Your well-deserved vacation is fast approaching! Maybe it’s a road trip to relatives, or Disney Land, or a trek to a far away place to enjoy time together. But what about deliveries? How do you keep your share and not worry about milk that’s scheduled for delivery?

In this short post I’ll explain what you need to do to make sure your family stays connected to nature’s perfect food (raw milk from grass-based cows), and still gets to enjoy the vacation you’ve been waiting for.

Skim the headings for the option that seems best for you. Then follow the action steps I’ve outlined below.

1) Donate your milk to a family in need.

Here at the farm we believe in helping those who are facing unexpected challenges leaving them in a place of need. As a part of our farm, we created a Real Food Sponsor program where you can donate to help a family in need.

Action Steps:

a. Contact Bartlett Farms to let us know you would like your milk to go to a Real Food Sponsor family. Email office@bartlettfarms.us
b, Let us know how many products you would like to donate. We will then make known the availability of the resources to a needy family within our network.

2) Have a friend pick up your order or receive home delivery instead of you.

This is for you social people who have connections to healthy like-minded moms. Maybe they aren’t financially able to get the milk they know is better for their family. Maybe they would just appreciate the treat! Why not pass off some of yours to them while you’re away and be a blessing to them?

Action Steps:

a. Confirm with your friend that they will take and use the order.
b. Send an email to office@bartlettfarms.us to give Peter at the office your friend’s address and any special delivery notes. We will do our best to get it to them without a hassle.

3) Have butter, yogurt, kefir, or some other more stable product crafted from your share of dairy products.

Yes, you read that correctly. For no extra charge we will take your share of raw milk and transform it into a product that is more stable and will be usable for you when you return. Butter is the most stable option, next comes kefir and yogurt. You may even be able to get a double portion of fresh milk given to you on the next delivery. Be sure to mention your situation and we’ll do our best to make it fit your needs.

Action Steps:

a. Email your vacation dates to office@bartlettfarms.us
b. Tell us which of the five options (or combinations) you’d like to transform your order into:

• butter (which gives you access to buttermilk and skim milk if desired),
• yogurt,
• kefir,
• cream (plus skim milk), and
• chocolate milk.

c. Get your bonus order delivered at our next delivery after you’re back.

4) Put your order on hold.

This is great if you’re gone temporarily and don’t want to bother with any details. You can set your own vacation dates by logging into your account on www.bartlettfarms.us or send an email to office@bartlettfarms.us. We’ll take care of it from there!

Action Steps:
a. Log onto www.bartlettfarms.us
b. Go to “Skip Deliveries” and enter your vacation start and end date.

5) Temporarily discontinue.

If you plan to be away for a year or more, you may find it simply better to cancel your shares altogether. You lose the investment you made at the beginning and would have to repurchase your shares to opt back in. This is an option if you are in the military and don’t know when you may be stationed back in the area again, or if the oil industry takes you out of state.

Action Steps:

a. Check with your boss to see how long you will be away.
b. Send an email to office@bartlettfarms.us and we’ll erase the shares from your name.

Now before you forget, take action on one of those steps! I know how busy you are. Let us know how we can help you get the most out of your share while you enjoy your summer vacation!