Reviving Your DaisyFields Farm Sourdough Starter

Welcome home! You are now the proud caretaker of Stanley — a sourdough starter with more seniority on this farm than most of my livestock, and considerably better manners. He's been bubbling away here for over a decade, and now a modest 10-gram packet of him is sitting on your counter, dehydrated and playing dead. He is not dead. He is resting. There's a difference, and Stanley would like you to respect it.

Don't panic — this is going to be fun, in the specific way that tending something alive and slightly temperamental is fun. Give Stanley a few days of feeding and he'll wake up right on schedule, same as everyone else around here after a long winter. You'll need a glass jar with a loose lid or a bit of cloth, some warm water, some flour, and a warm corner of your kitchen willing to take on a new resident.

Day 1: Dissolve and Initial Feed

1.      Place 10 grams of dehydrated starter into a clean glass jar.

2.      Add 50 grams of warm water (around 80°F to 100°F)—think “comfortable bath,” not “science experiment.”

3.      Let it rest for 15 minutes to a few hours, stirring occasionally until the flakes break down and form a milky liquid.

4.      Add 50 grams of unbleached all-purpose or bread flour and stir well into a thick paste or batter.

5.      Cover the jar loosely with a lid or cloth and set it someplace warm (72°F–78°F) for 24 hours. Then leave it alone. Stanley does not like to be checked on every twenty minutes, and frankly, neither do I.

Days 2 and 3: Regular Feeding

1.      Stir the mixture well.

2.      Feed the jar with another 50 grams of warm water and 50 grams of flour, mixing thoroughly.

3.      Cover the jar loosely and return to your warm spot. By day 3 you should start seeing a little bubbling — Stanley clearing his throat, so to speak.

Day 4 and Beyond: Activating and Testing

1.      By day 4, expect real bubbling and visible doubling. This is the part where you start to believe in him.

2.      Discard half of the mixture (I know — but see below).

3.      Feed the rest with 50 grams of warm water and 50 grams of flour.

4.      Repeat this daily until he reliably doubles or triples in size within 4 to 6 hours after a feeding. Once that happens, congratulations — Stanley’s fully revived and ready to bake!

A Note From Daisy Fields Farm

Sourdough starters are living things, and every kitchen has its own personality — so don't fret if Stanley runs a day or two behind schedule — he’s not being difficult, he’s just adjusting to new management. Feed him on time and he’ll come around. He always does.

Happy baking and congratulations on the new friend. Try not to name the discard — that’s a whole other relationship.