Question about butter churns

[KentuckyDreamer]

I have found an old butter churn ( nothing fancy or unique . In attempting to research to see if it is still safe to use, I find that people are now using hand cranks from Lehman's, electric churns, etc. I am not interested in anything like that.

Can anyone please tell me if there is something I should be looking for to insure the churn is still in working order?

Thank you,

Terri
Ohio

[Alice In TX/MO]

Please post a pic.

[blufford]

I would check and see if the previous owners are still alive or maybe died an untimely death from lead poisoning.

[FarmboyBill]

What do you mean by your statement (People are useing hand cranks from Lehmans)> Are you talking about the whole hand cranked churn?

[Alice In TX/MO]

In other words.... not enough info from your original post to reply in a coherent, constructive manner.

[Old Vet]

Old fashion butter churns are safe to use. They were a crock and a wooden churn. As long as you keep it clean it is OK to use.

[braggscowboy]

My mom used only cream from our cows and a quart or 1/2 gal jar bumped on her knee until finished and there was butter.

[7thswan]

I use a antique glass butterchurn,is that what you meen?

[KentuckyDreamer]

Thank you all for trying...I have zero knowledge about churns and did not know how to explain. And of course, I cannot figure out how to post the photo. I hope the link works.

It is a 3 gallon crock with a wooden paddle.


http://www.auctionzip.com/Full-Image/1366540/fp37.cgi

As for the Lehman's it is a glass jar with a hand crank. I had only seen the crock type so when I started looking for info, it seemed as if no one uses this any longer.

[RebelDigger]

I have several of these in various sizes inherited from my grandmother. The only thing I can think of that would make them unsafe to use is the glazing. Inspect the churn inside and out, esp. inside and make sure the glaze is still in good condition with no grazing or cracks. Be sure you get it super clean before you use it. Should be good to go. The four I have from Grandma have been in pretty much continuous use for over 100 years by various members of my family. Hope this helps.

[KentuckyDreamer]

thank you RebelDigger. I will be checking this out as per your info.

[braggscowboy]

This is called a churn with a dasher, or dasher churn. No question that it will work, but you may not want to churn with it. Will take a lot of cream and a lot of work. If you want to churn, go to the antique shops and look for a good Daisey 4 quart and these will work. If you want to do inexpensively, then like I said "mom used a quart or when wanted a 1/2 gallon jar and with cream in hand she would fill about 3/4 full and just sit and bounce it on her leg just above the knee, jar on its side and it will make butter after a time. The churn like you are showing, as long as no cracks etc, will work. These were made by most pottery makers in their day also made in wood. Good collectible, depending where you live and pottery co. 65.00 to 300.00. Most in the 65 to 100.00 range.

[FarmboyBill]

I wish I could find a new glass for my old Dasey Churn. Lehmans sent me one, but it didnt fit.

[7thswan]

Originally Posted by FarmBoyBill

I wish I could find a new glass for my old Dasey Churn. Lehmans sent me one, but it didnt fit.

yup, I have one, the glass broke in our house fire. It's a strange size.

[sunflower-n-ks]

We used an electric mixer. The cream goes from whipped cream to butter with little effort. You have to watch it. When it changes to butter the mixer needs to be turned off and then use a spoon to collect the butter and work the buttermilk out of it.

[KentuckyDreamer]

Since we are on this subject...there are also a few Red Wing Crocks up for auction. I only want to buy things that are useful, not collectables. I would like to ask what others uses there are for the crocks.

[poorboy]

had a cedar churn it wuz over 150 yrs. old back in the 1950's, social services worker euchered her out of it and her old coins...She also had a crock churn,lost it in a house fire in the 60's...another family that had recently lost their old patriarch quit milking and sold their crock churn to grandma...she gave it to me when she quit churning in her earlier 90's..tried to pay her for it for years and she'd just say keep it as long as you want it..I'd say"Granma I might break it", "it's paid for if you do" wuz always her reply..

back on track we used her old dasher churn jist the other day, The knack is knowing just how to se the dasher, not to hard or to easy..not to fast steady rythmm and don't pull it up above the surface of the cream jist keep it rolling,,,and make sure your cream is almost room temperature before starting..

[braggscowboy]

Originally Posted by poorboy

had a cedar churn it wuz over 150 yrs. old back in the 1950's, social services worker euchered her out of it and her old coins...She also had a crock churn,lost it in a house fire in the 60's...another family that had recently lost their old patriarch quit milking and sold their crock churn to grandma...she gave it to me when she quit churning in her earlier 90's..tried to pay her for it for years and she'd just say keep it as long as you want it..I'd say"Granma I might break it", "it's paid for if you do" wuz always her reply..

back on track we used her old dasher churn jist the other day, The knack is knowing just how to se the dasher, not to hard or to easy..not to fast steady rythmm and don't pull it up above the surface of the cream jist keep it rolling,,,and make sure your cream is almost room temperature before starting..

You got it, the way to do it!

[haypoint]

A Dazy Churn will whip up a gallon or two of cream. That's a lot for a small farm. Plus it takes less space than a crock and a long handled dasher. A crank churn makes butter faster than the crock style. A good Kitchen Aid mixer will make butter, too.