My 12 year old dog was BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE from kefir. I swear by it.

I just wanted to say that my kitty who is prone to kidney issues, was very sick and we thought we were going to lose him a few weeks ago. I started adding his Chanca Piedra to kefir and rubbing it on his spine, and now he comes to the kitchen begging for his kefir every day! And no more kidney issues!

Yes! Kefir saved my dog too!!

Aww I love hearing that about your puppies!

I love the kefir. My daughter is 30 years old and started taking kefir. She started breaking out with acne. Is this because of the hormones in milk? Or is this a cleansing process?

the onion dip is on my list to try but the kefir ranch is AMAZING!!

Here is the recipe for the kefir onion dip https://www.culturedfoodlife.com/recipe/rons-kefir-onion-dip/

Also, Men are told not to drink milk. There's a high correlation with milk consumption and prostate cancer. Can my father drink kefir without this risk? Is it the same as drinking straight milk?

Hi Rannie, Your kefir grains should still be fine , they are quite tough!

My chronic toe nail fungal infection is disappearing!!!

Here is a podcast on pets and cultured Foods: https://www.culturedfoodlife.com/podcast/episode-52-how-to-help-your-pets-with-cultured-foods/

Here is the pickle help blog: https://www.culturedfoodlife.com/need-crunchy-pickles/

my daughter is 10 months, I nurse her, so she gets it through my milk. she has a phenomenal sleep, and is a teething champ, and has the best demeanor. She loves to drink it too. I also drink Kumbucha, all the time too.

yes I can hear you loud and clear 👍🏾

Yea Whittier!

Hi Donna, You had said on your website that ultra-pasteurized milk will not work well with kefir. The only type of grass-fed, organic milk we can get here in Florida is also ultra-pasteurized. Is it going to have a less diverse amount of bacteria but still be ok?

Thanks for sharing Shauna!

Thank you for your answer Maci :)

You’re very welcome!

I hoped I'd be ok with dairy milk kefir I really tried but have issue with the milk protein for sure so stick to non diary.

Hello Donna thank you so much for having us on. please my question is about Kefir retention enema’s I have struggled with high histamine foods so thinking of gut intake instead of oral intake.

Hi Colleen here is a helpful article on pickling cucumbers vs slicers: https://oldworldgardenfarms.com/2019/03/14/pickling-cucumber-varieties/

I meant rectal

Yay! Thank you! I’m looking forward to figuring this out!

Hi Julie, Also keep in mind that kefir is EXTREMELY powerful in detoxing so many think they are having issues with cultured foods when they’re actually going through a healing crisis

sometimes I think my kefir or kefir cheese smells like paint or nail polish remover...what could that be?

Hi Wally it sounds like you are either fermenting it too long, or adding in too much fruit or flavoring during a 2nd ferement. How long are you 1st fermenting and how many grains vs milk are you using?

How can I make your cultured vegetables to store outside of the refrigerator? I want to have it for my "food storage," and for times when we don't have electricity. Thank you.

Can you freeze dry cultured vegetables without harming the bacteria?

I make cultured vegetables but want to know can I use to much fruit to make it sweet?

i'm fermenting on the counter usually about 48 hours first ferment and I've only made it 2 times I'm honestly not sure how much grains to milk. I just received my grains from Donna

Hi everyone. I'm sorry I have to leave. Hope I get the replay. Thank you so much Donna and Team.

When my dairy kefir separates, does the whey contain more lactose than the rest of the fermented milk? Is there a negative to fermenting so long that the kefir does separate?

my husband has basil cell carcinoma, and is scheduled for mohs procedure. is there something I can do to treat it cultures?

Hi Carina, Kefir is 99% lactose free so in general you will have very little to no lactose left in your kefir

But you want to avoid over fermenting if possible as this means the good bacteria is running out of food and will start to diminish

Does that mean it is better to have material covering the fermented product instead of a plastic screw on lid? (So the good bacteria is in the air :)

Hi Carol a lid is always better for kefir or cultured veggies

For higher sugar ferments like water kefir or kombucha you want to use a cloth and rubberband

is an air lock lid a must for fermenting or can we just use a regular lid?

Goat milk makes fantastic kefir!

Maci, thank you. Maybe my water kefir will do better with the lid off. With the lid do we still get good bacteria in the air like she was talking about?

Hi Carol , you’ll want To do water kefir with a cloth and rubber band for first ferment otherwise you’ll be making a high alcohol ferment

For 2nd ferment you can do a bottle with a lid , but for first ferment always use a cloth

The good bacteria will get in the air regardless of lid or no lid usually <3

Hi Wally, you don’t need to use an airlock. It will help and is a great tool. But is not necessary, I personally always forget to add mine haha

For kombucha, do you reuse the original scoby in the next batch or the new one that grows underneath it?

Hi Jessica, The new one will always be the top scoby. We lean towards using the new one, but either one will work. The most imporant part is the starter tea(plain kombucha) which does most of the work when it comes to fermenting

I usually wind up leaving 1-3 scobies in the jar because I have room

great. That’s what I did with my latest batch bc it seems like the scobys grew together.Thanks, Maci!

Yes they often connect, you can even use a small piece of scoby and the batch will still work fine because the starter tea is the most powerful part

Just make sure you always get a new scoby on top.

TY!

Here is an article that will help: https://www.culturedfoodlife.com/its-not-the-scoby-that-makes-kombucha/

Email us at support@culturedfoodlife.com

thank you Chris

HI Reeses, what’s your question?

hi

Here is the Apple Kraut recipes: https://www.culturedfoodlife.com/recipe/apple-kraut/

so there is conflicting directions for fermenting

specifically salt percentage

Hi Reeses! Our recipes all list the amount of salt to use, However if you are not using a starter culture you will need to increase the salt in our recipes . Usually 2-3 times more

1. add salt based on weight of veggies

2. based on weight of water added

We go off of salt and the size of the jar you are using and also the type of veggies

Things like cucumbers (pickles) need a larger amount of salt

3. weight of water plus weight of water within the veggie

For example if you are using a gallon jar we use 1 tablespoon of salt and a starter culture. If you are not using a starter culture you’ll need to 2-3 tablespoons

Hi Wally, You do not have to use an airlock lid, it can be a helpful tool. But you don’t have to use one. I personally often forget to use mine hehe

Jicama Recipehttps://www.culturedfoodlife.com/jicama-if-youre-sicka-ma-video/

well, that doesnt answer the question. cuz u can have diff sizes of veggies in the gallon jar.

diff water amount

Hi Reese, it doesn’t matter if the veggies are different sizes

thanks!

it does cuz brine percentage changes.

You would use the same amount of salt regardless. We go by the size of the jar it makes things much easier.

It’s fine if your brine percentage changes. Personally we fill the jars with veggies and leave about 2-3 inches of room at the top

could the jicama be exchanged with korabi...can't get jicama here in Holland

Hi Tirtza kohlrabi has a very different flavor and is more similar to broccoli.

kolrabi

Kohlrabi is wonderful but it will be a different type of ferment

@maci Is there a chart or table somewhere that shows salt & culture measurements for each size jar?

Hi Katy, WE don’t have a chart currently but basically its 1 tablespoon per gallon, 1/2 for 1/2 gallon, 1 teaspoon for a pint jar etc you can kind of reduce it down evenly for the size jar

Thank you for putting all of the links up for us!

But if you’re using pickles you want to increase this

Donna, if you don't like to use the kefir whey for cultured veggies, what do you do with the whey?

Hi Wally, We have lots of things you can use kefir whey for! Our favorite is kefir soda!

Check out this article: https://www.culturedfoodlife.com/9-ways-to-use-extra-kefir-whey/

When you reuse the brine with Cultured vegetables, do you re add the salt or do you just add the veggies?

Hi Jessica, When you reuse brine you make the veggies exactly the same. But you would just add in a small percentage of the brine from your previous batch

got it. ty

Here is how to do this: https://www.culturedfoodlife.com/can-you-reuse-the-brine-for-cultured-vegetables/

You don’t use all the brine just a small percent and then still make a brine like normal

A new brine*

Bouncing off Carols comment from earlier: What if one were to waterbath can kimchi (knowing it will kill bacteria) THEN when you’re ready to eat, pull the jar off the shelf, open, add cultures, ferment, then refrigerate? Do you think that would?

Hi Collen this wouldn’t work because the good bacteria would be dead once you’ve canned the foods

Ah, makes sense! Thanks

And the veggies with a new culture would not ferment the same because they’ve been cooked and would be very soft

You want to always use fresh vegetables when fermenting to keep the good bacteria high as well as the enzymes from the fresh veggies

Thank you for joining everyone!!

thanks Donna!!

Thank you so much! It's been a pleasure everyone!!

Thank you Donna, Chris & Maci!

thank you!

You can email us at support@culturedfoodlife.com as well

Thank you so much for your time!

Thank You!

thank you so much

Thanks so much x

Thank You Donna

Thank you so much 💖 Donna

Thank you!!!!!!!! Easier to learn live and with others.

Thanks Donna, Chris, and Maci! Maci, I used to watch you when you had your weekly fermenting Periscopes!

I thought that was you GINI!

please send that article link on sugar