Making Butter

In Kalysa's school work, she goes over a letter each week. With the letter, there is a picture (usually an animal) that starts with that letter that we learn about. Along with the picture, there is a saying that she memorizes about God. Well this week we did letter "C". The picture was a cow and the saying she learned was "God's Word helps me Grow". We talked about how milk helps us grow and God's Word is milk for our soul. We then learned about other things that are made from cow's milk. I bought some heavy whipping cream and put it in jars and we shook them....FOREVER.

(yes we often do school in our pajamas!!)

After awhile it looked like we had 2 jars of whip cream(without the sugar). I talked to my grandma and she told me when she was young they used to make butter the same way, except with fresh cream after they milked the cows. She said I should add some water, only about a teaspoon, to help it separate. When we added the water it only took a few more shakes for it to separate and we got thick creamy butter!

Here is a picture of the kids each trying some of their butter on a cracker.

Grandma (my Grandma their Great Grandma) came by and she tried some of their butter as well. She approved and let them know how good they did making their own butter.

It really did turn out very good. We all had several crackers and then we used some of their butter in the corn at dinner. I think the best part was that Grandma, who is really still iffy on whether or not I can really homeschool, actually became a part of the lesson. That is just one more reason I love homeschooling. After 30something years, I never knew my grandma used to skim the cream off a fresh bucket of cow's milk, put it in a jar, shake it up and make butter. Family values and family relationships can't help but be improved when you homeschool!