The Bakehouse Dream – From Our Table to Yours started with a loaf.
A humble sourdough baked in a small kitchen, in the quiet of temporary accommodation, while the rest of the house slept. It was and is, never just bread. It was and is a symbol — of nourishment, of home, of building something from scratch… again.
We’re the Cornelius-Ford family — seven of us dreaming of something more rooted.
Right now six of us live in temporary accommodation, but in our hearts, we’re already cultivating a future homestead. A place where the air is full of birdsong and rising dough, where our children can run free among raised beds and fruit trees and where we can finally put down generational roots.
But dreams need stepping stones.
That’s where the Bakehouse comes in.
Why a Bakehouse?
The Bakehouse isn’t a business — not yet. It’s a seed.
A seed of self-sufficiency. A place to create value with our hands, to serve our community with something meaningful and to slowly, intentionally work towards our dream of a homestead.
Each bake we will offer — from artisan sourdough loaves to long-fermented muffins — is part of a bigger vision:
To reduce our dependence on processed foods
To make nourishing bread and bakes accessible and beautiful
To build trust and connection with our community
And, yes — to help us raise the funds we need to one day have a space of our own
We’ll be inviting local people to donate in exchange for a bake — a loaf, some rolls, a sweet treat — as a way of sharing in this journey with us.
Your Support Fuels More Than Our Oven
Every suggested donation supports:
Ingredients and baking equipment that allow us to bake more efficiently
Packaging and logistics so your loaves arrive fresh and cared for
Essential steps forward in moving toward our long-term goal: land of our own, where we can grow food, raise animals and teach our daughters what it means to live simply and abundantly
Even more than that? It tells us that others believe in this dream too.
What We Imagine…
A home on a patch of land.
A kitchen where dough is folded by hand, herbs hang drying above the windows and little feet pad in for a warm slice of bread.
Chickens clucking nearby, a cow lazily chewing in the field and the sound of laughter and learning spilling out of every corner.
It’s not just about us.
This is for our children — and, with any luck, their children too.
A haven. A homestead. A legacy.
How You Can Support the Journey
If you feel drawn to be part of this story, there are so many gentle ways to help:
Order from our weekly bake list (and enjoy something nourishing)
Spread the word to family, friends, neighbours
Leave a kind word — they go further than you know
Or, if you’re able, donate directly via our Ko-fi page
We believe in slow beginnings, in small steps with big heart and in the magic of something rising — even when you’re not quite sure how it’ll all come together yet.
We’re not just dreaming of a homestead — we’re working hard every day to make it a reality.
Mark works over 40 hours a week to keep us afloat and I’m doing everything I can to earn what I can from home — while also home-educating our children, nurturing our family and building a life centred on purpose, creativity and contribution.
Setting up a traditional business or taking on full-time work outside the home just isn’t feasible in our current season of life — especially while living in temporary accommodation, with all the limitations and uncertainty that comes with. Without knowing where we’ll be next or when we’ll need to move again and with no access to land or a proper space to work from, it’s hard to build anything in the way most people would.
That’s why projects like the Bakehouse and our handmade goods matter so much — they’re small, hopeful steps toward something bigger. Every purchase, donation or message of encouragement helps us edge closer to our dream: a piece of land to call our own, where we can grow food, raise animals, teach our children and offer something beautiful in return.
Thank you for being here with us at the beginning
— Traci & the Cornelius-Ford Family
