Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The humanity

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  • Rob Stowell,

    Pastuerising changes the taste a bit (and takes out a bunch of stuff.) But I'd be astonished if supermarket milk was re-constituted.

    Whakaraupo • Since Nov 2006 • 2120 posts Report

  • Richard Grevers, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Back in the ‘60s, when the A&P Show was in Addington,if ya got up early one could bike from Sydenham and get a billy filled with fresh milk direct from source,I don’t think I’ve ever tasted ’milk’ quite like that again…

    We drink that every day - collected weekly from the organic farm down the road - and considerably cheaper than supermarket.

    New Plymouth • Since Jul 2011 • 143 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Rob Stowell,

    Yes, I'd ask for video or it doesn't happen and I'd like evidence of Filipino on farms. Haven't seen any up North and word gets around. I've seen young just out of school farmhands and managers that are not the owners but no Filipinos.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • krothville, in reply to Richard Grevers,

    collected weekly from the organic farm down the road - and considerably cheaper than supermarket.

    We had to give up on that, the "local" farmer got a bit greedy and was charging the same or more than supermarkets, so since it was already an hour's drive north, it wasn't affordable any more.

    Yeah, Alfie, for a long time we only bought the "farmhouse" milk with the cream on the top. Now that we don't use even half as much as before, we treat ourselves to the Lewis Rd Creamery stuff...

    Be good to get confirmation about the possibility of all milk in the supermarkets being reconstituted. Though I presume that milk that comes with cream on top is not reconstituted.

    Since Sep 2014 • 73 posts Report

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    I’d like evidence of Filipino on farms. Haven’t seen any up North and word gets around. I’ve seen young just out of school farmhands and managers that are not the owners but no Filipinos.

    I have no idea of total numbers, but from the two I've had the privilege of getting to know I understand there are at least hundreds in Mid-Canterbury alone. If there are cases of abuse or exploitation I get the impression that they'd be exceptional. Changing employers seems to be as common as it is with NZers.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    Guess they haven't come North.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    Guess they haven’t come North.

    Maybe it's a Southern phenomenon that's headed that way. Some old farming acquaintances I caught up with in the lower NI in December 2012 remarked on the recent influx of 'foreign' workers, but didn't seem too clued as to their nationalities.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

  • tussock,

    https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=filipino%20dairy%20workers

    Take your pick. Top result, organised complaints over abusive conditions. If it's anything like the slaves on the fishing boats the government will deport them the day after it makes the 6 o'clock news.

    The usual trick is to pay them minimum wage for less hours than they really work and then remove a "fair" portion of that for their boarding, which just happens to be all of it. Which would be wage theft, only, you know, migrant workers, good luck staying in the country long enough to bring a case.

    See also Canterbury and the "rebuild".

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10902416

    Where, of course, you can get skilled builders on minimum wage, and they have to board with you under conditions of entry, and so you just charge what you like for that.


    Apparently I'm completely off on milk being reconstituted. It's not. They're all very proud to say so on their websites, though a lot of people clearly have the same idea. Sorry. The taste of the modern stuff is because they take all the taste out. I mean the cream. Because the cream is more valuable elsewhere, presumably. Then again, I grew up on warm milk fresh from the house cow each morning, where you have to mix the copious cream back in to pour it easily.

    ...

    Woh, huge nostalgia hit. That place was really nice, looking back, at least until the drought. Ahem.

    Since Nov 2006 • 611 posts Report

  • krothville, in reply to tussock,

    Sick, absolutely sick. Anecdotal evidence from a family member who recently spoke to a couple of NZer seasonal workers that Sealord or Talleys also do this.

    Since Sep 2014 • 73 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to tussock,

    The taste of the modern stuff is because they take all the taste out. I mean the cream. Because the cream is more valuable elsewhere, presumably

    Heard something about some extracting the cream then adding cheaper fats to make up for it - palm oil, probably. No evidence to offer however. Maybe it was foreign producers?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Hilary Stace,

    Lots of cows are fed palm kernel these days. Not only is it a by product of an unethical business - killing off the habitat of orang-utans - but it must change the taste and composition of milk. The Lewis Road milk says it is palm kernel free and organic, which probably explains its growing popularity.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Milk - any food - impoverished molecules in
    - even further impoverished molecules out...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to tussock,

    Thanks for that. Up north with unemployment being so high, I assume (but will ask) that getting the young school leavers is their cost cutting measure. Kids going into farming gives themselves security also.
    As an aside, new Thai takeaways/restaurant going in next to the local pub, perfect :) Must check it out next week. Should be open by then.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

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