Adventures in Kefir (also Sunday Stills)

How did this all come about? Well, one hears things...reads things...not even sure where... Then one day you're reading one of your favorite blogs and there it is again...kefir. OK, you think, since this blogger is close to home, here's my chance, maybe it's just meant to be. You see, kefir (a frothy drink made of fermented milk) can only be made with the use of kefir "grains". The "grains " are the starter and are a living mass that continues to grow and so can be passed on. So, to make kefir, and enjoy it's myriad touted health benefits, one must acquire "grains".

Let's see if I can shorten this story a little (it may be too late). This particular blogger lives in the same county I do, but nearer to my Mom. So I commented and asked if she (her husband actually) had any to share and could I please have some. She did, I could, and they delivered it to my Mom and Mom delivered it to me, and now I am documenting the process for all to see. (THANKS MEG AND LEE!)

Also, the Sunday Stills assignment this week is texture so I felt like maybe these pics could do double duty.

This is how I began--

• clean jar
• kefir grains
• milk
• spoon
  

Close up of the "grains". They actually look kind of like very very overcooked cauliflower.

I put about a tablespoon of the "grains" in my jar. I was only making one cup so according to my internet research this was a good proportion.

I then added one cup of milk. I'm sure fresh raw milk would be best, but I don't know where to get that. Yet. My research said to cover the jar, but not airtight, so I put a coffee filter over it with a rubber band. I don't what difference things like the type of cover or the use of metal utensils might make. This is my first time after all.

That was easy, right? Now I just had to let it sit for 24 hours at room temperature. You can let it ferment longer, but I was afraid it might get too stout (sour) for my taste.
Here it is 24 hours later. I shook the jar a little so you can see the change in texture.At this point, you strain the kefir into another clean container. (nylon mesh was recommended, but again, I don't know the consequences of metal use) The purpose of this is to retrieve the "grains".I found that a gentle lifting,stirring (NOT PRESSING) motion helped get the liquid through without damaging the "grains".Here is my first recovered "grain". You put these back with the others.OK. All strained. "Grains" in one jar, kefir in another. It is recommended that the kefir be well chilled before drinking.At this point I have not yet tried it. I'll run get it and try it "live".

OK. Here we go.
Hmm. Pleasant smell, not at all like spoiled milk. Tangy. Smooth, creamy. I think I could drink this! It is very much like plain yogurt, but somehow different. However it will probably be better in smoothies with fruit. I may try it with a little honey. OK, I just tried it with honey, and
yum!

In conclusion, I believe this has been a worthwhile endeavour and I encourage you to try to find some kefir grains yourself!

I just had the kids try it (the version with honey) and they liked it! Whoo hoo! We are just gonna be so healthy....

Off I go now,to make another batch. I have some more experimenting to do!

Christmas

The one thing that occurred during the last six months or so that I really must mention is that the grandbabies are living with us full time for now. So, things are a little different but we will make the most of the situation, of course. Just goes to show--when men make plans, God laughs.

Can you believe I got this silk kimono for a dollar at a thrift store?!?

My Mom and I and Charlotte (but mostly Mom) built this awesome dollhouse for Emily. (Look for more on that project at a later date, probably here and on Mom's blog).
Elijah got this really cool castle with some knights and dragons. (thank you Craigslist) All in all it was a nice, somewhat medieval Christmas. Whoo hoo! Big New Years Eve at our little homestead. Cool it ya'll before somebody calls the cops!

A not quite up-to-date update

As of May 24:
The spinach was bolting(going to flower/seed)



















The peas were climbing beyond expectations
















and beyond the fencing

we had a nice little harvest

















I put in some tomato plants and something dug right next to one the first night. (They are fine, and I never did figure out what it was. I probably prefer, on some level, not knowing.)



Last ,but by no means least, I built this uber awesome trellis/obelisk for green beans to grow on. Mimosa must be eradicated, but that doesn't mean it can't be useful!

A lovely, productive weekend

We spent the weekend at a lovely cabin in the mountains at Mentone, AL. My father-in-law bought a house with property up there and built a few cabins and some "bunkhouse" rooms off the main house. One cabin looks like a barn, one looks like a church, and two are just cabins.



The first two pictures are in the main room of the main house. My darling daughter is sleeping on the sofa because there are no televisions in the "bunkhouse" rooms. There is a massive fireplace just out of view on the left of the first pic. The blanket on the floor is for our dog.














The third pic is the view from the bed I woke up in, in one of the "bunkhouse" rooms. You see why I keep putting "bunkhouse" in quotation marks. The rooms are furnished in a not-so -rustic style. The word bunkhouse doesn't really seem to fit.

Last is a pic of the true nature of our visit. We were loading up the old kitchen cabinets that were being torn out for the remodel of the main house kitchen. I am so looking forward to having cabinetry in my kitchen.

To be continued.........

Just a reminder...

to myself really. We do actually make progress here. The first picture shows how overgrown and shaggy this side of the property was when we got it. (although, it was taken before all the vines and brambles had started to green up in the Spring) The shadow line in the center of the picture is as far as you could walk. We didn't even know what the rest of it looked like until we started getting it cleared.

If you look closely at the "after" picture, you'll see the pond area at the back. Close ups can be seen of that area in my post about tractors.

Anyway, we just need to remember to give ourselves credit sometimes. But, by no means does this mean we are going to rest on our laurels and stagnate in a pool (or pond)0f self congratulation! No! We will press on with renewed hope for further and greater accomplishment! With that in mind, tomorrow my DH has promised to till my garden. Yay! I just love new beginnings, don't you?

Let's just pretend I haven't been absent for 6 months

When I started this blog last year, I envisioned wonderful, witty, fascinating posts flowing daily from my keyboard. Didn't so much happen, did it? Oh well, as I always say, "so what?". It's a whole other year now so let's move along.

Things I Want To Accomplish This Year

1. Actually plant my garden. (so that I have something to photograph and blog about)(obviously that's not the only reason:feed my family, save money,etc.)

2.Finish the @#$% bathroom. (wanting a sink in the bathroom doesn't make me high maintenance does it?) At least it doesn't look like this anymore.

Can ya dig?

My super cool neighbor chick posted about needing a tractor and since I can relate to that, I thought I'd share some of our tractor history. We talked about needing a tractor for about 2 years before we actually got one. This is my husband on our first tractor, a 194?(or was it 195?) Ford Workmaster.

This served us well until we(read he) broke the axle. We found a neat old guy who fixes and sells old tractors and he gave us a good trade value for a very slightly less antique International Harvester B-275. I can't seem to find a pic of that one. We are still using it 2 years later, although there is a laundry list of things it needs(tires, brakes, you know, nothing very essential). I really wish I could find the pic of our daughter driving the Ford. She was about 14 and Dad taught her to drive it. And let her drive it! Freaked me out a little but it really was cool.

Last summer we decided that this spot needed to have a pond.

So we did what any"normal" person would do, we rented a backhoe. Now mind you, it had not rained at all for about 2-3 months. Perfect time to dig, says we.

Quiz: How do you break a record drought? Why just rent heavy equipment for the weekend, of course! It started drizzling immediately upon delivery and did not stop all weekend. By the way, this was at the end of the week that the Governor of Alabama had declared a "week of prayer" for rain. It was awsome timing in that regard, but I was still a little irked.

That's me in the blue raincoat being irked and supervisory all at the same time.

I'll put up recent pictures soon (I'll have to take some).

Oooh, know what you get when you get a pond?

TADPOLES! Lots of tadpoles.

I read 'em , why not write one?

Maybe because I have no idea what I should say. Hmm, I have an idea! Maybe if I put photos of my "projects" up here and resolve to update my progress frequently, I'll not only have something to say, but I'll be honor bound to actually MAKE progress. OK, I'll start with my vegetable garden(because I happened to take some "before" pics today).

As you can see, there is much work to be done. The garden area is about 40x40. Those are my compost piles on the right. Don't get the wrong idea, I actually have very little gardening experience. This will be my second year to have one. Last year had huge successes(okra, zucchini, green beans) and HUGE failures(tomatoes, corn, peas). I don't use chemicals at all and don't yet know all the organic tricks. I hereby vow to post new pics as progress is made. There!

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Soon, I'll put up pics of the antique dresser I'm repurposing as a bathroom vanity and the whole bathroom remodel itself. Oh, and don't be surprised to see pics of the horses, cats, dog, random critters I run across, and the chickens(ok, not yet, but someday and soon)(I hope).

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"Most things in life won't kill you, and the things that will, will only do it once."-don't remember who