Why is my milk yellow?

Good morning, Creambrook Tribe! Spring is here at Creambrook! Yesterday morning, March 8th, our cows were moved for the first time in 2022 to a new paddock with fresh growing grass.  

Every day from now until roughly January 1st, the cows will be moved to a fresh paddock of green grass daily.  This is what we live for and there is nothing more exciting than listening to the cows crunch on their first bites of new grass. 

Nutmeg enjoying her first bites of green grass after a long winter. :) The growth of grass makes us SO excited around here. 

Bright green grass coming up for Spring!

Grass is the not-so-secret ingredient that gives Creambrook's milk it's wonderful flavor and full taste.  

Grass is also what gives our milk the powerful nutrient density that comes with raw milk.

Believe or not, you can actually see the nutrients during the grazing season. You will notice in the next few weeks as the cows' fresh grass consumption increases that the milk will begin to have a soft yellow color. 

This color is from the Beta Carotene compound in the grass, which is loaded in easy-to-digest Vitamin A that our bodies need.  Vitamin A is a vital nutrient that our bodies use for cellular growth and in maintaining our organs in addition to playing a role in eye health. 

The yellow from Beta Carotene is also apparent in pastured eggs and especially in butter made from cows that are fed grass.

Homemade raw butter from our grassfed Jersey cows

While raw milk from cows on grass has high nutrient levels all throughout the year, Spring is a special season since the grass from March through mid-May is the most nutrient dense and powerful grass that will be grown during the season. 

We work hard to take advantage of this special time by harvesting the excess grass as hay for the cows to eat during the winter. 

Even though we will still experience cold nights and maybe the occasional surprise snow storm, now that the grass has started growing we know that the season is upon us and now the real work begins! 

So if you're tired of winter and can't wait for summer to come, grab a glass full of sweet, nutritious, yellow milk and toast with your friends the beginning of Spring and all the goodness that comes with it. 

Cheers,

Ben for the Creambrook Team