Here's how we test our raw cow milk on site. Cleanliness so important!

Have you ever noticed that our raw cow milk tastes clean and not barny? Have you noticed that it lasts longer than other raw milks? In my experience, it doesn't sour for at least 2 weeks, after the best by date on the cap. Does that happen to you, too?

Our dairy farmers work hard for this. It all comes down to cleanliness... and therefore milk safety.

Our dairy farmers have raw milk permits from the PA Dept of Ag. They do all the required inspections. They do the required periodic tests:

• SPC (standard plate count)
• (SCC) Somatic Cell Count 
• (TCC) Total Coliform Count
• Salmonella (zero tolerance)
• E.coli-O157:H7 (zero tolerance)
• Listeria monocytogenes (zero tolerance)
• Campylobacter jejune (zero tolerance)
• Bovine tuberculosis - yearly for cows (zero tolerance)
• Brucellosis - yearly for cows (zero tolerance)

They obviously pass... otherwise we wouldn't be able to sell milk.

But, they also go above and beyond and test every batch of milk on site for general bacteria counts. Each farmer has their own equipment and supplies on their farm.

Here's how the on site testing is done:

The farmers need to keep their tests under the requirements for pasteurized milk. Wow! And FYI - we post the monthly averages of their test results on our milk safety page.

To be clear, this doesn't mean that our raw milk isn't alive and probiotic. It contains the naturally occurring microorganisms that are in raw cow milk. What it means it that there aren't any external pathogens getting in the milk. 

In other words, our milk is manure and urine free! It's also free of any contaminants from the person milking the cow. You know, dirt that could be on their hands, etc. 

It's those contaminants that often make milk taste cow-y or barn-y. And it's definitely what makes raw milk sour quickly, in 10 days or less.

In our experience, there's a definite learning curve at first. 

Right now, we're trying to get a new dairy farmer on board (he currently sells his milk to another local business just like ours). But, he can't get his raw milk permit. He's passing the specific pathogen tests, but his general bacteria counts are super high. 

On site testing has been extremely helpful for him. He's able to make small changes to his process, like washing his hands or using hotter water, and then he can see the results from his tests the next day (instead of waiting a week when you send it to a lab). He's getting there!

It's surprising how meticulous the cleaning of the barn, the udders and teats, and the equipment needs to be. Most farmers think our standards are crazy. I mean, it's hard work (and we pay our farmers accordingly). But, in our opinion, it's worth it.

Here are a few things we do that other dairy farmers might not:

• Spread gypum on the barn floor when milking to keep it dry.
• Use super hot scalding water to clean equipment. Room temp water simply doesn't clean as well.
• Take the time to meticulously clean the udders and teats (even the divets) with rags soaked in iodine and water. A simple iodine dip isn't enough for us.
• Keep the facilities clean always (no full gutters, no splatter on the walls, etc).
• Make sure that, once equipment is cleaned, it stays untouched.

By doing all of this, we're able to catch issues before they might become big problems. 

For example, we sold sheep milk years ago (it didn't sell well, so we stopped). The farmer was having issues with his bacteria counts. He couldn't figure it out until he inspected his bulk tank close up with a flashlight. He discovered a hairline crack near the spout. And that was the problem. Once the crack was fixed, his counts went back to normal. 

This is all for you! Your safety and enjoyment are our top priority.

What do you think about our milk? Are our safety practices just right or overboard? I'd love to hear from you. Your voice matters a lot. Leave a comment below 😊