Dairy Processing -March/April 2022 - 10

Mark McAfee,
founder and
president of Raw
Farm, located in
Fresno, Calif.
and rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins, omega-3 fatty
acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).
Additionally, these products claim to offer
a number of health benefits such as boosting
metabolism, strengthening immunity, reducing
muscle and joint pain and minimizing the risk of
cancer and heart diseases.
ANSWERING THE CALL
" Organic
means back
to being a
small familyoperated,
grass-fed
farm,
where
cows can just
freely roam
the pastures
and have
quality of life. "
Rinske de Jong, owner,
Working
Cows Dairy
In 1985, Jan and Rinske de Jong, came to the land
of opportunity from Holland, with a dream to start
a dairy of their own.
The de Jong's started milking 180 cows for
a dairy farmer in Cottondale, Fla. After several
moves, Working Cows Dairy relocated to
Slocomb, Ala., in 1991 to the farm where they still
operate today.
In October 2006, the de Jong's made the
decision to go into the " niche " market of organic
products and transitioned their land and cows.
Since November 2009, all cows and land have been
Certified Organic.
" We had a contract with a big organic
processor, and after a few years, they could not
pay us any more for organic milk (they really had
thought more dairies would move to organics), "
Rinske de Jong said. " At that time we switched
from being a grain-fed dairy to an Animal Welfare
Approved, 100% grass-fed dairy. "
On May 28, 2010, the de Jong's started bottling
their own milk.
" First, it was just whole milk gallons and half
gallons, and a little later also chocolate milk, " de
Jong said. " About two years into it, we started
to separate our milk and offer heavy whipping
10 MAR-APR 2022 | DAIRYPROCESSING.COM
cream, 2% and fat-free milk too. "
The de Jong's finally put their money into a
cheese plant in 2016. Rinske started to make her
first cheese in February 2017.
" For the first couple of years, we made raw
milk cheeses, and later pasteurized milk cheese, "
de Jong said. " We loved this cheese and learned
that we could send in a sample for a competition
for the Good Food Foundation. "
Sure enough, on Jan. 17, 2020, Rinske de Jong
won an award with her Farmstead Cheese.
Working Cows Dairy's product lineup includes
whole milk, 2% milk, heavy whipping cream,
chocolate milk, butter and a variety of cheeses.
Working Cows Dairy's milk is cream top, never
homogenized and vat pasteurized.
" Grass-fed milk is always a healthier choice
because cows turn grass into the essential
vitamins A, D3 and K2, " de Jong said. " During
low-temperature vat pasteurization, our milk
is only heated for the minimum temperature
and time allowed for Grade A dairy so it retains
complete proteins, Omega-3 fatty acids, calcium,
trace minerals and fat-soluble vitamins our
bodies need to stay healthy. "
Working Cows Dairy sells its milk and cheese
at the dairy's location in Slocomb, at select
markets throughout the country and online.
Working Cows Dairy products are also sold via
Farmers & Fisherman Purveyors delivery service
in Atlanta.
" Organic means back to being a small familyoperated,
grass-fed farm, where cows can just
freely roam the pastures and have quality of
life, " de Jong said.
http://www.DAIRYPROCESSING.COM
Dairy Processing -March/April 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dairy Processing -March/April 2022
