There is a lot of fear out there surrounding drinking unpasteurized milk. What most people don't know is that, in the early part of the 20th century, it was used as medicine. Clean raw milk from pastured cows is a powerful food. It is high in fat, Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA). This is a polyunsaturated Omega-6 fatty acid that has incredible health benefits. It can raise metabolic rates, helps diminish belly fat, strengthens the immune system and lowers food allergies. It is high in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and a monumental punch of beneficial bacteria.

Objectively speaking, there are dangers surrounding many foods. Salmonella outbreaks, eColi found on veggies in your local supermarket, recalls everywhere. I would like to stress that it is important to know the source of the food you nourish your body with. The milk my family drinks, is from a local farm, with whom i've met the farmer, walked the grounds and did my research on their history. For me the benefits have far outweigh the risks. With all of that said, we are very lucky to enjoy this real food, that tastes incredible and can be used to keep us healthy and nourished. My son with dairy sensitivites, tolerates raw dairy just fine as it is much easier digested than it's pasteurized counterpart.

Here is a video from Weston Price that gives such a good explanation to the benefits of raw milk and how you can benefit from drinking it.

Sophie the cow provides some divine treats. Sophie is one of the cows that provides our milk, because in some states, like New York, purchasing raw milk is illegal. If you own part of that cow however, you are able to enjoy their milk.

The raw milk yogurt above is something I make weekly. It is the sweetest, richest yogurt you will ever eat. It is not a difficult task either, pretty simple actually, and the end product is something to be proud of. All of the small things you can do to nourish your body with nutrient dense foods will add to the future health of your body. In the environment we live in today, with the large amount of toxins our bodies have to detox everyday, this is another way to bring a positive change. Get out there and visit your local farms, it can be a a driving force for your families health!

Making your own raw milk yogurt or any yogurt for that matter is a simple process and surprised me when I gave it a try.

What you will need

1 half gallon of raw milk

2-3 oven safe mason jars

Small container of unsweetened/plain organic yogurt

Candy thermometer

Cheese cloth

Pasta strainer

What to do

Take half gallon of raw milk and pour into a large saucepan
Place on medium heat, using candy thermometer, until milk reaches 115 degrees fahrenheit. This ensures that the milk maintains all of the benefits of being raw.
Place 2 tablespoons of purchased organic plain yogurt into each mason jar you will be filling. If you make this yogurt often, you can save a few tablespoons of your batch to use again as the starter for your next batch.
Pour heated milk into mason jars and stir. leave a few inches at the top for expansion.
Preheat oven to 100 degrees. Place cooled jars in a bowl or large baking dish. Cover with a dish towel and place in oven for 24 hours.
When completed, place in refrigerator to cool for a few hours. You can be finished at this step if you like a more liquid type of yogurt, if you like greek style, continue to the next step.
Line a pasta strainer with cheese cloth and place on top of a large bowl. Pour cooled yogurt into strainer and cover with additional cheesecloth. Place in refrigerator until liquid separates from mixture. This can take up to 6 hour but can be left overnight.
When it is finished, place yogurt in an airtight container and refrigerate. If left too long to drain, it can become too thick. Simply save some of the liquid that was extracted out, and add a few tablespoons back in! You can throw out remaining liquid.
Serve and enjoy