Our bone broth tested negative-ish for heavy metals 🥳 NATURAL AND CLEAN

Over the past few months a bunch of people asked us if we tested our bone broth for toxic heavy metals. When we get the same question a lot, we of course look into it. My first question was --- Is there an issue with toxic metals in bone broth? As it turns out, yes, there "can" be an issue! Heavy metals are naturally present in our environment. We need the "good" heavy metals to thrive: iron, zinc, magnesium, copper, etc. But, we can 100% do without the toxic heavy metals: arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, etc. Too many toxic heavy metals can lead to a host of pretty awful issues: nervous system damage, cardiovascular issues, cancer, endocrine disruption, kidney damage, and so on. Our body is designed to excrete heavy metals through urine (and a little bit through sweat, hair, and breastmilk too)... but only so much. There's a limit. If you're overloaded, your body will store those heavy metals in your bones, blood, tissues, and organs. Similarly, if an animal is exposed to heavy metals via food, water, air, dust, or soil, those heavy metals accumulate in the bones. Maybe the farm's soil or air is contaminated from a nearby factory. Maybe the pipes for the water has lead solder connecting them. Maybe the feed a farm is buying was grown on contaminated soil or processed on contaminated equipment. And, of course, a main purpose of bone broth is drawing out as much as possible from the bones. If there are heavy metals in bones, they will make their way into the broth. This is especially true when you pre-soak with apple cider vinegar and simmer for 48 hours to make it thick and gelatinous (like our broth). And that led me to my second question --- Should I be concerned about every bone broth? Where is the fear coming from? Well... it seems it might be a little political. There was a study done in the UK in 2013 that scared a lot of people. It's titled "The Risk of Lead Contamination in Bone Broth Diets". This study found high levels of lead in organic chicken bone broth, which is quite concerning. And, in fact, this one study is still cited in articles written today! Let's dig a little deeper. Let's go farther than the short abstract. Here are the broths tested in the study and their test results for lead: (9.5 parts per billion): Broth made from tap water plus skin and cartilage(7.01 parts per billion): Broth made from tap water plus bones(2.3 parts per billion): Broth made from tap water plus meat(0.89 parts per billion): Tap water alone cooked for the same amount of time as a control. But, they only used organic chicken from one farm. And, there's zero information about that farm, their practices, the feed, and the broth recipe. Did they use vinegar or wine in the broth? Was the chicken's water contaminated with lead? What was the quality of the feed and the soil? Were the chickens raised indoors or outdoors? So many unanswered questions! All we get is that it was one "organic chicken" that created a lead issue with broth. Another curious thing is that the broth with skin and cartilage contained more lead than the broth made with just bones. Bones are where lead is stored, so why wouldn't the broth made with bones only contain more lead? It's an odd result. Moreover, the abstract of the study specifically called out "bone broth diets" like GAPS and paleo. They even go so far as to write, "In view of the dangers of lead consumption to the human body, we recommend that doctors and nutritionists take the risk of lead contamination into consideration when advising patients about bone broth diets." That's quite curious. Why are they worried about these diets? Are the researchers anti healing through food? Who funded the research? Is it political? My opinion? This study is not comprehensive. It does not speak to all bone broths. But it does cover a potential issue if the water or animals are overloaded with heavy metals. What I glean from this study is that we need more research. We don't need fear to spread and people to stop drinking broth from this one study. Regardless of whether the fear was fabricated or legit, we tested our bone broth anyway. After all, it's always nice to validate that your food choices are as clean as you think. For Miller's, here were my concerns before testing: What if there's mercury in the fishmeal in our chicken feed?What if the soil that our animals live on is contaminated?What is the well water that the broth is made with is contaminated?What if the Celtic sea salt has lots of heavy metals? We got the test results back. I was super excited. But, I was also confused. At face value, it appeared that our bone broth tested NEGATIVE for arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. You can find the test results right here! You'll notice that, for every sample, the results are "<0.01 mg/kg" and "<0.02 mg/kg". I asked the lab what the "<" means. They said that it indicates their limit of quantitation (LOQ), the lowest concentration that can be accurately tested using the test procedure in that sample type. So the results simply report that none of the metals tested were found in the sample above the specific reporting LOQs. Whether or not they were present below this LOQ is information that is not provided by the test. When talking to the lab, I told them what we needed and assumed that this test would go below a 1 ppb. So, when the results came in, I assumed that a "mg/kg" was the same as a part per billion (ppb). Ummm... that math wasn't write! A "mg/kg" is actually a part per million (ppm). That means that the test we ran had results saying that the broth had less than 0.02 ppm (or 20 ppb) of arsenic and lead. And, it had less than 0.01 ppm (or 10 ppb) of cadmium and mercury. For some reference, the EPA says that less than 15 ppb of lead is safe in drinking water. Not saying that I agree, but it's a good reference point. These results are good. It means the broth definitely isn't overloaded with toxic heavy metals. But, it's not good enough!!! We need to test again! We really need to a lower LOQ. We need to know the results with an accuracy of as low as 1 ppb. It looks like the lab we sent the original samples to doesn't have an LOQ that low. So here I am on the hunt for a lab to do it again. As soon as I can, I'll send samples in again and paying for more expensive testing to get the info you deserve. Stay tuned! I hope to have the new results in by the end of April 2025. Do you worry about toxic metals (or other junk) in your food? Where have your fears stemmed from? I'd love to hear from you. You can comment below (no account required) or contact us 😊 ----- Sources The risk of lead contamination in bone broth dietsBone Broth and Lead Toxicity: Should You Be Concerned?Bone Broth and Lead Contamination: A Very Flawed Study in Medical HypothesesBone Broth, Collagen, and Toxic Metals: A Research Review

Celebrating the Heritage of Corn on National Popcorn Lovers Day

You've probably heard a lot about GMO corn and its controversies, but did you know that corn, or maize as many Native Americans call it, is a cherished heritage food? Let's take a closer look at corn and learn about its history.

If animals eat wheat, does the gluten transfer to the eggs and meat?

We've been getting this question a good amount lately --- If your chickens and pigs eat wheat, which contains gluten, then do your eggs, chicken, and pork contain gluten, too? 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 --- Gluten in animal feed does NOT transfer to eggs or meat. Eggs are meat are naturally gluten-free. 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: What if a butcher uses products on meat or surfaces that contain gluten? I mean the list of approved sanitizers is loooong. This isn't a worry with our foods. Our eggs and chicken only ever touch water. And our pork is washed in organic apple cider vinegar.Can gluten be added to foods like sausages or pies or lunchmeat? Yes. Some baking sodas and spice blends contain gluten. And some trace ingredients (that don't need to be on the label) like maltodextrin or modified food starch may contain gluten. This isn't a worry with our foods. We try to keep things as pure as possible. Intolerances and sensitivities can be complicated. Some people react to parts of gluten, not the whole molecule. 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! Or maybe people aren't reacting to wheat itself. Rather, they're reacting to chemicals sprayed on wheat. 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. What have you experienced? Are you sensitive or allergic to gluten but can handle eggs and meat? How do our eggs and meat feel for you? I'd love to hear from you. Comment below (no account required - just start typing) or contact us 😊 ----- Sources Are Eggs From Grain-Fed Chickens Safe to Eat on a Gluten-Free Diet?Zoomers Food Sensitivity Testing 101: Your Path to Food Sensitivity AwarenessIs RoundUp Giving You a Pain in the Gut?

Ugh greenwashed labels. What does it take to get ___ on a label anyway?

Not a fan of the confusing, greenwashed labels in store? Yea, me too! 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... I made new labels for our bone broth a little while ago. It didn't go as smoothly as planned. 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. So, I asked the USDA guy, "What would it take to get those claims on the labels, anyway?" The answer was kinda shocking. 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. This was the real shocker for me: 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: What if a company submits a letter from one farmer but actually has other farmers that supply them, too? What if a company changes farmers? Will they submit new letters?What if a company's farmers change their practices in the future? Will they immediately update their labels?Are the "powers that be" checking on this? Is anyone checking on this?Is this why most farms and food facilities don't allow outside people coming in? 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. This is why, at Miller's, we choose to NOT sell in stores. 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. And, we choose to only get certified for what's required. 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. So, what do you think? Should we do the affidavit thing to get claims on our bone broth labels? What proof do you need to feel confident in your food choices? I'd love to hear from you. Comment below (no account required - just start typing) or contact us 😊

Should I choose animal rennet or vegetable rennet in my natural cheese?

Let’s take a look at what rennet is and why it’s used in cheesemaking, compare the different types of animal and vegetable rennets, check out the labeling requirements for rennet, and consider the potential health consequences. Keeping all this in mind, Miller’s Bio Farm aims to produce the most nutrient-dense, natural, A2/A2 cheese we can and gives you all the info you need to make the choice that’s best for your body!

Is yolk color is no longer a great indicator of the egg's nutrition?

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. Here's why you can't trust cheap store-bought eggs with orange yolks and need to know your farmer instead.

How did pork get a bad rep anyway? Why is Miller's pork exceptional?

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. Some reasons why pork has a bad rep. 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. Why you should eat pork. 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! Miller's pork is not just any old pork. 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. Do you eat pork? Why or why not? What do you look for when shopping for pork? I'd love to hear from you. Comment below - no account required (start typing for the guest option to appear). 😊 ----- SOURCES: UN Report: Livestock commoditiesUSDA: Chicken leads U.S. per person availability of meat over last decade False Facts About Pork Everyone Actually BelievesIs Pork Bad for You? Here's What a Dietitian Has to Say

What Is Pastured Chicken? (Customer Review of Miller's Bio Farm)

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! How I Became A Customer Of Miller’s Bio Farm 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. What Is 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: Soy-freeCorn-free GMO-free feed 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. Why You Should Choose Miller’s Pastured Chicken Nutritional Superiority 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! Better Taste And Quality 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. Ethical And Sustainable Farming 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. Why I’ll Be A Customer Of Miller’s Bio Farm Pastured Chicken For Life 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 With Pastured Chicken 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! FAQ’s About Pastured Chicken Q1: What Is The Difference Between Pastured Chicken And Factory Farmed Chicken? 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. Q2: Is Pastured Chicken More Expensive? Yes, pastured chicken tends to cost more due to the higher standards of farming, but the health and ethical benefits make it worth it. Q3: Is Pastured Chicken Safe To Eat? Absolutely! When sourced from trusted providers like Miller’s Bio Farm, pastured chicken is safe and nutritious. Q4: How Can I Buy Pastured Chicken? 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.

Finally, egg test results are in! Guess what? Yolk color does not matter.

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. A Quick Recap Explaining Why We Tested Eggs. 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. The 5 Egg Samples We Tested. 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. 1- Miller’s Bio Farm (Yellow Yolks) Pasture raised in mobile coops moved regularly to fresh pastureRaised on regeneratively tended pasturesCorn & soy free . 2- Miller’s Bio Farm (Orange Yolks) Pasture raised in mobile coops moved regularly to fresh pastureRaised on regeneratively tended pasturesCorn & soy free . 3- National Brand Regenerative Eggs (the most expensive you can buy in the supermarket) Brand Claims: Pasture raised; freedom to forage outdoors year round; 108 ft2 per henRegenerativeCertified Organic Certified Humane . 4- Local Pasture Raised Competitor (using our OLD corn & soy free feed supplier) Brand Claims: Pasture raised Free rangeRegenerativeCorn & soy free . 5- National Brand Conventional Eggs (the cheapest you can buy in the supermarket) Brand Claims: Excellent source of vitamins D, E, B2, B12, and B5140mg omega-325% less saturated fatVegetarian fed . The 4 Most Important Results. 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. 1- Yolk Color Does NOT Matter. The Feed And Farming Practices Are Most Important. 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. 2- Our Eggs Had The Best Omega 6/3 Ratio At 4:1. 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. 3- Our Eggs Had The Lowest PUFA Content. 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. 4- Our Eggs Had The Highest Vitamin Content. 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! All Of The Data Is Available To You. 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). What do you think about the results? What's the #1 data point you look for when it comes to eggs? I'd love to hear from you. Comment below - no account required, start typing for the guest option to appear 😊

Bah Bird Flu. About raw milk safety and why we we're not worried.

*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. -----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. As you know, we take milk safety very seriously at Miller's Bio Farm. 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... When it comes to bird flu, we're simply not worried. 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: 1- There have been zero cases of bird flu linked to raw milk consumption. 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. 2- Testing for bird flu in milk detects fragments of the dead virus, which doesn't necessarily mean the virus can infect milk drinkers. 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]. 3- Raw milk is innately antiviral. It inhibits the growth of viruses both in the milk as well as in your body. 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! It seems to me that most of the bird flu drama might be political...? 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? Are you worried about bird flu? What's your take on the situation? 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! ----- Sources Is Raw Milk Safe? Officials Ramp Up Testing Amid Bird Flu OutbreakUSDA orders nationwide testing of milk for bird flu to halt the virus1 in 5 milk samples from grocery stores test positive for bird flu. Why the FDA says it’s still safe to drinkAntiviral Substances in Raw Bovine Milk Active Against Bovine Rotavirus and CoronavirusMilk Antiviral Proteins and Derived Peptides against ZoonosesFeds prepare for bird flu jump to people with vaccines, testsUSDA Builds on Actions to Protect Livestock and Public Health from H5N1 Avian InfluenzaBird Flu and Raw Milk: Where is the Evidence?