Pie in the Sky: The Ice Cream. The Produce. The Family.

Have you ever wondered what a foodie's heaven looks like?  I'm about to let you in on a big secret... It looks like this: 

(photo credit: Sadie Potter)

So much goodness lives in this beautiful, repurposed barn!

For locals living in the Oneonta, NY area, Pie in the Sky is synonymous with delicious homemade ice cream, fresh organic produce and some of the most down-to-Earth people you'll ever meet.  Meet Jamie Potter and Janet Powers, owners of Pie in the Sky, a seasonal country store in Otego, NY. 

Janet & Jamie

What is "Pie in the Sky?":
This grand question is asked at least once a week.  After college, the four would-be owners were traveling and working across the United States, leading their own lives, but wanting something different.  They exchanged letters, each expressing what their own "pie in the sky" dream would be if they had their own business.  Deciding to act on wanting to operate a business together, they converged in Oneonta, NY and thus named their business, "Pie in the Sky;" although, the pie in the sky of their dreams is quite different from what manifested into the business!


A brief history:

(photo credit: Sadie Potter)

Pie in the Sky started with four owners in 1981; husband and wife Jamie Potter and Janet Powers, brother D.J. Potter and friend John Carter; as a roadside stand selling fresh produce in West Oneonta, NY.  At this time, despite the area having a grocery store, there were very limited offerings for fresh produce.  As sales picked up very quickly, it became unsafe to stay by the road, so the stand moved to an actual structure closer to town. A few years later, a larger space at Cathedral Farms, also in Oneonta, opened up, so Pie in the Sky moved into the Carriage House.  The owners took turns traveling to huge markets hours away, trucking back large crates of fresh produce to sell to their community.

Staying seven years at Cathedral Farms, the owners found a beautiful barn just a few short miles away in Otego, NY.  A barn which they all worked very hard in transforming into the wonderful store it is today.

After the move, D.J. and John sought other business opportunities.  Buying out their interests, Jamie and Janet have continued the tradition, transforming it into what it is today.  Pie in the Sky has been living at the 3883 State Highway 7, Otego, NY location since 1992.

Morphing into something truly special:

(photo credit: Sadie Potter)

During the '90's, the previous owners of the Polar Bear, a homemade ice cream shoppe in Oneonta, were retiring and looking to sell their ice cream machines.  The Polar Bear was very popular and had great traction in the community, so Jamie and Janet seized the opportunity to expand their business and purchased the machines.  Over time, and with the increase of variety in grocery stores in the area, popularity for produce shifted into popularity for ice cream.  Now, the majority of produce sold comes directly from the gardens on the property, or within the local area. 

Today, the biggest draw to this divine slice of heaven is the homemade ice cream.  Janet manages the store while making gallons of ice cream.  Jamie tends to all of the "behind the scene" details, growing produce, maintaining the property and providing general upkeep.  Son, Jack, and daughter, Sadie, also work; Jack helping his father outside while Sadie helping her mother inside.  John, former part-owner of the original business, also grows produce and works in the store.   Everyone is very hard working and it's commonplace for them to put in 12+ hours of work a day!


The Ice Cream:

What makes the ice cream so amazing?  The machines!  Built in the 1940’s, these machines can hold up to 4 gallons of ice cream base at a time.  Taking almost half an hour to make one flavor, it’s easy to see how quickly one’s day is consumed just in making ice cream!  10-20+ gallons of base mix a day is transformed into 15-30+ gallons of ice cream. 

(photo credit: Sadie Potter)

The process starts in the hopper, where all the pasteurized base is held.  It is slowly streamed down into the main part of the machine, where a freezing unit surrounds the shaft and paddle, which whips the ice cream and turns it from a liquid base into a frozen cream.  The machines' design whips less air into the ice cream than what is purchased commercially, meaning bases with less fat and calories can be used to achieve an end result of delicious, creamy and smooth ice cream, but still providing an end result with a delicious, smooth and creamy consistency.

All ice creams start with a pasteurized vanilla or chocolate base.  From there, Janet adds in her own special ingredients to create the amazing flavors known and loved by the masses, such as Jamocha Almond Fudge, Blueberry Cheesecake and Amaretto Cherry Chip.  Special flavorings are added to the base before being run through the machine.  If a flavor calls for additional special ingredients (such as the almonds and fudge parfait in Jamocha Almond Fudge), Janet creates the ice cream in layers; a layer of goodies, a layer of ice cream, and stacks the ice cream in her tub until it’s full.  As ice cream sells so quickly, as so many flavors are available and as it takes so long to make each flavor, Janet will put out a fresh flavor and will usually make one back up of the same flavor to go into their deep freeze freezer to bring up when the first one sells out.  

(photo credit: Sadie Potter)

Some of the flavors are the same ones the original Polar Bear used to sell, while others are customer-inspired who ask for a certain flavor.  (If you’re ever lucky enough to try Munson’s Mocha Madness, a coffee-chocolate base with chocolate covered coffee beans, you’re welcome :) )  New this past year are their vegan ice creams, free of lactose and dairy.  This magic is created from a non-GMO soy base and has gained huge popularity amongst those who are lactose-intolerant, vegan or just looking to try something different.  Vegan flavors mimic the traditional ones (If you’re looking to try something heavenly, I strongly suggest Chocolate Cherry Almond or Amaretto Cherry Chip!)

Once in the case, there are at least 26 different flavors.  Don’t ever expect to find the same flavor two days in a row; the only staples in the cases are Classic Vanilla, Good ‘ol Vanilla (a French Vanilla) and Chocolate.  Everything else changes as flavors sell out!

How does one go about making a choice?  Well, there are plenty of sample spoons!  Ice cream is served in dishes or cones, by the scoop.  Regular, Sugar, Waffle, Chocolate-Dipped Waffle cone?  A scoop or two, hand-packed pint or quart?  Milkshake, Malt, Ice Cream Soda?  Traditional Sundae, Banana Split, Brownie Sundae?  Want to mix two flavors in your cone, milkshake or sundae?  Sure!  If the flavors are available, anything goes!

The Produce:

(photo credit: Sadie Potter)

And now for that yummy, organic produce!  Jamie plants asparagus, strawberries, potatoes, pumpkins, blackberries, raspberries, basil, beets, kale, swiss chard, beans, winter squash, apples and sunflowers.

John provides the majority of the rest of the produce sold.  Grown in three hoophouses on the property, John grows; lettuce, zucchini, eggplant, beans, squash, peas, garlic, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, onions.

Remaining produce featured, during its season from local farmers, includes corn, blueberries, pumpkins and varieties of squash.  Jamie trucks to a grower in Central Pennsylvania and brings back beautiful freestone Pennsylvania peaches during the summer, and in the fall trucks to Kinderhook, NY for apples and UV flash-pasterized apple cider.

The Rest of the Store:

(photo credit: Sadie Potter)

Tables with checker and chess boards painted on, with baskets of playing pieces.  A quirky collection of knick knacks and consignment items.  Homemade jams and jellies.  VHS tapes for sale and country-inspired art. Various hard-to-find vegan grocery items too!  Homemade cookies from a local bakery, and fresh fruit pies on the weekends. Veggie Chili on the weekends, with various soups and fresh sandwiches during the summer months.  The barn holds many happy, laughing people, varying from local clubs, to friends meeting for a treat and catch up, to sports teams celebrating a victory and so many others.

Did I mention this is a seasonal country store?!  Pie in the Sky opens in mid-April and closes in mid-late December.  While selling produce when it is in season, between Thanksgiving and Christmas they sell a bountiful, beautiful selection of fresh-cut Christmas trees and cheerful wreaths and swags, designed by Janet.  During their off season, they rest, travel to see family and in early spring, produce their own maple syrup.

The Family:

You now know about the food, the how and the why.  But what about the people behind Pie in the Sky?  I’m ecstatic to introduce you to my delightful, loving, vegan adoptive family:

From left to right; Top row: Jamie, Janet; Middle row: D.J., me, Jack; Bottom row: Jordan, Sadie

(photo credit: Sadie Potter)

Meet Janet - store manager.  Educational background in teaching, Mom to employees, therapist to customers, angel of the Earth!  Loves playing clarinet, coffee, American Idol!, juicing, all things veganism and making things look lovely.  

Meet Jamie - property manager.  Educational background in teaching, do-it-all handyman and ability to fix everything, innovator and quirky sense of humor.  Enjoys movies, innovative gardening, writing and traveling with best friend Marvis Frasier to promote their book.

Meet Jack -  helps Jamie with all his property maintenance work.  Straight-edge vegan, exercise enthusiast, animal advocate and will be leaving in June of 2014 to join Sea Shepherd again in their fight to protect sea life in Australia and Antarctica.

Meet Sadie - helps Janet with everything inside the store.  Fashionista, American Idol! fan, proud puppy mam, loves dancing and singing, shopping and creating smoothies, spending time with her cousin Jordan and friends, while laughing and Snapchatting their journey together.

The Extended Family:

John!

Meet John - farmer by day, ice cream sundae guru by night.  Educational background in art, movie buff, science fiction fan, chef extraordinaire.

Meet Jordan - niece and cousin to the family.  Enjoys spending time with her close loves, fashionista, animal lover, fondness of coffee.

Pie-ettes!
Left to right, Emily, Sarah, Jordan, me

Seasonal help also varies year to year; we are known as the Pie-ettes!

And then there's me!  Adoptive daughter and sister to the family. 
I bring love, laughter and occasionally a homemade dinner dish to my amazing family (and if you're really intrigued in knowing more about me, my profile is at the top!)