The perception of farmers and farming has slowly changed to one of respect and gratitude.

Seriously though, life is good, and I enjoy what I am doing. When asked if he would like to have his kids follow in his footsteps, his canned response is - “Depending on which side of the bed I wake up on. “My employees are the backbone of this operation. Randy also credits his 45 + employees – many of whom have been with him for over 25 years - with the high-quality fruit for which Kiyokawa Family Orchards is known. She was born and raised in Tehran but as Randy has said to friends and family many times “It was fate that brought is big city girl and small-town farm boy together!” Randy’s partner for life, Badri Azar, has been another blessing in his life with her beauty, compassion, and love of family. It was recently featured as the “37th Best Places to Work” in the US by Outdoor Magazine. Rebecca graduated from Fort Lewis College this past summer and is employed at StoneAge in Durango. Catherine recently got married to Corbin Hammond and is now living in Diamond Oregon and is loving being part of their ranch and community with her son. Cameron lives in The Dalles and works as a firefighter doe Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue but uses his mechanical and welding skills when needed to help maintain and fabricate farm equipment for Randy. Randy has three kids and one grandson: Cameron (33), Catherine (32), Rebecca (22) and Korbin (7). Four older sisters, Becky, Margie, Nancy, and Connie, help during the harvest and fruit stand seasons of July through the end of October. Michiko, 100 years young, still helps with constructive criticism. Randy attributes his success, in part, to his family.

Randy discontinued being certified for several reasons in 2019 but continues to use many of the same horticultural practices. Six acres of apples, cherries and peaches were certified organic and, in 2017, four acres of pears were added to his new organic inventory. In 2013, Randy leased 80-acres of land where he planted new varieties of peaches, pears, cherries, and apples, including hard cider specific varieties. Randy’s diversification efforts expanded to Farmers Markets and direct sales to stores, restaurants, Bakeries, schools and add-on is with CSA’s. Over time, customers requested different varieties that could not be found in stores or farmers markets, which has led to his offering now of over 120 varieties of apples. After watching the joy that picking apples brought to families, Randy removed three acres of 80-year-old pear trees and planted 28 varieties of apples. He began to receive requests from parents who asked if their kids could pick apples that hung off a beautiful Golden Delicious tree by the barn. A handful of customers a day was considered a good day. Out of desperation, he set out a sign reading “Apples 5¢ a pound” for his Red Delicious apples while he worked on broken tractors in the old leaky barn that fall. Apples throughout the county were left to rot on the trees rather than incurring the expense of picking, sorting, and packing this perceived tainted fruit. Although the Kiyokawa never sprayed Alar as did most apple producers, the media scare influenced even the USDA to cancel all apple purchases. The Alar scare of 1989 forced many family farms out of business if they relied on apples as their sole source of income. In 1987, Mamoru’s illness brought Randy back to Parkdale sooner than planned, but he does not regret the commitment he made to his parents when he left his job in Portland. He earned valuable experiences and friendships while wrestling for the Beavers as well as being a Resident Assistant in the dormitories and a Resident Advisor in the housing co-op. In 1984, Randy graduated from Oregon State University with a degree from what is now the College of Agricultural Sciences. There they raised four daughters and a son, Randy. Military Intelligence Service, Mamoru returned to Hood River Valley in 1951 with Michiko and purchased a 25-acre orchard in Parkdale that has been the nucleus of the current 207-acre farm. Randy’s father, Mamoru, and mother, Michiko, met in an internment camp where their families were placed during World War II. Randy is a third-generation orchardist from Parkdale, Oregon, whose grandfather emigrated from Japan in 1905, and through hard work started farming in Hood River in 1911.

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