Happy Cows

 

picture via Our Farm and Dairy in Michigan. Another great dairy coop!

Food Inc was nominated this year for an Oscar and on April 21 it will be aired on PBS. Michael Pollen has changed the way most of my friends and I think about food.

Sometimes it's comforting to remember that the images we see at the local store are still real- it's just that none of those farmers' products are offered in a large grocery chain. But there are great farmers and products throughout the US if we look. Here is one great one on the East Coast! And the pics come from another great one in Michigan. We can keep the dream of America's Heartland alive if we actually purchase from a family farmer.
Hudson Valley Fresh milk is produced in New York's Dutchess County. A nonprofit that seeks to create a better product for consumers while allowing dairy farmers to make a livable wage. Their co-op consists of @@ farmers who pool their milk, process and ship it themselves. Milk makes it from the farm into your home in about 36 hours! While not classified as organic, all the farmer's in the coop are dedicated to sustainable agriculture. Their cows also have natural gestational cycles, which allows them to live longer lives and produce more milk. This is happy, happy news for me! The information that factory dairy farming was in essence fueling the veal industry had me off dairy for quite sometime. (I love cheese it was hard to stay away!)

 

via Our Farm and Dairy

Served at the NYS Governor's Executive Mansion, as well as, New York University, Bard and Vassar Colleges, and Millbrook School and The Dutchess Day School, and the Culinary Institute of America.
They can also be found at a variety of great market's throughout the greater NYC area.
Two are on my list for my next trip:
Forager's Market in Brooklyn
Union Market in Brooklyn
Eli Zabar's is a must stop everytime I'm in New York!
Also available at area Whole Foods.