The Rhinelander Daily News - Online news and information for the Rhinelander, Wisconsin region

There’s nothing as American as apple pie, nothing that says Thanksgiving like pumpkin pie, and few places better to buy a pie than Golden Harvest Natural Foods Store in Rhinelander. Since the bakery at the Northwoods natural food hub opened six years ago, it has produced over 10 varieties of bread daily, but it’s the pies that have people talking about Golden Harvest during the holiday season.

The day before Thanksgiving, head baker Brandon Martin and his 10-person staff will turn out 300 pies in addition to the pies they bake to fill special orders. Apple pie is their biggest seller year-round, according to Nikki Conjurske, who owns the store with her husband Timothy, but pumpkin pie is the best-seller during Thanksgiving week. Golden Harvest produces over 10 kinds of pie, ranging from basic fruit pies, to pecan pie, to Dutch apple pie.

Conjurske said the Golden Harvest pie recipe is a tweaked version of a professional baker’s stock recipe but the organic ingredients and fresh fruit make the pies special.

If you go in for a pie or two, you can also pick up a loaf of fresh bread. Golden Harvest grinds their own flour and uses organic butter to produce their daily bread.

Conjurske said the baking part of the business is the result of a baking tradition in her husband’s family and a lot of requests from friends.

Six years later, the stores bakery is their biggest draw.

Over the course of Thanksgiving week, the staff at Golden Harvest will bake nearly a thousand pies. Basic fruit pies cost $6.95 but specialty pies, like pecan and Dutch apple, are a bit more expensive.

Golden Harvest is open Monday to Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday and Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. They will be open until noon on Thanksgiving Day.

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John Szewczyk wrote on Nov 28, 2008 7:03 AM:

" Golden Harvest is one of my top ten shopping stops in the great northwoods.Their pies and breads are very tasty.They use all certified organic ingredients.Most of our breads that are sold in other stores contain "Azodicarbonamide" which has been linked to allergies and trigger asthma symptoms.Not to mentioned banned in some countries.Read the ingredients,do the research.Thanks for taking my comment. "

john szewczyk wrote on Nov 26, 2008 6:34 PM:

" Golden Harvest is truly a great natural food store.It is in my top ten list of shopping stops in Wisconsin's great northwoods.And if their flour is organic it doesn't contain 'ada' or Azodicarbonamide this bleaching agent is in most of our breads,please read the ingredients.This is linked to allergies and asthmas not to mentioned banned in some countries.Do the research.Spread the word.GOD BLESS "

Pie Monster wrote on Nov 26, 2008 12:10 PM:

" It's true - Golden Harvest has the most delectable pies available! Their pecan pie is absolute heaven and the pumpkin is as good as(or maybe even better than) Grandma's! "

The comments above are from readers. In no way do they represent the views of the Rhinelander Daily News.