Moooo

We had a lovely visit on Sunday to a farm just outside of Eganville, Ontario. This is where we get our fresh milk every week - from four lovely Jersey cows! The milk is not pasteurized, but we get around the law (sort of) by purchasing a "cow share." So essentially, we own part of the cow. My Dad has told me experts say we're playing Russian Roulette by drinking raw milk, but I happen to disagree [note: the following paragraph is MY opinion!].

Certainly, raw milk does have some risks, as harmful bacteria can grow and nasty things can be passed from the cow into her milk. But on a well-run farm, where sick cows are excluded from the milking, and where conditions are clean and sterile, chances are you are benefiting from the micro organisms in the milk that are killed off during pasteurization.

But unfortunately, the jury is out on the raw/pasteurized milk debate. I think there are good arguments on both sides, but I also believe that we should have the right to choose whether we want to drink raw milk or not. Most parts of Europe have laws and regulations in place for the production and sale of raw milk.

Tom and I have been enjoying our milk for several months now, with no problems to speak of. When A is able to eat dairy products (she is currently allergic), will I give her the raw milk? I'm still not too sure about that one, as well as whether I will drink raw milk when I am pregnant again. There certainly are greater risks for pregnant women and children.

But don't we put ourselves at risk every day by puchasing industrial-made products at the grocery store? Who remembers the listeria outbreak from a little while ago? How about all of the recalls on meats, packaged veggies and even juice? My cousin (who will go unnamed!) works for Health Canada, testing food and supporting recall efforts. She has often warned me against eating certain foods (cream cheese), as bacteria counts are very high, although not high enough to warrant a recall.

So in essence, we are all playing russian roulette in the current environment of industrial food. It's when we get back to the land, back to the producer, and find out where our food is coming from, that we can begin to rebuild our relationship to the things we eat.

This is Tim McGraw with "Down on the Farm"

Every Friday night there's a steady cloud of dust
That leads back to a field filled with pickup trucks
Got old Hank cranking way up loud
Got coolers in the back
Tailgates down
There's a big fire burnin' but don't be alarmed
It's just country boys and girls gettin' down on the farm

Ed's been on the tractor ain't seen Becky all week
Somebody said they seen 'em heading down to the creek
Farmer Johnson's daughters just pulled up in a jeep
Man he knows how to grow 'em if ya know what I mean
Old Dave's gettin' loud but he don't mean no harm
We're just country boys and girls gettin' down on the farm

You can have a lot of fun in a New York minute
But there's some things you can't do inside those city limits
Ain't no closing time
Ain't no cover charge
Just country boys and girls gettin' down on the farm

Well you can come as you are
There ain't no dress code
Just some rural route rules that you need to know
Don't mess with the bull
He can get real mean
Don't forget to shut the gate
Stay out of the beans
If it starts to rainin' will just head to the barn
We're country boys and girls gettin' down on the farm

You can have a lot of fun in a New York minute
But there's some things you can't do inside those city limits
Ain't no closing time
Ain't no cover charge
Just country boys and girls gettin' down on the farm
Ain't no closing time
Ain't no cover charge
Just country boys and girls gettin' down on the farm

Oh let's get down y'all
Stay out of that hay