The Vanderlinde family has farmed this property since 1960. Harm and Magdalene took over the property in 1991 and as Saar Creek weaves through the farm Harm thought it fitting to name it Saar Bank Farms. This is where our farming story begins.
Since our fields border the Saar Creek and the house is located on a ridge, we looked for an option to keep the hill mowed and our search led us to Cashmere goats in Pemberton, originally from Alberta. We bought one buck and three does and received two wethers as a bonus in the summer of 2011. Since then the flock and pastures are continually growing. In the future hope to expand and explore the option of harvesting the cashmere. We care for our animals daily to ensure the consideration of the animals’ welfare and providing quality products for consumers.
In the past our family regularly participated in Chilliwack's school garden program. The kids were eager to help with the garden prep, seeding and harvesting. As for the weeding, hmm...not so much. Yet, as vegetables were harvested, every family member enjoyed the fresh taste of homegrown produce - the rewards of our labour.
Some of our kids are now married, and others are still busy discovering their place in the world. The school garden has become a thing of the past. However, their memory of the fresh produce and its delicious taste has not been forgotten. In the spring of 2013 we experimented with raised garden beds, using a commercial garden blend soil mixture.
With the promising results of this gardening method (and the minimal weeding!) we were encouraged to do it again, but this time on a much larger scale.
