And it just kind of stuck. You know we LOVE the idea of reusable (GLASS!) bottles and helping local farmers. The fact that it reminds us of a time gone by doesn't hurt. But, the milk we were getting wasn't organic. As Dr. Oz says, you can't wash your milk the way you can your fruits and veggies. (Not that I'm an Oz nut, but this one makes sense.)
We've landed on our "new norm" of Organic Valley grassfed organic 1%. I know a lot of folks say to drink whole...or raw...or unpasteurized...or not at all! There are a ton of thoughts on it, but for our family, currently, the fact that it's grassfed, the cows are humanely treated, and it's organic (AND with no GMOs) are the main points. When the Hadman is drinking whole one day, maybe I'll just buy the whole and be done with it.
If I could find a local source of grassfed milk (I won't say certified organic because organic practices are important to us; the rigamarole farmers have to go through to obtain it is bunk, especially considering what mainstream farmers DON'T have to go through to use steroids, low-quality feed or GMO feed, at that) that came in glass jars, I'd be one uber-happy mama! Still searching, but for our current "it's a miracle I get a shower every 2 days" lifestyle, this works.
Much like the Great Butter Debate (and oil, for that matter), there are tons of schools of thought on the topic, and everyone seems to think they're right. I'm not saying that we're right; I'm just saying what currently works for us. Heck, everyone has their own interest -- some are anti-waste (hence reusable glass bottles), some are raw/whole foods, others are anti-fat. Where do you stand?
On a side note, can I just say how totally bummed I am that one of our awesome local resources, The Foodshed Buying Club (God knows how long before that link doesn't work), has closed shop? I'm even more bummed that Dave and I may be part of the cause. We had discussed signing up for it (paying $20 to sign up per year, then being able to order and pick up everything from grassfed meats and cheeses to seasonal veggies, etc) but there was never a good time as far as when we thought we'd be getting the most use out of it. Winter didn't seem wise since there's way less produce to offer, and summertime brings with it the fun of farmers marketing. Alas, we never got to share in the awesomeness. Plus, they offered some wicked classes, like for food preservation and cheese making. I'm hoping that wasn't my only shot at such classes! Gotta keep my eyes peeled -- if anyone has any leads, hit me up!
I have always used Byrne Dairy 2%, which is hormone-free. Not sure if the cows are grass-fed and have activities in-barn, but I really just would rather avoid the hormones. The organic part, at least to me, isn't as important. I figure, as long as it is coming from a cow's udder, it's organic enough for me :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your thoughts, Bob. Being animal lovers, it's hard enough for us to think of the animals being exploited for the milk (or eggs...or meat, for that matter) so knowing that they were humanely cared for is important. (We're on a slippery slope to vegetarianism, I'm afraid!) We've also read and researched about the corn-based diet that most mainstream animals are fed and the health risks associated with this type of feed, not only to the animals but down to those who consume those animal products. And the organic part is insanely important, also, to us -- why put extra chemicals into our bodies? So, that's where our philosophy stands. :-)
DeleteI only drank organic milk from for the last 6 years (until I switched to organic almond milk), so I'm very happy to hear you're going organic! It's too bad you can't find organic in glass nearby; those tetrapaks irk me because they can't be recycled around here.
ReplyDeleteCool!! Just wondering, why'd you make the switch to almond? Always great to hear others' views; helps us to make decisions in the future. ;-) We're lucky that ours are recyclable, but I'd still love a local, organic (or grass-fed), returnable glass bottle option. Am I asking too much? Maybe. ;-)
DeleteYou're not asking too much! I've been that annoying person who calls the company and asks for returnable glass bottles a few times before and haven't been killed yet ;)
DeleteI switched to almond because I want to consume as few animal products as possible and switching to almond was easy-peasy. It tastes good in cereal and creamy dishes (mac & cheese, soup), so I barely notice the change (just the way I like it!)!