Organic Valley Rocks!

I'm a true believer in the power and pride in doing it yourself and supporting small, local farmers in the process. But, not all of us can live day-to-day like that, and that is when you want a company who possesses those same values. Two recent finds I had to share:

We make our own butter from the cream we skim off of our raw milk. I've blogged about this before, with pictures showing the quality difference. If you can't make your own, I recommend getting some of this. Here is the description from Organic Valley's website (http://www.organicvalley.coop/): Organic Valley’s Pasture Butter is a limited edition, rich, delicious, nutritional powerhouse made from the milk of organic cows eating the nutrient dense pasture that grows during May through September. Milk from summer pasture produces butter unusually high in nutritional benefits. Pasture Butter contains elevated levels of beneficial fatty acids - CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), and Omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids in an optimal ratio. In production we add a lactic acid culture to the milk to ripen the cream and bring out the natural sweetness of the butter. Upon reaching perfection in the culture tanks, the cream is churned in small batches. Pasture Butter is churned longer than other butters, lowering the moisture content, and increasing the fat content to 84% butterfat.
Remember, this type of fat is GOOD for you!! Not all fat is bad!
Also from Organic Valley, we were shocked to find this at the new, local Nature's Outlet store: raw milk cheese!!! My heart skipped a beat, sung with joy, and it was all I could do to contain myself from doing the happy-dance right there in the store!

They have several different varieties of Raw Milk Cheese, and if you've never had it before you need to get your butt out there, cuz you are missing out!!! They also have a wonderful FAQ section, and here I'll quote their answer to the question "What are the health benefits of Raw Milk Cheese?" ~ Consuming organic dairy products is an excellent way to minimize risk of exposure to antibiotics, or synthetic hormones and pesticides while obtaining a healthy dose of nutrients. Cheese is a natural food providing a dense source of nutrients. It is a good source of calcium and protein. Calcium is essential for growing and maintaining strength and density of bones and teeth, and preventing osteoporosis. It supports normal cardiovascular, thyroid, and muscular function. Research suggests dietary intake of calcium between 1,000 and 1,500 mg daily makes cells less likely to store fat and more likely to burn fat when calorie intake is reduced. Research has shown milk from pasture-fed cows to be higher in nutritional value and antioxidant levels compared to milk from non-pastured cows. Beyond the personal health benefits of eating organic cheese, sustainable organic production methods promote the health of all life on earth, now and for the future.
From us here at the Blue Nymph in good ole Salem, VA here's a big "HAZAHH" to the folks, farmers, and farming families at Organic Valley!!