Bark & Hearth is a sourdough micro-bakery located in Newington, CT.
A hobby became a business for Kelly Damon. A veterinarian by day, the working mom of two found a love for sourdough bread making. In the summer of 2022, Damon was looking for something to do in her free time and sourdough bread baking interested her. She began baking for family and friends for holiday parties and gatherings, who loved her bread. They had asked her if she would consider selling her products. When her oldest child was diagnosed with Autism, pulling resources from her profession as a small animal veterinarian at Shelton Veterinary Center in Shelton, CT, Damon came up with the idea of getting him a service dog. She needed help raising funds, and hoped to do so by selling her bread. That is when the concept of a hobby-baker to bread-for-sale came to be. The goal was met, and she is still on a waiting list for the dog, which can take up to two years to find the right fit. Damon obtained a cottage food license and started selling bread out of her home in August, 2023. All her baked goods are sourdough-based. She offers a range of scrumptious treats from original (plain) loaves to cookies, brownies and more. Weekly specials are determined based on availability of local produce and seasonal inspiration. Examples of flavors available include the award-winning jalapeno cheddar sourdough, as well as double garlic, double chocolate, blueberry lemon and cranberry walnut, with new combinations always being considered. The “bark” in Bark and Hearth stands for dog treats, which Damon is also licensed to sell. She assures they are “heartily approved of by many picky pups”! Kelly takes pride in being a women-owned small business that supports other local businesses, using their quality products. Flour comes from Massachusetts and Vermont, sea salt from Martha’s Vineyard, cheeses from Vermont, and produce is grown in her own backyard or sourced from local CT farms. There are only 3 ingredients in a plain sourdough loaf. You know what they are and can pronounce them. Offerings are preservative free and something you will not find in a grocery store. Damon is the sole baker at Bark and Hearth, but she also has an unofficial support staff! Her kids are the cookie-stealers, her husband is the dishwasher, and her two poodles Dublin and Cabot are the quality control team for the dog treats! Damon is motivated by providing products that are good for the body and for the soul. She loves hearing from her customers how much they enjoy her baked goods. Especially kids. She is very involved with the community and tries to attend as many local festivals as possible. You can find her regularly every Sunday at the Blue Back Farmers' Market Sundays from 10am-1pm. In the month of April, which is Autism Awareness Month, she offers a sprinkle-swirled sandwich loaf inspired by her son, one of his favorites. 100% of proceeds from the loaf go to Autism Speaks! Aside from the Farmer’s Market, regular “drops” and “pickups” occur via Bark and Hearth’s website (link below). There, you can view the most current offers and events and even sign up with your phone number for text alerts when new sales start. Visit Bark and Hearth on the web: https://www.hotplate.com/barkandhearth CHECK OUT THIS SPECIAL OFFER FOR FOLLOWERS OF THE NEWINGTON SCOOP: Use promo code SCOOP10 at checkout to receive 10% off your Bark & Hearth purchase!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Towns |
Company |
|