The 21st Century Milkman: Farm-To-Table Home-Delivery

Farm-to-table eating just got a whole lot easier, thanks to your local milkman.

Those who want to add fresh, local, hormone-free milk to their diet can have it delivered to their doorstep; many creameries across the country now offer good old fashioned, home-delivery service. Though the practice of having milk delivered has become less popular over the past 5 decades, it looks as though the trend is, once again, on the rise. The USDA has yet to release statistics on dairy home-delivery, but individual farms claim to provide this service to thousands of customers on a regular basis. South Mountain creamery in Maryland, for example, has seen more than a 600% increase in home-delivered milk since 2001.

For many consumers, the drive to know where their food comes from and source it responsibly originates from growing concerns about sustainability and the healthfulness of the foods provided by our industrial agricultural system. Sarah, a Siberia Farms customer from Bangor, Maine says, "I wanted to feel better about what I was giving my family." She cites concerns about animal welfare and food additives like hormones as her initial reasons for purchasing from Siberia Farms.

Sarah receives pasteurized, hormone-free milk along with cage-free eggs and grass-fed beef.  Her purchases reflect a larger trend that is taking shape across the country; many small farms are working to make a variety of wholesome, responsibly-sourced foods convenient for all.  Many of these farms offer home delivery service for eggs, cheese, meat, poultry, pork, and dairy, and some offer the service for organic fruits and vegetables and homemade preserves as well.

Only one question remains: what will we call the twenty-first century milkman?

Kristie Collado is The Daily Meal's Cook Editor.  Follow her on Twitter @KColladoCook.