JanieW

I was curious about the rationale for drinking raw milk. I couldn't find a credible source that indicated it was advantageous; rather it has the potential for causing illness.

For those of you who advocate for using raw milk what's the reasoning?

Iceblossom

I wouldn't say I'm advocating and wanted to keep a lot of divisive things out of the discussion. Edit: Should state that I have nothing against pasteurization and think it is a good thing, especially in terms of factory farming. Especially when you don't know how far it has traveled or what it has been through to get to it.

We have made many eating and life style decisions over the past few years. We moved to be closer to our food sources, we feel there are advantages to being "localvores" and to be close to our products instead of hundreds even thousands of miles apart. The cows from this dairy breathe the same air, are exposed to the same pollens, etc. as we are.

For me, I am not drinking raw milk for any perceived health advantages. I felt there were no counter-indications right now, there have been periods in my life where I have made other decisions. My husband has some ideas about health advantages.

What I am trying to do, in addition to being local, is to honor the foods that go into my body, and the producers of those foods. Milk is not a grocery store loss leader produced by a nameless/faceless process, it is the work of living animals and humans. Even food deserves a good life. I felt pretty good about the quality of life of dairy cows around Seattle (and bought local milk), I lived out in dairy country for quite a time, I saw the barns and the fields. I know nothing about Kroger cows and milk and such things, except I doubt the cows have names... This farm, I know. These cows I know by name.

As quilters, people are shocked at what a reasonable cost for our labor is. Milk as an industry has many shameful components and practices, subsidies, all sorts of things that hide the work involved.

Buying direct local supports my local farmers, my neighbors and fellow Americans. It is my left coast hippy way of making American great again by limiting my imports and by supporting practices that I believe in.

JanieW

Thanks for your very interesting reply, Iceblossom. You brought up some points I hadn’t thought of. I was focusing on health benefits so I appreciate your response.

my bad; I shouldn’t have used the word advocate. I was wondering why some of you were wanting to go that route. Now I know. Thanks.

Iceblossom

Thanks for your interest, JanieW, a lot of things seem like simple questions but I rarely have simple answers.

Milk is not as innocent as it may seem. People rarely stop to think about the basics, like how long does a cow live anyway? How long for a dairy cow? How often are they bred, what happens to the boy dairy cows? Or to the old ladies? There are economic demands placed on the cows, farmers can't get loans for "brown cow" dairies (like this one) because to lenders the only dairy cow is a Holstein (the black and white) milk producers.

With this particular farm, the farmers are going from commercial milk producers with a herd of about 100 animals, to their goal is about 6-12 of the ladies to basically be dairy pets, they are currently closer to 20. The farmer loves his cows! The farmers are aging, none of the kids want to take over the farm. Seriously, if they don't sell some milk, they can't afford the taxes to keep the land. Their financial margin is so slim as it is (and good help is hard to find) that they can't afford to hire help. Their land isn't so desirable or connected to other huge dairy producers, even if they sold off the farm part and kept the house, could they find someone who wants to buy? Again, as a brown cow dairy the banks won't loan money...

I told my husband about 10 years ago than I didn't think I could eat factory farmed pork any longer. We still are buying it but it comes to me at a cheap cost and a heavy moral obligation. We are getting closer to our "dead body freezer" and buying them from local producers. I am ok being an omnivore and killing living things (whether they be carrots or chickens) to live myself, but again -- even food deserves a good life.

Not necessarily for the tender hearted, but here are some milk facts
https://thehumaneleague.org/article/dairy-cows

marsharini

I just wanted to add to the discussion by sharing the fact that I love to try new things and making cheese and yogurt is one of my hobbies. Unfortunately you can’t make cheese with the ultra pasteurized milk the stores sell, so I too found a herd share since Michigan prohibits the sale of raw milk. I purchase the milk along with grass fed beef, pork and eggs from a local organic farm. It may cost more, but it’s absolutely worth it.

peaceandjoy

Are there Kroger cows? IDNK. Maybe!

Living in the Finger Lakes, we still have many small, family farms around us. My brother still operates the family farm, which is dairy and cash crop. My best friend from childhood just sold off the last of her dairy herd. Having been in lots of barns on lots of farms, I will say that, like most things, the conditions vary widely. Anyone who has a milk hauler is tested with every load picked up. Upstate is one of the biggest locally. The milk that is labeled as "Upstate" brand is actually from many, many farms. Some, like my brother's, still have cows going out except on the most bitter of winter days. Others do not, the cows shift from enclosed lots into a milking parlor 2 or 3 times daily. They are the bigger producers, and while not as enjoyable for the cows, they are overall much cleaner.

DH is lactose intolerant, has been for decades. My mother (back when my parents were running the farm) insisted that this could be "cured" by drinking raw milk. I will just assure you that it was absolutely not, and will spare you the details, lol.

tropit

I agree with you, Iceblossom and Peaceandjoy. It's good to think about just where your food comes from and how the consumer can make more thoughtful choices. We have a dairy a few miles down the road from us and they are part of a commercial co-op that sells only regulated, organic, grass-fed milk. I see those healthy-looking cows out there running free on large tracks of grassland and the dairy is clean and tidy, so I have good faith in them. However, I just want to reiterate that not all small dairies abide by safe and responsible practices. If anyone is worried about their raw milk not being safe, they can always pasteurize it themselves. It's not hard.