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 live in Minnesota and I can’t seem to find a raw milk supplier. I tried to e-mail a local chapter leader from the WAP but never got a response 🙁 I’m not sure who to call or how to find out where I can find raw milk. Does anyone have any ideas?
Hey Kris,
Did you look on the WAPF website on the campaign for real milk? It has a listing by state of quality milk suppliers. My fam lives in Minneapolis- I wonder if they have heard of anything? I can ask!
We have our own goats so we have endless milk! But typically we go through at least 3-4 gallons a week for a family of four with two kids that are 7 and 8. I swap milk for farm raised eggs weekly and I get butter from the amish. Typically goat milk goes for $12/gallon in Alabama and $8/gallon for cows milk.
We’re going through 4.5 gallons every two weeks for 3 of us. (2 adults, 1 16yo girl) It goes way up when the three boys are home from school. I pay $10/gallon for it in the winter and I have to drive an hour each way to get it. (In the summer I have a friend with cows an only pay $6/ gallon and it’s local). I make butter, kefir and sometimes yogurt (don’t have good luck with raw yogurt). I would give up a lot of things to keep my raw dairy (tv/cable/new phones and gadgets/fashion).
But I agree that it is so unfair that everyone doesn’t have legal and reasonably affordable access to this perfect health food!
for the people who live in PA, can you tell me the place you buy your raw milk from? I live not to far from Philadelphia and the closest store charges $8 for raw milk. Please email me directly
I envy all of you in the States. We pay $20 to $22 per gallon in Canada. So one gallon per week would probably be all we could afford. Would love to go through four to six gallons per week but the cost is prohibitive.
I have nine children living at home, and between the 11 of us, we go through 15 gallons a week and 1 1/2 gallon of cream. Yep. You read that right, 15 gallons!
question for you all — I am lactose intollerant and can not consume any milk. I can eat
butter with no problem. I have been told if you are born intolerant to milk(which I was)
you will not be able to consume raw milk either. Also anyone have info on this? My Mom
who is 93 and does consume milk gave up raw milk because of a very bad intestinal
bacteria which I understand came from the raw milk. I have been told that infants and
the elderly no longer have the ability to kill off the natural occuring bacteria in raw milk
and should not consume it. Any one with info on this? I hate her drinking organic
pasturized milk when we do have access to raw milk locally. HELP!
I came late to the party but I live in Indiana and we could only buy Raw Milk as “pet food”. Very recently we won the right to buy Raw Milk for human consumption!! I am the only one who drinks it in my house although Hubby eats all the cheese I make from it. I need to drink more because I only drink about 8ounces daily. We get ours for about 6$ a gallon and buy 2 gallons at a time.
Raw goats milk has saved my life! I avoided milk my entire life because I was lactose intolerant but I crave milk like crazy now and it’s helped my digestion immensely. I’m at about 1 gallon per week and I’m 36 yrs old. I do worry that it will get even harder to source in the state that I live. I will move if I have to!