We have found that an electric ice cream maker makes a very handy butter churn. -- Just thought I'd pass that along in case it's helpful to anyone.
I couldn't resist! I am actually commissioning a butter churn from a friend of mine who is a potter. He has a gorgeous albany glaze that I love. I'm hoping for a two-gallon churn with lid and I'll make a dasher here... I'm the non-electric type in my kitchen...some things require electricity, but I don't even *own* a mixer. My arms can push and pull a dasher just fine. As can my children's. Sarah
I was at a antique store in Barnesville ohio in nov. last yr. and roger the owner told me it was not unusal for a churn that is real old and still in good condiction to sell for up to $700.00 or more. if in the area the store is a great place to shop/browse.
Yup! I had looked at butter churns on eBay and was shocked at the price ... even motorized ones from the 1940s-50s, that weren't real pretty, were going for a pretty penny! Hence my post ... thought it might save another newbie a few bucks. Sarah, your churn sounds lovely! And what a great family heirloom it will make! I bought my ice cream freezer at Goodwill for $2.50. Works great! We recently scored an old McCormick-Deering hand-cranked cream separator at an estate auction for $12.50. It needs to be restored ... but that's the kind of project my husband lives for! :haha: I suspect it would be more work to clean the separator than to let the milk sit overnight, then skim off the cream with a ladle (which is what I do now) ... but it will look kewl mounted out in the yard, anyway! There also was a hand-crank/electric separator in similar condition ... ran the bid up on that one to $20 before I dropped out and decided to buy the other one instead.
We were able to purchase a working DeLaval floor model cream separator from an Amish family last summer for $35. We didn't even dicker on the price - gave them $40 and told them to keep the change. Having only one milk cow (curently), it is much easier for us to skim the cream, but we couldn't pass up a deal like that!!
