Homestead Soups, Sweets, and Savouries

10/08/2025

Personal update for Josh and Mandy.

Well, the shop is closed up and the equipment has been sold, kept, or donated. THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the sale! We do still have an ice cream freezer and the open fridge where we kept the sandwiches, if anyone is looking to purchase either of those.

It's been a few months now since we closed the doors, and some of our customers have reached out for an update on our move. I am sad to say that we have a situation that is preventing us from moving until spring now. We were still hoping to move before the winter, but two weeks ago, it became clear that we cannot. So, we could have stayed open longer, which is upsetting, but it's not something I can change at this point. And if we're going to be stuck anywhere, I'd choose Watford any day!

The GOOD NEWS is that just when I was trying to figure out what to do with myself, an opportunity to cook for some seniors right here in Watford came up. So, I'd like to thank Brookside Retirement Living for bringing me on to their kitchen team! I will be working there part-time until we move. And there's an added bonus! I get to work with Audrey and Belle, two of our student staffers from Homestead! Josh will be working independently with his construction company, and we'll do some upgrades on our house over the winter.

I hope to see some of your friendly faces in and around town!
Mandy🩷

Edit: I posted some info about local sourdough and sweets if you scroll down on our page you'll see it :)

10/08/2025

Good Morning! I am going to post a personal update next, but I wanted to share a few places that you might find local sourdough and sweet treats. I found these places through the sale of our equipment. The first is a new cafe and bakery coming to Brigden. Tina and her sister picked up quite a few pieces of equipment, and I've tested some of their baked goods already! Here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066941185360&__cft__[0]=AZUV2coRijj_6A5Rf4qj8fgd4VpVvD2wrfAZ5FDymrYI1ByCu_4eXUlmcD_AKPXBCReVHUEfH1MHAY5_771Srrx3wTnqge5bgyXmi3E-WFj6xe4VC3NTrbdewo5Lox87m30XUn5cB4PkVonza8Qb1YtY-PVRtX1QlvRdkE3dzLGzExxEtanyTgK7vpn7_5Pohhk&__tn__=%2Cd-UC%2CP-R

The second is a lovely local couple that sells sweets out of their home bakery. Here's the link:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576036822987&__cft__[0]=AZVMggTlUe7WFYdMef1pM79YFEXI2eF5Y-rkDzOynsFgGt27NafyM7VTtOpjjVWy9ul5seBBYqFos-HJW-HSPEYNF2D7_6v-XG0-dWnYbcqPCm_ui0XzWjTRHPYzcXGuICRoyPeK_9Wplu53oSAyxLeIL0xUsSwB9MiNidocOcFU51NksN-ms_NvIjhQM9qAySjX10oz0xVoHbz2nfLV5WJ2&__tn__=-UC%2CP-R

And then, for sourdough, I just happened to notice that there seem to be two locals making sourdough bread. One on Lasalle Line and the other on Churchill Line. I can't find a link for Churchill Line, but here is the one for Lasalle: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575108757099&__cft__[0]=AZVmzS3XljsJ5Ds0qxztEDPgfTdjqTGrrVJ_OVZgsm4g15wZaYZyvuynxPJVWCQNnNUQH0uxBio6NYNDUaDLezVybLbOmtux62x6lQA15afFcUKznQk71pBzV0X-URWS4m04VHSBXNYq-JzVmz4giXfkLrv_yJTxkWzbTZIKLhB45z53jbSwC33AD3Z5X6sNgIo&__tn__=%2Cd-UC%2CP-R

NOW OPEN! We have Breakfast!!
Coffee, Custom cakes, cupcakes, cookies, cheesecake, pastries , soup of the day, home made sandwiches, wraps, salads and so much more!
Custom orders always encouraged!

09/02/2025

We sold 475 cookbooks in the end, so thank you again, we really appreciate your support!! Here are the few extra recipes and corrections for the cookbook. As you will see in the cookbook, I have left my email on the first page. If you have questions about any of the recipes, please email and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Here are the links for the
GF Cinnamon Buns: https://www.letthemeatgfcake.com/ultimate-gluten-free-cinnamon-rolls/
Banana bread: https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/banana-bread/51427396-6764-4b0a-a73a-78c683c703d2

08/25/2025

Good Afternoon! We are doing a last call if you ordered a cookbook, we will be OPEN TOMORROW (Tuesday, August 26) from 4pm-6pm. I will be in and out all day, so if that time doesn't work, let me know what does, and I'll make sure the door is open :) Later this week, I will also post a couple of recipes that didn't make it in the book but we requested.

08/20/2025

We're here at the shop from 11-1 today for anyone who hasn't picked up their cookbook yet. If today doesn't work, please message us to set up an alternative. Thanks!!

08/18/2025

Good Morning! If you had pre-ordered your cookbook, we have it for you, and we'll be at the shop today (Monday Aug 18) from 11am-1pm. If you ordered one this passed week, we have ordered the extras and we will have them on Wednesday (Aug 20) between 11-1.

IMPORTANT: For anyone who had pre-ordered and you no longer plan to pick it up, it would help us out a lot if you could let me know. I know the Facebook posts got a bit crowded, so if you want to check to see if you ordered one, it's easiest to go to your own page and check your comments history (see instructions below).

On the weekend, we were able to have some treats for sale, but for today and Wednesday, it will just be the books, and maybe a few brownies 🙂 But the freezers are pretty much empty. (thank you to everyone for your support on the weekend!).

If pickup times above don't work for you, just send me a message or an email, and we can arrange something that works.

Thank you! It's been so nice to see everyone again!!

08/15/2025

Well, this is embarrassing. I have a correction to make. We have made the correction in the books we still have, but if you bought one earlier today...if you could change the following. So sorry about this.

08/12/2025

UPDATE: a good number of people are away this weekend. In addition to Friday and Saturday, we're going to add Monday August 18th 11am-1pm :)

See you Friday or Saturday! We will also have a few things for sale. As I was testing some of the recipes, I packed some soups, etc. As mentioned, if neither of these dates work for you, just send a Facebook message or email [email protected], and we can work something out to make sure everyone gets theirs.

08/05/2025

Cookbook update:

I had hoped to be done the cookbooks and have them printed this week, however I didn't quite make my own deadline, and didn't realize that the print company will be closed for their holidays for the rest of this week.

We should be able to pick them up by August 15th at the latest. I will update to let you know exactly which days and what times they can be picked up at Homestead. We will be open on two different days at different times so that (hopefully) it works for everyone.

Once we post the pickup days and times, if it doesn't work for you, just send us a message and we can work something out to make sure everyone gets theirs.

Thank you for your patience! This has been a big project, but we're almost there!

Edit: I forgot to mention that if you haven't already added your name to one of our other posts, you can add it here, or send us a private message.

We haven't asked for payments in advance, but if you have changed your mind and you no longer want a cookbook, please remove your name asking for one so that we make sure we order the right number of books. Thank you :)

Send a message to learn more

07/29/2025

UPDATE: July 29, 2025
Just wanted to send an update as we are nearing August, and time is starting to near the point where we will need to decide what to do if we do not sell Homestead as a business.

A very exciting piece of news: Warwick Township has posted an incredible opportunity to apply for a $20,000 GRANT called "WIN THIS SPACE". If chosen, the recipient of the grant could use the money toward rent and other first year operating costs. I will add the link to the end of this post.

We have also lowered the asking price by quite a lot in an effort to ensure the space goes to good use. Please share, and if possible, shout our your support for this business space to continue in some way.

WIN THIS SPACE GRANT LINK:
https://www.facebook.com/share/1ATYQrJpA6/

BUSINESS SALE LISTING:
https://www.realtor.ca/l/bTtik/ka

07/16/2025

The Sourdough Classes start tomorrow! We are booked up, so we are not able to accommodate any new registrations, but just a reminder to bring your supplies if you didn't ask for them to be provided. Please note: You do NOT need a loaf pan as I have disposable pans for everyone. See you soon!

07/08/2025

HOMESTEAD COOKBOOK NEWS!

I'm still in the beginning stages of getting the cookbook together, but I have a list of the recipes we want to include and the price range. The ultimate price will depend on the number of pages we end up with and the number of copies needed, but the price will be between $20 and $25. As mentioned, the proceeds for the sales will be given to the staff in gratitude for all of the time, energy, and love they gave to our little business.🩷

As many of you know, I use recipes loosely. For baking, of course things need to be exact, but for soups and most of the other cooking I do, the size of the pot, the amount of ingredients, etc., make recipes difficult to follow, and so I generally wing it to a certain extent. Having said that, I have been making family-sized pots of soup that have actual recipes. I still have some testing to do, and some recipes in other categories still need to be modified to smaller sizes and tested.

I hope to have the book finished by the end of July, but it may not be until early August that they are printed and ready to hand out. When they are ready, we will open the shop for a day or two and have them available. If that day doesn't work, customers who have ordered one can reach out and find another pick-up time that works.

Ordering: If you have already mentioned on one of our posts that you are interested in a cookbook, I will find your name and add it to my list. If you have changed your mind and you'd no longer like a cookbook, if you could remove your comment that will be helpful. If you would like one and you haven't mentioned it yet, there's no need to add your name yet. Once I have a better handle on the project, and an exact price, I will post again and invite people to add their name if they haven't done so yet. I will also print some extra copies for those who might like to see it before committing.

If you were hoping to see a recipe on the list and it's not there, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Thank you! Have a great week!!
Mandy