On-Farm Bakery Uses Outdoor Oven

On-Farm Bakery Uses Outdoor Oven 27-4-7 "We have more than doubled sales since building our outdoor brick oven," say Dora and Cornelius Friesen of Riverton, Manitoba. "The appeal of wholesome breads made in an on-farm setting is very strong and the outdoor oven just really compliments the business." The popular on-farm bakery specializes in naturally leavened breads made from grains like spelt and Kamut. The Friesens started out baking just for themselves and then began marketing at their local Farmers' Market. Their breads were met with great enthusiasm and their business was born. They recently sold their grain and livestock operation and just kept the farm site. They converted their double car garage into a bakeshop, setting up a commercial electric convection oven, which they still use for cookies and pastries. That oven was the basis of their operation for the first two years. Then they took a course on outdoor brick ovens and built one 25 ft. away from their bake shop. "Our market had already been growing at a fast and steady rate, but once we started using the outdoor oven for all our bread, sales shot up dramatically," Dora says. "The prevalence of wheat, dairy and yeast allergies makes our bread popular, since it's an alternative to wheat flour based breads. At the same time, people want to reconnect with the farm, the source of their food. Our goal is to be educators, as much as bakers," she says. In addition to their production of baked goods, the Friesens round out the on-farm experience they offer by hosting tours for visitor groups and offer baking courses. Since they do have dogs, cats, sheep, chickens and a horse on their acreage, visitors usually express great joy at being able to see and touch some farm animals. Every week during the summer, the Friesens put on a Friday "pizza night," where they have sold up to 60 pizzas fresh out of the oven in one night. According to the couple, it takes only five minutes to bake a pizza in their brick oven. "When we attended the Brick Oven Bakers' Conference in San Francisco, there were 61 American bakers and only four Canadian bakers in attendance," says Cornelius. "From our experience, we think there is room for a lot more businesses like ours around. The demand is certainly there." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Integrity Foods, Cornelius and Doris Friesen, Box 278, Riverton, Manitoba, Canada R0C 2R0 (ph/fax 204 378-2887; ph 204 378-2716; email: integrity_foods@mts.net). More information on brick ovens can be obtained at www.ovencrafters.com.

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