Earthovens

Earthovens is a small, one-woman endeavor in central Vermont. I offer day-long workshops in the construction and use of Quebec-style, clay ovens and bread baking. Workshops can be conducted at my home or on the road using a clay oven built on a small flatbed trailer.

I have been baking bread for 20 years and have developed a deep interest and love for all things bread related. When we built our home we incorporated an oven into our wood-fired masonry heater for winter baking. Later we built a clay oven outside for baking from May through October when there is no need for an indoor fire.

In my workshops clay oven construction techniques and bread baking are the general focus, but, there is much more; it’s not just about bread. There is something powerful and moving about making bread with a group of people, by hand, outside, in a wood-fired, earthen oven. I believe baking in this way is a celebration of all that makes up a loaf of bread: the growing grain, the milled flour, the wood fire and the heated oven; the work and the pleasure, the hunger and the satisfaction. All these things together build a connection and create a sense of community that feeds the body, renews the spirit and makes us whole.

In addition to my workshops I offer a few of my favorite books. I have chosen them because they discuss clay ovens and/or bread baking in ways that celebrate the connection between bread and the living of life. I welcome your comments and conversation about ovens and baking. I also offer books related to clay ovens, and a way of life that renews the spirit. Services in consultation and building on your site are possible.