making kefir:

since anita gave me some of her kefir grains earlier this year, i started making kefir on average about 1-2 times a week. 

i have gotten much better at it, and get a thicker consistency than i did in the beginning. 

in the past i have either used whole milk, or 2% milk - whatever was around.
they both worked just fine. so when i got the sample jar of raw milk from my soon-to-be cow share,
i could not wait and just had to try it out with it:

 take your grains (about 2-3TBLS), place them in the bottom of a jar (mine is a quart jar), fill it up with milk of your choice (leaving enough head space for possible expansion), either stir it up - or what i do is put a lid on it, shake it all up, take lid off and cover jar back up loosley with said lid or with a coffee filter.

then store it in a dry, dark space (i keep it in a cupboard) until the whey has separated from the rest of the milk. depending on the temperature of your house and what kind of milk you use, it could take anywhere from 1-3 days. letting it sit longer lets the milk ferment more, and you get a tangier taste the longer it sits. it should look something like this when ready:

transfer your semi-liquid into a fine mesh colander/sieve and strain out the whey that has separated

(they say not to use a metal bowl or utensil as it can affect the grains - but the sieve is ok)

 once the whey has dripped out - place over bowl and with a wooden or rubber spoon begin working the kefir through the sieve until all you have left are the grains - it should look something like this:

after separating them out, you can add them back to your jar and start the process over - or - if you need to take a break from kefir, put them in the jar, just cover them in milk and leave in the fridge until you need them again.

if the grains start looking a bit "funky" feel free to rinse them off with water before putting back in jar and adding your milk of choice

 when done - i like adding some fruit puree and agave syrup to give it a little flavor

for easy drinking i put it into a smaller mason jar - tasty!!

-i am no authority of kefir - this is just what i do - 

if you would like to read more about it, its benefits, etc, please go check this blog out and the links it has to offer.