Fresh from the Churn

A few people still remember fresh butter and buttermilk from home churning. The ones from a store never have quite the same taste. But, since people don't keep milk cows much anymore, except for commercial milking, it's hard to find milk to churn.

There's actually many different styles of churns, and they're still sought after by antique collectors and those interested in early American decor. The most common kind of churn resembles a large crock and is made from pottery. This is the kind my mother had. But even in these, there's different colors, sizes, and styles.

Some churns had a crockery lid to match with a hole cut for the dasher. Others had a wooden lid to go with the wooden dasher. However, there were also wooden churns, as well as attachments that went on a large glass jar to make them into a churn. Of course, with a glass jar, one didn't need an attachment. Just put in the skimmed cream, screw on the lid tightly, and rock it back and forth until butter forms.

rare rocker churn

For the most part, churns have become things of the past. But, families who have one usually hang on to them. They tell of simpler times, when many families survived on what they had or could make. They're a part of our history.

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