Raw Milk: Making me laugh

Our old milk jugs now store wheat for milling into flour.

I asked a friend recently for her son's source for raw milk to add to the Wichita Area Local Producers List.  I laughed out loud when she sent them...read them and be thankful people still do things in this way...somewhere.  If life were only this honestly simple.  I've changed the details, so don't go looking for any milk with these directions.  Here's what she sent me:   

"Paula, Jim's colleague has no name or address for the milk, but he does have directions.  On Highway 80 go west out of Mulvane, turn north on 25th Avenue, then north to 180th.  Turn west, and it's the second house on the right.  It has a dirt circle drive.  The milk is in a jug with a rubber nipple but the jug is emptied every third day, so there is a chance there would be no milk.  Payment is the honor system, to leave $2.50 for each of your own milk jugs."
 

I grew up taking our glass milk jugs and getting raw milk from a dairy a few miles from our house.  Conversing with the farmers' wife when we picked up our supply.  Ladling the cream off when we got home, pouring it on fresh strawberries from the garden, and using the rest of the milk for breakfasts...while making sure to shake it up each day to distribute the leftover cream.  And I never remember getting sick...But... 

 

I'm not someone who drinks raw milk regularly today.  I've looked at the numbers, and there is an increase in food borne infection with raw milk vs. pasteurized.  However, I believe we should all be able to choose the food we want to eat...and if you want raw milk, more power to you.  This is a country that was built on freedom, and I hope the freedom to choose our own diet is never taken away...nor the ability to find profit while selling on "the honor system."