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GREELEY, Colo. (KUSA) - A Colorado group that’s cultivated a historic sourdough starter for years is facing overwhelming demand for free samples, thanks to a popular TikTok video.

Bread makers know you can’t make sourdough without a starter, a colony of wild yeast and bacteria. It’s cultivated in a mixture of flour and water and used to leaven bread.

The 1847 Oregon Trail Sourdough Starter Preservation Society sends out free samples of its starter that supposedly dates back 177 years. The group claims the starter was carried by settlers on the Oregon Trail.

“It’s just about a teaspoon of ground, dried sourdough starter,” said Mary Buckingham, the society’s mailbox keeper, “to preserve this particular sourdough and make it available, so it doesn’t disappear.”

Sudden internet fame due to a TikTok video has created a lot more work for Buckingham. Requests for samples have shot up to about 20 times the usual amount, and she’s having a hard time keeping up.

“In the last three weeks, we have gotten a volume that we normally get in a whole year,” Buckingham said.

Fulfilling requests from internet strangers has become a full-time job.

“Now, it’s every day, 8 to 10 hours a day, no breaks… I’ve just had to stop everything. It’s crazy,” Buckingham said. “I would like this to calm down to a more manageable amount because I do have other things to do.”

Sourdough starters are an ancient technology, according to Buckingham. And while she’s ready to get back to her usual day-to-day, she’s glad the tradition is being picked up by a new generation of bread makers.

“I hope they enjoy the experience of using sourdough. You can grow it and share it. All you have to do is follow the instructions on our website to revive it, and then, you can share it endlessly,” Buckingham said.

Sending free starters to internet users is nothing new for the organization. Founder Carl Griffith started doing it in the 90s for people on Usenet, which predates the World Wide Web.

Instructions to request a sample can be found on the society’s website.