Yes, all of our animals are bred naturally on site. 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. 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.
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 milk the cows with your children. We urge you to please schedule a farm tour by calling us or waiting until we have one of our farm tours events which we host every couple of months. 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. 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.
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.
Their diet is almost all (95%) non-GMO and organic (not certified) ALFALFA (high protein lentil grass) with an added 5% of a forge grain mix of non-GMO OATS (40%), BARLEY (40%), cottonseed (10%), & canola pellet (10%). Canola pellet is made from canola seed casings pressed into a pellet. To clarify, it is NOT toxic RBD (refined, bleached, deodorized) canola oil which is sold in stores for cooking (which you should avoid along with all RBD seed oils such as “vegetable” oil and are made of soy, corn, sunflower, grapeseed, mustard, etc).
WE NEVER FEED CORN OR SOY
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”. Other than pasture, 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 here: Raw Milk Finder – Real Milk
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.
