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Real Kefir Grains Available Here
Welcome to our kefir grain page. Here you can find out how to get kefir grains for yourself, print out directions for how to make kefir as well as watch videos that show you what you need to know step by step.
First you need to get some kefir grains of your own. We are happy to share our vigorous kefir grains with you, as we have with many other people. We would love to see everyone have the ability to make this healthful beverage in their own homes.
We have nurtured our grains for three years now on easily digested, fresh Dutch Belted cow milk. (To read more about our rare Dutch Belted cows and their special milk, please visit Our Dutch Belted Family Cows page.) We have dutifully given our grains fresh milk every single day all of that time. “Doing the kefir” has become a special task handed down from one family member to another here in our household.
While we are happy to share our grains with others, we do ask for a $20 donation to cover shipping and handling and so on. Most folks leave us a donation through our Donations page. If you would rather arrange for a different form of payment, please email us here and we will be happy to make alternate arrangements with you.
Hi, I’m interested in Kefir grains. How much kefir grains will I get? How many days for delivery? I live in Michigan. Thanks. Cindy
Dear Cindy,
We send a fairly large number of grains but can easily adjust the amount we send to suit your requirements. We ship grains out priority as soon as we can after receiving the shipping and handling donation and email you accordingly. We also ship all of our grains out priority so you will receive them in 2 to 3 days after they leave here.
Thank you for your inquiry.
With warm regards,
Leslie
Can I use your kefir grain in coconut water or juice or sugar water? Or do I need to get water kefir grains? Thanks. Cindy
Dear Cindy,
You need to get actual water kefir grains for fermenting coconut water or juices. We only have milk kefir grains here at this time.
Thanks,
Leslie
Hi, My husband just made donation. I hope to recieve my kefir grain soon. I’m very excited!!
This is my first time making Kefir and I have a big family (this is why I decided to stop buying supermarket kefir and grow my own) , so please send me your largest portion. Could you also send me how-to instructions? Thank you.
Please send to:
Cindy Qiu
5300 Claremont St., Midland, MI 48642.
Just wondering if you have sent out my kefir grain? Thanks. Cindy
Dear Cindy,
We received your husband’s donation. Thank you. And I see that you would like a larger portion of grains which we will be happy to provide.
We will ship your grains the next time we go to town (we live in the country). I will email you and let you know when they have gone out so that you will know when to expect them.
Thank you for writing,
Leslie
Hi, We will be out of town on the 14th and 15th. Can you provide more info when you will ship? It’s very cold in Michigan, I don’t want it sitting in mail box. (Just wondering how do you pack them in winter? It’s snowing.) Looking forward to hearing from you soon. Thanks. Cindy
Dear Cindy,
Your grains are going out today Priority through USPS. You should receive them either Sat. or Monday. The cold will not bother them. Just strain them out of the milk they are in when you receive them and put them into a jar of fresh milk - about 4 cups to start with. To see how to do this, watch the videos posted above.
Enjoy!
Leslie
Do you send the kefir automatically? When someone make a donation, or do we have to provide info?
/smiley
Hi Leslie,
I got Kefer today. Thank you very much. I’m really excited! I just dump the whole thing into my 4 cups of organic cow milk. Am I doing it right? (Just wondering if I should strain your kefir grain out of the milk in your package first?) Please let me know soon if I should strain it before add any milk. Thanks. Cindy
Dear Cindy,
Yes, strain the kefir grains out of the milk they traveled to you in and then put the grains into your fresh milk. Put a lid on loosely. You can drink that little bit of kefir although it may be a bit strong. Otherwise feel free to feed it to pets or to your compost heap.
With warm regards,
Leslie
Dear Teamaster,
Well, I will need address and so on. If you pay through paypal, your address will appear and you can leave a comment that the donation is for kefir grains. If you pay through the mail, we will have to communicate so that I can give you our mailing address. In any case, I need each person’s mailing address and email address. I like to keep up with each person by email, letting them know when their grains are due to arrive and answering questions as I can.
Thank you for your inquiry.
With warm regards,
Leslie
Dear Leslie, I strained it but couldn’t get all the tiny grains out. Is it Ok I drink Kefir milk with tiny Kefir grains in it? I see that you use plastic strainer, but I don’t have one. It seems that metal strainer is not good to use, how about cheese cloth? Thanks for your help. Cindy
I made a donation! Can’t wait for those grains! Yippie!
Your grains went out a couple of days ago so you should have them very soon. Enjoy!
With warm regards,
Leslie
Dear Cindy,
The kefir grains themselves are very good for you. When you get to the point that you have too many grains, eating some is always an option. Very good for your gut. Good for pets also.
The strainer we use is actually metal with a painted coating. Be sure to get a strainer that has quite a fine mesh so that you can strain all of your grains out. People say not to use metal. We have had no discernible problem with the strainer we have been using all of this time, however. Cheesecloth from the grocery store would have holes that are much too big. You could try multiple layers of it perhaps or try getting some real butter muslin from a cheesemaking supply company. Butter muslin is what is used for making soft cheeses. It might be tedious to use, though, because the kefir itself is often very thick. It might not go through the butter muslin. I think it is best to get a strainer - even a metal one - that has a fairly fine mesh.
With warm regards,
Leslie
Dear Leslie, Thank you very much for answering my question. I already make about 4 batches. Very tasty! A+++ Kefir grains. Happy!!
However, I accidently spill some kefir grains on kitchen floor today. Can I use milk to rinse those kefir grains and regrow them in clean milk again? Still edible? Thanks. Cindy
Dear Cindy,
Goodness yes. Just rinse those grains off and put them back to work making kefir.
I am so glad you are enjoying your kefir. And it will grow on you more as time goes by and you will learn more things to do with the kefir until those grains become an integral part of your kitchen repertoire. At least that is what has happened here.
With warm regards,
Leslie
Dear Leslie, Thanks for your help. CIndy
Hi Leslie,
Can I use low fat (2%) milk to grow kefir grains? Thanks. Cindy
Also, I’ll need to store my water kefir grains while I travel for about 3 months. What is the best way to store them?
Thanks. Cindy
Dear Cindy,
I suppose you can use low fat milk to grow kefir grains. They feed on the lactose. I don’t know if the lactose is in the fat or not. Otherwise, I always recommend drinking and kefiring real milk in order to get real kefir. There are essential enzymes and nutrients in the cream that contribute towards making milk a whole food.
I know that you can freeze grains but I have never done it. Go to Dom’s site and you will find directions there somewhere for how to properly freeze them. You can Google Dom kefir or go to our kefir page under Real Food which is under Essential Links and find a link to his site there.
Have a good trip!
Leslie
Thank you very much. Cindy
Hi, what a wonderful website you have! I just ordered some kefir grains from somebody I don’t know, he was on a kefir list and lives in the same state as I do, I didn’t know about your website yet…. I received the grains in chlorinated wet paper towels, I was skeptical about this, and it also took 5 days to get here and I thought kefir grains always need to be stored in some milk, or at least water, not in paper towels? Well, I tried to make kefir 3 times now and wasted a gallon of fresh raw precious milk that I buy once a week 50 miles away from here, I just get spoiled milk with thick curds on top and the smell is awful!! Not just bad, but really awful…I am hesitant to order somewhere else again because of this experience., but you seam to have a lot of knowledge about kefir and maybe I should just try it again.
I make raw milk yogurt without any problems, but I love kefir because of all the health benefits!
Kind regards,
Anna
Dear Anna,
That story is so bad that it defies our imaginations. My husband said, “But how could he have been using chlorine when it is yeasts and bacteria you are trying to preserve?” And how tragic to lose all of that precious milk. I am very sorry.
Look, we ship our grains priority and in enough milk to get them to you happily. We have had a number of people comment that our grains make much better kefir than other grains they have tried. We don’t know why this is, in all honesty, but it is the case. We share what we are using here in our home and are very keen on as many others as possible having access to this wonderful “Champagne of Milks.”
I don’t know if those grains could possibly recover or even how good they were in the first place (because why did he use chlorine I wonder?). You might try rinsing them off and letting them rest a few days in your yogurt and see if that corrects an imbalance brought on by incorrect treatment and then try making another batch of kefir. You could be risking more milk, though, by doing that so that is definitely your call. Otherwise we will be happy to share our grains with you.
Kefir is worth significant effort to bring successfully into your home. Please let us know if we may be of any more help.
With warm regards,
Leslie
Dear Leslie,
I really appreciate your kind response, thank you!
I think I should give up on these grains, I don’t trust them and I just don’t think they can recover. I have a sensitive stomach and after smelling the first 4 kefir batches I have no desire to keep working with these grains! I think your kefir grains work better because you and your family spend a lot of time, love and energy making your kefir every day with the highest quality raw milk. Food responds to the love and care we put into it, especially something like kefir that gives so many health benefits back to us.
I appreciate it that you want to share your kefir with others.
I will make a donation. I know you live in the country like we do, we only go to town once a week or so, as long as I know when to expect the kefir grains I am totally happy!
Thank you and kind regards,
Anna (I’m originally from Europe, so I apologize for any spelling mistakes!)
I was wondering if you sent the kefir yet, I made a donation last week. I can’t wait to try it!
Thanks, Anna
Hi Anna,
I replied to you privately. Thanks for following up. Leslie
Dear Leslie,
I just wanted to thank you for the wonderful kefir grains, really good quality! What a relief after my last experience…
I really enjoyed my first batch of kefir, really delicious. Thank you for your help, I really appreciate it.
Anna
Hi Leslie,
I would like to make sure you received my donation made as of today 4/2/09. I think my first message was not posted so I am here trying again. I really would like to start making kifer and I found your site the most informative and reliable, thats why I decided to make a donation and receive the grain from you. I’m originally from Brazil currently living in the beautiful State of Colorado. I am really excited to start this culture to improve and keep my family healthy. I also would like to ask you to let me know when the kifer grains will be shipped.
Thank you in advance and may God bless your family
Fabia
Hi Leslie, I received my kifer grains a little over two months ago. Since then I have been drinking my kifer milk at least three times a day. I love it and find myself wanting to drink it more than eat food sometimes. I like it so much it never bothers me that I have to strain and keep making it. I have already given half my grains to a lady with severe stomach problems hoping she will try it. Thanks so much, Cheryl
lactose is the sugar in the milk. the fat is fat.
hope that helps. nursing school wa good for a few things!
i was wondering, would you be able to mail a slightly smaller batch of grains for say $10? we are on a severely limited income. besides, there is just myself and my 2 children.
i am hoping this might help my son. he’s got ADHD, Pika, food allergies & constant stomach problems, i was thinking this might make his digestive system ease a bit on him. i beleive that the more natural/whole foods we can go to, his allergies and issues might ease if cease entirely.
in any event WONDERFUL WEBPAGE!! so glad i found it!!
Take care!
Azriel
Hello, I am so glad I found this website. I made my donation and I can’t wait for the kifer grains to arrive. You really are helpful to people more than you might think. Thank you for everything and hopeffuly I get my grains soon =]
Dear Isaias,
Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement. We are eager to be helpful so it is good to hear that it is happening. We will get your grains off to you the very next time we get to town as we live in the country.
With warm regards,
Leslie
Hi, I’ve just sent my $20 donation today 5/13/09
I would like to start making the culture. All the information you give about how healthy it is, makes me want to have the kefir grains here now. Your site is so encouraging, I love it. I live in the city and with few opportunities to go out of it, so I pray that your family be blessed, and that you always appreciate the privilege you have.
Thanks and God bless ,
Maria
hi i’d love to ask a few questions do you have a written version of making kefir whey sourdough bread? also do you have a written recipe for the sourkraut? i am wondering if i wanted to stop or temporarily halt kefir production which is the most humane and safe way to store kefir for use later without damaging the membranes??? also do you have a written recipe for cheese? i’d purchase..
Hi,
I’m curious about your kefir grains. I’m interested in making my own kefir at home and have only started surfing the web to find some sources. It seems that there’s a difference from real grains and starter packs. Can you tell me where your grains originally came from? Is there anything else I should know about your kefir grains?
Thanks so much!
Hi,
I have a Vanilla Visa Gift Card and I have about 11 dollars on it. Can I donate that and get about half of what you would normally ship? And then can I donate another 9 dollars at another time so i can get the other half?
Much Appreciated!
Eric
I received my grains last Tues. and have been enjoying the kefir they produce daily. I am very happy with my purchase! Thank you so much for shipping them so quickly too.
Hi Leslie,
I made a $20 donation yesterday, 11/03/09 for some kefir grains. I didn’t notice any place on paypal to make a comment to describe what the donation was for. So this is just a heads up as to what that money was meant for. I am looking forward to making kefir with the kefir grains. I have done the powder method and using the store version as a starter. The grain version seems more nutritious.
Thank you,
Sheila Lugaresi
Dear Sheila,
Thank you for writing. Yes, we got your donation and knew what it is was for by the amount of it. Your grains are ready to go and will go out tomorrow by Priority mail. They look fantastic these days and are making beautiful kefir so you will enjoy them right away.
Bon appetit,
Leslie
Dear Leslie,
My DH and I are wanting to get started with our own Kefir grain production. I have looked quite a bit on your web site, but have not really found any information on what exactly we need to get this going. My DH just recently discovered Kefir grais on the net and read about all the health benefits. We have tried some form our local health food store and like it. Today is Monday Nov. 30th 2009 and I will make my donation for some kefir grains from you as soon as I find out what we need to purchase to make this successful for us. I do have to mention that we/I looked at many web sites that offer Kefir and found yours to be the best, so we are looking forward to hearing form you
Thank you so very much,
Annemarie.
Dear Annemarie,
I am so glad that you have found our web site (and videos - have you seen our videos on the subject?) helpful. All you need to get going is the real kefir grains, a supply of milk, glass jars and lids and a strainer and bowl. That’s it. From us you will get beautiful kefir grains all ready to get a-kefiring for you. Just strain them and when you receive them, add them to fresh milk and you will be in business. Some people say to never let your grains touch metal. We have not found this to have a negative effect that we are aware of. We do use a metal bowl and our strainer is painted metal. Some people use plastic bowl and strainer, however. Other than that, nothing is easier than making kefir. All you need is the grains. It is best to use the highest quality whole milk you can find but people do use even regular grocery store milk. I hope this answers all of your questions. Let me know if you need anything else.
With warm regards,
Leslie
Dear Leslie,
Thanks or getting back to me so fast, going to make my donation now, looking forward to getting our Kefir and getting going. Will there be some instructions on how much Kefir to Milk ratio to use?
Thanks Annemarie
Hello Leslie,
Just thought I would take a moment to write and let you know that we got our Kefir last Thursday and had our fist batch about 36 hours later. The first few batches were not so great, however now they are turning out very nice. I do have just one tiny suggestion for you. I was really not sure how much milk to add to the grains, so I was just guessing at it, probably added to much to them and that may have been why our first batch was very thin and it took a few batches to get it going good. So if you could just tell people about how much liquid to use in the first batch that might be of great help. Your videos are a great help, but as far as I could tell just cover Kefir that has been started some time ago.
Thanks again, your grains are great and they got here rather fast and in great condition.
Annnemarie
I sent in my donation just yesterday, but we’re having extreme cold temps right now. Any special instructions on treatment of the Kefir grains if they arrive frozen? And, by the way, thanks for all you’re doing! If it weren’t for folks like you, this world would be a worse place.
Hello!! i am doing some research about Kefir. the lady on the video mention a men called Dan from Australia, who is very knowleable about kefir. Please if you can send me his web site or contac information. i will really appreciated.
Sierra
Hi,
I’m wondering if you’re still sending Kefir grains for a $20 donation. Just wanted to check and make sure you had a supply before I donated.
Katie
Dear Katie,
Thank you for your inquiry. Yes, we have plenty of grains and are sharing them regularly for the $20 donation.
With warm regards,
Leslie
Hi there:
I just received my Kefir and will be putting it with 4 cups of milk after straining it. Do I leave it out? I live in Florida and my house is kept at 80 degrees. Is that all right? Or does it need to go in the fridge? Also, do I need to strain the Kefir every day and drink it? So basically will I need about 4 cups of milk a day to keep my Kefir going well? Sorry if these seem stupid - but the video does not show the process from when you receive the Kefir and how to get it going. Do you strain it into one jar and then add it into fresh milk in the other?
Thank you
Kent in Florida
Dear Kent,
Yes, put your grains into fresh milk and then leave it out somewhere on your counter. We leave ours on a specially designated shelf in a cupboard. Four cups may be a bit much. You might want to start with something closer to two cups of milk at first. With your warmer temperatures down there in FL, your milk will ferment faster into kefir than if it were cooler. So you will be adjusting the amount of milk accordingly. You want to have an amount of milk that your amount of grains will ferment in approximately 24 hours. Putting it into the frig slows fermentation down dramatically. We only do this if we are have a temporary surplus of grains. Other people do this when they are going to be away for several days. Some people also ferment in the frig if they can’t keep up with the amount of kefir their grains are making - if they are the only person drinking it for instance. Other than that, I believe that fermenting out on the counter is best.
So step one is to strain your grains out of the milk they arrive in. Put the grains into a clean glass jar and add fresh milk. In 24 hours, strain again, pour the kefir into a jar to drink up, put the grains back into your kefir jar and add fresh milk. That is all there is to it. Repeat forever! You actually don’t even need to wash the kefir jar all that often. If you are getting too much whey in your kefir before straining out the grains, then you need to either add more milk from then on or eat down your supply of grains or share them with others. The grains themselves are also very good for your gut. By the way, you leave the drinkable kefir out on your counter also. Its nutritional value goes up significantly the second day on the counter. It will stay “good” for a long time (this is a way to preserve milk, if you think about it). It just gets more sour so you can do according to taste.
I think that is all you need to know. Whole milk is generally considered to be best from a nutritional point of view in that the enzymes needed for digesting milk are found in the fat of the milk. Makes tastier kefir too!
Bon appetit,
Leslie
Thanks Leslie:
I put 5 cups of milk in the first batch!! Is that going to be alright? Do I still need to strain it after 24 hours and then make a smaller batch of say 2 to 3 cups? Your answer will be much appreciated. Thank you for the above long post as it really answers most of my questions.
Best regards,
Kent
Dear Kent,
If I were you, I would just watch and see what happens with the five cups of milk within 24 to 36 hours or so. You can always taste it along the way and just watch carefully to see if it starts to develop a whey line. If so, then it has kefired and it is done. If it is just too much milk to kefir in a reasonable amount of time, you can still use it. You might cook with it, for instance, where you would otherwise use buttermilk.
Then when you start your next batch, use a bit less milk. Decide how much to use based upon how this batch goes. At your warmer temps, you may be able to use 3 or 4 cups. There is no harm. Only varying taste depending upon how kefired the milk gets.
Isn’t this great? With your own real kefir grains, you get to learn science through experimentation as well as improve your health!
With warm regards,
Leslie
Thank you Leslie:
You are so kind and solicitous. It is just starting to develop a whey line at 24 hours. I will let it go overnight and drink it first thing in the morning - and set the rest aside as I start my new batch with 3 1/2 cups to see how that goes.
It will be fun experimenting until I get it right!
Best regards,
p.s. I love your website and family. You guys are such an inspiration in this day of mass consumer.materialistic culture. I am also doing my best to live simply. I am vegetarian, but verging on going vegan. I cook Indian food alot. I had Hare Krishna friends in Los Angeles and love indian vegetarian food. I saw you have Kurma as a link. Good stuff!
Kent
Hi Leslie:
Sorry to be a pest - is it ok to pour cold milk straight from the fridge onto the Kefir grains in the bottle container once they have been strained? Also, is it alright to add the strained Kefir to the Kefir that has been sitting out in the other bottle on the counter - even if it is about 2 days old? (1 cup leftover).
Also, Dom says that you should shake the Kefir on the counter a couple of time of day.
Just wondering.
Thank you for all your help. I am loving this and want to get it right.
Dear Kent,
You aren’t being a pest! I am happy to pass on whatever we have learned. At some point I will find the time to write it all down in one place for everyone’s benefit.
You can use cold milk straight out of the frig. Isn’t that great? So easy. And, yes, you can add fresh kefir to older kefir. It depends upon your taste. The new will sour more quickly if it is mixed with the old. We mix batches sometimes but most often don’t. Of course, we are dealing with larger quantities here so that has something to do with it as well. But especially when your kefir is coming out just perfectly, mixing batches together works just fine. If your kefir is going a bit too long and is already on the sour side, you might want to keep your batches of kefir separate. All to taste.
I also have read to shake the kefir a few times a day or read that people used to let it hang in a doorway and knock it around a bit as they passed back and forth through it. We actually haven’t done either of those things and the kefir still comes out great. There have been times I have shaken it. When it is in mid process, it seems natural to shake it. We rarely see it, though, because we keep it in a cupboard so shaking just doesn’t happen. But, again, you can experiment and observe the effects. I think that is so fun. If you discover interesting results, be sure to write and let us know.
With warm regards,
Leslie
I am really enjoying my kefir, thank you. My grains have really multiplied how much do I give to a freind to start a batch?
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