From the Cow to the Carton: How we get milk to your table!

You pick up a gallon of milk at the store, pour a glass, and probably don't give much thought to how it got there.

But have you ever wondered what happens between the cow and the jug?

At WW Homestead Dairy, we watch that journey happen every day. And while it might look simple from the outside, there's quite a bit that happens before that milk makes its way into your refrigerator. 

It All Starts with the Cows

The first step is, of course, the cows. If you follow us on any of our social media accounts, you have probably met a few of our ladies!

Healthy, well-cared-for cows are at the heart of everything we do. Our milk starts on the farm, where our cows are milked and the fresh milk is collected. 

It's a pretty important job and it's where the story of every glass of milk, piece of cheese, and scoop of ice cream begins.

Great the Jersey cow waiting to head into the milking parlor.

From the Farm to the Creamery

Once the cows have been milked, the fresh milk makes its way to our creamery. Our trusty milk truck makes this trip three to four times a week depending on our production schedule. 

This is where things get really interesting.

At WW Homestead Dairy, we use that milk to make a variety of dairy products, including our cream line milk, cheese curds, cottage cheese, butter, and ice cream.

So when you walk into our store and see a cooler full of dairy products, you're looking at the result of a whole lot of work that started back at the farm.

Our trusty milk truck waiting to pick up fresh milk from the farm!

What Happens at the Creamery

Different dairy products take different paths. 

Every Monday, milk is processed and bottled. We don't homogenize our milk, but it is still separated (removing cream from the milk) and pasteurized.

On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, cheese curds go through their own process before being cut, flavored, and packaged.

Cream can be used in products like butter and ice cream. We usually make ice cream on Wednesdays and butter whenever we have a little extra time to fit it in!

Tuesday is also cottage cheese day! Cottage cheese uses milk, cream and we start extra early in the morning to make sure we are packaging it early afternoon. 

One of the things we love about being a farm-connected creamery is being able to see that process from beginning to end. This lets us pay close attention to every step!

Cow → Milk → Creamery → Dairy Products

That's a pretty amazing journey for something that ends up in your refrigerator!

Empty bottles labeled and ready to be filled on Monday morning.

More Than Just a Jug of Milk

So, the next time you pour yourself a glass of milk, grab a bag of cheese curds, or enjoy a scoop of ice cream, take a second to think about where it started.

It started with a cow. Maybe even one you know!

Then from the farm, the milk, the creamery, and the people who turned that milk into something you can enjoy.

That's the story behind our dairy products and one we're so proud of. 

Want to Know More?

Come visit us and get a behind-the-scenes dairy farm and creamery tour here at WW Homestead Dairy.

Have a question about dairy farming or how your favorite dairy products are made? Let us know! Your question might be the topic of our next dairy education post.