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It Happens Here: Norwell's Hornstra Farms Gets Big Boost In Milk Delivery To Homes

NORWELL (CBS) – An old-fashioned service in Norwell has exploded in popularity during the pandemic. Hornstra Farms, founded in 1915, is still doing door-to-door milk delivery in glass bottles.

"Here's the thing about glass," said owner John Hornstra, who took over the longtime family business in 1985. "It has no flavor, it has no odor, and it's impervious."

Hornstra Farms
Hornstra Farms glass milk bottles. (WBZ-TV)

And Hornstra takes pride in raising the cows themselves, milking them, and then bottling it and delivering it themselves. Every step of the process is controlled by Hornstra.

"A lot of companies look at 'How many can we make?' and mass production, and that's not me. I will never sacrifice quality for price," Hornstra told WBZ-TV.

And that quality has become legendary on the South Shore.

"We have a really unique way of pasteurizing the milk. We pasteurize the milk at a lower temperature for a longer period of time, and it gives our milk a really unique flavor," Hornstra said.

They also make their own ice cream and butter at the farm and deliver that door-to-door, as well.

And their popularity has only increased during the pandemic, expanding from about 3,000 customers beforehand to now 4,500.

Hornstra Farms milk
Hornstra Farms glass milk bottles. (WBZ-TV)

"A lot of it is they don't want to go to the grocery store, but I think a lot of it is local food. I think people are sick and tired of food that is over-processed," Hornstra says.

And that's part of the reason he believes that after more than 100 years in business this relic is here to stay.

You can learn more about Hornstra Farms and how to sign up for their delivery service on their website.

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