The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-12-02
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When the majority Of people lived
in the country or small villages, and
nearly everybody had a neighbOr with
a cow. the milk marketing problem
was simple. Often the entire process
consisted in the neighbours bringing
over a pitcher and four copper pen
MES and carrying away the quart OF
milk. Or perhaps Johnnie was sent
out TO deliver milk to half dozen
neighbors at cents a quart, pocket
ing the extra penny.
Even in the case of big cities, the
most complicated system Of getting
milk to the consumer consisted in the
farmers placing the night and morn
ing product into cans and starting for
the city to make his round of from
so to 200 customers. The machinery
of distribution was all in the hands
OF the producer, and distribution was
so direct that the machinery was not
to any extent complicated.
Becomes Serious Problem
With the shifting Of population to,
big centers and the preemptiOn of the
former farming land in the suburbs
by commuter settlements and estates.
the marketing of milk has become a
serious problem. The farmer who
produces milk is only one step-the
initial one-in a system which in
cludes sometimes the jobber, the
steam or trolley railway, and the big
city distributing agencies. AS an IL
Illustration of these changing cOndi-
tons, one city may be mentioned
which had 40 separate milk dealers
three years ago. but is now almost
entirely served by three distributing
stations The successful farmer has
learned to adjust himself to this stu
alton.
The principal conditions concerned
in the marketing of milk are that it
shall be clean, free from authorizations
| and disease germs, that it shall be
cooled properly on the farm and kept
| cool while it is in the producers
] hands. 1t should be delivered at the
railway platform in time for the train
and properly protected during transit.
Big city distributing companies and
local boards of health have pretty
thoroughly impressed upon producers
the necessity of keeping milk cold;
and If the farmer is inclined to demur,
| he receives an uncomfortable expert
ence by having milk turned back to
| him. One creamery returned over
+ $1,000 worth of milk and cream to
farmers. A Notwithstanding plant
received more than $4,000 gallons Of
sour milk in one year.
Getting the milk down to a low
temperature will be much easier If
you have ice; and this is the season
of the year when it is timely to speak
of ice storing for dairy purposes
Where a stream or pond Is available
in the northern section of the United
States, natural ice can be harvested
and stored at low cost.
Under ordinary circumstances about
| one-half to one ton Of ice should be
allowed for each COW for cooling
cream, or L II to 2 tons of ice per cow
for cooling milk The United States
Department of Agriculture will send
Farmers Bulletin 1918, giving full
directions for storing ice, on request
There are a number of milk-cOoling
devices that can be used. An efficient
surface cooler, where the milk passes
in a thin layer over an ice or brine
cooled surface, can be constructed at
small expense, and will pay for itself
There are several types of these cool
ers. a description of which may be
obtained by writing the United States
Department of Agriculture for Farm
ers' Bulletin 976.
To hold milk at low temperature
over night during the summer a prop
erly constructed cooling tank is also
desirable. a good covered cooling
tank also protects the milk from in
sects, dust. foul odors and other i'm
purities, and if we'll insulated also
protects the milk from freezing in
winter.
Where milk is to be shipped long
distances, some method of maintain
ing low temperature during transit is
necessary, and for shorter distances
some kind Of an insulated can or felt
jacket for the can is practically indis-
pensabie. Ice, jackets and insulated
cans add to the expense, but usually
pay for themselves by reducing spoil
age and securing better market for
the milk. With the advent of good
roads and motOrtruckS, cooperative
hauling OF milk is becoming more
common In some sections large re-
gional cooling stations have been es-
tablished. to which many farmers haul
their milk. Many farmers still haul
their own milk to small cities. Milk
should be cooled to at least so de
grees T. before leaving the farm The
farmer can then prevent the tempera-
ture Of the milk from rising more