I think I saw dry starter in a package in a health store.

Reviving this thread...
I put together my first starter last night....flour, water and a few grapes, per Paul Hollywood’s book. Is this much growth normal? I am supposed to leave this for 3 days. Will it slow down? Should I stir it? Ohmeohmy!
I put the rubber band at the level of the starter when I first put it in the jar...this is 14 hours later!

I bought a dried start of the Oregon Trail sourdough. I've grown it out several times, I think it mutates now and then.

There were some wild plums that grew along the southwestern side of Goose Lake in Southern Oregon. I thought they would be a good source for some sweet sourdough, but moved before I ever got them collected. I tried starting my own, but it began to smell and the kids threw it out.

You had me at "Paul Hollywood." Those twinkly blue eyes!

What are the grapes supposed to do? That's a new one to me.

Talking about containers for your starter...I had always used a mason jar with a cap and screw on ring to keep my starter in. But one day, I was snooping through the thrift store and I came across an 8 oz., wire-clamp, crockette, that had an image of the Golden Gate Bridge and said, "San Francisco Sourdough Starter." Well, since I live in Northern California, I had to have that. It just needed a new, rubber gasket, which I already had. The crock is just the right size to hold enough starter to make a big loaf of bread. It keeps an airtight seal, so that no other strange fungi, or other creepies get in.

Did you know you can soak clean cotton cloth in starter, let it dry and use it to get a batch going. This was the way starter was carried on covered wagons and on ship crossings. I remember my grandmother saying her grandmother sent starter rags to her sister in the mail.

Wow...cool! I've never heard of that before, but it makes sense.

Someone on a Facebook group offered to send me some of her dried starter. I thought, huh? But I guess it’s a normal way to share! I want to try to get this going on my own.

The grapes are supposed to help with the fermentation process, per Mr. Hollywood. Yes, those blue eyes are quite mesmerizing! Haha.

I have been reading and reading. My starter collapsed overnight, but is now growing slowly again. This is only day 2. Tomorrow I get to discard and feed her. She smells good! Still unsure if those pieces of grapes will just disintegrate, but if not, I may start over without them if it seems to be an issue.

Tropic, your crock sounds perfect for you! If I am successful, I may purchase a crock in the future.

I made some starter this summer and I stored it in frig in a plastic juice container that had a small cap on the top that I left open a little because it kept popping open on its own.

Ya know...you can make your own starter from just flour and water. There are lots of native yeasts floating all around and everywhere and they will make a home in your starter mix. What's nice about using a commercial starter instead, is that the yeast is already in full production. The army of yeast helps to combat any foreign bacteria, or other fungi from taking hold.

You can also start your starter using a little packet of baking yeast with your flour and water. It won't be wild, but it will do the job.

I think that using the grape could be a good idea. I believe that grapes have a layer of yeast growing on their skins.