[knittinclothmama]

So, I got my kefir grains a couple of weeks ago. I am using raw milk but I am going twice a week to get milk and going through almost two gallons a week!!! This is getting expensive and it's a pain 'cuz my raw milk source is Whole Foods and I don't shop there for my groceries. It's an extra errand to run with four kids!!

: I usually shop at Trader Joes so I'm wondering what their best milk is?? They don't have raw milk. They have unhomogenized organic milk and orgainc pasteurized/homogenized milk. The taste of the UH milk is not very good. I don't know how to find out if the milk comes from grass fed cows though.... anyone know? Also, can I switch from raw to past milk or will this harm my grains? I prefer raw but I just can't keep enough of it around between the kids and the kefir!!

Help!!!!

 

[Gale Force]

I used the Trader Joe's cream top milk for a long time and the kefir was great. The raw milk kefir is better, but for full price at Whole FOods, ouch. We'd be priced out pretty quickly. You can call Trader Joe's and ask about that particular milk. Since it's organic they must have some pasture access but I bet the customer support could give you more detail. BTW my grains grew faster on that milk.

 

[knittinclothmama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gale Force I used the Trader Joe's cream top milk for a long time and the kefir was great. The raw milk kefir is better, but for full price at Whole FOods, ouch. We'd be priced out pretty quickly. You can call Trader Joe's and ask about that particular milk. Since it's organic they must have some pasture access but I bet the customer support could give you more detail. BTW my grains grew faster on that milk.

So, I called customer service and they told me the cows are from a local farm (not sure how local since there are Trader Joe's all over California). She said they are "mostly grass fed" and grain finished. Hmmmm.... "Grain finished" is a term I've heard for beef but not for milk..... how is a milked cow "finished"???? Anyway, I'm feeling a little better about using this milk excpet that it's pasturized!!!

It's just that I was easily spending $25 each week on milk and that's not in my grocery budget!!

 

[bluets]

there's no way i could get raw milk easily here - it would involve at least a 2-hour round trip for a $6 gallon of milk. i use Organic Valley's whole milk - pasteurized and homogenized. but it still makes very yummy kefir. when i'm feelign decadent, i get Trader's Point cream-top (un-homogenized, pasteurized at low temp) whole milk.

 

[AnnC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluets there's no way i could get raw milk easily here - it would involve at least a 2-hour round trip for a $6 gallon of milk. i use Organic Valley's whole milk - pasteurized and homogenized. but it still makes very yummy kefir. when i'm feelign decadent, i get Trader's Point cream-top (un-homogenized, pasteurized at low temp) whole milk.

Organic Valley just started putting out a cream-top unhomogenized milk, so you might watch for that.

Ann

 

[Gale Force]

Quote:

Originally Posted by knittinclothmama So, I called customer service and they told me the cows are from a local farm (not sure how local since there are Trader Joe's all over California). She said they are "mostly grass fed" and grain finished. Hmmmm.... "Grain finished" is a term I've heard for beef but not for milk..... how is a milked cow "finished"???? Anyway, I'm feeling a little better about using this milk excpet that it's pasturized!!! It's just that I was easily spending $25 each week on milk and that's not in my grocery budget!!

It sounds like the person didn't know the difference between their beef and dairy. So we know the beef is finished and more than likely the cows get grains as well.

 

[cobluegirl]

Not fair..my trader joes doesn't carry the cream at the top milk..or I would be buying it....hehe