Free Kefir Grains

Free with any milk purchase being picked up at a drop location. While supplies last! Limit of 1 per household per 3 months.  Please do not put this item on auto order as it is not consistently in stock due to high demand.  Please do your own research and due diligence to learn how to culture and ferment safely and effectively.

Suggested Kefir Instructions/Guidelines:

The kefir grains will arrive along with your order to your drop location. They will be in a jar with raw milk of either Dungeness Valley Creamery or Williams Valley Family Farm.

When you first get the kefir grains, they need to be taken out of the jar and put in fresh milk.  Raw milk is preferred.  Take your kefir grains out for the next batch of kefir by pouring the milk through a plastic colander to catch the grains or scoop them out with a plastic fork, etc (no metal utensils is best). Put them in a clean jar, such as a glass quart canning jar and add fresh raw milk, leaving several inches of space at the top of the jar. There is debate on whether to put a loose plastic lid on it, or to cover it with cheesecloth instead. Please do your research and decide what you prefer.

Leave your jar of kefir grains and milk out of direct sunlight to culture for about 12-24 hours. You can stir it occasionally, but not necessary. The longer it sits out the more the lactose is decreased but the stronger the flavor will be.   When it hits the tartness or consistency or lesser degree of lactose you want, remove the kefir grains to start another jar and put the kefir you just made into the fridge.

To do so:  strain them out of the milk through a plastic strainer-not metal. Only use wood or plastic utensils.

Taking the grains out of the milk stops the kefir process.

Put the kefir in the fridge and use as needed.

If you get too much kefir and do not want to make more for a while, take at least a pint size jar of fresh milk and put your grains in it and seal with a lid. Stick it in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.  

To start again take the grains out and put in a fresh jar of milk, cover and put on the counter out of direct sunlight.

A few extra thoughts:

Kefir grains are clearish-white clumps of yeast bacterial fermented starter and they look a bit like cauliflower.

Kefir grains seem to love raw milk. You will be amazed how fast your grains grow and multiply.

The quantities are approximate  -  1 to 2 tablespoons of grains per cup of milk 8 to 16 oz.  

The warmer the room you have your kefir culturing, the faster it will culture. Take care to not let it get too warm or too cold. 

Please always use a clean jar and lid/covering to start each new batch.