Sep 03, 2025
By Border Queen Harvest Hub
Meet Kirstan Wylie, one of the newest members of the Border Queen Harvest Hub! After 34 years of service in education with Caldwell USD 360, Kirstan recently retired and is now embracing a new season of life on her family’s 16-acre farm east of Caldwell. She and her husband, Sam, share their little slice of heaven with two dogs, four horses, and plans for chickens in the near future.
When I visited her home, Kirstan gave me a tour of her beautiful kitchen and showed me the tools she uses to make sourdough bread. She shared her bubbling starter with me and laughed when I held up a rolling pin—“I don’t use that!” she said. That moment reminded me just how much I still have to learn from her.
Kirstan and I have been friends nearly all of our lives. She is beautiful inside and out, with a kindness and faith that pour into everything she does. Her journey is also one of strength and resilience. In 2015, Kirstan was diagnosed with breast cancer. That experience shifted her perspective on health, inspiring her to focus on living free of preservatives and sugar. In the process, she discovered sourdough—bread that is not only delicious, but also nourishing.
The natural fermentation process in sourdough breaks down complex carbohydrates into simpler sugars, making it easier to digest. It also produces lactic acid, which supports gut health. Using farm-fresh eggs and natural yeast, Kirstan crafts loaves that are as wholesome as they are flavorful. Her next adventure? Milling whole wheat flour from local Kansas-grown wheat.
Like many bakers, her first starter didn’t make it. At the time, she was still teaching and found the process hard to manage. But retirement gave her the time and rhythm to try again. Now she knows the look, feel, and timing of when to feed it. She’s learned how temperature and humidity affect the dough and has leaned on sourdough Facebook groups to pick up tricks of the trade.
Today, Kirstan has turned her passion into a business: KK’s Creations (named after what her grandkids call her). She bakes everything from classic sourdough loaves to chocolate chip cookies, pretzel bites, sandwich bread, noodles, and even pizza crust. One of her challenges, she admits with a smile, is not being able to cut into every loaf to make sure it’s just right before selling it. She treasures the feedback she gets from customers to help perfect her craft.
Some families even subscribe to a “bread plan,” ordering a loaf every other week, which helps Kirstan plan her baking schedule and keep her starter happy.
You can find her creations online at borderqueenharvesthub.com or on Facebook at KK Creations.
Kirstan’s story is one of faith, friendship, and finding joy in new beginnings. Her bread is more than food—it’s a reflection of her heart, her resilience, and her desire to share something wholesome and beautiful with others.