Simple life isnt easy

Mennonite bakery keeps home fires burning

By Greg Wells, gwells@bgdailynews.com — 270-783-3276

Saturday, May 28, 2005

The drive, so to speak, to spend more time at home with his family prompted John Hoover to open a home business.

But since hes a member of a conservative Mennonite community in Allen County, telecommuting to a high-tech job was out of the question. A wood-fired bakery and steam-powered canning operation were instead his choices.

We started out with canning tomato juice, Hoover said. Most people squeeze them raw and then cook the juice, but we cook the tomatoes before we squeeze them. People say it causes less heartburn.

There are three large stainless-steel kettles mounted on the floor that hook up to the wood-fed steam boiler to cook the fruit his twin brother, Jonas, raises.

Since the tomatoes arent coming in every day of the year, brick by brick Hoover built a wood-fired four-oven stove.

Simplicity is a theme strongly held in the community Hoover is part of.

The temperature in the ovens and the boiler is controlled by just adding more or less wood to the fire. Water has to be trucked in from the city to satisfy health codes, and is gravity-fed from a tank on the roof. The big batch mixer is powered by a treadmill out back that is driven by true horsepower.

Assorted breads, cookies and fruit pies come out of the ovens, but the cauldrons are soon to be doing more than just tomatoes.

Hoover said he is planning to begin making jams commercially. He said theyll be made the old-fashioned way, with no pectin to make the jams stiffen. Instead of pectin, they slow-cook the fruit to thicken and smooth the consistency, which he said gives a better-tasting jam.

Well be selling that soon. We already do all our own pie fillings. Hoover said. What you buy is too thin to make it like we want.

Instead of bringing all the traffic to his home. Hoover said, he makes the goods to fill orders for E. Habegger Produce on Ky. 585 outside of Scottsville.

Its all a change from the butchers work he did in a local custom packing shop owned by a friend in the community. But, he said, the change is keeping him home more while still bringing in the money he needs to satisfy the modest needs of his family.

It is not always the easiest or most comfortable work.

We have to keep the windows closed because we dont have a proofing oven, Hoover said. So we keep it warm in here for the bread to rise.

Though also a member of a Mennonite community, that sounds a little rough to fellow baker in Logan County.

Oh, Ill make sure to tell the girls about that, said Edna Schrock of JDs Country Bakery. We cheat I guess, were air-conditioned.

Schrock, whose community allows phones and electricity, has been baking for the public about three years, she said.

Much of her business is the fried pies, sourdough bread and other baked goods her family sells at the Fairview Farmers Market on Tuesdays and Saturdays in Bowling Green.

A favorite at the farmers market is the home-ground whole wheat bread, Schrock added.

Yet another, and possibly the most well known, is the Countryside Bakery in Auburn.

Weve been doing this 11 years, said Esther Schwartz. Ive been told by people the we have the best pecan pie theyve ever had.

Countryside is 12 miles from Bowling Green. To get there, take U.S. 68-Ky. 80, then make a right onto Quarry Road.

Their shelves carry a wide variety of baked goods, from sourdough breads to cheesecake, and include some sugar-free offerings.

Schwartz explained that she and her friend, Schrock, are part of a community that allows more modern conveniences.

Electricity and phones are OK; were pretty modern, Schwartz said. The only thing I dont have in my house that you have in yours is a TV.  Daily News ·813 College St. ·PO Box 90012 ·Bowling Green, KY ·42102 ·270-781-1700