In July 2024, I went searching for local apples—nature’s quiet collectors of wild yeasts and microflora.

Their skins are alive with the invisible life that makes fermentation possible.

I was on a mission to bring a hyper-local slant to my baking. Research from multiple extension offices confirmed what I’d hoped: our environment is rich with native yeasts and bacteria that shape our unique terroir.

So I asked:

What does our terroir taste like?
How do our soil, plants, and airborne microbes influence the flavor of our bread?

I picked apples from Miller Dorhmann’s trees, with help from the two friendly farm dogs who keep watch over the orchard. From those apples, I made fermented apple water, then combined it with flour to build a starter from scratch.

Over the following weeks, I fed the mixture and welcomed whatever yeasts drifted in on the Dundee breeze. Eventually, the starter came alive—bubbly, fragrant, and ready to bake.

The bread I make with this starter is deeply personal. It’s a living reflection of the Omaha metro, our soil, our air, and our quiet microbial neighbors. That makes me proud—and very happy.