Question 1

What breed are your cows?

Accepted Answer

We presently have a mixed herd of several different breeds. Our long term goal is to focus on what we refer to as the "Mini Swiss" breed, which is a Jersey/Brown Swiss cross. This breeding program has just begun, and will be many years of work. Below is a list of our current cow's in milk only.   Essie (100% Brown Swiss) Annie (100% Jersey) Sadie (75% Jersey, 25% Holstein)

Question 2

Are your cows A2/A2?

Accepted Answer

When speaking on pasteurized and homogenized milk, A2/A2 shows some benefit for those with dairy sensitivities. But the truth is that the percentage of individuals that require A2/A2 when drinking raw non-pasteurized and non-homogenized milk, is VERY minute. Most people with dairy sensitivities find that the switch to raw milk alone is enough. Raw milk separates when it sits (cream on top, skim milk on bottom), while store milk does not because it undergoes a process called homogenization. This is a process where they push milk on high pressure through very small holes, which breaks up the fat globules and makes them so small that they no longer separate. They become so small in fact that they can actually pass through your stomach lining, which in turn can cause a multitude of dairy sensitivity symptoms. In addition to this, there is a good bacteria called lactobacilli in raw milk. It specifically digests lactose. When milk is pasteurized (brought up to high heat and rapidly cooled), this bacteria is killed which causes a higher amount of lactose which can cause issues for those with a true lactose intolerance. We welcome those with dairy sensitivities to first purchase a 1/2 gallon for pet consumption before making the decision to join the ReGen Ranch PMA (when there is availability).  It is a common misconception that protein type is connected to breed. They are entirely unrelated, and protein type is individual to each cow. You can have an A2/A2 holstein, an A1/A1 jersey, and an A1/A2 Brown Swiss and vice versa. Any breed can be any of the protein types, that is entirely decided on the genetics of their Sire and Dam that are passed on. Jerseys are thought to be the most common A2/A2 breed which is another misconception. Less that 50% of the breed is A2/A2, while Guernsey's have an almost 90% rate. Every cow must be tested in order to be certain of their protein type.   Our milking herd has all different variations of protein type, so our milk is A1/A2.  We do have A2/A2 milk available in limited quantities for those with true protein sensitivity. $12/gallon due to additional work involved with keeping protein types separated.

Question 3

Are your cows grass-fed?

Accepted Answer

A lot of a cows ability to be healthy on a grass-fed diet comes down to genetics. The health of our herd will always come above a label, so for that reason our cows are presently considered "grass-fed based". Our Cows are on pasture 24/7, 365 days a year. In the winter they are given access to high quality hay.  In a commercial dairy setting, pasture time is sparse and sometimes non-existent. In exchange, they are offered feed at all times of day. This includes grass/hay, silage, minerals, but also includes grain and protein-rich feeds such as soy beans. This constant access to non-grass fed approved feeds can have many affects on their health and the nutrition of their milk. Here at ReGen Ranch, our cows are only pulled off pasture to milk where they are offered 50% grass-fed feed (alfalfa pellets, beet pulp, and molasses), and 50% grain from our local mill. They also have access 24/7 to free choice minerals. This drastically cuts down on the amount of grain our cows have, as they only have access to it for roughly (2) 15-20 minute sessions a day.   With that said, our goal long term is to move towards 100% grass-fed cows. As a young dairy, this will take many years as we use selective breeding to choose genetics that support a grass-fed diet.

Question 4

What's in our medicine cabinet?

Accepted Answer

Here at ReGen Ranch, working along side our experienced Veterinarian, we strive to always use the natural option first. Our medicine cabinet is full of mainly products from https://synergyanimalproducts.com. Synergy has many amazing organic dairy approved products that we have used successfully.  Presently, none of our dairy herd have received antibiotics while under ownership of ReGen Ranch. We do believe in the use of western medicine for life saving measures, and we are open to using them in order to save an animal. Antibiotics are never a first resort for small issues, and we opt for things such as fermented garlic honey, oregano, and other natural digestive aids.  If we did ever have to resort to antibiotics, the milk would be dumped for the required amount of time.

Question 5

What do we do with calves?

Accepted Answer

Do we calf share or do we remove the calves? This is a hot topic in the dairy world, and we personally choose not to calf share. With that said, we do see a serious issue with the mental toll it takes on cows when their calves are taken away. But this issue is easily rectified by pulling the calf immediately. Many dairies choose to leave the calf for at least the first 24 hours, letting the cow handle those most crucial first couple days of life and ensuring they get colostrum. While this is easier on the rancher, it lets that bond between cow and calf start and this is what creates that "cow cry" when her calf is removed. Cows at the end of the day are not like humans, and when you pull their calf immediately after birthing they do not care because they have not had time to create any attachment. This does require watching for calving more closely to ensure we are present, it requires doing the most critical newborn care of feeding day or night, and ensuring they get plenty of colostrum in the first 24 hours. Our cows mental health is our priority! We have made the decision to pull their calves, and so we have agreed to take on the extra work to do it the right way!
 But why do we not calf share? Thats a great question! Calves can do a lot of damage to teats and the udder, which can compromise the longevity of the health in our dairy cows. They also introduce a lot more bacteria and heighten the chance of mastitis, and these are things that we feel are just not worth the risk. When calves are brought up on cows, they also have a higher chance of being a full grown cow that tries to nurse on other cows. This can cause health and condition issues for the cows being nursed on by other full grown cows. These are just some of the reasons that we have chosen not to calf share at ReGen Ranch.  Bottle calves are kept quarantined the first 2 weeks to ensure they are not introduced to any harmful bacteria as their immune systems are very weak early on. Then they join our dairy goat herd, and livestock guardian dogs. It is here that they learn to socialize with children, they are exposed to all types of animals, they learn that our LGD's will protect them, and they are taught to eat hay and graze grass by the goats. Once they are weaned off the bottle and onto buckets for a few weeks, we introduce them back to the herd!   With our goal of a grass-fed dairy, we do not introduce calf starter/grain to our calves. They are given high quality hay early on and alfalfa pellets to explore. While most dairies wean their calves off milk at around 8 weeks of age, our dairy calves are kept on 1.5 gallons of milk a day until 6 months of age when they are weaned off slowly. They are always given precedence to our raw milk, and they only ever receive whole raw milk and never milk replacer.    Our heifer calves are raised with the hope of becoming a dairy cow just like their mama. After their first calving, dependent on their supply and personality, they may join our dairy herd. If they are not the right fit, we will find them a suitable home as a family milk cow.  Bull calves are raised on raw milk and then continue growing out on pasture until 2 years of age when they are processed for grass-fed, grass-finished beef.

Question 6

How much cream do your cows give?

Accepted Answer

Butter & Ice Cream GALORE! Cream lines are completely random based on the breed, time in lactation, and the individual cow. Our cream lines range from 12-18%.

Question 7

What if a jar or lid breaks?

Accepted Answer

Jars that are returned broken are a $5 replacement fee, and broken lids and seals are a $1 replacement fee. We totally understand accidents happen, and we thank you for allowing us to keep our prices low by covering any mishaps!

Question 8

What if I want more milk one week?

Accepted Answer

We occasionally have extra milk available for sporadic purchase for existing weekly PMA members. If you need extra milk one week, feel free to communicate that! It may not always be available.  Sporadic purchase only is not an option at this time, you must be committed to weekly purchase to join the ReGen Ranch PMA.

Question 9

How old is the milk I get?

Accepted Answer

All milk given out to weekly customers has been milked within the last day.

Question 10

What if I still have milk from last week and I don't need more?

Accepted Answer

We presently only accept members that are committed to their weekly purchase. If you have milk left one week, please empty it into your own jars and bring back all jars to your next pick-up. You can make cheese, butter, or share with friends if you don't need the extra! If you find you have extra left every week, you may have signed up for too much milk. Please adjust your weekly purchase amount with us so we can offer the extra to another waiting member.

Question 11

What if I forget to pick up?

Accepted Answer

Due to our current fridge space for pick-up, we can only allow delayed pick-ups for emergencies.
 Failure to pick-up regularly or consistently missing your pick-up day will result in your weekly milk commitment being revoked and given to a waitlisted PMA member. Failure to communicate accompanied by failure to pick-up 3 weeks in a row is an immediate removal from the ReGen Ranch PMA. This is at ReGen Ranch's discretion and allowances will vary on a case by case basis.

Question 12

What if I leave out of town?

Accepted Answer

There is a required sign-in sheet at pick-up. On this sheet, you can mark "VA" for upcoming weeks that you will be on vacation. Vacations are no problem, and you can continue your normal pick-up schedule when you return. If you forget to mark your vacation time, please message us so we can mark it down for you!

Please assume your milk has been reallocated for the time you are on vacation. If plans change, it may have already been reassigned temporarily, but don't hesitate to ask to be sure!   OTHERS PICKING UP FOR YOU We do allow this on a case by case basis. If you are leaving on vacation and have a family member or friend who wants to temporarily take your milk, that is fine. But, you must pay for it. Our PMA contract only covers the PMA member to purchase our products, and no one else outside your home. You must pay for the product personally, even if someone else is going to pick-it up. This is only allowed on a short term basis, for reasons such as vacation. You can not use this as a means to allow a friend or family member to skip ahead on the waitlist by taking all/part of your share.  If someone else is picking up for you, please communicate this, but do not mark VA on the sign-in sheet on those weeks.

Question 13

Why is ReGen Ranch a PMA?

Accepted Answer

North Carolina strictly prohibits the public commercial sale of raw milk for human consumption. ReGen Ranch previously ran as a herd share. This avenue allowed us to legally sell shares of our herd, in which our members paid care fees for the herd and in turn got their share of what the herd produced (raw milk). Herd share legally requires the weekly payment of care costs, regardless of whether you can pick-up or not. Presently, due to current demand, we can only guarantee products for PMA members who are committed to weekly pick-up. But a PMA means that if you go on vacation or unexpectedly can't pick up that week, you don't have to still pay care fees. A PMA allows more legal coverage for you to make your own food choices for your body, as well as more flexibility in cost so you are not having to pay without getting goods in return.

Question 14

How much does your milk cost?

Accepted Answer

Please see our "GET RAW MILK" page for all details pertaining to our private membership association.

Question 15

What payment options do you take?

Accepted Answer

Venmo, Zelle, or exact cash. No checks please.

Question 16

What if I want to leave the PMA?

Accepted Answer

Private Membership Association fees are paid yearly. You are welcome to stop purchasing/bartering/trading at any point. You can choose to not re-new your membership, and it will only stay active for the remainder of your year from membership join date. Membership fees are non-refundable. You will need to return your jars or pay the replacement fee within 2 weeks of stopping weekly raw milk pick-up.

Question 17

How long will I be on waitlist?

Accepted Answer

There are many factors for this. Currently the waitlist length is approximately 7 months. With that said, current members may adjust their amount at any time, if any should lower their purchase amount, availability may be available earlier. Being moved off waitlist is not just based on when you signed up, but also the day's in which you are available. The more days you are available for pick-up, the higher likelihood you are to be moved off waitlist sooner.   Again, waitlist is not a commitment to the PMA. Contracts are not signed until first pick-up. You will be given the opportunity to decline membership when/if it is offered to you.  You will receive an email notification and text message when/if you are accepted. You will have 24 hours to reply before we move on to the next waitlisted family/individual.

Question 18

How long is raw milk good for?

Accepted Answer

When stored properly, raw milk is fresh for a minimum of 7 days. We have customers who have said it tasted fresh still after 2 weeks, but this will be highly dependent on how sensitive your pallet is. Unlike pasteurized milk, raw milk doesn’t actually go bad. All the good bacteria likes to eat the sugar in the milk, which is what makes it gain that "sour" flavor. When you cook it, the sour flavor will go away and for this reason you can use soured milk just like you would normal milk in baking and cooking.   PROPER STORAGE makes a difference. Fluctuation in temperature can shorten the time before it sours. Bring a cooler to transport, and do not store milk in a fridge door. Always store it directly in the main fridge cavity, towards the back if possible.

Question 19

Is raw milk safe?

Accepted Answer

Learn about the benefits and safety of raw milk here : https://www.rawmilkinstitute.org/about-raw-milk  Here at ReGen Ranch, we follow strict cleanliness protocols when milking, straining, and storing our raw milk. We welcome PMA members to sit in on a milking and storing session (by appointment only).

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