A love Letter to Dairy from a Sometimes Vegan/Non-Vegan Girl

by Aarona Pichinson on Sep 18, 2010

: Girl with Calf (Via nosha.)

I've been in an on-again-off-again relationship with dairy since 1992. The big break up first happened in high school. There was a kindred soul boyfriend in the picture then, and together we worried about the planet and our affect on it. We read Diet for a New America by John Robbins, and from there Vegan Nutrition: Pure and Simple by Michael Klaper, M.D. We were not into factory farming — who is? — and soon we dumped dairy, and delved deeply into nuts and seeds.

It's been an awesome journey. I've grown, morphed, and pulsed through various diets and lifestyles, and I'm still learning everyday. Success, I feel, is when I listen to my body's fluctuations and respond accordingly — putting dogma and philosophy aside and consuming high quality foods that are produced with integrity.

Re-enter milk....

Although I've been flirting with raw cheeses and local yogurts for some time, things have recently gotten a lot more serious. For various reasons, I've had to cut my intake of nuts and seeds drastically, like almost to none. When one thing goes another must come in. For me, what has come in have been amazing superfood smoothies with local organic milk, cream, or yogurt as a base. Also, divine plain yogurt meals mixed with local bee pollen, blueberries, vanilla, and honey. And not to forget: Fesh raw goat cheese with heirloom tomatoes, sea salt and cracked pepper. OMG!

Who knows how long the dairy affair will last? For now, though, I'm enjoying the new flavors and vibes. I'm also feeling nourished, and I have to admit, my tummy feels better than it did when it was just me and the nuts.

All that said, let me advise any other would be dairy lovers out there: There is a major difference in buying and consuming local grass-fed, well-nurtured dairy products vs. the industrial, hormone-induced alternatives. Practice safe dairy.

Following up on yesterday's raw milk thread, here are my top pick dairy connections in New York: Check out the weekly Farmer's Market in Union Square, or in Brooklyn at Grand Army Plaza. And my personal fave in Brooklyn is BRKLYN LARDER right on Flatbush and Bergen. They are a beautiful store with a beautiful selection of local options.

Also, if you're looking for an intellectual as well as physical connection, you might check out these excellent articles:

Communicate Green: Conventional vs Organic Dairy
Got Local Organic Milk?, Organic Dairy Farms

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