LOCAVORE: Raw Milk readers shout out

By Erica Noonan, Globe Staff

Last week's story about an effort to make it easier for people to buy raw -- or unpasteurized -- milk drew plenty of online reader comments.

More than 40 readers wrote in, including a bunch of people who grew up on farms and wish raw milk was more easily available near Boston.

Other readers were firmly against the loosening of raw milk regulations, claiming the beverage is unsanitary and downright dangerous.

Here are a few more comments on the topic you haven't seen yet - letters from readers who wrote to me directly:

Paul from Vermont wrote:

Thanks for the fine article on raw milk. I hope that as more people
have real milk, vegetables and meats available to them, they will not
want to go back to the processed stuff and will be willing to
advocate for others. I cannot imagine buying milk at the store ever
again. Thanks again.

Harry from Massachusetts agreed, and brought up another interesting topic -- raw apple cider:

Thank you so much for highlighting the raw milk movement and restrictions in Massachusetts. The state health department too often oversteps in their effort to protect citizens. They seem to think if an item is potentially dangerous for the young and the infirm, then no one should have access.

A related follow-up story you might consider is the restriction on apple cider. Several years ago they decided that unpasteurized apple cider can only be sold from the location it is made, effectively preventing it from being sold in supermarkets and other outlets. Again it is a case of applying a restriction for babies and the infirm on everyone.

I may have not grown up drinking raw milk, but in this state many, many people grew up drinking fresh cider. It's draconian to restrict fresh cider from the population because babies shouldn't drink it. We don't apply this over-reaching logic to any other foods or beverages. You might ask why only these two food items that support local sources are restricted in this way, when beer, wine and liquor, which are dangerous to babies and pregnant women are only issued warnings on the label?

(I have no connection to either of these businesses. I'm just an interested consumer.)

Thank you again for your important story.

But a reader from Upton, Mass. begged to dffer:

Years ago as a high school project I raised a Jersey calf and milked her twice a day after she came into production. The milk served our family of six. We always pasteurized the milk with a Sears home pasteurizer.

The brown caked on substance on the cows legs and tail on the larger photo on page six is COW MANURE. I wonder how much bacteria gets in the raw milk from that manure?

We love reader feedback. What are your thoughts on raw milk? Post a comment here, or email me directly here.

Locavore is a new Your Town blog about local eating and gardening. Want your event featured? Send story ideas and hi-res jpeg photos to enoonan@globe.com