No Pets and No Smoking allowed on the farm.
willow-marshfarmstore.com
Our crops, our cows, and our raw milk result in wholesome delicious products.
Welcome. Willow Marsh Farm is a 5th generation diversified family farm raising beef, veal, Mangalitsa pork, and dairy cows. We make a variety of flavored Greek yogurt, cheeses, and cheese curds with our milk. We have a permit to sell raw milk and carry Battenkill Valley Creamery heavy cream, chocolate milk, eggnog, and ice creams. We also carry fresh local produce seasonally, as well as cornstalks, pumpkins, and hay bales each fall. We have local and on-site honey (Bertha's Bees), maple syrup (Wild Hill Maple Farm), sugar, and candies, and other local small business treasures like handmade cards & jewelry (KCKreations). You can find products here from The Little Norwegian Candle Company, Old Wisdom Wellness, The Charlton Artisanal, Farm Momma Soaps, Farmer T's Pickles, Mohawk Coffee, Saratoga Peanut Butter, and more! Curious to find out more? Browse through our website or shop our store in person.
We know some of you are looking to educate yourself about raw milk. The internet offers a lot of misinformation. This website provides science-based research. www.rawmilkinstitute.org/about-raw-milk
We've created an online shop with logo merchandise. Click on the green Shop button and it will take you there!
Store Hours:
Monday & Tuesday - Closed
Wednesday 9-7
Thursday & Friday 12-6
Saturday 10-5
Sunday 10-5
"As I was taking inventory this morning, a customer took 3 containers and was raving at how good your Greek yogurt is. He even did a taste comparison with store brands to be sure! Nothing like real food." ~Ian, Farm Manager, Pitney Meadows Community Farm 10/29/23
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I'm so glad we found you. - Leslie
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Love coming to this awesome local store for all kinds of goodies. We came for the raw milk but found so much more. ~Mary
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I LOVE this place. They have the best raw milk. They make such good yogurt too. And the people working there are just fantastic. A surprising amount of variety in what they sell as well as they carry goods being dairy from other local producers. Hand crafted soaps, organic honey, coffee, maple syrup and more. Big fan. I make sure to stop by when I'm in town. If you are looking for the best raw milk in the area, look no further. ~Tony, recent Google Review
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Your milk makes the best cheese. ~ Naomi
Great place for your dairy needs. Friendly staff. ~Kenneth
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We go here for Raw milk and other locally made products. Service is quick and efficient and pricing is reasonable. ~Charles
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Their homemade Greek yogurt is the best! ~Robyn
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This stuff is the Rolls Royce of yogurt!
~ (overheard at Pitney Meadows
Community Farm Stand)
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Ordering Raw Milk
We highly recommend ordering your raw milk around the holidays, during college breaks, and any time you want more than four containers. As families gather to celebrate, students return from college, etc., there is a greater possibility we will sell out by day's end. Pre-paying guarantees you will get the amount of raw milk you want on the day you want it. To order raw milk call our store at 518-288-3347 and place your order with one of our staff, pay with a credit card, provide your name, phone, and the date you will pick it up! You must speak with someone to order milk. Buying raw milk without ordering is limited to four containers (any size) in the farm store. If you'd like more than 4 containers (any size) you must pre-pay for them and order by phone 24-48 hours in advance. No exceptions. Thank you!ited to 4
Who We Are
A Diversified Farm in Ballston Spa, NY
Our farm store highlights over 40 local home producers, small businesses, and farm products such as our raw milk, Greek yogurt, cheeses, granola, baked goods, honey, organic teas, pickles, spice blends, peanut butters, candles, soaps, greeting cards, coffees, frozen soups, maple syrups and candies, jewelry, a hand sewn aprons, gifts, and more! Come check us out if you are looking for a quality handmade gifts.
The most frequently asked question we hear is, are your cows grass fed? The short answer is yes. BUT... asking this question is not going to get the answers you may be looking for. Scientifically, corn is a grass. and many of you have expressed concern over the cows eating corn covered in pesticides and other chemicals, and the corn being GMO or what is called- Round-Up ready. Our corn is non-GMO and free of pesticides and herbicides. We cultivate; we do not spray our fields.
We raise Holstein and Jersey Dairy cows on our farm. Their feed consists of pasture grasses, hay, non-GMO corn silage, alfalfa, and a grain mixture consisting of corn and distillers grains for their minerals (also non GMO). We have 132 acres and grow everything except the grain mixture. Why is what the cows eat important? It can affect the cows' gut health and the quality of the milk. We aim to bring you the best quality clean foods that we can. The Curtiss family are 5th generation farmers who know a thing or two about dairy farming.
There has been some dissemination of false information recently online concerning how we feed our dairy cows and we'd like to clear that up. Cows are known as “ruminants” because the largest pouch of the stomach is called the rumen. Feeding cows a high grain diet of finely ground corn is bad for them. It can be digested too quickly causing gas and bloating while increasing bacteria we don't want to increase. We feed our cows a diet of pasture grasses, hay, alfalfa, supplemented with chopped corn that uses the entire plant from the ground up - from the stalk to the tassles. The reason this is important is two-fold: effective fiber stimulates rumination, chewing and saliva production and it also maintains normal rumen pH. The way we feed our cows actually decreases the amount of the bacteria we don't want in the milk and supports the good bacteria that increases udder health. Our cows are happy and healthy. The following link is to a scientific study outlining and supporting what is being discussed here. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9197574/
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*Corn silage is our own non-GMO corn raised on our farm, harvested by the Curtiss family, stored here on our farm. It includes the corn from the ground up to the tassles so that the cows get what they would if they were foraging - the entire plant. Our corn silage is high in energy and digestibility and provides more fiber than if the cow was eating just the tops of the corn plants.
What We Do, We Do For YOU
At Willow Marsh Farm, we believe healthy wholesome food supports a strong immune system and gives the body what it needs to build strong bones, develop muscle, and heal itself. We raise dairy cows and grow their non-GMO feed to bring our community the best raw milk we can. Weed control is done by cultivating, we do NOT spray our crops with harmful chemicals. We use our raw milk to make cheeses, cheese curds, and Greek and drinkable yogurts (we have postponed production of drinkables due to cost of production).
We raise Mangalitsa for quality pork that is high in Omega 3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fat (the healthy fat), making it perfect for curing and charcuterie, from pancetta to salami. For more information on Mangalitsa go to Youtube and search for Mangalitsa: The Kobe Beef of Pork | Forbes. Mangalitsa can be found in our farm store.
Our farm store also carries beef and veal raised here. The beef are kept wild, roaming their three pastures to graze and our veal is raised humanely in a large outdoor, open, covered shed.
We have partnered with many local farms and home processors to bring you healthy food choices. We offer honey from here on the farm (by Bertha's Bees) and ten minutes away (by Ballston Lake Apiaries). Their products include raw honey, bee pollen, infused honey, and honeycomb. Our maple syrup is from Wild Hill Maple Farm in Salem, NY, the teas are organic, and the coffee is roasted right in Schenectady. We also carry goat milk soap, locally made BBQ sauces, candles, jewelry, cards, and other gifts. We can help you put together a basket of goodies for a sick friend, birthday celebration, Mother's Day, the holidays, or whatever the occasion may be!
Let us know if there is a local product you'd like us to carry.
We will track it down and see if it's something we can add to our offerings.
Transporting Greek Yogurt and Raw Milk in The Heat
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Keeping raw milk cold is critical to keeping it fresh. Raw milk should always be stored in the refrigerator, not left out on the table or counter. If it does get left out accidentally, it will begin to grow bacteria, thus, shortening the shelf life.
This translates to how the milk should be transported. When it is warmer than 40 degrees the longer it stays in the car, the shorter its shelf life. If it is 75 degrees and the milk (pasteurized or raw) is in your warm car for over an hour, it won't last as long. Pasteurized milk will go bad in two hours in a 70-90 degree car, and will last only an hour if it's over 90 degrees in the trunk.
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What do we suggest? During warmer times of year bring a cooler and ice packs with you when purchasing yogurt or raw milk. The further you have to travel with it, the more important this is. When raw milk is kept cold it will last 7-10 days and often longer. It really depends on how frequently it is removed from the refrigerator. Greek yogurt will last several weeks until it is opened and then about 3-4 days from first being used. It has no preservatives and active cultures.