hi all!

i'm relatively new to cc.... lovin' every minute of it! what great advice and info i've found here! this site is REALLY addictive! i was wondering if anyone was from ohio? i'm curious about the whole getting licensed bit. don't know if i should get licensed, it's only $10 per year, or if i should just "fly under the radar". i'd really like to make wedding cakes and just increase my customer base overall, but i'm kinda freaked to even hand out business cards with out a license for fear that the cake police will find me! yikes! any advice?

thanks! ~erica

I'm in Ohio and checked on the sec of state site.

From what I can gather on that site and the Dept of Agriculture, it looks like we could be considered a "cottage industry". All that would be required is labeling (though that's a pain, too). At least that would mean you are "legal" without needing to have your kitchen inspected or being licensed, etc.

I posted this previously and others agreed with my interpretation.

Hi-
I'm in southern OH. Not licensed yet either, but pondering it. I have 2 indoor pets and I think that's a no-no when it comes to licensing. I'm a newbie. just started in April and am loving every minute of it! I'd love to perhaps have a business someday.

Ohio here too. Just north of Columbus. I follow the "Cottage" guidelines here, and no problems.

i think that all of us Ohio people should get together and have a good time ...cake club any one? and then share all this info/questions....

GO BUCKS!!!
-Diana

I'm here in Ohio too, also "cottage food producer".

I agree that the labeling is a pain. It took me a while to figure out how to label a wedding cake. Who wants a label to where it can be seen on their wedding cake?, but I think that I have the problem solved now. With each wedding cake I give the bride a printed copy of the wedding cake cutting guide and have my label on it. That way they know how to get the right servings and I am meeting the criteria to be a home baker legally.

Where is everyone located? I am in the Portsmouth/Scioto County area.

I agree with the above posts. Mostly thought just wanted to join my fellow Buckeyes! I live right across the street from Columbus, litereally. My address is Dublin but across the street is Columbus City limits. Hehe. I would love the idea of a cake club!!!

and DianaGreen, I am also Diana, so sorry for any confusion that may arise! It's a good name, eh?

DianaMarieMTV

Fishercakes - great idea about handing the instructions with the label on it. I read up a bit on the "cottage food industry" but wasn't clear on how detailed the labeling had to be.

I am a Clevelander.
Sara

Here's a link that is helpful regarding cottage industry info:http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/pubs/divs/food/curr/cottage/food-cottageindex.stm

Hi

I am in a suburb of the Cleveland area as well. I am also trying to figure out the labeling issue, it is indeed a pain.

Glad to know there are some fellow bakers in the area.

so just how does one label a cake? do you have to list all the inrgedients that go into it? hopefully you don't have to list all the nutritional stuff - that would be a huge pain. i wouldn't know the first thing about figuring all that info out!
i'll have to read up on the "cottage rules" and see if i understand them. we have a small pet too.... a guinea pig. he stays in a cage and has never seen the kitchen. i wouldn't think he'd be a problem. a cake club could be fun! i'm in stark county.

I am in Pataskala which is a suburb of Columbus. I do the cottage business thingy too.

hi again.... just read about labeling cakes. it all sounds simple except for that weight part. do you just stick a cake on a scale to see how much it weighs?

Hi there! I am from Cincinnati. I am just starting out so I haven't sold any cakes yet, but when I do I will follow the "cottage" guidelines. I am also contemplating getting insurance "just in case" anyone decides to sue...but I am going to look into it further before I decide to sell my cakes.

I am from Mentor, OH! I don't actually sell a lot of cakes (yet!) but will also have to look into the cottacge guidelines for the future, thanks for the link!
Tracy

Prospect, Ohio here. Hello fellow Buckeyes!
I do cakes for a hobby, but I may have to look into the "cottage" thing and maybe make some extra $$.

Happy Decorating!
Beth

I'm from the Toledo, Ohio area. Is there anyone else around me? I am licenced through the Dept. Ag. as a cottege bakery.

I just wanted to clerify with you the "labaling thing". According to my inspector, you only have to lable the cake, cookie etc if someone else is selling it for you. If your there and handing it to them you do not have to label it. Because, if they have any questions as to what's in it they can ask you. Hope that helps!

Sorry, CinWoo I may sound dense but according to the websight you do not need to be licensed if you are a Cottage Food producer, did you need to or choose to be licensed? Did you have an inspection? Wht did they look for? I pasted the portion that states this off the Ohio Ag. Websight. I would appreciate any clarification you can give, thanks!

Tracy

Does A Cottage Food Production Operation Need to Acquire a License to Process and Package Food Products?

No: A Cottage Food Production Operation is exempt from inspection and licensing by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. However, all food products, including those produced and packaged by a Cottage Food Production Operation, are subject to food sampling conducted by the Ohio Department of Agriculture to determine if a food product is misbranded or adulterated.

Tracy, you are correct, you do not need to be licenced to be a cottage bakery in Ohio. I chose to get licenced because I also do cheesecake. But you also have to consider the county and city you live in. I'm acutally not in Toledo, but in a suburb of Toledo in Wood county. The small city I'm in also does not mind if I run my business from home. I can't put up a sign. If I were actully in Toledo, there would be no way I could bake and sell cake from my home. The Toledo health dept. would not alow it. So it does entail more that just the state you live in.

Yes, the Dept. of Ag did come out and do an inpection. It costs me $10 a year to keep my licence. I believe I am the only one in my area who did take the extra step to get licenced. And I have not regretted it. I do however pay taxes on my income.

Any other questions, please ask.

Cindy

This thread has been very helpful Thank You!! For now decorating is just a hobby but hopefully sometime in the future I can take the next step. I also wanted to say Hi to all my Ohio neighbors I am from Gahanna Ohio (suburb of Columbus) Cake club sounds great My husband just dosen't understand my addiction.

Thanks for clarifying (sp??) things, I appreciate it!
Tracy

Columbus, Ohio here (northside)

So, does this mean we can even print business cards with no problem? There's really nothing I have to do be legal?

You just have to have a label on your cake (cake box).

I have business cards that I have printed up myself and I also hae several flyers around town that drum up a lot of business for me.

I have looked at all of your cakes and I must say that we have some supreme decorators in our lovely state!

Kudos to all of us Buckeyes!!

I wonder if by being licensed you can purchase at certain businesses/stores at a discount. Does anyone know?

You don't have to be licensed in order to purchase wholesale, you just need a Tax ID number.

Count me in for a cake club! I live in Columbus

One more for the Ohio club. Hey CakemanOH.....I'm also from Pataskala.

cake club sounds like a lot of fun to me. I am by Cleveland. Myself and a couple of friends from cake classes meet up at like Borders and BS and look through cake books. We have a lot of fun but getting together and decorating and learning new techniques would be fun.

Oh, you guys, you're making me lonely for "back home"!!!!!! We moved to Georgia 4 years ago after living 55 years in Ohio (Marietta, New Concord). We love it here, but Buckeye country will always be home! PAT

cinwoo~

how do you go about paying taxes on the cakes you make? after i subtract the cost of supplies, i made about $100 this year on my cakes, hardly worth taxing! a local tax preparer here in canton told me that i wouldn't have to pay any taxes on things i've sold unless i made over $600.... by the way... i spent several years in wood county! i'm a graduate of BGSU. can't remember if toledo is in wood county though, it's been a while since i was in the area.

~erica