Every human being on this earth is made into the person they are by their experiences, by the things they are exposed to.
Our basic values and beliefs are based largely on our early years. Children are the most impressionable and learn at the fastest rate. We adjust as we experience things and as our ability to reason develops.
All that being considered, I am the product of my raising.
My family had a major influence on who I became. As longtime readers know, I grew up on a dairy farm here in Lewis County. It was one of the largest, “back in the day” when we had about 125 dairies in our county.
My father was a dairy veterinarian, and I spent a large part of my life in the barns with my dad, brothers and hired men (and rare female employees).
Today, I want to share some of what I understand about dairies — particularly milk.
This is simply my opinion. You should form your own.
The discussion over raw milk rises to the surface periodically. All too often, it is fueled by emotion and less-than-accurate information. I would say it is mostly a personal opinion thing, but each person needs to consider facts when making the decision for themselves and their families.
I grew up drinking raw milk. I never questioned whether it was “safe” or not. But there are circumstances that made it more safe for me and my family than for many other people.
Yes, we had a healthy herd (remember, my dad was a dairy vet by training and experience) that was well cared for. Their health, comfort and nutritional needs were a daily, constant consideration.
We followed strict sanitation procedures. Our milk would have been deemed “safe” if we had chosen to sell raw milk. We did not. My dad did not. We sold our milk that was hauled by refrigerated tank trucks to a processor. We did operate our own processing plant for a number of years, selling from our own on-farm store as well as to local grocers. We also supplied many of the schools in both Lewis and Thurston counties.
So we drank raw milk, but did not sell it. There was a reason for that. One of the “perks” for our employees was being able to get milk — but not raw from the tank. They were able to get our processed milk. Why? Why did my dad think it was OK for our family to drink raw milk but not our employees and their families? He had his reasons.
It all comes down to natural immunity. Remember, I “grew up in the barn.” I was out in the environment that our cows were in. I was exposed to the same things they were. I developed natural immunity, a little at a time, over the years. I breathed the same air. I got scrapes and cuts, wiped the blood off on my jeans and kept going. I got dirt (and yes, even manure) in my mouth. I was constantly exposed to “contamination,” to the bacteria, germs, bugs and pathogens of that environment, and I built natural immunity.
Our employees were, too. Why couldn’t they have our raw milk? My dad’s reasoning was they were probably safe drinking it — but maybe not their families, their children. Some employees lived on the ranch in provided housing. Some did not. They perhaps lived a mile down the road or farther. Their children were not exposed as we were. They did not develop that natural immunity, and my dad was not willing to risk their health.
Some people argue, justifiably, that the statistics on deaths due to raw milk are much lower than those of people dying due to fruit and vegetables.
I understand that.
As I said, it comes down to a personal, hopefully educated choice. But, I wonder, why take a known chance when it is not necessary? I buy all my milk now. I am no longer on a ranch with cattle. I perhaps do not have as robust an immune system as I had. And a gallon of milk takes me longer to get through now than when I had four sons drinking it along with me. It keeps better after being pasteurized. Pasteurization is an important part of the dairy industry. It protects us from harmful bacteria while preserving nutrition.
I am not saying you should or should not drink raw milk. It is your personal decision to make. Make your own choice and let others make theirs.
While I have your attention, I want to share a little milk information: Raw milk is milk that has been neither pasteurized nor homogenized.
Pasteurization is a process that gently heats milk to a specific temperature for a set amount of time to reduce harmful bacteria and extend shelf life. It is a food safety process.
Homogenization is a totally different process. It forces milk through tiny openings under pressure to break the fat globules into smaller particles so the cream stays evenly mixed throughout the milk instead of rising to the top (fat and cream is less dense so it floats on the rest of the milk). This is a change in texture. It has nothing to do with safety.
Ultra-pasteurization heats to a higher temperature than regular pasteurization for a very short time, giving it a longer refrigerated shelf life.
Ultra-high temperature milk is heated to an even higher temperature and packaged in sterile containers, allowing it to be shelf-stable until opened. Personally, I just can’t get used to the idea of milk that is not refrigerated.
Microfiltration is when milk is passed through very fine filters to remove some bacteria and impurities. This is often used alongside pasteurization.
Today, we have standards for milk products based on fat (cream) content. Whole milk is 3.25% milk fat, 2%, 1% are just what they say, and skim is technically fat free. Fortified milk commonly has vitamin D (as it is destroyed in milk exposed to sunlight) and vitamin A — especially in reduced-fat and skim milk.
At the end of the day, everyone gets to choose what they're comfortable drinking, whether that's raw, pasteurized, non-homogenized or something else.
I think it is important that we understand what each process actually does before we make our personal decision.
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Maureen Harkcom grew up on a Lewis County dairy and operated a beef and native hay operation and developed an equine competition facility. She is a past president of Lewis County Farm Bureau and a current member of Washington Farm Bureau Board of Directors. She can be reached by email at maureen.harkcom@gmail.com.
