Guide · 5 pages · PDF
Sourdough Starter & Maintenance Guide
Build a starter in 7 days, keep it alive forever.
A 5-page printable that takes you from flour-and-water on Day 1 to a reliable starter that doubles in 4 hours by Day 7 — then keeps you alive forever with the right feed schedule for how often you bake. Includes a 7-day feed log, the rubber-band test, troubleshooting for every smell and texture, and a bake-day timing cheat sheet.
Free with a Crosodo account. Print at home or on a service printer.
Crosodo · cottage baker resources
Guide
Sourdough Starter & Maintenance Guide
Build a starter in 7 days, keep it alive forever.
Vol. 1 · 2026
crosodo.com/resources
What's inside
Designed to print, fill in by hand, and keep in a binder.
- Day-by-day build schedule (7 days from flour to active)
- The 'doubles in 4 hours' test (rubber-band method)
- Daily / weekly / monthly maintenance schedules
- Feeding worksheet (1:5:5 ratio math)
- 7-day printable feed log
- Troubleshooting matrix (acetone, hooch, no bubbles, mold, etc.)
- Bake-day timing cheat sheet (T-12 h to bake)
Who it's for
Built for three kinds of baker.
01
Brand-new sourdough bakers building their first starter
02
Bakers whose starter has gone sluggish or smelly
03
Anyone moving from once-a-week to daily baking
Explore the directory
Laws, counties, and product verdicts — free on Crosodo.
50-state cottage food directory
Tier ratings, sales caps, statutes, and every county in your state.
Can I sell this?
Not sure what you can sell? Use the product checker by state.
What permits do I need?
Home cottage-food permit stack by county or independent city — not a storefront kitchen.
Can I sell sourdough bread?
50-state matrix — yes, conditional, or no in every jurisdiction.
Can I sell cookies?
National cottage food verdicts for cookies in all 51 jurisdictions.
Can I sell cheesecake?
TCS rules for cheesecake under cottage food law, state by state.
Cottage food label templates
Free per-state label mockups with researched disclaimer language.
Banneton vs bowl guide
Which proofing vessel wins — free PDF, photos, and marketplace picks.
Reference library
Official agency PDFs, web pages, and training videos by state.
This printable
Questions about Sourdough Starter & Maintenance Guide
Is the Sourdough Starter & Maintenance Guide PDF free?
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Yes. Sign in with a free Crosodo account to download Sourdough Starter & Maintenance Guide. Print at home, three-hole punch it, and keep it in a binder next to your scale.
Does this replace reading my state's cottage food law?
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No — these are planning and compliance worksheets, not legal advice. Always verify caps, allowed products, and labeling rules with your state's department of agriculture and your local health or zoning office.
Where can I look up my state's rules while I fill this in?
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Open your state page at crosodo.com/states — it links the statute, registration portal, and county pages. Use the Can I sell? checker at crosodo.com/can-i-sell to verify specific products.
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Pantry & Equipment Checklist
The minimum kit to start, and what to add in year two.
Workbook · Quiz · PDF
Food Safety Quiz Workbook
Study quiz with answer key — general food safety plus Minnesota MDA training-style items.
Templates · 51 jurisdictions · PDF
50-State Cottage Food Label Pack
Label mockups for every state (and DC) with researched disclaimer language and official sources.
Visual report · 18 examples · PDF
Official Cottage Food Label Examples
See 18 real label examples published by state, county, and public-extension sources.
Craft guide · 6 pages · PDF
Banneton vs Bowl Definitive Guide
Rattan, towel-lined bowl, glass, brotform, or no basket — which proofing vessel actually wins.
Fine print
None of this is legal advice. Cottage food laws change every year and municipal zoning codes update quarterly. Verify with your state's department of agriculture, your local health department, and your city or county's planning office before relying on any of it. Crosodo is a clothing brand for cottage bakers, not a law firm.