In January, the Mark and Rebecca Smajstrla family loaded their livestock, their four daughters and their sense of adventure to make the trek north from Texas in an ice storm the state calls “historic.” Their new home in Weston, Missouri, was calling.
For 16-year-old Avery, the new beginning also meant new mouths to feed. While still living in Texas, her love for riding inspired Avery to try out for the Texas Spirit Riders trick-riding team. A love for helping her momma in the kitchen inspired her to open her first business, “The Blessed Country Bakehouse.” Both have helped her to grow her future.
“My mom encouraged me to start a bakery because of the love and passion I have for making good food from scratch,” Avery said. “I run my bakery from our home — knead the doughs I use in our kitchen and bake everything from scratch. The money that I earn goes toward maintaining my horse.”
Avery adds that her baking business has been educational outside of the kitchen, as well. “I’ve worked with the state and local offices to make sure I am legally selling the baked goods I make, and that has been an experience I’ve learned a lot from.”
To date, Avery says that her cinnamon rolls, loaf breads and granola are her top three biggest sellers, although she never fails to sell out of the other baked delights she creates.
As her business and its offerings continue to grow, Avery shares words of wisdom: “Follow the recipe when you’re getting started,” she encourages. “In order to get better at baking, you have to follow the recipe. I have had a mishap … or five … occur from not following the recipe exactly. But I’ve also learned to tweak and create my own recipes from those mishaps.”
The homeschooled teenager, along with her three sisters, Anna, Allie and Ariel, have had the horse “bug” since any of the four can remember — starting, training and riding their own horses as well as fixing problems for folks looking for a tune-up or simply miles on their own equine partners.
“When I was in Texas, the money I earned paid for my travel and clinic expenses to learn and perform trick riding and the costumes that I needed,” she said. “I’m looking for those opportunities here in Missouri too, I just haven’t found them yet.”
Find the Blessed Country Bakehouse on Facebook to follow Avery’s horse adventures and baked goods successes.
EDITOR’S TAKE:
I don’t know about you, but I never grow tired of learning and celebrating someone’s success. It appears that Avery has started down that path and has already found some success along the way. The fact that she has identified her passion for baking and trick riding is a major step in the right direction. We at TCAG want to wish her continued success in the future.
And who knows, before too long she will likely be looking to purchase her first truck to help get her to those trick riding events. Just a reminder, however, be sure to ask any customer if they are a farmer/rancher. That will help point the conversation and sales approach in the direction of all the tools available through your CAD membership. Tools such as CADFI, CAD Protect, and AgPack®, to name a few.
