Re: Interviewing Farmers

[Guest guest]

>

> A friend of mine is interested in purchasing raw milk. It's legal

in her state. Because of all of the negative press that raw milk

gets, she's nervous, but wants to move forward. What should she look

for when looking for a reputable place. If she spoke to the farmer,

what questions would she (or should she) ask?

Hi :

Raw milk, like any food, varies in nutrition. Here are some questions

to ask the farmer to help to determine how much the farmer is

interested in nutrition as compared to how much the farmer is

interested in yield (i.e. money).

For dairy cows:

What kind of cows does the farmer have? (Holsteins are the high yield

breed)

What are the cows fed?

If they are fed grass, at least in season, are any hybrid grass seeds

planted in the pastures? (Hybrid seeds are planted for yield)

Are there any plants in the pastures that the cows refuse to eat?

(Non-nutritious weeds move in when the soil fertility moves out. If

there are plants the cows don't eat in the pastures, it indicates low

soil fertility)

Are the cows fed any grain, and if so, what kind of grain? (It is best

to avoid milk from cows fed corn or corn sileage.)

If any corn is fed, is the corn a hybrid variety? (If so, find another

supplier for your milk)

What color is the butter? (The more yellow, the better. If it is

white, find another supplier for your milk)

What health problems are experienced in the herd? (A healthy herd that

experiences no health problems and no calf mortality will produce both

the safest and most nutritious milk to drink)

A comment on these questions:

If the farmer does not like being asked these questions, get another

supplier. A farmer interested in producing the most nutritious milk

will appreciate interest in how the farmer goes about producing the

milk for both nutrition and safety.