1. Combine Wet Ingredients and Starter: In a large mixing bowl, gently whisk together the active sourdough starter, warm water, salt, and honey until well combined. The mixture should look milky and slightly frothy.

2. Add Flour and Mix: Add the bread flour to the wet mixture. Use a Danish dough whisk or your hands to mix until no dry flour remains and a shaggy dough forms. It will be sticky and not perfectly smooth at this stage. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes (this is called autolyse, which helps with gluten development).

3. Perform Stretch and Folds: After the rest, uncover the dough. With wet hands, gently grab a portion of the dough from one side, stretch it upwards, and fold it over itself towards the center of the bowl. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat this process three more times, completing one set of stretch and folds. Perform 4-5 sets of stretch and folds, spaced 30 minutes apart, over the next 2-3 hours. The dough will become smoother and more elastic with each set.

4. Bulk Fermentation: After the last stretch and fold, cover the bowl again and let the dough continue to ferment at room temperature (around 70-75 F) until it has increased in volume by about 30-50% and looks bubbly. This can take anywhere from 4 to 6 hours, depending on the strength of your starter and your kitchen temperature.

5. Shape the Batard and Add Seeds: Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle about half of your mixed seeds over the dough. Gently pre-shape the dough into a round, then let it rest for 20 minutes. After resting, gently shape it into a batard (an oval or football shape). As you shape, incorporate the remaining seeds by gently pressing them into the surface of the dough.

6. Cold Proof: Carefully transfer the shaped dough into a floured banneton or a bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel, seam-side up. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8-12 hours, or up to 24 hours. This cold proof slows down fermentation and develops flavor.

7. Bake the Loaf: Preheat your oven to 450 F (232 C) with a Dutch oven inside for at least 30 minutes. Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven. Gently invert the cold dough into the hot Dutch oven. Score the top of the dough with a sharp knife or razor blade (a simple straight line down the middle works well). Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 25 minutes.

8. Finish Baking: Remove the lid from the Dutch oven and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200-210 F (93-99 C). Carefully remove the bread from the Dutch oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing (at least 1-2 hours).