Hi, I keep my started on the kitchen counter fall, winter and spring as the indoor temp is typically the 65 to 70. I feed it daily its weight 1/2 water and 1/2 rye flour. It appears to me to be very vibrant. It always floats when added to water and smells strong and at times quite sour. Since I’ve been using this method my breads have a very sour flavor which I love. My wife on the other hand maintains the original starter that we grew from organic grapes 10+ years ago and since it is rarely used, I’ve become the baker and love the vibrancy of the rye starter, she keeps it in the refrigerator dormant until ready to use. I’ve always used the refrigerator for longer periods when I’m not using it or in the summer when the indoor temperature can reach 80 degrees. Do I need to refrigerate if I’m not using it for a week or 10 days? How long can it sit without being fed a room temperature before the bad bacteria grows? Appears from your blog post that keeping it fed and vibrant wards off evil :)

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