Rants and Raves: Raw Yogurt!

RAW YOGURT & KEFIR!!!!!!

Well it's Thursday everyone, and not just any Thursday. No. It's an every other Thursday. And that means I get to put in my yogurt and kefir order with my Dairy Co-op! I made the switch this year to raw co-oped dairy when a number of health issues, and consequent processed food sensitivities, were leaving me depressed, constantly hungry, constantly craving sugar, lethargic, and seriously out of hormonal alignment. I've had issues with lactase since I can remember and I had long ago given up non-organic dairy, then, more recently, pretty much all dairy except yogurt, but it was looking like even my yogurt might have to go given dairy's relationship to endocrine and hormonal imbalances. I still experienced post nasal drip while digesting my after dinner yogurt, a tell tale sign your body still doesn't quite like what you just put in it... It made me very sad because it's sooooo good for you, and I worried about my protein intake, calcium, vit D absorption, and the health of my body's micro flora. I had read through a few different blogs and sites  about the benefits of raw milk and decided to find a "dealer..." (so illicit!) I can't tell you how much I love this product now because it's something I don't notice too much until I have to revert to grocery store organic in a pinch and get draining sinuses and a breakout the next day. Organic raw yogurt is chock FULL of bacterium (far more than its pasteurized counterpart) that eats the lactose to survive and helps your body to digest and properly absorb dairy's nutrients. It may seem scary, and there are lots of FDA warnings against it, but you know every year there are around 116 cases of raw dairy related illness, and 412 cases of pasteurized dairy related illness. That's because the standards for raw organic are so high. Pasture raised, grass fed, small farms, and they won't milk if a cow is currently suffering from mastitis, which happens far less because of better living conditions. (Even regular organic farms still milk these cows, assuming pasteurization will alleviate any dangerous bacterium.)
**You can buy raw milk cheese in stores because of the addition of enzymes to turn it into cheese, so the FDA has deemed it copasetic. Try some! My all time fav I've ever tasted was the indulgent Vampire Slayer cheese I splurged on at Whole Foods. NYS farm, veg rennet, sharp cheddar FULL of garlic (Homer Simpson "moon waffle" mouth watering) But the TJ's raw milk cheddar isn't bad, not super sharp, but excellent melted alongside eggs in the morning!**
I order 1 quart raw organic goats milk yogurt, and 1 quart raw organic cow's milk kefir and mix them together with berries, chia seeds, and, yes, generally some type of lower sugar cookie like TJ's organic animal crackers, for my dessert (mmmmmm....) I've had a positive experience with the product and the co-op itself. One week some rando jerk STOLE my yogurt in it's little cooler from where my delivery man hid it. When I explained what happened I think he might have even been more upset than I was, and now calls me when he's outside so that he can make sure I get my order (yeah, I'll let you know when we set a date for our wedding ;) Prices aren't rock bottom but given the level of quality and door service, not outrageous. I pay $15 total and that lasts me 14 days. So really it's just a little over $1 a day for quality product.
So now you're saying this girl is nuts and living in an insulated nut bubble. Well, yes, I'm not so out of touch to recognize that this is a VERY Brooklyn/Portland concept. Door to door raw dairy cooperatives. heh. But that being said, a raw dairy farmer might be closer than you think. Worth checking out :)

BKBTY