ONE OF THE SWEETEST JOBS AROUND.
ERIKA: THESE CAKE DECORATORS ARE IN THE ZONE.
>> WHEN IT IS INSANE I CANNOT EXPLAIN IT.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT HERE.
ERIKA: JOHN OWNS PARTY FAVORS IN BROOKLINE, ONE OF THE BUSIEST AND BUSIEST PLACES AROUND FOR CUSTOM ORDERED CAKES AND CUPCAKES.
>> WE PROBABLY BAKE OFF AND FROST 600 CUPCAKES A DAY.
CAKES, 80.
ONE SATURDAY THERE WAS 300 OR SOMETHING ORDERS.
IT WAS INSANE.
WE WERE ON TIME AND EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT.
ERIKA: KEEPING EVERYTHING FLOWING IS A SCIENCE.
>> FIVE PEOPLE TOUCH IT BEFORE A CAKE IS EVEN DECORATED.
YOU ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS THE PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH.
ERIKA: HE GREW UP IN BROOKLINE AND WORKED AT PARTY FAVORS AS A KID.
>> I WENT TO THE CULINARY INSTITUTE IN NEW YORK.
I WAS A PASTRY CHEF DOWNTOWN FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS.
ERIKA: AFTER MOVING BACK HOME HE BOUGHT PARTY FAVORS IN 1994, EXPANDING THE BAKERY AND THE ATTACHED GIFT STORE.
TODAY HIS 28 EMPLOYEES INCLUDE HIS DAUGHTER, MANY OF HIS CUSTOMERS ARE LOYALISTS.
>> THIS IS THE BEST AND THEY DID MY SON AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW’S WEDDING AND SHOWER.
I CAN THINK OF NOWHERE ELSE TO GO.
IT IS NOT JUST TASTY, THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL.
ERIKA: MAKING THIS MANY GOODIES REQUIRES A LOT OF PREPARATION.
FOR EXAMPLE, THEY MAKE UP TO 2000 POUNDS OF BUTTER CREAM IN A WEEK.
>> THE BUTTER BILL IS MORE THAN THE ELECTRIC BILL.
ERIKA: DESPITE THE LONG HOURS, SMALL DETAILS CANNOT BE OVERLOOKED.
>> THE WAY YOU GET IT TO SHINE IS TRICKY.
CRUMBS ARE THE ENEMY.
ERIKA: PARTY FAVORS ALSO GET THEIR FAIR SHARE OF UNUSUAL ORDERS.
>> WE HAD IN THE WALK-IN AND PEOPLE SCREAMED.
ERIKA: A CHAIR CAKE FOR A FURNITURE COMPANY.
SNEAKER CAKES.
AND THE INFAMOUS COCKROACH BIRTHDAY CAKE FOR A 25-YEAR-OLD MAN.
>> IT WAS A FREESTANDING COCKROACH.
YOU CUT INTO IT AND THERE WERE WORMS AND PUS.
IT WAS GREAT.
WHEN YOU CAN WAKE UP EVERY DAY AND BE HAPPY TO COME TO WORK, THAT IS A GREAT THING.
ERIKA: GROCERY SHOPPING IS ANYTHING BUT A CHORE WHEN VEGGIES LOOK LIKE THIS.
SIENA FARMS FARM STAND AT THE FARMERS MARKET SEES BRISK BUSINESS.
IF CUSTOMERS ONLY KNEW HOW MUCH WORK IT TAKES TO GROW THE PERFECT PRODUCED.
>> THE FIELD PREP, CULTIVATION, THE PLANTING.
A LOT OF THAT IS NIGHTLY MECHANIZED.
ALMOST EVERYTHING IS STILL HARVESTED BY HAND AT OUR SCALE OF 45 ACRES.
ERIKA: CHRIS, ALSO KNOWN AS FARMER CHRIS, OWNS THE BUSINESS.
>> I GREW UP ON THE FARM.
MY PARENTS WERE GARDENERS.
THEY LET ME START THE FARM RIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO.
IT WAS BEAUTIFUL AGRICULTURAL SOILS.
NO ROCKS.
AND STUFF GROWS REALLY WELL.
ERIKA: AN ORGANIC FARM PRIMARILY GROWING VEGETABLES, SIENA FARMS HAS A 500 MEMBER COMMUNITY.
IT ALSO SUPPLIES LOCAL RESTAURANTS INCLUDING OLI ANNA, AND SARMA.
THE FARM IS NAMED AFTER THEIR DAUGHTER.
FARMER CHRIS HAS A PATCH OF LAND THAT RESEMBLES A QUIRKY SCULPTURE GARDEN.
HERE MY OLD TOOLS ARE PUT TO PASTURE OR WADE -- WAY TO FULFILL THEIR ULTIMATE PURPOSE, SUCH AS WEEDING.
>> IF YOU LET ONE WEED GO TO SEED IN ONE YEAR, IT PRODUCES THOUSANDS, SOMETIMES HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SEEDS.
AS AN ORGANIC FARM WE JUST DID NOT USE HERBICIDES.
SO WE HAVE TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT OTHER WAYS TO TAKE CARE OF THE WEEDS.
ERIKA: THE WAR ON WEEDS INCLUDES A FLAME WEEDER.
>> UPSIDE DOWN PROPANE BILL GREECE -- BASICALLY WE USED TO SEAR OFF THE BABY WEEDS.
BASICALLY THESE WIRE BASKETS THAT ROLL THROUGH THE SOIL AND FLUFF OUT THE WEEDS.
ERIKA: AND THE EXCALIBUR OF THE BUNCH, THE BRAND-NEW FINGER WEEDER.
>> WE HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THIS FROM OTHER FARMERS.
EVERYBODY KEPT SAYING THEY WOULD NEVER GO BACK TO FARMING WITHOUT ONE.
A TOTAL GAME CHANGER.
ERIKA: WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GET FARMER CHRIS SO EXCITED?
>> THESE RUBBER FINGERS THAT LITERALLY GO AROUND THE STEM OF THE CROP.
IT IS LIKE HAND WEEDING.
A TON OF LABOR -- SAVES A TON OF LABOR.
WE HAVE ZERO WEEDS.
ERIKA: AND THAT MEANS BETTER PRODUCE FOR US ALL.
>> I USED TO SAY MY FAVORITE THING TO DO IN THE WORLD WAS HAND WEEDING CARROTS BECAUSE IT IS LOVELY, IT IS SATISFYING.
NOW MY FAVORITE THING IS THE FINGER READ.
IRONICALLY I MAY NEVER HAVE TO GET ON MY HANDS AGAIN.
SHAYNA: PARTY FAVORS GETS MANY CUSTOMIZED CAKE REQUESTS, INCLUDING THIS FUN ONE, A MASSIVE RED DOOR CAKE FOR TALBOT’S, THE CLOTHING COMPANY.
THE DOORS OF THE BAKERY WERE TOO SMALL TO FIT THE FINISHED CAKE, SO BAKERS HAD TO TILT THE CAKE ON ITS SIDE, ONE PERSON RAN OUT THE DOOR, AND THEN THEY QUICKLY LAID THE CAKE HORIZONTALLY SO
THE WHOLE THING WOULDN’T FALL.
AFTER THAT EXPERIENCE, PARTY FAVORS RENOVATED ITS DOORS, MAKING THEM WIDE ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE REALLY BIG BAKING.
FINALLY TONIGHT, BEFORE