Don't Have a Cow, Man!

I woke this morning to a disturbing (though well-written) article implicating raw milk in an E.coli "outbreak" (3 cases over three months) in our local paper and felt the need to express support to the local dairy concerned. This is nothing new, trying to link E. coli illnesses with the local raw milk dairy, but we have to fight back every time it happens. The state has no proof that the milk made anyone sick, as a matter of fact 2 of the 3 cases had a different strain of E. coli than was found in a field on the farm where some dry (non-milking) cows were several weeks ago. If you would like to express support as well, please follow the link to Dungeness Valley Creamery's website, where they have posted a thorough rebuttal to the state's allegations. Thanks to my wonderful husband/chief researcher for pointing out the article online before I went off on my various pre-holiday errands . . .

My letter to the farmers:

Dear Jeff and Sarah--

I just read the PDN article, by Diane Urbani de la Paz, about the recent E. Coli concerns that the state has attempted to link to your farm and wanted to express our unwavering support. I will be posting this letter and a link to the article and your rebuttal to my blog, and will tell everyone I meet that your milk is not only delicious, it also as safe--or safer!--than any other milk they might buy. This article thankfully did express a healthy skepticism about the state's position that the E. coli originated at your farm; I have read a lot of pieces about raw milk that were much more damaging.

Our family moved to Port Angeles in April, but we have been visiting the area for years--and all this time we have been thrilled to drink your milk. We only wish you had cream and butter too! I am going to buy enough today for drinking and to make yoghurt, staples in our home.

I am a nutrition educator and former Weston A. Price chapter leader and hope to be a positive voice in all of the chaos, as I know you are getting concerned calls. If there is anything I can do, please let me know.

Justine Raphael
305 815 4175
thenewhuntergatherer.blogspot.com