Thanks to Suzanne Willow of Willow-Witt Ranch in Ashalnd, Oregon, I found out about this awesome little booklet by Peggy Beals called “Safe Handling- Consumers’ Guide- Preserving the Quality of Fresh, Unprocessed Whole Milk”. The booklet is meant to be distributed to members of cow and goat shares, buying clubs, and on farm milk customers. It isn’t free, but the low cost of 5.00 (or less in bulk) can be readily included in the price of the herdshare, subscription, or however it is that compensation for milk is obtained.

If you are selling, bartering, or processing raw milk for consumption I urge you to order a few copies of this great publication. In fact, I wouldn’t even consider selling milk to anyone who hasn’t read it! The information contained within puts the knowledge of the beauty and fragility of unprocessed milk into the hands of the consumer-making them your partner in providing wholesome food. This knowledge and it’s application will help us all keep the right to drink raw milk.

I have always had trouble with folks who want to blindly believe that raw milk is ALWAYS superior to processed. Peggy’s booklet starts with “Three Principles of Milk Quality”- Provide a healthy life for the cows, Prevent contamination, and Preserve Taste and Nutrition.  It then goes on to share how all of these principles can be achieved through choices and actions by the producer and the consumer. I’m telling you, this booklet is a gem!

The 32 page booklet (now in its 4th edition with sales in the thousands) is available online through the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense fund at:  https://www.farmtoconsumer.net/EducationalProducts.asp Purchases are made directly from Peggy, but this link with form is useful. You can also email her directly and order at pegbeals@msn.com. Prices start at 5.00 per copy and drop to 2.50 each when you order over 100. Perfect opportunity for clubs, CSA’s, and coops to save some bucks.

Whoever you are, if you believe in the right to purchase, sell, and consume unprocessed, intact milk, then you owe it to the cause to provide education to all parties concerned. This booklet will be your ally in that mission.

gianaclis