Lesli, we grow kefir. Everyone around here pronounces it "Keéfer." I say "kefír." (accent over the i) But I really don't know how it's supposed to be pronounced. Perhaps kefirlover can tell us. Anyway I LOVE the stuff! Half our family loves it and half can't stand it. We use goat's milk to make ours. Since the goats are not presently in milk I've frozen our grains. Grains can be rolled in powdered milk and sealed in a ziplock or jar, in the freezer and kept for months. To re-activate one simply puts them in milk and starts straining and replenishing the milk on a daily basis. Within few days they are producing again. One thing we've noticed is that one can get slimy, yucky kefir when changing between forms of milk. There's no problem in going between goat's milk and cows milk. But when one changes between bottled milk and powdered milk, or vice a versa, it may take a few days for the culture to adjust. Until it does we feed the product to our animals. I knew it was good for you. But wow! kefirlover's write up is amazing! I'm going to post another interesting site. This is the one which helped us when we started with Kefir. Our family first learned of kefir when we were living in the Sierra of Puebla, in Mexico, in the 90s. There, the locals produced and consumed kefir. But they called it "bulgaros." We got a start from them and enjoyed it for about a year. But we were due to spend a year back in the USA, and couldn't bring it back with us. It took till 2005 for me to learn what it was called in English! We got a start from someone local I bet, if you join Freecycle, you might find someone who can give you a start. We've given away many starts. George Tahlequah, OK Here is a link that might be useful: Dom's kefir site

You will find the most helpful and complete information at Dom's Kefir In-site (link below). I've been making kefir for many years and use it on a daily basis in our morning smoothie, as a substitute for buttermilk, drained and used instead of plain yogurt, sour cream and cream cheese, so it's versatile. I'll be happy to answer any questions I can. It is a healthier choice than yogurt, plus it's much easier to make than yogurt. I use the whey for many things as well, including soaking grains, for lacto-fermentation, as a refreshing drink in the summer (whey lemonade).... Along with introducing kefir and possibly other fermented (pre-digested) foods to your diet (I agree with arley about "The Art of Fermentation" by Sandor Katz), you may also want to read "Wheat Belly" by William Davis, M.D. When it was mentioned here several times I checked it out from the library and it was a real eye opener. Especially for a person who goes by the name "grainlady". You can also find clips on YouTube to give you a general idea. It's really simple to make kefir once you get started. Just keep everything clean. Scald the jars you ferment in with boiling water, as well as any spoon/strainer used to remove the grains. I have a slotted spoon I use to "fish" the grains out of the kefir. They float to the top when the milk begins to ferment, and that's how you'll know it's working. I also give the jar a swirl a few times during fermentation to keep everything well mixed, but it's not completely necessary. I never wash my grains, but you occasionally find that information. I plop them into a cup of milk in a pint jar and refrigerate it between use. I leave the pint jar at room temperature (after I take the grains out and place them in the quart jar) and there is generally more than enough good bacteria in the milk to make curds and whey, so don't waste it. The cooler the temperature, the longer it will take to ferment, but the kefir will also be smoother and less tangy. I generally ferment 2-1/2 c. milk at a time (I use powdered milk - Grandma's Country Cream non-fat dry instant - because that's what I store and use). Occasionally I'll get raw goat's milk and I'll ferment it, or if there is some heavy cream or half-and-half available, I'll add a little to the powdered milk for a richer/thicker curd. I also ferment reconstituted powdered coconut milk (Wilderness Family) and that is one of my favorites. The grains won't grow in coconut milk, so I make sure I put them back into milk for storage and will use them in milk a few times before using a portion of my grains in coconut milk. If I have an abundance of grains I will ferment some grape juice just for something different. Good luck.... -Grainlady Here is a link that might be useful: Dom's Kefir Insite

I wouldn't add any sugar or butter, although I understand the grains like a little milk fat. Meanwhile, mine are happy fermenting in fat-free reconstituted powdered milk. I do occasionally add a bit of half and half if I happen to have some around after I read that information. Raw goat milk probably has the fat in it since I doubt it's been processed through a separator. If I have some milk in the refrigerator I think is about to "turn" on me, that's when I make a point of making kefir. It's going to sour anyway during the fermentation stage. I try to use the freshest milk I have when I rest them in the refrigerator, especially if I know it's going to be several days, or up to a week, before I make kefir again. What will help your grains grow is making consecutive batches - non-stop kefiring. Once your grains are acclimated, you can add them to milk and ferment for 6-8 hours and then take the grains out and add them to another batch. Leave the first batch sit for 12-24 hours TOTAL (until you achieve the thickness you like). There is more than enough good bacteria in the first batch to make nice thick kefir even without the grains in it. If you do that for a several days you should see enough growth to divide the grains within a week or two. You may also need to put the grains in more than one cup of milk as they grow. I use 2-1/2 c. of milk per quart jar + 1/4 - 1/3 c. kefir grains. What is the temperature where you are placing your kefir for fermenting? As our home gets colder (mid- to lower-60-degrees F), it takes the kefir longer to ferment, but it's also sweeter-tasting and less tart than in the summer when the house is much warmer. The kefir also ferments much quicker in the warmer temperatures. If the fermenting temperature is too warm, the kefir gets very grainy and separates, instead of a nice smooth curd. I divide the grains when they get to the size of a quarter. How to: with clean fingers (make sure there isn't any soap residue on your hands after washing them), pull them apart into 2 or 3 portions. They easily pull apart where they are the weakest. -Grainlady

Jasdip I had my first "Red River" on a high school canoe trip to the Boundary Waters. I can still find it every so often here in the Twin Cities of MN. Love it! Just want to add that I've made my own milk kefir for 4 years now. I bought the grains locally off Craigslist and they've been superior all these years. It is kind of like a sourdough starter--just keep reusing the living organism. Plunk the little ball of it in fresh milk; let it sit at room temp for a couple days (I like mine thick and frothy, so it sometimes sits 3-4 days), refrigerate until cold. I often pour a glass, mix in ground flaxseed, plain yogurt, and berries and eat it with a spoon. It makes a satisfying breakfast. It is as essential to me as coffee in the morning! In case you've tried the bottled kefir in the store, the homemade really doesn't taste anything like it.