Bakeland Bakery

Bakeland Bakery sits right at the Chikhodra Crossing on N. H. No. 8. Being on the highway means we get all sorts of people stopping in. We start things very early here, usually before the sun is even up, so the ovens have time to get hot. The smell of the bread usually hits you before you even walk through the door. It’s not a big fancy cafe or anything. We have some shelves for the biscuits and the loaves, and the counter is usually a bit sticky from the morning rush. The noise of the trucks flying by on the highway is something you just get used to after a week. Chikhodra can be a dusty place, so we are always cleaning the front windows. We keep things simple. We bake what people like, and when it’s gone, it’s gone for the day. Sometimes the dough doesn't rise just right because of the humidity, and we have to start over, which is a real pain. We have a couple of guys in the back who have been doing this for years, and they don't need timers anymore; they just know by the smell. It’s a hot job, standing by those ovens all day, but it’s what we do. We don't have a website or anything; people just know where we are by the crossing. It is a lot of hard work but seeing the trays come out full makes it okay.