If the crisp, cool autumn mornings make you crave freshly baked pastries, maple infused coffee, and a beautiful space to unwind and rest, Seasons Yield Farm is the place to be.  This locally owned family business is set in Raphine, Va. off Interstate 81. On scheduled “bread days,” you can go out to the “Bread Barn” and enjoy a wide selection of wood-fired bread, pastries, coffee, and other produce.  

Owners Daniel and Fawn Shear started Seasons Yield Farm nine years ago with the desire to pursue a family owned business. After selling a single loaf of bread to a neighbor, the farm embarked on wood-fired breads as the centerpiece of their business. The inspiration for wood-fired oven bread baking came from a book that Shear was reading while deployed in Afghanistan. 

“What sets us apart is the slow and deliberate process we are dedicated to, in order to create the best products possible,” said Shear.

Shear and his father built a 5,000 pound masonry oven on the farm.  They burn a fire in the oven for at least 12 hours to heat the depth of the masonry, before scraping the coals out and letting the oven cool to an optimal baking temperature. The naturally leavened loaves take between 10 and 48 hours to prepare. 

“While all these steps might sound like overkill, it results in the most nutritious and flavorful bread that can be made,” said Shear.

While Shear’s children, parents, inlaws, brothers, sisters, and their spouses all have an active role in the operation of the business, RCHS Sophomore Maxwell Pearson does too.  Pearson works at the farm on bread days making hundreds of pastries and breads, pulling orders, and packaging them for distribution. 

“I am super blessed to have this job because not many teens get to incorporate their passions into their jobs,” said Pearson. “Especially in such an amazing work environment,” 

Seasons Yield Farm’s business has grown exponentially over the past 18 months due to word of mouth.  Julie Tisone is one of Seasons Yield Farm’s regular customers.  

“Seasons Yield has been my family’s happy place during the pandemic,” said Tisone. “It is always a beautiful drive, the people are happy (customers included), and the bread, pastries, and lattes are something I dream about for the two weeks in between bread days.”

Seasons Yield Farm’s business hours are unique, as the family tries to balance the demands of small business with those of the family. Bread days and pre-ordering may be found at www.seasonsyieldfarm.com. When you go to pick up your bread, spend some time walking around the farm, picking a bouquet of wildflowers, feeding a baby cow, and experiencing all the splendor of Seasons Yield Farm.