Yogurt

Is the yogurt made from raw milk?

Sidehill Farm yogurt is made from pasteurized, but unhomogenized milk. Because our milk is not homogenized, you will see a layer of cream that rises to the top of all the flavors of yogurt. Raw milk yogurt is not legal for sale in the US. If you would like to make your own raw milk yogurt at home, you can purchase raw milk from a farm licensed to sell raw milk, and use our yogurt as the starter culture!

Why no non-fat yogurt?

Fat in the milk of grass-fed cows is different from that found in grain-fed cows.

Milk and meat from grass-fed cows have much higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids – the “good fats”, and lower levels of unhealthy Omega-6's – the “bad fats”. Most importantly, Omega 3s and Omega 6s in grass-fed milk are in balance – a ratio that is optimal for good health. Grass-fed milk is also an excellent source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) – another “good fat” that research is beginning to show might play a role in fighting cancer.

We all need some fat in our diet – ideally from healthy, balanced sources. Our partner farms put a lot of effort into creating the optimal conditons for healthy cows, in part because this leads to delicious, mineral-rich, high-protein milk- milk which has a fat component that provides necessary nutrients and energy and supports human health.  Now, we are not fanatics- we understand that not everyone enjoys the richness of whole milk yogurt, and that not everyone needs all those calories.  The lowfat yogurt is actually our compromise with the realities of 21st century life!  We feel that nonfat yogurt just departs too far from our mission of providing whole foods that supply a full range of nutrients for human health.

Do you produce all the milk for the yogurt?

In 2020, we decided that we could do more good for our customers and our local farm community by selling our cows, and buying all the milk for yogurt from local family dairy farms. We are very picky about the quality of milk that goes into our yogurt, and therefore picky about who we buy from. All our partner farms are owned by folks we know well, so we know they treat their cows and their land with the same care that we did. We like buying milk from good farmers. We are able to pay a good price for high-quality milk, and feel good about contributing to the survival of other small organic dairies.

Why does the texture of the yogurt change slightly from season to season?

Because the cows are on pasture, choosing the plants that they need for optimum health; the makeup of their diet changes from season to season, and in some cases, from day to day. Certain grasses thrive in cooler weather, others prefer the heat. Clovers and herbs flower, set seed, and go dormant. Even in winter, the hay the cows eat varies according to where and when it was cut. These dietary variations directly affect the levels of butterfat, protein, and sugars in the milk, and cause corresponding changes in the consistency of the yogurt. We see this as a sign that our yogurt is real food, made from milk from cows that eat real food for cows. We hope you can see that too, and enjoy the natural seasonal variations.

Can you ship me a cooler of yogurt?

Unfortunately, we are not currently set up to ship yogurt to individual customers. The combination of weight, refrigeration, and need for overnight delivery make shipping costs many times more than the yogurt itself.