Questions about Milk

Reference code: FOL.QUES/6
Level of description: Series
Title: Questions about Milk
Scope and content: 1. When a cow was being milked by hand, was it milked from the right (off) side, or from the left (near) side? RIGHT/LEFT

2. Were there any special traditions or observances connected with milking or with the safe-keeping of the cows?

3. In making butter, what went into the churn? (sweet cream, sour milk, whole milk, or what)

4. Where, or to whom, was surplus butter sold?

5. Was cheese ever made at home?

6. Was any other food made by processing milk?

7. Was “sour milk” drunk, and if so, what kind? (soured whole milk, sour skim milk, buttermilk)

8. Was any milk other than cow’s milk ever used for churning or drinking?

9. Do milk or milk products have any special medicinal properties?

10. Was a mechanical churning device operated by hand ever used to cut down the labour of churning? YES/NO

If so, describe this and give any special name by which it was known.

11. Was a mechanical churning device operated by animal power ever used in your district? YES/NO

Which animals operated this? HORSES/PONIES/DONKEYS

What kind of churn was used with the churning machine, upright dash churn, box churn with paddles, or what?

Can you identify the names of the firms that made these churning devices installed in your area for use with animals?

12. What was considered lucky or unlucky in connection with the churning?

13. Did these beliefs hold good only with the hand-operated churns, or did they also apply to mechanically operated churns?

14. Are there any other traditions connected with milk and its processing?

15. Were milking cows sent to summer pastures in the moors or mountains? YES/NO

What was this called?

To what area did the cattle go from your district?

Did people go and live near the cattle in temporary dwellings, or did they travel to them each day?

Did such temporary dwellings have a special name?

What were these temporary dwellings made of?

Which people in the community went with the cattle in summer, young people, old people, men or women?