Dean

Well-known Member
I started buying milk again recently after a long hiatus and noticed that it is essentially free.

Around here, at least, 1/2 gallon of milk is priced the same as one gallon.

Looks like the public is paying for the packaging and distribution, rendering the milk just about worthless.

Small wonder it is so difficult to make money in the dairy business.

Dean
 
It is interesting as I was having the same thought the other day. I drink a lot of milk & the other day I bought a gal for $2.58 I thought to myself if someone walked up to me & said there is a cow, you can milk her & have all the milk you want for free or you can pull $2.58 out of your pocket & I'll milk her for you. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't go to the trouble of milking her. It is sad all the work & expense that dairy farmers go through & how little profit there must be. Thank You dairy farmers for all your hard work. Hopefully this downturn will improve.
 
There's a couple offerings in the "organic" category, grass fed, in the carton, (glass would be cool!) that I swear is just sweeter than other brands, both co-ops I believe, this 2% grass fed from organic valley, and the whole milk from Maple Hill, is a treat !
You'll pay more, but comparing to the local convenience stores offering, my taste buds bring me back to it. It's a darn treat, that whole milk, 2% seems to be the most drinkable with less fat. Just figured I'd try the higher priced, alleged no chemical kind, pretty darned good. I don't like the plastic jugs, seems the carton tastes better, what are they wax lined ?

I never drank milk or used it for a lot of years, since young until mid, late 40's all for fearing health related issues, same with butter, and not so much with eggs. Have 2 eggs on an English muffin daily, coat the cast iron pan with whipped butter, drain off excess, and have say 1 cup of milk in a frozen glass, (put back in freezer for a bit) well after supper, with a couple of cookies. 1/2 gallon to a gallon a week at most. I dunno, what is the fear, cholesterol ? I guess the doc will let me know how that is soon anyways, best to keep that in check, but geez I'd have to think there is a lot worse for ya, excess alcohol, piling on the junk food etc.?
 
Milk... I could write a book. Just let me say , on behalf of dairy farmers everywhere, thank you for consuming and enjoying dairy and not being afraid to admit it. As you all know the Canadian dollar is far from par value with the US green back. If I go to the states for a visit, it will cost me $1.40 Canadian to convert my money into US dollars. 2% milk here in Canada can be purchased in most any grocery store near me in South Central Ontario for $4.29 cents for 4 litres, very close to one US gallon. Or $3.50 US per gallon. There are two farms that have small on farm processing plants, which sell milk in glass bottles. Obviously this milk in glass cost more, but it is whole/ non homogenized milk. Dairy gets a lot of bad press from the folks that wish to promote alternative products, but try to read and understand the ingredients list. The ingredient list on a jug of milk is milk and added Vitamins D.
 
In the Midwest some small dairies tried the non-pasteurized route. They usually lasted until a number of customers got sick and the cause could be traced back to the dairy. I would imagine sanitation would have to be even better than at regular dairies for that to work.
 
The last time I was at the World Ag Expo they said that there were a million and a half cows being milked in Tulare County alone and I know of three large operations near me here in the Phoenix valley that a semi backs in and loads three times a day. I don't know how many cows it takes to load a semi with milk but it takes a lot of them. Milk sells in the two dollar range here but the last time I was in Hawaii it was from seven dollars at Costco to ten dollars at a seven-eleven type store and five dollars a quart if you only want a quart. For some reason the state of Hawaii does not like dairy farmers so most all milk is flown in from the mainland. I like milk, butter and ice cream and I never say never but I sure hope that I never have to milk another cow.
 
Lot of difference in non homogenized and non pasteurized milk.

I for one will not drink non pasteurized milk just like I will not eat uncooked eggs or meat. But to each their own.

I can remember non homogenized milk in the store from when I was a kid. I still shake the carton of milk today before I pour a glass just out of habit.
 
It was $1.39/half or full gallon last week.

Price has been same for both half and full gallon for at least a couple of months, now.

Dean
 
Our whole family drank only raw milk when I was growing up,my grandmother drank it from the time she was born in 1902 until about 1975 when she quit milking her cow.All the neighbors drank raw milk too never knew anyone that got sick from it.Every time I go to PA I go by a dairy that sells raw milk at the farm been stopping there for years.Most of the hype about the dangers of raw milk
came from the dairy lobby back in the 1960's to outlaw raw milk to limit competition.These are the same people the huge dairies are putting out of business these days,they will get no sympathy from me. Pretty crazy here in the state of VA I can't legally buy raw milk from my neighbor but can buy tobacco products and alcoholic beverages.Milk from the grocery store still tastes odd to me.
 
Having grown up on the family dairy farm, I don't quibble over the price of milk. In fact, it kinda bothers me to see the price fall the way some of you have reported. I'm gonna have my milk, just tell me how much you want for it.
 
It?s been awhile now, but In the past meadow brook dairy use to deliver milk door to door in glass bottles, people would have a metal foam lined cooler by there door. Not sure if they still do that or not, can?t remember the last time I saw them, and I don?t do as much work in those areas anymore.
 
It's the same with all farm commodities. When I worked for the pea cannery, there was three cents worth of processed peas in the can, the rest was container, labeling, transport, and marketing.
 
Our trade school is directly across the street from ADL?s (Gay Lea?s working partner) head office and cheese production facility. I pulled a few strings at management and booked our class of 32 to have a tour on Friday. You should have seen the looks of amazement and heard all the great questions from the other students. Heck I even got to sit in my old chair in the board room. Nothing but praise from all the students about the quality of ADL?s products, modernness and CLEANLINESS of the entire plant. I?m very glad to have been able to take them over to see the plant.
 
A new Quik Trip gas station open in Muscatine, Ia a few months ago, lots of low prices to get you to start coming in there. You had to sign up for a loyalty card to get better discounts, so I did. A few weeks later I got an email saying if I upgraded to a Kwik Trip credit card I could get a free gallon of milk/week for 1 year. I did and we are enjoying free milk. Chris
 
I doubt it will tell you. Most items just say made for such and such and list a city in the USA. I'll have to look.
 
I live in a county of 13,000 people. In 1976 there were 36 dairy farms in that county. Today there are 3. One is the largest producing herd in the state. The owners are 63 years old(twin brothers). One farm is organic. Really don't know how they are holding on.
 
how is that milk free you have to milk the cow and she needs to eat. have you priced hay lately the last small squares I bought for $ 6 a bale.
 
In Pa the milk marketing board sets the minimum price per gallon, $3.50 or so. I buy about two gallons per week . I Am the only one who drinks it. I buy fat free which is funny because from the time I was born (1948) until I sold the cows (1984) I only drank raw whole milk. Never got sick. I miss the cows but enjoy the freedom of not milking. It is really tough to be a dairy farmer in today's market. Thankfully someone is still willing to do it. I don't complain much about the big operators. Most of the one's in W Pa are still family operations , just had to get big to stay in business and even they are struggling .
Phil
 
I still use about a gallon a week plus the ice cream,butter,and cheese I eat. 2 eggs and a slice of cheese on bread with a big glass of chocolate milk for breakfast every morning. Cheese and Cottage cheese on rabbit feed. Then probably some cheese and crackers about once a week.
 

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