Like a lot of people, I became inspired by homesteading and a more self sufficient life in 2020. It’s been a slow going process, but in these past couple of years I’ve already learned so much and am motivated to continue learning more — and hopefully live on 3 acres of land and have a farm one day.
There are many things I plan to share through this blog – motherhood, healthy meal and snack recipes (especially for those with picky eaters!), gardening, DIY crafts like as crocheting, polymer clay jewelry, creating home decor, along with sharing my personal hair regrowth journey and tips/tricks as we continue to decluttter our home and simplify our lives.
Our homesteading journey will be a big part of this blog, especially since I’ve committed to learning ONE new homesteading task each month of this year. Last month (January) it was learning how to crochet, which has already become one of my favorite hobbies and down time to do’s. This month, it’s been sourdough. I’m not gonna lie, I’ve always been intimidated by sourdough. The thought of creating the starter, knowing when to use it, how to actually make it have been excuses for me not to just go ahead and try it. Ending the procrastination pattern is another positive change I’m working on this year so what better way to get into 2023 than to bake delicious bread!
After a few Instagram reels and A LOT of googling, I realized making the starter is SO simple. Kicking myself now for not making it sooner. All you need are 3 things: flour, water, and a mason jar. Here’s how you make it:
– Add 1/2 cup of flour (I use organic all purpose flour) to your mason jar
– Add 1/4 cup of room temp water to the jar and mix it up really good
– Seal your mason jar, and leave it on the counter (a place that it will stay around room temp- ie. kitchen counter) and check back on it in 48 hours
If all went well, your starter will have just about doubled in size. This is my favorite part. Such a rewarding feeling! You will then remove about half of the starter and re-feed it with another 1/2 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of room temp water.
Based on my research, room temp and water on the warmer side helps to activate the starter and help it grow. If you are leaving your starter at room temp, you will need to feed it daily. If you choose to put your starter in the fridge, it can be fed once or twice a week. Storing your starter in the fridge is a great option for those who may need to press the pause button on their sourdough journey and want to keep their starter in stable condition.
Thinking about giving sourdough a go? Try it! It’s so simple and all you have to gain is delicious future recipes.
We’ve gotten as far as the feed and re-feed phases of sourdough. Next up is seeing if we can actually bake with it. Stay tuned for how that goes and what we learn!
