Milk Containers for Dairy Herd Share

[plumcreekfarm]

We are working on putting together a herd share program. Our members will buy their own containers and show up with them at their milk pick up time. Many have asked me to recommend something and I'm cluelass. I just use a rubbermaid one gallon pitcher, but that would tip in the car. Commercial milk jugs are too hard to wash. Any ideas or links to good containers whould be greatly appreciated.

[gone-a-milkin]

Half gallon mason jars are the standard thing to use. The lids screw down tight and the kids can pour from them. Also, they're easy to sanitize.

[JHinCA]

I agree that wide mouth 2 quart canning jars are good for milk. They are available, affordable and easy to clean. You really don't want to be trying to keep plastic sanitized or anything with a top that is not wide enough to get your hand into.

[plowjockey]

How about a quality, insulated 1 gallon "picknick" type jug? It won't tip easily and the wide lid will come off easily for complete scrubbing.

Glass containers are great, until one full of milk, breaks in the car. The sour milk smell will never come out.

[JHinCA]

Originally Posted by plowjockey

How about a quality, insulated 1 gallon "picknick" type jug? It won't tip easily and the wide lid will come off easily for complete scrubbing.

Glass containers are great, until one full of milk, breaks in the car. The sour milk smell will never come out.

Hopefully people will be bringing an ice chest to take the milk home in so the spillage would be contained. In cold weather or for short distances ice in the ice chest is probably not necessary, but I think the ice chest is a good precaution.

[Mrs. Homesteader]

Have them check here.

http://www.localamishfarms.com/glass...s_for_sale.htm

[frankcassiesmom]

Our milk co-op won't do glass so we do empty juice bottles that have the handles up by the lid. NO hollow handles. The big Gatorade bottles, the cheap Walmart brand Lemonade or whatnot, the big Mott's jugs, etc. They all are just jugs with a handle that's around the lid, making them easy to lift up and down, tie together for returns, etc.

[Freeholder]

Milk should never be kept in re-used plastic containers of any kind. Plastic has pores which you will NOT be able to get clean, and after a while, your milk will start going bad quickly. With properly sanitized milking equipment and GLASS jars, the milk ought to keep for nearly two weeks in the refrigerator (if it's raw milk -- pasteurized won't keep that long). Instruct your customers to keep an ice chest in their vehicle to haul the milk jars in; they can put replaceable cardboard dividers in to keep the jars from clanking together. It shouldn't be any more of a problem than buying stuff from the store in glass containers and hauling it home.

Kathleen

[Kmac15]

We use wide mouth gallon "pickle" style jars.
Once home I pour it into a gallon plastic mayo jar, it has a wide mouth handle that is not hollow and can go through the dishwasher.

[Wendy]

http://www.stanpacnet.com/buyonline/index.html

I bought their starter pack of half gallon jars. I bought a brush for cleaning them & they work great. Milk tastes much better in glass & seems so much colder.

[Lizza]

I personally would never keep milk in re-usable plastic containers. We use 1/2 gallon canning jars, wide mouth, very easy to wash and available everywhere.

[Mrs. Jo]

dalh-tech.com. Clean sanitary food grade plastic jugs.

You also need a green funnel to pour the milk in the jugs without spilling.

p.s I have a few funnels left and can ship them if you decide you would like to use them.

Hope this helps.~ Jo

[Jennifer L.]

If you expect them to reuse things, it has to be either glass or stainless steel. If it can't be sanitized, you don't want to use them. If folks get sour milk from the farm they won't be back, and they won't understand that it's from bad sanitation on their part (human nature) and not the cows/farm.

Jennifer

[paintlady]

I use Tupperware containers with a separate handle and a lid with a spout. You can transfer to glass when you get the milk home.

[LamiPub]

Originally Posted by rose2005

Our milk comes from Homestead creamery in a 1/2 gallon glass bottle. I really like them as they can be washed in the dishwasher. I use a small crate to change them out at our local farm shop.

You can also buy them with milk at Kroger I think. We pay a deposit for the bottle once, then when we return it for another full bottle, we dont have to pay again.

It's a good bottle to re-use again. I like the plastic handle at the top as it helps with pouring the milk. Nice thick glass.

I wonder if you contacted them, (540-721-2045) they might be able to let you know who supplies them with the bottles.



Rose

This is what we have too. They come from a dairy farm up north call Shatto Milk. They come in three sizes. The large like in your pick, the med looks like the old fashioned milk bottles and a small glass bottle for cream. They are easy to clean and very thick. You can turn them in for a deposit when you get a new one. Unfortunately, the company doesn't deliver to the two nearest towns I shop so I only get their milk when in the city. I have saved some of the glass jars to use when my "local supplier" has milk again. One just calved last week and another due any day now!

The large canning jars work great too.

[plumcreekfarm]

Thanks for all the imput. We are going to go with glass. Now it is between canning jars and milk bottles. The jars seem hard to pour and the bottles difficult to clean. Also we are not sure if we should keep, clean, and fill bottles before customers arrive. Or let them bring their bottles and fill those bottles for them to take home. Basically who owns/manages the bottles?

[Ken Scharabok]

Recommend they go to a wine store and buy one or more half-gallon or gallon jug(s) of wine. Colored glass, pour handle and thick glass. Replacement caps and bottle brushes are available from most mail-order wine making suppliers. E.g.: http://www.eckraus.com/index.php?action=search.

This particular supplier also sells new one-gallon jugs, but when shipping is considered, likely about the same price as the wine.

http://www.eckraus.com/index.php?action=search

They also sell replacement lids for one-gallon wide-mouth glass jars. Here check with the kitchen at one of your local schools or at various restaurants. They may be throwing them out. As noted, would be difficult to pour from.

I send the motion milk should be chilled ASAP from being drawn. Then kept chilled until use. During meals it shouldn't be left on the counter. Take out of refrigerator, pour and then back in the refrigerator.

[Wendy]

Rose those are like what I bought. Look to see if it says: STANPAC on the bottom

[mama2littleman]

Originally Posted by plumcreekfarm

Thanks for all the imput. We are going to go with glass. Now it is between canning jars and milk bottles. The jars seem hard to pour and the bottles difficult to clean. Also we are not sure if we should keep, clean, and fill bottles before customers arrive. Or let them bring their bottles and fill those bottles for them to take home. Basically who owns/manages the bottles?

I would think that you should "own" the bottles. This way you can control the sanitation. Have the customers put down a deposit on the bottles (just like at the store) and they can trade out empties for full ones.

Nikki

[Michael W. Smith]

Originally Posted by plumcreekfarm

Also we are not sure if we should keep, clean, and fill bottles before customers arrive. Or let them bring their bottles and fill those bottles for them to take home. Basically who owns/manages the bottles?

If you want to be looked at as professional, I would think the milk bottles would present a better picture than canning jars. However, the customer should buy the bottles, keep them clean, etc. (I really don't think you want to get into the hassle of cleaning bottles!) Find out where you can buy the bottles, see how many customers you will have and buy enough plus a few extra that they can buy off of you due to breakage / new customers.

Customers need to be taught on the proper cleaning and sanitizing of bottles with a warning that if it isn't followed, their quality of milk may suffer.

I'm lucky in that our local dairy farm lets us stop at their bulk tank 24 hours / day. I bring my own container, fill it up and drop off the money. It's all on "the honor" system. Currently paying $2.00 / gallon. Both us customers and the farmer win.