The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1901-04-25
THE BUTTER GRAINS.
PROPER TIME AT WHICH TO DRAW
OFF euTTERMlLK.

Description Of the Granular Method
Of Making Butter-The Churn and
Churning-washing the Product.
Flavor and Coloring.
Mrs. ]. n! Click of Circleville, O., in
0 paper on Farm Butter Making"
read before the Ohio State Dairymen's
association, said: Len, .rer~ s~.-~ e..
We use the barrel churn without any
dasher and practice what is called the
granular method of making butter
that is, to stop churning when the but
ter gets about the size of grains Of
wheat-draw, of the buttermilk and
put in fresh water, churn a few min
utes and then draw it of. Some wait
until the Jumps Of butter get the size
of hickory nuts, but 1t Is just as well,
II not better, to stop when they are a
little larger than wheat. The whole
object of either working or washing Is
to get out the buttermilk. and when It
Is washed out it Is obvious that the
smaller the grains Of butter the better
the chance Of washing out all the milk.
If you have never tried the granular
method, why not give it trial and see
for yourself it's merits and it's dement's,
If you can find any? If you have not
tried this method, it will require close
watching to stop churning at the right
Vino flor no oroo N, COTS thick and
begins to 'break" is the time to look
out for the butter granules.
After drawing off the buttermilk we
again come 70 a point where there Is a
difference not only of opinion, but Of
practice. Some pour in more water
and after a few revolutions of the
churn draw it off and repeat the proc
ess until the water is perfectly clear,
while others claim that the flavor may
be washed out and wash as little as
possible. Some excellent butter max
ers that l know never wash their but
ter at all. The flavor is an integral
part Of the butter and can no more be
washed out than the sweetness can be
washed out of sugar. If you do not
believe it, feed the cows mess of on
ions and then try to wash out the
flavor.
There are many ways Of sailing but
ter, but for granular butter l think
that dry sailing is the least trouble.
Nearly all methods have much that
must be left to the judgment Of the
maker, as the amount of water that is
left in must always vary little. SO
perhaps will not be judged too harsh
ly when say that l never weigh the
salt. Since using the barrel churn we
have discarded the use of the butter
bowl except for the winter butter,
when it Is used simply to shape the
rolls. Much Of the working can be
done in the churp with the paddle. but
we use butter worker, which makes
the task much easier. The object of
working the butter is to expel the wa
ter, and this should be done by direct
pressure, never by sliding motion of
the lever, as this will destroy the
grain. We begin to use butter color as
soon as the cows are taken off grass
and keep the butter in uniform color
through the year. Every consumer
wants butter of good color all the time.
If it is white in winter. it does not
taste so good. because it does not look
so good.
Color the butter to suit the market
and put it in with a clear conscience,
for there is no deception or fraud
about it: it is simply making it more
attractive to the eye. We sell our but
ter to private customers and furnish it
as fresh as possible; give liberal weight
and cheerfully humor any peculiar
ideas about saltiness or color. The
buyer has a right to have his taste
consulted.
There will always be plenty of
prompt paying customers in our cities
and towns who will take all the really
fine butter that can be made. for it is
a lamentable fact that the majority of
farmers and farmers wives are SO
blindly egotistical that they will never
learn to make other than grocery but
. ter" which even at the low price paid
for it sells for more than it is worth.
Butter made in the manner described.
from cows in perfect health. well fed
and watered. with scrupulous care and
cleanliness should smell like the June
clover fields and taste like the nectar
of the gods!