Dear Friends,
Once again, we thank you for your loyalty to our small family business. It has never been easy to make a cookie by hand using only rolling pins and cookie cutters. The current economic situation presents new challenges to us to see profit yet preserve what may seem to be an antiquated manufacturing method. However, thanks to you we remain optimistic. As we began to do in 2009, we continue to be conservative and limit our baking hours. Fortunately, we have been able to offer our employees additional opportunities apart from baking. It may be a while before business is back to 2007 totals, but we feel fortunate. We consider our two greatest blessings to be our wonderful “Artists in Aprons” and you, our loyal customers. The entire Hanes family joins me in saying “thank you all” from the bottom of our hearts.
In family news – Our cookie tasters (the grandchildren) continue to take their duties very seriously. Since Evva Kate (soon to be two years old) lives next door to our bakery, she comes down twice a day to perform her “taste tests.” Daughter Mona often features Evva Kate in her special occasion e-mail blasts and reminders. Make sure you give us your email address when you order because Mona also includes one of my favorite recipes in the e-news. You can watch Evva Kate grow up and get some tasty recipes!
Travis and I (now 77) have been married 58 years. We continue to enjoy good health and a love of gardening. 2010 saw our garden on the “Davidson County Master Gardeners Tour.” I had flowers everywhere! I will admit the “JUST SAY NO” messages my children humorously write on my gardening catalogs go unheeded. However, Travis has suggested (insisted) I start limiting the size of my portable flowerpots. He says, “Evva, I love you, but my big pot moving days are over!”(Although he is very inventive!-See photo.)
In addition to flowers, I grow and can most of the vegetables we eat. (For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, that is “can” as a verb, meaning to preserve.) Last July my children and their spouses helped “dig” 2,000 lbs of potatoes! Watching them on their hands and knees “playing” in the dirt was the highlight of my year. I felt like the luckiest mom on earth. Okay, perhaps their main incentive is because I cook for them weekly, but they also really do like each other (and me). Daughter Ramona suggested we start a new business called “Farm Camp.” Guests can pitch a tent, bathe in the creek, dig potatoes, pick & shell beans, shuck corn, and experience Life on the Farm. She says, “Why should we have all the fun?” (I think she is just trying to get out of work – but let me know if you are interested.)
That’s the family update. Thanks again for your loyalty. You give hope and joy to our little N.C. family business of folks who not only make an American product, we make it by hand. When you eat Mrs. Hanes Cookies, you are tasting a labor of love.
Wishing you health, love, & laughter,
Evva Hanes
