Mauro Farms: Delivering a taste of home

The shelves at Mauro Farms and Bakery stocked with its assortment of lady fingers and Italian fruit cookies. Photo courtesy of Francine Mauro Garcia and Mauro Farms.

Mauro Farms ships their delicious potica, Italian cookies, and other baked goods to all 50 states. Photo courtesy of Francine Mauro Garcia and Mauro Farms.

In addition to their famous potica and Italian cookies, Mauro Farms and Bakery sells a variety of candies and toffee. Photo courtesy of Francine Mauro Garcia and Mauro Farms.

Mauro Farms started selling potica, a Slovenian sweet bread, in 1963. Photo courtesy of Francine Mauro Garcia and Mauro Farms.

Mauro Farms and Bakery, located at 936 36th Lane, ships a little taste of Pueblo out to all 50 states.

“Our most popular bakery products are the potica and the Italian baked cookies,” said Carla Houghton, manager of Mauro Farms. “They have become famous locally, and nationally, as gifts and treats for any occasion. The farm’s most popular product would be our chile. However, during the farming season, many other locally grown vegetables are sought after.”

Mauro’s assortment of Italian cookies include diversely-flavored pizzelles ranging from anise to gingerbread, powdered almond cookies, honey-glazed wine cookies, lady fingers, fruit cookies and more. Exclusive to the Christmas and Easter seasons are the honey ribbons and pohia cookies made from a deep fried, pasta-like dough.

Potica is a nut roll pastry native to Slovenia. Like Italy, Slovenia is a country that has greatly impacted the culinary culture of Pueblo County since immigrants moved to the area to work in steel mills and smelters at the turn of the century. Mauro’s potica can be made with walnut, pecan, poppy seed, or cream cheese filling.

“We are a family owned business and when you come in, you are being welcomed into not only our business, but our home,” Houghton said. “You will encounter a family atmosphere. If you walk into the business, never hold back when asking or making a request. We are here to serve our customers.”

Baked goods at Mauro Farms are made-from-scratch with all-natural ingredients. Sweet breads incorporate ingredients like pumpkin and zucchini homegrown on their farm. Fruits found in their pies are imported from other farms in Colorado and walnuts found in Potica come from another small, family-owned farm.

While the Mauro family farm has been around since the 1930s, the family’s venture into selling baked goods began in 1963 when Houghton’s grandmother Emily Mauro began selling her famous potica. Later expanding to sell pies and fruit breads, Mauro Farms became a commercial bakery by the 1980s under leadership of Houghton’s parents, Robert and Judy.

As the current manager of Mauro Farms and Bakery, Houghton said the operation is a team effort, one that has taught her the importance of valuing, respecting, and trusting her employees. Putting high priority on respect in turn fuels her dedication to ensuring excellent customer service.

Now selling goods across the nation, Houghton said she attributes Mauro Farms and Bakery’s success to “putting God first in all decisions and giving Him the glory for it.” Packaging and branding often contains reference to a Bible passage, Proverbs 3:5-10, and the words “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.”

Mauro Farms and Bakery’s collection of potica, candies, cookies, sweet breads, chile, coffee, and other goods can be found at their storefront on 36th Lane or online at www.maurofarms.com.