The Cottage Law Brings Us Back to the Basics

The term "cottage" originally referred to the family cottage (home) familiar to most rural communities; and described as a source of pleasure, family bonding, and individual rest and relaxation. When we refer to the "Cottage law" we are addressing legal tools employed by a state government to establish a legal arrangement for low risk food production prepared at a home residence.

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A "Cottage Food Production Operation" involves a person using their own kitchen facility to produce food items that are not potentially hazardous, including bakery products, jams, jellies, candy, dry mixes, spices and some sauces.

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"Cottage laws" are different for every state so home-based bakers and food processors should check with their individual state regulatory agency to learn about specific rules, regulations and labeling requirements. It should be noted that there are states that have no "cottage law" at all and simply do not allow home food processors to produce food products from home; a licensed commercial kitchen must be use.

A "Cottage Food Production Operation" may or may not be exempt from inspection and licensing. For example in the State of North Carolina a Compliance Officer from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will come to the food processors home and inspect it, that is not always the case, however many food products, including those produced and packaged by a "Cottage Food Production Operation", may be subject to food sampling conducted by the regulatory agency involved to determine if a food product is misbranded or contaminated.

There are currently 13 states (Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and Utah) that allow home-based baking and food processing and it is imperative that potential home food processors contact the regulatory agency in their state if they plan to prepare foods for public consumption.

Not all areas of a state allow home food processing. The is a gray area involving individual cities, counties and towns with regard to "cottage laws" which may disallow home-based baking and food processing, thereby requiring the food processors to only prepare food from a licensed commercial kitchen.

The laws are not consistent, and it is the responsibility of the individual food processor to learn what laws and regulations are applicable to their residence. Food processors are allowed to sell their products at Farmer's Markets, to the general public and in some cases wholesale depending on the regulatory agency rules for sales and distribution. There is really no way of knowing how many home-based bakers and small food processors there are across America, however one thing is for certain and that is, today the consumer's desire for homemade, back to the basics type foods with no preservatives or additives, along with local organic produce, opens the door for all food entrepreneurs ready and willing to become essential commodities in their community.

The Cottage Law Brings Us Back to the Basics

Detra Denay Davis, owner of Cooking with Denay, operates an online learning center for home based bakers and home food processors. She also teaches the wildly popular class How to Operate a Home-Based Bakery: Profits from My Kitchen for the Wake County Public School System Lifelong Learning Program. Formerly a caterer from Michigan, Denay was featured in Bon Appétit magazine and is an active member of the International Culinary Professionals Association (ICPA), Slow Food (Triangle Chapter), and Southern Foodways Alliance, an organization dedicated to keeping the diverse food cultures of the American South alive. When Denay is not teaching she is the founder of the Culinary Historians of North Carolina. Visit Denay at http://cookingwithdenay.com to learn more.

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Learning The Basics of Bathtub Refinishing

Bathing is a very pleasurable experience that relaxes the whole body giving a person a chance to rest and cleanse him or herself at the same time. Slipping into a hot bath (bubbles optional) for a period of time allows one to just close their eyes, relax, and just have a quiet time by himself or herself (bathing partner optional again). However, the way your bathtub looks can add to the enjoyment and fun in your bathing experience.

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Giving your bath tub a different look doesn't mean that you should buy a brand new one. Buying a new one can be very expensive. So, with a little imagination and by following these simple steps, you can refinish your bathtub, give it that brand new look and have a more pleasurable experience bathing in your new bathtub.

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When refinishing your bath-tub, you may want to consider your safety first before any other thing. Firstly, you need to make sure that your work area is well ventilated because refinishing your bathtub will involve the use of several kinds of chemicals. Make a checklist of safety materials you need before you go on and start refinishing your bathtub.

Protect yourself from chemicals that can be harmful to you by wearing safety goggles and gloves and also protect yourself from fumes by using a ventilator. Once you have all the necessary safety equipments, get all your supplies and start refinishing your bathtub.

The first thing you have to do in refinishing your bathtub once you have all safety equipments on is giving your bathtub a cursory cleaning and removing of any loose caulking or gaskets.

You can buy bath tub refinishing kits in your local hardware store which will usually include several chemicals. You will notice that at least one or two of the chemicals are cleaning solutions that will relatively prepare your bathtub for refinishing. These chemicals will remove soaps and oils from the surface of the bathtub. It will also require you to scrub your bathtub with sandpaper, usually with a 220 or 240 grit. The next step is to rinse away any residue caused by sandpaper scrubbing.

Once you have cleaned the bath, the next step is to apply the primer. However, before you apply the primer, you should first mask the areas you don't want to refinish. You can do this with a masking tape and paper. Make sure you cover the areas you don't want to refinish.

Applying the base coat for your bath tub is the next step for refinishing your bathtub. Always remember to wear safety gears, like a respirator, a pair of gloves and goggles to ensure no harm comes to your body. After you applied the base coat, let it thoroughly dry first before applying the topcoat.

The top coat is the color you want your bathtub to have. It can be anything you want. When mixing the top coat for your bathtub, follow the manufacturer's instruction for maximum quality. Apply the paint or the top coat with a spray gun in a smooth and even motion. It will take about 48 to 72 hours to cure, depending on the weather.

Refinishing your bath-tub can be one of the best and cost-effective ways to give your bathroom a new look. Besides, if you can do it yourself, why hire someone else to do the job for you?

These are the basic process on how to refinish your bathtub by yourself. Always remember that your main priority when doing this kind of project is your safety. So, don't forget to wear safety gears when you refinish.

Giving your bathtub a different look doesn't mean that you should buy a brand new one. You know that buying a new one can be very expensive. So, with a little imagination and by following these simple steps, you can refinish your bathtub, give it that brand new look and have a more pleasurable experience bathing in your new bathtub.

When refinishing your bath, you may want to consider your safety first before any other thing. Firstly, you need to make sure that your work area is well ventilated because refinishing your bathtub will involve the use of several kinds of chemicals. Make a checklist of safety materials you need before you go on and start refinishing your bathtub.

Protect yourself from chemicals that can be harmful to you by wearing safety goggles and gloves and also protect yourself from fumes by using a ventilator. Once you have all the necessary safety equipments, get all your supplies and start refinishing your bathtub.

The first thing you have to do in refinishing your bathtub once you have all safety equipments on is giving your bathtub a cursory cleaning and removing of any loose caulking or gaskets.

You can buy refinishing kits in your local hardware store which will usually include several chemicals. You will notice that at least one or two of the chemicals are cleaning solutions that will relatively prepare your bathtub for refinishing. These chemicals will remove soaps and oils from the surface of the bathtub. It will also require you to scrub your bathtub with sandpaper, usually 220 or 240 grit. The next step is to rinse away any residue caused by sandpaper scrubbing.

Once you have cleaned the tub, the next step is to apply the primer. However, before you apply the primer, you should first mask the areas you don't want to refinish. You can do this with a masking tape and paper. Make sure you cover the areas you don't want to refinish thoroughly.

Applying the base coat for your tub is the next step for refinishing your bathtub. Always remember to wear safety gears, like a respirator, a pair of gloves and goggles to ensure no harm comes to your body. After you applied the base coat, let it thoroughly dry first before applying the top coat.

The top coat is the color you want your bathtub to have. It can be anything you want. When mixing the top coat for your bathtub, follow the manufacturer's instruction for maximum quality. Apply the paint or the top coat with a spray gun in a smooth and even motion. It will take about 48 to 72 hours to cure, depending on the weather.

Refinishing your bath-tub can be one of the best and cost-effective ways to give your bathroom a new look. Besides, if you can do it yourself, why hire someone else to do the job for you?

These are the basic process on how to refinish your tub by yourself. Always remember that your main priority when doing this kind of project is your safety. So, don't forget to wear safety gears when you refinish.

Learning The Basics of Bathtub Refinishing

Claire Bowes is a successful freelance writer and owner of Bathtub Refinishing and Designs where you will find further tips to spruce up your bathtub.

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