PROBIOTICS for you and your chickens

[Ukyou]

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I always shake it back together before straining so that the kefir is not so thick it clogs the strainer.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

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I always shake it back together before straining so that the kefir is not so thick it clogs the strainer.

Thank you, I will do that. I think it is time

 

[featherbaby]

When I strained the kefir milk this morning, Little white curds stuck to the grains. It looked like cottage cheese, could it be? How do I get them to let go of the grains? It only sat for 24 hours like usual. I think I have too many grains and not enough milk. could that be the reason?

Do you think Little Miss Muffet had this problem?

 

[AndreaS]

WOW! I'm absent from this thread for one day and I feel like I can't keep up!

I'm loving the recipes, let's keep em coming! I pulled out my copy of nourishing traditions and wild fermentation yesterday to read again.

Has anyone used any of Sally Fallons soaked flour bread recipes?

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I'd like to know the answer to this as well. I ALWAYS have those little white curds. The first few times I picked my actual kefir grains out & fed the curds to the chickens.

Then...I thought that the curds might be new kefir grains trying to start, so I've been leaving them in. They don't look the same as the kefir grains, they are solid white and squishy, not firm and yellowish- translucent like my original grains.

How do the kefir grains multiply? Do they start new little grains or do the old grains just get bigger? My older grains have gotten huge, but I have no idea what these little white things are!

Ernie? Help?

 

[Ukyou]

I started with Sally Fallon's recipes but have tweaked them to my liking. The dutch baby has double the eggs and added a bit of butter to make it more like other dutch baby recipes. The yeasted bread, I also add 1 cup of sour dough starter and take out the 1 cup white flour since my starter seems to do best with all white flour.
Also my whole wheat is the sprouted fresh ground whole wheat, so that makes the recipes a little sweater.

 

[featherbaby]

Quote:
I'd like to know the answer to this as well. I ALWAYS have those little white curds. The first few times I picked my actual kefir grains out & fed the curds to the chickens.

Then...I thought that the curds might be new kefir grains trying to start, so I've been leaving them in. They don't look the same as the kefir grains, they are solid white and squishy, not firm and yellowish- translucent like my original grains.

How do the kefir grains multiply? Do they start new little grains or do the old grains just get bigger? My older grains have gotten huge, but I have no idea what these little white things are!

Ernie? Help?

Me Too????????

 

[featherbaby]

Has anyone made the famous Gumps Bread from another thread here? Do you think I could use kefir milk instead of water in that recipe without messing it up?

 

[emarble]

Quote:
I'd like to know the answer to this as well. I ALWAYS have those little white curds. The first few times I picked my actual kefir grains out & fed the curds to the chickens.

Then...I thought that the curds might be new kefir grains trying to start, so I've been leaving them in. They don't look the same as the kefir grains, they are solid white and squishy, not firm and yellowish- translucent like my original grains.

How do the kefir grains multiply? Do they start new little grains or do the old grains just get bigger? My older grains have gotten huge, but I have no idea what these little white things are!

Ernie? Help?

Me Too????????

Hi Andrea and Sandi

This is not a problem as long as you are stiring it till all the whey and curds are mixed (It might be time to spilt off some more grains or add more milk! Are you using a strainer or a small collander and are your grains getting bigger and probably doubling in quantity!! Don't stir it too hard and just use a Plastic or wooden spoon (I use a wooden spoon) Kiki was about 1/3 of a cup of grains when I sent her to you sandi! How many grains to a quart of milk do each of you have???

All and all don't worry about trying to seperate all the little curds out from the grains They will be fine! As my grains are growing quite rapidly right now I see a few small flat looking white curds on the grains and I have about 1 cup of grains to a quart of milk (Also try stiring the kefir a little every few hours (If you pass by it during the day every now and then reach over and shake it a little)

The traditional method was the Kefir was grown in a leather bag that was hung above the door in the hut house whatever they had!! AS they passed thru the doorway they would strike the bag agitating the kefir inside and lightly mixing it, There was also a small amount of kefir that was always left in the bag and the grains were returned to the bag and new milk added!
http://www.kefir.org/kefir_manual.htm
Here is a new website that I found that tells a few things about kefir making and consumption

You are doing fine Sandi and Andrea there is no real wrong way to make Kefir

Ernie

 

[featherbaby]

My grains have grown to 1/2 to 2/3 c. in volume. My jar only holds a quart, so I was thinking I probably need to reduce the grains to increase the percentage of milk. But if you have a cup of grains to a quart of milk, then I must be OK. I do give it a shake a couple of times a day, and I use a plastic colander that has graduated size holes (smaller in the bottom and larger as the go up the sides) This allows me to tip the colander to get better drainage. I'm going to do a bit of cooking with it tomorrow, if it turns out, I'll post the recipe and results.

Kiki sends greetings to all.
'

 

[emarble]

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When You strain the kefir just give the collander a couple of taps as you strain and yea I have a lot of grains to milk! If you start to see a lot of seperation such as clearish liquid (Whey) then you need to start to split the grains up and make Kiki a new sister (Just split in half) Or you can eat some of the grains too or use them in a smoothie and get even more Probiotic effect! The More grains per milk ratio (Porviding you don't get too much seperartion) the thicker and mellower the kefir or so my experience!!!

I will say the more grains per Jar the faster the growth rate of the grains! With One cup of grains per quart they increase in size by about 1/3 per day! In the past week since I sent you Kiki I have split off at least 2 cups of grains and haven't noticed any decline in grains (That is 2/3cups of grains every 3rd day and I am making at least 1.5 quarts of kefir a day and drinking about half that and feeding chickens extra and plus cooking with it!

I do love my Kefir and enjoy that glass

Ernie