Our cheeses are made from 100% Jersey milk from our herd of register cows. The aged cheeses (cheddar and colby varieties) are made from raw milk and aged at least 60 days. The soft cheeses are made from milk that has been pasteurized. This is in accordance with PA state laws. The cheeses are all hand made in small batches to allow for a unique flavor that is creamy and delicious. Because the cheeses are hand pressed, you will see a variation in size and color at times. This is partially dependent on the solids content of the milk and the feed that the cows are getting at the time. We are currently making plain and flavored Cheddar and Colby aged cheeses. This year we have built a new facility and installed a pasteurizer and will be adding feta, mozzarella, ricotta and fromage.
Our Raw Milk
…Nature’s Most Perfect Food (top of page)
What is raw milk? Raw milk is simply milk that has not been pasteurized. Pasteurization was originally intended to sterilize raw foods and is a heating process designed to destroy all bacteria and enzyme activity. Along with sterility, the pasteurized product then has a longer shelf life.
Is raw milk safe? If it is properly collected from clean cows and cooled rapidly. We are licensed by the PA Dept of Ag to sell raw milk off the farm. This requires us to have our milk tested at an independent lab twice a month (in addition to our usual milk tank tests to ship our milk). We also have farm inspections and must have an automatic filler and capper.
How long will raw milk keep? When kept at the optimal temperature of 36-38° F. you can expect fresh raw milk to last from 7-10 days. Higher temperatures allow the normally occurring lactobacilli to get busy making lactic acid, which gives soured milk its characteristically tangy taste and reduces its shelf life. Bring a cooler bag and ice or gel packs with you when buying milk on hot summer days or if you have a long drive home - it'll stay fresher tasting longer. (source-raw-milk-facts.com).
What are the health benefits of raw milk? Many scientific studies have shown that pasteurization kills beneficial enzymes and bacteria in milk. We are not scientists, but do believe in the healing effect of raw milk. There are many opinions on this subject and we suggest that you research this further if you are interested-rawmilkusa.com is a good place to start.
What do our cows eat? Our cows are fed a primarily grass diet in the spring, summer and fall. They are supplemented with corn silage and grain. When the weather does not allow the grass to grow enough for grazing, we feed hay harvested from excess summer grass. Even in the winter the cows are out each day for exercise.
How are the cows housed? When the animals are not outside, they are in mattress lined comfort stalls in our barn. In the heat of summer, they are kept cool with several fans. In the winter, they are kept warm and dry. All of our heifers are kept in loose housing and most have access to pasture.
What about the warning on the container? As part of our licensing, we are required to include a consumer warning (word for word) on our labels. We believe that raw milk, properly cared for, is safe. We drink our milk every day-the same milk we sell you. We have been raised on it and we raise our children on it as soon as they start drinking milk. They are very healthy and well grown!
Why is there a cream line? Our milk is not homogenized either. Homogenization forces the milk through small orifices under pressure to break up the fat molecules. We do not find this necessary, thus the cream rises to the top.
Do you use antibiotics or hormones? The milk we sell contains no added hormones or antibiotics. If we have a sick cow, we will at times give them antibiotics (just as you might get for pneumonia or other infections). However, the milk is with held and dumped until it tests negative for antibiotics.
Raw Milk available at Headhouse & Penn State Great Valley Farmers Markets
Our Beef (top of page)
Our Jersey Beef comes from Jersey steers. They are raised on whole milk for about 10 weeks. For the first 6-8 months, they are raised on grain and grass hay and pasture. After this time, the animals receive primarily pasture in the warm months and grass hay harvested from pasture in the remaining months. A small amount of corn silage is supplemented in the cold months for additional energy for the animal. After butchering, the beef is dry aged for a minimum of 3 weeks providing a tender cut of meat that you are sure to enjoy. Jerseys are not typically raised for beef in the commercial industry, because they are smaller and provide less meat per head. However, the lean Jersey meat is very flavorful. We offer a variety of steaks and roasts as well as ground beef, beef cubes, and soup bones.
Our Lamb
Our lamb is from heritage breeds, selected for grazing fitness and meat quality. The lambs are grass fed from a very young age. The meat has excellent flavor and is very tender. Due to the high demand for the lamb, we only offer lamb chops, ground lamb and lamb sausage.
Our Chicken & Eggs
Our Chickens are all pasture raised on grass and insects. They are butchered to provide a whole chicken weighing about 3-5 pounds. There are no fillers or solutions added to the chickens-they are naturally tender and juicy. The eggs are from cage free organically fed chickens. They are candled and graded to help ensure quality.
Our Pork
Our pork comes mainly from a Tamworth and Berkshire cross. These heritage breeds are known for their excellent flavor and high ratio of lean meat to fat. Our pork is raised on grass and vegetables. We offer pork chops, scrapple, bacon and hot and sweet Italian sausage and a county breakfast sausage. The bacon is cured in a sweet pickle brine and contains no nitrates. The sausage does not have any by-products, MSG, fillers or binders.
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