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Farmers R Us

andrewwatters
Mar 20, 2016
2 min read

It's the morning of our first farmers market and Mr Baker has been up earlier than the cockerrel baking away so we have enough produce to show and sell at our first ourdoor market.

A little nervous - never quite sure how these things turn out but hoping for a good show so we can spread our wares a little further afield. Yesterday was the best day for footfall to our box at home with over 50 visitorrs all enticed no doubt by the inordinant amount of sticky chocolate brownie, billionairres shortbread and cookies galore - we are glad our customer base has such a sweet tooth!!

So he was up at 2am, prepping vegetables for the pasties, kneeding dough for the bread and making another 6kilos of brownie. Mrs Baker and the kids were fast asleep and there is something quite nice about being up at such an ungodly hour - peace and quiet, no distractions of usual family life - solely baking with the odd episode of SCI to pass away the time whilst proving occurs and the gentle hum of the oven heating up.

6am - time to wake up Mrs Baker who spings out of bed in a one legged fashion, bleary eyed from an analgesic stupour having dreamt of being sabotaged at the market. Strange the things you dream about when you think you have switched off. This time it was the horror of pitching up and being placed at the back of a very small room, the neighbouring trader spreading her wares onto the KHB table - how very dare she and general panic that all wasn't going to plan. Luckily on waking ... it was all a dream ...

7.30 the kids still asleep - yeh - keep going kids we dont' want to see you til at least 9.

Rolo our lovable laborador sits outside the back door hoping for some scraps or even just the slightest bit of attention - crumbs usually fed to the chickens will do - but he's not in luck - we are on a mission and there shall be no distractions, it's the first job for the kids to do when they wake. Our gorgeous boy is banished to a life of living in the stable like baby Jesus, no pampered pooch in this house, chance would be a fine thing Rolo thinks. He's happy enough though, the odd duck follows him in and snuggles up when allowed, a hedghog or two in the middle of the night scurrying across the lawn and the horses snoozing in the field - plenty of fellow farm animals to keep him company.

8am most of the bread is out cooling nicely and filling the house with a lovely aroma that you can only get from baking fresh bread. Kitchen doesn't look like it's usual bombsite - Mrs Baker has been on the case and as said before - kids still asleep...

8.30am time to label up so we know what everything is when it comes to sale.

9am pack up the car and off we go

Wish us luck - hope to see you there. Another day in the life of Keeley House Bakery...