School: St. Brendan's (C.), Blennerville

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1. Churning (continued)

   

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   the butter, and it takes an hour and a half in the summer.
   Long ago it was the work-men made the butter but when they were busy the women used make it. Any strangers who come in help in the churning. In this district they do the churn with the hand. In the small churn the churn staff is moved upwards and downwards. When churning the large barrel by hand it gives a rolling motion. The people know when the butter is made when they hear the butter milk is rolling inside. In summer when the cream is hot they pour a little cold water in to cool it and when the the butter is made they pour in a sup of water to wash down the pieces of butter that remain on the sides of the churn.
   When they are taking out the butter they take it out with two butter-beaters or some people wash their hands and put them into the churn and take it out in their hands. Then they wash it four or five times and they give that water to the hens, ducks, turkeys and geese to drink. The old sayings or proverbs connected with churning is that if anybody came in while making the butter they should put their hand on the handle and twist, for it is supposed that they would

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. agriculture (~2,659)
            1. butter and churns (~3,280)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Anne Hurley

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Blennerville, Co. Kerry

   Informant

   Mrs Slattery

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   65

   Address

   Blennerville, Co. Kerry