Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Zuback.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
For 25 years, my life was dedicated to being a certified veterinary technician. It was a career I loved, but it was also one that took a significant toll on my body. After years of chronic injuries and multiple surgeries, my doctors gave me the news no one really wants to hear: it was time to retire. I wasn’t ready to stop working, but I knew I had to find a way to be kinder to myself physically.
Baking became the answer. It allowed me to stay creative and productive, but the traditional “market” route—hauling heavy tents, folding tables, and bins of product every weekend—just wasn’t an option for my back. That’s where the idea for the mobile display trailer was born. It wasn’t just a business choice; it was a physical necessity. It allows me to bring my kitchen to the community without the physical strain of a traditional pop-up setup.
When I started Rustic Roots Bakery & Farm Goods, I knew I didn’t want to chase the latest “sourdough” craze or whatever happened to be trending on social media that week. I wanted to go back to the roots of what bread used to be. My goal was to recreate the old-fashioned recipes that our grandmothers made—the kind of dense, honest loaves that actually filled you up for hours.
The name “Rustic Roots” represents that philosophy. It’s about getting back to the basics and the recipes that brought us here. Today, I’m trading stethoscopes for flour scales, operating out of my trailer and focusing on the slow, patient process of traditional baking. It’s a different kind of care than I practiced for two decades, but it’s just as fulfilling to see people enjoy something handcrafted and hearty.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I wouldn’t call it a smooth road—it’s been more of a crash course in “expect the unexpected.” Since I’m a one-person operation, every single role falls on me, and that comes with a steep learning curve.
The biggest struggle was the “mobile” part of the mobile display trailer. I’m a baker, not a mechanic or a professional driver. Learning the physics of hooking up the trailer, backing it into tight spots, and ensuring everything is road-secure was a huge challenge. There’s a lot of trial and error involved when your storefront is on wheels, and I had to learn those lessons while already dealing with the physical limitations that led me to retire from my previous career.
Operating out of a home cottage kitchen sounds picturesque, but it means your life and your business are completely intertwined. My kitchen has to be a professional-grade environment while still being my home. Balancing the strict production schedule—like knowing my Wednesday is entirely committed to white bread—with the realities of daily life requires a level of discipline I’m still perfecting.
Coming from 25 years in medicine, I knew how to work hard, but I didn’t know how to be a web designer, a marketing manager, and a POS technician. Setting up the digital side—managing the website, handling pre-orders, and navigating small business taxes—was a different kind of exhaustion. There were many nights where I felt like I was drowning in flour and spreadsheets at the same time.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in what I call “sustenance baking.” My work is centered on old-fashioned recipes—the kind that use traditional methods to create the natural texture and density found in a grandmother’s kitchen. I focus on artisan breads and “Farm Stand” goods that are meant to be hearty and real. I don’t follow the “light and airy” trends; I want to make food that grounds you and stays with you.
In the community, I am most known for my Focaccia and my Lemon Blueberry bread. The Focaccia is the ultimate example of what I do—it’s savory, substantial, and made with the kind of care that takes time. The Lemon Blueberry has become a fast favorite because it balances that “back to basics” feel with fresh, bright flavors. People have also started seeking out my “Oatmeal Raisin Oopsie Cookies”—a happy accident that turned into a staple because people recognized the honest, homemade quality immediately.
What sets me apart is the marriage of my 25-year background in veterinary medicine with this new chapter of baking. That career taught me a level of precision, sanitation, and “science-meets-heart” that I bring to every batch of dough. I don’t just bake by feeling; I bake with a disciplined production schedule that ensures quality every single time. Additionally, my mobile display trailer sets a different tone than a typical market stall. It’s a curated, professional storefront that allows me to bring a “main street” bakery experience directly to the neighborhood without the physical strain of a traditional pop-up.
I am most proud of turning a forced retirement into a thriving second act. After 25 years of physically demanding work, I’ve built a business that respects my physical limits while still allowing me to serve my community. Every time a customer tells me that a slice of my bread tastes like “the real thing,” I know I’ve succeeded in bringing those rustic roots back to life.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
If I had to pin my success on one thing, it would be resilience.
After 25 years as a veterinary technician, my transition into baking wasn’t just a career change; it was a total reinvention necessitated by physical limitations. It would have been easy to see a “forced retirement” as an ending. Instead, I chose to view it as a pivot. Success in this business hasn’t just been about having a great recipe for Focaccia; it’s been about the willingness to learn how to drive a trailer, how to manage a cottage kitchen’s strict production schedule, and how to stand my ground on “old-fashioned” quality when trends are leaning elsewhere.
Hand-in-hand with that resilience is authenticity. I feel that my customers can sense the “why” behind Rustic Roots. I’m not trying to be a high-tech, trendy bakery. I’m a neighbor who bakes in her home kitchen and brings the results to you in a trailer because I truly believe in food that nourishes and fills you up.
Staying true to that “Grandma’s kitchen” philosophy—even when it takes more time and more physical effort—is what has built the trust I have with my community. People don’t just come for the bread; they come because they know every Lemon Blueberry loaf or batch of white bread was made by someone who refused to let a setback stop them from creating something meaningful.
Pricing:
- $8.00 The White Barn Loaf
- $ 12.00 Rosemary & Salt Focaccia
- $15.00 Lemon & Blue Berry Loaf
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rusticrootsbakery.com
- Instagram: @rusticrootsbakery
