Cardboard Food Rotation System

This is a link to make the cardboard food rotation rack that was displayed at the Fair. Fantastic at home solution for rotating food!!! 

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/02/16/build-your-own-can-rotating-rack

Food Storage Tips (Wendy DeWitt)

FOOD STORAGE TIPS

Baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, cocoa: These are some of the items you don’t need to can or vacuum seal. Keep them in their original containers or you can place them in buckets with lids. Baking powder test: 1 tsp in 1/3 c hot water = water fizzes.

Brown sugar: 2 Tb Molasses, 1 cup white sugar. Mix with pastry blender until blended. You can also vacuum seal brown sugar in mason jars to keep it fresh for years.

Butter (almost) 1 pound shortening (butter flavored works) ½ tsp salt, 1 2/3 c condensed milk
Whip the shortening and the salt until light. Add the condensed milk a little at a time and blend.

Butter canned: Check the internet for best prices. 12 oz can, 24 Tb or 3 sticks of butter.

Cheese canned: Check the internet for best prices. A Velveeta tasting hard cheese that can be shredded or sliced, comes in an 8 oz can. Minimum 5 year shelf life.

Corn syrup: 1 c sugar + 2 c water. Cook in canning jar in solar oven about an hour or until thick.

“Eggs” from unflavored gelatin (Knox): Buy in bulk at bulkfoods.com. In all the recipes in this book I have substituted unflavored gelatin for the eggs. The gelatin is less expensive than powdered eggs (as little as 3 cents per tsp) and has an indefinite shelf life.
1tsp gelatin =1 egg, 1 oz gelatin = 12 tsp, 1 pound gelatin = 192 eggs.
Making one egg: Combine 1 tsp of unflavored gelatin with 3 Tb of cold water and stir until dissolved. Then add 2 Tb of hot water and stir. When using your own recipes, decrease the liquid called for in your recipe by about ¼ cup to compensate for the added water from the “egg”. I have already done this for the recipes in this book.

Eggs: Storing fresh eggs for up to 1 year. Rub warmed mineral oil on your hands and coat the entire surface of the fresh egg with the oil. Replace egg in carton with the point down. In cold climates they can be stored in a cool, dark place. In warmer climates, place in the refrigerator. Rotate once a year.

Jar cakes & breads: This method of baking has been done for years, but there has been some discussion as to its safety. Because the eggs were exchanged with unflavored gelatin in all of these recipes, it is unlikely that the ingredients used could support bacteria if prepared and cooked properly. If you feel at all uncomfortable with this method, don’t use it.

Jar cakes are great for food storage and the solar oven, but you must be sure to sanitize all your jars and lids to be sure they are free from bacteria. Foods such as breads, cakes, muffins, cornbread, brownies, cookies and cinnamon rolls are cooked and sealed in mason jars and can be kept on the shelf for several weeks. Using a pastry brush, grease the inside of your jar with shortening (no Pam or Baker’s Secret) and fill it ½ to 2/3 full with batter or dough and bake. No lid is used at this time. Let your breads rise in the jars and then bake. If it bakes too high, cut the top of your bread or cake off before sealing the jar. Just be sure your jar edge is clean and your lids are hot. Immediately after the food is cooked, place a heated lid on the hot jar and tighten with the ring (Use hot pads). Within a few minutes, the lid will “plink” and the food will be sealed. The food will slip out of the jars easily if you use the straight sided “jelly jars” but any kind of mason jar will work. With this method, you can do your baking on your bright sunny days and have fully cooked baked goods waiting on your shelves for that rainy day.

Milk: Powdered milk: If you have electricity, powdered milk is best if you use warm water, mix with a blender and chill overnight.

Buttermilk: 1 c water, 1/3 c dry milk, 1 Tb vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit 5 min.

Condensed milk: ½ c hot water, 1 c sugar, ¼ c dry milk, 1 c water. Place in canning jar with lid and shake until thoroughly blended.

Eagle Brand: 1 c hot water, 1/3 c corn syrup,1 2/3 c sugar, ¼ tsp vanilla, pinch of salt, ½ c butter, 2c dry milk. Place all ingredients except butter in canning jar with lid and shake until well blended. Gradually add the butter and shake each time until well blended.

Evaporated: 1 c water, 2/3 c dry milk. Whole 1 c water + 1/3 c dry. Skim: 1c water + ¼ c dry milk.

Milk on the shelf: Technology has given us real milk that sits on the shelf and has at least a 1 year shelf life. It comes in quart containers, available in whole, 2%, vanilla soy, almond and rice milk.

Peanut butter: 2 c peanuts and 4 Tb honey OR 2 ½ c peanuts and 2 Tb butter - salt to taste. Blend until smooth. This really needs an electric blender but it can still be done without one.

Rice: If your rice goes rancid, set it out for 2 or 3 days and rinse with water.

Shortening: I have substituted shortening for the oil in all my recipes because of the longer shelf life. Oil has about a 2 year shelf life, unopened shortening has 10+ years. If you can still find the hard lid shortening (not foil lids) they have an indefinite shelf life. Store shortening in a cool, dark place. Opened shortening has a less than one year shelf life. After opening shortening, melt it in the microwave or solar oven, pour it into mason jars and vacuum seal it for a longer shelf life.

Tomato powder: ½ cup powder mixed with 1 cup water =1 c tomato sauce. Less water makes tomato paste and more water makes tomato juice. Shelf life is 10+ years.

Food Storage for One Adult

Food Storage your family will need: 1 adult

Grains Wheat  150 lbs Flour  25 lbs Corn Meal  25 lbs Oats  25 lbs Rice  50 lbs Pasta  25 lbs Total Grains  300 lbs Fats and Oils Shortening  4 lbs Vegetable Oil  2 gal Mayonnaise  2 qts Salad Dressing  1 qts Peanut Butter 4  lbs Total Fats  13 lbs Legumes Beans, dry 30 lbs Lima Beans  5 lbs Soy Beans  10 lbs Split Peas  5 lbs Lentils  5 lbs Dry Soup Mix   5lbs Total Legumes   60lbs

Sugars Honey  3 lbs Sugar  40 lbs Brown Sugar 3  lbs Molasses  1 lbs Corn Syrup  3 lbs Jams  3 lbs Fruit drinkpowdered  6 lbs Flavored Gelatin  1 lbs Total Sugars  60 lbs Milk Dry Milk  60 lbs Evaporated Milk  12 can Other  13 lbs Total Dairy  75 lbs Cooking Essentials Baking Powder  1 lbs Baking Soda  1 lbs Yeast  .5 lbs Salt  5 lbs Vinegar  .5 gal Water Water   14 gal Bleach  1 gal

Wheatgrass How To!

Wheatgrass is packed with essential vitamins and nutrients that keep your mind and body healthy and vibrant. Taking a "shot" of juiced wheatgrass as part of your morning breakfast routine is considered a healthy way to start the day, but it can get very expensive. If you want to make wheatgrass a regular part of your diet, try growing it yourself at home instead of buying it already juiced. This article provides information on how to grow wheatgrass from seeds and make the most of it once it has matured.

Step 1

Soaking and Germinating Wheatgrass Seeds

Source wheatgrass seeds. Wheatgrass seeds are also called hard winter wheat seed or wheat berries. Buy a bag of seeds online or at a health supply store. Look for organic seeds from a reputable source to make sure the seeds haven't been treated with pesticides and will grow into healthy, vibrant grass.

Step 2

Prepare the seeds for soaking. Before the seeds can be soaked and germinated, they need to be measured and rinsed.

• Measure out enough seeds to create a light layer on the seed tray you use to grow the grass. For a 16" x 16" tray, use about two cups of seeds.
• Rinse the seeds in cool, clean water using a colander with very small holes or a strainer. Drain them well and put them in a bowl. Soak the seeds. Soaking the seeds initiates germination. By the end of the process, the seeds will have sprouted small roots.
• Pour cold water, preferably filtered, into the bowl of seeds. Add about 3 times as much water as you have seeds. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and place it on the counter to soak for about 10 hours, or overnight.
• Drain the water from the seeds and replace it with more cold, filtered water - again, about 3 times as much water as you have seeds. Let it soak for another 10 hours.
• Repeat the process one more time, for a total of three long soaks.
• By the end of the last soak, the seeds should have sprouted roots. This means they are ready to plant. Drain them and set them aside until you're ready to plant them.

Step 3

Planting the Seeds

Prepare the seed tray for planting. Line the seed tray with paper towels, to prevent the wheatgrass roots from growing through the holes in the bottom of the tray. Spread an even two-inch layer of organic compost or potting soil in the seed tray.

• If possible, use paper towels that have not been treated with chemicals or dyes. Recycled, chemical-free paper towels are available at health food stores.
• Use pre-moistened compost or potting soil free of pesticides or other chemicals. It's important to use organic soil to get the most benefit from your wheatgrass.
• Plant the seeds. Spread the seeds in an even layer across the top of the compost or potting soil. Lightly press the seeds into the soil, but don't completely bury them.
• It's fine if the seeds are touching each other, but make sure there's not a pile of seeds in one area. Each seed needs a little room to grow.
• Water the tray lightly, making sure each seed gets a sprinkle.
• Cover the tray with a few moistened sheets of newspaper or paper towel to protect the seedlings.

Step 4

• Keep the seeds moist. It's important to make sure the seeds don't dry out in the first few days after you plant them. Keep them damp as they root themselves in the seed tray.
• Lift the newspaper and water the tray thoroughly in the morning so that the soil is wet, but not completely waterlogged.
• Use a spray bottle filled with water to lightly mist the soil in the evening before you go to bed, so the seedlings don't dry out overnight. Spray the newspaper, too, so it keeps them wet.
• After four days, remove the newspaper. Continue watering the sprouted grass once a day
• Keep the grass in partial sunlight. Direct sun will damage the grass, so make sure it is always in a shady place in your home.

Step 5

Harvesting the Wheatgrass

• Wait for the wheatgrass to "split." Once the shoots are mature, a second blade of grass will begin growing out of the first shoot. This is called "splitting" and means that the grass is ready for harvesting.

• At this point the grass should be about six inches tall.
• Grass is usually ready to harvest after 9 or 10 days of growth.
• Cut the wheatgrass above the root. Use a scissors to harvest the grass by clipping it just above the root and collecting it in a bowl. The harvested grass is ready to be juiced.

• Harvested wheatgrass keeps in the refrigerator for about a week, but it tastes best and provides the most health benefits when it's harvested right before you plan to juice it.
• Keep watering the wheatgrass to produce a second crop. Harvest that crop once it's mature.
• Sometimes a third crop comes up, but it's usually not as tender and sweet as the first one. Empty the seed tray and prepare it for another batch of seedlings.
• Start the process again. It takes a lot of wheatgrass to make just a few shots of wheatgrass juice. If you plan to make wheatgrass a part of your daily diet, you'll need more than one tray of seedlings growing at a time.
• Time the growing and harvesting cycle so that you have a new batch of seeds soaking while the previous batch is in the process of taking root. If you have two or three seeds at various stages in rotation, you should be able to produce enough wheatgrass to have a shot of juice every day.
• Wheatgrass is a beautiful bright green color, and adds a natural touch to your kitchen or sunroom, wherever you choose to grow it. Consider growing wheatgrass in a decorative container and surrounding your wheatgrass with other plants, so that you can enjoy the beauty of wheatgrass as well as its health benefits.

Step 6

• Juicing the Wheatgrass
• Rinse the wheatgrass. Since the wheatgrass was grown from organic seeds in organic soil or compost, it doesn't need a heavy washing. Give it a light rinse to wash away any debris or dust it may have collected from the air.

• Place the wheatgrass in a juicer. Special wheatgrass juicers are designed to make the most of this fibrous plant.

• Avoid using regular juicers, since wheatgrass can clog them and cause them to break.
• You can use a blender if you don't have a juicer. Once the wheatgrass is completely blended, use a strainer to take out the solids.
• Enjoy a shot of wheatgrass. You only need a few ounces of wheatgrass juice to feel the effects of its powerful mix of vitamins and minerals.

Benefits of Wheatgrass

Some of the superior qualities of wheatgrass and the juice that can be extracted from its blades include the following:

• Increases red blood-cell count and lowers blood pressure. It cleanses the blood, organs and gastrointestinal tract of debris. Wheatgrass also stimulates metabolism and the body’s enzyme systems by enriching the blood. It also aids in reducing blood pressure by dilating the blood pathways throughout the body.

• Stimulates the thyroid gland, correcting obesity, indigestion, and a host of other complaints.

• Restores alkalinity to the blood. The juice’s abundance of alkaline minerals helps reduce over-acidity in the blood. It can be used to relieve many internal pains, and has been used successfully to treat peptic ulcers, ulcerative colitis, constipation, diarrhea, and other complaints of the gastrointestinal tract.

• Is a powerful detoxifier, and liver and blood protector. The enzymes and amino acids found in wheatgrass can protect us from carcinogens like no other food or medicine. It strengthens our cells, detoxifies the liver and bloodstream, and chemically neutralizes environmental pollutants.

• Fights tumors and neutralizes toxins. Recent studies show that wheatgrass juice has a powerful ability to fight tumors without the usual toxicity of drugs that also inhibit cell-destroying agents. The many active compounds found in grass juice cleanse the blood and neutralize and digest toxins in our cells.

• Contains beneficial enzymes. Whether you have a cut finger you want to heal or you desire to lose five pounds…enzymes must do the actual work. The life and abilities of the enzymes found naturally in our bodies can be extended if we help them from the outside by adding exogenous enzymes, like the ones found in wheatgrass juice. Don’t cook it. We can only get the benefits of the many enzymes found in grass by eating it uncooked. Cooking destroys 100 percent of the enzymes in food.

• Has remarkable similarity to our own blood. The second important nutritional aspect of chlorophyll is its remarkable similarity to hemoglobin, the compound that carries oxygen in the blood. Dr. Yoshihide Hagiwara, president of the Hagiwara Institute of Health in Japan, is a leading advocate for the use of grass as food and medicine. He reasons that since chlorophyll is soluble in fat particles, and fat particles are absorbed directly into the blood via the lymphatic system, that chlorophyll can also be absorbed in this way. In other words, when the “blood” of plants is absorbed in humans it is transformed into human blood, which transports nutrients to every cell of the body.

• When used as a rectal implant, reverses damage from inside the lower bowel. An implant is a small amount of juice held in the lower bowel for about 20 minutes. In the case of illness, wheatgrass implants stimulate a rapid cleansing of the lower bowel and draw out accumulations of debris.

• Externally applied to the skin can help eliminate itching almost immediately.

• Will soothe sunburned skin and act as a disinfectant. Rubbed into the scalp before a shampoo, it will help mend damaged hair and alleviate itchy, scaly, scalp conditions.

• Is soothing and healing for cuts, burns, scrapes, rashes, poison ivy, athlete’s foot, insect bites, boils, sores, open ulcers, tumors, and so on. Use as a poultice and replace every two to four hours.

• Works as a sleep aide. Merely place a tray of living wheatgrass near the head of your bed. It will enhance the oxygen in the air and generate healthful negative ions to help you sleep more soundly.

• Enhances your bath. Add some to your bath water and settle in for a nice, long soak.

• Sweetens the breath and firms up and tightens gums. Just gargle with the juice.

• Neutralizes toxic substances like cadmium, nicotine, strontium, mercury, and polyvinyl chloride.

• Offers the benefits of a liquid oxygen transfusion since the juice contains liquid oxygen. Oxygen is vital to many body processes: it stimulates digestion (the oxidation of food), promotes clearer thinking (the brain utilizes 25% of the body’s oxygen supply), and protects the blood against anaerobic bacteria. Cancer cells cannot exist in the presence of oxygen.

• Turns gray hair to its natural color again and greatly increases energy levels when consumed daily.

• Is a beauty treatment that slows down the aging process when the juice is consumed. Wheatgrass will cleanse your blood and help rejuvenate aging cells, slowing the aging process way down, making you feel more alive right away. It will help tighten loose and sagging skin.

• Lessens the effects of radiation. One enzyme found in wheatgrass, SOD, lessens the effects of radiation and acts as an anti-inflammatory compound that may prevent cellular damage following heart attacks or exposure to irritants.

• Restores fertility and promotes youthfulness.

• Can double your red blood cell count just by soaking in it. Renowned nutritionist Dr. Bernard Jensen found that no other blood builders are superior to green juices and wheatgrass. In his book “Health Magic Through Chlorophyll” he mentions several cases where he was able to double the red blood cell count in a matter of days merely by having patients soak in a chlorophyll-water bath. Blood building results occur even more rapidly when patients drink green juices and wheatgrass regularly.

Year Dry Pack Schedule

2013 Dry Pack Schedule, Third Saturday of each Month at 10am at 2104 W Michelle Dr.

February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	January
Macaroni	Sugar	Dry Milk	Wht Wheat	Carrots	Reg Oats	Onions	Hot Cocoa	Spices	Wht Wheat	Rice
Fruit Drink	Potato Pearls	Re Fried Beans	Apple Slices	Pancake Mix	White Beans	Pinto Beans	Potato Flakes	Dry Milk	Apple Slices	Carrots
Flour	Corn Meal	Rice	Bk Beans	Quick Oats	Spaghetti	Red Wheat	Flour	macaroni	Popcorn	Gluten

Kefir Recipes!

Orange Vanilla Soda
After 48 hours of fermentation, strain the kefir, take the liquid and add ½ TBS
vanilla extract per quart. Add a couple orange slices (outer rind peeled if
non-organic). Let sit for another 24 hours on the counter, or 24-48 in the fridge.
Tighten the lid for more fizz!

Blueberry Coconut
After 48 hours of fermentation, strain the kefir, take the liquid and add ¼ cup
coconut water per quart. Put in a big handful of blueberries. Let sit for another 24
hours on the counter, or 24-48 in the fridge.

Cranberry Apple
After 48 hours of fermentation, strain the kefir, take the liquid and add ¼ cup cranberry juice per quart. Throw in a couple slices of apple. Let sit for another 24 hours on the counter, or 24-48 in the fridge.

Grape
After 48 hours of fermentation, strain the kefir, take the liquid and add ¼ cup grape juice per quart. Add a couple grapes if desired as well. Let sit for another 24 hours on the counter, or 24-48 in the fridge. Tighten the lid for more fizz!

Creamy Ginger spice
After 48 hours of fermentation with just ginger and sugar, strain the kefir, take the liquid and add ½ TBS vanilla extract and 1 cinnamon stick per quart. Let sit for another 24 hours on the counter, or 24-48 in the fridge. Tighten the lid for more fizz! Serve cold with whip cream on top. Or add some scoops of caramel vanilla ice 
cream for a delicious float!

Lime Pineapple
After 48 hours of fermentation with a slice of lime (instead of lemon), strain the kefir, take the liquid and add a half cup pineapple chunks per quart, squeeze in the lime juice and discard the lime slice. Let sit for another 24 hours on the counter, 
or 24-48 in the fridge.

Raspberry mango
After 48 hours of fermentation, strain the kefir, take the liquid and add ¼ cup mango (or similar tropical fruit juice) per quart. Add in ½ cup raspberries. Let sit for another 24 hours on the counter, or 24-48 in the fridge. Tighten the lid for more fizz!

Strawberry lemon
After 48 hours of fermentation, strain the kefir, take the liquid and add 1/2 cup pureed strawberries and squeeze out the juice from the lemon into it. Add a couple whole strawberries if desired as well. Let sit for another 24 hours on the counter, or 24-48 in the fridge. If this is too tart, add in some sugar or honey at the end to taste.

Cola Cherry
After 48 hours of fermentation of just sugar and grains, strain the kefir, take the liquid and add ¼ cup cherry juice per quart. Add a couple whole cherries if desired as well. Let sit for another 24 hours on the counter, or 24-48 in the fridge. Mix in sugar to taste if desired.

Banana Berry Blend (Slushy or Smoothie)
Take a ½ cup frozen berries, ½ cup kefir water, ¼  cup shredded coconut, 1/2 large banana, a couple spoons of applesauce and blend in ice until desired consistency is reached. Add honey or sugar if you would like it sweeter. You can also make a smoothie with a couple scoops vanilla or coconut ice cream instead of ice. This is a 
very delicious flavor combination.

Water Kefir Italian Soda:
1. Fill a tall glass cup with ice
2. (Optional - I recommend trying these after you know what the plain version tastes like) add in some flavoring syrup of your choice (grape, cherry, kiwi, cranberry etc). Jam or blended fruit can be used instead of syrup - add honey or sugar if the blended fruit is too bland).
3. Pour in your fizzy water kefir to about an inch from the top. To get fizzy water kefir, bottle it in a specially designed air-tight bottle, such as a swing-top bottle  for a couple days until desired fizziness is reached (then add it to this recipe).
4. Add in half and half (half cream, half milk) to the top.
5. Stick in your straw and drink!

Kefir Notes

Kefir Notes, Questions and Answers

Water kefir, like kombucha, is first cultured by introducing a scoby (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts) into sugar water. The beneficial bacteria and yeasts present in the grains metabolize the sugar and turn it into acetic acid. Grains are small, translucent, gelatinous structures and are comprised of assorted bacteria including lactobacillus hilgardii which gives them their characteristic crystal-like appearance. When properly cared for and regularly cultured, they produce a wonderful probiotic-rich beverage and will continue to grow and reproduce indefinitely

Impressively rich in micro-nutrients, enzymes and beneficial bacteria, water kefir numbers among the top ten dairy-free probiotics.

Ingredients (this is for a large quantity of kefir) ** not required

1/3 Cup Water Kefir Grains

1/2 Cup Organic Sugar (Yes, sugar.)

1/2 Organic Lemon 1 Thin Slice Fresh Ginger (Peeled) **

1 to 1 ½ quarts Spring Water (contains minerals)

Instructions Dissolve sugar into water. Do not use honey in place of sugar. Honey has antimicrobial properties and will damage your water kefir grains or delay their proliferation. Add water kefir grains, raisins, half a lemon and slice of ginger to the mixture of sugar water in a 1/2 gallon mason jar. Allow your water kefir to brew in a lidded mason jar at room temperature for 24 – 72 hours depending on the strength you prefer and the temperature of your home. The warmer your home is, the faster water kefir will brew. Strain the water kefir grains, lemon and ginger from the water kefir and bottle the liquid into smaller sealed containers. Allow the smaller bottles to sit out for another 24 – 48 hours to continue fermentation and produce natural carbonation. Serve cold over ice and enjoy!
If not stored in sealed containers it will remain “flat” just be like a juice. I add mine to smoothies, juice, or drink it straight.

Q.  Does water kefir have the same benefits as milk kefir?
A.  Generally speaking water kefir is slightly less concentrated than milk kefir and therefore some individuals find they must consume more water kefir than they would milk kefir. However, due to water kefir's water (rather than dairy) base and great taste when flavored, it is easy to consume larger amounts of water kefir.

Q.  Are water kefir grains reusable?
A.  Yes, water kefir grains are reusable. Once your kefir is finished culturing, simply remove the water kefir grains and place them in fresh sugar water, juice, or coconut water.

Q.  How long do water kefir grains last?
A.  With proper care, water kefir grains should last indefinitely.

Q.  What is the process to make water kefir?
A.  Water kefir grains are added to sugar water, juice, or coconut water and allowed to culture for 24-48 hours, then the kefir grains are removed. To flavor water kefir (we don't recommend drinking water kefir made with sugar water without flavoring!) simply add fruit juice or flavor extracts (e.g., vanilla extract) to the water kefir. 
 
Q.  Can I allow the kefir to culture for longer than 48 hours?
A.   We strongly recommend against allowing the kefir grains to culture for longer than 48 hours as over time it will damage the grains by potentially starving them (particularly in warm weather when the culturing process is sped up due to the heat).

Q.  How will I know if I've successfully made water kefir?
A.  The primary indication of whether or not you have successfully made water kefir is that the finished kefir tastes less sweet than the sugar water or juice you've started with.

Q.  Will water kefir grains multiply?
A.  Water kefir grains are known to multiply, but at times they are reluctant to do so and therefore we do not guarantee kefir grains will multiply. Even if they do not multiply, with proper care, water kefir grains can be used repeatedly to brew water kefir.

Q.  How can I flavor water kefir?
A.  Water kefir made with sugar water can be flavored (after the kefir grains are removed!) using fruit (fresh or dried), fruit juice, or flavor extracts. Fruit can be added during or after the culturing process (see below) but should be changed out regularly (daily for fresh fruit, weekly for dried fruit). A tasty lemonade-type drink can be made by adding 1/2 cup lemon juice to 2 quarts finished water kefir. Although just about any fruit juice can be used, we are especially fond of blueberry-pomegranate juice. To make a cream soda-type drink, add 1-2 T. vanilla extract to 2 quarts finished water kefir. 
 
Q.  Can I flavor water kefir while it's brewing?
A.  Yes, technically you can add fruit (fresh or dried) to the sugar water at the same time you add the grains. Several cautionary notes: 1) Not all fruit is compatible with kefir grains and over time, may damage the grains. Strawberries, mango's, and figs are popular fruits to add during the culturing process. 2) Be sure to secure either the fruit or the kefir grains in a cotton muslin bag prior to beginning the culturing process.  Fruit (either fresh or dried), tends to disintegrate into lots of tiny pieces during the culturing process making it extremely difficult to separate the fruit from the kefir grains before brewing your next batch. Don't spend hours trying to clean your kefir grains! Contain either the kefir grains or fruit in a cotton muslin bag which is large enough to allow the kefir grains room to multiply.

 Q.  Can I use juice to make water kefir?
A.  Yes, straight fruit juice (we recommend organic) can be used to make water kefir. Note: we do strongly recommend getting your kefir grains established using sugar water (for at least a few batches) prior to using juice. We also advise you to use separate sets of kefir grains for culturing juice and culturing sugar-water. Juice tends to be very hard on kefir grains and they do tend to break down a bit (it helps to culture them in sugar water every few batches). Unfortunately when you use water kefir grains in juice and then move them to sugar water, the resulting kefir usually tastes very unpleasant, thus our recommendation for keeping two sets of grains. (This can be accomplished by waiting for your kefir grains to multiply and splitting them or by purchasing a second set of water kefir grains.) To make juice kefir you will use 2 quarts of juice for the 3-4 tablespoons (rehydrated) of water kefir grains included in your packet.

 Q.  Can I use coconut water to make water kefir?
A.  Yes, coconut water can be used to make water kefir. We recommend getting your kefir grains established using sugar water (for at least a few batches) prior to using coconut water.

Q.  What type of sugar should I use to make water kefir?
A.  evaporated cane crystals (aka organic white sugar) makes a very mild-tasting water kefir which makes an excellent background for adding flavor. Whole sugars where the molasses is still intact (e.g.,  Rapadura, Sucanat, etc.) also work well for making kefir and are generally considered to be healthier for the kefir grains over the long term as the minerals in the molasses promote kefir grain health. (You can accomplish the same thing by adding a teaspoon of molasses per 1/2 cup of white sugar.) Whole sugars do tend to make a much more strongly flavored water kefir which you may or may not find pleasant.  We do recommend using organic sugars to eliminate chemicals which may harm the kefir grains. We do not recommend using honey (see above).

Q.  Do I need to add sugar if I'm using juice to make kefir (rather than sugar water)?
A.  No, there should be enough sugar in the juice to feed the kefir grains.

Q.  Is there any danger to using less sugar than is indicated by the instructions that came with my grains?
A.  Yes! Making water kefir requires a balance of ingredients to allow the kefir grains to properly culture. We recommend using a ratio of 1/4 cup sugar to 1 quart water when making water kefir. This ratio ensures the kefir grains are properly fed. Using less sugar (or culturing the kefir for longer than 48 hours) can cause the grains to starve. Over time, the grains will become less efficient and although you are using less sugar, you may actually end up with more sugar in the finished kefir than you would with efficient working kefir grains. (See below for information on how much sugar actually remains in finished water kefir). Ultimately, using less sugar will result in unhealthy kefir grains and possibly higher sugar consumption for you.

 Q.  How much sugar does finished water kefir contain?
A.  While certainly variation will exist between batches, generally speaking approximately 20% of the sugar you start with will remain following a 48- hour culturing process and almost all that sugar will have been converted to fructose from its original glucose-fructose state.  Therefore if you use our recommend ratio of 1/4 cup sugar to 1 quart water, the finished kefir will contain approximately 1.4% fructose.

Q.  How much alcohol does water kefir contain?
A.  As with all cultured and fermented foods, a small amount of naturally occurring alcohol is typically present in the finished product. Although the amount will vary from batch to batch, the amount should be quite small (usually significantly less than 1%). Using the prescribed ratio (1/4 cup sugar to 1 quart water) there simply is not enough sugar to result in an intoxicating drink. The exception to this general rule is when brewing 100% juice (rather than sugar water). The higher sugar content can result in a higher alcohol level. If you do not desire a higher alcohol level, we recommend limiting the fermentation period to 24 hours when working with straight fruit juice.

Q.  How do I take a break from making water kefir?
A.  To take a break from making water kefir simply prepare a sugar water solution (1/4 c. sugar to 1 quart water), place the grains in the sugar water, place a tight lid on the container, and place it in the refrigerator. The cold will greatly retard the culturing process and they can keep this way for up to several weeks. If at the end of that period you require more time, simply repeat the process with fresh sugar water. If you desire a longer break period, you can also dehydrate your water kefir grains by placing them on unbleached parchment paper in a safe location (room temperature) for several days until they are completely dry. Then place the dehydrated grains in a secure container (a zip-style plastic bag, glass or plastic jar, etc.) and in a cool dry place. They should keep this way for at least 6 months.

Q.  If I’m making other cultured foods (yogurt, sourdough, kombucha, etc.), how far apart do I need to keep the kefir culture?
A.  When items are being actively cultured (and don’t have lids), we suggest keeping a distance of at least several feet (and preferably more) between items. When your cultured items are being stored in the refrigerator with tight-fitting lids, there is no need to keep distance between them.

 Q.  Can I allow the kefir grains to rehydrate for longer than the recommended 3-4 days?
A.  We strongly recommend moving the kefir grains to fresh sugar water after 3-4 days. Leaving them for a longer period could result in the grains being deprived of food (sugar) and result in damage to the grains.

 Q.  I'm not sure my kefir grains are working properly? How can I tell if they are healthy and properly culturing the sugar water, juice, or coconut water?
A.  The ultimate test of whether the kefir grains are working properly is that the finished kefir is less sweet than the sugar water or juice you started with. The resulting kefir will still be quite sweet (due to the presence of fructose; see above for information on the amount of sugar remaining in finished kefir) but should be less sweet than the sugar water or juice you started with. Also, the kefir will generally change color over the 48-hour fermentation period.  
 
Q.  My water kefir grains are multiplying rapidly. Is there a point where I must remove some of the grains?
A.  While only 3 tablespoons of water kefir grains are required to culture up to 3 quarts of water kefir, more grains will not harm the process (and we don't recommend using less than 2 tablespoons of grains even when making less water kefir). However, at some point, you will likely have so many grains taking up room in your brewing container that you must remove a portion of them as a practical matter (or you simply won't have much kefir available). Extra kefir grains can be dehydrated.