Raw milk operation continues

Apparently the raw milk hippies are back in business. According to this story in the Ann Arbor News, Richard Hebron is still selling unpasteurized milk to co-op members ($6.25 per gallon for boarding of cows and transferring the milk to it's "rightful owners"). But instead of bringing it to the store where I went to pick it up this summer, he's taking it to a farm near Ann Arbor and selling it out of a barn.

"Richard Hebron pulled his food-filled truck up to a barn in Lodi Township and got back to business Friday - two weeks after the state Department of Agriculture confiscated a load of his food worth $7,000.

Hebron - whose cell phone, computer and home files also were seized - said he was pleased to have some money coming in again after his involuntary hiatus.

In turn, members of the Family Foods Cooperative said they were happy to make the bumpy, muddy trek to the country to buy the food they swear by.

'The milk, meat and eggs are of exceptional quality, so we've been very pleased,' said Susan Gavrilides, of Ypsilanti, who said her family is much healthier since switching to nonpasteurized milk a year ago."

We also hear from Mary Greiner, a local family practice doctor who drinks raw milk herself and recommends it to her patients. "Raw, or unpasteurized milk, is a superior product,'' she said. "I think unpasteurized milk should be legalized and available in stores."

The most important aspect of the story, however, is the status of the criminal investigation and whether or not The Lyrical Gangster is likely to get caught up in the dragnet. The news is not good.

"No charges have been filed, but MDA spokeswoman Jennifer Quimby said the investigation has expanded beyond Michigan. She said she couldn't provide many details. 'I can just tell you that we are working cooperatively with other states and federal agencies in reviewing the evidence,'' she said." Crap.