[FlipFlopFarmer]

Okay - sorry for asking such a dumb questions but..... I am trying to decide whether or not to get a dairy cow and I am in the process of researching cost and the whole thing. I was looking on Lehman's today and saw a hand crank butter churn - $125! Do you really need a butter churn or can you use like a KitchenAid mixer with one of it's attachments? Not that those are much cheaper but I hate kitchen gadgets and that one is a little more multi-purpose.

Also, I live in Oregon and from what I understand, you can't sell raw milk. Are there ways around this? What's everyone else out there doing with all of their milk?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Carla

 

[bantams]

I use a food processor to make butter. Mine is around 7 cups, but you should go for the biggest you can afford. It is nice to not have to hand churn the butter for 20 minutes. Don't try to use a stand mixer! They are very messy, even when tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. You'll get cream all over the kitchen.

If you sell just to your friends and neighbors, you can probably get away with selling the raw milk. If you want to be safe and legal, you can set up a cowshare program so customers become part-owners of the cow. A cow owner can drink their own cow's milk. You have the people sign a bill of sale and pay a small fee for part of the cow. Mine is $15. You still charge for the milk and other products, but you must call the prices "production costs" - what it takes you to take care of and feed their cow.

If you are wondering if it is worth it to own a dairy cow, I would definitely say YES. The milk and other products are so much better than storebought, and you can even earn some money doing this. I bought my cow in the middle of June 2003 for $750. Transportation cost around $200 (ferry ride too). I probably started selling milk sometime in July. She was dried off in October. In that time I paid for both of those fees, and she was only giving an average of 1.5 gallons per day. This was before I started the cow share program. My "dairy" is listed on 2 websites (since November) and I have already had over 30 people call, wanting raw milk.

If you need a cowshare document, I can email you a copy of mine. You can also visit my website at http://bantams.the-kozaks.com/Creamery

I hope this helps!

 

[Mullers Lane Farm]

In IL it is legal to sell raw milk from the farm as long as the buyer brings their own container.

Is it worth it! Oh my Yes! We paid for our Jersey with the milk she produced.

 

[Mullers Lane Farm]

bantams,
I may need to up the price of my products!!

Iris is beautiful!

Here's a picture of our Dolly
http://www.mullerslanefarm.com/mlfHeritageAnimals.html

 

[FlipFlopFarmer]

Bantams - I sent you a private message - not sure if you rec'd it. I would love to see what the "cowshare" form looks like. Also - what type of food processor do you use and is there a certain attachment that you use. I've never used a food processor.

Both you and Mullers have great websites - wonderful pictures - such beautiful animals.

I just ordered "Keeping a Family Cow". I've heard such great things about that book. Other than reading a book - where is a good place for a someone who knows little to nothing about dairy cattle to start? I've tried finding someone in my area w/a dairy cow but haven't found anyone yet. Like I said in my email to Bantams, I would gladly go and help someone in exchange for a little first hand knowledge.

Carla

 

[bantams]

Go to http://www.real-food.com/ and visit the discussion board with any questions. Joann (your book's author) answers all your questions there - very helpful. KFC is a wonderful book.
Go to http://www.jerseydirectory.com/ and start to visit some herds, talk with the owners, and get to know what to look for in a good family cow.
Do you want a Jersey cow?

 

[arnoldw]

I read a few of the article on raw milk. Does it change the milk that much if you go a head an pasturize the milk before you sell it. make butter or cheese give it away or doing a cow share. Does that help on the raw milk issue as fare as legal issues or different state isuues. Im right on the border of nc and sc. live in nc. In nc it is illegal to sale raw milk. In sc it is legal to sale raw milk. It is illegal to take milk from nc and sell raw milk in sc. I havent checked on the butter or cheese issue. I dont want to go through the usda issue. I want to hand milk in the cleanest enviorment that I can and may get read off some extra milk. Im considering just buying holesteins and bottle feeding just not to deal with all the raw milk issues. Help. Arnold

 

[bantams]

FlipFlopFarmer -
I use the Cuisinart food processor with the metal blade that it came with.
Did you read the article by Jo Robinson about me on the Products/Prices page? I don't do 4-H with my cow, but I have been in 4-H with my chickens for 6 years.
I learned a lot by visiting different Jersey farms and talking to the owners, and reading KFC.

Mullers Lane Farm -
Dolly looks like a wonderful cow! I also like your turkeys.

 

[shelbynteg]

I read a few of the article on raw milk. Does it change the milk that much if you go a head an pasturize the milk before you sell it. make butter or cheese give it away or doing a cow share. Does that help on the raw milk issue as fare as legal issues or different state isuues. Im right on the border of nc and sc. live in nc. In nc it is illegal to sale raw milk. In sc it is legal to sale raw milk. It is illegal to take milk from nc and sell raw milk in sc. I havent checked on the butter or cheese issue. I dont want to go through the usda issue. I want to hand milk in the cleanest enviorment that I can and may get read off some extra milk. Im considering just buying holesteins and bottle feeding just not to deal with all the raw milk issues. Help. Arnold

I can only speak for Texas, a home pastuerizer is NOT acceptable if you intend to sell the milk as pastuerized. The kind of pastuerizer they require has multiple temp sensors, and recording ability for temps during the pastuerization, and they start at around $7K.

Pastuerization kills pathogens (bad stuff), but also kills all digestive enzymes in the milk (good stuff). You are using a 'dead' food. We are comfortable testing animals for TB/Bruc/Johnnes diseases, and keeping the milk raw.

A low profile will help you, the cowshare agreement particularly, if you want to get your extra milk to people. If you decide to feed animals, no regulatory agency in the world is going to care.

Hope this helps.

 

[Ken Scharabok]

Some people get around the regulations by advertising and selling raw milk for pet consumption only. Once it leaves your property usage is no longer your responsibility.

Mom use to feed the dogs a raw egg beaten up in a bowl a milk a couple of times a week. They always had nice shiny coats.

Ken S. in WC TN

 

[Ken Scharabok]

P.S. Once you have people coming for pick up, consider what else might be sold to them. Farm-fresh eggs? Homemade bread? Butter or cream? Excess garden produce? Rabbits? Broilers or spent hens? Ducks? Thanksgiving turkeys? Unclorinidated well-water?

On the rabbits and poultry, a way around regulations is to sell them live, and then either not charge extra (or a monimal fee) to process them.

Read somewhere where one place did sell their well-water. As I recall charge was $.25 per gallon for a pumpage fee on an honor system.

Ken S. in WC TN

 

[FlipFlopFarmer]

Bantams - I looked into the Jersey Directory website and found two dairys very near where I live. I couldn't believe it!!! I'm going to email them and see if I can come out and talk to them and see their operation.

"Did you read the article by Jo Robinson about me on the Products/Prices page?"
*****I haven't read that article but I will. I was just doing a regular internet search for daity farms in the pacific nw - that was how I found your site.

Ken - I laughed when you said something about selling well water. The realtor that found us this property (She owns 5-7 acres herself with well water) came to our home in the city to fill out some paperwork. I offered her a glass of ice water and she refused to drink it. She even asked me if I thought my water was safe to drink because it had such a strong bleach smell to it. I never really noticed it until we moved out here with well water - Lovin' it!!! With all the things I can sell - I could almost quit my job!!! =) Ok - maybe not but almost!

Thanks for your help everyone!

Carla

 

[bantams]

Where in Oregon do you live? I know a family-cow owner who lives in Monument, she said you are welcome to visit.
Why don't you go to Joann's site, and talk to Rose on the message board. http://www.dream-tool.net/tools/messages.mv?index+joannsdiscussiongroup
That's great that you found some nearby Jersey dairies.

 

[bantams]

Oops - I posted too soon. Here is a new dairy that is near Portland.
Skamokawa: Vieira's Homestead Farm, Michael and Kya Vieira, 105 E. Valley Rd., Skamokawa, WA 98647, (360) 795-3795. Raw milk from grass-fed Milking Shorthorns.

 

[FlipFlopFarmer]

I'm in Molalla Oregon which is SE of Portland - very near Canby and Mulino, Oregon - I found a few dairies there through the Jersey site you told me about. Monument is about 5 -6 hours from where I am. The one in Skamokawa, WA is only about 2 1/2 hrs away - Do you have an email address for them?

Thanks again
Carla