How Long Can I Store My Raw Milk?

Well, you've managed to get your hands on some wonderful raw milk. That is great!

But maybe your pick-up location is not near you. After all, some people drive for hours to take delivery of their fresh milk. If this is the case for you, it may be easier to pick up your milk every other week rather than every week. But will that be okay? How long can you store your raw milk?

There are several factors to consider, but all of them being satisfactory, you should be able to easily store your milk at minimum two weeks, and usually three weeks, possibly even more.

That may surprise some people. For whatever reason, there is the idea that raw milk has a very short shelf life. Untrue. Well, usually untrue.

In order to get the most out of your milk, it needs to have been handled in a sanitary manner, chilled very quickly after milking, and thereafter kept in a refrigerator that will keep the temperature below 40 degrees.

Another thing that helps is to store your milk in half-gallon jars, bottles, or jugs. Use glass if possible. Keep them in your refrigerator and don't jostle them around. Don't bother them at all until you are ready to open them.

If all of these conditions are met, you should very easily be able to store your milk two to three weeks without any problem at all.

Also remember, your fresh raw milk doesn't go bad, it simply changes, and naturally sours (it doesn't go rancid like pasteurized milk would). You can then use your sour milk for the same things you would normally use buttermilk for. Bake some biscuits or make some pancakes!

Tired of buying raw milk? Buy your own dairy cow!