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Quick on the draw-Harold Kuipers

You must have a lot of dough, eh?

Yeah, a lot of dough. (laughs) Way too much right now.

What kind of weird hours do you keep as a requirement of running a bakery?

I usually work from about five in the morning till six at night. But we're around the clock for five days a week — Monday to Friday.

So your normal working day is 13 hours?

Yeah, sometimes more. I try not to work Saturday or Sunday.

Give me a brief history of Kuipers Bakery in Brandon.

We've had this place for 17 years. It was Green Acres Bakery before that. And previous to that, my father, Rudy, had a bakery in Brandon for 10 or 12 years. He was the original owner of Sally's Bakery, named after my older sister.

It was a family operation, right?

Yes, and this one was as well. Most of them are.

How much extra work is involved at the bakery this year in preparation for the Westman Traditional Christmas Dinner?

A lot. Between that and Christmas Cheer, we have 460 dozen buns made for the Christmas Cheer alone. And the Westman Traditional is quite a bit. Boxing Day, I'll be cooking turkeys and Christmas morning I'll be here about 2:30, by myself, cooking 50 more turkeys for the supper. I hope to read a book. It's my annual read-a-book opportunity. I have nothing else to do, so I'll just sit and watch the birds in the oven.

What kind of a personal financial contribution do you make to the Westman Traditional Christmas Dinner and the Christmas Cheer Board?

I'll bet, by the time I'm done, with the labour and manpower, it will be about $2,000. And that's right out of the business, which comes right out of my pocket.

But it must make your heart feel good.

Well, you know, it's . . . I'm not even sure that's why I'm doing it.

Why are you doing it?

Not sure. I was just thinking somebody has to help out. And even for the Christmas Cheer, when I think of all the volunteers who work at Christmas Cheer, and the hours that they put in, organizing, running these hampers around, gathering up the stuff . . . 450 dozen buns is minor, like really minor. We're hardly doing anything compared to the amount of work everybody else is doing. So I think that's why I got involved with the Chrsitmas Cheer. I've been there a few times and watched how many hampers they put together. I'm not sure if they purchased the buns before, or what. I never asked. I just phoned one day and said, 'I can make these things for you.' You want to help the community, but I think the main reason was is they were giving so much time and I'm doing (hardly anything).

What's the nicest thing an employee ever said to you?

Lately? I don't think they've said anything nice (laughs). They all like working here, that's for sure. I'm pretty humble and I get embarrassed easily, so when they start the nice talk, I usually stop them immediately.

How did you learn your craft?

From my dad. I grew up in the bakery. Always liked it. So I didn't have to go through a lot of the stresses a lot of young males have to go through to figure out what they want in life. Mine was easy. I knew really early I liked the smell of the bakery. I liked the satisfaction of watching the bread go in the oven and rise, and turn out. It was really easy.

How important to you and your family is Knox United Church?

A lot, for me. I think the United Church is quite forward thinking. When I was growing up, you'd see the people who were maybe shunned in society, or didn't quite fit in. And I think that's what I like about the United Church, and what I like about Knox. They try to break down those barriers.

What are your various involvements at Knox?

I play some piano with the combo, which usually leads to other things. And I sing in the choir a bit.

How much enjoyment do you get out of your time with the Ukaidians?

I love the Ukaidians. These are three very skilled musicians. Lyndon Bournon and George Norton are both from the UK. They grew up playing in the bars and the pubs in England in the 60s. Then you've got Doug Sullivan, an excellent drummer. I'd had one too many drinks one night and volunteered my services, only because I liked the music they played and the way they played it. I still feel like I'm not quite there as far as their ability to play, but I have the PA system now, so I'm in. They can't kick me out.

How's the voice holding on as you get a little older?

I'm actually liking my voice better for certain stuff. I'm finding I don't like my voice for certain other music. Maybe I'm just becoming a lazier singer.

What's your favourite song by the Beatles to sing?

I'm really not a Beatles fan. I like the Dave Clark Five. I really prefer country music. The 60s, 70s country . . . Marty Robbins stuff. And I love choral music.

Tell me again how you spend Christmas Day.

I will get up at 2, 2:30. Get to the bakery, light the oven. Get all the turkeys; there are 50 of them this year for that day. And we're doing 75 turkeys on Boxing Day. I will put them in the oven, get things going, wheel my office chair into the bakery, with a stool, and hopefully, I plan on reading the new book by Mitch Albom. Then by 11 o'clock, I hope to go home, spend time with my kids and grandchildren, and then go to bed.

So what time will you finally hit the sack?

I'll have a little nap in the afternoon and then maybe get up and play some ping pong in the garage. I don't mind cooking the turkeys Christmas morning. As bizarre as it sounds, it's probably one of the few times I'll be alone in a whole year. It'll be kind of nice.

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