1881 Settlers Manual - Dairy

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Advice on dairying as well as instructions on butter and cheese making written in 1881 for the first settler farmers heading into the Iowa territory.  The pioneer and settler families of the 1800's relied upon the handbooks and manuals they took with them. They were the DIY and how-to books of the day.

Milk cows and the milk, cheese and butter they provided was fundamental to the settler way of life.  The pioneer and settler families couldn’t live without dairying and it was critical to their survival.  They had to milk every day, make butter every week and make cheese every season.  If they were good at it they could even package their cheese and butter for sale.  Instructions for that are in this chapter.  To be successful they had to know their dairy breeds and select the right ones.  This chapter of dairy instructions covers all the dairy breeds available to the pioneer and settler families to help them choose.

If you are interested in dairying the traditional way then this chapter will get you started.

Available as a free high quality PDF download.

Further chapters from this book are available elsewhere on this site.

CHAPTER CONTENTS

The Best Dairy Breeds

How to Manage The Dairy

The Creamery

Directions for Butter Making

Packing

Packages

Rules for the Guidance of Patrons Furnishing Milk to Creameries or Cheese Factories

Estimated Cost of Outfits for Cheese Factories

Cheese Making