Where to find raw cow milk? (Knoxville, Cookeville: for sale, buying, organic)

[chrissyj]

I checked on the Weston A Price foundation website but it seemed like a lot of dead ends, so I thought I would check here. What is the availability of raw milk on the south to south west surrounding areas?
We are moving back to TN (I grew up in Goodlettsville) this summer and where we are now I can purchase raw (unpasturized/non-homogenized) milk in the local health food stores. I know its not "legal" to sell there... that it may be sold under a "cow share" program or what ever...or perhaps sold as "pet food" or something. Anyone here have info?

[MA_brnNrsd]

I am not much on organic stuff but I wasn't aware of raw milk being OK to drink? What are the advantages of it?

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by chrissyj

I checked on the Weston A Price foundation website but it seemed like a lot of dead ends, so I thought I would check here. What is the availability of raw milk on the south to south west surrounding areas?
We are moving back to TN (I grew up in Goodlettsville) this summer and where we are now I can purchase raw (unpasturized/non-homogenized) milk in the local health food stores. I know its not "legal" to sell there... that it may be sold under a "cow share" program or what ever...or perhaps sold as "pet food" or something. Anyone here have info?

It is illegal to sell raw cow's milk in the state of Tennessee. I have heard rumors of people buying it under the table directly from dairy farmers. Good luck in your search and make sure to utilize our DM feature.

[JMT]

I wish I could help. There was an organic farm near Cookeville that delivered raw milk (for animal consumption, of course, wink wink) to Nashville but they got out of the dairy business last year. They still deliver their organic meats, though.

Raw milk is excellent. Not only does it taste better, but when it's not pasteurized or homogenized it's very healthy. I drank raw milk when I lived in France--ironically enough, the country that invented pasteurization.

In Tennessee, it's against the law to sell raw milk for human consumption. It's ok to sell raw cheese, though, for some reason.

I get raw milk here in Knoxville, and it is wonderful. The dairy farmer also makes raw butter. My cholesterol has gone DOWN.

The only reason milk ever needs to be pasteurized is if the cows are dirty (ie those milk factory cows). Otherwise, if the cow is clean and eats normal food (grass and not ground-up cow bones) raw milk is excellent and very healthy.

[chrissyj]

thanks for the info JMT! Sounds like I will have to do some digging around once we get moved in.

There are several ways to get around the "illegal" aspect of selling/purchasing raw milk, one of those is to offer "cow shares". Essentially, you own a part of the cow, so you can eat/drink whatever it produces.... like, its not illegal to drink the milk your own cow/goat makes... you just cant SELL it. I think thats how most of the raw milk folks do it in areas where its illegal.
My kids have absolutely thrived on it. No more ear infections, it tastes better... and HERE in PA, its cheaper by the gallon than the Horizon milk at the grocery store.

Thanks folks!

[MA_brnNrsd]

I don't understand if it is so good for you how come they make it illegal? If you are lactose intolerant is that better or worse, using raw milk. My finace isn't totally lactose intolerant but can only handle so much milk. Would it even matter?

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by MA_brnNrsd

I don't understand if it is so good for you how come they make it illegal? If you are lactose intolerant is that better or worse, using raw milk. My finace isn't totally lactose intolerant but can only handle so much milk. Would it even matter?

Oh, it's because of the pasteurization and the off chance that raw milk is somehow tainted and will make people sick.

There are ways to obtain raw milk; you just have to know how and who. Selling it is illegal and you won't find many folks advertising it for sale.

[chrissyj]

Originally Posted by MA_brnNrsd

I don't understand if it is so good for you how come they make it illegal? If you are lactose intolerant is that better or worse, using raw milk. My finace isn't totally lactose intolerant but can only handle so much milk. Would it even matter?

It could possibly help... most people who are lactose intolerant to cow milk can handle goat's milk well.
The thing with the raw milk is that
1. the government people think they are performing a life-saving service by making it illegal to sell... they think that unless a food has been injected, altered, chemically changed, zapped by x-rays or SOMETHING done to it by man... it must be bad. For generations people drank raw milk and nothing was wrong with it - it was healthy for children and adults alike. Then the mass-milking machines came in and the milk producers became more concerned about quantity than quality. The machines got dirty, the cows got sick and instead of treating the problem, they came up with a band-aid solution. Heat the milk to the point of killing off any bacteria - good or bad. As for homogenization...that just spins the fat particles so that they are suspended in the milk instead of floating to the top (when I buy raw milk I pour off about 2 pints of heavy cream from the top of the gallon, then shake the rest into it before serving.).
2. Making it legal to sell (so they believe) would take money away from the mass producers who have convinced us their milk is truly a health-food. There are plenty of main-stream folks who think it should be legal.. but its an uphill battle. Many farmers who sell raw milk under legal terms are still harrassed by the FDA - its just not right.

If you want more info... google "Weston A Price Foundation"

[MA_brnNrsd]

Thanks for the information, it was helpful. I will look into it.

[tchibanga2000]

This might be the info you're looking for...

Where Can I Find Real (Raw) Milk?