“Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.” This has been taught in American schools for decades. It was the same message when I was a kid, and it’s the same message for my kids today. But… this message is deceiving.

I’m 100% aligned with reduce and reuse. I try to do this constantly. But that third one… recycle… is kind of a cop out.

I think that a majority of Americans feel that, if they’re recycling, there’s nothing to worry about. They are doing their part to save the planet. Wrong!!!

According to the EPA, currently only 9% of plastic in the US is recycled.

That’s right. 91% of the plastic you put in the recycling bin goes to a landfill or is incinerated. Argh! That’s really not that helpful.

And... that’s not to mention the energy it takes, the pollution created, and the forever chemicals produced by plastic recycling.

And... that also doesn’t take into account that plastic can only be recycled a certain number of times. That magical Trex decking that requires little maintenance and is made with recycled plastics only lasts 25-30 years. After that, off to the landfill it goes. It cannot be recycled again.

This is why, at Miller’s, we choose reusable and compostable packaging as much as possible.

All of our glass can be reused. 

If you don’t live close enough to the farm to return it, I do hope you can reuse it at home or give it to someone else who will. 

If your glass does go into the recycling, there’s a much better chance, around 25%, that it will be recycled. 

And... if glass ends up in a landfill, at least we know that it will eventually break down into sand and not microplastics and chemicals.

The cardboard and paper padding and plant-based plastics are all compostable. 

If you don’t have a home compost, perhaps you can subscribe to a composting service, a growing industry.

The worst case scenario is that your compostable packaging ends up in a landfill. In that case, at least we know it will be dirt in a year and not sit for hundreds of years and leech synthetics into the environment.

So, what do you think? Do you prefer recyclable or compostable packaging? Inquiring minds would love to know!

Can you freeze dairy? At Miller’s, we get this question often. 

The short answer is, yes, you can freeze dairy. I mean, you can freeze anything really. But, the question is, should you?

A good rule of thumb is that fat freezes well, but a combination of fat and liquid don’t fare well. 

For example, let’s take yogurt, a fragile jellified fat and liquid. When you freeze yogurt, it causes the water to be drawn away from the gel. The structure collapses, and it separates.

Yogurt will retain the same nutrient content and taste when frozen, but you’ll be left with a jar of clumpy, grainy stuff when thawed. It won’t be good for eating straight but can still be used in cooking and baking.

Now let’s take butter, which is mostly butterfat, or whey, which is mostly liquid. Both butter and whey freeze really well and are almost indistinguishable from their fresh counterparts.

Here’s a list of dairy products with handling notes and best practices:

Excellent for freezing for up to 12 months

Will have the same nutrient content, taste, and texture when thawed.

• Butter
• Ghee
• Whey

Good for freezing for up to 6 months

Will have the same nutrient content and taste. Texture will change. With liquids, the fat will separate from the water. It’s recommended to shake to recombine. Cheese will become more crumbly when thawed. Best for melting.

• Aged Cheese
• Cream
• Milk
• Colostrum
• Half & Half
• Heavy Cream

Poor for freezing for up to 3 months

Will have the same nutrient content and taste, but the consistency will change considerably. They will separate and become clumpy or grainy.

• Yogurt
• Kefir
• Buttermilk
• Sour Cream
• Cottage Cheese
• Custard

Have you frozen dairy? What was your experience? Any best practices or fails to share? Comment below!

When I wake up in the morning. I’m thirsty... but not hungry. What’s up with that? Does this happen to you, too? 

There’s a good chance it does, since nearly a quarter of Americans skip breakfast!

I almost always follow the “listen to your body” rule. But, not being hungry and therefore not eating breakfast is a little different. 

After some experimenting, I know that, even though my body isn’t telling me to eat, I feel better throughout the day when I eat breakfast. 

When I eat breakfast, even something very small, I have increased energy and focus and am less agitated throughout the whole day (and, by the way, beyond my first-hand experience, this is scientifically verified, too). It’s amazing how much a small change can affect your well-being!

I did a little digging, and there are many medical reasons to not be hungry in the morning - eating too much at night, hormones, pregnancy, anxiety or depression, sickness, medications, or other diseases. But, none of those are my situation right now.

So I dug deeper. And, the most promising reason why is that, when I sleep, my glucose levels drop. 

This sends a signal to my brain to make food. And part of my body’s response to that is making adrenaline. This puts my body in a “fight or flight” response. Your body’s natural response is to not eat, conserving all energy available to defend itself. 

So, I am listening to my body. It’s sending me a signal for survival but not one that’s best for my health. Are you with me still?

It’s as if my biological rhythm is out of whack. And, perhaps the way to correct it is to simply eat something in the morning.

I know this will be better long term (at least for me). I’ll feel better, and over time, I will be hungry in the morning again. So far, it seems to be working.

I am committing to eating something very small each morning. I created an easy breakfast menu: 

• Milk kefir
• Yogurt (with maple syrup)
• Muffins made with einkorn flour
• Cottage cheese
• A piece of toast with butter
• A banana (or other piece of fresh fruit)
• Oatmeal made with pre-soaked oats
• Smoothie (so many options here!)

Do you eat breakfast? What are your go-to morning snacks or meals?

They say “A diamond lasts forever.” The same can’t be said about cheese crystals. But, they are a sign of quality and distinction. A true delicacy.

Have you ever eaten aged cheese and found it to be a bit crunchy? Well, if you look closer, you would see small white dots in or on the cheese causing that crunch. Those are cheese crystals (NOT mold).

Cheese crystals are caused by natural chemicals and proteins breaking down over time as cheese ages. They vary in size, texture, and placement.

So, what’s happening is that, when you make cheese, proteins and fats group together in chains. This is what forms the curds that are pressed into cheese and aged. 

Then, as the cheese ages, these chains of fats and protein break down and sometimes form crunchy cheese crystals.

There are two types of cheese crystals: Tyrosine and Calcium Lactate.

Tyrosine is a non essential amino acid that your body uses to create chemicals like dopamine. Because it’s involved in the pleasure center of your brain, having tyrosine crystals in your cheese increases the perception of savoriness. 

Tyrosine crystals form mainly on the inside of cheese. They are hard and bright white. These are common in cheeses like Swiss and Romano.

Calcium Lactate crystals form when good bacteria break lactose down into lactic acid. Then, the lactic acid combines with calcium to create Calcium Lactate crystals, giving cheese a pleasing crunch.

Calcium Lactate crystals can form on the interior or exterior of cheese. They tend to show up where moisture is present (like in between the cheese and the packaging). They also tend to be a bit softer and paler than Tyrosine crystals. They are typically found in Cheddar, Colby, and Gouda.

You can also have both crystals appearing together. For example, that is what you experience with a high quality Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

For a long time, cheesemakers did all they could to avoid cheese crystals, thinking that consumers would not like it and would mistake them for a moldy health threat. 

But… how the tides have changed. Today, cheese crystals are trendy and represent a delicacy that cheese connoisseurs look for, adding a unique texture and pleasant crunch to fine cheeses. 

Cheese crystals are a feature, not a flaw! And, they’re certainly not going to show up in Velveeta or American cheese (I mean, those aren’t really cheese anyway)!

At Miller’s there are a few cheeses that will likely come with cheese crystals:

• Raw Sharp A2 Cheddar Cheese
• Raw Reserve A2 Cheddar Cheese
• Raw Luscious Sheep Rind Ripened Cheese

Have you eaten cheese crystals? Do you think they’re a flaw or a feature?

The Miller’s team is growing, and it’s quite exciting. For the past 4.5 years, it has been me and me alone answering customer service emails. 

Alas, the time has come to add some new spirit to the team. This week, I am proud to announce that Sara is joining the customer service team!

Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere. But, I’m, so very happy to have a co-worker to help carry the load and provide you with the best service possible.

On to the details...

Sara has a passion for the environment and the art of growing, cooking, and eating real food. She is a maker and a creator with a BFA in Visual Arts from Rutgers University. Creative thinking is her specialty. 

Sara has two kids, who she homeschools. She is a lead guide and co-founder of a Forest School, where she teaches kids about nature and environmental stewardship. 

She also enjoys hiking, gardening, baking, organizing fundraisers, and restorative projects to clean up local lakes and waterways. 

Sara loves working with small farmers because it brings a positive and effective change to our environment. It’s not just a job… it's a purpose.

She is motivated and inspired by connecting the community with small farms, creating positive environmental impact, eating real whole food, fostering a love of nature, and lifelong learning. 

I am confident that you are in good hands with Sara. Of course, there may be some bumps along the road. But, as we do at Miller’s, we are always looking to improve what we do.

If you’d like to send Sara a welcome message, that would be so sweet of you. You can reply below or send us a note.

PS: We have another job opportunity on the farm in Quarryville, PA. You can check out the job posting here.

The “sell by” date is a pretty new thing. It all started in the 1950s, when one little store started using it. By the 1970s, it was the norm. And today, I dare to say that perishable products without a date somewhere on the package won’t sell nearly as well as those with one.

There’s a variety of different wordings for dates that go on food packages. As a consumer, it’s very important to understand the difference between them:

• Packed on or Bottled on: The date the product was officially packaged for sale, which has nothing to do with the age of the product before it was packaged. Not to be confused with wine, where the date is the date the grapes were harvested and not the date it was bottled. 
• Sell by: The date a product needs to be taken off the shelves and can no longer be sold to customers. A sell by date gives no indication of how long it will actually last. For example, Miller’s eggs come with a sell by date, but the eggs can last 6 weeks (or much longer) past that date.
• Best by, Use by, or Expires on: This is an estimate of when a product will either spoil or significantly lose nutritional value or quality. For example, Miller’s milk comes with a best by date set two weeks past bottling. However, there are so many uses for sour milk. It doesn’t mean it’s unusable or unsafe past that date.
• Best if used by: Kind of the same as above, but reworded to be a little more vague. The USDA is now promoting this language in an effort to reduce food waste. 

But here’s the thing - best by dates are completely made up.

When you take a minute to think about it, it totally makes sense. I mean, how can we magically know the exact date a product will go “bad”? There are so many variables - temperature, light, contaminants, handling, etc.

What if the manufacturer has everything temperature and humidity controlled but then the product travels in a truck for 24 hours in sweltering heat? What if a store has lots of beautiful natural light that reduces shelf life on some products? What if the product is cold and fresh when received but your fridge is unknowingly a warm 45F? What if you lick your spoon before going in for another taste of yogurt?

And here’s the kicker - with the exception of infant formula, the USDA does NOT regulate or require best by dates on any food. 

That’s right, dates on food are completely up to the discretion of the manufacturer.

So, why does Miller’s use best by dates? It’s a simple answer - it’s for you, the customer!

Back in the day, years ago, Miller’s didn’t use best by dates. In my house, there was a ritual when unpacking my weekly farm order. Take each item out of the bag → put it on the counter → dry it with a towel → write the date on the lid with a Sharpie → put it in the fridge. 

I want to know, with certainty, which jar to open next - the oldest of course!

But now my ritual is much shorter. And, it’s all because of the best by dates! I’m probably collectively saving hours per year. No more drying the lids. No more Sharpies. Just stick it in the fridge and done.

On the flip side, there is a dark side to best by dates - food waste. The FDA estimates that 20% of food waste is because of confusion due to date labeling.

I’ve totally done it. I’ve tossed food past the provided date without actually testing to see if it’s ok. I get it. It’s easy. And, you avoid the potentially unpleasant experience of smelling rotten food. Yuck!

But, with this knowledge, I now have power. I am aware of the arbitrariness of food dating and can make a choice.

So, what do you think? Do you like best by and sell by dates? Do you toss food when it passes the date or keep using it? Should best by dates be part of the food future we’re creating together?

Flour. Oh flour. It always seems to be on the chopping block but never disappears. First, the trend was about cutting carbs. Now, it’s about being gluten-free. But, despite this, flour remains. Why? Well, it’s pretty awesome.

Humans have been grinding grain into powdery flour for an estimated 10,000 years. This practice allowed them to move to colder climates and have food through the winter (and it’s also important to mention that it’s pretty darn tasty, too).

Today, we have access to so many different foods and different types of each food and different labels on the food. In fact, Miller’s just released 7 new flour options this week! No labels, just all the nitty gritty details in the description. Because, well, we know the farmers :)

Let me shed some light on flour. Hopefully, it will make your process of buying flour easier.

Heritage Grains vs. Mass Market Grains

Mass market grains are developed and grown for resistance to disease and for higher yield. The idea is to more easily feed the world - a noble cause that seems to never be realized (because, come on, the uber-wealthy prefer to build spaceships instead). 

For example, corn has been genetically modified to be grown with synthetic chemicals that eliminate weeds and pests and produce larger ears with fatter kernels. Wheat has not been genetically modified in a lab. Instead, it has been intensively selectively bred to maximize berry production and size. The wheat we now know as modern wheat is far removed from its natural origins.

Heritage grains, on the other hand, are not modified in any way. They are ancient grains. They are non-hybridized. They have grown in popularity in the past decade because people seem to be able to digest them better, specifically those with a sensitivity to gluten.

Some examples of heritage wheat include einkorn, spelt, and red winter or spring wheat. 

Stone Ground vs. Factory Milled

Long long ago, humans ground grain in between two stones. Stone ground flour is the closest we can reasonably get to this ancient process. It grinds slowly and keeps the grain at a low temperature, therefore preserving a maximum of nutritional benefits. Factory milled flour happens at high speeds and temperatures. 

Whole Grain vs. Refined White Flour

When it comes to wheat, there are three parts of the berry - the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. The bran and germ are super nutritious. However, they also reduce shelf life.  

Whole grain flour has the whole berry with all three parts. It’s the most nutritious with the least shelf life. 

Refined white flour is just the endosperm, with the bran and germ removed. So, refined white flour is the least nutritious but the most shelf stable. 

And then there’s flour like we offer at Miller’s that’s half and half - there’s some bran and germ removed and some remaining. A good balance. Unfortunately, there’s no official term for this option. It’s something you need to ask the farmer. 

Bleached vs. Unbleached

Bleached flour is done with chlorine or benzoyl peroxide. It adds synthetic chemicals and damages the starch and protein content. Bleached flour became popular because it makes it softer, fluffier, and rises better. Unless you’re a pastry chef, unbleached flour should be delicious and work well in most home baked goods. 

Types of Flour

• Whole Grains: The seed of the plant. With wheat, we call it a berry. With corn, we call it a kernel. With oats, it’s simply whole oats. If you have a milling system at home, you can purchase whole grains and make them into flour yourself!
• All-purpose: This type of flour is a pantry staple and works well for basically all applications. It can be stone milled or factory milled or bleached or unbleached.
• Bread: Is made with hard wheat. It has a higher protein and therefore more gluten, which results in chewy and elastic bread.
• Pastry/Cake: Is made with soft wheat and is ground to a super-fine texture. It absorbs a lot of water, which results in great rising abilities. It is typically bleached, but some artisanal companies offer unbleached options.
• Self-rising: A combination of all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. It’s typically bleached and factory milled. You may find this ingredient in pancake or biscuit recipes. But, hey, why not just add the baking powder and salt yourself?
• Enriched: This is flour with nutrients added in that were lost in the growing, milling, or bleaching process. When you source from local farms that take good care of their soil and offer natural flours, enriched flour is not necessary.

I am stoked to announce that Miller’s launched 7 new flour options this week! 

They are all from Beiler’s Heritage Grains, about 11 miles from our farm. They grow their own non-GMO grains and stone grind it at low speeds on premises. Check out the new offerings below.

Is grain a part of your diet? Which do you choose and why? Do you have any special ways of preparing grain in your home?

Experience constipation, diarrhea, or bloating? Do you suffer from fatigue, headache, or confusion? Do you have widespread inflammation or mysterious rashes?

These are the symptoms of lots of different conditions… but the root of the problem might be “leaky gut”.

Leaky gut is a condition where the intestinal lining becomes inflamed and damaged. This allows toxins and bacteria to leak through the walls of the intestines into the bloodstream.

In a healthy gut, your intestines are permeable. They are supposed to allow helpful substances to pass into the bloodstream (proteins, nutrients, etc) while also blocking harmful substances (partially digested food particles, certain proteins, toxins, etc).

In an unhealthy “leaky” gut, your intestinal permeability is increased beyond what is healthy. This typically results in a cycle of inflammation and changes to gut microbiology, which can lead to a number of symptoms that can lower your quality of life.

Many mainstream medical professionals do not recognize leaky gut as a real medical condition. Maybe it’s because there’s no one magical pill to heal your gut…?

So, if you’re seeking support, you may need to find a naturopath or a gut health specialist who is familiar with the condition and validates your symptoms and desire to heal. There are also plenty of great resources out there to help you learn and try to heal on your own.

Most solutions to healing your gut are holistic and involve reducing stress, exercising more, sleeping better, and getting better nutrition.

In your leaky gut research, you’ll likely find lots of discussion around bone broth. Why? The answer is collagen!

A quality bone broth is very gelatinous, like the consistency of jelly out of the fridge (it liquifies when heated). What makes bone broth jelly-like is the incredible amount of gelatin, a type of collagen. 

Collagen is abundant in all humans and mammals. It’s found in all connective tissues, skin, and bones. It is made of lots of amino acids, which are essential for good health.

Collagen comes from the Greek word “kólla,” which means glue. This is why the gelatin in bone broth is excellent for sealing and healing your gut.

In addition to collagen, bone broth also contains lots of essential and bioavailable vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. This helps your body easily get what it needs to heal.

When it comes down to it, bone broth is just awesome. In my opinion, it should be a pantry staple in every home. I always have some in the freezer.

If you have a lot of time or have a tight budget, you can make bone broth at home. Or, save your time and buy pre-made bone broth.

Whichever you choose, it’s extremely important to make sure your bone broth is high quality. This means that the animals were raised outdoors, without stress, eating a chemical-free and natural diet. This also means that the broth was made with vinegar to extract all the nutrients and simmered for at least 24 hours until very gelatinous.

Bone broth is delicious on its own. I call it “bone tea”. You can also use it in a variety of dishes, including soups, stews, rice, and more.

Is bone broth a part of your life? Do you make it or buy it pre-made? How do you consume it?

The world can be a pretty scary place right now. 

People are divided, and the future is uncertain. Whether it’s because of pandemic mandates, inflation, food security, climate change, new technologies, whatever. 

In my opinion, a lot of the scariness comes down to politics. For example, let’s say a state has a “landslide” vote with 65% for and 35% against something, then the rules go in favor of the majority. But what about that 35%? That could be millions of people that feel shorted. Is the 65% considering the 35%? Typically not. That’s how politics in a democratic republic work.

The even scarier part is with your family and community. The divides right now are so strong. I’ve heard too many stories of people breaking up with family and friends. It’s really not ok. Your friends and family should be there to support you, no matter what, right?

All this aside, I have hope. So much hope. I truly believe everything will be ok if we can simply listen and love each other.

The past year and a half has been rough (to say the least). It’s as if we need to re-learn how to listen to each other. We need to re-learn how to empathize with each other. We need to re-learn how to love each other.

You see, when I have an opposing view to someone else, my beliefs and what I say may be harmful to them. I need to understand that. I need to listen and practice nonviolent communication over these really tough issues of today.

For example (and I know this is a BIG and HEATED example right now), let’s say that I am pro vaccine mandates, and I’m speaking to someone who’s pro medical freedom. I say, “Everyone should get the vax. If you don’t, then you only care about yourself.”

Even though I’m acting in what I think is the best interest for myself and everyone, that can be really harmful to them. Instead, I should step back and think.

Maybe it’s against their religious beliefs. Maybe they or someone close to them had a severe vaccine reaction at some point, and the thought of being forced to do it again triggers an anxiety attack. Maybe they are doing lots of other things to protect the health of others. Maybe they got the vaccine personally but believe wholeheartedly in medical freedom. 

You could do the same exercise vice versa or on any topic. There could be so many reasons my views differ from someone else’s. But, unless we are able to have these hard conversations, we won’t get anywhere.

With any problem, there are an abundance of solutions. There’s really never one right answer. Let’s take a breath. Let’s take a step back. Let’s analyze what’s important and move forward together.

At Miller’s, we are here. We listen to customers. We love you, too. We believe your choice is the right choice. Let’s build the next generation of healthy children together.

What do you think? Anything troubling you recently? Anything on your mind? I’d love to hear from you.

Contact us or comment below (no account necessary - you can comment as a guest).

Miller’s often gets the question, “Do you offer fresh meat?”. This is because there are myths out there that fresh meat is better than frozen meat. 

One big concern is that frozen meat is less nutritious than fresh meat. Let me dispel this myth for you.

There’s a lot of info out about frozen meat. They all seem to agree that, when stored properly, frozen meat has the same nutrition as fresh meat.

According to the USDA, “The freezing process itself does not destroy nutrients. In meat and poultry products, there is little change in nutrient value during freezer storage.” They also note that quality loss is possible, particularly when not stored properly. [1]

According to the Washington Post, fresh produce and meat lose nutritional quality when they sit out at room temp or in the fridge, but this does not happen when frozen when fresh. One reason why is that the freezing technology is so much better now. [2]

According to Cooked Best, proper freezing is very important. Blast freezing is a process where meat is frozen to below 0F in less than 90 minutes. Freezing vacuum sealed foods quickly and to low temps prevents large ice crystals from forming, which deteriorates the quality of the meat. [3] This is also backed by the recommendations of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. [4]

But, those articles are more general. I wanted proof. I wanted scientific studies showing that the recommendations above are true.

I found a study published by NCBI about the effects of thaw cycles on the nutritional value of four Nigerian soups, which all contained meat, fish, or both. They looked at changes in iron, potassium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin A, vitamin, E, and vitamin C.

This study did find a change in nutritional content, but it was tiny, dare I say negligible. You lose 0-10 micrograms with each freeze/thaw cycle. There’s 1,000 micrograms in a milligram, and almost all mineral and vitamin recommendations are given in milligrams. [5] 

I also found a study from a Polish Journal about the effect of diet and freezing of calf meat. This study looked at fats, including omega 3 fatty acids. It found that the animals’ diet had a large effect on fatty acid composition. This is why 100% grass-fed beef is important. But, freezing had little effect. [6]

I read more studies, and all seemed to come to the same conclusion. There’s negligible nutritional loss when you freeze meat.

What’s the moral of the story? Time degrades the nutritional value of meat. But, freezing slows down time.

You’re nutritionally better off with meat that’s properly packed and quickly frozen than you are with fresh meat. This is how we do it at Miller’s Bio Farm.

When you buy fresh meat from a butcher, you don’t know how long it was in the cooler beforehand. And, then it will sit in your fridge for at least a day. Time is not on your side.

It’s also important to note that the highest quality and most nutrient-dense meat you can buy comes from small regenerative farms feeding animals natural diets and giving them plenty of exercise. 

Small farms like this simply aren’t big enough to offer fresh meat, especially with zero food waste. Frozen meat is your best bet when it comes to nutrition.

So, what do you think? Do you prefer fresh meat or frozen meat? If you prefer fresh meat, after reading this article, did it change your mind a little? 

Contact us or comment below (no account required - you can post as a guest).

There are days of astonishment, when we get something back from the processor and we’re surprised to see an ingredient like “spice extractive” or “organic herbs” on the label. What does that mean!?

So, of course, we call the processor. We ask about the ingredient in question. We want details. If they don’t know, we ask to know the manufacturer or the ingredients on the package. 

Most of the time, our processors are awesome and simply let us know. Then, we update the product on the website with accurate info.

But once in a while, we are sorely disappointed. Sometimes we get the answer, “It’s proprietary.”

Ugh. What an awful thing that’s allowed in our country. Ultimately, they’re saying, “You don’t have the right to know.” In my humble opinion, this is not ok!

This closed door situation is a product of the FDA. They’re doing a balancing act. 

On the one hand, they’re job is to protect and inform consumers, which is why every label on every food product goes through government approval and requires ingredients, allergens, and more to be listed.

On the other hand, the FDA believes that it should not force food manufacturers to share “trade secrets”. So proprietary or patented blends with vague or fanciful names are sadly allowed. Oh our capitalist society! 

The situation is also caused in part by the USDA, which has strict guidelines for recipes, especially those that involve meat.

A processor spends lots of time and money to get each recipe approved. It’s far from easy to simply change an ingredient.

So here we are, left in the messy middle, somewhere between under-regulating and over-regulating.

So what’s a small farm to do? Do we throw away food with these ingredients? Do we give it away and lose money? Do we stop using those processors or carrying those products?

For me, the answer is not straightforward. The answer depends on the situation. And the answer is that we are working in an imperfect world but always working toward a better future.

But, one thing is for certain. With Miller’s, we pride ourselves in transparency, even if the answer is embarrassing. 

We do our best to provide lots of info on our website. And our customers know that if they have a question, they can ask. If we don’t already know, we’ll do everything within our power to find out more.

-----

PS: In the name of transparency, here is a list of ALL of our 99.9% awesome products that contain a vague ingredient that we don’t have the right to know exactly what it is:

• Ham Slice (Bone-In, No Sugar) - contains “Spice Extractives”
• Country No Sugar Bacon - contains “Spice Extractive”
• No Sugar Bacon - contains “Spice Extractive”
• No Sugar Canadian Bacon - contains “Spice Extractive”
• Beef Hot Dogs - contains “dextrose”
• Beef Stix - contains “lactic acid” and “starter culture”
• Pork Hot Dogs - contains “dextrose”

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What do you think? Contact us or comment below (no account required - you can post as a guest)!

As we all well know, inflation is here and is likely to get worse. Ugh.

This has kind of crept up on the farm. It’s been slow but is definitely real.

The price of a cardboard box plus liner for UPS shipping has gone up $2 since the beginning of the year. The price of jars and packing materials has increased over 50%. Gas prices have risen 40% in 2021 so far, increasing our shipping costs across the board. 

You get the point. Prices of everything have risen. And, it’s having a domino effect.

So, what’s a farm to do? Just like we aim to practice environmental sustainability, we also need financial sustainability to continue providing you reliable access to real, nutrient-dense foods.

This means that our prices will be going up. This has already happened a little bit in certain collections and will likely continue for as long as inflation continues.

We don’t know exactly how much the increases will be, but we’re promising you that it’s our goal to keep the staples as affordable as we can.

So, products like milk, ground beef, bones, and cheese will stay relatively low. However, luxury items like steaks (which no one needs to eat) or yogurt (which you can make at home with milk) will go up relatively more. 

We are promising you that from now until November 1 we are freezing prices. But, after that, you may notice changes.

I do hope this helps you plan and prepare.

How are you feeling about inflation? Has it affected your life? What do you foresee coming in the future? Contact us or comment below (no account required!).

Any questions? Please don't hesitate to ask!

There’s just something about bacon. I mean, I don’t know many people who eat pork and don’t love bacon.

It’s meaty and savory. It’s salty and sweet. It packs a ton of umami (a Japanese word that loosely translates to “deliciousness”). 

When it’s cooking, it has a distinct smell. And that smell almost involuntarily results in your mouth watering and stomach grumbling. You simply can’t wait to take a crunchy bite.

But, here’s the problem with bacon - the often awful ingredients!

Bacon is made by taking pork belly and preserving it by curing and sometimes adding flavor by smoking. Curing is the process of adding salt to meat, which removes water and makes the meat inhospitable to potentially dangerous pathogens.

Since curing meats improperly can lead to safety issues, the USDA is pretty strict about the requirements and ingredients for making bacon. This is why, even from the most natural of farms, you’ll often find preservatives like nitrates (or celery juice powder), flavorings like spice extractives or artificial smoke flavor, and sweeteners like cane sugar in most bacon.

With the rise of food intolerances, allergies, and special diets, bacon is sadly off the menu for many consumers.

Thankfully, Miller’s has a solution for you, and it’s called Naked Bacon!

Naked Bacon is simply sliced pork belly. No curing, no smoking, no salt, no sugar, no ingredients at all. Just plain sliced pork belly.

You can cook it like you do normal bacon. But, before you cook it on the stove or in the oven, sprinkle a generous amount of salt and pepper (and herbs if you’d like) all over to accentuate the amazing earthy flavors of our all-natural woodland pork.

Or, you can flavor Naked Bacon at home to taste just like regular bacon with some simple ingredients - sugar and salt. Here’s a recipe.

Have you tried Naked Bacon before? What was your experience? If not, are you going to give it a try?

Comment below (no account required) or contact us.

So much care and attention goes into every little detail of our farming practices. Our goal is to provide you with the most natural, most nutritious, and most delicious food. Although we have full control on the farm, once an animal goes to the processor, it’s out of our hands.

We don’t want an “ok” or “good” processor. We want an “awesome” processor, one that holds the highest standards, just like we do on the farm.

I wish it was easy to find what we’re looking for. But, sadly it's not. Awesome processors are hard to come by. We were starting to think they didn’t exist, just a mythological creature that exists in fairy tales.

We had given up hope and were working with the best options available. Then… something miraculous happened. Our dreams came true. Let me enthusiastically introduce... Olde Tyme Meats!

Olde Tyme Meats is actually not a new processor. They used to be “ok” or “good”. But, about a year ago, they came under new ownership - owners that truly care about natural farming and quality. And then, everything changed. 

After conversations with the new leadership, a tour of the facility, and a couple processing dates, farmer Aaron can now proclaim that Olde Tyme Meats is an “awesome” processor. Hooray!!

Here are 8 reasons we’re in love with our new processor, Olde Tyme Meats.

• They treat animals humanely. No long waits at a feedlot that’s overcrowded or poorly ventilated. Our animals are kept in a low stress environment and are slaughtered the same day they arrive, one at a time, with respect to each animal. 
• They use a natural sanitizer for “washing” meat. Raw organic apple cider vinegar is added to water for cleaning meat. Yes, this is USDA approved and an excellent, more natural alternative to lab produced citric and lactic acids.
• They have better quality cuts that are consistent and clean. This makes for better cooking results. We can even offer sliced beef liver, which is quite a challenge to make.
• Offering the weird cuts. Olde Tyme Meats will process a wider variety of offal. Now, we will have beef adrenals and beef spleen!
• Using quality ingredients. Nothing proprietary here. We will have control over the sourcing of the ingredients, local or organic.
• Consistent pack sizes. If we say a pack is an average 1lb, it will be closer to that estimate now. 
• Packs are sealed tight. This will reduce the amount of leaky packs, which I’m sure you’ve experienced when thawing meat at home.
• Good customer service. When we have feedback, they care and listen and make changes whenever possible to solve the problem.

We love it. We love it. We love it all.

We plan to process all of our grass fed and finished beef and pastured woodland pork with Olde Tyme Meats from this point forward. We still have some older inventory in the freezer, so it will be at most a year before we are fully transitioned to the new processor.

What does this mean for you? Even better quality beef and pork!

What do you value when buying meat? Are the farming practices or the butchering quality more important? Do you wish any of our meats were cut or packaged differently? 

Join the conversation below (no account needed) or contact us here.

Ever struggle with dry, brittle, damaged hair? I sure do!

I could turn to store-bought products that boast “ultimate moisture” or “soft smooth sheen”... but then I look at the back of the bottle. Ugh. There it is. A long list of ingredients and many that I have no idea what they are. 

Thankfully, there’s another option.

I love my body and use nutrient dense foods to maintain and nourish myself on the inside. Well, why not do the same for my hair? 

Making and using natural DIY food-based hair masks is super easy and provides deep conditioning for your hair.

Mix or mash the ingredients together, and apply 30-45 minutes before your shower or bath. Massage the mask through your hair (pay extra attention to the driest or most damaged areas). Cover your hair with a shower cap or plastic wrap and let the ingredients soak in and do their magic. Then, wash like normal. 

If your hair is mildly dry, then you use a hair mask as needed. But, if your hair has become super and persistently dry, apply a hair mask a few times a week, slowly decreasing the frequency until you get the desired results. 

And, just like with your body, the quality of your ingredients matter. 

The more nutrient dense and the less contaminants the foods have, the more health and vibrance your hair will have. 

Here are 3 hair mask recipes that I’ve tried myself with excellent results.  

Egg, Honey, & Olive Oil Hair Mask

• 3 eggs
• 1 Tbsp raw honey
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

Eggs are high in protein and help seal in moisture. Olive oil has plenty of fatty acids to coat the hair shaft and repair damaged layers, which in turn prevents future damage. And honey is for hydration.

Banana, Honey, & Yogurt Hair Mask

• 1 banana
• 3 tsp raw honey
• 3 Tbsp yogurt

Bananas are rich in vitamins, potassium, and carbohydrates. These all work together to help lock in moisture and reduce frizz. Yogurt has high levels of lactic acid. This is wonderful for repairing damaged hair and increasing vibrance. Honey is excellent for hydration.

Tallow Hair Mask

• Tallow or tallow balm

Tallow (rendered beef fat) from 100% grass fed cows is packed with healthy fats and is super nutrient dense. For hair, it provides a number of benefits: reduces itchy scalp, smooths frizz, boosts shine, conditions, hydrates, softens, and repairs dry split ends.

Do you struggle with dry damaged hair? What have you done that worked or didn’t work? 

Join the conversation below or contact us. I’d love to hear from you.

PS: Funny side note about tallow. Yes, it does make you temporarily smell “beefy”. The last time I used tallow balm on my skin, my cat couldn’t stop licking me. The licking became less and less and, after about 15 minutes, she wasn’t interested anymore. So, it’s been cat tested that the smell doesn’t last long!