Photo By Janie Lin Photography – Bull Butter Co. Branding Shoot.
If you had told me in early 2023 that I’d be running a successful sourdough bakery out of my home, I would have laughed. Never in a million years did I think I’d achieve my goal of bringing in extra income by selling bread.
But here I am, over a year and a half later, with a thriving cottage bakery, a mobile farmstand, and a self-serve system that lets me do what I love while keeping my family life balanced.
This journey started as a simple idea—learning to bake sourdough for my family. But it quickly turned into something so much bigger. If you’re thinking about starting your own home bakery or just need encouragement to take a leap, here’s how Bull Butter Co. was born.
Where It All Started
In March 2023, my life was already full. I had a seven-month-old baby, worked full-part-time as an executive assistant for my parents, and helped my husband—who works full-time as a mail carrier—take care of our homestead. On top of that, we share custody of our two older boys, who are with us every other weekend, holidays, and most of the summer.
With inflation making everything more expensive, I wanted to find a way to relieve some financial pressure and create more opportunities for family adventures. I prayed, brainstormed, and researched every way to make extra income while still being home with my kids. The last thing I expected was that sourdough would be the answer.
The First Loaves & The Lightbulb Moment
I decided, completely out of the blue, that I wanted to learn how to bake sourdough. My husband and I joked that it was just “one more thing to feed and take care of.” But I was determined. I took a two-part Zoom class from Kimmie at Hinerman Hill Farms in WV for $25.
From the very first batch, I knew I had found something special. My first loaves came out perfect, and when my family took their first bites, we all had the same reaction—this was really, really good. Right then and there, I knew I wanted to try selling it.
Launching Bull Butter Co.
My first marketing picture to officially announce BBC.
I reached out to Kimmie and asked if she’d be okay with me starting a cottage bakery using the skills she taught. She said yes, and she’s been an incredible mentor and friend ever since.
I started small—just two offerings: Traditional sourdough loaves Sourdough Cinnamon Wreaths (Get the recipe HERE) I limited myself to eight loaves a week to get into a rhythm and make sure I could keep up. Even now, I keep my menu small, but that’s a topic for another day!
I didn’t run out and buy a bunch of fancy equipment.
I invested in:
- The $25 sourdough class
- A $25 sourdough starter kit (Danish dough whisk, bannetons, scrapers, scoring tool.)
- Two Dutch Ovens
- Bread bags from Amazon
- Free Canva to create my logo and labels
- Avery labels
That was it. No big mixers, no commercial ovens—just the basics.
Marketing Without a Budget
With no money for advertising, I turned to social media. I started by posting on my personal Facebook page. I created a business page for Bull Butter Co. I joined every local Facebook group in my county and shared my offerings. That alone made my business explode.
From day one of posting, I was selling out every week, and word-of-mouth spread fast.
Why Pop-Ups Work Better Than Big Events
I only did one major two-day event to get my name out there, but it was a ton of work. I quickly realized that big markets weren’t the best fit for me. Instead, I started reaching out to local boutiques and businesses, asking if I could do two-hour pop-ups in their shops. Every single one said yes, and I always sold out in under an hour.
At these pop-ups, I was selling:
- 200 Sourdough Discard Cookies
- 50 loaves of sourdough bread.
- Granola, dry mixes and more.
And unlike big events where I had to pay vendor fees and spend 10+ hours working after hours of baking, these pop-ups were stress-free and way more profitable.
Finding My Place in the Market
When I started, there was only one other sourdough baker in a neighboring county who occasionally sold in mine. Now, there are at least half a dozen of us. And guess what? We’re all successful. Each of us has carved out our own niche, offering different styles, flavors, and specialties. Learn how to stand out at vendor events HERE.
Our county only has about 22,000 people, and my little town has just 305. Yet, there’s still plenty of demand for all of us. No one baker can feed an entire county! I’ve even become friends with a few of them, and we support each other rather than compete.
Expanding with a Mobile Farmstand & Self-Serve Sales
In February of 2024, I had the idea of a mobile farmstand on wheels—something I could take to events and later turn into a self-serve option. My husband and our families ranch hand got to work, and by May 2024, we had our grand opening. I baked for 40 hours over three days with a single oven and sold out in 30 minutes. What a high that was and so surreal. Our community has always shown up so big.
My husband and mother-in-law also helped our boys build a lemonade stand, where they sold: Lemonade pouches and Gourmet Rice Krispie treats.
Since then, I’ve done pop-ups all around the county and launched Self-Serve Saturdays spring through fall. I park at our little country gas station and RV park, where customers can grab fresh bread, granola, produce, eggs and more. I do a mix of pre-orders and first come first serve. Check out this post on ways I’ve partnered with other local growers and makers to bring more variety to the farm stand.
For the winter months, I set up a self-serve fridge and filing cabinet on my property line for: Pre-order pickups and egg sales. I also have a great setup with a local business: a yarn shop with a small, loyal customer base of its own.
I have a small display with dehydrated sourdough starter, lip balms, granola and sometimes dry mixes and where my customers can pick up their pre-orders at the shop. For a small fee of $15. The shop owner is happy to help, as it brings extra foot traffic her way, and it gives my customers a consistent, professional pickup point.
This system keeps my business running year-round with less stress!
Final Thoughts
From a simple idea to Life-Changing Success! What started as a random idea to bake sourdough for my family turned into a life-changing business.
It has allowed me to:
- Stay home with my kids.
- Relieve financial pressure.
- Build a community.
- Create something truly my own.
And I did it all without:
- A huge startup budget
- Fancy equipment
- Burnout from big markets.
If you’re thinking about starting your own cottage bakery (or any home business), you don’t need a perfect plan—you just need to start.
In my next post, I’ll share the exact business strategies that helped me grow without feeling overwhelmed, including how I:
- Kept startup costs low.
- Marketed my business without spending a dime.
- Chose the right sales methods for your lifestyle .
Stay tuned!
And if you’re on the fence about starting your own home bakery, drop a comment or message me—I’d love to cheer you on.
Join Our Free Facebook Community! Connect with fellow cottage bakers, farmstand owners, and porch pick-up sellers in Utah & Beyond Cottage Bakers and Stand Connection. Share ideas, network, and grow your business together! Join here
Leave a Reply