This was my seed culture 7 hours after the beginning of phase 4. I was really happy to see some activity. I refrigerated it overnight and this morning I started making my starter.

Start with 3.5 ounces of the culture (about half) in a large bowl.

Add 10.5 ounces flour and 8 ounces filtered water.

Mix with a spoon for about a minute until it forms a ball. Let it rest for about 5 minutes.

Knead (with wet hands) for a minute until smooth.

Transfer to a clean container, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and leave at room temperature for about 4-8 hours, until it doubles in size.

As I was making this, I noticed that it smelled really familiar, but not like dough. Then it hit me. It smells like raw butternut squash. Weird.

By the end of the day my starter will be ready to use. I plan on baking my first loaf of 100% whole wheat bread on Saturday.