Now I know why start-up businesses don’t get the chance to write as often as they’d like to, especially as the high Summer season approaches.
Working as a baker at the Village Meat Market and trying to bake our own bread for the first Winter farmers markets in Westport was absolutely good practice for the packed weekly schedule of markets that we are attending now.
It was also reckless on my internal clock.
Some nights getting only a 2-3 hours of rest between batches of bread, I was a sleep deprivation test case.
Working at the VIllage Meat Market was a good experience overall and definitely challenging.
I got to know many local people in town and they got to learn about what we’re trying to do at the farm.
Even the mailman whenever he sees me would comment “hey, does it smell like doughnuts in here?”
Funny guy.
A Wild Ride
I haven’t felt this tired since I don’t know when.
One look at our poor raised bed gardens and our wildflower garden can tell you a lot about my priorities so far this spring.
Thick, green and full of weeds they are.
In some ways they are beautifully wild, like areas of untamed wilderness in the Adirondacks.
Mostly they depress me because last year I had such nice herbs and vegetables growing there in what seemed like only a few short months ago.
The over-abundance of rain this year has been crazy.
We haven’t been able to get into the fields for hay cutting yet.
Hopefully August proves to be a bit drier and sunnier.
Farm-in-progress
The farm in progress is still very much that.
Most of our time this time of year has been involved in converting the garage into The Breadery.
We’ve defined our focus a bit more intently.
While we’re still “bringing an old farm back to life” we’re now specifically trying to become “the farm that bread saved.”
Initially it seems to be working.
There has been a great response in a number of towns to our bread at the farmer’s markets we’ve been attending.
And I’ve told our happy patrons that every loaf they purchase from us this Summer helps us continue the renovations on the barn, restore more pasture and increase the health of the soil.
Having a story helps folks connect our bread to the mission so well.
Going Pro
Having a few farmer’s markets under our belt, we have shifted into professional mode now!
They say as soon as you get paid for what you create, you’re considered a professional, right?
Maybe not, but either way we’re happy.
The numbers spell out a possible future of economic viability, or in other words, we can bake bread full-time and perhaps not have to work off-farm in order to be gainfully employed.
That, my friends, is mind-boggling mainly because that is what we set out to do back when I started this blog.
For a quick jog into memory lane, in early 2013 we had moved to the Adirondacks for the sole purpose of putting down roots, starting a farm and ultimately a business to go along with it.
It’s insane to think that this moment has begun to arrive, but I think I’ve been too busy to reflect upon it fully.
Looking forward
We are just looking forward.
Forward to the next bake, the next farmer’s market, then next wholesale order, the next project on the farm.
I hope I’ll have more time to write and reflect and share this winter.
Until then, there is no rest for the weary, but at least it’s a satisfying and happy kind of tiredness.
After all, the journey is voluntary and the sacrifice is worthwhile!
