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At Miller's Bio Farm, our commitment to health and wellness drives us to delve deeply into the intricacies of every ingredient and nutrient. We value the trust our customers place in us and continuously strive to stay ahead of emerging health topics. Recently, our curiosity led us to explore the world of PUFAs. After all, many of our customers SHOP WITH MILLER'S because they're seeking low or virtually no PUFA diets.
We wanted to understand: What exactly are PUFAs? Why have they garnered attention in the health community? And most crucially, how might they affect our overall well-being?
PUFAs, or Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, are a type of fat molecule composed of more than one double bond in their backbone. They are commonly found in many foods, especially vegetable oils like soybean, sunflower, and corn oils. PUFAs are further classified into two main types: omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. While these fats are essential for our body in certain amounts (since our body can't produce them on its own), the modern Western diet has a disheartening imbalance of these fats, which can have potential health consequences.
Enter Dr. Ray Peat, a brilliant scientist and researcher who has dedicated a significant portion of his career to understanding the effects of various nutrients on our health. According to Dr. Peat, PUFAs, when consumed in excess, can have a multitude of negative effects on our health. One of his primary concerns about high PUFA intake relates to their instability when exposed to heat, light, and oxygen, leading them to oxidize easily. When consumed, these oxidized fats can cause oxidative stress and inflammation in the body, potentially contributing to various diseases.
Moreover, Dr. Peat found that excessive PUFA intake could suppress the thyroid function, slowing down our metabolism and potentially leading to various health issues like decreased energy, weight gain, and more.
The problems with PUFAs, as pointed out by Dr. Ray Peat and validated by various studies, include:
The potential links between high PUFA intake and various health concerns raise pressing questions about the long-term consequences of our dietary choices. Particularly, does a diet abundant in PUFAs amplify the risk for certain diseases or even exacerbate autoimmune conditions?
Autoimmune Conditions and PUFAs: Autoimmune diseases arise when our immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells in our body. Factors contributing to these conditions are multifaceted and include genetics, environmental triggers, and possibly diet. Some studies suggest that a higher intake of omega-6 PUFAs can enhance inflammation, which plays a significant role in many autoimmune diseases. By potentially amplifying inflammatory responses, a high PUFA diet may exacerbate symptoms in individuals predisposed to or already diagnosed with autoimmune conditions.
PUFA and Disease Magnification: Beyond autoimmune conditions, a diet consistently high in PUFAs may accentuate risks for other diseases. As PUFAs can promote inflammation and oxidative stress, two pivotal factors in the development of many chronic diseases, individuals regularly consuming high amounts of these fats may find themselves at an elevated risk. This includes but isn't limited to heart diseases and certain types of cancers.
When we say a food is "PUFA-free", we're indicating that it contains negligible or no polyunsaturated fatty acids. Remember, fats in foods are usually a combination of different types of fatty acids: saturated (SFAs), monounsaturated (MUFAs), and polyunsaturated (PUFAs). No natural food is entirely devoid of a particular type of fat, but some foods have such minuscule amounts of PUFAs that they can be effectively considered "PUFA-free" for dietary purposes.
There's a growing interest in PUFA-free or low-PUFA diets due to concerns about the potential negative health implications of consuming excessive PUFAs. As previously mentioned, excessive PUFA consumption may contribute to inflammation, oxidative stress, and other health issues. Additionally, many PUFAs, especially those in processed vegetable oils, can be easily oxidized, forming harmful compounds when exposed to heat, light, or air.
At Miller's Bio Farm, we pride ourselves on the quality of our products, emphasizing the nutritional content and health benefits they offer. Virtually all our foods stand out as being low in PUFAs or virtually PUFA-free. This nutritional advantage stems from our farming practices: our ruminant animals are 100% grass-fed, while our non-ruminant animals are strictly reared without corn and soy in their diets. This ensures that the products we offer are not just delicious but also nutritionally aligned with holistic health goals.
Examples of Foods that are Virtually PUFA-free:
1. Animal Fats: LARD, TALLOW, BUTTER, and GHEE are primarily made up of saturated and monounsaturated fats, with only trace amounts of PUFAs.
2. Tropical Oils: Coconut oil and palm oil are predominantly saturated fats and contain very low levels of PUFAs.
3. Certain Dairy Products: Full-fat dairy products, especially from grass-fed animals, tend to have higher saturated fat content and lower PUFA levels. At Miller's Bio Farm, our COW DAIRY, RAW COW DAIRY, and RAW BUFFALO DAIRY products are virtually PUFA-free, while our RAW GOAT DAIRY is categorized as low PUFA.
4. Certain Meats: Fatty cuts of beef, lamb, and pork, especially from animals raised on natural diets, will generally have lower PUFA content compared to poultry or grain-fed livestock. In line with this, our 100% GRASS FED BEEF offerings at Miller's Bio Farm are virtually PUFA-free. Additionally, our corn and soy free PASTURED CHICKEN, PASTURED TURKEY, and WOODLAND PORK selections, known for their superior quality, are all low in PUFAs.
5. Eggs: Another essential mention is eggs. The CORN & SOY FREE EGGS at Miller's Bio Farm are meticulously sourced and are considered low PUFA, making them an excellent choice for those keen on monitoring their PUFA intake.
While there's merit in being cautious about excessive PUFA consumption, it's also essential not to swing to the other extreme and completely eliminate all sources of PUFAs from your diet. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are types of PUFAs, are essential for the body, meaning we need to get them from our diet because our body cannot produce them on its own. The key is achieving a balance and avoiding sources of oxidized or processed PUFAs.
In the ever-evolving landscape of nutrition, it's crucial to navigate our choices with information that prioritizes our well-being. Aiming for PUFA-free or low-PUFA foods isn't merely a trend; it's a conscious decision to prioritize the quality and integrity of the fats we introduce into our bodies. By doing so, we move closer to a dietary approach that aligns with nature – favoring fats that are less processed, less prone to oxidation, and thereby more stable and beneficial for our health.
Such an approach underscores our belief at Miller's Bio Farm: that food, in its most natural state, is often the best. While PUFAs have their place and role in nutrition, it's important to strike a balance. Overconsumption, especially of oxidized or excessively processed PUFAs, can pave the way for health concerns. By being aware and making informed choices, we can relish the myriad benefits of healthy fats without the pitfalls of excessive PUFA intake.
In conclusion, our journey through understanding PUFAs reminds us of the importance of ongoing education, reflection, and making choices that resonate with holistic health. As always, we remain committed to delivering the best to our community and continuing the conversation on vital health topics.
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If you make raw butter at home or buy OUR RAW BUTTER to feed to your cats & dogs, you may have experienced a slight cheesy smell that's similar to parmesan cheese.
Why would this happen? Is it normal? Does it mean the butter is bad? I know I've asked these questions in my head before. Have you?
Please don't worry. Raw butter with a cheesy smell is normal. And that smell usually does not transfer to the taste.
Raw butter will become more rich, bold, and flavorful over time... and yes may smell cheesy. It's fermentation!
Raw butter is a living food. It innately has diverse microorganisms within. You can't see them or smell them, but they're there. This is one reason that raw butter is said to be superior; it's probiotic!
What's happening is that the bacteria are consuming the lactose (milk sugar) from the cream, converting it into lactic acid. This is what makes raw milk sour, and similarly is what makes raw butter get "cheesy".
Now, you can't stop this fermentation from happening, but you can slow it down. The freezer will almost completely stop it. You can keep butter frozen for up to 1 year. The fridge slows fermentation down a lot. You can keep butter in the fridge for up to 3 months. But on the counter at room temp, fermentation is in full force. Butter will only last 1-3 days on the counter.
On the flip side, our minimally PASTEURIZED BUTTER is a (mostly) dead food and will not have this happen... at least not nearly as fast. Almost all living microorganisms are destroyed when heated above 145F for 30 minutes.
Have you made raw butter at home? Have you noticed a cheesy smell? What do you look for when shopping for butter?
I'd love to hear from you. Comment below (no account required - start typing for the guest option to appear) or contact us.
Cheesemaking dates back thousands of years. It's one of the earliest foods, made with just milk, naturally occurring cultures, real salt, and stomach for coagulant. But, with the modern push towards industrialization and consistency and food safety, this staple food that nourished humans through the winter has become complicated and somewhat artificial, deviating from its simple and completely natural origins.
The scary part if that, even the smartest food shoppers don't know it.
Are there additives in cheese? Yes, there are. But you can't know it just by looking at the label.
Sure, in a highly processed "cheese" like Velveeta, strange non-cheese ingredients like canola oil and food starch and annatto coloring are listed on the label. It's easy to see that an ultra melty block of bright orange Velveeta is not real cheese. It's more of a cheese-like substance.
But, in more old fashioned cheeses found in stores (even organic cheeses), the labels typically have a short list of ingredients: milk, cultures, rennet, and salt. With cheese, it’s required to list the main components of a cheese. But that's not the end of the story. What about the ingredients in the ingredients. It's NOT required to disclose those minute details on the label.
Here are some things NOT required on cheese labels:
Are synthetic vitamins added to the milk? Milk often has artificial vitamin A and D added to boost the nutrition panel.
What kind of rennet is used? There are animal, plant, and microbial forms of rennet. The exact kind if not required on the label. You can learn more about types of rennet here.
What ingredients are in the rennet? Plant and microbial rennet are typically made from and contain GMOs. And even the most natural veal rennets often contain additives like sodium acetate, propylene glycol, or potassium sorbate.
What strains are in the culture? This info is especially important to those who are intolerant or allergic to specific strains of bacteria, yeast, or fungi.
What ingredients are in the culture? All cultures nowadays have maltodextrin as an ingredient. This seems to be sadly unavoidable. Maltodextrin is a sweetener and a carbohydrate with no nutritional value. It's added because the freeze dried cultures need a basic food to jumpstart them back into action.
What kind of salt is used? Many salts have anti-caking agents such as sodium aluminosilicate or magnesium carbonate added to make it free-flowing. This is starkly different from a sea salt, which is simply dried salt that has formed naturally.
Are any anti-caking agents added to shredded cheese? Common anti-caking agents are potato starch, natamycin, and cellulose.
When I get into the nitty gritty, I always want to pull back a bit and look at the bigger picture. The additives listed above are present in tiny quantities, in trace amounts. That's why the FDA doesn't require them to be disclosed.
But, my question is, if there's trace amounts of synthetic non-food ingredients in everything I eat, then are they still "trace" amounts? Has there been testing on consistent consumption of these over time? Has there been testing done on how these additives interact with each other in my body? Do we know how long additives stay in your body and where? What are the long term health consequences? I am wary that these questions are being overlooked. I mean, what if the scientific findings were negative? It would affect big food businesses in big and potentially costly ways.
If you're with me on reducing synthetics and toxins and additives whenever possible, then you likely want to dig farther than the label. If you want to know the exact ingredients in your cheese, including any trace additives, you need to ask the company and cross your fingers that they'll do the research required to answer you completely. And that requires looking at the data sheets for every ingredient used. The fact is, you can't know from the label alone.
There's good news. There are some companies out there that are going above and beyond with food transparency, and that includes Miller's Bio Farm. Here's what's super natural about our cheese:
If you would like any info that's not listed, please contact us! We are happy to go above and beyond and get you the info you deserve.
And there's even better news! Our cheesemakers recently switched to a beef rennet with no additives at all. This removed 3 additives from many of our cheeses. Hooray!
Any cheese made after June 2023 has only one additive in it, the maltodextrin in the cheese cultures (gee, I wish we could find an additive-free culture!).
The only two cheeses made with the older beef rennet include the sharp cheddar (should have additive-free rennet in 2025) and the smoked cheddar (should have additive-free rennet in March 2023).
What do you look for when shopping for cheese? How do you make sure you're avoiding additives and toxins?
I'd love to hear from you. Just comment below (no account required - start typing for the guest option to appear).
In European grocery stores, eggs are stored on shelves just like other non-perishable goods like flour and canned goods. But, in the US, EGGS are always in the refrigerated section. Why is this? Do we need to refrigerate eggs or not?
Well, there's a pretty straightforward answer. It has to do with regulations regarding salmonella and eggs.
For those who may not know, salmonella is a common bacteria and is the most common cause of food poisoning. You might ingest salmonella 100 times, and 99% of the time you are fine, but then one time you get sick. When infected and sick with salmonella, you will most likely experience diarrhea, fever, and stomach pains. If you do get sick, symptoms typically resolve on their own in 2-5 days. More serious infections that may require hospitalization occur in babies, the elderly, and those with autoimmune conditions.
Chickens in Europe are vaccinated for salmonella, and egg washing is NOT required.
The idea is that, if the chickens cannot get infected with salmonella, then neither can the eggs.
Chickens in the US are NOT required to be vaccinated for salmonella, and egg washing is required.
The idea here is that, if the chickens happen to be infected with salmonella, it would only transfer to the exterior of the eggs. So, we'll just wash it off.
*Side note: Most conventional egg producers in the US choose to vaccinate their chickens for salmonella in addition to the required washing of eggs.
You need to refrigerate washed eggs because the protective coating called the bloom is removed.
When it's laid, an egg is naturally coated in a moist protective coating called the bloom or cuticle. This coating (mostly) seals the pores of the egg shell, preventing bacteria from penetrating the egg. When the bloom is removed, you absolutely should refrigerate those eggs. Bacteria grows more readily at higher temps and can easily get in the egg, making an egg go rotten pretty quickly.
Watch out for what eggs are washed in. There could be added chemicals and toxins.
The USDA has an extensive list of allowed sanitizing solutions, which include chlorine, ammonia, and various acids. Yuck, I don't want that in my body! If you buy eggs in a US supermarket, you can be sure they were washed. But, what they were washed in does NOT need to be disclosed and is typically NOT disclosed by the egg producer.
At Miller's we do things as naturally as possible, and that includes our eggs!
If you're looking to reduce toxins, our PASTURED CORN & SOY FREE EGGS are the way to go!
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Back in the day, nearly 10 years ago when I first became a customer, things were a lot different at Miller's Bio Farm. The barn was old and outdated, the packing facility was in a garage, we had a shipping container as a cooler and freezer, the equipment was older, and there were no firmly set processes. And, the milk would start souring after just a few days in the fridge.
Since then, Aaron the owner has changed things A LOT. It seems like it happened overnight, but it took a few years. He updated the barn and facilities and equipment (if you've visited then you know how oddly sparkly it is... at least for a farm). And, he created procedures to ensure the quality and safety of his milk. He's always improving.
Aaron's goal is for Miller's Bio Farm to produce the best natural dairy that's yummy, highly nutritious, and also ultra low risk.
We take cleanliness and milk safety very seriously. It's the reason why our RAW A2/A2 MILK lasts up to 2 weeks before it becomes too sour to palate, which is at least 25% longer than raw milk for most other farms.
You see, raw milk sours because of the living microbiology within. The bacteria naturally present in milk are lactic acid bacteria. This means they eat lactose (milk sugar, which is sweet) and produce lactic acid (which is sour). The more lactose they eat, the more the milk sours.
You can't stop the souring process, but you can slow it down. The cold fridge slows it down, and the freezer almost stops it. And, controlling and limiting general bacteria counts (especially bacteria from outside of the cow) slows it down, too.
Naturally occurring healthy microorganisms are present in raw milk. They are a good thing and a big reason why raw milk is touted for its health benefits. But, not all microorganisms in raw milk are good.
We don't want manure in the milk! We don't want potentially harmful pathogens in the milk! And, in the rare chance a cow falls ill, we don't want that in the milk, either! Controlling and limiting bad or extra bacteria is the key to making milk safer and last longer.
How do we ensure an ultra low risk product that lasts such a long time? We do this in so many ways, for both our RAW A2/A2 MILK for humans in PA as well as our raw milk for cats & dogs everywhere else! Here are the most important things we do:
Why? Why do we put this extra effort in? Why are we so serious about milk safety? There are 2 big reasons:
Do you value milk safety? What practices do you look for when shopping for milk? Or are the government regulations enough to make you feel comfortable?
I'd love to hear from you. Comment below (no account required - start typing for the guest option to appear) orcontact us.
Steaks aren't reserved for summer grilling only.
You can cook the perfect steak on the stove in the winter! My favorite method? Bacon fat basted steak!
The next time you're cooking BACON, please don't toss the fat left in the pan. Instead, strain the chunks and pour the fat into a jar. It can be kept on the counter for about a month and in the fridge for about 3 months.
Your bacon fat reserve can be used for cooking eggs or veggies or anything you want to impart a bacon-y flavor into. Most notably, it can be used to cook steak on the stove. Here's how.
1. Thaw your 100% GRASS-FED STEAK.
You can put it in the fridge the day before for a slow thaw. Or do a quick thaw in a bowl of cold water on the counter.
2. Bring the steak to room temp, starting about 30 minutes before cooking.
This ensures that your steak cooks evenly. If it's too cold, you can overcook the outside and undercook the inside.
3. Dry and season.
Pat your steak dry with a towel. Then coat generously with CELTIC SEA SALT and pepper on all sides.
4. Heat your pan on high heat. Add a little bacon fat.
Cast iron is perfect for this, but you can also use stainless steel. Ideally what you want is a heavy pan that will be heated evenly, creating an even crust and cook. You know your pan is hot enough when you sprinkle a drop of water on the pan and it "dances". Once heated, add some bacon fat. Adding fat is especially important for leaner steaks.
5. Sear the first side.
Add your steak to the pan and hear the immediate sizzle. Let it cook for about 4-5 minutes, until it's deep brown on the bottom and slides easily in the pan. The key here is patience. Don't poke and turn the steak. Let it sear.
6. Sear the second side. Add more bacon fat and herbs.
Turn and sear the other side. Add more bacon fat and your favorite aromatic herbs like rosemary, garlic, or thyme. Continue cooking for 2-3 more minutes. Tilt your skillet every so often so the fat pools in the corner. Use a spoon to baste the flavorful bacon fat over the steak. Be generous!
7. Test for doneness.
For the perfect cook every time, I highly recommend a meat thermometer. Here are some temp and cooking time guidelines:
8. Rest and serve.
Once cooked, transfer the steak to a cutting board. Cover with a lid or pan and let rest for 10 minutes. Do not skip this step; it's imperative for a juicy steak. Slice against the grain and serve with those delicious bacon-y pan drippings.
Yum yum yum! Serve alongside your favorite CHEMICAL-FREE VEGGIES. At this time of year, I love roasted potatoes and brussel sprouts (and you can cook those in bacon fat, too).
Do you cook steak in the winter? Ready to try this bacon-y method? What's your favorite way to prepare a steak?
I'd love to hear from you. Comment below (no account required - start typing for the guest option to appear) or CONTACT US.
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PS: We have a couple STEAKS ON SALE NOW, so it's the perfect time to try this stove-top cooking method!
There's a myth in the natural food community that, if meat is certified USDA, it's covered in yucky chemicals. Sure, that's likely true if you're buying from the supermarket or from any mega-company that prioritizes profit over ethics. But, when you buy from small farmers and small businesses, this myth is not necessarily true.
First, let's address why chemicals are being put on meat at all. When beef or pork is hung to age or when chickens are put in an ice bath to cool them down (all standard practices for meat), the USDA requires that an antimicrobial is used to help prevent the spread of disease. This is required. But, the type of antimicrobial used is the processor's choice. The USDA has a hefty list of "approved substances", and they range from chlorine to acids to vinegars.
Second, let's address this question: Why? Why are meat processors choosing lab-produced chemicals that contain toxins? I think there are a few potential reasons:
But, no matter the reason, synthetic chemicals are NOT required. They're optional. There’s a way to be USDA and be natural at the same time.
Miller's Bio Farm is blessed to live in a naturally minded area of the country: Lancaster County. It's quite unique, and I wish farmers everywhere had access to our feed suppliers, animal breeders, processors, etc. We are all working together towards removing toxins and doing things like nature intended... even if certified by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, USDA, and other government agencies.
Our 100% grass-fed beef and woodland pork are washed with organic apple cider vinegar. That's right - ACV is an approved USDA antimicrobial! And, our pastured chicken is air chilled, which means it's washed in nothing at all. And, it's all 100% approved by the USDA.
This is a stark difference from more mainstream processors that are, 99% of the time, using chlorine or citric & lactic acids to wash their meat. Ugh. I don't want that stuff on my food, do you?
The moral of the story is: you can be natural AND be in the system. It's not necessarily one or the other. At Miller's Bio Farm, we are trying to affect change from within the system. It's possible, and I hope you'll support us! And I hope that more food producers around the country stand up and take action, too!
What do you think about natural food within the system we live in? Do you think it's possible? I'd love to hear from you. Comment below (no account required - start typing for the guest option to appear) or contact us.
On a large scale, the most common method of taking milk and separating it into cream and skim milk is by using a centrifuge. A machine spins the milk very quickly. The lower density cream stays toward the center, and the higher density skim milk goes toward the outside. Then, there are two pipes for each to go through. Voila!
Maybe you just want to have some fun in the kitchen. Maybe you want to learn about how to make homemade dairy products at home, like the olden days. Or, maybe you want more self sufficiency (which can sometimes be more affordable, too) and make as much as you can with your own two hands.
An important note is that you can only do this with non-homogenized milk, where the milk fat is unaltered. ALL of our A2/A2 milk is non-homogenized. It's the most natural stuff we can make!
Here are a few methods of separating cream at home:
Pour your milk into a container with a wide mouth. Cover and put it in the fridge. Let it settle for at least 24 hours (depending on the milk, it may take 1-3 days). You will see a clear cream line appear. What happened is that the low density cream floated to the top, leaving the skim milk at the bottom.
Then, take a ladle or spoon and scoop the cream off the top and transfer it to a separate container.
You need to be very careful with this method. Make sure your ladle scoops cream and only cream. It should not go below that cream line. Also keep in mind that every time your ladle goes in, you are agitating the milk (and therefore diluting the cream). Have a steady hand.
This is similar to above, but a wide mouth container isn't necessary. You need an opening large enough for your turkey baster.
Let the milk settle in the container until a cream line appears. Then, use your turkey baster to slurp the cream off the top.
Just like above, take care to make sure the baster doesn't go below the cream line. And, maintain tight control to prevent agitation.
Pour your milk into a container with a spout at the bottom (there are some drink dispensers for parties that have this feature). Let it settle in the fridge until the cream line appears. Then, open the spout and let the skim milk drain from the bottom, leaving your amazing cream in the container.
Be careful and watch closely. You want to close the spigot just when the cream line is at the draining level. For this reason, a container with a spigot as low as possible is preferred.
This is the fanciest, fastest, and most effective of all the options and requires a kitchen gadget: a countertop cream separator (like this one). These separators work the same way our large-scale (old fashioned) cream separator does... but on a smaller scale.
You turn it on, pour milk in, and then cream comes out of one spout and skim milk from the other.
This is the most efficient way to separate cream. If you use cold milk, you'll get heavy cream. And, if you use warm milk (around 101F like when it leaves the cow) on the fastest setting, you'll get super thick cream. It will be spoonable, not pourable. In Europe, they call this "double".
Your thick and rich cream can be made into whipped cream, scones, ice cream, panna cotta, or eggnog. Or how about cooking some eggs in cream? Yum!
Your skim milk can be transformed into ricotta or mozzarella cheese. It's also a fantastic ingredient for baking, sauces, and smoothies.
I'd love to hear from you. Comment below (no account required - start typing for the guest option to appear) or contact us.
*Originally published on 10/18/19. Updated on 2/16/24.
We've been farming regeneratively since before "regenerative" was a buzzword. Did you know General Mills is hopping on the bandwagon?
When you hear the term “regenerative farming” you may have a specific vision in mind. Maybe you think about Joel Salatin’s animal rotations or biodynamic growing principles or planting micro-clover in your lawn.
The truth is that the word “regenerative” means something different to every grower.
The definition of regeneration is the renewal or restoration of a biological system after injury or a normal process. Whether organic or conventional, the process of growing food changes the soil. That’s a fact. But, how you practice regeneration and make sure the soil stays healthy varies.
There are many ways to regenerate your land, and it really depends on so many factors. First, you need to consider the quality of the soil, what you’re growing, the weather, and especially the soil history. Second, you need to consider your goal - remediating chemical residues, just enough regeneration get a good enough yield, creating a vibrant biodiversity, etc. Third, you need to consider your budget and what tests or supplementation or practices you can afford.
Aaron, the owner of Miller's Bio Farm, says that “There’s nothing that builds soil like a cow.”
Our farmers' fields are mostly maintained and regenerated by the cows grazing and pooping. That manure is the secret to healthy fields. Manure, manure, and more manure. Our farmers' Amish forefathers have known that simple truth for many generations, from at least the time they lived in Switzerland.
Since soil is complex, in addition to cows, our farmers use the Albrecht method of soil management to ensure the best quality pastures.
The Albrecht method is an area of soil science that takes into account the soil biology and creating the most ideal environment for plants to grow with the highest yield and highest nutrient content (those two go hand in hand).
Our farmers hire a soil specialist, who takes soil samples and has a variety of specific tests run. Each pasture is tested separately. The soil specialist then analyzes the results and makes recommendations to the farmer to add specific minerals to his fields.
The farmer adds all organic (non-synthetic) minerals. It's typical to add calcium on some pastures, sulfur and boron almost everywhere, sometimes zinc and copper, and even a random mineral like molybdenum some years.
It’s important that there’s no deficiency or excess of minerals. It’s a delicate balance that must be maintained to get proper yield and nutrition.
Our farmers know that pastures are really what they're growing. It all starts there. They're grass farmers. And, they've seen big results from meticulously maintaining their fields. They pay close attention and let it rest as needed.
Our farmers have fatter and healthier animals that shock state ag representatives and veterinarians when they learn they are fed 100% grass.
With healthier animals, you get stellar manure (AKA liquid gold). In fact, a couple of years ago, Aaron gave a neighboring farm doing things conventionally some of his excess manure. Even though the farm was about a mile away, you could visibly see the difference. Our nutrient-dense manure grew plants feet higher than those fertilized with conventional manure. Wow!
Aaron has seen cows go from lame to not lame when their feed is improved.
For example, he had a challenge when he switched his herd to 100% grass. Some of his cows developed osteoporosis and calcium deficiency. After he added minerals to his fields and had better forage, the cows got better. A nutrient-dense diet is so powerful.
The opposite of regeneration is neglect and deconstruction. Farmer addiction to glyphosate and NPK are real.
Money hungry companies capitalize on the deep rooted issue of farmers not being adequately compensated for their hard work. Oh here - if you just plant these GMO seeds and use this chemical fertilizer and spray this glyphosate-based herbicide, your yield will grow 200%. Sounds like a dream right? Well, it’s actually a nightmare.
Plants grown in soil contaminated with glyphosate cannot absorb as many minerals. This results in an abundance of low quality food. This mineral deficiency passes to the animals that eat the forage and their manure that’s used to fertilize. It’s a downward spiral of soil infertility that negatively affects the health of the plants, animals, and humans.
The same can be said for the NPK method of growing. Sure, nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium are super important when growing plants. However, that’s not all that’s needed. The soil’s biodiversity is so complex.
Soil is complex and even one year of misuse can take a decade to rebuild.
When a farmer is given land that is under-nourished, it takes about 10 years to rebuild that soil back to good health with crops and manure.
In the 1950s in Quarryville, there was a saying that a crow needed to pack its lunch to fly over. However, after decades of manure and many farms following organic growing practices, it now provides a nice lunch for a crow.
Our farmers want to not only keep it that way but improve the land the best they can.
To our farmers, regeneration means maintaining their fields by animals grazing and pooping and closely monitoring their mineral content.
It all comes from the ground up! After all, healthy soil makes healthy plants, which make healthy animals, which make healthy humans, which make a healthy planet.
What are your views on regenerative farming? Is this something you demand when shopping for food?
When did you go down the rabbit hole and learn about the benefits of eating clean, animal-based foods? For me, it was when I was pregnant with my first child. I thought I was eating healthfully... but then my eyes were opened to so much more than is taught in health class and is accepted as "common knowledge" of the time.
And, come on, the internet can be such a scary place to learn about food. Eggs definitely give you high cholesterol. Drinking raw milk will definitely kill you. Lucky Charms are definitely healthier than grass-fed beef(anyone else see that NIH study about the new Food Compass rating system? Ugh). Who funds this stuff?
But once you find trusted sources (you know, the ones backed with unbiased research and typically not served to you by Google), you can't unlearn it. And, the more you learn, the more you want to learn. And, once you gain your food confidence, you want to share it, too!
Heck, if you're daring, maybe you even want to convert your friends that love fast food, are always on the latest trendy diet, or are vegan (gasp!).
Diet can strangely be a tough topic of conversation. After all, what you choose to put in your body is such a personal choice. And once someone makes that choice, they often have strong convictions that are hard to break. In my personal experience, anything contrary to someone's reality will be received as a "conspiracy". But, hey, that doesn't mean you shouldn't start the conversation if you want to!
And an important note: At Miller's Bio Farm, we support each person's food choices! It's something that you and only you can decide. And we hope that you transfer that same respect to others, even if your viewpoints differ ?
So, this week, I started an amazing resource for you (and maybe even your friends)
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MILLER'S BIO FARM BLOG
Our blog is full of great animal-based articles. However, they're mostly about farming practices, the nitty gritty on food ingredients, and cooking techniques... not necessarily health (as those claims can be risky for a company to make). Here's a quick list of our most popular blog posts about health:
WEBSITES
SOCIAL MEDIA
PODCASTS
BOOKS
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Did you know that cows in feedlots can be fed pellets of grass and be called "grass-fed"? Did you know that cows that live on pasture year-round can be fed corn and soy and labeled "pasture raised"? Did you know that farms with a grass-fed certification can feed up to 25% of other things like peas, lentils, and canola (which are classed as "pseudo-grains")?
Yup, we live in a crazy world of greenwashed labels. And this is why, if you want the most natural and nutritious food possible, it's so important to know your farmer.
At Miller's Bio Farm, we don't get certified for anything we don't absolutely have to. Sure we could be certified organic, grass-fed, pasture-raised, regenerative, GMO-free, etc. But, nope. We'd rather just provide you with tons of info on our site. We're an open book and give you the honest truth (have you seen the honest disclosures on nearly all of our products?). No greenwashed labels, here!
So, in that vein, here's the nitty gritty on what our cows eat.
Yes, we advertise that our beef, cow milk, and buffalo milk are "100% grass-fed". This is the easiest way to communicate the animals' diet to you. But, in reality, our cows aren't just eating "grass" (I mean, they couldn't be sustained off your front lawn). It's more complicated than that.
Our cows eat biodiverse pasture. They eat fresh pasture in the warmer months and dry pasture in the colder months. We know our cows do better on fresh pasture, because they produce more milk!
First off, we don't use any of the "cides" on our fields to limit plants and bugs from growing (we're chemical free!). So, there's a wide variety of flora that grows. Many plants may be considered weeds in your garden... and basically none of them are in the "grass" family. Cows love dandelion, plantain, mullein, yarrow, and mustard. Some cows stay away from like thistle. And some cows will eat onion grass (but we don't like it because it can change the flavor of the milk).
Second, our pastures aren't just "grass". Sure, we plant grass varieties like sudangrass and sorgham. But, we also grow a lot of alfalfa, which is a legume. It's a member of the pea family! Our dry pasture for the colder months has a mix of different kinds of plants in it.
It's not just about what the cows eat, it's about the quality of the pasture. Not any old pasture will do.
The health of the soil affects the health of the plants. The health of the plants affects the health of the cow. The health of the cow affects the health of the food. And the health of the food affects you! It all starts in the soil. At Miller's Bio Farm, we take soil health very seriously.
We farm regeneratively (you can learn more about what regenerative means to us here). That means that our soil is naturally replenished year after year. We do this in two main ways.
When you can maintain a perfectly balanced and healthy soil, you get better health all around - the soil, the plants, the animals, the people, and the planet!
A quick anecdote. A couple years ago, our farm ended up with an excess of manure. So Aaron, the owner, gave it to the next farm over. He spread his manure on half of his field and our manure on the other half. Then he planted the entire field with the same crop. Even though it's about a 1/2 mile away, the difference was visible. The plants grown on our manure were nearly a foot higher than the plants grown on the non-regenerative manure. Wow! What a testament to the power of good soil management.
Our cows mostly eat pasture. It's 98%+ of their diet. But, we do give supplements to the cows, too. This makes sure that they have enough energy and stay in optimal health. We give them a nutri-balancer with vitamins and minerals and probiotics. We also give them molasses (more in the colder months) for energy.
Another thing we give to the cows is homeopathic remedies. We use these both to prevent and treat any issues.
Cows are ruminants (and so are buffalo). Their bodies are designed to digest plants, not grains. It's what nature intended.
Feeding a natural diet (in addition to a healthy active lifestyle) keeps our cows happy and healthy naturally. This is a big reason we don't need routine vaccines, antibiotics, hormones, or any of that junk. Plus, 100% grass-fed (or should I say 100% pasture-fed) cows produce the most nutrient-dense milk.
Do you look for the "grass-fed" label (or any label for that matter)? Have you ever been surprised or frustrated to find out that the foods you thought were healthy perfection weren't quite what they seemed? What farming practices are important to you?
I'd love to hear from you! Comment on the blog below (no account required) or contact us.
Just because you eat "healthy", doesn't mean that your food tastes bad (in fact, I find that it's quite the opposite with real nutrient-dense ingredients). And, just because you eat "healthy" doesn't mean that you don't indulge once in a while. You with me?
I mean, I can't be the only crazy one out there that spends many joyous hours in the kitchen making much healthier versions of well-know brand name snacks for my kids. This week I made Mallomars. I recently took up donut making. And, in the past I've experimented with homemade Oreos, Cheez-Its, chocolate truffles, potato chips, and so much more.
When my kids eat them and report that they're better than the storebought stuff they're had at parties and friends' houses... I mean... there's really no better compliment ?
I know these foods aren't "healthy". But, by having ultimate control over my ingredients, I can make sure to use grass-fed A2/A2 dairy, einkorn or spelt flour, good saturated fats like butter or ghee or lard, and natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup. And plus, no crazy additives or preservatives or flavors or colors, too.
This week I have an easy healthy indulgence for you... that doesn't require hours in the kitchen.
A few weeks ago, a local bee farmer stopped by the farm. He gave us samples of his amazingly delicious creamed honey. My mind automatically said, "Yes!!!" Finally, a quick and healthy treat for my family.
*In case you didn't know, creamed honey is honey that's vigorously whipped until it's creamy and white. And then, you can flavor it however you'd like.
I'm happy to introduce to you 2 NEW RAW CREAMED HONEYS:
These honeys are 100% up to our standards. They're raw and unfiltered, GMO and pesticide free, never fed corn syrup, and all that good stuff.
Do you have any healthy indulgences? Do you make them of buy them?
I'd love to hear from you! Comment below or contact us.
If you've followed our blog for some time, then you know that I do a good amount of muckraking on the food industry - conventional, organic, or otherwise. But, this week, I need to rake the muck on us (more specifically on our corn & soy free eggs)!
I recently found out that I was duped!!! I'll be honest, I'm pretty pissed. Here's what happened.
Our laying hens' feed has come from the same feed supplier for years (not gonna mention any names). I've had lengthly phone calls with this feed supplier, and everything they told me has always sounded amazing. All the natural standards you could hope for.
Don't get me wrong. There were some yellow flags every now and then.
For example, how did those yolks stay deep orange in the winter without any added colorants? How did the birds transition so easily to a corn & soy free feed? How are you absolutely certain that the feed is chemical free if you don't always buy directly from a farm and aren't always buying organic grains? Is a glyphosate test every once in a while enough?
But then, a few weeks ago, there was a major red flag. One of our egg farmers noticed something very alarming: A soybean oil tag was on a feed bag for our corn & soy free feed! What!?!?
This prompted an egg farmer to share a complete feed list with me, which showed that there was, in fact, marigold and paprika in the feed as a natural colorant. This explains why the yolks have been orange in the colder months. Ugh, to my knowledge there was no added colorants and I even wrote a blog post about it last year.
Why wasn't the feed supplier honest? What else was he not being 100% truthful about? Well, I have no idea. But, I'm glad I can make it right now.
That soybean oil tag was the final straw and prompted a very quick switch to a new feed supplier for our laying hens.
They're new, they're local, and they have full transparency.
You may notice pale egg yolks as the birds transition to the new feed and we get all the rations in place. It may take a few months to normalize.
The new feed supplier is working with us to customize the feed. It's our goal to produce a feed that's (1) the most natural; (2) provides optimal nutrition for our laying hens; and (3) produces the most nutrient-dense eggs for you.
Please know we are actively working on this. It's a top priority. We will make sure to update the corn & soy free eggs product description with accurate and current feed ingredients.
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As of today, here are ALL of the ingredients in our corn & soy free laying hen feed (including the ingredients in the ingredients, too). It has the same basic basic ingredients advertised as the old feed... with some added vitamins and minerals.
This makes up 90%+ of the feed. About 20% of the grains below are sourced from local farms and about 80% come from Canada. All ingredients are GMO-free. If bought in from a distributor and we can't verify if chemicals were used, it will likely be organic.
All supplements are certified for organic and GMO-free. There are no added oils or additives (like preservatives or anti-caking agents). The loooong lists below are exactly what's in them. There's a nutritional reason for each and every one.
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I know what you're likely thinking. It's probably the same thing I thought as I was doing extensive research on this: Why such a long ingredient list? Can't we do this more naturally? Can't we eliminate synthetic vitamins?
I've emailed back and forth with the egg farmers and the new feed supplier. I read the technical sheets for every single ingredient (and reached out to the companies if I needed more info). I had a 45-minute phone call with a feed specialist from Fertrell. I've done some additional research online. Everything has been very enlightening.
We also conducted an egg survey with our customers, which was extremely helpful in deciding which direction to go in.
You can find all the answers to your questions as well as current egg feed ingredients here:
Our egg farmers recently switched to a new, natural, and 100% honest feed supplier (read the juicy details in last week's blog post). We are thrilled that they'll work with us to create a feed that fits our natural requirements:
This will be a long process and may take up to a year to get a blend that everyone is satisfied with. But, we've made good progress so far.
The current feed contains:
Oats, rolled wheat, peas, alfalfa hay leaves, barley, fishmeal, sesame meal, raw liquid goat whey, vitamins, minerals, and probiotics.
It’s important to note that most farms would simply list the ingredients like they're shown above. But, at Miller’s Bio Farm, we provide full transparency. And that includes doing the research and providing you with all the nitty gritty details about the feed, including the ingredients in the ingredients (view the complete list at the bottom of this post).
When you do it this way, you can be surprised at what you find. And then you start to ask questions about how to most naturally provide optimal nutrition for the birds, which then transfers optimal nutrition to the eggs.
I've emailed back and forth with the egg farmers and the new feed supplier. I read the technical sheets for every single ingredient (and reached out to the companies if I needed more info). I had a 45-minute phone call with a feed specialist from Fertrell. I've done some additional research online. Everything has been very enlightening.
From all that research, I was able to answer all the questions from our amazing and thoughtful customers.
What can’t the hens just forage for food naturally?
Birds in the wild eat a very diverse diet. They are foragers and eat a range of grasses, seeds, bugs, and other things they can find. They would be fairly happy this way, especially in the warmer months. But… when the grass isn’t growing, they may not find enough food. They may not produce many eggs (if any at all) in the winter. And finally, they may fall into poor health.
This is not what we want. Our eggs are farmed eggs. We want to provide optimal nutrition and a happy lifestyle to our birds year round. I mean, this is the least we can do to thank them for providing us with beautiful eggs!
Why do you need all those extra vitamins and minerals?
The nutritionist from Fertrell said that the hens aren’t eating a diverse enough diet. They’re mainly being sustained on a handful of different grains. And because of generally depleted soils, the grains don’t have as much nutritional value compared to a hundred years ago.
It’s not enough, so the feed needs to be supplemented. If we didn’t supplement, hen health and egg production would go down a lot. And that means that our egg price would go up a lot.
The new feed supplier has this in mind and is considering adding other ingredients to the feed to increase its diversity. Here’s some of the ingredients being considered:
Cricket powder, black fly larvae, flaxseed, cod liver oil, dried herring, dried beets, dried pumpkin, dried cucumbers, dried broccoli, dried kale, sprouted sesame seeds, oregano, hemp seed oil, nutritional yeast, parsley, nettle, chlorella, and chaga mushroom.
The hope is that, by diversifying the ingredients, we can reduce the amount of supplemental vitamins in the feed.
Why do you need synthetic vitamins and supplements?
A majority of the supplements added to the current feed are natural. But, there are a few that are synthetic (DL Methionine amino acid and the B vitamins). The nutritionist from Fertrell said that they could make us a special nutri-balancer without the synthetic vitamins, but they wouldn’t stand behind it as a complete supplement. The birds wouldn’t maintain good health, and egg production would drop by 5-20%.
We will work to reduce synthetic supplements by diversifying the feed with natural ingredients. It will take time.
*Interesting fact: Poultry diets are the only diet in “certified organic” where synthetic amino acids are allowed.
Why are egg yolks yellow or orange?
The color of the yolk corresponds to the chemical compounds present in what the birds are eating.
When birds are pasture raised, they eat a variety of foraged foods like grasses, seeds, and bugs. In the warmer months, these foods naturally contain carotenoids (fat-soluble pigments) that make the yolks darker. But, when birds are primarily fed a diet of wheat, corn, and soy, their yolks are lighter in color.
Big ag has caught on to consumer demand for darker yolks, so they figured out how to add synthetic colors (chemicals like Rovimix Carophyll Yellow or Lucantin Red) or natural colors (like marigold or paprika) to make the yolks dark… even if the birds aren’t on pasture.
Is yolk color an indicator of a nutritious egg?
Because of added feed colorants (which is super common now), sadly a dark orange yolk no longer means a more nutritious egg.
Today, the only way to know how nutritious your eggs are is to know your farmer. Truly pastured eggs offer more nutrition (more vitamins, omega-3s, antioxidants, etc) because the birds are naturally healthier. That health is transferred to the egg and then to you.
Will you continue to add natural ingredients that make the yolks orange year round?
Yes and no.
Marigold and paprika have been removed and most likely won't be added. Although they add antioxidants and vitamin A, the only real reason they’re in the feed is for the yolk color.
Instead, we’re looking to feed fresh or dried greens to the birds year round (kale, chard, alfalfa etc). This not only is something that the birds love but it also adds quality natural nutrition. Greens also contain the same carotenoids in marigold and paprika that make the yolks darker.
Will the egg price change with the feed changes?
Yes. The new feed will be a higher quality and more natural. And, that costs more. Egg prices will go up this year. We're anticipating the increase to be around $1 per dozen, but we just don't know exactly how much yet.
*updated 3/29/24
This makes up 90%+ of the feed. About 20% of the grains below are sourced from local chemical-free farms and about 80% come from certified organic farms that we don't personally know. All ingredients are GMO-free.
All supplements are certified for organic and GMO-free. There are no added oils or additives (like preservatives or anti-caking agents). The loooong lists below are exactly what's in them. There's a nutritional reason for each and every one.
Every once in a while, a customer sees that we offer A2/A2 dairy and asks, "Do you sell A2 beef?"
When this happens, I let them know that A2 beef isn't a thing... at least not in the United States. But, A2/A2 dairy is. The dairy vs. beef classifications are based on two completely separate things. Here's the explanation of both.
For the consumer, beef is graded on a subjective grading scale, which mostly looks at the level of marbling. The more marbling, the higher quality the beef.
Marbling is how the fat is distributed throughout the muscle meat. Scientifically, it's called "intramuscular fat" (fat found inside the muscle).
If you look at a NY Strip, it will have a thick layer of fat on the outside of the cut. This is NOT considered marbling. Similarly, the big glob of fat in the middle of a ribeye is not considered marbling either.
What you look for with marbling are thin white streaks or flecks of fat inside the meat. Cattle breeds like Waygu and Kobe are renowned for their extreme marbling, and that's why they come with a hefty price tag.
In the United States, we have three grades of beef: Prime, Choice, and Select. In Japan, there are five grades of beef: A1, A2, A3, A4, and A5. In Australia, there's yet another beef grading scale (but I won't get into that and complicate this more).
Here are the grading scales and how they (generally) overlap.
Different cuts of meat have different levels of marbling. Ribeye typically has the most marbling, and filet mignon has the least. That being said, you can still have a Prime, Choice, or Select ribeye or filet mignon. The scale relates to the amount of marbling typically found on that cut. So you can have a Prime filet mignon that has less marbling than a Select ribeye.
At Miller's Bio Farm, we don't sell graded beef. We just sell old fashioned, standard, ungraded 100% grass-fed beef. The amount of marbling will vary from cut to cut (and animal to animal, too).
With dairy, A2/A2 is an objective scientific classification that has to do with the type of beta-casein protein a cow produces in her milk. A2/A2 is the best, most natural, and most digestible.
You see, a few thousand years ago, cows in Europe were stressed. People began moving them to cities and feeding them unnatural diets. Because of this, they had a mutation that caused them to produce a new type of beta-casein protein: A1. Those cows made their way to the US, and now basically all cow milk has a mix of A1 and A2 beta-casein protein in it.
All other mammals (humans, goats, camels, mice, whales, dogs, etc) produce milk with 100% A2 beta-casein protein. It's simply what we were designed to digest. Because of this, some people who are intolerant to cow milk in general do fine with A2/A2 dairy. And, some people who develop chronic digestive issues like colitis have their symptoms resolve when they switch to A2/A2 dairy.
The A2/A2 dairy status is determined by a simple genetic test on the hair of a cow. There are three possible results:
At Miller's Bio Farm, we sell A2/A2 dairy, which is a thing everywhere in the world.
The type of beta-casein protein a cow produces in her milk has nothing to do with the type of protein cattle have in their muscle meat. Similarly, there's no such thing as marbling in milk.
The grading of marbling in beef and the A1/A2 classification of milk are two completely separate things.
What do you look for when purchasing beef or dairy? What's most important to you?
I'd love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us.
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