Learn the craft of naturally leavened bread in this hands‑on sourdough workshop, guided by local artisan baker Scott Draper. This welcoming, beginner‑friendly class walks you through every step: building and caring for your own starter, mixing and shaping dough, and baking a beautifully rustic loaf using time‑honoured techniques.
Whether you’re brand new to sourdough or looking to elevate your home baking, you’ll leave with practical skills, a deeper understanding of fermentation, and the confidence to keep baking at home. It’s an engaging, skill‑building experience rooted in the tradition and quality Arva Flour Mills is known for.
Session Duration: 3 Hours
Target Audience: Beginners to Intermediate Bakers
Sessions Available
- March 28 2026 - 3:30pm - 7:00pm
- April 25 2026 - 3:30pm - 7:00pm
Cost: $95
Location: Red River Cafe, located adjacent to Arva Flour Mills in Arva, ON
Workshop will provide: Active Sourdough Starter, 4.5Kg Daisy Hard Unbleached Flour, Mason Jar, Baked Sourdough loaf to bring home & Sourdough prepped to bake at home
Note: A welcome e-mail will be sent to all Participants with additional details
***** Agenda Overview *****
1. Arva Flour Mills Tour (20 minutes)
- Guided tour of Arva Flour Mills: overview of flour milling process, types of flour, and how flour quality impacts sourdough
2. Understanding Sourdough (15 minutes)
- What is sourdough?
- The science behind fermentation
- Importance of the starter
- Quick Q & A
3. Shaping, Soring & Baking (20 minutes)
- How to shape the dough for proofing
- Demonstration and hands-on scoring techniques
- Participants score their loaves
- Baking tips, oven setup, and loading loaves into the oven
4 Preparing the Starter (15 minutes)
- How to feed and maintain a sourdough starter
- Hands-on activity: Participants feed their starters
- Troubleshooting common starter issues
5. Ingredients and Tools (10 minutes)
- Overview of ingredients: flour types, water, and salt
- Essential tools and equipment for sourdough baking
6. Mixing the Dough (20 minutes)
- Demonstration of the autolyze method
- Participants mix their dough
- Explanation of hydration levels and dough consistency
7. Bulk Fermentation & Stretch and Fold (15 minutes)
- Explanation of bulk fermentation and its importance
- Stretch and fold technique demonstration
- Participants practice stretch and fold
8. Proofing & Timing (15 minutes)
- Explanation of the proofing process
- Tips for optimal proofing conditions
- Discussion on timing and signs of readiness
9. Cooling, Tasting & Wrap-Up (35 minutes)
- Discussion on cooling and storing bread
- Tasting of freshly baked sourdough
- Q&A and sharing of experiences
- Feedback on the course and next steps
End of Course:
- Handout with recipes and troubleshooting tips
- Resources for further learning (books, websites, communities)
- Invitation to follow-up sessions or advanced courses
Scott Draper is a sourdough baker and micro-bakery owner (ExtraDough) based in Ontario, where he produces naturally leavened breads using traditional fermentation methods and high-quality flour. His baking focuses on flavour, digestibility, and technique, with an emphasis on understanding the “why” behind each step of the process.
Scott bakes small batches of sourdough loaves each week, managing the full two-day fermentation process from starter maintenance through mixing, shaping, and baking. Through his micro-bakery, he has gained practical, real-world experience adapting sourdough methods for consistency, scheduling, and home- and small-scale production.
Passionate about sharing knowledge, Scott enjoys teaching approachable, hands-on sourdough techniques that help bakers build confidence and truly understand their dough. His classes focus on working with natural leaven, reading fermentation, and using quality flour to produce flavourful, reliable bread at home.
