(all information was taken directly from the Alexandre Family Farm website, and is current as of 5/11/18)
A NEW STANDARD IN ORGANIC DAIRY FARMING
Here on the Alexandre Family Farm, our farm practice is setting a new standard in organic, pasture-raised dairy farming. We’re looking beyond organic and biodynamic certification and we’re raising crossbreed A2/A2 cattle to craft the healthiest, best-tasting milk possible. We are more than farmers, we are caretakers with a commitment to stewardship that reaches beyond our farm gate. We are proud to be bringing to market milk like we use to drink years and years ago, old fashioned milk.
A2/A2 Genetics
A2/A2 beta-casein is the primary protein in human milk. It’s natural to the body and easily absorbed. Historically, cows only produced milk with this casein protein. Cows today produce a combination of A1 and A2 proteins, creating a type of milk that is relatively new to the human body and may be more difficult to digest. Our milk is milk the way cows were intended to produce: old fashioned milk.
Our milk contains only the A2/A2 beta-casein protein. We verify this by submitting DNA to a lab to ensure the cow carries strictly the A2/A2 gene. If you’d like to know more, we encourage you to google it. We like these articles: Research Gate, Bio Med Nutrition Journal, Arizona DHIA, and Medical News Today.
Vat Pasteurized
Vat Pasteurized refers to the pasteurization of milk in batch-like style. Milk is held at 145 degrees for 30 minutes and then quickly cooled. This retains a high flavor profile for the milk while maintaining a minor percentage of the milk’s natural enzymes and beneficial bacteria providing their own health benefits of our milk.
Minimally Process / Low and Slow
Our low temperature pasteurization does minimal denaturing to the good enzymes in our milk, as opposed to a high temperature for a short time (HTST) which will cook the milk as high as 280 degrees. Our minimal processing means that the shelf life of our milk is shorter.
Non Homogenized / Cream Top
Along the minimal processing line, we do not homogenize our milk, therefore you have to shake it before you drink it because that cream has risen to the top. Homogenization breaks down the fat globules in the milk, and may be harder to digest, therefore we keep milk in its truest form with the cream naturally rising to the top.
PET Plastic Bottle (BPA-free)
The plastic that we use is called PET, and it is quality, safe, non-toxic, strong, lightweight, potentially digestible by bacteria, flexible material that is 100% recyclable, and BPA free. We also have a built in UV protection in the renin of the plastic; this ensures our milk doesn’t oxidize and lose the flavor we’ve been able to bottle. We aim to minimize the denaturing of the milk in any way, shape or form. The neck on the bottle protects the soft cream top as it sloshes in the case from the plant to a lucky fridge. Classic milk bottles had it right. We’re happy to revive a bottle style that was proven, worked, and should come back in an innovative fashion.
High Butterfat
The goodness of nutritional value get passed from farm to to bottle through our 6% whole A2/A2 organic milk and 4.5% flavored milks allow for more CLA’s and Omega 3’s per serving.
No Additives
There are no emulsifiers, no stabilizers, no carrageenan, no other additives in our milks. No hormones, antibiotics.
Crossbred Grazing Genetics
If you walk on our farm, you’ll see cows of all colors. Our herd is now 100% crossbreeds, allowing us to pick and choose traits desirable for a grazing dairy. While breeding for these traits we are focusing on small, wide-bodied cows that can travel distances and convert rich pasture into high butterfat, nutritious A2/A2 beta-casein protein milk.
Our crossbreed of New Zealand Kiwi Cross, German Fleckvieh, New Zealand Ayrshire, Dutch Holstein, and Danish Jersey allow for a beautiful grazing cow. Our cows are a mixture of breeds from across the world, brought together to utilize strengths from each breed. Our intent is to use their natural ability to roam our pastures, by being short and wide animals with strong feet and legs, making them better grazers and walkers, turning pasture into nutrient dense milk products.
While doing so, we are sure that each breeding bull and cow carry only the A2/A2 beta-casein protein gene. These traits allow this herd to have the best bodies and temperament for the 365 pasture life, while producing high quality milk having only organic A2/A2 beta-casein protein.