Calling all snowbirds
I live in 2 homes-summer in Minneapolis (4 months) and fall/winter/spring in Florida (8 months)-a "snowbird" in common parlance. I have sourdough cultures and milk kefir grains to preserve and use at both locations and need to figure out the easiest way to ensure healthy (or at least living) cultures. I haven' t been doing the snowbird thing for very long and in trying to cover all my bases, I have saved cultures at each location using various means(dried,frozen,thickened, untended). I have also travelled with cultures each time in case my storage method failed. Right now I am trying to decide on the easiest, most foolproof way to do all this. The cost of refrigeration at the untended house is always a consideration-as is failure of the refrigerator (no power for 5 days after Hurricane Irma-cultures did survive). Sourdough is tough but even so I have killed a few cultures in my time.
So how do all you other snowbirds handle your cultures? Keep it with you at all times? Leave some at both locations? In what state-dried,frozen,thickened? I have to count on them being never fed in a 4 month period of time. Can I preserve them successfully without refrigeration for extended periods? I have dried my SD before but I just don't have confidence in revival when they are left warm for 4 months. Do I just need re-assurance?
I have great friends in the Florida location so I might be able to leave some in their refrigerator but, again, in what state-dried,thickened,frozen? I also never know if they will throw it away, in error.
I just did an experiment with Dabrownman's Rye flour NMNF starter but mine did not survive 4 months so I'm not sure I want to rely on that method just yet. One experiment doesn't give me enough confidence,esp. since it failed (possibly due to user error since others have had repeatable success). I will continue to experiment.
Best advice?
Anyone live in Palm Harbor, Florida full time that would like a new friend and babysit my cultures?