Spring Break at The Wild Fern~

Dear Friends~

Talk about a sweet Winter, right?!?! 

Having opened just before stick season & snow falling, probably wasn't the best time of the year to begin a business many have said!
But, well, I don't always listen ;) & ain't that a good thing?

& so I feel,
What an excellent beginning! I'm glad I did it.
Your patience, kindness, generosity, understanding & support helped to create a truly wonderful Wild Fern opening!

I wish to Thank Everyone for believing in me & coming to spend your hard earned money at the Wild Fern whether it was on a cup of coffee, a cookie, a loaf of bread, a Pizza or Italian Night!

The folks who have participated in The CSB have also helped to build a more sustainable cafe in our town & my gratiude is immense. These funds go directly to the many costs it takes to be open & my focus remains simple & delicious,  using as much Local Sourcing of Vegetables, Eggs, Flours, Meat, all when possible!

I just used the first 2 months of  The CSB funds to pay the propane bill! whoo!!! hoO!!!

So Thank YOU thank YOU Thank YOU for BUYING MY BREADS!!!   

& so now, as Winter fades away & Spring peeps, there are many things for me to think about as I approach a new season of business. 


With this is mind,
I would like to annouce

The Wild Fern Spring Break~

During this break, The Wild Fern WILL remain Open one Day a Week( TBD) for Bread/Bagel Orders, PickUp & Questions in general.
I will be working on in store projects, new hours & new ideas in preparation of the coming Summer Months.

We will be Promoting our Re-Opening for the first week of May, so please stay with me & check our facebook =)

Our last regular day of business before the Break will be Sunday April 14th!

We will be celebrating our 6th Month Anniversary that weekend with a Special Vt MoJo Cigar Box Guitar Raffle Handmade by Sir Redington himself on Friday Night April 12 & will Release Rick Redington's First Cigar Box Guitar Album! 

Raffle tickets will be for sale beginning this Friday, March 29!  

Please feel free to send me an email or stop by on designated Day of Business for The Spring Break with any questions or concerns.

We hope for your continued Understanding & Support & Look Forward to Sharing an Excellent Summer with you!

Peace & Luv,
All of Us At The Wild Fern =)

Feeding The Starter

The quest began in January & I've followed it down probably, any normal path.

You know, One of obsession, torment, & love. 


One where you take the treasured sour dough starter everywhere you go?



After 2 failed attempts with Baguette a l'ancienne, Sunday's Cigar Brunch rolled around & in walked a nice looking grayish haired man, who sat amoungst 3 lovely ladies & were coming to The Wild Fern as a result of just hearing Rick Redington play a few lovingly poetic songs for a passing & dear friend of this man, Jerry. 

Who turns out, 
is from BabaALouis Bakery in Rutland Vermont which has been operating as one of the finest Bakeries this side of the Green Mountains for over 30 years. 

So, Jerry & I talked about bread. He tasted my baguette just as I pulled it & assured me the salt was perfect. We saw pockets of air & that was good..but hmmmm, not much rise. 
He sampled one of my bagels & a baked donut too. 
He truly liked them. =) 
And he invited me to come talk with his man, Jeff at BabaAlouis.

A few days later when visiting the Bakery, 
The English Muffin Man, Jeff & I were yak'kin it up & he began a story of Jerry knowing exactly the right amount of tastes such as salt in particular & always knows as soon as it goes into his mouth when tastes are off or not! I replayed my "salt experience" with Jerry we both were in wonder of Jerry, but personally, 
I felt like I was with some Bread Gods or something like that, between the two of them..... ;)

I caught a few tricks from Jeff, who lovingly shared his time & expertise with me. The coolest trick, was to mist the muffins so that they don't puff up & stay wonderfully english muffin flat on both sides ;) I really enjoyed learning that one! 

So I was given the Tour of the most beautiful simplest bakery in my experience. It's a wide open million year old brick building that couldn't be more pure & simple in industry design. 

I &, Simply, fell head over heels in love. 

I watched a lovely lady roll out puffed pastry, which I've never done. Both she & Jerry explained a bit to me, & both pointed in the direction of Julia Childs for their recipe!



They got their tecnique from her Cookbook! That was genious to me. 

Jerry gave me a canvas, for the couche ;) 

He gave me The BabaALouis Bread Book. 
He gave Rick & I a chocolate croissant. 
Jeff gave us a brown bag of Fresh English Muffins.    

Then, as if that weren't enough to make me blush, Jeff scooped me out a glorious hunk of starter. 

Not just any starter, but his own, cultivated & fed for over 10 years now after humbly beginning amidst the grape arbor not too far down the road from BabaAlouis. 

I nearly fainted at my fortune & my smiles were so giant, I could feel the dorkiness of my strained cheeks stretching across to my ears =) 

Hard to believe.

I got home, fed it & crossed my fingers. I was still crossing my fingers 4 days later when I thought it had gotten too warm & KILLED it. 

The torture & suspense killed me all the next day. "I feel shamed. I feel sad. I feel dismayed. 

How could I do this?? As I subconsciously whomp my head." 

I googled sour dough starter & I devoured the pages of a great websight for sourdough for 3 days, over & over, determined to stick with it, as what else could I lose? 

It never died! 

I was happily, & faithfully relieved & restored. 

The 3rd batch was so delicious & there were 3!


Of course, it didn't come easy. 


I don't own a peel yet to get the bread from the couche to the next peel to get it into the Oven. I also don't have a lame either to make scoring maybe a little prettier. 


But, I pushed forward & didn't open the Oven for a few minutes & then when the suspense had finally done me in, 




I slightly opened the door & took a peek. 
YEs!!! they had risen a tad more & looked like the Real Deal to me! 

Rick Redington & The Luv

I left The Wild Fern at 2ish on that Thursday in 

a stupor of giddiness! 

We were playing at

Nectar's

 that night with 

A SICK AWESOME BAND, 

Swamp Cabbage, 

& I was leaving with my 

First Baguette & some Olive Oil!

I shared it with everyone I ran into, rushed into the Grove Street home to make Rick sample it, then tried to stop both Ben Redington & myself from eating the 2nd one, unsucessfully. 

The 3rd became an experiment based on the book I am learning from, Local Breads! 

& I wasn't really into it, but what I did learn about it, was that pre-heating even on the 3rd day, the baguette was still delicious in its own right, though obviously some integrity was lost & they are best eaten they they are Baked. 

I'm learning that sour dough breads have a really good & long shelf life. I love that! 

I'd like to Thank All of The CSB participators who are both, willing to try all of my Breads, but also, are sharing a vision of longevity & sustainability at The Wild Fern.

The Month OF March has begun & don't forget to pick up your Bread!

If you're interested in our Community Supported Bakery, please contact me!

Time to feed the starter ;) 

Swamp Cabbage At The Wild Fern!!!!!!! YES!!!

I am beyond thrilled to announce & present to YOU,
the Fine Folk of Stockbridge & Nearby Neighboring Towns who support
The Wild Fern Endeavors~ 

This Spectacularly Sensational Band, Swamp Cabbage.   


They hale from somewhere else ;) are just coming off of A European Tour, Walter(the lead) backs The Legendary Ritchie Havens(who opened Woodstock) on rhythm guitar & in True Down South form, Represent a Genre of Music that is undoubtedly New Music to your Ears.


Its Dirty, Gritty, Gospel, Bluesy, Boot Stopping, Smokey & PowerFul.


I would highly recommend & of course, encourage YOU to begin to MAKE Plans for a Rockin & over The Top Musical Experience to be held RIGHT HERE.

That's RIGHT, STOCKBRIDGE, VERMONT.
YOU HEARD ME.

I do NOT exaggerate. & I do NOT know how ANY of US could be any LUCKIER in this AREA with such Splendid Talent coming THROUGH.

Also, if you are in Burlington, Vermont ON Valentine's Evening, You can check Swamp Cabbage(i just love saying their name too) & Rick Redington & The Luv out at The Historical & also Legendary, Nectars Nightclub.   

Birthdays, Bread & Curious Reading!

I was born today, January 28, 
43 years ago in a hospital in Findlay, Ohio, around supper time!

Turning 43 is really great & as I get older each year, I observe in myself, liking the ticking of the clock as I roll through life.
Yes, my back hurts (much of the time) & at times its hard to get up! I get tired by the time Sunday night comes around, but overall, I"m enjoying it.
Just enjoying.
It keeps getting better & things look up a lot.

This past weekend at The Wild Fern is a perfect example! 

I began my First Starter for what I hope fuels an Empire of Artisan Breads at The Wild Fern! 

Soon to be eaten & enjoyed by all of you!

I pulled off a Pant Suit for the Party on Saturday at The Wild Fern. No, there's no photo. If you were there then you witnessed. If not, then you weren't there. HA!

I'd like to Thank my Mama for taking care of me all these years! She's a good one that Linda.






And with that, it is a strong desire of mine to take care of Your Bread Needs!

Let's talk Bread, It Matters. 

Reading Suggestions: * "Bread Matters" by Andrew Whitley *      
* "Local Breads"  & "Bread Alone"  by Daniel Leader *

The Wild Fern Community Supported Bakery Idea has had some great feedback & interest & I can't thank all of you enough.

Three Important Benefits of Buying Wild Fern Bread:

1. My Bread contains NONE of the outlawed ingredients found in commercially baked breads.

2. We get to say Hello once a Week =)

3. All Wild Fern Breads are Baked with Luv, King Arthur Flours, Organic When Possible: Sugars, Honey, & Grains, Salt, Yeast, & Extra Luv.

Some curious & interesting facts about Commercial Bread I'd like to share:

* Commercially Baked Bread does not have to have every ingredient listed. 

* azodicarbonamide (ADA) is a pesticide from China that’s added to flour to speed up the bleaching process.
* The United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia and most of Europe ban ADA. The FDA and World Health Organization say it’s ok.

*The FDA does not have a definition for the term : "natural"*

* The average list of ingredients in Commercial Breads has 20-25 ingredients. That's 5 TIMES MORE than what you need: flour, water, yeast, salt.

* L-cysteine is a non essential amino acid added to bread dough to speed up industrial processing. 
While some L-cysteine is directly synthesized in laboratories, most of it is extracted from a cheap and abundant natural protein source: human hair. The hair is dissolved in acid and L-cysteine is isolated through a chemical process, then packaged and shipped off to commercial bread producers.

* Much of the L-cysteine comes from China where there’s a history of poor regulation. 

* Bromide is a dough conditioner found in most flours as potassium bromate. It replaced potassium iodate starting in the 1960′s because bakers claim it yields dependable results, and it makes the dough more elastic, which can stand up to bread hooks and other commercial baking tools.

Bromate is an endocrine disruptor that competes for the same receptors in the thyroid gland as iodine. Constant ingestion of bromate in your daily bread may eventually create a thyroid hormone imbalance because iodine is needed for thyroid hormone production. It is also implicated in many cancers.

The UK banned bromate in bread in 1990. 
Canada banned bromate in bread in 1994. In 1999, the Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned the FDA to prohibit the use of potassium bromate, charging that the FDA had known for years that bromate causes cancer in lab animals. 

* the term "enriched", does not mean whole grain! It means these things were added! & (mandated by the government) – Vitamin B1 (thiamin), Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (niacin), folic acid, and iron.

* In the USA, products labels "organic" can contain 5% non-agricultural substances approved by the USDA. 

As I practice & study The Art & Ritual of Bread Making, I come across these notions that I feel are important to share with my friends, family & passersBy as I bake Bread & convince you to buy from me!

Peace & Luv & Happy Wild Fern Bread Buying or Baking at Home Yourself! 

This Vermont Musician

There are many people who haven't heard of Rick Redington.    

If you pick up a copy of January's Issue of Cider Magazine you'd wonder to yourself, who is that strong looking man perched upon a cane surrounded by trees? Where is he from? & why is he on the cover? Does he even look like a musician? 

Sixteen years ago as I arrived in Killington I ask myself, 

"self, would I have read the magazine?" 

Would I have been intrigued? Probably. Anyone willing to pose in a Mr. Rogers look alike sweater certainly would be interesting to say the least. 

Well, all those years ago there wasn't a Cider Magazine, & my boyfriend at the time & father of the my only child Zoe & I stumbled into a place at the time called PPeppers. Having had a grand time of fun & convincing ourselves that Vermont was going to be the first big move of all time for either of us, we partied like it was 1999 & stood outside of PPeppers & The Outback Pizza & heard a voice from inside belting out a rendition of a Jerry Garcia song, Sugaree. 

We looked at each other with much disbelief, as who could possibly be singing that song so WELL? So well infact, 

that it wasn't an option to NOT find out & at the time both of us coming off a the Grateful Dead Train after Jerry's passing, we were both quite judgy over who could actually cover The Man himself. 

That voice was Rick Redington. 

I'd like to share with the world the inspiration that blossomed in one song all those years ago from this man, Rick Redington.

Over the years as I came out to hear him play, I learned how to make a song your own & at the same time give much thanks & credit to the orginal performer.  

Playing with your heart & soul no matter what you choose to play is the fundamental key to any performance. And I don't believe I've ever heard Rick play without his heart & soul. 

IN those days Rick was playing homage to his influences. Stretching through the music of The Grateful Dead to Frank Zappa, to Django Reinhart, he was slowly introducing the World to his own Music. 

What you may not know if you've never heard of him, is that yes, his Music is quite a blessing to the World & one that ranks in the leagues of every Great Performer you've ever listened to. 

Its no lie & neither is it a fabrication or embelishment. 

I've watched this Vermont Made Musician work his ass off for the 16 years I've known him. That doesn't account for all the other years he's been on the Scene.

I've watched him give his heart in song to children in hospitals, to the homeless on holidays, to performances that raise money for theatres (The Paramount), to tributes in honor of catastrophic events, to weddings, to nightclubs, ski resorts, & Festivals. 

His songs are about Life, Love, Marriage, Children, Death, Happy times, Good times & everything in between. 

Just listen for a few beautiful minutes of his song Sweet Life & you will hear everything of which I speak. 

He's been lucky & honored to record with legends like Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady, The New Riders Of The Purple Sage's Buddy Cage & David Nelson. 

He's also shared the stage with Joe Walsh, Blue Oyster Cult, The New Riders, Rick Danko, Warren Haynes of Gov't Mule, Cake, April Wine, Mike Keneally(former F.Z. guitarist) and a host of others. Most recently Rick has opened for Hot Tuna, The Wailers, Richie Havens, & The Samples. 

He was even in a Billy Ray Cyrus movie filmed in Rutland Vermont!! Radical Jack! =) 

And so with all of this under his belt, is he a humble man? To know him, yes, you know he's quite humble, & quite amused by the music business & fame, fortune & recognition. 

Me? 

Well, I'm a lucky woman & we are together creating & building The Wild Fern & I play BASS with him & for his Music! 

His encouragement, guidance & support over these years have led me on my own path of music. 

& that my friends, is another Dream come True for me. As well, learning to play Sugaree!!!! 

We also made an album together & with our combined children singing some fun harmonies! 

If you don't have the Album yet or haven't heard of it, Well, here YOU go!!   

The Circus

This Album also features a fine Drummer, Mr. Blake Gowan (who recently was thrilled to play with Jon Popper on Blues Night;) Walter White on Insane thru the Roof Trumpet! & The New Riders!

If I were you, I'd check it out. Or better yet, come out & HEAR IT! 

So with that, 

Many congratulations for A Job so Well Done by Mr. Rick Redington, born & raised & playing his Music in the Glorious State of Vermont!

Aren't we Lucky?

Stay Tuned for Special Wild Fern Announcements for The Month Of February! 

Happy New Year!!! & An Idea that Needs Your Input!

Greeting & Salutations & Happy New Year to Everyone!

I hope that 2013 brings prosperity, love & great joy to all of us!

I would like to announce a new idea I've been thinking about as The Wild Fern heads into its 5th month. 

As many of you know, it takes quite a bit of time, effort, & money for a business of any size to sustain itself through slow periods, bad weather, economical crashes & ever constant rising of prices. 

With that in mind as I reflect over the success of opening the tiny little Wild Fern, I'm very aware of the business also needing a boost in order for it to continue & sustain itself through the winter. 

With great awareness of my hours being somewhat of a memory challenge for my customers, I offer myself as humbly as I can & hope for patience with all of you as everyone continues to understand that ultimately The Wild Fern is a one woman show without a staff & I'm giving as much as I can to the venture, but can only accommodate everyone to a certain level with my hours. 

And with that, I would like to propose the idea of The Wild Fern Bread CSB.

What does that mean?

It means, Community Supported Bakery. 

Many of you are familiar with some of the wonderful CSA's we have in this area, which is, Community Supported Agriculture. 

But what about, a Bread CSB? would you be interested in this? 

Would you be interested in committing to a monthly payment & receiving Fresh Baked Baked on a Regular Weekly Basis?

It would offer you Fresh Baked Bread & Bagels each week & thereby provide you with delicious, healthy, non chemically altered Fresh Baked Bread & would help The Wild Fern to be able to sustain itself through challenging times. 

You would be treating yourself & your family to locally baked goods baked with much Love & Care, 

You would be supporting a tiny local business, 

& You would become a part of a mindset directed towards a healthy alternative to Unfriendly Corporate Saturation.

So with that, 

Please think about what this could mean for all of us. 

I welcome any thoughts, ideas or comments on the matter & look forward to hearing from everyone. 

If you are interested & would like more information, please email me at spreadintheluv@gmail.com

I thank each & every one of you for coming to The Wild Fern, for reading the blog, offering lovely comments on Facebook & in general, just being a great audience. 

Peace & Luv & Happy New Year,

Heather Lynne & The Wild Fern

Crew of Ithaca Friends, Christmas Gifts & Gluten Free!

Its just damn good, I tell ya.

And behind the scenes,

In my delighted & overwhelming thrill to make Pasta for Italian Night I did make a mistake & had to make MORE pasta. 

Thankfully, a Black River Produce man came in & we chatted & I realized that my sweet little nests of pasta I was so proud of were clumped together in a sticky undried mess. 

All was not lost & Zoe's dance was cancelled that night & I had the time to redo ALL OF IT! All of IT. YES, All OF IT.

In the End, The Spaghetti & Meatballs were gone within the first 2 hours of business Friday Night, the Wild Fern was standing room only for Pizza Luvers, & everyone that tried the Salami Dolce smiled yummily & the Vibe in the Room continues to be damn good.

And, there are plenty of fine folks that play a great part in making that Vibe happen. 

The Music of The Baba Yagas on Friday Nights is one part of that vibe wonderfulness for me.

The Trio is soulful, earthy, old'timey, with melodic harmonies that both vocally & instrumentally reach through my skin surrounding my heart in sheer goosebumps & filling my ears with soul candy. The musicians, are truly some of the finest players I've ever heard. 

& they play right here in Stockbridge for me, you & anyone else coming through the Wild Fern doors on Friday Night. 

Let's talk about The Luv coming from Ithaca, New York.    

Some eight years ago I was introduced to Bubba & Sharon in a parking lot in a little tiny Camper full of dogs, & back in the day of Rick Redington & The Luv Machine & The Clear River Tavern. 

Like many of our friends, they too were first Fans of RR's music. As the years roll along, Fanship (is this another word I made up;) has turned into Friendship.

The crew of people of friends Rick & I have met over the years are really great human beings sharing a lot of love, great conversation, great food, great music & overall great times with us both at The Hacienda which is their home, Ithaca venues, the Grassroots Festival & Rabbit Run;) & everywhere in between!
& now on our own land......

Rick Redington & The Luv are some lucky, well,
ya know.
=)
rhymes with ...............
   

Who knew that many years later, Bubba & Sharon & a Caravan of Ithaca Friends would trek to Vermont to spend a weekend Celebrating A Birthday & Supporting The Wild Fern in our Home State of Vermont.

That my friends, is Dedication & Devotion. 

From the very wholeness of my Heart, I thank each & every one of you coming this weekend & giving ME the chance to cook & bake for YOU, this time!

It felt damn good. 

And the End Note, 

I'd like to Invite You To Stop At  

The Wild Fern For A Few of Your Holiday Season Special Gifts!

I will be Baking Challah on Fridays & whipping up Chocolate Deliciousness like Salami Dolce, Cappachino Cupcakes & Other Chocolates & Cookies & are available in pretty little bags for Gift Giving!

Gluten Free? 

I have a lovelingly Sweet White Chocolate 

Cranberry Bliss Bar Cookie that is sure to Indulge Your Gluten Free Loved One!

& atlast,

I have a Gluten Free Pizza Dough 

& Bread to Offer! 

Yay!

Hope to see you soon!

Gift Certificates too!