Raw milk in Northern VA (sales, buy, price)

[metclubin]

It looks for people in NOVA they can own a share of cow in this farm and they also have a tour of the farm on Oct 6 6pm.
Farm Tours
They deliver the milk every Saturday to two locations in NOVA Alexandria and Annandale. I think a farm tour will give a good idea of what their practices are.

[modelpenguin]

I second Avery's Branch Farm for raw milk. I've been drinking raw milk since 2006, and I've been drinking Avery's for the last year since I moved up here. I also order their meat, eggs, butter, etc. and everything has always been delicious. They have several drop sites throughout NOVA and I highly recommend them.

[deuxcents]

I can tell you that my mother had twin sister's who died from drinking raw milk as infants. Personally, I wouldn't risk it.

From the FDA's website:

Milk and milk products provide a wealth of nutrition benefits. But raw milk can harbor dangerous microorganisms that can pose serious health risks to you and your family. According to an analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 1993 and 2006 more than 1500 people in the United States became sick from drinking raw milk or eating cheese made from raw milk. In addition, CDC reported that unpasteurized milk is 150 times more likely to cause foodborne illness and results in 13 times more hospitalizations than illnesses involving pasteurized dairy products.

Raw milk is milk from cows, sheep, or goats that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria. This raw, unpasteurized milk can carry dangerous bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, which are responsible for causing numerous foodborne illnesses.

These harmful bacteria can seriously affect the health of anyone who drinks raw milk, or eats foods made from raw milk. However, the bacteria in raw milk can be especially dangerous to people with weakened immune systems, older adults, pregnant women, and children. In fact, the CDC analysis found that foodborne illness from raw milk especially affected children and teenagers.

[CAVA1990]

Only babies should be drinking milk. You don't need it and it has a lot of carbs that's aren't particularly good for you. Adults should drink water. Get your dairy from cheese or cream.

[spencgr]

WOW! It's amazing to me how everyone seems to have turned into licensed nutritionists.

Drinking raw milk is obviously a controversial subject. And it is controversial because both sides have valid arguments. The OP seems to have done his research and know the risks. The risk is only to himself. Why berate him and insist he is making the wrong decision; when his decision will never have an effect on your lives?

I'm positive I won't seek out raw milk to drink; but if I ever find myself the guest on a farm, and it is offered to me, I can't imagine turning down a taste.

There is "evidence" that most anything will/ can cause you harm..........

[govmoneynvegas]

what does raw milk have in it that you can't get from any traditional food?

i'm really into nutrition and healthy eating, so i'm very curious about this

[Alley01]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Only babies should be drinking milk. You don't need it and it has a lot of carbs that's aren't particularly good for you. Adults should drink water. Get your dairy from cheese or cream.

That is definitely not a true statement. What may not be healthy for you, may be healthy for others. Especially those that lead active and healthy lives. There is a reason why so many people are lactose intolerant and too many people are affected by brittle bones. Either way, it is not fair to criticize the choices that some make. I would love for my daughter to be raised on raw milk like I was as a child. It tastes so much better than pasteurized. I am an adult and drink milk every single day. It is the best recovery drink after exercise. That has been proven especially for runners.

This chart may help those who don't understand the benefits:
M and M Dairy - Raw Milk Health Benefits:

[Bull Run Paradise]

Lots of places sell raw milk in grocery stores; outside of Virginia. Just got back from Boise, Idaho; no problems with buying it there. Not sure why Virginia is so backwards. As long as there is proper refrigeration from the milking stage to the consumer buying it I don't see what the danger is. Pasteurization, on the other hand, kills off the benefitical bacteria, opening the door for harmful bacteria to proliferate. It's a shame the Virginia government makes people jump through hoops to buy something as wholesome as milk.

Good cheese and ice cream are difficult to find and can get expensive quick. Fresh homemade cheese/ice cream is more economical, tasty and can be fun to make.

[RamblingMan]

I'm sure there are real risks associated with drinking raw milk.

But then, as we are warned on virtually every menu in America, so are the risks of eating raw oysters, sushi, steak cooked less than grey, and eggs cooked to anything less than the consistency of a hockey puck, nd I still do those things. I'm also pretty sure I've had unpasteurized milk on friends' farms and cheeses made with unpasteurized milk in Europe.

Everybody has to weigh his or her own tolerance for risk against rewards.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by Alley01

That is definitely not a true statement. What may not be healthy for you, may be healthy for others. Especially those that lead active and healthy lives. There is a reason why so many people are lactose intolerant and too many people are affected by brittle bones. Either way, it is not fair to criticize the choices that some make. I would love for my daughter to be raised on raw milk like I was as a child. It tastes so much better than pasteurized. I am an adult and drink milk every single day. It is the best recovery drink after exercise. That has been proven especially for runners.

This chart may help those who don't understand the benefits:
M and M Dairy - Raw Milk Health Benefits:

It's also a huge source of heartburn in a lot of people, most of whom don't realize it and find themselves pounding antacids. I'm a reformed adult milk drinker and carb addict. You can get the same benefit by switching to other dairy products like cheese. This is another area where Europeans have it over us foodwise. They eschew adult milk drinking.