Herd Shares
Interested in fresh raw milk from our farm?
Our Jersey cows spend their days grazing on pasture using rotational grazing practices designed to support healthy animals, healthy soil, and quality milk production. While we continue building and improving our pastures, the cows also have access to unsprayed hay year-round.
At milking time, our cows receive organic alfalfa pellets along with black oil sunflower seeds and a farm-mixed blend of Redmond conditioner, apple cider vinegar, and blackstrap molasses. Free-choice minerals are also available to help maintain herd health and condition.
We believe in full transparency on our farm and in raising animals as naturally as possible. Our calves are not removed from their mothers at birth. Instead, we practice calf sharing, meaning calves remain with their mothers while we share a portion of the milk production. Depending on the stage of lactation and whether a calf is nursing, some cows are milked once daily while others may be milked twice daily.
At Starr Mountain Farmstead, our goal is to produce clean, natural milk from cows raised on pasture with fresh air, sunshine, rotational grazing, and room to live as cows were intended to live.
What Is A Herd Share
In the state of Tennessee, raw milk for human consumption is not sold in stores. One of the legal ways families can obtain raw milk directly from a farm is through a herd share agreement.
A herd share works much like ownership in part of the herd. Instead of purchasing milk itself, members purchase a share in the herd and then pay a monthly boarding and care fee that helps cover the feeding, milking, housing, and daily care of the animals.
In return, herd share members receive a portion of the milk produced by the herd each week based on their share amount.
At Starr Mountain Farmstead, we believe herd sharing creates a closer connection between families, their food, and the farm where it is produced. It also allows members to know exactly how the animals are raised, what they are fed, and where their milk comes from.
Herd Share Options
We currently offer limited herd share memberships for local families interested in obtaining raw milk directly from our farm.
Herd shares are structured by weekly milk amount. One share currently receives one-half gallon of milk per week. Members may purchase more than one share when availability allows. For example, two shares would equal one gallon of milk each week.
Pickup is currently scheduled on designated farm pickup days each week.
Because herd availability and milk production naturally fluctuates throughout the year, we encourage anyone interested in joining our herd share program to contact us directly for current availability, pricing, and details.
Pickup & Communication
Milk pickup takes place here on the farm on designated pickup days each week. Because we are a small working farm, we try to keep the process simple and manageable so it works well for both our family and our herd share members.
Members are responsible for returning clean jars and lids at pickup. Additional details about pickup times, scheduling, and herd share agreements are discussed directly as we work with each family individually.
We believe herd sharing should feel personal, transparent, and connected to the farm where the food is being produced.
Interested In A Herd Share?
If you are interested in learning more about our herd share program, please fill in the form below and we’ll send over our Raw Milk Herd Share Guide.