FAQs

Our cattle  eat only forages (grasses, small grains still in their "green" stage,  alfalfa) and forbs (clover, kale, chicory, dandelion, plantain, peas, vetch, chickweed, etc.).  Cows have the ability to digest these plants utilizing the vitamins, minerals and sunshine and then passing along the health benefits through their milk.  No soy, no corn, no cottonseed, EVER! 

 Our cows are pastured as much as possible except for some winter months when the combination of weather conditions and cow hooves would cause damage to our fields.  The grass needs a vacation and winter dormancy allows for that.  

 We follow organic practices .  We were certified organic for 14 years and love seeing the benefit this has had on our soil health, and our pollinator, insect, and bird populations.  The seed we purchase is non GMO. We do not use chemical sprays or fertilizers on our land.  Any hay  purchased is Certified Organic or Non-GMO depending on availability of organic.

Cow health is of utmost importance to us.  No hormones  are used on our dairy.  EVER!! Antibiotics are used only as a last resort( by order of our veterinarian) when alternative treatments  have been tried and the animal is in danger of death.  Milk withholding times for any health inputs are strictly followed.  

Our cows are not pushed to produce a lot of milk and it shows in their longevity.  We  have also seen our cow herd get healthier and healthier with many of our cows living well into their teens ( our oldest cow is 16!).   All of our cattle are fed free choice minerals,  organic apple cider vinegar, and sea kelp.   These supplements have been instrumental in our success as dairy farmers.  We virtually have no vet bill.

 Thoughtful farming is our end goal.  Webster's dictionary definition of "thoughtful" is: given to heedful anticipation of the needs and wants of others.  As farmers, we want to be attentive to the needs of our livestock and our land.  This means taking exceptional care of our cows.  Knowing the daily habits and history of every one of our animals is a pretty special thing.  We also want to be attentive  to the quality of our milk for the sake of you, the consumer.  Cleanliness of our barns, milking equipment, processing equipment, and the  good health of our cows all contribute to the excellence of our end product.

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Our milk is pasteurized "low and slow" retaining some of the nutrients and enzymes typically lost in high heat or ultra high heat pasteurization.  Our milk is also "Cream Top". Meaning that it is in its entire, whole form as it comes from the cow.  We do not standardize the butterfat content which will change from season to season depending on what the cows current diet consists of.  The cream will float to the top of the container and you may shake it gently before use to return it to solution.  If you prefer a lower fat milk, pour the cream off the top and save for coffee creamer or for cooking purposes.

Our cattle  eat only forages (grasses, small grains still in their "green" stage,  alfalfa) and forbs (clover, kale, chicory, dandelion, plantain, peas, vetch, chickweed, etc.).  Cows have the ability to digest these plants utilizing the vitamins, minerals and sunshine and then passing along the health benefits through their milk.  No soy, no corn, no cottonseed, EVER! 

 Our cows are pastured as much as possible except for some winter months when the combination of weather conditions and cow hooves would cause damage to our fields.  The grass needs a vacation and winter dormancy allows for that.  

 We follow organic practices .  We were certified organic for 14 years and love seeing the benefit this has had on our soil health, and our pollinator, insect, and bird populations.  The seed we purchase is non GMO. We do not use chemical sprays or fertilizers on our land.  Any hay  purchased is Certified Organic or Non-GMO depending on availability of organic.

Cow health is of utmost importance to us.  No hormones  are used on our dairy.  EVER!! Antibiotics are used only as a last resort( by order of our veterinarian) when alternative treatments  have been tried and the animal is in danger of death.  Milk withholding times for any health inputs are strictly followed.  

Our cows are not pushed to produce a lot of milk and it shows in their longevity.  We  have also seen our cow herd get healthier and healthier with many of our cows living well into their teens ( our oldest cow is 16!).   All of our cattle are fed free choice minerals,  organic apple cider vinegar, and sea kelp.   These supplements have been instrumental in our success as dairy farmers.  We virtually have no vet bill.

 Thoughtful farming is our end goal.  Webster's dictionary definition of "thoughtful" is: given to heedful anticipation of the needs and wants of others.  As farmers, we want to be attentive to the needs of our livestock and our land.  This means taking exceptional care of our cows.  Knowing the daily habits and history of every one of our animals is a pretty special thing.  We also want to be attentive  to the quality of our milk for the sake of you, the consumer.  Cleanliness of our barns, milking equipment, processing equipment, and the  good health of our cows all contribute to the excellence of our end product.

.

Our milk is pasteurized "low and slow" retaining some of the nutrients and enzymes typically lost in high heat or ultra high heat pasteurization.  Our milk is also "Cream Top". Meaning that it is in its entire, whole form as it comes from the cow.  We do not standardize the butterfat content which will change from season to season depending on what the cows current diet consists of.  The cream will float to the top of the container and you may shake it gently before use to return it to solution.  If you prefer a lower fat milk, pour the cream off the top and save for coffee creamer or for cooking purposes.

The short answer is No.  We gave up our certification in 2022.  If you have more questions about why, please feel free to email us and we will happily answer your specific questions!

For now, we are choosing to use plastic jugs because with supply chain issues, glass has been difficult to secure.  Their cost has also risen sharply and consumers are not always consistent about returning them to the point of sale. We also believe that being a good steward includes water usage.  Washing glass bottles requires a large volume of water, electricity and chemical cleaners.  Improperly washed bottles are a source of contamination.   You may always transfer our milk into a glass container at home if you prefer it that way!   Our milk jugs are HDPE, BPA free, and recyclable .

For the time being, we are only producing fluid milk but are hoping to add more products in the future.  We do sell beef and hamburger seasonally, please see our facebook page for details.

As of  Thanksgiving 2022 our milk plant is up and running!!  Please contact us for information about where to find our products in Oregon!

We believe in giving our cattle a varied diet year long.  As the seasons change, or even as the cows graze in different fields the kinds of forage (orchard grass, ryegrass, fescue, sudan, green oats, alfalfa) and forbs  (clovers, kale, chicory, dandelion, plantain, peas, vetch, chickweed, dock,  etc)  that happen to  be in abundance may alter the flavor of the milk slightly.  Think of it as wine pairing...todays field, the Old Barn Hill is a  mix of chicory, orchard grass and plantain  which will pair perfectly with a warm chocolate chip cookie!  Or perhaps tomorrow we may have the cows on the Thun field....ryegrass, kale, and red clover!  Sounds like a perfect opportunity  for a creamy potato soup!

  We have been using exclusively A2A2 genetics since the late 1990's.  This genetic aspect of milk may benefit individuals who have a hard time digesting conventional non A2 milk.  Do some research! 

  Our business falls under the FDA's "Very Small Business Exemption".  This means that we are not required to use a nutrition label .  Because our whole milk is not standardized for butterfat and protein it would in fact be difficult to accurately calculate those components of the milk.  This is because our components vary depending on time of year, what the cows are being fed, and stage of lactation.  

  Because our milk is cream top, the longer the milk  sits, the heavier/thicker  the cream becomes as time goes on.  When a bottle has been on the shelf for a couple of weeks the cream may come out in lumps or blobs.  Although not pretty,  this is perfectly normal.   We try to coordinate with our stores to make sure milk is fresh every week and not sitting on the shelf for a long period of time!