Information About Raw Milk for Consumers
The NOFA/Mass Raw Milk Network
Check out our raw milk dairy map below!
The NOFA/Massachusetts Raw Milk Network works with dairies that are licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) to sell raw milk on their farm. The dairies listed here meet that criteria, and provided us with the following additional information:
Milk Available: Seasonal or Year-round
Grazing and Feeding Management
The dairy farms listed on the NOFA/Mass website have chosen from the descriptions below Within the definition of “grass-fed” is a range of practices
- 100% grass-fed: Cows eat only grass all year long.
- Grass-fed with supplemental grain in winter: Cows eat only grass during the months it is available, typically April thru November, and during the winter eat hay and forage with small amounts of grain.
- Mostly grass with occasional grain: Cows eat grass and grain from March thru November, and during the winter eat hay or forage with grain.
- Not pasture-based: Cows primarily without access to pasture.
Herd Health
- No BST: Cows are not given the BST growth hormone
- No Antibiotics: Cows are not treated with antibiotics
Notes on management methods have been provided by the farms and have not been independently verified by NOFA/Mass.
If you are a dairy producer wanting to be part of The Raw Milk Network to help make safely-produced raw milk available throughout Massachusetts, contact our coordinator, Dago Driggs at [email protected]– DO NOT CONTACT US TO FIND OTHER SOURCES OF RAW MILK. The only providers we promote are those listed on this page. Delivery is illegal, please don’t ask.
List of Massachusetts Raw Milk Dairies
We now have a map! Click here to see the map of raw milk dairies across Massachusetts!
Remember: Look for the label. Farmers complying with DAR regulations must have a label on all of their bottles reading “Raw milk is not pasteurized. Pasteurization destroys organisms that may be harmful to human health.” To learn more about raw milk, including why it is important to buy only from certified farms in Massachusetts, please see this Wikipedia article.
The FDA’s position is that “Raw milk, no matter how carefully produced, may be unsafe.” Their warnings are available here.
List of Raw Milk Dairies
Western Massachusetts
Blue Hill Farm
Sean Stanton
342 North Plain Road
Great Barrington, MA, 01230
413-429-6598
www.northplainfarm.com
[email protected]
Milk available: All Season
Grazing and Feeding Management: 100% grass-fed, Certified Organic
Herd Health: No BST, No Antibiotics
Cook Farm and Flayvors of Cook Farm
Debbie Cook
129 South Maple St.
Hadley, MA, 01035
413-584-2224
www.flayvors.com
[email protected]
Milk available: Year-round
Grazing and feeding management: Not pasture based
Herd health: No BST
Cream of the Crop Farm
601 Blandford Rd
Russell, MA 01071
413-297-6037
[email protected]
7am to 7pm Monday to Saturday, closed on Sunday
Milk available: Year-round
Grazing and feeding management: Grass-fed with occasional small amounts of grain, organically-fed
Herd health: No BST. Antibiotics rarely, as needed.
Cricket Creek Farm
Topher Sabot
1255 Oblong Rd
Williamstown, MA, 01267
413-458-5888
www.cricketcreekfarm.com
[email protected]
Milk Available: Year Round
Grazing and Feeding Management: Mostly grass with occasional grain Herd Health: No BST, Very limited antibiotics
Davenport Farm
Norm and Lisa Davenport
111 Tower Rd
Shelburne MA 01370
413-625-2866
facebook.com/DavenportMaple
Milk available: Year-round
Grazing and Feeding Management: Grass-fed with supplemental grain in winter
Herd health: No BST. Antibiotics rarely, as needed.
Grace Hill Farm
Max Breiteneicher
47 Potash Hill Rd
Cummington, MA01026
413-634-5348
http://www.gracehilldairy.com
[email protected]
Milk Available: April-November
Grazing and Feeding Management: 100% grass-fed (grain in the milking parlor)
Herd Health: No BST, No Antibiotics
Mill Valley Milk Store
Bruce Jenks
102 Mill Valley Road
Hadley, MA
413-588-1716
www.millvalleymilk.com
[email protected]
Milk available: Year-round
Grazing and Feeding Management: Living on pasture, grass fed and non-GMO/organic dairy ration.
Herd Health: No BST, No Antibiotics
Registered Brown Swiss Cattle. Complete farm store with aged farmstead cheeses, selection of local artisan products, farm fresh eggs, Maple Valley Ice Cream and other local food.
Meadowsweet Farm
Gus and Kyra Tafel
59 Forget Rd.
Hawley, MA
413-412-3543
[email protected]
Milk available: Year Round
Grazing and Feeding Management: Grass-fed
Herd Health: No BST, No Antibiotics
Certified organic by NOFA-NY
O’Brien Farm
Ed and Andrea O’Brien
505 Holtshire Road
Orange, MA 01364
978-544-1195
[email protected]
obrienfarmma.com
https://www.facebook.com/ObrienFarmCSA
Milk available: Year Round
Grazing and Feeding Management: Grass with some grain
Herd Health: No BST, No Antibiotics
We also sell our own compost, beef, eggs, yogurt, kefir, and seasonal produce.
Upinngil
411 Main Rd
Gill, MA, 01354
413-863-4431
www.upinngil.com
[email protected]
Milk available: Year-round. Store open 8am-7pm, every day of the year.
Grazing and Feeding Management: Pasture, Hay, and Non-GMO dairy ration.
Herd Health: No BST, Very limited antibiotic use
Registered Ayrshire Cattle. Glass Returnable bottles or Plastic. Complete farm store with aged farmstead cheeses, our own whole grain flour and baked goods, meat, eggs, fruits, veggies, and local food staples.
Wholey Cow! Farm
49 Wholey Road
Conway, MA, 01341
413-369-4638
[email protected]
Milk available: Year-round, 24/7 (self-serve ‘fridge)
Grazing and Feeding Management: Mostly grass with occasional grain
Herd Health: No BST. No routine use of antibiotics.
Central Massachusetts
Carter & Stevens Farm
Molly, Will, and Phil Stevens
500 West St (rt 122)
Barre MA 01005
978-355-4940
www.CarterAndStevensFarm.com
[email protected]
Milk available: Year Round
Grazing and Feeding Management: Mostly Grass with occasional grain
Herd Health: No BST, Antibiotics only used in life threatening emergencies
Chase Hill Farm
Benjamin and Laura Wells-Tolley
74 Chase Hill Rd.
Warwick, MA 01364
978-544-3752
[email protected]
Milk available: year-round, farm stand open 7 days a week, 7am-7pm
Grazing and Feeding Management: 100% grass-fed
Herd Health: No BST, No Antibiotics, Certified Organic
Crystal Brook Farm
Eric and Michele Starbard
192 Tuttle Rd.
Sterling, Ma. 01564
508-340-2393
www.
[email protected]
Milk available: from A2 tested Jersey cows year round
Grazing and Feeding Management: Rotational grazing spring, summer and fall. Dry hay and supplemental grain winter
Herd Health: No BST. No antibiotics
Greener Acres Farm
Erin Hawkes
51 Pleasant St
Mendon, MA
(508) 328-0494
facebook.com/GreenerAcresFarms/
[email protected]
Milk Available: Year-round
Grazing and Feeding Management: grass fed with supplemental grain to keep up with mineral and vitamin needs
Herd Health: No BST. No antibiotics
Maplebrook Farmstead
Hannah Miller
155 Tuttle Rd
Sterling, MA 01564
215-823-9931
www.maplebrookfarmstead.com/
[email protected]
Milk available: Year-round
Grazing and Feeding Management: Grass-fed, with supplemental grain only during milking
Herd Health: No BST. No Antibiotics.
Rocky Acres Farms
Bob and Martha Richardson
690 Coy Hill Rd.
Warren, MA, 01083
413-436-5806
www.rockyacresmilk.com
[email protected]
Milk Available: Seasonal (late March to December)
Grazing and Feeding Management: Mostly grass with occasional grain
Herd Health: No BST
Summit Farm
Mary Jones
40 Hardwick Rd
New Braintree, MA 01531
508-867-7303
Grazing and Feeding Management: Pastured in summer, organic hay and all natural grain.
Herd Health: No hormones or antibiotics.
Goat milk only. Call ahead.
The Little White Goat Dairy
Rachel Scherer
309 Gidney Rd
Orange, MA 01364
978-790-1240
[email protected]
www.littlewhitegoatdairy.com/
Milk Available: Seasonal
Grazing and Feeding Management: Mostly grass with supplemental grain during lactation: Goats eat grass, hay and grain from March thru November, and during the winter eat hay or forage.
Herd Health: No BST, No Antibiotics used in milking animals
Goat milk only.
Eastern Massachusetts
Clover Luck Farm
Dave & Mary Sears
84 Jewett St
Pepperell, MA
617-694-9349
[email protected]
Milk available: All Season
Grazing and Feeding Management: Mostly grass with occasional grain
Herd Health: No BST, No Antibiotics
The Grey Barn
Eric and Molly Glasgow
22 South Road
Chilmark, Martha’s Vineyard, MA 02535
508-645-4854
Every day, 7am – 5pm (cash only, “honor box”)
www.thegreybarnandfarm.com
[email protected]
Milk available year-round
Grazing and Feeding Management: 100% grass-fed, certified organic
The Herb Hill Micro-Dairy
Lucy McKain
16 B Brookline Street
Pepperell, MA 01463
978 888-8005
[email protected]
Milk available: Year-round
Grazing and Feeding Management: Grass-fed with supplemental organic grain
Herd Health: No hormones, no antibiotics
Goat milk only. Call ahead.
Mermaid Farm & Dairy
Allen Healy
9 Middle Rd.
Chilmark, MA, 02535
508-645-3492
[email protected]
Milk available: Year-round
Grazing and Feeding Management: Grass and grain.
Herd health: No BST, No Antibiotics
Oake Knoll Farms
Theresa Lawton
70 North St
Foxboro, MA, 02035
866-4Raw-Milk
www.oakeknollfarms.com/
[email protected]
Milk available: Year-round
Grazing and Feeding Management: 100% grass-fed: Cows eat only grass all year long
Herd Health: No BST, No Antibiotics
Paskamansett Farms
Tom Coutu
742 Tucker Rd.
Dartmouth, MA, 02747
508-990-7859
www.paskamansettfarms.com
[email protected]
Milk available: Year round
Grazing and feeding management: Mostly grass with occasional grain
Herd health: No BST, No Antibiotics
Pine Hill Dairy
Andrew Ferry
272 Pine Hill Rd
Westport, MA 02790
774-292-3105
Milk available: Year round
Grazing and feeding management: Mostly grass with occasional grain
Herd health: No BST, No Antibiotics
Please let us know if there are any errors, corrections or updates. Email [email protected]
Note: If there is no dairy listed above that is near you please contact us for information about what you can do in your region to help make safely-produced raw milk available.
If you live in a township in Massachusetts where raw milk sales are banned, call a member of your township’s Board of Health and request a copy of the bylaw that bans raw milk. You can find your Board of Health’s contact information through the Massachusetts Health Officers Association.
As with all whole, living foods, NOFA suggests you know the animal care standards and sanitary practices of your milk producer. To get a sense of their practices, ask them some questions:
- Are you approved by the DAR to sell raw milk directly to consumers?
- Are your cows grass-fed (pasture in the summer and primarily hay or baleage in the winter)?
- Do you use pesticides, herbicides, hormone supplements or antibiotics?
The publication ‘Safe Handling – Consumers’ Guide Preserving the Quality of Fresh, Unprocessed Whole Milk’ offers simple procedures for maintaining the quality of fresh, living (raw) milk to consumers who strive to take responsibility for the food they eat. It gives an overview of the best practices of a dairy farm which are in the purview of the farmer. It then goes on to describe hygienic measures the consumer can follow in the cleaning of milk containers, dispensing and transporting milk, and finally storing milk for consumption at home. It is available for purchase from the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund