mommyluvsliz

The benefits of eco-onscious milk:

1. Pasture-fed is healthier. Cows who get pasture time (nope, not the same thing as "pasteurized") produce milk higher in conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) - linked to decreased risk of heart disease and diabetes.
2. Getting local. Invest in your community by supporting local dairy farmers when you can.
3. Organic milk has more vitamins A and E than non-organic, plus antioxidants for an all-natural beauty boost.
4. Buying organic means zero worries about added antibiotics and hormones.

If I had the opportunity I would have a load of cows roaming the yard plus a dozen horses, some chickens, a few pigs, a couple goats, but I digress. The reality is that I can't put a cow in the yard for fear that the HOA would descend upon me like the plague of locusts that they are. So to make up for the lack of freedom I choose to buy Stonyfield (for now...that is until the cows can come home).

Here a few good picks:

Stonyfield http://www.stonyfield.com/OurProducts/Milk.cfm - homogenized, organic and widely available ($4-$6).

Straus Family Creamery http://www.strausfamilycreamery.com/?title=Cream-Top%20Milk - delicious cream-top due to non-homogenization, so there's less processing involved ($4-$6).

Organic Valley http://organicvalley.coop/products_recipes/products.html?cat=1 - organic milk produced by a network of small dairy farmers, available at Whole Foods, Wild Oats and other stores ($2-$4).

Local Harvest http://www.localharvest.org/ - check for fresh milk at your local farmers market.

The dollar or so more you pay for organic milk buys you happy cows, happy farmers and big health benefits to boot.