Health and Raw Milk

[Michelle]

I have never had raw milk before, I would like to try it but don't know where to buy it and is it safe?
My daughter says that her health teacher told her that only babies should drink milk. Adults don't need it and it is bad for us.

[Country Kids]

I'm not sure what raw milk is but......when I was very little we would walk up the road and buy milk right from the local dairy farmer. Was probably in glass bottles but can't remember. I do remember that my parents stopped buying it when they found straw/hay in it though. I think it scared my parents because if that was in it what else could be in it.

Just a little side note from my childhood and local dairy farmer.

[SilverSabre25]

I have never had raw milk before, I would like to try it but don't know where to buy it and is it safe?
My daughter says that her health teacher told her that only babies should drink milk. Adults don't need it and it is bad for us.

This is definitely true...at least insofar as we don't need milk for any reason. Everything milk provides can be gotten, usually better, from other sources--assuming one's diet is varied and rich with fresh veggies, legumes, etc.

Many adults are lactose intolerant and don't realize it--look at the huge market for digestive aids of one sort or another--to relieve heartburn, diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating... it's considered totally normal to need these products on a regular basis. It's NOT normal, though. I firmly believe that the causes are plentiful, but include things such as widespread lactose intolerance. Soy intolerance. Corn allergies. Gluten intolerance. Allergies to food dyes and artificial flavors. Preservatives. Things you don't even know are in your food but are allergic to and will never know it because we don't even know it's there.

[Solandia]

I wouldn't buy raw milk, nor would I give it to daycare kids. I grew up in dairy country, and the only milk I liked was from my uncles farm. It is pasturized onthe tank on the farm, but not homogenized. I still, to this day, swirl the jugs of milk before I pour it. Old habits die hard.

We stopped milk when my 13yo was toddler and had a bazillion ear infections. Her last round if antibiotics for her ear was when we cut all her dairy intake. It wasn't until she was 3ish before she could even have cheese I'd yogurt without getting ear ache. My dh hasn't have bronchitis since then(he would get it all the time). My second dd was a spaz with milk (think severe ADHD &tantrums). My third hard horrible reflux with milk based formula, and even as a 2yo, needs pepto to sleep at night when his bio mom feeds him ice-cream of cheats at a visit. My youngest has no issues with milk, like me.

But since I am no longer licensed, I don't have to serve milk, and I don't. We have almond & soy here....but that is for my toddlers' sippy cups before bedtime at night (part of their bedtime routine) During the day is 100% water for drinking. The eat very well,all sorts of foods... No need to drink their calories.

[momofboys]

It's sad! I grew up on a small farm (I say small compared to the mega farms some people have these days) & we bought raw milk from a neighbor farmer. Drank it all my growing up years. We were never sick as a result & it was the best (my mom would even use the cream that rose to the top to make homemade butter every week or whipped cream for pie). I wish I had access to it for my own kids these days, just because it would be healthier than the milk in the stores IMO.

Edited to add - I have watched Food, Inc - very intrigiuing & mind-opening. My dad was a farmer & we raised pigs on the farm & he aslo harvested acres & acres of crops, mostly corn. However, this was back in the day before all the fuss about using the proper seeds & not using old seed (if I remember correctly from Food, Inc). Not sure how my dad would have done it but if anyone could have stood up to something that was unfair my dad would have. Monsanto is evil!

[Countrygal]

My second dd was a spaz with milk (think severe ADHD &tantrums).

Interesting....haven't tried this with dgs. Maybe I will. Never thought of milk as exasperating the problem!

But since I am no longer licensed, I don't have to serve milk, and I don't. We have almond & soy here.

These are exactly the types of things I am struggling with. My food care worker "frowns on" me using my fresh, free range, wonderfully healthy eggs for the daycare. Do you know what I can sell them for???? But I can't use them for the daycare kids. I can't serve my home-canned jelly that is made from hand-picked wild blackberries and elderberries or from hand-picked blueberrys and strawberries and at least contains all of the fresh fruit straight from the farm! Sometimes you just have to wonder what's the deal. Our state has a law where you can sell home-canned products if they are pickled or jellies. I think it was mainly passed for the Amish, they have a pretty strong lobby group here.

I recently researched the number of deaths from botulism. In a report I found from the ND state gov't it says: 110 cases annually in US of botulism,only 25% of the 110 are due to food, and 75% are infant botulism, many from consuming honey. Out of the SEVEN cases a year in the UNITED STATES that are left (even if you want to count the whole 27.5 cases), only about 5% die in this day and age. That means that about 1 1/3 people die of botulism caused by improper canning methods. I'm sure the gov't takes the credit for these much improved figures over the last 25 years, and they are certainly due their share by regulating the canning industry standards of production, esp. in methods used. However, I believe the decreased rate clearly reflects the better canning methods available today and, yes, the propaganda put out by USDA concerning proper canning methods.

Here is the link for my info: http://www.ndhan.gov/data/mrFacts/Bo...0Q%20&%20A.pdf

[makap]

This is definitely true...at least insofar as we don't need milk for any reason. Everything milk provides can be gotten, usually better, from other sources--assuming one's diet is varied and rich with fresh veggies, legumes, etc.

Many adults are lactose intolerant and don't realize it--look at the huge market for digestive aids of one sort or another--to relieve heartburn, diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating... it's considered totally normal to need these products on a regular basis. It's NOT normal, though. I firmly believe that the causes are plentiful, but include things such as widespread lactose intolerance. Soy intolerance. Corn allergies. Gluten intolerance. Allergies to food dyes and artificial flavors. Preservatives. Things you don't even know are in your food but are allergic to and will never know it because we don't even know it's there.

This is so true!

[makap]

My food care worker "frowns on" me using my fresh, free range, wonderfully healthy eggs for the daycare. Do you know what I can sell them for???? But I can't use them for the daycare kids. I can't serve my home-canned jelly that is made from hand-picked wild blackberries and elderberries or from hand-picked blueberrys and strawberries and at least contains all of the fresh fruit straight from the farm!

This is why I refuse to ever get licensed. I babysit children in my home and my parents love that I serve to them the same healthy foods that I feed to my own family.

[makap]

“They are trying to work the system so they can dismiss public comments more quickly and easily in order to speed things up"

USDA Says Rule Changes to Hasten Modified Crop Approvals

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-22/genetically-modified-crops-will-get-faster-approval-usda-says.html

[nannyde]

“They are trying to work the system so they can dismiss public comments more quickly and easily in order to speed things up"

USDA Says Rule Changes to Hasten Modified Crop Approvals

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-0...usda-says.html

It's not a concern about competition from other countries cuz monsanto has nearly the entire US market. It's a concern about how fast they can get each individual crop over to GMO so that the lawsuits can go and shut down every farmer of every crop. The quicker the approval the quicker they can get folks who have their own seed sued out of business.

Please don't get me started on Monsanto. I will end up getting booted off of this board because it infuriates me and I hate them so much. I believe they are the devil and I am not joking.

I live in beautiful Iowa where we can grow some food in our rich soil and good crop weather. Do you KNOW how hard it is to get food that doesn't have ANY GMO anywhere in the chain? Thank goodness I live near a high concentration of Amish folks. They are my go to for a LOT of stuff. They have pure seed but eventually they will be a target too........... monsanto will prevail over religion .. on that you can rely. They can win over health..... they will win over religious freedom too.

[makap]

I believe they are the devil and I am not joking.

monsanto will prevail over religion .. on that you can rely. They can win over health..... they will win over religious freedom too.

I agree and I am absolutely terrified for the future of our children.

[nannyde]

I agree and I am absolutely terrified for the future of our children.

I can tell you some people I follow that you can follow on Facebook and google them.

I love Chef Ann Cooper she will knock your socks off. Anything you can get from her on video you will enjoy. She's brilliant

Jeffery Smith http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPvkZv5MfRw
He is amazing and has a way to explain stuff in really simple terms

Polyface Farm: Anything by Joel Salatin He has a few books that are cute and irreverant.

Michael Pollan Anything he does lecture wise is wonderful and he has a ton of books and interviews online

Slow food movement

[Michael]

I believe they are the devil and I am not joking.

monsanto will prevail over religion .. on that you can rely. They can win over health..... they will win over religious freedom too.

To get there all they need is a willing administration.

I agree and I am absolutely terrified for the future of our children.

Get involved in educating people. The internet is a great way to reach people......while you still can.

[Mary Poppins]

Please don't get me started on Monsanto. I will end up getting booted off of this board because it infuriates me and I hate them so much. I believe they are the devil and I am not joking.

I tell EVERYONE to watch The Future of Food. I saw it a few months ago on Netflix and was shocked. I agree with you, they may not be the devil himself but they are his agents!

Back to the topic:

We grow our own food and have no regs as far as the dc is concerned because I am legally unlicensed. I am not on the food program but I still wouldn't serve raw milk though, because of the potential liability. Not to mention that I am starting to believe, like many here, that cow's milk is not good for humans period.

[AmyLeigh]

Please don't get me started on Monsanto.

I decided this a couple of years ago: One of my goals in life is to go day by day not give a penny to Monsanto. I don't care how much it costs. I don't care how much work it is. It's not always possible but it's on my mind with every food dollar. I go to a LOT of extremes to source food that doesn't pay them a thin dime.

I fail on treats. I know the Schwanns bars I eat can be tracked back to them and the candy I buy from the U.S. But at the end of the year I think it's less than a hundred dollars total.

Not perfect but as close as I can get without having a little treats now and then.

I want the government OUT of my food. I want to feed my kids what I think is right.

Nan, I believe you garden, right? Are you aware that Monsanto bought Seminis seeds? If you don't want to let the EVIL EMPIRE to have anymore of your hard earned $$$$, then check this list out.

http://www.agardenforthehouse.com/2012/02/forewarned-is-forearmed-veggie-varieties-owned-by-monsanto/