Registered & Certified10 Grass Fed Guernsey Cattle
Last update: 01/10/22
Veterinary Care:
Veterinary care has been a problem every year we have been farming. We have found two basic problems with veterinarians. First, we found only two willing to treat large animals. One in each of the counties bordering us. They both have a different problem. One sees no value in treating large animals and therefore gives no serious care to them. The other simply doesn't like to be bothered with it and becomes very grouchy during service. Both have no problem accepting payment for their sorry quality of care. This poor care has resulted in two deaths that we believe could have been avoided.
Icing:
As a result of the veterinary problem mentioned above, and refusing to let anymore of our animals suffer due to poor care, my wife decided to do something about it. Five years ago she began attending college to become a veterinarian herself. She is now in her fifth year, the first year of Vet school, attending Lincoln Memorial University which has a superior Veterinary program. Her education must become our primary focus. As a result, we are icing the farm. What does that mean? We are not closing the farm! We are icing it. This means that we will no longer be milking until we resume that process again in 2025 after her graduation. We will continue the development of our own Guernsey line which we began five years ago. We will still sell the ocassional Guernsey cow or heifer as well as beef and pork shares, and we will still be breeding pigs, though on a much smaller scale. This means that anyone wanting shares of such must be early and persistant. I will be checking the emails more frequently as I have neglected that somewhat in the recent past. Stay with us, 2025 will be a great renewal!
If you're one of the many people seeking Natural milk, now you can get it fresh from the farm under the provisions of Tennessee C.A. 53-3-119 through a herd share agreement. There are many people just like you who don't have the ability to own and milk their own cow for a number of reasons. There is a way that you can own a share of a herd, and receive the benefits the same as if you did it all yourself.
For more information call 865-583-6389 or 317-437-0404. If you don't read anything else, read this! See also, Are natural (raw) milk products safe? We don't retail anything (Dairy or Meat products).
(Gretta pictured, one of our certified A2/A2 producing Guernseys.) At this time we are offering only monthly payment plans in any half share increment that suits your need i.e. half share, whole share, share and a half, two shares etc. Each share will receive 1-gallon of milk each week, picked up directly at the farm on specified dates and times or at other prearranged locations. For information on the average cost of milk per gallon, Jump to Table.
Herd shares cost $25.00 and require a $30.00 monthly maintenance fee. The monthly agreement provides that during the first five months you pay $35.003,10 each month on the contract date when you pick up your share of product, and then $30.003,7,10 each month thereafter.
(Clarice is a registered A2/A2 Guernsey heifer, the daughter of Gretta.) We believe that the Guernsey breed is the best that's why we've chosen them. Our Guernsey's are both Registered and Certified. Many farmers will say that their breed is best, whatever breed it is that they happen to have. The fact of the matter is that when it comes to milk, no matter the breed, if you can find a source for fresh natural milk you should still get it from whatever farmer you can.
If you research cattle breeds you will find that the Guernsey tops the list of A2 milk producers @ 96% with the Brown Swiss second @ 68% followed by the Jersey @ 57%. There are others as well. Without DNA testing there is no way to know what a given cow produces regardless of the breed. That's why we DNA test our herd. In other aspects of milk content the Guernsey and Jersey are very similar. For information on the benefits of A2/A2 milk visit this link.
Why is it illegal for farmers to sell natural milk or retail meats?
The bottom line is the corporate greasing of governments at one level or the other, sold to the general public under the pretense of health or safety. Politicians today aren't any different then medieval politicians were; they're just as crooked and ruthless, but they've learned to be conniving using the media to brainwash the gullible public. As a matter of fact, Hitler started the second world war using exactly the same methods on the German public.
(Cici, our first and oldest cow, and the only one guaranteed retirement on the farm.) Fresh natural milk from a variety of mammals has been consumed by humans for thousands of years and still is today in the majority of countries around the world. In a few countries where crooked politicians have sold out to greedy lawyers like the United States, Canada and a couple of others however, the sale of natural milk is greatly regulated or prohibited entirely. Why? Large dairy bottlers don't want you to be able to go directly to a farmer and cut them out of the process so they grease dirty politicians. This begins with the FDA and the USDA who are also getting greased by the large corporations. It comes down to money, and who controls it. Greedy politicians protecting you from yourself while they line their pockets with lobby money. There is nothing on the planet dirtier, or more crooked than politicians.
What about Herd or Cow shares?
There is a solution; most states have enacted some kind of legislation which either allows farmers to sell natural milk and other dairy products directly to consumers or to provide herd or cow sharing programs. There are ten states where off-farm sales are legal with license and six where on-farm sales are legal with license. There are twelve states that allow unlicensed on-farm sales and ten states that allow herd or cow shares. Natural milk sales are illegal in Seventeen states. Some of the states in these lists are the same.
Tennessee politicians left a loophole in the law either intentionally or not, thereby allowing farmers to sell Herd or Cow Shares. The farmer then cares for and milks the animals and provides the shareholders with the appropriate quantity of it's product. It is through that loophole that we provide such an agreement here at Barnett Dairy in Rockwood Tennessee. We are located just ½ mile west of US highway 27, 7-miles south of Interstate 40 @ exit 347, Rockwood, Tennessee.
How the Herd Share Agreement works
Our Herd Share6 agreement provides for an individual or family to purchase as many shares as needed in half share increments, and each share10 provides for a specific quantity of Farm Fresh Wholesome Dairy Products. Each Herd Share requires a relative monthly maintenance fee for the boarding and care of the livestock and for the labor of milking and processing of Dairy Products.
(Jasmine is a certified A2/A2 registered Guernsey recovery RF born on our farm.) When available, some of your milk can be exchanged for farm fresh butter. A better option is for you to make butter yourself with the milk you receive; it's very easy. Your shares will remain in effect and valid for as long as you keep your maintenance fees paid up. However, should you fail to keep your maintenance fees current, your share will be lost after a 30-day grace period expires. We do not buy back shares5.
What you DO NOT get for your share is any voting rights or say in any way of how operations are conducted on the farm and with the herd. You DO NOT receive any ownership in any particular animal or descendents of same. You DO NOT have any rights to, nor will you receive any meat products through the herd share agreement.
Milk Bottles or Jars
Milk jars are an expensive challenge. To keep pricing low and taste the best that it can be, we must use glass. However, without prompt returns, our costs get excessively high very quickly. The lack of prompt returns has caused us to require deposits, but even still returns remain a problem. Please do your part to keep costs down and promptly return your milk jars.
Each share requires a one-time deposit for jars as follows: Weekly delivery - $10.00 or Biweekly delivery - $20.00 per share. You must return them clean, unbroken, and unchipped (quart/two-quart wide mouth canning jars only) with each pick-up of your share of product. Failure to bring jars results in NO product! We do not accept dirty jar returns. The only alternative is to pay in cash at the time of pick-up for new jars or deposits on same. In either case the price is $2.50 per quart jar and $3.75 per two-quart jar. An alternative to the deposit is supplying a set of jars, you can get them at Walmart for a reasonable price.
Why glass containers: Glass saves costs and milk tastes better from glass containers. Plastic would add approximately $0.75 per gallon to the end cost and also contribute to environmental pollution. We cannot simply fill your containers due to our sterilization requirements. We know some farmers do this but it's risky. After you return your bottles to us, even though clean, we wash them again and sterilize them.
The Fine Print Unfined
We make our fine print obvious because we want you to be knowledgeable so read the following paragraphs closely.
Assumption of Liability: By signing a Herd Share agreement, the shareholder acknowledges that the USFDA has claimed that the consumption of milk in its natural state is unsafe and thereby agrees to either pasteurize their share of milk themselves before consuming by holding at a temperature of 161°F for 15-seconds followed by rapid cooling or by using another approved method, OR, assume complete liability for the consumption of milk in its natural state or “Raw” as commonly referred to in the industry.
Covenant not to sue: By signing a Herd Share agreement, the shareholder agrees that they have assumed all liability for the use of their share of natural dairy products and thereby agrees not to attempt to sue ever.
Our Freshness Guarantee: We deliver all shares within 2-days always maintaining the temperature between 32-35°F which provides for a product shelf life of 7-days or more. We also closely monitor our transport procedures to ensure the temperature never rises above 35°F. Jump to top
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