Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-01-18
Winter Battermakiug.

and winter conditions, controlling cream
ripening must also differ In order to pro-
duce fine article of butter with the
least expenditure of time and labor.
When the thermometer hovers around
the zero mark it sometimes requires as
much care to maintain the cream for the
next churning at proper temperature
for ripening as it does In extreme hot
weather.
In the average farm house no specia
provision is made for dairy work, hence
particular care must be exercised in win
ter to protect cream against contaminat.
Ing odors. A bright tin pail provided
with tight fitting cover furnishes .
very good receptacle for this purpose.
The pail or can should be large enough
to hold the entire churning SO that all
may be ripened alike.
Artificial heat is absolutely necessary
to perfect ripening in extreme cold
weather. Unless there are enough cows
to make churnipg oftener desirable,
twice week will do very we'll at this
time of year. In that case the cream
should be held cold, but not % as to
freeze, until the last "a hours before the
butter is to be churned and then warmed
up to about $50. This Is best done by
means Of q warm water bath, testing
carefully with dairy thermometer and
stirring the cream constantly to ensure
even distribution of heat. When the de-
sired temperature is reached. the cream
should be removed from the water bath,
covered, and held at as near that point
as possible until it develops the proper
degree of acidity. At this stage of de-
velopment an artificial starter may often
be employed with good results. If ma
jority of the COWS In the herd are fresh
or omparatively so, q starter is not nee.
esssary. No starter at all Is preferable
unless the medium to be introduced is
freshly soured milk or buttermilk per-
fectly free from any trace of bitterness
or mold. Cream treated az above de-
scribed should ripen sufficiently for
churning at the end of "a hours or less,
even without artificial agency.
When properly acidified for churning,
cream should pour from dipper like
thick molasses, and the last drops
should spit" the surface lightly as they
fall. Both outside and inside the dipper
will be tbickly coated with adhering
cream at this stage. These are signs
which aid the experienced eye in de-
when cream is ready for the
churn.
Much annoyance is avoided in cold
weather by having the cream at the
proper temperature when the churning
begins. Time is too valuable an asset in
ibis busy world to waste 1t unnecessari
y at the churn handle. Cream from diff |
ierent herds varies in regard to the best |
for churning without loss |
)f time or butterfat, and nothing but ex-
oerience will determine this point. With |
Iuernseys or Jerseys q higher tempera- |
lure is possible than with some other |
breeds. have known $50 to secure the |
'ery best results In cold weather, where |
q midsummer ten degrees lower proved |
best. The point is to get the butter
gathered into wheat-kerpel grsnules as
quickly as is possible without loss of fat |
u the buttermilk. Nothing but q Bah
,ock test can be relied upon to deter |
nine the latter question, and such a ma
'hine should be in every farm house
where butter is made even on limited |
Gale. 1t will pay for itself in a short
ime when applied to either new milk,
kimmilk, or buttermilk in discovering |
possible losses.
In extreme cold weather the rinse
vater should be warm enough to pre-
erve the waxy consistency of the gran
lies. The temperature should be about
he same as the contents of the churu.
Tery cold water renders the butter too
lard TO work we'll and its use is entirely
When the washing is complete and the
alt Incorporated the butter should be
worked up at once. This may conven-
emily be done in the churn by revolving
I very slowly and allowing the butter to
lrop solidly from top to bottom until
thoroughly pressed together In large
jumps. A final manipulation with the
adle after the butter bas been removed
o the bowl will express the remaining
,rine and leave 1t in the best possible
bape for packing or printing.
RewOrking may sometimes be practi-
al in summer when the weather. Is very
warm, but In winter the best time to fln.
sh the job is while it Ia still pliable and
,efore IL becomes set and cold. Our
considered it necessary to
llow butter to stand until the second
lay, when 1t was placed beside the fire
0 soften, first on one side and then the
Ither, until it was sufficiently warmed
or reworking. This is done away with
n modern practice and the job complet-
d at one operation. Further working
njures the product by making 1t sslvy
nd devoid of perfect grain.-E. E.
in Hoard's Dairyman.