08/12/2026
Hello, everyone. 🤎
With so many new people following along lately, I thought it was time to properly introduce myself.
I’m Jenn, the baker behind Neighbor Jenn’s Rustic Sourdough.
A little over a year ago, my life looked very different.
I spent years pursuing the career I thought I was supposed to have. I earned two master’s degrees, built a professional career, and kept chasing what I believed success was supposed to look like.
From the outside, everything looked fine.
On the inside, I was exhausted.
Eventually, I reached a point where something had to change. I found myself on mental health leave from work and learning that I was neurodivergent later in life. Looking back now, so many things suddenly started to make sense.
As my leave came closer to ending, I found myself wondering what came next.
And one day, I realized I already had the answer.
It was sourdough.
I had already been baking sourdough for a couple of years simply because I loved it. But somewhere along the way, bread became more than something I made in my kitchen. It became the bridge between the life I was leaving behind and the life I’m building now.
It reminded me that not everything meaningful has to happen quickly. Sometimes you have to trust the process, make adjustments along the way, and give things the time they need.
Turns out, there’s a little life lesson in sourdough too. 🤎
Today, everything that leaves my kitchen is made by my own hands in small batches. I care deeply about quality, bold flavors, and the little details that turn something familiar into something special.
One thing people tell me over and over is:
“You can taste the love.”
I smile every time I hear it because that’s exactly what I hope people experience.
I truly believe the energy we carry finds its way into the things we create. When food is made by hand and with intention, I believe people can feel that. My hope is that everything I bake brings a little comfort, joy, and connection to the people sharing it.
Building this little bakery has been one of the biggest leaps of faith I’ve ever taken.
It hasn’t always been easy, and there have certainly been moments when I’ve wondered what in the world I was doing. 😂 But for the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m building a life that truly fits who I am.
More and more, things are falling into place, and I’m learning to trust the journey even when I can’t see the whole path ahead.
One of my favorite parts of this journey has been getting to know so many of you. Seeing familiar faces each week and sharing conversations across my table has become such a meaningful part of what I do.
I’m also trying to get better about actually documenting some of it. 😂 I’m usually so deep in the middle of baking, packaging, and getting everything ready that I realize afterward I didn’t take a single picture.
So I’m going to try to share a little more of what happens behind the scenes, take more pictures and videos of what I’m making, and maybe even get a little less camera shy along the way. 🤎
I’m incredibly grateful you’re here, and I can’t wait to keep baking for you.
With gratitude and love,
🤎 Neighbor Jenn
