I look forward to getting to know everyone here as we take this journey together inside this wonderful space Henry has so kindly created for all of us.💛🥐🥯🍞🌾🥖💛

I've never finished a starter before, and I want to start a new one so I can start making sourdough items. This may be a question for @Henry Hunter to answer, but I know there are a number of knowledgeable people out there who might also give me the answers I'm looking for. First: Since I want to sell, I'll need to make sure I have enough starter for the 6x batch. I know the standard is to start and discard at 60g, but how much should I start with so I can make that many loaves at once? Second: I've seen many posts about using different flours for starters. I plan on using Whole Wheat flour unless someone thinks something else is better for selling. I'd like to make the Country Sourdough be my base loaf if that changes opinions. Third: I've seen people mention they have a stiff starter. What does that mean? Or should I just wait until I have a starter and have become comfortable with it before I learn about that? Thanks for your help, everyone!

I think most everyone here is from Crust & Crumb Academy, so you have probably read about the coursework I have completed so far and may have wondered where I went over the last couple weeks. For those that haven't followed along, I have completed the first 3 modules and started the 4th, which is a deep dive into starting our website. This is exactly what we needed when we needed it, as Virginia passed a law effective July 1 that now allows cottage bakers to sell and market online. Wonderful news for us!!! So we are busy trying to get some pictures taken and planning what we want on the site. In the meantime, Heather and I have been hard at work trying to streamline our menu and production schedule. While we have not sold any bread yet, I'm hoping to start selling Focaccia soon, and Henry has the Pro version in the Pantry now, making it easier for me to get started on that. Thanks Henry!!! For this Saturday, July 4, here's our menu plan: Enriched dough braids: raspberry & lemon Fudge: PB, Chocolate Nut, Firecracker (Firecracker is red white & blue white chocolate layers with sprinkles and pop rocks) Macarons: raspberry, chai, and s'mores Jar cakes & push pops: Banana Pudding, Strawberry, Chocolate PB, Vanilla Cookie dippers: red white & blue mini sugar cookies with 2 dips: italian buttercream and caramel Focaccia - if plans work out well; if not this week, then definitely next week. Soup in a jar: Chicken noodle & tomato basil white bean One thing we learned this year: Keep the offerings to 5-6 items. Yes, we have 7 listed for this week, but the fudge and the cakes are proven sellers, and we've made them enough to develop a simple production process. Our ultimate goal is to have 3-5 products available in 2-4 varieties or flavors each, with 1-2 specials every week. We're rotating flavors every week as well, so returning customers see new things each week. Since we're using mason jars for the jar cakes, we're letting people know if they return the jar to us, we'll give them $1 off their next order for each jar returned. The soup in a jar probably won't be a big seller until fall and winter, but it can still be a quick weekday meal, and chicken noodle & tomato are great meals when you're sick. And very fast prep, so I'll throw together 3-4 jars of each and see how they go. They are also long-lasting, so the jars leftover this week are good to sell for another couple weeks.