June is Dairy Month

Great advice, should school as we know it ever return

I always loved writing the June is Dairy Month and July is Ice Cream Month columns back in the day. It seemed as if they wrote themselves in fact. When you love dairy farming, dairy farmers, and dairy products is is easy and fun to talk...or write...about them.

These days however, times are tougher than they have ever been on our nation's dairy farms. Farmers are facing unprecedented low prices, transport problems, and leadership doubts. Consolidation in markets, coops buying processors, dumping milk, decimated milk checks...It's a wonder we can still get cheese on our pizza.

Our local source for milk, Stewart's, has been sold out a number of times even though they source their own milk from dedicated farmers. With folks home with their kids demand is high, which in theory should result in higher farm gate prices. There are dozens of excuses why it hasn't. 

Still, I am happy to salute the men, women, and children, who rise early and work late, caring for God's creatures, producing nature's most perfect food, and stewarding land for now and for the future. Let's raise a glass...of fresh, delicious whole milk of course.... to their hard work and wholesome product.

Milk-it does EVERYbody good!

***And if you want to own your own cow here's your chance.