If you want to know what to look for when searching out clean raw milk, today I'll help you learn more…
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…This one is a great place to start: Raw Milk Benefits and Information: Q & A with Mark McAfee.
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!
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. 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.
- Raw Milk Benefits and Information: Q & A with Mark McAfee
- 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
Robert says
Hi Kelly,
I am considering adding raw milk to my diet and came across your article recently, which sparked my interest. I’m just curious if you happened to find another source for raw milk in the greater Grand Rapids area? If yes, would you recommend it?
Thanks,
Robert
KitchenKop says
Hi Robert, glad you found your way here. Yes, we did and we love them: https://theangelusfarms.com.
Kelly
Skooks says
Do they still sell raw milk? I live in the area, but their website doesn’t seem to say anything about offering raw milk.
KitchenKop says
No, they only make cheese with their raw milk now, so we can’t get it there anymore. 🙁
Kelly
Audrey says
Hi Kelly! I am so excited that I stumbled upon your blog! I live in S.E. MI. (Monroe) and I have been part of a farm co-op for about 1 1/2 yrs. now. I am hooked on raw milk and feel SO GOOD about feeding it to my family. I am so thankful that it is available to us.. even though it is not the most convenient way to get it. Only twice a month pick up btwn. 2:30- 3:30 about 40 min. away. It is well worth the extra effort for something that is far more superior to the store stuff. I am currently reading ‘Truly Cultured’ and the Wise Traditions’ books that I can rent from my local health food store. I am finding all this new info. very fascinating. By the way.. I’ve been to the Lubbers Farm and spent a few hrs. in the Little Rooster bakery. Casey was kind enough to let me visit and ask questions about the whole fermentation process. I wish I lived closer so I could be buying his bread. It is really good. Well, I hope to run into you sometime. Thank you for making your blog so fun and interesting.
KitchenKop says
Hey Audrey, what a fun comment!! I hope to meet you sometime, too, are you going to the conference next month by any chance?
Kelly
Anna says
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.
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
Margaret,
Maybe we’ll run into you sometime when picking up milk. 🙂
margaret merkel says
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! 🙂
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
Thanks, Karen. 🙂
Ann Marie, but remember all the money you’re saving on the junk you’re NOT buying!
Kelly
cheeseslave says
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!
Anonymous says
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
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