St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-01-24
PRIVATE DAlRYlNG.

by Mrs. Carrie ]. Nelson, of Ryegate,
and as this lady is probably not well
known to many of our readers
few facts concerning herself and
dairy may not be amiss. By the
death OF her husband, some 16 or
Is years ago, she was left with the man.
agement of farm of about $50 acres.
By her prudent management she has
educated her four children, paid off a
large mortgage which was on the farm,
and to-day is the owner of one of the best
dairy farms in that vicinity.
A representative of the CALIFORNIAN
who had the pleasure OF visiting "Hill-
side Dairy Farm" some three weeks ago,
saw fine herd of Grade Jerseys, nearly
| all OF them registered, and learned the
following facts about Mrs. Nelson's last
two years business. In 1898 she made
10,073 pounds of butter, for which she
received 81 ,957.54, beside what was used
in the family. Her cows averaging $61-
IT per head. The butter sold at an
average of 20 cents. She took sos in
premiums that year.
Last year she made 10. 321 pounds of
butter, which sold at an average of 81
cents per pound and brought $2,117.91,
besides that used in the family. Her herd
averaged 33 head, this made $6415
each exclusive of premiums, and after
deducting the price Of grain, feed, salt,
etc, which is estimated at SIS, leaves
$49.15 net per head. She tool $25 SO
in premiums this year, and with this
knowledge of Mrs. Nelson's work we
think her paper will be read with interest
by all farmers.
The subject allotted to me is in nv
line OF business. The private dairy If
rightly managed will make a product
that will compare favorably with that
OF the creamery and usually will COM
mand as high price in market. do
not wish to be misunderstood, as all pri-
vate dairys are not rightly managed,
some are not particular enough in breed.
ing therefore their dairy is not up to the
standard for gilt edge butter; others are
not neat enough in their stables. If they
are cleaned only once in twenty four
hours the cows cannot be otherwise than
filthy and the milk from such stable
will be the same, but If the stable is
cleaned, swept and the cows neatly bed.
ded there is less chance for faint in the
milk.
The quality of the butter is to some ex-
tent in the hands of the mixer and feeder.
The milker should thoroughly brush the
udder before milking as any particle
from the cow will faint the milk.
We all know that some feed hurts the
quality of the butter. l will give you
little of my experience on this point.
In August several years ago my butter
dealer wrote two or three different weeks
that the butter was off on flavor. The
cows were at that time in newly top
dressed field and when that was eaten
close enough they were changed to the
pasture, and he wrote "hutter is all
right, and while there l took the two
first prizes on my butter. During this
time corn was harvested and the grass
ground top-dressed in another large
field, then the cows were turned into
that and the next week he wrote that the
butter was off on flavor again. At that
time | had never heard of top dressing
affecting the butter but could see no
other cause and have not top dressed but
little while cows were in fall feed since.
Again, at every dairy meeting have at
tended since 1892 the speakers have
nearly all advised using cotton seed, glu-
ten meal ETC., to form balanced ration
for the cow. While at the Dairy Confer
ence in Portland, Maine, Dec. 90, the
question was asked what grain / used to
produce 329 lbs. OF butter, per COW. NV
reply was corn meal and bran. Some
one in the audience spoke out and said.
'it you had used cotton seed and gluten,
you. would have made 400" there
fore decided to change my feed after the
Dairy Association at st. .Johnsbury and
did so in very short time. 1t made
larger flow OF milk and we felt quite well
satisfied. In a few weeks my butter dealer
wrote on the bottom of my weekly return
what are you doing to the butter? 1t is
off on flavor" and so he continued writ.
ing Mar. 2nd, quality ought to be bet
ter" April 18, "butter is not as good as
it ought to be" Apr. 81, butter is not
up to the standard" About this time
we wondered fit could possibly be the
cotton seed and gluten and changed back
to the corn meal and bran. May 4th
the return read, "happy to say the but
ter is all right" May II, butter is good
enough" and for three weeks following,
it read, butter is good" From that
time till now the cows have had no cot
ton seed or gluten and he has never men,
toned any deceit in the butter. In pri-
vate daring we can control the feed,
while the creamery man has nothing to
do with it.
have not the ex perence in patroniz.
ing the creamery that most of you have
for the milk from my herd has been sent
to the creamery only four months and
that in the fall of '93. l have not the
exact figures in my mind OF the difference
between home dairying and creamery
but it was over $1.00 per day on the |
amount of butter l was making at that
time in favor of the private dairy. was
then using open pans and Prof. Hills |
said lost nearly one per cent. of butter
fat (ninty-eight one hundredths, in the
sample sent to him at Burlington and | |
called it better than an average sample.
1t takes about three hours to churn and
take care OF churning OF butter when
put into half pound prints. This comes
twice week in winter and three times
in summer. Allowing one dollar per