Churn

transcribed at

A Churn  [duchas:4790054]

We have a churn at home.  It is about four feet high.  It is about two feet at the top and bottom.  It is nearly cylindrical in shape.
Butter is made twice a week in summer and once in winter.
My mother makes the churning and we assist her.  It is done by hand.  If strangers come in during the churning they help with it for a few minutes.  There is an old belief that if they went away without helping they would bring the butter with them.  The churning takes about half an hour in summer, while in the frosty weather it takes about three quarters of an hour.  The dash is always moved upwards and downwards except when the churning is almost finished when it is moved from side to side to gather the butter.  When the butter is made the dash loses all traces of milk.
Hot water is poured into the milk during the churning to keep it at a proper temperature.  When the butter is gathered it is taken out into a basin.  It is washed several times in

A Churn  [duchas:4790065]

spring water.  It is then salted.  Afterwards it is made into a roll or prints.
There is an old belief that if a person lent a churn dash to another person the former would be giving away his butter.
Butter-milk is used for making bread.  Gruel made from outmeal and butter milk is very healthy.  Boiled butter milk and sugar is good for a cold.