School: Arklow (Mercy) Convent (An Charraig)

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1. Churning

   

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   Our churn is four feet high and three and a half feet wide: it is slightly narrower at the top than at the end. There are staves on the churn and an iron hoop around it. Butter is made once a week in Winter and every three days in Summer. The churning takes about an hour: it is done by hand. The dash moves upwards and downwards. When the butter is made it comes up on the top of the milk. Hot water is generally poured in to make the butter come to the top and give it a yellow colour. The butter is put into a bowl and the milk is strained out of it. Salt is put on it. The buttermilk is used for making bread: it is given to calves and pigs.

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   Topics

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

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Alice Farrell

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Rock Big, Co. Wicklow

2. Churning

   

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   There is a churn in every farmer's house. It is about five foot high. The churn is narrower at the top: the sides are round. Butter is made three times a week in Winter and four times a week in Summer. The men usually do the churning. If a person goes into a house when churning is being done the person gives a little help.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

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