Dairy Trade in Colonial Pennsylvania

Dairy trade was a major industry in Colonial Pennsylvania. Butter and cheese were exported to coastal colonies and the West Indies.

Not all farmers in Colonial Pennsylvania produced dairy products for sale. Most only produced enough for their own families. However, those who did produce dairy products for sale often involved their families and hired help in the processing businesses.

Butter for export required chemical preservation to keep it fresh. One common preservative was a mix of 2 parts salt, 1 part sugar, and 1 part saltpeter. This butter could supposedly be preserved for three years. However, it had to be washed several times with milk and warm water before consumption.

Cheesemaking for export was more difficult to master. Success was often tied to the skills of the dairywomen in the preparation of rennet, an enzyme that causes milk curds to coagulate.

The aging process for cheese could take up to two years. During this time, all sorts of insects, rodents, mold, and other undesirable things could ruin the cheese. Dairywomen often coated the cheese with butter or saltpeter and ashes to protect it.

Between 1768 and 1772, nearly twice as much cheese was sent to areas along the American East Coast as was exported to the West Indies or other distant lands. Philadelphia shipped 38,420 pounds of cheese and 45,610 pounds of butter to coastal ports in just two years.

Invaluable lessons were learned from the dairy trade in Colonial Pennsylvania. Dairywomen were highly skilled in rudimentary bacteriology and production of a quality, marketable product.

The keys to marketing dairy products in the 18th century were preservation, processing, and foreign trade. In the 19th century, urban markets and transportation became more important for the dairy industry.

Thanks to the early pioneers of dairy trade in Pennsylvania, we have maintained a rich heritage of butter, cheese, and other dairy products.

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