Crust & Crumb is only open on Saturday mornings - and Sharon’s old-world breads and pastries have quite the following. Which is impressive when you consider that her journey began on her family farm in Peabody, where she dreamed of owning a bakery. Sharon earned a degree in Milling Science at K-State, worked at Ardent Mills, studied at both the San Francisco Baking Institute and Madison Sourdough... and she learned a crucial lesson: fermentation is hard.
In 2013, Sharon left the grain industry to open Crust & Crumb and was soon supplying grocery stores, farmers markets, and local restaurants. After four years, she decided to scale back and focus on what she loves - still baking, but now just for the community. She’s built strong relationships with customers and neighbors, connections she believes she would have missed had she stayed in the corporate world of milling.
Sharon’s journey has come full circle. She now works with Turkey Red Winter Wheat, grown by her brothers on the family farm in Peabody. This hardy grain produces loaves with a nutty crust, a deep flavor, and a satisfying structure.
For Sharon, baking is more than a Business, it's a ritual. It’s about slowing down and dedicating yourself to a practice, surrendering to the process, and the steps in the middle. The rhythm of milling the grain, folding the dough, and baking the bread, each step taking time and care. And with each loaf, the surprise of the finished product - and the beauty that comes from patience.
