io62 Rural School Leaflet. 



FARM BUTTERMAKING 



C. A. PUBLOW 



No article of food is more appreciated at the table than good buttei, 

 yet no part of the meal is more difficult to secure. It is true that many 

 farmers have taken advantage of the high prices offered for butter of 

 finest quality, and are making a determined effort to provide conditions 

 and utensils with which the}^ may manufacture better butter, but the 

 great majority of farmers in New York State do not make a uniform 

 quality of good butter. 



This is a serious problem for the dairy farmer to meet. Millions of 

 dollars are being lost annually because dairy butter is of poor quality, 

 and one can readily appreciate this by reading the market reports. 

 From these we learn that creamery-made butter sells for several cents 

 per pound more than dairy-made butter. Surely this should not be 

 when the creameryman manufactures butter from cream from many 

 herds, cared for under varied conditions more or less unsanitary, while 

 the private dairyman has only the cream from one herd to care for, 

 and should therefore have much better control over conditions that 

 influence the quality of butter. 



The most common causes of bad butter are as follows : 



1. Unclean milk or cream. 



2. Keeping cream too long or at too high temperature before churning. 



3. Keeping cream in cellars or store-rooms where strong smelling 

 vegetables are kept. 



4. Improper washing of butter to remove the buttermilk. 



5. The use of too much salt. 



When cream is saved for several days before churning it must be 

 kept very cold or the butter will be strong or rancid in flavor. It is 

 much better to churn at least every two days, even though the quantity 

 is small, if mild, fine flavor is desired in the butter. 



There is a great opportunity for the farmer of New York State to 

 secure high prices for his butter if the quality is right, but to have it 

 right, everything surrounding the manufacturing process must be 

 absolutely clean. The cream must be well cared for, and the butter 

 must be put up neatly and be attractive. 



When this is done, then the consumer will have less difficulty in secur- 

 ing good, reliable butter for table use. 



Note. — It would be a good thing for the farm girls to try to make 

 good butter during vacation. We shall be glad to hear from all who try. 



