> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.themeatmafia.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Mark McAfee on Raw Milk, Kefir and the History of Pasteurization - URL: https://www.themeatmafia.com/episodes/mark-mcafee-raw-milk-history/ - Published: 2026-11-04T19:46:31.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-04T19:46:31.000Z - Description: Raw Farm founder Mark McAfee shares how a former paramedic spent 25 years on raw milk, the swill milk era behind pasteurization, and why he loves kefir. - Author: Harry Gray - Tags: Raw Milk & Ancestral Foods, #blog, #episode **By The Meat Mafia (Harry Gray and Brett Ender)** *Mark McAfee spent 17 years as a paramedic before he became one of the best-known raw milk farmers in America.* When we asked about Raw Farm, he skipped the sales pitch and went straight to why he does it. > "It's been a life's purpose and passion of mine for the last 25 years" ([04:24](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17xECvPXQdw&t=264s)) His story of milk starts thousands of years back. He says archaeologists have found milk residues in vessels from early Europeans, and that families who could milk an animal had a portable food. Fermented into kefir, he says, it could keep for a long time without a fridge. Then he jumps to the 1800s. He describes dairies moved into crowded cities, cows fed spent brewers' grains, dirty water and hand milking. Even he calls that milk disgusting. In his telling, the country took two paths out of that mess. One was to heat all milk. The other came from Dr. Henry Coit in the 1890s: certified raw milk from clean country dairies, tested and overseen by physicians. McAfee says Raw Farm picked up that second idea. He also says he's not against modern medicine. His paramedic years made sure of that. > "We need good strong medicine. Absolutely. We need good trauma centers" ([24:33](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17xECvPXQdw&t=1473s)) Where he wants people to look harder is chronic disease, food and the gut. That's the heart of this episode: a farmer, a former paramedic and 25 years of arguing for an old food. This is his view, not medical advice. Raw milk can carry harmful germs, and the FDA and CDC advise against drinking it, especially for pregnant people, young children, older adults and anyone with a weak immune system. Talk to your own clinician first. [Listen to the full episode](https://share.transistor.fm/s/2015c0b6) · [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17xECvPXQdw) **TL;DR:** Mark McAfee, founder of Raw Farm, has spent 25 years making and defending raw milk. He walks us through milk's long history, the 1800s city dairies that led to pasteurization, and the certified raw milk movement started by Dr. Henry Coit. His views, not medical advice. Raw milk carries real food-safety risks, so read the note below. **Who is Mark McAfee?** The founder of Raw Farm in California and a former paramedic of 17 years. ## Key takeaways - He has spent 25 years on raw milk (04:24). - He was a paramedic for 17 years and says we still need strong emergency medicine (24:33). - He describes the 1800s city dairies, where cows ate spent brewers' grains (15:17). - He credits Dr. Henry Coit with the certified raw milk idea (09:55). - He says their kefir adds 12 cultures on top of the bacteria already in raw milk (05:03). ## Why the history matters to him McAfee describes the 1800s problem: cows brought into cities, fed brewers' grains, with dirty water and no pasture (14:53). He says one answer was pasteurization, and the other was Dr. Henry Coit's certified raw milk, which meant clean dairies, testing and physician oversight (16:06). SAVE & SHARETHEMEATMAFIA.COM [![Infographic titled Raw Milk, the Backstory, from Mark McAfee on Meat Mafia episode 345: 25 years in, old as farming, kefir kept, the swill milk era, Coit's certified milk and medicine matters.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/74/a7746fb4-f95a-43c9-80de-d89d93cfaf68/content/images/2026/11/mcafee_card.png)](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a7/74/a7746fb4-f95a-43c9-80de-d89d93cfaf68/content/images/2026/11/mcafee%5Fcard.png) Raw Milk, The Backstory, from Mark McAfee on MMP #345\. Tap to open the full-size card (1080×1350) to save or share. ## Kefir He says Raw Farm's kefir is fermented with 12 added cultures on top of the bacteria already in raw milk, with no added sugar (05:03). He also talks about how long kefir kept in ancient times and how straining it made a simple farmer's cheese (12:43). ## Medicine has its place He's clear that we need good strong medicine and trauma centers. His focus is chronic disease and nutrition (24:33). ## A food-safety note Raw milk isn't pasteurized, so it can carry harmful bacteria. The FDA and CDC advise against drinking it, especially for pregnant people, young children, older adults and anyone with a weak immune system. If you're thinking about it, talk to your clinician and learn your state's rules. ## FAQ **Who is Mark McAfee?** The founder of Raw Farm in California and a former paramedic. **Who was Dr. Henry Coit?** McAfee credits him with starting certified raw milk in the 1890s, with testing and physician oversight (09:55). **Is raw milk safe?** Raw milk can carry harmful bacteria, and the FDA and CDC advise against it. Talk to your clinician. ## Related on The Meat Mafia - [Jordan Rubin on real food](https://www.themeatmafia.com/episodes/jordan-rubin-gut-health-makers-diet/) - [Nina Teicholz on dietary fat](https://www.themeatmafia.com/episodes/nina-teicholz-big-fat-surprise-seed-oils/) - [More on Raw Milk & Ancestral Foods](https://www.themeatmafia.com/health/ancestral-foods/) - [Browse all episodes](https://www.themeatmafia.com/episodes/) **Get the free guide: 100 Books to Transform Your Health.** Join the Meat Mafia email list and we'll send it to you. [Sign up free →](https://www.themeatmafia.com/100-books/) --- *Not medical advice. This post summarizes a podcast conversation for education. The views are the guest's own. Talk to a qualified clinician before you change your diet, supplements or any medication.*