Loyal to Local

How did Goodies get started?
“I was first in the banking business and I would give cookies to customers when their loan got approved, so when the previous owner of Goodies was ready to sell, she said ‘I know you love my cookies.’ I told my husband I wanted to buy a cookie store, and he said ‘you don’t bake’.

I first owned the store with my mother, and we were just doing cookies, then I said to my now business partner, Sandy Gaalswyk, who was one of my employees first, let’s do cakes. I sell up front and she makes it happen in the back. I have a really talented team and I want them to get the credit.

We’ve been doing this for 18 years, and I love it.

What’s your favorite part about Goodies?
I love the people. I love meeting with brides and asking them how they met because I really want to know. One of my customers – we did her 16th birthday cake, her bridal shower cake, her wedding cake, and now I’m doing her son’s first birthday cake. I get to know these people, and they feel like friends. I think that’s the most important thing about our store, we have fun with our customers.

I have also had customers tell me that they ordered our cake at Elderwood and it was the same flavor as their wedding cake. It’s great to make these local connections. It’s so important to support local – it makes a huge difference.

What’s your favorite cake?
Almond cake, chocolate buttercream, with chocolate covered almonds, but we have so many good flavors.

You can find owner, Natalie Fronczek + Goodies Cookies & Cakes in the Mary’s Vineyard Shopping Center in Visalia & on instagram @goodiescookiesandcakes_

Robert McKellar, also known as Farmer Bob, owns and operates McKellar Family Farms in Ivanhoe, California.

Since the beginning of McKellar Family Farms, back in 1927, The McKellar Family has continued to grow 100 acres of multiple varieties of oranges, including a special Australian Variety of Naval that gets ripe in the Spring – so they have delicious oranges all year round. 

Farmer Bob’s favorite thing about Farmer Bob’s World is the kids. McKellar Family Farms started the Farm Tours & Wagon Rides just for school kids, but now welcome visitors from all over the world. Farmer Bob says it’s always fun to have a group of kids on the farm. They are exciting and it’s very rewarding.

We asked Farmer Bob his favorite dish or drink that he makes with his oranges.

“We make an orange salad. It’s really simple. Black pepper, olive oil, sliced green onions and you mix it all up. You need about one orange per person for however big you want to make the salad.”

And drink? “Screwdriver. That’s my favorite to fix for people.”

McKellar Family Farms Oranges are featured in our Mimosas & Orange Juice on the Brunch Menu.

Photos courtesy of Farmer Bob’s World