Upper Crust Bakery

Welcome to Maine's Upper Crust Bakery !

Note: www.uppercrustbakery.com domain name is for sale.

The Upper Crust is celebrating its 30th year, ending it's status as a business. I am transitioning from having been a business to becoming a retired home baker with a new career.

I'm hoping to have some celebration this summer to bring together former customers again and reminisce. (Call me if you want to help or be involved in some way.)

I am very excited about my new career, which combines my lifetime interest in the human body, psychology, health and wellness. But how come I had a bakery? hmmm

My interests have always been varied. In high school I loved anatomy and physiology but couldn't stand blood and needles. I couldn't be a nurse, so I became a biology teacher, first in Greenwich, Conn., then at Steven's School in Hallowell for juveniles who were having a tough time. Continuing in education, I became the executive director of the Maine Advisory Council on Vocational Education, for 16 years. The council was responsible for making the postsecondary vocational technical institutes independent of the State Department of Education, allowing them better able to meet the needs of Maine's businesses.

In the meantime, one day in the summer of 1982, we went on a ride from Gardiner to the Upper Crust Bakery in Readfield to buy a loaf of one of the wholesome and delicious breads made by Jim LeFurgy and Annie Dean. That day, we learned that Jim was selling out, and on a whim, we bought in. (Since my federally funded position at the council was always in jeopardy, we thought it would be good to have something for me to fall back on. ) It wasn't easy, but I have not regretted it. I learned so much about what it means to have a small business and I have a great admiration and respect for all those who are trying so hard to keep a small business viable.

Through the years, whatever I was doing, I still had the passion for biology and the health field. I was concerned that the health system was not geared to helping us with the chronic, or metabolic everyday problems. I had read that employers lost more work time from employee for the little things than for a major illness.

I was not getting younger when I heard the executive director of the Maine Medical Association say something to the effect that older people can not expect to have so much money spent on them because the money was on the younger people---children and those in the labor force. I could understand that, and could have accepted it, had there been a good preventive system in place, that helped people with the seemingly little things that go wrong and impair the quality of their lives up to the time of their retirement. Little problems have a way of eventually manifesting or turning into a major issue. When this happens after retirement, it is not fair to say, "too, late, sorry."

When I left the council in 1992, I wanted to be a part of the paradym shift to expand the quality of ongoing preventive care. We all know the generic rules: drink water, exercise, no caffeine, sugar, and so on. But we are all different. I wanted to know, what is the most important thing for ME. The national economic situation at that time directed all efforts to focus on the delivery and cost of health care, not the quality.

I felt that one day, my role would become clear. Three years ago, I found it. I started learning about stress reduction via quantum biofeedback. It is based on the galvanic skin response tests of former times, but a little more sophisticated. Stress has long been recognized as a cause of dis-ease. Balancing stress can only help. (more on this in another revision) (In the meantime, you may call me.... this is my favorite subject. *smile*)

Entered April 8, 2009

I am not sure if Christine@uppercrustbakery.com will work, so please us the

uppercrust@roadrunner.com address.

Please change 582-6169 to 582-2220. The first number has been

discontinued.

PRICING: How are package prices determined? Add up the

retail cost of the items and add $ 4 for each box mailed. (You may need

more than one box.) The postage is figured out lastly. If flat rate turns

out to be more economical, that is how it is sent unless you direct otherwise.