Seward Co-op’s Bakery has been turning out scratch-made pies for years, especially during the Harvest season. Ensuring a delicious pie made with care is part of your holiday spread isn’t something that can happen without dedicated staff like C (he/they), the Bakery Supervisor at the Franklin store.

C’s baking journey began at 18-years-old in Lincoln, Neb., working at a grocery store. He later found work at a co-op in the area, where he spent four years honing his skills and learning what it means to bake for a community. After working in several restaurant kitchens as a cook and baker, C moved to Minneapolis in 2018 and found a career at Seward Co-op.

“Being visibly queer, it’s important that I feel safe in my workplace,” C shares. “Co-ops have felt like a safe landing place, as organizations that acknowledge and support diverse populations more than many traditional businesses. When I moved here, I was looking for work and applied to be a baker at Seward Co-op after hearing it was a good spot.”

C has been a member of the Seward Co-op team for eight years now, and one thing that stands out to him is how the work changes with the seasons. While he bakes year-round, nothing compares to the bustling pace of Harvest season, which he calls “the busiest time of [the] year.” Preparation begins in early September, when the team kneads and rolls hundreds of 9-ounce dough disks to build up a steady supply before the rush of fall hits. The dough can be refrigerated or frozen until they’re ready to be made into crust for apple, cherry, pumpkin, sweet potato, and pecan pies.

All of the pies that come out of Seward Co-op’s ovens are entirely made-from-scratch, starting with the crust and down to the filling. “Our pies are made with care over the course of days,” C explains.

For fruit pies like cherry (one of C’s favorites!), the process of cooking the filling is comforting. Cherries are simmered on the stove at low heat with sugar to release the fruits’ juices, then boiled with a cornstarch slurry to thicken it into a glossy filling. The prepped buttery dough is used for both the crust and the topping.

As the pieces of the pies come together and the ovens fill with the scent of fruit and butter, the kitchen hums with teamwork. “It makes me proud,” C says. “I love what I do, and I’m proud of the place I work for and the people I work with. When customers tell us they love our pies, it’s validating. [It] means we’re doing something right.”

Whenever you enjoy a slice of Seward-made pie, whether that be for a Harvest celebration or just because you’re craving one, taste the Bakery team’s care in every bite. It was made by people who truly love what they do: one disk of dough, simmering pot of fruit, and perfectly baked crust at a time.