Hey all my Wisconsin bakers. Someone directed me to a post that was posted in January of this year. It's dealing with the Food Cottage Law ... trying to get Wisconsin to pass it so we can bake and sell out of our homes (like over half of the states can already do).

Please follow this link to sign the petition (send it to friends and family members that live here too). We are at 298 and it would be great to get close to 1,000 votes! Lets keep passing it along, we only have two and a half months left!!!!! After you enter in your information and click sign now it takes you to a page that asks if you want to donate money. You can just ignore that part. You should get an email thanking you for signing. So as long as you got that, then you signed it!!!!!

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/wisconsin-food-cottage-law

Let's get Wisconsin on the right track and give us small (really small) bakeries the ability to bake from home so we can work our way up to a store someday!

Oh yeah ... I also wrote and email to Rep. Janis Ringhand who I guess is the person that was approached about this law and told her my story. I got a response back from Maggie Gau from the office of Rep. Janis Ringhand ... here is what she said:

"Mandy,
Thank you for contacting our office.

I appreciate you sharing your personal experience with us. That is exactly why we are working on cottage food legislation that would allow small businesses like yours to grow in Wisconsin. Since the Legislature will not be back in session until January 2013 we are currently working on putting the finishing touches on our legislation. If youd like, I can forward you a copy as soon as its completed.

Thanks again for your email and we will be in touch!
Maggie"

If anyone feels the need to contact her or Rep. Janis Ringhand and tell them your story, here are their email address.

[email protected]
[email protected]

Yahoo! We are at 319. Let's keep this going!!! You guys rock

I hope, so much, that this goes through.

I have been baking and donating to local non-profits to build rapport, and am getting orders I have to say no to because I don't know where to find a kitchen to rent for sporadic orders in the beginning. This would be the best! Do you know, if the legislation goes through in Jan, when would it take effect?

Hi Sherri! Oh I wish I could tell you when it would take effect. I'm really hoping for sometime in the first quarter of next year. Obviously the more signatures we can obtain, the better. So please feel free to pass this along to any family or friends in Wisconsin that you know would sign this and help support us small bakers. I'm in the same boat as you in the fact that it wouldn't be worth renting a commercial kitchen right now.

I definitely can keep you posted if I hear anything soon. Feel free to write Rep. Janis Ringhand too if you'd like. The more stories we can tell the better as well

OK. Thanks. I feel optimistic about it. Wisconsin has seemed to be favoring a lot of new ideas regarding employment and business, like allowing people to become teachers even if they didnt attend a formal teacher program in a college, if they have 2 years of work experience doing work in the field they will teach, et cetera. I have a sense this will go though, and am excited about that! This economy needs things like this.

I'm hopeful too. But who knows what will happen. Im keeping my fingers crossed and continuing to spread the petition

I got a reply back from her, too, and have spread the word. Some people have signed already! Thanks for the initial post. I wouldn't have known about it otherwise!

Sounds great Sherri! Thanks for your help with this too

We have 2 months to get those numbers up. Let's keep this going!!!!

Is there a way for me to get a paper form of this petition to take with me to the big election night party where I get to serve some cakes I am donating? It would be a great place to get some signatures and also talk to representatives. If you are close to La Crosse, you are welcome to come set up too, and help. I am donating, though, not selling. I am doing it for the Republican party, though, so depending on your political views you may not like the invite. hehe

Sherri, maybe the campaign needs some signs--something like "Vote for More WI Cake" and "Vote for the Cake Party" to get more signatures to the petition at grocery store entrances.

Good idea Irene. I'll do that. I hope so much this law goes through. I NEED it to.

I don't have a facebook. But, maybe you could give her my e-mail address? it is [email protected], or, she could get ahold of me through the contact form on my website, which there's a link to in my signature?

No problem. I'll give her your email address

Great!

We are now at 357! What a great push this has been. We still have a ways to go and only till the end of the year to get as many as we can. Please pass this on to anyone you know who lives in Wisconsin. This law getting passed could help out so many families in this horrible economy.

Oooo 442!!!!! Lets try to get over 500