From Atlanta to the Palouse: Casey of Casey Bakes Creates on Custom Cookies, Small-Town Life, and Food NetworkA conversation with Casey, a Georgia native now living in Colton on the Palouse with her husband Nick, whose Bates family roots are well known in Whitman County. Casey compares small-town life to Atlanta, misses Southern staples like barbecue and fried chicken, and describes visiting family in Georgia and her mom’s casino trips. She explains her custom decorated sugar cookie business, Casey Bakes Creates, detailing her design process, tools, drying times, typical three-day turnaround, busy seasons, and corporate and event clientele, plus storage, freezing, and limited shipping due to Washington cottage-baking rules. Casey recounts launching her business just before COVID, pivoting to DIY cookie boxes, then rebuilding locally with strong demand for custom cookies. She also shares her experience being cast for Food Network’s Christmas Cookie Challenge, including filming logistics and on-set constraints, discusses burnout and the realities of entrepreneurship, and outlines future plans such as in-person and potentially online classes.00:00 Moving to the Palouse01:04 Meeting Nick and Marriage02:08 Colton Life and Food03:55 Family Visits and Landscape05:18 Cookie Business Origins06:46 Design Process and Timing09:05 Busy Seasons and Clients12:11 COVID Pivot and Growth14:25 Restarting in Washington16:15 Ingredients and Flour Hunt19:43 Food Network Casting Call22:31 Filming in Burbank25:35 Competition Pressure and Builds27:43 Meet the Competitors28:17 Practice and Wardrobe Woes29:04 90 Minute Kitchen Chaos29:57 Missing Ingredients and Timers31:00 Royal Icing On the Fly32:57 Social Media and AI Replies34:29 Shipping Laws and Limits35:33 Small Business Reality Check37:28 Burnout and Staying Inspired40:14 Themes to Quit and Comfort TV41:24 Control Issues and Getting Help42:55 Teaching Classes and Scaling46:58 Brand Style and Market Trends50:27 Vendor Collaboration and Wrap Up

WSU alum Megan Vining shares why she and her husband chose to raise their family on the Palouse after graduating from Washington State University, and how she worked her way from intern to leading the City of Pullman’s Recreation Department. Megan previews what’s ahead for Pullman’s recreation programs, offerings, and goals in 2026 and beyond.