School: Killymarley (roll number 15398)

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1. Churning

   

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   In early times in this district there were no creameries. All the milk was churned at home. In the summer when milk was plentiful it was churned every day. A large round churn called a plunge or dash churn was used. This had a tight-fitting lid with a hole in the centre through which the churn-dash passed.

   When the cows were milked the milk was put into the churn, none of it being used sweet except what was kept "to cream the tea." When the churn was from half to three-quarters full and the milk got thick and sour it was churned. Churning was not easy work. The dash was lifted up and down through the milk until the butter appeared in tiny particles on the top. It was then said to be "broke" and it was not necessary to churn so hard to finish it. A beetle was placed under the bottom of the churn and it was rocked from side to side for about five minutes. This

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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

   Hilda Clarke

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Hillhall, Co. Monaghan