For local sources of farm fresh raw milk in Orlando :
http://www.realmilk.com/where1.html#fl
Posts Tagged ‘Florida’
Benefits of Raw Milk
Wednesday, July 1st, 2009Raw milk truth straight from one of Florida’s finest producers.
Sunday, June 28th, 2009Bubba as he is known is one of the small farmers that we get our milk from. The drive is 3 hours but worth every cent. In the video above Bubba explains his farming practices. He has seen a great demand for grass fed raw milk, organic eggs and other farm fresh foods. We are very fortunate to get his foods here in Orlando.
Sphere: Related ContentThe true cost of Farm Fresh Foods
Friday, May 15th, 2009
Why Does Organic, Farm Fresh Food Cost More?
Many people seeking to include more natural foods in their diets are shocked at the prices for raw milk, organic produce, pastured eggs and poultry, and grass-fed beef compared to similar items at the grocery store. But just like everything else, when it comes to food, you get what you pay for.
For example, a gallon of organic milk purchased at Whole Foods is about $6/gallon. All that for pasteurized, grain-fed milk that contains little of the nutritional power of farm fresh raw milk. This is because pasteurized milk has been excessively heated to kill bacteria—including the beneficial ones—while destroying vital enzymes, vitamins and nutrients. On top of that, many people may have hidden allergies to this pasteurized milk.
Have you ever been to a feedlot or conventional chicken operation? The current food system in the United Sates is appalling. It is based on food predicated on cheaply grown grain, deplorable animal living conditions and environmental degradation. This is where your “cheap” food is grown.
Food from small farms represents the true cost of food as opposed to the industrial system which we as taxpayers pay for (with farm subsidies) that artificially keeps the prices low. Small farmers work long days and must support their families on the products they produce.
Small farms must also take into account the unsubsidized cost of land (it takes more space to raise animals humanely), higher cost of organic feed (which doesn’t contain GMO grains or chemicals), cost of implementing a soil fertility program, smaller production from 100% grass-fed and pasture-raised animals that have access to fresh air, sunshine and a more natural life.
Now we come to the good part. Naturally raised foods provide more nutrition. Animal and plant foods produced on factory farms lack the basic nutrients needed to sustain a healthy life, such as adequate vitamin D, omega-3s, calcium and so much more. Animals raised on pasture are treated humanely and are well cared for.
Though farm fresh food may cost more in the long run it could save you from paying expensive medical bills to treat illness and disease. Eating naturally raised foods may also help you live a longer, more enjoyable life. And who can put a price on that?
Sphere: Related ContentLocal Food in Orlando
Saturday, March 21st, 2009As many of you might have already noticed, finding local sources of local farm fresh food is difficult. The Orlando metro area, which once had thriving agricultural enterprises, instead is filled with urban sprawl. Fortunately, the times are changing. People in Orlando are searching high and low for free-range eggs, fresh milk, local organic produce, and much more. Many have formed co-ops and bring in food from around the US. While commendable, I’m of the opinion that we should support and source food from around Florida and Orlando as much as possible. There some obvious obstacles of course, chief among them is the price of land. Second we need suppliers of natural, non-toxic feed for the animals. Third, we need laws to encourage the growth of local meat processing operations. I do not mean the large slaughterhouses on an industrial scale but rather small mom and pop operations. Smaller operations are easier to keep clean and you can build a personal relationship with them. Can you imagine the return of your local butcher that offers grass-fed meat, lamb and truly pastured chickens? So what can you do? Buy local first. Follow the 80-20 rule. Try to buy a larger portion of your food locally and the remainder from conventional sources. Second, write your local, state and federal representatives to make your voice heard. In these economic troubles, buying locally will have an immediate positive impact.
Please visit these resources below to get started:
Click on Find Local Food
http://www.holisticlivingschool.org/coop
http://apmarket.wordpress.com/
Sphere: Related ContentFood Safety Bill and Florida Farm Foods
Tuesday, March 17th, 2009HR 875, a food safety bill, has been introduced in Congress, and while a true need exists, this bill has real potential to limit your access to Florida farm foods. As many of you are aware we have had a slew of food borne illness outbreaks. This is all the consequence of our industrial food system. A food system that routinely keeps animals in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. A food system that in order to keep these animals alive uses 70% of all the antibiotics the US produces. We should not be surprised that these operations are the new breeding ground of mutating pathogens. So what is the response to all these unsafe practices?…Do they proposed to curb antibiotic use? Perhaps regulators what to change the living conditions of these animals? NO! The proposal is to institute far-reaching, potentially repressive laws that threaten your access to Florida farm foods. Lets take a deeper look:
Definitions in Section 1, Section 3 of HR 875
CATEGORY 1 FOOD ESTABLISHMENT- The term `category 1 food establishment’ means a food establishment (other than a seafood processing establishment) that slaughters, for the purpose of producing food, animals that are not subject to inspection under the Federal Meat Inspection Act or poultry that are not subject to inspection under the Poultry Products Inspection Act. (This would include local Florida farmers slaughtering for their families &/or friends & neighbors &/or those doing so at Farmer’s markets, etc. What they really mean is “anyone not currently subject to inspection”….)
CATEGORY 3 FOOD ESTABLISHMENT- The term `category 3 food establishment’ means a food establishment (other than a category 1 or category 2 establishment) that processes cooked, pasteurized, or otherwise ready-to-eat seafood or other animal products, fresh produce in ready-to-eat raw form, or other products that pose a risk of hazardous contamination. They don’t say “sells”…only “that processes…fresh produce in ready-to-eat raw form…” Once again this would include those growing food for their own family’s consumption, food for consumption by their family &/or friends & neighbors, etc. as well as those selling at local farmer’s markets.)
Sec. 201 (a) (2) ensure that persons who produce, process, or distribute food meet their responsibility to prevent or minimize food safety hazards related to their products. (This is one of my favorites “…Persons?” Not companies, but “persons”…)
Raw milk, pastured eggs, local Florida beef, all these are in danger if our local small farmers are forced into this system. They essentially would be priced out of the market. I agree with greater oversight of the offenders and that is huge multinational big business. So regulate the offenders not my local Florida farmers. See the links below for more information:
http://www.ftcldf.org/aa/aa-14mar2009.htm
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=92002
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