How this Brown Swiss Milk is Making a Big Splash in the Dairy World
COLLINSVILLE, OKLA. – Jones and Bridgette Smith own a Brown Swiss Dairy Farm, named Raising 5 Farm, in Collinsville, Oklahoma. The Smith’s have owned the farm for around seven years. Jones grew up on this four-generation farm and when his father passed away, he assumed the role of owner and manager of Raising 5 Farm. While dairy farming was new to Bridgette, she was not a stranger to agriculture. Growing up in Arkansas, her grandparents owned a chicken farm, where she spent many hours learning the ins and outs of their poultry business.
While the Smiths’ farm produced commercial milk for a time, they have recently switched directions and now specialize in the raw milk business, utilizing their Brown Swiss dairy cows, for which the couple share a strong passion. The Smith’s run everything from bottle calves to heifers, including show cattle. They have 30-40 head of cattle, including bull calves, 10 cows in dairy production, and 6 cows on the farm.
The Smith’s have five daughters, one of which lives on the farm with her two children. Their daughters each contribute to the running of the farm.
While running a dairy farm is a full-time business, the Smith’s each have a fulltime job. Bridgette is a former English teacher turned school counselor, and Jones runs a Hot Shot business in town. They start their very full day at 5:30 each morning and end around 7:30 p.m.
Raw milk is simply unpasteurized milk. The Smith’s raised their children on unpasteurized milk because it was in full supply and easy to come by. Being a teacher and counselor, Bridgette was always interested in learning more. She originally did her research on the raw milk the family presently takes great pride in selling. The Smith’s provide genetic testing on all of their livestock. The Brown Swiss dairy cows have a special protein called A2, which assists with the digestion of the lactose found in milk.
“If a person is lactose sensitive, their bodies can typically handle raw milk easier. We have had folks contact us about kids with autism and other special needs. They often request raw milk, as they see an improvement in their children’s demeanor, ability to function, and overall happiness, attributing the positive changes to the raw milk”, says Bridgette Smith. The Smiths agree that such health-forward and nutritious food should be available and affordable for everyone. The family has been on a mission to do just that.
“Brown Swiss dairy cows produce more milk than Jersey’s, with a notably significant butterfat. The milk tastes wonderful and has the best flavor”, says Bridgette Smith of Raising 5 Farm.
It is imperative, when bottling raw milk, to keep the equipment clean and refrain from making human to milk contact. The milk goes directly from the cow into the equipment lines and then into jugs. The milk is cooled immediately which is imminent to ward off bacteria. The Smith’s cows are routinely tested for disease. They are given a DHIA test, which is a sample of each cow on a monthly basis, in order to assure optimal cow and milk health.
The Smith’s sell their milk on a first come, first served basis. Oklahoma law prohibits the sale of unpasteurized milk in commercial stores as well as the transport of raw milk. Thus, their milk is sold via family, friends, and word of mouth directly from their farm. “We gain a new customer by word of mouth nearly daily”, according to Jones Smith of Raising 5 Farm.
The Smith’s shared that they own a 13-year-old Brown Swiss that gives close to 12 gallons of milk per day. This type of dairy cow is usually a ‘late bloomer’, that does not truly hit their stride until 4.5 years of age. “They will milk up to 14 years old”, says Jones Smith. An average day of milk production per cow will yield around 8 gallons of milk; most milk production farms measure by the pound, but the Smith’s prefer to measure by the gallon, since they sell to individual consumers.
While milk production and consumer sales vary from state to state, Oklahoma only allows for personal farm pick-up. The Smith’s have banded together with local farmers to speak with legislators, as well as the Secretary of Agriculture, on the topic of selling local milk in stores. So far, this bill has been unsuccessful. There is, however, a notable movement in politics about raw milk, which has been spotlighted since October 2024. “Raw milk is not new, but it has gained a lot of traction in recent months. We hope to be part of positive changes in the sales and production of raw milk in the state of Oklahoma. Everyone deserves the choice to purchase what they feel is best for themselves and their families”, says Bridgette Smith.
Jones and Bridgette Smith feel very passionate about the raw milk they bottle and sell to their local community. They encourage folks to do their research on the health benefits of unpasteurized milk.
The Smith’s agree that what they feed their cows comes back tenfold in the product they offer to the community. “We don’t skimp on the nutrition quality we provide for the cows and calves in our care. What we put into them comes back in the quality of milk they produce”, says Jones Smith. The Smith’s pride themselves on their high-quality milk, the consistency of thick, tasty dairy, similar to heavy whipping cream.
The Smith’s passion for Raising 5 Farm is contagious. While Jones and Bridgette Smith agreed that the farm requires a large measure of hard work and long hours, they feel confident that life on a farm is the only life they wish to live. The couple spoke of the heart and gratitude toward the product their cows offer and what a blessing it is to care for these animals. Jones has said to his children, and now his grandchildren: “Cows don’t take care of themselves. If you don’t show up, they suffer. If you don’t do your job, they suffer. Owning a dairy farm (much like other avenues in agriculture) is a passion project in which the owner must suffer and put the needs of others, including their livestock, over their own”.
The Smith’s hope that their beloved farm will be passed down to their children and grandchildren. “We would love to grow large enough to employ our children and grandchildren; to allow them the opportunity to partner with our vision to expand and one day take over Raising 5 Farm”, says Mr. Smith.
“Not all milk is created equal”, according to the Smith’s. Their passion for raw milk is a community large-scale mission to provide one of the most basic forms of health and nutrition. They feel it is important for consumers to understand and appreciate the connection from the farm, where the food is grown, processed, and harvested, to where the food ends up, in stores for consumer purchase. They attribute the world-wide pandemic to the inspiration of their mission. They owned the cows and the ability to produce milk; not to mention that the shelves at their local market stood empty. As a result, they took matters into their own hands and began to produce raw milk for their family, which quickly grew to selling the milk to their local community.
Jones’ dad likely instilled his passion for Brown Swiss dairy cows to his son. Bridgette Smith agrees, “Jones’ dad was a really good cow man and one of the smartest people I ever met. He knew how to make things work, that shouldn’t have worked. And he was so patient with explaining ‘the why’ of things to me, which has always been important”. “He was pivotal in our understanding of this process and this way of life”, says Bridgette Smith.
Mrs. Smith went on to share about the many women working in the dairy industry. “This is a very work-intensive hobby or pastime, but I know many women that do it daily and do it well”, according to Bridgette Smith. Mrs. Smith shared her love for the study of genetics in cows. She would like to further explore this concept as they continue on their path of dairy production at Raising 5 Farm. To learn more about and Jones and Bridgette Smith’s dairy farm, Raising 5 Farm, check out their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/raising5farm/.
