Some ramblings about my raw milk
Yes, I’m rambling again. And yes, I’m sure I do sound like I’m obsessed with milk these days.
Today I had to drive out to the farm to pick up my milk and some eggs. I didn’t feel like it. It was very cold out, the roads were bad, I was tired, I felt lazy, I had other things to do at home. But since I do this herd share thing for the raw milk, I have to pay for it each month whether I actually pick it u*****t. I’m not about to pay for something and then not pick it up.
So I drove to the farm. It normally takes about half an hour but took a little longer today because the roads were snowy. But it was a nice drive in the country, it was pretty and peaceful and quiet and gave me time to think. And now I’m sharing those thoughts with you!
It occurred to me that having to make this trip to get milk and eggs makes them seem more valuable to me. That, and what I’m paying for them. I try really hard not to waste any. I try not to be wasteful at all, but when I used to buy milk at the store, sometimes I would not use the whole gallon and some of it would go bad and I’d have to throw it away. I can’t imagine throwing my raw milk away. These foods have become precious to me and I think it’s too bad, really, that all food is not considered so precious.
I think it’s a good thing that I have to work a little to get my milk now. No, I don’t have to get up at 5 am to milk a cow. But I have to plan a time to go, since it takes a little over an hour. I have to make sure my milk bottles are clean and ready to go because I have to take my own bottles. When I get there, I get the milk out of the tank myself. There are specific things you have to do to make sure everything stays clean. It’s a reminder that food does not really come from the grocery store. It comes from farms. Or factories, depending on what you’re eating.
And it takes work to produce food. Somebody does work for me to have milk or yogurt or butter. Now I’m just doing more of the work myself.
And milk comes from cows. I drive past the cows in the pasture as I drive up the lane to the milk house. I feel so much more connected to my food, and I think that is a good thing.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
First ultra: Stone Mill 50 miler 11/15/14 13:44:38, First Full Marathon: Marine Corps 10/27/13 4:57:11, Half Marathon PR 2:04:43 at Shamrock VA Beach Half-Marathon, 12/2/12 First Half-Marathon 2:32:47, 5K PR Run Under the Lights 5K 27:23 on 11/23/13, 10K PR 52:53 Pike's Peek 10K 4/21/13, (1st timed run) Accumen 8K 51:09 10/14/12.
www.eatwild.com/
And this one has info about laws regarding raw milk in each state.
www.realmilk.com/where.html
While you can buy fresh eggs in any state, I think, in many states it is illegal to sell raw milk and the USDA is really cracking down on farmers that sell it. In Ohio, like in many states, the only way to get it legally is to buy your own cow OR to join a herd share program. Because it is legal to drink raw milk from cows that you own.
The herdshare is what I do. For $60, I bought one share in a herd of 70 cows owned by a local farmer. Since I now own part of the herd, it's legal for me to get milk from that herd. I pay the farmer $22 a months for "board and care" of the cows. That means he feeds them, milks them and takes care of them. And I get one gallon of raw milk per week. And it is legal.
Even doing it this way, it took me a while to find someone. There was a farm where I was getting my eggs, and I asked them if they knew of a place to get raw milk, and they referred me to this guy. So that may be a way - find some place that sells fresh eggs or grass fed beef or something, and ask them if they know where to get raw milk.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
