After a couple false starts on my first attempt at a sourdough starter, I have me first starter and it's ALIVE!! Maybe too much  :-O

On day 6 (today), I was coming downstairs and could smell that nice yeasty smell and to my surprise when I walked into the kitchen I found that the starter had come ALIVE and was spilling out of the top of the jar (when it has always been about 1/4 to 1/3 of the jar). It's growing like crazy now and I just had to stir it down again.

My question is .... can/should I transfer the starter to a larger jar? Is that okay to do? I do plan to take my first pull from the starter this afternoon in preperation to make my first sourdough loaf and I thought that would be a good time to transfer and refresh the starter.

... any help would GREATLY be appreciated. I don't want to loose my first starter-baby!!

I received some of Carl's 1847 starter.  Grew it sporatically on the counter, then put it in the fridge.  Then I took it out and let it warm up - I used some (without "freshening it up") and ended up with two bricks of dense gum that found their way to the circular file.

Then I grew it some more and made a different recipe.  This time, I freshened it before using.  The free-form loaves rose (raised) well, but deflated when I applied (gently) the eggwash, and didn't spring - ending in two frisbee-shaped, but tasty finished loaves.  (I think if I'd used pans, they'd have been fine.)

So I've built up a jar of starter on the counter, and after the last feeding I woke up to an overflow - Fortunately I'd used a soup bowl underneath, AND - my wife was out of town.

I dumped all but ¼ cup into another jar and put the jar in the fridge.  Then I washed the counter jar and fed the ¼ cup with another ¼ Cup fresh wheat flour and the same amount of warm water.  Today, I added ½ Cup of each.  It IS active!

So my questions are:  If I continue to grow it on the counter, as the jar gets full, should I dump all but ¼ Cup into the big jar in the fridge?  I would expect to feed it maybe ¼ Cup fresh flour & water once a week.

When getting ready to make bread, should I use what's in the fridge?  How?

Thanks

PJ

Does anyone have a good online source for small amounts of wheat seeds?  I have a very small plot of land (very small - 4'X4') and a I realize I won't get much of a yeild, but I want my kids to see how bread gets to the table from beginning to end.

I've found a few places that sell 3, 6, 9 pound bags online, but I need much less.  And, since I procrastionated, I suppose I'll need to grow spring wheat instead of winter.

Thanks!