When most people think of a high quality market experience, they can't imagine it without the BREAD. We get lots of requests for artisan sourdough loaves, and our best advice is, arrive early! The naturally-leavened breads that Devon Ballinger bakes on her farm near Zumbro Falls typically sell out before 9:00 AM on summer Saturdays.
We were fortunate to visit Devon on the new farm this fall and see a bit of the process in action! The "bread room" is a converted shed completely separate from the farm house, a quiet, insulated place for Devon to work and the loaves to rise in peace. During our visit, she is working on traditional baguette loaves.
After shaping the loaves, we take a tour of the rest of the small farm, which Devon describes as a "work in progress." The Ballingers are new farmers as of 2013 (see our Blog post about their startup), and just succeeded in purchasing the property in 2018! Making time for off-farm work, travel, and family, we're amazed at the progress they're making on the farm.
After several years growing produce for market, the Ballingers found that they'd rather plan their garden to feed their family, and spend the rest of their resources elsewhere for now. Sometimes, in an especially bountiful week, you'll see specialty crops at their stand in addition to breads, truly sharing healthy food from their family to yours.
The best way to keep up with The Basic Place farm is by following them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebasicplace/.
