School: Carraig na Heorna (roll number 10938)

Location:
Carricknahorna, Co. Donegal
Teacher:
Susan Mary Irwin
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1028, Page 341

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1028, Page 341

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  1. XML School: Carraig na Heorna
  2. XML Page 341
  3. XML “Churning”

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  1. Up to about 25 years ago the people in this district churned all the milk and took the butter to Ballyshannon on the market day to sell. The churning gave extra labour to the people as it was all done with the ordinary churn and dash.
    First the cows are milked and it is brought to the dairy and the extra milk is strained into tubs or large crockery pans. It is then left for a day or two until it thickens and the cream rises to the top. The churn is then got ready and the thick milk is put into it to be churned. According to the weather it depends whether hot or cold water is added. When it is churned for some time the butter begins to come on the milk and when the butter gets into round lumps it is done. It is then lifted into a butter dish washed three times or so with cold spring water until all the milk is washed out of it. Then salt is added to it to improve the taste. It is then made up into rolls ready for use, or to be sold.
    The buttermilk is used for baking bread and is given to the calves, or pigs to drink.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. activities
      1. economic activities
        1. agriculture (~2,659)
          1. butter and churns (~3,280)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Susan Mary Irwin
    Gender
    Female