Dairy industry vintage accoutrements prized among the estimated 3.000 milk bottles in the collection stewarded by Jim George of Milford include the only known example of a green Alta Crest Farm milk bottle, a rare specimen of the Milford Farm Produce Company. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON

MILFORD – Some explain a passion as, “It’s in my blood,” whether chatting about fishing or farming or marathon running. Nevertheless, Jim George of Milford surely could claim, “Milk is in my blood.”

Jim is a proud descendent of generations of New Hampshire dairy farmers originating with dairy man Arthur C. George, his grandfather, and continuing on with Ernest “Ernie” A. George, Jim’s father, who was a credentialed agricultural expert for a university and for the State of New Hampshire.

“Dairy farming is our family legacy and a huge collection of milk bottles has been in our family for decades,” Jim said, “I have around 3,000 milk bottles, mostly from New England.”

Jim holds membership in the National Association of Milk Bottle Collectors (NAMBC), founded in 1980 in Pennsylvania for enthusiasts, historians and educators. Info: milkbottlecollectors.com.

He also is the treasurer of the Merrimack Valley Antique Bottle Club, a regional group whose recent 49th annual show and sale drew hundreds of buyers, sellers and traders to Chelmsford, Mass. Info: mvabc.org.

Clear glass vintage milk bottles that evolved over the years from having tin tops to cardboard plugs as caps are a part of the vast collection cherished by Milford’s Jim George, longtime dairy collectibles expert, author and lecturer. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON

It was grandfather Arthur C. George who learned the dairy business as a herdsman in southern New Hampshire and later as a dairy operator in Merrimack. Jim’s father Ernest A. George underscored the family’s agricultural acumen as a Hillsborough County Dairy Agent for University of New Hampshire (UNH) Cooperative Extension for nearly 30 years.

Eventually, Jim’s dad Ernie and Ernie’s colleague Jerry Jerard of Vermont, co-wrote in the 1980s a groundbreaking reference work, “Milk Bottle Collector’s Guide to New Hampshire and Vermont Dairies,” the first extensive compendium of existing milk bottles and dairy property locations.

Jim mentions he not long ago helped curate a milk bottle history display, contributing 90 objects to a much larger exhibit in Massachusetts. The project, “From Dairy to Doorstep — Milk Delivery in New England 1860-1960” had sponsorship from the Hood family, whose H.P. Hood & Sons dairy was founded in New Hampshire 1846. Hood brand milk bottles and memorabilia are his favorite collectibles, Jim admitted.

“My father helped me catch the ‘bug’ for milk bottle collecting by teaching me the basics,” Jim added. “I’ve been collecting and selling milk bottles and dairy memorabilia for close to 30 years.”

Inquiries about identifying unusual, antique or vintage milk bottles are welcomed by Jim George via email: djjimgeorge@yahoo.com.

Jim George of Milford, descendent of dairy industry professionals including his grandfather and father and a passionate milk bottle and dairy memorabilia collector and vendor of nearly 30 years, displays mostly New Hampshire milk bottles, along with two of reference books documenting hundreds of milk bottles — one written by his father and a colleague and a follow up penned by regional historian Richard Clark other experts including Jim George that identifies more than 1,200 dairies in New Hampshire. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON

The themed license plates of George Family kin, including the grandfather and father of Milford dairy history and artifact preservationist Jim George of Milford, are proudly displayed at his Milford home, alongside milk bottles, milk bottle carriers, dairy tools and dairy signage. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON

Jim George of Milford, longtime lecturer, author and collector of vintage and antique dairy industry relics including around 3,000 milk bottles and additional advertising memorabilia, finds this cow needs no pasture. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON

Heavy metal containers that protected milk shipped by rail or other means are a part of the vast milk bottle and dairy industry items collected by Milford’s Jim George, who especially prizes the memorabilia of H.P. Hood & Sons, founded in 1846 by Harvey Perley Hood. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON