Lunch today was held at the Lion’s Den!! Our favorite Dillon restaurant 
This morning’s sessions were filled with info on creating an awesome workplace for employees, marketing and design, and customer service. The beauty of the Great Harvest model is that while it’s a “freedom franchise” with TONS of information, each owner can do whatever they want with it. We can run our bakery as a local business. But at the same time, we have loads of information and support at our fingertips (website design, newsletters, posters, etc).
I had a big cup of coffee upon arriving after our –10 degree mile walk to the HQ!
There are ample snacks set out for us to nibble on –
I like combing the M&Ms in the trail mix with the pretzels!
Mid morning we had a coffee break to try out the Peet’s Lattes some locations have (we will just be having drip coffee since our bakery will be next to a full-service coffee shop)
Foam!!
At noon we piled into cars and drove over to the Lion’s Den for lunch
More Dillon charm ; )
Remember these placemats from last year!?
Here’s our group! Half GH staff, half owners.
I ordered a bowl of the Split Pea Soup with Ham, which was amazing!!! A wee bit salty, but really good. It was a big bowl so I shard with Matt
With a fluffy roll and saltines, which I munched.
I also ordered the Shrimp Salad, which was much bigger than expected! It was yummy and plentiful! Shared it with Matt too.
We had exactly enough time to walk home from lunch (about a mile). As you know, I love a brisk walk! It was MUCH warmer than it was at 7:30AM.
Tonight we have a potluck dinner with all of the GH staff – so fun to be part of this group of amazing people!
{ 58 comments… read them below or add one }
I love how you can make your store like a local shop. What great freedom!
what a great group of people you have there at great harvest! sounds like you didn’t just find a new job, but a new “family!” love it — it makes all the difference. can’t wait to see the spread from the potluck!
GH sounds like such an amazing group. I know you and Matt will be creative, inspiring bakery owners! I can’t wait to read more about what you’ve been learning. Stay warm!
Split pea and ham is my favorite soup! Yum! Looks like you’re having fun.
Ohh – love split pea! and that salad looks great. Love M&Ms and pretzels, too – now I just need to get my hands on a bag of the new pretzel M&Ms
Pretzels and chocolate is such a good combo! And peanuts and chocolate. I’m no stranger to animal heads and hunting decor down here in Texas. Excited to see pics from the potluck dinner. Enjoy your afternoon!
Any combo of pretzels + m&ms is a definite win!
That looks like a fun group to be a part of! I’m sure they have great philosophies behind their company. Good choice
Your adventure continues to look amazing!
You inspired me to check out my local Great Harvest (In Greensboro). I bought a loaf of Dakota bread. O’m'gosh, that bread is heavenly. And hearty. And perfect spread with homemade cranberry chutney. I’m in love (and probably going to eat it for dinner)!
I like the way they do business! It sounds like a great mix of corporate resources and person ownership!
I wish we had a GH bakery around here, I miss their Apple Scrapple bread..mmmm. I love that your bakery is next to a coffee house, I can see getting a coffee and walking over for a muffin!
You and Matt seem to fit in perfectly with that group. It’s like it was meant to be.
Love the soup + salad combo, those would be my choices as well.
The greater Hudson Valley/Catskills, NY can use a Great Harvest — spread the word!
So jealous of the fun you are having and the adventure of owning a store you and Matt are about to experience!
The more I learn about GH the more I love them! You guys have entered into a wonderful opportunity for sure!
Goodness gracious, it looks cold!
You guys are making me want to be a GH owner now
That’s a great way to do business! I think more large companies should follow suit.
Mmm split pea soup is SO cozy, in fact, that restaurant just looks s o cozy!
Your tales and photos of walking around Dillon in the frigid temps have motivated me to get out and take much needed walking breaks for the past two days. Thanks
That salad looks so good!
Also, when I just logged into my google reader, I had 126 postings to read and yours was the top one! Made me think of you and your love for the number 26!
That looks like such a cute town! What a fun place to train.
What great memories you two are making it looks like this is FUN…not just “work” training. How awesome!
love M & M’s in just about anything, including trail mix
Split pea soup is SO good in cold weather! And M&M’s are definitely the best part about ANY trail mix!
Gosh, GH sounds like such a great company! I only wish you guys had picked Asheville for your location!
Hey- it looks like are having a great time! You can already tell that this is a good place to work just by the food they provide. A place that provides healthy foods cares about the well-being of its employees, inside and out.
Those placemats are too funny!
So nice that Great Harvest allows you wide latitude in your style of operating the business. That should lead to greater satisfaction for you as a business owner… as well as for your employees and customers.
Sounds like such a great time, glad you have new friends and good times to keep you warm! The snack table looks like it should be part of “Kath’s oatmeal buffet line!”
i have been CRAVING bread like a crazy person since you guys got to Montana…i think it’s a sign i need to hit up our amazing local great harvest!
I am loving reading along as you guys venture into your own business. It seems that this will be well suited for you both. I love to see something from start to finish so this journey that you are on is deeply satifying to me! Those placemats are amazing. Seriously amazing.
Is that town as cute as it looks? I want to go!
So glad it sounds like you’re having a good time!
lunch looks great – so wonderful to see you being embraced by the GH family
What a yummy lunch! Sounds like you are having a great time with all of the GH staff!
Looks so much fun!
Wow…you ate a whole TWO M&M’s and ONE pretzel!! Take it easy there!
A symbol for the snacks. One = many.
great harvest sounds like an amazing company to get involved with. i’m glad your trip is going so well so far. and as a wisconsin girl, i’ve got to say, those are some snazzy placemats!
What a great opportunity you’re in the midst of! GH sounds fabulous.
how fun! I love the community sense
You look gorgeous today! That shrimp salad can’t even compete with you
Those roads look scary to walk on!
The restaurant you went to looks so cute! I love foam on top of my lattes… like a LOT of foam
Glad it warmed up a little compared to early morning 
The shrimp salad looks amazing! How fun, it sounds like you’re joining a great group of people!
You are obviously in the land of comfort food!
Great Harvest sounds like an amazing franchise to be a part of! So nice that all the people are awesome too! That is a great thing!
Have fun tonight at the potluck! Cant wait to see what you guys eat!
You look absolutely gorgeous today – well, you do every day. But that blue color in your shirt is so nice on you!
PS – is it really that cold or are you playing it up?
Thank you! And it really WAS -10 when we left this AM!
These past few days with GH have aldready been so amazing- so many friendly people, good food, and great times!
You looked especially gorgeous today – those pictures of you are fantastic!
Such fun you are having.
Random question: have you ever made a smoothie the night before and then left it in the fridge ? nay or yay? and have you ever made a smoothie with water and coconut milk? (that’s the only beverage I have…and it is full-fat , canned stuff…so…
I have made one the night before and it just needed stirring the next morning. I haven’t ever used coocnut milk, but I bet it would be great
The town looks so cute. Looks like a lot of fun and your getting a lot from it.
sweet snack table! i’d be done for with those m&ms – YUM!
I love that you are sharing this journey with us, and that you and Matt are in this together.
Fantastic!
It is so great to read about someone so happy with all of their choices!
That split pea soup looking so delicious!
I’ve seen tons of split pea soup recipes lately and have been wanting to make some.
The color of that soup may just be my inspiration
Jessica
Split pea soup is delicious, it’s my Dad’s favorite and I recently found out why! Can you believe I had never had it until two weeks ago?!
I love split pea soup! In high school I went to Quebec with my French class and one of the evenings we spent at the Sugar Shack out in the middle of nowhere. All I can remember is homemade split pea soup and maple syrup in the snow with popsicle sticks. What a great trip.
Cool place mats! I love hearing about your Montana adventures!