Finding raw milk

[Guest guest]

Sitting here thinking about those of you having trouble finding raw milk and

figuring I could share some thoughts.

Try the local feed stores and pet stores. They will help you find raw milk

for your sick animal...whatever animal you want it to be. Now, the might have

you finding goat's milk but that's a start at least.

Ride around the countryside and look for places with cows in the pasture. If

they are out there, look like milk cows they are probably pasture fed, right?

Drive up around milking time 3-4 in the afternoon is usually good, sometimes

5-6 even. Be careful if you live in an area where it is illegal, do the pet

thing first.

Once you have a farmer with cows you need to, as you know, figure out what

he's feeding his cows. Even if they are on pasture they are probably getting

some grain to keep them standing still to milk. This shouldn't be a problem,

they're not there long enough to matter much. Medication is not something

dairy cows would be getting as it shows up in the milk test. Take a look

around and you'll see all sorts of pipes and hoses, cleaning up is a problem.

They use some nasty things to clean all that. Do some research and as you get

to know the folks make some suggestions for changes. Before you ask or

suggest they change the way they've been doing things get prices,

availability and most of all find out if the health department sanctions the

use of what you are suggesting. They will listen, you're paying 4-5 times the

going rate for milk, trust me, it will get them to listen. But if you sound

like a know-it-all they will stop listening and figure you are a nut.

When you've got them supplying you milk don't just go prancing in there with

your cooler full of jars to get your milk. That stranger there might be the

health inspector and could ruin everyone's day.

Don't expect this farmer, even if the cows are on pasture, to have ever heard

of Weston Price, Sally Fallon, CLA.... They do know about good hay,

colostrum, mastitis, and a bookfull of other practical type stuff. Stop to

listen. They might even know who has laying hens running around their yard!

Belinda