Hey, I finally got a chance to try that sourdough starter recipe you sent me a few weeks ago. It took a couple of tries to get the fermentation right because my kitchen runs a bit cool, but once I moved the jar to the top of the fridge it really took off. The first loaf came out a little flat but the flavor was incredible — that tangy smell filled the whole house. I kept feeding the starter and baked another loaf over the weekend and it had a much better rise and a nice crispy crust. I also tried using the discard to make crackers and they turned out surprisingly good, pretty similar to the ones from the farmers market. Let me know if you have any tips for shaping before the final proof because I think that is where I am still getting it a bit wrong. I might try a banneton basket next time. Anyway thanks again for sharing the recipe, it has been a fun project and I am already planning my next bake with some inclusions like rosemary and sea salt. Hope you and your family are doing well.

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Hey, good question about the raised bed planter — I ended up using untreated cedar because it holds up well in our climate and doesn't have any of the chemical concerns. I lined the inside with landscape fabric to keep the soil in and stapled it along the top edge. The drainage worked really well after that first heavy rain we had last month, no pooling at all. I filled it with a mix of garden soil and compost and planted tomatoes on one side and basil on the other. They are both doing great, the tomatoes are starting to turn red now. I did notice a few aphids on the basil so I sprayed them with a mild soap solution and that seemed to take care of it. I am thinking about building a second one next spring for peppers and maybe some zucchini. Let me know if you want me to send you the cut list I used, it was pretty straightforward and took about an afternoon to assemble. The trick is getting the corners square before you drive the screws. Hope your garden is coming along too.