This week we had a little celebration as the first set of 1,200 production specimens made their merry way to our acrylic casting partner! Per usual, we don't expect any issues with testing as we already have a rigorous process at MMHQ that replicates the production environment. Mainly we expect feedback on the template inside the museum with requests for adjustment to allow for more efficient assembly. At this scale, little nudges here and there can make a big difference!
So many specimens! Left to right: Woodstock Stage, Boeing 747, Amelia Earhart, and Conquest of Land!
The results of the test should be ready in the next 10-14 days, at which point we’ll move on into full production mode. We also expect to have the balance of specimen production complete at that time too. Roughly 80% of specimens are already above our quota and the remainder are those special few that require extra nips or secondary embedment (Amelia Earhart we are looking at you). We covered some of this extra special handling during our livestream event, but we’ll have even more details in a future update so keep an eye out!
Packaging and LED Stand Update
We’re also excited to announce that both LED stands and packaging for the Fifth Edition are in production. We are expecting a physical sample of the packaging from the factory in the next 10-14 days, at which point we’ll share the full design. In other words, no sneak peeks till we sign off! 😎
A quick note on the stands… We’re actually making a few extra for those of you who may have missed that option during the campaign. If you didn't reserve one at that time, you'll be able to add one once the Pledge Manager opens. Speaking of which…
Pledge Manager to Open in Mid-September
We’ve received a few questions from backers about supplying addresses. Don’t worry, you haven’t missed anything yet!
If you’re new to crowdfunding, it’s best practice to ask for addresses as close to shipment as possible to avoid any last-minute changes that could result in shipping errors down the line. We’ve found that 45-60 days is about the right mark so our plan is to open up the Pledge Manager in mid-September.
Per usual, we’ll have a few surprises, including a t-shirt design and [redacted]!
A special thanks to everyone who submitted an answer to our Add-On survey in our last update! This will let us know what specimens we should focus on when creating new add-ons for the campaign. If you still want to provide some feedback on add-ons, you can let us know here!
Naming the Tallest Mountain in the World
The challenges of climbing Mount Everest are staggering: storms that can freeze expeditions dead in their tracks, avalanches that can bury them, and air thin enough they can't breathe. The mountain is deadly, but its challenges are not just geographic. Mount Everest lies squarely between Nepal and China, a tense political borderland that has stopped some expeditions before they even begin. Many political entities have laid claim to Everest, the mountain going by many names in many languages as different nations have hoped to leave their mark on the tallest mountain on Earth.
Mount Everest’s exact height was first discovered by the English, during their occupation of India via the East India Trading Company. To assess their holdings, the company ordered The Great Trigonometrical Survey in 1802, to be completed in an estimated five years. The survey took six decades of arduous triangulation work, beginning at the southern tip of the subcontinent and ending at the border of the English’s holdings in the north. The English were unable to conquer the mountainous Nepali terrain during the Anglo-Nepalese War, but the size of the Himalayan mountains could be calculated even from hundreds of miles away.
Fitting for the tallest mountain on Earth, the story of the discovery of Everest’s height is itself the stuff of legend. As the story goes Surveyor General Sir Andrew Scott Waugh was sitting in his office one day in 1852 when Radhanath Sikdar, a computer on the survey, burst in, saying he had found the tallest mountain in the world. Waugh elected to name the mountain Everest in honor of his predecessor Sir George Everest, rather than use an indigenous name as was custom. Everest himself (pronounced “Eve-rest”) was against the decision, but Waugh was happy to brand the mountain an English discovery and the name stuck.
George Everest (1790-1866) was against having the mountain named after him.
The discovery of Everest’s height coincided perfectly with the Golden Age of Alpinism, beginning with Sir Alfred Wills’ 1854 summiting of the Wetterhorn. In these early days, it was assumed, including by Waugh, that the mountain was simply too high to climb, with no attempts made through the rest of the nineteenth century. That changed in 1921 with the formation of the Mount Everest Committee, a joint venture between the Alpine Club and the Royal Geographical Society. A reconnaissance mission followed that year that determined a viable route to the top of the mountain. Suddenly the race was on to summit Everest.
Eager to claim the mountain, the English launched several expeditions. A 1922 expedition set new altitude records with the first use of bottled oxygen on Everest (consider unsportsmanlike to some in the Alpine Club), but failed to reach the summit. Another attempt in 1924 ended in George Mallory and Andrew Irvine’s deaths, though it is speculated that they may have reached the mountain’s top. World War II halted England’s attempts to climb Everest, after which advances in oxygen equipment inspired other countries to join in. The English faced competition from Switzerland and Denmark, with other countries seeking permits.
Climbing attempts were hampered by the region’s geopolitics. When Tibet was assimilated into China with the 1951 Seventeen Point Agreement, access to the mountain was cut off along the northern approach. Around the same time Nepal, which had been largely closed to outsiders, began to allow mountaineers to begin their trek there. The reversal was fortunate for climbers, as the southern approach through Nepal is far easier than the northern approach via Tibet. It was from this approach that in 1953 sherpa Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary completed the first confirmed summit of Mount Everest as part of an English expedition.
Edmund Hillary (left) and Tenzing Norgay (right) in the equipment they wore to the summit.
Norgay and Hillary’s success came just in time to be announced alongside Elizabeth II’s coronation, symbolically winning the mountain for the English. Today, the Western world still knows the tallest mountain on Earth by its poorly chosen, mispronounced name, but Everest is not an English mountain and has been known by many other titles. The earliest known indigenous name for the mountain is the Tibetan Chomolungma (ཇོ་མོ་གླང་མ), but there is also the Nepali Sagarmāthā (सगरमाथा) and the Chinese Zhūmùlǎngmǎ Fēng (珠穆朗玛峰). Chomolungma’s translation is particularly striking: Goddess Mother of the World.
Here at Mini Museum, we are excited to include climbing ropes from the mountain in the Fifth Edition of our new museum. This is not the first time a specimen from the mountain has been included in an edition of the Mini Museum, but this time it will be titled in the collection by its Nepali name: Sagarmāthā.
The ropes used for specimens were collected by Hans on a trip to Nepal in 2019. They were originally removed from the mountain a year prior during a clean-up operation. The size of these ropes posed a problem though–how to prepare a thick cord to specimen size without losing their shape?
In order to keep the recognizable look of a climbing rope, we've unwound the fibers of the original cord and retwisted them into thinner segments.
These thinner cords are then pulled tight and coated with resin to seal them. From there, we can cut them down to specimen size while retaining their texture and color! It's always great when we're able to find creative solutions to specimen problems. We can't wait to include these in the Fifth Edition!
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?
