225+ Year Old French Sourdough Starter (Natural Historic Sourdough Bread Yeast) Gift

Megan Lisle

By Megan

Owner of SarverFarms

Please select an option

What to know

Materials

natural yeast, flour

As one buyer put it, it's history in your fridge! This is shelf-stable for at least a month or two (some say longer, but I'm going on the safe side!) if you are looking for a gift for a baker in your life (or yourself and don't have time just yet to get it going).

Product:

Dried 0.5 oz (14g) of recently dried starter flakes for easier and cheaper transport. (With a QR code link to the instructions and a business card included).

All of the instructions, tips, and troubleshooting are located on SarverFarms.com/blog, but that doesn't mean I know of every issue someone can have!


Options:

*0.5 oz (14g) All-Purpose Flour-Fed Sourdough Starter Dried Flakes
-Ingredients: Unbleached all-purpose flour, natural yeast from the historic sourdough starter culture, water (evaporated).

*1.0 oz (28g) All-Purpose Flour-Fed Sourdough Starter Dried Flakes
-Ingredients: Unbleached all-purpose flour, natural yeast from the historic sourdough starter culture, water (evaporated). THIS IS 2 PACKETS OF 1/2oz, we just offer a discount on 2 for anyone who wants a back up or one for a friend!

Background:
This is a sourdough starter culture originating from a bakery in France that has been operating on the outskirts of Paris since the late 1700s or early 1800s. I have had it for years and have kept it up with continual feedings at least once or twice a week. It has been gifted through two people and I don't know the bakery name, but I do believe that it is genuinely this old! It can achieve nearly a three times rise in 4-6 hours when I feed it twice daily and leave it on the kitchen counter (room temperature around 72-73 degrees F).

It has amazing virility and light flavor. I've tried a few different sourdoughs, but this one can convert even the most staunch sourdough hater (me prior to trying this one because I do not enjoy the super sour sourdough bread). Of course, you can make it sourer if you'd like by not discarding half when you feed. Usually, I can get it to pass the float test for baking after one feed, maximum 2. I really love sourdough bread and I figured I would share so others can find joy and peace in a nice hobby. Plus, I've read that if you make a starter from scratch it can take years to get established.

FAQ:

Can I feed with any flour? - Yes! Any flour with gluten should be fine, you might even get away with some without gluten but I have not tried that so I can’t recommend anything other than saving some of the original regular flour-fed starter kept separately in case the gluten free one fails.

If I’m getting this as a gift for someone do I have to do anything to the starter or is it shelf stable in the package? - It should be shelf stable for a few months at least in the packaging, but I recommend taking the starter out and storing it in a brown paper bag or something breathable if you are storing it dried long term just in case of any humidity issues, or slipping a silica gel packet into the plastic bag.

Other commonly asked questions and answers might be found at SarverFarms.com/blog where a few posts can be found on various topics related to the starter and sourdough bread baking!

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What buyers say

Summarized by AI from all item reviews

4.9 (6k)
Love it Great quality Fast shipping Clear instructions Easy to use Delicious As described
View all item reviews

NowPrice:$5.25+

Original Price: $7.00+

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25% off

Sale ends on August 12

Shipping & return policies

  • Get it by
    Aug 7-13
  • Returns & exchanges
    Accepted within 30 days.
  • Ships from
    Roanoke, VA
    Shorter shipping distances are kinder to the planet
  • Cost to Ship
    $5.28 to United States, 43215

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Reviews for this item

4.9

We calculate this number using a recency-weighted average of all ratings, with a rating's value decreasing by half each year to best reflect the current experience.

(6k reviews)

5.0 Item quality
4.9 Shipping
4.9 Customer service
99% Buyers recommend

What buyers say

Summarized by AI from all item reviews

Love it Great quality Fast shipping Clear instructions Easy to use Delicious As described

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5 out of 5 stars 5

Julie Aug 4, 2026

easy to follow instructions, appreciated the guidance for preference of denser or more airy dough. thank you!

Julie Aug 4, 2026

5 out of 5 stars 5

Beckie Aug 4, 2026

The video and directions helped a lot! Bread turned out awesome!

Beckie Aug 4, 2026

4 out of 5 stars 4

Tay Aug 4, 2026

I only receiver half my order but works well!

Tay Aug 4, 2026

5 out of 5 stars 5

Emily Aug 3, 2026

I was so excited to receive this starter after my own failed attempt. I have successfully made a beautiful loaf and will be making more for my sisters and mom! Thank you for helping me achieve my dreams of baking bread!

Emily Aug 3, 2026

Meet your seller

SarverFarms
SarverFarms ·

Roanoke, Virginia

We calculate this number using a recency-weighted average of all ratings, with a rating's value decreasing by half each year to best reflect the current experience. 4.9
·
41.6k sales
·
7 years on Etsy
1 shop member

Usually responds in a few hours

Smooth shipping Has a history of shipping on time with tracking.

Speedy replies Has a history of replying to messages quickly.

Rave reviews Average review rating is 4.8 or higher.

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Listed on Aug 5, 2026