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endeavors that are even closer to my heart — possibly an art gallery or a cooperative art studio.
               Another great adjective is “co-dependent.” My business relied on farmers and families to provide for and consume the goods I produced. As a person, I relied on my community — especially the Center for Natural Medicine — for emotional support, cheerful company, and mentoring. As the business grew, so did my awareness of how interconnected we all are. I became, and remain, much more intentional about my contributions and support of my community and its individual members. Their success is my success.
    I continue to admire the courage and commitment Abi put into her business — and to us, her customers for those 20 months or so.
    I was in Angelina’s Kitchen the other day, and she invited me to try a fresh batch of gluten-free pound cupcakes. We broke one in three pieces and passed it around, and there were happy hmm’s from us all. In order to keep gluten-free options available for Abi’s customer, Angelina had purchased a number of Abi’s original recipes. She now keeps a few gluten-free items baked fresh and on her menu each day. Several local food businesses have also added gluten-free options. So, although Abi has moved on to newer ventures, the legacy of her delicious and creative gluten-free baked goods still remains.
    Helping Abi and other young adults of her generation become active participants in the local food movement is an integral part of what inspires us at Slow Money NC.
Mykal’s Dandalia Bakery: Growing Where You’re Planted
    There is one more story (so far) about Slow Money NC bakers. And it involves Abi’s double-stack commercial oven again.
    Mykal Harp makes amazing cupcakes. A recent transplant to central North Carolina, she started Dandalia Bakery out of her home, producing cakes, cookies, brownies, and her signature cupcakes. “I work very hard to create new flavors every week and a more upscale, unique decorating style than what you would find in the traditional grocery store,” she told me. And she succeeds.
     
         I was laid off my “real” job in January 2011, and not having much luck finding work, I decided that what this town needed was a “real” bakery! Sanford may not be a large town, but it certainly isn’t the smallest either, and the only option for baked goods is either the grocery store or a bakery that specializes in donuts.
    For 15 years, Mykal had worked as a project manager or executive assistant within several large public companies and spent over adecade in banking in several capacities — teller, manager, commercial real estate, and residential real estate. “I have really enjoyed my career,” she shared. “It has given me the lessons and experiences I needed to finally run my own business.”
    But a bakery named after a weed? “I love the concept of a dandelion,” she explained. “As a kid, I would blow the seeds of a dandelion and make a wish. It’s true that the dandelion is also considered a weed.” But when she first transplanted herself from Oregon, she felt kind of like that resilient weed. “I’ll grow wherever I’m planted,” she proclaimed.
    When she started Dandalia Bakery in April 2011, she was surprised by the how quickly the business grew. “This town seems to be desperate for good desserts,” she offered, good-heartedly.
    The bakery quickly got several wholesale accounts. Then they got a weekly order from a coffee shop about 15 miles away.
    But it was when she started supplying fancy prepackaged cupcakes to a high-end gift and clothing shop that she really got busy. “They became so popular,” she told us, “that the local Hallmark shop asked if I wanted to start stocking their shelves too. Of course, I said yes! In addition, I am doing custom cake and cupcake orders on a regular basis. My business has blossomed faster than I could ever have imagined.”
    With all these orders, Mykal was fast outgrowing