I’ve been drinking raw milk for nearly 20 years.
I’ve milked my own cows, visited dozens of small dairies, talked with farmers about everything from pasture health to mastitis… and I’ve learned something that isn’t talked about enough:

Just because milk is “raw” doesn’t automatically make it good for you.

Raw milk can be one of the most nutrient-dense foods on earth — or it can be something you probably don’t want to drink.

A lot of people believe raw milk is automatically superior. But the truth is:
raw milk is only as clean, healthy, and nourishing as the farm behind it.

So let’s talk about what I’ve learned over two decades of real-life experience.

1. Cleanliness Still Matters — A Lot

Raw milk does not get a free pass when it comes to hygiene.

The basics still matter:

• clean jars

• clean buckets

• clean udders

• clean milking parlor

• clean pastures

• clean barns

When cows are standing in mud, manure piles up, or milking equipment isn’t washed properly, something eventually has to be used to keep the animals healthy.
And whatever that “something” is… ends up affecting the milk.

It’s not about fear — it’s about quality.
Just like you wouldn’t drink water from a mud puddle, you shouldn’t drink milk from muddy conditions either.

2. Antibiotics Don’t Disappear Just Because It’s Raw

A lot of us drink raw milk to avoid medications.
But in barns that aren’t managed well, mastitis shows up quickly — and then antibiotics follow.

Yes, there are withdrawal times.
But I always wonder:

How long does it really take for every trace to leave the cow’s system?

And unless you ask directly, most farmers won’t volunteer when antibiotics were used last.

3. Dewormers Are Literally Poisons — Just Measured Carefully

This surprises a lot of people.

Dewormers are a type of poison — strong enough to kill the worms, but not the cow (or the person drinking the milk).

If animals are crowded or standing in one place too long, parasites become a problem fast.
Many farmers rely on chemical dewormers as a routine solution.

Yes, there are withdrawal times.
But again… how long does it actually take to clear?
And why are the cows needing dewormers so often?

Healthy cows on healthy pasture rarely need them.

4. What the Cow Eats Shows Up in the Milk — Including Sprays on Hay

Cows can produce fantastic milk on hay. We do that most of the winter.

But here’s the hard truth:
Most hayfields today are sprayed with glyphosate-based herbicides to “clean up weeds.”

Cows eat it.
And then we consume whatever they consumed.

If you care about clean food, this matters a great deal.

Always ask what kind of hay the cows are eating.

5. Dairy Ration Isn’t Bad — But Quality Is Everything

Even grass-fed cows typically get a small dairy ration to support their energy.
It’s a normal part of dairying.

But what that ration is matters.

There’s a huge difference between:

• cheap, filler-heavy grain

• and a balanced, thoughtfully formulated feed

What goes in the cow always comes out in the milk.

6. Minerals Shape the Quality of the Milk

Cows are incredibly intuitive about their mineral needs — when you give them options.

On land where minerals like copper or selenium run low, cows need access to free-choice minerals and good salt.
They’ll take what they need and leave the rest.

This leads to healthier cows… and richer, more nutrient-dense milk.

Not every farm does this, and it makes a noticeable difference.

7. Flash Cooling Is Non-Negotiable for Fresh, Long-Lasting Milk

Milk starts changing the second it leaves the udder.

If it stays above 50°F for too long, it heads quickly toward sour cream and kefir territory — long before you’re ready for it to.

We “flash chill” our milk:

• cool it extremely fast

• almost to the freezing point

• but not quite frozen

This slows down the microbes, protects the fat structure, and makes the milk last longer and taste cleaner.

It’s one of the biggest differences between milk that lasts a week… and milk that lasts three.

8. Machine Milking Requires Lab-Level Cleaning

Hand milking is simpler.

Machine milking is basically cleaning a small spaceship.

Hoses, gaskets, claws, valves — all of these parts can hide bacteria if they aren’t scrubbed perfectly every single time.

When milk “goes bad fast,” it’s usually because the system wasn’t cleaned properly, not because there’s anything wrong with raw milk itself.

We Don’t Just Vet Farmers — We Support Them

One thing you might not know is that we don’t simply choose the dairies we work with.

We help them.

When a farmer is struggling with something — pasture issues, udder health, bottling, cooling, parasites, or packaging — they often reach out to us.

Over time, we’ve helped farmers improve everything from:

• pasture management

• cow health

• mineral balancing

• milking systems

• flash cooling

• bottling and packaging

• food safety practices

• marketing

• value-added products

Because when a farmer wants to grow and do better, we want to be part of that journey.

Healthy farms → healthy animals → healthy families.

So Why Share All This?

Every so often someone says:

“Oh, I get raw milk from a guy down the road. It’s much cheaper.”

And sometimes that’s fine.

But often — when you ask the right questions — one or more of these red flags show up.

If you’re going to view raw milk as nourishment, or even medicine, then:

you deserve to know what’s in it, what the cows are eating, and how the milk is being handled from pasture to jar.

Raw milk can be incredible.
But the farm behind it matters more than the label.

if you'd like to join our Food Club you can find more info at www.comfoo.club

Pay attention.
Ask questions.
Know your farmer.
And drink milk that truly supports your health.