Many of us have brought homemade baked goods to our co-workers, but very rarely does that gesture of generosity turn into a new business. However, Amanda Haggard, who owns D & G Heritage Bakery, realized that after she baked sheets of cinnamon rolls for her husband’s co-workers at Cheatham County EMS during long days of training, that baking for others would be a new business venture. Haggard, who has been baking since she was 13, says creating home-baked artisan breads, cinnamon rolls, sweet treats, and fruit butters in her kitchen are simply a way to share her family’s tradition of quality.
Haggard uses family recipes handed down from her maternal and paternal grandmothers, Delores and Grace, who are the “D” and “G” in D & G Heritage Bakery. She explained that Delores, her maternal grandmother from the modern-day Czech Republic, had 12 children and baked for them every day. Grace, her paternal grandmother, had seven sons and baked for them in addition to running her interior design business. Haggard uses her grandmothers’ recipes for rustic Swedish and Bohemian breads in her kitchen, as well as her mother’s cinnamon roll recipe.
In addition to the baking business, Haggard and her husband and five children raise sheep and chickens on their farm in Charlotte. It’s quite a balancing act keeping up with the animals and the kids, but she said her home-run operation gives her the flexibility to do it. Plus, seeing a product go from an idea to making it to selling it, is a valuable lesson for young ones, Haggard said.
“It makes me happy they get to see the realistic side of the business, getting the right tools and ingredients. Then you have to make it and be friendly and have good customer service. It’s good for them to learn that,” she said.
Thanks to customers spreading the word about the delicious baked goods over the past year, D & G Heritage Bakery has seen some serious growth, with sales at Music on Main in Ashland City, as well as at the Amish Country View Market in Charlotte. To reach more customers, Haggard said she plans to unveil a new food cart at the Ashland City Christmas Parade on Dec. 7. The cart is crafted from an antique Chevrolet pickup bed. The parade is a special time for the Haggard family, as her father-in-law portrays Santa Claus in the event.
To find out more about D & G Heritage Bakery, visit their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/DG-Heritage-Bakery-107896777259961/ or their website http://www.dgheritagebakery.com/.
