June Flowers

What does this bouquet of garden-picked peonies have to do with baking? Why, they are in the bakery, of course! Even though our eyes were buried in our baking most of the day, we never could forget these lovely flowers. Their perfume permeated the room. Even when the usually overpowering granola and Garlic Sticks were baking, we sniffed the peonies' spicy-sweet aroma. Now that's a nice way to spend a day in the dish water!

May 4, 2012

Harvey, ND -- The birthplace of quality, organic flour

Dad preparing our trusty pick-up for a heavy load.

Strong backs (over) load the pick-up with 1000+ lbs. of locally grown and freshly ground flour.

Thank you, Dakota Prairie! We will see you again next year.

More Than a Bakery, Part II

The bakery turned banquet hall awaits Thanksgiving guests.

The guests? 30 relatives. The other 15 were seated in our original dining room.

More Than a Bakery, Part I

Aunt Ruth and Mom roll flatbread while Grandpa looks on.

The bakery is more than a bakery. We knew that it would be way back in the blueprint phase. That's why we...
...chose a floor plan suitable for both a bakery and a living space (if needed in the future).
...chose flooring that's both commercial and "pretty."
...plumbed it for commercial sinks and a small apartment (again, if needed in the future).

I could go on, but you get the picture.

Here is a peek into one of the non-bakery moments. One day last December my grandparents and aunt, Ruth, came for our annual flatbread making day. A Ronnevik family Christmas Eve meal would not be complete without this delicious, crackery bread. This time we were aided by a compact and efficient bakery, four ovens included. The baking was done in record time and satisfied many palettes over the next month.

Grandma and I manned the ovens.

Flatbread. Mmmm...

Meals for a Dime

Together we shipped 109 meals to Haiti and Africa!

Over the summer a can sat on our market table collecting pocket change. By the end of the year we had collected $10.97. Last month we sent that money with our friend, Joey, to the Global Aid Network Distribution Center in Lancaster County, PA. That's where Joey works packing aid to be shipped to needy communities around the world in the name of Christ. Thanks for helping!

To learn more about this project, go to gainusa.org.

All good friends share. They even share jobs. At least Megan and I did.

Many a Friday last summer found Megan on an early morning drive to my kitchen. She would join Maren (sister #1) and me for the day's baking, up to twelve hours at times. Megan brought much help and encouragement to our kitchen. Due to her deft hands Maren and I found a few formerly unheard of minutes for meals, coffee, and even a little story time. By sharing, I think I got the better end of the deal.

This fall Megan took her turn at sharing. A dream came true when Hannah (sister #2) and I got a behind-the-scenes view into a coffee shop.

Megan mixing up one of her many ice-blended coffees that day.

Hannah and I each got to make our own coffee. Here I am preparing grounds for espresso.

Caramel colored espresso. Beautiful!

Heating and frothing milk. Thankfully Megan helped me through this scientific process.

Adding flavors.

Almond Joy Mocha. Amazing!

Farmers Market Fare

There are many great things about selling at farmers markets.  One of the perks is the swapping of left-overs that takes place at the end of the day.  Often these swaps take us beyond the vegetable basics.  That was true one day last fall.

Upon receiving a bag of beautiful, blue potatoes, I began dreaming.  Blue Chips with a Twist. 

Crispy.  Crunchy.  Potato-y.  Yummy!