Storing Raw Milk & Shelf Life
🥛 How should I store raw milk?
Raw milk should be kept cold at all times — ideally at 34–36°F. As soon as you get home, place it in the back of the refrigerator, not in the door. The door experiences the most temperature swings, which can shorten the milk’s freshness.
🧊 Can I freeze raw milk?
Yes! Raw milk can be frozen for long-term storage. For best results:
Freeze in freezer-safe containers. (Glass is not recommended)
Thaw slowly in the refrigerator — never on the counter.
The texture may separate slightly after thawing, but a good shake will bring it back together.
⏳ What is the shelf life of raw milk?
Most customers find our milk lasts 7–10 days when kept properly refrigerated. Some report it staying fresh up to 2 weeks depending on fridge temperature and handling. Raw milk doesn’t “go bad” — it naturally sours and becomes safe for other uses like baking, soaking grains, or fermenting.
🧼 How do I keep it fresh longer?
To help your milk stay fresh:
Use clean utensils every time.
Do not drink directly from the jar.
Keep it sealed tightly.
Try one of our milk saver lids!
Keep it in the coldest part of your fridge.
🧀 What if the milk starts to sour?
Soured raw milk isn’t wasted! It can be used for:
Pancakes & baking
Soaking grains or oats
Homemade cheese or yogurt
Fermented recipes
❄️ Why does raw milk last longer than store milk?
Raw milk still contains its natural enzymes and beneficial bacteria. When kept cold, these protect the milk and maintain freshness — unlike processed milk, which has been heated and sterilized.
❓ FAQs – How Are Your Cows Raised & What Do They Eat?
🥦 What do your cows eat?
Our cattle are raised as organically and naturally as possible. Their main diet consists of the hay we grow right here on the farm — a clean mixture of:
Grass hay
Haylage
Alfalfa / orchard grass
All of our hay is pesticide-free and chemical-free.
While milking, the cows receive a small portion of grain to support their energy needs. This is a custom mix from our local feed mill, made using ingredients grown by neighboring farmers. The grain only makes up a small part of their diet but is essential for maintaining healthy body weight and proper milk production.
Dairy cows are athletes — they require a lot of calories to stay healthy!
❤️ How are your cows cared for?
We care for our cows with organic and holistic principles in mind. Our goal: healthy cows, naturally.
🚫 Hormones
Our cows are NEVER given any hormones.
💊 Antibiotics
Antibiotics are used only when absolutely necessary as a last resort. If a cow does require treatment, her milk is not sold to customers until she fully clears withdrawal periods.
👉 You will never receive milk containing antibiotics.
💉 Vaccines
Our cows are not vaccinated with any mRNA vaccines.
🌿 Where are the cows kept? What are their living conditions like?
Our cows enjoy pasture life during the spring and summer — grazing freely, soaking up sunshine, exercising, and behaving like happy, normal cows.
When conditions are less favorable (extreme heat, cold or heavy mud), they are brought into our pack bedding barn, which provides:
Soft, clean bedding
Shelter from the weather
Easy access to food & water
This environment keeps them comfortable, safe, and well-fed year-round.
🐄 Our Belief
We believe that a clean, comfortable, well-fed cow is a productive cow.
Happy cows = healthy food.
❓ FAQs – Milking Process & Milk Testing
🐄 What is your milking process like?
We take great care in the way we milk our cows to ensure comfort, cleanliness, and high-quality milk.
We originally milked using bucket milkers, but recently upgraded our setup to a pipeline system with individual stanchions in a flat parlor setting. This upgrade took a full year to retrofit into our existing parlor, and it turned out beautifully.
The new system allows for:
Better cow comfort
More efficient milking
Gentle handling
Cleaner milk from start to finish
Our cows have adapted extremely well — and they seem to love the new system just as much as we do!
🔬 Is your milk tested?
Yes — regularly and thoroughly.
We perform on site testing routinely and as needed.
If there is any concern about contamination, the milk is tested before being placed on the shelf — or discarded if it does not meet our standards.
We currently test for:
Aerobic culture
E. coli / coliform presence
SCC (somatic cell count) – tested both individually on cows and from the bulk tank
You can be confident that the milk you’re drinking has passed our safety and quality standards.
❓ FAQs – Can We Visit the Farm or See Your Facilities?
We believe everyone should know where their food comes from. We’re an open book and encourage transparency with our customers — we love when people want to learn more about how their food is raised and produced.
However, because we are full-time farmers, our schedule is very busy and for safety reasons, we cannot allow unannounced visits.
🚜 Can we visit the farm?
Yes! We welcome visitors — by appointment only.
To keep both our cattle and guests safe, you must contact us before coming out. Walking through barns or pens without a chaperone is not permitted.
📅 How do I schedule a visit?
If you’d like to see our facilities, please reach out to us to schedule a time. We will do our best to accommodate your request, depending on our farm schedule.
👉 Contact us below to inquire about a farm visit.