What began as a hobby during the COVID pandemic has become a full-fledged business for a pair of twins from Long Island. It’s especially impressive because they just graduated seventh grade.
Ainsley and Greigh Marquez, fraternal twins from Islandia, started a farm stand when they were stranded at home during the pandemic. They sold home grown flowers, vegetables and baked goods.
“One day, I just like put out scones,” said 12-year-old Ainsley. “Then somebody came to the farm stand and bought one and said ‘‘’Oh these are really good.'”
That one purchase turned into a large order which led to other orders as word spread in their community.
The twins let us watch them bake their scones, adding flour, sugar, butter and cream. The exact measurements, kept a secret because the twins say their recipe sets their scones apart.
“Our goal is to have moist scones, like more delicious scones than others,” beamed Ainsley.
The siblings now offer a variety of flavors both at their farm stand and online: chocolate chip, smores, cinnamon roll — and for America’s 250th celebration, a special red, white and blue sprinkled “Liberty” scone.
The twins credit their parents for supporting their passion and their dad for building the farm stand and website. Their parents also help deliver scones all over the tri-state area. But it’s their love for baking and their ability to work together that keeps the business going.
“It’s probably one of my favorite things now,” said Greigh. “I like doing it now and it’s pretty fun.”
Fun and teaching them invaluable life lessons.
“It’s rewarding, this definitely teaches us a lot of lessons like financials,” said Ainsley. “But then also responsibility. If we have an order, we need to fulfill it.”