This is the latest on my attempt to start a dairy coop, for raw milk of course, in California. I’ll preface it by saying that Organic Pastures is a fine dairy and we’re fortunate to have such a raw milk advocate and fighter in Mark McAfee. It’s stunning to see what’s happened just in the last few months in California concerning raw milk.
First, due to the FDA scares back East, the insurance companies of larger food stores such as Whole Foods Market will no longer cover their clients if they carry raw milk. Hence, there are fewer health food stores where you can obtain it. You can order UPS from Organic Pastures; you get a rock-bottom price of $6.50 per half-gallon, that’s right, $13.00/gallon is a rock-bottom price out here, but you have to pay the shipping charges of course. Organic Pastures is having some troubles right now with distribution charges. I was told that I would have to re-do my paperwork from 2 1/2 months ago and read an affidavit before signing the papers if I wanted to be kept on-file for future distribution. So I read the affidavit. Apparently in 2007 and 2008 there had been some illegal interstate shipping going on, and a too-cavalier attitude with an undercover FBI agent. I presume the company is now experience a legal squeeze of the financial variety. Hence they are unable to take on new distribution points. I thought it was rather odd that a company driven to go interstate couldn’t go an extra 12 miles for us!
Well that may be just the problem. The beauty of being able to get fresh, raw milk locally and support your local farmer is the endangered creature itself. I don’t know if it’s the ego-rush of running something big, heck I don’t know that half of it; but you simply cannot, in a world hostile to the freedom of the individual, lash-out inappropriately at the powers-that-be, be they right or wrong. I truly believe that desire, positive community spirit, and persistence (God help me) are the key to getting what you want. So what did we do? We went to the only competitor in the state, Claravale Dairy; I had assumed they weren’t as communicative with the public and boy was I wrong! One email inquiry of my difficulty and they were happy to help us!
Claravale Dairy is a family dairy founded in 1927 with a stellar record for quality that rivals any in the country. They will deliver fresh-from-the-cow milk to us weekly. Below is the letter to the editor that I wrote to the Acton-Agua Dulce Country Journal. Lovely Lillian, editor/owner of the paper, forever helpful, published my letter about Collette Cassidy, owner of Claravale Dairy, coming to see us with samples and a butter-making demonstration. The results of our Saturday meeting will be covered in Part III. Wish us luck!
To the Residents of Agua Dulce, Acton, and Neighboring Communities:
You are invited to attend the first General Meeting of the Agua Dulce Dairy Coop on Saturday, July 24that
1pm at a private residence in Agua Dulce. We have been trying to work with Organic Pastures Dairy to
deliver to us for the last few months, but after submitting our paperwork we were informed that Organic
Pastures is currently not adding on new distribution points for a variety of reasons. So, we contacted
Claravale Dairy, and owner Collette Cassidy said they would be willing and able to accommodate us with a
weekly delivery of real (fresh from the cow) milk. At the meeting, Collette will have samples for everyone
and also said that she’d be happy to take orders for those wanting milk at this meeting as well. The
distribution proper would start the following week. Please call Janet Demeter at 977-3125 for more
information.
Claravale Dairy has one of the best records of any dairy in the country for quality, freshness, and safety.
Today, the restrictions on raw milk are at an all-time high, with a real campaign from the FDA and Big
Agriculture and Chemical to squeeze-out the small dairies—especially back East. Here in California, the
larger stores such as Whole Foods have opted out of offering raw milk due to difficulties with the insurance
companies, as a result of this squeeze of bad press. One of the most important things we can do for our
health today is to have a direct relationship with the farmers that produce our food. Abundant Harvest
Organics, a local distributor of organic produce, is an excellent example of people trying to do just that for
our community. We wanted very much to find a way of providing fresh-from-the-cow milk to local families
who want/need it on a regular basis, and it’s finally happening!
Membership to the coop is free; all that is required is a registration form to be filled out. Claravale Dairy
will be offering us weekly, fresh from the cow: whole milk, skim milk, and cream. Their products come in
glass bottles, milk by the quart and cream by the pint, for optimum freshness. Visit
www.claravaledairy.com . I will continue to invite friends and neighbors who sell eggs and other home-
made items to the weekly coop to offer the members. You are welcome to do so as well; just call the above
number. We hope very much to see you!
Many Blessings,
Janet Demeter































