The Families of Bailey's Local Foods

Rachael and Maryrose - Owners

Bailey's Local Foods is run by Rachael Ward and Maryrose Ivanco. Both started as Buying Club Members and believed in local food, supporting local suppliers of great food, and the importance of making sure Bailey's Local Foods continued. Rachael is a mother of two with strong organizational skills used to help the buying club grow and run smoothly. Maryrose, mother of one and crafter extraordinairre, has a business background and love of local food. We both love the bounty of Waterloo Region and Ontario. We are trying to bring amazing food to the people of Waterloo Region and put our families first. Not a simple task! Andrew Ward is the guru who designed the on-line ordering form. Being able to place on-line orders efficiently is what gives members the beauty of so much choice. We are blessed that Wendell is still involved in the regular running of Bailey's Local Foods.

Nina - Founder

Bailey's Local Foods started as a daughter-father business with the daughter (Nina) organizing the business and the father (Wendell Bailey) acting as right-hand man. Nina grew up farming with her dad. In high school, they would do chores together most mornings before the sun rose.

Nina stepped away from the work involved in running Bailey's Local Foods and sold her share in November 2010. She is enjoying new freedom and feels like her adult child has just gotten married. Part of what Nina and Wendell love about Bailey's Local Foods is the chance to get to know farmers and neighbours and bakers and cheese makers and other local food lovers. Everyone has an interesting story.

Wendell - Our Right Hand Man!

Nina's mom and dad moved to Waterloo a few years ago and live in an addition to her house.

Wendell (Opa) and Nina picking Saskatoon berries with the kids at a U-Pick farm near Simcoe

Wendell Bailey is married to Bonnie and retired from 23 years of teaching in a one-room Amish school and is now resting from too many years of farming to count. He grew up a farm boy in Indiana and then ventured out to join the civil rights movement and to teach English in Poland. At 29 years of age he settled down near his ancestral farmland and raised his family. He has three daughters.

Now Wendell has eight grandchildren. He is the world's best Opa. He is also the bread baking machine at the Coop House churning out five loaves at once. Wendell is also a weather junkie. If you are wondering what the forecast is, he usually knows.