Milk is Plentiful at Healthyway Dairy
Update June 2021: Healthyway Dairy says their supply of milk is low right now due to the heat. It would be good to check on availability before going to the farm. They update their Facebook page with the latest information.
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I really like Sally’s milk (photo at left is all Sally’s milk), but then I also like Trixie’s, Juliet’s, and Joy’s milk too. What I like most is that each half gallon glass bottle is labeled with the name of the cow that gave the milk. No, wait a minute–that’s not what I like most. Actually, what I really like most is how good the milk tastes–fresh and creamy. Of course, it’s so good for me and my family too. It’s totally unprocessed, unheated, unhomogenized, and farm-fresh healthy.
Bill & Irene Nelson are the owners of the Healthyway Dairy in Santa Fe, Texas, a small Texas licensed Grade A raw milk dairy farm just south of Houston. The farm has been in the family for many years. As is common on most small dairy farms, they know their cows well. They are reluctant to let anyone else milk them because each cow is different and thrives with the individual handling the Nelsons provide. Their cows are mostly Jerseys and grassfed.
Their dairy farm has lots of milk right now for several reasons. (No, I don’t think that’s Sally in the photo at left.) The Nelsons recently acquired a few more milk cows from a neighbor who was no longer able to take care of his cows. He was glad that the Nelsons could take them because he knew they would treat the cows well. Also, several cows at Healthy Way Dairy have recently given birth to new calves which has increased the milk supply. With the additional cows and the new mothers back into milk production, there’s plenty of fresh milk available at the farm.
For more sources of certified raw dairy in the Houston area, go to the website of the Houston-Galveston chapter of The Weston A. Price Foundation.
For more information about natural, raw milk, go to RealMilk.com.
Update September 20, 2014: Bill and Irene Nelson are good people who care about their cows and helping others be healthier by drinking their raw milk. Watch a superb documentary about life on their dairy farm here.
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This vendor doesn’t appear to have their own website and I am unable to tell the full range of products they offer to the public. Do they ONLY offer raw milk, or do they pasteurize any of it?
I’m looking for a source which is local (Galveston County) but pasteurized. I know this is rare, but I’m one of the unlucky few who was made gravely ill by raw milk (not from this farm – from a farmer I knew personally in another area). I was hospitalized for five days and not expected to live. I know the odds of a repeat food poisoning of that type are rare, but I won’t take the chance. I buy meats from a local farmer but cannot find a local source that also offers pasteurized milk for sale. Thanks.
Hi Alison,
Healthy Way Dairy is a small dairy, and they don’t have a website. They only offer whole raw milk at their farm, no other products. I know of at least two Texas farms (but not in Galveston County) that produce low temperature pasteurized, unhomogenized milk, which is what I think you are looking for. The farms are Texas Daily Harvest (also certified organic), http://www.texasdailyharvest.com/home.php, and Way Back When Dairy, email: waybackwhendairy@yahoo.com. Revival Market, http://revivalmarket.com/, sells Way Back When Dairy milk. Georgia’s Farm to Market store, http://www.georgiasmarket.com/, and Whole Foods stock low temperature pasteurized, unhomogenized milk, but I don’t know what farms supply it.
I’m sorry to hear that you were so sick and can understand your concern. I hope you can locate a source of milk like you want.
For other sources of local raw milk, beef, and produce, go to the website for the Houston-Galveston chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation, http://www.wapf-houston.org.
Carolyn
Yes they do have other products besides raw milk. They have farm eggs and fresh lemons, sour cream and cottage cheese I think !! I go every 2 days to get 3 gals of milk. Starting on the 15th of Dec. 2012 they will be closed on Mondays. The milk is very good !Not only do they put the cows name on the label they out the date it was bottled.
They do sometimes have other products. Their milk, sour cream and buttermilk are super good. However, they don’t always have products other than milk.
Do I call in advance or just show up with some jars? 🙂
Healthyway Dairy is low on milk right now. Call ahead to check on the supply – 409 739 2389. You can also check their Facebook page for current milk status.
Their milk is in 1/2 gallon glass jars. There is a one-time deposit for the glass jars. Just return the jars for reuse the next time you pick up milk.
You can pasteurize milk yourself. That way you know you are still buying a local, wholesome product.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/pasteurize-raw-milk-at-home.aspx
Yes, milk can be pasteurized at home and would be better than factory processed milk; however, heated milk is not as beneficial as raw milk. Heating the milk destroys the anti-microbial properties that inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria, kills the enzymes that help digest the milk, and lowers nutrients available to the body (vitamin C, calcium, folate, etc.). Raw milk from healthy, grassfed cows is far superior to heated milk.
For more information on the benefits and safety of raw milk go to Real Milk.com.
You just need to get the raw milk from a large reputable raw milk dairy. You cannot use your own jars and the state will not let the dairy’s use the glass ball jars.as they are not sanitary. Only the plastic that are sealed are legal now. As for heating your own milk, go to the grocery store and buy the dead liquid. The benefits of raw milk are in the enzymes and probiotics that are destroyed when the milk is heated. You got milk from a dirty farmer, shame on you as you hurt the raw milk industry and give them fuel for the fire to hurt the raw milk business. Allergies, asthma, crohn’s are what we all use raw milk for. Raw milk is our medicine. Heating it is stupid.
Raw milk good for asthma? Where can I buy it for my grandchild and our family…live in missouri city\sugarland tx
You can find Houston area sources of raw milk on the Local Food & Milk page of the Houston-Galveston chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation. To find raw milk in other areas of Texas and the U.S., go to the Real Milk Finder on RealMilk.com.
I cannot believe you wrote “shame on you as you hurt the raw milk industry and give them fuel for the fire to hurt the raw milk business.” in regard to that poor woman becoming ill. SHE hurt the raw milk industry? Don’t you think the “dirty farmer” had something to do with it. Or, maybe it was a fluke that bacteria contaminated her milk? Just a little harsh don’t cha think?
No, you don’t have to get your milk from a “large dairy”, but you should know the dairy well. You are wrong about the jars also. Glass is a thousand times more sanitary than plastic. Healthy Way uses sanitizing machines on their jars before they fill them.
Thanks, Joy. Took the words right out of my mouth. Sandra Bush is either a troll or a overly-militant activist that gives pro-raw milk-ers a bad name. Just as bad as those anti-raw milk-ers running around trying to make raw milk illegal & interfere with our freedoms & right to choose. There are always risks. If people can go sky diving, dive with sharks, or just smoke & drink, etc., why can’t I drink raw milk in peace? I know the risks & I’m not making anyone else drink it…
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Hello,
How do I contact Bill and Irene Nelson so that I can purchase some milk? Thanks!
Bill and Irene Nelson can be contacted by email:
cowsplus@verizon.netor by phone 409-739-2389. The dairy is located at 15525 Cedar St., Santa Fe, TX. Their milk is super good. You’ll love it.I have been buying milk for my family (2 adults 3 kids) from Bill & Irene for more than 3 years now. I love the milk, it is delicious, but what I really love is how careful they are in taking care that the milk is clean and untained by foreign substances including horomones and antibiotics. You can go watch and see them milk, look at their facility and make your choice then. If Bill & Irene or the milk itself dont win you over (impossibility) feeding the calves their bottles will.
Yes, I’ve visited their farm. It’s obvious they take good care of their cows and the milking process. Their milk is delicious.
We’ve just been introduced to the awesome milk at Healthy Way Dairy.
Haven’t had milk this pure and good since childhood!
We’ve been twice this week!
I’m glad you like it. I drank some of their delicious fresh milk with my supper and had kefir made with their milk for breakfast this morning.
My family has been drinking Healthy Way Dairy milk for almost two years now and love it. We have watched them during milking and love how they treat their “girls”, the cows. They are wonderful, caring people and we enjoy going once a week to get our fresh milk supply. We are so grateful for their hard work and that they make available the rewards, selling good healthy milk.
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We are so lucky to have been told about this place. I’ve lived here in Santa Fe all my life and did not know about this well hidden secret. We are so blessed to have this in our little town. Our kids love the milk. We have told our friends about it too. Don’t want to tell many as they might sell out. LOL.
We love the milk too and hope they stay in business a long time.
I know what you mean about not wanting to tell too many!! I live in Baytown but go to Santa Fe every 2wks! Absolutely love their milk! I’ve got my mom, my aunt, and my grandmother drinking milk from there too!! I wish I lived closer because its a long drive but I doubt I’d go any where else even if I had a dairy next door!! We LOVE going and talking with Bill and Irene while they milk the cows!
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I like to visit farm and need some fresh milk for my son.
Healthyway Dairy is located in Santa Fe, Texas, address: 15525 Cedar St. Phone number 409-739-2389. More information can be found on their Facebook page: Healthyway Dairy. They are open 7 am to 9 pm.
People please open your mind to non-pasteurized milk. The only reason we think we need it pasteurized is because the FDA has been drilling it into our heads for decades. Pasteurization has been proven to kill much of the good bacteria in milk among other things. It is best in its raw, natural state.
Why heat your milk and ruin all the good properties? To me, people only want to do that because they’ve been ingrained with the idea that they have to do that. Think out of the box.
Do you sell your calves ?
Real Food Houston is not a farm; however, if you are looking for Houston area grassfed beef, I recommend checking the Local Food & Milk page on the website of the Houston chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation.
I love raw milk it was really great for my eczema. I used to get raw kefir delivered to my house in New York. I am now in Houston and need some raw kefir. Where can I get raw kefir delivered to my home or do they sell raw kefir in stores in the Houston area? Thanks.
Texas law does not allow a farmer to deliver raw milk; however, it is legal to pay a delivery service to deliver it. Yonder Way Farm will pick up raw milk at the farm and deliver it to several drop off locations around the Houston area. To find other sources of raw milk in the Houston area, look under Raw Milk on the Local Food & Milk page on the website of the Houston chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation. To buy raw kefir you would probably need to go to the farm. Calico, Gramen, and others may have some kefir. You should contact the dairy for availability of kefir before going to the farm.
Is there a farm near Houston that only fees their cows grass a short film showed the farm in Santa Fe feeding their cows grain.
Many raw milk dairies supplement with some grain at milking time, as does Healthway Dairy. There are some Texas licensed raw milk dairies that say they are 100% grassfed. Check the Local Food & Milk page on the website of the local Houston chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation. Sand Creek Farm in Cameron, TX, and Frerich’s Dairy in La Grange, TX, say they are 100% grassfed. If you are concerned about the cows being given any grain, you should contact the dairy to verify the feed. I buy my raw milk from Healthyway Dairy and am not overly concerned about the small amount of grain given at feeding time.
Do you sell butter?
Real Food Houston does not sell any products. Healthyway Dairy is a small Houston area dairy that sells fresh real milk. They do not currently offer butter.