Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Victoria Key. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Victoria , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

Long before the sun comes up on market mornings, my kitchen lights are already on.
There’s flour on the counter, jars cooling on the stove, and the smell of fresh sourdough filling the house. While most of the world is still asleep, I’m finishing the final loaves that have been slowly fermenting for days—bread that started with nothing more than flour, water, salt, and patience.
Those quiet early hours are where Muddy Acres Farm truly began.
For years, baking was something I did simply for my family. I fell in love with sourdough because of the process. It isn’t rushed or forced—it’s slow, alive, and rooted in tradition. Feeding the starter, shaping the dough, and waiting for the perfect rise became a rhythm that grounded me.
Soon, friends and neighbors started asking for a loaf here and a jar of jam and pickles there. Someone would say the bread reminded them of their grandmother’s kitchen. Another would tell me the jam tasted like something they hadn’t had since they were a child.
Fresh dill pickles just the perfect snack and burger topping. That’s when I began to realizLong before the sun comes up on market mornings, my kitchen lights are already on.
There’s flour on the counter, jars cooling on the stove, and the smell of fresh sourdough filling the house. While most of the world is still asleep, I’m finishing the final loaves that have been slowly fermenting for days—bread that started with nothing more than flour, water, salt, and patience.
Those quiet early hours are where Muddy Acres Farm truly began.
For years, baking was something I did simply for my family. I fell in love with sourdough because of the process. It isn’t rushed or forced—it’s slow, alive, and rooted in tradition. Feeding the starter, shaping the dough, and waiting for the perfect rise became a rhythm that grounded me.
Soon, friends and neighbors started asking for a loaf here and a jar of jam there. Someone would say the bread reminded them of their grandmother’s kitchen. Another would tell me the jam tasted like something they hadn’t had since they were a child.
That’s when I began to realize something important: what I was sharing wasn’t just food—it was memories, comfort, and connection.
Around the same time, I noticed something missing in the way food was being made and sold. Bread had become fast and overly processed. Jams were filled with ingredients people couldn’t pronounce. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that people were craving something different again—something slower, more intentional, and more honest.
That realization planted the seed for Muddy Acres Farm.
The farmers market became the first place where that idea stepped out of my kitchen and into the world. I still remember setting up my table for the first time, wondering if anyone would stop. I had my sourdough loaves, jars of jam, and a whole lot of hope.
And people did stop.
They asked questions about sourdough fermentation. They shared stories about recipes passed down through generations. They came back week after week for their “regular loaf.” Slowly, that little market table became something bigger than I ever expected.
It became a community.
Customers became regulars. Regulars became friends. And every conversation reminded me that people weren’t just buying bread—they were reconnecting with food that had a story behind it.
That’s when I knew this was more than a hobby. There was a real need for it.
The logic behind growing the business made sense too. Farmers markets were growing, and more people were looking for locally made food they could trust. What started with one small market table eventually grew into supplying multiple local stores, while still staying true to the same small-batch, handcrafted process that started it all.
But like many small businesses, the journey hasn’t been without challenges.
There have been seasons where life forced me to slow down, including times when my own health required me to focus on recovery. When you are the baker, the maker, the marketer, and the one standing behind the market table, stepping away can feel incredibly uncertain.
But those moments also revealed something powerful—the strength of the community that had grown around Muddy Acres Farm. Customers who once came for bread became encouragers and supporters, reminding me why I started in the first place.
Through every season, the mission has stayed the same: keep showing up, keep baking, and keep sharing something meaningful.
Every loaf of sourdough takes days to create. Every jar of jam is made in small batches. Nothing is rushed. Nothing is mass produced. It’s food made the way it used to be—slow, intentional, and full of care.
When someone picks up a loaf of bread or a jar of jam from our table and tells me it reminds them of home, I know we’re doing exactly what we set out to do.
Muddy Acres Farm isn’t just about selling bread or preserves.
It’s about preserving the feeling that food should have—a story, a connection, and a little bit of love in every bite.
Our motto says it best:
“Baked with Love, Shared from the Heart.”e something important: what I was sharing wasn’t just food—it was memories, comfort, and connection.
Around the same time, I noticed something missing in the way food was being made and sold. Bread had become fast and overly processed. Jams were filled with ingredients people couldn’t pronounce. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that people were craving something different again—something slower, more intentional, and more honest.
That realization planted the seed for Muddy Acres Farm.
The farmers market became the first place where that idea stepped out of my kitchen and into the world. I still remember setting up my table for the first time, wondering if anyone would stop. I had my sourdough loaves, jars of jam, and a whole lot of hope.
And people did stop.
They asked questions about sourdough fermentation. They shared stories about recipes passed down through generations. They came back week after week for their “regular loaf.” Slowly, that little market table became something bigger than I ever expected.
It became a community.
Customers became regulars. Regulars became friends. And every conversation reminded me that people weren’t just buying bread—they were reconnecting with food that had a story behind it.
That’s when I knew this was more than a hobby. There was a real need for it.
The logic behind growing the business made sense too. Farmers markets were growing, and more people were looking for locally made food they could trust. What started with one small market table eventually grew into supplying multiple local stores, while still staying true to the same small-batch, handcrafted process that started it all.
But like many small businesses, the journey hasn’t been without challenges.
There have been seasons where life forced me to slow down, including times when my own health required me to focus on recovery. When you are the baker, the maker, the marketer, and the one standing behind the market table, stepping away can feel incredibly uncertain.
But those moments also revealed something powerful—the strength of the community that had grown around Muddy Acres Farm. Customers who once came for bread became encouragers and supporters, reminding me why I started in the first place.
Through every season, the mission has stayed the same: keep showing up, keep baking, and keep sharing something meaningful.
Every loaf of sourdough takes days to create. Every jar of jam is made in small batches. Nothing is rushed. Nothing is mass produced. It’s food made the way it used to be—slow, intentional, and full of care.
When someone picks up a loaf of bread or a jar of jam from our table and tells me it reminds them of home, I know we’re doing exactly what we set out to do.
Muddy Acres Farm isn’t just about selling bread or preserves.
It’s about preserving the feeling that food should have—a story, a connection, and a little bit of love in every bite.
Our motto says it best:
“Baked with Love, Shared from the Heart.”

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Victoria, and I’m the owner and baker behind Muddy Acres Farm. What started as a simple love for baking in my home kitchen has grown into a small business built around traditional methods, simple ingredients, and a deep connection to the community.
I first fell in love with sourdough because of the process. It’s slow, intentional, and rooted in tradition—just flour, water, salt, and time. Unlike commercial bread that’s rushed, sourdough takes days to develop its flavor. That slower rhythm reminded me of the way food used to be made, and it quickly became something I was passionate about sharing.
At first, I was baking for my family and friends. But people began asking for loaves of bread and jars of homemade jam, often telling me the flavors reminded them of something their grandmother used to make. Those moments helped me realize I wasn’t just baking food—I was helping people reconnect with something meaningful.
That’s how Muddy Acres Farm began.
Today I specialize in handcrafted sourdough breads, small-batch jams and jellies, and traditional pantry goods. Everything is made in small batches using simple ingredients and careful processes. My sourdough loaves ferment slowly over several days, and my preserves are made to highlight seasonal fruits and classic flavors.
You’ll most often find me at local farmers markets, which is where the business truly came to life. What started as a small table at the market has grown into supplying several local stores while still staying true to the same small-batch approach.
What sets Muddy Acres Farm apart is the intention behind everything I make. Nothing is rushed or mass produced. Customers know who made their food, how it was made, and that it was created with care.
What I’m most proud of is building a business that brings people together through food. Seeing customers return week after week for their favorite loaf or jar—and hearing how it reminds them of home—is what makes it all worthwhile.
At its heart, Muddy Acres Farm is about sharing simple, honest food made the way it used to be.
Baked with Love, Shared from the Heart.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Building an audience on social media for Muddy Acres Farm didn’t start with a big strategy or marketing plan—it started with simply sharing what I was already doing.
In the beginning, I used social media as a way to show people what was happening behind the scenes in my kitchen. I would post photos of fresh sourdough loaves coming out of the oven, jars of jam and jelly cooling on the counter, and batches of homemade pickles being prepared and canned. I also shared updates about where I would be set up at the farmers market that weekend. Those simple, authentic posts allowed people to feel connected to the process and to the story behind the food.
Over time, those posts helped build trust. Customers could see that everything was truly handmade and small batch—from slow-fermented sourdough bread to carefully canned jams, jellies, and pickles. People began following along not just for updates but because they felt part of the journey. When they came to the market, they already felt connected to the story behind the food on the table.
One of the biggest things that helped grow my audience was consistency. Showing up regularly online the same way I show up at the farmers market helped people remember my business and stay connected. I didn’t focus on being perfect or overly polished—I focused on being real.
Another big factor was community. Social media isn’t just about posting; it’s about conversations. Responding to comments, thanking customers, sharing their photos, and celebrating the people who support the business helped create a loyal group of followers who genuinely care about what Muddy Acres Farm is doing.
My advice for someone just starting out with social media is to focus less on trying to “go viral” and more on telling your story. People connect with authenticity far more than perfection. Show the process, share the small wins, talk about the challenges, and let people see the heart behind what you’re creating.
Also remember that growth takes time. The most valuable audience you can build is one made up of real people who believe in your work and want to support it.
For me, social media has simply been an extension of what happens at the farmers market—sharing the journey, connecting with the community, and inviting people to be part of the story behind Muddy Acres Farm and the handcrafted sourdough breads, small-batch jams, jellies, and pickled goods we proudly share.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

One moment in my journey that really tested my resilience came when I had to step away from the farmers market for a short time to focus on my health and recovery. When you run a small business like Muddy Acres Farm, everything depends on you. I’m the one baking the sourdough, preparing the jams, jellies, and pickles, packing everything for market, and standing behind the table each week. So the idea of stepping back, even briefly, felt incredibly difficult and uncertain.
I remember worrying about disappointing customers or losing the momentum I had worked so hard to build. But that season reminded me of something powerful—the strength of the community that had formed around my business.
Customers reached out with encouragement, messages of support, and understanding while I focused on healing. When I returned to the market, the response was overwhelming in the best way. People came by my table not just to buy bread or preserves, but to tell me they were glad to see me back.
That experience reminded me that Muddy Acres Farm isn’t just about the food I make—it’s about the relationships built through it. The farmers market community and my customers showed me that what I had built was bigger than just a weekly sale; it was something people truly cared about.
That moment reinforced my commitment to keep going, even through the hard seasons. Building a small business takes patience, perseverance, and heart, and sometimes resilience means knowing when to slow down, take care of yourself, and then come back even stronger.
Today, every time I set up my table at the market, I’m reminded why I started this journey in the first place—to share food made with care and to build something meaningful within my community.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muddy_acresfarm?igsh=ejJxemx5Nms4M3l2
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/18Z3Jb1jpd/