Raw milk helps family farm thrive
For years, the Schlittler family drank their milk just as it came from their cows, with no tinkering whatsoever. Today, they're opening up their farm to outsiders who want in on the action.
Since the fall of 2006, the Spring Brook Township family has been selling unpasteurized, unhomogenized, raw milk straight from the udders of the Holsteins on their 150-acre farm just off Interstate 380.
Currently the only documented producers of raw milk in Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Schlittlers are tapping into a continually growing anti-pasteurization subculture. Some raw milk enthusiasts drink it because they believe it's healthier than processed milk, capable of improving one's immune and digestive systems. Some can't get enough of the taste, which tends to be sweeter and creamier than pasteurized. Others see it as a benefit to small farms and the environment.
With this mind-set comes some risk, as raw milk has the potential to carry harmful bacteria that pasteurization destroys, including E. coli, listeria and salmonella. Proponents of raw milk, however, claim pasteurization also kills beneficial bacteria, proteins and enzymes.
For years, the Food and Drug Administration has banned the interstate transport of raw milk, and regularly issues warnings to the public on the dangers of its consumption.
Fifteen states, including New Jersey and Maryland, prohibit the sale of raw milk. Pennsylvania, however, has taken a much more open-minded approach. In just the past two years, raw milk permits in the state have gone up threefold, said Bill Chirdon, director of food safety for the state Department of Agriculture.
"We don't think that's a fad," Chirdon said. "We think it's a long-term trend."
Under state law, farms like the Schlittlers' must submit themselves to quarterly inspections by the Department of Agriculture, and, on an annual basis, have their milk tested for four pathogens (salmonella, E.coli 0157H, listeria and campylobacter) and their cows checked for tuberculosis and brucellosis.
In addition, the Schlittlers pay a laboratory to test their milk for bacteria twice a month. They're also required to keep a sign posted in their barn that advises customers on the possible perils of drinking raw milk, stressing pregnant women, children, the elderly and people with weak immune systems are the most susceptible.
Although these precautionary measures can significantly minimize the risks, a 100 percent clean product can never be guaranteed, Chirdon stressed.
"Unfortunately, cows have very poor personal hygiene," he said with a laugh. "So, you have to be careful."
The Schlittlers' 105-year-old farm is currently being run by the family's fourth generation. About four years ago, Scot Schlittler, his sister, Liz Shenko, and her husband, Chuck, took over day-to-day operations from their parents, Jake and Irene Schlittler.
The three made the decision to sell raw milk from a purely economic standpoint, having first learned about the concept at seminars offered by the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture. By taking out the middleman - i.e., the dairy companies they used to sell their milk to - they could better sustain themselves through a direct-marketing approach.
Thus far, their business has operated entirely by word-of-mouth. At the moment, they have about 15 regular customers who pay $5 a gallon. Some are recent raw milk converts, while others are immigrants from Russia, Egypt and Central America who grew up drinking it. Some buy as much as 10 to 15 gallons per trip.
