They Sell Shares Of Cows

They Sell Shares Of Cows 29-3-7 How do you sell raw, unpasteurized milk legally when it's illegal to sell outright? Mark and Debbie Apple, farmers near McCordsville, Ind., found a way to do it by selling shares in their grass-fed cows. They board, take care of, and milk "your" cows. According to government and health regulators, unpasteurized milk is unsafe to drink. Yet those who disagree say pasteurization destroys beneficial vitamins and enzymes. In most areas of the country, it's not legal to sell it. But there are no laws that say you can't drink the milk from your own cows. The business of selling cows and shares works like this. Each cow sells for $1,000 plus $320 per month boarding fee which includes cow care, feeding and milking. The cow can be "split" into up to 20 shares - $50 per share - in addition to each share's portion of the boarding fee ($16). The Apples currently board 21 cows. An annual $20 non-refundable fee purchases a year's worth of plastic, single-use jugs. "Each share constitutes approximately 1 gal. of milk each week while the milk lasts," Debbie says. Those involved must pick up the milk at the farm or have someone else pick it up. The Apples have a waiting list of 50 families. Once a cow becomes available, each person signs a contract for the boarding of the cow and receives a bill of sale. The Indiana Cow Share Association, a group the Apples created of 150 families, oversees the business management. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, The Apple Family Farm, 3365 West State Rd. 234, McCordsville, Ind. 46055 (ph 317 335-3067; email: debbie@applefamilyfarm. com; website: www.applefamilyfarm.com).

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