'AITA for refusing to share homemade bread with neighbor who complained about the noise of making it?'
"AITA for refusing to share my homemade bread with a neighbor who complained about the noise of making it?"
I (26F) am incredibly passionate about baking sourdough bread. Recently, I took it a step further and invested in a home grain mill so I can mill my own flour.
It makes a massive difference in the quality of the bread, but the mill is a bit loud. Because I live in an apartment, I try to be mindful of the noise. I only use it for a few minutes at a time, usually right in the middle of the afternoon, never early in the morning or late at night.
A few weeks ago, my older neighbor knocked on my door to complain about the grinding noise coming from my place. I apologized, explained what it was, and assured her I only run it for about five to ten minutes at most. To smooth things over, I even brought her a freshly baked loaf of sourdough the next day. She told me they enjoyed it afterwards and thanked me for it.
Since then, this neighbor has started casually knocking on my door whenever she smells bread baking, asking if I have any spares. I usually don't mind sharing, so I've given her two more loaves over the past month.
Yesterday, I was milling grain at 2:00 PM on a Saturday. My neighbor knocked again, but this time she was furious. She told me the noise was incredibly disruptive and asked me to stop doing it entirely. I told her that milling is part of my process to make the bread and I wouldn't stop, but reiterated that it only lasts a few minutes during the day.
She then asked if I was baking today. When I told her I was, I also mentioned that since she still complains about the mill sounds after knowing what they help to create, I won't bother giving her any more of the product from those sounds, the bread.
She is now telling other people in our building that I'm petty and unneighborly, and is threatening to complain to our landlord about the noise. My significant other thinks I should have just given her a loaf to keep the peace, but I shouldn't have to reward someone for complaining about a reasonable daytime activity. AITA?
Here's what people had to say to OP:
hookedonnaturr wrote:
A lot of excess sound could be the vibration of the table or counter the grinder is sitting on. Perhaps putting a portion of carpet or fluffy towels under it?
Notyourtypicalsw OP responded:
Another commenter mentioned that earlier, I will definitely look into it!
exotic-rooster4427 wrote:
"Well as it is so noisy I think it is only best I limit the amount of time I use it. Which sadly means I only have enough flour for personal consumption."
I mean yeah it is noisy and not great but it you are doing it once a week or once a fortnight it is no more than using a drill or something. I would get a db meter and see how noisy it is just in case of a complaint.
Notyourtypicalsw OP responded:
That's probably true. I'm planning on moving in late June, I was worried about having her complain to my landlord, but she is indeed causing issues as well. I will definitely draft an email to send to him later today.
stock-adhesiveness351 wrote:
You did give her a loaf to keep the peace. Not your fault she broke the peace treaty. NTA, but if you WANT to be petty then let all your other neighbors know you make fresh home baked bread and would love to give then a sample, and if they love it they can purchase more loafs in the future for a minimal price.
Become the bread Queen of the apartment. Make a profit from selling to everyone and working that mill for hours each day just to annoy her.
Notyourtypicalsw OP responded:
Thank you for the confidence boost! My SO has definitely called me a bread queen in the past since I send him to his job with extra loafs we couldn't eat! I definitely might start giving some loaves away to other tenants instead!
bored_n_opinionated wrote:
I make a sourdough loaf once or twice a week for my own use. A bag of flour makes about 2.5 loaves. I pay $8 a bag for unbromated unbleached bread flour. The full process takes about 15 hours beginning to end with about 3 hours of active work. I'd qualify one loaf of bread I'm making to be worth about $90 given my daily wage and supplies. YOU also add on milling your own flour. Your neighbor can fuck right the f off. NTA.
Flashinthepandemic wrote:
My wife sometimes makes sourdough loaves and they are the best. It's a true skill, and partaking of her skill is one of my favorite simple pleasures. Don't let the neighbor rob you of any of this. 10 minutes of noise is nothing. NTA for sure. Try the time shift others have suggested.
Babalonnuith wrote:
As long as you aren't making noise between the legal "quiet" hours and not for extended periods, what has she got to complain about? Nothing, that's right. Even the landlord would tell her that.
due-lengthiness2485 wrote:
NTA at all. She cannot have it both ways where the noise is “unbearable” but the bread is fair game. You’re running it for a few minutes in the middle of the day in your own apartment. That is super normal living noise. If she complains to the landlord, worst case they tell you to keep it to reasonable hours, which you already are.
Brilliant_Lime3680 wrote:
If the mill is unacceptable, the bread it produces should be too.