Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-12-20
OUR FARMERS.
THE RIGHT WAY OF WORKING
BUTTER.

The use OF a barrel or box churn is
now quite general, yet many cling to
the old fashioned dash varity. with
the latter it is almost invariably Gus
tomary to churn until the butter
M in a hard lump or solid mass.
Granular butter can be made in a dash
churn, as we'll as in the most APPROX
ed of morden models. The whole
secret lies in stopping the churnlng
at the proper time. This is when the
butter particles appear about the size
of wheat kernels. The old rule used
to require a steady motion of the
dasher until the butter had gathered
sufficiently to hold this up when rested
upon the top of it. By lifting the
butter in granules from the churn
with a ladle or skinner, the butter eau
be easily washed out in the butter
bowl.
Too much washing undoubtedly in
iuries the flavor. While it is gener-
ally conceded that washing until the
water CONS off clear assists in retain.
ing it's quality, if it is not to be con-
sumed in the month or six weeks first
following it's manufacture middle
course is advisable: Wash the but
ter in two or three waters, then salt
to taste and work into shape.
Probably no single feature in connec-
ton with the new and improved meth
DDS of butter making which have
been advanced of late years finds SO
slow acceptance among farmers
wives as that recommending only a
single working. This is the rut i'll
which many of them stick. They
have always worked their butter
twice, and consider this indispensable
when the fact is one working, and
that at the time of sailing is all that
is required. When gathered into
granules, only sufficiently to allow
the butter to float upon the surface of
the buttermilk-and, by the way,
this is greatly facilitated by adding
e handful or more Of salt to the con-
tents of the churn when the separa-
ton bcgins-the washing free from
the milk is an easy task. Every
grain is distinct and separate from
every other grain. The cold water
prevents their adherence and each Is
individually brought in contact with
the cleansing fluid. Then when drain
ed and while still in %granules, add the
salt, scattering it over the mass and
incorporating it thoroughly with the
ladle. The action of the brine formed
by its disolving. Drain this off and
work exactly as would be done had
the butter been previously salted.
Work until all excess of moisture is
removed, and the butter is a smooth,
waxy mass. One test of sufficient
working is to make a wafer-like pat
with a portion Of it, using the ladle
of course, then lift one side and fold
together. If it almost folds over
without becoming broken, yet finally
does break, it is worked enough.
e Overworking butter is injurious rem
dering it salvy and spelling the grain.
Insufficient working leavs an excess
of water incorporated with it, and
also leaves the butter notified and
streaked in appearance after stand
ing a few hours. The whole opera
ton may as we'll be done at once as to
let it remain with the salt insufficient
ly blended for several hours, then re-
work it. Every butter maker knows
how difficult this is when the butter
has become hardened. 1t is we'll
nigh impossible to get it properly
warmed. Try the once working plan
and you are sure to like it, especially
in very cold weather.