After watching this short video the other day, I learned that in 1994, they started using genetically engineered protein and human growth hormones in dairy cows. The instance of ovarian cancer, cysts, mastitis, lameness, skin disorders, and increased antibiotic use in these cows went up exponentially. After learning this, I realized I needed to research milk. Here's what we found locally.
So, like Kristin said, we took a field trip today to "The Family Cow." It's a family farm in a nearby town that provides antibiotic and hormone free, grass fed cow's milk and milk products (cheese, yogurt, and KEFIR, which is apparently some sort of yogurt-like drink). They sell "Raw Milk," which is apparently SO good for you! They say that asthma sufferers (check!) and allergy sufferers (check, check!) should drink raw milk. Also, they say that 90-95% of people who are lactose intollerent will NOT have allergic reactions to raw milk! It's because the pasteurization process kills lacTASE (which breaksdown lacTOSE). I'm still not sold on the raw milk thing, but I'm with Kristin. I'll try anything once...well, almost anything, including, but not limited to, raw milk.
Family Cow sells their Raw Milk to a local creamery called Trickling Springs Creamery, which sells any kind of milk and organic milk products (I still have a little "figuring out" to do here because if the RAW MILK is organic, HOW can they get "organic" and "regular" milk? huh?). Consequently, Trickling Springs Creamery is located on Molly Pitcher Highway. Anyone know anything about Molly Pitcher? My father-in-law is a Civil War historian and told me that "Molly Pitcher" was a gal that used to take water out to the troops and, um, "service" them. Right. Route 11? Named after a prostitute. Our dog is named Molly...consequence? Moving on!
So, my favorite little Mennonite market around, Paul's Country Market, has now begun to sell Trickling Springs products (including ice cream). They carry the "Farm Friends" label. I do not know the difference between Farm Friends and organic Trickling Springs milk. A friend of mine told me about THIS guy, who delivers Trickling Springs milk right to your doorstep!
For some reason, I was telling one of our pastors today that we're going organic. He replied, "Just don't turn into a food nazi." You know, Kristin and I were talking about that on our field trip. We could totally turn this into "Hi, nice to meet you! OH! Yes! I'd LOVE to come over for lunch...is that chicken in the chicken salad grain or grass fed? Grain? Oh, okay. I'm not really hungry. I'll just have a glass of water" real quickly if we let it. While I want to be wise in what I'm feeding my family, I also don't want to alienate others in my quest to do what I think God is calling me to do....and I definitely don't want people to call me a "food nazi"! But, as I already told you, I don't want to be "FOOD DUMB" either!
That being said, I'm definitely going to be buying organic milk, but I would definitely buy the "Farm Friends" label as well.
Goodnight MOOOO-N! (Oh, that was so very, very cheesy...oops! Did I say...CHEESE?)
Oh, no.
I'm on a roll.
Someone stop me!
Wait, Molly Pitcher was a prostitute? I missed that part of American history! Darn, I used to think she was the coolest.
ReplyDeleteI will definitely have to check out the Family Cow. That sounds really cool. I've heard really good things about raw milk, though I haven't had the opportunity to sample any myself. If you're not sold on raw milk, you should definitely try to find non-homogenized milk, which I have had and is definitely really great for your immune system. You have to shake it before drinking it because the cream isn't mixed into the rest of the milk, but it's great.
Re: becoming a food nazi... yeah, it's a fine line. I think the best policy to adopt is to accept what you're served when you're a guest. Having been a vegetarian for years, I don't eat meat even when I'm a guest in someone's house, but it's usually not a problem. (On the other hand, though, I think I'd be totally willing to eat meat if I was someone's guest in a foreign country). Being flexible and easygoing about it is also really important. (However, I reserve the right to ask a bunch of questions when I'm buying something. It's a whole different ballgame when you're a consumer. You still shouldn't be a jerk, but you have a right to know EXACTLY what you're buying.)
I also think a big part of the difference between being a food-smart person and a food nazi is how much you want to impress everyone with how smart you are, and showing off is definitely something I struggle with, so that's something to be aware of as well. But it's important enough to me that it's worth striking a balance, so I'm going to keep working on it.
Hi Kelly,
ReplyDeleteThis is Rodney, Kristin's brother-in-law. I've been following your blog, and I have a few thoughts about raw milk, mainly from the other side. :) Since this past fall I have been working with Trickling Springs Creamery taking photos of their farms and products. Trickling Springs and Farm Friend are one in the same. Farm Friend is a new product line I know they are very excited about, and they should be. Out of confidentiality, I can't go into it, but you are going to see more about this line, and I think you are going to love their approach. As far as raw milk, I've seen cows milked at two farm locations. One was a more industrial setting, and the other was from grass fed only cows. The farm were the cows were grass fed and have huge open pastures was definitely the cleanest of the two, but even at that location, the milking process really opened my eyes to why milk should be pasteurized. Cows are not very clean animals, nor are they very bright. They stand in their own feces in the field and while they are being milked. The farmers do spray down the floor and the cows utters before milking, but the cows still defecate all over the floor and stand in their own waist as they are being milked. There is no way on earth I would ever drink raw milk because of how dirty the milking process really is. All it takes is a small amount of bactria, and you can end up sick, in the hospital, or worse. The diseases you can get from raw milk are pretty nasty. Organic milk from Trickling Springs Creamery and Farm Friend is the best product out available. They do pasteurize their milk, but they do it in a flash method that does not kill off as much of the good stuff as the traditional method. If you want some recent examples of how nasty raw milk can be, just google raw milk and the Family Cow. There was a huge outbreak of a milk based illness just a few months ago in our area all from Family Cow's raw milk. I'm sure this is a great family and they take every precaution to keep their milk safe, but after seeing the milking process, and how filthy it was, I really don't know how anyone could say raw milk was remotely safe. I would encourage you to go watch the milking process and see it for yourself. You won't believe how much of your milk comes into such close contact with poop. :) Like I said above, check out Farm Friend. They are going to be more than just organic, and I think you are going to love what they are doing. I would say more about it, but I'm not sure what they've released, and I was given the info in professional confidence. Plus, the milk is 100% clean and safe. :) I don't mean to start any controversy, I would just hate to see you or anyone in your family get sick, when there is a product available that is just as healthy and is safe.
Thanks, Rodney! Yep. I knew that there were some incidents regarding raw milk and severe illnesses recently. I thought they were all from farms in Lancaster. That's scary that they were from Family Cow. I was planning on calling Trickling Springs today to see what the difference is between Farm Friends and organic. It's good to hear that Trickling Springs has your vote of confidence! I visited a local dairy farm a couple years ago and saw the milking process. I was disgusted. You're right about the poo. Then they say it's clean because they sanitize the nipples etc, but with poo up to their thighs...hmm...
DeleteHey, if you want kefir grains. We have some here. Use kefir all the time for smoothies and as buttermilk substitute. Chock-full of pro-biotics, lactose free, and easy to make.
ReplyDeleteGlenwood Foods is also selling local raw milk; as you mentioned, Family Cow has it (where I got my kefir grains) as does Paul's Country Market, but Glenwood Foods in Greencastle is the best price by far. :)
TTYL,
Maria