- Last time part #1 in the raw milk series explained the many health benefits of drinking raw milk.
- Today in part #2 we'll answer questions about raw milk safety, as well as some logistics: where to get it, cost, etc.
- Part #3 will be my first guest post, from Karen Lubbers, a local farmer who sells cow shares to those who want to obtain raw milk in the Grand Rapids, MI area. She'll talk about their farm, more about raw milk safety issues, and answer other questions.
- Part #4 is another guest post, this one 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!
- Learn why raw milk is the best milk for us: Raw Milk Benefits and Information: Q & A with Mark McAfee
Here's a book on the topic that you'll definitely want to read: The Untold Story of Milk, this book covers raw milk safety and much more.
Is it really safe? How do you know?<
Once I got past the taste issue and realized it does taste the same (better actually) than store-bought milk, the next thing I wanted to know was whether or not it was safe for us to drink. This really concerned me, I always thought milk had to be pasteurized. (This shows how taken in I was by all that had been pumped into my brain through the years about the “benefits” of pasteurization.) Before I tell you how safe fresh milk is though, first I'll give a super-condensed version of why they began to pasteurize milk in the first place.
Is pasteurization a good thing?
Pasteurization was first used in the early 1900's to prevent disease, when milk began being shipped in huge quantities into the fast-growing cities. Without proper procedures to keep it clean, people were dying of tuberculosis and other diseases. Later after the collection and transportation of milk became much more clean and safe, pasteurization continued because by then, people were convinced it was something that HAD to be done, and more importantly because the big dairy companies loved the way it lengthened the shelf life of their product, thereby increasing profits. Today the dairy lobby is so powerful, they fight the legalization of raw milk at every turn.
Or is pasteurization a bad thing?
If you Google, “raw milk safety”, believe me, you'll find plenty to read on both sides of this issue. So, again, for me it came down to common sense. Milk straight from the farm has been good enough to nourish people for thousands of years. For the time frame mentioned above it became unsafe, but that was when the number of steps between the farm and the table grew, and there were no guidelines in place to make sure the milk wouldn't become contaminated. If you are able to find a good, clean source for raw milk, why not give your body all the nutrients from it that God intended? The more raw foods we eat (from healthy sources), the more nutrients our bodies take in because they're not partially or completely killed off by the heat of pasteurization. (Read more about this in part #1.)
What is the bigger risk?
I know someone who cannot believe we give our children raw milk, yet he lost all credibility with me when he said he doesn't even eat raw vegetables! If you find a good local farmer who uses clean farming practices and who has his cows out on pasture (see link below to find someone in your area), then the chances of getting ill from drinking raw milk are small. (More about what to look for when you visit a farm next time in part #3.)
Could there still be a pathogen in the milk that could make you sick?
Yes, there is always a chance. Just like you could get ill from eating any uncooked foods, like raw vegetables – or spinach, which was reported on the news not long ago. I have a much bigger chance of getting into a car accident, but I still ride in cars!
As a matter of fact, I'm updating this post with my friend Jo-Lynne's story of how she and her kids actually did get sick from their raw milk, it really is a possibility, although it's a rare one if your farmer runs a clean operation. (See #3 in the series.) I wanted to include the story, though, so you are totally informed.
Here is what I always say when it comes to raw milk safety:
I'd rather take that small risk of getting ill from raw milk, for the chance of getting all the amazing nutritional benefits every single time I drink it.
Our family has been drinking raw milk for 4 years now and have never had ONE problem, on the contrary, we have never had better health. Not only that, if you're eating a healthy diet, your immune system is much more ready and able to fight off anything your body might come against.
Mark McAfee and e-coli
Mark McAfee is a dairy farmer in California. He sells his milk to many loyal customers who are convinced of the value of raw milk. He had a lab do an experiment a few years ago where they injected pathogens into raw milk and into conventional milk. The next day, the pathogens were still present in the conventional milk, but in the raw milk, the friendly bacteria completely overtook the pathogens – they were gone. That is how powerful the good bacteria is in raw milk! You may have heard of how beneficial probiotics are for us, especially for our digestive systems, raw milk is a great way to get probiotics into your diet.
Your choice
If you're not comfortable with the idea of eating or drinking any raw foods, by all means, cook the heck out of everything you eat or drink (whether it's milk, fruit, veggies or whatever), that's totally up to you. But just remember, you're cooking out most all of the very nutrients that could be building up your immune system to fight off anything you may come into contact with.
This makes you think:
An interesting quote from this site: “What nearly everyone fails to appreciate about pasteurized milk is that although the pathogenic (disease causing) bacteria are killed during pasteurization so they can’t multiply, they are NOT removed from the milk. The dead bacteria are STILL IN THE MILK. If the bacteria are there, they can serve as a stimulus to your immune system and cause all sorts of autoimmune diseases, Crohn’s disease being only one example. Instead, RAW milk from healthy grass-fed cows is actually one of the more profound healing agents you can turn to when confronted with inflammatory bowel disease. Rather than cause it, raw milk can send your IBD into remission. This is because if cows are raised properly and only fed grass, not immunized, given access to plenty of fresh air and sunshine, and not given antibiotics or harmful vaccines that impair their immune system, then they simply do not get sick or become colonized with these pathogenic bacteria in the first place. Thus there is no need to pasteurize their milk.”
Now let's talk logistics:
You must have a zillion questions like I did, so I'll try to hit on many things without making this post too long.
- Q: Is it legal? A: In our state of Michigan, the dairy lobby has prevented the sale of fresh milk outright. Pretty amazing what we have to do to obtain healthy milk, compare it to buying cigarettes…big money and big lobbyists have big power. So to obtain fresh milk in Michigan, you need to buy a share of a cow, then pay the farmer fees for boarding and feeding the cow. As long as we can get it somehow, that's all that matters.
- Q: How much does it cost? A: I'll tell you some specifics about our milk so you have a reference point, but keep in mind this can vary quite a bit from farmer to farmer. We bought a $150 share of a cow, and pay $36.50/month for 2 1/2 gallons of milk/week ($3.65/gallon). This is not much more than conventional milk, but keep in mind we began 4 years ago, and our farm is an hour away – that was the closest place to get it when we started. Now there are two more farms much closer. If your local farmer charges more, don't let that stop you, it's worth it! (Updated 2019: we pay $7/gallon and it's worth every penny!)
- Q: How do you find a farm? A: Scroll down at this site to find local farms. Read the next post (part #3) in this raw milk series for more information on what to look for when finding a farm.
- Q: Do they deliver? A: Some farmers might, but most people go to the farm to pick up or pick it up at drop sites. I can think of about a dozen or so families we know who drink raw milk, and most of them take turns driving with other families.
- Q: What do you put it in? A: We got our 1/2 gallon Ball glass bottles by special order through our local Ace Hardware. Then I bought “wide-mouth” white plastic Ball lids at Meijer in their kitchen section by the canning stuff. Some like the gallon size glass jars, but we found it was easier to pour from the smaller ones. (Always use glass, never plastic.)
- Q: Does it really taste good? A: What the cows are eating on pasture sometimes changes the way it tastes a little. Kent never notices any changes at all, it depends on your palate. Mostly though, I think it tastes better than store-bought milk, definitely more fresh.
I hope this answers all your questions about raw milk safety and more, but if you have more just leave a comment below, then when I respond everyone can read the answers.
Just remember, it is never easy to step away and be objective about something we've always believed to be true. But we only need to look at all the people around us (including many children!) who are plagued with one illness or another to know that the modern way of thinking about food isn't working. If you're not convinced, that's OK! I just hope you'll keep reading and learning.
Related posts on raw milk safety and more:
- Part #1 in raw milk series on the many health benefits of raw milk
- Part #3 is a guest post from Karen Lubbers, who answers more questions about raw milk safety and clean farming practices
- Part #4 is a testimony from my friend, Michelle, on how she and David decided raw milk was the best choice for their family
- Raw Milk Benefits and Information: Q & A with Mark McAfee
- Read the interesting discussion in the comments section at this post on raw milk safety
- My Dark Secrets
- Have you heard of Weston A. Price?
More you might like:
- I still believe in raw milk
- A great video with Dr. Mercola and Mark McAfee on raw milk
- Why ultra-pasteurized milk is even less healthy than regular pasteurized milk, organic or not! Check the dates on your milk! A date 2 months away is NOT a good thing!
- Good overview on the benefits of raw milk
- Great article about raw milk by an angry Chef
- Interesting about differences in cleanliness regulations and nutritional content of raw milk vs. past.milk
- Scroll down at this site to find a source for local raw milk
- On YouTube: Organic Pastures Dairy owner Mark McAfee talks about raw milk
Laurel says
What a wonderful site! Thank you for all your information on raw milk. Most all of my questions have been answered from what you’ve presented, and I thank you!
I was raised on raw milk, and have developed intolerances, etc. It’s really annoying (since milk is my favorite food!!). I recently heard of evidence that many people with lactose intolerance/allergies do not react to raw milk. I JUST found out about a source in my area, so I’m on it!!
BUT … One of the gallons I bought has gone sour. At almost $7/gal, it PAINS me to think my only option is to dump it out. I’ve been searching for what I may do with it rather than wasting it. What might you suggest (include recipes/links, please!!!)? Thank you so much!
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
This might help!
https://kellythekitchenkop.com/2010/01/what-to-do-with-raw-milk-before-it-sours-we-need-your-ideas.html
Kelly
MIKE says
It will be four years this summer that I have been drinking Raw Milk, oddly enough, in that same time span, the change in my health has been interesting. In 97, I moved from Florida to Michigan, that first winter I was sick four times. This winter/sick thing reared its ugly head every year. It got to the point that I fought pneumonia every other year, until, my wife suggested I try raw milk and laid out for me all the items in it and what it might help with, so I tried it. Save for an occasional sinus headache, I have not gotten sick over those winters after I started drinking said milk.
KitchenKop says
Martha, we go through it so fast that it’s never been a problem, but for those that don’t go through it as quickly, thank you for the great tip!
Martha says
Kelly, this in regards to a commenter’s question and your reply earlier. I’ve found that my milk lasts longer before going sour if I keep putting it in smaller containers as we use it up. There is more dishwashing involved (ugh, LOL) but it helps us as we can only get a little at a time so I am rather conservative with its use. The air it’s exposed to in the jar hastens the spoilage according to the friend I buy it from.
Martha not in Mexico 🙂
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
ZohBug,
Great comment and neat story, thank you so much for sharing!
Kelly
ZohBug says
As I sit here perusing your blog which I happened upon quite by chance the other day, I’m enjoying a cup of hot tea laden with coconut oil, raw cream, and raw milk. I feel very fortunate — might I even say blessed — to live in Wisconsin and be able to navigate my way through the system in spite of the road blocks put in place by the anti-raw milk faction and be able to purchase this wonderful food for my family.
My children and I are also lactose intolerant and were dairy free, save for yogurt, before I located sources of raw dairy which we can tolerate without a problem. When milk is pasteurized, not only are vital nutrients decimated, but lactose is converted to beta-lactose. So many people who think they cannot tolerate lactose because they cannot tolerate pasteurized dairy, are actually beta-lactose intolerant. After all, breast milk contains lactose, and I know that my children — both extended nursers — can tolerate lactose.
As you mention, food safety is not an issue just for raw milk consumers, but also for consumers of any and all foods. In a recent study, leafy greens is at the top of the list of culprits for causing illness in consumers (https://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/wgntv-risky-foods-weblinks-oct6,0,2543661.story). This, of course, doesn’t absolve raw milk providers and consumers of responsibility for keeping our food safe. I believe that it is incumbent upon us, as consumers, to do our part in shopping around wisely and visiting the farmers that we purchase from and asking about bacteria counts, what they feed their cows to insure that they are 100% grass fed (because cows were meant to only eat grass, not grains and it’s grains that make them sick, need antibiotics, and can cause e. coli, etc.). We have to ask about cleanliness standards for how our milk is delivered to us. We also have to not grab our bottles of milk and stick them in the trunk of our cars, but keep them cool and refrigerate them as soon as possible (I keep a plug in cooler in my vehicle). Our farmers have to do their parts as well to insure that the lines of communication are open at all times and to provide the proper environment for their dairy cows.
I place a lot of trust in the farmers I buy our raw dairy (milk, cheese, butter, etc.) from so having a good, trusting, working relationship is imperative. In return, they trust that if I have any concerns or questions, that I will share them with them. If anyone in my family were to ever become ill and I suspected our dairy was the source (which has never happened), I would go to my farmer first. I’m always amazed on raw milk and kefir groups and how many people would bypass this relationship and say they would go to an attorney. I guess that for me, it’s also a lifestyle choice in terms of how we eat because we eat to live and we enjoy our food because we enjoy living.
KitchenKop says
Rachel, thank you so much for passing this along! I just spent a looooong time reading all the comments there, what a great discussion! I’m going to post on it soon. I totally agree with you, and I want my readers to know BOTH sides of the issue before deciding. 🙂
BTW, didn’t that one commenter drive you crazy with his nasty tone?
Kelly
Rachel says
I recently found your blog and am so enjoying it, thanks for all the great info. Just thought I’d pass along this article I found that was posted July of this year. https://www.ethicurean.com/2009/07/20/raw-milk-2/ I found it when I was researching switching to raw milk. It discusses the E-COLI experiment you referred to and it seems the results weren’t quite as positive as he said. I still switched to raw milk and we love it and feel safe, but I did appreciate reading this article so I wasn’t making my choice with misinformation. Again, thanks for your info!
KitchenKop says
Mommy1,
It’s good that you commented so that people are reminded that yes, there *are* risks, as mentioned in the post above. Usually this only involves a little GI upset, but it’s still good to be informed.
I’m glad I can still get raw milk in Michigan, though, and will continue to drink it.
Thanks!
Kelly
Mommy1 says
Well, it looks like raw milk is no longer available in Wisconsin. The one place we would have been able to get it was closed. At least 13 people were infected with Campylobacter jejuni.
https://www.datcp.state.wi.us/press_release/result.jsp?prid=2351
That was bad timing for the raw milk farmers here due to the crack down on farmers:
https://www.realmilk.com/actionalert-31aug2009.html
I’m personally relieved we hadn’t switched to raw because the farm where we would have bought our milk was the source.
Kelly says
Martha, if you’re still concerned about raw milk safety, I would make a point to visit some farmers and ask them questions about their raw milk. See how they raise their cows, and visit more than once. Don’t do it until you know the farmer and feel comfortable about it. (By the way, here in Michigan there are big chunks of the year that our cows aren’t out on lush green pastures, either!)
Once you do, you can make your own buttermilk and mozzarella, and may other yummy things, too! 🙂
martha says
Here in my little town in Mexico, buttermilk is pretty much non-existent. Also, there are no lush, rolling pastures–cows graze in rocky lots and on the side of the road. During the dry season, they would surely be fed hay and/or feed, as there is NO grass. I know that I can get raw milk from one of the farmers, but even after reading your safety info, I’m still a bit concerned. What do you think? This Alabama girl needs her buttermilk biscuits and cornbread! And would also like to make mozzarella (none of that here either!)
Kelly the Kitchen Kop says
Renee e-mailed me recently with this question:
“I’m so confused! This article states that pasteurization only kills 0-10% of the good stuff in milk. Is this true???”
https://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2004/504_milk.html
Here is how I responded to her question:
“Hi Renee,
Don’t feel bad for being confused, that’s GOOD to grapple with these issues, that means you’re searching for TRUTH and will eventually find it!
Here’s what I’ve found so far, I thought it was a pretty good response to the FDA…
https://www.realmilk.com/documents/SheehanPowerPointResponse.pdf
Here’s another good response that is a little easier to read as it’s in a different format:
https://www.realmilk.com/press-release-12mar07.html
Also, besides the above arguments responding to the FDA, no matter what anyone says, I just think in common sense terms about this issue – what has been around forever? What have people been drinking on their farms for thousands of years? What is more natural? Anytime you’re incorporating more real, whole foods into your diet that have not been processed and that are closer to how God made it, that’s GOT to be better for us, no matter what any study says. (Although there is plenty of good evidence FOR raw milk.)
Feel free to e-mail me with anything else that doesn’t set right with you.
Kelly says
Hi Julie,
First of all, for those who are new to all this and don’t know what Kefir is or why it’s so good for you – do a Google search with, “Kefir benefits”, and you’ll find some good reading. Sorry, I don’t have time to explain it more right now.
I normally make raw milk yogurt and only recently bought some Kefir cultures to try, but haven’t had a chance yet. So I asked my friend, Kathy, and here’s what she said:
Your biggest issues to be concerned with are 1. the starter you used (yogurt can be used over and over as a starter, but Kefir can only be used a certain number of times before you have to restart it), and 2. the temperature you had around your container.
She suggests you always start Kefir with room temperature milk. Take 1/2 cup of your previous batch of Kefir and put it into a quart jar, fill the rest with milk – mix WELL. She sets it on top of the stove with the oven on at 170* to keep the temp around it at 80-85* or it won’t ferment. She also suggests setting a heating blanket out, put a rack on that, then set the jar on there. A sunny window would be good, too. (All these are also good suggestions for getting a nice rise when making bread!) The warmer the room, the quicker the fermentation process. (Those of you in warm temps don’t have to deal with all this!)
She said you can tell if it’s ready by turning the jar on its side (with the lid closed well!) and you’ll see some curd in the center with liquid running on the sides – open it and it will smell sour when it’s done.
Hope all this helps! The book I recommend down on the right side of my homepage is a great resource, too. (Nourishing Traditions.) Or you could go to my recommended reading/favorite books post to find it too.
Let me know how it goes!
Kelly
Julie says
Hi Kelly,
I have a question about raw milk. I bought some recently and made kefir with it, my kefir didn’t really “take”. I don’t know if it is because I was used to using store bought (be it organic) or what. Any wisdom on this?
JUlie
Kelly says
Hi Heather/Red Head Heather 🙂
I haven’t heard of My Green Pastures, is that in the Grand Rapids area? Do they have a website? For now I’d recommend Lubbers because I know Karen and I’m familiar with their farm and have friends who get milk there. Be sure to read the other posts in this series, including one from Karen Lubbers.
Thanks for reading!
Kelly
Anonymous says
Glad to read your site! How do you decide which farm to go with? Both the Lubbers AND MiGreenPastures look great. I can’t decide.
Thanks-RedHeadHeather
Kelly says
Here’s a great article on finding healthy raw milk:
https://wewantorganicfood.com/2008/01/26/key-to-safe-raw-milk-from-cows/
Kelly says
Lisa,
Wow, your comments are a good reminder for those of us that CAN get milk, and for not THAT much more $, to be thankful!
Thanks for your comment,
Kelly
Lisa says
Great series of posts. Here in Oregon, raw milk sales are only legal if you go to the farm to pick up and each farm is limited to three cows. There is a much larger demand for raw milk than there is a supply because of this. Our local milk farm serves about 35 families and has a waiting list of over 70 families! And you get a great price on your milk. We pay $10/gallon here. Well worth it to us, though.
Kelly says
Hello “Mommaofmany”, thanks for your great comments! Of course your name makes me wonder, how many? 🙂
MommaofMany says
Thanks for this great basic summary of raw milk. We have been enjoying raw milk for about a year and a half. My son is lactose intolerant and drinks it with no problems. As a nice “side effect”, another son, who had nephrotic syndrome (kidney disease) hasn’t been ill ONCE since we began it. He was ill three times a year previously.
I just found your blog a few days ago, and have read through it all, and linked to it from my blog. I love your great articles!
Kelly says
Natalie,
Great questions! I’ll try to answer them quick before the kids wake up. (Thanks for the comment on the supplements post, too, by the way.)
I’ll list out your questions again here, and then my answer:
1. Do you need to shake the milk before serving due to cream separation? Yes, unless you want the yummy cream off the top first, like to use in your coffee (Kent loves it), to make butter or ice cream, real whipped cream, or to use in a recipe.
2. What is the shelf life before it would go sour? About a week, maybe a little more.
3. Can you bake with it the same as conventional milk? Yes if you have enough, but we often run out of our raw milk and I like to save that to drink without it being cooked so we get all the nutrients. So if I’m using it in baking or cooking, I might use some whole conventional milk – never low-fat, and always the no-antibiotics/no hormones kind: Country Dairy is what we get.
4. Do you have to clean your raw milk storage containers any certain way? No. We just put them in the dishwasher.
5. Do you have to commit to purchase a certain quantity of milk each week? With each share of a cow that you buy, you get a certain amount of milk per week, for a certain cost per week, whether you use it or not.
6. Can you get more milk during the week if needed? Not unless you commit to another share. It would be nice if we could just buy it in the store, like in California, and get however much we need each week! Call your lawmakers!
Natalie says
Here are my additional questions regarding raw milk.
1. Do you need to shake the milk before serving due to cream separation?
2. What is the shelf life before it would go sour?
3. Can you bake with it the same as conventional milk?
4. Do you have to clean your raw milk storage containers any certain way?
5. Do you have to commit to purchase a certain quantity of milk each week?
6. Can you get more milk during the week if needed?