Believe it or not, it really does take a lot to get on my nerves.
Except for the people that are too lazy to put the cart into the designated cart area, and instead, leave it in the middle of a parking space. That instantly gets on my nerves. I mean, honestly, how lazy are you?!
Sorry. Lazy cart people are not the point of this post. But still.
No, my friends, this post is about something else that gets on my nerves. And that “something else” is the government stepping in (once again) where it doesn't belong. And where it doesn't belong is my milk supply.
Let me cut to the chase: I recently learned that raw milk is illegal to sell for human consumption in Alabama. You know, that state I'll be moving to in five weeks?
The horror!!!!!! The audacity!!!!
What's a raw milk drinking advocate to do?!?!?!
Never mind that government studies have proven raw milk to be safe (see more HERE). Obviously, we wouldn't want to confuse the issue with facts. Oh no, instead, the government would rather try and protect the people from themselves. They would rather make their decisions for them.
Because, don't we all know, they know what is better for us then we do.
Please tell me you sense my sarcasm.
It just makes me so dang angry.
Never mind the fact that leafy greens kill more people than any other food, yet somehow, they are still very much legal.
Have you heard the story about the Amish raw milk farmer that the government recently targeted for selling his raw milk across state lines (read more about that HERE)? Even though the consumers held private party shares in his dairy herd, the government still raided and shut down the farm. As if the consumers of raw milk aren't smart enough to make their own decisions.
To quote the article, “Advocates of raw milk claim the milk is safe and say the government should butt out of individual food choices.”
Yes, that's exactly what I think.
I think the government should get it's nose out of our individual food choices.
So in Alabama, consumers of raw milk have found a few loopholes. They can either:
1. Raise their own livestock for milk
2. Purchase a share in a dairy cow, or
3. Purchase raw dairy that is sold “for animal consumption only”
The irony that we feed our animals nutrient rich and live raw milk, all the while drinking ultra-pasteurized milk ourselves is quite saddening, don't you think?
I'm not sure if raw milk is legal in Florida (the closest bordering state), though it still would be quite a trek to drive over there to pick it up. In Louisiana, raw milk isn't even allowed for pet consumption – there is no raw milk to be found.
It's funny, but one of my biggest concerns with moving is where I will source my food from. Pasture eggs, raw milk, raw honey, local bee pollen, pastured chickens, and grass fed beef are just the beginning. Though, let's face it, I do hope to be eating much more wild seafood than normal – seeing as we'll be living right on the bay.
Do any of my Alabama readers have a good source for raw milk they'd like to share? I'm hoping for cows milk, but goats milk would be our next best option.
I'd also like to offer a sincere thanks to the U.S. Government for making my choices for me, knowing I am too stupid to be a smart consumer…
…and for making me feel like a drug addict trying to score raw milk in the back alley of some shady parking lot.
Anonymous
It is the same here in Michigan – but we drive 30 minutes to and 30 min from every saturday to an incredible farmer that has become like family for our raw milk 🙂 The cow share thing is actually pretty cool – we have access to all of their grassfed beef/soup bones/organ meat/suet for tallow, pastured chickens, pastured eggs, raw cheese among other yummy things. In the spring we get FREE cow manure for gardens/composting. In the fall we have access to buy pastured pork or 1/2 or whole pigs, and 1/2 or whole cows for beef. I hope you can find a local farmer that will provide you! Here is where I found ours – maybe you could look at bama and florida. http://www.realmilk.com/where01.html#al
It is worth the drive for us – the girls LOVE playing with all the animals and I love that they know where and how they get their food :)Good luck!
Renee 🙂
[email protected]
Georgia Dyer
If you are moving to alabama we have a guernsey milk cow and we sell our, not for human consumption and we also give cow manure away. A note of interest is we drove to Michigan and purchased the cow. She is wonderful and sweet. We live about 20 minutes north of Birmingham.
Hope Stephens
I know you posted this comment eight years ago but…it never hurts to ask. My husband and I just moved to Blount County and would love to find a source for raw milk. Are you still selling? We also are eager to get a local homesteading community group going.
Tony Reed
Not sure when you posted this, but we’re pretty close to Blount county and have Jersey’s
John
Hello would like to purchase some cow milk and other whole products please call me at 205 253771
Anonymous
“I was able to find raw milk in a matter of days from the local Pansacola health food store”
I saw this quote among the comments when you announced your move! Hopefully, it works out, and you are able to feed and nourish your family once you move. I too, moved, to a brand new area, full of people I dont know. My only advice to you is to put yourself out there, and get to know people as soon as possible for your family. Its been years, now, and we are still trying to find our “nitch” here. Enjoy it, I do believe you will love it. We grow once away from our families, it is inevitable. At any age. I see amazing things for you, just keep blogging about them! Im sure many people are waiting to rejoice with you in this new venture.
Anonymous
We’re from Canada and have a milk cow ourselves. We sell it to a few very chosen people for animal consumption only, if they’re questioned. I hope you’re able to find a place!
Kristyn Hogan
We live in Tennessee where raw milk is also illegal, ridiculous, I agree. We just buy it from the farmer’s market for “pet consumption” along with tons of other people who obviously aren’t paying $10/gallon just to give it to their pets, haha!
This is how we found our source:
http://realmilk.com/where01.html#al
Brooke
We are fighting hard in Wisconsin to legalize raw milk! You would think in the “Dairy State” this would be a no-brainer, but the big dairy industry doesn’t like anything that might undercut their profits.( as in small dairy farmers selling straight to the consumer and cutting the middle man- THEM) That said you can still get raw milk if you know the right people. 😉 I have a couple goats so I don’t have to go far to get mine. 😀
Linda Zelaya
Leafy greens kill more people than any food?? what leafy greens do you mean?
farmer_liz
bags of E.Coli contaminated spinach etc. it is very hard to prove the source of food poisoning, but raw milk is not a major cause. Deli meat and greens are far worse!
guest
Except when someone gets TB from raw milk. Or Francesilla. THen watch how many people are bitching.
Anonymous
I also live in Alabama and have a jersey bull however I am having a hard time locating a Jersey Heifer as soon as I do I will be waiting to produce REAL milk for my family and anyone who wants to buy it for “pet consumption”…… I personally feel the govenment has overstepped one too many times.
Donna's Ratliff
Hello, my name is Donna. Did you ever find a heifer jersey? I’m looking to find a milk source also. I realize this is an old posting but thought I’d give it try. I live in Northeast AL on Lookout mountain. If anyone reading this and has a clean raw milk source, please let me know. Cow or good goats milk. I’ve never tried goat but on all the Homesteading videos I follow they love it
So wanted to try before I buy an animal whether cow or goat. Disclaimer- for animal consumption.
Sort of..
Unknown
Just call up the WAPF chaper leader in the area! They are a great source for info! Melissa
Mrs. Z
We just buy it in my state and don’t say anything. I can’t imagine anyone “higher up” even cares, but if asked, ours is for “pet consumption” as well.
Stupid.
farmerswife
I’m really sorry. We are dairy farmers in New York, and while we are not organic, we do intensively graze our cows and try to do things naturally. I don’t know what area you are moving to, but a nice country church might be in order…
Sarai
In North Carolina, we too have to deal with this absurd law. When I lived three miles from the South Carolina border and could hop over the state line to a dairy farmer, it was no big deal. But we’ve relocated towards the Northeast of the state, and I was at a loss as to where to find raw milk. But, lo and behold, this season at my local farmer’s market, there was a booth bearing the joyful sign: “Pet” Milk for Sale! They also sell “pet” yogurt, believe it or not ;). I’m just trying to picture my poor meat rabbits (the only “pets” we have) lapping up yogurt in summer sun. Not likely…
But the long and short of it is, everyone around here knows that pet milk means real, raw, delicious, healthy milk, and I’m willing to shell out $8 for a gallon in exchange for knowing that hubby and I are getting the best of what’s out there. Also, sticking it to the government in a non-destructive way :).
Good luck in looking for all your new food sources! Have you looked into Bread Beckers for some of your co-op needs? They’re all over the South, and they’re super nice people, I’ve heard. They spoke at a homeschool conference I attended- worth looking up.
Gabnlee
I am also in NC and have to do covert milk runs. I literally have to pick up my milk once a month behind an old abandoned grocery store. How ridiculous is that! The point it is possible, you just have to make more effort and pay a premium but it’s better than going without!
Heather Anderson
I am so with you! I am blessed to live where raw milk is legal, but it is incredible that anywhere in the U.S. it could be illegal. I think that “unconstitutional” describes the law pretty well. We have been so far removed from our food sources in general, that people don’t even realize that they have had their rights infringed upon. Good luck in finding a secure source.
Heather
I live in Louisiana where it is illegal to purchase raw milk. I drive to Texas to get my raw milk. In Texas it is legal to sell raw milk. Best of luck to you. I will be praying for you and your family.
SunnyB
I am almost positive you can buy raw milk in Mississippi. I’m also pretty sure Jackson has a nice farmers market with raw milk. Hope this helps. I’m in Louisiana and the best milk I can find is a local farm that does minimum pasteurization and non homogenized.
farmer_liz
I absolutely agree! In Australia it is illegal to sell raw milk in all states. It is actually illegal to even give away raw milk (and eggs and homekilled meat), it is not supposed to leave your property (unclear whether we can take it to work for lunch). We have our own cow, and after calving we have so much milk we would love to just give it away to neighbours. Quite a few people sell it as “cosmetic bath milk”, which I think is quite clever. I hate that the govt can control what we eat and I have a detailed conspiracy theory about it all on my blog 🙂 nice to meet you and good luck with finding good food in your new state!
Anonymous
In FL, they can sell raw milk for “animal” consumption. Alot of FL people will offer the milk for pets on craigslist. Local eggs and honey you should be able to score easily. You may need to look a bit for the meat, but usually it can be found, I just don’t know about where to find it where you are headed.
Also, from your other post–figs and lemons you should be able to grow! I saw olives growing on the panhandle of FL, idk about artichokes.
Asthomas
I can help you. What part of Alabama are you moving to?
Shaye Elliott
We live in Lower Alabama – right on Mobile Bay.
Sonia
I live in bay minette and I thoroughly enjoy milking my jersey😉
Gabriella
Hi, I know this is a very old post, but I was hoping you are still living in bay minette and you still “love milking your Jersey cow”. I’m in Mobile and looking for raw pet milk
Kimberly Gail
Asthomas, where in AL are you? Do you have cow’s or goat’s milk? We moved to northern AL from CO last year and I’m looking for raw goat’s milk for my daughter who can’t have cow’s milk. Thank you!
Tallgrove
Kimberly, there is a place in Hazel Green that sells Raw Jersey cow’s milk for “pet consumption”. You can contact them….www.shekinah-farm.com
Misty
Where are you located?
Misty
That was directed at Athomas
I would love some raw milk for my “pets”
BFam
Hi, we are new to AL and are interesting in continuing raw milk herdshare here or milk for animal consumption. Anything yiu know of near Birmingham Area? Please! We have some frozen milk but I’m not sure how long that’ll last
Jan
We live in New Market, AL, just NE of Huntsville. We’re interested in raw goat milk.
Tallgrove
http://www.certifiedrawmilk.com/alabama.html
also see….
http://www.certifiedrawmilk.com/alabama.html
Kelsye
Louisiana does have some raw milk:) It is illegal to trade, sell, or buy shares of a cow. So most of the people just own our own cows. Plus you can buy from a dairy. It is completly legal but there is the fact that they do feed them feed. A lot of the time we get around the laws by just giving the milk away ( small farmers not big dairy’s) My mom has 12 milk cows with 4 milking at all times. We have a list of people who come and get the free milk. We accept no payment for the milk itself. Most of the people give a donation but some don’t so it is not maniditory. It is completly legal and people who need access to raw milk (we currently have a mom whose daughter can drink raw milk but her daughter breaks out in head to toe eczema if she drinks pasturized milk) have full access. We just can not bring it across state lines because that is a federal crime or sell it outright because that can lad you in jail. 🙂
Amber Bonner
Kelsey, where in LA are you? My family is moving there from California where we have always had access to raw milk. We can not consume pasteurized. I would really like to hook up with you. We will be coming to Shreveport but I am more than happy to make any drive necessary.
intha
I have had to raise dairy goats to have access to raw milk myself. I make soap and lotions from it, but enjoy making cheese and just a icy cold glass to dunk my cookies in! I am in north central Alabama if you are still seeking information
Jan
We live just NE of Huntsville, AL and want to buy raw goat milk for “pet consumption. Do you have any available?
Patrick Donovan
Hi my name is Patrick Donovan and I have a goat dairy farm called udder Obsession farms in Baldwin County Alabama if you’re looking for raw milk and many other products from My Goats milk call be at 251 923-6030. My does will be kidding in late December early January and then I will be in milk again:)
Monnie Nelson
Do you have raw goat milk now? I live here in Baldwin County also and would love to stop by and pick up some.
Mona Lisa
You can buy raw milk in Pensacola from the co op store on Garden Street.
You may also purchase raw milk from a local small dairy Golden Dreams Dairy. She had Guernsey cow’s, you that great tasting A2 A2 milk. Best ever. You can find her on Facebook or contact me via email and I will help.
I live in South Alabama and know people who can provide you with what you need.
Kelly
I live in Alabama and we have Jersey cows and milk goats. We sell a lot of milk for animal consumption 👌 we raise our own meat ,pigs, chickens, beef and Lamb. We have ducks also. I have enjoyed the videos I watch and really live seeing like minded folks. Welcome to Alabama.
Wanda
Brand new to Alabama and missing my herdshare in Virginia. Hoping to have my own jersey in the near future so I can have my own milk but desperately wanting raw milk now! I googled herdshares or raw milk in Alabama which led me to this conversation. I live in Geneva County.
Wanda
Brand new to Alabama and missing my herdshare in Virginia. Hoping to have my own jersey in the near future so I can have my own milk but desperately wanting raw milk now! I googled herdshares or raw milk in Alabama which led me to this conversation. I live in Geneva County.
Wanda
Where in Alabama?; I’m in Dothan just over the Geneva County line.