My taste buds know that raw milk tastes better. My brain knows that raw milk is safer (I have read statistics showing that pasteurized milk has caused more illness and deaths than raw milk), and that raw milk is healthier (I’ve read how pasteurization kills all the good bacteria and enzymes and how homogenization is linked to heart disease), yet when I learned about The Raw Milk Controversy, a DVD available from Chef Jem, a co-representative of the Gold Country Chapter of the WAPF, I was absolutely stunned at the interesting and insightful historical information provided about why there is an idea out there that dairy — a traditional nourishing food — is bad for you.

Among other things, I learned that milk production became industrialized at the same time that distilleries moved into almost every major city in the US. Fields were needed to grow grains for ethanol production, and cows were forced off their pastures and into confinement in factory like conditions next door to the distilleries. Instead of grass, they were fed some kind of nasty grain by-product from the distilleries, and immediately the quality of the milk produced by these poor cows dropped. This is why milk became bad, and why it started making people sick.

There is lots more to this absolutely fascinating story! You can view about 30 minutes of the discussion between Dale Jacobson, DC and Mark McAfee of Organic Pastures Dairy online, but I urge you to get the DVD and organize showings of it for all your friends and family. If you are located in the Portland, OR area, feel free to contact me. I am planning to host screenings of this film. It really might change your family’s life!