Is Raw Milk Safe - I switched to Raw Milk and I'm never looking back, Here's why!
- Hannah Harris
- Jul 24, 2025
- 25 min read
Updated: Aug 25, 2025
Ever since milk was invented, people have been drinking it raw. No complications, no worries about food poisoning, nothing to be concerned about. So what changed? Why did milk pasteurization happen and why did it need to if everyone was perfectly fine drinking it "straight from the cow" before?
The Industrial Revolution, that's what changed - with a little help from Rockefeller to keep raw milk a taboo. When the Industrial Revolution took over milk production, attempting to produce milk for the country in amounts never seen before, it came with unforeseen consequences. Food poisonings, filthy living conditions for the animal, sickly animals (not to mention animal abuse,) and a tainted product to be consumed by the masses. Today's practices are, thankfully, much better. However, mainstream sources like to blacklist raw milk and claim that pasteurized milk is safest, but is that true? Is pasteurization the answer or just an adequate way to "clean up" a subpar dairy product?
Let's look at the outcomes of both raw farm milk and pasteurized commercial milk to see which one is truly the healthier option.
The Benefits of Raw Milk - A Nourishing Tradition of Old
Ever since God made the cow, people have been enjoying fresh, unpasteurized milk.
Raw milk is often praised for its high nutritional value, sweet flavor, and presence of beneficial bacteria and enzymes. It is packed with essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium, magnesium, and vitamins A, D, and K. Many enthusiasts (like one of my favorite authors, Sally Fallon of the Nourishing Traditions book) claim the nutritional contents of raw milk are more 'bioavailable' — meaning our bodies can absorb these nutrients better than those in pasteurized milk. The naturally occurring bacteria and enzymes protect the milk from rancidity and contamination, thus making raw milk superior to pasteurized. Not only is raw milk healthier for you, it also tastes amazing. The best glass of milk you'll ever have for your body and your tastebuds.
We have been taught that pasteurization is beneficial, a method of protecting ourselves against infectious disease, but closer examination reveals that its merits have been highly exaggerated. . . pasteurization is no guarantee of cleanliness.
All outbreaks of salmonella from contaminated milk in recent decades - and there have been many - have occurred in pasteurized milk. . . The salmonella strain in that batch of milk [ from the 1985 Illinois outbreak ] was found to be resistant to both penicillin and tetracycline. Raw milk contains lactic-acid-producing bacteria that protect against pathogens. - Sally Fallon, Nourishing Trad. pg 34
Are you willing to give "Raw Milk" a try?
I don't know, I want to but I'm a little afraid.
Not Really.
Absolutely! I'd love to try it!
I already drink it. :)
A brief list of the Vitamins and Minerals found in healthy raw milk are Vitamins C, B12, D, A and K2, and Minerals such as Phosphorus, Magnesium, Chloride, Calcium, Potassium, Sodium, and Sulphur along with other trace minerals. These vitamins and minerals are more readily absorbed from raw milk because of the active enzymes and beneficial bacteria in raw milk (from a happy, clean, healthy animal.)
For example, "[the] Lipase in raw milk helps the body digest and utilize butterfat." - Sally Fallon. This means you may be able to drink milk again if you've experienced pain or discomfort with store-bought. There's nothing quite like having a glass of fresh raw milk with some homemade cookies after being deprived of milk for years!
Not only are you absorbing better quality vitamins and minerals, if you drink milk from healthy, properly fed cattle/ goats/ sheep you'll also be absorbing cancer-fighting CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid). Properly fed meaning a grass based diet for cattle and sheep; forage (weeds and tall brush) for goats.
Another amazing benefit of raw milk is the presence of probiotics in your milk. Instead of ingesting subpar bacteria (potentially harmful to your gut lining) you can be actively building up your gut health and immunity with the Lactobacillus found in raw milk - along with many other strands.
The FDA likes to claim there are no probiotics in raw milk. They admit that there are strands of lactobacillus bacteria but slander all the raw milk advocates by blaming any bacteria in raw milk on poor hygiene and a dirty farm. They also like to claim that any beneficial bacteria you find in dairy products are always man-made and sourced by man. Yeah... makes total sense, doesn't it?
There's no way you can take a clean, pure product and expect it just to... you know, just make cultured cream, buttermilk, yogurt, and other beneficial, ANCIENT products by itself!! Never mind the fact these ancient civilizations didn't have access to our "FDA approved" man-made cultures and were typically in much better health than most of the population today who abide by our decrees.... hey, stop thinking so much! Did we tell you that you could use logic??
Other Anti-Raw milk agencies claim that although Lactobacillus is present in raw milk, it does not mean it's actually probiotic - keep in mind, this is the same bacteria found in effective probiotic supplements and is the star of the show when talking to gut health experts. Furthermore, there have been many studies on the benefits of raw milk (particularly focused on the bacteria of raw milk.) One such study had this to say about their findings
"This study highlighted the importance of documenting indigenous probiotics for health applications. The use of the obtained strains as a starter culture for future fermented food formulation complies with the application-based research approach. . .
(The following points are highlights from the same research article:)
Thirty-four identified probiotic strains were obtained from bovine raw milk.
Statistically, seven strains were found to be the most promising probiotics.
Analysis of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes of strain LJM:05 proved it safe.
The strain LGM:16 produced highest cis-9, trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid isomer.
CLA-producing probiotic with anti-oxidant activity was used to prepare curdled milk." - Science Direct: Probiotics from Bovine Raw Milk.
Don't let Big Pharma scare you into complicity, dare to educate yourself with alternative, trustworthy sources that speak on raw milk and decide for yourself if Raw Milk is right for you.
Having gut issues after an ice cold glass of watered down trash will be a thing of the past once you embrace the scientifically superior refreshment of raw milk.
Aside from the numerous health benefits, the taste of raw milk is phenomenal. The milk I receive from my Nigerian Dwarfs is to die for. It's naturally sweet and naturally homogenized - meaning the fat is incorporated into the milk, just like store bought! Many people describe raw milk as creamy and slightly sweet, my family definitely concurs with that sentiment.
Oh and by the way FDC... I run a clean barn, my animals are clean, and they receive much better water and nutrition than any dairy cow from a large corporation, thank you very much...
The health benefits don't stop there. Some studies suggest that drinking raw milk may reduce allergies and asthma symptoms in children. Exposure to the natural bacteria and enzymes found in raw milk helps to build a strong immune system, thus increasing the resilience of your child against allergens. With benefits like that, why wouldn't you try a glass?
Addressing Common Misconceptions
We've already addressed a few misconceptions in the previous paragraph but you're only a Google search away from finding all sorts of misconceptions about raw milk. You'll get salmonella, the milk isn't clean, other worries.... you'll DIE! All these serious claims in your face can make you think twice about ever trying raw milk - almost feels like playing Russian Roulette... but with milk. When my family heard we were drinking it raw, they were definitely frightened ( and understandably so if all the supposedly trustworthy news sources are telling you it's dangerous.) The mainstream media also brings up extra precautions for pregnant ladies, children, or people with auto-immune diseases, but are these concerns valid? Does the research back up the fear mongering that mainstream media dishes out against Raw Milk advocates (such as myself and people like Sally Fallon, Joel Salatin, Justin Rhodes, and many more?) The answer is a resounding, no.
"The raw milk movement recognizes that at the turn of the century, with urbanization preceding the hygiene, sanitation, refrigeration, indoor plumbing, etc., necessary to metabolize the concentration of people, breweries and dairies became complicit partners in a horrendously filthy urban cow confinement scheme... At the same time, the Mayo Clinic developed a stellar reputation for healing by feeding its patients raw milk from pasture-fed cows." - Joel Salatin, On Milwaukee Interview "Farming and Freedom" https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/joelsalatin
Misconception #1 You'll Get Salmonella
Just a friendly reminder of the Sally Fallon quote I gave earlier about the 1984 Illinois Salmonella outbreak from unclean pasteurized milk... which infected about 14,000 people with one death (some sources say 12.)
All outbreaks of salmonella from contaminated milk in recent decades - and there have been many - have occurred in pasteurized milk. . . The salmonella strain in that batch of milk [ from the 1985 Illinois outbreak ] was found to be resistant to both penicillin and tetracycline. Raw milk contains lactic-acid-producing bacteria that protect against pathogens. - Sally Fallon, Nourishing Trad. pg 34
Misconception #2 Raw Milk Is Icky, Pasteurized is Much Cleaner
You'll be surprised at just how disgusting commercial pasteurized milk can be - we'll cover that in a minute. As far as the cleanliness of raw milk, there is nothing to worry about - especially if you know how to keep a clean living space for your animals, feed them well and provide clean water. It literally could not be simpler than practicing good animal husbandry. Clean milk is the soul purpose of raw milk drinkers. It's why thousands of people (including myself and my husband) took up being a dairy farmer. Our fervor to have the cleanest, purest milk cannot be matched. The FDA, USDA and whatever Anti-Raw corporation can throw as much mud as they like; we know that Raw is Real and our practices are much better than anything you'll find in the store, bar none.
"If we are to accept the dictum of those who maintain that the nutritive value of milk as a food is injured by boiling, then we come back to the necessity of securing its purity by careful attention to the conditions under which it is produced and distributed." - The Hospital Editor of "Is Raw Milk Injurious?"
We keep our animals' sheltered living quarters with a steady supply of straw, they also have access to green grass at all times, have fresh water - of which I include some Organic Apple Cider Vinegar as an electrolyte and health tonic, they have a steady diet of 95% browse 5% feed; when we milk our goats, we vigorously wash their undersides with a castile soap/iodine solution, hand pump a few squeezes out of each teat - to ensure no dirt in our milk, and we use a milk pumper with a stainless steel drum that likewise is washed with the same solution of castile and iodine; We also practice monthly wormings with an Ivermectin based wormer and keep them well groomed . . Top that, "Big Milk"...
Misconception #3 Drinking Raw Milk Will Make You Sick
Actually, it will not. In fact, it can (and likely will) improve your health! It's been used in Natural Healing since the time of the Greeks and even used in the early years of major medical institutions such as the Mayo Clinic!
"Dr. J.R. Crewe, founder of the Mayo Foundation, treated disease for eighteen years with an exclusive raw milk diet and found it to be the single most important factor in his treatments. The Milk Cure, also known as “immune milk therapy,” consists of sipping four to five quarts of raw milk throughout day for a period of two to four weeks, along with daily enemas and very hot baths to facilitate detoxification. Dr. Crewe reported favorable results for a wide range of illnesses including cancer, infection, nerve and brain disorders, weight loss, metabolic disorders, heart and blood diseases, kidney disease, digestive disease, allergies, skin problems, urinary tract problems, reproductive issues, cavities, periodontal disease and musculoskeletal conditions" - An excerpt from RealMilk.com https://www.realmilk.com/milk-as-medicine/
I personally have experienced health improvements such as better skin, stronger-feeling teeth, and remission from Ulcerative Colitis. My children (especially my eldest child) went from being a grumpy toddler with dark circles under his eyes and unnormal fatigue to the bright, happy boy I remembered. It was only when I drastically reduced his store bought milk consumption that he changed back to the son I knew he was. Nothing else changed in his diet and I can't blame it on vaccines (since he hadn't had a vaccine during the time I was observing these changes.)
"fresh' or raw milk cannot be so deleterious (meaning harmful) an article of food as is asserted is proved beyond all question by the fact that during a period of 30 years in which I have had charge of the health of a very susceptible community - a great public school - I have had only four cases of typhoid fever, three cases of diphtheria (not one of which was occasioned by milk), and none of tuberculous disease, and yet the boys drink an enormous quantity of milk so great that I have been censured by a member of the profession for the quantity I advocate and have secured for their welfare, which is never boiled and rarely warmed." - Dr. Duke in "The Hospital" Article "Is Raw Milk Injurious?" Downloadable PDF in Works Cited
Well, then what exactly is this "Milk Sickness" I've heard about? People died from that!
Snakeroot! Have your heard of it? You probably have if you live in the Eastern United States. It's a deadly poisonous plant that kills any animal that eat it and the humans that consume any milk or meat from said animal. Be sure to scan your grazing area for this deadly toxic plant before letting your animal out to graze!
The plant was Ageratina altissima, or white snakeroot, a small perennial herb native to the eastern half of the United States. [Dr.] Anna began experimenting by feeding white snakeroot to animals, including calves, whom she observed exhibiting the telltale trembling symptoms of milk sickness. She began to spread the word in her community. According to Snively and Furbee’s 1966 article about Anna and her discovery, her campaign quickly began saving lives - The Smithsonian
**Also, be sure to subscribe to the People of the Land updates and join our social media platforms! We will be hosting future herbalism classes on finding poisonous plants like snakeroot to educate you on what they look like throughout the year. You'd be surprised how differently plants can look in real life and how easily you might overlook something like Snakeroot!
Fun Fact: did you know that the State of Kentucky offered a 2,000 dollar reward (40,000 in today's money) to anyone who could solve the mystery of "Milk Sickness"? It was a Illinois Midwife that solved the mystery and saved countless lives from future infection.
Misconception #4 Pregnant Ladies, Children, and the Immuno-compromised Ought to Forgo Drinking Raw Milk.
Ironically, the opposite it true. Funny, isn't it? I'm sure you're not surprised by now to know that most (if not all) the big corporations lie to you for their own benefit. (See the Rockefeller video linked below.)
The Mineral, Vitamin, and Probiotic rich superfood (A.K.A. Raw Milk) is essential for all three groups. Children need Vitamins A, D, K2 and Minerals Choline, DHA, Zinc and Good Cholesterol for brain development; all those Vitamins and Minerals listed prior (except Zinc) are found in grass-fed, raw diary. The Immuno-Compromised benefit from all the nutrients, especially the probiotics. Lastly, the Pregnant woman can't get enough of the milk's rich Magnesium, Calcium and Protein content while forming her beautiful child (as well as breastfeeding.)
I should know, seeing that I fall into the last two categories and have experienced life-changing results. My leaky gut stopped, my teeth no longer felt brittle, and my skin issues began to clear up. With my previous two pregnancies, I had dental issues that required surgery. My dentist said "yeah, those babies really suck the calcium right out of you. My rule of thumb is however many teeth a woman is missing, she likely has that many kids." Not this time! Praise the Lord. By intervention of raw milk, my teeth have never felt stronger.
"Despite the immense success of “The Milk Cure,” it has faded away from the medical community. The Weston A. Price Foundation speculates two reasons for this: 1. Mainstream milk is pasteurized and homogenized and is no longer a medicinal super-food. It’s a disease-causing, denatured, highly processed product of factory farming. 2. The medical industry can’t make any money from it." - Answers Pet Food; Raw Milk with Case StudiesHow "Big Milk" and "Big Pharma" Corrupted Our Health and the Problems with Pasteurization.
The modern health problems, animal abuse, and not to mention producing an unclean product are reasons enough to consider other options than store bought milk - whether you choose to pasteurize or not. It's the inevitable outcome of being so ridiculously dependent on outside sources for our nourishment and the dastardly influence of people like J.D. Rockefeller, in my opinion. Once the family cow left the farm, Americans had little to no knowledge of how their daily milk was being processed and handled - and the people in charge of large dairy farms prioritized profit over health. (a story we're all too familiar with by now.) This, followed by the intense propaganda of Rockefeller sycophants during the 1900s against natural healing has done well to squash any challenges to pasteurization of milk.
Why Pasteurization came and Its Efficacy
Commercialized Milk quickly became a disgusting product, needing added chemicals, dyes, and even added sugar to make it palatable to the consumer - and it's still that way today. Though milk related illnesses were rising (from dirty commercial farms), pasteurization wasn't the clear, only answer to solving the problem. The only reason why food borne illnesses are no longer found in pasteurized milk is related to better hygiene practices and using the milk pump, pasteurization isn't needed!
"Sold by firms hoping to maximize their profits, so-called “swill milk” came from dairy cows that were fed the steaming remains of grain distillation. These cows lived in nearby stables amid miserable conditions–most only survived for a few months–and produced a sickly, bluish milk. To mask this ghastly color, the distilleries added chalk, eggs, flour, water, molasses, and other substances. Local distributors then purchased this toxic concoction from the distilleries and brazenly marketed it as “Pure Country Milk.” The mendacity of breweries and their willingness to take advantage of young children and their families no doubt contributed to the dramatic and theatrical flair of Leslie’s reports. But as Mark Kurlansky points out in his new book Milk!, the controversy is just one episode among many in milk’s long history. Indeed, for Kurlansky, no food invites more clamorous debate." - The Smithsonian, The Surprisingly Intolerant History of Milk.
Thankfully, modern commercialized milk uses better hygiene than its predecessors. This does not change the fact that majority of commercial dairy cows are still in confined, filthy living quarters, being feed inadequate food, and sickly - needing regular doses of antibiotics, and their milk is still infused with synthetic Vitamin D to mask the "off taste and smell."
"The requirement for more secure and hygienic products, led to the appearance of the first mechanized milking systems at the beginning of the 20th century. Those systems were known as “milking catheters”. Despite being a great advancement for that time, it caused distress, but also many problems of infections of the mammary gland, and the spread of mastitis due to bad milking practices, . .In line with [the] progress [of the milking machine], improved milking practices have been introduced. Simple practices, such as wearing gloves, cleaning the udder, drying teats, use of post-dipping, and teat disinfection, among others, significantly control the spread of many pathogens inside farms. As a result, a lower incidence of clinical mastitis, lower mammary gland infection rates, and decreased SCC are some of the benefits that come from adherence to these programs. . - Historical Evolution of Cattle Management and Herd Health.
**Please note, this source does not promote Raw milk and yet, admits that simple health practices prevent almost all potential pathogens.
"Undesirable flavor(s)/off flavor(s) in fluid milk can negatively affect milk consumption and consumer product acceptability. The objectives of this study were to identify aroma-active compounds in vitamin concentrates used to fortify fluid milk, and to determine the influence of vitamin A and D fortification on the flavor of milk." - “The Effect of Vitamin Concentrates on the Flavor of Pasteurized Fluid Milk.” From PubMed
Ironically, mainstream sources tell you to watch out for salmonella in raw milk when it's actually been dirty commercialized and pasteurized milk that have been the main source of milk-borne illnesses. Until modern practices of improved hygiene and the antimicrobial stainless steel milk pump, that is. The truth is simple, clean, healthy animals produce better products than malnourished, sickly, filthy ones.
Animal Abuse
I'm not an "animal activist" by any means but true animal abuse is absolutely unacceptable. God commanded us to steward the earth, not abuse it. In recent years, it's been discovered that on top of filthy conditions and poor nutrition for commercial dairy cattle, there's also intense abuse. If you think I'm making this up, check out this primary source. I warn you, it's brutal - would not watch around children, it made my stomach turn... this really has nothing to do with the quality of the milk per se, just the appalling living conditions that are sometimes found at these large dairy corporations. To be fair, not all standard dairy farms are like this. I visited a dairy farm in Wisconsin at age 15 and the cows seemed perfectly fine, clean, and relatively happy for being confined - I don't know if they got pasture or not.
Malnutrition
A proper diet for any ruminant (whether it be a cow, sheep, or goat) is a grass-based/ foliage-based diet. Finding "Grass-fed" dairy products at the store is like finding a needle in a hay stack. With that said, what effects does this have on the cow, on their milk, and on us? Most (Not all) commercial dairy cattle are on a grain-based diet and suffer from confinement.
"Another serious problem with today's dairying methods is the feeding of high-protein soybean meal to the cows. This stimulates them to produce large quantities of milk but contributes to a high rate of mastitis and other problems that lead to sterility, liver problems, and shorter lives. . ."
An excess of grain in goats can cause kidney stones in Whethers (castrated males) and birthing problems in Does. It would not be a stretch to think this would have a similar effect on cows
". . . Little research has been done to determine what these soy feeds do to the kind and quality of protein in cow's milk. . . the proper food for cows is green plants, especially the rapidly growing grasses in the early spring and fall. Milk from properly fed cows contain the Price Factor and Cancer-fighting CLA. . ." - Sally Fallon
Although little research has been done on the protein, we know the butterfat is different in grain-fed vs grass-fed. In Grass-fed cows, you'll find their butterfat (what we use for butter) contains Vitamin D3 and other vitamins while the butterfat of Grain-fed cows do not.
The Effects of Commercially Pasteurized Milk on the Human Body
"The milk sold in your supermarket is bad for everybody, partly because the modern cow is a freak of nature. A century ago cows produced two to three gallons of milk per day; today's Holsteins routinely give three to four times as much. This is accomplished by selective breeding to produce cows with abnormally active pituitary glands and by high-protein feeding...
The pituitary gland not only produces hormones that stimulate the production of milk, it also produces growth hormones. . . small amounts of these hormones are necessary and moderate amounts are not harmful, but a superfluity can result in growth abnormalities. Excessive pituitary hormones are also associated with tumor formation, and some studies link milk consumption with cancer. The freak-pituitary cow is prone to many diseases. She almost always secretes pus into her milk and needs frequent doses of antibiotics. - Page 34 of Nourishing Traditions
When you destroy and denature the enzymes and probiotics in Raw Milk, you make the milk more difficult to digest. This puts an unnecessary strain on the body to process the pasteurized milk, thus causing other problems for the body such as: an increase of allergy symptoms, heart issues, overworking the pancreas - a precursor to diabetes, osteoporosis, weakened digestion in the lacto-intolerant and elderly, and chronic fatigue.
The Silencing of Natural Healing and how it effects the Raw Milk Community today.
In 1901, J.D. Rockefeller saw his opportunity to make a vast fortune by prohibiting real medicine (a.k.a. "Alternative Medicine") and then selling the sick people (ones he made sick with Synthetic based medicines) the "cure" (which made people sick again, thus ensuring a life-long customer.) Sounds oddly familiar, right?
Rockefeller controlled the entire [oil and gas] industry in a monopoly and the US government was his largest client. As a result Rockefeller used his influence and money to lay the groundwork for a complete takeover of the health care industry, using his political contacts who were essentially on his payroll for their elections. He had natural healing methods banned, doctors thrown into prisons, and hospitals and clinics threatened with being shut down if they did not follow his game plan and here's how he did it. In 1901 he established the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, now known as Rockefeller University, dedicated to advancing biomed research and was "instrumental in pioneering various medical treatments including vaccines, antibiotics and synthetic drugs [a quick reminder that synthetic means "made from oil/oil products!"] which would become the cornerstones of the burgeoning pharmaceutical industry." - Collin D. Heaton, Former Professor of History at the American Military University.
Click here to watch the 15 min video quoted above on how Rockefeller and his sycophants corrupted the health industry and waged war on real medicine to make a profit. Former Professor Collin Heaton does not mention raw milk outright, but raw milk was a vital part of Natural Medicine (as seen with the Mayo Clinic quote above and throughout this article.)
We've had over a hundred years of Rockefeller's corrupt influence and propaganda against true medicine; It's no wonder we see so much animosity against the "Alternative" Lifestyle - which used to be the norm before 1901.
How to Choose the Cleanest Raw Milk (and Which Milk to Drink!)
Decisions, decisions... Goat or cow... Sheep or Alpaca... I guess? Could also try buffalo or camel's milk... if you're into that kind of stuff.
Seriously though, how do you know which milk to choose and should you start milking or try locating clean milk you can trust? Let's try to answer that, shall we?
Things to think about before purchasing a dairy animal...
Do you have the time for daily care and at least once a day milking for most of the year? (Sometimes twice a day depending on the animal and the routine they're accustomed to.)
Do you have grazing areas for your ruminants to graze freely, ensuring the best quality milk and healthy animals? If not, are you able to purchase adequate forage for them year-round?
Do you have adequate shelter (with plenty of space) for your dairy animals to rest at night and get out of the rain?
What are your finances like? If you're on a tighter budget, something like sheep/goats would be the recommended dairy animal for you. If you have a good amount of extra cash, then you could try getting a family dairy cow. Would not recommend a dairy cow (unless it's a miniature) for first-time farmers, though. Even with a miniature, you'll want someone with experience raising cattle near by to help you with any problems - even if they're not organic and you are, you can still glean a lot from experienced cattlemen.
What is your experience level? If you're a complete beginner, especially if you're new to farming in general, I'd recommend starting with a breed of Dwarf Dairy Goats like a Nigerian Dwarf. They're less intimidating (if at all), easier to take care of than a cow, and the amount of milk and taste is so worth the trouble.
If you decide to locate local raw milk, there are a few things to keep in mind...
You have two decisions, buy milk for your dog OR purchase "part" of the dairy animal for the year - A.K.A. Herd-sharing
Getting your milk raw (especially Organic and Raw) is like trying to run cocaine across state lines - only, I think I would have a higher success rate with the cocaine.
It is Illegal to sell raw milk from state to state; furthermore in the state of KY (where I'm at) it is Illegal to sell your raw milk commercially for human consumption. You may only buy it if it's for your animals. So, if you're into feeding your dog like a child, then perhaps it's time to introduce them to "animal milk" ... *wink, wink.*
When you've been so blessed as to find your dealer (or A dealer) you may want to consider how long of a drive it is and how much money you're spending. Would it be more worth your time, money, and effort to raise your own animal? Or do you have a dairy farm within an acceptable distance from you house? Click here to see Raw Milk dairies near you!
Be sure to inspect the animal's living situation and observe the animals health. Does the barn reek of ammonia and nastiness? Or is it more of a typical, hay plus fermented manure smell? The kind of smell that doesn't knock you off your feet, but you can still tell it's a barn.
If the habitat looks (and smells) nice as well as the animals, you can rest assured that the farmer is likely doing a great job. Granted, the animals will still smell like... animals. If you have any questions on what a sickly animal would look like, comment below. :)
"If we are to accept the dictum of those who maintain that the nutritive value of milk as a food is injured by boiling, then we come back to the necessity of securing its purity by careful attention to the conditions under which it is produced and distributed." - The Hospital Editor of "Is Raw Milk Injurious?"
Don't let the fact you finally found a raw milk dealer that seems "up to snuff" deter you from asking questions like: How do you clean your animals before milking? What kind of equipment do you use? How do you keep your equipment clean? Do you vaccinate your animals? (Some people prefer unvaxed; others, vaxed.) Do you strain the milk? How many times do you strain the milk? How do you store the milk after it's been strained? Do you worm you goats? Ask whether they pasture their animals and what they feed them during the winter, Etc. If you're paying for milk and going through the trouble to drive out and get it, you want to make sure it's exactly what you want to buy. After all, a trustworthy farm is proud of their practices and more than willing to share.
SO, what exactly is Herd-Sharing?
Herd-Sharing is when a farm "rents" part of the animal to customers that want a certain product in return. This could be milk, meat, fibers, fat, etc. Obviously, in this article we're speaking of "sharing" the milk. This practice is legal in Kentucky and common resources to find dairy farms that offer herd-sharing are Facebook, RealMilk.com, and People of the Land for KY counties surrounding Elliott county.
By the way, did you know that if you're near Elliott, Carter, Morgan, Rowan, or Lawrence Counties in KY that we have a FREE list of dairy farmers?? It's FREE to join (if you're a farmer), it's FREE to use (if you're looking for local milk, and it's FREE to connect! What could be better than that?
I've heard concerns with keeping your milk cold at all times, however if you have RAW milk, the worse thing that could happen is a culturing of your dairy product that you didn't intend. You still have a beautiful product (buttermilk, in fact) and you can still use it in baking! You can even drink it if you wish, although I wouldn't expect the same taste and texture as fresh. I've never tried it (mainly because fresh milk doesn't last long in our house) but I'd be willing to give it a try. If you choose to pasteurize, then keeping it cold would be vital for preventing spoilage. Don't worry, you'd know it when you smell it and definitely when you taste it. If you're afraid of illness, let me put you at ease. You've probably drunk a glass of sour milk from the store, right? What happened to you? Were you hospitalized? Likely, the answer is no. If you can survive a glass of soured milk from a filthy farm with sick animals, surely you have nothing to worry about when you source your own milk from a clean farm with happy, healthy animals of which milk you've chosen to pasteurize.
Lastly, consider investing in milk testing kits. You can test for bacterial contamination or harmful pathogens in your own home. This proactive step can help you feel more secure about your decision to drink raw milk. I actually might start testing a few brands myself in case we start to sell milk on our farm... stay tuned!
Conclusion, Raw is Real and Time Tested
When you weigh the risks and benefits of both milk sources, the answer is pretty clear. Fresh, clean, raw milk is the best milk. Learning the terrible health effects of large scale, pasteurized, artificially homogenized, rancid store-bought milk is what pushed me and my husband to become dairy goat farmers. The best case scenario for pasteurized milk is smaller scale, commercial farms that pasteurize their product. The cows are still not as healthy if their diet is mainly grain, they're more prone to illnesses if confined - especially if the living quarters are filthy, and the milk has a higher rate of spoilage since all the beneficial bacteria and enzymes are missing. Raw milk truly is superior, it's better for your health and easier to digest. Ever since that first glass of fresh, raw milk, I've never looked back and I'm sure you'll feel the same way once you give it a try.
Don’t let common misconceptions scare you; instead, focus on sourcing your milk responsibly and educate yourself about the realities of raw milk consumption. If you're like us, once you go raw, there's no going back!
Explore your local farm community, engage with farmers, and start the journey to discover the rich world of Alternative Agriculture with People of the Land. . .
COUGH That's why you should totally join People of the Land on social media if your a local resident COUGH . Oh, excuse me... just had a little bit of important news caught in my throat.
With that said, grab the animals in your life a glass, and enjoy the taste of rebellion that is real milk. You’ll be doing your health — and taste buds — a favor!
Post Script: What if I can't afford real milk?
If you're struggling financially or simply can't make the switch right away, I implore you to take Sally Fallon's advice on the matter. She states " If you cannot access raw milk, the best option would be to cut out store bought milk and purchase only cultured dairy products from the store." (Nourishing Traditions; Paraphrased)
This would include cheese, yogurt, butter, sour cream, buttermilk, basically anything that is not drinking milk.
This is what I did for years before we finally purchased our dairy animals. It ain't the same as drinking clean, raw milk but it was during this time of eliminating store bought milk from my son's diet that I saw the change in his health - he got his calcium from Greek yogurt and cheeses. If you have any questions on balancing frugal living with striving for a Nourishing Traditions diet, please leave a comment below! Also, subscribe to The Harris Household Blog for upcoming posts on eating better foods while on a strict budget.
Works Cited:
Answers Raw Milk Diet with Case Studies, Answers Pet Food, Fleetwood, PA, 2019.
Baliyan, Neha, et al. “Probiotics from the Bovine Raw Milk of Lahaul Valley Showed Cis-9, Trans-11 Conjugated Linoleic Acid Isomer and Antioxidant Activity with Food Formulation Ability.” Science Direct, Science Direct, 15 Feb. 2023, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0023643823001329#sec5.
Fallon, Sally. “Milk & Milk Products.” Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats, NewTrends, Brandywine, MD, 1999, pp. 33–35.
Fernadez, Daniel. “The Surprisingly Intolerant History of Milk.” The Smithsonian Magazine, The Smithsonian, 11 May 2018, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/surprisingly-intolerant-history-milk-180969056/.
Fredrich, Lori. “Farming and Freedom: A Conversation with Joel Salatin.” On Milwaukee, 22 Aug. 2014, onmilwaukee.com/articles/joelsalatin.
Heaton, Collin D. Dark Origins of Big Pharma: John D. Rockefeller’s Empire | Forgotten History. YouTube/ Forgotten History, 10th Legion Films, 26 Feb. 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flp4UufZALI. Accessed 27 July 2025.
Is Raw Milk Injurious? The Hospital. 1901 Jul;30(771):229. PMID: 29810803; PMCID: PMC5187148.
Milk, Real. “Milk as Medicine.” Real Milk, 26 July 2025, www.realmilk.com/milk-as-medicine/.
McCarthy, Will. “How an 1800s Midwife Solved a Poisonous Mystery.” Smithsonian Magazine, The Smithsonian, 2023, www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-1800s-midwife-solved-poisionous-mystery-180982343/.
Medeiros, Ivo, et al. “Historical Evolution of Cattle Management and Herd Health of Dairy Farms in OECD Countries.” MDPI, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 9 Mar. 2022, www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/9/3/125.
Smith, Cheryl K. Raising Goats for Dummies. 2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2021.
Yeh EB;Schiano AN;Jo Y;Barbano DM;Drake MA; “The Effect of Vitamin Concentrates on the Flavor of Pasteurized Fluid Milk.” Journal of Dairy Science, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 21 Apr. 2017, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28434730/.
Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor and if you have any concerns, you need to discuss them with a trusted physician. Do not hesitate to go to the hospital if you feel it's necessary. I am not giving medical advice, just spreading the word about raw milk and its benefits. Talk with your doctor first before trying raw milk if you have milk allergies. This content is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users are advised to always seek the advice of their physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions they may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. The website or platform is not liable for any risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information provided. Using the website does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. In case of a medical emergency, users are advised to call their doctor or 911 immediately.
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