Re: Raw Milk South Carolina

[Guest guest]

Dear Bonnie,

Would these people like to be listed on the realmilk.com website--we won't do it unless they want to. Sally

[Guest guest]

Hi Carmen,

I have gotten it (both cow and goat milk) at the Farmer's Market in Greenville. Now I am getting it directly from a family who has goats and has it certified. They are in Greenville Co. also (Traveler's Rest), and the place that provides goat's milk for the farmer's market is near them, too. If you want more info, let me know.

Bonnie in NC

P.S. For anyone looking for raw milk (if you are interested in goat's milk), the lady who is listed on the realmilk website as the SC contact, told me that a good way to find out about sources for milk is to join one of the goat email discussion groups and just ask. She was also willing to give me names from her ADGA directory.

On Tue, 14 Aug 2001 10:11:56 -0700 "Carmen" <ctn@...> writes:

Hi Bonnie,

Where in South Carolina are you getting your raw milk?

Carmen

Fiber Friends & County Fiber Arts Guild

South Carolina

<<<<Now I am gettingcertified raw milk in SC >>>>>>>>>

[Guest guest]

Dear Carmen,

Please ask this farmer if he wants to be listed on our Realmilk website.

Sally

[Guest guest]

I have recently talked to a sustainable ag farmer in Pelzer, SC. He runs

a grass fed dairy and will be opening a farm store the beginning of next year.

He is applying for a raw milk permit. He is hosting a sustainable ag symposium

on October 31st. I went to his farm for a previous meeting several

years ago. He has a very interesting story. He was a typical hi tech dairy

farmer and was about to lose his farm. He basically turned his cows out into

his pastures because he couldn't afford to buy them grain. His fencing was dilapidated,

but low and behold he began making money and turned his farm into the most

profitable dairy in the state BECAUSE he is feeding GRASS!! He is very excited

about the prospect of being able to offer fresh, raw, grass fed milk to the

public.

I think the interesting thing is he says he can be more profitable by using

better farming practices. At the present time he sells his milk commercially

just like any other large dairy farmer. I assume he is getting the same price

per gallon of milk, but still is making more money.

I have another friend who sells grass fed chicken eggs. Her actual cost

of production is less because she doesn't have to buy grain, etc. If she tries

to sell them at $1.00 per dozen no one will buy them. If she charges $ 2.00 a

dozen, they'll sell. I think maybe the point is people think they are getting

what they pay for even though in reality organically grown food may be cheaper

to produce. Are we really being smart consumers if we are willing to pay a lot more

for something that costs less to produce? What's the difference in labor between

moving a chicken tractor a couple of times a day vs. carrying grain to the

chickens everyday? The farmer's feed, fertilizer, pesticide and herbicide bill is

drastically reduced if not eliminated.

I've heard the same from someone else who raises organic vegetables. If

you are using sustainable agricultural practices, the same holds true. The

savings in fertilizer, pesticide, tilling and herbicide should be reflected in

the cost of production.

I'm NOT saying any farmers should be getting less money. In fact I think

just the opposite. I think their profit margin should be bigger. The American

farmer deserves a break and sustainable farming is part of the answer. The pressure

from chemical companies must be quite difficult for farmers to bear. MANY

farmers are mortgaged to the hilt and beyond every year until that year's crop

is sold. If the crop fails, they are in danger of losing everything. When a

slick salesman is standing there promising more, better, faster, who can blame

the farmer? He is already working dark to dark and barely making it.

The sustainable ag meeting I mentioned earlier was well attended by

large farmers. Some of them farmed many thousands of acres. They were already

using better farming practices and were there to learn more. Any farmers I know

are passionate about what they do and love the land with all their hearts. I

recently talked with a fifth generation cotton farmer. He is a well-educated man

who was teaching and cotton farming at the same time. He had to make a choice

when it was time for the family farm to change hands. He knew full well the

hard work farming was and knew he wouldn't get rich doing it. He told me

farming was not a job, it was a calling…… He chose to continue farming. His son

will be the sixth generation to farm cotton.

Just to let you all know some of the great things going on in South

Carolina,

Carmen

[Guest guest]

Hi Carmen,

Do you have this farmers contact information? I live in Greenville,

SC and have found a few good sources for raw goats milk but not cow's.

Thanks

> I have recently talked to a sustainable ag farmer in Pelzer, SC. He

runs a

> grass fed dairy and will be opening a farm store the beginning of

next year.

> He is applying for a raw milk permit. He is hosting a sustainable ag

> symposium on October 31st. I went to his farm for a previous

meeting several

> years ago. He has a very interesting story. He was a typical hi

tech dairy

> farmer and was about to lose his farm. He basically turned his cows

out into

> his pastures because he couldn't afford to buy them grain. His

fencing was

> dilapidated, but low and behold he began making money and turned

his farm

> into the most profitable dairy in the state BECAUSE he is feeding

GRASS!! He

> is very excited about the prospect of being able to offer fresh,

raw, grass

> fed milk to the public.

>

> I think the interesting thing is he says he can be more profitable

by using

> better farming practices. At the present time he sells his milk

commercially

> just like any other large dairy farmer. I assume he is getting the

same

> price per gallon of milk, but still is making more money.

>

> I have another friend who sells grass fed chicken eggs. Her actual

cost of

> production is less because she doesn't have to buy grain, etc. If

she tries

> to sell them at $1.00 per dozen no one will buy them. If she

charges $ 2.00

> a dozen, they'll sell. I think maybe the point is people think they

are

> getting what they pay for even though in reality organically grown

food may

> be cheaper to produce. Are we really being smart consumers if we

are willing

> to pay a lot more for something that costs less to produce? What's

the

> difference in labor between moving a chicken tractor a couple of

times a day

> vs. carrying grain to the chickens everyday? The farmer's feed,

fertilizer,

> pesticide and herbicide bill is drastically reduced if not

eliminated.

>

> I've heard the same from someone else who raises organic

vegetables. If you

> are using sustainable agricultural practices, the same holds true.

The

> savings in fertilizer, pesticide, tilling and herbicide should be

reflected

> in the cost of production.

>

> I'm NOT saying any farmers should be getting less money. In fact I

think

> just the opposite. I think their profit margin should be bigger. The

> American farmer deserves a break and sustainable farming is part of

the

> answer. The pressure from chemical companies must be quite

difficult for

> farmers to bear. MANY farmers are mortgaged to the hilt and beyond

every

> year until that year's crop is sold. If the crop fails, they are in

danger

> of losing everything. When a slick salesman is standing there

promising

> more, better, faster, who can blame the farmer? He is already

working dark

> to dark and barely making it.

>

> The sustainable ag meeting I mentioned earlier was well attended by

large

> farmers. Some of them farmed many thousands of acres. They were

already

> using better farming practices and were there to learn more. Any

farmers I

> know are passionate about what they do and love the land with all

their

> hearts. I recently talked with a fifth generation cotton farmer. He

is a

> well-educated man who was teaching and cotton farming at the same

time. He

> had to make a choice when it was time for the family farm to change

hands.

> He knew full well the hard work farming was and knew he wouldn't

get rich

> doing it. He told me farming was not a job, it was a calling…… He

chose to

> continue farming. His son will be the sixth generation to farm

cotton.

>

> Just to let you all know some of the great things going on in South

> Carolina,

>

> Carmen

[Guest guest]

Please ask this farmer if he wants to be listed on the Real Milk website.

Sally

[Guest guest]

Hi Sally

& ,

This

farmer won't be setup to sell raw milk until the beginning of next year. I will

be glad to ask him then if he wants his information posted on the Real Milk website.

Carmen

Fiber Friends

& County Fiber Arts Guild

South Carolina

-----Original

Message-----

From: safallon@...

[mailto:safallon@...]

Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2001

6:04 PM

To:

Subject: Re:

Re: Raw Milk South Carolina

Please

ask this farmer if he wants to be listed on the Real Milk website.

Sally

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

From: Carmen

Sent: Monday, August 27, 2001 2:56 PM

Subject: RE: Re: Raw Milk South Carolina

Hi Sally & ,

This farmer won't be setup to sell raw milk until the beginning of next year. I will be glad to ask him then if he wants his information posted on the Real Milk website.

Carmen

Fiber Friends & County Fiber Arts Guild

South Carolina

-----Original Message-----From: safallon@... [mailto:safallon@...]Sent: Thursday, August 23, 2001 6:04 PM Subject: Re: Re: Raw Milk South Carolina

Please ask this farmer if he wants to be listed on the Real Milk website. Sally