Little Black Sambo Got Nothing On Me

This gentleman was tending an orphan fawn, about eight weeks old, and telling people about wildlife. The fawn was curious but kept well wrapped so he couldn't leap away and fall on the concrete floor.

Now if my title offends you...keep it to yourself because I'm not one to rewrite history and this was one of my favorite children's stories. Somewhere, packed in a box, I've got my original copy of Little Black Sambo and it's still cherished. In 1899, well before my time should you be wondering, Helen Bannerman wrote, illustrated and published Little Black Sambo in England for her two little girls; the next year it was published in the USA. The story takes place in India but, needless to say, American politics got involved and right royal ejits said it was "racist". I don't see it myself but I also don't see Tom Sawyer, barefoot and palming off his work on others as derogatory. I mean, sometimes a story is just a story and, at any rate, I've got too much work on my plate to waste time casting aspersions on others.

Fred, my friend and lawyer, has asked me to demonstrate churning butter for a few years at the county fair. It's my pleasure to say yes and it gives a lot of pleasure to the Seniors and Special Needs folks who come out. The Seniors tell me stories of how they used to help milk, churn, do farm chores, etc. and the Special Needs folks are simply enthralled. One dear older woman, in the grips of dementia, stood at my side, stroking my shoulder, telling me, "My Mama used to do that; she used to churn. Mama used to churn" over and over and over until someone pulled her away. For the while she was with me, the happiness glowed in her face and that's why I spend my money, time and effort to churn...it's my gift for people whom it pleases to remember.

Faith and Becky are my helpers in setting up, tearing down and handing out samples of butter on saltine crackers and they make my job a lot easier. Because I forgot to set the cream out, I started with two gallons of cold cream from Duchess Dairy but because I started with pure cream, I didn't have to separate the milk from the cream. Duchess did that for me, thank you very much! A towel around the wooden dasher keeps the cream from splashing too very much; although I still managed to become covered, head to toe, in spots of cream.

David Browning, The Mayberry Deputy, came by to say hello and take a picture; he was such a nice gentleman!

I won't reinvent the wheel but if you'd like to read more information about cow milk and how it makes a difference in churning butter, click here and, if you'd like to laugh at me and, possibly, with me, click here and here.

When churning for public consumption, I use pasteurized Jersey cream because it's heated and any bacteria destroyed. If I'm churning for personal consumption, I use raw milk; both products give butter, both products are good and both have a different taste. I grew up on raw milk, sometimes milked the cow myself, but now it's illegal to sell raw milk in the Commonwealth of Virginia. boo!

The 100% cream is poured into my Great-Grandmother's crock, dasher lowered into cream then lid placed on top, towel wrapped around dasher and top and the up/down motion begins. If the cream is room temperature, the cream will begin turning to whipped cream in 20 minutes or thereabouts. If the cream is cold, it takes 30 to 40 minutes.

Really crummy photo but I'm tired and want to finish so I can go to bed. A dasher is a long, wooden, dowel type rod with an X attached to the bottom with a screw. Mine isn't all that old but it's not holding up very well and I'd love to find a new, better dasher. I've looked and cannot find one so make do by gluing and using a larger screw. One of these days though it's not going to work at all and then I'll be done for.

Last year my dasher broke when the cream began turning to thick whipped cream, like above, but I made do, and this year, tried the same repair, both gluing and using a bit larger screw, but to no avail. When the liquid cream became whipped cream, the dasher broke.

The whipped cream was simply too thick for the poorly made dasher and I resorted to making butter by hand and,

in a large enamel bowl, I would dip three or four handfuls of whipped cream and begin whipping the cream by hand. It's not skilled labor; just takes a bit of time, patience and effort to go from whipped cream to bits of butter.

The cream began turning into pebble sized bits of butter and as I continued, the butter released liquid which is buttermilk and was poured off and kept for my kitchen. I've already soaked chicken for grilling and made a mighty tasty pan of buttermilk cornbread with this buttermilk. I also gave away a half gallon of buttermilk, along with a pound and half of butter to Faith for her family's use.

Sea salt was mixed with the butter, then the butter formed into half pound blocks which were placed into my butter mold. Click here for photos of my Aunt Bonnie's, possibly my Grandmother's, butter mold that I use. When using pasteurized cream, there's no need to wash the butter; when using raw milk, it's best to wash the butter to soften the tang of the raw milk. Please do click on all the links to see what's not included in this post; there's so much good information on how to do this for yourself and it's a great home school, or even public school, project!

So many people wanted to buy my butter but, again, it's against the law so I had to say no. Broke my heart too, having to bring all that butter home and use it myself -wicked grin-.

Is all this work worth having home churned butter? It is to me because it's not only delicious, it keeps the old ways alive and brings back so many lovely memories to me and the public. I thoroughly enjoy churning butter, spinning, weaving, making apple butter and cider, making bread and meals from scratch and all the home arts. When Dave was alive, knowing I was able to make us a home brought both of us pleasure and enjoyment and strengthened our friendship and marriage. Appalachia runs deep in my veins and heat and eat are both paramount to making and living a good life. I don't apologize for staying close to home, tending to those things that bring not only pleasure but something good to eat or wear or sleep under. I truly believe if more people tended to home life first, this frosty ole world would be a lot better off. 

Let's face it, 

when Mama's happy, ever'body's happy! 

Blessings ~ home churned butter ~ butter milk ~ Dave ~ Appalachia ~ a happy home ~

10 Things Thistle Cove Farm Has Taught Me

~ Sandra and Sadie ~

I've been churning butter since last Thursday; finally finished Sunday afternoon. In case you're wondering, there's a little more than eight pounds to a gallon of cream. One pound of cream yields around one-half pound of butter and ten gallons of Jersey cream made somewhere between around forty+ pounds of butter. Maybe more but, frankly, I am so tired my brain stopped working sometime Friday. Maybe Thursday night; it's all a blur.

Suffice it to say, I will never, ever, as God is my witness (shades of Scarlet), be talked into buying ten gallons of Jersey cream again. At least not at one time. Nor will I never, ever churn more than two gallons at one time. Ever. Unless there's serious money involved which means I'm probably safe.

I'll blog about Churning 101 later but it needs to be told, at two separate times, my dasher broke and I churned with my right hand only. I never knew it could be done either but, it's been said, necessity is the mother of invention, and I proved that right.

P. S. NOTE: I lied. Not intentionally but lied nonetheless. Tonight, I was putting the kitchen to rights, before taking my shower so I could then pass out which is what I call sleep after such a bone crushing day, and found the gallon enamel covered bowl containing whipping cream. O lawz. I thought I was done and finished but noooooo. It took an extra hour but I made another four pounds of butter...by hand and by hand, I mean working the whipped cream like making bread until it separated into buttermilk and butter. Another four pounds of butter. I swear, the first ten people who call me will gifted with one-half pound of home churned butter. 

It's been raining since Saturday morning and today, in the middle of the day, we had 3 hours of sunshine. I took advantage of sunshine to climb on the tractor and move hay from the middle to the edge of the field. I hate for hay to stand where it was baled; it makes dead places in the pasture and every dead place means nothing will grow...except weeds which aren't wanted. Moving hay bales gave me time to think and what I thought about was what I've learned on the farm. Many, many lessons but these ten are worthy to be told now...imho...grin!

1.  Chores get me out of bed.

2.  Farm work is hard but it keeps me strong and moving forward.

3.  When I'm prepared for the storm, I can sleep through the night.

4.  Nature is the supreme white noise.

5.  God is stronger than my tears or fears.

6.  Each dawn begins a new day to get it right.

7.  Schemes and dreams are very different.

8.  Solitude is golden.

9.  The perfect ratio: 6 days for work, 1 day for rest.

10. It's easier to step in manure than get it off my boots.

Sure hope you've enjoyed these ten things and, perhaps, some of them might apply to you and your situation. If they do, let me know which and how, 'k?

Blessings ~ chores, nature ~ dawn ~ God ~ churning ~ butter milk ~ butter ~

Chatting with Patrice, Number 150

~ l to r - Peaches, Dandy Man, DaniGirl ~

Patrice, Everyday Rurality, is hosting Chat Number 150...a milestone and, in the land of blog, that's a major accomplishment! Each Wednesday, she asks five questions, answers them and bloggers are allowed to drop in and do likewise. This week her questions, my answers:

1. Do you ever watch old TV shows or movies from your childhood or youth? I gave up sat t.v. and now only watch DVD's such as I Love Lucy, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Andy Griffith and the like.
What I'd like to see is Sky King and Penny...anyone else remember that one? I. loved. it. For some reason, it grabbed me...maybe it was the ranching and the flying or the fact a female had a central role... not really sure but I. loved. it. From out of the clear blue of the western sky comes Sky King!!!

~ Lightly, DaniGirl, Izzabella ~

2. Have you ever adopted a rescued animals? Sheep, horses, alpacas, dogs, cats, guineas, ferret, skunk, owl, fish...in my lifetime, I've either adopted a rescue animal or doctored a foundling back to health and released it (owl), paid for the adopted, picked up animals by the side of the road... I used to tell Dave we have a unicorn flying over the farm; we cannot see it but being as unicorns are the 'patron saints' of foundling, rescued animals, they know to come here for medical care and a meal. 

3. Are you good at keeping track of paperwork and records? Better than Dave (not saying much) and getting better because I have to get better. I'd love to take some kind of class but have no idea what, perxactly?!

4. What would you like the Magic Wendell Fairy to poof with his wand (thought that'd be hoof???) and turn into a treat for you. Any snack or sweet you would like...forget snacks and sweets, I'd rather have supper...meat and veg, please and thanks.

~ Izza and Tumbles ~

5. Tell me something interesting-please. The hay field yielded 22 and a half bales which I'm going to sell. It's not as many as last year but this year has been wet and chilly and the field hasn't done as well. I'm closer to having the house packed and will start on the farm. When God brings a buyer, I want to be ready! I'm getting ready to clean fleeces and will send them to the mill for spinning and weaving into blankets. 

It's been chilly here and one or two nights I've slept in a flannel nightgown. The night temps have dropped into the low 60's - high 50's and it's been wonderful sleeping weather. 

The county fair begins tomorrow and on Thursday I'll demonstrate churning butter. I'm going across the mountains to Rural Retreat and buy pasteurized cream from Duchess Dairy and their Jersey cows. Jersey cows have a milk fat content of about 18% 
When I was younger and visiting/staying with Aunt Bonnie, she taught me how to milk. It's not for those with weak hands; milking takes body strength but the results are well worth it. All my life I've helped or have churned raw milk but, for the fair, I'm churning pasteurized cream. When dealing with the public, it's best to be on the safe side...not that I'm giving up any of the butter, mind you. This year I'm buying the cream out of my own pocket and am bringing home the butter and buttermilk. Faith, and Becky, her sister, are helping me and they're being paid in butter but the rest is mine. 

Last year several people came to me and wanted to buy butter but it's against the law for me to sell it. Also, several wanted to buy my churn and were rather put out when I said, "Not for sale". Actually, some folks got downright rude when told, "This is my heritage and it's not for sale at any price." One person told me, "Everything has a price" and my reply was, "Maybe so but you can't afford it." yeouch! I'm not sure but don't think they enjoyed my response quite as much as I enjoyed giving it -grin-.

~ white tail deer ~

We've having a Senatorial election here in southwest VA. Seems the Dem who was in that position gave it up because his lawyer daughter of some eight years of lawyering was appointed a judge. One of them had to give up their job and the Senator decided it was him. There was a big ruckous when Daddy was offered a $100,000.00+ a year job...which he turned down because those ugly words "political graft" were mentioned along with an FBI investigation and the now former Senator decided to "pursue other options". The job he turned down was with The Tobacco Commission which was funded with $1,000,000,000.00, ummm, that's ONE BILLION tax payer DOLLAR$ and Commission positions are coveted, highly coveted. I mean, it's a lot of dough re me for doing little a nothing except tending meetings and handing out more taxpayer money to favored friends. 

Anyway, there are three men running...Mike Hymes, Democrat, Tazewell's favored son, Ben Chafin, Republican, Russell County's favored son and Independent Rick Mullins of Dickenson County. It's a terrifically important race because the Dems are in power in VA and should Mr. Chafin or Mr. Mullins win, it will skew the weight over to  the Republican side. Mike works in the coal industry, is a Board of Supervisor member for my district and he's a good man. As they say, "He's not from around here" but he's done himself proud during the time he's lived in Tazewell County. Mike did an interview where he wants stronger gun control and that seems to fly in the face of the Second Amendment, which, as a strong Constitutionalist, it bothers me a lot, but, other than that, I believe him to be a good man.

Mr. Chafin is a lawyer and the state current legislator for his district but I don't know him personally. I know his family and have worshiped in the evangelical church he and his family worship; they have a fine worship service and preacher. As a youngster, Mr. Chafin worked his Daddy's tobacco farm, something I've done as a teen on my uncle's tobacco farm. Working tobacco is a hot, stinky job (especially in central VA!) and my hat is off to anyone who has worked tobacco. Something else he and I have in common, we were the first in our family to be graduated from college, or in my case, university. A proud accomplishment! However, when I visited Mr. Chafin's website, I was dismayed to see southwest Virginia represented...minus Tazewell County.  

~ Izzabella and DandyMan ~

Mr. Mullins' Daddy was put into a wheel chair at age 28 when a coal mining accident happened. Mr. Mullins comes from a coal mining family and that's near and dear to my heart; bet you didn't know I'm a coal miner's daughter, grand-daughter, great grand-daughter and back it goes. My Daddy's people came to this country from Wales, where they were coal miners, and made their way to West Virginia where they went back into the mines. Mr. Mullins is a self-made man; he owns a funeral home, medical equipment rentals business, ambulance service and farm. He's also the owner of The Virginia Undertaker, a speed racking horse who has won two World Grand Championships and a slew of other championships. Aren't most self-made men hustlers and go-getters? Mr. Mullins is no exception to that statement!

When people ask for my vote, I have 4 questions I ask them:

1. Are you a born again Christian? 
2. What's your stand on abortion?
3. What's your stand on homosexual marriage?
4. Would you uphold the Constitution of the USA with your life, if need be?

As you might well imagine, I've heard a lot of waffling and you might say I have no right asking those questions. You're wrong. I have every right to ask those questions and further, to base my vote on the answers I receive. As a Christian, it is imperative for me to vote Biblically...not politically.  My view is not a World View, it is a Biblical View and my opinions count for naught; when I want an answer, I turn to the Bible to see what it says because that's what the Bible tells us to do; as a Christian (if you are a Christian) that's what you should be doing. God isn't impressed with my opinion and He's not impressed with your opinion; God is impressed with y/our desire to know His word and do what His word admonishes. Each of us, Christian or not, will stand at His throne on Judgement Day and, based on our response to His questions, we'll go to heaven or hell. 

Frankly, I don't think a man or woman should hold any elected office, but especially at a state and federal level, unless they've served in the military. I don't believe a man or a woman can fully understand what it means to serve unless they've first served in the military. There are too many men and women in elected office who think it's their right to be there. It is not their right; it is a privilege but some have forgotten they are employees of the people. Some of those elected officials treat We, the people like something to be scraped off their shoe. So, if you're a Christian, start asking hard questions of people who want your vote. Your vote is a precious privilege; men and women have died so you can vote so vote and vote wisely. Don't use that sad, sorry excuse, "Well, they're all rascals so what does it matter if I vote?" IT MATTERS! 

So, if you're still reading...you deserve a cold beverage. If you differ, you're invited to, politely, state your opinion and we'll have a civil discourse. 

Blessings ~ voting ~ American Curly horses ~ white tail deer ~ Patrice ~ unicorns ~ rescued animals ~

Churning and Making Butter

Mary's children and I were invited to the county fair to demonstrate making butter so Dalton and Kim used a Mason jar and a pint heavy whipping cream with a LOT of shake, shake, shake power. They didn't understand the entire process was going to take a while so adults took their turn as well.

The chilled, heavy duty whipping cream, is poured into a Mason jar and a lid and ring screwed on until just tight. The liquid is shaken until soft peaks form...this is whipped cream and with the addition of a small amount of honey or sugar is just dandy on strawberries or pound cake or strawberries and pound cake...just sayin', mind. 

BTW, a pint of heavy whipping cream will make one half pound of sweet butter.

This whipped cream was a trifle sweet to the taste.

 Shaking commenced again until a soft, round column begin to separate from the liquid. This soft, round column is the beginning of butter and the liquid is buttermilk. 

The contents are placed into a bowl and the buttermilk poured off from the butter. I worked the butter just like kneading dough until more buttermilk could be poured off and when the butter didn't release any more buttermilk, it was ready to be salted. There are those who wash the butter with plain, cold water and then add salt; I do not. I like the taste of strong butter so skip the washing process, add sea salt and then press into my half pound butter mold.

Start to finish, making butter in a Mason jar takes around 30 minutes. I started with cold, heavy whipping cream and it would have been faster had I used cream at room temperature.

My butter mold and churn were given to me by Aunt Bonnie who also taught me how to churn. She churned all her life and her butter, egg and milk money helped keep together bodies and souls for her six children, husband and herself.

The butter mold is a classic star or daisy pattern but wasn't used much. Aunt Bonnie would churn a few pounds of butter and hand mold them into rounds about a pound in weight. She lived a hardscrabble Appalachian life and beauty for her was having and preparing the food for family and whoever was there at mealtimes. Manys the time I've seen her feed folks she barely knew...simply because there were there at mealtime; no one was ever turned away from the table.

When Dave was alive, I'd churn butter and bake bread; he loved both and I think he loved the idea I could do both. It pleased him, as the memories still please me, to know we were so well matched. He was the high tech geek and I the low tech geek. He was genius material, truly, and was in process of applying to MENSA when he died. We always laughed because he had a Bachelor of Arts from WVU in biology and chemistry and I have a Bachelor of Science from VCU in Recreation, Parks and Tourism. He made bombs, I made baskets, but his dear old Mother wasn't quite as amused -lol-.

This churn belonged to Aunt Bonnie and she gave it to me when her health no longer permitted her to churn. It's a vigorous activity and takes some strength, especially when the cream begins to come together. It takes cream to make butter and this is the first time I've ever made butter from pasteurized cream; I've always used raw milk. 

In order to milk a cow, which is a female bovine, she must have had a calf. The calf always gets the first few milkings because these contain the colostrum, very necessary for the calf to both live and thrive and, btw, all female mammals produce colostrum in their first breast milk. Once the calf has milked out, or drank, all the colostrum, the human comes in and begins to take a share. Generally, in the beginning, the calf gets most and as the calf gains weight and grows, the human begins to milk more and more. By the time the calf is weaned, the human is getting all the milk. 

Aunt Bonnie would milk her Jersey cows, a breed originally from Jersey Island, and, after straining the milk with a clean cloth, she'd keep the cream from several milkings in the refrigerator. Unless, of course, it was winter and then the milk would be kept in a pail on the back porch. Unless, of course, it was the dead of winter and then she'd keep it in the refrigerator where it wouldn't freeze. Appalachian winters are COLD!

Pasteurized Duchess All Jersey Cream, from Rural Retreat, VA was used in the churn and is unbelievably wonderful! I poured the chilled cream into the churn and within fifteen or twenty minutes, the cream was beginning to set up or thicken into whipping cream...very fast!

In another few minutes, curds were forming and the butter was beginning to separate from the buttermilk...be still my heart!

Jersey cows have among the best butterfat; it's around 5% and makes the best...everything! Visit here for a listing of cows, butterfat, protein and a lot more information. Holsteins, those black and white cows, are shysters, they have only 2.5% to 3.5% butterfat..hardly worth bothering! 

Here, I'm pouring off more buttermilk, so the butter can be worked into a solid.

Churning produced approximately two quarts of sweet buttermilk, p'raps a bit more. When the cream is pasteurized, the buttermilk is sweet; when the milk is raw, the buttermilk has a tangy flavor. I much prefer sweet buttermilk and already anticipate some cornbread and honey for supper -grin-. 

The butter is scooped out of the larger bowl and placed into a smaller bowl for ease of working and so the buttermilk can be poured into a smaller container.

From a gallon and half of sweet Jersey cream, 8 pounds of butter was churned and I brought home a half pound of butter. I also brought home what the children and I shook and they are taking some on vacation next week. In the photo above, the butter on the left is made from the store bought heavy whipping cream; the butter on the right is from Jersey cream...big difference in color and a noticeable difference in flavor.

So, was it worth it? Absolutely! I'm already planning a monthly trip to Rural Retreat to buy my own Jersey cream so I can churn...every month. For me, it's a sweet activity, one that brings me closer to both Aunt Bonnie, Dave and my Appalachian roots.

In the winter, Aunt Bonnie would put together scrap quilts, using salvaged pieces of cloth and her old sewing machine, tucked into a corner of her bedroom. Over the years, she gave me a quilt, p'raps two, and said, "Now Kid, these don't go on the wall or in a chest. They go on the bed and are meant to keep you warm, understand? If you're not going to sleep under it, I'll give it to someone who needs to be warm."

Never once did I turn her down and slept under a quilt or two until they had holes. Now, it's the memories that keep me warm. 

Blessings ~ an old churn ~ sweet cream ~ willing helpers ~ Mason jars ~ sweet butter ~ Dave ~ Aunt Bonnie ~ precious memories...how they linger ~