Rehydrate
Combine the dehydrated starter with flour and water using the step-by-step activation guide.
Field Release 001 · Wild yeasts collected in the forest near Ishpatina Ridge
Ishpatina Wild Yeast Sourdough Starter
$20.00
A dehydrated, reusable sourdough starter developed using wild yeasts collected in the forest near Ishpatina Ridge, Ontario’s highest point. 15 g dehydrated starter | Makes one reusable living culture | Made in Canada What makes the Ishpatina starter different? Most sourdough starters are defined by age, flour, or the bakery...
- Origin
- Forest near Ishpatina Ridge, Ontario
- Landscape
- Boreal forest
- Format
- 15 g dehydrated culture
- Use
- Reusable sourdough starter
What arrives
A living culture, ready to be revived at home
Feed
Build the culture through regular feedings until it rises predictably and is ready to bake with.
Make it yours
Maintain it over time as a living starter that adapts to your flour, kitchen, and baking routine.
The field record
Developed from wild yeasts collected near Ontario’s highest point
Sterile flour-and-water cultures were placed in the boreal forest near Ishpatina Ridge to collect yeasts from the environment. The cultures were later analyzed by an Ontario yeast laboratory.
Identified yeasts from that field collection are used in the development of this starter.
Product details
A dehydrated, reusable sourdough starter developed using wild yeasts collected in the forest near Ishpatina Ridge, Ontario’s highest point.
15 g dehydrated starter | Makes one reusable living culture | Made in Canada
What makes the Ishpatina starter different?
Most sourdough starters are defined by age, flour, or the bakery that maintains them. Ishpatina is defined by place.
On August 24, 2025, sterile flour-and-water cultures were placed in the forest near Ishpatina Ridge. The samples were later analyzed by Escarpment Laboratories in Guelph, Ontario. Wild yeasts identified from the collection were propagated and used during production.
The production culture was developed using Hanseniaspora uvarum and Metschnikowia pulcherrima collected from the region near Ishpatina Ridge.
From forest to starter
- The place: The boreal forest surrounding Ishpatina Ridge.
- The collection: Sterile flour-and-water cultures were placed in the surrounding forest.
- The lab: Samples were analyzed and wild yeasts were identified by Escarpment Laboratories.
- The starter: Selected yeasts were propagated and incorporated into the production culture.
- Your kitchen: The finished starter was dehydrated and packaged so it can be revived at home with flour and water.
What you receive
- One 15 g pouch of dehydrated sourdough starter
- Enough culture to establish one active, reusable starter
- QR code access to complete activation and care instructions
- A food-safe, shelf-stable package
How to activate it
Revive the starter with flour and water over several days. Activity will vary with temperature, flour, water, and feeding routine. Continue feeding until the culture becomes reliably active before using it to leaven dough.
Read the complete rehydration and starter-care instructions.
What can you make?
Once fully active, use it anywhere you would use a conventional sourdough starter, including:
- Country loaves
- Pizza and focaccia
- Pancakes and flatbreads
- Crackers
- Long-fermentation baking
The wild origin
- Region: Near Ishpatina Ridge, the highest point in Ontario
- Environment: Boreal forest, granite ridges, and lakes
- Wild yeasts used during production: Hanseniaspora uvarum and Metschnikowia pulcherrima
- Flour: Ontario-grown red fife wheat and white bread flour
Explore the place
Ishpatina Ridge is a remote destination reached through logging roads, forest trails, lakes, and exposed granite. The starter’s story began during a journey to the summit of Ontario’s highest point.
Read the Ishpatina Ridge trip report.
Please note
This is a living culture. Once revived, it must be fed and maintained like any sourdough starter. Use clean utensils, follow the provided instructions, and apply normal food-safe fermentation practices.
Questions
Before you begin
What makes this different from a generic sourdough starter?
This starter is defined by place. Its development uses identified wild yeasts collected in the forest near Ishpatina Ridge, connecting the culture to documented fieldwork in Northern Ontario.
Is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. The starter arrives dehydrated and shelf-stable, with detailed activation instructions. Sourdough requires regular feeding, but no previous experience is required.
How long does activation take?
Activation occurs through several flour-and-water feedings. Temperature, flour, and your kitchen environment affect the timeline, so follow the signs of fermentation in the guide rather than relying on the clock alone.
Will it remain exactly the same over time?
No living starter remains microbiologically fixed in a home kitchen. As you feed it, organisms from flour and the surrounding environment can join the culture.
Is it made in Canada?
Yes. The field collection, laboratory work, and production are based in Ontario, Canada.