Should I choose the fresh or the dried starter?

The fresh starter arrives in a sealed pouch at 60% hydration. It is ready to be used for baking with only 1-2 feedings.
The dried starter are flakes in a sealed pouch and needs a couple of days to activate. It is great to have some dried starter on hand as a back-up, for when you are going away or if you have forgotten to feed your starter. It is also better to choose the dried starter if courier items to your address take generally longer than a week.
As a gift the dried starter is also more suitable so the receiver has some time to get organised.

This fresh starter need to be fed once you receive it, the dried starter can be stored for up to 9 months (choose below). Please have some rye flour on hand to be able to care for it. We sell organic wholegrain rye flour.

For questions please email Kai at [email protected]




Click here for more info on sourdough bread.

We have been baking bread for over 13 years now and our culture is strong and healthy.
You get the starter sent via courier and our Sourdough Starter eGuide will be sent to you via email.

Please see below the ToC for our Sourdough Starter eGuide (sent via email).

Please look for an email with the subject line: [KoruKai Herb Farm] Files available for your order




Rye starters are very robust and can tolerate a bit of neglect. Other starters would not survive that and need more care and attention.
We use the rye starter for loaves of wheat, rye and spelt bread, buns, for pizza dough, ciabatta and so much more. We even go on holiday taking the culture with us to bake fresh bread.

Shipping is with overnight courier (without signature, by NZ post) at the start of the week (cut off day and time is Saturday, 4pm to get shipped the same week). Please select rural delivery if you supply us with a rural address. We won't send the sourdough starter if the rural fee has not been paid. If you are unsure if you live at a rural address please check your address here: https://www.nzpost.co.nz/tools/address-postcode-finder


The dried starter arrives in dried shards. The fresh starter arrives at 60% hydration. That means it is kept more dry than usual for shipping so that it doesn’t get overly bubbly and explodes during transport. Your starter is alive and needs to be fed once you receive it. Please follow the eguide for instructions and have rye flour on hand.

Here is a video we have created to show you how an active starter after one feed looks like. This starter has been taken out of the fridge at 9pm and scooped into a stainless steel mixing bowl. It was then fed with 110g rye flour and 110g lukewarm water. This is how it looks like the next morning after 12 hours at 20 C room temperature ready to be used to build your dough.



Good luck and happy baking!


Sourdough Baking Equipment

In order to make sourdough bread, you’ll need to pick up some basic equipment. Some of it, you can’t do with out – like a jar for your starter and mixing bowls. Other equipment, like a grain mill for making freshly ground flour or a cast iron insert that helps you capture steam while baking, can take your baking to the next level and help you produce *amazing* bread, but you can still bake good bread without them.

Glass Jar: You’ll need a jar or crock in which to store your sourdough. A Fido jar with a strong seal works really well to store sourdough, and to prevent it from drying out. Your jar should be at least twice as big as the volume of your starter. So aim for at least a quart-sized jar. You can also use mason jars, if you like.

A Dough Whisk or Wooden Spoon: You’ll need to vigorously incorporate flour, water and starter together, and one of the best ways to do that is with a dough whisk.

Mixing Bowls with Tight-fitting Lids: Mixing bowls help you mix your dough, and they give it a place to rise. With tight-fitting lids, your dough won’t dry out! You can also use a beeswax wrap to cover the bowl.

Kitchen Scale: For consistent results, you’ll want to weigh your ingredients both when you feed your starter and when you bake bread. The recipe we provide has exact measurements in grams, so a scale is a must.


Proofing Baskets (Banneton) and Linens: Proofing baskets and linens help your bread to keep its shape while it rises. Since we’re working with relatively high-hydration artisan-style breads, a proofing basket is an essential tool. You can also use a stainless steel bowl and a clean tea towel to start with.

Dutch Oven: In order to develop a beautiful crisp crust, and a lofty and airy crumb, you need to bake with steam and to keep an even temperature while baking. I recommend a cast iron insert like the Dutch oven because it achieves particularly good results. It’s an investment for people who are really committed to baking good bread. I don’t use this tool as I want to bake two loaves at a time and still get great bead using a simple baking tray. I add 1/6 cup water to the base in the oven before putting the bread in to get that steam.

Grain Mill: There is nothing like real sourdough bread prepared from freshly milled grains. If you’re looking to take your baking to the next level and bake truly nutritious, amazing whole grain breads, a grain mill is valuable.

A Lame: A lame is a wooden tool equipped with a razor blade that helps you to score bread precisely and effectively. Using a lame is how artisan breads get such gorgeous patterns, and it also prevents them from tearing when they rise during baking. A lame produces the best results, but you can also score bread with a serrated knife.

Data sheet

Ingredients
Rye, water, natural yeast and lactobacilli
Grade 
Claire 17/12/2023

A high-quality product

I just wanted to acknowledge and say thank you for the lovely quality of the goods I’ve just received. I have used the sourdough starter to make crumpets and flatbread as well as a loaves of bread. Unfortunately, the results have been fantastic! The bread itself was crusty and light and so delicious. It’s set a very high bar that I am now going to be struggling to recreate! In all seriousness, the starter with the rye smells and tastes divine so thank you for providing such a high-quality product.

Grade 
Hayley 20/09/2023

Going strong

Ive had this sour dough starter for months and it's still going strong. The instruction booklet is easy to follow. Thanks for the great product and fast delivery!

Grade 
Corey 21/06/2023

2 years strong

This has been amazing - I've kept this baby going (feeding / baking every 7 to 10 days) for 2 years now and turned out beautiful croissants, ciabatta, general sandwich/ toast' loaves, brioche and more. It's been a resilient and reliable friend which only gets better over time. Sourdough doesn't have to be intimidating, and this little starter in the perfect companion to start strong

Grade 
Nebula NZ 18/02/2023

Wonderful bread made with this starter.

Got your sourdough starter the other day and baked 2 loaves this evening. Wonderful bread thank you.

Grade 
Diane Welsh 19/12/2021

Fantastic quality

I killed my own starter that I had for 2 years. I am glad I did, because the KoruKai starter is so much better than the one I had before. Brings by bread baking to the next level. Very happy with my purchase.

Grade 
Sharon H 13/06/2020

Amazing

This company is just amazing!! And definitely buy the guide. The aftercare was exceptional and fatest response to help me via email once i sent out my sos because i thought i killed it. Absolutely amazing company, fully support!!!

Grade 
Gabrielle Richard 18/05/2020

Healthy, buzzing starter

The starter was active from the get go and I was able to make bread on the first weekend. of receiving it. I am a novice and valued greatly the comprehensive guide. I couldn't have made it without that. There is so much online that I was left more confused and couldn't get my head around the process. The guide is well structured and my very first loaf was a success. Thank you so much for providing this service. I am hooked now!

Grade 
Cathryn Louise H 03/04/2020

Sour dough bubble

My sourdough starter arrived so promptly. Ive rehydrated it and its bubbling in my pantry, I’m very excited. I have a plain loaf im going to try and a sourdough pancake recipe. Thanks heaps

Grade 
Shaun Butler 02/04/2020

Great starter

First time making sourdough and this stuff was great. Only took a few rounds of making dough for it to get quite active. Really tasty!

Grade 
Liz Brook 08/12/2019

Sourdough Starter Happiness

My sourdough starter is everything I hoped it would be. After my first attempt with a sourdough yeast sachet and subsequent failure, I decided to get an already made starter to commence my sourdough bread journey, and I have not been disappointed. A mature rye sourdough starter is a beautiful sight! I followed Cornelia’s directions and with one mistake and one change I have two loaves of my very own sourdough bread. They look good and best of all, they taste good! Cornelia was so kind and prompt, answering all my questions and responding immediately. I am very happy and I have a starter to feed and continue to experiment.

Grade 
Vanessa Maxwell 09/06/2019

Great starter and service

I purchased my starter with instructions which was great! Cornelia was very patient with me after emailing her many times with questions. Recommend you purchase the instructions if you are a beginner. My first ever sourdough loaf turned out amazing.

Grade 
Sue Whitley 02/04/2019

Sourdough starter

I bought my starter a while ago. I don't bake often as it's mostly only myself and my husband. I have just baked my 5th loaf. The quality of the loaves have improved each time I've made one, as I get used to the process. The flavor is excellent and my daughter who is currently staying with us is very impressed. I found the instructions a necessity and I would recommend buying them if you are a first time sourdough baker. Baking sourdough is time consuming but the result well worth it.

Grade 
Elisabeth Hill 02/01/2019

Excellent instructions!

I bought the instructions with the starter because I am a beginner. The instructions are well structured , very clear and easy to follow. My first bread was airy inside and had a nice crust. The taste was great. I will add some seeds next time and maybe a little bit more flour because the dough was a bit soft when shaping it.

Grade 
Ben 02/01/2019

Healthy starter!

I have baked sourdough bread a lot 10 years ago and now have found time in my life to get back into it. This is a great starter and the resulting bread is nice and soft inside with lots of yeast activity present (holes, airy). The crust is divine and the flavour excellent.

Grade 
Jo Tulley 23/12/2018

sourdough starter

paid the $10 so didn't get full instructions, I have little info such as how to bake a loaf using the starter, would appreciate some instruction as i'm a learner

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