Economic Conundrum: Local Food

I need to find a source for raw milk, so I can really start living the whole foods lifestyle. I found this wonderful organization, Local Harvest, that promotes the purchase of locally grown whole foods by people within (or near) their communities. They list all the great things about buying from small local farmers:

People worldwide are rediscovering the benefits of buying local food. It is fresher than anything in the supermarket and that means it is tastier and more nutritious. It is also good for your local economy--buying directly from family farmers helps them stay in business.

However, I have learned a lot (comparatively) about macroeconomics over the past few years, both in my Master's program and from James' extensive knowledge. We've had long, intense discussions about food production, gross national product, and farmers' subsidies. From a macroeconomic perspective, sustaining local farming isn't viable. If we want to maintain our position on top of the food chain, as it were, among the first world countries, we need to go free market and let the big farms compete against everyone else dog-eat-dog style, until ultimately each nation settles into whatever produce it's going to specialize in on the world market. (I mean, once Russia gets its legs, do we really think we can beat them for certain types of grain production, in quality and price? I doubt it! But for other crops, our warmer climate can out produce theirs any day...) Anyway, I'm not a modern urban hippie (read: left-wing yuppie) who is so gung-ho for local farmers, I can't see the forest for the trees. Just because it's right doesn't mean it'll work, or that even if it does, my overall quality of life won't drop as a result (read: farmers' subsidies help a few and hurt us all). Macroeconomics is bigger than the force of my conviction forced upon everyone else.

So, being a whole foods promoter who is against farm subsidies - I've got a hypocritical little conundrum going. I think I'm going to have to go halve-sies, with a bit of a utopian optimism thrown in: Buy local, eat local, support local (on a local level), take advantage of the local that's available --> but support broader policies that force the mass producers to behave more like the local, so that ultimately, good food is affordably and transportably available to everyone.

If organic was the law... well, our nation would be entirely different!!! Food costs would be up, but medical bills and health insurance would be way down!!! It will be a long and painful transition, but profitable for all in the long run.

Footnote: Unfortunately, the maps at Local Harvest don't indicate whether the local milk is raw or not. For example, they list Arlington's farmer's market - but the milk there (which I've bought, and need to start purchasing again) is pasteurized (but not homogenized! whoo hoo!). Fortunately, it's not ultra-pastuerized, but still, I'd still like to find out where I can get some raw milk. Then I could make the ultimate cup of hot cocoa. ;)

Nourishing Traditions has a recipe for un-pastuerizing milk, but I'm not that much of a hippie yet! My city-loving, apartment-dwelling self wants to buy my whole foods "ready made" --how ironic is that! LOL!!!