Young Farmers Look Over Bacon And Dairy Factories

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 60, 7 November 1949, Page 8

Young Farmers Look Over Bacon And Dairy Factories

Last Tuesday morning a party of 40-odd from Wainui School and members of the Wainui-Waimana Y.F.C.’s gathered at the Opotiki bacon factory to be shown through the premises by the manager, Mr Palmer. Members were shown and explained the whole process from the slaughtering to the various finished products, and were impressed by the labour-saving devices installed. At different temperatures fn separate rooms were cooked and raw small goods, beasts for the city shops and bacon, hams, etc. at various stages of curing. Even the offal is steam cooked and ground into meatmeal. In conclusion Mr Palmer gave an interesting demonstration of water devining with No. 8 wire. Mr Burke, of the Wainui Y.F.C., thanked Mr Palmer on behalf of the party, who then went to the Opotiki 11 Dairy Association butter factory where Mr Porter, the manager, welcomed them. Three guides were provided so questions and explanation could be heard. Here again they started at the beginning where the cream was weighed, graded and sampled. Most members tried their hand at grading and agreed that some cream deserved the 2nd grade ticket. The party followed the process on through to the receiving vats, pasturizers, coolers and storage tanks where the cream is stored till early hours of the morning when the butter-makers take over and churn the cream before the heat of the day.

The dried butter-milk process was new to most members and this was explained thoroughly by the guides. Eighty-five per cent of the output of the powder is shipped direct to England in 801 b bags. Another very interesting feature was the new chain-grate boiler and the warming of the water before entering the boiler. After answering numerous questions on varying aspects of farming problems Mr Porter said he was only too happy to show interested farmers through the factory and discuss problems from all angles. After thanking Mr Porter for his information, Mr Clark of the Waimana Y.F.C., called on members to show their appreciation.