Our micro dairy herd consists of 100% pure A2A2 Jerseys. Their milk is unique – in the fact, they are known for their sweet, creamy and smooth tasting milk that is high in both milkfat and butterfat.

What is A2/A2 raw milk? It is a type of milk that contains 100% A2 beta-casein protein. This protein is naturally produced by humans, goats, dogs, sheep, and lions, and it’s what some heritage breeds of cows produced in their milk just a few hundred years ago. However, most modern cows now produce a different type of protein called A1A1 beta-casein, which is relatively new to both the bovine and human digestive tracts. 

Our cows are fed a 100% grass-fed diet, ensuring that their milk contains higher levels of omega 3’s and Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) than grain-fed cows and is full of bio-available nutrients like Vitamin A, D, K and Calcium. It is also considered safe for people with severe allergies to grains like corn and soy. But always seek your doctors advice first.

Jersey milk, on average, contains 18% more protein, 20% more calcium and 25% more butterfat than average whole milk. They produce a smaller quantity, but an extremely high quality of milk.

Numerous scientific studies have shown that raw milk is correlated with a decreased rate of asthma, allergies, eczema, ear infections, fever, and respiratory infections. However, improperly produced raw milk can be detrimental to one’s health. Our farm takes our milking, sanitation, handling & testing of our raw milk very seriously.

Before the milking process begins, hands are cleaned thoroughly. Then using hot soapy water, the udders are given a good clean. Each teat is then dipped in iodine to ensure no bacteria is left. Then each udder is dried with a clean disposable cloth, each teat is then stripped before milking begins.

Each of the cows are milked by machine and all the milk goes directly into a stainless-steel enclosed milk can. Once milking is complete it’s taken directly inside for immediate bottling into sanitized glass jars. The jars of milk receive a “flash chill” to bring the temps to just above freezing (38-40 degrees F).

After milk is flash chilled we do a thorough cleaning of milk cans, the milk machine and its hoses and attachments are sanitized.

We ask that our members bring clean jars for the trade each week. However, each jar and lid receives a deep clean with hot soapy water to ensure every jar going out is clean and up to our cleaning standards. Did you know? It takes approximately 9+ HOURS each week to thoroughly clean all our glass jars? It’s dedication or we’re crazy. You tell me. 🙂

A single share will allot 1 gallon per week.  A half share will allot 1 half gallon.  If you want more than one gallon a week, you must purchase more than one share.  

All boarding fees are due before the 1st of every month. However, we understand things can change overnight, so for your convenience there is no *long-term commitment, but we do very much appreciate families signing up with a long-term commitment in mind. Committing to our farm families and the herd-share program is probably one of the most time consuming and most expensive efforts on the farm. In order to keep doing what we are doing – we ask for strong commitments in return.  If you are moving, or are unable to keep your share, or have a special circumstance – please reach out ASAP.

FULL SHARE PRICING
Each share is $25 to buy into the Herd-Share program. This is a one-time, refundable fee. There is a $44 monthly boarding fee – With that comes (4-5 gallons a month) Depending on the number of weeks in each month. That is 1 gallon a week per share. Equaling out to $10 a gallon due to some months having more than 4 weeks. 

HALF SHARE PRICING
Each half share is $12.50 to buy into the Herd-Share program. This is a one-time, refundable fee. There is a $22 monthly boarding fee – With that comes (4-5 half gallons a month) Depending on the number of weeks in each month. That is one 1/2 gallon a week per share. Equaling out to $5 a half gallon, due to some months having more than 4 weeks. 

Going out of town? Can’t make it for your pick-up?
You can choose to donate your share portion to the ‘blessing shares’ part of the program, and we will pick the next family down on our herd-share list to bless, compliments of you and your family. This has been a fun and amazing part of our program that families have loved being part of both the givers and the receivers!

Milk is bottled in half-gallon reusable glass jars and BPA food safe plastic lids. There is an initial jar deposit fee of $12 per jar. Jars are washed and sanitized prior to being refilled.

The herd-share contract is to protect you as the consumer as well as your farmers – samples are not included in the state of Iowa protection policy, therefore we cannot offer samples before a purchase. Just like most things in the consumer world, you can’t go to the store to “taste” your food before you buy (unless you’re at the big box stores like Sam’s Club or Costco, ha!) We want our customers to be 100% satisfied with their purchase while being 100% protected. So, when you initially sign up and possibly find out you are not completely satisfied after your first “taste”, we are more than happy to give you a 100% refund by request. However, we will ask you’re reasoning so we can better our services. 

It is not. However, growth hormones or prophylactic antibiotics in our animals are not used and, although our land is not USDA certified organic, the only thing that ever touches our pastures is manure. No pesticides, herbicides, or sprays are used on our land, so the animals are grazing on clean pastures and hay.

Always keep your milk chilled. Even if you have a short distance to drive. 
It can’t be stressed enough! It’s imperative that you keep your milk in a cooler with ice or proper ice packs until you return home. Take care that it’s not left out for long at meal-times. Our family never leaves our milk out on the table or counter. We pour our milk, and it goes directly back in the fridge. No exceptions. 

If at any time your milk becomes unpleasant to drink due to leaving it out or of its age, simply discard the product.  If you do not feel comfortable drinking aged milk, or aging it into other products like cheese, just stick with the fresh milk you get every week. That will keep your supply fresh, and you won’t have to worry about how old your milk is getting.

There are however many things you can do with aging milk. Sour cream, yogurt, cheese, the list is endless. There are a lot of recipes you can find online that will show you what to do with your aging milk. As time goes on, we hope to become one of those online sources of information like that so keep an eye out as we grow and develop our site and herd.

Every single jar of milk bottled will have a date that represents the day the milk was collected.  The milk is guaranteed to be fresh for the following 12 days with little exception, so long as the milk is handled properly in your care. Our family prefers drinking our milk within the 5-7 day mark. The more the milk sits, the creamier and thicker the milk gets. 

A1/A1, A1/A2, and A2/A2 milk all contain the same lactose. All raw milk may be tolerated by those with lactose intolerance, since the naturally occurring bacteria can jumpstart your body into producing lactase.

A casein allergy or intolerance is when a body has an immune response to the proteins in the milk. In some cases, the allergy or intolerance is specifically to the A1 beta-casein protein. If this is the case, then A2/A2 milk may solve the problem. Many of our members do come to us for fresh, whole, unprocessed milk because of its digestibility and for many personal health reasons.

A 2007 U of M and Weston A. Price survey actually found that around 89% of lactose intolerance actually goes away when they switch to raw milk.

There is an enzyme called lactase in raw milk that is killed during the pasteurization process, so your body is just left with lactose, which is particularly difficult for many peoples’ guts to digest alone. In unprocessed milk, both lactose and lactase are present, aiding your body in the digestive process. A small minority of people still have problems with raw cow’s milk, and that usually stems from a casein sensitivity or allergy (casein is another protein in milk like lactose). 

Either way, unprocessed milk is a whole living food that is designed to be consumed by a newborn calf with a weak immune system and a nominal intestinal track. What that means for us is that all the nutrients in unprocessed milk are completely bio-available and in the most easily digestible form possible. The more we process milk through pasteurization, homogenization and added food dyes, the more problems we encounter in our body’s ability to process the milk.

Unfortunately, no one can make health claims, but we can share with you what we are hearing from many of our farm families who cannot tolerate pasteurized milk, and who are delighted to discover they no longer have trouble digesting Eden Ridge A2A2 grass-fed raw milk thanks to its probiotic nature. There are a couple families who have a family member who are lactose intolerant that drink our raw milk.  Other people find that the heavy lactobacillus content in raw milk (similar to what you find in commercial yogurt or cultured buttermilk) helps keep their digestive system running smoothly. Many simply prefer the fuller taste of raw milk. Overall, majority of those who enjoy fresh raw milk do it simply to return to a more natural unprocessed diet as was intended by our Maker.

“Bad weather” is defined as severe thunderstorm, hail, tornado warnings, lightening, blizzards or any weather not advised for travel – anything that prevents you or us from safely standing outside. If this type of weather occurs, Esther will contact you via email or text with alternate details. 

If Eden Ridge Acres LLC is unable to carry out its obligations due to a Force Majeure
We will do our best to send out a written notice to customers in such an event, and the obligations shall be suspended to the extent necessary by such event.
The term Force Majeure shall include, without limitations, acts of God, medical personal emergency, plague, epidemic, pandemic, outbreaks of infectious disease or any other public health crisis, including quarantine or other restrictions, fire, explosion, vandalism, storm or other similar occurrence, orders or acts of military or civil authority, or by national emergencies, insurrections, riots, or wars, or strikes, lockouts, or supplier failures. Eden Ridge Acres LLC agrees to do what they can to accommodate the needs of the
customers as best as they can if able.