The latest reflections from America’s foremost raw milk journalist David E. Gumpert, from his The Complete Patient blog:
Feedlot dairy cattle in New England. Photo via Complete Patient blog
“….One thing that struck me, which was a little different than what impressed Kim Hartke, was how non-political Scott was in giving his one-hour or so farm tour. There was no belly-aching, as one might have expected, given that Wisconsin’s Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection has come down so hard on him. No pot shots that would have been easy–“Here is the milk parlor DATCP has such problems with. Does it look like a problem to you?” (For Scott’s description of his political challenges, see his blog.)
No, Scott focused instead on how he transitioned the farm from a run-down place with depleted soil when he took it over in 2003 to a place with dozens of varieties of thriving grasses and grains and such healthy cows and cattle that there’s almost never any animal illness…and no antibiotics or vaccinations.
“I consider myself an entrepreneur,” he told the crowd of guests he led around his 120-acre place. “I grew up wanting to be a farmer. I did dangerous reading–Joel Salatin’s book, which said, ‘You can farm.'”
Shortly after acquiring the farm, “The smartest thing I ever did was straighten out my soil,” he recalled as he showed off a field of rye.
Before he began farming, he explained, there was an Internet business he ran in the 1990s, until 2002. That’s important. “I took my Internet money and put it into minerals for the soil.” And indeed, the soil looks dark and rich, the pasture is lush.
As he escorded visitors to another field with cattle looking curiously at the visitors, he explained, “I have to stay here long enough so people who wonder how I’m going to fail will fall away.”
When he got to the 90 grazing dairy cows, he explained that he milks them only once a day (which yields about 70% of potential productivity, but results in a richer milk and is okay now without a dairy license) and leaves the calves with their mothers for eight weeks, which is in complete defiance of conventional wisdom. “How much illness have we had in the last year?” he asked at one point. “One calf was sick for one day.”
And as he showed off a small fruit orchard, he added: “I’m about diversity, in my products, in my life.”
Last week, I had the opportunity to fully appreciate what Scott Trautman is doing, when I traveled through Connecticut, and had a brief tour of a feedlot dairy that specializes in locally produced lightly pasteurized milk. I’ve seen the photos of feedlots, but must say that actually being in one and seeing it up close, with about 200 cows and calves, was different. (I won’t identify it by name, since I was there as a passerby, and I don’t think their milk is much different from other feedlot milk produced all over the U.S.)…”
The Bovine 
Article well written. Especially like the way David Gumpert describes the conventional farm systems as compared to systems that allow to graze cows and more. The old adage holds true; “do not put down and name offenders or your neighbors who do wrong or who are doing less rather than more, instead, talk about them without naming names or slinging mud. The truth shall overcome and goodness prevails.”
Our hope is that farming goes back to the natural ways. The industrial revolution has gone too far with respect to our foods. Truly, we are at a time for peaceful revolution in so many aspects of our food production from farm to consumer. GMO’s must be labelled as harmful where they are found to be so harmful. Greed, bad politics, poor governance and bad laws must change. And so must Monsanto, Dean Foods, and the like. Fact is; small farms produce the best foods and most food in this country and others. Local is key. FAMILY FARMS must survive and thrive once again and not BIG Business. Any true economist, botanist, farmer, “locavore,” or virtuous lawyer and politician can attest to this. Vote for the best Congress. Vote for the best Judges. These are the people who represent the people and land and sea. As we speak, they are in sessions about the GMO scandals and Monsanto, Big Brother,is there too.
Similar to the Raw Milk revolution is the work of The Sea Shepherd. If you have not heard; they go out to sea and literally fight off those who try to kill the whales. They are in New York City this week, April 30th, 7:30 – 11:30 PM at Collectible Hardware at 169 Bowery.
Thank you.
The Milkmen are Back!
Milkmen USA