In-Stock Inventory

History: Redhaven peaches were created at Michigan State University's South Haven Research Center as part of the Haven series which began in 1924. Redhaven in particular was developed in the 1930s and released in the 1940s, making it the first commercial red-skinned peach variety. It is now one of the most commonly grown peaches in the world.

Why We Grow It: Redhaven is the most popular peach in North America, its sweet fruit being great for just about anything. The fruit is attractive, juicy, and flavourful and is slow to brown. The flesh does not turn brown when cut as quickly as other varieties. To ensure you can enjoy this great peach as much as possible, the tree begins bearing fruit at a young age, bears heavy crops, and the fruit ripens over a prolonged period of time which requires multiple harvests.

History: President plum was first raised by Thomas Rivers at Rivers Nursery in England where he introduced it in 1901. They became quite popular due to their excellent performance as a fresh eating and cooking plum, as well as their late ripening time which means they are available when many other plums are no longer in season. They remain popular in the UK and United States.

Why We Grow It: This European variety is a great way to extend the plum season. The large, oval fruit has dark blue skin and yellow-orange flesh with a pleasant flavour. It is good for fresh eating and cooking. The tree is vigorous and produces heavy crops.

History: Ozark Premier plums were developed by the Missouri State Fruit Experiment Station and introduced in 1946. They are a cross between Burbank and Methley plums. 

Why We Grow It: This Japanese plum produces exceptionally large semi-clingstone fruit which are juicy and firm with a flavour that is sweet with a mild tartness. These plums are great for cooking, fresh eating, and canning. The tree has good disease resistance and reliable crops.

History: Likely cultivated from a wild plum growing in Asia, Mirabelle plums are a specialty of the Lorraine region in France where they are still primarily grown today. They are very popular in Europe and the French city of Metz has an annual Mirabelle Festival that spans two weeks. In 2006, the French city of Nancy created the world's longest Mirabelle tart which measured over 200m in length. 

Why We Grow It: It's no why wonder that this European plum is so popular. Mirabelle plums are super sweet and flavourful with soft juicy flesh. The medium-sized yellow fruit is exquisite as a dessert plum, but can also be used in jams, chutneys and schnapps.

History: Meigetsu is an Asian pear that originated in Japan. The word 'meigetsu' roughly translates to 'beautiful moon' or 'grand moon.' Its name could also be a shortened version of 'Chushu no Meigetsu,' the Japanese name for the harvest moon in September. 

Why We Grow It: Meigetsu Asian pears are pleasantly sweet with the flavour and aroma being compared to pineapples, watermelon, and butterscotch. The flesh is somewhat softer than other Asian pears, making the texture more akin to that of European pears. 

History: Luscious was developed at South Dakota State University as a cross between Ewark and South Dakota 31 in 1954. This goal was to create trees suitable for areas like the Northern Great Plains. Luscious was introduced in 1973, likely selected for its cold-hardiness and excellent flavour. 

Why We Grow It: Luscious produces small to medium yellow fruits with an attractive red blush. The fruit is quite sweet, great for fresh eating and cooking/baking! This is an excellent option for fans of Bartlett who are looking for a versatile and cold hardy variety! Luscious also has value as an ornamental tree, producing white blooms and glossy green leaves that turn a nice red in the fall. 

History: Little is known about this particular variety aside from that it's a Damson plum that originated in Sweden. 'Krikon' is the Swedish word for 'damson.'

Why We Grow It: Although its history is a bit of a mystery, we can certainly tell you that this is the best plum variety for very cold regions. It produces small round deep purple fruit that are good for cooking, preserving, and making jam. The flesh has a spicy, sweet flavour although some do not find it that great for fresh eating. Compared to regular Damson's Krikon Damson is a bit smaller, and more flavourful.

History: This European plum has contentious origins, making it difficult to determine if it is very old or extremely old. The name 'damson' stems from the Latin 'damascenum' meaning 'plum of Damascus.' As the name implies, some believe this plum may have come from the ancient city of Damascus and was brought to England by the Romans, making this plum thousands of years old. While this theory has been highly contested, there is ample evidence to prove that Damson plums have been grown in England for hundreds of years. It was introduced to the US in 1800 and was a a favourite due to its adaptability to its new home.

Why We Grow It: Damson produces small round clingstone fruit with a deep blue/purple skin and spicy yellow flesh. They are sweet enough to eat but also have some astringency which makes them less palatable than other varieties. However, they are superb for cooking, preserving, and making jam. The tree blooms late which allows it to avoid early frosts and this variety is self-fertile.

History: Yarlington Mill was discovered growing in the wild by a Mr. Bartlett. He discovered it in 1898 near a mill in the English village of Yarlington, hence the name 'Yarlington Mill.' It was further propagated and made popular by the grower Harry Masters (who also grew Harry Masters Jersey). This variety is still commonly planted in cider orchards in England. 

Why We Grow It: This is an excellent cider apple for our climate. It produces a medium bittersweet juice with good flavour. The tree is hardy and vigorous but tends to bear biennially so it requires attentive thinning.

History: Winesap's origins are unclear but it is believed to have originated from New Jersey pre-1800s where it was popular for making cider. It is first mentioned in a couple of books on apples in the early 1800s. Winesap was popular in the US until the 1950s due to its good keeping ability but the advent of better storage technology allowed better tasting apple varieties to eclipse it. It is still quit popular with backyard orchardists.

Why We Grow It: Winesap's all-purpose nature helps to explain why it hasn't faded into total obscurity like some other varieties. The medium-large red and yellow skinned fruit is good for cooking and making cider. It has sweet flesh with some tang or 'winey' flavour that is also decent for fresh eating. On top of that, the tree is productive, very resistant to fireblight, and the fruit stores well.

History: Wealthy apples were created by horticulturalist Peter Gideon after spending years trying to breed an apple variety that could survive Minnesota's harsh winters. With the very last of his money, he purchased seeds and scions in 1868 in one final attempt and was able to produce the Wealthy apple which he named after his wife, Wealthy Gideon. He gave scions away freely and Wealthy became one of the top five apples grown in the US.

Why We Grow It: A medium to large sized apple, Wealthy makes splendid applesauce, but is also very good for fresh eating with a balanced sweet-tart crunch. The tree is scab resistant and cold hardy, makes an excellent pollinator for other apples, and is well-suited for organic orchards.

History: Sweet Sixteen was developed by the University of Minnesota and introduced in 1977. It is one of nearly thirty varieties released by the university since its breeding program began in 1888.

Why We Grow It: Some apples taste better when grown in colder climates, and Sweet Sixteen is one of them. For a fresh-eating apple, this is a favourite. Sweet Sixteen provides that crisp first bite that so many people love in an apple, and the pure white flesh will not disappoint for flavour with a very unique, distinct honeyed flavour. Its cold-hardiness and general disease-resistance (tolerant of scab and cedar rust) make it winner for the grower too.

History: Snow, aka Fameuse, apples originated near Lake Champlain in Quebec some time before the 1730s. The exact origin is unclear but this variety is thought to have originated from a seedling or cutting brought from France. From about 1750-1850, this was one of the most commonly grown apples in Quebec until the orchards were almost wiped out in the latter half of the 19th century by disease and failed to regain their popularity. However, these lovely apples may still be with us in their own way as they are one of the potential parents of McIntosh.

Why We Grow It: It is easy to see why Snow apples were once so popular. These apples have a lovely deep red skin with pure white flesh with a sweet strawberry flavour. These trees are also quite cold hardy and produce heavy crops.

History: In the 1830s in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a seedling apple tree grew beside the smokehouse of William Gibbons. Perhaps it sprang from a core that some one had tossed there while they tended the fire. Who knows? What we do know is that the aptly named Smokehouse was commonly grown in the area until its popularity waned as sweeter apple varieties appeared on the market. Still, this variety has stood the test of time due to its great flavour. 

Why We Grow It:  Traditionally Smokehouse apples are picked a little early and used for baking, but if they're allowed to ripen fully on the tree, some people have described the balanced flavour as being “like drinking fresh-pressed cider!”. 

History: Rouville apples were created by R.L. Granger and G.L. Rouselle in 1962 at the Agriculture and Agri-food Canada research centre located in St.-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. The variety was introduced in 1983.

Why We Grow It: This lovely Quebec cider apple has a wonderful bitter-sweetness that is great for fresh eating and juicing and sauce. It is resistant to scab and has grown very well in our test orchard.

History: Porter's Perfection originated in Somerset in the UK some time in the 1800s. It became extremely popular in England although its popularity began to wane following the 1910s. It is still grown today but not as commonly as it once was. It shows promising results in the North American climate, unlike some other European cider cultivars.

Why We Grow It: This English cider apple produces a medium bittersharp cider. It has done well in different studies in Ontario with the Vineland Research Station with regards to juice composition, disease resistance and overall performance. The tree is a heavy cropper and grows vigorously.

History: Not to be confused with Pink Lady, Pink Pearl was developed by breeder Albert Etter who had the goal of creating red-fleshed apple varieties from seedlings of Surprise, a red-flashed variety. In 1940, he partnered with the California Nursery Company to bring some of these varieties to the public. Pink Pearl was selected as the best amongst his seedlings and released in 1945.

Why We Grow It: One of Steph's favourites! Pink Pearl is a delicious apple that is crisp with a pronounced unique fruity flavour and a nice blend of sweetness and sharpness. Its yellow-pink skin conceals a bright pink interior that is stunning to see compared to the white-ish flesh of most apples. It is great fresh or for applesauce, and it is relatively slow browning- it can be cut and bagged in the fridge the night before with very little change in colour the next day. Their pink colour adds a unique visual appeal to baked goods as well, such as with the gooseberry and Pink Pearl tarts Steph made pictured here!

History: The origins of Golden Russet are unclear, but we know it was discovered in New York in the first half of the 1800s. It may have come from the seedling of an English russet variety and could have Ashmead's Kernel parentage. It was grown commercially for some time before falling out of favour, although it has regained some popularity recently due to its strengths in cider production.

Why We Grow It:  With both lots of sweetness and acidity, Golden Russet is one of our favourites for fresh eating. The flavourful juice from these apples is also great for making cider. The thick russetted skin discourages insect damage and it is resistant to scab, canker, and powdery mildew. Its tip-bearing habit gives these hardy trees a wispy appearance.

History: Golden Delicious was discovered by chance on a family farm in West Virginia and sold in 1914 to the Stark Brothers Nurseries. It has since become one of the most popular apples in North America. Since 1972, Clay County, where the apple was found, has hosted an annual Golden Delicious Festival and in 1995 it was declared the state fruit of West Virginia. Golden Delicious is also the parent of many varieties, including prominent ones such as Ambrosia and Gala.

Why We Grow It: It is easy to see why this apple is so popular with its attractive golden yellow skin and sweet, crisp cream-coloured flesh. Golden Delicious is a favourite for fresh eating, sauce, and apple butter. On top of that, it is resistant to scab, powdery mildew, and fire blight.

History: Florina, aka Querina, was developed in France in the 1980s at the Station de Recherches d'Arboriculture Fruitiere. Despite being developed in France, its ancestry is made up of American varieties. Since its introduction it has become quite popular in continental Europe.

Why We Grow It: One of Steph and Mouse's favourites! Florina is a wonderful all-around apple for the backyard offering both rich flavour and easy care. The sweet, crisp fruits it produces are perfect right off the tree but also keep a few months. They are also great for organic production: resistant to scab, fireblight, mildew, and rosy apple aphid.

History: Egremont Russet first emerged in Britain in the early 1870s and has remained popular ever since. Even today, it is the third most common apple grown commercially in England. 

Why We Grow It: Although the russet, a thick rough skin, coating this apple can be an acquired taste, there is a reason this apple has remained so popular. The fruit itself is an attractive gold dotted with yellow and it has an excellent sweet, nutty flavour. They are delicious fresh, when used for cooking, and in ciders. The trees are known for producing good, regular crops. 

History: Diva was developed at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's St-Jean-sur-Richelieu Research Centre in Quebec by Shahrokh Khanizadeh. It was first bred in 1971 and underwent vigorous testing for fruit quality, cold hardiness, and disease resistance until its release in 2009. It is considered the first scab resistant apple released specifically for northern fresh eating and cider markets!

Why We Grow It: Diva doesn't disappoint after its many years of testing. This crisp apple boasts and excellent sweet flavour with some tartness and it is great for fresh eating, adding to salads and charcuterie boards, cider, and pies. It has done well in our orchard, producing reliable crops with few disease issues. 

History: Bulmer's Norman was imported from Normandy, France to England in the early 1900s by the cider making company H.P. Bulmer. This variety didn't even have a name when it arrived but quickly grew in popularity for use in making cider. This apple has since fallen out of the limelight and is primarily used for grafting other varieties onto its sturdy trunk. 

Why We Grow It: Although less popular these days, this variety boasts vigorous growth, decent disease resistance, and a surprising tolerance for cold. This conical, green apple produces a bittersweet juice and is high in tannins.

History: Akane was developed in Japan in 1937 at the Morioka Experimental Station. It is one of several kinds of produce created to better feed citizens and troops during WW2. The name 'akane' literally translates from Japanese as 'deep red.'

Why We Grow It: This crisp, sweet apple is great for fresh eating and has bright red skin. It tends to begin bearing at a young age and is relatively diseases resistant.

Lilly and the Fantastic Fungi is an educational children's picture book that teaches readers about the important relationship between plants and fungi. Through Lilly the plant and Mike the fungi, kids learn how fungi play an important role in maintaining soil and plant health!

Looking for a special gift for home? This gift set is entirely handmade, perfect for Mother's Day.

The mini quilt is made by myself, the beeswax tea light candles and rustic wooden holder from my daughter @huckleberryhives.

Small quilts are always so appealing! The intricate patchwork piecing on this makes it ideal for a decor piece and mat for your candle. It can be used in many ways throughout your home. As a centrepiece, table topper on an accent table, on a chest, dresser or night table, basket liner, etc.

Beautiful quality cotton fabrics are used.

The size of the quilt is about 12 inches square (32 cm sq).

Pure beeswax candles are small batch, hand poured.

Wooden holder measures about 10 x 4 x 1.5 inches and includes 3 glass or black metal tea light holders that can be used over and over again.

Will come packaged with care instructions.

Quilting is done by freemotion, which is a hand guided machine stitching technique, not computer. This means that your quilt will always be one of a kind, as the artistry of the stitching is unique to each piece.

This listing is for all items shown in the first photo. Last photos show more options sold separately here.

Love to cook with cast iron? These quilted handle covers easily slip over the skillet handle for easy, safe use to protect your hands. No more oopsies if you forget to grab a hot mat before you grab the hot pan! Leave it on the pan until ready to launder, then remove and throw in with regular wash.

If you're like me, you have various sizes of cast iron skillets in your kitchen... so; here are the two handle cover sizes that work well for me and are available, ready to ship!

The smaller handle cover shown is made specifically for mini skillets. This is a new product I'm offering because it's nice to have a handle cover that isn't so big and gawky on those little pans! For reference, my mini skillet (shown) measures about 6 inches across the pan. Approximate max handle size that will fit is about 1 3/4" wide x 3 1/2" long.

The larger handle cover is shown on my 10-inch skillet. There is ample width to slip over thicker handles if necessary. Approximate usable space inside this larger handle cover is about 2 1/2" wide x 4 1/2" long.

Made with InsulBright thermal batting. Not microwave or oven safe. Not flameproof but can be safely left on the handle while cooking on a stove top. They will shrink slightly on the first laundering, as the fabrics have never been washed, and then they will relax a bit with use.

This is a wonderful idea for a small kitchen gift, stocking stuffer, hostess gift, etc.

The last photo shows my original skillet handle covers listed here.

Love to cook with cast iron? These quilted handle covers easily slip over the skillet handle for easy, safe use to protect your hands. No more oopsies if you forget to grab a hot mat before you grab the hot pan! Leave it on the pan until ready to launder, then remove and throw in with regular wash. 

There are two sizes available, made for a large cast iron skillet and a mini skillet respectively.

Large size is about 14 cm long with a generous 4 cm opening to slip over the handle.

Small size is about 10 cm long with a 3 cm opening to slip over the handle. 

Made with Insul Bright thermal batting. Not microwave or oven safe. Not flameproof but can safely be left on the handle while cooking on a stove top or cook top. 

This is a wonderful idea for a small kitchen gift, stocking stuffer, hostess gift, etc. 

This striking quilted pillow features the traditional patchwork quilt block called 'hens and chicks'. The country red and teal fabrics mirror the colours in the floral border fabric, for a pretty, coordinating finish. A lovely floral toss cushion for the living room or bedroom!

Pillow Covers are a great way to change your decorating and give your room a whole new personality!

Our pillow fronts are all quilted for a unique, plush look.

Switching out your covers is quick and easy with our overlapping back. Easy care, in with regular wash.

Sized for a 16 inch (41 cm) square pillow form. You will have the option to purchase the cover only or include the form.

When you choose to purchase the form also, you will receive a polyester filled, individually compressed form, in the appropriate size. The compression simply allows for less bulk when shipping. They will inflate instantly, once you open the bag.

Last photo shows this one together with another coordinating pillow, listed separately here: https://mommabearsquilts.ca/products/patchwork-pillow-quilted-throw-cushion-22073

These pocket hankies are packaged in sets of two and are made with 100% cotton or flannel fabric and finished with a rolled hem.

The fun is all in the label! We call them Hankie Honkers! You can read about the fun family story behind them, in my blog post.

You will receive a surprise set of two as they are randomly chosen and selection varies. If you have a preference, don't hesitate to reach out, as I am happy to curate your package from those currently available. 

> Each hankie is about 10 inches square.
> preshrunk, prewashed
> great gift idea for zero waste and eco conscious folks
> easy care, in with regular wash, may need ironing
> so many ways to use: reusable tissue, table napkin, makeup removal wipe, eye glasses cloth, in a gentleman's suit pocket, washable paper towel, in lunch pails, etc.

Whether you want utilitarian or unique, these fun handkerchiefs are sure to bring a grin.