I came for sourdough… and stayed for the community! Crust & Crumb Academy first showed up on my YouTube feed back in March 2026 while I was searching for ways to bake homemade sourdough bread. I had absolutely no experience baking bread. Honestly, I never had the patience for it. It was far easier to buy bread at the store than to learn how to make it myself. But when my favorite sourdough disappeared from the shelves, I started searching for recipes to recreate it at home… and that search sent me straight down the rabbit hole of sourdough baking. Somewhere along the way, Henry Hunter’s community, Crust & Crumb Academy, popped up. I saved the page for later because the information he shared was incredibly helpful. But I assumed the academy would probably be expensive, and with everything else going on in life and health, I really didn’t want to add one more paid program to my plate. Then I clicked the link. I kept looking for the cost… and couldn’t find one. Finally, I hit “Join” and realized there was absolutely no cost at all. Instead, I found free education, endless resources, and a genuine community—with no sales pitch and no catch. What I found was one of the warmest, most generous, uplifting online communities I’ve experienced in a very long time. There’s laughter. Friendship. Encouragement. Education. Real connection. And the best part? You can actually talk to Henry himself. Ask questions. Get advice. Learn the art of baking—not just sourdough, but enriched breads, yeasted breads, ciabatta, poolish methods, different starters, fermentation techniques, and so much more. The amount of knowledge shared inside this community is incredible. I originally joined just wanting to learn sourdough. What I found instead was a group of like-minded people who genuinely enjoy helping one another grow. The Saturday bake-along is one highlight of the week. Henry guides everyone through the process with prep instructions throughout the week so you know exactly what to expect and what you’ll need. Then, during the actual bake-along, the community comes alive—people sharing wins, struggles, questions, photos, frustrations, breakthroughs, and encouragement in real time. Henry steers the ship beautifully, but he also gives the community room to truly be a community. That’s what makes this place special. One of Henry’s sayings is: “Perfection is not required. Progress is.” You can feel that spirit throughout the entire academy. I deeply appreciate Henry’s generosity, his love for people, his passion for baking, and the way he genuinely listens to the community. Henry welcomes suggestions. Questions get answered. Nobody feels forgotten. Everyone matters here. Personally, I’ve learned so much already—hydration levels, starter care, fermentation timing, dough handling, shaping, troubleshooting… things I never imagined I would understand or enjoy. And my favorite so far? Ciabatta. I absolutely love working with high-hydration dough now. Never in a million years did I think dough would be so fun to work with, but it truly is. Baking has become incredibly therapeutic for me. Had a rough day? Go make bread. Grab a cup of coffee (or favorite drink) and meet with community members who quickly become friends. There’s something deeply satisfying about pulling a beautiful loaf from the oven with a crust you never thought you could create yourself. If you’re looking to learn how to bake—or simply longing for genuine community in a world that desperately needs more of this — I cannot recommend Crust & Crumb Academy enough. This is more than bread making. It’s community at its finest.