Raw milk?

[acoffman]

we are looking to switch to raw milk, but sadly holding back because of cost. Is there anyone here that has made the switch and can share their experiences? What is the average cost?

[secretariat88]

We buy raw milk from a local dairy about 15 minutes away. I buy two gallons every week and a half and pay $4 a gallon for fresh cows milk. The cost for me is about $12-$16 a month for just the milk and this month it will cost about $14 in gasoline at the current prices though last month the price was about $11 for gas. If it were not for the gas prices it would be very reasonable and about the same as buying it at the store. But it is still so worth it to me. I don't want to feed them dead paustrized food, and I don't want to keep poking holes in their arteries and having their body repair it using fat globules which leads to clogged arteries using homeogenized milk. So raw milk is so much healthier it's worth it to me.

[acoffman]

Thank you for your reply. I have been trying to read what I can about it from realmilk.com. Can you recommend other sites as well? Where are you located? Did you just contact a farm, or do you get your milk along with a co-op or group of people? I was in touch with what I think is the closest one to me, and it is herd sharing here. It figures out to be $5 a gallon by the time we are done, and with a family of 7, I was estimating 5 gallons a week. (total cost will be approx. $100) I have cut us back some, and maybe I could more. I am totally convinced of its benefits, and because my husband has been having stomach/digestion discomfort for awhile, I started buying primadopholis which is pretty expensive. I told him that the raw milk would have that healthy bacteria in it, which would save on the cost of the meds.
Every time I buy milk at the store, I feel guilty that we aren't switching yet.

[Passelofkids]

Originally Posted by acoffman Thank you for your reply. I have been trying to read what I can about it from realmilk.com. Can you recommend other sites as well? Where are you located? Did you just contact a farm, or do you get your milk along with a co-op or group of people? I was in touch with what I think is the closest one to me, and it is herd sharing here. It figures out to be $5 a gallon by the time we are done, and with a family of 7, I was estimating 5 gallons a week. (total cost will be approx. $100) I have cut us back some, and maybe I could more. I am totally convinced of its benefits, and because my husband has been having stomach/digestion discomfort for awhile, I started buying primadopholis which is pretty expensive. I told him that the raw milk would have that healthy bacteria in it, which would save on the cost of the meds. Every time I buy milk at the store, I feel guilty that we aren't switching yet.

WOW! Thank you for posting this website. I found a local farmer group (I guess a co-op). It is pricey $7 a gallon, BUT they deliver to your door! Just like the old milk men
Every Friday my milk man will come

[acoffman]

I would love to have the "milk man" come to our door, that is so great for you. I tried to contact a goat farm to ask about goat milk and I will see how the price compares.

[home2learn]

I would like to switch as well but here in Cali it's so expensive! We go thru 5 gals a week as well for 6 of us (I don't drink milk because I watch my sugar intake). I would also like to know if there is an easy way to go about getting milk directly from a dairy farmer.
Great thread!

[acoffman]

For me, the only thing I can come up with online is the one contact I have mentioned, but I am hoping to find someone else who purchases raw milk so maybe there will be someone closer. We have an Amish/Menn. village south of us, so I thought about taking a drive there and visiting the shops and asking around there.
I really have no excuse for not switching, except that I believe my husband and I need to be together on this decision, and that is not true quite yet. I strongly believe that our health and our children's well being/health is more important than a little extra cost, but I need to help dh see this.
It's good to hear from others who have either switched or are interested also.

[newtocding]

I am wanting to switch, too. I'm wondering what kind of questions to ask the farmer? I found a group of Amish that have milk, but I don't know what to ask them. I'm sure they don't give antibiotics or vax's, but I will ask anyways. Their's is really cheap--$2.50 a gallon! The prob is they live about 30 miles away

[acoffman]

Are you in Ohio? If so, please tell me where this is We are in Akron, and because I am new here to Ohio, I am trying to find my way around. I would be willing to go in on transporting etc. with someone if needed. I really want to make the switch, but want to research any options I have in where I purchase.

[pixiepunk]

the realmilk website has a great list state by state of places that sell or cow share raw milk. depending on what state you live in and what your laws are regarding raw milk, asking around might be a great way to go or it might do you absolutely no good at all. where i live, raw milk even in cow shares is illegal, so no one wants to talk about it or admit that they get it or have it to give. luckily i leave close to the state line near a state where cow shares *are* legal, so i just make the drive (which i do for other shopping and things anyway). if you live in an area friendly to raw milk, you could try asking at the local health food store. also, asking folks like chiropractors, massage therapists, doulas, midwives, yoga teachers.... anyone who is likely to be interested in natural foods and healthy living, will likely yield some good information. you might also try posting inquiries on your local freecycle and craigslist (again, if you live in a raw milk friendly area).

but i actually *save* money buying raw milk. where i get it, it's $2 per half-gallon, so $4 a gallon (there's a bottle deposit of $2 for each half-gallon, but after the first time you don't really pay it since you're getting a $2 credit for the bottles you return). I refuse to give my family anything but organic milk if i must buy from the grocery store because of the hormones and abx, and was paying $3-$4 for a half-gallon on average. So raw milk is saving me money. but even if it wasn't, i think the extra expense would be worth it. it's so much better for you.

perhaps a compromise if cost is a big concern would be to buy some milk from the store that you would use for cooking and things, and then only use the raw milk for drinking? like, i use raw milk for making yogurt, and pudding but i do have to heat it up first and it largely kills the good bacteria in the raw milk. so organic pasteurized milk in that circumstance wouldn't bother me too much.

also, from a cost perspective, if you use the cream to make your own butter, you might end up saving some money on that end - especially if you're getting cream from like 6 gallons a week. that would make a nice amount of butter.