A rare picture of the Wawa Dairy Farm in Middletown about 1907. Same location as today. |
WAWA DAIRIES AND THEIR BUSY SCENES
HOW Modern Methods Mark Easy Process at the Great Wood Farm
HAS PRODUCT OF WIDE FAME
Situated
in Middletown Township in close proximity to the Wawa station on the Central
Division of the Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad, is one of the
most interesting beehives of industry in pretty Delaware County. It is the Wawa Dairy Farms, owned and
operated by George Wood of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The products from this farm, which are
considered the best in the country, are cream produced from these farms is of
world-wide in fame. The milk and such a
high class and considered so absolutely pure, that families of means not only
use it at their homes in this country, but have it on shipboard while traveling
in foreign lands. Recently one family
used it on a trip to Italy, the supply running out in the two weeks it required
to reach their destination. The milk is
not treated in any manner, but its qualities are made up in the fine high bred
class of cows used in the production and the great care used in keeping the
milk and cream from every substance which would in any way lessen its quality
or take from it strength as it comes from the animal.
Through
the courtesy of Manager R. L. Smith, accompanied by State Treasurer William L.
Mathues, a Times man had the pleasure yesterday of being shown over the entire
plant, and witness with what care the milk is taken from the cows and what care
is taken to preserve it from all substances other than those which pure milk
should contain.
THE
MANAGER – Mr. Smith is thorough in every department of the business. He came in the Wawa Farms two years ago, and
by his strict attention to business and his affable manners and courteous
treatment of everyone who not only works about the place, but pays a visit
there, he has won a host of friends.
While it is not pertinent to this article, it is said that he will
shortly take unto himself a wife. Mr.
Wood has a fine house in course of construction, which will be occupied by Mr.
Smith after his wedding.
This
genial manager of these dairies comes from Elgin, Ill. He was brought up on a dairy station, and
later took a course in agriculture at the University of Wisconsin, which makes
him one of the best qualified men for the business in this section of the
country. His knowledge, gained at
college and his practical experience on the farm, given him advantages
possessed by but few.
A BUSY
PLACE – The farm of this dairy, which take in a pretty part of the county,
contain 500 acres. Thirty hands are
employed constantly, most of whom live in the tenant houses on the place. In all, taking in the families there are
upwards of one hundred men, women and children in this what may be properly
termed a busy section. The capacity of
the farm is from 1,200 to 1,500 quarts of milk and cream per day. This milk is sold in Philadelphia at present
for 12 cents per quart and at Atlantic City for 16 cents per quart. After November 1 the milk will be 14 cents
per quart in Philadelphia.
The
products are what is known as “Certified” milk and cream. There are two grades of each. The cream which is sold for infants contain
16 per cent, butter fat while that for adults contains 25 per cent butter
fat. The milk for infants contains 4 per
cent butter fat and for adults 6 per cent butter fat.
At
present there are one hundred and fifty cows in the hard. Of this number one-third are pure Guernsey,
and the others are graded cattle, all producing rich milk. These cows are cared for as good as many
human beings. They are quartered in one
of the cleanest buildings it is possible to find at an institution of this
kind. Each cow is groomed every day, and
the elders of all the cows are washed each day before milking time. Shavings are used as bedding and when asked
for an explanation of this, Mr. Smith said it was done from the fact that other
materials used for bedding contain dust and the savings do not. Over the stall of each cow hangs a card
encased in a frame and kept free from the dirt.
This has the number of the cow, and each day it indicates to the man who
feeds the herd just what allowance to give each animal. This is regulated by the herdsman, who is
guided by the amount of milk the cow gives and her condition. Sometimes this is changed each day.
Most of
the cattle are kept in a long building, the perfection of cleanliness,
particularly the walls, which are kept healthy and white by liberal application
of lime. The offal is taken out of the
stable by means of overhead trolley, and in this manner everything is kept free
from dirt and odor.
AT
MILKING TIME – It was milking time when the visitors happened through this
building. Eight men, dressed in white
overalls and jumpers were hard at work.
It will be interesting at this period to let the readers know how the
dispose of the milk. Just as soon as one
of the men finishes milking he goes to the far end of the building and enters a
little room, giving to the man in charge the number of the cow which he has
just milked. The product is weighed and
a record taken for the purpose of ascertaining just what amount of milk and the
quality each cow is producing. While the
milk is being weighed the man who did the milking is preparing to go to the
next cow. The first thing he does after
delivering his bucket is to wash his hands in a disinfectant and drying them
with spotless white napkins which are kept on a table nearby the scales. This process is gone through by each one of
the milkers.
As the
milk is received by the weigher he pours it into a large can and then ships it
by means of an overhead trolley to the dairy house proper, which is a well-kept
stone building some distance away.
SOME
REGISTERED STOCK – In addition to the stock already mentioned in the first building
visited, there are 14 advanced registered cows and 9 in test in another
separate building is short distance away.
These are the most valuable cows of the herd and are beauties. Close by are kept four very fine registered
thoroughbred bulls. The registration
test is conducted by the state Experiment Station.
The milk
is certified by the Philadelphia Pediatric Society, samples being sent to the
Quaker City each day for chemical and bacteriological examination. Certificates are issued to the dairy each
month, and in this way the milk is kept up to its high standard.
The
milk, upon reaching the third story of the dairy house, is handled by a man who
is dressed in the immaculate white. He
pours it from the cans into a cotton filter and from there it is carried down
to the next floor, passing over a cooler refrigerated with brine to 40
degrees. It is then placed in the
bottles. Thus, in fifteen minutes after
the milk has been taken from the cow, it has been cooled and put in the bottles
ready for shipment. Eight jars are
filled at one time.
“No one
is permitted in this room,” said Mr. Smith, “where the cooling and bottling is
done.”
You can
see the operations from a window in the room which separates the washroom from
the engine room. All jars and cans used
are sterilized under fifteen pound steam pressure for twenty minutes.
A LARGE
SALE – The milk, which is shipped to Philadelphia, reaches there almost
twenty-four houses before any other production in this section. The milk for Philadelphia leaves the dairy a
few hours after it has been bottled, and that which goes to Atlantic City,
where the milk finds a large sale leaves Philadelphia on the 3 o’clock train
each morning.
“Our
milk is not treated in any way.” Said Mr. Smith. “All we do is keep it clean, and cool it as
soon as possible after taking it from the cow.”
The
stock, as a general rule, is fed largely on corn silage. This is kept in two large brick silos, with a
capacity of 150 tons each. All the feed
which enters the place is put in the third store of the large building and is
transported to the feed boxes for the cows by means of overhead trolleys.
Two
large boilers and two engines supply the motive power, the plant having its own
electric light station, with a capacity of 150 lights.
Visitors
are welcome every day except Sunday. The attaches take great pleasure to showing
persons through this most modern and up-to-date plant.
Manager
Smith and his stenographer can be found at the office building near the
entrance to the plant.
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