Just moved to Tacoma... ISO: raw milk & playgroups. :)

[emilye]

We just moved to the Tacoma area a couple weeks ago.  I went to Marlene's Natural Market to scope it out and my jaw dropped at the prices -- raw milk and organic produce is literally double the cost of what I paid in Texas!  The raw milk was $12 a gallon; I paid only $6 a gallon before.  Can I get it cheaper somewhere else?  I haven't been to the farmer's market yet, but I'm hoping their produce prices are lower.

I'm also interested in finding groups that host meet-ups and/or playgroups for natural minded parents.  Any suggestions for groups in the area?  

[mommyjudy]

I'm up a bit north of Seattle, but $11-$12/gallon is standard up here and has been for a few years. 

I don't know how old your kids are, but LLL can be a great place to find like-minded moms!

Good luck!

[Christina W]

Hey, its great to know that such prices are offered in Texas, but here  $12  are pretty standard. Moving out of a state is great task because you leave all your social circle and start building your life totally afresh. 

I don't much about about moms' meet-ups but there's one my cousin is a part of. She loves it and enjoys her time at the events. Its name is Greater Tacoma Moms Group. Hope this helps dear....

[base]

Emilye, Have you checked the prices at the Tacoma Food Co-op on 6th ave?  I am fairly new to the area (moved in Sept) but would think it would be one of the places where the price would be the most reasonable.

[CookAMH]

Your best bet is participating in a milk drop from either Dungeness Valley creamery (dungenessvalleycreamery.com) or Pride & Joy. Both have drops around here, but I don't know which would be closest to you. http://www.dungenessvalleycreamery.com/?page_id=64

I believe both are priced similarly. I run a drop in Ravenna for Dungeness and the gallons are $8.30, a good bit cheaper than retail.

Contact either creamery to inquire. Hope that helps!

eTA: I think there may be other creameries that drop...these are the two I know of.

[smilingmama23]

Pride & joy definitely does a local drop... a few of my friends go through them. Another couple go through Meadowwodd Organics out in Enumclaw. They rotate pickup every week, but Ijust saw they sell at Terry's Berries on River Road in Puyallup too... Terry's is only open on Tues and Wed right now though.

I met most of my crunchy mommy friends through the Holistic Moms Network... meetings are the last Thursday of the month. I think there is a local AP group too. I've been to LLL meetings too, but never really connected with anyone there... most everyone seemed pretty mainstream. Welcome to the PNW!!!

[milkybean]

When you go to the farmer's markets here in town, just know that Smith Bros delivery service does NOT have raw milk (they just don't trust the health of their cows, apparently).  And they will be quite rude if you ask about it.  Or at least that was my experience.  

[emilye]

Thanks, guys.  I am coming to terms with the $12 a gallon, sigh. ;)  I've been buying the Dungeness Valley and have been really happy with it. I've noticed that the raw milk here is so much better than what I had in TX.  We were experiencing pretty severe droughts the last couple years, hardly any green anywhere.  I imagine it's the nice, green pastures here that are making for much better milk from the cows!

Thank you for the group suggestions as well.  I will be looking into them!  My children are 5, 3 and 1.  We've been here almost 2 months now and still haven't made a single friend.  It's getting kind of lonely! ;)

[clogmama]

Another nice way to meet like minded parents is through the Tacoma Waldorf School's Parent-Child program. You can find out more information on the website:

www.tacomawaldorf.org  The school also has a preschool / kindergarten and grade school and is very welcoming to new families :)

[Nixiegirl]

I belong to the Tacoma Waldorf School parent and tot group.  I just started this Spring, and my daughter and I are really loving it.  I've met some great parents, and I've also attended the May Day celebration and met people.  (12 dollars a gallon?  You are making me want to start milking our two cows.  Wowsa.)

[MeredithK]

I know that this is a bit of an older thread, but wanted to see if you made any connections to people over the summer? I've had a hard time meeting people, too, in Tacoma and I've lived here for years!

[emilye]

Kind of, but not really!  I tried hosting weekly craft play dates in my home, but no one showed up for three weeks in a row so I gave up on that.  Once the sun came out and the rain stopped, all of the neighborhood kids came out in a swarm and my 5-year-old was at least able to make some friends.  He's been playing outside with them all summer!  I've met a few of my neighbors, so I at least have some people to talk to now. ;)   I have a friend from Texas who moved to Olympia about 9 months ago -- we met up yesterday for her son's birthday party and were talking and she said she's pretty much failed at making any friends in the area, too!  All of the people at the birthday party were actually friends who had moved here from TX as well, lol.

I did find a "natural mamas" group on Fort Lewis, but the interaction seemed to be mostly online support, and I'm more interested in face-to-face meet-ups.  

[mirandan]

Since this is an older question, I hope you've found the raw milk at the Tacoma Food Coop on 6th Ave.  Its $9.99.  A friend and I are splitting a gallon each week, since I don't use raw milk for everything.

Not food related, but you might love Best Loved Baby, a Natural Baby Boutique.  Really great natural products and a fun community of people shop there.

Hope that helps; might be old news.