OWNERS, OPERATORS, MEAD MAKERS
KRISTEVA DOWLING, MSoc.Sc., WSET Level 2-Wines., Cert. Winemaking.
MEAD MAIDEN & DREAM-MAKER & RISK TAKER
KRISTEVA IS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE STOLEN HARVEST MEAD AND BRAND. SHE HAD A DREAM OF BECOMING A BEEKEEPER WHICH LEAD HER TO TRY HER HAND AT MEAD-MAKING AS A WAY OF PRESERVING HER BOUNTIFUL HONEY HAUL. IMMEDIATELY SHE LOVED THE CREATIVE PROCESS OF MEAD-MAKING AND THE OBSESSION TOOK HOLD.
KRISTEVA LOVES THE CREATIVE PROCESS OF RECIPE DEVELOPMENT AND EVERYTHING ABOUT THE BUSINESS: FROM WILD HARVESTING THE FLOWERS, FRUITS, AND DRUPES TO THE TASTING AND SHOWCASING THE FINAL PRODUCT. SHE IS A CONSUMMATE SYBARITE AND LOVES TO SHARE HER PASSION. SHE ALSO HAS HER BJCP MEAD JUDGE CERTIFICATE.
ERIC ERME
CHIEF WILDCRAFTER & HEAVY-LIFTING TEAM LEAD
ERIC IS THE BACKBONE AND NUTS AND BOLTS OF THE TEAM. WITHOUT HIS ENERGY AND DEDICATION STOLEN HARVEST MEADERY WOULD STILL JUST BE A DREAM. HE HAS BUILT THE MEADERY FROM THE GROUND UP WITH THE HELP OF SOME SUPER DEDICATED FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY. ERIC IS PASSIONATE ABOUT BEING IN NATURE AND CHIEF SCOUT WHEN IT COMES TO FORAGING FOR INGREDIENTS. WHEN NOT OUT IN THE FIELD, ERIC CAN BE FOUND DOING ANYTHING FROM MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS TO SOURCING THE LATEST PRODUCTS FOR MEAD PRODUCTION. HE IS ALSO OFTEN CAUGHT SNEAKING SAMPLES ALONG THE WAY.
OUR DEDICATED TEAM OF STOLEN HARVEST Staff & VOLUNTEERS
THE STOLEN HARVEST TEAM IS A TIGHT-KNIT CREW THAT WORK HARD AND PLAY HARDER!
DAYLEN SPARKES, aka The Kid
LEAD CELLAR HAND & HEAVY LIFTING TEAM MEMBER
DAYLEN IS PART OF THE HEAVY LIFTING DEPARTMENT. BUT HE IS ALSO ALWAYS QUICK WITH A JOKE AND LIGHTS UP OUR DAYS WITH HIS INFECTIOUS LAUGHTER. HE IS DEDICATED AND HARD-WORKING. HE HELPS WITH ALL ASPECTS OF GETTING US TO MARKETS. HE CAN BE FOUND ON THE FRONT-LINE IN THE SUMMER AT SELECT MARKETS HANDING OUT TASTING SAMPLES AND SELLING OUR MEADS. HE BRINGS ENTHUSIASM AND JOY TO THE WORK. AND WHEN NOT AT THE MARKETS, HE CAN OFTEN FOUND AT STOLEN HARVEST IN THE MEADERY LEARNING TO MAKE MEAD UNDER KRISTEVA’S (OUR MEAD MAKER) TUTELAGE. HE ENTHUSIASTICALLY HELPS HER WITH ANYTHING FROM HAND-CHOPPING HUNDREDS OF POUNDS OF RHUBARB TO HAND BOMBING THE HONEY FROM THE BARRELS INTO THE TANKS. AND, OF COURSE, PROVIDING CRITICAL FEEDBACK WHEN SAMPLING THE MEADS IN PROGRESS.
KURTIS MCNALLY
PRODUCT COORDINATOR
WE MET KURTIS BECAUSE OF A MUTUAL LOVE FOR CRAFT BEER. AND, IT WASN’T LONG BEFORE KURTIS JOINED OUR TEAM AND BEGAN HELPING WITH BOTTLING DAYS AT THE MEADERY. HE ALSO VOLUNTEERED TO HELP WITH SOME LOCAL SUMMER MARKETS WHEN KRISTEVA GOT TOO BUSY. AND, BECAUSE HE WORKS BY DAY AS A GROCERY STORE MANAGER, HE HAS THE PULSE ON FRUIT PRICES AND HELPS SOURCE PRODUCE WHEN IN SEASON. HE IS OUR “SOURCERER”.
RYAN YEADON, aka Hot Wheels
MARKET MANAGER
RYAN MOVED UP TO GRANDE PRAIRIE IN THE FALL OF 2022 AND JOINED THE STOLEN HARVEST TEAM. HE HAS BEEN KRISTEVA’S BIGGEST SUPPORTER AND, CONSEQUENTLY, THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE EPONYMOUS MEAD, RYAN’S RESERVE. RYAN HELPS WITH A VARIETY OF TASKS. FROM LIQUOR STORE DELIVERIES, TO PUTTING LABELS ON THE MEADS ON BOTTLING DAY, TO CHEERING HIS SISTER KRISTEVA (OUR MEAD MAIDEN) ON. BUT MOSTLY, HE LOVES TO BE ON THE QUAD AND ROLLING AROUND THE FARM DOING ANYTHING OUTDOORS. ESPECIALLY TENDING THE VINES, DEVELOPING TRAILS AND BUILDING FIRES.
DEBBIE STEEVES
THE GO-TO-GAL
DEBBIE IS THE GO-TO-GAL WHO MAKES EVERYONE FEEL RIGHT AT HOME. SHE STRIVES TO DELIVER REMARKABLE EXPERIENCES TO EACH AND EVERY CUSTOMER AND WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE HER AS PART OF THIS AMAZING TEAM OF KINDRED SPIRITS. DEBBIE HELPS WITH A VARIETY OF ASPECTS OF THE MEADERY. SHE WAS THERE WITH US FROM THE BEGINNING. A WILLING PAIR OF HANDS WHEN NEEDED, SHE BRINGS AN UPBEAT VIBE TO THE WORK. SHE HELPED PLANT OUR VINEYARD, IS OFTEN ON OUR BOTTLING LINE, AND ALWAYS AN ENTHUSIASTIC TASTE-TESTER. SHE IS ALSO FRONT OF HOUSE FOR SPECIALTY MARKETS SUCH AS A MEDIEVAL FAIRE EVERY SUMMER AND THE BIG CHRISTMAS MARKET IN GRANDE PRAIRIE.
“WHEN KRISTEVA STARTED MEAD MAKING, I WAS IMPRESSED BY THE TIME SHE SPENT RESEARCHING AND LEARNING, BY THE HOURS SHE SPENT FORAGING FOR WILD INGREDIENTS, AND BY HER FEARLESS EXPERIMENTS WITHOUT CONCERN FOR FAILURE. NATURALLY, I DEDICATED MYSELF TO THE JOB OF CRITICAL TASTE-TESTER. THE PASSION KRISTEVA & ERIC HAVE FOR OUR PLANET COMES THROUGH IN EVERYTHING THEY DO LIKE RAYS OF SUNSHINE THROUGH A STAINED GLASS WINDOW!“