T-R PHOTO BY LANA BRADSTREAM Deb Kelderman shows her new home-based business, DebK’s Delights. The business, located in a “she shed” in her front yard, offers fresh, home baked goods such as sourdough breads and oatmeal raisin cookies, jams and even crocheted potholders. Kelderman opened DebK’s Delights for the first time earlier this month.

Following in her father’s footsteps, Deb Kelderman has started her own little baking business.

“My dad was a baker, I grew up in a home that loved baking,” she said. “Dad was a bakery manager at Smitty’s [Bakery and] Econo Foods. I worked there in high school, serving customers and packaging products. This is the beginning of my interest. I have baked and decorated goodies for others most of my adult life. I dreamed of having my bakery but never acted on it.”

Kelderman said her father died in 2007, but worked in Marshalltown his entire life, starting with Smitty’s Bakery. In the 1980s, he opened Kelderman’s Bakery in the 13th Street District.

“I’ve had people on Facebook ask me if I knew Bob, which is my dad,” she said. “I think that’s kind of interesting that people still remember him. We grew up around a family that loved to bake and make things.”

Kelderman finally took the steps to turn her dream into a reality this year. Located in a shed in her front yard, customers can get Kelderman’s homemade goodies, such as breads, cookies, jams and even crocheted potholders.

“I love to bake, garden, and can,” she said. “I am a crafty kind of gal. I don’t sit still well.”

Since DebK’s Delights is in the initial stages, Kelderman said she is still finding her way, but is not fixated on one type of goodie.

“Sourdough products, cookies, muffins and small cakes are my go-to items,” she said.

Kelderman has been experimenting with sourdough, as it is a food she only recently began making. Not only does she make the standard sourdough bread and rolls available, but also cheddar jalapeno sourdough, blueberry cream cheese with lemon, cinnamon sugar knots, cinnamon rolls and sourdough cookies, such as chocolate chip and snickerdoodle.

“Sourdough seems to be very popular, and it’s better for you,” she said.

Since sourdough goes through a natural fermentation process, it can be considered a healthier bread. It is also a source of probiotics and fiber.

Kelderman also has maple, pecan and raisin granola, oatmeal raisin cookies, brownies, various jams – strawberry rhubarb, apple butter and black raspberry – and cowboy candy, which are candied sliced jalapenos.

While Kelderman started her baking venture last fall, she officially opened her little business on June 5. However, first she had to go through the proper legal steps, starting with research into Iowa’s cottage food laws.

The cottage laws pertain to home-based food businesses, and allow only certain types of foods to be sold without acquiring a license or food inspections. To be considered a cottage food, the items need to be made in a private residence, be properly labeled, must not require temperature control and must be sold directly to the consumer. Certain items also cannot be sold. For example, a home-based food business cannot sell milk products or items which must be kept hot or cold for safety. The products must bear labels with information on ingredients, allergens and identifying information of the person who made them.

After Kelderman completed her research into cottage food laws, she was ready to go to Marshalltown City Hall.

“[I] followed their instructions to obtain a temporary use permit,” she said. “I had to show my building plans with photos and submit the application with payment.”

The building plans were for what Kelderman called a “she shed,” a small shed in her front yard with shelves on the inside bearing her products, a money box for customers to make payments at and surveillance to help prevent any stealing.

Ultimately, Kelderman would like to open DebK’s Delights one or two days per week during good weather and develop a customer base who will place orders from her during the colder seasons.

“I hope it goes,” she said.

DEBK’S DELIGHTS INFORMATION:

Address: 201 Koeper Dr.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or until sold out

Phone: 214-929-2957

Website: Facebook

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Contact Lana Bradstream

at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or

lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.