The Baker

John practiced psychology for 16 years in public schools across four states. He conducted psychoeducational assessments, delivered special education programming, published nationally, and served as a trusted doctoral supervisor and consultant in the field of school psychology.

In 2019, John left psychology to follow his passion for culinary arts by joining his wife, Christy, in operating Rosemary's Kitchen - Meal Preparation and Catering - in Spearfish, South Dakota. RK served the community for two years before the coronavirus pandemic shuttered the business.

John and Christy moved to Omaha in 2021 and found work in some of the city’s most acclaimed restaurants.

John opened Bluebird Bakery in the Fall of 2024 to further his passion for bringing artisan breads to the community.

Photo Credit: Joshua Foo Photography

The Sourdough

It Started With An Idea And Some Apples

In July of 2024 I went looking for local apples. Apples are naturally very good at collecting wild yeasts and other micro flora and fauna on their skins.

I had set out on an adventure to bring a hyper-local slant to my baking.

Research from multiple extension offices pointed me to the natural yeasts and bacteria that are all around us in our environment and help make our terroir unique.

The Process

I picked apples from Miller Dorhmann’s apple trees while getting a hand from the two doggos that attend to the farm.

The Ferment

I used the apples to make fermented apple-water, and started to feed the water with flour every day to begin the process of making a starter from scratch.

The Starter

After many weeks of feeding the apple-water, and adding whatever yeasts were on the breeze where I live in Dundee, the starter was alive and happy and ready to make bread!

I am very proud of the bread made with this local starter, and knowing it is a direct reflection of the Omaha metro and our local terroir makes me so happy!

Business Model

Our business model is anchored in continuing an ancient craft while fostering a fair and supportive work environment.

We value craftspersonship, creativity, collaboration, friendship, and the use of difficult, time-intensive practices & locally sourced and organic ingredients whenever possible.

Bluebird Bakery is here to ensure that the trade of artisan breadmaking will be passed to the next generation.

Bluebird Bakery is proud to offer a workplace where colleagues can build enduring careers. We provide competitive compensation in order to lend valuable new job opportunities and on-the-job training to Omaha-Metro employees as we continue to grow and evolve.