We offer shares of fresh Jersey milk for those wishing to enjoy whole, 'raw' milk. The milk is unpasteurized and non-homogenized (read: lots of cream!) and each share represents partial ownership of the cow, which equals out to one gallon of milk per week per share.
Why should I purchase a cow share?
In Indiana it is illegal to sell 'raw' milk. It is illegal to sell it but not to drink it from a cow that you own. Many people don't have the space and time to devote to a family cow so we will take care of those obligations for you. In return you pay a monthly boarding fee which covers the care of your cow.
Do you feed the cow(s) grain?
We do give a small amount of grain while milking. We do this because dairy cows have a tendency to put all of their effort into milk production, even to the detriment of their health. We feed excellent quality hay and alfalfa which makes the wonderfully creamy Jersey milk; the grain helps her maintain her good condition (animal term for health). We feed locally grown, non-GM grain.
Where do the cow(s) live?
On our farm outside of Bloomington.
How much processing is done to the milk?
We hand milk twice per day. We milk into a stainless steel bucket. Once milking is done we immediately strain the milk using a stainless steel milk strainer into glass bottles. The glass bottles are put directly into an ice water bath and then are refrigerated until they are delivered to you.
How does milk pick-up work?
Milk can be picked up directly on the farm at a pre-arranged time. We are also in Bloomington several days a week and are happy to deliver milk if this would be more convenient. We transport milk in coolers filled with ice so that they will remain cold until delivery. Since we are about 25 miles from Bloomington we suggest that, if you choose to pick up the milk from the farm, that you bring a cooler as well now that we've hit those hot, humid Indiana days.
What is the milk stored in?
We do not like plastic. It isn't environmentally friendly, is impossible to properly clean, and, we believe, gives the milk a 'taste'. Instead we store milk in glass jars. We do sterilize and re-use glass jars. Once you begin your share there will be a glass jar rotation system where you bring back your empty jars in return for filled ones.
What is the thick cream on top of my milk?
The milk is not homogenized and Jersey cows give a tremendous amount of cream. A cream line is visible and the cream is very thick. You can skim this cream and use it in coffee or baking or you can use it to make ice cream or butter.
Will I have milk year-round?
Hopefully. Milk is traditionally a seasonal product. We will make every attempt to stagger breeding so that milk is available year-round but there might be small amounts of time where there is no milk available. We do not believe in "pushing" cows, which is a practice that is done in commercial dairies. "Pushing" means that the cow is milked throughout her entire pregnancy. In our opinion this is a morally dubious act that puts the cow (and calf's) health in jeopardy. A dairy cow is a valuable animal and she deserves time to rebuild energy stores before giving birth.
I know that in large dairies the calves are separated from their mothers directly after birth and fed a synthetic formula. I've also visited dairies where the cows never actually touch earth, only concrete. Are these practices that you do?
We decided to add these questions to the FAQ after being asked both several times in one week. The answer to both is no. In Russia there is a saying, don't try to reinvent the bicycle. We follow, to the best of our abilities, the model that Nature has given us. The calf is left with its mother and has first dibs on milk. The cows spend their days in the fields eating grass. We're not a corporation looking at the bottom line and we're not a dairy--we are a family who also drinks milk and we want to know that the milk comes from the healthiest, most contented cows possible.
What are my responsibilities as a share-holder?
You are responsible for being an informed consumer of raw milk. You are responsible for paying the monthly boarding fee in advance. You are responsible for returning empty glass bottles when receiving your share of fresh milk. In addition, we are always happy to hear feedback and work with shareholders to make sure that everyone is satisfied.
How much does a share cost? How much milk does that entitle me to?
You may purchase a share for a one-time fee of $50. Each share entitles you to one gallon per week. There is also a $12 fee for glass containers. This entitles you to four glass containers--one for each week. Again, this works on a rotational system. There is also a boarding fee of $32 per month. This is a continuous fee.
How is money collected?
We collect the monthly boarding fee, obviously, monthly. You may pay in advance if you'd like.
What happens if I move or no longer wish to be a shareholder?
You may sell your share to someone who is interested in being a shareholder.
Is your farm open for visits? Can I come and see my cow?
Absolutely! We do ask that you give us a heads-up, as our schedule is sometimes busy with kids' activities, but we are happy to have visitors.
I'm interested! What do I do now?
You may email at spinningyarns@vzw.blackberry.net or call 812-929-7628.
This is something new that we're trying. We really and truly believe in the traditional foods model of eating and that includes raw dairy products. It's not lost on us, however, that oftentimes people who have the greatest need for raw dairy are those who are least able to make a financial commitment. Quality food should not have to be a privelage, nor should it be rationed until next payday.
What can we do to help people stretch their food dollars a bit further, we wondered.
The answer that we came up with was to try a work share program. Following the model of some CSA's, our idea is that people can earn their share (and boarding fees) by working on the farm. That work might be anything from running new fencing to weeding in the garden to picking berries to...anything that needs done.
If this sounds interesting to you just give us a call!
We now have farm fresh eggs available for purchase. In addition, you might ask about dairy products such as cheeses, butter, sour cream, creme fraiche, Devonshire/clotted cream, yogurt, and kefir. We also have hand-made artisan breads.
We are working on making a limited number of CSA shares available for spring 2010. We use no pesticides or herbicides on our property.