Yes, definitely so. Tibetan mushrooms [TM], Snow louts [SL] and kefir grains [KG ] and what ever other name the unique mother-culture is known, are all the same mother-culture if it looks like this! This is also true for what is also referred to as Yogurt Plant or Yogurt Mushroom in same areas of Europe. To help explain; the name Peter is known as Piere in France and Piere is Peter in an English speaking country.

Note the long strands of kefiran, when the grain is pulled away from other grains sitting in the plate. Ah!… the gel-forming soluble polysaccharide [PS], known as kefiran is probably confusing you with something which has gone off! In fact, this component should not be confused with spoilage. This gel substance is normal and healthy, and is in part of the kefir process. Kefiran has proven to shrink some forms of cancers in mice. See similar questions...

Before we move on, please have fresh milk and kefir grains close at hand and be ready-armed for Chi-Energy enhancement through shouting like a martial art expert distracting a fatal blow-fly for self-preservation. The type of kefir you wish to produce [mild, slightly sour, extra sour including amount of viscosity]. Culturing at temperatures between 18ºC – 30ºC [65ºF – 80ºF], grain-to-milk ratio by volume of 1 : 10 to 1 : 50 are achievable. See similar questions...

Yes, kefir grains can certainly be eaten. I think, therefore I feel, that this is an essential part of the kefir-culturing process or kefir-ritual as a whole. I was encouraged to ingest kefir grains over 24 years ago, by the very person who was kind enough to share some of her kefir grains with me. See similar questions...

Yes you may and this is how to do it with either milk kefir-grains for milk kefir, or water kefir-grains for water kefir. Say you have 2 Tbs which is about 28gm [1oz] milk kefir-grains, and you want to prepare 4 Lt [1 gal] kefir. Normally this amount of culture is insufficient to prepare that amount of kefir within 24 hours. There are two ways to accomplish our goal. See similar questions...

The transmission of our rich culture to the younger generation is one of the most important aims of schooling in exile. As such, by far the most important co-curricular activity is the Tibetan cultural activities. Most of the schools have one or more Tibetan dance and drama teachers All the residential schools have cultural instructors. Inter House and Inter school competitions in Tibetan cultural activities are often the highlight of many school calendars. See similar questions...

Kefir Grain Biomass [Biological mass] increase. The growth-rate of milk kefir-grains is dependent on many factors. Generally, milk kefir-grains seem to grow best when-- Using fresh certified organic raw milk [possibly due to Certified Organic milk does not contain antibiotics as do most commercial milk types]. Straining only 3/4 of the kefir i.e. See similar questions...

There are some advantages for the use of dry kefir-grains, as apposed to fresh culture. But firstly I would like to mention that waste is in the eye of the beholder. Milk strained from the first few batches during reconstitution of dry milk kefir-grains, is discarded, which may be seen as a waste of good milk. However, the milk is not wasted, for it responsible to awakened and sustain life of billions of organisms found dormant in the dry kefir-grains. See similar questions...

You can take too much of anything. We are all individuals and have to find out our own requirements. What is a healthy dosage for one person can be harmful for another. Negative effects of Kefir intake are not known, however, people with an intolerance to lactose should start with very small dosages like a teaspoon at a time. Kefir grows well in soy milk so lactose intolerant people can use lactose free soy milk to make Kefir. See similar questions...

You don't have to squeeze or press on kefir grains with any utensil, including with your fingers while the grains are in the strainer. Certain individuals tend to squeeze on the grains in order to express as much kefir from the grains as possible, during straining. Squeezing on kefir grains during staining will pop-open any self-enclosed grain [although this will not kill or damage the grains as such]. Most kefir grains form as self-enclosed bodies. See similar questions...

Under most circumstances kefir grains do not need to be rinsed with cold water between each milk change, or fasted in fresh cold water either. If you ever do rinse your grains with water, just be sure to use non chlorinated, sterile, COLD water [The water should be boiled then cooled to room temperature first]. Using fresh milk instead of water to rinse the grains should also be avoided, if the rinsing-milk is going to be discarded. See similar questions...

Dehydrated milk kefir-grains are usually yellow in colour. They are quite firm and almost crystalline in appearance. After reconstituting for 24 hours in either fresh milk or fresh water, some grains more than others, will become slightly white in colour. With daily milk change, from there on, the grains will become whiter in colour until they stabilize. See similar questions...

No the grains are not damaged, and you do NOT have special, rare grains, as some folks on the net are suggesting. All milk kefir-grains shall and do go through phases of variable growth in regards to shape, size and texture or make up of the grain. This is because the organisms adapt to culture-conditions, the results of which is a variable grain shape, size, and texture of each grain. There's lots happening among the micro-community of organisms. See similar questions...

was the driest year of the three previous runnings, and there were short snowbanks to cross over most of the major passes, with a substantial amount (thigh deep) below Virginus Pass. In '95 almost the entire course was under snow, and the run was cancelled because of it. Expect anything in between. We'll post periodic snow reports here, as the season progresses. You can also check them yourself. There are unseasonable bare spots on the peaks above Silverton. See similar questions...