Willow-Marsh Farm
Willow-Marsh Farm Store, LLC
Willow-Marsh Creamery, LLC
No Pets & No Smoking allowed on the farm. Thank you.
The Full Story
Raw Milk
Buying & Ordering Raw Milk
We limit buying our raw milk to 4 containers per car. We highly recommend ordering your raw milk around the holidays, during college breaks, and any time you want more than four containers. As families gather to celebrate, students return from college, etc., there is a greater possibility that we will sell out.
We Have Changed our Pre Ordering Policy
To order raw milk call our store at 518-288-3347, place your order with a team member, pay with a credit card, provide your name, phone number. All milk orders will be picked up on Mondays between 12-2pm ONLY. You MUST speak with someone to order milk. The MINIMUM for ordering raw milk is FIVE CONTAINERS and you must prepay for them by phone 24-48 hours in advance. No exceptions. Thank you.
The most frequently asked question we hear is, are your cows grass fed? The short answer is yes. BUT... asking this question is not going to get the answers you may be looking for. Scientifically, corn is a grass. and many of you have expressed concern over the cows eating corn covered in pesticides and other chemicals, and the corn being GMO or what is called- Round-Up ready. Our corn is non-GMO and free of pesticides and herbicides. We cultivate; we do not spray our fields.
We raise Holstein and Jersey Dairy cows on our farm. Their feed consists of pasture grasses, hay, non-GMO corn silage, alfalfa, and a grain mixture consisting of corn and distillers grains for their minerals (also non GMO). We have 132 acres and grow everything except the grain mixture. Why is what the cows eat important? It can affect the cows' gut health and the quality of the milk. We aim to bring you the best quality clean foods that we can. The Curtiss family are 5th generation farmers who know a thing or two about dairy farming.
There has been some dissemination of false information recently online concerning how we feed our dairy cows and we'd like to clear that up. Cows are known as “ruminants” because the largest pouch of the stomach is called the rumen. Feeding cows a high grain diet of finely ground corn is bad for them. It can be digested too quickly causing gas and bloating while increasing bacteria we don't want to increase. We feed our cows a diet of pasture grasses, hay, and alfalfa, supplemented with chopped corn that uses the entire plant from the ground up - from the stalk to the tassles. The reason this is important is two-fold: effective fiber stimulates rumination, chewing and saliva production and it also maintains normal rumen pH. The way we feed our cows actually decreases the amount of the bacteria we don't want in the milk and supports the good bacteria that increases udder health. Our cows are happy and healthy. The following link is to a scientific study outlining and supporting what is being discussed here. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9197574/
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Corn silage is our own non-GMO corn planted, grown and harvested by the Curtiss family, stored here on our farm. It includes the corn from the ground up to the tassles so that the cows get what they would if they were foraging - the entire plant. Our corn silage is high in energy and digestibility and provides more fiber than if the cow was eating just the tops of the corn.n plants.
Transporting Greek Yogurt and Raw Milk in The Heat
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Keeping raw milk cold is critical to keeping it fresh. Raw milk should always be stored in the refrigerator, not left out on the table or counter. If it does get left out accidentally, it will begin to grow bacteria, thus, shortening the shelf life.
This translates to how the milk should be transported. When it is warmer than 40 degrees the longer it stays in the car, the shorter its shelf life. If it is 75 degrees and the milk (pasteurized or raw) is in your warm car for over an hour, it won't last as long. Pasteurized milk will go bad in two hours in a 70-90 degree car, and will last only an hour if it's over 90 degrees in the trunk.
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What do we suggest? During warmer times of year bring a cooler and ice packs with you when purchasing yogurt or raw milk. The further you have to travel with it, the more important this is. When raw milk is kept cold it will last 7-10 days and often longer. It really depends on how frequently it is removed from the refrigerator. Greek yogurt will last several weeks until it is opened and then about 3-4 days from first being used. It has no preservatives and active cultures.