Pierre Thibodeau's Grindstone Text by Jim Kitts; Photography by Jim Kitts and Ruth-Ann Mitchell
One of the most evocative sentences in the English language is “Give us this day our daily bread.” This line from a prayer may have been on Pierre Thibodeau’s mind (in French) in 1700. That year he bought a grindstone in Boston and built a grist mill around it in Shepody, the village he founded in 1698.
The grindstone, now on display in the Albert County Museum, must have played an important role in the nourishment of the people living on the shore of the Petitcodiac River. Although those folks were forcibly deported during the British/French Seven Years War, their descendants are all around us. They are forever linked to this grindstone and “Chipody” (another spelling of Shepody or Chipoudie).
One of the most evocative sentences in the English language is “Give us this day our daily bread.” This line from a prayer may have been on Pierre Thibodeau’s mind (in French) in 1700. That year he bought a grindstone in Boston and built a grist mill around it in Shepody, the village he founded in 1698.
The grindstone, now on display in the Albert County Museum, must have played an important role in the nourishment of the people living on the shore of the Petitcodiac River. Although those folks were forcibly deported during the British/French Seven Years War, their descendants are all around us. They are forever linked to this grindstone and “Chipody” (another spelling of Shepody or Chipoudie).
Oliver's flour-grinding machine Other grindstones have ground wheat in this area since then, but they were long gone by my time... until now. At Oliver’s German Bakery in the Old Village Church on Main Street in Hillsborough, Oliver Hofer has added a new flour-grinding apparatus. Ironically, the machine was brought over from France; Pierre would be pleased. He would be even more pleased to know that Shepody-raised grain from Oliver’s fields runs through the veins of this machine. The flour is used in the sourdough bread Oliver bakes, as well as in many other delectable treats. The winnowed bran is used as feed for cows that graze on the ancient marsh. The cattle, which are butchered and sold locally, feed our people.
Oliver's combine Now get a cup of tea and sit back with Pierre Thibodeau to consider what this means. Those usual suspects ‘down country,’ the ones with the tractors on the road…they are trying to feed us and generate economic activity if we let them. For example, Oliver is ‘sprouting’ a local flour operation and Angela MacDougall of Fundy Farms: Local Harvest in Edgetts Landing is opening a vegetable stand beside Oliver in the Dieppe Farmers’ Market. Angela is also asking local growers to wholesale their produce to the new outlet.
All this tea and toast talk got me in the mood for an Oliver snack. What will it be? Do I want those chocolate croissants, pretzels, or that German pastry stuff I can’t spell or pronounce? No, I’m getting that creamy square with the local rhubarb.
All this tea and toast talk got me in the mood for an Oliver snack. What will it be? Do I want those chocolate croissants, pretzels, or that German pastry stuff I can’t spell or pronounce? No, I’m getting that creamy square with the local rhubarb.
Oliver the Breadmaker! But, Freda says I need bread. Oliver’s bread is a vast world of tasty sourdough choices. There are spelt loaves, bread for sensitive tummies, swirled crusty shapes which I enjoy as an art form, bread from strange grains I have no idea about…I order a loaf of sliced crusty white, my newest infatuation. The colour is a bit creamier than the usual white colour you see with bleached flour.
I might get some pepper cheese and ‘Mom’s eggs’ (as Oliver labels eggs from his mother’s farm). I get Octoberfest sausage out of the freezer, a raspberry Jem’s Preserve, and an onion grown by Angela. It’s all I can carry.
The retail side of Oliver’s German Bakery is located at the Dieppe Farmers’ Market, and at his Old Church Place outlet on Main Street, Hillsborough. Baking orders and flour processing take place in a large modern facility behind the Hillsborough retail outlet. Loading and unloading docks and tractor storage are in the rear. Oliver’s farm and grain fields are ‘down country’ on the way to Riverside-Albert.
The Hillsborough outlet is open Tuesday and Thursday 7-2, Wednesday 7-6, Friday 7-8, and Saturday 9-2.
…I forgot to mention the cheese buns. I can’t talk about Oliver without mentioning the cheese buns.
I might get some pepper cheese and ‘Mom’s eggs’ (as Oliver labels eggs from his mother’s farm). I get Octoberfest sausage out of the freezer, a raspberry Jem’s Preserve, and an onion grown by Angela. It’s all I can carry.
The retail side of Oliver’s German Bakery is located at the Dieppe Farmers’ Market, and at his Old Church Place outlet on Main Street, Hillsborough. Baking orders and flour processing take place in a large modern facility behind the Hillsborough retail outlet. Loading and unloading docks and tractor storage are in the rear. Oliver’s farm and grain fields are ‘down country’ on the way to Riverside-Albert.
The Hillsborough outlet is open Tuesday and Thursday 7-2, Wednesday 7-6, Friday 7-8, and Saturday 9-2.
…I forgot to mention the cheese buns. I can’t talk about Oliver without mentioning the cheese buns.
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