Difference between revisions of "Jacob Springs raw milk program"

From RAWiki
Jump to: navigation, search
(Milk Shares from Jacob Springs Farm)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
[[File:Andre_with_cows.jpg|thumb|Andre in the milking parlor]]
 
[[File:Andre_with_cows.jpg|thumb|Andre in the milking parlor]]
 +
 +
[[Jacob Springs Farm]]has a '''raw milk program''' practicing [[Once a day milking]] with [[Grass Fed]] Jersey Cows.
  
 
===Milk Shares from Jacob Springs Farm===
 
===Milk Shares from Jacob Springs Farm===

Revision as of 20:22, 16 January 2018

Andre in the milking parlor

Jacob Springs Farmhas a raw milk program practicing Once a day milking with Grass Fed Jersey Cows.

Milk Shares from Jacob Springs Farm

What: Premium, raw, grass-based milk from happy A2 Beta Casein cows at Jacob Springs, your own local farm!

Why: Because milk, the way it is supposed to be, is so marvelous! Healthy Jersey cows - that graze on organic grass and are tested to carry only the unmutated A2 beta casein gene - make the richest, most healthful milk for you to enjoy.

How: It’s a herd share - you will have to fill out the paperwork - then we provide you milk from your own cow! We will care for her, feed and milk her, and the milk is yours! We don't pasteurize it, but you can if you want to!

The share costs $50 plus $52 per month boarding for a gallon per week share (about $12/gal).

Where: Pick up weekly at the farm: Jacob Springs Farm

 7602 Arapahoe Road
 Boulder, CO 80303 
 farmteam @ jacobsprings.com

Elements of quality raw milk

  • Breeding

Good milk must come from good cows - this includes genetics for A2 beta-casein but also preferably cows that produce plenty of cream and protein (not watery milk) - that are resistant to mastitis, and are bred to dedicate some of their metabolic resources to their own health - and not just to maximize milk production. this means that the best milk does NOT come from the highest producing cows.

  • Feeding

Good milk must come from good grass - good grass comes from good soils that are not depleted by use of synthetic fertilizers - grass grown with synthetic fertilizers are watery and lack minerals. A VERY small amount of grass seeds (grain) is acceptable SEASONALLY (only in the fall and early winter) as in nature, herbivores will seek out seed heads in the pasture - excessive grains cause acidosis (an acidic rumin) which is not healthy in cows. Access to a variety of different wild herbs in biodiverse pastures is a bonus as cows are able to use their "specific appetite" [1] to seek out plants which help them to regulate their nutritional needs.

  • Seeding

Good milk is not sterile. Pasteurization does not only destroy vital nutritional components of milk such as vitamins A and D and enzymes such as phosphatase, it also kills good bacteria as well as any bad that might be present. Instead of sterilization, good milk contains probiotics if they have been "seeded" into the environment around the cow. Good quality milk that has been seeded will not become foul if left at room temperature. Instead it will undergo a yogurt-like "clabbering" if the appropriate bacteria are seeded there.

From the flier

The Jacob Springs Farm herd share is designed to provide our community with great milk.

In May of 2005 the Colorado state legislature recognized that people should have the freedom to consume raw milk. Despite the fact that it is now legal to drink fresh milk from a cow that you own, there are still relatively few raw milk dairies in operation in our area. As with our Jacob Springs Farm Meat CSA, we are committed to Organic production, but that’s just the beginning - we seek to go beyond organic and benefit people, planet, pastures and our livestock. We are entirely grass-based and we use rotational grazing as a tool for regenerating pastures, building soil and sequestering carbon. We would love to fill you in on the details - ask us!

The quality of our food matters! That’s why we focus on grass - the foundation of milk that’s rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Conjugated Linoleaic Acid, Vitamins, Beta Carotene and many other important nutrients. That’s also why we choose to milk Jersey cows (whose milk is rich in components) and why we test our cows to be sure that they only carry the A2 Beta Casein gene (see “Devil in the Milk” for more information). We love building community! We are looking to expand the milking team by adding some “work shares” ask us if you feel you might be a good fit to take on some milking responsibilities to offset costs.


From the Ad

We have 4 of the sweetest and most beautiful Jersey cows and we are offering you a share in their wonderful milk!

We now have a limited number of shares available in their rich and lovely milk.

Jacob Springs Farm is a local, beyond organic farm very close to Boulder at 75th and Arapahoe. We have a meat CSA (sold out) eggs and Raw Milk shares.

Sign up soon to reserve the pickup day of your choice!

References

Devil In The Milk: [2]

A2 Beta Casein Reference Article: [3]

Butter Brigade (discontinued program)

Join the Butter Brigade! An elite group of 8 members are invited to join the butter brigade. These heroic volunteers, working in pairs, come to the farm each week - one day per month for each individual - and prepare value added dairy products like butter, cheese, yoghurt, cream, ice cream and other goodies using the farm’s equipment and facility, we then split the goods between us. For cheese, justice and the American whey!

(program terminated because of scheduling complexity and high demand for regular shares)

Cows

As of February 2017, our herd consists of four A2A2 tested cows: Daisy and Belle are
Belle, a purebred Jersey
purebred registered Jerseys purchased in July 2014 from a commercial dairy in Utah. Veronica is a 7/8 Jersey 1/8 Shorthorn cross; she came from a family of old-fashioned Jersey nurse cows from a ranch in Larkspur, Colorado. Henna is a Jersey-cross cow who was culled from a commercial dairy herd just after she was born.

Raw milk shares contract

Since the program is structured as a herd share program, legal agreements are required to transfer shares in the herd and provide a structure for care of the animals. These documents are included here for reference.

Documents and records

Weekly Schedule

  • Sunday - Thursday - Kari
  • Thursday - Friday - Ashley
  • Saturday - Scott

Milking records

Daily milk production records for each cow for 2017 can be entered using google forms here

The Google sheets spreadsheet linked to the google form which stores production data and generates the charts can be found

here (2017) and here (2016)

A cow's milk production undergoes a long decline after the birth of her calf. A standard lactation of 305 days is typical which allows 2 "dry" months for the cow before the new calf comes.

2017 Milking Data

We begin 2017 feeding an exceptional alfalfa hay with a RFV of 275 - the highest we've ever heard of (it was regrowth after late season hail - very leafy)

2015-2016 data

You can see a big leap in production around the first of December - this is when we began feeding hay purchased by RFV - Relative Feed Value - Beginning with an alfalfa hay around 215 RFV