Jul 17 2014

What are the benefits to drinking raw milk?

Is Fond du Lac farms Organic?

Fond du Lac Farms is not “certified organic” for two reasons: First, there is not an organic certification proprietary within the state of Arizona for dairies. Anyone claiming organic status in Arizona does not have anyone monitoring their production practices locally. Secondly, to pay thousands of dollars a year to the government for a piece of paper that essentially has no real value is not how we choose to do business. We do not want to be certified organic because we do not agree completely with the organic regulations, both with their strictness in some areas and their laxness in others. Nor do we want to be roped into other conventional certified organic dairies which can have some of the worst conditions and poorest quality milk on the market.

The term "organic" is like other good ideas that have been taken over by our government and large marketing groups to make more money. Rather than dairies meeting higher standards, organic standards have been made more lax so that dairies can meet them without altering their existing procedures.

At Fond du Lac Farms we have our own well defined ideas about how a farm should be managed. We do not need other dairies or committees or government to tell us how to do it.

With respect to organic status, what we have chosen to do is maintain our own standards independent of a certification process and simply let our customers know what those are. They are as follows:

1. We feed our cows nothing but non-GMO hay
2. We do not use GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms)
3. We do not use hormone treatments
4. We do not use prophylactic antibiotics on the milking herd
5. We do not bottle milk from any other source other than our own
6. We treat our cattle with dignity every day

What breed of cows does Fond du Lac Farms have?

We have registered Brown Swiss cattle. They are referred to as a "heritage breed" and are perhaps the oldest of all dairy breeds. Brown Swiss originated in the valleys and mountain slopes of Switzerland around 4000 B.C., according to some historians.

Brown Swiss cattle can be grayish, dark brown, tan or even almost white in color. Their hooves, muzzle and switch are usually black. They are often noted for their big floppy ears and docile temperament.

Brown Swiss can withstand both hot and cold climates and thrive in a variety of terrains and management systems. Their longevity, dairy strength and outstanding feet and legs make Brown Swiss cattle a great fit for any dairy farm.

Brown Swiss can yield large volumes of milk with high components, boasting an ideal fat to protein ratio for cheese making. A typical Brown Swiss will have a minimum 4% butterfat and 3.5%protein, but is usually higher. In contrast, Holsteins are typically around 3.5% butterfat and 3.2% protein. Brown Swiss milk is much richer than any milk you could ever buy in a store.

Although Brown Swiss are low maintenance, high producing, adaptable cows that live a long time and are a great fit for us as dairy producers, it's much more than that for us. It is highly personal. We truly are in love with these special creatures that the Lord has entrusted to us. Our animals know us and trust us. Words really can't sum up the feelings we have for them. While we can appreciate any breed of cattle, we have a special love for Brown Swiss.