For years, pie dough and flour took over Kristen Daily and her wife's Drake neighborhood home as they worked to keep up with the growing demand for her business, Pie Bird Pies.

Why it matters: After years of searching for a larger commercial kitchen, Daily learned that she doesn't "knead" to look any further than her own backyard.

Driving the news: With the help of local grants, Daily built a kitchen behind her home, allowing the popular Pie Bird Pies bakery to expand but also continue operating as a cottage food business.

• And after receiving help from an $11,500 Iowa Department of Agriculture grant, Daily has also purchased a dough sheeter and a second convection oven to help grow into wholesale products.

How it started: Pie Bird Pies started as a COVID-era home business. It's now a frequently sold-out bakery business that's been featured in Midwest Living and specializes in using locally sourced ingredients.

• Daily, who grew up in a family of academics, didn't know much about working in a small business. Though she loved baking, running a baking business seemed like a pipe dream.
• "Honestly, I have therapy to thank," Daily says. "It's just like, 'OK, well, what do you want? And then let's make tiny little steps moving backwards.'"

State of play: For years, she's searched for a commercial space, but they often ended up being either too large, too expensive or too financially risky.

• But Des Moines city code allowed her to build a separate kitchen while remaining zoned as residential.
• She used an Invest DSM commercial grant to help build the space, and now she's applying for a home food processing license, which will let her sell products like pre-rolled frozen pie crusts and pie dough in stores.

The intrigue: Last Thanksgiving, Daily worked 36 hours straight with her part-time staff, taking turns napping.

Now, she's making rhubarb pies, with produce sourced from The Garden Groomer, and sells them for weekly pickups at Storyhouse Bookpub and Des Moines Mercantile.

• Rhubarb will go through June and then she'll head to a local Indianola corn stand to make a blueberry sweet corn pie later this summer.

What's next: Pie Bird Pies is partnering with Wander Women on June 28 for "Pride Pike," which will combine dessert and a hike ($25).

• She's also partnering with Capital City Pride to make cookies for Drag Storytime at Storyhouse Bookpub.

Poll workers in Polk County will get an extra $1 per hour before November's elections, part of an effort to keep pay competitive with neighboring counties.

Why it matters: The county relies on hundreds of temporary workers to staff precincts, check in voters, issue ballots, and help keep Election Day running smoothly.

Driving the news: Supervisors approved the pay rates last week.

• Precinct election worker pay will increase to $16 and precinct election chair pay will increase to $18. The county's election costs will rise by an estimated $45,000 in the fiscal year that begins in July.

What they're saying: Polk County Auditor Jamie Fitzgerald told supervisors during a Jan. 6 budget presentation that the increase would help keep Polk competitive with surrounding counties.

• Basic poll worker pay among counties reviewed by Axios ranged from $10 in Warren to $15 in Jasper.

Flashback: Polk last agreed to raise pay in 2021 during a pandemic-era labor shortage.

The big picture: Counties nationwide face pressure to recruit, train and retain poll workers amid long Election Day shifts, election security concerns and threats against election workers.

• The raises help offset the extra work election workers are being asked to do in handling politically sensitive issues at polling places and helping voters move through efficiently, Fitzgerald tells Axios.

What's next: Polk's increase takes effect before November's general election, when demand for precinct workers typically rises.

The Street Collective is showing off a custom-designed BCycle bike during its PedalArt Poster Show tonight at Confluence.

Why it matters: The nonprofit is launching a new design program where people can sponsor a bike share bicycle and deck it out with their own custom look.

• Sponsorships start at $2,000 and support the Street Collective's efforts to help make the metro more pedestrian-friendly.

If you go: Local artists will be selling their bike-inspired posters tonight from 6-9pm.

Friday

🎨 Siricasso's opening reception | Explore a powerful pop-up exhibit inspired by the artist's childhood, Chicano heritage, and family experiences with addiction and deportation. | 5–8pm | Moberg Gallery | Free!

🥾 Spring Ephemeral Hike | Search for wildflowers and mushrooms while learning about Iowa's fleeting spring blooms during this guided woodland hike. | 5:30–7pm | Brown's Woods | $20

Saturday

🩰 "Cinderella" | Ballet Des Moines and the Des Moines Symphony team up for the world premiere of Tom Mattingly's take on the classic fairytale ballet. | Des Moines Civic Center | $35+ today and tomorrow

🎭 Ankeny Art Center Arts Festival | Browse work from 50+ artists, enjoy live music and food trucks, and take part in hands-on creative activities. | 10am–4pm | Uptown Ankeny | Free!

Sunday

🖌️ Valley Junction Arts Festival | Meet artists, shop fine art and crafts, watch demonstrations, and enjoy live entertainment throughout Historic Valley Junction. | 10am–4pm | Free!

Linh here! And I'm on a journey to grow a giant pumpkin in the hopes of showing it at the Iowa State Fair.

• Aptly, the pumpkin is named Hope (and I'm also growing Hope #2, just in case).

State of play: After a few days of looking sad and wilted inside, it finally got warm enough for them to go outside.

Zoom in: Because Iowa loves to blast us with gale-force winds, I got some stakes and cloth to create wind barriers to go around the pumpkins.

Friction point: There is a squinny living under the deck that has already wreaked havoc by digging tunnels underneath my brick landscaping.

• My spouse keeps suggesting buying a Red Ryder (no, I would actually shoot my eye out.)
• Do they like to eat squashes? I learned that you're automatically disqualified if your pumpkin gets a hole, lest you decide to cheat by pouring in water to make it heavier.

Countdown: 91 days until judgment day.