This article appears as part of Hawthorne Valley’s 2024 Annual Impact Report: The Biodiversity Edition. We invite you to explore the full report and learn more about our work to renew soil, society, and self through the integration of education, agriculture, and the arts here.
The mission of Hawthorne Valley Bakery remained steadfast: to provide the highest quality biodynamic and organic food to the community at reasonable prices, all while operating profitably. By fulfilling this mission, the bakery supported the broader goals of Hawthorne Valley Association—advancing education, the arts, and agriculture.
Throughout the year, every staff member contributed to cultivating an environment of respect, honesty, and trust among colleagues, while ensuring the delivery of exceptional products to customers. The bakery’s commitment to maintaining its reputation as an ethical and positive workplace continued to be a priority, fostering both staff satisfaction and customer trust.
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An Earth Stewards camper works alongside a professional baker in the Hawthorne Valley Bakery. Photo by Keetch Miller.[/caption]
In addition to producing high-quality food, Hawthorne Valley Bakery remained dedicated to its role as an educational resource on ecological, environmental, and food-related topics. The Visiting Students Program and summer camps provided valuable hands-on experiences in food service, offering students the opportunity to engage with the art and science of baking. As they worked in the bakery, students and campers frequently asked insightful questions about baking techniques and participated in production and packaging tasks, gaining both knowledge and enjoyment from the experience.
Through the Columbia-Greene Workforce Program, the bakery also provided local students with summer work opportunities. Participants worked 30 hours a week, gaining experience in bakery operations while earning a paycheck. Because the program spanned the entire summer, students became well-acquainted with various aspects of the bakery’s operations, developing their skills and contributing meaningfully to the team. Emily Macchi, a junior at Taconic Hills, was one of the recent participants. She now works with us on weekends and after school, inspired by her time in the bakery to pursue a career in food service. Emily is currently studying culinary arts at Questar, and her journey illustrates the lasting impact of our commitment to workforce development.
Hawthorne Valley Bakery continued its dedication to sourcing locally, ensuring that as many ingredients as possible came from nearby producers. We used milk, buttermilk, and quark from Hawthorne Valley Farm’s Creamery; eggs from Oliver’s in Frankfort, NY; sunflower oil from Sunflower Valley Foods in Hudson, NY; and custom-made butter from a collaboration between Norr Organic and Kriemhild Dairy Farms in Hamilton, NY. In addition to our focus on sourcing quality ingredients, the marketing team helped facilitate donations of baked goods to Farm Aid and other community events, further strengthening our ties with local and neighboring communities.
Looking ahead, we prepared to introduce pies for sale in the farm store—our first full-sized desserts in quite some time. These pies, including apple-cranberry crumb and pumpkin varieties, are available in both 9-inch and 5-inch sizes. In keeping with our commitment to sustainability, the pies are baked in tart pans, eliminating the need for single-use pie pans.
As we move forward, the bakery will continue to foster its mission of providing quality food, promoting sustainability, and offering meaningful educational opportunities for the community.
by Delsia Hilton, Bakery Manager
[button link="https://hawthornevalley.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Annual-Impact-Report-2024-web-version.pdf" color="black" newwindow="yes"] Read Full Report[/button] [button link="https://farm.hawthornevalley.org/giving/" color="black" newwindow="yes"] Support Educational work on the Farm[/button]
An Earth Stewards camper works alongside a professional baker in the Hawthorne Valley Bakery. Photo by Keetch Miller.[/caption]
In addition to producing high-quality food, Hawthorne Valley Bakery remained dedicated to its role as an educational resource on ecological, environmental, and food-related topics. The Visiting Students Program and summer camps provided valuable hands-on experiences in food service, offering students the opportunity to engage with the art and science of baking. As they worked in the bakery, students and campers frequently asked insightful questions about baking techniques and participated in production and packaging tasks, gaining both knowledge and enjoyment from the experience.
Through the Columbia-Greene Workforce Program, the bakery also provided local students with summer work opportunities. Participants worked 30 hours a week, gaining experience in bakery operations while earning a paycheck. Because the program spanned the entire summer, students became well-acquainted with various aspects of the bakery’s operations, developing their skills and contributing meaningfully to the team. Emily Macchi, a junior at Taconic Hills, was one of the recent participants. She now works with us on weekends and after school, inspired by her time in the bakery to pursue a career in food service. Emily is currently studying culinary arts at Questar, and her journey illustrates the lasting impact of our commitment to workforce development.
Hawthorne Valley Bakery continued its dedication to sourcing locally, ensuring that as many ingredients as possible came from nearby producers. We used milk, buttermilk, and quark from Hawthorne Valley Farm’s Creamery; eggs from Oliver’s in Frankfort, NY; sunflower oil from Sunflower Valley Foods in Hudson, NY; and custom-made butter from a collaboration between Norr Organic and Kriemhild Dairy Farms in Hamilton, NY. In addition to our focus on sourcing quality ingredients, the marketing team helped facilitate donations of baked goods to Farm Aid and other community events, further strengthening our ties with local and neighboring communities.
Looking ahead, we prepared to introduce pies for sale in the farm store—our first full-sized desserts in quite some time. These pies, including apple-cranberry crumb and pumpkin varieties, are available in both 9-inch and 5-inch sizes. In keeping with our commitment to sustainability, the pies are baked in tart pans, eliminating the need for single-use pie pans.
As we move forward, the bakery will continue to foster its mission of providing quality food, promoting sustainability, and offering meaningful educational opportunities for the community.
by Delsia Hilton, Bakery Manager
[button link="https://hawthornevalley.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Annual-Impact-Report-2024-web-version.pdf" color="black" newwindow="yes"] Read Full Report[/button] [button link="https://farm.hawthornevalley.org/giving/" color="black" newwindow="yes"] Support Educational work on the Farm[/button]
