Do I need to start being tight and stop being generous ?

frogga

What a great idea about cooking them in school , I'll speak to the headmaster today:rotfl:

You're right about the "turning it into a business idea" , though. I have made cakes and bread for friends and people up at school for their parties but there is no money in it. People want something for nothing. The croc takes a while but at the end of the day it's only bread so you just can't ask alot.

Thanks for all your help guys xxxx

donny-gal

On the same theme, could the "Friends of the School"/PTA help with ingredient costs, and certainly I am sure the school ovens would help lower the costs.
DG

lynzpower

frogga wrote: »

What a great idea about cooking them in school , I'll speak to the headmaster today:rotfl:

You're right about the "turning it into a business idea" , though. I have made cakes and bread for friends and people up at school for their parties but there is no money in it. People want something for nothing. The croc takes a while but at the end of the day it's only bread so you just can't ask alot.

Thanks for all your help guys xxxx

Of course people want something for nothing look how popular MSE is!

My parents used to own greengrocery shops and at harvest festival they used to do huge display baskets for the school/ church. However, it would always be wrapped with the shops branded ribbon, or a business card in type thing- my dad said "all generosity is an advert" He made sure the harvest baskets always looked superb, after all, it would generate business later down the line.

I certainly think that if you have these skills you should try and make a business out of it, even if you print off some free business cards ( i think its vista print through quidco ) you get 50 free, might be an idea to hand them out round school. If the kids are impressed, parents will be too, and even if its just a couple of costs of cakes pays for your generosity for tadpoles, then you wont "NEED" to slice back as much. ( pun intended!)

the hedgehog rolls sound super! Have you thought about doing farmers markets type things. I know on Spitalfields there are bakers there that dont have commercial kitchens! and they chage 3.50 a loaf ( this is london tho - dont ya know it!)

frogga

I did start making cakes for a local farm shop. It just wasn't worth the effort to be honest. They were large cakes and they were sliced into 10 slices, and they charged £1.00 a slice. The cake "made" £10 , but the shop wanted £5.00 of that so I was left with a £5. When you take out cost of ingreedients and cooking time et.c it really wasn't worth it. Also they became popular and then questions were asked about my premises et.c and wether I had 2 sinks ! I just found it quite stressfull , and it took the enjoyment out of makng it! I'll TRY and post a photo of the bread croc on here so you can see it , it's not as good as I think you are all imagining!!:rotfl:

sandieb

If this is the last year at the school, I would say go for it just for the last time, bearing in mind all the enjoyment it gives you.

But, after that, say no. People like you for WHO you are! It took me a while to discover that, even if you say no, people still like you! Be careful how you say no, if you start giving reasons you find yourself being pulled in again. Hope this makes sense.

patentgirl

FROGGA you are marvellous fancy making enough bread rolls for the whole school I can see your point if this is the last year you want to something approaching the school is a good idea but you must stop before senior school, keep practising the word NO I am in similar postion now DH is approaching redundancy early next year do we spoil them one last xmas or start cutting back now DH wants me to cut back on presents this year but I keep thinking we might have no spare cash next year like you I find it hard to say no.

whitewing

frogga,

This thread has made my morning. Never mind the children, I would be disappointed if you didn't make something for harvest, especially as it's the last year! Please do post the pictures.

(But, being sensible, yes, you should cut down afterwards

You've really made me smile..

chalky_75

Frogga - As I have already said perhaps you should paddle down to the bottom of your pond and not be tempted by all these things. By spring and warmer days you will have missed harvest and be at least 4 st along the weight watching road:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

nicola1982_2

how about making cookies instead? one cookie per head would be much cheaper and easier to make.

culpepper

How about just making one of those harvest rings? I dont know what they are called but you see them in bakers windows sometimes around harvest festival. They are a big ring made of bread and plaited with little bread mice and bread berries etc all made into a plaquard and baked. School could have it as part of their display in the hall. You'd still need to bake it but it would be less dough than over 100 individual mice I should think unless they are very small.