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Miller's Bio Farm attended the Weston A. Price Foundation's annual Wise Traditions Conference in Orlando, FL last weekend.
Overall, we had an awesome time. But... the trip didn't come without some food freedom drama. This time (for once), it had nothing to do with raw milk or the laws. It was the Marriot's policies that held us back.
Here's the story...
After a 15 hour drive, the farm team arrived on Thursday with a trailer filled with all of our amazing natural food. At every other event we've attended, we've been able to keep perishables in the venue's cooler and freezer. Not this time! We were told by the hotel that we cannot store it inside.
We couldn't let the food go to waste! We scrambled and rented a refrigerated truck that evening.
At this point, we knew there was going to be more trouble.
The next morning, we were told the reason why.
The Marriot does not allow any dairy, meat, or ferments to be sold, served, or given away that's not from one of their vendors (like Cisco). We couldn't even keep a sealed example product on the table to display. It was a liability thing (in other words, corporate greed).
And this was despite the fact that all of our food is 100% certified and legal. And, we were required to have $5M worth of insurance to be there. It was just awful.
They wouldn't allow a waiver (they said there wasn't enough time). They didn't care if the food went to waste (not their problem). They didn't sympathize with the fact that the people there simply won't or physically can't eat the hotel's conventional food (not sure what's happened to humanity).
Our food was not allowed on premises.
So we thought fast.
On Friday morning, we quickly opened a pickup location outside the hotel. It was a 30 second walk away, about 2 feet off their property on the side of the road. So... people purchased at our booth inside and then walked outside to get their food.
Kinda hilarious... but within the Marriot's rules.
We even hosted a super fun milk and cookies party outside at the pickup location!
At the same time, many conference attendees motivated and spoke with hotel management. I think even Congressman Massie (a keynote speaker) reached out. They explained why we were all gathered together, the importance of real food from small farms, and how the Marriot's policies are a major food freedom issue.
The next day, the Marriot decided to "turn a blind eye". We closed our short-lived pickup location, and our booth was back to what we planned!! We even made a butter pyramid and had an ice cream party to celebrate ?
As a community of real food eaters, we affected change... albeit small and for one weekend. It gives me hope for the future of food.
To anyone who spoke up, shared on social media, or helped scoop 500+ cups of ice cream... thank you!!!
Has your food access been held back by laws or policies, either private or public? What food freedom issues are important to you? What would you like to see change?
I'd love to hear you from. Comment below (no account required) or contact us.
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PS: We'd love to start pickup locations in Florida and make our food more affordable and accessible in the sunshine state. If you have a spot (or can connect us with a spot) with refrigeration, let me know!
It's that time of year when I find myself buying NATURAL BUTTER BUNDLES to stock my freezer with.
Why? The large amounts of cookies and pies that fill my house with delicious flavors is impending and inevitable. And the absolute worst thing for a holiday baker is to go to make a yummy recipe and find that you're out of butter! I gotta stay stocked (and after all if I don't use it all now, it's good for a year in the freezer).
When it comes to butter and baking, quality matters. A lot. It affects the color, the texture, and the flavor of your baked goods.
And, if you're a natural food shopper like me, there are some extra things to look for in your butter. I want to make sure I'm making food with the best nutrition and least toxins possible.
What makes the best natural butter? There are a bunch of factors, and I'm happy to report that MILLER'S A2/A2 BUTTER checks all the boxes.
✔️ High Butterfat. Commodity and supermarket butter typically has 80% butterfat. It helps keep the price down. But, our butter and European butters have a higher fat content, from 82-85% butterfat. It's all about getting a good churn and washing out all that buttermilk. Higher butterfat means softer, smoother, melt-in-your-mouth texture without feeling greasy.
✔️ Pasture Raised + 100% Grass Fed = Best Nutrition. Butter is a good source of lecithin and is rich in various vitamins, including A, D, E, B12, and K2. When the cows are raised in natural health, these health benefits are supercharged, which means more of all the good things! Our cows are pasture raised and 100% grass fed.
*Side Note: Spring butter is known for having max nutrition. We make it for 4 weeks of the year, when the cows are eating first growth of pasture in the spring. It's the most yellow and the most nutrient packed.
✔️ Yellow Color. A natural yellow color is a sign that the cows are fed grass, not bland and subsidized grains like corn and soy. The yellower the butter, the better the butter. The yellow color comes from the beta-carotene (which your body converts into Vitamin A) in plants, so this is a distinct trait of butter from grass fed cows. Some conventional butters have added colors like annatto extract to make the butter superficially yellow.
✔️ A2/A2. Although butter is low in protein, it does have some. If you want to avoid the potential opiate effects and longterm health damage caused by the A1 beta-casein protein, then A2/A2 is the way to go. I also like to think of A2/A2 as the most heritage dairy there is, since A2/A2 cows weren't affected by a genetic mutation.
✔️ Additive Free. Supermarket butters may have sodium chloride (AKA food grade salt), artificial colors, artificial flavors like diacetyl, or other unnecessary additives. Yuck! And this is all to keep the same consistency every time and perhaps cover up cheap, unnatural farming practices. Our butter is made simply with cream and only cream. If we add salt, it's Celtic sea salt. It's truly natural and will vary from batch to batch.
✔️ PFAS-Free. Trying to move away from plastic food packaging? Me too! Butter wrapped in paper sounds great, but it has to be coated in something so it doesn't spoil. Most butter papers are coated in plastic and can have all kinds of weird stuff on it -- including forever chemicals like PFAS -- which in turn can transfer to your precious butter. Our butter comes in 1lb blocks and is wrapped in paper that's tested to be PFAS-free, and freezer-safe!
Want to learn more? Keep scrolling for some butter-related recipes and blog posts to help you become a butter expert. After all, you deserve to have all the info you need, so you can be a smart natural food shopper.
What are you baking this holiday season? I'd love to hear if Miller's butter will elevate your recipes. Comment below or contact us!
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RELATED BLOG POSTS
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RELATED RECIPES
Einkorn Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
A2/A2 All Butter Einkorn Pie Crust
So, you have a beautiful PASTURE-RAISED CORN & SOY FREE TURKEY in your freezer. Now what? Here are some tips for thawing, prepping, and cooking your whole Thanksgiving turkey.
This is very important. There's nothing worse than getting ready to cook your turkey just to realize that it's still frozen!
When you need to thaw your turkey will depend on how big your turkey is and which thawing method you choose. Here are the details:
Slow thaw in the refrigerator. You’ll need about 24 hours per 4-5 pounds of turkey. So, for a 11-13lb bird, plan for 2-3 days in the fridge to thaw.
Quick thaw in cold water. Put the turkey in a sink of cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes, and plan for about 30 minutes per pound. So, for a 11-13lb bird, plan for a 5-7 hour thaw time.
TIP: Always keep a turkey cold when thawing. Once your turkey is thawed, it will last 1-2 days in the fridge. Timing is everything!
Whether or not to brine your turkey is a personal choice. If you choose to slow roast (more details on that below), the meat will be nice and tender, brine or no brine. If you choose a regular roast, then a brine will add some extra tenderness and extra juiciness and is recommended.
There are two main types of brining. Here are instructions for both:
Wet brine a turkey. For a super juicy bird.
Mix salt and water together until dissolved in a bowl or pot big enough for the turkey. The weight of the salt should be 5% of the total weight of the solution. That’s 1-¼ oz of salt per quart of water.
Infuse it with spices if you’d like. Think bay leaves, peppercorn, anise, rosemary, garlic, orange zest, chilis, brown sugar, molasses, etc. Add the ingredients of your choosing to the salt water solution, heat to a boil, and then cool.
Add the turkey to the brine. Keep it cold and let it soak for 8-18 hours. Then, remove from the brine, rinse with cold water, pat dry, and then cook.
Dry brine a turkey. For a tender bird with crispy skin. Easier than a wet brine.
Start with a thawed or partially thawed bird. Pat dry and rub generously with salt. If you want to infuse some extra flavor, consider mixing some herbs and spices with the salt.
Refrigerate uncovered (or loosely covered) for 1 hour per pound. So, for a 12 pound bird, plan for 12 hours in the fridge.
No need to rinse. The salt should dissolve while the brining magic happens.
Stuffing a turkey is optional. However, serving stuffing with your turkey is definitely recommended!
A word of warning. To cook stuffing inside the bird to the right temperature, you may end up with overcooked meat. This is why I prefer to make the stuffing separately. On the other hand, the flavor you get with stuffing cooked in a turkey is exceptional. A tough Thanksgiving choice for sure!
Instead of stuffing with stuffing, consider adding a little flavor here by stuffing your turkey with chopped onions, garlic, celery, apples, oranges, or lemons.
For golden brown, crispy skin, I recommend coating your turkey with fat first.
Use about ½ cup of butter, ghee, sunflower oil, or your favorite cooking fat. Rub or brush it all over the outside of the bird. Be generous!
Then, for added flavor, I recommend seasoning your bird inside and out before cooking.
If you did NOT brine the turkey, rub salt, herbs, and spices of your choosing all over the outside and interior cavity.
If you brined the turkey, no salt is needed at this point. Just rub in herbs and spices.
Traditional herbs and spices that go great with Thanksgiving turkey are parsley, thyme, rosemary, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika. Or, put a tropical twist on your bird with some lime zest, cumin, and coriander!
Then, you can truss the turkey. This is optional but does encourage even cooking.
Tuck the wing tips behind the bird’s shoulders. Tie the ankle together with kitchen twine of unflavored dental floss.
There are many ways to cook a turkey. Miller's recommends a low and slow cooking method. This will give the juiciest bird with the most collagen broken down into health-enhancing collagen. No matter whether you choose a slow or regular roast, the instructions are the same for cooking:
Let it rest. Always let your turkey rest at room temperature for about an hour before cooking. While it’s resting, preheat your oven to 350F.
Put it in the oven. Place turkey breast side up in a roasting rack. Loosely cover with a lid or aluminum foil.
Halfway through baking, remove the lid/foil. This will make for crispy skin.
Baste every 30-60 minutes (optional). Don’t let those pan drippings go to waste!
Slow Roasting Cooking Temp & Times: Preheat the oven to 350F. Turn down the heat to 250F when the turkey goes in the oven. Cook at 250F for 30-45 minutes per pound. So, a 12lb bird would take 6 hours to cook.
Regular Roasting Cooking Temp & Times: Preheat the oven to 350F. Cook at 350F for 13 minutes per pound. So, a 12lb bird would take 2.5-3 hours to cook.
You know your turkey is done when a thermometer reads 165F in the thickest part of the bird.
Timing is everything! I mean, the worst case Thanksgiving scenario is that everything is ready for dinner, but the turkey still is not cooked. Here's how to know when to put your turkey in:
Are you ready for Thanksgiving? What are your favorite Thanksgiving tradition(s) or dish(es)?
I’d love to hear from you. Join the conversation below (no account requireed) or contact us.
*Warning: I'm not a doctor and I don't have any degrees in nutrition. This is my opinion on the topic.
Last weekend, Aaron and I went to the Documenting Hope's conference in Orlando. It was for both parents and doctors who are helping kids heal from chronic illnesses... in a holistic way. It's such an important cause that aligns perfectly with our tagline "Inspiring Health Generations". We had a table and loved feeding everyone yummy and pure snacks. I also had the pleasure of attending some of the talks.
One of my favorite talks was from Star Edwards MS, RDN/LD titled "Where's Bifido? Missing Bifidobacterium, Impact on Child Health, and Restoration Strategies". It was all about gut health and balance and its affects on the immune system, the brain, and overall wellbeing.
One thing that really stuck with me were the warnings about probiotic pills.
First off, probiotic pills are super potent. They can completely throw off the balance in your gut. Star advised people to get tested for what's actually in their gut first. This is so you can know which strains are too low or high. Then, you can determine the right probiotic pill to correct any issues. And then, you want to get tested again 6-8 weeks later to make sure those little pills had the desired effect.
Second, probiotic pills need to be formulated properly. If they're not, then "probiotic" strains can compete with each other and cancel each other out. Then, they're not doing you any good at all. Wow!
This got me thinking about balance in nature and in living things and therefore our gut and our food.
It made me wonder -- Would fermented food naturally be in balance? Would eating fermented foods be better than taking probiotic pills? After all, they're living things and we're living things.
So of course I did some research. And I mean there are A LOT of studies on probiotics and gut health. But, it seems that science is conflicted when it comes to probiotics. Here are a few reasons why:
Although science in conflicted on which kinds of probiotics are best and the precise benefits of each, there are a couple things there is scientific consensus on:
So... back to the main topic. Are fermented foods more synergistic than probiotic pills?
Since science is kinda out on this one, I think we need to rely on our gut instinct (pun intended) to make the best choice for ourselves. So I'll tell you my perspective.
I personally believe in a more ancestral way of eating. How about you? 200 years ago everyone ate pure food (without weird chemicals or additives). Everyone cooked. The soil was packed with nutrients and regenerated by nature. And... people fermented food.
If not eaten immediately, many foods will ferment naturally. It's why we have cheese, kefir, yogurt, salami, sourdough bread, kombucha, etc. Humans found that they could still eat it... and it tasted pretty yummy too. And maybe most importantly it helped preserve food over winters and for travel.
But... fermented foods were only considered edible if they tasted good. If the microbiology in a fermented food is out of whack, it just doesn't taste good. That's when bad molds and other weird stuff grows. That's when our body's response is to spit it out!
In other words, fermented foods need to be in balance microscopically. And they need to align with our taste buds. So, in the most natural and ancestral way, I believe that fermented foods that you think are yummy must be the most synergistic way to boost and balance your gut microbiology.
How is your gut health? Do you do anything in particular to help keep your gut in balance? Have you noticed any changes after working on your gut?
I'd love to hear from you. Comment below ⬇️
I hope you're having a wonderful Thanksgiving week filled with clean nourishing foods and people you care about ?
As I reflect on what I'm thankful for, I was reminded of an email we got last week from a fairly new customer. Here's what it said:
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"Hi, I've been a customer for a couple of months now, and I wanted to send a quick note of appreciation for your amazing products AND your organization.
"I have many food and chemical sensitivities, and it has been a multi-year battle to find food I can actually eat, even with the prevalence of Whole Foods and other organic markets in my area. Everything I've tried from your website has been fantastic, and above all I appreciate your total transparency when it comes to animal feed, production methods, etc. I've learned about all kinds of things I need to watch out for in grocery stores, and I would have considered myself a well-educated consumer!
"But beyond that, I'd like to compliment your business model — the website is easy to use, your workflow appears to be incredibly efficient, and I know how much work that takes behind the scenes.
"Keep up the great work!"
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I mean, how wonderful was that!? Reading it made me so happy. I immediately forwarded it along to the team to brighten the day. After all, everyone who works with Miller's Bio Farm has lots of hard work to do to get you your food.
This got me thinking... wouldn't it be nice to give to give a little something back to the Miller's team this Thanksgiving? What if we compiled a list of thank you notes to share?
I'm making it as easy as possible. Simply leave a comment below.
It could be something in general. It could relate to a certain product that you love. It could be to the farmers. It could be to the packing or customer team. It could be to the driver who delivers your order. Hey, it could even be to our website, which also does a lot of work taking your orders!
Our team would LOVE to hear from you. I'll share every single comment with everyone at Miller's the week after Thanksgiving ?
*No account required -- start typing for the guest option to appear.
*DISCLAIMER: I'm not a doctor or a scientist. I'm a passionate real food consumer that loves research and learning new things. Sources are listed at the very bottom.
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Did you hear the news? Raw Farm USA, a raw milk supplier in California, was shut down last week. Why? Because bird flu (in some capacity) was detected in their milk.
Wow! This is getting serious. Bird flu is not longer just a worry but something that's being enforced.
It's our goal to produce an ultra low risk product for you. And, with the proper farming practices and safety standards, we believe raw milk can be a nourishing and healthy and safe food.
First off, our cows are fed a natural diet of 100% grass and spend a lot of time exercising outside in the fresh air and sunshine. This keeps them naturally happy and healthy. No need for routine drugs or anything like that. Health problems are rare.
Second, we have small herds of max 50 cows per farmer. This allows the farmer to keep a close eye on their cows. They can detect any issues quickly.
Third, we have meticulous practices for milk safety. This includes making the udders and teats free of manure and dirt, cleaning with extra hot water (nearly boiling), using acid sanitizers for equipment, and having a fully stainless steel piped system for bottling milk.
We go above and beyond what's simply "required" as a raw milk producer in PA. Not only do we hold a raw milk permit and go through the required inspections and tests, we also test every batch of milk on site for general bacteria counts. This ensures we are cleaning well and there aren't any big issues.
But...
I've tried to dig in and find something of real concern. But, I can't. From what I've read, there's simply no scientific basis for the vilification of raw milk as it relates to bird flu.
Here are the three biggest points:
Of the 58 total cases of bird flu in humans in the US this year, none have been linked to raw milk consumption. All have been dairy workers who are believed to got it through direct contact with poultry and cattle [1].
So why the worry? Why the hubbub? Why require testing and shut farms down?
It's as if the powers at be are desperately trying to find a connection, to find the first case.
In fact, this past Wednesday, there were dozens of articles that came out saying a child in California tested positive for bird flu and it's linked to raw milk. An hour later, articles came out saying the child in fact tested negative. But, that bad press was already out there and likely won't be edited.
I don't understand how enforcement can be allowed when there's no proof to justify it.
This month, the USDA enacted a new federal order that requires raw milk samples to be collected and shared with the USDA for testing. This includes both raw milk intended for pasteurization or intended to be sold as raw milk. If there's a positive test, the USDA can track those animals [2].
But, what are they testing for exactly? Well, the qPCR tests are looking for RNA fragments that belong to the virus. It doesn't mean the virus in the milk is intact or can actually infect anyone.
This leads me to a question --- did any of the RNA fragments match viruses other than bird flu? Well, I don't know. But I assume they could, since bird flu is a strain on influenza, and we all know how many strains of the flu there are!
Then, they do an egg inoculation test. The viral fragments are injected into an egg. If the virus replicates and grows, then the sample is considered to contain "live virus". If it doesn't, then it's considered safe, having only "dead virus" [3].
There's a pretty awesome study from 1987 that tests the growth of rotavirus and coronavirus in raw vs. pasteurized milk. It's so simple, it would be hard to misread the results.
It found that, when a virus is added to raw milk, there was zero viral growth. Did you get that? Zero viral growth. But, when the same virus is added the pasteurized milk, 30-80% of the live virus was recovered depending on the level of inoculation [4].
This means that the synergistic properties of raw milk do not allow viral growth within the milk. Raw milk kills viruses in it. Pasteurized milk breeds them (of course this would be after pasteurization). Wow!
Moreover, there's a systematic review from 2023 that looks at dozens of studies on the antiviral properties that drinking raw milk gives to the consumer. It found over and over again that there are bioactive compounds in raw milk that, when consumed, stop viral entry, block replication, and inactivate viruses [5].
So, science says that raw milk not only kills viruses within it but, when you drink raw milk, it can also help you fight viruses in your body. Another wow!
Did you know the USDA commissioned Moderna to develop a bovine bird flu vaccine in July [6]? In fact, they started field trials this fall [7]. It seems that a warp speed bird flu vaccine for cows is just about to be released. That timing!
The "powers at be" continue to repeat that "the milk supply is safe" and "pasteurization kills the virus." But, after COVID, I think we might know what repetitive phrases like that mean. Could there be an agenda?
I'd love to hear from you. Comment below -- no account required, start typing for the guest option to appear ?
PS: The media sure does a good job of instilling fear. We understand that you may not have the same viewpoint as the farm. You might be hesitant about raw milk right now. That's 100% OK. This is why we offer both raw and minimally pasteurized milk. The choice is yours!
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Sources
Exciting news --- we've been waiting for months and just got our egg test results in!!!
Keep reading for the reasoning behind the tests and a little analysis of what the results mean. Want to skip straight to the hard data from the lab? Click here.
Earlier this year, we lost trust in the feed supplier for our laying hens. Even though they said the feed was corn & soy free, something wasn't adding up (you can read more details about the drama here). So, we switched.
At that time, we made the choice to NOT include any colorants in the feed, even natural ones like marigold and paprika (you can read about every single ingredient in our new feed here). Despite having the same new feed and the same pastured living conditions, some flocks produced orange yolks and some produced yellow yolks.
This led to a lot of customer confusion. I mean, aren't pastured egg yolks supposed to be orange? Isn't that how you know an egg has max nutrition? That's what I thought, too.
I knew we needed to verify some things. So, we bit the bullet and paid for lab testing.
We sent 5 different egg samples to Dr. Stephan Van Vliet, PhD. He's the Director of Food Metabolomics Lab at the University of Utah. And, he's the same guy who tested our chicken (without us knowing) and found that our chicken had the perfect 1:1 omega 6/3 ratio, which is basically unheard of even with pastured corn & soy free chicken.
Here's what we sent to Dr. Van Vliet. All eggs were from late spring, when pastures are growing. We are choosing to keep the other egg brands’ names private. Here’s some info about each sample provided.
.
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(the most expensive you can buy in the supermarket)
Brand Claims:
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(using our OLD corn & soy free feed supplier)
Brand Claims:
.
(the cheapest you can buy in the supermarket)
Brand Claims:
.
There were 100+ tests done on the egg samples. That's a lot of data! I wanted to make it a little easier for you to digest.
So, after reviewing everything and having a conversation with Dr. Van Vliet, these are what I think are the 4 most important findings.
That's right. As I scrolled through the 100+ tests done on the eggs, the orange and yellow yolks consistently had very similar results.
With the exception of a couple vitamins (which technically make the yellow yolk eggs slightly more nutritious than the orange yolk eggs), the nutritional content of our orange and yellow yolk eggs was exactly the same. Wow.
Most notably, the yellow yolk eggs had significantly higher Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) compared to the orange yolk eggs. Vitamin B2 is a yellow colored compound, and Dr. Van Vliet thinks this extra pigment might be why those yolks are yellow.
From this point forward, we're calling our eggs "honest yolk" eggs. After all, nearly every egg farmer nowadays adds color to the feed. And it's kinda a sad thing, since the farmer then loses an important indicator for what the hens are foraging for.
For example, the farmer that had the flock producing yellow yolks noticed that the chickens weren't as interested in the pasture. Maybe it was the plants that were growing. Maybe it was the soil. Maybe it was the nature of those birds. He doesn't know for sure. But, with one change at a time, he can slowly figure out how to get the hens to eat more greens. Without the "honest yolk" that wouldn't really be possible.
Our eggs had the best omega 6/3 ratio at 4:1 (and we're already chatting about how to get it even lower!). And, the eggs fed from our old feed supplier had the worst ratio at 12:1.
Me oh my we made the right choice to switch feed suppliers!!! There must be something in the old feed (maybe soy or corn oil like we thought there might be) that's bringing that ratio waaaay up.
I mean, isn't corn & soy free feed supposed to lower that ratio? Corn has a 25:1-60:1 ratio. Soy has a 8:1-9:1 ratio. At the very least, it should be lower than the national conventional brand, whose hens are definitely eating corn and soy.
For a little reference, humans should eat a 1:1-4:1 omega 6/3 ratio for optimal health. But the conventional Western diet typically provides a 20:1 ratio. Having too many omega 6s compared to 3s can lead to a host of issues including inflammation, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, asthma, depression, fatigue... the list goes on and on. I mean, this is just one reason Americans are overall in poor health.
When PUFAs are consumed in excess (like the conventional Western diet gives you), it can have some awful health impacts. It can suppress thyroid function, lead to inflammation, cause oxidative stress, and result in a variety of diseases. You can learn a lot more in the PUFA predicament blog post.
This is why a lot of our customers are looking to reduce their PUFA intake. And it's a reason many come to us. Since seed oils are a big contributor to high PUFAs, animal-based eating is a good way to lower PUFAs. And especially when animals are 100% grass-fed and not fed corn and soy like our animals, you can get those numbers even lower.
I was excited to see the test results verify the impacts of our farming practices and feed choices. We have the lowest PUFA eggs amongst the ones we tested.
When you look at the individual results for each vitamin, the results were kinda all over the place. But, when you add up all the numbers, Miller's Bio Farm's eggs came out on top!
This is especially exceptional because the conventional eggs boasted having high amounts of certain vitamins... and they sure did hold true to those promises. This means they are heavily supplementing their birds. It's incredible that we beat them without oversupplementation!
We are giving you access to EVERYTHING. There are 100+ test results. After all, you deserve to know everything about what you put into your body. The data is available in two formats:
A spreadsheet with all of the raw data. It's divided by tabs for fatty acids, minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins (view spreadheet data here).
A 30-page pdf that summarizes notable data (not all of it). It has lots of nice charts for easy comparisons (view pdf data here).
I'd love to hear from you. Comment below - no account required, start typing for the guest option to appear ?
Ever heard about pastured chicken?
It’s gaining popularity right now among the more health-conscious people out there.
Pastured chicken offers a superior alternative to conventionally raised poultry.
The nutritional values are higher and in my opinion, it tastes better.
In this article, we’ll explore what pastured chicken is and why I’ve switched to using Miller’s Bio Farm as my go to for all of the poultry products that I consume.
Ready?
Let’s dive in!
Hey, my name’s Angela.
But most people online know me as The Carnivore Gal.
And that’s because after getting Lyme disease just over a year ago, I had to transition to eating a carnivore based diet in order to regain my health.
I started sharing my journey on Facebook with other people and so far over 150,000 individuals have been inspired enough by my story to follow me.
You can read more about my carnivore diet journey here.
Anyways…
A few months ago, I saw several people online talking about Miller’s Bio Farm and their raw dairy products.
Which sent me down a rabbit hole of researching the benefits of raw dairy.
And after completing my research, it wasn’t long before I placed my first order.
After receiving my order from Miller’s Bio Farm, I was so impressed with the quality of their products that I decided to call them up to tell them how happy I was.
It was at this point that I had a conversation with Marie Reedell, who is the Director Of Marketing And Innovation for Miller’s Bio Farm.
It was a great chat.
And it has led to me sharing Miller’s Bio Farm products with my audience.
But it also opened my eyes to the other products that they have to offer. One of them being pastured chicken.
Miller’s pastured chicken comes from birds that are allowed to forage for countless seeds and bugs in the pasture.
Their birds are frequently moved in mobile coops.
In addition to the food that they naturally forage, they feed their birds with a:
The additional feed is packed with healthy vitamins and minerals.
Miller’s pastured chicken is also chemical-free, antibiotic-free and hormone-free.
As someone who cares about how my food is raised and is extremely sensitive to anything that is added to my food, knowing the above is extremely beneficial to me.
It allows me to order from Miller’s, with the confidence that my food is as healthy and clean as it can possibly be.
Miller’s pastured chicken has a perfect 1:1 omega 6/3 ratio.
I do not claim to be an expert on omega ratios in food. And for the sake of the length of this article, I won’t go into the importance of that too much here.
However, you can read this article by Miller’s to learn more about the significance of the omega ratios in the food you eat.
And just so you know…
Miller’s Bio Farm isn’t making these claims to make their chicken products sound healthier than they really are. Their chicken was tested by Dr. Stephan Van Vliet.
Dr. Stephan van Vliet is a researcher specializing in nutrition and metabolism. He earned his PhD in Kinesiology and Community Health from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
He also completed post-doctoral training at the Center for Human Nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine and the Duke Molecular Physiology Institute.
His research focuses on the effects of diet on human health.
So, it’s safe to say that he knows his stuff!
In my opinion, the flavor of pastured chicken is unmatched.
The meat is tender, juicy, and richer in taste compared to conventionally raised chicken.
Once you try it, you’ll never want to go back to store-bought poultry.
Choosing pastured chicken supports farms that prioritize animal welfare and sustainable practices. Miller’s Bio Farm is a shining example of this commitment, offering products that are good for you and the planet.
I do not like the negative impacts of factory-farmed chicken.
I prefer healthier and more ethical options.
Miller’s Bio Farm will have me as a customer for life because of their commitment to providing clean, high-quality pastured chicken raised on small family farms.
One taste of their chicken was enough to convince me.
The flavor was incredible, and knowing that the chickens were ethically raised gave me peace of mind. Now, I buy all my poultry from them and I couldn’t be happier.
Cooking pastured chicken can be done in the exact same way as regular chicken.
I use a simple method that brings out the natural flavors of the chicken and ensures it’s tender and juicy every time.
Here’s my chicken leg quarters in the oven recipe.
It’s a no mess, one pan meal!
There are many differences including living conditions, diet, and meat and egg quality, to name a few. But let’s focus on living conditions as an example.
Pastured chickens are allowed to roam freely outdoors on pasture, where they can forage for insects, seeds, and plants. They are often kept in mobile coops that are moved regularly to fresh pasture.
Factory-Farmed chickens are confined in large, crowded barns (or battery cages for egg production) with little to no access to the outdoors. The focus is on high-density production.
Yes, pastured chicken tends to cost more due to the higher standards of farming, but the health and ethical benefits make it worth it.
Absolutely! When sourced from trusted providers like Miller’s Bio Farm, pastured chicken is safe and nutritious.
You can order directly from this page on the website you’re on right now. Miller’s Bio Farm will deliver fresh, high quality chicken right to your doorstep.
Pastured chicken is a game-changer if you’re looking to improve your diet with healthier, more ethically raised poultry.
Miller’s Bio Farm delivers exceptional quality.
They make it easy to enjoy the benefits of pastured chicken.
Give it a try—your taste buds and your body will thank you!
Order some today from Miller’s Bio Farm and experience the difference for yourself.
Thanks for taking the time to read this article,
The Carnivore Gal
P.S. If you’d like a detailed breakdown of other products by Miller’s, you can read my full Miller’s Bio Farm Review here.
Did you know that, globally, pork is the #1 meat? According to the UN, 10% more pork is eaten compared to poultry worldwide. And, 50% more pork is eaten compared to beef worldwide. Wow!
But, for some reason, this isn't the case in the US. According to the USDA, pork ranks #3 when it comes to meat. Americans eat 30% less pork compared to poultry and 15% less compared to beef.
Why is this? Well, pork has gotten a pretty bad rep in the US. Of course there are some religions that prohibit pork, but that's not the leading factor.
1- Too much saturated fat.
The low fat craze started in the 1970s and fizzled out in the 1990s. It came from the belief that (1) fat makes us fat; and (2) that too much saturated fat = high cholesterol = bad things like heart disease and cholesterol. These myths have been debunked. Read more in fats and health blog post.
The bottom line is that not all fats are created equal. Natural animal fats from happy, healthy animals are good. It's those highly processed hydrogenated saturated fats that are bad. In other words, eat all the pork fat!
2- Worry about disease.
People still seem to think they can get sick from pork. There's fear of parasites (like the roundworm Trichinella spiralis that can cause trichinosis) or bacteria or other things.
The reality is that getting sick from pork is really rare nowadays. If you cook pork properly, you don't need to worry about disease. Muscle meat (like chops or tenderloin) should be cooked to 145F. Ground meat and organs should be cooked to 160F.
3- Worry of bad ingredients.
This only relates to processed pork like hot dogs and bacon and ham. There's truth to this one. Nitrates and nitrites, commonly used in curing conventional pork, have been shown to cause cancer and other health issues. And stabilizers, artificial colors, preservatives, and other additives have been linked to negative health outcomes, too.
But, this isn't the case for all pork. How meat it's processed matters a lot. At Miller's, we don't put any of that yucky junk in our meat, even the salami and bacon and sausages (more on that below).
4- Worry that eating pork will have a negative affect on your blood.
The Weston A. Price Foundation did a bunch of research on this. It's true that plain pork can cause blood clotting and inflammation. However, properly preparing pork (by marinating it in vinegar or naturally curing it) or by eating pork with fermented veggies like sauerkraut removes these negative effects. Read more about pork and your blood in this blog post.
5- The belief that pigs are "dirty".
I think this one mainly comes from the fact that pigs roll around in mud. They do this to protect their nearly hairless bodies. It's like natural sunscreen. It doesn't mean the meat is dirty at all.
It may also come from the fact that pigs are often treated as garbage disposals. They will literally eat anything. And that includes kitchen scraps, meat processing scraps, curdled milk, and more.
But again, not all pork is created equal. When you source from trusted farms, you can actually know that the pigs are eating clean food and are rolling around in chemical-free mud.
6- Strange rumors that pigs are deformed.
This one came from Nailea on the farm. At some point, she watched a video about how some pigs are born without buttholes or have odd deformities or become cancerous. Yet, despite their weirdness, they're still raised for meat. I don't know how true this is for conventional pigs. But, it's certainly not true for our pigs. They are intact and happy and healthy. And our processor would never give us meat that's weird or cancerous.
I'm here to inform you that, when produced naturally and properly, pork is pretty awesome.
It's high in protein, zinc, iron, and B vitamins (particularly the "anti-stress" vitamin B1 - read more about thiamine and pork in this blog post). It's packed with quality, healthy saturated fats. And it's the most affordable meat and can be produced year round.
This is why people around the world love pork. I think you should love pork, too!
Here are 6 quick reasons it stands above the rest:
1- Woodland raised.
Our pigs get plenty of exercise and forage for countless nuts and grubs and roots. This diverse diet gives our pork some extra flavor. And you can be assured that the environment is free of chemicals and is a happy place for our pigs to live.
2- Corn & soy free.
This means low PUFA and no chance of GMOs. We haven't tested our pork like we did for our chicken and eggs. But, if we did, I assume we'd get similar results with our pork having balanced omegas and packed with vitamins and minerals.
3- Heritage breeds.
Our pigs are Berkshire, Duroc, Red Waddle, and Black crosses. These heritage breeds are known for their intensity of flavor, juiciness, marbling, and tenderness. It's nothing like the bland, dry pork you often get at the grocery store.
4- No junk like nitrates or additives.
We reduce toxins and anything unnatural as much as possible. Our bacon is cured simply with Celtic sea salt (in a store it would have "uncured" on the label). Our sausages have clean ingredients, no weird thickeners or preservatives. Our salami is cured naturally with celery juice powder.
5- Washed in organic apple cider vinegar.
No harsh chemicals like bleach or citric and lactic acids touch our pork. We are so fortunate to have a naturally minded processor!
6- No drugs.
We don't vaccinate. We don't give antibiotics or hormones or anything like that. Through a natural diet and lifestyle, our pigs stay naturally healthy.
I'd love to hear from you. Comment below - no account required (start typing for the guest option to appear). ?
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It used to be true that, if your egg yolks were darker in color, then the better the egg's nutrition. Conscious consumers of the past would look for that deep orange yolk and stray away from lighter yellow yolks. It's sad, but this simply isn't the case anymore.
These truly pastured eggs offered more nutrition (more vitamins, omega-3s, antioxidants, etc) because the birds were naturally healthier. They had access to fresh air and exercise. They didn't need drugs to survive. They ate a natural diet. They were allowed to be... well... chickens. The health of the bird has a direct impact on the nutrition of the egg.
On the flip side, birds that lived indoors on mega factory-like "farms" ate a diet of mainly wheat, corn, soy. These foods are low in carotenoids, and therefore indoor chickens produced lighter colored yolks. Since they weren't as naturally healthy, the eggs were less nutritious.
It's sad but true. Big ag has caught onto consumer demand for "organic" and "natural" foods. They are altering food and putting a "green sheen" on the visual appearance and the labels to capitalize on these trends.
Here are some things that might be added:
This is why yolk color used to be a great indicator of egg quality and nutrition, but not anymore. You cannot trust cheap store-bought eggs with orange yolks.
The only way to truly know the quality of your eggs is to know your farmer.
And that means that the yolk color will vary with the seasons, the weather, the age of the flock, etc. Varying eggs are a sign that you're getting real deal, pasture raised, naturally healthy eggs! Personally, if my food doesn't have slight variation from time to time, then I question how natural it really is.
But wait, is there a health difference between pastured yellow and orange yolk eggs?
I was curious about the same thing. So, I sent two cartons of our eggs, one with orange yolks and one with yellow yolks (along with some other samples that weren't ours for comparison), to a lab for nutritional testing.
For 95% of the 100+ tests done, the results were exactly the same. They look like this:
The difference happened with vitamins, and the results say that the yellow yolk eggs were more nutritious than orange yolk eggs. Such a surprise!
Dr. Van Vliet, the scientist who did the testing, noted that Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) was a lot higher in the yellow yolk eggs. Riboflavin is a yellow colored compound, and this is what's likely making the yellow yolks yellow. So cool!
The pastures our laying hens are in are diverse. There's a wide variety of plants. And, different sections of each pasture might have higher or lower concentrations of different things.
Plus, the hens are choosing what to forage for (we can't force it). They might pick different plants based on what they're in the mood for, the growth stage of the plants, the time of the year, etc.
And then there's winter, when there's nothing to forage for and our hens spend most of their time indoors.
What the hens eat has a direct affect on the yolk color. Here are just a few examples:
Dandelion and plantain are both high in Vitamin B2, so we're thinking that the hens with the yellow yolks were eating lots of those plants.
We love having the yolk color indicator of what the hens are eating. It helps us constantly get better at farming and producing the best food for you!
Birds foraging on well maintained pasture AND eating a quality feed with thoughtful ingredients, ratios, and preparation make the most nutritious eggs.
Our hens are fed GMO-free, corn-free, and soy-free feed. The feed contains a specially formulated blend of of oats, rolled wheat, peas, alfalfa hay leaves, barley, fishmeal, sesame meal, raw liquid goat whey, vitamins, minerals, and probiotics.
The way the feed is mixed ferments it (and adds probiotics, too). It's like it's pre-digested, making all the nutrition bioavailable for our hens. And that's why our eggs had such great nutritional results. That includes a 4:1 omega 6/3 ratio and low PUFAs!
And the feed suppliers aren't done yet. Just like our farmers, they're constantly improving.
I'd love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us.
*Originally posted on 9/22/23. Updated on 1/14/25.
Miller’s Bio Farm is all about giving you TMI about how your food was produced. Because, in today’s food world, you can’t just rely on labels alone.
When you shop our A2/A2 CHEESE, you can click on each cheese and see the full product description. You can find the exact kind of rennet in the ingredient list. And, you can see any trace additives used in the cultures or rennet listed in the “Honest Disclosure” section.
But what does that all mean, and which type should you choose? How would you know which type is used? That's what we're delving into in this blog post -- it's all about rennet!!!
Legend has it that cheese was discovered by mistake, when someone used a flask made of lamb stomach to bring some nourishing milk on their travels. After walking for days in the hot sun, he found that the milk in his flask had curdled… and it was delicious! The raw milk naturally fermented, and the enzymes in the lamb stomach coagulated the curds.
Cheesemaking has come a long way since then, with specific processes and cultures needed to make different kinds of cheese. And then of course there’s regulations around food and food safety and modern expectations for consistency and affordability.
Here's an overview of how cheese is made today --- You add culture to milk and let it ferment. Then, you add rennet, which separates the milk into curds and whey. Then you press the curds and age them. Voila cheese!
Sure, you can also use vinegar or citric acid to curdle the milk for fresh cheeses like paneer, ricotta, or even mozzarella. But, for aged cheeses, you need to use rennet. It's essential.
Rennet is a complex set of enzymes that are naturally produced in the stomachs of ruminant mammals. Chymosin, its key component, is a protease enzyme. In addition to chymosin, rennet contains other enzymes, such as pepsin and a lipase.
The enzymes in rennet target casein, the main protein in milk. They cause the casein molecules to divide and re-coagulate into even larger clumps (AKA cheese curds).
Above photo of how the cultured and fermented milk sets after rennet is added.
Above photo of how the curds and whey look after the curds are cut and heated a bit.
Above photo of how the curds look after the whey is drained, before pressing the cheese.
Veal/calf rennet: Made by grinding calf gullet/stomach and mixing it with salt. The powder is put in a solution that extracts the chymosin. It’s typically made as a liquid rennet.
Veal/calf rennet is the most natural form of rennet, since it’s the oldest form of rennet. Remember, carrying milk in a lamb stomach was likely how cheese was discovered!
Using veal/calf rennet in today’s world is not all pure and natural. Most rennets available are made from calves that are a byproduct of the conventional dairy industry. They are not likely born from happy, pasture raised cows that are 100% grass-fed. And, almost all of them contain trace additives of one kind or another. These may include sodium acetate, propylene glycol, or potassium sorbate.
Fermentation-produced chymosin (FPC): It’s a genetically modified organism! They splice genes in a mold to produce chymosin.
I spoke with a lab tech that makes the vegetarian rennet used in our goat cheeses. They weren’t sure how they can make the claim that it’s GMO-free, but somehow the rennet and cheese companies make that happen (with a lot of * and fine print below).
Fermentation-produced chymosin is the most popular rennet for certified vegetarian” cheeses. Over 90% of all cheeses made today use this kind of rennet. It makes a good product. As it stands now, it cannot be used in "certified organic" cheeses.
The concern here is of course that it’s a bioengineered ingredient. What are the long term health consequences of consuming it? Does the GMO chymosin enzyme alter the casein proteins differently than veal rennet? Well, there’s simply not enough research done to be 100% sure.
Another concern is trace additives like sodium chloride or sodium benzoate.
Microbial rennet: Made when Rhizomucor miehei mold grows on a nutrient base that’s primarily soy. Yes, that’s right, soy. And, that means that the nutrient base is most likely GMO!
Mold rennet is also used in “certified organic” and “certified vegetarian” cheeses. However, it’s not the best. It tends to produce undesirable bitter flavors. It also does not age very well.
Recent research is showing that microbial rennet can have a negative impact on the gut long term. It’s definitely something to be cautious about until a lot more research is done.
Rennet Alternatives:
You can use squares of dried salted calf stomach, which has been done for thousands of years. You can use thistle, which is traditionally used for specific cheese in Spain and Portugal and is really expensive. You can also make soft cheeses from wild rennet from plants like sorrel, cardoon, artichoke, and fig.
However, these rennets are typically used for making cheese at home. They would not produce a cheese that’s consistent, tastes good, and holds up well. Most farmers and cheesemakers would not want to dabble with them, as they’d end up with a lot of waste and unhappy customers.
The safety of genetically modified rennet is a topic of debate, both in the scientific world and the regulatory world. Some studies suggest that it’s completely safe, and others raise concerns about potential allergic reactions or other concerning health consequences (read more about corn and soy and allergies in this post).
Why the debate? Well, there’s limited scientific data to definitively state the long-term safety of cheeses made with GMO rennet. In my opinion, it’s likely best to wait for full safety studies before introducing a product. Sadly, that’s not how our food world works. So, now that you know, it’s your choice whether you want to stay away from "vegetarian rennet" or not!
It’s important to note that the safety and regulatory status of GMO rennet varies from country to country. While in some places, GMO rennet has been deemed safe and approved for food production, in others, it might be subject to restrictions or even prohibited altogether. Depending on local laws, cheese made with GMO rennet can be labeled as GMO-free (and that’s how it is in the US).
With cheese, it’s required to list “rennet” or “enzymes” as an ingredient. But, the source (animal, plant, or microbial) is NOT required. For cheese companies that make cheese with vegetable rennet, the have the option of listing “vegetable rennet”. But again, the exact kind is not required on the label.
Additionally, listing the ingredients in the ingredients is also not required. For example, a cheese may say "rennet" in the ingredients list, but the sodium acetate, propylene glycol, or potassium sorbate or other additives does NOT need to be listed on the label. The same is true for basically any trace additive in food.
So, if you want to know the type of rennet or trace additives in your cheese, you need to read the product description. If it's not there, you'll need to ask.
At Miller’s Bio Farm, we of course go above and beyond. We do everything we can to avoid the greenwashing or confusion caused by food labels. Instead, we just tell you everything we can about how the food is produced. We include an honest disclosure for each of OUR A2 CHEESES, which tells you the type of rennet and any additives in them (and not just what's listed on the Safety Data Sheet, we actually talk to the rennet and culture companies about it).
For all of our cow and goat cheeses (except mozzarella), beef rennet is used. The calf gullets used in our rennet are sourced from milk-fed veal calves mainly from New Zealand and Australia.
Sadly, it seems impossible to find a beef/veal rennet without trace additives. We were super excited to find Walcoren brand rennet, which did not have any additives on the safety data sheet. But, when I called the company and talked to a scientist, he confirmed that the standard additives are actually in it. Since they're a Canadian company, they don't need to include them in the safety data sheet. Ugh.
As with all beef or veal rennets, our rennet contains trace amounts of sodium acetate, propylene glycol, and potassium sorbate.
For our mozzarella cheese, a microbial vegetarian rennet is used. It's organic and simply makes a better mozzarella. It has trace amounts of sodium chloride and sodium benzoate E211.
For our cottage cheese, no rennet is used at all. It's cultured, and the curds are separated with a little heat only.
To put all of this into perspective, you only need a little bit of rennet to make a whole lot of cheese. For example, our cheesemaker uses 60ml of rennet per 1,000 pounds of milk. That’s 1.93ml per 1 gallon of milk. Then, the curds are drained and pressed and fermented. In the end, In 1 lb of finished cheese, there's about 0.00066 grams of rennet.
Any additives would be minuscule, a trace of a trace amount. But, if a trace of a trace amount of something bad is in everything you eat, it's no longer a trace amount!
Regardless, you deserve to know everything about your food. So, now the cheese and rennet choice is yours!
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*Originally posted on 7/28/23. Updated on 1/23/25.
And it's especially real for me, because I'm responsible for getting our labels approved with the "powers that be". Here's a little story with a big inside scoop...
Why? I put the little icons about our farming practices on them. They look like this:
Yup, despite being 100% accurate and true, they were denied!! We're not allowed to put those statements on our food labels.
First off, there's some guidance on wording. Silly technicalities in my opinion.
For example, you can't use the term "No Spray" but you can say "Produced without the use of synthetic pesticides." Or another example is that you can't say "No Routine Antibiotics or Vaccines" but you can say "Raised without routine use of antibiotics or vaccines."
Second, the processor needs to update their documents to provide traceability. In other words, they need to document how they make sure the bones for our bone broth don't get mixed up with bones from other farms.
I mean, this is pretty simple, especially with small batch foods like ours. But the documentation needs to be meticulous. Drafting it in government-approved language can be time consuming and/or costly.
And lastly, once you get the wording and process right, you need proof.
Want to know what proof would suffice for all the claims above? A 2-3 sentence affidavit (AKA a super short letter) signed by all farmers that supply us. That's it!?
This lead me to a bunch of questions:
It seems to me that, if a business isn't doing what the label says, the only way to find out is via a whistleblower. And the only way to make them stop is to take them to court. You know, like what's happening with Vital Farms and their pasture raised egg claim right now.
It seems to me that, all that good natural stuff on labels - grass fed, pasture raised, antibiotic free, etc - doesn't mean it's true. Certifications are a little better, but the same kinda thing can be said about those, too.
No wholesale for us. In fact, we don't even have an on farm store. We only sell directly to our customers via our website.
This way, we can make our own natural standards. And, we can provide you will all the info and proof you need. Descriptions, photos, blog posts, test results, and more.
I'd love to hear from you. Comment below (no account required - just start typing) or contact us ?
We've been getting this question a good amount lately ---
Super interesting question. I mean, the saying "you are what you eat" holds true to some extent. But... digestion is the opposite of simple.
The short answer is ---
You see, just like you, when an animal eats gluten, the gluten is broken down into amino acids during digestion. Then, those amino acids are reassembled into a variety of things that support life and growth - proteins, hormones, neurotransmitters, etc.
We have anecdotal evidence, too. There are many Miller's customers with Celiac disease or gluten sensitivities that handle our eggs, chicken, and pork without any issues. In fact, some say that our eggs and meat are the only they can tolerate - wow!
A little caveat --- cross contamination. Here are two scenarios:
During digestion, gluten is broken down into peptides in your intestinal tract. Then, those peptides are broken down into amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of life. They're reassembled (with other things like broken down vitamins and minerals) into important stuff that your body needs - proteins, tissue, enzymes, hormones.
People with confusing (and sometimes inconsistent) reactions might be having a reaction to a specific peptide or part of a molecule. It might now be the whole molecule that's giving you trouble!
That's why many people with gluten sensitivity do fine with sourdough and/or einkorn (in fact, we even have a customer with Celiac disease that loves our sourdough einkorn crackers). Sourdough partially digests the gluten for you and possibly changes the way your body breaks it down. And einkorn is a heritage grain that contains a completely different kind of gluten compared to conventional wheat - gluten AA.
There's actually a certain test you can take to give you more info. It's called a Zoomer test. Instead of simply seeing if you're reacting to a whole protein, it sees how your body responds to individual peptides. Neat!
Many people with gluten sensitivity go to Europe and eat all the bread. Why is this? Well, maybe it's because glyphosate is banned in Europe. But here in the US, we're still spraying it on conventional wheat to dry it out quickly and get it ready for harvest. It could be that some people are reacting to a chemical on wheat... not the wheat itself. I mean, glyphosate is known for disrupting the gut!
This could explain why some people don't do well with some eggs and meat but do just fine with ours. After all, we have the highest natural standards and aim to give you the purest food possible, down to the nitty gritty.
I'd love to hear from you. Comment below (no account required - just start typing) or contact us ?
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In honor of popcorn and natural foods, we're embarking on a stroll down the cornfield lanes - not just through any ordinary cornfields, but through the incredible heritage of corn and its significant role in our history and daily meals. You've probably heard a lot about GMO corn and its controversies, but let's dive deeper and explore corn from a fresh angle, especially our favorite snack - CHEMICAL-FREE POPCORN!
Did you know that corn, or maize as many Native Americans call it, is not just another crop? It's a cherished heritage food, deeply woven into the fabric of Native American life and culture. For indigenous communities across the Americas, corn was more than just a food source. It symbolized life itself and formed the cornerstone of their civilizations.
Imagine this: Native Americans cultivated a vast variety of corn, each adapted to different climates and soils - this proved their deep agricultural wisdom and ecological understanding. Corn wasn't merely eaten; it played a crucial role in their social and spiritual lives, central to their ceremonies and festivals, embodying fertility, renewal, and the interconnectedness of life.
They even had ingenious farming methods, like the Three Sisters technique, where corn, beans, and squash grew together in harmony. This method wasn't just about maximizing land use; it created a natural, sustainable ecosystem, enhancing soil fertility and offering a balanced diet.
Native Americans also prepared corn in a special way. This is just how they did it. But modern science shows that it makes corn easier to digest and more nutritious. It's called nixtimalization. Dried corn is steeped in alkaline water (you can put ash from a fire or lime in water to make alkaline water). Then it's drained and rinsed. The outer cover of the kernel is removed, and it's stone ground for use.
It's no secret that GMO corn has become predominant in corn production, with estimates indicating that as much as 92% of the corn grown in the U.S. is genetically modified! But here's the thing – not all corn is created equal. The primary concern with GMO corn is how it's modified and grown. These modifications often cater to large-scale agricultural practices that focus more on quantity than quality and/or profit over ethics, sometimes leading to environmental and health concerns.
Below is a brief overview of our key concerns with GMO corn, but keep in mind, this list is far from exhaustive!
The abundance of cheap GMO corn coupled with government subsidies has made it so corn is everywhere and in everything - from corn meal to corn starch to citric acid to maltodextrin. But this is, in my opinion, is "affordable" in the short term. The abundance of improperly grown and prepared corn has done a lot of damage to our land and bodies in the US, and that is expensive to fix.
Ah, POPCORN! This beloved snack has its own incredible tale. Not all corn can pop - did you know that? Popcorn is a special kind of maize. When heated, it transforms into the fluffy, crunchy treat we all adore. This snack isn't new; archaeologists have found evidence of popcorn dating back to 4700 BCE in Peru!
Fast forward to today, popcorn is a must-have for movie nights and gatherings. And fun fact - March 13th, 2025, is National Popcorn Lovers Day, a perfect day to celebrate this beloved snack in all its yummy forms.
Here at Miller's Bio Farm, we take pride in offering Chemical-Free Popcorn Kernels. They're more than just a snack; they're a tribute to corn's traditional, non-GMO roots. Our approach ensures you get the most natural popcorn experience - free from additives and modern agricultural complexities.
Opting for non-GMO, especially for corn products like our popcorn, is about more than just personal health. It is a promise to prioritize sustainable, ethical farming practices and to promote responsible and conscious food consumption. Non-GMO crops are grown as nature intended, helping preserve the natural genetic diversity and soil health crucial for food security and environmental health.
By supporting non-GMO, you're also championing more eco-friendly farming practices and helping sustain small, independent farms that form the backbone of rural communities.
Next time you enjoy a bowl of our CHEMICAL-FREE POPCORN, remember, it's not just a snack. You're connecting with a legacy that goes beyond modern agriculture, a tradition of honoring and cherishing our planet's natural resources. Every kernel tells a story, rich with history and cultural significance.
So, let's not overlook this amazing crop because of its GMO variants. Let's celebrate corn in its purest form and keep its rich heritage alive. Every bite is a chance to connect with history and a tradition that respects and cherishes our planet.
Stay healthy and happy, and a big thank you for being part of the Miller's Bio Farm family!
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*Originally posted on 1/18/24. Updated on 3/7/25.
*Originally written on 10/22/21. Updated on 4/2/25.
It's true that raw milk contains many live enzymes that are inactivated during pasteurization. This is true for milk from all mammals - cows, goats, buffalos, humans, mice, whales, etc.
It contains the protease enzyme, which aids in the digestion of protein. It contains the lipase enzyme, which aids in the digestion of fat. It contains the phosphatase enzyme, which decreases inflammation and reduces the risk of heart disease and Type-2 diabetes. And, there are numerous other examples.
When a baby is born, it naturally produces lots and lots of lactase in its intestines, which is used to break down breast milk. But, as that human gets older and older, it naturally produces less and less lactase.
Lactose intolerance is when a person either produces none or not enough lactase. In turn, they are unable to fully digest lactose, which typically leads to bloating, diarrhea, cramps, nausea, and other uncomfortable side effects.
The mainstream medical solution to this is avoiding dairy altogether (which is such a shame, since it can be such a nourishing food), supplementing with an artificial lactase enzyme, or drinking Lactaid or other lactose-free dairy products.
Ever wonder how lactose-free dairy exists? Well that has to do with lactase, too! They add artificial lactase enzymes that consume all lactose in the final product.
These Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria bacteria are virtually nonexistent in pasteurized milk, since heating the milk to 145F kills 95-99% all living microorganisms. And that's fine for many people who don't get tummy troubles after eating dairy. But for others, raw milk is a better, gut healing fit.
Plus, the process of fermenting dairy reduces the amount of lactose in the final product. After all, those probiotics are eating the lactose and creating lactic acid, which is what gives yogurt and cheese and kefir it's "tang".
Keep in mind that these effects may take time. If a lactose intolerant person drinks raw milk or eats yogurt or kefir, they may still have issues at first. This is one big reason that it’s recommended to introduce raw milk or reintroduce dairy slowly.
Going back thousands of years, humans developed lactase persistent genes through natural selection. This allowed them to digest dairy into adulthood and to live in colder climates, consuming dairy in the colder months when foraged foods were unavailable.
This is why the Miller’s Bio Farm tagline is “Inspiring Healthy Generations”. It’s not just about your health now, but the health of the future generations to come.
I’d love to hear your story. Contact us or join the conversation below (no account required!).
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