Milk Day!

Since it's 12:00 a.m. EST, I can legitimately state that it's...

MILK DAY!

Well, actually, it's 'Milk and Eggs Day', but it started, for me, as 'Milk Day' and evolved to add the eggs-something I'll talk about later.

One subject at a time. That's the best way to go when you're changing your style. Especially when you're changing your style of eating and some of what you are doing seems...no, is...so, well, radical.

And so, since my last post spoke of our friends in central Virginia who introduced us to the wholesomeness of real, full-fat milk, and since today is 'Milk Day', I will start with that facet of change in our eating style.

Today, I will tell you what I, and many others, do to get our precious milk.

Uh-oh...Barely home and SOMEbody has already partaken!

                             
In the next post, I will tell you why.
Be sure to come back for the 'why'.

In our group, which we have dubbed, 'The Milkmaids' and thus far, have not had to change because all of the regular participants are female, (although from time to time, their husbands fill in or accompany them), we now number twelve. That's actually twelve families, you see. Some of them as small as husband and wife. Others as large as seven children plus their two parents.

One does NOT buy raw milk in VA. Here, we buy a share in a cow, logically, termed, a 'cowshare'. We are free to do whatever we wish with our share of our cow. Those in our group choose to pay a farmer to board the cow, give the cow vet care as needed, and milk the cow. The farmer does this, labels our jars, and stores them safely for pick up day.

When it's my turn to be the 'milkmaid', I go to the farm in my truck loaded with a large cooler and ice. I return the group's old bottles, pack the fresh jars of milk into the cooler, add the ice, make sure I also have everyone's eggs, and return to a specific meeting point where the milk is dispersed among the other lovely maidens.

But if I am running a bit earlier than scheduled, and if the day is quite nice, I will take any little ones I have with me on a tiny tour around the farm. We check for new chicks, goats, calves and even kittens. The children may even have a few minutes to swing on knotted ropes hung from a huge tree beside the farm's storehouse.

Back at the our meeting place, we rarely have a hitch in our routine and when we do, it is a very small one. If someone's milk is mistakenly left behind, someone in the group is always willing to share. If someone is going to be away for a time, her milk is always shared by others in the group. If a bottle is broken, sharing ensues yet again. If someone is sick or just can't make it to the pick-up, those living closest by are sure to get her milk to her.

Typical 'milkmaid's' cargo.

                                            

We do not go to the same church and although many of us are Christians, I am not even sure all of us claim Christianity. We do not have children in the same schools, run in the same circles, like the same movies or activities. We are very young mommies to older grandmothers. We are neither very rich nor very poor, although some of us are richer or poorer, financially, than others of us. We are an extremely diverse group. Yet we are bonded by two loves: 

Our love of raw milk.
Our love of the freedom that allows us to have it.

To us, raw milk is one of those 'pearls of great value'....The kind to pay much for because it is worth so very much.

With cow share and boarding/care costs, we pay about $8.00/gal.

Aghast, you ask, "But, why?" And again, you ask, "How can anyone afford that much for milk?"

I will answer the last question first: It is a pearl of great value. Within this pearl lies riches unseen by the outer shell. One must delve deep within to find the real value. Where raw milk is concerned, once the facts are known, there is no question regarding it's value.

But that doesn't really answer the 'how' part for you, does it?

The best way to truly afford something of greater value is to afford less of something of lesser value. Since drinking raw milk is all about nutritional value, then the best way to afford it is to rid ourselves of something of a lesser nutritional value...say, cookies, for instance. Or chips. Or both...or other empty-calorie foods.

So, that simply answers the "How?" question.

The "Why?" question is quite a bit more involved, so we'll look at that in the next post.

Until then, sign me,

The Happy Milkmaid

Load 'em up!