Healthy Grass Makes Healthy Cows Make Healthy Milk
posted on
May 26, 2017
I had the pleasure of visiting the farm this week and was astounded at how much I learned about our cows and grass.
As you know, our cows eat grass. During the warmer months, the grass that they eat is not only green but also fully grown. The farmer moves the cows to a new paddock 3x per day. They waddle into a waste high field of green and begin chowing down. On the day that I visited, the herd cleared out a whopping half-acre of grass.
The farmer pays close attention to his soil health. He works with a soil expert and has his soil tested regularly. In addition to the natural fertilizer provided by the cows, he will grow cover crops or supplement his soil with any minerals that are lacking.
Given what it needs, the alfalfa grass grows tall and strong. The farmer makes sure that the cows eat it when it is just right, full grown but not old. It is a delicate balance of nature that simply works.
In return, we gain milk that is packed with vitamins, minerals, and probiotics. Healthy soil makes healthy grass makes healthy cows make healthy milk make healthy consumers. The farmer is so proud to provide his dairy products to his members and, in turn, bring health to their families.
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*9/4/25 Update: Since this blog post was written, the farm has expanded some. There are currently 4 small herds (each with 50 cows or less) providing milk for Miller's. They all operate under the same 100% grass fed standards:
Cows are fed 100% grass, fresh as much as the weather allows. When the weather is warm enough, they are moved to fresh pasture at least once a day. The soil is, of course, managed naturally and regeneratively and with a lot of care. Nothing synthetic is allowed.
