Is raw milk for me-a practical/frugality question

[happyhats]

I've found a farm in my area that sells raw milk for $10/gal. This seems to be going rate in my area, and they seem like really great people. The most convienent place to get my raw milk would be at a local foods grocery store an hour away. Now, I'd be shopping there anyway but because of distance I wouldn't be shopping there more than once a month, MAYBE twice but that's doubtful. Nobody in my family drinks milk straight very often, and my husband is sorta leery on raw milk but he should come around. I am very interested in making my own dairy products, and honestly that's probably what the majority of the raw milk would be used for.

So, from a financial standpoint is this worth a try? How long does raw milk/raw milk products typically last? Can I freeze the milk, or the yogurt/creams I make from it? I was thinking of buying one to two gallons a month, and then supplementing as need be with organic (I can buy organic in bulk and it freezes fine, so that's a great supplement for us).

I'm very serious about shopping more local and traditional, but I also cannot afford to blow my money. Honestly, it's hard for me to even consider shopping for many products that aren't food stamp eligible, which this wouldn't be to my knowledge. So keep that in mind when answering. I'm not just being cheap. I just don't want to waste money or waste this milk, but on the other hand I've been intrigued for awhile.

[Magelet]

I would say take a look at your food budget and decide if you CAN afford it. The only way we could afford raw dairy is if we bought conventional feed lot meat (not even organic). And we have local 80% grass-fed/pastured in season dairy availible for so much less. So we choose that, except for rare treats when I'm gifted some raw milk, or buy a bit as a treat.

Here, cream is 12 a PINT, and milk is 15-25 dollars a gallon raw. as compared to mostly grassfed pints of cream for 3.50 and a quart of yogurt for 3.75. (we don't drink the grassfed milk regularly, my DP can't handle the lactose in pasturized milk, and honestly, I'm just not that into drinking the straight milk right now. We do get it to make buttermilk with occasionally.

Someday, someday, we will have a cow.

[wife2jason]

Once a month pick up would be fine. I keep two weeks-worth of fresh milk in the fridge and freeze the rest in 1/2 gallon jars.

Due to cost though, We save the raw milk for drinking. I use conventional milk for my yogurt, kefir and buttermilk making. Then I cook with said cultured dairy. I haven't even been using organic conventional milk. Shudder. It's just a dollar decision, hopefully one that's about to change. We don't drink it uncultured though. If we run out of raw milk for drinking I make almond milk to tide us over.