What if we could pay our small-scale organic BC growers more while reducing the cost of our food? What if we could increase the nutrient content of our food while reducing food waste? There is no trend in food that would have a bigger impact on our food system, our health, or our ability to respond to the climate crisis than seeing major gains in the whole grain movement. The time is now. Whether you are an eater, a baker, an entrepreneur, a journalist, policy maker, its time to embrace your roll as a potential stakeholder in this movement. The door is open and there is a seat for you at the table, and we need you to join us.
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I wrote that last paragraph months ago. Sometimes I wondered if I will ever write again. Not because I don’t won’t to, I do, and I think about this newsletter and my readers often. It has just been feeling nearly impossible to find time to sit down and get to it.
The bakery hit four months yesterday. That means my daughter, Elena, is just over three months now. Everyday is packed. Everyday I do my best to take care of everything that has to get done, both for work and home, and everyday I wish I had more time for both. I am so lucky to have my family and the bakery, I hope I am able to give them the attention they both deserve.
Now that the bakery has been open for four months, it means that we are at the end of the inducement period we negotiated in the lease. That means up until this point, we have only been paying taxes, maintenance and insurance, and haven’t been paying basic rent. It’s scary for our operating costs to be increasing, but nothing deters me. Stay the course. There isn’t anywhere I’d rather be.
Last month we added Is That French and OIDE to our wholesale clients. I am really proud to be partnered with both of them, they each do wonderful work. In case you are not already aware of them, Is That French is a wine bar in Gastown’s Blood Alley. We have been making brioche, crackers, and tart shells for them. One of their chefs drops by daily to pick things up, and it’s a really nice part of our day. OIDE is a coffeeshop near the entrance to Granville Island. It’s on 2nd and Pine. I didn’t know about them, but I could tell they were something special from the reaction of my colleagues when they heard they wanted to start carrying our baking. It’s clear they have a great reputation as serious coffee makers. They carry our baking Friday-Sunday. If you’re in Vancouver, I hope you can stop in and visit these places sometime. Make sure you let them know how you feel about Tommy’s Whole Grain!
Without a doubt, it’s our relationships that keep us going. Whether it’s our wholesale clients, customers at the bakery, suppliers, you lovely newsletter readers, it’s these interactions that keep us motivated and working towards our goals. We love the work we do, and we are so grateful for the positive response we get about our whole grain baking. We are still in the early stages, and fighting to stay afloat, but I believe we are on our way to building a strong foundation.
Did any of you happen to come by the bakery this past Saturday, April 6th? Our dear friends from Cedar Isle Farm were there hosting an Oat Top-Up for their CSA members. Almost 40 people came to the bakery for the CSA, many of them coming to the bakery for the first time. I am always so grateful for Diane, Jim and Hannah at Cedar Isle, not for just growing the grain of our dreams, but for helping us build our customer base. I never imagined the amount of support we would get, and from how many different places it comes from.
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I better wrap these ramblings up. I’ll quickly read over it and find some photos to add to it. This newsletter didn’t become what I had originally hoped it would be, but I am more concerned to break the silent streak. As usual, I want to thank everyone subscribed. Thank you for being here and for being patient with me when you don’t hear from me for a long while at a time. Thank you everyone who has recently subscribed, especially to those who elected a paid subscription. Your interest and support in my work means the world to me. If you are a new reader or have been around since day one, I hope you will continue to support in whichever way you can. Please like, comment, share. Our GoFundMe is still up because we can’t survive without it. Please consider supporting our campaign if you are able to. In all the different ways you support us, I am grateful for you all. More to come.
Thanks again for your patience and support.
Happy Spring
