djs328, did you ever hear back from your friend in the Department of Health?

Still waiting...I emailed her a bunch of email the beginning of last week (March kind of got away from me! LOL!) but she is looking it over and she said she is going to get back to me when she's read the volumes (hehe!) I sent her. (Included a copy of the bill, the opposition letters, my counterpoints, my personal letter, etc.)
I'll post here as soon as I hear from her.
I am anxious to hear her point of view......I SOOOOOO want to be able to do this from my home!

Has anyone considered doing the farmers market thing??? Just curious...

Any word yet djs328? I just want to follow up!

Been playing phone tag with my friend's mom...will hopefully get in touch with her soon! (It's on a post-it on my cabinet! LOL!)
I will def. post as soon as I know...the waiting is killing me!

Thanks for chasing down some opinions for us, djs. This topic came up just last weekend at a cook-out and I was back to wishfully thinking about the possibilities. I'm in the middle of an epic cake for my DH's birthday party this weekend, and spent the better part of yesterday evening elbow deep in gumpaste. Hopefully it pays off!

Hi everyone,

I was just checking this thread to see if there was an y new news for anything to do in preparation for the next go-round....

Also, does anyone have any information about the new farmer's market regulations? I've searched, but can't find anything...

thanks!

I have set aside time tonight to make that call I've been meaning to make for months now...
Does anyone have any specific questions you'd like me to ask?
I intend to ask about
1. Farmers Market - how does this work?
2. How we can make the bill stronger for next year?
3. Any way we can legally do this from home as the laws are written?

I will probably call after the kiddies are in bed, so if you think of anything you want me to ask, please repost here!

-D

Ok, so it wasn't as long a conversation as I'd hoped for...I caught her in the middle of cooking dinner and without all the papers (she has them at work...) so we were only able to chat for a few minutes.
here's the info I got:
1. She doesn't know a whole lot about the Farmers Market bill, but she thinks it might have something to do with the fact that you aren't taking orders that would make it legal (so there goes the whole idea of taking an order one week and bringing it the next...) Hoping for more clarity on this during our next conversation...
1. Some possibly good news: It MAY be legal in your county to sell baked goods out your house if you have a commercial kitchen, (I am thinking separate from your house?) She has a mtg tomorrow w. MACHO and is going to check for my county and I will let you know what she finds out...

Basically, she said she understands why the bill won't pass as it is...money is a huge issue she said - the dept. has (like everyone else) had to endure major budget cuts the last 2 years so the fees would not even actually be going to the people doing the job, so that is not a good angle to stick with...I am hoping when I talk with her again to ask her what we can do to make the bill better and more appealing (again, she didn't have it all in front of her so it was tough for her to say...)

Sorry it's not more info - not giving up though...this is the first place I'll come with any info I may get, so hang in there...fingers crossed for good news on the cook-out-of-your-home thing...

djs328 - a year or two ago when I talked to someone at the dept of health for Montgomery County, I was told that I could legally bake/sell from home as long as I had a separate (inspected & approved) kitchen and no pets....

I think it means no pets can have access to that kitchen at all... but I don't have any pets anyway, so I didn't really ask for much clarification.

Wow I'm so late...........wished I'd known about this sooner but I'm in now! I have recently started an "under the radar" cake business and was thinking about a bill being passed for home based cake businesses. I have read through all of the postings and you guys have been working so hard to get a bill legalized for us. It's true that our neighboring states can do it and why shouldn't we have that same right. I for one would like to be a part of the next go round for this. I take risks operating the way I do but my clientele has grown so fast and I would love to leave my day job behind to see my dream of having my own cake business realized So what's next and how can I help?

Kim

I live in Prince George's County. Also is Jodiedew still involved? I haven't read any new postings from her. She and you have done alot of work on this.

You might want to call your local HD to find out - not one of the counties I know about...it may be possible! (or you can wait it out and see if I get any more info?

I'll wait but I htink I've read on here that it's a no no in my county even if it's a seperate facility on my property. But that is hear say and I haven't actually called my HD yet to find out. I think many people at the HD don't really know and I may get the run around. I need more info conerning the farmer market bill and to find info from other states and how they are doing it and what those bills say.

Change is so hard, isn't it? I was watching the news during the last week of the 2010 Maryland legislative session, and as of the Monday before the last day, I think only 3 bills had successfully passed both the House and the Senate (I know more passed in the final days, but it just shows how difficult it is to get something passed!). I'd be interested in hearing your friend's views on how to get the bill to pass without the money angle. I thought that was our big seller. Perhaps the parity with other states angle?

That is one of the points she mentioned - that so few bills passed this session...I am hoping to hear back from her soon!?!? There MUST be a way...and it should really not be this difficult... Oh well!

Ok, so here's what I found out tonight after another conversation...
1. Funding has been cut so dramatically within the state, and the HD has been hit particularly hard, core funding has taken a big hit, so anything that would put additional strain on the dept (ie: additional inspections) is not at all likely to pass.
2. Every county varies greatly - some may allow for home kitchens, but some areas are not as open to having home bakeries due to zoning issues, etc.
3. She does not seem to feel the bill has a good chance of passing unless the economy does some kind of turn-around...there just isn't money to fund the additional resources that would be required...

So....I hear Delaware real estate is pretty hot right now...

Aaaagh.....I have the number of the head of my local HD to call her and get her insight...will post again after that conversation if there's any new info...sorry I didn't have anything more positive... this stinks.

I just don't understand how opening a home bakery puts a strain on the HD, when in fact if we were to open a commercial location the HD would still have to inspect the kitchen, right?

As far as zoning I kinda get it but other states are so open to home bakeries its hard for me to see why Maryland it so strict.

I mean laws in MD would let a criminal go free (fiancee is a police officer) but a home bakery, that's a no, no.........what gives ?

I live in Balto. county. I spoke to the HD a long time back and it is definitely a no! I don't understand our government. If it is not legal in MD, how can it be legal in some counties? Couldn't the state fine you for baking and selling from your home? I'm not trying to start trouble, just asking a question!

Just chiming in to see if there's any new information. I have been running into roads blocks myself.

I do not understand a lot of things Maryland does! I would def like to see this turn around! I have only started to get into cakes, but would love to be able to run out of my home!

so this is a little off topic, but I thought someone following this thread might know....

In Maryland what do you have to have (as far as certification and license) to sell goods that you bake in a commercial kitchen that you are renting space in? I assume you need the food safety handlers course, but what else is needed to be legal?

I do plan on calling the health department, but I was hoping someone might be able to give me some info before I call them.


thanks!!

I was just reading the thread on the cottage law passing in Michigan. it seems like the way that law is written, it would not put any additional strain - monetary or resources - on the health department, and still allow goods to be sold that were baked in a home kitchen (up to a certain $ amount per year).

I'm wondering if this is an angle that we might pursue in Maryland... do any of you who have been to the hearings or spoken with delegates or people in the health department have any idea if this would be shot down immediately or if it might be a possibility?

here's a link tot the thread. About 3 posts down there is a run-down of the regulations for the cottage law. http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-687961-cottage.html+law

Bonnie, Thanks for the link. Very interesting.

Good news for MI. I still don't see myself selling at a farmers market. That's not the kind of business I run. Limiting the money I make doesn't thrill me either. I will keep my day job and continue to bake on the side.

I want to bake in my own kitchen or build onto my home to make a separate kitchen and have everything regulated and up to code in that space. I don't mind spending the money to do so. Commercial locations rent is so high. The operating costs are up there too.