stock up now - only $2.00 per gallon pot.

Enjoy the cooler weather, and get your gardens cleaned up for Winter!
See you all soon!
Cheers!
Mandy
Yakashiro Farm & Gardens
28875 Haverman Road
in beautiful Bradner, BC
Cell# 604-556-1330
myakashiro@shaw.ca

Did you hear that it snowed in Calgary today? Bahahahahaha
Our extended Summer weather has been amazing, but I have to admit, the cooler, damper mornings, warm days, and cooler evenings are absolutely my favourite part of the beginning of Fall!  Love the change of colours, and the smells in the air, and the bounty of harvest available now!

This is a precious little girl that visited my farm to pick out her pumpkin last year - I look forward to seeing her again this Fall.

And this little sweetie-pie just visited me last weekend, and picked out her special pumpkin!  I love the children that come here!  Their reactions to my little stand and all the goodies in it make this all worth while!  I REALLY look forward to having my own grandkids come and do the same thing, but until then, I love all your children and grandchildren that come to see me and my farm!  No, that's not a 'dig' to my daughters, but I do look forward to being a Grandma someday! :) XO

I can't believe that it's September already!  Where did the Summer months go - seriously, it has just flown by!  We're definitely in Fall mode here on the farm with the onions, garlic, squashes and pumpkins ready to go!  I have a recipe for a Curried Squash Soup for you at the stand - you have to try it, so easy and absolutely delicious!

Hard to believe, but the time is coming soon when I will close the Stand for the Season.  It won't be until a week or two after Halloween, but it's coming up fast.  So stock up as we head closer to that date!  ( I have a feeling that I'll have Garlic & Squash to take all of us right into Winter, but will keep you in the know! )

Once again, I want to thank you all for supporting the Farm - it's truly rewarding when I receive so many compliments and amazing comments from so many people.  This year is definitely even busier than last year - who knows what next year will bring!  Thank you for your honesty and support of my endeavours!

Cheers!
Mandy
Yakashiro Farm & Gardens
28875 Haverman Road
Abbotsford, BC  ( In Beautiful Bradner )
Cell# 604-556-1330
myakashiro@shaw.ca

PS.  Don't forget about the Garage Sale at the Farm this coming Saturday, September 13th from 8am - 4pm - lots of goodies!

A sea of Pumpkins, taking all the floor space in my barn!  Fall is here my friends!

I am very excited to be partnering with Devan Greenhouses this year - they practically bought my entire field of pumpkins - so if you're shopping there, think of me hauling all those pumpkins out of the field! hahaha  Next year I'll be working closely with Devan and growing specifically for them - I am very excited!

It's definitely feeling like it's Fall these past few days, and everything is slowing down now in the field as well, but I still have a lot of produce to offer you: onions, garlic, green beans, squashes, tomatoes, apples, daikon radish, cabbage, beets, carrots and more!  Stop in soon to fill your freezers and fridges.  Now would be an awesome time to make huge recipes of Squash soup and freeze portions for those crazy busy days in the Winter!

Fall Sale on flowering Shrubs starting today!  Everything must go at crazy prices.  Need to make room for the next stage of Yakashiro Farm & Gardens!  I have lots of Rhododendrons, Hydrangeas, Lilacs, Astilbe, Echinacea and Rhudbeckia - stop in and I'll put your name on the plants you want, and dig them and pot them a little later in the Season for you!

Garage Sale here on the farm - Saturday, September 13th from 8am - 4pm only.  Our younger two daughters have moved out, and don't need everything they had before, so we're selling everything, plus some things from me as well.  We have loveseats, storage cabinet, queen sized bed & boxspring (almost new), butcher block island on wheels for your small kitchen, and many household items.  Come on by and take a look!

AND, my BFF and her hubby are moving to Kelowna ( very sad to see them go, but excited for the next stage in their lives too! )  They are having a garage sale this weekend, and they have a lot of quality items.  Saturday, Sept 6th 8am - 4pm  3791 Murphy Street, in Abbotsford ( close to Remple's Meats ).

See you all soon!
Mandy
Yakashiro Farm & Gardens
28875 Haverman Road
in Beautiful Bradner, BC !
Cell# 604-556-1330
myakashiro@shaw.ca

Well, there you have it!  The new 'thing' I was telling you about last week.  This is now sitting in the front yard, by the Stand.  It was an old oil drum that Colin's Dad & Grandpa used for their machinery here on the farm, way back in the 50's.  It was just begging to be used again, in another capacity! Yayy - something to put our Family's Legacy on!!  Hope you like it!

This has been the most interesting past few days.  I have been picking pumpkins for a large order going to Devan Greenhouses.  It's been so fun checking out the different shapes and sizes of these pumpkins.  So far, the biggest one I've pulled is 42 pounds!  Picking all the pumpkins and cleaning them is a really hard and long job, but it is so much fun at the same time.

The squashes are ready for sale!  I have Buttercup, Kabocha Green, and Kabocha Orange!  They made their debut today in the stand.  Only $1.50 per squash.  Cabbage is back in the stand as well.

If you are wanting to do some pickled beets, I still have lots left after I've done all my pickling, so give me a call if you need more than just a couple - I can pick it ahead for you, so you don't have to wait when you get here!

Liberty Apples are also ready - sold my first batch today - this apple is so crunchy and tart, but makes the best apple sauce and apple pie ever!!  Gotta try them.  I will be grafting more for my own orchard next Spring! :)  And Tomatoes are making their way slowly - they are delicious this year!

It's hard to believe that Summer is almost over already - where did the time go??
Come by and check out what I've got soon!  Would love to meet you!

Mandy
Yakashiro Farm & Gardens
28875 Haverman Road,
in Beautiful Bradner, BC!
Cell# 604-556-1330
myakashiro@shaw.ca

Oh my!
I've been so busy that I completely forgot to publish a new blog yesterday!

A day late, but better late, than never!

So I have a few updates for you all.
Sold Out : Blueberries, Raspberries, Cucumbers, Sunflowers

Coming by Labour Day Weekend!:
Buttercup Squash, Japanese Kabocha Green Squash, Japanese Kabocha Orange Squash, Japanese Daikon Radish, Tomatoes, Bronco Cabbage, Japanese Cabbage and many, many, many Pumpkins of all sizes and shapes!   I'm ready for Fall Decorating already, so you may as well be too! :)

In the past week I have done some more canning and pickling:  Pickled Beets, Hot Spicy Relish, and Pickled Hot Peppers! Yikes!

Tonight, I am spending the evening, peeling Garlic - it smells awesome in my house right now!  I will pickling garlic hopefully by Thursday, so it will be ready for sale next week!

I want to thank those of you that are telling people about my little stand - it's getting busier all the time, and it's very exciting for me!  

My father-in-law and I are still working on renovating the barn, when we have a little spare time, and it's really starting to come together.  There's stuff in that barn that is over 50 years old, and we're still discovering things every week - it's fun to find implements that Colin's grandfather used on this farm - Yes, we're the third generation to farm here!  The farm was purchased by Colin's Grandfather in 1952.  It's an amazing legacy, and I'm proud to be farming it along with my father-in-law!  Look for a new 'item' coming soon to the farm - you'll notice it when you drive into the driveway by the Stand - soon!

I need to get back to my peeling garlic, so talk to you soon!

Mandy
Yakashiro Farm & Gardens
28875 Haverman Road,
Abbotsford, BC  in Beautiful Bradner!
604-556-1330
myakashiro@shaw.ca

Well, I just had to share this photo with everyone.  I picked all of these yesterday, Saturday, August 9th - as you can see - I'm ready for Fall! Hahahahaha  I've left these in the Stand with a posted sign for prices.  If you think you'd like to order ahead, please let me know.  I am also providing a few companies in Abbotsford and Langley with my pumpkins this year too, so I'm excited for Fall Sales!  The Big Orange Pumpkin is 42 lbs, the Medium Orange Pumpkin is 18 lbs, and the Medium White Pumpkin is 9 lbs.  I have three varieties of Mini Pumpkins.....orange, white, and orange/white striped.  The Green Gourd in the front is called a Birdhouse Gourd - when it is fully ripe, it will be a light brown/tan colour.  You can cut a hole in the bigger part, hollow out the gourd, let dry and hang to use as a birdhouse - so all you crafty people - stock up!  I will be doing some folkart painting on some of them over the Winter, and will have them ready for sale in the Spring next year!

Within the next few weeks, I will have Squash ready for purchase!  This year I planted Buttercup ( my personal fave! ), Green Kabucha, and Orange Kabucha squash.  They are all delicious, and I have a bumper crop this year!  I will also have Daikon Radish - an Asian specialty - very happy with this crop this year too! Yayy!

There's lots of Red Onions, and White Onions now, Leeks and Garlic too!  The second round of Cabbage will be ready in a few weeks hopefully - I have large Bronco Green Cabbage, and large Japanese Cabbage ( makes the best cabbage rolls! ).

See you soon!
Cheers!
Mandy
Yakashiro Farm & Gardens
28875 Haverman Road
in Beautiful Bradner, BC !
604-556-1330
myakashiro@shaw.ca

Please look at this photo very carefully.  This picture was taken just a few days ago.  It is only the first week of August, and my pumpkins are already ripening!  This photo doesn't do the pumpkin justice, but it's about 25 pounds!

With all this warm, humid weather, everything in the field is ripening fast!  It's hilarious, and a little scary too.  I worry that harvest season will be over sooner than last year.  With my new walk in cooler, and the refrigerated cooler in the stand, I am able to keep the veggies a little longer, BUT I do not have a cooler big enough for the two tons of pumpkins I will have - Yes, folks, Yakashiro Farm & Gardens will have the pumpkins for sale right after Labour Day weekend to start your Fall Decorating early!

I have tons of zuchinni and cucumbers right now too - so dig out those zuchinni recipes, and start cooking and baking - if you need a new recipe, let me know - I have tons - in fact I made a big batch of Zuchinni Parmesan ( which a lot of people use eggplant for, but I use zuchinni, and it's delicious, and cheaper! )

Lots of garlic, and onions are ready!  Jalapeno & Hot Hungarian Wax Peppers, Cayenne Peppers are coming!  There will be a lot of tomatoes this year too - 3 varieties: Better Boy, Early Girl and Beefsteak!  With this heat, they will be ready in a week or two.

Raspberries are finished for this season, but I still have some blueberries!

Potatoes are more than ready - The Yukon Gold are awesome, and the Nugget ( New Potatoes ) too.  The Nugget potatoes are really big ( has to be our soil here ), but they are still sweet and delicious - The Nugget potatoes are on Sale until I sell out - 3 lb. basket for only $1.00 ( Yukon Gold - $2.00 for 3 lb. basket ).

Nugget potatoes make the most amazing potatoe salad - but if you're looking for something else - try this:  quarter the bigger potatoes and put in a pot to boil - only boil until they are just slightly tender - not cooked all the way through.  Drain water, and throw all the quartered pieces in a big buttered baking dish, like a lasagne dish 9x13.  Pour 1/4 cup melted butter over top, Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese.  Bake, uncovered, in 450 degree oven for about 20 - 25 minutes, until bubbly and slightly browned!  Quick and easy - and a great way to feed a crowd!

Hope you all had a great, relaxing long weekend!

See you soon!
Mandy
Yakashiro Farm & Gardens
28875 Haverman Road
in Beautiful Bradner!
Cell# 604-556-1330
myakashiro@shaw.ca