Trautman Family Farm

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

A correspondence -- one of many to the many, wonderful friends I have made here -- at such an increasing rate over the past two years I would say - this friend is facing the imminent loss of his brother to cancer. And he is seeing all this craziness I'm sharing with him -- but he is in a completely different universe of thought. He asked -- and I wondered, maybe, just a wee wee bit if it was wondered sarcastically, if I ever thought of writing books for a living.

So here was my response to him, from my heart.

But my love is already in what I do.

I love to milk cows.

With my family.

To work with my friends -- towards great things -- together

Beyond ourselves -- that we can know --- Is, in whatever small way,

Making the world a better place.

There is no better feeling; no better life.

I like the humility in being a dairyman,

Someone who works with animals,

beautiful, intelligent ones - which is all of them.

Those fools that would look down upon such a thing.

Scurrying around in the supposed self important world of their creation.

Here is the world of my creation - of my Creator.

I've come to a point with myself -- where I appreciate.

Everything.

And even a simple thing like milking cows -- the bringing them in,

moving them over, cleaning them, milking them, touching and talking to them - all of it -

is a great communion -- a great communication we have between us.

I am so relaxed -- and because I am so comfortable, I am able to communicate Clearly -- with my cows.

And they want to do what I ask.

And I want to do, what they ask of me, too.

There is coming a great time of peace -- for us -- for others -- That is going to build, grow, and be so attractive -- No one can escape the gravity of it.

It will still take years and years and years. But my children are being taught patience -- where I had until this point in life to learn it.

To anyone anywhere that would come to know us. I can firmly promise you love, laughter, joy.

And work -- and play -- an enjoyment of life truly lived.

I know that's not what you were expecting, , but you do know me well enough to expect some unexpected. In a good way.

Know my thoughts and love are with you and your brother. All is as it is meant to be. Labeling it the good or the bad, eh. I don't think ultimately We know what it is, and I bet if we kept backing up further and further away from everything, and could see all -- like God -- all there would be is good, all there is - is God.

Boy, , seems like I slipped totally up onto a pulpit there. But really, it's from the heart. I am thinking loving thoughts for you and your brother, and I am here to do whatever you'd ask of me.

Your friend -- the highest compliment I can pay anyone,

Scott Trautman The happiest dairyman there could ever be.