Great - you've already forayed into the fermenting realm! And I agree that animals also clearly benefit from the probiotics and increased bioavailability of nutrients that come from fermenting feed.
What kind of veggies are you looking to start with? Do you prefer to learn from books or online tutorials? Both fermented veggies and KT are easy once you get the basics down (and learn how to identify mold - this freaks most people out). Store-bought KT just isn't as good as homebrewed IMO and much of the store-bought stuff is pasteurized now, so it doesn't have the same probiotic potency as home brewed. I find the commercial KT very fizzy and vinegary, and that can be controlled when you're making it.
Strawberry milk kefir? Yum! How about milk kefir pancakes? If you like cheese blintzes, I'm pretty sure you'd like MK pancakes. You can also make bread, biscuits, ice cream, cheese...and lots of other fun things with it. My dogs love it, too (and the grains).
If you and your family like soda, you can make a probiotic "soda" using water kefir grains, too. You can probably imagine all the great flavors possible...
I've been making KT for a while now and would be happy to answer questions if you have any or point you to resources. I'm curious about canning, so may have some questions for you!
