Need your help - small town farm stand/bake shop

[Snowflakey]

Would love to hear from you!

If you stopped by a local farm stand/bake shop, what type of sweet treats would you like to see?

My DD has just started a self serve farm stand/bake shop. Right now it's mainly baked goods and starting Memorial Day weekend she is going to offer summer salads as well. What type of goodies would you like to buy?

It's experiment time since this is new as to how much she has to make. She did sell out this weekend which was exciting. Some of the items she had were cinnamon rolls, flower decorated cake slices, chocolate covered strawberries, peanut butter bars, whoopie pies, chocolate covered oreos and nutter butters, and cookies - peanut butter, chocolate chip, snickerdoodles, monster and chocolate cookies with peanut butter chips.

*Should note, she has peach, pear and apples that come later in the season and end around October with lots of pumpkins.

Appreciate all ideas and replies.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

I used to do a side business doing sweets -

Pumpkin bread
Cinnamon bread
Banana bread
You get the idea They’re always big sellers But don’t make full loafs make small loafs Those always seem to sell better
Coffee cake Or like little coffee bars those were always big sellers People loved them
Jell-O cake - We have a whole generation it’s never had it They’re intrigued by it
But I didn’t do full size cakes I did small ones I would buy the small pans and do small cakes
Fudge
Any kind of homemade candy was always a big seller
Monster Cookies people love little bags of cookies
Good Luck

 

[LoveDaisy]

Congratulations to your daughter for starting her own business!

I’m frequent these places regularly. When I buy baked goods I usually want it with local fruit or something that is regional. I am in CT. Right now that means rhubarb so I would look for things made with it. I frequently buy fritters of the season (apple, peach, blueberry, raspberry, etc), pies made with local fruit, upside down cakes with stone fruit, ice cream with what ever fruit is in season, etc. also focaccia bread with herbs or local veggies on it. Regional would be whoopie pies, those are not sold in bakeries as they are mostly Italian bakeries.

Has she considered canning or pickling? Those sell like crazy by me.

I would be less apt to buy things I could get at a bakery, as we have a bunch of really good ones.

 

[china mom]

I am not her target customer since I do a low carb diet but, I would think that anything that showcases local produce would be a hit. Stuff you don't find in the grocery store baker like zucchini bread would also stand out.

P>, I think the idea is really cool. We always frequent the self serve produce stand near us and I enjoy finding vegetable varieties that the grocery store doesn't carry.

 

[HopperFan]

What a great variety! I might be looking out for some donuts or peanut brittle.

 

[tvguy]

Did her cinnamon rolls have raisins in them? I would offer cinnamon rolls with and without raisins. My wife prefers cinnamon rolls without raisins, I prefer them with. Been a debate in our household for 43 years, but she WAS horrified to see how many cinnamon roll recipes call for raisins.

 

[Snowflakey]

Oh these ideas are great - thank you everyone!

She is staying away from pies and canned goods only because there are a few spots in town that sell those items.

She has a bunch of apple/pear/peach trees so things really pick up once they are ready

 

[Snowflakey]

Did her cinnamon rolls have raisins in them? I would offer cinnamon rolls with and without raisins. My wife prefers cinnamon rolls without raisins, I prefer them with. Been a debate in our household for 43 years, but she WAS horrified to see how many cinnamon roll recipes call for raisins.

How funny - this was a debate with me and my daughter. I love them with raisins and she didn't think they should have them. So she did equal pans and they all sold!

 

[Snowflakey]

I used to do a side business doing sweets -

Pumpkin bread
Cinnamon bread
Banana bread
You get the idea They’re always big sellers But don’t make full loafs make small loafs Those always seem to sell better
Coffee cake Or like little coffee bars those were always big sellers People loved them
Jell-O cake - We have a whole generation it’s never had it They’re intrigued by it
But I didn’t do full size cakes I did small ones I would buy the small pans and do small cakes
Fudge
Any kind of homemade candy was always a big seller
Monster Cookies people love little bags of cookies
Good Luck

What are coffee bars? Could you share a recipe?

Jello cake - is that a poke cake?

 

[LoveDaisy]

Did her cinnamon rolls have raisins in them? I would offer cinnamon rolls with and without raisins. My wife prefers cinnamon rolls without raisins, I prefer them with. Been a debate in our household for 43 years, but she WAS horrified to see how many cinnamon roll recipes call for raisins.

I have never seen cinnamon rolls with raisins. Can you buy them both ways by you? I’m not a raisin person and never considered that a cinnamon roll could would have raisins in them.

 

[Marrila]

I have never seen cinnamon rolls with raisins. Can you buy them both ways by you? I’m not a raisin person and never considered that a cinnamon roll could would have raisins in them.

Cinnamon rolls are popular here, I've never seen them sold with raisins. Not something I'd like. I wouldn't recommend adding them unless there seemed to be a great interest.
Folks can always buy cinnamon raisin bread at the grocery.

 

[Snowflakey]

I frequent a stand that only sells cinnamon rolls with raisins and pecans. Yum, yum, yum. She said it is her biggest seller!

 

[tvguy]

I have never seen cinnamon rolls with raisins. Can you buy them both ways by you? I’m not a raisin person and never considered that a cinnamon roll could would have raisins in them.

Find out where OP's daughter's stand is, she apparently has both so you have options!

 

[Allison]

One in our area offers muffins, scones and a variety of bread loaves.

 

[tvguy]

Cinnamon rolls are popular here, I've never seen them sold with raisins. Not something I'd like. I wouldn't recommend adding them unless there seemed to be a great interest.
Folks can always buy cinnamon raisin bread at the grocery.

Around here, grocery store cinnamon rolls tend not to have raisins. Donut/bakery specialty shop cinnamon rolls tend to have raisins.

 

[Marrila]

Around here, grocery store cinnamon rolls tend not to have raisins. Donut/bakery specialty shop cinnamon rolls tend to have raisins.

Interesting. As I said, I've never seen bakery cinnamon rolls with raisins here. I was referring to cinnamon raisin bread, which is often available in many grocery stores.

 

[tvguy]

Interesting. As I said, I've never seen bakery cinnamon rolls with raisins here. I was referring to cinnamon raisin bread, which is often available in many grocery stores.

Yes. I think almost every grocery store carries cinnamon raisin bread. 'Cause raisins and cinnamon go well together.

 

[cabanafrau]

I agree with pickling or canning various items. As tomatoes come in later in the season perhaps she could offer some nice varieties of pasta sauces, those are very popular at the farmer's markets in our area. Another big seller is homemade ravioli. A vendor in our area makes absolutely delicious roasted veg and mushroom styles of ravioli in addition to the more common cheese type and they sell incredibly well. I've actually served the mushroom ravioli along with a palomino sauce I bought at the farmer's market to company when I was really pressed for time and they were surprised it wasn't actually homemade.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We have a touring Farmer's Market that makes stops in a few neighborhoods, including ours, rotating the days through the week spring-fall. However, they mostly focus on produce with a mixture of seasonal things like flowers, pumpkins, etc as the seasons change. It's a collection of a few farmers and businesses each year so sometimes it's the same produce farm but a different side business or a different produce farm and the same side business from the year prior.

We have much larger Farmers Markets throughout the metro but it's a treat to have one be a few minute drive away in the pool parking lot.

This past Friday this was what was there:
Produce available this week: Tomatoes, Yellow Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Zucchini, Asparagus, Lettuce, Beets, Carrots, Onions, Eggs, Honey, Jams and Jellies (they had relishes too).
**Flower's**
Moss Hanging Baskets, Sunpatiens, Purslanes & Succulents
As well as Rustic Flour Baked Goods

Eggs have been popular, raw local honey has also been popular.

For the Rustic Flour Baked Goods company they seem to sell sourdough bread, pies, pretzels, cinnamon rolls, sweet breads, scones, cookies, cake slices, and sourdough donuts.

 

[barkley]

Should note, she has peach, pear and apples that come later in the season and end around October with lots of pumpkins.

if she were into doing canning I would suggest apple butter b/c it's rare to find it offered. apples-small apple bread puddings (like 9"x6" pans), applesauce cake or muffins. use apple or pear in a salad w/greens, small amount of blue cheese, sprinkle of walnuts and sweet onion dressing.