Family farm to sell raw milk

CEDAR CITY – The owners of Nature Hills Farm in Iron County received a state license last month allowing them to operate as a raw milk dairy, and they are already gaining customers.

Larry Lewis, the public information officer for the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, said there are very few raw milk dairies in Utah as a result of the strict requirements applicants must meet to obtain licenses to sell raw milk.

“They have to demonstrate that they are able to keep the milk safe for the consumer by keeping it at special temperatures,” Lewis said.

Heather and Travis Carter, a married couple who own Nature Hills Farm, live in a home that sits on several acres of land in unincorporated Iron County just outside of Cedar City and Enoch. Travis Carter works as a police officer in Cedar City, and Heather Carter tends to the family’s farm with the help of her husband and children.

Since acquiring the state licence, Heather Carter said she has received many calls from people who are interested in purchasing raw milk.

“There’s a lot of people who are excited to have it,” she said.

She also said she makes cheese with a majority of the milk produced by the family’s three cows. She initially only used the milk to make cheese, but Travis Carter said he decided that because they already had cows providing milk for their cheese, they might as well get a raw milk license, which was much more difficult than the process they went through to receive a license for manufacturing cheese.

Cedar City resident Marilyn Kidwell said she now buys one gallon of the raw milk each week from the farm.

Kidwell said she met Heather Carter a year ago during a cheese-making class taught by the farm owner.

“I love her family, and I love the fact that she’s out there doing her part to support her family and everyone is involved. It’s wonderful.” Kidwell said. “Nothing tastes better than fresh milk and fresh cream.”

Heather Carter said the family’s barn has to meet stringent standards to sell raw milk. Although the structure is small, it must meet standards set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She said USDA regulations require the barn to have separate rooms for milking, pouring milk and making cheese. Additionally, the walls between each room must be impermeable, she said.

Travis Carter said other requirements included having high-quality plumbing and electrical systems.

Lewis said there are a number of steps that must be taken to protect the public when raw milk is sold, noting that the milk not only requires special handling at the dairy, but also by consumers. He said consumers must be aware that they should consume raw milk as quickly as possible and should not leave it out at room temperature for very long.

For more information about Nature Hills Farm, call Heather Carter at 559-2791.

Vegetarian, Raw milk and Vegan with Bill & Sheila

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