Good morning on baking day! I have been baking for as long as I can remember. I didn't come from a family of bakers so this interest was all me. I am self-taught. So...yes I have been with the Academy since it's inception and have learned sooo much and have enjoyed meeting and baking with new friends. I do work full-time as a United Methodist pastor in western New York. I also have a hobby as a Certified Aromatherapist and Perfumer and had a quilt shop and restaurant cafe for 10 years. So...I am excited to get into working with fresh milled grains. I look forward to continuing on this learning journey with all of you.

ANCIENT GRAIN CHALLENGE | OCTOBER 23, 2026 Four more bakers are getting some beautiful grain from our friends at Grand Teton Ancient Grains! Let's give a big round of applause to this week's winners! 👏👏👏 🏆 @Dennis Blevins . from California 🌾 5 lbs of Hard Red Spring Wheat 🏆 @Donna Angelo . from Ontario 🌾 5 lbs of Hard White Wheat 🏆 @Jill Hart from Idaho 🌾 5 lbs of Einkorn 🏆 @Dianne Givens . from Maryland 🌾 5 lbs of Khorasan Congratulations to all four of you! 🎊 📬 WINNERS, CHECK YOUR EMAIL! You've received a private prize claim link. Follow the instructions and submit your shipping information so we can get your grain headed your way. 🎁 DIDN'T WIN THIS WEEK? WE'RE NOT FINISHED! Our next drawing is Friday, October 30, and four more bakers will win 5-pound bags of ancient grains! Here's how you get in: ✅ Register for the Ancient Grain Challenge. It's FREE! ✅ Complete at least one of our seven lessons to qualify for the weekly grain drawings. ✅ Keep learning, taking quizzes, and earning points. Every verified point gives you another entry! Remember, you can only win one 5-pound bag, but you can still qualify for our other grand prizes. 🏆 AND DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE BOSCH! Thanks to NutriMill, we're also giving away a Bosch Universal Plus stand mixer on December 1! Just registering automatically enters you in the mixer drawing. No lessons required for that first entry, and every verified point gives you another chance. We're also giving away a 25-pound bag of ancient grain from Grand Teton Ancient Grains to one baker who completes all seven lessons! 🥖 WATCH THE LESSONS: https://challenge.bakinggreatbread.com/#lessons 🎯 CHECK YOUR ENTRY AND POINTS: https://challenge.bakinggreatbread.com/#me I love seeing our community learning about these grains, milling their own flour, and discovering what they can do with it.

Today, October 24, inside Crust & Crumb Academy! We're baking something special this Saturday. Pan de Muerto, the traditional Mexican bread made for Día de los Muertos, a celebration of remembrance, family, and the people we love. And we're making it TWO ways! 🍞 Traditional Yeasted Pan de Muerto Soft, buttery, lightly sweet, with that beautiful orange aroma. A great choice if you want to mix your dough and bake today. 🥖 Sourdough Pan de Muerto We're using a stiff levain for this version. It takes a little more patience, but that's part of the journey. If you've already prepared your levain, you're ready to join us. We'll talk about the history behind this beautiful bread, shape the traditional bones that decorate the top, and bake it together. 📖 GET YOUR RECIPES: 🍞 Yeasted Version: https://recipepantry.app/recipes/pan-de-muerto 🥖 Sourdough Version: https://recipepantry.app/recipes/sourdough-pan-de-muerto Perfection isn't required. Progress is. Who's baking with me today, yeasted or sourdough? Henry⭐🔥

@Mary Nunaley Here is Mary's update today and awesome news. Praise the good Lord! 🙏❤️💞 "Met with the surgeon post-op and while the break was worse than X-rays showed, I now basically have a new left ankle complete with a “TightRope” Working on pain management and a strategy for 8 weeks of non- Weight-bearing on both legs. This ads new meaning to go big or go home. Waiting for insurance to sort itself and then I’m off to a rehab facility for a few weeks. Not sure what happens after rehab but learning to take things one day at a time. More tomorrow when my brain returns."

I’ve pulled together some seasonal recipes in the Recipe Pantry for anyone who wants to get the kids baking, put something fun on the Halloween table, or just make the house smell like pumpkin spice. 👀 Monster Apple Oat Bars Apple oat bars with little monster faces. Let the kids take charge of the decorating. Crooked eyes belong here. 🕸️ Spiderweb Brownies Chocolate brownies with a web across the top. A fun decorating project you get to eat afterward. 🕷️ Spider Web Focaccia A savory bake with a spooky design. Halloween baking doesn’t all have to be sweet. 🧹 Witch’s Broom Pretzels Broom-shaped pretzels for little hands to help shape. 👻 Mummy Wrapped Breadsticks Breadsticks dressed for Halloween, complete with little eyes peeking out. 🍂 Pumpkin Spice Bread & Sourdough Pumpkin Spice Waffles For a fall afternoon snack or breakfast before the costumes go on. 🎃 Sourdough Twine-Shaped Pumpkin Bread That pumpkin shape comes from how you tie the loaf. A good one for bakers who want to try something different. 🌼 Pan de Muerto, Yeasted & Sourdough These belong to Día de los Muertos, Mexico’s tradition of remembering loved ones. Shape the decorative bones together and make room for a conversation about what the bread represents. You’ll find them all here: 👉 https://recipepantry.app/recipes?search=Halloween Pick one, clear a little counter space, and let the kids get their hands in it. Perfection isn’t required. Especially when you’re making monsters. 👀🍞