A Texas Farm Is Giving Folks $2 for Their Used Milk Bottles

Nov 18, 2023

Growing up I drank milk (strawberry milk counts) just like any other person who wants their child to have strong bones. I was an avid milk drinker who drank milk through high school and even into my college days at Lubbock Christian University when I joined my social club, Koinonia, who's drink of choice is milk. Since I left college I haven't really had a sip of the stuff until recently when I was grocery shopping and noticed next to the plastic gallons of milk some new glass bottles of milk named Volleman's.

I decided to pick up a bottle of Volleman's strawberry milk after seeing a tag on the bottles neck that had a big $2 on it stating that the glass bottles could be brought back to the stores that sell them and redeemed for $2 back. The way this works is that there is a $2 bottle deposit on the price so you can either return the bottles for that deposit, keep the bottles, or throw them away which means throwing away your own money. That location does have to sell the product to be able to give you the $2 back but that can be found using the website store tracker. Now I did keep a bottle after recently turning in seven bottles and walked out with $14 in my pocket, which isn't bad for returning some glass bottles rather than having them end up in the landfill.

Volleman's is a Texas based farm that, according to their website, has been in the diary business since 1890 which means they know their stuff when it comes to quality products. Frank and Annette Volleman came to Texas back in 1993 from Luxemburg and are true pioneers of the American dream after starting Volleman's Family Farm. There is also no family farm without the family. The Volleman's have four adult sons that help run the day to day operations on the farm, along with their wives, to assure the best quality cows receive the best quality food to produce the best Texas quality milk. I will admit that I have never had milk that clean tasting or full of flavor that doesn't overpower my taste buds with artificial sweetness but subtle flavors that enhanced the milk.

Volleman's doesn't just produce the regular white, chocolate and strawberry milks but also makes seasonal flavors such as banana cream, root beer, and pumpkin spice just in time for Fall. Along with milk the Volleman's Family Farm also produces orange juice made from oranges that are grown by Lone Star Citrus Growers which is another family operation right out of Mission, Texas. and tastes freshly squeeze directly into the glass bottle. In an interview the Volleman's let us know that the reason they chose glass bottles was not to be kitschy or nostalgic but it aligns with their values of sustainability along with keeping milk colder which creates a creamier and richer texture.