Our cow is DROWNING us in milk @ 3+ gal./day. We have been making butter but have run into a problem. We have a Daisy churn and fill it about 1/3 full with cream that we skim off the top of day old milk. We collect this for about 4 or 5 days. We then let the cream warm up to about 70 deg. F. and then churn. The problem is that the past couple of times we have churned it the butter never really gets solid. It resembles whipped butter. We did not have this problem the first two times we made it and we can't think of anything we are doing different. Does anyone know what might be causing this? Will getting milk in the cream do this? How about churning too fast? Our cow is Jersey so I would think the cream would be rich enough. HELP!!!!!

-- David Oelker (daoelker@ticona.com), February 06, 2000

Answers

David: Sorry, I don't know the answer to the butter problem, Bet someone else will, but have you tried to make cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc? You can can milk, also, and save it for when the cow is dry. I think I read about this in Countryside a couple months ago. The woman stated the milk tasted like canned milk, store bought, and was fine for cooking, etc. Maybe that way you could use some of the excess and still save it for your own use for later. Otherwise, maybe you can trade it to a neighbor to feed pigs, etc in exchange for meat? Good luck, hope someone has the answer to this. Jan

-- Jan Bullock (Janice12@aol.com), February 06, 2000.

David, I will tell you what I do to firm up the butter. After the cream has turned to butter, but the butter is too soft to handle easily, I add some ice cubes to my churn. Yes, it will dilute the milk a little, but it won't dilute the butter. By making my liquid cold, the butter stiffens up and then I can lift it out easily. I rinse and shake the butter in ice water then to stiffen it up.

If I don't do this, I have butter smeared all over me and every container and utensil I use.

I always can my extra milk for cooking and baking. I also can my butter milk after I make the butter. I make puddings, custards, pies, potatoe soup and any thing that calls for milk in the recipe,out of my canned milk during the time our cow is dry.

I never hear anyone speak of their butter being too soft to handle, - thought it was just me. They definately couldn't have added ice water in the old days, so I don't know what they did. Adding ice to the churn at the end was just something I came up with because I was having trouble and wanted to firm up the butter in the churn.

-- homestead2 (homestead@monroecty.net), February 07, 2000.

Homestead2: can you post directions for canning the milk on this site? I would love to have them in case I get a good supply! Thanks! Jan

-- Jan Bullock (Janice12@aol.com), February 07, 2000.

Hi David, I haven't been churning for too long, about 9 months or so, but I have run across the same problem sometimes. I don't know what causes this, temp, age, whatever, but I've used a Daisy churner sometimes for an hour or more with little or no results. This has also happened with the food processor as well (after my arm fell off from using the Daisy!) I think maybe it's something to do with using the cream at the bottom of the collected vessel. The cream on top is much more condensed and churns up fast. At any rate, the only solution i have found is after it is going for a half hour with no results, the cats or the chickens get it. I usually have enuf to share so it's not too much of a problem. I like the ice idea. Gonna try that myself next time. Good luck! Patrice

-- Patrice Bertke (herbalgroup@skybest.com), February 07, 2000.

You need to know that extension agents will not recommend canning dairy products, so you gotta make a decision about this, and do what is right for you. Keeping that caveat in mind, twenty years ago, my Ohio State University Extension Agent called the university for me and got the recommendation for canning milk. She told me 13pounds for 12 minutes. I have a Mirro Matic with only 5, 10, and 15 pounds to choose from, so I upped it to 15 pounds to be on the safe side.

Must bring the pressure up carefully, because at 15 pounds, you will break jars if you hurry. Remember, your jiggler only needs to jiggle four times in fifteen seconds to keep at your chosen pressure. When you hear someone canning with their jiggler going non-stop, they have their heat too high.

At fifteen pounds, your milk will darken a little.

An old neighbor lady told me her friend used to can the milk in a boiling water bath. The milk stayed white and didn't have the "very cooked" taste - still has a cooked taste, but not so much.

I can my milk with the boiling water bath method and am much happier with it. If you have reservations about safety issues, stick to the pressure canning. I do the water bath for 2 1/2 hours, and I don't start counting until the water is actually boiling.

Canned milk is very important to me. It is comforting to have it on the fruit cupboard shelf. Although the kids turn their noses up at it for drinking, I have heated it and added the sugar and cocoa for hot chocolate and they accepted it.

I have had a jar get pushed to the back of the shelf and when discovered, it had been there four years, if I remember correctly, from the date on the lid. It was perfect. Canned whole milk has the cream right on the top. The cream sets up and you can lift it out in a chunk, or stir it back in. I have always meant to see if the cream could still be made into butter. If it can, it sure would solve the "what to do with extra cream" dilemma.

-- homestead2 (homestead@monroecty.net), February 07, 2000.

One thing that made our cream turn to butter faster was setting the milk out overnight, and churning it in the morning. You might try this ans see if you like the flavor. We are used to the "sweet cream" butter, made from fresh cream, but in earlier days, the wives would let the cream sour a bit before they churned it, because that made the butter come faster. Mom always set ours out overnight, before using the Daisy churn. It results in a bit stronger flavor, but one that some like better. Try it with a batch, and see what you think. Make sure that you rinse the butter very well, until the water runs clear. If nuthin' else, the critters will appreciate it, and you have learned something!

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), February 07, 2000.

Try warming the cream up to about 60 degrees. Also are you sure you're churning long enough? Keep at it until the butter and buttermilk are separate and real sloshy. We knew some folks that loved their butter, but didn't have a clue about the buttermilk coming. And do try some cheesemaking, it's very satisfing.Soft cheeses are what to start with. Cottage cheese, cream cheese, mozzarella,I'm getting hungry!

-- Cathey Uptain (uptain@if.rmci.net), February 07, 2000.

Try churning a 65 degrees. If the butter is still soft, harden it up some by using very cold water for your rinses. I do the first few right in the churn. If you want to try souring your cream, live culture buttermilk gives it a nice boost. For storage, making Ghee, or Indian clarified butter, does wonders. Slowly heat the unsalted butter until the foaming subsides, and the solids are apparant. At this point, you can either strain the solids out now, or toast them lightly for added flavor. Use the solids mixed into homemade bread for great flavor. The Ghee will keep indefinetly if you keep it in a cool place. Good Luck

-- Connie Christoffer (Conniechristoffer@yahoo.com), February 14, 2000.

I have a question that I'm depating with someone, it's related to the question David asked, and I thought maybe someone could help me. When cream is being churned into butter, does it have to become whipped cream before it turns into butter?

I've never churned butter in a churner, but I've had bad experieces with my whipped cream turning into butter, when i put it in an eletric mixer, or shake it in a jar.

Thanks for your help, Jennifer Garber.

-- Jennifer Marie (jennifer@wrta.com), October 02, 2001.

I have made whipped cream from cow's cream. There is a stage in making butter - when you can ad your sugar and vanilla and it can be used as a topping.

It is not as stiff as Cool Whip or Dream Whip, but it is sweet and rich and will work. Our idea of what whipped cream is has been influenced by being raised with the non-dairy toppings. You will not produce a whipped cream topping that behaves like Cool Whip.

That stage when you can use it as whipped cream is short lived. Just a few more seconds (if you are making it in the blender) and it is going to separate and become butter. Also, even after you have added your sugar and vanilla, - if you continue mixing or blending too much, it will become butter.

-- homestead2 (homestead@localnetplus.com), October 02, 2001.