Tastemakers: The Milk Maiden

Jan. 27, 2008

The Milk Maiden

If you are over 40 and tax your memory, you might recall a metal box on your front porch. As a young kid I remember having one in Lansing during the ‘60s, and a couple of times a week the milkman would deliver bottled milk from the local dairy. The days of “from cow to table” have long disappeared but Forrest “The Milk Maiden” Mullins hopes to change all of that.
Last December she launched her new business, The Milk Maiden. She is making Friday deliveries to Traverse City residents and businesses, fresh (chemical free) milk from Shetler’s Dairy in Kalkaska, organic eggs from the Halpin Family Farm in Kaleva, and bread from The Pleasanton Bakery at The Village at The Grand Traverse Commons.
At 25, Mullins grew up in Benzie and Leelanau counties and has always felt a strong connection to the agricultural community. While working as a holiday helper for UPS, she came up with the idea. She saw a segment on a news program about milkmen in Europe and when a neighbor asked what she wanted to do when she grew up, she said she wanted to be“a milk man.” He encouraged her to pursue it.
She went to visit SCORE (a group of retired business professionals who volunteer at local chambers and review business plans), and at first the idea was met with mixed reviews. “One of the guys said, well you know so and so still has one of those metal boxes on their front porch,” said Mullins. “Basically, they told me if I could get 100 people to participate, it might work.”
Mullins, who moved in from the county and took up residence at The Whiting Hotel in downtown Traverse City, put her scooter on Front Street with a banner and fliers on it. She quickly lined up a dozen customers and now she is closing in on 30.
As for her outfit, she went online and researched. She also spoke to a couple of living milkmen who made deliveries in the ‘40s and ‘50s. Mullins was also surprised to find that the concept of the milkman remains popular in Europe. For example, in England there is an association of 9,500 milkmen who make daily deliveries of organic milk, butter, cheeses, eggs, fruit juices, yogurt, cream bread, mineral water and other goods to nearly five million people.

GROWING OPTIONS
While currently delivering local milk, eggs and bread, Mullins is looking to add locally roasted coffee and possibly cheese from the Leelanau Cheese Company.
“I am just taking it one step at a time and growing my business at a manageable pace,” said Mullins. “The support has been great and essentially I am able to deliver the products for basically the same price you would pay to go to the store and buy them. People like Girard at Pleasanton Bakery have been so helpful, and Oryana lets Halpin’s and Shetler’s deliver my order to them.”
Customers leave their orders for next week in their box, and Mullins makes her deliveries from 3 p.m. through the dinner hour.
“It is great to walk up on the front porch and make the delivery and see families at the dinner table,” said Mullins. “Also, I have plastic egg cartons that are approved by the agricultural department for reuse. There is a growing movement of people wanting to know where their food comes from. Not only do I know where it comes from, I know the names of the cows.”
Yes, Mullins has received some interesting propositions, but said she is only delivering groceries.
“Yeah, a few people have mentioned their fantasies,” chuckles Mullins. “All milkmen and dairies in the past had slogans. I am thinking about this one: The Milk Maiden: Serving Stay At Home Fathers Since 2007.”
Learn more about The Milk Maiden at myspace.com/mymilkmaiden or call her to arrange weekly deliveries at 231.228.7743.