The how of buying organic raw milk can slightly differ depending on where you live, as different states have different laws regarding raw milk.

Laws by State

Let’s start with the hardest laws to buy under, those who completely outlaw the sale of raw milk for human consumption and if they allow it to be sold for pet use there is currently no one offering it. Thankfully only four states are in this category. Those are:

• Nevada
• Hawaii
• Rhode Island
• DC isn’t a state, but is included in this category

There are other states who do allow raw milk to be sold only for pet consumption that does have farmers currently offering it for sale under those terms. Those states are:

• Alabama
• Louisiana
• Florida
• New Jersey
• Maryland

Next are those states who don’t have laws allowing herdshares, but also have not taken action to shut down herdshares operating in the state. (Wondering what a herdshare is? Keep reading) These are:

• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Virginia

Then there are states where herdshares are legal. These are:

• Michigan
• Colorado
• Ohio
• Tennessee
• North Carolina

Now these are where people are really lucky, the states where raw milk can be sold directly from the farmer to the consumer. This includes on the farm sales and places such as farmers markets. These states are:

• Montana
• North Dakota
• South Dakota
• Nebraska
• Kansas
• Oklahoma
• Texas
• Minnesota
• Iowa
• Missiouri
• Mississippi
• Georgia
• Wisconsin
• Illinious
• West Virginia
• New York
• Vermont
• Massachusetts

Finally, we have the states that are extra super lucky. The ones where retail sale of raw milk is legal. Hopefully someday all the states will be in this category. For the time being the states in this category are:

• Washington
• Oregon
• California
• Alaska
• Arizona
• New Mexico
• Utah
• Idaho
• Wyoming
• Arkansas
• South Carolina
• Penslyvannia
• Conneticut
• Deleware
• Maine
• New Hampshire

What is a herdshare?

A herdshare is where you as the consumer own part of a cow and pay the farmer to care for your cow and as a result you get milk. Each herdshare runs a little differently so it is important to talk to your local farmer about how their specific herdshare works.

I have been a part of three different herdshares and I have looked into several different ones. In my experience for most herdshares you have a designated pickup day and an amount that you are committed to picking up every week on your designated day. Some will let your skip a week with advance notice or change your day occasionally for vacations and things. Others won’t, it really depends on the farm and their policy. I have been a part of one herdshare where it was come and grab whenever and pay for what you grab when you come, but that is super rare.

Generally, there is an initial buy in fee and then from there some do a yearly fee as well. After that for most the milk is then paid for at the beginning of each month.

The other important thing to be aware of with herdshares is generally you are in charge of cleaning your jars after use for them to be refilled. Our current farm we clean our jars and fill them when we get there so we have one set of jars. For other farms they may assign two sets of jars that rotate, so that they can have them filled for you on your pickup day.

How to find a farm?

Do you live in a state where you have to buy direct from the farmer? The next step is finding a farmer. The best way I have found is to ask around. If you have a local Weston A Price chapter, they generally keep a list. Another option is checking the Real Milk Finder. Now that you have a list of farms what should you look for and ask?

What to Ask a Farmer Before Buying Raw Milk

Not all raw milk is created equal, so it is important to know what to ask and look for when choosing a farm. The health benefits and safety of raw milk depend heavily on how the animals are raised and how the milk is handled.

1. How Are the Cows (or Goats) Raised and Fed?

• Are the cows 100% grass-fed or supplemented with grains?
• If they are supplemented with grains, is it just at milking time and are they organic or at least nongmo?
• Do they have access to pasture year-round, or are they confined part of the time?
• Is the pasture free of herbicides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers?

Grass-fed cows produce milk higher in omega-3 fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, and K2. Ideally the farmer prioritizes humane animal care, soil health with regenerative agriculture and rotational grazing.

2. How Is the Milk Handled After Milking?

Raw milk is a living food, and its safety as well as taste depends on cleanliness and temperature control. Ask:

• How is the milking equipment cleaned and sanitized?
• How quickly is the milk cooled after milking? (It should be cooled to 38–40°F within an hour.)
• Is the milk stored in stainless steel or glass containers?

Most farmers will walk your through their processes as they take cleanliness seriously, many will even show you, their setup.

3. Do You Test the Milk or Animals Regularly?

Raw milk farms often test regularly for pathogens and overall herd health. Ask:

• Do you test your milk for E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Campylobacter?
• How often do you test your herd for diseases like tuberculosis or brucellosis?

4. What Is the Health and Hygiene of the Herd?

The health of the animal directly affects the quality of the milk. Ask:

• How often are animals checked by a vet?
• Do they use antibiotics or hormones? If so, under what circumstances?
• How do you handle cows that are ill or under treatment?
• Are the animals unvaccinated? If they do vaccinate, do they at least not collect milk for a few weeks afterwards?

In my experience farmers will openly discuss their herd management practices and it’s a good way to get an idea of how well they care for their animals.

5. Is the Cream Left in the Milk?

While it isn’t common for farmers to remove the cream, there are some who do. Removing the cream makes the milk not whole milk. Different kinds of cows will produce different amounts of cream and sometimes the amount changes with the seasons too.

• Do you separate the milk or leave all the cream?
• How much cream do your cows normally produce?

6. Can I Visit the Farm?

A reputable raw milk farmer should be open to visits. Seeing the cleanliness of the operation, the conditions of the animals, and the pasture quality is important. In my experience with herd shares the farmers generally require you to come visit the farm and check everything out as they take pride in their standards and want you to feel comfortable with where you milk is coming from.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes it takes visits to a couple different farms to find the right fit and that’s okay. If they aren’t transparent and do not want to take the time to answer your questions, they are doing you a favor of showing they are not who you want to be using.

When you do go to pick up your milk having a cooler with ice packs is always a good idea as the milk does start to change when it warms up. Using ice packs will help keep it palatable longer. Keep in mind raw milk does not go bad like pasteurized milk. When raw milk gets to the point where you don’t want to be drinking it save it and use it for cooking and baking.