The Land, The Cow & The Milk
All food producers have the power & responsibility to make a difference to an individual and the environment through the nutritional quality of their food. This is based on where the ingredients are sourced and how they are farmed. Starting Ki Kefir was not only about producing a product we believe in, but also about creating something that we know helps to improve our lives. This positively impacts our environment by being sourced from organic & regenerative farmland.
The Farm
Finding a dairy farm that ticked all the boxes was no easy task. We would not compromise on the farm being organic & regenerative, 100% grass fed & reasonably local. Luckily we discovered Hook & Son, a family farm based in East Sussex. The Hook family have been farming in East Sussex for at least 250 years! Father & Son (Phil & Steve) farm 180 acres just north of Hailsham, and on the very western edge of the Pevensey Levels Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The farm is teeming with a wide variety of flora and fauna. A recent RSPB species survey found 45 different species of native birds, including eight species whose status had declined to red in the last 25 years.
"It's not the cow, it's the how"
Sacred cow, Diana Rodgers
The Cows
The cow's at Hook & Sons are entirely grass fed, mostly on permanent pasture. The cows graze the fields once the ground is dry enough 'to turn them out' in the spring, until the ground becomes too wet in the autumn. The cows are then housed indoors for the winter. They are fed a homemade, organic grass silage in the winter that has been made from lush spring grass and clover. The cows' welfare and health are paramount, they produce 50% less milk than conventional herd's. This means they are not under so much pressure and stress.
The Milk
Milk feeds our Kefir cultures & it is our only ingredient, so boy it's gotta be good! We can proudly say it is the best milk available. As the cows are fully grass fed, it creates the most nutrient dense & delicious milk available. This is vital for creating a really powerful kefir. Each week we receive a fresh batch of milk from Hook's. The cows are milked every Sunday and we receive the milk on a Monday morning. We use it for kefir production that same day. You will then receive your kefir on the Thursday/Friday of that week. Talk about a smooth operation!