EIVIN KILCHER
The Starter That Came Home:
The Legacy of Yule and Ruth Kilcher’s Sourdough
In the 1940s, when Yule and Ruth Kilcher first stepped foot on the wilds of the homestead, they began a sourdough starter. It became a staple of daily life here, fueled by wild Alaskan yeasts and decades of history. When Yule passed away, we deeply felt the loss—and we thought their legendary sourdough starter had gone with him.
But sourdough has a way of surviving, bound by the connections it creates.
Decades ago, a young man in his thirties spent time with Yule on the homestead, absorbing the lifestyle and leaving with a small share of that very starter. He went on to work as a deckhand on Eve’s father’s commercial fishing boat in Alaska, eventually moving to the East Coast. Through it all, he kept Yule’s starter alive.
Kilcher Homestead Heirloom Sourdough Starter, since 1940
Fast forward to a few years ago. Now in his 70s, this old family friend mentioned to Eve that he was still feeding and maintaining Yule’s original starter from all those years ago. He carefully packed some up and shipped it right back to the homestead where its journey began.
Today, we’ve dehydrated this living piece of Alaskan history so you can bake Yule’s legacy into your own home. Every loaf you bake connects you to the pioneer spirit of the 1940s wilderness, a commercial fishing deckhand, and a friendship that kept a piece of the homestead alive for over eighty years.
EIVIN KILCHER
Now Available:
E&E's Homestead Kitchen
Wholesome recipes from Eve’s Alaskan kitchen. Learn how to turn pantry staples and fresh-grown goods into meals your family will love.
Homestead Kitchen: Stories and Recipes from Our Hearth to Yours is written together by Eve & Eivin. Inside, the two share 85 original family recipes as well as advice on gardening, preserving and foraging.
The tips and techniques they cultivated from their family and through necessity will help anyone looking to shrink their environmental footprint and become less dependent on mass-produced food and products.
