Milk with dignity? Yup, that's us. What everyone does on the farm with pleasure.

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posted on

September 2, 2022

A customer recently shared the Milk with Dignity program with us. Although the farm won’t get this certification (we only get certified for what’s required), it did make me think.

Human rights is a big issue in today’s conventional farming world, especially the dairy industry.

Migrant and underpaid workers, unsafe or unsanitary working conditions, lack of breaks or housing, etc. are all sadly commonplace with conventional supermarket food (including certified organic). It’s a big reason that food can be as cheap as it is.

I spend a lot of time educating customers about what a wonderful life our animals live and how healthy the soil is and how what we do is sustainable and good for the environment and why eating farm direct food can nourish your health. But, what about the humans that work on the farm?

Miller’s Bio Farm is proud to be an awesome place to work. All of our 18 employees are treated with respect and have good morale.

All employees get lunch and work breaks, are paid fairly, and get bonuses for meeting their goals. It’s a safe and super clean place to work. If they don’t have transportation, the farm will provide it. And, of course, there’s plenty of time for socializing and having fun.

In addition to the most exciting day of the year - Farm Day - we also have annual staff events.

This year, we all went to Crystal Cave for a day in July for general employee fun and bonding. The cave was cool, but the wiffle ball games were epic. We also have a Christmas party in December with a white elephant gift exchange. And, of course, all of our events have amazing homemade farm food :)

Miller’s Bio Farm isn’t just a place to work, it’s a place to learn.

There are a gaggle of Amish girls (teenagers) who work part-time on the farm. They help with things like making raw pet dairy, stamping the boxes with our logo, packing orders, and cleaning.

There are also a few Amish boys (teenagers) who work part-time on the farm. They help with farm tasks like moving the cows or making hay. And they help with fulfillment tasks like moving inventory, bottling milk, and receiving or sending shipments.

In the Amish culture, kids go to Amish schools through 8th grade. Then, they work in their community and get educated experientially. Their farm job is part of their educational journey.

The first year of high school, the Amish go to school one half day per week. The rest of their high school time, they’re not sitting at a desk, they are working and learning hands on.

The idea is that they’re getting real world experience. They are able to hold different types of jobs and figure out what work they’d like to do as an adult. It’s experiential education.

Side note: The Amish have fought with the US government over this, and the current education model is the result of a compromise between both parties.

The farming side of the business is managed by Amish men.

Although we still call him “Farmer Aaron”, Aaron doesn’t really do much farming anymore. He manages the business. He makes sure everything is running smoothly and that we’re upholding our standards. He lends a hand wherever and whenever it’s needed.

Daniel and his wife Rebecca and their 4 children live on the main farm, in one half of Aaron’s house. He tends to our 50 cows and does the milkings. He also tends to the pastured and the turkeys and the chickens and whatever else the farm’s growing.

Aaron is the oldest of 11 children, and his brother David runs our second dairy farm. He has a herd of 45 cows in Bird-in-Hand, on the farm where Aaron grew up.

If either of our farm managers need help, they get it! Aaron will take over farm tasks for Daniel. And, David lives down the road from his parents and can call on his brothers for help when he needs it. They’ll just run down the road.

And, then there’s the fulfillment management, which is done by a mix of Amish and English men and women (“English” is the Amish word for a non-Amish person).

Cameron (who’s English) manages the freezer and meat inventory. Kevin (also English) manages the packing team and orders the dairy. Lena (who’s Amish) manages the paperwork, non-meat inventory, and so much more. Rich and Justin (a husband and son team who are both English) are drivers and deliver our Farm Driver Home Delivery orders.

Sara and I (both English) work remotely. We do the email customer service, manage the website and social media, write the newsletters, and basically take care of the farm’s online presence.

Miller’s Bio Farm has a pretty good thing going. And as we grow, so does our team. It’s such an exciting place to work!

You don’t have to believe me. I just did an employee survey, and you can see the results and some comments from staff below.

It was wonderful, although not surprising, to get overwhelmingly positive results :)

Do you have a note of appreciation to pass to the farm team? Everyone on the team works so hard, and I’m sure they’d love to feel appreciated.

I’d love to hear from you. Comment at the very bottom of this post (no account required - start typing for the guest option to appear) or contact us . I'll make sure everyone's messages are relayed to the farm team.

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Employee Survey Results

How do you rate your overall employee experience?

91% ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

9% ⭐⭐⭐⭐

0% ⭐⭐⭐

0% ⭐⭐

0% ⭐

The company work environment is safe and comfortable.

82% Strongly agree

18% Agree

0% Neutral

0% Disagree

0% Strong Disagree

Teamwork and collaboration are encouraged and practiced.

82% Strongly agree

18% Agree

0% Neutral

0% Disagree

0% Strong Disagree

The company encourages and supports a healthy work/life balance.

66% Strongly agree

17% Agree

17% Neutral

0% Disagree

0% Strong Disagree

I receive adequate opportunities to interact with other employees.

82% Strongly agree

18% Agree

0% Neutral

0% Disagree

0% Strong Disagree

I feel welcome at company events, meetings, and social interactions.

91% Strongly agree

9% Agree

0% Neutral

0% Disagree

0% Strong Disagree

I love working at Miller’s Bio Farm.

73% Strongly agree

27% Agree

0% Neutral

0% Disagree

0% Strong Disagree

Please give us an open review of your work at Miller’s Bio Farm. How has the experience been, or what have you learned?

Here are some of the responses:

I am grateful to have so many opportunities to learn new things and be paid for that experience! -Lena

I appreciate the experience of getting to know all the amazing girls @ Miller's Bio. -Linda

Miller's has been such an amazing company to work for. No drama and a smooth-flowing team-oriented workplace makes every day enjoyable and one to remember. Over the past year I have learned so much about this industry and can't wait to continue learning! -Cameron

My experience has been amazing and I have learned to try to communicate clearly with other people. -Barbie Lapp

I am very thankful for my experience working for Miller's Bio Farm. I have not only learned ways to improve my own health but I have also learned skills I can take with me for the rest of my life. It is a special place! -Sara

Opinion

Farming Practices

Raw Dairy

Why spring grass milk is the most healthy, creamy, yellow, and delicious.

Ahhhh, spring grass fed milk. It’s just the best milk of the entire year. You can see that it’s yellower and creamier. You can taste its full flavor and earthiness. In your gut, you just know that this milk is good for you. It’s simply the best. With modern testing, we can quantify that we’re not crazy for believing this or feeling this within our bodies. It’s scientifically true. Spring grass fed milk is the healthiest milk. Let’s explore.

Sugar. What's the big deal anyways? Does refined vs natural matter?

I’m pretty new to this “health conscious” world, and honestly… it can be so overwhelming! Do you ever feel like that? There’s SO much information, so many rabbit holes to fall into, and it can feel like you need a degree just to grocery shop. For me, it started with sugar. I know, I know, we ALL know that sugar is bad. But when you grow up in an environment where health isn’t really talked about (like me), no one actually explains why it’s bad. They just say “Don’t eat too much sugar.” But what does too much even mean? And why is it bad? What happens if I eat too much? So there I was, just trying to make some churros (because, priorities — yum!), when I thought: “I don’t want to use bad sugar..but how do I know which sugars are good and which are bad?” And down the rabbit hole I went. Now, I’m here to save you some time and break it down the easy way - as simply as I can. What’s wrong with refined sugars? Why should we stay away? Alright, let’s get into it. What’s the big deal with sugar? Why do people tell us to stay away from it? Turns out, there's quite a few reasons… and I was today years old when I learned some of them. Contributes to weight gain and obesity: (Duh! I knew this one at least!) Excess sugar gets stored as fat. Simple as that. Increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions: Messes with insulin, spikes blood sugar, and leads to long term issues. No nutritional value: Empty calories, zero benefits. Just makes things sweet. Highly processed: Highly processed sugars like high fructose corn syrup typically contain a higher % of fructose. If consumed in large amounts can lead to higher triglycerides, diabetes, fatty liver disease, heart disease, etc. Addictive: Your brain craves more, leading to overconsumption. Steals nutrients from your body: Especially B vitamins, which are crucial for brain and nervous health system. Blood sugar roller coaster: The spike and crash cycle leaves you tired, cranky, and reaching for more sugar. Knowing this doesn’t make that chocolate glazed donut any less tempting, but once you really understand what sugar does to your body, it’s easier to make better choices. Why is it important to be mindful of how much sugar you are consuming? The average American consumes 17 teaspoons (71 grams or 0.16 pounds) of added sugar per day (honestly, I believe it’s likely more than this) Here is a quick chart of the recommended sugar intake: Here’s a chart of common foods and the grams of sugar: So yeah, we’re eating waaaaay more than we should. And it’s not just about weight, sugar affects your brain, mood, energy, and overall health. Too much sugar can lead to: Brain fog, forgetfulness, mental dullnessIncreased anxiety, panic attacks, and mood swingsChronic fatigue, muscle weakness, and even heart palpitations I’ll be honest. I’ve felt some of these symptoms myself. I never really watched my sugar intake…until now. I didn’t think it was THAT big of a deal. But the more I learned, the more I realized how much sugar was affecting me. Is natural sugar any better? The short answer — yes! Here’s why: Refined Sugars: Refined sugars/processed sugars (like white sugar and high fructose corn syrup) are stripped of everything beneficial. They are digested quickly by the body, causing spikes in blood sugar followed by crashes. This also leads to hunger, irritability, and cravings. Have you ever eaten a donut and still felt hungry? Natural Sugars: Natural sugars (like those in fruit, honey, maple syrup) come with fiber, vitamins, and minerals that your body actually needs. So it’s digested slower. This keeps the blood sugar stable, reducing cravings. Plus they come with essential nutrients that refined sugar lacks. For example: An apple has natural sugar, but also fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. A donut has added sugar, no nutrients, and leads to sugar crashes. So yes, natural sugars are the better option, but moderation is still key. Even natural sugar is overconsumed, it can contribute to weight gain and metabolic issues. Refined Sugars to Avoid Okay, so we know refined sugar isn’t great. But what should we actually avoid? Here’s a quick list: ❌ White sugar (refined sugar) - the most processed form w/ 0 nutrients ❌ High Fructose Corn Syrup - common in sodas and processed foods ❌ Sucrose, Dextrose, & Fructose (found in a lot of processed foods) - sneaky names for refined sugar in packaged foods ❌ Artificial sweeteners (aspartame, saccharin, sucralose) - synthetic sugars, probably so much worse for than sugar Better Alternatives: Natural Sweeteners You Can Use Giving up sugar completely is tough (trust me, I’m working on it too!). But the good news is, there are better options that don’t come with the same downsides as refined sugars. ✅ Pure Maple Syrup: rich in minerals, great for baking ✅ Raw, unfiltered honey: full of enzymes and antioxidants ✅ Molasses: iron rich and nutrient dense ✅ Maple sugar, sucanat, coconut, palm, or date sugar: less processed and better for you ✅ **Piloncillo or Mexican Brown Sugar: raw, unrefined cane sugar. Also known as Mexican brown sugar. ✅ Applesauce & Mashed Bananas: great for baking swaps ✅ Raisins & Dates: natural sweetness with fiber and nutrients **Side Note: I grew up with this!! I didn’t know that this entire time my family has been using a better version of sugar all long!! It was really cool to learn this. Final Thoughts: Be Smart About Sugar Look, I’m not saying you need to swear off sugar forever (I mean..churros exist). But being mindful of sugar intake and choosing better alternatives can make a huge difference in your health. A few key takeaways: Sugar is addictive and offers zero nutrients. Too much sugar affects your weight, brain, mood, and energy levels.Natural sugars are better, but should be consumed in moderation.Avoid refined sugars and opt for natural sweeteners when possible. And honestly, give yourself grace. Changing habits takes time. I’m still figuring it out myself, but the goal isn’t perfection. It’s making small, healthier choices every day. So, what are your thoughts? Are you trying to cut back on sugar too? What are your favorite alternatives? Do you have any recommendations? ----- References https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/health/family-health/children-and-sugar-how-bad-it https://www.westonaprice.org/... https://thinkvida.com/blog/why-you-should-avoid-refined-sugars/ https://kaynutrition.com/what-is-the-healthiest-sugar/ https://nutrition.ucdavis.edu/outreach/nutr-health-info-sheets/consumer-addedsugars https://www.hartfordhospital.org/about-hh/news-center/news-detail?articleId=27851&publicid=461 https://thegreatbritishporridgeco.co.uk/blogs/news/natural-sugars-vs-added-sugars... https://veggiesandvirtue.com/blog/how-much-sugar-can-kids-have https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/how-does-sugar-in-our-diet-affect-our-health/

Our bone broth tested A+++ for heavy metals 🥳 NATURAL AND CLEAN

*Originally published on 3/14/25. Updated on 4/15/25. 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 body. Depending on the metal, it can accumulate in the bones, muscle, skin, brain, etc. 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 use apple cider vinegar to draw everything out and make it thick and gelatinous and nutrient rich (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. And, as we know, our poor planet is becoming more and more contaminated with toxins like these toxic heavy metals 😢 What I glean from this study is that we need more research. We need to stay vigilant and test from time to time. 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 actually tested twice. As it turns out, the first test results from March had a LOQ (limit of quantification) that was to high. So, we sent new products in April for testing at a lower LOQ. The results are in! Our bone broth tested A+++ for arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. You can find the actual Eurofins test results right here! For easy reference, here's a chart summarizing the results: You'll notice that, for every sample, the results are "<2.0 μg/kg" and "<4.0 μg/kg". The "<" indicates the limit of quantification (LOQ), the lowest concentration that can be accurately tested using the test procedure in that sample type. So if a "<" result appears, it means that none of that metal was found in the sample above the specific reporting LOQ. Whether or not they were present below this LOQ is information that's not provided by the test. It's also important to note that a μg/kg is a part per billion (ppb). So, for 1 μg/kg, in every billion grams of that food, there would be one gram (or 0.0000001%) of that particular heavy metal. The small numbers matter when it comes to toxic heavy metals, since it doesn't take all that much for your body to become inundated and start experiencing issues or damage. These results are excellent. It means the broth definitely isn't overloaded with toxic heavy metals and are within safe levels. Our amazing customers mentioned Mike Adams to me numerous times after we released the first set of broth results. Mike Adams is an outspoken consumer health advocate, investigative journalist, activist, and science lab director. It turns out Eurofins, the lab we used, is a lab that he recommends. Moreover, our results land us in his highest rating when it comes to heavy metals! I think we're doing pretty great when it comes to providing clean, natural food. But, one result did make me pause. You might be thinking what I first thought -- "But wait, you got a reading above 4.0 μg/kg for arsenic. Isn't that bad?" Let's dive in -- What's up with arsenic? First off, it's important to note that there are organic forms of arsenic as well as inorganic forms. Our body can handle the organic kind pretty well. But, the inorganic kind is carcinogenic. Our test results show the level of all arsenic, and it doesn't divide inorganic and organic. Second, as you can see from the Health Ranger rating above, your body can tolerate way more arsenic than the other three toxic heavy metals. It can handle 6x more than cadmium, 25x more than lead, and 103x more than mercury. Third, it was a mystery to me how arsenic had a reading in the ground beef but not the beef bone broth. Thankfully, that has a pretty easy explanation. Whereas lead mainly accumulates in the bones, arsenic accumulates more in the organs and muscles. And, of course, meat is muscle. And finally, it was also quite perplexing how arsenic showed in our beef as well as our chicken. You see, our beef and chicken are grown on two separate farms (hours apart) and are processed at two separate processors (also hours apart). They're fed two completely separate diets, too! My only explanation is farmland in general or maybe even our environment in general. Organic arsenic has always been naturally present in the soil and water. It's just there in small amounts. But, levels nowadays are likely higher due to overuse of products laden with inorganic arsenic over time. Starting in the 1940s, conventional farmers would include drugs filled with inorganic arsenic in the feed for pigs and chickens and turkeys to encourage fast growth and prevent disease. Ugh. This actually led to concerns about arsenic poisoning, and that that practice was banned recently, in 2016. It makes me think that all the agri-waste has contaminated our farmland a bit, perhaps in both the soil and water. And then of course there are synthetic pesticides and herbicides and fertilizers that may contain inorganic arsenic. And their use on conventional farms might runoff everywhere else. Since our meats are grown on farms that have been naturally managed for some time, I think that's why our arsenic levels were so low, especially compared to conventional meat. Now, let's compare our results to food in general. Ours are extremely low. The data below is based on a few scientific studies: Arsenic: Rice contains anywhere from 90-450 ppb (that includes that rice cereal for babies, too). Meat and poultry in general typically contain 100-200 ppb. The max ours has is 6.8 ppb.Cadmium: Spinach contains 117-222 ppb. Rice contains 6-19 ppb. Meat and poultry in general contain about 10 ppb. Our has less than 2 ppb.Lead: Meat and poultry in general contain about 25 ppb. Our has less than 4 ppb.Mercury: The larger the fish, the more time it has to accumulate mercury. Swordfish and king mackerel can have about 1,000 ppb. Meat and poultry in general contain about 10-50 ppb. Ours has less than 2ppb. Wow! Putting that into perspective, it looks like our broth and meat are quite clean and extremely low in toxic heavy metals! Are you satisfied with our heavy metal results? Do you think we should take further action? Should we test other products? 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 ReviewInorganic arsenic toxicosis in a beef herd Consumer Wellness Center Labs Heavy Metal RatingsArsenic in Meat and Animal ProductsInorganic arsenic toxicosis in a beef herdArsenic in brown rice: do the benefits outweigh the risks?A Survey of the Levels of Selected Metals in U.S. Meat, Poultry, and Siluriformes Fish Samples Taken at Slaughter and Retail, 2017–2022Arsenic in your foodDietary exposure to cadmium from six common foods in the United StatesMercury Content in Commercially Available Finfish in the United States Author links open overlay panel

Milk with dignity? Yup, that's us. What everyone does on the farm with pleasure.

Human rights is a big issue in today’s conventional farming world, especially the dairy industry.

Miller’s Bio Farm is proud to be an awesome place to work. All of our 18 employees are treated with respect and have good morale.

Miller’s Bio Farm isn’t just a place to work, it’s a place to learn.

In the Amish culture, kids go to Amish schools through 8th grade. Then, they work in their community and get educated experientially. Their farm job is part of their educational journey.

The farming side of the business is managed by Amish men.

And, then there’s the fulfillment management, which is done by a mix of Amish and English men and women (“English” is the Amish word for a non-Amish person).

You don’t have to believe me. I just did an employee survey, and you can see the results and some comments from staff below.

Do you have a note of appreciation to pass to the farm team? Everyone on the team works so hard, and I’m sure they’d love to feel appreciated.

Employee Survey Results

How do you rate your overall employee experience?

The company work environment is safe and comfortable.

Teamwork and collaboration are encouraged and practiced.

The company encourages and supports a healthy work/life balance.

I receive adequate opportunities to interact with other employees.

I feel welcome at company events, meetings, and social interactions.

I love working at Miller’s Bio Farm.

Please give us an open review of your work at Miller’s Bio Farm. How has the experience been, or what have you learned?

More from the blog

Why spring grass milk is the most healthy, creamy, yellow, and delicious.

Sugar. What's the big deal anyways? Does refined vs natural matter?

Our bone broth tested A+++ for heavy metals 🥳 NATURAL AND CLEAN

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