Laid back and loving life. Those are the healthy cows that make our milk. When they’re healthy, your eats and drinks are, too, because it’s reflected in the milk they produce. Our Holsteins and Brown Swiss — possibly the oldest of all dairy breeds — graze in upstate New York outdoors from April until November, and during the winter they eat our farm-grown corn and hay. The cows also get silage and a few pounds of grain each day. Just as important is what our cows don’t eat. We don’t inject artificial growth hormones to boost milk production or plant crops with genetically modified seeds. We also fertilize with composted manure straight from the cows.  

We process our milk as little as allowable to keep the important enzymes and “good” bacteria there to work for you. The fancy term for this old-fashioned method is low-temperature vat pasteurization. The milk is held at 145 degrees for 30 minutes and then cooled as quickly as possible. This gives milk the smooth, sweet taste of yesteryear and preserves the naturally occurring enzymes that help your body to easily digest it. Granted, this process takes more effort but we don't mind. The great taste is worth every minute. Our milk also is unhomogenized, a rare find these days and a return to nostalgia when a thick layer of cream rose to the top of each bottle.  

Our best days at Manhattan Milk are when we get letters, e-mails, phone calls and visits to our store from folks who thought really good milk was just a memory. Now they tell us they are again enjoying a cold glass of milk. Many people have been diagnosed with milk allergies and sensitivities or they experience gastric pain from lactose intolerance. We’re farmers, not doctors, and we are careful not to make medical claims about our product. Our customers attest that it is easy on their digestive system. There’s a simple explanation: With our milk you’re getting all of the good, and none of the bad.