Good Morning America!

written by

Edwin Shank

posted on

April 6, 2015

Hi Family Cow Family,

You know what?...There's a lot that's going right with Americans and food for 2015. You heard right... There's a lot going right.

Maybe you think I'm overly excited because we just got back from two days in Pittsburgh at the annual Farm to Table Conference where we gave away 800 raw milk pints plus sold 100's of servings of Family Cow raw milk and other healing foods to the crowd of 5000.

And you would be partly right. That was exciting. The teaching was fun...the crowd of healthy food enthusiasts was exhilarating. At times there were seven of us explaining raw milk, raw milk kefir, raw honey, lacto-fermented veggies at once. New Family Cow tribe members were signing onto drop points as fast as they could write.

Farm to Table

But I'm not overly excited. Last week's conference is not even what started my thoughts in this direction. The spine-tingling realization started almost a year ago. It started as I increasingly, almost unbelieving at first, picked up signs that mainstream Americans are waking up to the truth of real food and its undeniable, no-brainer, connection to real health.

Maybe you have noticed it too, but if not, I'd like to point out the signs of a nation awaking from the processed food stupor that has held its grip ever since the 1970's. The awakening comes in several distinct areas.


The Big Fat Myth Gets Busted: Of course Dr. Mary Enig and Sally Fallon of WAPF have been busting the saturated-fat-is-bad-for-you myth for years but Nina Teicholz's book, The Big FAT Surprise in May 2014 pushed the envelope even farther. When the June 2014 issue of TIME Magazine sported an amazing front cover article called, "Eat Butter. Scientists labeled fat the enemy. Why they were wrong"... I knew the myth was busting big time.

 

But the real astounding clincher came in March 2015, when as Dr. Mercola reports, The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) is doing a complete about-face on cholesterol. They are finally acknowledging what the science shows…that cholesterol is simply not a nutrient of concern.

"DGAC has recommended limits on dietary cholesterol be removed from the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This is a reversal of the cholesterol limitations that have been widely circulated since the 1960s." Cleveland Clinic cardiologist Dr. Steven Nissen told USA Today: "It's the right decision. We got the dietary guidelines wrong. They've been wrong for decades."


Organic Announced as Fastest Growing Segments in All of Food History!  In April 2014, Dan Flynn, a Food Safety News writer announces the astounding "increase in sales in 24 years makes organic the fastest-growing consumer food and lifestyle trend in modern history."

Yes!... together we are winning one bite at a time!


Food Giants Notice Customers Leaving: McDonald's is actually starting to lose money! In a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding, McDonald's announces its plans to start using chicken raised with reduced antibiotics and milk from cows that are not treated with the artificial growth hormone rBST. Then Nestlé announced plans to remove ingredients such as Red 40, Yellow 5 and artificial vanillin from all of its chocolate candy brands. So, by the end of 2015, Butterfingers, Crunch and Baby Ruth candy bars will be free of artificial flavors and colors.

Not that this will make any of our tribe supporters of Nestles or McDonald's, but still...it's a remarkable testament to the real power of the real food revolution when the big boys start to tremble.


WHO Pronounces Glyphosate quite likely Carcinogenic: Of course, we are not at all surprised about glyphosate being a carcinogen. The surprise is that WHO (World health Organization), after 30 years, is finally acknowledging it! If you are new to the organic conversation, Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Monsanto's most popular herbicide, Roundup.


The use of Roundup has exploded since the mid nineties when Monsanto first engineered their patented GMO crops to suck-up, absorb and thrive on the toxin. This allows chemical farmers to soak their fields with Glyphosate even after the crop is growing since Monsanto's Roundup sucking, GMO crops are the only plants that can survive the poisonous onslaught.

Smooth move for the farmer wanting to farm 3000 acres instead of 300. And of course, smooth lining for Monsanto's deep pockets...

But very bad for American families as the eaters of the non-organic corn, non-organic soybean and non-organic wheat food crops.

Hmm... no wonder Organic is the fastest growing segment in all of food history. Thank you for your help Monsanto! :)


Moms Steer Clear of Pasteurized Milk: Pasteurized milk consumption fell roughly 30% in the past 15 years and no amount of milk mustaches or other energetic marketing campaigns can do a thing about it.

It seems, milk mustache or not, moms and children instinctively steer clear from the bland, highly processed white stuff that gives them digestive upset and congestion.


Raw Milk Demand is Exploding!  Especially for organic raw milk from grass-fed Jersey cows. I just ran the calculations today. At The Family Cow, our raw milk sales have grown on an average of 40% per year for our past 7 years. Many other raw milk farmers across the nation report the same phenomenal, passionate interest from moms and dads and their children.


Our family and team and other RAWMI listed farmers are all working overtime to teach and train very high levels of raw milk safety to the "small, smart and special" tribe of raw milk farmers who are rising to meet the new demand for this super healing food.

In the past three years since Dawn and I pioneered our own laboratory, I have had the personal pleasure to mentor 16 other raw milk farmers from 9 states and 3 counties to set up and operate their own raw milk laboratory. All of the laboratories are on-farm and without fail the farm families are both surprised and pleased at how much cleaner and safer their raw milk is as a result. Dawn and I feel a lot of satisfaction and reward to pass on what we have learned.


But Most Amazing of All! Progressive Dairyman magazine printed not just one but three positive raw milk articles in their March 2015 issue!  To fully grasp the astounding importance of this development, and the shift in thinking it represents, you must know that Progressive Dairyman is not a magazine for small producers. They cater to the biggest of the big commercial, CAFO, confinement dairies. To see them give this nod of affirmation and legitimacy to America's raw milk dairy families is a major shift and a first of its kind for an industry publication.

One of the articles was titled, Making Clean Raw Milk: A How To Guide and was written by Nick Zigelbaum the director of a microbiology Laboratory in Vermont.

Another was written by Emily Caldwell, the east coast editor of Progressive Dairyman. I thought it significant that her closing sentence was this quote from FTCLDF's Pete Kennedy. "I think in another 5 to 10 years we will see raw milk access in all 50 states."

And you know what! ... I can't think of a better way to express what is going right in America than that!

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So anyway, folks, I hope I didn't bore you... I just thought you'd like to know my personal take on the positive state of food in America. We have a long way to go, of course...but the trend is on the upswing...the food giants are trembling...conventional Ag-Business is noticing and things are a-changing in America!

And it's all because of you educated mother lions, protecting your young, and speaking repeatedly and passionately with your buying decisions. 

In spite of what Monsanto would like to think, the Real Power still resides in "the People!"

Think about it... Spring is coming in more ways than one!

Your Farmer,



More from the blog

Beef Price Freeze for 2 weeks

Good morning Family Cow family! The last week here on the farm has been more like spring than early January, so we are enjoying every minute of it. :) It's the start of a new year and a new season of life for me. I haven't done very well with sharing farm stories in 2025 and so I plan to carve out more time to make it happen this year. A lot of exciting and crazy busy days over the last 12 months, but that's not a valid excuse. You trust us to grow nourishing food for your family and we will do our best to repay that trust by sharing as many farm life details as possible. Be sure to stay tuned for regular farm emails from me or maybe even my dad, Edwin, over the coming weeks... We have a lot of exciting news on the horizon! Today this email brings the one hard fact to announce... Seems the year shouldn't start like this, but I want to get it out of the way so we can save the best for last in coming emails. And this truly is the only negative point of what I plan to share. The next weeks are all full of exciting news and fun farm announcements. :) As we reviewed our 2025 financials, the niggling fears were sadly confirmed. Our beef margins have not kept up with inflating costs.Regenerative, 100% Grass-fed beef farming is beautiful and plays a key role in restoring health to our rescued farm land.But that's not enough. It must also be financially sustainable for family farms to continue from one generation to the next.Beef prices need to go up nearly 5% on average. Some items won't move at all but others, like burger and steaks, will bump more.Our family does not take any price correction lightly.In an effort to help make the change easier for everyone, we will freeze all beef prices at the current rate until January 27. Now is the chance to fill your freezer with 2025 Beef prices. ------------------------------------------------- On a more positive note... I have a special bonus thank-you for all who order this week.There is 1 FREE jar of our Pastured Pork Lard ready for each person who places an order and adds the free lard to their cart.Read our blog post for more details on Free Lard and learn how to cook with it in place of grocery store cooking oils.Our family and team truly appreciates your understanding of the need to keep our cattle farming sustainable!All the best of food and blessings, Wesley~ 5th generation on the farm Real farmers. Real Caring. Real Food.YourFamilyFarmer.comP.S. Our frozen meats will easily last a year or more in your freezer. We recommend stocking up now. If a package becomes unsealed just use it first to avoid freezer burn taste.

Bonus Free jar of Pastured Lard for all orders this week 1/12

Good morning, Family Cow friends! I have a special bonus thank-you to announce today. Place an order anytime over the next week and select a FREE jar of our Pastured Pork Leaf Lard! Why free lard?Our family wants every one of you to experience truly clean, pastured lard for yourself. If you’ve been cooking with lard for years and already know the magic it brings to everything from breakfast eggs to homemade French fries, please enjoy this free jar as a heartfelt thank-you for your loyal support.If you are new to lard, consider this is a gift from our family to help start 2026 off on a healthy, wholesome start. With our clean Pastured Pork Lard you can cook with confidence. No need to worry if it is Chemical-Free, GMO-Free, Antibiotic-Free, Hormone-Free, Soy-Free or Humanely Raised.We farm with integrity so you can enjoy real food—and real peace of mind—at every meal.Enjoy the free lard – and thank-you for being part of our farm family! Just be sure to add the free lard to your order so we know to send it along with the rest of your food. We won't send the lard unless you select it because we want to be sure the gift will be put to good use. :) Note: if you are interested in baking with lard as Grandma used for her delectable flaky pie crust, it's the Premium Leaf Lard you want for that. We don't have many jars available, but if they are still in stock when you see, this go ahead and select a FREE Premium Leaf Lard with your order instead of the regular lard which is better for frying eggs. -------------------------------------------------------- Remember, our Pastured Pork Lard is not bleached, deodorized, hydrogenated or altered in any way. It is simply rendered (cooked down) pork fat from our pastured hogs. There is nothing else done to it or added to it. It is ready to be enjoyed and may just become your favorite kitchen fat! Testimonial: I just had to write in to tell Your Family Farmer that your soy free woodland pork lard is the most delicious fat I have ever tasted! As someone with severe food sensitivities, the ability to get pure natural foods from you folks is a true blessing! Expect many more lard bulk orders to come. Thank you! ~Ronald B. Scranton, PA Why use Lard? It's a clean traditional fat like tallow and butter.Has a natural blend of the three types of fats: monounsaturated fat, saturated and polyunsaturated.7 Healthy Reasons to Eat Lard.Here is an article you'll find inspiring: 10 Reasons to Bring Lard Back   The Story Behind our Woodland Pork Lard: We don't waste anything on our farm. Especially when it comes to livestock. We respectfully use every bit of that animal to accomplish the most good possible. What can't be eaten is carefully turned into rich composted and given back to the soil to fuel plant growth and build organic matter.  What CAN be eaten falls into two categories. The first category is LOVED by all and basically needs to be rationed out.... For example, people will "fight" for the chance to eat juicy pastured pork chops, crispy bacon, savory sausages, or BBQ baby back ribs. But not everyone has as much love for the second category which makes up a sizeable portion of each pig. This category includes things like soup bones, knuckle bones, and LOTS of pork fat since we refuse to use the industry standard Ractopamine (Paylean) drug to keep our pigs artificially lean.  The good news is, we are able to render some of this excess fat into beautiful Woodland Pork Lard that now falls into the loved-by-all category! :) Lard is so versatile it's simple to use as a substitute for your everyday cooking oil. It adds pizazz to everything from simple breakfast fried eggs to homemade French fries. Lard is the secret ingredient your Grandma used for her delectable flaky pie crust. With our clean Pastured Pork Lard you can cook with confidence. No need to worry if it is Chemical-Free, GMO-Free, Antibiotic-Free, Hormone-Free, Soy-Free or Humanely Raised. We farm with integrity to give you the peace of mind you deserve at every meal.  Enjoy the lard! Wesley ~5th generation on the farm We carefully manage every step of the process to bring you clean Pastured Pork you can eat with confidence. ✓ Respectfully Harvested at our small USDA butcher shop✓ Always Humanely Raised on Organic Land✓ No Nitrate or Nitrite Preservatives✓ No Celery Juice Powder Cures✓ Artificial Hormone-Free✓ Citric Acid - Free✓ Antibiotic-Free✓ Chemical-Free✓ mRNA-Free✓ Sugar-Free✓ GMO-Free✓ MSG-Free

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After 3 long years of planning, today we literally have ground breaking news to share with you all! :) The temporary 'reefer trailers' we've been using as our Family Cow facilities since 2008 will finally be replaced by an actual building! We are thankful for how well our 'reefers' served us for the last 17 years, but it's past time for this improvement!