Rising to the Occasion: Levain It Up in High Rolls
The aroma of fresh-baked bread fills the air at Levain It Up Sourdough Bakery in High Rolls, where Garrett Barnett and Steven Jackson are transforming both an old building and their own lives.
Inside what was once the Tunnel Stop shop, flour dusts a shiny metal countertop as Garrett Barnett and Steven Jackson shape loaves with practiced hands.
This behind-the-scenes work leads to the storefront where mountain folks and passersby line up for their weekly fix of croissants and sourdough bakes at Levain It Up in High Rolls Mountain Park.
Time for Change
For Garrett, the move from Las Cruces to High Rolls wasn’t just a change of scenery—it was an escape.
“I was working as the kitchen manager at Kind Bread Co. for about three years,” he explains, “but I was also doing biohazard crime scene cleaning on call. Whenever something happened, they needed someone to clean up.”
The work paid well, but it took its toll. “I realized after the fact that it kind of stuck with me a little more than I thought it did,” Garrett admits. He said that after cleaning crime scenes—including vehicles from the Young Park mass shooting— then, soonafter a murder and brutal stabbing scene, he knew something had to change.
Steven, who spent five years working at garden centers in Las Cruces after twelve years in home health care, found himself pulled into Garrett’s vision. “He kind of forced me into it,” he laughs. “He said, We’re doing this. I need help.”
The couple had driven past the empty building countless times while visiting Garrett’s mother, Monica, in Cloudcroft. When they learned the rent-to-own price was a third of the rentals they found in Las Cruces, the decision became clear.
But the building needed work. Squatters had occupied it for two years, stripping wires and damaging the interior. “It was really bad,” Steven recalls. With help from family—Garrett’s uncle rewiring, his father checking the foundation—they slowly brought the space back to life.
Now, just four months in, the bakery is defying expectations. “Everyone told us not to expect hiring people until the first year, maybe year and a half. So, we’re on a fast track.”
Dough: Ancient and Alive
Garrett’s oldest starter, Queen, is at least 130 years old, inherited from his previous bakery job. Queen is joined by Doughlores, Matildough, and Doughlene. They’re hopeful for a new addition: Gluten-Free Glucinda. “The starters control our life, not the other way around,” Garrett laughs.
Each loaf requires at least five steps, with some products taking eight days from start to finish. Their croissants go through multiple laminations, rests, and proofs before emerging with their signature 27 layers.
“Everything goes through my hands at least five times,” he says. It’s painstaking work, but Garrett thrives on it. “I’m a sucker for process.”
The couple rarely leaves the bakery, working late into the night and arriving early each morning. Garrett’s mom helps with dishes, and extra bread goes to feed mountain local Gloria Griffin’s highland cows—a perk that makes Garrett and Steven smile.
Their bakes rotate based on seasonal flavors and Garret’s whims. He’s looking forward to debuting a sugar-plum roll in time for Christmas.
They also offer take-and-prove-and-bake sourdough pizza dough, along with bagels, cookies, and breads.
Steven and Garrett are savoring the simple fact of being here, breathing fresh bakes and mountain air. “It’s been a complete 180 life shift,” Garrett reflects. “I can’t wait until we can actually go on a hike and experience where we live now. Someday soon.”
Until then, they’re content to rise early, feed their starters, and transform flour and time into something that nourishes their neighbors—and themselves.
Levain It Up Sourdough Bakery is open Friday through Sunday from 2-6 p.m. Follow them on Facebook for menu updates and holiday hours.
This article originally appeared in the January 2026 Mountain Monthly.
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