School: Liathdruim (roll number 1125)

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1. Churning (continued)

   

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   seizing the handle of the churn-dash with both hands, and working vigorously up and down on the thick cream, so as to break up the latter with the wooden disc. Boiling water is added to the cream when churning in cold weather, while cold water may have to be added during very warm weather. After about twenty minutes or so of churning, the butter begins to form in the shape of small grains. When these grains become a certain size, neither too large nor too small, the churning is finished. Then a short piece of round wood is placed underneath the bottom edge of the churn, and the churn is "rocked" gently from side to side to collect the butter in a mass at the centre of the top of the buttermilk.

   The butter is then lifted out with a strainer and placed in a wooden dish. Then the woman squeezes the buttermilk out with two wooden butter spades. When all the butter-milk has been removed she adds a little salt, and works it through the butter with the spades or with a shallow wooden bowl called a cooler. After this she shapes the butter into a roll or sometimes into tiny prints.

   The buttermilk is very useful. Along with

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. agriculture (~2,659)
            1. butter and churns (~3,280)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Eileen Easdley

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Tullylannan, Co. Leitrim