Why do organic plums taste so good?

[Pedal Wench]

Out in the middle of nowhere, colorado, we came across a few apricot trees growing wild on the side of the road. We were dangerously low on water and food (the road was so pretty, we kept going long past where we were supposed to turn around) and the apricots, although tiny, were amazing -sweet, and so flavorful. We gorged, and grabbed a handful to take back with us. So fun!

Edit: the trees were just dropping tons of fruit onto the shoulder, just rotting away, so we didn't feel bad taking a tiny fraction. Hope that was okay.

[OakLeaf]

I believe the milk laws are federal, and I think the rule is people can sell aged cheeses made from raw milk, but not fresh cheeses. There have definitely been USDA raids but I think some localities do some of their own enforcement, too, and it's sort of a matter of doing what they can get away with. I know one dairy that sells all manner of raw milk products - including butter - boldly labeled "Pet food only, not for human consumption." Okay, my dogs loved butter.

Even if you get pasteurized dairy products, other than a couple of Amish country brands, grocery store dairy isn't going to be grass-fed, not even organic grocery store dairy.

[GLC1968]

I believe the milk laws are federal, and I think the rule is people can sell aged cheeses made from raw milk, but not fresh cheeses. There have definitely been USDA raids but I think some localities do some of their own enforcement, too, and it's sort of a matter of doing what they can get away with. I know one dairy that sells all manner of raw milk products - including butter - boldly labeled "Pet food only, not for human consumption." Okay, my dogs loved butter.

Even if you get pasteurized dairy products, other than a couple of Amish country brands, grocery store dairy isn't going to be grass-fed, not even organic grocery store dairy.

Actually, that's not entirely true. States set the laws concerning raw dairy but within the framework of the Fed. I believe the fed gov only regulates commercial operations. So in Oregon, it is perfectly legal to sell raw dairy as long as you abide by the rules (which are pretty funny and put in place to ensure that there is a big difference between your local farmer and a commercial dairy). The laws are definitely enforced here, too. Most states have laws against raw dairy for human consumption though. I know we are kind of special that way. I can sell raw milk and raw milk products (of any type) from my home/farm...but I cannot advertise or transport it. And I am limited in the number of animals I can have on property that are able to lactate (whether or not they are at the moment) which varies by breed.

I buy pasteurized, pastured dairy at my local grocery store every week! It's ridiculously expensive, so you wouldn't find it at a regular grocery store, I'm sure, but this place sells a lot of this type of stuff. I buy pastured butter and heavy cream and you can get whole milk, too. But yeah, it's not raw. I've found some of the same stuff (Organic Valley brand - but it is 'pastured'...not the regular stuff) at various Whole Foods as well.

[Veronica]

I think I've seen Organic Valley at my grocery store too.

Funny, I've never thought about getting pastured dairy. My grandfather raised cattle and it never really occurred to me that they might be eating something not from a pasture. I'm glad I don't drink much milk now!

I didn't get a lemon cucumber; a regular one instead. At least it looks like a regular one.

Veronica

[OakLeaf]

Organic Valley's pasture standards are higher than the minimum and I will buy their products from time to time, but except for one seasonal butter, their dairy products are far from being 100% grass fed...

[Veronica]

I bought some Organic Valley milk today. I don't drink any straight milk so I'll be relying on Thom to tell me if it's different. I do like that I can read about my farmer and that it's someone somewhat local.

Veronica

[GLC1968]

Organic Valley's pasture standards are higher than the minimum and I will buy their products from time to time, but except for one seasonal butter, their dairy products are far from being 100% grass fed...

Is it even possible for a dairy cow to be 100% grass fed? Our goats live on pasture, but we supplement with hay and grain when they are lactating otherwise they don't get enough protein. From the OV site, it sounds like cows lead a similar life?

Honestly, I'm more concerned with how the animal is treated and cared for (ie, no antibiotics, no hormones) when it comes to dairy. I reserve my 100% grass-fed requirement to the meat I eat and the butter I buy (both of which you should only be able to get seasonally anyway).

Oh, and the pastured milk at our store is from a local farm and sold glass returnable bottles...not from OV. It's also not always available, so I guess that makes a lot of sense. I have never bought it, but I like to see that it's an option for people who drink milk.

[OakLeaf]

Is it even possible for a dairy cow to be 100% grass fed? Our goats live on pasture, but we supplement with hay and grain when they are lactating otherwise they don't get enough protein. From the OV site, it sounds like cows lead a similar life?

You know, I wondered about that. We get a couple of different cheeses that are labeled "cows fed 100% grass," but I haven't actually asked the guy at the farmer's market what that means. I personally would count hay as "grass," even though some of it is likely to be alfalfa. Wouldn't alfalfa have enough protein? And especially now with the drought, people are feeding spring hay to their livestock now. It's going to be a rough winter. But I digress.

I'd expect any mineral supplement they need would come from their salt lick and wouldn't technically count as "feed."

The thing that got me about OV is that the cows only need to be on pasture for a third of the year, and even during that third, 70% of their feed can be something else. So, only 10% of their total annual diet (i.e. 30% for a third of the year) needs to be pasture. That doesn't sound like "supplementation" to me.