FDA raids Amish Farm

[Amyable]

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The farm we buy from has a trip share list; folks who live near each other arrange between themselves to alternate making the drive to the farm and getting milk for the whole group. When we lived in Appleton, there were about 8 families, so we only had to go once every 2 months. We all dropped off and picked up our jars at the same house.

Now that we live in the middle of Guam, we found an older couple in the next town that makes the farm drive every week while visiting their parents. I just head to their house once a week to pick up our gallons and leave clean jars. I make it my grocery/errand day so I'm not driving 25 miles just for milk.

As far as affording it, it is our food splurge item; even if we have to cut back to 1 gallon a week, we get it. We consider raw milk the most important food in our diet.

Ask any farms you are interested in about trip sharing. If there is a group, you probably can get milk just every once in a while when the money is there for it.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

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Do you have any stats to show for the rates of Listeria in these communities?

I was something I learned when I was trained for specializing in nursing in a Neonatal ICU. That was years ago and I really don't have the literature anymore. I'll check at work and see if I can find some, and ask the neonatologist

Listeria bacteria are widespread and commonly found in soil, silage, sewage, birds and animals. They have also been found in a variety of foods, including raw meat, raw vegetables and some processed foods. Sometimes, it is not possible to identify which particular food caused a person's illness as symptoms may not appear for 3 to 70 days after eating contaminated food.

No reason to pick on raw milk here. Its everywhere, and if we understand the general practice of being clean, but NOT sterile, then we have nothing to fear.

You would be hard pressed to find a farm that did not follow regs, and to pick on those that follow them, and trump up violations, just so they can be shut down, is horrible.

If you look over all the paperwork on farm raids, you will not find any real violations. Just manipulation.

You also would be hard pressed to find a raw milk consumer today, that was not highly knowledgable on the entire subject.
We research this kind of stuff very well.​

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Here are some interesting facts, that can be traced right back to the USDAs stats.
http://www.realmilk.com/foodborne.html
Do read through it before commenting.
It is interesting how many people got sick from Listeria in pasturized milk versus raw milk............

Also, commercial dairies are allowed very high numbers of pathogens and junk like blood and pus stemming from mastitis, versus the very strict low numbers required of raw dairies.

 

[missionarywife]

stupid question but how long does fresh raw milk last.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

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Forever

Actually, it does not go bad like sterile pasturized milk does.
If properly sealed and kept cold, it will still be sweet and fresh two weeks later. It can be opened and drunk over a period of several days at that point before it begins to make its way to cheese.
We make clabbered cheese often.
You just set your raw milk on the counter untill it seperates. takes 2-5 days, depending on weather temps.
Then, you just strain it in a cloth.
I can guarentee, if you tried that with pasturized milk, you would be sicker then a dog if you drank or ate it after it sat out for even a day or two!

Oh, and raw soured milk tastes good!!
And real buttermilk is nothing like that gloppy nasty commercial fake stuff.

 

[Boyd]

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We try to make cider on a yearly basis. We collect the apples and mash them down in an old fashioned press, strain once, maybe twice and enjoy.
One year we stored the cider in a couple gallon sized glass jugs, and they started to ferment. My older brother wanted to let them ferment so we would open the caps a few times a day to release the pressure. I guess no one checked them for a day or two because one peaceful day we suddenly hear this loud BOOM, like a small cannon going off in the dining room. Glass and cider was everywhere, but fortunately no one was hurt and nothing was damaged. The house smelled of cider for weeks and we were finding wee chunks of glass for months.

Now we use plastic jugs.

Anyone here tap their own maple syrup? We've done that a couple years and my Grandparents do it most years. Homemade syrup is downright delicious.

We did Birch Syrup this year.
We will be moving to MI next year, and hope to find a couple of Maples near the property to tap.
Thank goodness we will be near a raw dairy, so we can keep getting Real Milk till we get set up with goats.

PJA, I have 3 huge ones you can use if you don't have any

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

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We did Birch Syrup this year.
We will be moving to MI next year, and hope to find a couple of Maples near the property to tap.
Thank goodness we will be near a raw dairy, so we can keep getting Real Milk till we get set up with goats.

PJA, I have 3 huge ones you can use if you don't have any

Oh, thank you, but that might be a bit far to drive everyday, lol!
Have you ever made your own?

 

[Neil Grassbaugh]

Now how many people who read this think that the government should be involved?

http://eatdrinkandbe.org/article/index.0428_law_milklawsuit

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

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We take a risk everyday with whatever we put in our mouths. I do not need the government deciding for me every step I take.
Again, you stand a 2,000% higher chance of getting something really nasty from raw veges and pasturized milk, then you do from drinking raw milk.
And please, the government is fully involved with raw milk. You have to be liscensed and regulary inspected (far more then for pasturized stuff) in order to sell it. The regs a much higher to sell it as well.
There is a reason that we all sign contracts with the farmer, stating that we understand the so called risk involved.
I am choosing to drink the stuff, so I am responsible for that risk.

No one is saying that the governmnet should not be involved. We are saying, keep it regulated and clean, and let us choose.
It is our freedom. To sue someone over my freedom of choice, is silly!

 

[Boyd]

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PJA, I have 3 huge ones you can use if you don't have any

Oh, thank you, but that might be a bit far to drive everyday, lol!
Have you ever made your own?

that's why I was kinda hoping to invite somebody out who knew what they were doing