Raw Milk??

Okay so here I am thinking about Raw Milk. Something that has scared me for quite some time now. Why am I scared of milk? Is it the color? The texture? The consistency? I'm not really sure, but when someone mentions Raw Milk to me I seem to get a shiver up my spine in uncertainty. So last week a co-op member dropped off 6 half gallon containers of Raw Milk for the co-op. They were in these beautiful glass jars... okay I puffy heart any kind of jar so at first sight I was intrigued. But the thought still remains this RAW milk... RAW??? Why isn't this at my local grocery store? Why is it marked for pet consumption? Well, I needed to look into this and find out what is the deal with RAW milk???

Raw Milk Information

There are two processes that real milk does not go through that your store bought processed milk does. These processes are known as Pasteurization and Homogenization.
Few people are aware that clean, raw milk from grass-fed cows was actually used as a medicine in the early part of the last century. That's right. Milk straight from the udder, a sort of "stem cell" of foods, was used as medicine to treat, and frequently cure some serious chronic diseases. From the time of Hippocrates to until just after World War II, this "white blood" nourished and healed uncounted millions.
Clean raw milk from pastured cows is a complete and properly balanced food. You could live on it exclusively if you had to. Indeed, published accounts exist of people who have done just that.
Pasteurization is the process of exposing any food to a high temperature for a specific period of time in order to kill off any bacteria that may cause disease or spoil the food prematurely. Along with killing off these microorganisms the process is degrading the useful proteins and vitamins in the milk.
This process was started back in the 1920s due to the regular diagnosis of some diseases such as Tuberculosis, infant diarrhea and fever. The real reason folks were getting these illnesses was not simply related to the milk they were drinking. It was caused by the poor nutrition of the cows that produced the milk and unsanitary conditions in which the milk was produced.
With healthy cows that eat natural food and cleaner working environments, these diseases are no longer a threat in real milk.
The second process, Homogenization, is basically a process that makes milk consistent. In raw milk that does not undergo this process, the cream will eventually separate from the rest of the fluid and settle at the top. Homogenization breaks that cream down, which is the buttery fat that is full of nutrients and vitamins, into smaller particles that do not separate and keep a uniform consistency. To do so the milk is forced through tiny holes time and time again. While this may not seem like too big of a deal to worry about, there are many theories and research out there that say homogenization of milk is the leading cause of heart disease. The process was started in the 1930s and by the 1940s it was almost commonplace. It was at this same time that atherosclerotic heart disease began to climb.
In addition to raw milk having more nutrients and offering your body more than processed milk, by purchasing raw milk you are supporting your local economy and family farms.

I found an interesting article about milk here

So I took the plunge and made some stuff with the Raw milk hanging out in my refrigerator. Here is what I made:

Homemade Yogurt

Recipe can be found here

The beginning of my buttermilk

I am in the process of making Buttermilk from my raw milk. I found a good recipe here.
I just took 6 ounces of cultured buttermilk from the grocery store and added 3 cups of the raw milk into a 1 quart Mason Jar. I shook the bottle with all my might and am now anxiously awaiting the results!!

the end of my buttermilk. See how it sticks to the side of the jar? that is how you know it is done!

With the yogurt I took blackberries and bananas from this weeks co-op bins and made Popsicles

 blackberry banana Popsicle

Butter?

Then I thought...what else can I make with this lovely stuff I am starting to like??
Butter?

The beginning of my butter started here...

I emptied both jars into my sun tea jar

I actually could only fit 1 jar and about 85% of the other

 I have started the process of separating the milk in the refrigerator to make butter. I will post more tomorrow when they actually separate and I am able to skim the cream off the top!! This process is so exciting!!
There is a great recipe here

My butter.. with my little helper!

Sour Cream??

How to Make Sour Cream From Raw Milk

Because raw milk usually comes non-homogenised, the cream will separate from the milk on its own. It isn’t necessary to skim the cream off – you can simply sour cream and milk together, then spoon the sour cream off the top and use the thickened sour milk (known as clabber) for baking. If you want to drink the milk fresh, however, the easiest way to separate milk is by pouring the milk off the bottom, not skimming the cream off the top. Pour the raw milk into a glass keg with a tap at the bottom (these are available for home brewing) and leave until separated; then simply pour the milk away into a jug.

Coffee Creamer??

I found a great recipe here

So it seems there are many ways to use this wonderful stuff and I am on my way to experimenting more with it. With all the benefits to this stuff I can no longer "afford" to wait! And for $5.00 a half gallon (regular milk is about $3.79 and organic is $4.79) I think it is a great deal with everything you can make along with it!!