Lavon Farm: The cows are the lucky ones here
While I was on the way to Southfork in Parker I passed a sign advertising Lucky Layla Farms around the corner. I had seen their yogurt for sale in the organic markets in Dallas, so I thought I’d go see where the creamy goodness comes from.
It was one of those extremely hot summer days we have here in Texas. When I got to the farm I went inside the small farm store to cool off and to find out what they had for sale. I met the farmer’s father in law, who said that tours of the farm were available. There was a Girl Scout troop along with their mothers and siblings in tow waiting to take the tour of the farm along with me. Luckily, Deanna, our tour guide was happy to oblige all of us at once.
First we saw the meadow where the cows graze. They were so peaceful looking with baby calves grazing beside their mothers. We learned that Lavon Farms only raises two of the five types of cows – Guernsey and Jersey. The reason is that those two breeds produce the creamiest and best milk for you because milk from these cows contains compatible lactose for humans.
The result is absolutely no lactose intolerance from their milk and milk products. Guernsey and Jerseys produce less milk than their three other counterparts. And commercial milk is a mixture of all five varieties.
We saw where the cows are milked by milking machines twice daily. The cows are babied – once the milking is over, they are herded single file out of the milking barn and lightly sprayed with cool misting fans -- like the systms used at some Dallas outdoor cafés. It was great for the Girl Scouts and other children to see where their milk comes from and to spend a couple hours on the farm.
While the life expectancy of commercial cows is only two years, cows at Lavon Farms average a 10 year lifespan because these animals are so well tended.
HelloDallas Tip: Before I left, I bought some raw milk. If you have never tasted raw milk, you're in for a surprise: it’s the creamiest and sweetest taste around. Raw milk contains all those probiotic microbes that ease digestion, and it doesn’t spoil nearly as quickly as pasteurized milk.
Posted by Constance Hannon
