Raw Milk

What is raw milk? You may have been hearing more and more about this creamy, delicious substance lately. If you ask the government, raw milk is a deadly pool of bacteria whose mere presence will annihilate entire cities. To those less influenced by politics and lobbyists, however, raw milk is a pure product filled with good bacteria, enzymes, vitamins, and protein.

Simply put, raw milk is unpasteurized milk. In the early 1900’s, dairy farms moved into the cities. Many of them situated next to breweries and distilleries and began the caged animal operations the food industry has become known for. In these dairy “farms” the cattle were kept in cramped conditions and seldom, if ever, saw the light of day. They stood in their own, and other cows’ feces. The farmer would buy the spent grain from the brewery next door and feed it to the cattle. Grain feeding changes animals’ internal chemistry, and spent grain are void of most nutrients. This led to highly infected milk which was often supplemented with chalk to keep a white appearance. Drinking that stuff raw (to this day) is highly likely to at least make you very sick. The government did what it does best and began regulating the dairy industry.

Raw milk sold on actual farms, however is a very different story. Many true dairy farms have a very small number of cattle. Their cows are grass fed and pastured. They don’t stand in poo all day long. In fact, this type of raw milk is actually safer than pasteurized milk. For more info on safety and to find quality raw milk near you, visit www.realmilk.com.

Raw milk farms cannot legally advertise in the state of Texas, nor can they sell through retailers. You have to go to the farm to buy it. The closest one to us is Lavon Farms in Plano. There are others around, but they are the most convenient option for my family. 

If you haven't yet tried raw milk, don't be shy! It tastes just like store bought milk, only creamier and a tad less... milky. Now, when I drink store bought milk, it always smells and tastes sour to me. The easiest way to transition into raw milk is to go to a health food store and buy non-homogenize milk. This alone is so much better than standard store bought milk. It will help you become accustomed to the texture of raw milk and the cream plug on the top actually tastes delicious in coffee. 

Raw milk butter made at home

I usually buy two gallons at a time. First, for drinking. I like whole milk. From the second gallon, however, I take the cream plug and plop it in my coffee. Then I take the first quart (first 1/4 of the gallon) without shaking the jug and make butter.  From the butter left overs, I make ranch dressing with the buttermilk. The rest of that gallon is now reduced fat milk, which my wife prefers. For more on simple ways to use raw milk, be sure to check out our upcoming posts which will contain butter and ranch dressing recipes. 

Butter and ranch dressing made with the leftover butter milk

Raw milk is so healthy and so useful. For the adventurous, you could make your own cheese, yogurt, or other fermented/aged dairy products.  

PS: Yes, there is a government warning on raw milk... at least in Texas. If that bothers you, next time you go to a fancy restaurant and order a steak or get your eggs over easy, look at the bottom of the menu. You'll find a government warning about consuming raw or under-cooked meat, poultry, and seafood. You are15 times less likely to get sick from raw milk.

We used this local vendor for this recipe:
Lavon Farms