My family is really going through the raw dairy these days. I got the idea for this post when we – yet again – ran out of any and all raw dairy a full 24 hours before the next farm delivery. I even added a whole extra gallon to our order at last pickup and here we are out once more!
Do I run to the store and pick up a half gallon of ultrapasteurized organic milk to tide us over?
No way! Organic Valley or Horizon organic milk from the store is horrible, health-robbing stuff. I would never buy it. It is way better to go without until you are able to get more milk fresh from the farm.
We haven’t always consumed as much as we are now. It’s just that my oldest is starting puberty and drinking about a quart a day – maybe even more?
My other two kids have all of a sudden gotten into drinking it as well. I’ve always had to pretty much force them to drink their milk in the past (you know the drill – drink your milk or no bike ride after dinner or whatever).
Now they are gulping it down and asking for more.
I know this seems like a lot, but at the moment, our family of five is easily going through 4 gallons of grassfed cow milk and 2 gallons of foraging goat milk.
Per week!
Oh, I almost forgot. Add a half gallon of raw milk yogurt to that.
And 1-3 quarts of raw cream (for raw ice cream of course). Who can live without ice cream? We do a lot of milkshakes at our house.
Plus one pound of raw butter.
That’s a lot of full fat dairy for a family of five. But then again, we don’t buy any sodas, boxed breakfast cereal, and other processed foods so even though the fresh dairy is expensive, it fits within the budget.
Just my opinion, but I would go from two cars to one or move to a smaller house if necessary to afford our raw dairy. You can’t put a price on health. It is more important than any possession.
“Health is the first wealth” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
In light of how much saturated fat my family is consuming, some of you might be thinking that we surely must be a family of large people.
As it turns out, none of us has a weight problem. It’s really true – eat your whole, unprocessed fats and don’t skimp! It really does help keep you trim!
How much raw dairy does your family consume? I want to know and I’m sure others would too!
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist.com
I am amazed at all of the raw milk drinkers! I live in Ohio and it has been short of impossible for me to find raw milk. I will think I have located a source for cow herd sharing and then they aren’t available. I am praying this will change. How hard is it to raise your own milk cow?
We easily drink 7 gallons of whole milk now.
marie
First I would like to say hello. I am new to this blog and really am enjoying it so far.
Well I feel very blessed, I get raw milk for $2/gallon from a freind and raw goat’s milk for $6/gallon. Yes they are grass fed. The dairy farmer I go to has Jersey cows so lot’s of cream, Yum! My family of 5 easily go thru 7 gallons/week. Sometimes more, I have two boys in puberty and we are going thru it like crazy now. My oldest boy has a cancerous brain tumor (made a comment on the vaccine blog about this), and craves raw milk, I mean craves it. His Dr. said there must be something he needs from it, so let him have as much as he wants.
We converted to raw milk about 6 months ago. Like I said, my oldest son has a brain tumor, and had delayed puberty. So we had to go see and Endcrinologist. She is a wonderful Dr. I want to share my son’s story as I feel this has a lot to do with the benefits of raw milk versus store milk. When we were there she said, did you notice your son’s breast were larger than normal, I said yes we had. She said that is somewhat normal in puberty for boys to have some breast tissue get a little large, but his were too large for his size. She then went on to tell me they are now seeing boys as young as 5 with growing breasts. They are advising parents to use to avoid milk with rBGH in it, because they believe this is the cause. Although she cannot recommend raw milk, this is what we chose. This is an Endocrinologist at a reputable Children’s Hosp. here in OH. She then saw all three of my boys, they all had the same issue, my youngest is very skinny, it is not due to weight. She recommended goat’s milk, but we went raw. This is just our story and why I am an advocate for raw milk legalization nationally.
Also, my hubby and I are trying lose weight, doing all the fat free items, skim milk, you know the drill. We couldn’t lose. Now we drink full fat milk, eat full fat butter, and eat as much grass fed meats as possible, we have both started losing weight and we feel better too.
My family of 4, which includes myself, my husband (who only drinks a cup or two a week) and then a 4 year old boy and a 2 year old boy go through 7 gallons a week. Plus we can’t buy raw butter here in Utah or raw cream here so we just buy the 365 brand butter but go through 4 lbs of that a week. Oh and then we go through roughly a quart of yogurt a week and about 3 pounds of cheese. We go through ALOT. In fact, I have to but limits on how much milk my kids drank because we were going through 10-11 gallons a week and my kids would just drink milk all day and not eat anything!
I have a family of 7. I buy 4 gallons of fresh grassfed raw milk every week. I am working on trying to incorporate making yogurt too. And we use only the best butter I can (right now that is either Kerry Gold or Organic Valley pasture butter). I would probably use some cream too if I could get it raw in my area. I can get it cold pasteurized if I am willing and able to make the drive.
That depends on if I’m making yogurt each week, which I usually do. We eat homemade yogurt daily and also drink raw milk at lunch, but not every day. I also use raw milk most mornings in a smoothie. I’d say between the two of us, age 62, we consume one gallon of whole raw milk each week, plus 1-2 small jars of homemade yogurt from that milk, daily. I also might add cream to the yogurt, and use a little cream in cooking, and on oatmeal. Desserts like ice cream and milk shakes would be spurges for us seniors, but I understand if you have growing children they’d be a must. Some evening we make our desserts a fruit lassi. Butter? Gotta have butter! We go through half to one pound a week, grassfed of course, and I’ve been making my own ghee with it also. Traditional people did not consume fresh milk through out the whole year. They couldn’t if the cows were pregnant or nursing their calves. Didn’t they consume it in the form of hard cheeses? We eat a lot of cheese also.
I myself drink 2 gallons a week. I use some of it make kefir. It’s removed all my tooth sensitivity.
My family of 3 adults and one 14mo drink 2gal per week! We love our raw milk! I wish I could afford more so I could make yogurt and butter. 🙂
The four of us (hubby, me and 2 kids) go through 4 to 5 gallons a week! We usually run out on milk day as well. So good and so good for you! I would go without, though, before going back to even organic milk. Raw milk and yogurt are the best! Thanks for the post, Sarah 🙂
I drink a half gallon a week. It’s $4.50 a half gallon and $9.00 a gallon in Portland, Oregon. My family lives in Upstate NY, near Syracuse and they pay just $3.50 for a gallon. Every cent is worth it for our farmers and our health.
I forgot to say we usually go through about 3 Gal every 2 weeks for two little ones but we have been doing less lately because I’m not sure if hay fed milk is as good for us as grass fed milk.