Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1860-03-31
From the American Agricutcrist
An Experienced Butter makers Method.

An Experienced Butter makers Method.
My experience for many years in n large
dairy gives me some practical knowledge
of what constitutes good article of but
ter, and perhaps 1 cannot better explain
the principle of making it, than by giving
the regular method pursued by my family.
In the Spring, when our cows are coming
in we keep them entirely from the horse
litter or stable, which would give the milk
au unpleasant flavor, and feed hem little
yellow corn, carrots or cornstalks, which
improve the color and quality of the but
ter. We are very careful to strip the cows
as clean as possible, nrd strain the milk in
the cellar before it cools, in order that the
cream may rise undisturbed. We use
twelve quart tin pals instead of pans, find
ing them more convenient. If the weather
is freezing cold, we add about one teacup-
full to each pail, strain it full, and let it
stand until the cream rises then take
enough for a churning to an upper room
where fire is kept most of the time, and
let it become loppered, at which time it is
ready for the churu. We put about "a
gallons of milk in 60 gallon churn and
in churning, have the dash rise above the
milk, and descend to the bottom of the
churn, otherwise their is a deficiency in
churnng all the milk efectualy. We use
no THERMOMETERS, but suppose the milk to
be at about 600 or 65S, (Fahrenheit) -
We can tell by the sound if the milk is
tempered right, it will have a clear ring
We use horse power, and churn from 60 to
so minutes. When the churning is nearly
done, (Which is told by the butter rising in
separate spccks npon the dash) we put in
about 5 gallons of water, continue to churn
few minutes longer, when the butter is
ready to be taken ont 1t is then washed
in 2 or different waters, salted, and put
away TO stand abont two hours, for the salt
| to dissolve. 1t is then worked few min.
uteS at lime, several times during the day.
When the brine becomes clear, it is packed
in tubs holding about 40 lbs., and sent to
the city. This is our method Of making
butter until about the middle of May
The means used to secure the thickening
of the milk (Ioppering), depend on the
weather When it is mild we strain the
| pals half full in the morning, and then fill
them at night with warm milk Again, if
the weather is still warmer we GlI the pals
| fnll. Buttermilk is used only in cold wealth
er. If a stove can he used in the cellar, it
is preferable to any other mode for thicken-
ing milk.
About the middle Of May our cows are
generally all in, and we commence our
! Summer dairy We have about so cows,
and from 5 to persons to do the milking,
and one who attends to straining the milk
/ c,~t th
joining the yard. Usually about quarts
are strained in each pail. IT, however,
the weather is cool, more is added If warm,
less. Our cellar is kept quite dark, and
free from any current Of air. We think
too much light bleaches the cream, and too
much air dries its surface. When the
weather becomes warm, ice is used to cool
the butter fit for working, which is quite
necessary, as il is hardly possible TO work
soft butter to any advantage. We are
quite careful when using the lade, not to
draw it over the surface of the butter, but
to extract the butiermilk by gashing and
pressing. We think the drawing Of the
ladle on the butter. creates an oily surface,
and changes its solidity, which causes it
| to become rancid. Ashton salt is used
about one ounce to the pound Of butter,
yet we have discovered a remarkable differ
ence in what is called Ashton salt, some dis
solving easily, some otherwise have
sometimes thought that Ashton sacks were
filed with Salina SALT Our frkins are fill.
ed with water, and soaked about "a hours
before packing in them. When filed within
an inch Of the top, we spread a clean cloth
on 1t and put on half an inch or more of
salt, then make brine so strong that no
more salt will dissolve in it, and ponr the
6rkin full We think brine cannot be
made strong enough TO prevent the top of
the butter from changing its color and be-
coming rather light upon the surface, but
salt and brine united, viii keep the butter
| without change