Frequently Asked Questions
Farmers’ All Natural Creamery FAQs
Why is there a plug on top of the milk?
When milk is not homogenized the cream rises to the top of the milk because
it is lighter than the nonfat part of milk. If it is not being used and
shaken daily, the cream to thickens at the top. Many of our customers
find the cream to be quite delicious. In fact, one of our customers,
who is originally from Europe, told us that as a child, his family used
to have fresh milk delivered to their door. The entire family competed
to be the first to get to the milk so they could enjoy the cream at the
top. He even described wanting it so much that he and his brother would
sneak to neighbors porches to eat the cream off the top of their milk!
Why don’t you use glass bottles?
Farmers’ All Natural Creamery milk is packaged using the best method
available for preserving its unique freshness. We use a PET bottle that
does not leach into the milk, like softer plastic dairy bottles do. UV
blockers in the bottle make it a better option than glass because milk
is very sensitive to light. Just minutes of exposure to sunlight and to
ultraviolet lighting in grocery stores induces vitamin degradation and
light oxidation. Oxidation produces off-flavors (cabbage like, burnt odor)
that shorten its shelf life.
Is your bottle recyclable?
Yes, # 1 recyclable—the most widely recycled plastic.
What is the shelf life of your product? Vat process is used
to bring the freshest milk to customers, not milk with a longer-than-natural
shelf life. It is normal for milk to last 10-18 days. Our
milk has an 18 day shelf life.
Is your milk raw?
No, it is not legal to sell raw milk in most states. We use the lowest
temperature (VAT) process allowed with pasteurization laws to bring the
closest to farm fresh milk as possible.
What is non-homogenized? Why do we think non-homogenized is better?
We do not homogenize our milk, preferring instead to leave it in its natural
form--a combination of nonfat milk and cream. Homogenization, developed
around 1900 in France, is a process in which hot milk is pumped through
very small nozzles at high pressure, creating turbulent pressure that
tears the fat globules into tiny particles, evenly dispersing them throughout
the milk. While homogenization blends milk, it makes milk taste bland.
Cream left in its whole form (globules) allows a natural creamy taste
that is lost when it is broken down through homogenization. The cream
in non-homogenized milk will rise to the top because it is lighter than
the nonfat milk from which it separates. The cream at the top is a forgotten
treat that kids and adults in earlier generations looked forward to when
the milkman left milk on their front porch.
Many customers say they like how in one way our milk feels lighter in
the mouth, but it also has a full, creamy flavor. Customers also say our
milk is cleaner on their palate.
What is Pasteurization? Why do we think VAT is better?
Pasteurization is a mandated production method for milks in the United
States where heat is applied to raw milk to decrease the possibility of
food-borne illness and to increase shelf life. The Farmers’ All Natural
Creamery uses a process called VAT pasteurization, where a fixed volume
of milk in a vat is slowly agitated at 145 degrees Fahrenheit—this
process has a uniquely negligible effect on the pure flavor of the milk.
Our end product is as close as pasteurized milk can get to farm fresh flavor.
Our Creamery also chooses the VAT process because we believe its lower
temperature allows milk to retain more of its nutritional value than other
methods of pasteurization (industrial-scale milk operations heat their
milk to 171 degrees or higher, Fahrenheit, HTST method, and from 265-300
degrees, Fahrenheit, UHT method). The difference is very easy to understand;
overcooked food loses flavor and nutrients. A well known example of the
impact cooking has on food is its effect on vegetables. Raw or gently cooked
vegetables have more flavor and nutrients than overcooked vegetables. We
believe the same is likely true for milk. Most milk available today is
pasteurized at temperatures significantly higher than 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
By doing this, dairies sacrifice the fresh flavor and nutritional value
of milk for a longer-than-natural shelf life.
How many cows do you have on a typical farm?
Typical 35-40 cows, Range 15-95 cows
Is Vitamin A or D added to your milk?
We are required to add Vitamin A to our 2%, Skim, 1% milks. It is required
because Vitamin A exists in the cream or fat part of milk so when you
remove cream to lower the fat, you lose or lessen the natural vitamin
A that is in it. We do not use Vitamin A from an animal source when we
add it. We do not add Vitamin D to any of our products.
Why don’t you add Vitamin D to your milk?
Typically, organic customers do not want synthetic vitamins used in milk.
And, like our customers, we prefer our milk to be left in as natural
of a state as possible.
What kind of cows do you have?
Holstein, Jersey, Brown Swiss, Guernseys, Ayrshire, Milking Shorthorned,
Scandinavian Red, Montbeliard
Can your milk be frozen?
It is usually not recommended to freeze milk, but we have heard some customers
say they’ve been able to do it successfully with our product. If
you have been able to do this, send us a note and let us know how it
worked. Here’s one customer’s recommendation. “Do not
quickly thaw the milk (ex. In hot water, microwave), but do it slowly
in fridge. The cream will thaw first, the nonfat part of the milk will
follow. Then, make sure it is completely thawed before shaking.”
If I am lactose intolerant, can I drink your milk?
We have no research that explores this. However, we’ve heard countless
stories from people who say they are able to drink our milk, despite having/being
lactose intolerance. If you have lactose intolerance and you try our milk
we would welcome you to share your experience with us.
Have the cows’ horns been cut?
Most of our farms do cut the cows’ horns. It is done to protect people
and other cows. Injury can happen very easily because cows affectionately
rub their heads towards people. They also like to spar with other cows
in their herds.
Why does the milk sometimes have a yellow color?
Our grass-fed cows are raised on family farms where they graze heavily.
The natural yellow color of grass-fed milk is actually an indication
of its superior nutritional value, and is due to the high amounts of
beta carotene.
Why is it important to have pasture-fed cows?
Over the past few decades many studies have revealed that pasture-feeding
is much healthier for the cows and for the consumer.
Greener Pastures: How Grass-fed Beef and Milk Contribute to Health
Eating by Kate Clancy is the first study to synthesize
the findings of virtually every English-language study (25 were chosen
for analysis) comparing the amounts of total fats, saturated fats, omega-3
fatty acids, and Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) in both pasture-raised
and conventionally raised beef and dairy cattle. The report also combined
analyses of the nutrition, environmental, and public health benefits
of grass-based farming techniques.
The report found that grass-fed milk contains higher levels of omega-3
fatty acids, the so-called beneficial fats. Grass-fed milk tends to be
higher in an omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) that
scientists have demonstrated reduces the risk of heart disease. And grass-fed
milk also is higher in CLA, a fatty acid shown in animal studies to protect
against cancer. CLA was discovered in 1978 by Michael W. Pariza at the
University of Wisconsin while looking for mutagen formations in meat during
cooking. The most abundant source of natural CLA is the meat and dairy
products of grass-fed animals. Research conducted since 1999 shows that
grazing animals have from 3 to 5 times more CLA than animals fattened on
grain in a feedlot. Simply switching from grain-fed to grass-fed products
can greatly increase your intake of CLA.
How much cream per SKU?
Whole 3.5%, 2% , 1%, Skim has .1%
Why is there a grayish look to milk?
It is not the milk that looks gray; it is our bottle that is slightly gray.
Our bottle has a UV blocker in it to protect the milk from light which
will oxidize it, and affect the flavor.
Separation of buttermilk?
All buttermilk separates somewhat. You just cannot see it in the typical
opaque packages used for buttermilk. Ours likely separates more because
we prefer to not homogenize it so it can be left in the purest state.
It easily mixes together when shaken. What sets our buttermilk apart
is the low temperature pasteurizing process that we use. Also the fact
it is non-homogenized.
Kosher Certified?
Yes, Farmers’ All-Natural Creamery products are certified Kosher
by the Chicago Rabbinical Council (CRC).
What are our quality practices?
We meet many standards for quality. FDA, State, Organic Certifier.
We also meet Grade A Milk standards. We are certified organic through Iowa
Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS). We meet the national
organic program (NOP) regulations. We are also inspected by the FDA,
USDA, Iowa Milk Shippers, and are Kosher certified by the Chicago Rabbinical
Council.
Cultural Revolution Organic Yogurt FAQs
Is the milk you use to make your yogurt pasteurized?
Answer: Yes, the milk for our yogurt is Vat (145 degrees) pasteurized before
we start making the yogurt.
After getting back from an extended stay in France, I started searching
for an American yogurt that didn't taste like Jello pudding. About
a year back, I discovered your yogurt and have been a pretty loyal customer
ever since. What I found appealing in your product was that it was
less sweet, and thinner in texture than most American yogurts, i.e. more
like what I found in France.
However, over the last month or so, I've been finding your yogurt to be getting "thicker" somehow. Instead of a thick "cream" on top of a thinner yogurt, it's all thick and creamy, all the way through it seems. Maybe my store just latched onto an odd batch, but I can't help but feel worried the Revolution is over, and you've decided to go with the American model of yogurt the consistency of pudding. What happened?
Answer: I can assure you we are not shooting for the American Style Yogurt
that, as you describe, tastes like Jello pudding. Our focus is to
bring customers food that is less industrialized. As you’ve
noticed in the past, our yogurt is typically thinner because we don’t
use gelatins and stabilizers to create a smooth, thick, or whipped taste. The
lack of stabilizers can cause the appearance of our yogurt to change with
the seasons as the cows’ diets (pasture) change with the seasons.
My yogurt texture looks thinner than it usually does, is there something
wrong with hit?
Answer: No there is not wrong with it, our yogurt is thinner
because we don’t add thickeners or stabilizers. It is just pure,
cultured, non-homogenized organic milk. The lack of stabilizers can cause
the appearance of our yogurt to change with the seasons as the cows’ diets
(pasture) change with the seasons.
Cultural Revolution will look different because it is different. Typically
yogurts made in the United States have textures that are smooth, thick,
or whipped. You see these textures because thickeners or stabilizers are
added to mask the natural marbled texture of the cultured milk.
Your yogurt has very little fruit color and it’s not as flavorful
as other yogurt I’ve had in the last. Is this how it is supposed
to be? I learned about it in the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Top 50
foods list.
Answer: Our yogurts will have comparatively less color and it will not
be as sweet as most yogurts found in the United States. We add less fruit
to allow the cultured milk taste to stand out, instead of the taste of
a lot of sugar. Most customers who eat Cultural Revolution regularly say
their taste buds are transformed. It is very hard to eat a yogurt
with 20-35 gram of sugar when you are used to eating Cultural Revolution
yogurt with just 7-12 grams of sugar per serving.
Are there live cultures in your yogurt?
Answer: Yes, there are Live active cultures- s. thermophilis, l. acidophilus , bifidus, l. bulgaris.
Hen House Eggs FAQs
1. Cage-Free vs. Free-Range?
Cage-Free Birds are fed a vegetarian diet, free of hormones.
These birds are housed in open barns where they have room to move about
and engage in natural hen behavior. They have 1.25 to 1.5 sq. ft. per bird
of floor space.
Free-Range Birds are fed a vegetarian diet, free of hormones. The birds are housed in open barns like Cage Free Birds with the addition of 2 sq. ft. per bird of access to the outdoors. (Note: all organic eggs are required to be free range.)
2. White vs. Brown Eggs?
White and Brown eggs only differ in color and breed of bird. White
birds lay white eggs and all other breeds lay brown. Brown eggs have slightly
thicker shells.
3. What do the birds eat?
The birds eat a diet made up mostly of corn and soybeans. Vegetarian
just means that the feed is free of any animal byproducts.
4. What is the shelf life of the eggs?
Each state has different regulations regarding the shelf life
of eggs. Please consult your state requirements.
