So today I see an ad for a new dairy in town, Oberweis. I go check out their website.
Well being on the lower end of the ST income bracket and relatively frugal, I was shocked to see $3 for a half gallon. But as I read about the milk It does seem to have lots of good things going for it. Which of course then brings me to the knowledge base of all knowledge bases, no not Google but Slowtwitch. Here is what they say about their milk.
There are many reasons our milk tastes as fresh and rich as it does. Many people think it's the glass bottles. While the glass bottles certainly protect the freshness of our milk, it really is much more than that. In fact it all starts at the farm.
First of all, our milk is NOT organic, but it is close to being organic milk. Our farmers do not use organic feed. This is single biggest difference that prevents us from claiming to be organic milk. Essentially all other aspects of organic certification are being met by our producers.
We measure somatic cell counts (SCC) and pay our farmers a substantial premium to achieve low somatic cell counts. This is a true measure of the quality of raw milk. Somatic cells are essentially the "dead" cells present in milk. They are a measure of the health of the cow. State law allows 750,000 SCC/ml in raw milk. Our milk can only have a maximum of 250,000 SCC/ml and most producers are in the 100,000-150,000 range. It is the presence of somatic cells in raw milk that adds to the "off" flavor of milk. This is an area where organic milk and ours is very different. Organic milk typically has much higher somatic cell counts and that is one reason why our milk tastes so much better. It is our focus on high quality raw milk that makes the difference.
The use of antibiotics is another difference. Our cows can be treated with antibiotics when the cows are ill, but their milk is not shipped to us until the cow’s milk is free from the presence of an antibiotic. Producers making organic milk must remove the cow for upwards of 2 years if they are ill so they often continue to milk the cow as long as possible (when they hit the 750,000 somatic cell count they must stop). Most of the time their ill cows are sent to slaughter because it is too expensive to keep a non-producing cow. On our farms, when a cow is ill she is removed from the milking herd, treated and her milk is kept out of the milk collected for our use. Every tanker full of milk is tested for the presence of antibiotics. If antibiotics are found to be in the milk sample, the producer is responsible for paying for all the contaminated milk and its disposal. The cow is kept out of the herd and her milk is tested on a daily basis for the presence of antibiotics. She cannot be returned to the milking herd until she is antibiotic free. We believe our treatment of the cows is more humane.
The use of the bovine growth hormone (rBGH) is NOT permitted on Oberweis farms and that is also the same for organic producers. Most of our farmers would never even consider using the rBGH on the cows because it tends to make the cow more susceptible to infections; which are inconsistent with the great care they provide for their herds. We pay our farmers a substantial premium not to use the rBGH which makes up for the lost milk production that by using rBGH they could have had.
Raw milk is not the only difference to making great tasting quality milk. How you process the milk is also very important. Every step in our process is designed to protect the fresh flavor of our milk. It is typically 36-48 hours from the cow to your door when you purchase Oberweis milk. Most organic milk can’t match our freshness, not by a wide margin.
Taste is another major difference between organic milk and ours. The raw milk quality differences mentioned above must then be translated into a finished product. The enemies of milk are heat and light. We protect the milk from damage by heat in our pasteurization step. Every time you heat milk you change the original flavor. Federal law requires a minimum pasteurization temperature of 163°F. We pasteurize at 173°F, but most dairies pasteurize at 185°F and above. They do this to get the required “code date” length on their products. This higher temperature results in a “cooked” flavor of milk.
We prevent the light from harming our milk, by first having special light filters in our warehouse. In our Dairy Stores the milk is stored behind stainless steel doors to prevent the light from harming the milk. In the grocery stores where we sell our milk they are required to install the same filters we use in our warehouse. The trucks that deliver our milk also protect the milk from light as does the dairy box that we deliver the milk to at your home. Most organic milk is put into a cardboard container. These containers have been used for years and have a proven track record of transferring an “off” taste to the milk. We continue to use glass bottles because they do not transfer an off taste to the milk. In the case of our single serve milk, we use a special plastic, PET(e), which has demonstrated superior resistance to flavor transfers.
So, as you can see, it’s not just the glass bottles that make our milk taste so good. It’s really the care we take in every step of the process.
So what say ST???
I can’t vouch for the health benefits, but when I lived in St. Louis we had an Oberweis Dairy 1/2mi from the house. The chocolate milk is so rich and delicious. And their ice cream is so good; the banana split is the best around. They really do have a tasty product. $3 for 1/2gallon was a tad on the high side but it was so good.
People can drink whatever they want but I don’t like it when people try to make up excuses to try to convince themself they are eating healthy.
If you don’t believe the negative effects then my other gripe is…
On a more long term basis - water shortage, land shortage, health risks - we need to look to foods we can sustain indefinitely, much like in the energy industry. I don’t think milk is the solution. That is just me though.
ditto. and, in spite of the efforts of well-paid dairy industry lobbyists, a quite large body of scientific evidence is accumulating that drinking the stuff is not at all good for your health (unless, of course, you’re a new born calf … )
So…what is YOUR solution? (to the problem no one has). I freaking LIKE milk and will continue to always have a gallon in my home. Why in the hell is it that you ignorant fools cant see past your own flawed ideals and stop crying a river for what ever the feel good cause of the day is? Oberweiss…there are TONS of them near me…fact is I could give a shit if their milk does or does not carry the logo “Organic”. I could give a shit if the milk I do drink has a cow with a sniffle adding to the mix.
When I was in 4th grade we had a class trip to a Ketchup factory…you know how many bugs, mice, rats and other shit is in every canned food we eat? Fact is that this whole thread should now be in the Lav room and the hippocrites who want to post their ignorant ideals here need to first clean out thier pantry of Spagetti-o’s.
problem no one has? Apparently you don’t know much about this country
Prevalance of Osteoporosis: 28 million Americans (10 million with osteoporosis; 18 million with low bone mass); eight million American women and 2 million men (NWHIC) (http://wrongdiagnosis.com/o/osteoporosis/stats.htm)
58 Million Overweight; 40 Million Obese; 3 Million morbidly Obese (http://www.annecollins.com/obesity/statistics-obesity.htm)
A total of 1,444,920 new cancer cases and 559,650 deaths for cancers are projected to occur in the United States in 2007. (http://caonline.amcancersoc.org/misc/cancerstats2007.pdf) A person following a low-fat vegetarian diet, for example, will need less than half (0.44) an acre per person per year to produce their food. A high-fat diet with a lot of meat, on the other hand, needs 2.11 acres. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average American ate approximately 5.8 ounces of meat and eggs a day in 2005. In order to reach the efficiency in land use of moderate-fat, vegetarian diets, the new study suggests that New Yorkers would need to limit their annual meat and egg intake to about 2 cooked ounces a day. -http://biopact.com/2007/10/study-adding-small-amount-of-dairy-and.html Each of these can be scientifically linked to dairy consumption. As far as being a hippocrite you can come check my fridge any time you want, nothing but health food. Granted, I don’t have a sense of smell so it is easier for me. Also, I am not saying we need a vegetarian diet, but the average American doesn’t need to eat as much meat as they are currently eating (like the article says, 5.8oz->2oz). Your post doesn’t make much sense to me.
Not to argue…but milk would help - period. Less Diet Coke or what ever folks drink…organic or not, Milk is MUCH better than soda, coffee, or what ever mochafrappalattegrandachino is on the menu.
Maybe that is why the studies the milk companies used to promote their product had the alternate group downing pepsi/coke like it was going out of style. I didn’t have those drinks in my solution though. I still don’t see how milk would help, seeing how it CAUSES those problems.
edit: that is why I put the disclaimer
"If you don’t believe the negative effects then my other gripe is…
On a more long term basis - water shortage, land shortage, health risks - we need to look to foods we can sustain indefinitely, much like in the energy industry. I don’t think milk is the solution. "
because some people don’t think milk is unhealthy.
Why are we the only species that continues to drink milk after it’s time to be weaned from it?
And why is this milk from another species?
One possible answer: It has become a profitable industry. And any time a profitable product of questionable value is promoted by large corporations, mis- and dis-information are likely to follow…
A study published in Nutrition Journal in Sept 2007 shows some concern about the lack of data to show the impact of the bioactive substances found in milk are doing to humans… Link to study: here:
Following text copied from Nutrition Journal article:
*Milk is a complex, bioactive substance honed by evolution to promote growth and development of the infant mammal. Cow’s milk and dairy products derived from milk are widely consumed by human children and adults well after the age of weaning. The established health benefits of the macronutrient and micronutrient content of milk include fewer dental caries, increased bone mineral content, fewer fractures, and reduced risk of protein-deficiency malnutrition and rickets 1-6]. However, the impact of other bioactive substances in milk has been little investigated. Dairy products contain bovine hormones and growth factors that may alter the hormone and growth factor levels of prepubertal children. *
Sorry, that milk hate site was more about weight loss than the benifits of milk for folks who are active…maybe folks need to get off their ass to not worry about the 300 calories from the milk…oh wait…we cant ask folks to get off their ass.
Yes, I think that is what he’s saying. There is research that supports the possibility that milk can have negative effects. The China Study is a good place to start if you’re interested. I can’t say that I’m informed enough to have an educated opinion. All I know is that I like cereal too much to give up milk.
You think the folks would drink milk instead of red bull?
Dave
Of course not…where did I put my Coke? Modern “research” is so freaking stupid…almost and just ALMOST as stupid as the folks who buy into it and find a new religion.
Funny thing…I was eating a grilled colby cheese sandwitch when I was reading this…fucking hippies need to get a life and enjoy it with out so much worry.
I don’t support the Oberweis chain because the owner is a right-wing a-hole. He is running for a state seat again, and his platform is pretty much all about getting the immigrants out. As an immigrant in a country built by immigrants I would never vote for him - or support his business.
To top it off, he has been busted for hiring illegal immigrants for night cleaning in his dairy shops! After he got exposed for this, he fired the workers, but didn’t pay them. There is a documentary out about this.
The worst thing is that I think that the Oberweis shakes and malts are the best around, but the owner’s politics leaves a bad taste in my mouth …
No Irony for me…I like milk…with or with out some pyramid, or commercials…what would my bowl of Life be with out milk? I am not at all a victim…I am a consumer.
