THE HISTORY OF BUTTER MAKING

Description

This Butter Making Documentary offers an insight into the science of how butter is made, has been made through generations and various methods of making it.
This Science Week intergenerational project, which was led out by Mayo Comhairle na nÓg in collaboration with Age Friendly Mayo, The Museum of Country Life, South West Mayo Development Company and Mayo Older Peoples Council, shows us how we can easily make butter at home, the science behind making it, as well as some of the best tips and social history around making it.
The documentary was filmed in six parts:
1. Farmer and cows
2. Utensil used for butter making in “old days”.
3. Processes of butter making being described by older people to secondary school students
4. Demonstration of making butter by members of OPC
5. Science element of making butter – students
6. Demonstration of making butter with cream – students

This was launched during Science Week of 2021 with at target audience of primary and secondary school children in particular but is available and accessible to all.

Aim of Initiative

The aim of the initiative is to give an insight into the science and evolution of how butter is made, and has been made through generations and various methods of making it.
The initiative combines as an Intergenerational project and a collaboration between the museum, Comhairle na nÓg, South West Mayo and Mayo’s Older People Council is an excellent exchange of information and knowledge.

While this documentary was made available and is accessible to all, there was particular target of national and secondary schools to use this documentary as an educational element with Science / Home Economics.
The documentary was launched during Science week 2021.

Who is it aimed at

While this documentary was made available and is accessible to all, there was particular target of national and secondary schools to show this documentary during Science week.

There was also emphasis on older people as they would have experience with so many elements of butter making and the evolution of butter making.

3 Steps critical to success

1. Access to utensils used for butter making – to give proper visual of what the utensils look like and how they are operated. This gave a better insight into the old fashioned butter making process. These details were provided by the National Museum of Country Life in Turlough, Co. Mayo
2. Participation by secondary school students and Older People’s Council. This exchange of information and knowledge gave a deeper understanding of the various methods of producing butter 70+ years ago with basic tools to the much more advanced machine operated systems available in modern times ot all involved.
3. It was anticipated that this documentary could be used in schools as part of a Science or Home Economics class. Participation of students in documentary was crucial to the schools audience but also to cover the “science” element of it.

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. We had initially hoped to include a part on the modern production of butter-making and a demonstration of machine produced butter; there were still covid restrictions which did not allow entry into a premises.
2. We also had initially hoped to have a classroom setting with students etc however, covid restrictions and school holidays prevented us from including.
3. No other challenges

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. Good networking between all involved and strengthened relationships. A sense of achievement felt by all involved in the process.
2. Timing of this project was after Covid – there was a general “good feeling” working on this project. It was also a social occasion as people had not met each other for a while. It was a good opportunity to meet and feel a sense of purpose again. The older participants learned from the students and the students learned from the older participants.
3. This is a documentary that was launched during Science week 2021 and is now available as an educational video for all schools.