Meet My Fermented Milk Cultures: Viili and Matsoni

Meet My New-To-Me Fermented Milk Cultures: Viili and Matsoni

I have been making fermented foods and drinks for quite a while.  I started making milk kefir in 2010 and I still make it today, I made water kefir throughout the 2010s but no longer maintain this culture, and I started traditional continuous brew kombucha in 2016.   

Ferments have allowed me to experiment with making 2 ingredient gluten free sourdough with no starter using buckwheat and either milk kefir or kombucha, and I make fresh farmer's cheese/tvorog using milk kefir.   

My kids have grown up with milk kefir.  They drink it, but usually find it a little too sour.  They sometimes drink it raw, but more often than not they drink it with honey.  I got my filmjölk early in 2026, and was able to establish it and have already successfully recultured it almost 100 times so far.  To my surprise, the kids much prefer it to kefir.  They love filmjölk raw, there is no need for honey or fruit. 

I wanted to try some other ferments to see how my family likes them and see how well they fit into our routines.  I considered making true yogurt, and will probably give that a go over summer, but for now I don't want to deal with heating things and trying to maintain proper temperatures.  

That got me wondering what other fermented milk cultures my kids might enjoy.  They need to be able to be made on my kitchen bench, with no heating, using only milk, and have potential for my kids to like them.  I decided to try two more: Matsoni and Viili.

Disclaimer: this post contains some affiliate links. If you purchase through these links I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Getting the Matsoni and Viili Cultures

In the past, I have only started with live cultures from someone who had been keeping them for years.  I started with kefir grains, I started with live kombucha SCOBY (biofilm and pellicle), I started with live active filmjölk culture.  

For Matsoni and Viili, I was hoping to get someone send me a spoonful of goo in a zip lock bag or something, but I could not find anyone who was keeping them, so I had to search online to find what could be posted to me.

In August 2026 I ordered powdered freeze dried cultures of viili and Caspian Sea Yoghurt (Matsoni) through Bacillus Bulgaricus so I could try them both at home. This was the company I felt most comfortable ordering from after comparing the options I could find, and they were one of the few places I could find that would post starter cultures to Australia (as well as many other countries). 

The starter cultures arrived in an envelope as small amounts of dried culture in little sachets, which didn't look particularly exciting. Of course, appearances can be deceiving when it comes to fermented foods, more often than not fermented foods look kind of gross, but taste great. 

The next step was to see whether I could bring them back to life.  Once they were alive, could I reculture them long term, and would I even want to?  

Viili and Matsoni - my new cultures

Reviving the Matsoni

The matsoni came with instructions, and I decided to revive it using the same method as I did with the viili.  

To revive the matsoni I used 1 cup (around 250 ml) of A2 milk for the first batch, rather than using the full litre of milk the sachet could culture.  I thought using a relatively small amount of milk would give the new culture a good chance to establish itself.

I put the milk in a jar with a lid, let the milk slowly come to room temperature, added the contents of the sachet, stirred it in and left it at room temperature to ferment.  I kept the jar covered for the same reason as with the viili - I have other active ferments in my kitchen and didn't want anything accidentally getting into the milk. 

I wondered, after a few recultures, would Matsoni act like filmjölk, or would it act differently? If you have kept a fermenting culture alive for a few years you will know what I mean by how it acts, if not you probably think I lost my marbles.

Freeze dried starter culture

What the Matsoni Starter Looked Like

When I opened the sachet the starter mostly looked like powdered milk. It was a fine white powder that was kind of yellowish. 

There wasn't much starter in the package, just a teaspoonful or thereabouts. Bacillus Bulgaricus has a range of sizes of starter to order. 

I ordered the smallest one they offered just in case it didn't work or I didn't like it. In hind sight, ordering the next size up would have been a good idea so I could split the starter and have a few attempts if something went awry. Luckily, everything worked out for me, if I were to do this again I would have either ordered several or got one larger one and saved some.

My First Matsoni Culture

The first time making it from freeze dried starter culture I thought it was not going to work. I mixed the culture with the room temperature milk around 3pm one afternoon, screwed the lid on, and left the jar on a shelf in the kitchen.

The next morning it was still thin, and looked like milk, so I left it for a day.  Day 2 it still just looked like milk. The morning of the third day I tipped the jar to see if it had thickened, and it was still thin and looked like milk. I started to worry.

I had planned on leaving it for up to 72 hours before giving up, but I didn't get home until late due to an accident on the road. Around 76 hours of fermenting I got home, tipped the jar, and it was thick!  Success!

I opened the jar, gave it a sniff...and it smelled like pickles. 

Oh no. I had used a clean recycled jar that previously held pickles, it retained the smell. The jar was clean and didn't smell like anything when I added the milk. There is a lesson here, recycled jars sometimes retain odours that don't come out until they have something slightly acidic in them.

This culture was not left to thicken for long enough. It was thick, and tasted nice, but I think it could have been thicker if left longer.

I tasted this with my kids. It tasted nice enough. It was more sour than filmjölk, and at the same time it was more bland. I am told the first culture can be like this as the microbes are still waking up and are not yet functioning properly. I know that feeling, so was happy to reculture a few times and see what it could do.

Reculturing the Matsoni

I spooned some of the thick matsoni into a clean jar, this time I chose one that did not smell like pickles.  I made sure to get some culture from the top layer, and some from lower down, just in case different bacteria live at different depths.

I added some milk to this starter culture, stirred it with a spoon, put on the lid, and left it on the bench.  After about 24 hours it was thick, and I decided to leave it a little longer to see how thick it would get.

It thickened up nicely. Again my kids and I ate some of this. This was less sour, and far tastier. I thought it was better than any store bought yogurt I have tried, but not as good as filmjölk. My kids say it has an after taste that they are not sure if they like or not.

I am told it takes a few batches to really shine, so it is too early to decide too much.

From here I have been reculturing matsoni and eating it with my kids. I am not sure if it has earned a permanent place in my kitchen alongside my other ferments, or if I will buy new starter from Bacillus Bulgaricus from time to time and only make it intermittently. 

Reviving the Viili

The viili came with detailed instructions, but I decided to do the first batch a little differently much like I did with the Matsoni.  

I had enough starter to make 1 litre, but to give my new culture the best chance of getting established, I decided to make the first batch with only 1 cup (around 250 ml) of milk.  This meant there would be a relatively high amount of starter culture compared with the amount of milk, which I hoped would help the viili bacteria establish quickly and outcompete any microorganisms that happened to get into the milk. 

I poured a cup of A2 milk into a clean jar and secured the lid tightly.  As the milk had been in my fridge and was cold, I set it aside to warm slowly to room temperature.  The instructions said adding the starter to cold milk could shock the bacteria and make it awaken too slowly, and it is best to add the starter to room temperature milk.  I keep the lid on tightly because I have other active ferments in my kitchen, namely milk kefir and kombucha, that I did not want to contaminate the milk.

After a couple of hours, the milk was about room temperature.  I tipped the contents of the sachet into the milk, stirred it in, retightened the lid, and left it somewhere safe to ferment.  

Freeze Dried Viili

What the Viili Starter Looked Like

I ordered a small sachet of viili starter from Bacillus Bulgaricus. Again, I ordered the smallest they had on offer, and probably should have got several or a larger one and saved some in case things went wrong. 

The packaging looked very professional.  Far nicer than a spoonful of fermented milk in a zip lock bag that I had hoped for.  

The freeze dried culture looked like powdered milk, white, kind of yellowish, nothing overly interesting. I tastes some, it tasted like powdered milk, no real surprise there.

My First Viili Culture

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the first batch. I have never made a ferment using a dried starter before. Unlike milk kefir, there were no grains to see, so I had to judge it by the way the milk changed.

The first culture took a while to do its thing but was faster than the Matsoni. After 24 hours when I tipped the jar it looked like milk. After another 12 hours, about 36 hours in total, when I tipped the jar it was thick. 

I opened the jar and smelled the first batch, no pickle aroma this time, but it did smell like strawberry jam. Why had I not learned my lesson from the Matsoni... This is why it is best to use dedicated wide mouth fermentaion jars. Even though the clean recycled jars had no smell when I added the milk, they had retained odours that only came out after something acidic had been fermenting in them.

The taste was very nice, it was also relatively sour. Not as sour as yogurt or kefir, but more sour than filmjölk. 

It was thick, but it wasn't stretchy or ropey after the first ferment, but it was clearly doing something. It tasted a bit sour, and a lot like regular yoghurt. I have been told the first few batches are not entirely normal, and not to judge it until it has been recultured a few times.

Reculturing the Viili

The first batch worked well enough, so I used some of it to start the next batch much the same as I do with filmjölk.  Most people recommend a tablespoon of starter per litre of milk, but as my culture was still new and (presumably) weak I added about one quarter of the mixture as starter to three quarters fresh milk. 

Much like my other ferments, I am not sure if different species of microbes are more common at different depths of milk. For this reason, when reculturing I scoop a spoonfull from the very top, a spoonful from the lowest layer, and some from the middle. Perhaps this makes no difference and different microbial species are spread uniformly throughout, or perhaps reculturing from a mix of depths like this is one of the reasons I am able to reculture indefinitely, I guess I will never know. 

That one worked better than the first, it fermented faster, and made a nicer end result.  I continued doing this to see how reliably the culture would reculture. After several recultures, the viili was fermenting reliably. 

What Is Viili Like?

The taste is nice, and it is also sour. It is not too sour, and my kids are able to enjoy this without adding honey or flavouring. I have eaten  natural yoghurt before, and found it unpleasantly sour, I think Viili tasted far nicer than that.

Texture is one of the distinctive features of Viili. This was certainly very thick, but so far I am not really getting that stretchy, ropey texture I was excited about. I am trialling different lengths of fermentation time, as my kitchen is warming up with the seasons, so I will see what happens after I've had more experience.

Viili vs Matsoni

At this point I don't think I can say which one I prefer. I've only been keeping both cultures for a relatively short time, and both have changed as I've recultured them.

They both taste nice, and my kids like them more than store bought yogurt. They are both very simple to make, at least over the short term, so no clear favourite there either. 

Rather than declaring a winner now, I'm going to keep making them and see how they fit into our routine. I'm particularly interested in how reliably they reculture, how their fermentation times change, what they taste like once the cultures are well established, and whether my kids actually keep wanting to drink them.

Once I've had more experience with all four cultures, I'll be able to make a much more useful comparison between milk kefir, filmjölk, viili and matsoni. 

Did Anything Surprise Me?

I have many years of experience working with several different live ferments, but starting from a dried starter was new to me. It certainly wasn't difficult. I was surprised how long the first ferment took, and how the first few recultures really acted differently. Once they had recultured a few times, things became pretty stable.

I was also surprised at the pickle odour. My first Matsoni culture had a distinctive pickle smell, and the second Matsoni culture even though it was in a new clean jar retained some pickle smell. I wish I could say this is the first time I have made that mistak, and I wish I could say I learned my lesson, but I have a feeling it is only a matter of time before I do the same thing again.

I was expecting some incredible, squidgy, ropey texture from both, but neither really developed that for me. I've since been told the milk needs to be heated (and allowed to cool again) before adding starter to be able to achieve this texture. They texture both made was nice, and was probably nicer than stretchy and ropey, so I have no intention of heating the milk first.

Taste wise, one of my kids prefers Matsoni, while one prefers Viili. Neither kid disliked either ferment. They both complain that the one they didn't like as much has a weird aftertaste, which I could not detect at all.

Where I Got Matsoni and Viili Starter Culture

If you want to make Matsoni or Viili at home you need to get some starter culture. I was hoping to find someone who was culturing these, and get a spoonful to try. Sadly, I could not find anyone. 

Looking online, I found Bacillus Bulgaricus and bought these starter cultures through them. They sell a bunch of other interesting heirloom cultures (many of which I am keen to try), and they post to dozens of countries including Australia. 

Another company I found is NourishMe Organics. I haven't bought from NourishMe Organics myself, so I can't give you a first hand review of their service or products yet, but they are another Australian source worth knowing about. They sell fewer cultures overall, including some cultures not currently offered by Bacillus Bulgaricus. They also offer a lot of equipment useful for fermenting. I think at this stage they only post to Australia. 

What I Plan to Test Next

I'm planning to continue reculturing both cultures and see how they perform over the coming months.  I'm particularly interested in whether they remain reliable for me over the long term, whether their fermentation time changes, and which one my family eventually prefers.  I don't have enough bench space to maintain all of these ferments, so only kefir and the one(s) my kids really like are going to stay.

I've already been making milk kefir for years, and have successfully maintained filmjölk through well over 50 recultures, so eventually I'd like to compare all four cultures properly. For now, though, I'm still getting to know these two. 

I also occasionally have unusual edible plants and seeds available from my garden. If you're interested, you can see what's currently available on my plant and seed catalogue.

Kefir vs Filmjölk: My Favourite for Overnight Buckwheat

Kefir vs Filmjölk: Which Fermented Milk Makes the Best Overnight Buckwheat?

I have been eating raw buckwheat soaked in milk kefir for several years.  I was making and eating grechnevaya kasha every day, then one day I wondered what would happen if I soaked raw buckwheat groats in home made milk kefir overnight.  

While certainly not the traditional way to do things, I liked it so much it became part of my daily routine.  Raw buckwheat groats are relatively inexpensive, and surprisingly versatile.  While many people cook buckwheat into porridge or use it in baking,  I like the simplicity of soaking it overnight and eating it in the morning with a little honey.

My usual method was simple:

• raw buckwheat groats
• soak overnight in freshly made milk kefir
• honey added in the morning

Recently, after making filmjölk at home, I decided to try the same method using filmjölk instead of kefir.  I was not expecting a huge difference.  After all, both are made by fermenting milk in a jar on my kitchen bench.  Both are slightly acidic.  Both contain multiple species of live cultures.

The flavour and texture was completely different.  Surprisingly, I think I may have found my new favourite breakfast. 

Overnight buckwheat

My overnight buckwheat method

This is the method I have used for several years.  It is a description of my own routine rather than a recommendation that everyone should follow the same method.

I do not rinse the buckwheat before soaking.

I have experimented with this because many recipes recommend rinsing buckwheat due to the slippery texture it can develop when soaked in water.  I find that when I soak buckwheat in milk, milk kefir, or filmjölk, I don't get the same mucilaginous texture that appears when soaking it in plain water. 

I first ferment the milk for about 24 hours to make kefir or filmjölk.  I then use the finished fermented milk to soak the buckwheat overnight.

My usual ratio is approximately:

• 1 part raw buckwheat groats

• slightly more than 1 part fermented milk

The extra liquid allows the buckwheat to soften overnight without becoming dry.

I leave it covered on my bench overnight, just as I have done with this breakfast for several years.  This is simply the method I use and is not intended as a food-safety recommendation.  I have never tried soaking overnight in the fridge, so can't comment on how well that works.

Buckwheat soaked overnight and ready to eat

What Does Overnight Buckwheat Taste Like?

Overnight buckwheat has a soft, pleasant texture, and a mild, nutty flavour.  Soaking the raw groats makes them much softer than uncooked buckwheat, but they still retain some texture rather than becoming completely smooth like porridge.

The flavour depends quite a lot on what you soak the buckwheat in.  When I soak it in milk kefir, the kefir gives it a noticeable tang and stronger fermented flavour.  I usually add a little honey to balance the acidity.

When I soak the same buckwheat in filmjölk, the result is much milder and creamier.  The fermented milk doesn't dominate the flavour as much, so the natural nuttiness of the buckwheat comes through more clearly.  I enjoy this version without honey, although a little honey is also delicious.  It would also work well with berries, I'm waiting for berry season to start here so I can try it.

For me, overnight buckwheat soaked in filmjölk seems more like a creamy, fancier breakfast than what I would normally think of as a fermented food.  The kefir version has a stronger, more distinctive fermented flavour, while the filmjölk version is softer and more delicate.

Overnight soaking is a quick and easy way to eat buckwheat without turning it into traditional cooked porridge.

Buckwheat soaked in milk kefir

This was my original version, and one I enjoyed for years.

Milk kefir has a complex flavour compared with many cultured dairy products.  Because kefir grains contain a mixture of bacteria and yeasts, the flavour can be more varied.

The flavour of the buckwheat combines well with the acidity of the kefir, and the honey balances the sharpness.  It is a breakfast that tastes like it is part of my family history, complex and honest and sometimes dark.  

Buckwheat soaked in filmjölk

The filmjölk version surprised me.  Seriously, I was amazed at how different this version was.

Filmjölk has a much milder flavour than kefir.  It is creamy, fresh tasting, and less obviously fermented.  It also smells buttery, which adds something special to my breakfast.

When combined with raw buckwheat overnight, the result was much smoother and more delicate.  I added honey, but can happily eat it without as it is not too sour.

The buckwheat flavour seemed to come through more clearly.  Instead of kefir being the main flavour, the fermented milk seemed to support the natural nuttiness of the grain.

The texture was also different.  It reminded me more of a traditional cultured breakfast dish rather than a fermented food experiment.

My mind was blown, and my first thought was: “This tastes incredible”.

My verdict: I prefer raw buckwheat soaked overnight in filmjölk.  The filmjölk is milder and creamier, while kefir makes a sharper, more strongly fermented breakfast.

Overnight buckwheat using filmjölk

Kefir vs Filmjölk: My Overnight Buckwheat Comparison

After trying raw buckwheat soaked overnight in both milk kefir and filmjölk, I noticed some surprisingly clear differences in flavour and texture.  Both versions make a simple and good breakfast, but for me, filmjölk has the edge.

Here is how I would compare the two versions based on my own experience:

	Kefir	Filmjölk
Flavour	Tangier, stronger, more fermented	Mild, buttery
Texture	Soft, slightly more rustic	Creamier, smoother
Buckwheat flavour	Partly masked by kefir	Comes through clearly
Honey	I prefer it with honey	Optional
My preference	Good everyday version	My favourite

Why do they taste so different?

Although both kefir and filmjölk are fermented milks, they are made with different cultures. Kefir grains contain a complex community of bacteria and yeasts, while filmjölk cultures are dominated by lactic-acid bacteria.  The different microbial communities contribute to differences in flavour, aroma, and texture.

Kefir is a complex community of microorganisms, including bacteria and yeasts.  This gives it a distinctive flavour and makes it one of the more unusual fermented dairy foods.

Filmjölk is a Scandinavian cultured milk with a milder lactic flavour and a characteristic creamy texture.  It has a buttery aroma and taste due to several lactic acid bacteria such as Lactococcus lactis and Leuconostoc species metabolising the citrate in milk and producing diacetyl.

When they interact with buckwheat overnight, they create two different breakfasts:

Kefir and buckwheat

• stronger fermented flavour
• more tangy
• more complex
• more of a rustic feel to breakfast

Filmjölk and buckwheat

• milder flavour
• creamier
• feels more like a fancy upscale breakfast porridge

It can be drier if I don't add enough liquid

Is one healthier?

Both are fermented milks containing live cultures, but I wouldn't choose between them based on which one sounds “healthier”.  The microbial composition of homemade ferments varies, and health claims about individual fermented foods are often poorly studied and somewhat exaggerated.

For this breakfast, taste and texture are much more important to me.  A fermented food that becomes a regular part of my diet is more useful than one that sounds impressive but I don't enjoy eating.

Is this a traditional way to eat buckwheat?

I have not yet been able to find any online record of people traditionally soaking raw buckwheat groats overnight in filmjölk.

Buckwheat and milk kefir both have long histories in Russia, and I found plenty of references to buckwheat being soaked in kefir and other fermented milks.  However, most of the methods I found were slightly different from the one I use.

Filmjölk has a long history in Sweden and Scandinavia, and I found references to various grains and seeds being soaked in filmjölk, but I have not found any specifically describing raw buckwheat groats.

By 1749, Linnaeus described extensive buckwheat cultivation in Southern Sweden, where it was used for foods such as porridge and gruel.  Yet I still haven't found a historical reference specifically describing raw buckwheat soaked overnight in filmjölk.

That certainly doesn't mean nobody has ever done it.  It is entirely possible that this is a traditional combination somewhere that simply has not been well documented online.  But after looking for it, I haven't found any reference to it being a traditional food.  

Perhaps I stumbled onto something relatively unusual.

Which one would I choose?

After years of eating buckwheat soaked in kefir, I was surprised to find that I preferred the filmjölk version. 

That doesn't mean filmjölk is better, and it doesn't guarantee you would prefer it too.  It simply means that for this particular combination, I think the mild, creamy flavour works beautifully with buckwheat.

I will probably continue making both.  Kefir remains my everyday fermented milk, my family drinks it regularly, and I use it to make fresh farmer cheese/tvorog.  Filmjölk has become the special breakfast version, especially when combined with buckwheat and a drizzle of honey.

Sometimes the best discoveries are not complicated.  They are simply trying something familiar in a slightly different way.

If you would like to try making milk kefir or filmjölk yourself, I sometimes have starter cultures available for people in Australia through my For Sale Catalogue.

The following two links are affiliate links, if you buy through these I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

If I don't have any extra culture to share, you could buy starter cultures from Bacillus Bulgaricus.  I have tried a few different cultures from them, and was impressed by them all.  They can post starter cultures to 119 countries, including Australia. 

For Australia only, NourishMe Organics sells a wide range of equipment that is useful for home fermenting. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you soak raw buckwheat in kefir or filmjölk without cooking it?

Yes.  For this breakfast I soak raw buckwheat overnight and eat it without cooking.  I normally soak in a ratio of almost 1:1 with slightly more liquid than buckwheat.

Does buckwheat need to be rinsed before soaking?

No.  I don't rinse mine before soaking in milk kefir or filmjölk because I haven't found that it develops the same slimy texture people sometimes get when soaking buckwheat in plain water.

Does soaking buckwheat in kefir make it slimy?

In my experience, no.  I don't get the mucilaginous texture that appears when soaking it in plain water.

How much liquid do you use for overnight buckwheat?

I use approximately a 1:1 ratio, with slightly more fermented milk than buckwheat.

Is milk kefir or filmjölk better for overnight buckwheat?

Filmjölk is my preference, it's mild and delicious, but milk kefir is still nice and produces a more strongly flavoured breakfast.

You might also enjoy

If you're interested in traditional foods, fermentation, and making things at home, you might also enjoy:

• Kefir vs Filmjölk: Which Cultured Milk Is Easier and Better for Beginners? - comparing these two very different fermented milks.

• How to Make Filmjölk at Home - my experience making this mild Scandinavian fermented milk.

• Making Milk Kefir at Home - simple instructions - how I make milk kefir using grains and the method that has worked for me over the years.

• How to Grow Milk Kefir Grains at Home (Beginner Guide) - some things I have learned about keeping and multiplying kefir grains.

• How to Make Farmer's Kefir Cheese/Tvorog using milk kefir - another way to use excess kefir when your grains become very productive.

• The Weird History of Milk Kefir: Ancient Myths, Scientific Mysteries, and the Woman Who Changed Kefir Forever - the fascinating history of where kefir originated

Orange Porcellio scaber: Can I Breed a New Colour Line From a Wild Slater?

Finding an Orange Porcellio scaber: Can It Become a New Colour Line?

While looking for isopods in my garden earlier this year, I found one individual among hundreds of ordinary grey rough slaters (Porcellio scaber) that immediately caught my attention.  It was a very orange colour, unlike any other Porcellio scaber I had seen in my garden.

Rather than simply admire it and return it to the leaf litter, I decided to begin a small breeding experiment.  

There are two common species of isopods living in my garden: Armadillidium vulgare and Porcellio scaber.  Colour morphs of Porcellio scaber are well known in captivity, but I was surprised to find such a vivid orange individual living in my own garden.

At this stage I have no idea whether the orange colour is inherited, whether it is controlled by a single gene, several genes, or perhaps not genetic at all.  The best way to find out is to allow the colony to breed, and carefully observe the offspring over several generations.

Orange slater beside a mottled slater

There is an important difference between finding an unusual individual and establishing a new colour line.  Finding one orange animal doesn't mean I've discovered a new colour line. It only tells me that this particular colour occurs in at least one animal in my local population.

If orange offspring eventually appear, that would give me evidence that the colour has a heritable component. It still wouldn't tell me exactly how the trait is inherited.

This is not a finished experiment with a guaranteed result.  It is simply a record of what happened when a rare individual from a wild population was given the chance to reproduce.

Orange slater next to mottled slater

Could orange Porcellio scaber already exist elsewhere?

Yes, they do.  Captive breeders have produced and maintained many unusual Porcellio scaber colour forms, including a few orange lines, but finding a striking individual in a completely wild population feels very different.  

A captive orange morph may have been selected over many generations, while this individual appeared among ordinary garden slaters, which I think is far more interesting.

Captive breeders have already produced some fascinating Porcellio scaber colour forms.  What interests me is whether I can establish something similar from a naturally occurring individual in my own garden.

Establishing the colony

I'm not sure if the orange individual is male or female.  It was smaller than most adults, but may have been young as it has since grown to the usual size of adult slaters I see in my garden.

The orange individual was placed into a separate enclosure together with eleven other Porcellio scaber of unknown ages collected from several areas of my garden.  I tried to collect adult sized specimens, and tried to get slightly small ones as there is a good chance they are young and have their entire breeding life in front of them.

Among these were several mottled brown and unusually pale individuals because I thought they might add some interesting colour variation to the colony.  Three have an unusual grey and orange mottled pattern that I haven't seen commonly among the local population.  I don't know whether this represents a recognised colour form or simply natural variation, so for now I'm just treating them as interesting individuals from my garden population.  Surprisingly, I also found an albino individual in a different part of my garden, and included it in the mix.

Like my garden colonies, they are kept on leaf litter with pieces of decaying wood, a constant source of calcium from a small piece of cuttlebone, and occasional fresh vegetable matter.  Other than providing suitable conditions, I have deliberately tried to interfere as little as possible.  My aim is to observe natural breeding rather than force particular pairings.

Albino, orange, and grey slaters

The first generation

After several weeks, the first brood appeared.  I was probably far more excited than most people would be.  I guess this makes sense, it's probably not realistic to run a long term experiment like this unless you genuinely find it exciting.

Like all young Porcellio scaber, the juveniles are tiny and initially difficult to assess.  Their colours continue to develop as they grow, so I couldn't know what colours they would be.

As they matured, however, it became apparent that the great majority resembled ordinary wild Porcellio scaber.  Most were grey, while a few showed the same mottled patterns commonly seen in the local population.

The first juveniles have appeared, and most look exactly like ordinary wild Porcellio scaber.  I haven't seen a clearly orange juvenile yet.  At first this might seem like the experiment has failed.  But it is far too early to say that.

One possibility is that the orange colour is controlled by a simple recessive allele.  If the orange colour is caused by a recessive mutation, the first generation should appear completely normal even if many individuals carry the gene.  This is consistent with breeding observations reported for some orange P. scaber lines, but pigmentation in P. scaber is known to be more complicated than a single gene model, so I don't want to assume that my wild individual follows the same pattern.

Several of the colony founders are light in colour

Why one generation is not enough

One of the interesting things about selective breeding is that unusual colours often disappear before they reappear.

If the orange phenotype were caused by a simple recessive allele, an orange animal bred with a wild coloured animal could produce offspring that all look normal while carrying the orange allele.  If the orange allele were recessive, those apparently normal carriers could later produce orange offspring when two carriers bred together.

Hopefully plenty of genetic diversity

Of course, this is only one possibility.  Until I observe more generations, I cannot know how the colour is inherited, or even whether it is inherited at all.

Mottled orange slater

Looking more closely at my local population

One unexpected result of this project is that I have started paying much closer attention to the isopods already living in my garden.

Once I began searching carefully, I realised that the local Porcellio scaber population is far more variable than I had first thought.  While most individuals are the familiar grey, I regularly find mottled brown animals, almost white individuals, and subtle differences in pattern and texture.

Perhaps the orange individual is simply an exceptionally rare mutation.  Or perhaps my local population contains far more hidden genetic diversity than is immediately obvious.  Only time will tell.

Orange slater newly added to this enclosure

A longer term project

Like many gardening experiments, this one cannot be rushed.  Porcellio scaber takes months to mature, and colour traits may require several generations before clear inheritance patterns emerge.  Rather than trying to predict the outcome, I intend to document the colony as it develops.

Whether this eventually produces a stable orange line or simply teaches me more about the natural variation already present in local populations, I think the journey will be just as interesting as the destination.  For now, the most interesting question is simple: if I keep breeding these animals, will the orange reappear, and can I stabilise it?

I'll continue documenting the colony as each new generation matures and link future updates from this page.

I sell captive bred slaters through my for sale page.  Most are the regular wild colour, although some are mottled or otherwise naturally variable colours. 

Update: October

I now have the original orange slater, some of its grey offspring, and am starting to see some orange individuals among the later generations.  Some are entirely orange, others are speckled orange.  I haven't seen any more albino ones yet, and am hoping to see more of them over time.

I don't know yet whether I'm looking at the beginning of a new colour line, or if the orange colour will never be stablised in this captive population and just show up intermittently.  That's exactly why I want to keep going.  The next generations will each tell me a little more. 

Can Rice Plants Survive Winter? An Overwintering Experiment

Can Rice Plants Survive Winter? An Overwintering Experiment

Last year I grew black forbidden rice (Oryza sativa) for the first time and compared several growing methods.  Surprisingly, rice grown in shallow water with azolla performed best in my garden.  If you'd like to see how the rice was grown during summer, you can read my earlier article on the rice growing comparison.

This winter I wanted to answer another question: can rice survive winter in my climate, or do I need to start from seed each spring? 

Rice is naturally capable of behaving as a short lived perennial in frost free tropical climates, although almost all cultivated rice is grown as an annual crop.  

I wasn't sure whether black forbidden rice could survive my cool winters in the Canberra region even with some protection.  I decided to protect some plants from frost using several different methods to see whether any would overwinter in my climate until spring.

All of the plants were moved into my unheated greenhouse for the winter.  This would prevent the soil from freezing, and would keep the frosts off.  Some tender plants, such as chilli and tomato, overwinter easily enough in my unheated greenhouse, while others, such as kangkong or rice paddy herb, usually do not.  

I wasn't sure which category rice would fall into, so I decided to find out.  

Black forbidden rice plants

Method 1: Overwintering Rice in Soil

Starting out from my rice growing comparison, I had some rice plants in a pot of soil.  I moved these into the greenhouse long before the first frost.  

These plants had set seed, so I cut off the seed bearing stalks and left all other growth to remain and act as an insulator to protect the plants.

Once the temperatures dipped, all of my rice plants turned yellowish, but they didn't die.  As winter went on, all of the plants became increasingly yellow.  I didn't remove any of the dead growth in any comparison, as sometimes leaving this can protect the plant just enough for them to survive.

Method 2: Rice in Shallow Water

I grew some rice plants in shallow water for my comparison.  I had heard that rice under water tends to rot and die over cold winters.

Rather than risk them rotting under water, I kept my rice plants in their pot of soil, and tipped off most of the water so the soil was damp.  

Method 3: Rice in Water with Azolla

I grew several rice plants in shallow water with azolla.  The azolla was quite thick, and I wondered if perhaps it could act as a bit of a blanket.  

To over winter I kept one pot submerged under shallow water.  While I have read that rice plants may rot like this, I was willing to sacrifice one plant to try it.  I wondered whether the insulating layer of azolla might improve the rice's chances of surviving winter.

I allowed the water level to drop in most of the other pots.  The soil stayed damp, but most of the pot was above water.  Kind of like when you grow carnivorous plants in a tray of water.  These plants yellowed quickly with cooler weather, and became more yellow as winter went on.

Method 4: Rice with Azolla but No Standing Water

I kept some pots out of water, but covered in their thick blanket of azolla.  The soil was never dry, but it was not as damp as the pots that were sitting in a little water.

Like the other treatments, these plants yellowed as temperatures fell and became progressively more yellow throughout winter.  As winter went on, the plants all became more and more yellow.  

Winter Survival Results

I found the results truly surprising.  

Most of winter the foliage and above ground parts died off early in winter, but the roots poking out the bottoms of the pots appeared very much alive.  

Then as spring approached...all of them died.

Every plant died, not during the depths of winter as I would have expected, but they died once the weather began to warm.

The ones in soil died, the ones in shallow water died, the ones with a blanket of azolla died.  This winter was pretty mild, so I had expected at least one plant to survive if they made it through the worst of winter.  For reasons I still do not understand, they died in mid-September once the weather warmed noticeably.  I kept the plants for some time, just to see if some dormant part was still alive and would bounce back, but they eventually just rotted.

What I Would Do Differently

I saved seed from my rice plants, and have planted a little of that.  So far I have half a dozen plants, which is more than enough to grow some black forbidden rice again.  This variety tillers well, and more seed may germinate soon, so I don't know how many rice plants I will end up with this year.

When I try this again, I plan to use larger pots.  A larger amount of soil could act as an insulator and keep the plants alive.  

Leaving the top growth, and the azolla, to act as a blanket seems good, and I plan to do that again.

Conclusion

Disappointingly, I still don't know if rice can survive my winters with protection.  

I plan to try again, but at least now I know if all else fails I can save seed and replant that.  Maybe rice should be treated like a tomato plant, and replanted from seed each year in my climate.  Or maybe rice will be able to survive my winter and produce a larger and earlier crop the following year.  Either way, I plan to save some seed just in case.

Related Articles

This winter survival trial is just one part of my ongoing rice growing experiments.  If you'd like to see how the plants were grown, or learn more about some of the methods used, the articles below may be helpful.

• Rice Growing Comparison - my experiment and comparison growing rice at home
• Growing Azolla - the floating fern with many uses
• Growing Kangkong - my experience with this incredible tropical vegetable
• Perennial Vegetable Catalogue - where I sell extra plants and seeds in season

Give a Garden - A Little Gardening Gift

Give a Garden - A Little Gardening Gift

I have a gift voucher for The Seed Collection that I won't be using. I could spend it myself, but I'd much rather pass it on to another gardener who will really enjoy it.

I'm not looking to run a conventional competition, and you don't need to come up with the best answer or the saddest story. I'd simply love to hear about someone who would be really happy to have a little money to spend on their garden.

It could be you, or it could be someone you know.

Maybe it's an elderly neighbour who loves growing vegetables. Perhaps it's a school garden, a community garden, a seed saving group, or someone trying to grow food on a tight budget.

Maybe they're preserving an old or unusual vegetable variety, starting a new garden, teaching children to grow food, or simply someone who gets enormous pleasure from growing things. Or perhaps it's just someone who would be delighted to fill their garden with flowers, grow a few interesting tomatoes, or try some herb they've never grown before.

You can nominate yourself, too. There's no need to think of somebody else if you're the person who would really appreciate it!

The only requirement is that the recipient must be in Australia, because The Seed Collection can't deliver overseas. 

Perhaps you'd like to grow Glass Gem corn

How to nominate someone

Just send me an email and tell me:

• Who you're nominating (you can nominate yourself)
• Confirm that the recipient is in Australia 
• A little bit about why you think they'd enjoy the gift
• If you're nominating a group or project, a website or other link would be useful if they have one

If you're nominating an individual, please don't send me their private contact details. If I choose your nominee, I'll get in touch with you about arranging the gift.

Please also don't include anything about someone that you wouldn't be comfortable sharing with me. I won't publish someone's story or identify them on the blog without their permission.

Maybe you prefer flowers - a dahlia grown from seed

About the gift

The gift is an electronic voucher for The Seed Collection.

The voucher is valid for three years, so there's no need to spend it all at once. The recipient can wait for the right season and choose the things they actually want.

And it's not just seeds. The voucher can be used for anything in The Seed Collection's online store, including seeds, plants, flower bulbs, and gardening supplies.

That's one of the things I like about this idea. Rather than me choosing a box of seeds that somebody may or may not want, the gardener gets to choose.

There are no strings attached. I don't expect the recipient to buy anything from me, and I don't need to hear what they eventually spend the voucher on. It's a gift, and once I've given it away, it's theirs to enjoy however they choose.  You can choose something you want (or, if you are an absolute chaotic maximalist who wants the literal highest number of items for your dollar, you could spend the entire amount on bulk German Chamomile seeds and walk away with roughly 16 million individual seeds), the choice is yours.

The voucher is subject to The Seed Collection's usual gift voucher terms and conditions.

Who will receive it?

I'll read all the nominations and choose the person or group I'd most like to give it to.

Please don't overthink it. Maybe it's a seed saving group. Maybe it's a school kitchen garden. Maybe it's someone growing food. Maybe you want to make a 'fairy garden' and grow some interesting herbal tea plants with your kids. Or maybe you just want to fill your yard with daffodils because they make you smile. 

There doesn't need to be a worthy cause behind it. I'd just like the voucher to go somewhere it will be appreciated.

I grow a lot of unusual and perennial edible vegetables myself, and occasionally have plants and seeds available from my garden. You can see what I currently have available on my plant and seed sales page. 

Nominations close: 11 November 2026

Send your nomination to: damien_beaumont [at] yahoo [dot] com [dot] au  (Replace [at] with @ and [dot] with .)

This isn't a random draw. I'll choose the recipient within a few days after nominations close and contact them (or the person who nominated them) to arrange the gift. 

I'm looking forward to hearing your stories - and hopefully making one gardener very happy.

Happy growing!

2-Ingredient Buckwheat Sourdough with Milk Kefir - An Experiment

After successfully making a simple 2-Ingredient Buckwheat Sourdough Bread with Kombucha, I wondered whether milk kefir would work just as well.  Both contain various yeasts and lactic acid bacteria, so it seemed like a logical experiment. The result was an edible two-ingredient loaf, although it behaved quite differently from the kombucha version.

Sourdough is essentially flour and water that have been fermented by yeasts and lactic acid bacteria before being baked.  Many species of yeasts and bacteria live in my kombucha.  Milk kefir also contains yeasts and lactic acid bacteria, so I wondered whether it could ferment buckwheat in a similar way.

I have also tried making sourdough bread again using only two ingredients.  I used buckwheat again, and this time I used milk kefir instead of kombucha.  Making this loaf was very simple.  

Like traditional sourdough, this loaf relies on naturally occurring yeasts rather than commercial baker's yeast, and having no wheat flour it is entirely gluten free.

Milk kefir successfully fermented the buckwheat, but the loaf was denser and had larger air pockets than my kombucha version.

Sourdough buckwheat and milk kefir bread - looks good

The amount of effort was low, and the amount of time I was actively doing anything was low.  It did spend some time soaking, and fermenting, but I wasn't standing there watching it or anything like that so the time wasn't really noticeable.

While the taste of this buckwheat sourdough bread made with milk kefir was nice enough, I much preferred the taste of the loaf I made using kombucha. 

The texture of the loaf I made using kombucha was nice, it was like bread.  The texture of the milk kefir loaf was more dense, and I didn't like it much.  As you can see, it did bubble as it fermented/baked, but the bubbles were not evenly spread throughout the loaf.  Large caverns like this are common if the sourdough liquid is under fermented.

I didn't follow a recipe, much like my previous attempt where I used kombucha I made it up as I went, and I wrote it down so I could remember in the future.  I will share the recipe I used below.

Buckwheat milk kefir sourdough loaf

2-Ingredient Buckwheat Sourdough Bread with Milk Kefir Recipe

This isn't a perfected recipe.  It's simply what I did when I made this loaf, written down so I can try it again and change things next time.

Ingredients:

2 cups raw buckwheat groats 

1 cup milk kefir liquid

Instructions:

1) Soak 2 cups raw buckwheat groats in water for 6 (or more) hours. 

2) Drain liquid, but do not rinse.

3) Blend the soaked buckwheat into a smooth batter.

4) Add 1 cup of milk kefir liquid.  Blend until mixed together.

5) Pour into a glass or ceramic bowl, cover with a cloth or loose lid to keep insects out while allowing gases to escape, then leave overnight to ferment.

6) Line a bread tin with baking paper.  Add the buckwheat/kefir dough.

7) Bake in oven around 180C for an hour or so until the loaf is cooked through. 

You will also need to make milk kefir to try this recipe.  I make my own milk kefir using traditional grains.  

If you are interested you can read my milk kefir beginners guide.  

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.  If you buy through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.  

If you want to try this yourself, I sometimes sell traditional milk kefir grains, or if I don't have any you could buy kefir grains from NourishMe Organics, or dry starter culture through Bacillus Bulgaricus.  I haven't tried their kefir starter, but the other cultures I bought from Bacillus Bulgaricus have all worked well for me. 

Soaking buckwheat in water

This loaf was not all that great.  The crust looked nice, but the inside looked odd.  The loaf was very dense.  The taste was ok though.

Overall I count this as a win.  I made a fun sourdough loaf without following a recipe, it tasted ok, and I learned from the experience.  

Two ingredient buckwheat sourdough loaf

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make sourdough with milk kefir?

Yes. I made this loaf using only raw buckwheat groats and milk kefir.  It fermented and produced an edible loaf, although the texture wasn't as good as the version I made with kombucha.

Can milk kefir replace sourdough starter?

It can ferment a buckwheat batter, as I found with this experiment, but I wouldn't say milk kefir is the same thing as a traditional sourdough starter.  My loaf fermented, but it behaved differently from a conventional sourdough and from my kombucha version.

Is buckwheat sourdough gluten-free?

Buckwheat is naturally gluten-free, so this recipe is gluten-free provided all ingredients are free from gluten contamination.

Can I use roasted buckwheat?

No.  Use raw buckwheat groats.  Roasted buckwheat (kasha) behaves differently and won't produce the same result.

Why was my loaf dense?

I'm not completely sure.  In my case, I suspect the fermentation could have gone longer.  The baking temperature may also have played a part.  I plan to change both next time and see what happens.

Milk Kefir vs Kombucha for 2-Ingredient Buckwheat Sourdough

Having now made two versions of this simple buckwheat sourdough, one fermented with kombucha and the other with milk kefir, here are my observations.

Feature	Kombucha	Milk Kefir
Ingredients	Raw buckwheat + kombucha	Raw buckwheat + milk kefir
Ease of preparation	Very easy	Very easy
Fermentation	Good rise	Fermented well but appeared to need longer
Texture	Light, bread-like loaf	Dense with large uneven air pockets
Flavour	My favourite	Pleasant, but less appealing to me
Appearance	Even crumb, good looking loaf	Good crust, but large internal cavities
Would I make it again?	Definitely	Yes, but with a longer fermentation time and possibly a hotter oven

Related Fermentation Articles

If you enjoy experimenting with fermented foods, you might also find some more of my blog posts helpful: 

• Filmjölk vs Kefir - My comparison after making and drinking both regularly
• Making Milk Kefir at Home - Everything beginners need to know to keep healthy kefir grains.
• Farmer's Kefir Cheese (Tvorog) Recipe - A simple recipe to make Tvorog traditional farmer's cheese using milk kefir
• Easy 2-Ingredient Buckwheat Sourdough Bread Without a Starter - My experience making gluten free sourdough using kombucha and buckwheat

Final Thoughts

I have a feeling that this loaf could have been much nicer with a longer fermentation time.  I've also been told that baking at a higher temperature might produce a better result, so those are two things I'll try next time.

The milk kefir definitely fermented the buckwheat, but I preferred the lighter texture and flavour of the loaf I made with kombucha.  The kefir version was quite dense and had some very large air pockets, although it was still perfectly edible.

Overall, I count this as a win.  I made a two ingredient sourdough style loaf without following a recipe, it tasted ok, and I learned something from the experiment.

That's one of the things I enjoy about these little kitchen experiments.  Even the imperfect results are usually edible, or if nothing else my chickens will eat them and turn them into eggs.  Sometimes the failures teach more than the successes.

Next time I'll try fermenting the buckwheat for longer and baking it at a slightly higher temperature. That's part of the fun of working with living cultures, there's always something new to try.