Portraits of Summer -- Farmers Markets

~ The Bakery Times ~

Farmers' Markets

Bethlehem - "House of Bread" will once again be hitting the farmers' market this year. Come June, Elsa Stowman's home-made, all from scratch baked goods will be readily available in Pelican Rapids and Detroit Lakes. While Stowman says she expects a good year at the market, she noted that her schedule may be slightly altered from her previous nearly regular farmers' market attendance. "Between the uncertain future of care for my Downs syndrome aunt and a new bakery addition to be built onto my house, my customers may have to put up with a more flexible schedule," explained Stowman. This said, she conveyed her desire to be at the market "as much as possible." Bethlehem - "House of Bread" will continue its schedule of attending the Pelican Rapids farmers' market every-other Tuesday (9 a.m. - 1 p.m.) and the Lakes Area Farmers Market, Detroit Lakes, every Saturday (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.). Exact dates will be emailed to the customers on her email list. "I am looking forward to seeing all of my farmers' market friends once again."

New in Town

Last winter found Elsa Stowman back in her test kitchen. While unable to spend all the time creating the new products she dreamed of making, a few new and tantalizing products will be on Bethlehem - "House of Bread's" tables.

- Cinnamon Crunch Granola: A nut-free granola with great cinnamon flavor! Featured in this cereal are sweet and cinnamony clusters of puffed millet tossed in a tender blend of rolled oats, rolled wheat, and puffed quinoa.

- Lemon Bundt Cake: This moist cake is soaked with a sweet, lemon glaze made from hand-squeezed lemons. The results - a mild tasting interior surrounded by a delightfully intense lemony exterior. No one would ever guess that a high percentage of whole wheat flour is used to make this smooth and rich cake. Prepare for your mouth to water! Sold by the slice at the market or whole by special order.

- Scandinavian Almond Cake: Scandinavia visits the market in a buttery almond dessert. This gently yet distinctively almond flavored cake is made in the traditional half-log shape. Sold both as a whole and half cake. Perfect for afternoon coffee!

- Brown Rice & Sorghum Bread: Gluten free bread! While not certified gluten free, care is taken to keep this bread as pure as possible. You may have just found the solution to those sandwich cravings. (The recipe is still in development stage. You may see this bread change a little over the next weeks.)

Changing Faces

Some Bethlehem - "House of Bread" products have received a face-lift. Here is what to expect.

- Changes have been made to Roasted Garlic Bread to make a more eye and taste-bud pleasing loaf.

- According to popular demand, Caramel Rolls are now even more deluxe with a thicker layer of caramel. Prepare for sticky fingers!

- Try the new Peanut Butter Granola to find a more subtly peanut butter flavored cereal. Chunks of all natural peanut-buttery goodness float in a delicious blend of rolled oats, rolled wheat, and puffed millet. But take note - you may have to wait a few weeks to buy your bag while the bakery waits to get its supply of peanut butter. Apparently news has spread that this is the best peanut butter around!

Every day at the farmers' market a few coins and the occasional bill or two were added to the can. It seemed like slow going at times, but with each new giver a surge of joy rushed through me as I gave an extra smile and heartfelt "Thank you!" At the end of each day I lifted the can. Yes, it was getting heavier.

By September I was beginning to see dollar bills peaking their thin edges out the slot in top of the can. The day I would empty, count, and send the money to the ministry was coming soon.

A month or so ago I opened the can and counted carefully. $57.97 - the sum total collected all summer long. How excited I was to send this money off to the ministry. I knew that soon many hungry and pinched stomachs were going to be filled with nutrition packed food. More than that I rejoiced to know that when the $57.97 worth of food was all digested, the hope of the truth of Christ's salvation would continue to be in the hearts of the people. For those who accepted salvation along with their free gift of food, they now have the greatest free gift of all, one that will never be used up or go away.

Coins and a few bills - considered so little and useless to us. Yet to some hungry stomach and lost, yearning soul these small pieces of metal and paper are the source of a few more days of life and carry the message of eternal life.

www.gainusa.org

October 3rd, 2009 -- Saturday

Duluth! This beautiful old town perched on the hills along Minnesota's north shore of Lake Superior is one of my favorite places in all the world. From my earliest memories Duluth and the gorgeous state parks that surround it have been the destination of many a family vacation. Somehow these later years have slipped by with not a sight of this area of my home state. It was high time we visited again!

Highest on our list of vacation must-does was rest. Yet there were a few things we wanted to see and do. Drive to our old haunts in the state parks, explore and find something new, watch the famous bridge lift to let massive iron ore ships pass underneath, and visit a farmers' market.

When Saturday rolled around excitement was high. The farmers' market Mom and I had found on the internet was scheduled for every Saturday morning. Soon we would see how they did things at the northern markets. Plus we would get a little taste of what it is like to be on the other side of the tables.


No tents were needed here! A barn roof covered the heads of all the vendors. Here Mom found the house plant for which she has been searching - Baby Tears.


What fun to visit with the vendors! There is so much creativity among this hard working group.

While sales went on indoors, this man made fresh apple juice. That tangy drink goes hand in hand with crisp, autumn days.

Though glad for a break from the hectic schedule and uncooperative weather of farmers' marketing, this visit put fresh zeal in me for sales next year. Farmers' markets run deep within my blood!

To market, to market...

August 22, 2009

We're ready to go! It is 8:00 AM, and the van is loaded with bread, granola, and all the sweets. There is no way all this baking could fit in here without the racks Dad made!

An inside view of the packed van. Maren's oraganization is key.

Me at the wheel, ready for the hour drive to Detroit Lakes.

This is customer appreciation day. To make it special, I have "brownie bite" samples.

Backing up a little...

... and close up.

A veiw from behind the tables. They are looking a bit empty.

My family joins in on the festive day with a little picnic. Sure it is nice to sell out, but nothing could be better than a little time with the whole family!

The Bakery "Forecast"

Bakery "Weather" History

--Monday:
Baked all day
--Tuesday:
Sold 39 loaves plus sweets and granola at the Pelican Rapids farmers' market.
New on the table -- Dill-Onion Pizza Crusts
Maren baked 28 pounds of granola.

Bakery Forecast

--Wednesday:

Production of more granola (by Maren)

Baking of 15 individual Brownie Supreme plus 4 packages of 12 (by Elsa)

Baking of 16 each Blueberry, Cherry-Berry Chocolate, and Cranberry Oat Scones (by Elsa)

--Thursday:

Caramel roll baking

--Friday:

A long day of baking 63 loaves.

The day's specialty bread - Chocolate Pecan Bread

--Saturday:

Sales at the Lakes Area Farmers' Market, Detroit Lakes

--Sunday:

A welcome day of worship and rest

Special! Special! Read all about it!

Uncooperative weather - what's so special about that? For many
of us it means a loss of something whether it be a day at the lake, time in the
garden, or a family outing. For me it also means a gain -a gain
of bread in the freezer, that is. I need your help managing the
growing stash in that handiest of all appliances. Next Tuesday I will be having a grand cleaning-out sale at Pelican Rapids. (Take note that this is not my usual week to be at the market.) Everything I bring will be straight from the freezer... and sold
at a reduced price. (75 cents off all bread; $5.00/group of 4 scones
and caramel rolls; $7.00/package of 6 caramel rolls;
$1.00/brownie)

Are you leery of frozen goodies? Let me put your mind at ease.
Instead of decreasing the quality of my baked goods, freezers actually "freeze"
them at peek freshness. So come one, come all to the SALE!!!!

Find my tables on North Broadway on the sidewalk in front of the Chamber of
Commerce/Tourist Information.

~Elsa

This is an email I sent out to my email list last Saturday after another one of those "uncooperative" days. True, it wasn't the down-pour of Tuesday when I seriously felt like I had jumped in a lake. Nor was it the first beautiful Saturday of the summer when all people were at the lakes rather than the market like the week before. Rather it was a day of wind and some sprinkles. (If you are wondering how wind could be a problem, you have never experienced a true Minnesotan wind.)

Today (the day of the freezer sale) was another one of those windy days, but sunshine made all the difference. Now our freezers boast of a total of three unsold loaves of bread! They are breathing a sigh of relief.

Special Notice!

"Twas the night before baking and all through the kitchen..." What comes next? "...the counters were scoured, and the mixer stood waiting." Wait, that doesn't rhyme. "...the bread pans stood stacked, and the ovens were empty." Nope, not that either. I'm not much of a poet, so I think I'll leave it there. :]

Yes, it is the night before baking - baking for the big (hopefully) first day at the Lakes Area Farmers' Market for the season. Saturday will see Mom and me headed out with a van load of toothsome goodies. Get ready, Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Here I come!

Also in the works - preparations for kick off at the Pelican Rapids farmers' market. Baking on Monday, selling on Tuesday...

Thinking...

I sit at the counter, computer in front of me, whole wheat bread at my side. A few minutes ago granola was sitting where my computer is now. A customer's order? No. Simply an attempt to keep up with my family's need for nourishment. As I worked on making these two things, my mind went to the farmers' markets...

I look at the calendar. June is hard on its way, and when it comes I must be ready. Ready to delve into a season of baking and selling. How will I manage it this year? Last year was pretty hectic. I think about the schedule I hope to put into action - Saturdays at the Detroit Lakes farmers' market and every other Tuesday at the Pelican Rapids farmers' market. Will this work? I don't know. We'll see as we go along.

My oldest sister, Maren, helps me clean up the kitchen after noon. While we work, we talk about the summer baking. She once again expresses her desire to help out more. We talk over what her jobs might be.

I look at the sunshine outside and feel the slightly cool breeze come through the open window. "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24). This is the summer the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Maplewood Granola

Welcome a new member to my baked good family. Maplewood Granola resembles its older sibling, Honey & Nut Granola (formerly know as Granola), in several ingredients (oats, walnuts, and sunflower seeds) but has a personality all of its own. A faint and pleasing maple flavor combined with toasted almonds and coconut are this granola's distinct characteristics. A delicate flavor is the only way to describe it.

PS - Maplewood Granola is named after the beautiful state park located in the rolling, maple covered hills near the town of Pelican Rapids, Minnesota. Come to the farmers' market in Pelican Rapids this June for Maplewood Granola's first presentation.

More Changes

Selling at the Lakes Area Farmers' Market in Detroit Lakes, MN has brought forth a whole new set of blessings and challenges.

Blessings:

-Uncle David and family, DL natives, make an instant connection to this active, lake country town. Not only do I get to see these relatives more often, but I am also meeting some of their friends. They have done a great job making me feel at home right away.

-50 plus loaves along with dozens of goodies fly off my table in just a few hours. This is the largest amount of baking I've ever done for a single market.

-A great group of vendors, averaging 15 during the peak season, have warmly welcomed me. New friendships are already forming both with vendors and shoppers.

-Sisters more than willing to give a chunk of their day to help me sell. I couldn't do it without them!

Challenges:

-Two long and tiring days of baking to try meet this market's demand. Not only does this mean a weary baker but a frazzled book keeper (one and the same person) trying to sneak her work in every spare minute.

-A work-out trying to keep the tables stocked with all baked goods.

Solutions to challenges:

-More sandwich loaves to "up" production. Six sandwich loaves fit in one oven at a time in contrast with two round loaves.

-Baking what I can handle and not worrying about selling out early.

-One complete week off to recuperate and catch up. Were you wondering what brought on this rash of blog posts?

-Dad's beautiful cedar crates. How do these help? Let me show you, but first, a short tour of what he did...

Dad, chief designer/craftsman, in his shop late into the evening.

That's an impressive pile of saw dust!

Dad's finished product loaded with my finished product.

Now for how these work out to be a solution. For one thing, no longer am I limited to hauling everything to market in our mini van. With the new, handy frames, I can slide eight trays, each loaded literally with pounds of bread, into our Forester. Neat, huh?

It's a pretty tight fit, but with Hannah, my travel loving family's chief packer of vehicles, set to the task, there's even room for my sister's stacks of books to study on the road. (No, not a student. A tutor!)

And my favorite solution. Look at all the bread that fits on my tables now! No more scrambling to restock. Thank you, Dad!

More refiguring is in order to manage this new venture, I'm sure, but with help from the whole family, I'm well on the way to a great, new market.

Changes

Friday, August 1st, 2008: Today was my last day at the Sabin farmers' market. After watching sales dwindle to only a few loaves sold each Friday, I decided it just wasn't worth the time and drive. Saying good-bye to the friends I'd made in the year I'd been there was sad. Their quiet, godly example had been an encouragement to me. But life is full of changes, and change it will!

New opportunities are on the horizon. The farmers' market in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota has been referred to me as one with potential. Up until now I've shied away from the prospect of the one hour drive there, but it seems like the best next step. This will mean a few more expenses, though. Besides the extra gas, there will be a larger weekly fee. A canopy tent is also required. Time to do a little shopping.

A few weeks later: My family's weekend stay at the lake proved to be the perfect time to try out the new tent found in Fargo, ND. Lots of good help from parents and sisters!

One of the deciding factors for this tent over the rest at the store was the attachable side panels. Great to block brownie melting sunshine and the whipping, Minnesota winds.

Saturday, September 6th: My third time at the Detroit Lakes farmers' market. Isn't that a beautiful tent?

Yes, changes are a part of life. What a relief to know the One who has all changes in His hands. No need to wonder and worry!

Multi-tasking

Multi-tasking - it seems like this is the blight of modern day man. Talking on the phone while folding the laundry as one waits for cookies to bake, brushing teeth while pulling things together for a day away from home, painting fingernails while wading through stop-and-go, rush hour traffic... I know I am guilty of this hurry flurry, scattered puzzle piece life (well, maybe not the fingernail part :]).

While some multi-tasking serves only to waste time and produce headaches, there are forms that have better results. Take my time at the farmer's market last Tuesday for example...

For me the farmer's market doesn't mean just selling bread. It is also the perfect time to catch up on ever pressing paper work that comes with the baking job.

Those slower times also give me an opportunity to keep a hand in my favorite hobbies, like crocheting. This would be doily #3 made mostly at the farmer's market. One per year - not bad!

This day I had a helper. Maren, my oldest sister, took the opportunity of a canceled tutoring session to come with me for the morning. Her multi-tasking job was one that I frequently do - letter writing. What a perfect time to dabble in this "ancient hobby". (Joey, I quoted you!)

The only thing I can't do at the market is blog. I'll just have to move across the street to the coffee shop and bask in their hot spot.

And with all that multi-tasking, I still got my main job done. Look at that beautifully empty box! So you see, there are some happy endings in the multi-tasking saga.

Back in Business

I'm back in business in Pelican Rapids! Getting up to the sound of rain on the windows at 5:45 yesterday (Tuesday) I didn't know what the day would hold. Would the clouds that looked down on Hannah and me as we set up my tables in front of the Chamber of Commerce/Historic City Hall hold their rain? Rain or shine it was going to be good to catch up with the people I haven't seen since last fall.


Hooray for my new sign! While I was packaging up brownies Monday night, Dad was in the garage putting hardware on the sign. Isn't it pretty? :)

Well, it did sprinkle. Feeling a bit soggy and bedraggled Hannah and I hauled the tables down to the end of the block where there was an awning overhead. The awning may have protected us from the precipitation but not from the cold breeze. Good thing we stuck in our winter jackets!

Despite the less than pleasant weather, people were out on the streets of Pelican - new faces as well as familiar ones. Waves and honks from people driving by, visits with friends as they stopped by the tables - what an enjoyable (and chilly) way to spend my morning.

By noon 26 loaves of bread had sold as well as several caramel rolls, scones, and bags of granola. I only had to bring home one loaf of bread for the freezer. Score!

(Sorry for my lack of paragraphs. Anyone figured out how to format posts on Blogger?)

Finalized Plans

Today is another "bready" day. To fill out an order I have been baking French Batard and Granola. The bread will go into the freezer for delivery next Tuesday, and some of the granola will be packaged up in 1 lb. bags. Left over granola will go into the pantry for Dad's breakfasts. Besides making this order I have 6 loaves of Cran-Orange Whole Wheat Bread and 1 loaf of Dill-Onion Bread in the proofing rack and ovens. More experimenting.

Farmer's market plans are now finalized! Market #2 will be in Sabin, MN. The start up date is June 20th, just ten days after start up in Pelican Rapids. This will be the second year for this market, both for me and for the whole farmer's market. Being just a baby, the market is still small but has lots of potential. Know anyone with wares to sell?

Better run. My ovens will be calling soon.

Farmer's Market Plans Under Way

Farmer's market season is coming to the upper Midwest! Today I called around to make arrangements to sell my bread, granola, and sweets at a couple semi-local farmer's markets. I have confirmed one weekly selling spot in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota. The other possible farmer's market is still not for sure.

For Pelican Rapids I now have an official beginning date - Tuesday, June 10th. Sound like a long way off? Not to me! There are recipes to finalize, ingredients to buy, new prices to set, brochures to make... and hopefully plenty of family time (working on lawn and garden and some relax time). Time will tell what the next month holds.