Author Topic: First raw milk experience - wow!  (Read 10554 times)

Offline awakephd

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First raw milk experience - wow!
« on: December 16, 2014, 02:08:36 AM »
I'm putting this post here because I made Montasio with the raw milk ... but the topic of my post really is the incredible difference the raw milk made.

Actually, I used about half raw and half PH -- 2 gallons raw milk and almost 2 gallons PH from the store (the brand I usually use). But even that way, the difference was dramatic:

1) Much, much, much firmer curd. Much firmer. With my previous PH makes, the curd tends to break up a good bit no matter how gentle I am in stirring. With half raw milk in the mix, the curds stayed much more as-cut (though shrinking with the heat, of course).

2) For the first time ever, the flocc testing and formulas actually worked/made sense for me. I've been despairing of the flocc method, because it seems no matter how little rennet I use, I still get flocculation in around 5 minutes, or even less -- but the curd is nowhere near a clean break if I then use the flocc factor multiplied by that 5 minutes. This time, there was no flocculation at all until 10' 30", and at 32 minutes (3x flocc factor) the curd was set beautifully.

3) Yet to be seen is what the outcome is in the cheese itself. The make went fairly well -- first time trying Montasio, so not entirely sure of what I was doing -- and it knit beautifully. Maybe in 3 months, based on the recommendation I've seen here for how long to age it, I will have a great report ...
-- Andy

qdog1955

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Re: First raw milk experience - wow!
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2014, 11:58:56 AM »
Congrats----I too, just recently discovered the wonders of raw milk---what a difference. With the PH milk  ---I kept thinking I was making all kinds of mistakes and it appears it was more the milk then me. If I could find a way to keep the cost down other than mixing the two---I would never use p&h again. Can't wait to hear how your cheese turns out.
Qdog

Offline awakephd

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Re: First raw milk experience - wow!
« Reply #2 on: December 16, 2014, 01:49:15 PM »
Yes, cost is the problem -- it was about $10 a gallon, due in part that it has to be brought here from another state. I keep hoping to find a local source that will sell low-temp pasteurized, non-homogenized, but so far no luck ...
-- Andy

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Re: First raw milk experience - wow!
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2014, 02:01:53 PM »
Yes, cost is the problem -- it was about $10 a gallon, due in part that it has to be brought here from another state. I keep hoping to find a local source that will sell low-temp pasteurized, non-homogenized, but so far no luck ...


Awake (and Qdog), have you checked out the Real Milk site - its raw milk locator?  Not sure where you are in N.C., but the site lists these:

Sources of real milk and real milk products in North Carolina:

Asheville: NC Farm Fresh Food, web: ncfarmfreshfood.com. Private membership cooperative offering monthly delivery of raw cow, goat and sheep dairy products (milk, cheese, butter, cream, etc.); grass-fed beef, pork, and free-range, cage-free eggs and poultry (chicken, turkey & duck); cultured vegetables, honey, syrups, breads, noodles, more. All prepared items use recipes from the book Nourishing Traditions. Food is delivered from out-of-state to a central drop-point in Asheville.

Bakersville: OakMoon Farm & Creamery, Cynthia Sharpe & Dwain Swing, 452 Roan View Drive, Bakersville NC 28705, phone: 828-688-4683, email: oakmoonfarm@verizon.net. Raw goat milk, available seasonally, as well as raw milk cheese, kefir, and kefir grains. All raw dairy sold for animal consumption only per NC state law. Mountain pasture, grass and clover hay, grain supplement. Kids, bred does, and milkers sometimes available. Email is most reliable contact method.

Beaufort/Havelock/Jacksonville/New Bern: EC Buying Club, website: http://ecbuyingclub.wordpress.com/home/. As a buying club, they offer access to a private, members’ only farm. The farm produces many real dairy products from cows raised according to Weston A. Price standards and never given any grain, antibiotics, or hormones. The farm also has goat, sheep, and camel dairy products available. Grass-fed and finished beef is available, as are pork, lamb/mutton, and soy-free eggs, chicken, and turkey. Many other traditionally prepared foods are available as well.

Belews Creek: GrayHill Farm, Steve Wiles & Tyler Hill, 6179 Reidsville Rd., Belews Creek, NC 27009, phone: 336-908-2551, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grayhillfarm. Animals receive all natural GMO-free feeds purchased locally. Call before 9 pm for directions, times, or to stop by and tour the farm.  GrayHill Farm proudly offers real milk, cream, butter, buttermilk, eggs, organic farmed raised meat, soaps, lotions, cheese and more. Milk prices $6/gallon at the moment. Prices can change as prices of quality hay and grains fluctuate.

Burlington, Chapel Hill, Greensboro, Hillsborough, Mebane, and Winston Salem: NC Farm Fresh Foods, website: ncfarmfreshfoods.com.  Private membership cooperative offering monthly delivery of raw camel, cow, goat and sheep dairy products (milk, cheese, butter, cream, etc.); grass-fed beef, pork, rabbit and free-range, cage-free eggs and poultry (chicken, turkey & duck); cultured vegetables, honey, syrups, breads, noodles, nuts and more. All prepared items use recipes from the book Nourishing Traditions.  Membership is currently being built in these areas. Food will be delivered from out-of-state to each drop location.

Burnsville: The Mushroom Hunt @ Fox Farms, Alan and Susan Fox, 54 Labrador Lane, Burnsville NC 28714, phone: 828-682-1405, email: yanceyfoxfarms@frontier.com, web: themushroomhutfoxfarms.webs.com. Now registered to sell “Raw Goat Milk-Specialty Pet Foods” through the NCDA&CS. The milk is hand-milked from their small dairy goat herd where the goats are on pasture and rotated. No animal by-product feed/hay, hormones, or antibiotics used. The milk is strained, put in glass containers, labeled, and refrigerated in their certified on-farm kitchen facility. Per NCDA&CS requirements the product is sold in glass quart containers for $4/quart. They sell from the farm and at the Yancey Farmers Market. Farm visits/tours by appointment. Call for availability of the milk and/or to order. They offer a variety of other products as well; see their listings at Localharvest.org, buyappalachian.org, ncfarmfresh.com, and Facebook under susantiptonfox and TheMushroomHut@FoxFarms.

Cary: NC Farm Fresh Food, web: ncfarmfreshfood.com. Private membership cooperative offering monthly delivery of raw cow, goat and sheep dairy products (milk, cheese, butter, cream, etc.); grass-fed beef, pork, and free-range, cage-free eggs and poultry (chicken, turkey & duck); cultured vegetables, honey, syrups, breads, noodles, more. All prepared items use recipes from the book Nourishing Traditions. Food is delivered from out-of-state to a central drop-point in Cary.

Catawba County: Spellcast Farm, email: bern8787@bellsouth.net. Raw milk from grass and forage-fed Jersey cows. Our cows are fed no corn, soy or to our knowledge, GM feed. Pursuant to North Carolina law, milk is sold for pet consumption only. Also available from the farm is grass-fed and finished beef from our Jersey cattle, duck eggs and meat from our pastured heritage-breed ducks and meat from our pasture-fed heritage breed rabbits. In 2014 we will have seasonal vegetables grown sustainably without pesticides or herbicides.

Charlotte: NC Farm Fresh Food, web: ncfarmfreshfood.com. Private membership cooperative offering monthly delivery of raw cow, goat and sheep dairy products (milk, cheese, butter, cream, etc.); grass-fed beef, pork, and free-range, cage-free eggs and poultry (chicken, turkey & duck); cultured vegetables, honey, syrups, breads, noodles, more. All prepared items use recipes from the book Nourishing Traditions. Food is delivered from out-of-state to a central drop-point in Charlotte.

Charlotte: Healthy Food Choices Club, email: NCHFCC@gmail.com. Private membership co-op considering expansion to the Charlotte area. Co-op offers monthly delivery of raw milk (cow and goat), cheeses, butter, and other dairy products, grass-fed meats (beef, pork, poultry), cultured vegetables, staples and other treats made using the recipes found in Nourishing Traditions. Food would be delivered from out-of-state to a central drop-point in Charlotte. Email them and indicate that you are interested in participating in a Charlotte-based co-op.

Charlotte: Paisley Pastures, Shannon Cline, Charlotte NC, phone: 704-936-0328, email: paisleypastures@gmail.com. Raw goat milk and raw cheese for pet consumption only in accordance with state laws. Goats pastured on land with no added chemicals, forage in wooded thicket, and are fed non-GMO, soy-free mix and alfalfa pellets. Poultry broilers available on a seasonal basis, raised on non-GMO, organic, soy-free feed, and pasture. Soy-free eggs also available.

Columbus: Sunrise Farm, phone: 828-899-0592, web: sunrisefarmnc.com. Raw goat milk available seasonally, sold for animal consumption only per NC state law. Goat are on pasture and hay, plus locally ground feed with no added hormones or antibiotics. Also available are free-range brown chicken eggs, chickens, turkeys, and Dexter Cattle.

Durham: NC Farm Fresh Food, web: ncfarmfreshfood.com. Private membership cooperative offering monthly delivery of raw cow, goat and sheep dairy products (milk, cheese, butter, cream, etc.); grass-fed beef, pork, and free-range, cage-free eggs and poultry (chicken, turkey & duck); cultured vegetables, honey, syrups, breads, noodles, more. All prepared items use recipes from the book Nourishing Traditions. Food is delivered from out-of-state to a central drop-point in Durham.

Fayetteville: B.A. Dairy Farm, phone: 910-261-4447, email: babulldogs@aol.com. Raw goat milk from ADGA registered Nubian herd, sold for animal consumption only per North Carolina state law. Goats available for sale at times. They also sell eggs.

Garner: Hebron Co-op, 7920 Hebron Church Road, Garner NC 27529, phone:
919-345-6881, email: Tobirthing@aol.com. Nubian goats, raw milk, eggs.

Gastonia: Whispering Hope Farm LLC phone: 704-674-8911, email:  info@WhisperingHopeFarm.com web: WhisperingHopeFarm.com Facebook: Whispering Hope Farm. Dairy cows, rabbits, goats, chickens, sheep, horses.  Fed GMO free food. Specializing in naturally-raised raw milk.  Raw milk is sold according to NC law for animal consumption only.

Hampstead (Wilmington area): Nature’s Way Farm, Tina Moller, 115 Crystal Ct., phone: 910-270-3036, email: tnaturesway@aol.com, web: natureswayfarmandseafood.com. Alpine dairy goats, small herd has pasture and lespedeza hay. Small licensed farmstead has a variety of goat cheeses, and raw milk for animal use. Kids for sale in spring, goat milk soaps.

High Point Greensboro area: Wilderness Trail Dairy, 5870 Gallimore Town Rd., Trinity NC 27370. Raw milk.

Madison: Meadowbrook Farm, email: fryedaddy13@gmail.com. Registered grass-fed Jerseys, grass-fed brown and white eggs, grass-fed beef, and whole hog pork sausage. Farm tours welcome and encouraged.

Newport: Mini Minions, Erika and Patrick McCarthy, 251 Nicholson Ave. Newport, NC 28570, phone: 914-714-4290, email: zvirbulit@yahoo.com,  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MiniMinionsgoats. Mini Minions is a small family farm that produces raw goat milk from registered Nigerian Dwarf goats and several kinder goats. Herd tested CAE/ CL negative. Tours available upon request.

Pollocksville: Winslow Farm, Jessica and Charles Winslow. 2764 Hwy. 58 Pollocksville, NC, 28573, phone: 603-973-9478, email: jwinslow87@yahoo.com. The farm offers raw milk, cheese, and yogurt per North Carolina state law for pet consumption only. Winslow Farm also has chickens, ducks, rabbits, and goats. All the animals are allowed to graze in the grass and when needed, they are supplemented with high quality grain. There is a bottle deposit, please call for prices. The farm also has grass feed beef and pork on a limited basis.

Raeford/Fayetteville: Morning Dove Farm, phone: 910-904-0655, email: savedbygrace642@embarqmail.com. Raw goat milk from ADGA registered Nubian herd. Milk sold for animal consumption only per NC state law. Goats available for sale at times. They also sell eggs.

Raleigh: NC Farm Fresh Food, web: ncfarmfreshfood.com. Private membership cooperative offering monthly delivery of raw cow, goat and sheep dairy products (milk, cheese, butter, cream, etc.); grass-fed beef, pork, and free-range, cage-free eggs and poultry (chicken, turkey & duck); cultured vegetables, honey, syrups, breads, noodles, more. All prepared items use recipes from the book Nourishing Traditions. Food is delivered from out-of-state to a central drop-point in Raleigh.

Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill: Healthy Food Choices Club, web: nchealthyfood.com. Private membership co-op offering monthly delivery of raw milk (cow and goat), cheeses, butter, and other dairy products, grass-fed meats (beef, pork, poultry), cultured vegetables, staples and other treats made using the recipes found in Nourishing Traditions. Food is delivered from out-of-state to a central drop-point in Raleigh.

Statesville, Hickory, Morganton, and Marion: NC Farm Fresh Foods, web: ncfarmfreshfoods.com.  Private membership cooperative offering monthly delivery of raw camel, cow, goat and sheep dairy products (milk, cheese, butter, cream, etc.); grass-fed beef, pork, rabbit and free-range, cage-free eggs and poultry (chicken, turkey & duck); cultured vegetables, honey, syrups, breads, noodles, nuts and more. All prepared items use recipes from the book Nourishing Traditions.  Membership is currently being built in these areas for future expansion.  Food will be delivered from out-of-state to each drop location.

Trinity: Wilderness Trail Dairy, 5870 Gallimore Town Rd., Trinity NC 27370, phone: 609-713-7529, email: sammy1961@peoplepc.com. Raw goat milk sold for animal consumption only per NC state law. Alpine, Nubian, Saanen and Crossbred goat kids for sale.

Whiteville: McGirt Farm and Homestead, phone: 910-770-0241, email: graveldrive151@gmail.com.  Raw Jersey cow milk sold by the gallon for animal consumption only per North Carolina state law.

Yadkinville: Tupelo Farms, Sara Bigham. Hamptonville 27020, phone: 336-466-4397 Email: sarabeth0930@gmail.com. Now offering raw goat milk as well as raw goat cheese and fresh eggs. All products being sold for pet use in accordance to NC law. Their goats are hand milked, grazed on pasture, grain supplemented and fed alfalfa hay. Milk is $4/half gallon or $7/gallon. Cheese is $15/lb. Eggs are $4/dozen. Call or text is most reliable contact method.

-some may be outdated, but man - a lot, potentially?  Good luck!
- Paul

Offline awakephd

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Re: First raw milk experience - wow!
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2014, 10:00:36 PM »
Paul,

Yes, I have, but thanks for checking to be sure. The milk I used came from one of the cooperatives, mentioned in that list, that trucks the milk in from out-of-state. I have been trying to contact some of the other suppliers (especially those mentioning raw goat milk) that are not too far away, but have had zero response; I'm not sure why.

Andy
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Offline ArnaudForestier

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Re: First raw milk experience - wow!
« Reply #5 on: December 16, 2014, 10:35:09 PM »
Oh, OK, gotcha Andy.  That's a bummer you've not had any communication from them.  I think the list might be somewhat outdated - I seem to recall searching among them, can't recall if it was WI or Illinois, and it wasn't accurate any longer. 

Hope you get it resolved, man.  Nothing like it in the world, eh?  I'm feeling dry right now - I get a few gallons weekly for drinking, but my pals are in between lactations with one of their girls....have to wait till late winter for a good amount for cheesemaking (21 gallons at a time). 

Good luck, friend!
- Paul

John@PC

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Re: First raw milk experience - wow!
« Reply #6 on: December 17, 2014, 12:01:24 AM »
It's a shame Andy because we live less than 3 hr. from you and have several choices for raw and non-homiginized at quite good prices.  I use Hickory Hill Farms (western SC) at $4.79 a gal. - it's creamline but I actually prefer it to the raw milk I tried because it's closer to me, less expensive and gives the firm curd quality you're talking about.  It is also the milk that they use to make "Clemson Blue Cheese" which is in my humble opinion one of the best domestic blue cheeses around (and one I'm hoping to clone)!  Happy Cow is another popular LTP/NH brand in these parts.  Like Paul I did some searching but came up with nothing in your parts.  Seems like eastern NC is a black hole as far as raw and creamline milk is concerned.

Which leads me to my offer:  I'll bring you Hickory Hill milk to Red Springs (about half way) and trade you for some of that excellent eastern NC pork (barbecue, country ham, whatever)  :) :)

Offline awakephd

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Re: First raw milk experience - wow!
« Reply #7 on: December 17, 2014, 02:37:04 AM »
John, we may have to talk about setting up a meeting! Especially since I need to get you the cutter I have promised. Of course, first I need to make the cutter -- I have not forgotten; just finished exams and graduation this past week, but still have a good many meetings this week before things get quiet for the Christmas break.
-- Andy

qdog1955

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Re: First raw milk experience - wow!
« Reply #8 on: December 17, 2014, 10:46:00 AM »
Thanks Paul,
I have used the Real milk site and did in fact find a supplier---still $7.00 a gallon, but better then $10.00
Qdog

Offline ArnaudForestier

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Re: First raw milk experience - wow!
« Reply #9 on: December 17, 2014, 12:17:39 PM »
Oh, that's great, qdog.  I'm very lucky as well that I have these friends raising Ayrshires, same price, $7.00 a gallon.  I consider it white gold, so a comparative bargain!
- Paul

GoudaGirl13

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Re: First raw milk experience - wow!
« Reply #10 on: February 05, 2015, 02:55:52 AM »
I am SO ENVIOUS!!!!

I have had one opportunity to use raw milk - the first time I made mozzarella - one of the very first cheeses I ever made! It worked so well and I was so pleased.....not so much with the P/H milk I have to use by law. ($6.99/gallon)

I have used Organic Meadow milk ($10.00/gallon) from our local dairy but it seems to have a MUCH harder time giving me a decent curd. I SO wish I could get and use raw milk!! I would pay for it!!!

I wish I could get raw milk....

Frodage

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Re: First raw milk experience - wow!
« Reply #11 on: February 05, 2015, 06:10:46 AM »
I wish I could get raw milk....

Hi Gouda Girl,
Check out this website: http://www.realmilk.com/real-milk-finder/other-countries/#can
A farm in Calgary is selling it for $3/L.

Offline awakephd

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Re: First raw milk experience - wow!
« Reply #12 on: February 05, 2015, 06:41:18 PM »
Hi GG,

About the organic milk -- I've read somewhere that unfortunately there is a tendency for the organic milk to be ultra-pasteurized, which makes it not suitable for cheese-making. If that is true, it is a shame -- you pay more for milk that hopefully is more natural, only to wind up with something that is more processed!
-- Andy

GoudaGirl13

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Re: First raw milk experience - wow!
« Reply #13 on: February 05, 2015, 07:52:52 PM »
Thank you, Frodage! Nothing for a thousand miles or so from here....and it still doesn't make it legal. Here in Manitoba, people talk about it in whispers and talk about the penalties if they're caught selling o0r giving away. More issue for the seller/giver than for the taker/buyer. I hate to see anyone in trouble and everyone around here who has real dairy won't dare sell or give away. I have begged!

awakephd - I considered that, actually....you're confirming what I thought might be. At the dairy, we saw that there was a certain amount of disinfectant/other chemicals that are allowed to remain in the pipes, tank, etc. Now I use plain old storebought Beatrice p/h and definitely get a better curd!! And much cheaper as well.....

Ah, the dream of simply making cheese with simple pure milk....you all must have heard of the vending machines in Europe for raw mik. I would SO LOVE to have that option!!

Offline Danbo

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Re: First raw milk experience - wow!
« Reply #14 on: February 05, 2015, 08:24:40 PM »
Here i Denmark we have a couple of farms with milk vending machines. The milk is fresh and not standardized (original fat percent). The milk has been pasteurized though.

Here is a short video (in Danish - what a strange language) showing a farm with a milk vending machine: http://www.voresmad.dk/Video/Bag_raavaren/Maelkeautomat.aspx

It is possible to buy raw untreated milk on several farms here. You have to bring your own container and there is a limit on how many liters the farm is allowed to sell.

:-) Danbo