• Date of Visit: July 25, 2021
• Weather: Sunny, humid, with temps in the 80’s and 90’s
• Music: True Crime Obsessed podcast

This past Sunday, hot and humid that it was, I decided to take a solo trip to Carroll County and stop in at the town of Westminster for my breakfast. As a lot of my outings the last few weekends have been achieved by way of the back-roads, I decided to take the highway to Westminster (though you can get to Westminster from my area by back-roads, it’s just way more round-about), and went down 83 South to 695 West, to 795 North, to MD-140 West and onto MD-27 South to get to the Main Street area of Westminster itself. From points south, you can reach Westminster by going North on 97.

Westminster was founded by William Winchester in 1764 after he moved to the area, purchasing some 167 acres called “White’s Level” by its previous owner, John White. William Winchester named the community after himself, Winchester’s Town, but it was changed in 1768 to Westminster because “the mail was too often mistakenly delivered in nearby Winchester, in Frederick County, Virginia”. [1] The town was incorporated in 1818 and was originally on the boundary between Baltimore County to the East and Frederick County to the West before the formation of Carroll County in 1837, which is the county the town is in today. [2]

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I arrived in town a little before 10 AM, making use of a parking lot on Railroad Avenue that boasted free parking on the weekends (metered during the week). I initially planned to go to the tCUP Café for breakfast, but the shop was closed, and I couldn’t discern the reason for it aside from a hastily scribbled note on the front window (I checked social media and didn’t find anything). I was slightly disappointed, but I decided to try my luck further up Main Street, and found myself near the historic district at the Rare Opportunity Bakehouse. The shop is in what looks like a home from the Victorian era, and indeed was most likely a residence in the 1800’s. There is a small porch with three tables for outdoor seating, along with a bench at street level to the right of the stone steps leading inside.

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There were a lot of options on the menu to choose from, not to mention all the baked goods on display: scones, brookies, cake slices, cookies, black bottom cupcakes. I wanted to try everything (and indeed, I did come back for an almond scone after my breakfast), but I settled on a sausage, egg and Muenster cheese sandwich, an iced vanilla coffee, and the lone black bottom cupcake to eat out in the early morning sunshine (it wasn’t too sticky yet). The food was incredible, and so was the coffee, and I am looking forward to trying the options on their lunch menu, and maybe a cold drink the next time I come in.

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In addition to baked goods and things from the kitchen, they also sell bags of Zeke’s coffee, bagged tea, jams and jellies, and local honey, among other sundries. They have stalls at farmer’s markets around the area, including on Saturdays at the Westminster Farmer’s Market (May 16- Nov 21, Saturdays, 8 AM-12 PM), and if you can’t make it into the shop, I highly encourage you to find them at the farmer’s market to get your fix.

After breakfast, I took a leisurely stroll up Main Street, iced coffee in hand, drinking in the old buildings. I have a deep love of history (I have 2 degrees on the subject), and I can’t get enough of old buildings. If I see a historical marker on the side of the road, or even one on the street, I will stop and look at it if I can. I passed by the Carroll County Historical Society, and spotted a historical marker detailing when Confederate troops passed through Westminster during the Civil War in June of 1863. This website offers a map of a self-guided tour you can take through Westminster, and important stops along the way: http://carrollcountytourism.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Corbits-Charge-Tour.pdf

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The weather started to get a little muggy, so I left Main Street, and went back onto MD-140, with my destination being Baugher’s (pronounced “boggers”) Orchard. Previously, I had only been to Larriland Farm in Woodbine for pick your own fruit (a separate entry will be coming on Larriland in the next few months). Baugher’s was a little different in that you bought tickets to get into the fields, and an open-air bus/wagon/tractor took you out there with others to get your fruit or vegetables. When I went, they were advertising  pick your own nectarines, and those did sound nice, but it was even hotter and more humid by the time I got there, and there were a lot of people, so I just opted to look at the orchard market and bought myself a few things: a large container of applesauce for only $3.99, some maple walnut fudge, a small basket of peaches, sugar-free maple praline syrup, and two coasters with the Maryland flag on them. They had many more products I am eager to get on my next visit: popcorn, raspberries, English walnuts, honey, beauty products, pies, homemade ice cream, jams and jellies. There are truly too many items to list here, and I don’t want to spoil the surprise for you when you make your way out there (you’ll go out there, right?). Baugher’s also has a restaurant with an adjacent fruit market, which I will also have to check out the next time I return. There’s always more to explore! Until next time, enjoy the journey!

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Rare Opportunity Bakehouse- 172 East Main Street, Westminster, MD 21157
Hours: Wednesday-Saturday: 7 AM-3 PM, Sunday: 7 AM-2 PM
Website: http://www.rareopportunityfarm.com/

Baugher’s Orchards and Farm- 1015 Baugher Road, Westminster, MD 21157
Hours: Monday-Sunday: 9 AM-6 PM (May-June: 7 days a week, July-August: Friday-Sunday, September-October: Saturdays and Sundays)
Website: https://baughers.com/index.php
**Always call ahead before coming for the pick your own: 410-857-0111**

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[1] “History of Westminster”, http://www.westminstermd.gov/264/History-of-Westminster.

[2] Ibid.