Posted by Casey Knapp on August 24, 2011 · Leave a Comment
As demand grows for niches within niches, young farmers
who can supply a variety of valued-added products will prosper.
Small farms moving towards a diverse array of products
could benefit from using owning an oven as they make open up
many avenues of diversification.
Over 29,000 years ago, people began using ovens to cook food. As
colonists first began settling in the New World, ovens, along with
shelter and food, were considered a necessity for survival. Paula
Marcoux, owner of the Magnificent Leaven, is an archeologist
who studies the history of food culture, specializing in the role
ovens have had in the development of food culture. Marcoux dedicates
hundreds of hours a year pouring over historical text to identify trends in
the history of oven making and baking. I spoke with her about her
trade, and how area of study could be utilized to help the young farmers.
Kinds of Ovens
Tandoor
The tandoor is a cylinder around 2.5 feet long 1.5 feet diameter. It is
traditionally made out of clay, but can be made of metal.
The base is typically placed in the ground such that the entire apparatus
is underground, or that at least 
half of it is underground. A wood fire is
maintained in the bottom, which
heats the clay or metal. Historically
originating from the Indus Valley
Civilization in Pakistan, the tandoor is best
suited to bake naan bread and certain kinds of
chicken, a potential value-added option for farmers.
Marcoux warns that unless
treated in a kiln, tandoors made of clay
will not survive the freeze-thaw
cycle and must be brought inside during
the winter.
Roman Dome Oven
The wood-fired clay or brick dome oven is one
that most recognize as a 
traditional
style oven, contrast to the cast iron
oven found in most homes today.
Versatile, it can bake breads,
pizza, roast meat, and prepare anything a
modern cast iron oven can do.
Constructed properly, this style of
oven lasts for decades and is the
easily the most utile for young farmers.
Making your own
Marcoux insists that making ovens is simple, and that there are
many ways to learn. If you’re an independent learner who needs only a
book, read Build Your Own Oven by Kiko Denzer. If you want to
collaborate with experts, attend the Kneading Conference in Maine
where Pat Manely, an expert Maine mason, leads workshops that
allow you to complete your oven in two days. Manely also contributes
to the yahoo group "Brick-oven" which is a useful archive for oven-makers
and masons.
Farmer Utilization
Farmers already incorporate these methods into their business model. Take a look at
Slow Hand Farm's (Portland, OR) and Suncrest Garden Farms (Cochane, WI) and the ovens
they utilize in their CSA operations.
