BRIGHTON — Caleb and Elyse Moore have filled their new shop in downtown Brighton with an array of colorful freeze-dried candies and fruits, along with products from other local businesses.
McClements Farm was born from the couple's passion for homesteading and preserving foods. After launching their line of sweet treats at local farmers' markets, the Moores opened their brick-and-mortar shop this spring at 411 Mill Pond Lane.
The shop carries a variety of candies, including taffy, gummies, marshmallows and more, which they process in a freeze dryer. The machine transforms the candies, causing them puff out and take on a crunchier texture. They also use fruits, like strawberries, apples and bananas, to make natural sweet treats.
It's the second recent freeze-dried opening in Livingston County, following the launch of G&G's Sweet Treats in Howell's Tanger Outlet Mall.
McClements Farm supports other small businesses by selling their products. There's raw honey from Heffernan's Honey and Beekeeping Supply, jams and pickles from Miss Kim's, peanut butter from Mitten Peanut Butter Co., products from Besties Resin Boutique, and products from watercolor artist Abigail Leigh Designs.
They've already started hosting birthday parties at the store, and are considering adding crafting events for all ages.
"When I got out of the military, one thing I wanted to do was have a homestead," said Caleb, who served in the U.S. Navy's Submarine Force and works as an electrician with IBEW Local Union 58.
"It's the ability to grow your own food, knowing where your food is coming from," he said. "Homesteading is the ability to provide food for the family, which is something we've gotten away from. When we have extra, we take it over to the neighbors, and it's a fun segue to go over and say hi."
More than a decade ago, Elyse started canning, fermenting and dehydrating foods to preserve them for their family of six. In 2017, they moved from Rochester Hills to a seven-acre homestead near Brighton.
"There were some mature fruit trees. The land is fertile. It's by a creek. We have blackberries and wild raspberries that grow on the property. Caleb put in two gardens, and there was already one garden there," she said.
They plan to expand their gardens and plant fruit trees. They already have pear and apple trees.
"We love the taste of freeze-dried fruit. It's addicting," she said. "It almost dissolves in your mouth and it's really good for toddlers. Having kids, it was a lot easier for them to eat freeze dried fruit. You don't have to worry about them choking."
Elyse started freeze drying candies after the concept went viral on social media.
"Over time, we did all this candy," she said. "It helps us finance the other things we're passionate about, like adding onto our homestead, processing more real food, bringing in more products that we believe in. But it's also just a joy on its own, because the kids are so excited to see us."
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On Tuesday, neighboring store owner Andrea Cartier of Jackie's Custard Co. popped by to collect a tray of samples — puffed out rainbow candies — to pass out at the nearby Imagination Station alongside samples of her own frozen custard.
Later, Callen Heffernan dropped by to deliver raw honey.
"It's good to see new faces in downtown Brighton," Heffernan said.
— Contact reporter Jennifer Eberbach at jeberbach@livingstondaily.com.
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