Farmer and the Dail: Baking goodness down in Greene County
Stacy and Zach Bailes, owners of Farmer and the Dail, a Southern bakery in Snow Hill specialize in biscuit bombs, apple jacks, customized sugar cookies and desserts. Stacy, co-owner of Farmer and the Dail bakery in Snow Hill, prepares iced sugar cookies for sale. Laura Ashley Lamm/Neuse News
A stick of butter, a pound of sugar, a bag of chocolate morsels, a smattering of sprinkles, and a recipe for deliciousness has customers lined up around the building to make their way to the counter of Snow Hill’s famed bakery.
The Farmer and the Dail, nestled between acres of farmland near Greene County Middle School, is home to breakfast treats of chicken minis and biscuits bombs and decadent desserts of chocolate cheesecake squares and snickerdoodles, to name a few.
Owners Stacy and Zach Bailes pour kindness and love into each and every batch that comes out of the kitchen as they welcome locals and visitors alike into their slice of home.
“We are a Southern bakery in Snow Hill that specializes in homemade biscuits known as biscuit bombs. We make homemade apple, peach and blueberry jacks; basically, anything your grandma made we probably make too, with lots of love and lots of sugar,” said Stacy.
“Part of why we started this business is because we really love Eastern North Carolina, and we want to help grow something that would make people feel like family, and that would draw people down to the East,” added Zach.
Customers travel from all over North Carolina as well as its neighboring states, but it’s the locals who keep the place going.
“Folks come in that are interested in exploring food, folks pass by and hear about us, and even last weekend we had someone from Charlotte come in who left at 4:30 a.m. to get here when we opened,” said Zach. “The rural aspect draws people in. They love the fact they can come out to a rural area and try local food.”
“Your locals are the ones who keep you going and support you day in and day out, and those local counties and surrounding areas are really who keep us going,” added Zach.
Visitors can enjoy sitting on the porch outside, swaying in the rocking chairs while enjoying the sunshine and homemade treats. Farmer and the Dail is a warm and welcoming atmosphere where one can make new friends each visit.
“You can come here, sit and enjoy time with your family while eating local food,” said Stacy.
“We know that Eastern North Carolina is a place that’s worth visiting for a number of reasons… it’s wonderful to be a part of the growth in this area of the State and to be a part of the Eastern North Carolina family,” said Zach.
“And, we just like to feed people sugar,” added Stacy.
Stacy’s a Greene County native and Zach calls North Carolina home after growing up in Kentucky. Stacy’s maiden name is “Dail,” her father’s a farmer, and she grew up on a farm, hence the name, “Farmer and the Dail.”
“It’s been fun. People love to come in and sing the song,” joked Stacy.
The duo has always loved to bake, and Stacy had a reputation for stellar decorated sugar cookies, and in October 2015, she hosted her first cookie decorating class. Farmer and the Dail didn’t exist just yet, but one class turned into six classes that year, which led to biscuit bombs and other sweets. They hosted a pop-up shop the following year, and fast forward to 2017, Farmer and the Dail opened for breakfast.
Now, you can find them open five days a week: Tuesday – Friday from 6:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. – Noon.
Social media and word-of-mouth have been quite popular in spreading the goodness found inside the bakery. Menus, specials and cookie class registrations are regularly posted on the bakery’s Facebook and Instagram channels.
“We’ve shared who we are as people on social media so our followers see us as human and not just a business,” said Stacy. “It has been a way for people to connect with us, and we are always thankful they are here and come visit us each day.”
In a given week, the bakery will go through 350 lbs. of butter, 50 lbs. of sugar, 500 lbs. of flour, 150 lbs. of bacon, 50 lbs. of apples, 40 lbs. of peaches and 30 lbs. of blueberries.
Ingredients are locally sourced from other business owners and farmers in the Eastern region.
“When people come to Farmer and the Dail, they are helping build not just a business, which is great, but a community as well,” said Zach. “We want to do our part to help build and support Greene County and the surrounding areas for the next generation.”
“I always say, ‘people show love by food.’ By having families come out here and have a homemade biscuit or applejacks, and just sit together and laugh, it is just a very humbling experience that we are proud to be a part of,” added Stacy.
