From Croissants to Bread to Cheesecake

Ben Ryan has wanted to be a baker since the age of 3. At 11, he sold his banana breads at former Old Chepachet Village. He continued to bake (though not commercially) during his teens, and as part of his homeschooling experience, his parents opened a bakery in Pascoag and named it Ben’s Bakery. When his three siblings showed an interest in turning their family home in Mapleville into a working farm 10 years ago, they opened The Village Bake Shoppe as a part of the Mapleville Farm enterprise. They’ve expanded by building a commercial kitchen and store inside the family farmhouse. They hope to rekindle their farm events again soon, as well as farm-to-table dinners. For now, there are eight-week “Breadbox” subscriptions for Ben’s loaves, made with quality ingredients, a long fermentation process and only hand-mixing and kneading. By pre-order, curbside pickup or visiting the farm stand, enjoy cookies, brownies, turnovers (seasonal fruits inside), croissants, pies (also seasonal local fruits and vegetables) and cheesecakes (Ben’s dad’s specialty, along with muffins). Plus, there are passionate devotees of their pizza strips, which feature olive oil and, in Ben’s words, “a really good sauce,”

544 Victory Highway, Mapleville. Sa 9 am—5 pm, Su 9 am— 3 pm. Check website for other pre-orders from the farm, including produce, eggs, flowers and goat-milk soap. 401.568.0544; MaplevilleFarm.com