Trautman Family Farm

No one sets out to be 'unsafe'. And there is no magical line of 'safe' - it is a fuzzy line that moves in time, based on understanding of the situation. We can be across that line by a good margin -- or hugging the line.

Our approach is one of being across the line by a good margin, yet well within the limits of practicality on the farm, vs. a large milk processor environment. Today I will give some outline to what we mean by safe raw milk.

Raw Milk Safety at Trautman Family Farm

#1: Attitude towards safety: Job 1. Each day we think safety; it is not an afterthought, it is not something we think about when an inspector is due to show up, it is a minute to minute thought about what we are doing.

How do we keep the focus? We meet regularly; monthly sit down, weekly informally, daily continuous observation.

#2: Training: I have attended the Producing Safe Dairy Products short course, I get good information from the UW Extension's Milk Quality website. There are additional resources specifically on safe raw milk as well that I am familiar with. I believe ongoing training/review is a  great way to stay focused on safety overall, and current issues.

I am our "safety officer" - which means I am responsible for ongoing education, presentation of new material, looking for possible safety issues and getting them incorporated in written documentation. Although the safety job is for everyone, one person needs be responsible for coordinating the effort. That's me here -- it really varies by dynamic from farm to farm.

#3: Documentation: We are producing documents: for training, for operation, to share. The act of writing it out formalizes practices, but amazingly puts a discipline to what you're talking about and an order. Often issues are presented in novel ways by insisting on documenting them. If you can't explain it: You probably don't understand it. (ode to teachers)

Our goal is a HACCP-like document.

#4:  Well developed testing protocols, feedback mechanisms, monitoring & check-and-balance systems.

We are human and capable of mistakes. Therefore we plan  on systems to check our own work, and ideally, immediate feedback on unsafe practices. These are situations we create:

- operating procedures with 2nd person checking. Checks & balances: Between Julie & Scott - excellent communication - and Don Warren (microbiologist and sanitation expert) & Art Johnson (former dairy fieldman & dairy process expert). We are fortunate to have these kinds of resources monitoring us and helping establish better safety systems.

For example, how can we double check pipeline & bulktank cleanliness, monitor system performance. Regular equipment checking: Ph strips for wash water, chlorine strips for sanitizing performance, visual/smell checks, identification of 'critical points' of hazard entry....all documented. Maintenance schedules. Inspections. Data such as time/temperature. Complaint log. Event log.

- documentation trail for review and learning. Telling the story of safety!

#5: Holistic nature of safety: Whole-istic: Safety is NOT just sanitation! It includes everything; the people, the animals, the farm, our customers. Healthy begets healthy. Add great sanitation and  you have a very safe environment.

#6: Healthy farm, healthy cows, conscientous farmers, healthy milk.

Healthy farm: Excellent soil fertility - nutrient managment - diversity - monitoring - attention. See our soil reports! See our organic certification inspection reports (excellent)

Healthy cows: Very few disease events (talk to my Veterinarian!), robust healthy immune systems, low stress, monitoring (or as we call it, knowing your cow's names and everything about them), healthy diet appropriate to the animal.

Healthy milk:

- Excellent job of udder cleaning,(see our milkline filters) low cow/work ratio for excellent monitoring & cleaning time. 2 milkers per operator (instead of 4 plus). Well thought through routines & roles.

- Mastek mastitis checker used daily; (seen and unseen issues)

-very little on our milk filters: there are no 'whoops' recovery with pasteurization and we know it!

- intensive monitoring of udder health via DHIA and milk pickup reports,  overall coliform count, plate count, somatic cell (SCC) all well into the excellent range. For example, 80% of our cows have a SCC of under 70,000 -- under 100,000 is considered 'perfect udder health'. Our overall SCC is around 100,000.

- monthly pathogen testing routine (salmonella, listeria, E157:H7 E:Coli, Campylabacter)

Conscientious farmers: taking great care in filling of containers, great recordkeeping, sampling (we sample whenever milk is taken out of bulk storage), sanitary practices for ourselves - and communicated clearly to our customers as well.

Producing safe raw milk products is an honor and great responsibility. We understand the liability if anyone were ever to be hurt: our practices and relentless pursuit of better safety show that. This is an advantage of the owner-operator system that can't be duplicated en-masse on larger farms or in the milk processor environment -- where they do have their advantages of scale: this is - an advantage to the small family business.

Our goal is to document well enough our entire process such that any potential customer has a clear insight into how we operate, what kinds of risks there are - so they can make a reasoned decision for themselves and their family. As of now it is a farm tour and discussion with Scott prior to any type of transaction. Where else can you get that level of knowledge? From a food nutrition label? An ingredients list? Some PR BS from the company that makes it all look like cows never poop and the sun shines twenty four hours a day?

Getting close to your food -- your farmer -- is an essential part of this, and is by its nature -- special and worthy of extra consideration.

In looking at this: You ought take away the impression we are serious about safety. We can be trusted! Our milk IS safe and we deserve every bonus in creating this quality situation.

I am thrilled to discuss particulars - metrics - of our system with anyone.

In love,

For two weeks, ending only start of this week, I have been waking up every day at 3:01am. And that's it; I'm up, no use fighting that. So I do get up, I make myself a Latte -- a big glass of my milk, just a bit of brown sugar, and espresso coffee. I give a check to the 'overnight' email; see what's new, where'd I leave off yesterday's emails.

It's Scottland. Where I'm free to focus on what's going on, undisturbed.

Until around 6am, when the rest of the troops fall in for breakfast.

By 7am, kids off to the bus, 15 minutes of eat and clean up and sort out the day with Julie. By 8:30, on a good day: Milking. Okay, at least by 9. Done by 10:30 and ready to feed. Julie's filling orders, I'm talking on the phone. The cows understand.

Think positive! Dream some!

I'd like....

- To get the old folks together that knew this place way back when together to tell stories.

- A whole neighborhood party. The Skaalen neighborhood: West: Hwy N, East: Tower Road. North: Hwy B. South Hwy 51. Shut down the end of Pleasant springs road, and all on that 4 acre piece on that corner (bales at west edge)

- Hold a Milkstock benefit in Spring/Summer 2010. A weekend of great music, speakers, food -- and great people. Benefit Strong Farms Fund.

- To talk to my neighbors Dale & Sandy & Howard & Carmen about our dreams. And if they like, I'd love to listen to theirs; their story.

- To add Dale's East 40 -- to us South 40 -- soil build 2010, pasture plant 2011, full graze w/organic 2012. Trautman's milk 40, 120 total stock.

- See either the old Sjkolas place + 80 acres bought from Howard

- The old __________ place + 60 acres bought from Howard 

- To add a 2nd farm & farmer here, in this neighborhood. Farm family. Dairy even. Starting 2010!

- To live in peace with Food Safety. We don't hurt people. We help people, and we do it safely. Suggest away, but help not assault.

- To find a way to get our milk made into something people - regular people - can benefit from. Cheese? Yogurt? Kefir? Raw milk? In 2010.

- To have a great Raw Milk bill in 2010. One that no one is in love with, but everyone can live with. Then lets get to work on the longest event free farm buildin' times we ever did see. Family Farms Win: Wisconsin Wins!

- To continue to attract into my life such interesting, beautiful people as I have this year especially. So very blessed we are.

- To increase the family interaction out here at the farm. Big Family is what it is, Big Family.

- And the same peace and prosperity to you!

First you have to envision it. Then start breaking it down into pieces....

in Love,

Scott Trautman, Thought Test Pilot (early am) Proud Wisconsin Dairyman (the rest of the time)
 

Dairy Happy

in Wisconsin 

Anyone guessed that I love my work? Even in the face of crisis, like now, I know what I was put here on this planet for. To farm, to dairy, to teach; these are my passions. Add in there -- to innovate -- a restless curiosity and need to move forward -- especially in an area like dairy that has been heading in a non-constructive direction since....well...that 50 years again. Opportunity! Love it!

I love all of my work, even the parts some would say are redundant, don't you hate the routine of chores? No, I really don't -- some tasks I do, including, say, fieldwork -- time on the tractor - I put to good use. Thinking time. Thinking positively -- thinking about a problem - thinking sometimes about nothing, wham, there it comes. A thought. Incoming!

How to make less milk.

I know how! Pick me! I know  it!

What? Less milk? Yep -- less milk. Taken by itself, yes, that is wacko-crazo-nutballiness. You mean, feed the same feed, all the same
costs, but make less milk? No! I mean

reduce costs by at or more than the amount of milk you don't make

put more milk towards alternatives to shipping it - that have surprising benefits

Imagine: If instead of the deathrace each farmer has on in a poor price dairy market (oversupply) like this: make as much milk as possible, and hope your money lasts longer than your neighbors before markets recover: Somebody Has To Go, Let it Be My Neighbor and Not Me.

What if -- each farmer instead reduced the amount of milk they made by 15-20% -- and reduced their costs by a little more -- 20-25%. And preserved their ability to go back up that 15-20% at any time.

Here's what we're doing: 

- feeding high quality, but 1st crop hay. Keeping the good stuff for when we need to make milk -- or for sale even.

- not feeding any supplements other than minimum salt & kelp, Ah: but we've earned the right. Have you? Soil Fertility program & good haymaking are the heroes.

- maintaining body condition because of high quality and all grass background and probably also due to us milking once a day.

- growing calves longer -- heifer or steer - dairy or meat - with milk: we leave calves with cows. This last group of calves got an extra 3-4 weeks of momma's milk: It WILL pay off in the future - nice big healthy calves. Project out 2 years from now: Beautiful, and ready to serve.

- chickens - hogs - get quite a bit of milk - premium quality products from milk-fed animals

- our pets: cheap dogfood it is lately, but supplement with high quality milk: better health and vitality

- NOT feeding the oversupply of milk in the system. I think most dairymen could haul back on the corn to about nothing -- and see milk come down, but health go up. But you need quality forages -- balanced grass & legume -- energy -- carbohydrates -- is the issue. Get off the "I make big milk" kick. The game is survival; the big game is happiness. We're happy: we're not on a treadmill, we're not a money for agribusiness machine.

- when we're low on carbs? Molasses, fat supplement in a mineral mix. Individually or group: and I am watching how my cows are - there are 2 that are less conditioned than the rest. Cull? Not our future? Experiment with the individual supplement. Close monitoring. Daily!

- mastitis treatments: I listened to David Engel, great organic dairyman who no longer does much treatment of mastitis in his herd. First, he doesn't have much mastitis. We are getting there too -- wow, great number on my girls from last DHIA - super healthy udders - super healthy cows. They get rid of a low level, high cell quarter -- and that's all it usually is for us - in their own time. We have an alternative use for their milk: the chickens: and we don't spend a lot of money on medicines that end up being less  than effective anyway. Massage/mint oil; maybe some garlic, aloe, but really, we used to know how to spend money on an organic treatment. We're to the point where we don't need to. It goes down on its own, in its own time, which can be a day or two -- or a month -- even a lactation.

Other than the sub clinical mastitis - no health issues. We have one sore. One foot corn. A couple cows with chappy teats. That's it. We run cheap and don't need any vaccines, no medicines, no vet visits, no nothing. All a part of the benefits package of no grain and high quality forages. No lost calves, no calving problems, no ketosis, no milk fever, no da's, no lameness, no laminitis, no halitosis. That's bad breath and that's my problem not theirs.

Refigure your costs now: health budget next to zero. Insignificant.

- calf raising  costs: $0

- calf loss: $0

- cleanup/handling/feeding: $0

- quality calves: Super High

- PRICELESS!

- we figure 10% of lactation: 300 days -- so 10% - of milk production allocated to our calves. Say tops, 15%. A guy can change his milk by 15% no problem with some ration changes. So then you get the calf for free! Or at least figure it based on what it took you to get 15% more milk, if that's how you want to do it. We do not futz with calves here ever. Momma does that until weaning, and at weaning, we just still don't have any problems.

- once again: Our saved time - not running around the farm doing jobs the animals would rather do themselves - is utilized in a diversified farm. Marketing to individuals. (you know every one of you could have your own customers: even if it were a dozen family & friends: That is an economic impact to your farm. And trust me: It is so nice to hear from people: Wow, love your work.)

- we save enough on simplicity -- and time -- time we use to diversify -- with the meats for example -- so that we are never backed into a corner.

- conduct our finances responsibly and have a reserve to buffer setbacks like this dairy crisis has been. Buffer you build: I can last one month now. Now 2. Now 3, from what I have the discipline to put away. What if every dairyman could last 6 months reducing milk output by 20%? What would be the effect on prices?

- crisis like this puts a guy in the position to really think everything over top to bottom. There's been changes in our household. I noticed wow, quite a lot less garbage going out. What's going on? Less packaging. Packaging = purchase. And food: More from nature, more from our farm - and other local farms, more time allocated to cooking and family. Perfect! We drive so very much less. In a peak, we could be spending $300+ per month on gas. How about less than $100 when I use this computer to communicate, stay on the farm, we make our trips efficient -- and local -- into our coop, to the library, combine trips. Re-allocate our food money on quality raw ingredients we can prepare ourselves. Result? More vigorous health, more energy, a drawing together of the family. (Quinn is the kid with the cooking interest!) 

An aside, but tragic: Talked to a 70's winner of "Farmer of the Year". He was having severe stray voltage problems. Spending huge money arguing, fixing, still problems. Did you learn anything from this, other than about stray voltage, get any ideas? Nope. Really: No. Then indeed it is nothing but a bad situation. My one thought to him -- in one ear and right out the other -- is GET THE COWS OUTSIDE, no stray voltage out there, minimize contact to stray voltage. Nope, keep 'em in the building. Sheesh! That is a dedication to futility to stand the ages.

- how we look at thing: Positively: We cannot help but take good from no matter what bad we think it starts off being. We're coming out the other side of this STRONGER -- WAY STRONGER than we went in. Lessons learned -- to handle any situation. I told a friend and they didn't quite understand me when I said, "I'm functional under a wide range of conditions". Good times: enjoying, appreciating, taking advantage of in its own unique ways: Bad times: NOT really bad times, challenging times: reevaluation times. Resting times, and expansion times. Defense, attack, hold. There are challenges and solutions. When you're out of solutions: you schedule the sale. There is no sale now, not any time I can think of in the works for Trautman Family Farm. We're needed! 

We're happy in our work - we're happy in our life - and our joy is spreading, as it is in abundance. Come get a heaping helping any time!

Scott Trautman, Proud Wisconsin Dairyman 

My friend Pete Hardin, who is editor/writer/passion behind The Milkweed, called me yesterday morning, to tell me "some things", but especially about an ad he placed for me in his latest issue of the Milkweed, which I just got yesterday. So here's the ad:

WANTED: Single-Axle, Bulk Milk Truck

A Wisconsin dairy producer, Scott Trautman, wants to purchase a used, single-axle, bulk milk truck in good running condition. The truck must meet applicable Grade A sanitary codes.

Surely, somewhere in some milk hauler's shed or back lot, there's an old-timer from the 1960's, 1970s or 1980s that deserves a new life patrolling "America's Dairyland"

Mr Trautman farms near Stoughton, Wisconsin (close to Madison). His number is 608-206-9798.

Scott & Julie Trautman are in a battle vs. Wisconsin's agriculture department over sales of raw milk 'pet food'. Buying a small bulk pickup truck would allow them to better line up a plant to process their milk, which is currently being dumped.

 Thank you so much Pete! For all you do. And thanks for the idea for today's blog entry -- I would like that someone out there that has one of these to understand just what we would do with that truck.

Realistically: Would like 2 -- a backup. But you'll see why.

I've contacted others that had some kind of resource like this, and they have always been too busy, into their own thing to consider any kind of sharing. Okay, fine. Welcome to the world of 2009.

Except I refuse to give into that. IF I were to acquire this milk truck -- I would find a way to share it with other dairy producers, and present and future dairy processors, to stimulate creativity and competition out on the farm.

What we have today: a limited number of really big trucks going by our dairy farms. Our case: One, that's it -- a 2nd? To the same place that has already said because of raw milk -- Dean Foods -- Foremost Farms -- not interested in us -- us uppity farmers (take note, farmers, take note).

There is a lot of interest in this consolidation in milk processors -- The Milkweed hammers on it each issue -- and I for my part, in my own small way, want to DO something to stimulate competition.

I am also going to talk (again) to Darlington Dairy Supply as well -- and anyone that will listen -- DBIC guys: I laid this same whole thing out for you and you completely ignored me. Sorry gang, but you are useless, you have no vision beyond your own job preservation, and that is really sad. You ought to be ashamed but don't even have it in you for that.

Darlington Dairy Supply sells and installs dairy processing equipment. Particularly on a small scale. There are pieces missing from the puzzle -- and some amount of scale is it. As I laid out so clearly to DBIC -- and was ignored -- it is a small market for farm-based artisan cheesemaking/dairy processing. It makes very little sense in an already busy day, and by people that are really good at MAKING milk, it is rare that they are also good at business AND making stuff WITH milk.

The answer -- the vision -- is:

1. Get the transportation thing worked out. Reasonable transportation, LIKE a single axle milk truck: I have talked further about an even more economical 'milk mover' -- which our Food Safety people like to say "NO! What was the question again?" -- you've heard me talk about that -- how destructive they are to entrepreneurial dairy endeavor (how many jobs and farms they are really costing us every day)  - that would bring 'special' milk into a regional location, economically, sensibly, safely.

2. Be able to test this 'regional location' with Darlington Dairy Supply's "Cheese on Wheels" -- a semi trailer with any kind of dairy processing built in, that is 'pre-inspected': it can be pulled into an area, and within 3 days be operational-making product. What's missing? The milk. Enough to keep it busy and paying for itself; from more than one farm. Back to the milk truck idea. The one farm one cheese on wheels? Too expensive. Not selling any. Could say -- 4-5 farms come together -- then it is really economical. What a great use for grant money even.

Hub and spoke -- at the hub this test facility -- test in a region -- what can we do here -- bring the milk in, make it into something great, market it. Goes well?

3. Build a permanent dairy processing facility -- move the mobile unit to the next location -- repeat.

What our farm has been all about: Quietly succeeding in our concepts here, until such point as the neighbors, other dairymen -- cannot help but notice how happy we are, how great our farm looks, how wonderful our animals are, and the raves about our milk: and then they get around to asking, "WHY are you so happy? WHAT are you doing?". And they really listen for a change -- really listen. And then what -- "how can I do this too?". Why, I would be thrilled beyond all imagination to tell you.

Because our dreams here are NOT about ME, our farm, it is a dream of farmers coming together in the real spirit of cooperation -- of community -- that we once had -- and were somehow talked out of -- imagine how it could grow -- first one farm, then a 2nd, then 5 -- our little area here to get a reputation once again -- "wow, those guys down by Stoughton -- they really know how to dairy -- the community supports them, they support each other -- let's see what they're doing...."

BEYOND the individual farm: NOT really an efficient unit of dairy entrepreneurialism. It has to START there -- but it becomes a force when several farms come together, bringing their talents and varied resources together. No, NOT back to the olden days: But take the best of the olden days, and combine with the best of technology and today. Like our farm.

This is NOT a new idea from me: I have been screaming this with all my might -- to DBIC -- to anyone that would listen -- it can work -- and now is the time.

So back to this single axle milk truck: It starts there. Why? Because it allows Scott to get back to work -- get our milk off our farm, even as it doesn't make great sense in the long term -- it does as a test pilot -- as a pump priming -- for bigger things. A something rather than a nothing. To get a busy guy like Bob Wills to listen, take notice. Want to participate.

You there -- bulk truck owner -- old-timer as Pete puts it -- dairy -- family dairy farms are not dead, they are alive -- and we have this opportunity to be a part of the New Golden Age of Dairy -- and you can be right here in the lore of it -- the place it started, with one Single Axle Bulk Milk Truck.

What would that be worth to you? To Wisconsin dairy? To all of Wisconsin? The world? We'd all like to know.

Scott Trautman, Proud Wisconsin Dairyman and Citizen

PS: The page that the milk truck picture came from DeLaval: pretty cool

The following has a couple lines removed. 

They're gone -- because the Food Safety folks are reading this daily -- as they can find clues to what we are doing and how to use their evil abilities against us.

<friends names removed>

I am a guy. And guys, it seems, like history. It's a generalization of course, but I'm sure The History Channel could show its demographics. Now, guys, has this necessarily made us any smarter? Well, maybe not. But boy can we be fascinated in front of a good war documentary. Lift your glasses, guys, booyah!

The thing is, though -- if you're a history major, and wondering exactly what you're purpose in life is -- what job there is for you -- is to learn from history; to not make the same mistakes. In the understanding of the good of the past -- and the stuff we read so much more about -- the bad -- what can we learn from it and apply to today. I would humbly submit we do far more enjoying of history than learning from it.

Steve Ingham (head of Food Safety, DATCP) has what will prove to be this raw milk movements favorite quote of all time. Sorry Steve, but there just isn't a way to do this without it looking this...not good way. We are very appreciative you made it -- and you believe it. Unfortunately, I could spend literally hours talking about just this statement, in about 20 different ways.

I was sitting down yesterday with one of my favorite people in the whole world. I hope you'll look back at my earlier postings -- before this raw milk war heated up -- and see a posting about Richard. He's a bachelor farmer, he's in his sixties, he never milked more than about a dozen cows, he's done quite well in time, but even he would admit he's an anachronism in today's world. And he wouldn't use a big word like anachronism, either. He'd say it so everyone understood it.

Please honor Richard and read my posting about him; I won't give all the details here, only what I feel is important to this story. I love Richard, we've gotten to be good friends, and I respect him so much. He loved -- and loves -- his cows. God's work yet again that I found him; well before we were really interested in dairy, I had a compulsion from an ad in the paper, I had to call him. Anyway -- he ended up selling us many of his cows. He desired to stay in contact -- I was all for that -- and because of that, we've learned so much from Richard, that is now incorporated into how we dairy. And too, Richard has learned from us.

Richard is the everyman farmer: The quiet, the hardworking -- the kind of people that when the government says this, he does this. If the vet says that, he does that. Like so many people have always done. It takes a lot for him to get upset, and he like so many tend to their own business most of all.

Richard came out yesterday and we were sitting around the table, and as we do a lot, I asked Richard about the past. It came around to why -- why 50 years ago did we come to these pasteurization laws -- did it really make sense then? We often have to ask ourselves what was going on -- what was the context then. When Steve Ingham says "there have been pasteurization laws on the books for 50 years, there are reasons for that" -- he wants you to stop right there. But me -- I want to know. I hope you want to know.

Back in the late 50's -- he told me they had one of these home pasteurizers. Everyone did. They were told they needed them. Here are dairy farmers -- being told to pasteurize their own milk. In his case, they did -- everyman does what they are told, even when there is this nagging lack of congruity. They'd been drinking raw milk from the tank all their lives. No problems there, now they come along and say heat it up before you drink it, well, as Steve Ingham puts it, there must be reasons for that. So they did -- and yuck, the milk tasted terrible. Yet they did it -- until the thing's heating element burned out, and it went in the junk heap, and they went back to drinking from the bulk tank -- out of convenience rather than thinking too much about it.

That left me thinking about just why -- what was going on then -- what was the context - that this was such a perfect solution, to what problem?

First, whoever was selling those home pasteurizers -- what a modern marvel that was -- you know how that's going to go, right? You NEED this, not, you MIGHT need this, and wow what a way to sell something -- you could DIE if you DON'T. Don't ask whether this applies to you, that's a real small market -- EVERYONE needs ONE. Think of THAT market.

That's only a really small part of it though. A sidenote, that adds some color.

Those of you that were adults during the post WW2 period. The new age of technology -- think of the flying cars, the space travel -- how technology was going to solve all our problems, we dreamed big dreams and it was going to be a wonderful future. And -- better living through chemistry, right? Every problem had a technological solution; every life inconvenience could be solved with a gadget, or a product or process. Efficiency, streamline -- progress.

All the chemicals - plastics - came into society -- marketing really took off -- TV -- this was some golden age -- no problem was beyond being solved. Yet as a counterpoint -- Sputnik -- the Red Menace -- The Iron Curtain -- The Korean War -- The Bomb - this huge fear -- things we could not understand and we needed to make sense of them. Fear of things we could not see -- germs. Wow did science tackle every problem. And we did "solve" those immediate problems -- with chemistry -- with products -- in our naivete thinking there wouldn't be long term side effects. It fixed the problem now -- in our arrogance and pride -- we -- man -- are so smart, we have solved the world's issues, and did it make for a great economy.

Everyday people -- living in fear -- bomb shelters -- communists around every corner -- McCarthy -- and fear from germs -- what would they do to us? We can't even see them. Science was catching on -- but so much scary stuff we could only imagine.

So take us back to the farm -- what was happening there in the late 50's -- the same things. Technology, industrialization, growth -- yet we saw problems along the way -- things we couldn't quite grasp in the larger picture of things, but boy did we have easy solutions for the now. Greater rates of mastitis? Antibiotics. How could that be bad? In the milk? That's probably a good thing for everyone! And then we get to pasteurization: what a simple solution, it seemed to take care of EVERYTHING, no matter how terrible the problem -- it solved it all. Did it? No more than anything else, but as we moved forward -- pasteurization wasn't high on the list. We had so many more pressing -- more obvious problems that needed to be revisited. Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, looking at our chemical use. But we never did get back around to pasteurization, to look really closely at what long term societal effects it had on us. Homogenization -- what a nifty technological solution for the housewife for her family, right? No shaking up the milk. Safety -- this is safe milk here, it's been pasteurized. Every responsible mother wants safety, right? Pasteurized, homogenized for your protection. Sells a lot of milk -- and fit right in with the industrialized model.

Along the way -- it became yet another good way to keep farmers in their place. You need us dairy processors -- look here what good has been done, you're not against safe milk now are you?

We can get really wound up in conspiracy; and not as though there aren't, but I try not to give into it. By what understanding of culture -- of history -- can we come to some sense as to why things are as they are today. Pasteurization seemed to work. No one was all that interested in looking at it any other way, it sure didn't seem to be a high priority problem -- so we didn't. And it worked well for those that were in the business to market products -- but ultimately against people that aren't about marketing products, farmers.

Our everyman -- our everyfarmer here -- Richard -- did not stop pasteurizing his own milk because he researched the issue, he did because his pasteurizer broke. Neither he or any other everyfarmers questioned much further, they had work to do, and they trusted the government -- the university -- to tell them what to do, and they did it, even though it ultimately has meant for their destruction and the benefit to others.

Here we are in 2009: and I can guarantee you a Steve Ingham has gone out of his way not to learn the truth, and how many he hurts in his ignorance -- willful as it is  -- how sad it is-- but know the truth will out  -- and we will look back at this time and wonder why did we listen to people like him when he made so little sense. It will be obvious when we are in the future looking at the past.

You cannot tell me that nature got it wrong. That only man can fix nature's imperfection? That kind of arrogance has brought us to the very edge of destruction of the entire planet. This is but one small example. Let's fix the problem, not solve the symptom. WHY does ALL milk need to be pasteurized? It doesn't. But if milk does need to be pasteurized -- you'd think an otherwise smart guy like Steve Ingham would have the courage and thought of his fellow man at heart to go find out why. Sadly, he won't, and more farms will be exterminated for his ignorance.

As always -- forever -- Proud Dairyman from Wisconsin, Scott Trautman

I am so proud of everyone that showed up yesterday at the DATCP board meeting. That took their time -- felt so passionate -- spoke from every possible place in society -- that raw milk is here, we're not going away, and that we need to be heard -- and respected.

Yesterday was Veteran's day. We honor those who's sacrifice is complete: with their lives - for our freedom. We honor them, and ourselves in our pursuit of what is right and good for all. To root out tyranny -- expose those that would hide in the shadows and do evil -- to the weak of all shapes and sizes. That is what we did yesterday -- is spoke of the tyranny at Food Safety -- what they are doing to the weak -- the family dairy farmer in Wisconsin.

We spoke eloquently, we spoke honestly, we gave a complete picture, and I am proud, too -- to say -- that the board members listened and asked good questions. Clearly they care, and we saw an important part of democracy -- and good common sense -- in action. What they will do -- what message they will send Rod Nuelstein - and Food Safety -- we await.

But know with every day our numbers grow; our strength, our confidence, our organization, our ability to talk to real people -- people that wouldn't know raw milk from raw fish -- will know of this war against freedom: our ability to choose for ourselves wholesome food, and of the terrible war that Food Safety has had on our very pride as Wisconsinites--in the form of the weak - the vulnerable -- our family farms and especially our family dairy farms.

I am no Martin Luther King. But I am inspired by him. His love, his wisdom -- his struggles -- his sacrifice - and I take to heart his words. No, like our veterans -- we cannot compare ourselves to the struggles of black people -- they are not (yet) literally killing us -- but there are parallels nonetheless.

The struggles to organize -- to take sensible people treated so poorly as we have been -- and for us to rise above and be sensible, rather than angry and hateful as they are. The struggles in balancing all the ideas that come about, and focusing our energies efficiently -- speak in a unified voice -- make them feel the love we have -- this makes us so very very powerful -- and such a threat to their tyranny.

I dream of the day where farmers everywhere will come together and speak with a unified voice. That we are important. We can get along. We will not stand to be treated badly, we will not be picked off one at a time -- we will not be cannibals to one another, picking on our own weak -- but we will stand strong, we will take back the countryside and we will show the world that we can feed them -- with pride -- forever, to everyone's benefit, and not a few. Farmers will be seen as the heroes -- and not some lower class of people. We will be judged by the content of our character and not by the ...what? How vulnerable we are? How easy it is to destroy us?

There are so many important issues we face today. What I find so ironic -- so telling -- is how many of them come back to peace on our farms, our ability to produce food -- what could be more important -- responsibly, and what that truly means to us. In our health, in our environment -- to our freedom --

Why here? Why now? Why Raw Milk for this battle? Because it is a place to start, a battle that can be won, to start turning back the tide against all of us -- a small battle to most -- but a battle we will win. And then the next, and the next, and the next - for the love of the world we make for our children, and theirs and theirs.

I can only imagine the love that Dr. Martin Luther King had, but I am able to better imagine it every day; as I see the people around me, how they act in love, and not hatred, I am humbled, I am grateful, I am more filled with love -- and how those aligned against us hate these kinds of words -- love, respect, honor, pride -- they don't understand them -- they understand only power, and fear -- terror -- manipulation -- and money and now. How they will wail and grind their teeth against us -- lie, cheat, steal -- who knows how far they will go. And we respond with love. With sense. In unity of purpose, refusing to give into anger and hatred no matter how tempting it is, and it is so tempting -- it is there within us calling.

"It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can keep him from lynching me, and I think that's pretty important. - Dr. Martin Luther King

No, we cannot compare ourselves to the struggles of black people -- but family farmers have become the underclass -- we can be inspired - and in their own way -- through the lynching - the death of our farms - the terror they have systematically designed for our destruction - Food Safety - Rod Nuelstein and DATCP -- we must push on, we must gain our freedom -- gain our footing -- we must have a good Raw Milk Law NOW in the state of Wisconsin.

in love, and respect

Scott Trautman, Proud Dairyman and Citizen of Wisconsin

I am in a state of wonderment. I wonder, I appreciate, I am grateful. This great plan for me -- for us -- all of us -- that I am part of, I wonder why it has to be like this, but accept and know it IS for a reason, and it is not that I am to be miserable, but that I am to search for the meaning, while finally accepting that I may not find it, but search I must. It is the journey, not the destination.

This has been quite a journey, here. And it is really only now that I feel I am coming to some peace and truth; but that every step of this journey has been absolutely necessary; every moment of my life has brought me here. As I write -- it is not my ego, me - that writes, but in humility God moves my hand when it is given over to love.

My neighbors Dale & Sandy don't like me much at all. And that's truly sad, because we're not so very different. We would share some core values -- if only we could get to them. And I say: I am to blame that we aren't there, talking.

I remember meeting Dale, before we ever moved into this house. I hired him -- he is an ex-farmer--now a plumber -- to put in a water line for our refrigerator. I can see now -- here's this guy from somewhere else, coming in here, to our neighborhood, boy is he going to set the world on fire, boy is he full of himself. And he'd be right about that. Past tense, I'd like to think, but right. Dale didn't say a whole lot then, and he hasn't said a whole lot this whole time. It's not his way.

I have had some pretty unkind thoughts about him along the way. But those reflect more on me, than him. In my frustration with ME - I lash out in anger at HIM, but it is ME that now accepts responsibility for how the conversations have gone.

I have tried to be conciliatory. I have tried to talk, to get to know them, to express what we're trying to do in a respectful way. Yes, I do believe we have some really good ideas here that are working. No, I do not think I'm perfect nor do I have all the answers. But I sure am doing my best and I have not nor ever will give up on the idea of the family farm, where they have as so many others.

There have been moments where I did feel we were really talking. Sandy is, herself, and has a certain way about her that isn't as inviting. I have accepted that it isn't me, it's the way she is, get beyond it. There were these two times -- after a couple beers -- where those defenses were down, and we talked, and she asked questions about -- what to her -- seemed to not make a lot of sense. We had a dialog going. But then it ended. And maybe me joking that a couple beers is what it took ended it. Whatever it takes -- I've wanted to talk and find our common ground.

As time has gone on, I have come to very much balance anything I ever say with a complete picture. I know in my heart Sandy and Dale are good people: Look at their wonderful children. Look and see their son works with the father, you cannot be an ogre and do that. I know they love their land, farmers, I know they are good people and loyal friends, and I know if we really sat down and talked, that Dale would know I too am a decent person.

But I feel like the situation is such that he and Sandy have to hold onto this nugget of darkness, really hard, cannot let it go, and that it is beyond just these interactions we've had; it's about more, it's about the past -- and a proud family that wanted a different future -- wanted to farm -- and saw it torn from them back in the early 80's. And I can only imagine how they -- and others like them -- ex-farmers, how hard that is to say -- can really feel.

To see us come in -- never having farmed before -- tra-la-la, boy do we have all the answers -- throw a bunch of money at it, do this, do that they don't understand, completely out of the mainstream of what they knew, how irritating. Most of all -- the pinnacle of that irritation -- that we really seem happy, we seem to have that thing that we're all going for -- happiness -- we are truly and profoundly happy in our work, and what we're doing IS working, that somehow an ex-farmer cannot accept their own past failure in farming with someone in the present succeeding, especially when it is as different from what they did as what we do.

Howard & Carmen - getting up there in years, I've tried to get to know you, too, and there have been times where we too -- I thought we were really talking, then to know, nope, we're not. Nothing has changed. To talk to others, well, that IS just them, that's the way they are -- and to understand that a big part of them died with the death of their son -- the dream of a legacy -- a feeding of a despair, a wound that keeps getting picked open.

Here is this brash upstart -- not from the farm, not from here -- telling me what? Just in the way you say it -- resist, reject. So yes, it is me that has failed. What I would say to you Howard and Carmen, is listen - I know what pain you have in your heart, that there is a healing -- maybe some here, in knowing you are an important part of a legacy -- it couldn't be your own son, but it can be in my sons -- and daughter -- that we truly love farming -- we can do this -- we can reignite the flame there once was, here -- in this neighborhood -- it was good - it can be good -- and can you please open your heart and listen, and be a part of this beautiful hopeful future, that this isn't some Scott Trautman hero thing, look at him see how great he thinks he is -- but that this is about all of us -- you - me - us - finding it in our hearts to think differently -- think in the now -- and know that these are things we can do, there is a legacy --- family farms are not dead -- just changed, different. All that has happened to this point happened for a reason -- as terrible as some of those things have been -- good is possible.

I have a dream. And that is that this neighborhood becomes the starting place -- for a new golden age of dairy farming in Wisconsin. My friend Cheyenne Christiansen -- I want him here on your old farm -- he is a better dairyman than I will ever be -- and then it will not just be one farm but two -- and then three -- and then -- what? A culture change. We make very special milk -- 100% grass -- our cows are so very healthy -- come see them, please, see with your eyes, feel with your heart -- know I'm not sure this will all work out but it is possible, and has never been more possible than now with the people that have come together: all because of everything that has happened to this point. To you. To me. To us. There is no judgment, no I'm right you're wrong -- there just is what we can do that works in the now that will carry us successfully into a brighter future.

Dale & Sandy: I am sorry I have conducted myself in a way that has repelled you. We need you, we can't do this without you. Please talk to us.

Howard & Carmen: Please forgive me for my foolishness, please open up your hearts to what truly can be. Let us share our joy in life with you-- please -- we have so much to share, but you have to let us in.

If we are to fail, it will be my failure, and my failure to communicate in love. If all of us -- all of us - are to succeed, it will be the love that we find in each other, in our children, in their future, replacing what a cynical world would have us be. The future starts today - let us go to work -- the very hard work that it is -- and do it with joyful hearts. What a wonderful journey it will be.

In love,

Scott Trautman: Proud Dairyman of Wisconsin -- all of Wisconsin

Well this is certainly long overdue.

But isn't that just that way -- those that do the most, that hold it all together -- that do the real work of -- everything -- don't get the credit they deserve. The accolades, the attention -- goes to knuckleheads like me -- the ones out talking.

But who milks the cows when I'm on the phone now almost every moment of every day? Who fills the meat orders for customers? Who feeds the kids and makes sure the homework gets done? Who makes sure the calves have feed and pasture and are all looking good? Who makes sure Scott isn't being an ass?

My wife Julie of course. And every one of you needs to know that the source of any strength, anything I have that is good -- comes from her quiet strength. We are Team Trautman: and although my role might be in the "vision" department, Julie is in "operations", and we all know "visions" without "operations" is "damn foolishness".

So let me tell you about Julie, and how very blessed I am that she would be here by my side to share this life.

Julie and I met -- at our 10 year high school reunion, in 1992. (you do the math) We  had gone to the same high school - even the same college, but had different paths. It shouldn't surprise anyone that I was more of the geeky sort. But she was always nice, and said hi, but we didn't talk -- until this reunion. Why there? God. That's why. But we had some sort of connection -- she was out in Seattle, me in Milwaukee at the time, and over the next year, we talked long distance, I visited her, she me -- and we decided to give this a shot. And of course that didn't mean me move there -- but her move here. And then within six months I made her move again, this time to Madison, to follow my career at the time.

We married in 1997, she was working -- supporting our household -- while I was building an Internet business. By 1998 our first son was born, Ian. In 2000 our second son, Quinn, was born, and in around that time we decided to start looking for a farm. Not to farm, but as a "guilded cage" - for me -- in my Internet work work it seemed I could not leave without some bizarre thing happening that only I could fix.

It took us quite a while -- and Julie was the organizer, she would have her stack of listings -- and we would drive on weekends to see farms. And eventually -- me having resisted this particular farm we are on - for 6 months -- but Julie refusing to take it out of the pile -- we looked in this north window into the house -- and we both knew this was it, this was our farm. We moved in on May 16th 2003. I know this because it was our first Stoughton Syttende Mai, our local celebration of our Norwegian heritage.

There was quite a bit of unhappiness from me from the Internet business; a lot of that weight born by Julie -- and my children. We farmed on a very small scale, learning so much, making small mistakes, learning what we liked and didn't. In 2003 our daughter, Lilly was born: the first to live all her life on the farm. And in 2004 I sold the Internet business, and we dedicated ourselves to farming 100%.

Every family eases into a comfort zone in their 'roles' - every family is different. And there has sure been discomfort in the settling into those roles, and they still change. They may be changing again soon, depending on how this whole raw milk situation works out. But throughout our history together -- Julie has stuck by my side, and been the yin to my yang, my muse. So much different than me -- not better, or worse, but different, and so full of love, and patience -- and humor. I can't forget her humor -- we laugh so much around here -- I am a total goofball -- but Julie is REALLY funny because it's not all the time -- it's a goofy look here, a silly comment there.

I am a dreamer. A "big ideas" person. Will it surprise anyone that not every idea I have is a nugget of gold? Perhaps another kind of nugget? If left to my own devices, I would follow some of these less than gold nuggets. But Julie -- has the critical role of sense-maker. Scott, we both know I'm going to end up DOING this, WHY should I agree to this? So then I think about it some more, and we argue about it -- and ultimately I do make a case or it gets dropped. We figure it out together.

This farm was my dream -- not Julie's -- and as I like to say - if I had sprung all this on her -- how life would be -- she'd have long since run far far away. But we took it slow -- proved it all to ourselves. Dairy is a great example: Scott: "Let's milk cows!". Julie: No!. Scott: C'mon, just one cow, I'll milk her, we'll drink the milk, it'll take 20 minutes a day (along with other details she would make me tell and prove). Okay -- 1 cow. And that worked. "How about 4 now?". Julie: No. Scott: Here's the plan....

So now today we milk 25 cows -- and like yesterday -- Julie milked 23 of them while I was on the phone to umpteen people, serving in my role -- that both Julie and I understand is necessary -- to win this war Food Safety and DATCP has on family farmers - she quietly, without (much) complaint, does her work and mine -- knowing that is how it has to be for now, yet again her quiet strength.

Okay men -- time to thank your wives. Maybe it is gems and jewels, or like Julie -- this year she asked for a single axle milk truck for her birthday - thinking family - to save our dairy. 2 years ago? It was Shem our beautiful Jersey bull. Yes, folks, I am a total clod of a husband and deserve a beating. But in the farm families I know -- this is common -- the strength of the whole family turns on the woman of the family - the men are all self-important, and we think we run the show, and we're all about this "vision" or whatever self important thing we think we are -- but it is our wives that have been throughout time -- been the strength, and what gives our farm its life - its personality - brings us our success -- and most importantly our happiness.

Thank you Julie, thank you to every farm mom - farm wife -- FARMER out there. Without you there is no life on the farm. God bless us all, and let's take that time to tell your wife just how very important and loved she is. And for criminy sakes, give her a day to herself every so often.

In love,

Scott Trautman - Proud Wisconsin Dairyman - Citizen -- and at least adequate husband and father.

Evil is as strong a word as one can use. It is not a word I, or anyone else should use lightly. I have avoided it a long time in this situation -- hoping against hope -- that Steve Ingham, Cheryl Daniels, Tom Lietzke & Jackie Owens would find "better data" -- reconsider their position -- and what it means to Wisconsin -- and find a way to work more sensibly.

They have not, they will not, and they have to go, period.

They understand what they do -- and they with purpose and malice misrepresent the Raw Milk situation -- while it is in their professional responsibility to understand the situation and make sensible decisions -- if it is for the benefit of the whole of Wisconsin, rather than whatever personal agenda they might have.

In this situation -- and others like it -- most especially as it relates to dairy farmers -- it is about the application of unfettered -- unobserved -- power over good people in order to exterminate their will and desire to survive and grow. Why dairy farmers? Because they can. The bully bullies those they can -- not those that can defend themselves.

Food Safety does not like me one tiny bit and has shown every indication that as I speak out and shine the light on them -- they will find a way to silence me.

Just this last week: When I was apparent to them I wasn't going to take their "deal" -- it was brought up -- how even should I desire to simply ship milk -- that getting my Grade A license back was "going to be a problem" -- that my parlor was unusual and "just so I knew" -- would need to be reinspected and I ought to have a "heads up" that additional work might be needed. This even though the design was approved, my facility inspected now 4 additional times with no complaint.

When asked about that -- why -- their answer about the inspector -- the inspection -- "a training issue". So the inspector has a training issue -- and what an interesting conversation that had to be with that inspector -- that training issue is going to be a job search issue if he didn't find a way to continue to harass us. Interesting conversation the Food Safety goons had with this inspector, Food Safety having never seen our facility. How does the conversation go -- to find this facility problem -- when all inspections were cleared to this point. The question has to be asked -- "how do we get this guy -- what can you think of that we can hold over this guy -- to let him know that continued resistance is going to mean untold pain for him". There is no other logical, reasonable explanation. Yet given Food Safety's comfort with lies and manipulation, somehow -- like this "training issue" -- they will find some way to extract a reason that someone's going to buy.

Multiply this across the state of Wisconsin. Others -- innovators -- that would try and better themselves, to find this incredibly obstructive group of people. Think as an entrepreneur does: these people are going to double the cost of my project and leave it in uncertainty. Do I really want to risk that? How much innovation -- how many jobs -- how much of our dairy future for small farms has been crushed forever by these people, in their power that clearly is not overseen by anyone that really understands? Huge.

Dr. Kenneth Petersen, an assistant administrator with USDA Food Safety -- speaking to his responsibility -- responsibility -- "I have to look at the entire industry, not just what is best for public health". So what was he talking about? This disgusting ground beef situation -- where this terrible situation is created for a probability of large scale food-borne illness, he is looking at the big picture. Including a Wisconsin plant that produces an ammonia treated meat paste found in this disgusting mix.

Yet here we are in Wisconsin -- with our Food Safety surely claiming they are looking out for all interest -- yet somehow manipulating this situation to leave people believing that Raw Milk is a huge threat. It is their JOB to understand the level of threat -- and no objective investigation of raw milk can conclude that there is imminent danger to a massive outbreak. And "the industry" -- in this case besieged family dairy farmers struggling to survive -- they view this only as a strategic time to attack -- to get to the least amount of resistance. Sick is what it is.

Food Safety has manipulated the Zinnicker situation -- a tragedy where it is alleged -- and for purpose of argument say it even was -- the cause of 35 people becoming sick - to leave in your mind -- the public -- that ALL raw milk is UNSAFE at ALL TIMES.

They go out of their way -- irresponsibly -- with malice in mind -- to NOT address just how many people drink raw milk in Wisconsin on a daily basis. Best estimates are about 2% of the population. Then how much news is this story? Is it the same story as Food Safety's press release? Hardly. It becomes what it is -- their propaganda campaign to eradicate family farmers at a time of incredible vulnerability.

The Zinnicker press release -- was sent to every Organic Valley farmer -- and every NFO producer -- I being a former NFO producer -- cancelled supposedly for suspicion of selling raw milk -- to spread fear amoungst all their dairy farmers. There could be no other purpose.

This is why they have to go. They DO understand what they are doing at Food Safety -- and they do not have the public's interest at heart -- they appear to have big milk processors interests alone in mind -- and to this point they have gotten away with murder -- the murder of untold family farms, an extermination they continue.

So let us talk about Zinnickers: Upon my superficial review, if Food Safety and the state of Wisconsin provided us with sensible guidance, this situation may well have never occurred at all. It wasn't mentioned -- funny that -- from the press release by Food Safety -- and apparently not questioned by any reporter - that they have been providing raw milk for 20 years without a problem. Even, from that day -- 35 people sick if you accept that -- what percent of the people from that day? They serve a large number of people. Also understand that those that choose to drink raw milk would also be likely to make similar other food choices.

Yet understand this clearly: In ANY investigation of food-borne illness, upon reaching the question -- and reply to the affirmative - of "Do you drink raw milk?" -- the investigation for a cause is then over.

Anyone sick is always a tragedy. If there were preventable causes, then we need to look at those causes and look to prevent a future problem. But not with raw milk -- Food Safety keeps repeating the lie over and over again: Do not drink raw milk. This war they have going against family dairy farmers did not start AFTER Zinnickers -- it was started BEFORE -- in April in earnest -- but seriously with the hiring of Steve Ingham.

Jackie Owens is quoted at an interstate milk shippers conference saying "we are glad to have Steve Ingham as head of our department -- so we can finally get aggressive against raw milk producers". That quote is inexact -- funny, Jackie Owens refuses to tell me the exact quote, like so very much more they refuse to answer. They just continue to attack family dairy farmers -- and spread their fear and hatred far and wide. To leave it in the minds of everyone that raw milk is something to be feared. Especially heinous is that "a lot of kids were made sick". Very emotional -- and their RESPONSIBILITY is to be ABOVE emotional and deal with FACTS and the big picture, and be responsible for allocating their time towards the most important issues of public health.

Raw milk is to be respected, like all foods. And it does have its own special circumstances that need to be responsibly looked at. We -- in unity of purpose -- safety for all -- need sensible people at Food Safety, not these people who have their own agenda and will say and do anything to get it done, for whatever sick reasons they do.

I have begged. Others have begged. Others have been crushed and gone away -- looked elsewhere to innovate and grow Wisconsin dairy - beyond Raw milk -- the whole Artisan movement -- that has been artificially squelched, kept smaller than the hearts and will of a creative and energetic force of talented people would have it.

Rod Nuelstein knows what Food Safety is doing. He approves of it. He needs to go. He does not represent the future, or the present of serving people -- he and Food Safety represent tyranny and fear. Governor Doyle, hear us, look into this thoroughly -- do not believe their smiles and condescending words. Understand we need forward thinking -- decent human beings -- that will work WITH us instead of applying power against us, in unity of purpose to have the best in mind for all people, instead of whatever terrible agenda they have.

SEE what happens -- see how we grow Wisconsin family dairy farms -- dairy industry -- innovate -- create jobs -- with a group up there that lives the intent of the law -- and doesn't use the law to express power over the powerless. We need it NOW.

Where I ask for education - Food Safety says trust us, do not look further -- fear. Replace them -- save family dairy farms NOW. It is within our power to start this TODAY. Fire Steve Ingham, Cheryl Daniels, Tom Lietzke and Jackie Owens. Replace Rod Nuelstein. Wisconsin cannot afford their tyranny. When you do -- only then will you start to hear the horror stories of what their regime has meant to Wisconsin. Anyone under their boot lives in fear -- of what they will do -- how they will use their powers against anyone that would dare question them, like me.

Scott Trautman, PROUD Wisconsin Dairyman and Citizen

Well now I've done it!

I spoke yesterday in front of an attentive and enthusiastic audience at the Dane County Farmers Market, and I dumped a symbolic amount of our precious, beautiful milk.

That milk that I dumped -- could be the most valuable milk ever not drank, not made into a dairy product, ever in Wisconsin. If it leads to a good raw milk bill in Wisconsin, that will save family farms. If it causes people to think -- especially those that do not know about -- or even do not desire raw milk -- to consider that this is about people's ability to decide for themselves, and saving family farms.

My good friend came up to me afterwords and asked, so where did that come from? (my speech)

My simple answer: From my heart. No memorization, no cue cards. I have been building to that moment all my life, and as I have changed and grown, so my words come together and touch people, with their truth, with their sincerity.

I am the guy Food Safety really needs to silence -- to shut down -- to exterminate -- because I do talk sense. I am no reactionary, I am not thinking of only myself, I have done my best to think of us all in this: That we need our family dairy farms desperately - and here is this thing we can do, safely, now, to save them. That I am the guy that perhaps can bridge the gap -- even the gap with the powerful milk processors -- and make even them see we need our family dairy farms -- we need incentive to keep them here, and happy, and productive -- and that us having this small thing we can do -- is not a threat to them or anyone else. In fact, in time, we will all come to see what a beautiful thing this can be.

My oldest son ran the camera for me; and I wanted him there to see just what his dad was about. What he was capable of. Think of the lessons he took from that. Stand up for what's right. Have courage in life. Be willing to take risks, and most of all, be true to yourself. All this I do? I do for him, not me. For all our children of a future world of our creation - that we can make better by acting in courage now.

Gary Hebl: I am disappointed in you. I know you to be a better man and representative than the comments you made yesterday. Educate yourself. If you won't -- if you insist on your ignorant statement -- then how about you show courage -- and you go out to farms that you will be a part of destroying -- a dairy heritage we can ill afford to lose -- and you tell them -- I'm sorry -- but you have to go. You aren't good enough to produce healthy milk. Will you have that kind of courage, Gary? Have the courage of your convictions -- and educate yourself. I will hand deliver a very sensible book to you -- "The Raw Milk Revolution" by David Gumpert - and you have Food Safety hand deliver their FDA Slideshow showing what a scourge raw milk is as well. And then you decide based on facts and not politics.

I am drawn to know more about Fighting' Bob La Follette

And others who's convictions compelled them to acts of courage, even in the face of easier choices, that benefit ourselves in the now - but betray our future. Love your children - love your fellow man - love above all yourself -- and have the courage to build a better world, one small piece at a time.

The time for sensible raw milk is right now. We need leaders who understand the importance of family farmers to our future.

Who will answer that call?

In love and respect,

Scott Trautman: Proud Wisconsin Dairyman and Citizen

Anyone wonder what the heck I was saying yesterday? You know what, me too. This is all so complicated -- and it does involve way more than just the farm itself and its survival. How do I see and act in the many roles I serve in. Messy. Complicated. No simple life here I'm afraid. Onwards!

 I have had the great pleasure of speaking to David Gumpert. He is a thoughtful person -- well regarded everywhere -- and he has championed and documented our cause with great thoughtfulness.

Solutions to so many problems: EDUCATION. The more we really know -- and throw out reactionary, easy, simple things to think about -- the further we get in society as a whole, right? The world is coming around to all these big issues of sustainability, and it is through education. No, not simple. Messy. As clear as we want to think everything is: It isn't. I have been and continue to try, in my own life, and own message, to strike a balance. One that may end up getting me disliked by...everyone. But there's now -- and there's future -- there's what we can do now, where we can head in the future. EDUCATION, and getting people talking -- to each other -- thoughtfully -- bravely -- is going to be what makes the difference. Not screaming at each other or just meetings of like minds.

SO: I will state my case here now for a simple act of education on your part. Yes you -- dear reader -- you. Today. I do not want your money. Don't believe anything I say. I'd like you to get ahold of -- purchase, borrow, check out -- whatever  -- a book that looks at this RAW MILK situation, and I'd like you to make your own conclusions. It is important in the grand scheme of things.

The Raw Milk Revolution by David Gumpert

Easiest: Buy from Amazon or like. Today.

Better: March into your local bookstore, and ask for this book. No, don't go to the shelf, even if it is pasted to the forehead of the person there, ASK for it SPECIFICALLY. Should a dialog start; GREAT. See what starts here with that?

BEST: Buy that book locally -- read it -- educate yourself -- then pass it on to a friend, and tell them why this is important, and now. Make sure they read it -- and if they aren't starting it, get it back and pass it onto another. Repeat. Ask them what they think. That book sitting on a shelf is only so much potential energy. Make it the most read book.

INCREDIBLE: What if our legislators were each to have a copy of this book? Passed on -- personally -- from a constituent, along with a thoughtful letter. The time for that in Wisconsin is very very soon.

There is nothing simple about anything -- but there are aspects of this whole RAW MILK debate that are -- and can be simply put to at the least get people thinking. My version of that is this:

Milk from the cow: Are we sure nature got it wrong the first time? Maybe we humans got it wrong? That all milk is a biohazard to be fixed by humans makes no sense. Healthy cows, healthy farm, healthy milk.

We need your support of our farm -- we are sure in need -- but we need your help on getting RAW MILK LEGAL in WISCONSIN even more.

This quote -- think about it - and what is said about Raw Milk -- crazy stuff -- think about the bigger picture:

 "Every age, every generation has it's own built in assumptions - that the world is flat, the world is round. There are hundreds of hidden assumptions, things we take for granted that may or may not be true. In the vast majority of cases, these conceptions about reality -- which belong to the prevailing paradigm or worldview - aren't accurate. So if history is any guide, much that we take for granted about the world simply isn't true."

- John Hagelin, PHD, from the wonderful book & movie, "What the (bleep) do we know".

All in love,

Scott Trautman, proud Wisconsin Dairyman and citizen

I have this battle going on inside me.

These "roles" or "entities" that I assume as I work my way through life. Roles I come to believe -- manifest -- put "who I am" into into messy buckets of understanding. These roles function to influence how I see what I look at. How I see what I look at? Yep. I mean how I look at things -- what's going on inside as I look at them -- has tremendous influence on what I see in them.

This is an idea from Dr. Wayne Dyer; it is surely not new, but taken into my heart as said by him.

These roles -- we all have them, whether we acknowledge them, think about them, or not. We are one thing in our working life; another in our family life, and perhaps another still inside ourselves. Many roles that, as we step away from ourselves, are more or less what we believe is our true self.

Well here we are today Farmer Scott, as  I do like to say, navel contemplating. What the heck already, what do you have to say?

I have been an entrepreneur. I am an entrepreneur. It is one of these roles, these understandings of myself that make for a neater more streamlined thinking; to solve problems; to determine action. It has been a very useful role for me to slip into. Curiosity -- challenge -- risk taking -- trail blazing -- going where others fear to tread. Pretty macho stuff, especially when it works. Hey, that's part of the thrill; if there were no risk there wouldn't be much of any reward, either.

So in my role as entrepreneur - I evaluate this whole situation I am in. Even before this raw milk thing came up -- significant doubts as to how we could make this work, here. Not work, period -- as I know with every fiber of my being what we are doing is working - the farm, the direct marketing, the family unit, our appeal to people that are ready for our vision. But what about here, in Stoughton, on this farm, with our neighbors, with their circumstance, and what is going  on in this state, our environment. Things out of my control -- yet so integral to our success or failure.

Farming is a unique circumstance -- organic farming even more; as there is no way around time; all good builds in time, there is no renting of a piece of good, there is only the long term nurturing -- "purchase" -- of this thing.

But with that comes incredible vulnerability, too. Our roots grow deeper with each day; when those around us, their strength is their mobility, and with that mobility our vulnerability grows.

Our situation now is one of profound vulnerability. Every step forward -- is a step towards trusting others and their wisdom -- and a step closer to the possibility of our losing everything. We are at that point - over and there is no going back; there is either success or failure.

In that role as entrepreneur - and the role as father - provider for my family - I truly have to wonder whether this is worth it. Who will rally to our side to win the day? What is there, here, to win? Am I a world-class fool believing in some ego way that I have a role to play in creating a better future for all -- or do I -- in safety -- resign to a cynical yet predominate attitude of better look out for yourself because no one else will.

Yet -- as a father -- in my role, in that messy spill-prone role, it isn't easy to just say safety-for the now. How often I have seen where my children are really looking at me -- what I do, what I say, how I conduct myself -- and what they are learning from that. What shall I teach my children? Courage? Cowardice? Hope? Cynicism? What is today's lesson for them -- and I can tell them what I believe the message to be -- but they will take from it what they will, not what I tell them to. Do as I say not what I do -- good luck with that one -- that I have seen and isn't hard to believe -- that comes back to bite you hard one day -- the punishment being the suffering of our children -- wrong lessons learned -- and that our punishment is to have to see their suffering, and every parent knows there is no greater sorrow than that; none we could ever feel of ourselves. Those most evil in this world do that -- force the parent to watch some horror of the child, knowing how much worse that is. Yet, I worry what I will inflict through my actions, today, in what lessons my children learn from how I conduct myself.

It is a distinct possibility in all possible scenarios of this playing out that the destruction of our way of life -- our farm -- our dairy -- will happen. Will I have grace? Will I be destroyed? With my destruction - will I destroy my family's future? Is how this is to be -- the lesson that cannot be taught in words -- only in experience -- that this farm must die, a part of me must die -- for some better future? If I knew that it would benefit my children -- would I be willing to make that sacrifice today for them?

Does all this mean I am depressed, dwelling on failure -- no -- not at all -- but I cannot ignore all the possible outcomes; the honest evaluation of them. And as much as I need to be honest with myself and evaluate this dispassionately -- I also cannot help but feel the love of hope -- nor stop myself from dreaming of this future I do see so clearly -- happy farmers -- here in Wisconsin -- happy people of Wisconsin -- I simply cannot keep my mind or heart in that cynical place, it just isn't me, nor can I make myself believe I have no role in this; it would be easy to be a bystander, to watch it all go by - but then what pain of this future world I removed myself from responsibility for - that I will see over and again - for eternity?

So then here I am -- no more sure than when I started. Confused; sometimes frightened, despondent, cynical -- but then -- I look out over our beautiful farm, I look at my beautiful children, I see hope -- I seek out hope -- and I get back to work, and I feel strong.

You cannot keep me down.

To keep me down -- you'd have to convince me no one cared. And I can clearly see that is not the case -- that more people every day care -- and they seek us out.

And to believe the world is a terrible place: One reacts to that in a non-constructive way. There are terrible things, don't get me wrong -- but people are good and decent -- just underinformed and not ready for certain things. That's all. And they'll get there -- too -- but not on my schedule of needs. All I can do is do the best I can in getting my message out there.

So many friends! How can I feel alone with the encouragement of all of our old and new friends. Thank you from our hearts, it is you that is the fuel of our courage.

I may well get to be friends with a couple people I count as heroes-- innovators, people like me that shake things up. People like us are always going to rub the status quo people wrong. We ask questions -- they answer because "that's the way its been" - time and momentum itself are truth.

I met Joel Salatin at the 2007 Grassworks conference, his talk was the highlight of that entire experience; although Cheyenne Christianson spoke -- another hero -- and Abe Collins spoke -- yet another. I remember so well Joel's first words -- it was straight to my heart -- it was about imperfect is okay when we are talking about our kids and their participation in our work. Don't turn them off by insisting on perfection. I have taken that message to heart. I took several other ideas from that short talk, too -- but the most important was one word: Evangelist. Joel considers himself an evangelist. Hey! Now I have a word for what I am. Me too! And from that moment, I worked that word over in my head, and fit what I was doing into it; like trying on a new pair of pants. How does it feel? Well, maybe a little loose--big pants to fill quite yet. Alright, then let's grow into them. How to grow into them? Educate myself. Gain more experience. Really listen: Find humility in my life and send the arrogance away. Well then: the pants are fitting better, and what do you know -- the crowd is getting bigger, more are listening.

I don't know exactly when things changed for me, and it went from just about my farm to being about all the farms and all the people of Wisconsin. Maybe it was looking at my children, and knowing how much I really could do about their world -- more than the excuses we all give --

But the truth is this farm changed me. My beautiful soils, so lovingly and patiently restored over the last seven years, and my magnificent cows - each a wonder of God's all creation. This farm, and everything we've experienced -- including this challenge -- have shaped me into someone that thinks not about myself, but us, and not about now but the future. That is a true farmer -- and citizen of the world. There is no going back, there is such pleasure, satisfaction here. We are making a difference, and the rate of change, of making new friends that believe as we do is accelerating at an exponential rate --

My wish is only to be seen by my state, Wisconsin, not as the scourge Food Safety needs me to be, but as someone that is wanted here -- needed even -- that for nothing else, we need some fresh thinking here because what's going on is not working. There are solutions -- sensible ones we can do right now. This Raw Milk thing is but one piece of this puzzle.

Patience. To be happy, to be healthy, to refuse to live in fear -- like in fear of my own milk - like they need us to be -- well that is the most radical and helpful thing I can do.

So ends today's sermon, other than to deliver on a previous promise of the world's most simple explanation of how the Raw Milk Laws of Wisconsin work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dym82i7LDeIo&feature=3Dplayer_embedded

Keep those (I mean emails) cards & letters coming, it is YOU that is giving ME strength.

In love and humility,

Scott Trautman, proud Family Dairy Farmer in Wisconsin