The Best Milk

[SeattleRain]

What is the best, readily available milk? Is there a reason to buy organic milk as opposed to local RBST free milk?

I do not have any desire to drink or consume raw dairy products, so no raw milk suggestions.

[elanorh]

Dh and I thought there was no difference between organic and conventional/rGBH free milk - until we tried SIL's organic milk (Horizon).  There was a significant difference in the flavor of the milk.  We switched over (I had to convince dh to go for the price increase - initially the girls and I switched and dh kept drinking conventional milk, but eventually he came around). 

I love Organic Valley milk.  It's more expensive, but they are a cooperative - so it's not such industrial ag as, say, Horizon.  It tastes better too - better than Horizon and the other organics I've had.  Organic Valley's eggnog is ----amazing----.  As it is now, I watch for the Organic Valley to go on sale - I just can't get dh to agree to spring for the difference between it and the Horizon organic milk unless Organic Valley is on sale. 

I grew up drinking raw milk, and I don't think that raw, unpasteurized/unhomogenized milk is really comparable to pasteurized/homogenized milk (organic or no).  They're very different. 

I will say, recently we were on a trip and couldn't find organic milk at the grocery we were shopping at, but did find an non-homogenized (cream on top) milk - for about the same price as the conventional milks, and rGBH free.  It was almost as good as the Organic Valley milk -- my sister, who lives there, told me that the dairy farm which was selling the milk has a conventional milk 'arm,' and another which he's switching over to organic.  So, I was drinking the non-certified organic, nonhomogenized milk.  Once he has certification, that milk will sell for quite a bit more than I spent on it (but oh, it was good, so worth it!). 

[Bantams]

Since you're in Seattle, I would recommend Golden Glen Creamery.

They milk Holsteins and Guernseys, don't use hormones, keep the cows on pasture, and pasteurize at low temps.  Plus the milk is non-homogenized, so you get the cream on top.

http://www.goldenglencreamery.com/index.html

[SeattleRain]

I actually use their yogurt sometimes (Golden Glen)! I wasn't aware they also do milk.

[Bantams]

Here's another good one:

http://www.pureeiredairy.com/index.cfm

PCC and other local stores carry it.

Golden Glen - retail locations for milk:

http://www.goldenglencreamery.com/Store%20List.html