Farm Fresh Raw Milk
Our milk is free of artificial growth hormones, additives, and antibiotics. All of our bottling and handling is done in accordance with Massachusetts state law; our milk is produced under rigorous sanitation guidelines and is for sale only at the farm.
We sell only raw milk. We are not able to produce anything using raw milk, but can provide cheese and yogurt recipes for you to use to make your own.
Required Waiver
A waiver must be completed before purchasing raw milk.
You must treat this as a legal document and fill in all required information and initial where required. This is not optional and we reserve the right to not sell our raw milk. Most importantly, please be assured that we will not sell or share any information and no information will be used for marketing of any kind.
Storage
Any time spent above 40 F will shorten the shelf-life of milk and the amount of time the milk is kept above this temperature will affect how much the quality of the milk is affected. Please bring a cooler and cold packs when you come to pick up your milk.
Purchase
While we bottle milk on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, raw milk is available every day. If you would like more than 3 gallons, please give us the courtesy of calling or emailing in advance of bottling so that we do not run out and can provide you the quantity you would like.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Raw Milk?
Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized or homogenized.
What is pasteurization?
Pasteurization is a process of heating foods to kill off harmful organisms such as viruses, bacteria, molds and yeasts. The process was named after Louis Pasteur. Making foods safer is an obvious benefit of pasteurization, but the process does have negatives, too. Pasteurization will destroy vitamin B6 and enzymes in milk that may be beneficial.
What is homogenization?
Homogenization breaks down and blends fat globules in milk. If milk is not homogenized the fat globules are large enough to separate from the milk. An example of this is cream separating and rising to the top of a container. Some cheesemakers employ homogenization. Other cheesemakers think the large globules of fat should not be blended in with the milk because it results in cheese with a creamier texture.
(Definitions from About.com)
Further Information
The choice to drink raw milk should be made after you have done some research. For more information on raw milk, check out these websites, as well as doing your own research.
-
Raw milk network
-
Powerful video and article: CDC Misrepresents Raw Milk Statistics
-
Link to the Massachusetts Raw Milk Manual
Recipes
Our raw milk license allows us to sell raw milk, only. We are not allowed to produce anything with the raw milk for selling. However, you can purchase raw milk and make all sorts of yummy things. Yogurt, cheese, kefir and much more!
We sell yogurt and kefir cultures as well as many cheesemaking supplies including kits, rennet, cheesecloth, etc.
Here are a couple recipes for you to try:
Yogurt
Ingredients
-
1 gallon milk (whole or raw work the best)
-
1 tsp pectin
-
1-2 tbs yogurt or yogurt starter
-
3-4 tsp vanilla extract (optional for vanilla yogurt)
-
1+ cup sugar (optional for vanilla yogurt, adjust amount to taste)
Instructions
-
Warm milk slowly to 160- 170 degrees and hold this temperature for about 15 minutes, carefully stirring to prevent sticking to the bottom.
-
Add pectin and let cool to 120 degrees. (Optional, for vanilla yogurt, add extract and sugar at any point after the pectin.)
-
Turn oven on to lowest temperature, ideally close to 120 degrees. Once up to temperature, shut oven off and turn on oven light.
-
Once at 120 degrees, add the yogurt or commercial starter. Do not let milk cool below 115 degrees.
-
Put into containers and place into the warm oven for 8-12 hours.
-
Then refrigerate. That’s it! Delicious yogurt made at home.
Mozzarella
(from cheesemaking.com)
Ingredients
-
1 & 1/2 tsp citric acid
-
1/4 tab of rennet
-
Gallon of whole milk (NOT ultra pasturized as it will not work)
-
thermometer
-
Optional: Lipase may be added to the milk to provide a typical italian cheese flavor
Instructions
-
Add 1 & 1/2 tsp. Citric Acid diluted in 1cup cool water to 1 gallon of cold milk.
-
Heat slowly to 90F
-
Remove pot from burner slowly stir 1/4 tab or 1/4tsp of rennet diluted in 1/4cup. cool water for 30sec. Cover and leave for 5 minutes.
-
Check the curd, it will look like custard and the whey will be clear. If too soft let set a few more minutes.
-
Now cut the curd into 1 inch squares with a knife that reaches the bottom of the pot.
-
Place pot back on stove and heat to 105F while stirring slowly. (If you will be stretching in water heat to 110F)
-
Take off the burner and continue sirring slowly for 2-5 minutes. Transfer the curd to a colander or bowl using a slotted spoon.
-
Notice how the curd is beginning to get firmer as the whey drains.
-
Continue separating the curd and notice the color of the whey.
-
Drain the whey from the curd while gently pressing to aid whey runoff.
-
Using a heat proof bowl microwave on High for 1 min. pour off the whey.
-
Knead and reheat for 30sec, repeat if needed until the curd is 135F, almost too hot to handle.
-
Now the fun begins,
-
knead the curd as you would bread dough
-
Remove curd from bowl and continue kneading, return it to the microwave if needed.
-
At this point, if hot enough, it will begin to stretch, and stretch, and stretch some more this is what makes it Mozzarella.
-
Now knead it back into a big ball until it is smooth and shiny.
Check out this link to New England Cheesemaking Supply Company for many more recipes!