Allison Hickman, a long-time nurse with the Sutter County Office of Education, purchased the Farmhouse Bakery on the outskirts of Yuba City three years ago, continuing the nearly 50-year legacy of the established local business. Located near Highway 99 and Hutchinson Road, surrounded by orchards, the bakery remains a hub for scratch-made pies, cakes, and cookies, while Hickman has also introduced a café atmosphere and lunch options for commuters.
Hickman’s decision to buy the bakery stemmed from a lifetime immersed in Sutter County’s agricultural rhythm. Growing up near Live Oak, she was accustomed to the aromas of baking fruit, whether at her grandparents' farmhouse or in her own family kitchen. Her family harvested rice, prunes, walnuts, almonds, and peaches, many of which would become ingredients in pies, scones, and muffins. This connection to Mid-Valley agriculture and the craft of baking provided comfort.
Before purchasing Farmhouse Bakery, Hickman had spent 30 years as a nurse, primarily working with special education students. As a previous customer of the bakery, she was familiar with its setup when its original owners retired. With support from her husband, Troy, Hickman embarked on this new chapter, tapping into childhood influences, particularly her late father, Fred Nevis. Nevis, a farmer, crop duster, and produce broker, was an adventurous baker who would experiment with recipes based on the season’s abundance, such as prune or peach pies. Her mother, Wanda, was the family’s jam-making expert.
Today, Farmhouse Bakery embodies both parents' sensibilities. The team focuses on creative and consistent desserts, while also making and jarring an assortment of jams from Mid-Valley fruit. Hickman emphasizes that "Everything is small batch, so our hands touch it all." The bakery also supports other local businesses, sourcing honey, barbecue sauce, olive oil, and seasoning locally. All cherries, peaches, nectarines, and apricots used are obtained from growers between Live Oak and Marysville, reflecting Hickman’s own upbringing. The only exception is Olallieberry, which is sourced from Oregon and Washington, as it does not thrive in Sutter-Yuba soil; otherwise, ingredients come from the region’s soil, nourished by the Yuba, Feather, and Sacramento rivers.
The bakery maintains a strong community presence, participating in the Marysville Peach Festival in July, the Yuba City Certified Farmers Market, and downtown events on Plumas Street like the Summer Stroll and Christmas Stroll. During the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, the bakery becomes an epicenter for pie-making, with the team producing around 10,000 pies. Bakery manager, Zoe Stewart, who has worked there for over three years, notes the "family" atmosphere among staff and customers. Hickman views her work at the bakery as an extension of nursing, finding comfort in "feeding peoples’ bellies and souls" and helping celebrate milestones or provide solace during difficult times.
