Organic Milk or Not?

[akmiss]

I say NO milk.

 

[Loves Vintage]

i'm sure that organic dairies do not allow their cows to suffer with illness. why not contact a local organic dairy and ask them before believing some guy that says organic cows suffer? if you don't have a local organic dairy, you can get in touch with whatever group you buy from. you can also contact an organic association.

Speaking as someone who sees organic and non-organic cows pass through the farm for transport, this is NOT the case.

After seeing too many infected teats going untreated and STILL being milked for human consumption, I'm not sure I'd drink ORGANIC.


I don't really drink milk. A splash in my coffee-- maybe.

MissPrudential - I'm so curious. What type of work do you do? Thank you also for confirming what I had been told was the case re: treatment of infected cows.

Oh, are the saying that organic cows and non-organic cows are on the same farms?

I do have my doubts that the $6.29 organic milk is actually organic.

 

[Loves Vintage]

We get organic milk, and since we do not have great access to organic foods, I do get delivery of frozen organic chicken and beef and some vegetables. I hope it balances out with the non-organic things I have to buy! But I am glad that most of our meats and milk are organic.

After reading this thread, though, I may start buying almond milk for our teenage daughter. I only use milk in coffee in the morning.

DS - Curious where you are ordering your organic veggies from, if you don't mind sharing? Thanks!

 

[Loves Vintage]

I'm not saying people shouldn't drink milk, but I do find it worrying that there is an idea that young children 'must' be drinking milk when so much current research is showing that it's not actually very good for us. In the UK, milk is no longer given out in schools like it used to be when I was a child.

I was so curious about this, so I looked it up. It does appear that they still serve milk in schools. Maybe certain schools don't? Or maybe you are saying that it used to be required that every child still take a milk?

What about cheese, yogurt, etc?

And, I did notice that there was a pledge not to use GMO-foods. Not sure if that was all schools, or just the few that I happened to click on the links for, but I think that is wonderful. In the US, we don't even know what is GMO or what is not. For some reason (that I haven't really researched), the FDA does not want GMO foods labeled as such. It's sickening, really. I know you said this is not a concern for you personally, but for the people who do find it to be of concern, well, shouldn't we have the option to purchase it or not. Grrrr.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I adore milk. I buy organic for a very practical reason: it seems to have longer till it expires. The dates are always several weeks out. And the organic milk (except Horizon which I don't buy anymore) doesn't get funny before it's due date.

That's what matters to me.

I agree. It lasts SO much longer. I will also buy TJ's regular milk since it is hormone free. We all love milk and I think the benefits of dairy outweigh the cons.

 

[lyra]

So I wanted to know how the organic milk tasted and "performed", LOL. Went out and bought some at over $6 for usual 2L ($2 more expensive than regular milk). It tasted okay. Then I googled and found out that rsbt is banned in Canada. All of our milk is hormone free. All of our beef and chicken are hormone free. What is the point of buying organic milk if all milk is hormone free here?

 

[Loves Vintage]

A few more replies. I don't know how to do the multi-quotes within one reply.

Kenny, Thanks for reporting back on your research! I know our TJ's whole milk is 3.29 per gallon. I'd be surprised if the skim were as low as 1.99, but we've been buying the whole milk for the kid, so not sure on skim prices. The whole organic is 6.29, which is in line with the prices you mentioned. For a few years now, the standard milk (store brand at local chain store) has been labeled rBST-free. Well, I should say, it is labled that the farmers who produce the milk take a pledge not to use rBST. What that pledge is worth is a good question. Call me cynical (I am most often not, but in this case I am!), but why do they state the farms make a pledge not to use it vs. labeling the milk free of rBST?

MZ, You had asked me why didn't I contact a local dairy to confirm the information I received from a co-worker. I think you are in CA. I am in CT. Things are a little different here, I think. There is no local dairy. Maybe there are dairies in NY that supply to CT? Well, I know there is one that sells whole milk, by the quart, in glass bottles. It looks wonderful, but I think it was like $6 or so for the quart, so as nice as it looked, even I couldn't buy it. And, I do spend a lot on what I think or perceive to be higher quality food. So, there is no dairy to call! I looked at the container of organic milk that we have from chain grocery store, their brand, to see if the milk's origins were listed. The label says something like distributed by FoodHold USA, LLC out of Maryland. For all I know, that milk could be from Illinois, and it's distributed from an LLC out of MD. There is no local dairy. I wish there was, but there is not.

vc10um, Do you bake with organic grains? (I think I recall you bake your own bread, right?) I did do a little more searching at TJ's and found some organic cheddar, which the kiddo seems to like. It is less expensive than the havarti I had been buying for her. Go figure!

 

[Loves Vintage]

So I wanted to know how the organic milk tasted and "performed", LOL. Went out and bought some at over $6 for usual 2L ($2 more expensive than regular milk). It tasted okay. Then I googled and found out that rsbt is banned in Canada. All of our milk is hormone free. All of our beef and chicken are hormone free. What is the point of buying organic milk if all milk is hormone free here?

Yay for Canada!! That was my initial question as well, but in my haste in posting, I forgot about the pesticide issue. I believe organic milk is from cows that are fed pesticide-free and also are not treated with antibiotics.

So, how was it?

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I was buying organic milk as well and now I buy all my milk at Aldis. I pay $2.79 a gallon for their milk and even though it is not organic it is hormone free. I am also very lucky because we have a local farmers market and there is a farm who sells a variety of really good cheeses that are all hormone free. Another place I get my cheese is online at Cedar Grove cheese in Wisconsin. It is cheaper to just buy a la carte than to buy a prepackaged bundle. The cheese is really good and priced pretty well.

My parents live by their factory and they have the BEST string cheese I have ever tasted. We stock up whenever we visit them.

 

[kenny]

For a few years now, the standard milk (store brand at local chain store) has been labeled rBST-free. Well, I should say, it is labled that the farmers who produce the milk take a pledge not to use rBST. What that pledge is worth is a good question. Call me cynical (I am most often not, but in this case I am!), but why do they state the farms make a pledge not to use it vs. labeling the milk free of rBST?

On that note . . . yesterday I DID notice a difference in labeling.
Some said, "From cows not treated with rBST".
Other brands said, "Our farmer pledge to not use growth hormones".

I betcha there is a legal difference, and an increased likelyhood "promise milk" has rBST.

 

[Loves Vintage]

For a few years now, the standard milk (store brand at local chain store) has been labeled rBST-free. Well, I should say, it is labled that the farmers who produce the milk take a pledge not to use rBST. What that pledge is worth is a good question. Call me cynical (I am most often not, but in this case I am!), but why do they state the farms make a pledge not to use it vs. labeling the milk free of rBST?

On that note . . . yesterday I DID notice a difference in labeling.
Some said, "From cows not treated with rBST".
Other brands said, "Our farmer pledge to not use growth hormones".

I betcha there is a legal difference, and an increased likelyhood "promise milk" has rBST.

I do not doubt that is very likely the case.

 

[Maisie]

I'm not saying people shouldn't drink milk, but I do find it worrying that there is an idea that young children 'must' be drinking milk when so much current research is showing that it's not actually very good for us. In the UK, milk is no longer given out in schools like it used to be when I was a child.

I was so curious about this, so I looked it up. It does appear that they still serve milk in schools. Maybe certain schools don't? Or maybe you are saying that it used to be required that every child still take a milk?

What about cheese, yogurt, etc?

And, I did notice that there was a pledge not to use GMO-foods. Not sure if that was all schools, or just the few that I happened to click on the links for, but I think that is wonderful. In the US, we don't even know what is GMO or what is not. For some reason (that I haven't really researched), the FDA does not want GMO foods labeled as such. It's sickening, really. I know you said this is not a concern for you personally, but for the people who do find it to be of concern, well, shouldn't we have the option to purchase it or not. Grrrr.

This is from the goverment website regarding milk in schools here in the UK:

Local authorities are not obliged to provide milk to pupils, but if they choose to do so, it must be free to those pupils who qualify for free lunches.

Our local primary school provides milk and it costs £3.50 per term. I didn't let James have it because its left out in the classroom and not refridgerated.

Also the govt decided that participating schools can provide a piece of fruit or a vegetable per child, per day between ages 4-6. James complained they tried to make him eat a tomato and he wasn't happy!

 

[Lotus99]

[quote="Maisie|


Our local primary school provides milk and it costs £3.50 per term. I didn't let James have it because its left out in the classroom and not refridgerated.

[/quote]
When I went to school in the UK, they didn't keep the milk refrigerated. I hated the way it tasted, but they made us drink it every day. I had no problem glugging milk down at home, but at school, I hated it.

Of course, that was back in the day when milk came in glass bottles, delivered by the milkman. They had little 1/4 pint bottles they delivered to the schools.

As I remember, Margaret Thatcher was the one who started reducing milk at school, hence the name Maggie Thatcher, Milk Snatcher. I believe that was when she was minister of education in the 1970s.

 

[Maisie]

Ugh yes. Warm milk. It would make me gag now.

 

[Pandora II]

When I was a child milk was provided free to all children in school paid for by the government - we were forced to drink the wretched stuff. I used to opt to be 'milk monitor' so I could avoid being given a bottle.

Now it's optional and has to be paid for.

It was always warm as well...

I remember spending an entire morning at my aunt's table because I wouldn't drink the glass of milk she put in front of me... never did drink it!

 

[vc10um]

vc10um, Do you bake with organic grains? (I think I recall you bake your own bread, right?) I did do a little more searching at TJ's and found some organic cheddar, which the kiddo seems to like. It is less expensive than the havarti I had been buying for her. Go figure!

Hey, LV!

DH hasn't been baking bread recently because we stumbled upon Organic Rye Bread that is supplied fresh daily to our local Whole Foods. It's incredibly tasty and with house hunting/mortgage getting/etc. going on right now in our house, DH hasn't had the time to try and copy cat the recipe! So for now, that's our bread stock, and we go through a loaf and a half each week...DH is a sandwich MACHINE.

But we also buy Bob's Red Mill Organic Flours and yeast, so when we do bake our own, it's also organic, as are our cakes (we also use organic sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, etc.), muffins, etc.

Oh, and I love TJ's organic string cheese. Yummo!

 

[Maisie]

I couldn't eat my cereal this morning. I kept thinking there might be cow pus in the milk!

 

[Rosebloom]

We try to do all organic at home so I don't have to worry about what the kids (or parents!) eat while out and about. Hopefully it all balances out. And we are also an extended breast feeding family so my kids are all about their organic momma's milk. . Another vote for Almond milk too. So yummy! I really wish it was cheaper to eat well though.

 

[Saoirse2]

We have 15 Organic Milk cooperatives around us. I often pay $2.78 per gallon.
Reasons:
Local.
Flavor: Just like homegrown tomatoes, ultrahigh temp process produces better taste and shelf life.
BGH, DDT, EPA still around, no thanks.
Pasture police around, yes it starts with the soil, then room and sun.
Routine antibiotic is unacceptable, rarely get warnings.
Our school offers milk [$24] not a popular item, most kids bring water.

ETA re organic cows and non organic being on the same farm. No. It's simply too expensive but, if holistic treatments are not effective and antibiotics were used, the animal cannot return to organic production and pass on to non-organic farms. Rare, 40-50 heads per season.

 

[Mara]

I'm late here but we do organic whole milk for the kiddo, organic dairy whenever I can find it/remember to get it and organic meats almost always.

Recently a family member told us a story about this family we know (yes one of those friend of a friend things but we actually know this family)... they had twin identical girls. For whatever reason one has always been an eater and one hasn't...one's a hearty eater and one's a picker.

They noticed that the hearty eater is now 'developing' way more rapidly than the picky eater. The girls are I think 7 now, super young to be developing so quickly. Anyway took the girl to the Dr and first thing he asked is, what's her diet?

Turns out the family eats mostly from big box/big name regular stores. The Dr said, first thing you need to do is change her diet. All organic especially dairy and meats. That the amt of hormones in stuff is shocking. So they do it. It's been about 6 months and they noticed her rate of development has slowed dramatically.

The same time that my family member was telling us about this, we saw some segment on the Today show or something about how today's girls are developing far more rapidly than we did way back when. And that a lot of it has to do with the hormones and treatments to the food. I don't know that organic from a regular market is going to completely be the 100000% best way to go but short of having a cow in our yard and eating solely what we grow and butcher then doing organic at least for my kiddo seems like the 2nd best, based on the options anyway. My kiddo doesn't drink that much milk anyway but he does eat a lot of yogurt and cheese products.

So anyway, the anecdotal story is just that, one story, but I felt like it really struck home all the stuff we hear. So yeah we go organic for him, but we have pretty much from the start. We're also growing some veggies and fruits this year, but doubt we'll have a cow anytime soon.