It is all about TEMPERATURE. When we bottle, the milk has two weeks of shelf life assuming that it is always kept cold at 36°F. It will sometimes last a little longer before starting to sour. We highly recommend bringing a cold bag or cooler with you to transport raw dairy and to make sure to take it straight home to your refrigerator avoiding other stops on the way home. Every second counts. Remember, this product is ALIVE. If you have a longer drive home then make sure to bring a cooler with cold packs or ice. Store in your refrigerator in the back on the bottom shelf which is usually the coldest spot but if that is inconvenient then make sure to NOT put it in the door. 41°F is not cold enough for raw milk to last two weeks. It needs to be 36°F.
Human breastmilk, goat & sheep milk are all naturally A2/A2 protein. Cows vary dependent upon their genetics and breed. There is no breed of cow that is all one or the other. While Jersey’s are an A2/A2 dominant breed there can be A1 Jerseys. The opposite applies to Holstein’s. The only way to know for sure is to lab test each animal.
All cows milk used to be A2/A2 until the industrialization of dairy when this A1 variant started appearing. Supposedly, A2/A2 milk is easier to digest. Mostly, all you will find is anectdotal evidence to support these claims, however, proponents of A2/A2 are adamant that it makes all the difference.
What we say is try it out and see what works for you. Sometimes goat or sheep milk is the best option because they are both A2/A2 and they have 10x smaller fat molecules which makes it easier on the tummy.
No hormones are ever used on our farm.
NEVER. This includes if an animal is sick. Its sink or swim on our farm….survival of the fittest. This may seem harsh but its nature’s way of making sure the strong survive and those genes are passed on.
We do not vaccinate any of our animals ever for any reason. We are a certified Grade “A” dairy and vaccination is not a requirement. Our entire herd is yearly lab tested for brucelosis.
Yes, all of our animals are bred naturally on site with our bulls. We never use artificial insemination
Here in the State of CA we have some of the most stringent safety protocols in the world for raw dairy. We feed our milk raw to our own families, including young children, straight out of the bottle. Safety is our first priority. That being said, many of our Desi (of India) customers have always and will always boil their milk before consuming, as is the tradition in India. California is a huge melting pot of cultures from around the world. Our customers vary in how they use our products, and every culture has its own traditions.
According to the CDC raw milk is extremely dangerous and should never be consumed before pasteurizing: Raw Milk | Raw Milk | Food Safety | CDC
Yes, raw milk can harbor pathogens and can possibly make you sick. But how dangerous is it really? Chris Kresser breaks down the data here: Raw Milk Reality – Chris Kresser
Statistically you are 4x more likely to get sick from eating a salad. Of all the raw foods out there to consume, oysters carry the highest risk of them all, 40x more likely to make you sick than raw milk. As a consumer you have to make the choice that you feel is right for your family. Many people find that raw milk is worth this minimal risk. In fact in our opinion it is one of the safest foods to consume. RAW MILK: The #1 SAFEST Food in the World
Raw milk has been consumed for thousands of years and was considered an overall very safe food with rarely any adverse effects. Understanding its history is important. Why did people all-of-a-sudden get sick from raw milk in the 19th century during the start of the industrial revolution? The disgusting practices of the swill dairies in filthy large cities at the time are largely to blame. If you want to learn more about the history of raw milk, we recommend perusing these various sources:
Swill Milk and How Raw Milk Became a Scapegoat for Big Business – GetRawMilk.com
Raw Milk Ban History! | Real Food Consumer Coalition (realfoodcc.com)
Brief History of Raw Milk and Pasteurization — Nourish with Kristin
Yes all legal raw dairies here in the State of CA must follow CDFA guidelines and every month each product is tested for coliforms and an array of common pathogens. No illnesses have ever been reported in the history of our farm since being certified as a raw dairy.
We have an open-door policy, however dropping in unannounced may mean no one is there to greet you and your family will not get a proper tour and/or an opportunity to hand-milk the cows with your children. If you have a large group we can schedule a private tour otherwise we urge wait until we have one of our farm tours events which we host a few times a year. At these events we usually serve food, tour the entire dairy including milking parlor & bottling plant, arrange to have a fenced off petting zoo, & anyone who wants to milk a cow by hand will be get a chance to do so. It is a memorable experience for the whole family. When new dates are announced we will post the event on social media as well as update on our Farm Tours page: www.desireel.sg-host.com/farm-tours/
Currently we do not, however, at some point we hope to offer other products such as cream, butter, yogurt/lassi & cheeses. We will update our website and social media when we launch any new product.
We give them away to local ranchers. It is impossible to raise a bunch of males on a dairy farm. That would be a disaster and very dangerous. On top of safety, the cost would also put us out of business entirely. If any dairy farm tells you that they raise their male calves for their entire natural lives and they are never sold for beef, then I would say they are flat out lying to you unless they have an enormous charity and large swaths of land with proper fencing in order to do so.
Yes, after the first week we have to for their safety. If they were to intermingle with the herd they could easily become sick and die. Crating is done for a short period of time when they are most vulnerable.
No, it is too difficult logistically to arrange personal meetups to purchase milk. If we did you would end up being charged more than the store because of the time involved. If you are a restaurant or need milk in bulk for cheesemaking then please call us to discuss your needs.
To find the closest store nearest you please check out our My Google Maps Page which is updated weekly:
Their diet is 95% non-GMO and organic (not certified) ALFALFA (high protein lentil grass) with an added 5% of a forage grain mix of NON-GMO OATS & BARLEY. At various times of the year they may get supplemented with almond hulls, fruit pulp/fiber, chia seeds or other edible seed/nut/fruit products that become available seasonally.
WE NEVER FEED CORN, SILAGE, OR SOY
Mostly yes, but not certified. Actually, there are zero “certified organic” raw milk dairies in the State of CA. Even if they have the word “organic” in their name it does not mean that they are actually “certified organic”. Our feed is 95% organic (not certified) alfalfa (high protein lentil grass).
Unfortunately, as the law currently stands it is illegal to sell raw milk across state lines unless it is labeled as “pet use”. You can find raw milk near you by searching on the following sites:
Yes, in the State of CA raw milk is legal to sell as a product on store shelves as long as the plant is licensed to produce it and follows all CDFA sanitary guidelines. Raw milk guidelines vary throughout the country. To find out more about raw milk laws in the U.S. follow this link: Real Milk Legal Map – Real Milk
Raw milk is milk that exactly that: RAW. It is NOT pasteurized (cooked) or homogenized (crushed). It is alive, unaltered, & intact as nature intended.
