Three little ingredients from a home kitchen in Ballston Spa have created a TOG Market success story. When Ashley Rickson began experimenting with a flour, water and salt combination to aid in her baking during the pandemic, she had no idea what she was baking up.

Friends and family were so impressed by her home baked breads, muffins and cinnamon buns she started selling them. By July of 2024, she began mass selling the baked items. She focused on drop-off sales and set up a few tables at local events. This summer, Rickson began regularly appearing at the TOG Summer Market and she has been selling out every week.

“Even in the pouring rain last week we sold out,” she said. “I baked extra because I knew Ted’s Fish Fry would attract a big following, but then Ted’s Fish Fry rescheduled. Despite that, I still sold every last item.”

Rickson is taking preorders via Instagram, Facebook and her tenacrehomesteadashley@gmail.com.

She has come to rely on the group of consistent customers that keep reappearing for her delicious baked goods.

Ten Acre sells sourdough bread ($10-$13/loaf), muffins and cinnamon buns ($3/ per) each week. Last week she baked about 60 items for the market, which takes place every Thursday from 4-7 p.m. at Middle Grove Town Park.

Rickson said people love breads made with a starter because they are healthy, have fewer ingredients and no processing. The breads are easier to digest, have more flavor and many other health benefits. Plus, Rickson said, the loaves freeze well.

In addition to her sourdough starter, Rickson uses many of the ingredients from her own property. For instance, she makes her own homemade vanilla that must sit for six months before using. She grows her own peaches, pears and apples and uses only eggs from her own hens. Even her honey is locally sourced.

“My latest hit is the fresh peach muffins,” Rickson said. “They feature our peaches from our own property, and I can’t make enough of them.”

The Rickson family lives on a 10-acre property in Ballston Spa that was a gift from her husband’s great grandparents more than 20 years ago. Since then they have built a home, planted gardens and created a small orchard.  Last summer, they renovated a 1970s horse trailer to use as a storefront at the market. 

“Greenfield’s market is the perfect local market,” she said. “Thursdays are the perfect time before a weekend to grab products. This one has a good energy.”

Rickson spends about 11 hours before each market between the baking, sitting, packaging and labeling. She also carries some of her 22-year-old daughter’s Bath Street Soap Co. products like tallow lotion, body scrubs and perfume oils. Rickson explained that tallow lotion is made from beef suet (fat) and is the closest moisturizer one can find to our body’s composition. Rickson handles all of this part-time, as she is a school counselor at Saratoga BOCES.

Her 9-year-old Alessandra is a faithful co-worker each week in the trailer.

“Vendors like Ten Acre Homestead add to the variety of what the TOG Market offers,” said Town Supervisor Kevin Veitch. “I’m so happy to hear how successful the business is and that our market is contributing to that.”

The biggest seller of all is her from-scratch cinnamon buns. Be sure to visit them at the market this week!

This article is meant to inform the residents of Greenfield about a local business. The Town of Greenfield does not endorse one business over another. Instead the Town supports all local business and wishes to highlight as many businesses as we can to foster a sense of community and help encourage our residents to shop locally.

If you are a legitimate business or nonprofit organization that is based in our Town, are you listed in our online community directories?  If you would like to be added or possibly featured in an upcoming article like this one, please email information to info@greenfieldny.org.