Our Daily Bread

EASLEY — Lynn Addis had just pulled her last four loaves of bread out of the oven when she saw the announcement from The City of Easley: The Spring Fling had been cancelled.

The annual event, billed “rain or shine,” was set to be held April 1 in Old Market Square. Over 70 vendors had signed up and prepared. Many — like Addis — with perishable goods.

“My heart just sank, I never thought they would cancel,” she said. “I was keeping an eye on the weather, but all the reports said the storms would clear out by 10 or 11. And as far as the wind — at other markets, we just don’t use the tents. They call it ‘going topless.’ So, no. I figured at the worst it would be a few hour delay — I never thought they’d just call the whole thing off.”

The city called the event at 4:30 that Friday.

Addis is the owner of Daily Bread and she bakes organic sourdough, from scratch, in her home kitchen. From start to finish, she said the process of baking sourdough takes around three days. Besides her standing orders at local stores, Addis had baked 100 loaves for the Spring Fling — representing over $500 worth of time and supplies.

“I said, ‘I need a prayer walk,’” said Addis, and she set out to walk her quarter-mile driveway in Pickens, trying to think of what she could do while praying for guidance.

In the meantime, her husband was in Easley, dropping off a 30-loaf order to the Farmacy, owned by Jessie Lowery.

“I heard what happened and I was just sick for her,” said Lowery. “So I said, let me put something up on Facebook and we’ll see what happens.”

Lowery’s post asking people to come down to the Farmacy and buy a loaf or two quickly spread around community groups. Before she knew it, her phone was blowing up with notifications of people wanting to help.

“I called Lynn and I said, just bring everything you have down here,” said Lowery.

On Saturday, when Addis showed up at the Farmacy with the 100 loaves, there was a line out the door.

“I cried. I mean, I ugly cried in front of all those wonderful people,” said Addis. “I just couldn’t believe it.”

She was sold out by 11 a.m.

To top things off, or perhaps by fate, April 1, more commonly known as April Fools Day, is also National Sourdough Bread Day.

No joke.

Daily Bread Sourdough is available at The Farmacy, Bee Well Honey Cafe, Grits & Grace General Store, Mile Creek Farm Market & General Store, Hometown Market, The Kitchen Emporium and Gifts, Sam’s Curb Market, Whitehall Produce & Local Market, Piercetown General Store and on Clemson Area Food Exchange.

Or, catch Lynn in person weekly at the Travelers Rest Farmers Market.