A quick update on the progress of the Fifth Edition. Right now, specimen production is moving along at a great pace. On quite a few specimens we are actually ahead of schedule, which is a fantastic sign!
Once the first test batch of each specimen is ready, they'll be sent off to our production partner for inclusion in acrylic. These will be our first pass at the new Fifth Edition's final look, so it's quite important to make sure everything fits within the display and takes well to the resin.
Mini Museum Helper Sam is working on the Early Modern Human tool core pieces. Headphones are crucial, both for ear protection and rocking out.
Pledge Manager and Shipping!
The pledge manager and shipping surveys will be ready to be sent out soon. Once they are, we'll share it in another update and you'll be able to update your information and also choose additional add-ons too!
As a note: please make sure your pledge has been successfully charged. You'll want to check your email for a message that reads "Your pledge for Mini Museum 5: The Fifth Edition has been processed." Since the crowdfunded Fifth Edition is a special limited edition, we want to make sure everyone who was a part of the campaign has been locked in and will be able to get their museum without issue.
If you don't see a confirmation of pledge processing, reach out to us at [email protected] and we can help.
MM5 Add-On Survey
While we're on the topic of pledge add-ons, we've got a survey question for everyone! We're working on making some exciting new add-ons, but we'd also like your feedback.
You can take this Google Form to indicate your interest in larger or single specimen versions of items in the Fifth Edition: https://forms.gle/A8cdrSiSpVGnnXA87
While we can't promise we'll be able to do all of this, your choice will help us know which items to focus on during the add-on process. If you have other ideas, let us know in the comments of this update!
See MM5 under the Microscope
At the end of the campaign, we ran a backer stream with specimens from MM5 underneath our new microscope. The video from this stream is now available to view on YouTube!
Come see the MM5 specimens under the microscope and let us know what your favorite is!
Hi all
I was wondering if anyone had tried using one of these https://brodandtaylor.com.au/products/sourdough-home and if it works with breadwinner? Our local temperatures range from -1C to sometimes over 40C so having the option to cool or heat a starter looks very useful
Quick update today – I'm thrilled to announce that Breadwinner is now officially for sale on our Shopify store! Whether you're looking for a additional unit to try with a different starter or you're thinking about a perfect gift for the bread-lover in your life, we've got you covered.
I hope you're all kneading away at some tasty data-driven sourdough. I'm thrilled to share some freshly baked updates that I've rolled out:
1. Jar Type Selection: You now have the freedom to choose the type of jar you're using with Breadwinner. We've added support for standard wide-mouth mason jars in sizes 24oz, 32oz, and 64oz, along with the default 16oz jar that comes with Breadwinner. This means your graph should calculate the height of your starter properly (as opposed to showing very strange multiplier values).
Start a New Feeding: Remember to start a new feeding when you switch the jar type. Changing the jar influences the calculations behind the scenes, so your dashboard graphs might look a little odd otherwise.
Your Feedback Matters: As this is a fairly experimental feature, I'd appreciate it if you could let me know if anything seems off after making the change.
Big Boi Jars: For those going big with the 64oz mason jars, be aware that a fully empty jar of this size can max out our sensor. However, since I doubt anyone is measuring an empty jar, this shouldn't be a problem. The data may be a bit unusual with this jar size, so please consider this a fair heads up!
2. Privacy Settings: In response to your feedback, you now have the option to set your starter's dashboard as private. Just head over to your profile page and you'll find a new checkbox at the bottom that allows you to do this.
This will make sure only you can view your starter's dashboard.
Please note that I'm currently catching up on customer service emails. If you've reached out, rest assured that I will get back to you within the next few days. Your patience is greatly appreciated!
Keep the feedback coming and feel free to continue sharing your experiences, questions, and ideas. Don't forget you can always join the chat on our Discord and engage with the rest of the Breadwinner community.
Thank you for your ongoing support and happy baking!
I hope this message finds you well and as excited about our data-driven bread baking journey as I am. I wanted to address a matter that has come up from our international backers regarding customs fees.
International shipping, as many of you are aware, can be fraught with challenges. From the start, I made the decision to offer international shipping for Breadwinner because sourdough bread is a global passion, and I wanted to honor its rich history. This meant navigating the realities of higher shipping rates and customs fees - standard aspects of shipping internationally, albeit often unexpected ones.
I've tried several solutions to make this process as smooth as possible. Prior to switching to our current shipping partner, Passport, we attempted deliveries through standard DHL shipping. Unfortunately, several units got lost in customs, despite DHL generally being a tad cheaper. Passport promised 100% deliverability, which was an exciting prospect and I'm happy to say they quite literally appear to be delivering on that promise so far.
However, it's clear that the customs fees associated with Passport have taken some of you by surprise. For that, I sincerely apologize. Please know that these costs are not a price hike from our side, but rather standard international fees charged by customs. In many instances, I have absorbed some of the shipping costs to keep the prices as accessible as possible.
In light of your feedback, I've considered a couple of options to address your concerns:
I could potentially offer DHL as a roll-the-dice alternative for future shipping. However, this would not apply to Breadwinners already en route, so if you've gotten your tracking number already, your unit has been shipped with Passport. While DHL is a bit cheaper, the potential for loss is higher and it's likely that customs fees would still apply. It's a gamble, but could be an option for those willing to take the risk.
As a token of appreciation for your understanding and to make up for the surprise over the customs fees, I would like to offer any international backer an envelope of my dehydrated Breadberry sourdough starter sent with an international USPS stamp. This would be a roll-the-dice shipment, as we can't guarantee that every country's customs will accept it, but it's a small token we'd love to send your way. (Side note: if you've received your dehydrated Breadberry can you let me know? Since they were sent via regular postage, I don't have tracking visibility.)
Also, if you're still upset about the cost of shipping and customs fees, please feel free to email me directly. I value your feedback and would like to work with you individually to try and find a solution. This project is about making data-driven sourdough accessible and enjoyable for all, and I'm committed to doing what I can to make that happen.
The true challenge here lies not with Breadwinner, but with the complexities of international shipping and bureaucracy. We're navigating this together and I am grateful for your patience and understanding as we do.
If you wish to discuss this further or have other concerns, please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]. I am here to listen and work on solutions. You're not just backers to me, but valued members of the Breadwinner community.
Thank you again for your support in making Breadwinner a reality.
Breadwinner… this is getting totally ridiculous
I am a Canadian with a mailing address in the USA … if you had told me that you would charge $19 USD to ship to Canada and that ON TOP I would have to pay $35 CAD in duties and taxes with the use of your “fantastic “ logistic firm … I would have decided to get my item in the US … your logistics are bringing the cost of my item at indecent levels … I am clearly not happy with the situation …
First, the shipping news... Breadberry Starter Shipping
I've just returned from a quick jaunt to my local post office, dropping off dozens of Breadberry starters. For those of you who added the Breadberry add-on, your dehydrated starter is now en-route, secured in the hands of USPS.
For our international backers, we're now in "send and pray" mode for your Breadberry shipments. I've attached international stamps to your regular envelopes, hoping they make it through the labyrinth of global mail systems. Unfortunately it's all a bit of a dice roll, as customs rules differ from country to country. Who knew, for instance, that Spain has a no-go policy on playing cards? And shipping pulverized coca beans to Germany? Nein, danke! You can find more of these peculiar restrictions here: https://pe.usps.com/text/Imm/immctry.htm. Let me know if you find anything about dehydrated sourdough starters in there (e.g., I would argue it is definitely not a live animal).
Special thanks go to Noah, my trusty Breadwinner sidekick as he stuffed many of the envelopes you'll be receiving and has been a huge support during our journey.
If you're a non-US backer waiting for your actual Breadwinner, don't fret - it looks as if the majority of them have made it out of the country and many of them have already cleared customs in their destination country.
How’s it going?
So, for those who have successfully sprung their units from their boxes and are feeding the data beast, how are things kneading out? Some of you have already recorded a dozen feedings, which is fantastic! We're seeing new devices rise online daily, but do feel free to drop me a line if you encounter any glitches or need assistance with your setup – [email protected]
Suggest Features?
To help me better organize and prioritize future development on Breadwinner, I’ve baked up a new feedback system over here:
This is my first time using Canny, but I'm hopeful it will aid in keeping things well-organized and allow you to stay updated when fresh features are baked and ready.
Until next time, keep those ovens warm and the feedback coming!
I am excited to bring you the latest news on our Breadwinner journey. Let's dive in!
First, I am thrilled to report that almost all of the Breadwinner units have been shipped out. If you haven't received yours yet, please make sure to fill out your address details. There are only a few units left to go, and those are waiting for the final address confirmations.
Seeing dozens of Breadwinner units now online and producing data is genuinely exciting. It's quite a sight to observe all these units at work and witness the real-time yeast data flow in.
I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to those who have joined the Discord community and shared their experiences. Your feedback, including bug reports, is invaluable. I am working hard to fix these issues, addressing them in order of priority.
There have been a few hiccups along the way (like the website going down temporarily this morning as I tried to implement a minor fix 🤦🏻♂️), but overall, things are going very smoothly. I appreciate your patience and understanding as I continue work out these minor kinks.
Please be aware that if you switch the starter associated with your device while it's reporting data, you might lose that ongoing data. To avoid this, please restart a feeding once you switch, ensuring that the device properly reports for the associated starter.
Lastly, I want to say thank you once again for your support. Despite Breadwinner being mostly a one-man operation, your enthusiasm and engagement make it all worthwhile. Please feel free to reach out on Discord or via email at [email protected] with any feedback or issues.
I juste received my Breadwinner, yeah! But now I’m puzzled. It seems that the only way for me to get the data from the jar is to wait for it to upload it to breadwinner.life and publish it. That’s not really what I want. I just want my data, not make it visible to everyone all the time (unless I choose to share), and I would like it in real-time, not wait until it is ready. I do understand that it may be a lot more work to support that. But I’m willing to do that work for myself (and share with others who might want the same). Would you consider opensourcing the firmware code so that the community could enhance the way the product work? Or exposing open APIs to acccess the data in real-time?
Aside from a couple dozen of you who have yet to fill out your BackerKit address survey (click here to find a link to your open surveys on BackerKit), the rest of you have either had your Breadwinner delivered or it is on its way to you via our logistics network.
Here's a fun screenshot of just a few of the places Breadwinners are headed:
Once Passport picks these up they'll get started sorting and labeling them, at that point you should receive a tracking number.
As more and more Breadwinners have been coming online, I've been diligently watching my big yeast dashboard that I've decided to call the B.U.N.D.T. (Breadwinner User Network and Device Tracker):
This a realtime view of all the data coming into Breadwinner. The vertical lines are individual feedings and each starter has its own line color. If you are looking at this graph and saying to yourself "Hey, that looks really messy, what am I supposed to take away from this crazy graph?" to be honest, I agree! I'm going to have to figure out a new way to visualize all this data.
But for now it's just nice to see all the devices checking and data flowing smoothly.
I've also been closely monitoring our backend systems to make sure all this big yeast data isn't toppling our system capacity:
Unfortunately my one server has been feeling a little stressed over the last 24 hours (see all the orange warnings? that means Breadwinner's lowly web server was running low on memory), so this morning I decided to upgrade Breadwinner to a dedicated host with 2.5GB of memory.
Exciting stuff, I know.
Over on Discord, Breadwinner backer Nicoooooo posted about a their starter's particularly vigorous introduction to Breadwinner:
This can sometimes occur! Especially if you're used to feeding your starter in a larger container than the 16oz jar that comes with Breadwinner (I aim for 30-40g of remaining starter, and 50g of water, and 50g of flour).
So if this happens to you, don't worry – Breadwinner's sensor window is easily wipe-able (though you should absolutely not submerge the battery compartment in any kind of liquid) and should hold up fine against even the most aggressive starters. Using a Q-tip to clean the little glass window is also good trick since it can be a little tricky to get inside the edges in there.
That's about it for now, but we'll have a couple more meaty posts coming up soon about our battery life estimates as well as gluten free starters!
