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(Madelyn last month, 6 months)

Raw Milk: The Ugly

The following is part 4 of Dale’s series - Raw Milk: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The battle between raw milk advocates and pasteurization advocates is heating up and it may get ugly. Here are some of the arguments.
Raw milk advocates:
“There are health benefits of raw milk.”
“Legalizing raw milk is a way to connect consumers with local farmers and it keeps dollars in the local economy.”
“I want to buy raw milk so that I can make my own raw milk cheese which is safe.”
“The government lets you smoke when we know that smoking kills, but you can’t drink raw milk.”
“Every year hundreds are killed by drunk drivers, but we still don’t crack down on them. If fact, legally you can have a couple of drinks and still drive. But you can’t drink raw milk and drive.”
“We are on the verge of legalizing marijuana, but you still can’t buy raw milk.”
“Outlawing raw milk is a conspiracy by the large milk cooperatives to put the little farmers out of business and to maintain control of their market.”
“The government wants to regulate everything, including what we eat.”
The Farm Bureau and dairy farmer associations:
“If the public hears of a case of food poisoning from tainted milk, demand for dairy products will plummet, even if it was raw milk. Remember what happened to the spinach farmers.”
Organic Valley and Horizon organic dairy cooperatives:
“We pay our farmers a large premium for their organic milk. It isn’t fair for our farmers to take advantage of our marketing efforts by selling the same raw milk directly to people.”
Health departments and health care workers:
“Food poisoning from dairy products is almost completely preventable through pasteurization. It seems a small price to pay for public health.”
“Pasteurized milk is not significantly different from raw milk and it is fortified with vitamins.”
“Pasteurizing is cheaper than the health care costs of food poisoning.”
“Uninformed consumers may buy raw milk from dairy farms that do not maintain proper cleanliness.”
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the Human Society:
“Let’s close down all animal agriculture and eat vegiburgers and tofu.
“Soy milk is a great substitute for cow milk.”
Dale Johnson
I am torn by this issue. I agree with all of the above statements except for PETA and HS. I am a member of “People Eating Tasty Animals” and anyone who says soy milk is a great substitute for cow’s milk cannot be taken seriously.
A coworker of mine who is an animal scientist told me pasteurization does not change the structure of milk, that the enzymes and other components are unaltered by the heating process so that the claim of health benefits of raw milk are bogus. I am an economist by training, but I cannot believe that heating milk does not change it in some way. We may not be able to observe changes with our current scientific tests, but I wouldn’t be surprised if, in the future, we detect significant changes from pasteurization that diminish health benefits.
Maryland outlaws all raw milk sales. Pennsylvania allows regulated raw milk sales by farmers directly to customers. Virginia allows cow shares but in practicality it is a very cumbersome process for the farmer and customer. I haven’t researched the regulations in other states. A farmer in Ontario, Canada was acquitted of 19 charges of distributing raw milk because the judge said he was distributing it to joint owners of his cows and not the public at large. I hope that Myron Martin is successful in his crusade to legalize raw milk sales in Maryland.
My experience is that most people who want to drink raw milk are those who scrutinize everything they eat and that this leads to healthy diets that may reduce obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other diet related illnesses. What are your thoughts about raw milk?
This is a satellite photo of Threemile Canyon Farms near Boardman, Oregon. There are over 20,000 cows at this industrial milk factory. It put 200 family farms similar to Myron & Janet Martin’s farm out of business.

A group of Pennsylvania farmers (many Amish) at a “pasture walk” learning from each other how to improve their management so that they can try to compete with Threemile Canyon Farms.

Here is how I want my milk made - cows contently graze in the early morning fog of a bucolic Maryland pasture.

Eggsistentialism

by Michael

I don’t have all the answers to how achieve a fulfilling life but I do have some answers on how to have a more fulfilling meal. In our quest to become more self sufficient, one of the food sources that we have come to rely on more than anything else is the eggs that our chickens produce. We have found that even in the frigid, high desert, Utah winters, our chickens continue to lay an abundance of eggs as long as we keep them warm. This is done by using a heat lamp. We are continually looking for new ways to utilize our eggs. Usually we will eat them for breakfast or as an ingredient in cakes, homemade pastas, and breads. More recently we have been trying to assess ways to use our eggs for dinner as well. Here is one of our favorite recipes for a nice warm winter dinner that has eggs as a main ingredient.

Egg Drop Soup Recipe

3 cans chicken broth

1/2 cup green onions

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 tsp soy sauce

3 large eggs

Bring stock to simer. Add green onions, mushrooms and soy sauce. Bring back to a simmer. Simmer for 3 mins. Add eggs in steady stream while stirring. Dish up!

This recipe by itself is very good and you can use it on its own. I think you can use most kinds of mushrooms but my preference is oyster mushrooms because of their meaty texture and the way they hold up firm in the heat. If you want to spice up your soup I recommend making this baked tofu recipe to go with it.

Tofu Recipe

16 ox package tofu (we prefer extra firm)

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tbs. sugar

2 tbs. ketchup

1 tbs. vinegar

dash of chili sauce

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Cut tofu into bit size cubes. Mix remaining ingredients. Marinate tofu for at least 5 minutes. Put in baking pan and bake 15 minutes. Stir, bake 15 more minutes.

We started eating the tofu as a side dish to the soup and I don’t remember how but someone in our family decided to put their tofu in the soup and it was wonderful. Here is the best way to make it. Marinate the tofu like the recipe recommends. Cook the tofu in the oven for 15 minutes. Stir the tofu, and put it back in the oven. Then make the soup while the tofu cooks for the second 15 minute period. Dish up your soup and add some of the Tofu and soy sauce into the soup and you are in egg drop soup heaven. This is a fresh, light, but filling dish that we love in the cold winter months.

Raw Milk: The Bad

The following is part 3 of Dale’s series - Raw Milk: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

by Dale

Bukhara, Uzbekistan. It started with mild discomfort through the night – Mr. Stomach letting the taste buds know that a mistake had been made. Mr. Brain hoped for a quick resolution to the problem. But this was not to be. The digestive system armies of good organisms were slowly being overwhelmed by the legions of evil food borne pathogens.
The next morning I was on a dairy farm outside Bukhara. When I realized that things were only going to get worse, I excused myself and asked my driver to take me back to the hotel. It amazed me how a mild skirmish in my stomach escalated into a full fledged war. As the miles ticked off and I was getting sicker, I rolled down the car window in anticipation of an eruption. Through prayer and perseverance I held it off until I reached the hotel. I ran to the front desk, grabbed my key and charged up to my room. I barely got into the bathroom and dropped to my knees before I exploded into the toilet.
When it was over I grabbed the bathtub to support myself and then drug myself to the bed. For the next six hours, each end of my digestive system competed to see who could create the biggest detonation, reminiscent of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I am sure that the blasts were so loud that everyone else in the hotel was saying “That is one sick American.” At one point I thought “I am going out to throw myself over my seventh floor balcony into the court yard below” But then I remembered my family waiting for me back at home.
What was the culprit? Most likely the unpasteurized dairy products I had eaten on a dairy farm I had visited the day before. Does this happen in the United States? Yes. Every year a few people get sick from drinking raw milk. Raw milk is risky. On a cow, the udder and teats are downhill from the anus and the tail is the path between them. Farmers do a great job keeping the cows, the barn, and the milking parlor clean. But just as the old bumper sticker says “S_ _ _ Happens”. And eventually some particles are going to get into the milk, not to mention other naturally occurring pathogens. And that is why milk is pasteurized.
Does my experience in Uzbekistan keep me from drinking raw milk? No. The farmers I get raw milk from are very particular about cleanliness. Am I still at risk? Yes, but the risk is very small. Will I ever quit drinking it? Yes, when my immune system is compromised by disease or old age. Do I discourage others from drinking it? Yes - young children, the elderly, and those with deficient immune systems. I would encourage anyone who starts drinking raw milk to go slowly and allow your body to condition itself. And remember, there is a risk and this is the BAD side of raw milk.
Next in this series – I will discuss the “Ugly” of raw milk, that is, the battle over legalizing it.

On a dairy farm in Uzbekistan

Dale emphasizing a fundament principle – keep feed in front of cows all the time to improve milk production.

Teaching dairy economics to a group of dairy farmers.

Popcorn is the Tops

by Megan

Did you know that popcorn is actually a really good snack idea? We eat tons of it around here. Here is some info on the health benefits of popcorn:

A new study carried out at the University of Scranton showed that popcorn has some surprising health benefits. Popcorn is high in antioxidants, most notably, polyphenols – a group of natural plant chemicals that have a variety of health benefits. Polyphenols are the same group of compounds that give red wine, tea, olive oil, and chocolate their beneficial properties. Not only do they scavenge free radicals and protect against cell damage, they’re being investigated for their anti-cancer properties and heart protective properties. In fact, the researchers found that the polyphenol content of good, old-fashioned popcorn rivals that of many fruits and vegetables.
Another health benefit of popcorn? It’s a whole grain in the same league as oatmeal, barley, brown rice, and millet – grains that are known for their health benefits. All of these grains retain the bran and germ of the plant which is the source of most of the vitamins and minerals - in contrast to refined grains where these vitamin-rich components have been stripped away. Three cups of popcorn is equivalent to a single serving of a whole grain food. Popcorn is also a good source of fiber which helps to increase satiety and give a sense of fullness and satisfaction that lasts for hours. This can be helpful for weight control since popcorn without butter is low in calories.

Though popcorn is my snack of choice, I am really really REALLY against microwave popcorn. Ok, so maybe I overstated that a bit but I just can't bring myself to buy it. It's sooo overpriced, it's REALLY awful for you, and it makes your house smell like fake "popcorn scent" for days. I know, my horse has gotten so high I just might hurt myself. Really though, here is some interesting info I found on another site about microwave popcorn:

A report from the FDA indicates that a chemical coating used in microwave popcorn bags breaks down when heated into a substance called perfluorooctanoic (PFOA). The Environmental Protection Agency has identified PFOA as a “likely carcinogen.” Another study has found an acid that can be extracted from the chemical causes cancer in animals and is “likely to cause cancer in humans.”
A second potential danger in microwave popcorn is diacetyl, an FDA-approved chemical found in the fake butter flavoring. There’s even a debilitating respiratory disease called “popcorn workers lung,” (the medical name of the condition is bronchiolitis obliterans) suffered by microwave popcorn factory workers caused by extended inhalation of the chemical’s fumes. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, (NIOSH) concluded that diacetyl needs further study so that workers in the flavorings and snack industry are no longer at risk

And now that I've gotten you good and scared about eating it anymore let me tell you some other options. First off, you can cook it in a little oil on your stovetop. There's some instruction for that here.

Or did you know that you can make your own microwaveable popcorn with a cheap paper bag? Click here to read more about that.

Or you can use my method of choice - the air popper.

We own a simple air popper that we got at the grocery store and we are totally happy with it. Even though it's loud, here's what I like aboutit - I can make a serious amount of popcorn instead of the small amount I'd get in a bag. I've got four boys so that is important to me. Second, I can pour the popcorn in and walk away. I don't have to worry about anything burning or scorching or being undercooked. The popped kernels fly out and the old maids that take a little longer stay in until they're ready. And lastly, it's a clean slate - I can add or not add oil, salt, or other flavorings.

Our favorite way to eat popcorn is to drizzle on some extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle some nutritional yeast flakes on and add a little salt. Nutritional yeast is a heavy hitter when it comes to nutrition and it gives the popcorn a really good savory flavor that my kids go nuts for. And for a sweet treat just like Kettle Corn but much healthier try drizzling on some maple syrup and a dash of salt.

Raw Milk: The Good

The following is part 2 of Dale’s series - Raw Milk: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

I drive down a long lane and over a creek to Peace Hollow Farm, an organic grazing dairy farm run by Myron and Janet Martin in the hills of Western Maryland. Beside me in the passenger seat sits 4 glass gallon jugs. I walk into the milk room next to the dairy parlor. The gleaming white painted walls and floor are spotless. But my attention is immediately drawn to the shiny stainless steel 2,000 gallon milk tank. I put my hand on it and it is cold – 34 degrees F. I can hear an agitator slowly stir the milk within. I walk over to the sink and retrieve a spigot. I lean down and remove the plug at the bottom of the milk tank. I attach the spigot and turn the tank valve on to fill my jugs with the precious white liquid. I turn the valve off, replace the spigot with the plug and rinse out the spigot in the sink for the next user. I tuck $12 in a jar labeled “Donations”. I return to my car with my treasure. On my drive out of the farmyard I see Myron in the distance and wave. My spirits are lifted by his smile and my heart is lightened by the thoughts of him and his good wife Janet raising their natural and adopted children along with foster children in need of a home. Lucky is the foster child who makes it into this home for Myron and Janet are Christians, as good a people as Heavenly Father has placed on this earth.
But Myron and I have just broken the law, even if I went home and fed the milk to my cats. It doesn’t matter that Myron let me take the milk for free and I just happened to leave a donation. Even if Myron sold me a share in the cows, he could not give me “my milk” from “my cows”. And this is all evident as the Health department put an end to it in December. They threatened to revoke Myron’s milk license and fine him if he continued this activity. So now my family is back to Grade A, pasteurized, homogenized, vitamin A&D fortified, “BST free” milk. Ugh!
Why do I want raw milk? Raw milk is to a milk connoisseur what a fine wine is to a wine connoisseur. The taste and texture can be savored. Each week can bring a subtle change in the flavor depending on if the cows graze a pasture of lush grass or if they are fed sweet fermented corn silage and alfalfa hay. Raw milk hasn’t been mixed with the milk of a hundred other farmers and pasteurized & homogenized into a boringly uniform product. Some people claim health benefits from enzymes and other components unadulterated by the heating process. Some claim that the larger unhomogenized fat globules are more likely to pass through the human digestive tract without being absorbed by the body, thus making raw milk less fattening. Some lactose intolerant people claim they can drink raw milk. There are many other claims, some reasonable, some wild. I don’t make these arguments. I just like the taste. I like skimming the cream off the top to make ice cream on a hot summer’s evening or to put on my Scottish oatmeal on a cold winter morning, or to churn it into butter for my baked potato or to whip it up to top my pumpkin pie. I also like getting the milk from Peace Hollow Farm and donating to their good work.
Do Myron and Janet benefit from selling raw milk? Not really because the $3/gallon underpriced donation is about the same as the price they receive from the milk they sell to the Organic Valley milk cooperative. But Peace Hollow customers also buy vegetables from the Peace Hollow children or eggs and meat from Myron’s sister. And Myron and Janet just want to make people happy. Other non-organic farmers who sell raw milk do get a higher price than they would from the milk cooperative.
In the eyes of many, raw milk is - well - just plain GOOD!
Next in this series – I will discuss the “Bad” of raw milk, that is, what can possibly go wrong from indulging in it.

Myron and Janet Martin of Peace Hollow Farm

The good life of a dairy cow at Peace Hollow

Milking cows is a family affair

Making corn silage for winter feed

Afternoon nap at Peace Hollow

Happy Valentines Day

Love is always bestowed as a gift freely, willingly, and without expectation. We don't love to be loved; we love to love.

Leo F. Buscaglia