A NEW EMPLOYEE

It’s 2026 and like many who have reflected over the previous years. Thankful for the blessings and thankful also to move past any hard seasons. I’m not much of New Years Resolution person but I do reflect on small goals I’d like to achieve in the following years both personally, in our family and in our business.

This year two of those goals collide. My oldest is 15 and in someways very ready for the next season of his life standing somewhere between boyhood and a young man with long term goals. Over the course of the last year more than any of the other boys he has taken a liking to baking. Where all my boys help label, or pack or load my car with product he’s taken to helping with making dough, asking questions giving suggestions on both recipes and efficiency of how I do things. I am a creature of habit and sometimes being the most efficient isn’t in my nature I do it how I do it because I have. So this gift has been welcomed even though I may not always show it. So last year we jokingly said he was my apprentice. Often helping measure ingredients or starting dough but I was always the one to finish everything off. This worked well and was helpful but we are ready for the next move.

So this year we rang the new year with a new employee one that knows the business and has been training right under our noses for years. He’ll be taking over some of the bakes and adding his own items to the menu as well. And this leaves me more time to recipe test too. And would you like to know the best combo? I don’t particularly love baking pastries and sweets while he loves testing new treats and with his help I have been able to test out more specialty loaves because bread really is my favorite thing to bake. So we are a great match.

Look out for Elliott at our local makets, my helper at workshops and occasionally ( and reluctantly) on our social media. Here’s to a new year and sidekick