Raw Dairy Products

208-935-7740 - Product List at Page Bottom

 We are living in a time of global dominance by large corporations. Despite this, families which stay involved in small trades and agrarian occupations within their community are set on a healthy foundation to thrive.

The era of the supermarket monopoly is past. People have come to realize that lower priced food does not taste better and is not neccessarily healthier for you. Due to interupted supply chains, grocery stores don't always have the usual products on the shelf, and what is there, is full of questionable ingredients. One of the best ways to take charge of your own food security for your family is to start fazing out the supermarket and produce more of your own food.

Now, you can grow a garden, and an orchard that provides nutrients seasonally. This is what we do, but it still doesn't supply the neccessary fats and protiens for a labor intensive outdoor occupation and a growing famiy. Looking back at historical solutions, we find a solution.

By living on a constantly renewing resource, grass and water, the milk cow is able to support not just herself and her calf, but other farm animals, and rebuild the soil in your garden. But above all, she will provide milk and dairy products for the home. Through her sovereign ability to convert grass, which otherwise has no nutritive value to humans, into milk, meat, and fertilizer, which does benefit us, the cow produces wealth. She thus places the domestic or farm economy into a self-sustaining mode.

How many calories per day does your family consume? A Jersey milk cow can produce (with the presence of optional grain supplement) about six gallons of milk per day. There are approximately 2,700 calories in a gallon of whole milk, which means one Jersey milk cow can roughly produce 15,000 calories per day during a lactation of about 300 days. Part of those calories may be utilized, during the 65-day dry off period, from previously stored butter and cheese. Any excess milk may be used to raise a butcher steer every year which is essentially food storage on the hoof, that appreciates with time. This is a stand-alone system which may also create by-products, such as manure to improve your garden and whey to feed your chickens, etc. The small family farm has historically proven it will keep a family well-fed. 

By choosing this model, our family of nine is able to live sustainably on our land with outside income generated from part-time work in our trade. For those who don't have the ability or inclination due to a smaller family, higher income potential, etc., to own their own cow, but still want the security of knowing where their milk products come from, we sell our excess to the community.

MEET THE GIRLS

We currently have two milk cows. They are full-blood Jersey and were tested for the A2/A2 beta casein protein. Cardinal - is nine years old and has been with us the longest. She is the classical fawn colored jersey with the dark face. She will top out at 5.5 to 6 gallons a day on green grass, with lots of cream on top. Lacy - is seven years old and has been with us for about three years. She is a dark brownish-red Jersey and has a delicate frame. She will also top out at over five gallons a day.

Our cows are well taken care of and pampered. They graze fresh grass during the growing season, and then are put on grass hay, alfalfa pellets (non-Roundup Ready), minerals, and a grain mix.

PRODUCTS:

We sell a variety of dairy products. We make most any of the dairy products you find in the supermarket, plus some you won't. We do ask that you contact us ahead of time to make sure we have what you are looking for.

We recommend that you purchase raw milk and learn how to make your own dairy products as it is one step closer to being self-sufficient. Plus, it’s just fun to say you did it yourself! We are more than happy to walk you through the learning curve and we have classes from time to time that you may attend.

Milk - Our milk is fresh, and yes, we leave the cream on it. We bottle it in half-gallon Ball canning jars.

Cheese - Hard aged cheese and fresh mozzarella, we offer both cheeses with the option of being smoked.

Butter - We mainly make butter in the spring, when it is the most nutritious. Research spring butter and Weston Price.

Cream - We also offer cream for those who want extra for their coffee, or for baking or making butter with.

Ice Cream - We make the best homemade ice cream! We have several flavors, among the most popular are Double Huckleberry, Mocha Oreo, Vanilla, and Butter Pecan. We've also done unique flavors such as Jalapeno Chocolate!

If you would like to purchase our products, please feel free to contact us at (208) 935-7740. Products are currently available at our homestead.

Understanding the benefits of raw milk:

If you are unfamiliar with raw milk or would just like to study it more in depth (we highly recommend this), we have a list of books we have read over the years. These books walk you through getting your own cow, they explain what raw milk is, how healthy it really is, and also goes in dpeth on why raw milk has been villanized over the years to the point where it is illegal in a lot of states. It is a fascinating story.

The Untold Story of Milk by Ron Schmid - If you read nothing else read this book.

The Family Cow by Joann S Grohman and Real Food by Joann S. Grohman

If you want help setting up your own dairy, we do have calves and cows for sale from time to time, call or email us for availability. Here are a few things to consider before purchasing your own cow:

There are many breeds of excellent milk cows to choose from such as Guernsey, Ayreshire and Brown Swiss. These produce a lot of milk, having been bred up to produce milk. If you are looking for a strictly grass-fed cow I'd go more with Dexter, Randall Lineback, and more dual purpose breed cows. Better yet, a cheaper way to accomplish that is getting a crossbred cow, something between a beef breed and a dairy breed. I have had a few of these and they make awesome cows. They don't lose all their weight and they are hardier. In the future it may be more cost effective to utilize some of these heritage breeds which will thrive better on an all grass, no grain diet.

The reasons I chose Jersey are:

1. They have the highest level of milk solids (protien and minerals) and vitamins, as well as butterfat, of any breed of cattle.

2. A persistant milker with a tendency to have a more even level of production throughout lactation.

3. Jerseys start milking younger than other dairy breed, and milk a long time. There are some accounts of them calving successfully at 18 years of age.

4. Highest return from both land and feed. Jerseys are small so they require less feed, but still produce the same amount of milk.      

5. Cream - Jersey milk has at least 20% more cream the holstein milk. It also has 20% more minerals, protien and vitamins.