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How to Choose an Organic Raw Milk Dairy

Jenny — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:53:20 +0000

Organic Raw Milk and Dairy Products

Fresh, organic raw milk and dairy items are a treat – and a worthy treat at that. The consumption of organic raw milk and dairy products is linked to relief from asthma and eczema. Furthermore, organic raw milk is a living food replete with enzymes and beneficial bacteria that would otherwise be killed through pasteurization. Raw organic milk and dairy products like raw butter, raw cream, raw cheese and raw yogurt are rich in natural vitamins and other nutrients like conjugated linoleic acid – a known cancer fighter. So once you understand the benefits of consuming organic raw milk and dairy products, how to you go about finding an organic raw milk dairy or creamery? There’s many factors to consider prior: legality, production standards, milking procedures, herd management, bottling and distribution number among them.

How to Find Organic Raw Milk and Dairy

In some states, organic raw milk and organic raw dairy products can be purchased at the store; however, in most locations selling organic raw milk directly to the public is illegal which forces health-minded consumers and farmers to circumnavigate the laws through cow share programs. Cow share programs allow consumers to purchase a share in the farmer’s herd of dairy cows. Then, as a partial owner in the herd, the consumer is entitled to a share of whatever that herd produces: namely, organic raw milk. After all, the state can’t come after you for drinking milk from your own cow. You can find organic raw milk suppliers at your local farmers market, through the raw milk association in your state and by visiting Real Milk

Choosing an Organic Raw Milk Dairy

Once you’ve found your supplier or organic raw milk, examine their production standards, milking procedures, herd management, bottling and distribution procedures. If your organic raw milk creamery is certified or part of a self-regulated state-wide raw milk organization, your farmer should be able to supply you with documentation that they operate according to standard and accepted procedures. Please note, however, that not every state offers such a self-regulating agency and such an agency is not requisite to the operation of a high quality organic raw milk dairy. As always, the best way to ensure the quality of the milk you purchase is to visit the farm yourself. Know your farmer.

Organic Raw Milk Production Standards

The milking station should be clean and free of hay, manure, dirt and dust to prevent the breeding of flies and rodents.
The milking station should also be free of livestock when not in use except under extenuating circumstances (such as inclement weather, particularly during calving season).
The milking station should also be swept clean before and after milking.
Farmers should use sanitized stainless steel containers and sanitized silicon tubing when milking as both inhibit the growth of bacteria.
Organic raw milk should be immediately bottled into sanitized containers.
Organic raw milk should be immediately chilled to 40â° F after milking.
Teats should be cleaned prior to milking.
Cows are fed during milking and, most often, fed grain. Take care that your farmer uses non-GMO grains.
Cows should be fed exclusively or almost exclusively on fresh pasture; however, your farmer knows the nutrient composition of native grasses better than anyone else and may need to supplement those grasses with very limited quantities of other feed and natural supplements to optimize the health of the herd and the taste of the milk.
Animals should be tested for TB, brucellosis, mastitis and watched for other systemic illness. Cows who are ill need to be milked last or on separate equipment, with their milk discarded.
Cows should be, ideally, treated with holistic methods including the use of benign and homeopathic treatments. If a sick cow does require the use of antibiotics, the cow should be removed from the cow share program.
Dairy farmers should implement holistic pasture management to prevent over-grazing. Pasture should be allowed to fully recover prior to allowing the cows to graze the same area again.
Ideally, the cow’s calves should not be immediately removed from their mothers and subsequently bottle-raised as is commonly the practice even in organic dairies.
Organic raw milk should be sampled and tested monthly for bacteria and pathogens and these reports should be made available to you.
Cows should be treated humanely with full-time access to pasture, free-flowing water and shelter. Cows should be treated gently to minimize any stress.

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Review: Devil in the Milk

Jenny — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:40:34 +0000

Keith Woodward’s ground-breaking work Devil in the Milk published by Chelsea Green outlines a scientific tale of modern diseases and their relationship to the food we consume. Further, Devil in the Milk outlines how corporate interests can shape the way in which information about food and health is relayed to the public. Woodward draws upon his experience as a professor of agribusiness to outline a story that may help in the fight against diabetes, cardiovascular disease, autism and even schizophrenia.

While not an easy read, Woodward’s Devil in the Milk is a worthy read. Deeply science-based, Devil in the Milk assimilates several studies on just how cow’s milk is broken down by our bodies and how, when broken down, it can act to the betterment or the detriment of our health.

You see, milk is comprised of several different components that come together to produce one singularly unique food. These components (cream, milk solids and whey) each interact with our bodies in different ways; however, the area of concern is not the cream or whey but the milk’s casein. It seems there are two primary forms of casein contained in cow’s milk: A1 beta casein and A2 beta casein. A2 beta casein is the elder of the two, while A1 beta casein is a genetic variant that scientists believe began appearing in cow’s milk a few thousand years ago. Remember, a few thousand years is nothing on an evolutionary scale.

According to the theory outlined in Woodward’s Devil in the Milk which is backed up by mountains of scientific research, this variation in casein type results in cognitive, mental and physical illness among our society at large. Because of a slight differentiation in the amino acid construction of the two types of casein, each type is broken down differently in our bodies. Due to a weak bond between two amino acids, A1 beta casein breaks down to an opioid call betacasomorphin 7 or BCM7.

Woodward discusses the considerable evidence that BCM7 can negatively impact the health of both humans and animals. BCM7 can trigger autoimmune reactions and is linked to neurological impairment similar to that seen in both autism and schizophrenia. Further, due to BCM7′s ability to create a significant immune response, there’s a very direct connection between A1 milk and diabetes that is not paralleled by A2 milk.

Once the genetic mutation of A1 beta casein appeared, it spread rapidly. Now, most dairy cows in North America produce A1 beta casein. Asian, African and some European breeds still produce the older A2 beta casein that does not cause such negative health effects due to the fact that its amino acid bonds are strong and it doesn’t break down into BCM7 in the manner that A1 beta casein does. Further, yaks, sheep and goats produce A2 milk exclusively.

When I initially heard about the A1/A2 beta casein controversy, I felt wary. After all, the only information I could find on the subject came from the A2 milk corporation which Woodward discusses at length. Indeed, he addresses the A2 milk corporation and its science-based initiatives as well as the butting of heads that occurred between the A2 milk corporation and New Zealand’s Fonterra–a mega-corporation that represents New Zealand’s significant dairy industry. After reading Devil in the Milk, I reminded myself that just because a corporation has a vested interest in a certain product does not necessarily mean that the scientific conclusions are wrong. While it does raise a flag, such corporate interests do not provide cause to reject the scientific conclusions altogether. In this case, as addressed by Devil in the Milk, the conclusion that A1 milk is detrimental human health is spot-on correct.

Ultimately, after reading Devil in the Milk, I’m thankful that the milk my family drinks is raw and comes from Guernsey cows (the dairy cows with the highest levels of A2 beta casein instead of milk from those darlings of the industrial dairy: holsteins whose milk is high in A1 casein. Further, in purchasing dairy products outside of our cow share, I’ll choose sheep’s and goat’s milk cheeses.

Devil in the Milk is an eye-opening book that underlines the importance of truly traditional foods: don’t simply choose whole foods, but eat foods as that we evolved on. Devil in the Milk is published by Chelsea Green and is also available on Amazon; it’s worth checking out.

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Save Milk in Kansas

Jenny — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:31:40 +0000

It seems that, thanks to industrial agriculture giants, RBGH-free milk is at risk in Kansas. There’s only one woman, the governor of Kansas, who can stop it and she needs to hear from you.

How the Kansas Law Affects Kansas

The Kansas bill would restrict any national dairy from labeling its milk as RBGH-free for Kansas markets. That means that consumer choice will be extremely restricted with no way to identify RBGH-free milk or differentiate between RBGH-laden milk and RBGH-free milk on the milk carton. The bill effectively takes Kansas consumer choice out of the consumers’ hands.

Kansas residents simply won’t know whether or not their milk contains the engineered hormone. Why? Because manufacturers won’t be allowed to label the milk appropriately!

How the Kansas Law Affects You

So, if you’re concerned about RBGH and its effects on your health and the health of your family, this bill should concern you regardless of whether or not you live in Kansas. The reason it affects people all across the nation is that a bill like this sets a disturbing precedent for it to happen in your state. Moreover, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius is slated to become your Secretary of Health and Human Services, if she fails to veto this bill how can we trust her to look out for the health interests of an entire nation?

Other Bloggers on Kansas Milk
Cheeseslave: Email Kansas Gov. Sebelius â€” No Growth Hormones in Milk!
Ren: Your Milk on Drugs
Media & The Environment: Kansas Cries over “Hormone Free” Milk

Why Oppose the Law

It removes consumer choice from the hands of the consumers.
It further homogenizes our agricultural system by disallowing manufacturers from appropriately labeling and differentiating their product from others.
It promotes the use of RBGH/RBST, engineered hormones are linked to higher concentrations of IGF-1, or insulin-like growth factor, which contributes to the growth of various cancers including breast, colon and prostrate cancers.
Because RBGH is linked to disease in cows, and do you really want your milk coming from sick animals?
Because consumers time and time again have expressed their concern over these artificial and synthetic hormones, but instead of addressing and resolving the issues; industrial giants are using their political sway to sweep it all under the rug.

Has it Happened Before?

Sadly, the answer is yes. This came up in 2007 in Pennsylvania. Lawmakers, with the urging of Monsanto, passed a law that made it illegal to label milk as RBGH-free; however, due to massive outcry from consumers and consumer groups Pennsylvania held off on enacting the law until after an evaluation period ending in February of 2008. This time frame allowed consumers to consistently voice their concerns regarding the new labeling law. Again, after massive public outcry Pennsylvania lawmakers did what lawmakers should: they represented their constituents’ interests and rescinded the law in January of 2008. With that success in mind, please act now.

What To Do Now

Spread the Word! Blog about this issue. Discuss it on message boards. Add it to facebook. Tweet about the issue. Stumble this post and others addressing the same topic. Email your friends, family and other real food lovers.
Contact Governor Sebelius! You can email her online regarding this issue at the Institute for Responsible Technology.
Don’t shut up and don’t take it! This is your food. What you eat is a political act.

Check out more great posts at Fight Back Fridays.

Did you like this post? Please let me know by leaving a comment. Don't forget to find Nourished Kitchen on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. © Jenny for Nourished Kitchen, 2009. | Permalink |