So Close!!

I have been promising an update for awhile…I am sorry about the delay. I feel like the closer to opening we get, the longer my “to-do” list gets! You would not believe how far our little dairy barn-turned bakery has come and how close we are to being able to share it with all of you!

Jonathan is finishing up the little things over the next week or two that he is responsible for and now, it is my turn! We are still waiting on the final plumbing fixtures (sinks & toilets) to be installed. We are working hard to get the kitchen situated and organized so I can start baking from there soon. I am hoping to announce an opening date and grand opening celebration date ASAP…so stay tuned!

The great news…..we have a parking lot!!!! I never thought I would be so excited to see gravel in my life! We have a lot of landscaping to do and final touches, but it amazing to see it taking shape. The Iron Brush Mural ladies are back this week too….you won’t want to miss those updates!

The Light At the End of the Tunnel…

We are almost there!!!! I know so many of you are anxious to come visit me at the bakery, and I cannot wait for you to be able to!

In the meantime, here are some updated pictures of the our progress. The logo on the front of the building is finished and is amazing thanks to The Iron Brush Mural ladies! Stay tuned this Fall to another addition to the building that they will also be orchestrating! The floors have been finished along with the beautiful counter for both the customers and all of our yummy goodies. I can’t say thank you enough to my parents for coming up last week to not only help me finish the floors, but to install the unique light fixtures. The HVAC was installed (Praise Jesus!) so we will no longer have to suffocate while we are there. Lastly, the shutters have gone up and they are the icing on the cake! (pun intended)

Now, we wait. We wait for the septic to finally get installed, wait for the plumbing fixtures to go in, wait for the parking lot to be finished, and wait for the appliances to be delivered. These are all things that have been delayed due to the ongoing COVID issues that have taught me extreme patience. (Or at least, made me acknowledge that I need more of it.)

I am praying for an October opening. I can’t say dates yet since the above things have no dates attached to them yet. I have some awesome Fall and Christmas events planned that you will be hearing about soon, and you will not want to miss them! I hope you love this place as much as I do. It has certainly been a labor of love….for everyone involved.

What a Difference Fresh Paint Makes!

Seriously…..fresh paint is like a miracle cure! It truly feels like a fresh start. I love painting a room a new color or bringing a piece of forgotten furniture back to life with a new hue. Well, that is exactly what happened with this old barn. I could feel the difference with the new ceiling and doors, but that clean slate full of new possibilities really came through when the new paint and stain went on this week! It is so close to truly becoming my vision!

The roof got a fresh coat of charcoal gray while the walls, inside and out, got a crisp white paint job. My favorite part is the new ceiling and counters with their beautiful stain. Jonathan, our contractor, and his crew have done such an amazing job on the all of the woodwork and details in this bakery.

Next up, a pop of color on the front of the counter…..the kitchen and bathroom are going to start taking shape, staining the eaves and door, and landscaping. You will also want to stay tuned to a surprise coming very soon! I am about to bust about that!

Turning the Corner…

We are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Things are starting to come together quickly!

The customer bar and display counter is completely built and nearly ready to be stained and finished. Trim work is starting to go in….the details. It amazes me every time I walk inside that it is the same building that we started with.

I have some fun surprises that I can’t wait to share with you soon! I am also seriously dying to get all of the decor out of storage! We have attempted to source nearly all of the items that are going into the building, as well as the labor, locally. This was so important to us because we do the same with the ingredients for our baked goods. I will be sharing a list of all of the amazing people/businesses that have been responsible for bringing this forgotten building to life.

Next comes the paint, stain, plumbing fixtures & HVAC! Big changes are coming that will make big differences. We still have a few hurdles to overcome that are taking more time than expected but we are still hoping for opening Early Fall. Thank you for going on this adventures with us!

Windows, Ceilings & doors, oh my!

The bakery is really starting to take shape! It is crazy how quickly it is changing these days!

All of the windows are installed along with the doors. The doors have not been finished yet and the windows are getting some very pretty accessories soon as well. My favorite feature so far is the wood ceiling. It is so beautiful and looks like it should have been there all along. The display counter and customer bar is starting to take shape. I catch myself standing behind the counter daydreaming about beautiful pastries adorning the wood countertop, excited about all of the conversations that will be had around it.

I have been busy choosing just the right equipment, finishes and final touches to make this vision come to life. I pray that all of you are just as anxious to see it and love it as much as I do. Thank you so much for coming on this adventure with me!

Starting to sparkle…

What a difference a floor makes! I can’t believe how different the building looks, now that the the floor has been poured! I can truly picture the kitchen installed, ready to serve up some tasty treats, and the beautiful shop front where I hope to welcome all of you often. Along with the floor, progress has been made on filling in all of the holes and cracks in the block walls where time has taken its toll, and the doorways are awaiting the new doors.

We took a family work day to clear all of the vines and trees that were encroaching on the building. It is amazing how much bigger and better it looks! Once the cracks and holes are completely filled in, it will be ready to be sealed and painted a fresh coat of sparkling white!

We have big plans for each end of the building, the one facing the road and the one with the entrance door! Ssshhh….it is a secret for now, but we will be unveiling that surprise soon.

Enjoy the progress pictures….and dream along with me, won’t you?!

One Step Closer!

Things are coming along at the bakery storefront on the farm! We have an amazing contractor that can totally see my vision and has been working tirelessly despite the delays and difficulties that working during a pandemic can impose. (So, the next time you need a contractor, make sure you call Jonathan Young with Traditions Construction!)

The current concrete floor has been cut to allow for the rough plumbing and drains to be installed. The rough electrical has been done as well. The windows went in yesterday and I couldn’t be more excited about that. It really makes it start to feel like something other than a barn! Did you notice the walk up window? (Right now, it is more of a “walk under” window though.) The fun part will be happening soon…when it starts to come together. Right now, it still looks so very rough, but I can see the sparkle starting to emerge.

I truly can’t wait for you to be able to stop by and grab a cinnamon roll and catch up….or buy a cupcake for someone special on your way home.

“Baking” Progress…

The building is starting to move along. The demo is now complete (although it looked like it had been demo’ed before we started!).  All of the windows and doors have been removed, the inside of the building has been power washed and sanitized, and the floors have been cut to install the drains for the plumbing. Permits are pulled and temporary electric is ready to go! The outside area still looks like a jungle and is a constant struggle to try to clean up amidst the rain and constant tractor malfunctions, but we are making progress.

Once the power washing was complete, it revealed a beautiful set of rafters in the milking parlor (soon to be customer area) and shiplap ceiling in the milk vat room (soon to be kitchen). Oh, how I wish I knew some of the stories of things that happened in this building.

I pray this building becomes a place for community to catch up while they enjoy a special treat…a place families come to celebrate accomplishment, both big and small.

 

Moving Forward…

It has been way too long since my last post. I promise to try to do better! The journey (pun intended) to taking our next steps on the farm has been one filled with obstacles! Our original vision for the farm was to open it up to the public as an event venue with an additional focus on farm education and community involvement. However, life and finances dictated otherwise.

Baking has always been my love language. So, in an effort to spread the word about our farm and generate some extra money to realize our vision, I started selling my baked goods at the local Lascassas Farmers Market every Saturday. 3 years later, what started as a side note has now become our farm’s main focus. We could have never imagined how much everyone would love my goodies or how much the farmers market family would become just that, “family”. The Lord certainly works in mysterious ways. When our original vision got filed into the “nearly impossible” file, along came the idea of renovating the old dairy barn into a bakery/farm store to facilitate the growing business. We found a contractor that didn’t think we were completely insane and could see the same vision for this dilapidated shell of a building and now we are off and running.

Initially, our vision for this building is a place for our baked goods and farm products to be available during the week to better serve our current customers and hopefully attract new customers that aren’t available to visit the market on Saturdays. But, I have so many ideas for the future that include community events, a space for small gatherings and opportunities for farm education and experiences. We also plan on the grounds being pet friendly since we are large supporters of animal rescue.

I am so excited to see where this journey takes us and I hope that all of you will be along for the ride!

A Work In Progress…

At last!

Journey Farm is proud to launch its new website. Our hope is that the pages within this site will provide a better understanding about our farm, our journey, and our passion for giving our community an experience they will treasure with their family. Our farm will be constantly evolving into our vision for our family and your’s. “A Work in Progress…”

The home page contains a current blog/journal entry. We will keep you up to date on products available, exciting occurrences, stories about our journey both past and present, among other various topics through this journal. The menu contains information about our farm, its products, and upcoming event information.

Here are some things that you can expect in the not-so-distant future.

  • Farm-made baked goods
  • Farm Fresh products (eggs, jam, etc.)
  • Information about upcoming seasonal events
  • Farm logo products- t-shirts, canvas bags, and hats- oh my!

Journey Farm is a family affair. Consider this your invitation to join our family on our journey as we build our dream that we long to share with you. We will soon be offering opportunities to come visit our farm and visit with all of our animal residents and enjoy some farm fun.  Follow our blog to watch our farm grow and to make sure you don’t miss any of the fun and announcements along the way.

It is our desire to be open and honest in the way we run our farm. That is the heart of this website. We look forward to sharing our Journey with you.