Milk lovers; there is a new type of milk in town!

BY NIKITA YOUNG

Ontario dairy farmers John and Anna have been in the business for over ten years, and after speaking to them I can tell that they love what they do.

Being a family-owned and operated farm, it’s all hands on deck when it comes to taking care of the farm work. We are all familiar with cow’s milk, but John and Anna have opened up a different market in the North American milk world called A2 milk.

I have never heard of A2 milk before so I was intrigued to find out more. In our conversation, John explained to me that A2 milk comes from a specific type of cow that is bred specifically for producing A2 milk. He said that before the mass production of milk, most cows produced A2 milk. Though the couple have been dairy producers for quite some time, producing A2 milk is a newer venture. I wondered what made them change their cows to the cows with the genetics for A2 milk.

Anna began to share their story with me about the experience they had with their son who is autistic. A doctor had recommended taking their son off of dairy to help improve some of their sons’ abilities. After noticing the changes like regaining eye contact with their son, John and Anna struggled to find a replacement for milk that their son could still enjoy. They heard about A2 milk and being dairy farmers, they began to research the benefits compared to regular milk.

I learned there are two kinds of cow milk: A1 and A2. A1 is different because it’s a beta-casein protein that causes inflammation, which could lead to health problems like leaky gut syndrome. A2 milk is a closer match to human breast milk and does not cause the same inflammation as the regular milk we buy at the grocery store. The live cultures in the A2 milk promote a healthy gut.

After learning about the health benefits and then trying the A2 milk with their son, John and Anna decided to become producers of A2 milk. Their son was able to enjoy milk again without experiencing the negative health effects he experienced with A1 milk. After seeing first hand how A2 milk benefited their family, they knew that A2 milk was what they wanted to start producing.

The cows eat non-GMO feed and are well taken care of. For milk possession, the Spectrum Acres family farm has partnered with dairy processor MC-Dairy who creates seven different products with their A2 milk: 4 % A2 whole milk, 4% A2 chocolate milk, cottage cheese, plain full fat yogurt, Kiefer, cream cheese and sour cream. They are all available through MC Dairy either at their facility in Etobicoke, some local grocery stores, and Whole Foods Market. MC-Dairy will also deliver your order within the GTA. There are many great options to try, even for some of those who have trouble with dairy.

John and Anna are open to answering questions about their milk and also offer the opportunity to visit their farm at no cost. On their website www.spectrumacres.org you can find more information about A2 milk and also what kinds of activities they have available to the public on their farm.

They are very connected with their community and welcome those who want to visit the farm for a day out, or to learn more about A2 milk.