In order to enjoy all the benefits of raw milk in Colorado you are required to have a “milk share” or “herd share.” Essentially it is lawful for you to drink raw milk from a cow you own, so the milk share allows you to participate in the cow’s boarding fees and as a result you get a gift of the milk she produces. So you will need to become a member or our private association (unincorporated association) and get a milk share. 1 milk share is 1 gallon per week and membership must be “renewed” weekly (cancel anytime but with at least a couple weeks notice please). You can also do half shares; 1/2 milk share is a half gallon. Milk will come in 1/2 gallon glass mason jars (we use Ball brand with the Ball brand lids).
1 milk share for A2/A2 milk will have a membership dues of $24
1/2 milk share for A2/A2 milk will have a membership dues of $12
Jar Deposit is $10 for 1/2 Gallon
Jar Deposits is $20 for 1 Gallon (these are two half gallon jars)
We have a few shares available, contact us to join and get raw milk.
For Water Buffalo Milk Shares check out the Water Buffalo Milk page.
***NOTICE: To ensure the quality of your milk, please CLEAN and WASH your jars and allow them to DRY adequately. The milk will be poured into your jars as they are when you return them to us. Your names will be on your jars and that is how we will keep track. Your jars will NOT be washed again on site. We simply don’t have the water to do that and be sustainable. Thank you for your understanding.
All milk available will be A2/A2. To learn more about the difference and benefits of A2/A2 milk click here.
Jar deposits are collected for the first week membership, after that you can return your clean and washed jars so that you do no incur another jar deposit fee.
Pick up location: We will have a refrigerator at Local Roots Vintage Food Market located at 623 W 7th St, Walsenburg, Colorado [81089]. NOTE: Local Roots was kind enough to offer their store as a pick up location but they are not the ones running the milk share membership and are not apart of the private membership. Please contact us directly if you have questions or comments.
Instructions: Contact us at [email protected] to see if we have milk/herd shares available. After we make arrangements for a milk/herd share we will need you to sign a membership form. These forms can wither be emailed to you or found at Local Roots Market in Walsenburg, on the side of the milk refrigerator. We plan to drop off 1/2 gallon milk jars at Local Roots each Thursday. There will be a refrigerator in the store for you pick up your milk, your jar will have your name on it. There will also a drop box on the side of the fridge for you to drop off your membership agreement if it is your first time signing up. Use this same drop box to pay your membership dues, make sure to put a sticky note or envelope with your name so we know the membership due paid is associated with your membership. You can find these membership agreements near the fridge. Your first time you will need to pay the $10 jar deposit, on subsequent visits you can drop off washed, clean, and dry jar and lids in a bin/box next to the fridge to save on the next jar deposit. If you forget your jar you will need to pay another $10 for the next jar. Instructions will be posted on the refrigerator as well. We will do it this way as long at makes sense but will tweak the logistics if needed.
We will be collecting milk and dropping off at Local Roots market each Thursday. To get the freshest milk please pick up your jar sooner than later as the milk is perishable. Your name will be on your jar to pick up. Notes: This is non-homogenized milk (read more here) so the cream will separate and you will see a cream line. You can always shake it up if you prefer to drink your milk with the cream mixed in evenly. You can also scoop out the cream and use in cooking or baking and then you have skim milk left over if you prefer skim milk over whole milk. This milk is a living food and as such will go through a fermenting process as is natural, which can give it a natural sour taste after some time. Much of this depends on how you store it and how fast you go through the milk. See FAQ’s more more information.
To join and get a milk share contact us at [email protected]