meso and thermo cultures from scratch

i would like to know how to make a meso and thermo starters from scratch, starting from raw milk. eventually i will probably buy starter, but would like to know how to do it, and successfully do it at least once from scratch.

also, what about kefir grains? anyone know how to get those from raw milk? i mean, they had to have started somehow.

Kefir grains aren't something you can get directly from milk, you need to inoculate with a culture.

Fortunately, if you have a natural foods place you can get kefir there and use that to make your own.

Meso starter:

Start with:
0.5 liter/2 cups fresh store bought Cultured Buttermilk.

Directions:
1. Set the Buttermilk in it's container on kitchen counter with lid cracked to relieve pressure and allow to reach 21 C/70 F room temperature to ripen and increase the bacteria population density. After 6-8 hours the buttermilk should be much thicker like fresh yogurt and sourer than at start. If not thick enough, let sit for a few more hours.
2. Use as per cheese making recipes and pour remainder into a full sized very clean ice cube tray and put into your freezer.
3. Once frozen, remove the cubes and put into a clean sealed labeled container or plastic freezer bag to reduce contamination and freezer burn.
4. The resulting ice cubes are each ~30 ml/1 ounce of mesophilic starter. Add cubes (thawed) to your recipe as required.

I have done this and it works. I have not tried the recipe for the thermo starter yet.

Thermo starter:

0.5 liter/2 cups fresh live/active store bought unflavoured yogurt.

1. Use yogurt as Thermophilic Starter Culture as per recipe.
2. Pour excess into a full sized very clean ice cube tray and put into freezer.
3. Once frozen, remove the cubes and put into a clean sealed labeled container or plastic freezer bag to reduce contamination and freezer burn.
4. The resulting ice cubes are each ~30 ml/1 ounce of thermophilic starter. Add cubes (thawed) to your recipe as required.

Found these recipes at cheeseforum.org