Meet the Baker 

Hello and Welcome to my World of flour, sugar and spices!

Let me share a bit of background on myself and how I became a Licensed Home Bakery in Southeastern Ohio.

I grew up on my grandparents dairy farm and learned that homemade was the best way to enjoy foods. At any given time, we could have up to ten in the household for dinner.  Of course we had a large garden to put up for the Winter. We had our own beef and raw milk.  It was a necessity to cook from scratch.  The meals were outstanding but then there was the BAKING.  The smells of warm bread, cobbler or sweet rolls wafting from the oven. The taste of peanut butter cookies with a cold glass of raw milk from the milk parlor.  Walking to the apple trees and turning those into a freshly made Crisp or Cobbler. I guess you could say this is in my blood.  Creating pastries and breads, the old fashioned way. 

I began canning vegetables, meats, broths and pie fillings in my late 20's.  That led to preserving and selling several different varieties of jams and jellies in the Summer of 2012.  I found myself wanting more, to find other ways to peak my interests, to branch out.  In the Spring of 2016,  I visited a local farmer's market. Not one vendor had pie for sale, let alone a made from scratch pie.  So, with my quarts of home processed filling, I set out to teach myself how to make a  flaky, mouth-watering pie crust.  I'll admit, my first few were "rustic".  Over time I perfected the routine of rolling and understanding how to work the pie dough.  On the prompting of a friend, I entered the Hebron Pie Festival in 2019. I won Overall Grand Champion with my Black Raspberry Pie! I won again in the Business Category, when the festival resumed in 2022, with a Blueberry Peach Pie. I had never entered a contest prior to 2019, let alone thinking I would win any prize let along Overall Champion each time!   

Some days are smoother than others, and there are moments when I wear myself out and can't think straight. So then "Why do I do it?"  For those moments when a smile lights up a face after tasting one of the hand pies or sweet rolls. The kind of smile that whispers, "That reminds me of Grandma's." It's in those instances that I feel a profound sense of accomplishment and overwhelming gratitude. Grateful that I could bring back a cherished memory, even if just for a fleeting moment. It's the warmth that fills the heart and fuels my passion. 

If you are interested in enjoying some "memories", place an order or stop by the Back Porch Bake Shop. (Check day and times open on the Contact Us Page) It might take you back to a time and a taste that you have long forgotten.