First, check out the links down below if you wonder what raw milk is, or why in the world anyone would want to drink it…
Recently our current source for raw milk decided to phase out his milk share program, so we’ll soon begin getting our raw milk through Lubbers Farm.
My friend, Amy, & I took our kids and went out for a visit this week to pay for our share of Mikki (our cow) and to sign our cow share contract. We also got a farm tour, along with instructions from Karen on the clean and safe handling procedures when drawing milk from the tank to fill our milk jars. (Our milk will be picked up weekly, but Kent or I will only be going once a month, since we’re in a group with three other families who will take turns going.) We were very impressed with how organized and clean everything was at this farm!
I TOOK PICTURES!
Below are some pictures I took, and I wish I had taken a panoramic view of the farm to show you, it is absolutely beautiful! (Check back and maybe I’ll get one next time I go and add it here.)
Karen is showing us around the milk house, where we’ll be filling our jars with our fresh, delicious and super healthy milk!
Karen is answering our questions and teaching us how to use clean, safe handling methods when drawing our milk from the big tank.
Now Karen is showing us where the cows are milked twice a day.
This is Jeff & Karen’s son, Casey, who runs his Little Rooster bakery right at the farm. Almost everyone I know who is as crazy about nutrition (and taste) as we are, eat his bread. We get it for $3/loaf at Grist Mill – it’s $3.69 at other places (D&W, Harvest Health), and we go through a lot. It has the best flavor and texture of any other organic and 100% whole wheat bread we’ve ever tasted, and it’s fermented for even more nutrition!
I’m so thankful that finding a local source for raw milk is getting easier as the demand continues to grow – people are becoming more informed! Just in our neighborhood alone now there are six, possibly soon to be seven of us who drink it. In my circle of friends, I can think of at least ten families who drink raw milk.
Those of you who drink and love raw milk, keep spreading the word! Maybe you could start by forwarding this post to your friends? 
Links to previous posts on raw milk:
- Post #1 in the raw milk series – The benefits of raw milk are explained.
- Post #2 – Raw milk safety is discussed, along with the logistics (where to get it, costs, etc.)
- Post #3 is a guest post from Karen Lubbers – she was gracious enough to answer my questions for this guest post and talks about their farm and more about safety issues. She also answers other questions about good, clean farming practices.
- Post #4 is a guest post from my friend, Michelle, on how they decided raw milk was the best choice for their family, or “fresh” milk as Michelle prefers to call it.
- Benefits of Fresh Raw Milk – “Udderly Amazing” by MacKenzie – a friend of mine who wrote this late in her Sophomore year of high school (last spring) – wisdom beyond her years!
- Read the New York Times article that Karen gives out to all her new cow share owners – she says she wants everyone to be fully informed about what they’re drinking.
- Don’t think you’re ready to make the switch to raw milk? Find out what the next-best healthy milk options are.
- Sick of talking about milk? Find some healthy main dish recipes
(Many more topics along the right in the sidebar!)
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Anonymous 08.22.08 at 5:08 am
I’m not that fond of milk except in my coffee [I know...useless beverage] but this article was short, concise and informative. Thanks so much!! Your site rocks!!!
Best,
Karen
karenferguson@compuserve.com
[Reply]
cheeseslave 08.22.08 at 7:06 am
I used to only drink milk in my coffee, too. Until I started drinking raw milk. Now I love a glass of milk.
Real raw milk tastes sooo much better than even the best organic milk I used to buy.
Kelly, Karen is so cute! And I can’t believe you get that wonderful bread for only $3/loaf. We get the Grindstone bread sometimes. It is $8/loaf with shipping from Sonoma. Sometimes we get it cheaper if we do a bulk order — I think I got it for $7/loaf.
And I got it for just over $5 when I got it from Three Stone Hearth.
That’s the cheapest I’ve found it.
Sigh — of course I am addicted. And my homemade bread doesn’t taste anywhere near as good.
Our raw milk is also ungodly expensive.
But I have to have it.
Of course we do save money on fruits and veggies and herbs — since we can grow ‘em here year round.
I guess there are pros and cons no matter where you live!
[Reply]
Kelly the Kitchen Kop 08.22.08 at 8:42 am
Thanks, Karen.
Ann Marie, but remember all the money you’re saving on the junk you’re NOT buying!
Kelly
[Reply]
margaret merkel 08.22.08 at 11:39 am
My husband, our son Luke and I easily go through our two shares we have with Lubbers Farm. We pick up four gallons a week. I could not digest pasturized milk but have no problem with this super milk. Raw milk supplies you with iron, vitamin C and good bacteria – none of which are present in pasturized milk – and it makes awesome yogurt. Our six month old baby girl will start on it when she weans. It’s really a super food!
[Reply]
Kelly the Kitchen Kop 08.22.08 at 12:22 pm
Margaret,
Maybe we’ll run into you sometime when picking up milk.
[Reply]
Anna 08.23.08 at 8:40 am
Kelly said “remember all the money you’re saving on the junk you’re NOT buying!”
That’s so true. My local friends who complain the most about the high cost of real, whole foods, just can’t wean themselves off the processed snack and convenience foods. So their food bill is really high.
It really takes a long time and a complete “thought” overhaul” to accept and then act on the idea that what we put in our bodies “becomes” our bodies so only good stuff will do. Most people still think in such a short time frame when it comes to their cooking and nutrition.
[Reply]