Re: milk containers

[Guest guest]

I had those disposable milk bottles when I first started and everyone wanted the wide mouth ones so they could scoop off the cream. I got the plastic one gallon wide mouth jugs that look like the glass ones. They are food grade and can go into the diswasher. I even got the self sticking lid inserts and the plastic screw on lids. When I get them back from the people, even if they wash them, I pop them into the dishwasher with the lids and re-do them to make sure they are clean, clean, cleanest.

The inspectors probably figure if you want them out there, there's no reason to show up. It's the people who don't want them out that they like to pop in on.

K.C.

milk containers

As far as the containers, legally it's true that when you transfer milk into their containers that they are assuming 1/2 the responsibility. But, if they get sick, guess who the state will come after.

K.C.

Brand-new one-time-use plastic milk jugs cost under 50 cents US and get the farmer and consumer out of that cycle of being bottle washers. It should significantly alleviate contamination concerns,

inspectors have not been coming out to my farm - just the opposite, I have invited them repeatedly and they ignore me. Hm. How weird is that?

Enjoy:

http://www.rainhaven.com/dairy.html

-- Debbie Higginshttp://www.rainhaven.comPLEASE BE KIND AND TRIM YOUR POSTS WHEN REPLYING!Visit our Raw Dairy Files for a wealth of information!http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/files/Archive search: http://onibasu.com

[Guest guest]

I had those disposable milk bottles

when I first started and everyone wanted the wide mouth ones so they

could scoop off the cream. I got the plastic one gallon wide

mouth jugs that look like the glass ones. They are food grade

and can go into the diswasher. I even got the self sticking lid

inserts and the plastic screw on lids. When I get them back

from the people, even if they wash them, I pop them into the

dishwasher with the lids and re-do them to make sure they are clean,

clean, cleanest.

KC, why I was recommending the plastic jugs (be it the usual

style as seen in stores or the wide mouth version you have found) was

to have them be used just once and not re-used, thereby avoiding that

whole issue of sanitation liability. Which is a slightly different

critter than whether or not re-used containers are truly sanitized -

you get out of that whole " reasonable doubt " snafu that

could come back to bite you.

The inspectors probably figure

if you want them out there, there's no reason to show up. It's

the people who don't want them out that they like to pop in

on.

K.C.

--

Debbie Higgins

http://www.rainhaven.com

[Guest guest]

I understand. The bottles I use are more expensive and that's why I opt to clean them. When I win the Lotto, I'll just get brand new ones and tell people to keep them (LOL). Right now, I'm just trying to keep everyone happy. I know they can take the milk home and transfer it into anything they want, but for now this is working and everyone is pleased.

Of course there are those who insist on glass and I do have some glass gallon jugs for them. I hate using the glass because they get so heavy with the milk and with my crummy hands due to the nerve damage, it never fails....every year I drop one, have a gallon of milk to clean up and always get cut from flying glass. I just hate it when that happens (LOL).

K.C.

Re: milk containers

KC, why I was recommending the plastic jugs (be it the usual style as seen in stores or the wide mouth version you have found) was to have them be used just once and not re-used, thereby avoiding that whole issue of sanitation liability. Which is a slightly different critter than whether or not re-used containers are truly sanitized - you get out of that whole "reasonable doubt" snafu that could come back to bite you.

The inspectors probably figure if you want them out there, there's no reason to show up. It's the people who don't want them out that they like to pop in on.

K.C.

-- Debbie Higginshttp://www.rainhaven.comPLEASE BE KIND AND TRIM YOUR POSTS WHEN REPLYING!Visit our Raw Dairy Files for a wealth of information!http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/files/Archive search: http://onibasu.com

[Guest guest]

I understand. The bottles I use

are more expensive and that's why I opt to clean them. When I

win the Lotto, I'll just get brand new ones and tell people to keep

them (LOL). Right now, I'm just trying to keep everyone

happy. I know they can take the milk home and transfer it into

anything they want, but for now this is working and everyone is

pleased.

Of course there are those who insist

on glass and I do have some glass gallon jugs for them. I hate

using the glass because they get so heavy with the milk and with my

crummy hands due to the nerve damage, it never fails....every year I

drop one, have a gallon of milk to clean up and always get cut from

flying glass. I just hate it when that happens (LOL).

K.C.

My dairy inspectors have OK'd my using half gallon wide mouth

canning jars set into icewater baths as my bulk tanks. If you take

milk that has been in your bulk tank less than 24 hours and in the

plastic one-time-use milk jug less than 4 hours, your customers can

choose to transfer it to glass containers (gallon jars or half gallon

jars or glass pitchers with tightfitting lids etc) as soon as they

get home. This will alleviate the farmer from any concerns real or

perceived of the container not being completely sanitary. My dairy

inspectors made it completely clear to me that there was no way they

would OK my using customers' containers at my farm. However, I see

that some states apparently require farmgate sales have the customer

provide the container - and I would have to wonder if therefore if

the farmer takes the customer-provided container and washes it, if

this has negated the intent of the law to put 100% of the sanitation

requirements/liability on the customer. I'm saying that weirdly but I

hope you know what I mean.

By being in a smaller-mouthed container for a short period of

time, this will avoid cow cream from separating up into the bottle

neck. Goat milk doesn't have that problem. Sheep milk...?? Probably

like cow milk??

Plastic milk jugs these days can be recycled and used in other

ways. The amount of water a dishwasher uses for each load can add up

- my dishwasher uses 7 gallons. Only the bottom rack has enough

height to fit half gallon jars and I would say by the time my

stainless steel strainer and milk pail lid are also on that bottom

rack that there is room for about 6 or so jars. Without the strainer

and pail lid.... around 10 jars might fit. I don't want to run the

dishwasher more than twice a day (once after each milking, to clean

milk pail & strainer); 7 gallons of water each time adds up in

many ways and I don't want more waste water going into my milk room

waste water system.

Note that I hand milk; I don't know what exactly is involved

water-wise for cleaning milking machines.

Just about every woman farmer I know has hand problems. I myself

had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at age 4 and thru years of farm

chores and typing etc I know some days my hands are quite weak. The

handles on the plastic milk jugs are easier for me to securely hold

and the small lids easier on my hands. Your customers could go in

together and buy the milk jugs and you could keep them at your farm;

if necessary you could be leasing the space to the customers to store

their jugs if that was a liability concern.

--

Debbie Higgins

http://www.rainhaven.com

[Guest guest]

You are talking about the taste of milk from mega-sized dairies

that has been sitting in the plastic jug for days, maybe weeks, and

who know how long it has been since it was in the cow.

I'm talking about milk that is put in the plastic jug and in the

consumer's hands within 2 - 12 hours of leaving the animal.

And the consumer can take it home and promptly put it in a

gallon container that they are responsible for keeping sanitized and

therefore decreasing liability to the farmer.

I only use

glass for storing my milk, b/c (and maybe it's all in my head!) I

could swear plastic changes the taste of the milk. Before I was

blessed to have my own dairy animals, I insisted on buying the milk

in the stores i nthe waxed cardboard only, even though it cost more

(cause the plastic gallon jugs of milk are cheaper than 2 waxed

cardboard 2 litre cartons), 'cause I hated the taste of the milk in

the plastic cartons!

--

Debbie Higgins

http://www.rainhaven.com

[Guest guest]

I have to be honest and say tha those big plastic gallon jugs I got doesn't make my milk taste different to me. And, I take the milk that isn't sold after 4-7 days and use it. If people insist on glass, I would have to go to 1/2 gallon jugs because of the weight factor.

K.C.

Re: milk containers

You are talking about the taste of milk from mega-sized dairies that has been sitting in the plastic jug for days, maybe weeks, and who know how long it has been since it was in the cow.

I'm talking about milk that is put in the plastic jug and in the consumer's hands within 2 - 12 hours of leaving the animal.

And the consumer can take it home and promptly put it in a gallon container that they are responsible for keeping sanitized and therefore decreasing liability to the farmer.

I only use glass for storing my milk, b/c (and maybe it's all in my head!) I could swear plastic changes the taste of the milk. Before I was blessed to have my own dairy animals, I insisted on buying the milk in the stores i nthe waxed cardboard only, even though it cost more (cause the plastic gallon jugs of milk are cheaper than 2 waxed cardboard 2 litre cartons), 'cause I hated the taste of the milk in the plastic cartons!

-- Debbie Higginshttp://www.rainhaven.comPLEASE BE KIND AND TRIM YOUR POSTS WHEN REPLYING!Visit our Raw Dairy Files for a wealth of information!http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/files/Archive search: http://onibasu.com

[Guest guest]

I agree !!

I put my milk into 1/2 gallon & gallon glass jars. I have even gotten to the point that I can only drink milk out of a glass cup!!!! Just tastes funny to me if it's been in anything plastic!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ :-) Shelton, WA (NW of Olympia) @ Jekuthiel.comJekuthiel means: God will support -- Luke 12:29-31 <><http://Jekuthiel.com/ --come visit!!! (Last Updated 4/22)Registered Nubian Dairy Goats (Buck Service Available)2005 Kids are here & milkers for sale!!Check out my "For Sale" page http://Jekuthiel.com/forsale.html & home to a milking Jersey Cow, calved April 1st!!!!--------------------------------------------------**Jekuthiel's Handmade Gifts!**Silhouette Potholders'n Wall-hangings,Shawls & Appliquéd Wearables!!!*NEW* Iron Transfer Drawing Wearables!!Breeding & Records Calendars!*NEW* Regular CalendarsCross-Stitch Patterns!*NEW* Lacy Ponchos!!*NEW* Fur Scarf/Boas!!*NEW* Magic Fur Scarf/Shrug!!http://jekuthiel.com/gifts.html (Last Updated 3/10)**Online Shopping Cart!**--------------------------------------------------Proud Sister of TWO US Marines (Sgt & LCpl)!!!http://Jekuthiel.com/MarineEGA.html

Re: milk containers

I only use glass for storing my milk, b/c (and maybe it's all in my head!) I could swear plastic changes the taste of the milk. Before I was blessed to have my own dairy animals, I insisted on buying the milk in the stores i nthe waxed cardboard only, even though it cost more (cause the plastic gallon jugs of milk are cheaper than 2 waxed cardboard 2 litre cartons), 'cause I hated the taste of the milk in the plastic cartons! I wonder how the "natural" cartons would rate? Interesting........

[Guest guest]

I only use glass for storing my milk, b/c (and maybe it's all in my head!) I could swear plastic changes the taste of the milk. Before I was blessed to have my own dairy animals, I insisted on buying the milk in the stores i nthe waxed cardboard only, even though it cost more (cause the plastic gallon jugs of milk are cheaper than 2 waxed cardboard 2 litre cartons), 'cause I hated the taste of the milk in the plastic cartons! I wonder how the "natural" cartons would rate? Interesting........

[Guest guest]

Tricia,

My take on plastics is " if you can smell it, don't use it " .

Some plastic chemicals are hormone mimickers - that means they do their

dirty work at the molecular level - molecule by molecule. You can smell a

new plastic container because the molecules are being released all the time

and they build up in there. So, you rinse it and air it out - that doesn't

stop the molecules from being released.

Just curious, what recycling number and initials are stamped on your

plastic containers?

I've used 1/2 gallon wide mouth glass mason jars. Nothing beats glass. With

the wide mouth, you can ladle the cream out. Just make sure they're ALL THE

WAY DRY before putting the lids back on to take back to your supplier.

If you must use plastic, the number " 2 " plastic (low density polyethylene)

seems to be the most stable. It's what most plastic milk jugs are made of.

But glass is better.

Chrys

At 01:15 PM 8/3/2005 +0000, you wrote:

>Hey I found a new milk supplier and they don't give you

>containers... which is fine so I ran out and got something quick

>at Kmart. They are perfect except plastic.... any help on how to

>get the plastic-y smell out before this afternoon?...Vinegar?

>Would that cause an after taste.. cause I am not keen on trading

>one taste for another.

>Tricia

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>PLEASE BE KIND AND TRIM YOUR POSTS WHEN REPLYING!

>Visit our Raw Dairy Files for a wealth of information!

>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/files/

>

>Archive search: http://onibasu.com

>

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