2 talks at Farm Day, and it's just 1 week away! Raw milk legal stuff and natural challenges.

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May 13, 2022

I can’t believe Farm Day is just one short week away!

The Miller’s team has been working hard to bring this event to you, and we are so excited to welcome you on the farm.

We have a new addition to Farm Day this year - 2 talks by myself and farmer Aaron. They’ll happen under the tent, in the pasture.

Here are the topics:

The History of Raw Milk and Today’s Raw Milk Laws (11am)

People have been drinking raw milk for thousands of years, but it didn’t start becoming vilified until the late 1800s. What changed? Why did this happen? How did policymakers, businesses, and consumers respond? And, why is 1987 such an important year? We’ll explore the history of raw milk, the current laws, and what it all means for you as a consumer.

Natural Farming in a Conventional World (1:30pm)

Miller’s Bio Farm is all about providing you the highest quality, most natural and nutritious foods possible. We love what we do, but it’s definitely NOT easy. Why? We are operating in a “system” that has different goals and different values. What struggles, challenges, and initiatives has Miller’s Bio Farm faced? How have they worked through it so far? What’s coming next? What do consumers need to know when shopping for natural foods?

Gee, writing all this is getting me even more hyped up. I’m so looking forward to having meaningful conversations and getting to know you better.

Did you buy your tickets yet? I’d LOVE to see you at Farm Day <3

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Farm Day 2022

Want to learn more about where your food comes from and how it's produced with care? Please join us for an afternoon of farm food and fun!

When

Saturday, May 21 from10am - 3pm

Where

Miller's Bio Farm, 523 Valley Road, Quarryville, PA 17566

Schedule

10 - Arrival: Sign in at the Welcome Table in the Barn
11-12 - Talk: The History of Raw Milk and Today’s Raw Milk Laws
12-1 - Lunch: Homemade Family-Style
1:30-2:30 - Talk: Natural Farming in a Conventional World
3 - End

Activities

*Can be done anytime at Farm Day. Not on a schedule.

Chat with farmer Aaron and the farm team
See the animals
Pony rides
Wagon rides
Meet the vendors
On Farm Shopping

Shopping Pass

*Exclusive on farm access. Get the BEST prices we offer with special Farm Day only deals.

Vendors

*Each vendor will have a table and samples. They are happy to chat and answer questions.

Wholesome Living Acres: Pastured, soy-free eggs. Ask about his transition to corn-free and soy-free eggs.
Walnut Run Bakery: Einkorn bread, pizzas, crackers, muffins, cookies, donut holes, whoopie pies, and sticky buns. Ask about the new products that are in the works.
Susie's Organic Kefir: Grape, lemon ginger, and pineapple kefir soda. Ask about their process and new flavors.
Healthy Beverages: Apple, grape, blueberry, and root beer kombucha. Ask about their process and new flavors.
Suplee Hollow Cereals: Soaked oats and nuts, chocolate bark, and granola bars. Ask about their process and new products.

BUY TICKETS NOW

Opinion

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 😊

2 talks at Farm Day, and it's just 1 week away! Raw milk legal stuff and natural challenges.

The History of Raw Milk and Today’s Raw Milk Laws (11am)

Natural Farming in a Conventional World (1:30pm)

Farm Day 2022

When

Where

Schedule

Activities

Shopping Pass

Vendors

Menu

SNACKS

DRINKS

LUNCH

DESSERT

BUY TICKETS NOW

More from the blog

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

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

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

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Miller's Bio Farm, 523 Valley Road, Quarryville, PA 17566