Happy Cows Make Better Milk – and Delicious Milkshakes

When I was a kid, summers were spent taking trips to my grandparents’ farm in Alabama. I remember waking up early to feed the new calves from a big “baby milk bottle”, followed by a stroll to say hello to “Huey, Dewey and Louie” – these were the adult cows that my sister and I named. We loved spending time with the animals, taking tractor rides, and fishing in the pond.

At my grandparents’ house, most of our food was farm to table. It was made from scratch, often fresh and picked that same day from the garden. And because of this, I have grown to really appreciate the work that goes into producing the food I feed my children. Which is why Atlanta Moms shop the Organic Valley brand when milk, eggs, butter and cheese are on my grocery list.

Why Organic Valley?

We love that Organic Valley is a cooperative owned by organic farmers – smaller farms, all working together to grow the food and run the business. They made a commitment to bring ethically made organic food to families, like ours. I love that they provide economic stability for family farmers and rural communities, like my grandparents’ farm.

Want to read more about regional local Organic Valley farm owners? Read about their story and find out why they love being a part of this business.

Happy Cows Make Better Milk

Cows are a lot like kids! They are happier and healthier when they spend more time outside playing. Organic Valley cows are lucky ones – they spend more time outside with the ability to freely graze and express natural behaviors. In fact, they spend 50% more time outside than the organic standard. This is one of the reasons they reward us with delicious, nutritious milk. As a parent we know getting kids outside makes them happy and healthy too!

Spending more time outside means the Organic Valley cows have more grass in their diet than organic standards require. With all of that time grazing, they eat a wide variety of plants and grasses – basically a delicious salad bar for cows!  As parents, we know a healthy diet is a critical part of helping kids grow and feel their best and the same goes with cows. We also know how much planning it takes to make sure your kids are eating a well-balanced diet. The Organic Valley farmers are working daily to ensure their cows also get a well-balanced diet, which means better quality products for us.

I loved learning that Organic Valley farmers keep their herds small, which allows for a lot of TLC. It’s not uncommon for Organic Valley farmers to name their cows and call them by name, just like I did with Huey, Dewey, and Louie.

Find Organic Valley Farm products here.

And because summer is all about having cold treats on hot days, check out this old school strawberry milkshake recipe that has been dressed up as a unicorn…

The recipe was developed by Atlanta Mom co-owner, Jessica Choice (taste-tested and approved by her kids).

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups of fresh or frozen strawberries
• 1 cup of vanilla ice cream
• ½ cup of Organic Valley Farms milk
• Lots of whipped cream, sprinkles, and a ice cream cone to dress it up like a unicorn!

Instructions:

1. Add strawberries, ice cream, and milk into a blender and blend until creamy.
2. Top milkshake with whipped cream, sprinkles, and don’t forget the unicorn horn (aka ice cream cone)!
3. Enjoy!