Beyond Organic
At Cascadia Creamery, we strive to go "beyond organic". We put careful, quiet, and considered thought into every aspect of our cheese making.
Our raw milk comes from a fourth generation family farm that was one of the first dairies in the state of Washington to be certified organic by Oregon Tilth (one of the most rigorous certifiers of organic farms in the nation.)
As a result, the farm's milk has been antibiotic-free and certified-organic for decades.
In addition, not only do we feed a diet of mostly grass resulting better quality raw milk but we also use only heritage Jersey, Dutch Belted, and Friesian cows with A2 genetics.
These heritage breeds have been used by dairy farmers for centuries not only because of the creamy, rich, high-protein milk they produce but also because these breeds are more robust and live longer, healthier lives than other breeds.
These cows have nearly twice the life expectancy as most conventional dairy cows as a result of selective breeding and excellent care.
The fourth generation family dairy where we source our milk practices exceptionally humane animal husbandry skills and has a strong ethical belief in being a true steward of the land.
They care deeply for their cows and give focused attention to the soil in the fields.
A2/A2 Milk Benefits
Not all raw milk is created equal. Cows can produce different milk proteins based on their breed and genetic heritage. There are two types of beta-casein cow milk proteins: A1/A2 and A2/A2.[1] Of these two types, A2/A2 milk has been shown to be the healthiest. How was this discovered? In the 1990s, a New Zealand-based scientist began to research why more and more people were having adverse reactions to ordinary milk.[2] He found that the A1 beta-casein protein seemed to cause people to experience digestive issues (bloating and IBS), nausea, mucus build up and general discomfort. Ultimately, the research showed that during the digestion process, the A1/A2 milk released an amino acid called BCM-7 that was shown to cause numerous health problems. On the other hand, A2/A2 milk was NOT found to release BCM-7 and caused none of these symptoms.
At Cascadia Creamery, we intentionally source our milk from heritage breed cows selectively bred for the A2/A2 genetic trait. With over 100 peer-reviewed, evidence-based scientific research papers supporting and confirming the A2 proposition, we believe this is the best choice. With our milk coming from certified organic A2 heritage cows grazing on pure volcanic soil, we feel confident that our raw milk cheeses are the healthiest and most easily digested cheeses available [3]