Raw Milk Redux

[housewolf]

Okay everybody, remember my post a month or two ago about raw milk?

Well, went back and forth about the matter for weeks, doing research and thinking and thinking about the matter.

Eventually I found a local source and was in contact with some of their customers (who raved about it). I researched the dairy including their history. I researched the laws of the state of Oregon. I researched the supposed-benefits of raw milk over pasteurized milk. I went back and forth about the matter. I was filled with trepidation, especially after hearing tales from my mother for years about milk fever. I understand why regulators created and enforce pasteurization laws and strict dairy sanitation. I know there are risks with raw milk and all the reasons why it may be a bad idea.

I subscribe to several Yahoo groups about making kefir, and I ordered some kefir grains several months ago and have been making my own kefir. A number of folks on those groups are staunch supporters of raw milk. My grandfather owned a dairy. I love dairy more than anything - the richer the better. I don't love the taste of kefir (fortunately for me I don't have to taste it to benefit from it), but the pro-biotic benefits of homemade kefir over commercial are marked and that's what I'm interested in.

Anyway, last week I took the plunge. According to Oregon law (as well as some other states), only owners of dairy cows can consume raw milk. Owners can't sell it or give it away - personal use only. So what dairies do is sell "shares" in their dairy cows, making them owners. I bought one (they're very inexpensive). I got my first half-gallon on Friday.

OMG!!! I took a little taste and I gotta tell you, I was in heaven! Full fat, unprocessed milk - I've never tasted anything so good in my life (well, maybe my first taste of chocolate mousse :-) ) It's unbelievable delicious. I had no idea what I've been missing all my life. I had another little taste this morning, same response. I've used small amounts in other things over the weekend.

And I'm still here to talk about it, as health as I was a week ago.

I don't know yet whether my kefir grains like it or not (or even whether I'll use it for that purpose, since mine don't really "kefir" at refrigerator temps and I'm leery about letting it sit out at warmer temps even though other folks do).

[Warpy]

1. Full fat and non homogenized milk is really very different

Raw instead of unpasteurized, not so much.

That's an interesting dodge he's got going on. He'd better stay very small or they'll pass a law against it.

[trud]

2. not me

I bought some raw milk once. Yuck. And I remember real milk from my youth.

That buy part of a cow thing has been going on for some time.

[april]

3. I just purchased raw milk butter at famers market YUM!!

[Denninmi]

4. I'm not too up to speed on the whole raw milk issue.

I know there is a vocal minority who want the right to buy it an sell it. And it's not allowed by most health codes.

I do think it's rather puzzling that sushi and sashimi are allowed to be sold with just a warning label/warning on the menu, when they probably present a comparable health risk to raw milk, in other words, a fairly minimal risk but the potential to cause serious illness.

I do honestly think that adults should be allowed to make their own choices on this issue, and it should be sold as long as the warnings are posted so people know what they're getting in to.

Personally never tried raw milk, except on a school field trip to a local educational farm in 1972 in second grade -- the staff person had a dairy goat up on a table, and as the kids walked by, she squirted raw milk directly into each kid's mouth from the goat's teet. Not I couldn't see THAT happening any more, for all kinds of health and liability reasons. But it was an interesting experience. I have vague recollections that it tasted ok, but it was just a few drops really.

[Arkansas Granny]

5. As I have mentioned before, I was raised on raw milk, loved it and never got sick from it.

That being said, we had healthy cows who were checked by the vet and tested annually for brucellosis and tuberculosis. We were also scrupulously clean with the milking equipment and stored the milk properly after it had been poured up. We had Jersey cows and their milk was really rich and delicious. After I married and left home, it took me a long time to get used to the taste of supermarket milk.