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According to the dictionary, here’s the definition:
A transparent business might share information regarding performance, revenue, processes, sourcing, pricing, or values. Instead of hiding if something goes wrong, transparent companies should confront the issue with honesty.
The origin of this trend likely stems from the digitization of the world. We live in a more disconnected society, yet at the same time, we have the same needs for trust that we’ve always had. The solution for many businesses is sharing information digitally via websites, email, and social media.
For example, trade secrets are something that can hold a business’s position above its competitors. a food company might disclose a lot about how they make their product but still have proprietary recipes.
Another example is traceability. A company might be able to tell you lots of details about its milk. But, they source milk from lots of farms and it all gets mixed together. In this situation, how do you really know that the facts about the milk are true? Where is the accountability?
Greenwashing is when a false impression is conveyed by providing misleading information about how a company’s products are “green”, environmentally sound, or natural.
Let’s take the “certified organic” label as an example. A farm could be “certified organic” but still has its animals living mostly inside, its ruminant animals eating grain, and artificial (yet “certified for organic”) ingredients in its products. As a result, its food may not be as nutritious, eco-conscious, or humanely raised as other farms, “certified organic” or not.
Yes, “certified organic” is a step in the right direction. However, because of greenwashing, the label has lost some integrity. Discerning consumers don’t trust it like they might have before.
Your comfort level might change based on the food. You might have super high transparency standards for the milk in your fridge, but you might only care if your avocados are “certified organic”. That’s ok. It’s your choice.
For nearly every product we sell, we know the farmers, the feed suppliers, the processors, and the exact ingredients used. In today’s food world, that is rare.
We provide a TON of information on our website, not only on the regular pages but also on the product pages.
On top of that, we open the line of communication. Have a question? Just send us an email, which is the fastest and best way to get help with anything you need.
We usually know the answer to most questions. But… if we don’t, we go farther. We will reach out to the farmer or the producer to get the answer for you. Hey, maybe we’ll even do some research of our own, because we also love learning about food and farming!
Farm Day is a chance to see firsthand where your food comes from and meet the people that make it a reality. This year, you’ll even get to meet some of our vendors and experience what it’s like to pack an order on the farm with a Shopping Pass. Oh, and of course there will be lots of yummy nutritious food to eat, too.
I’d love to hear from you. Comment below (no account required) or contact us.
PS: Did you know you can click on a product and learn more!? You can read about how it tastes or how it was produced, the exact ingredients, the farming protocols, and health and cooking tips.
Spring is here, and Easter is around the corner. It got me thinking about wonderful pastured soy-free eggs that come with myriad health benefits… and did I mention they’re super yummy, too?
Eggs are a common kitchen staple that most American households keep stocked. However, there is often confusion on how long eggs last and a fear about getting the dreaded “bad egg”.
Let’s shed some light on this egg-ceptional topic.
It’s true that an egg’s quality declines as the air pocket inside the shell gets bigger. However, a truly “bad egg” happens when it starts to decompose because of bacteria or mold. At that point, it would be potentially dangerous to consume.
Well, this depends. Are the eggs washed or not washed? When an egg is laid, it has the “bloom” on it. It’s kind of like the amniotic sac around a mammalian baby. The bloom seals the egg. Air and contaminants cannot penetrate the shell. This makes the egg last longer.
In Europe, laying hens are legally required to be vaccinated for salmonella and are NOT washed. Because of this, if you go to a supermarket in Europe, the eggs are NOT refrigerated. They can be stored at room temperature with the bloom intact.
In the United States, laying hens are NOT vaccinated for salmonella and are legally required to be washed. This removes any residue that would have potentially harmful bacteria. However, it also means that they need to be stored in the fridge for safety reasons.
So… for our American soy-free eggs washed in soapy water, your eggs should last up to 6 weeks past the sell by date in the fridge.
Eggs come with a “sell by” date on them. This date is 6 weeks after the date the eggs were packed, which is typically the day they were laid. Some simple math can tell you exactly how old your eggs are.
Yes, this is possible! Preparing eggs for long term storage can provide you food security and help you save by buying in bulk. Here’s what you need to do:
1. Ensure you are using only fresh eggs at room temperature. Check your eggs against light for cracks. If they have any cracks, eat them soon. If they don’t have cracks, you can follow the next steps.
2. Place eggs on a flat surface. Trust me, you will appreciate that later. This process will make the eggs slippery and harder to pick up.
3. Get out coconut oil and warm it up. You can rub some between your hands, or put the whole jar in a bowl of hot water until it’s liquid. It’s important that you use coconut oil, as most other oils will eventually go rancid.
4. Slather the eggs with a little coconut oil. Use your hands to coat each egg evenly and entirely.
5. Place them small-tip down in the carton.
6. It’s recommended to date the box with the month/year the eggs were prepped. Then, store in the fridge.
7. Once a month or so, turn the eggs over (upside down) to keep the yolks from settling.
As with any long term storage, the shelf life is dependent on keeping things in a dark, dry cool location. The cooler the location, the longer it lasts. With proper coating and fridge storage, the eggs should last about 9 months!
I don’t recommend storing coated eggs long term at room temperature, but, if the power goes out (short term or permanently), you’ll have eggs for many meals.
It’s simple. Fill a bowl with cold tap water and place your eggs in it. If they sink to the bottom and lay flat on one side, they are fresh and good to eat. A bad egg will float because of the large air cell that forms at its base. Any floating eggs should be thrown out, composted, or fed to your pig.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on eggs.
Comment below (no account required) or contact us.
PS: Shout out to our amazing long standing customer, Jim, for tips on long term egg storage!
PPS: Miller’s Bio Farm offers 3 types of eggs - brown chicken, multicolored chicken, and duck. And, they are all soy-free! See all egg options here.
This is actually not “news”. The National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Law was passed by Congress in July of 2016. However, the mandatory compliance date for all food manufacturers, large and small, happened on January 1, 2022.
The new standard defines bioengineered foods as “those that contain detectable genetic material that has been modified through certain lab techniques and cannot be created through conventional breeding or found in nature.”
I took a look, and the list is sadly not exhaustive. It seems that only crops and salmon are listed. You know, crops like Monsanto corn that’s resistant to glyphosate, has greater yield, and other plant superpowers. And AquAdvantage salmon that’s been genetically altered to grow faster.
A concern is that the new bioengineered labeling guidelines are not required for “highly refined” ingredients or foods with “undetectable amounts” of bioengineered ingredients, like soda or cooking oil. “Natural flavors” or other lab-produced ingredients do not automatically count as “bioengineered”.
There’s definitely some gray area.
It’s also important to note that the old “certified organic” and “NON-GMO Verified” labels will remain. Dietary supplements need to follow the new guidelines, but restaurants do not.
1. Food producers can use one of these approved logos made by the USDA.
2. They can include text on food packages that says "bioengineered food" or "contains a bioengineered food ingredient." It would be in the fine print on a label; or
3. They can use an electronic or digital link. In other words, a QR code. This can be viewed as sneaky and also discriminatory. For example, the elderly or the Amish or those living with low incomes may not have access to a smartphone to access this information.
Which labeling option do you think most companies will choose?
The government wanted to create consistent food labeling and guidelines so companies know when and how to disclose that their products contain bioengineered ingredients. I commend the idea behind it, but maybe politics messed up the “when” and “how” parts of that initiative.
Given options 2 and 3 above, I’m thinking that transparency may officially be a greenwashed term.
If you’re concerned about bioengineered foods, it’s becoming more and more important to not only read the fine print on packages but also any information provided in links on that package.
At Miller’s we believe that everyone has the right to know what’s in their food. There’s no fine print or hidden info. We provide so much information on our website. And, if you still have a question, please ask. The customer service team is happy to help!
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Sources
We love giving folks the info they need to make educated food choices for their human and furry family. We love sharing food and cooking inspiration. We love seeing how you’re enjoying the yummy food. And, we love chatting with you. Yup, that’s right, if you DM or tag us, we will reply!
Here are some ideas:
Any suggestions for what you’d like to see on social media? We’d love to hear your ideas!
We wrote a friendly letter back saying that “A2 milk” is a common term, and we shouldn’t have to stop using it. We also explained that the farmer is Amish and does not believe in using courts to resolve issues. We preferred to resolve the issue amicably.
A year of silence went by. Then, we received a second cease and desist letter saying the same thing - Miller’s Bio Farm needs to stop using the term “A2 Milk”.
At this point, farmer Aaron felt we needed to get an attorney involved, so we did.
The attorney wrote a letter arguing (in legalese) that Miller’s using the term “A2 Milk” is a fair use of a descriptive term. The reason we know this is because there are thousands of publications - scientific papers, blog posts, websites, books, etc - that all use the term “A2 Milk” to describe milk containing 100% beta-casein protein.
The unnamed company wrote us back (more quickly this time) but still did not agree. We had two options - take it to court or switch our terminology. For obvious reasons, we chose the latter.
All of our cows will still be genetically tested to verify that they produce milk with 100% A2 beta-casein protein. The ingredients on our dairy products will still note “A2/A2 milk”. We are simply switching the terminology.
In case you’re new to A2/A2 dairy, you can learn more about what A2/A2 milk is and why it might be better for your body here.
And, maybe this is a good thing…
A1/A1 means that the cow produces milk with 100% A1 beta-casein protein.
A1/A2 means that the cow produces milk with a mix of A1 and A2 beta-casein protein.
A2/A2 means that the cow products milk with 100% A2 beta-casein protein.
I'd love to hear from you. Comment below (no account required) or contact us.
Fermented raw A2/A2 dairy can provide better nutrition and digestion and can also help your pets heal from illnesses. If you’d like to learn more, here are 7 reasons why raw A2/A2 dairy can boost your pet’s health!
This just makes sense. If you provide your human family with the best food and best health, you’d of course want the same for the furry members of your family.
The raw A2/A2 milk used to make our pet products is certified by the State of Pennsylvania for human consumption. This is above and beyond what’s required for dairy for pet consumption.
On top of that, we also go above and beyond the State’s raw milk standards. We test every batch of milk on site for general bacteria counts. You can learn more about our meticulous milk safety standards here.
Miller’s Bio Farm’s goal is to provide you with ultra low risk raw dairy products for your pets.
In order to manufacture pet food in Pennsylvania, you need to get a license from the State and pass periodic inspections for general cleanliness.
We put extra love and care in. For example, we have stainless steel countertops, use clean well water, and have 3 sinks (one for mops/cleaning, one for hands, and one for food prep).
All of our pet dairy products are made using old world techniques, the same way you would make fermented raw dairy products in your home kitchen… just on a larger scale.
Most pet food manufacturers sell dairy products that are frozen. Miller’s believes that providing fresh dairy gives you the highest quality food for your pets.
I’d love to hear from you. Comment below (no account required) or contact us.
I can’t believe Farm Day is just one short week away!
The Miller’s team has been working hard to bring this event to you, and we are so excited to welcome you on the farm.
We have a new addition to Farm Day this year - 2 talks by myself and farmer Aaron. They’ll happen under the tent, in the pasture.
Here are the topics:
People have been drinking raw milk for thousands of years, but it didn’t start becoming vilified until the late 1800s. What changed? Why did this happen? How did policymakers, businesses, and consumers respond? And, why is 1987 such an important year? We’ll explore the history of raw milk, the current laws, and what it all means for you as a consumer.
Miller’s Bio Farm is all about providing you the highest quality, most natural and nutritious foods possible. We love what we do, but it’s definitely NOT easy. Why? We are operating in a “system” that has different goals and different values. What struggles, challenges, and initiatives has Miller’s Bio Farm faced? How have they worked through it so far? What’s coming next? What do consumers need to know when shopping for natural foods?
Gee, writing all this is getting me even more hyped up. I’m so looking forward to having meaningful conversations and getting to know you better.
Did you buy your tickets yet? I’d LOVE to see you at Farm Day <3
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Want to learn more about where your food comes from and how it's produced with care? Please join us for an afternoon of farm food and fun!
Saturday, May 21 from10am - 3pm
Miller's Bio Farm, 523 Valley Road, Quarryville, PA 17566
*Can be done anytime at Farm Day. Not on a schedule.
*Exclusive on farm access. Get the BEST prices we offer with special Farm Day only deals.
*Each vendor will have a table and samples. They are happy to chat and answer questions.
*Basically everything served is either a product that Miller's sells or will be handmade by the farm staff with ingredients from the farm!
There’s a lot of factors that affect the nutritional quality of milk before it comes out of the cow - grass fed vs grain fed, active vs sedentary lifestyle, indoors vs outdoors, conventional vs regenerative farming, etc. But, each of those is a huge topic on its own.
It’s estimated that a tiny 3% of milk drinkers drink raw milk.
Maybe it’s the laws, maybe it’s the advertising, maybe it’s doctors’ advice, maybe it’s because of the vilification of raw milk. Who knows. It’s probably a combination of it all.
Of course, whenever you’re making a choice for your body and your health, it should be an educated one. So, let’s dive in…
Milk in its raw state has more nutritional value compared to pasteurized milk.
The amount of damage done is directly related to the amount of processing. The higher the pasteurization temperature and time, the more the naturally healthy parts of the milk are damaged. When milk is homogenized, it breaks down nutrients and fats.
Pasteurizing milk significantly reduces the possible danger from “bad” bacteria such as e.Coli, listeria, salmonella, brucellosis, and tuberculosis. They may still be there, but in such small quantities that a person is not likely to become ill.
However, it’s important to note that pasteurized milk does become a vector for potentially dangerous pathogens. If left out or exposed, those microorganisms will thrive in that lactose-y sugar water.
That being said, with rigorous milk safety standards like our farm follows, the risk of consuming raw milk can be very low. Miller’s Bio Farm produces ultra low risk raw milk products. The same cannot be said for all raw milk producers.
Ultra pasteurized milk lasts even longer.
This is why people from warmer countries like India have traditionally boiled their milk. It keeps it good for longer!
We will continue to offer raw milk for humans in Pennsylvania and raw dairy for pets in all 48 contiguous states.
The milk is non-homogenized. If you let it sit, the cream will float to the top! It's said that non-homogenized milk has a naturally sweeter, richer flavor compared to homogenized milk.
Many people enjoy the silky texture of whole cream as well. This texture is lost when the fat is altered through homogenization.
We use low-temperature pasteurization. This kills any potentially harmful bacteria but also preserves some of the nutritional and probiotic benefits of milk. The milk is pumped into a temperature controlled vat and heated slowly to ~145°F. It’s held there for a minimum of 30 minutes, cooled, and packaged.
I’d love to hear from you. Comment below (no account required) or contact us.
PS: Miller’s Bio Farm offers a variety of A2/A2 pasteurized dairy products - milk, Greek yogurt, drinkable yogurt, kefir, butter, and ghee.
Here’s a quick insider scoop about our A2/A2 cheeses.
On that label, you will see a code with 6 numbers at the end. Those 6 numbers are a date in reverse order. Ah ha! Code unlocked!
For example, in the cheese picture at the bottom of this email, the numbers are “212611”. So, that means the date the cheese was made was 11/26/21.
By “made”, I mean the day the curds were pressed into blocks and the cheese was sealed and moved to the cave for aging.
When cheese is first made, it is at its mildest. It’s more buttery, creamy, or sweet (think mozzarella, which is not aged at all). And, as it ages, the flavor gets sharper. It’s more tangy, pungent, or stinky (think Parmesan, Asiago, or Manchego).
Let’s take cheddar cheese as an example. Our raw mild cheddar cheese is aged between 60 days and 2 years from the day it was made. When it’s aged just 60 days, it will be quite mild. But, as it gets closer to 2 years, it gets sharper and might even be hard to distinguish from sharp cheddar.
When a cheese is first made, it can be described as chubby, rubbery, or squishy. So an unaged cheese like paneer or a 60-day old cheese like fresh gouda will be softer than a cheese aged for a longer time.
But, a cheese aged for years, like a sheep rind-ripened cheese, will be quite hard. It crumbles when you cut it. You could even smash it into bite-size pieces. And, you might be the lucky one to get some aged cheese with crystals!
Even when made with the same A2/A2 grass fed milk and with the same artisan cheesemaking processes, a mild cheddar that’s 2 months old versus 1 year old will be different. Period.
All those flavor and texture variations lead to food eureka moments - when you make the best ever scalloped potatoes with 1-year old mild cheddar cheese or a fantastic mac and cheese with fresh 90-day old gouda or an exceptional broccoli soup with 3-year old sharp cheddar.
That’s right. At Miller’s, we basically never throw away food.
Our cheese is made in small batches and is aged in 40lb blocks. When cheese inventory runs low in our cooler, we ask the cheesemaker to break down one of those huge blocks to sell to you.
When we have an oversupply of milk, we typically make cheese. And, when we have an oversupply of cheese, you’ll notice the dates tend to be farther in the past.
I’d love to hear from you. Comment below (no account required) or contact us.
PS: We have so many cheese options! Mostly A2/A2 cow but also goat and sheep. You can shop all A2/A2 cheeses here.
It’s been in the works for over a year…. and now CORN AND SOY FREE chicken is officially here. Here’s more about why we did it and the struggles we’ve had to get it to you.
One of our amazing customers passed me a link to a TEDxAustin talk by Robyn O’Brien. It’s from 2011, so this is really nothing new. But, Robyn’s story so wonderfully put the reasoning behind going corn and soy free into perspective.
You can watch her talk here and read my quick recap below.
Robyn O’Brien is a Food Industry Analyst. Eventually, she traded her job for a diaper bag. Four kids later and despite her food industry expertise, she still hadn’t given much thought about what was in the food supply.
Robyn grew up in Texas and ate “normal food”. You know, “foods” like Twinkies and Doritos and chicken nuggets.
Between picky eaters and a limited budget, food shopping and meal planning can be a challenge. She was perfectly ok feeding her family Eggo waffles, tubes of blue yogurt, and scrambled eggs for breakfast. I mean, her kids ate it.
Her daughter’s face started to swell shut, and she immediately brought her to the pediatrician. The doctor’s first question was, “What did she eat?” Her pediatrician knew that it was an allergic reaction to food and started rattling off all these facts and figures about food allergies.
She learned that from 1997 to 2002, peanut allergies doubled. She learned that, as of 2011, one out of three kids had a food allergy. And, she learned that there had been a 265% increase in the rate of hospitalizations related to food allergic reactions.
In short, food allergies are a BIG problem now. And, we’re not even talking about food intolerances.
Robyn wondered, “Is there something foreign in our food now that wasn’t there when we were kids?”
This was done to maximize profitability for the food industry. I mean, it makes perfect financial sense… at least for the big corporations. Greater yields + lower inputs = cheaper food + more profit.
But, at the same time, no studies were done to see if these new proteins were safe. The government’s explanation is that these new bioengineered foods weren’t proven dangerous. But why not flip that? Why allow something new into the food supply until it’s proven safe? (This is a giant topic for another day.)
Today, there are new bioengineered proteins in basically all mainstream foods. You might think, well, it’s just milk or meat or eggs. But, the animals that produce those foods are likely fed bioengineered corn and soy, which results in these new foreign proteins appearing in the final product.
New products and proteins are created all the time. It’s so hard to avoid. You can learn more about the new bioengineered labeling here.
So, if you already have food allergies in your family or would like to avoid food allergies in your family, limiting corn and soy consumption… directly or via the feed that’s given to animals that produce your food… is probably a good idea.
Miller’s Bio Farm’s purpose is to inspire a generation of healthy children and reduce healthcare costs. So, of course, with the knowledge of allergies and disease linked to corn and soy, we try our best to minimize it. However, it doesn’t come without struggles, especially when it comes to raising chickens.
Even when chickens live out on pasture and can eat all the crickets and worms and greens they want, they still need supplemental feed when farmed for meat. It’s necessary. This is so they can grow to full size and be harvested when tender. Without some feed, we’d only be able to offer you old stewing hens.
You see, soy and corn are used to fatten livestock. It makes it so that you need less feed and the animals grow to full size more quickly. It’s cheaper. It’s easier. I get why most farmers do it.
The soy was replaced with fishmeal. And then, the chicken tasted fishy, which was quite off putting. It took a few rounds of playing with the feed rationing until the perfect balance was achieved.
Plus, it costs more to raise chickens this way. They required more feed and more time to grow. Farmer Aaron didn’t know how an increase in feed cost would affect his cash flow (always a challenge for a farmer).
He also didn’t know how customers would respond to a price increase. Would he fill his freezer with chicken, and then have no one to sell it to? Well, it turns out that there’s a big demand for soy-free chicken, despite the cost!
And again he went through the same struggles - it changed the taste and it cost too much. However, this time around, armed with his knowledge from going soy-free, the farm worked through those challenges a bit more quickly.
Our chicken feed now contains a specially formulated blend of wheat, peas, barley, fishmeal (from sardines), flax seed, kelp, and a nutri-balancer which has kelp, vitamins, and minerals. Side note: Dried bugs and larvae are also an option for chicken feed, but they are more expensive than fishmeal.
It’s been almost a year since the farm first started feeding its chickens a corn and soy free feed. We’ve been selling older soy-free chicken. And now, we’ve worked our way to the new chicken inventory.
We still have some older 6-7lb whole birds and ground chicken that’s soy free only. It’s clearly labeled in the store, so it’s easy for you to tell the difference.
I’d love to hear from you. Comment on the blog below (no account required -- start typing and you'll see that option) or contact us.
PS: Our eggs are also corn & soy free now! Sadly, we only have duck eggs available now. The chicken egg farmer is transitioning to a new flock, and we’re waiting for them to start laying. Come on, chickens! Hopefully they will be back before the end of the month.
This can be tough sometimes. As a lifelong learner, the more I know, the more questions I have. It’s like Pandora's box is always open.
When I look out onto the beautiful farm pasture, lush and teeming with biodiversity, everything looks bright and sunny and natural. The animals are happy. I can hear the bugs buzzing and the birds chirping. It smells lovely and earthy… with a touch of manure.
But, when I get into the nitty gritty details of natural food, it’s not quite as picturesque. When I find an unnatural reality of our 99.9% amazingly natural food, it’s as if the weather suddenly turns and a lightning bolt strikes the middle of the field, creating a blackened spot in the wonderfully nostalgic scene.
Remember the time when we were surprised to get bacon back from the processor with “spice extractives” listed in the ingredients? And then we were told. “It’s proprietary. You don’t have the right to know.” Lightning bolt!!!
For example, Miller’s is limited in the processors it has access to. And those processors are limited by regulations or ingredient sources. And, of course, price always plays a role, too.
In many cases, there’s simply nothing we can do better… at least not immediately. Right now, truly natural food is something we are all working towards. Gee, I hope we can achieve that goal!
As a food supplier, it’s a difficult place to be. Sure, we can boast about how humanely the animals are raised or how nutrient-dense the food is, and that’s generally what most natural food companies do. But is that an entirely honest picture?
Here’s our newest solution to this problem:
This will include additives, non-traceable sourcing, conventional ingredients, packaging notes, etc. The goal is to reach a higher level of transparency and to help those interested in natural eating learn more about what goes into their bodies. You deserve to know!
Keep in mind that this is a BIG task. I mean, Miller’s has 1,000+ products. So, this will be an ongoing task that might take a year to achieve. We’ll be adding more honest disclosures to products on a weekly basis.
Here’s what to look for. When you click on a product, it leads you to the product page that has lots more info about that product. It might include notes about taste, cooking suggestions, farming practices, ingredients… and now you may find an “honest disclosure” at the very bottom.
I don't know of any other store that's doing something like this. Do you? I'm pretty excited to try it out. I'm happy that it will allow Miller's to sell food with confidence, with full disclosure.
I’d love to hear from you. Comment below (no account required - start typing and comment as a guest will appear) or contact us.
I knew that pasteurization increases shelf life and alters living microorganisms, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and proteins. You can learn more about the differences between raw vs pasteurized here.
LTLT stands for “low temperature long time” and is also known as “batch pasteurization”. The milk is heated to 145F for 20-30 minutes. Then it is immediately cooled down.
Side note: Other pasteurization methods are HTST (high temperature short time) and UHT (ultra high temperature).
This is the lowest temperature that you can pasteurize milk at. And, farmer Aaron and I assumed that, especially since the milk is NOT homogenized, it would not change the taste or structure of the milk and cream.
As you can see, our raw milk has a hefty and easy-to-see cream line, about a third of the way down from the top of the container. The pasteurized cream top milk has a cream line, too. However, it’s harder to see and only about a tenth of the way down from the top of the container.
When you take a spoonful of cream out of each container, there’s a stark difference as well. The raw cream is smooth and thick and coats the spoon. The pasteurized cream is clumpy and sticky, almost like a pudding skin at the very top.
With unprocessed raw milk, any interaction between milk proteins and milk fat is limited. Milk fat is contained within the “milk fat globule membrane”, and the casein and whey proteins are found predominantly in the watery part (AKA the “serum phase”) of the milk.
But, processes such as heating can alter these structures. The fat globule membrane can be broken, which makes it easier for the fats to mix in with the watery part of the milk. Scientifically this can be called “better emulsion stability” or “creaming stability”.
The less the milk is heated, in temperature and time, the less the fat and cream is altered. Miller’s Bio Farm chooses LTLT processing, because it’s the lowest possible temperature for pasteurization. And now, we’ll need to look into HTLT processing (high temperature low time) to see if it’s possible and if it causes less damage.
When you drink raw milk, the downside is that there’s an extra step. You typically need to shake the container to recombine the fat before pouring. The plus side is that it’s much easier to separate and utilize the cream to make butter or whipped cream.
When you drink pasteurized milk (even when non-homogenized), the plus side is that shaking is not as essential. The fat is more evenly distributed in the milk. The downside is that the cream is not as abundant.
I’d love to hear from you. Comment below (no account required, start typing and post as a guest option will appear) or contact us.
PS: The Jersey cows at Miller’s Bio Farm are happy and healthy and producing LOTS of milk right now. That’s why our gallons of raw milk are on sale for 10% off!
According to Statisa, almost 60% of chicken sales in the US are breasts. Seriously!? So many people are missing out on the incredible flavor and health and savings offered from the rest of the bird.
Once you get that yummy, nutritious chicken at home, here are some easy recipes to make some delicious dinners for your family:
My mom invented this recipe when I was a kid… by mistake! She left the chicken in the oven for much longer than intended. Oops! The result? Serious deliciousness. It’s super fast and easy to prepare with only 3 ingredients! Get the recipe here…
Although grilled chicken is simple, it can take a few pointers to not end up with dry, charred, inedible chicken. I compiled all the tips in one spot to make your grilled chicken experience outstanding. Get the recipe here…
This one is for your skillet, and it’s basically impossible to overcook. These Asian-inspired flavors will add some excitement to your dinner table. Sweet, sour, and a little spicy. Pairs well with fermented veggies for gut health. Get the recipe here…
Is your mouth watering yet? Here’s some more detail on why bone-in chicken is a culinary and nutritional king:
Chicken bones are filled with bone marrow. When you cook chicken with the bone in, all the flavor from the marrow spreads into the meat, leaving you with a deeper, meatier, more chicken-y flavor.
Bone in chicken also contains more fat, since there are lots of little pieces of fat attached to the bone. When the bone is removed, so is that fat and the extra flavor and juiciness gained from the fat.
And then there’s the skin, another reservoir of fatty flavor. I mean, is there anything better than perfectly browned, crispy, glistening skin atop your chicken?
Pastured poultry has been found to be more nutrient dense compared to non-pastured chicken, specifically in terms of higher levels of iron, omega 3 fatty acids (with a lower Omega 6:3 ratio), and vitamins A and E.
Bones are rich in vital micronutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and magnesium. Bones also have a high concentration of collagen, gelatin and glycine, which are important for gut health. When you cook bone-in chicken, the resulting meat has more to offer your body.
Then, let’s add that Miller’s chicken is corn-free and soy-free. This is great for people looking to avoid or prevent common allergies or intolerances. You can learn more about our corn-free and soy-free chicken, the struggles to raise them, and the reasons why it’s important here.
Why? That’s because it takes so much less time to butcher. Store bought boneless thighs, for example, can really only be done with expensive high-tech machines that only super big processors can afford.
With some serious knife skills, you could debone 1lb of chicken thighs in about 10 minutes. But, why would you do that when it’s more nutritious and delicious with the bone in?
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I’d like to start by saying that I’m not a doctor or a nutritionist or a scientist. I’m just a person who’s passionate about health, nutrition, and healing. I’m a lifelong learner. Please speak to your doctor if you’re interested in changing your eczema or psoriasis treatment.
When I see the same questions pop up with my family and friends and Miller’s customers, I just need to learn more. This week, I’m exploring eczema and psoriasis and their connection to diet.
For those who may not know, eczema and psoriasis are both skin conditions caused by an underlying autoimmune disorder. Severity varies, but both conditions result in a red, itchy, uncomfortable rash.
On the one hand, this is a good thing. If someone is in discomfort or pain from a rash and is at their personal breaking point, I’m happy that there are options to treat the symptoms.
The most common mainstream option is topical steroid creams, but this should not be used long term. In the natural world, sun, apple cider vinegar, epsom salt baths, turmeric, tea tree oil, oats, aloe, calendula, Manuka honey, the list goes on and on... are all options for symptomatic relief.
But let’s not forget how important it is to get to the root cause. That’s the only real way to heal.
The idea here is that dairy is the root cause. It’s assumed that the patient has an intolerance or allergy to dairy. When dairy is consumed, their body has a flare-up, an immune reaction that causes inflammation.
Let’s break it down. On a large scale, about 10% of people in the US have a food allergy, and 1.9% of people in the US have an allergy to milk specifically.
About 30% of people with eczema have a food allergy. If eczema patients follow the same trend as above, then about 6% of eczema patients would be allergic to dairy. I couldn’t find stats for psoriasis and food allergies.
A better course of action would be to test for dairy or other food allergies before altering your diet. We have the technology to test for intolerances or allergies to lactose, casein proteins, or whey proteins, so let’s use it!
If you find out that your body does have trouble with dairy, it makes sense to remove it for immediate relief. Then, you can work on figuring out the root cause, healing, and then reintroducing dairy.
Especially for children, let’s not take dairy away without good reason.
Eating regeneratively farmed, natural foods provide you with optimal nutrition that your body can use with ease. It’s so different from vitamins and supplements. You can learn more about regenerative healthcare here.
It’s also important to note that BIG diet changes can put unneeded stress on your body. If you’re already ill, we want to reduce stress and not create more.
Learn to let it go. Learn to listen to your body. Be patient. Your body is complex and finding the root cause can take time.
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You may or may not know that nearly all of the stuff we use to pack your order is compostable. The only exception is the ice packs.
For example, the compostable plastic bags are indeed compostable. However, they are definitely a highly processed product derived from corn and soy. The corn and soy are probably grown with chemicals like glyphosate. And who knows what chemicals are used to manufacture the bags.
Another example is the denim liners used for mail shipping. They are made from recycled cotton, likely from clothes. The cotton might have been bleached, sprayed with fire retardant, or who knows what else!
You know that these products will break down (or compost) in a landfill, which is certainly not true for styrofoam or petroleum-based plastics. It’s a step in the right direction. If your trash is burned/incinerated, well, that’s simply never good for the planet.
I know at least one customer who uses the cotton liners as insulation in their attic. And, I know many customers who donate them to soup kitchens and food pantries, which often need to deliver meals to people in need.
I personally reuse the ice packs and keep the boxes for my kids to create and imagine with. And, since I’m in the Farm Driver Delivery zone, I return as much packaging as I can to the farm for reuse.
If you’re lucky enough to have municipal composting or subscribe to a composting service, that’s awesome and amazing!
You can also compost them at home, despite the warning that the bags should only be composted in an “industrial composting facility”. I’ve done it! For best results, the bags and liners should be chopped into small pieces, and you should maintain a healthy compost pile.
If the products are incinerated, those chemicals go into the air. Kind of off topic, but I was horrified when I realized that, since all gasoline now contains ethanol, which is made from corn most likely grown with glyphosate, all that glyphosate goes into the air!
When these products compost in a landfill, they become part of a giant pile of junk and chemicals. Just because we can’t see it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Over time, nature will inevitably spread it out. Rain comes down, and the chemicals will eventually make their way into the water supply and reach those who live closest first.
And who typically lives close to highways, waste incinerators, and landfills? Well, it’s sadly lower income people and people of color.
Municipal compost is typically used in municipal parks and gardens. So, any chemicals would get spread throughout your community. All of your neighbors get exposed.
Composting services either deliver the compost back to you, donate it to a local charity, and some even sell it! So, those chemicals would stay pretty local, near your community.
If you end up with the compost, either from a service or DIY at home, you have a choice to make – where do I use the compost? You could use it on vegetable gardens, but then the chemicals may contaminate your food. Or, you can use it on decorative gardens or to regenerate your lawn. No matter what, those chemicals are staying close to you.
If you’re reading this, especially this far down, then I’m pretty sure you’re passionate about natural health and avoiding synthetic chemicals, too. You understand the damage it can do not only within your body but to the environment as well.
My personal choice is to take the burden onto myself as much as I can. If I’m using products with chemicals, then I should deal with it and not push it off somewhere I can’t see it.
My husband loves compost, and we have some very healthy piles cooking in the backyard. We use it all over our teeny tiny property (along with cover crops and some chicken manure), and the results have been amazing.
When we first moved in 5 years ago, our land was about 50% dirt… hard, lifeless dirt. Now, we’re almost 95% plant covered with soil filled with worms and beetles and living microbiology!
My husband and I dream of growing mushrooms, which are supposedly amazing at breaking down chemicals quickly. So far, no success, but there’s still hope!
I’d love to hear from you. Comment below (no account required, start typing to post as a guest) or contact us.
PS: I know that recyclable packaging is also an option. However, I don’t think the outcome is any brighter when compared to composting. I’ve read that a small percentage of recyclable material is actually recycled. Plus, it can only be recycled so many times. Plus, it takes a bunch of energy to recycle.
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A2/A2 Dairy
Meat & Seafood
