School: Colmán, Fíodh Árd (roll number 14081)

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1. Churning

   

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   Long ago there was no creamery int his district. In those days churning or butter-making was done by hand. There was a churn in every farm-house, either the staff churn or one for twisting like out modern one. The cream was set in large pans, usually earthenware. A wooden saucer called a "skimmer" was used for skimming the milk The cream was then poured into the churn-barrel or staff-churns. If there was a big dairy the former was used to make butter. The barrel stood on a high stand on two axles and it had a big handle. When the handle was turned the barrel revolved and after about half an hour (of temperate climate) the butter could be heard slapping from side to side in the barrel which let the person at the handle known that the butter was made. The little peg near the bottom of the barrel was then removed and the butter-milk was drained into pails. The butter was then taken out into a milkpan and washed several times with fresh cold water. It was salted and divided

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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

   Caitlín Ní Dhomhnaill

   Gender

   Female

   Occupation

   Teacher

   Informant

   Thomas Landy

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   70

   Address

   Redcity, Co. Tipperary