Drying Kefir Grains

Some time ago, a good friend of my wife generously shared some of her kefir grains with us. These grains, also called granules, are used to make a healthy fermented milk drink, we have been enjoying this probiotic beverage in the form of morning smoothies ever since. Months ago we performed a little experiment with our grains, drying a small portion for storage. Drying the grains was as simple as straining away the fermented milk and allowing the remaining grains to sit out in a warm dry area for a few days. We then deposited the little treasures into a small muslin bag that was set aside in our cupboard for a couple months.

We recently rehydrated those same grains and after being reactivated in milk were happy to find them as healthy and alive as before. To reactivate, we placed them in a small amount of milk for 12-14 hours, strained and added fresh milk. This cycle was repeated a few times until the grains appeared soft, white, and begin to ferment and thicken the milk allowing us to combine them with our original batch. Kefir can also be frozen or stored in the refrigerator for extended periods of time but we were more interested in seeing how dried kefir would hold up if kept in a muslin bag without any type of refrigeration.

I find these remarkable "living" fermented foods to be quite fascinating. It's somewhat strange to think that only a few years prior I had never even heard of, much less consumed, fermented foods like kimchi, (real) sauerkraut, and kefir that have now become such a standard part of our everyday diet

Freshly strained kefir grains, they look just like cottage cheese


Some of the same grains a few days later drying in a dish on the kitchen counter

Golden Treasure

Constant companions in the garden area, besides our ever-present cat, are our flock of Rhode Island Reds. They have around an acre surrounding the gardens to roam about chasing grasshoppers, scratching up worms, and squawking their silly heads off every chance they get. A simple clicking noise from me causes them all to come running, knowing that their kind master has some sort of treat for them. Spoiled they are, fed various greens and other garden goodies each morning and every evening. Often times even more if the kind master happens to be thinning kale or pitching overripe berries, and that is pretty often.



My reward, nourishing golden eggs. Eggs that are in no way similar to those pale sad little replicas that are found in the local grocers dairy section. Eggs whose yolks are colored as little golden treasures, and whose flavor is beyond compare. Eggs that make some people nervous because they are "too orange," not at all normal.


So, faced with an ever abundant amount of "real" organic free range eggs, and a seemingly constant excess of kefir (Berries, Kefir & Goats), we make quiche. One of our favorite ways to create a protein rich, nutrient dense meal. How do you make a vegetarian fat? Just feed him lots of quiche.:)



A box without hinges, key, or lid, yet golden treasure inside is hid.

- An Egg - J. R. R Tolkien

Berries, Kefir & Goats

We spend much of our spare time in the summer and fall wandering the forests gathering wild edibles, mostly berries. This is our hobby, our release you could say. We go high into the mountains where nature is still wild and we are free from the things of man. These are the times that one can truly feel alive.

Many hours and days are spent in our secluded haunts finding and picking berries. It can be grueling at times, when fingers freeze in the early mornings or the afternoon heat weighs upon us. But in the end, with freezers full, such days are left to be remembered in the depths of winter when a simple trip to the freezer will supply endless amounts of fruit.

Berries from the garden and forest soon become daily meals that can be counted on to provide health and sustenance throughout the year.

Every other day, we have for breakfast a shake or smoothie made up of these berries and a few other ingredients.

Added to our breakfast drink are honey, quinoa, or flax and something called kefir. The latter is a beverage that is made by adding kefir granules to milk and allowing it to ferment.

Kefir is discussed in detail at http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/Makekefir.html and I have also found the http://pocketsofthefuture.com/blog/ to be most helpful.

We included the following in this morning's drink - frozen huckleberries, cranberries, blackberries, currants, service berries, Oregon grapes, strawberries, elderberries, and raspberries. We delight in the nutritional value and variety of the berries knowing that if we had to purchase these same foods from the supermarket we could never afford to do so.

Below is a condensed "low quality" and extremely boring video of our summer 2008 berry picking adventures. PS -The kefir didn't come from these goats...they were much too fast for us.