Old North Farm holds pie contest

On a sultry Sunday afternoon, a crowd of people gathered under tents at Old North Farm and waited as the judges deliberated inside. Every few moments, a new pie, freshly judged, would be carried out to the community table where everyone could sample a slice. There was cherry, chocolate, pecan, key lime and all manner of flavors and styles of pie during the inaugural contest and hotdog party.

The farm held the contest in combination with its third anniversary celebration.

Keia Mastrianni, who together with her partner Jamie Swofford, started Old North Farm on the outskirts of Polkville three years ago, decided to expand on their love for pie and community and hold a friendly, fun, local competition with the winners taking home spatula trophies and bragging rights.

“We’re trying to make it an annual thing,” she said.

Mastrianni, baker and owner of Milk Glass Pie, sells her baked goods at local farmers’ markets, including Foothills Farmers’ Market. The farm produces fruits and seasonal vegetables.

She said the idea for the competition arose naturally out of her love for pie and the experience of participating in a local, rural competition herself. She said both she and Swofford have a background in food, he as a chef-turned-farmer, and her as a food writer and baker.

The importance of creating community and bringing people together on the farm also played a pivotal role in the creation of the competition.

Mastrianni said they wanted Old North Farm to be a place where people could come together, share their talents and cultivate relationships.

Local contestants made a wide range of pies, and had fun in the process.

Karen Buckwalter, of Shelby, said she and her husband Kirk, teamed up to make a triple berry pie for the contest.

“I love to bake,’” she said. “I grew up in Pennsylvania, and we were more of a cake family. When we moved to the Midwest, everything was pies.”

She said she made it her mission to perfect the pie.

Buckwalter said she foraged some of the berries in the strawberry, raspberry and blackberry pie.

There were three categories in the competition: custard, fruit and baker’s choice.

People gathered under tents, chatting, enjoying hotdogs and waiting as the judges taste-tested each pie. The baked goods were then brought out to a community table where everyone could enjoy a slice.

Mastrianni said there were around 22 pies entered into the competition.

Judges were Nancie McDermott, food writer, cooking teacher and cookbook author; Joe Trull, former pastry chef for Emeril Lagasse and owner of Grits & Groceries in South Carolina; and Ashley English, homesteader and author of 11 books.

The winner of the golden whisk winner award was Bianca Bryant with a PB+ J S’mores pie, the fruit pie winner was Courtney Williams with a cherry and cardamom creation and the custard pie winner was Daniel Brock with a Key lime pie.

Mastrianni said the competition will be an annual event, and they plan to do it again next year.

Reach reporter Rebecca Sitzes at rsitzes@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Shelby Star: Old North Farm holds pie contest